The Depot on First

I have seen this restaurant multiple times & said that I was going to visit one day and finally had a chance to do so. When I arrived I found street parking in front of the business. The restaurant is an old historic Sears catalog home that has a large bar and is spacious with multiple areas to dine in. I was greeted when I walked in & seated right away. My server, Emma, was very personable & attentive. She told me about the specials & some of the popular dishes. She also recommended pairings from the menu. The food was really good and the portions were definitely large enough to share. I loved the garlic cheesy scalloped potatoes! My pork chop was tender. This was my first time here & I will definitely be back to try other items & their brunch that Emma recommended.

This was our first time visiting Depot on First. We stopped for drinks after dinner about an hour before they closed. So a light crowd, The service was great, with attentive and courteous staff.Unfortunately, our experience was overshadowed by the owners' inappropriate conversation at the stools right next to me. They casually referred to their neighbors in derogatory terms like "the gay ones" and "the Asians." This created an uncomfortable atmosphere that tainted what could have been an otherwise pleasant evening. Despite the good service, the owners' behavior left me disappointed and uneasy. If this is the type of language they like to casual use with each other and their friend I'd suggest they wait until customers have left before using peoples' sexuality and race as descriptors.

The restaurant is in a beautifully renovated and expanded home. Service was good, there is an effort being made to train their new team in the art of fine dining. Our food was prepared well with fresh ingredients. The owner spent time at our table to ensure all was well and gave us the origin story of the establishment. Overall, for a new restaurant, we had a very nice experience. My only hesitation to giving a five star rating is the price point of the meals are