Stanbury

This place is a culinary experience!This is the type of restaurant the depict in "The Bear" with an ever changing menu and dishes that only a true creative can concoct. This is a place where I say trust a wait staff recommendation and go out on a limb trying new dishes. Whether it's shared tapas style or splitting an entree the wait staff does an incredible job of spacing out your food so you have the perfect amount of time to sit and enjoy the company and ambiance of this tucked away gem!I wouldn't recommend this place to you if you're looking for a "quick bite". Go here to celebrate, catch up with friends or just enjoy an incredible mealGET THERE EARLY. for real, you have to get there before 5:20 on a weekend to get a spot by 8:30. With no reservations though must get there early and it'll be worth it. If there's a wait, just walk down to the standard or station and wait cause it's worth it

Great food with well chosen ingredients cooked to perfection. Seasonal Cocktails and a varied wine list offer great selections to complement your meal. Yummy seasonal desserts make a satisfying finish. The staff is efficient, accommodating and friendly. The atmosphere is buzzing but not overly noisy.

I ate here a couple weeks ago with 2 other people. Overall we were disappointed. There was only 1 dish out of 6 that we thought was really good and that we'd come back for-- the Black Pepper Cavatelli.Bread and Butter-- 4 pretty good, the butter they served with the bread was really good. NC Bigeye Tuna Crudo-- 4Black Pepper Cavatelli-- 4.5 Delicious! The corn made this dish!F1 Hungarian Sausage-- 3.5 Flavors didn't come together quite right. Roasted Marrow-- 2 Tasted like fat blobs. There was no richness of flavor that marrow should have. Peach Crisp-- 3 The flavors weren't balanced. The peaches didn't have enough sugar in the filling. And wasn't served with enough ice cream. We had to order another scoop to have enough for the crisp.I was torn between giving this restaurant a 3 and 4. It deserved 3.5. However I decided to give it 3 stars because it's pricey. So for the price, the quality should be better. Overall I don't think I'll return.

BLUF: Will absolutely be back. Be smart about which day of the week you choose to dine here, there is always a wait.Joseph was such a gracious host! We had our dog with us for date night and he was being his usual good boy-ness. Joseph saw our bored looking pup and asked us if Ollie would like a marrow bone. He came out with the marrow bone and water. Needless to say, our dog loves him which by the transitive property we love Stanbury.The star of the night, the Seared Scallops!! Perfect complete dish. The scallops had a beautiful heavy sear without compromising and drying out the inside. Served on top of beef bourguignon and pureed parsnips, which in of itself could have been a dish. Topped with crispy plantains and chives. MUAH! Chef's kiss Every one of their dishes are accurately described and superbly prepared. From the crispy pig's head on top of a bed of lentils to the earthy mushroom tagliatelle. Every dish made us feel that they've put effort and care into its components and crafting.We had a wonderful night. Beautiful weather to sit outdoors, kind and generous staff, and amazing food.

The number one thing to know about Stanbury is they do not take reservation. And it's super popular. So timing is everything if you don't want to wait for a table. If you don't mind an early dinner, show up fifteen minutes before they open, get your name on the list and they will seat accordingly as soon as they open. Secondly, do know it won't be an inexpensive evening. You are paying for quality and perfection in execution.Four of us had a recent enjoyable Saturday dinner. The menu changes frequently. You won't find their menu on their website, but they will sometimes post one on Facebook. Off the current menu we shared off the small bites: Fried Oysters, Scallop Yakitori and Grilled NY Bigeye Tuna. All four of us agreed that the Tuna was the best. The Scallop, while good, was really expensive for what was probably two scallops cut up. So half a scallop per person.For the mains, we shared two of the pork chop dishes and one Tagliatelle. Having had pork here before, we knew they do especially well with it and they did again. The pasta was very tasty as well.For dessert we tried all three: a blueberry cheesecake mousse, peach cake and dark chocolate bread pudding. The blueberry one was the surprise favorite. Cake was a light blah, while bread pudding was the least fave.Service good. Two of us got a little water dropped on us when refilling water glasses, but hey they kept them filled to go along with the alcohol we consumed. As for ambiance, it's on the dark side, with medium to high noise level.

Every once in a great while you discover a restaurant that you immediately fall in love with. For me, Stanbury is one of those restaurants. Yes, she doesn't take reservations. Yeah, she's quirky. But she's fun, totally alluring, and unforgettable. First things first: if you want to be seated in the first seating (5:00 to ~5:15), arrive at 4:50 or so. If you'd like to dine at 7:00 or ~7:15, arrive at 4:50 or so. Notice a pattern? For even later times, I suspect you're also going to have to stop by relatively early; they'll take your name and number and give you an approximate time. If you live in Oakwood or Mordecai, this system is great; if you're in Durham, Wake Forest or another similarly distant town, not so much. But whatever it takes to snag a table, do it, because this restaurant is well worth this inconvenience. The restaurant's decor appears to be the product of a Wyoming hunting lodge, a funky art gallery and a garage getting together to experiment with hallucinogens. It's funky, distinctive and seemingly 180° opposite the imaginative, elevated cuisine, but it all somehow works. The vibe is playful and casual, the drinks are wonderful, and the service is attentive without being overly fussy. And the food! As the kitchen uses local providers and seasonally available ingredients, the menu changes frequently. It usually features approximately a dozen small and four large plates, all intended for sharing, as well as a few desserts. Everything we tried was sublime. In particular, the beef heart bolognese was extraordinary, and the ribeye was perfectly cooked with a great char and and luscious flavor. The Szechuan Cucumber was another delight, featuring cantaloupe, Lady Edison ham, peanut, and cilantro, while Szechuan peppercorns provided their tingly, numbing magic: very good. Don't skip the bread and butter: the sesame loaf slices from Boulted Bread had spent a few moments on the grill, and the marriage of smoke with the richness of the loaf and butter was memorable. We need to return - soon! - to try some of the other dishes. Finally, I need to mention that this is a restaurant that's genuinely committed to providing a great customer experience. There were a couple of minor hiccups during our visit (a drink ordered "up" was served on the rocks, the pacing of the dishes coming to the table wasn't ideal); the restaurant's staff went to great lengths to make things right. This was totally unexpected and seemingly disproportionate to the couple of minor things that went wrong, but it solidified in our minds that this is a restaurant that deserves our business and we need to return to, frequently. Bravo.

Eating at Stanbury was the culinary highlight of my Raleigh trip. I was here on Halloween and everything from the moment my friend and I got out of our car until we walked out after dinner was spectacular. The menu at Stanbury is like nothing we had ever seen. It is a delicious assortment of different types of meats, organs, vegetables, and sauces. Chef's kiss. The staff made our time even more enjoyable with a very warm welcome, patience in explaining the menu to us, making great food recommendations, and seeing us off with a smile. The ambiance is also uniquely Stanbury! Highly recommended! I will definitely be back with every Raleigh trip.

This is one of those places where nearly all there is to say has been said by somebody else, so the only way to truly capture its excellence is to go ahead and experience it yourself. An absolute gem, this unique and semi-eclectically decorated restaurant offers some of the most fantastic food in the area. Each dish on their ever changing menu is packed with flavor and freshness, and presented beautifully. From the small plates to the dessert, each unique offering is truly exquisite. The interior offers a cozy and casual environment with exceptionally friendly, warm, and efficient service. While their waits and walk up reservation system can at times be a bit frustrating, it is worth it and they offer some drinks and appetizers at times while you wait. Would highly recommend and will definitely try to return.

We just had the most amazing dining experience. Not only was our server Jenna one of the best servers we've had, but all of the food was just next level. The menu was a little adventurous, but based on Jenna's recommendations, we had the best dinner in a very long time. We've been trying to come here for years and the wait has made it difficult, but KEEP TRYING, you will not regret it. The kitchen as next level as was the server so run here!!!

Would absolutely come back. A few of us from out of town visited this restaurant and enjoyed every bit of it! Very unique vibe, doesn't take reservations and unique menu. Since there were several of us, we ordered from most of the menu to let us try a bit of everything. Truly an amazing dinner!Dishes we tried: + PARISA... beef tartare, jalapeno, cheddar, scallion, ranched saltines+ DELICATA SQUASH .. apple, pickled onion, goat cheese, salsa macha, pepitas, cilantro, lime 13+ CRISPY SWEET POTATO ... pomegranate, maple tahini, hazelnut dukkah, mint salad 13+ CAVATELLI ... lamb neck ragu, san Marzano, ricotta, mint, bread crumb 17+ CRISPY PIG HEAD ... Beluga lentils, bacon, poached eng, mustard cream, arugula 16+ ROASTED MARROW ... parsley, shallot, caper, Boulted toast, Maldon 21+ CHEESE: Boxcarr Rocket's Robiola+ GRILLED RIBEYE+ PARSNIP CAKEThe crispy sweet potato dish was so good we ended up ordering another one. I could eat this every day. Everything was so good, but our least favorite dish was the Crispy Pig head - it was a bit lack luster.The grilled ribeye was nothing to write home about. The potatoes were deliciously crispy and flavorful. I wish I took photos of the food but it was a bit dim and we were all enjoying great food and company. The menu changes often, so if I lived in the area I would come here often.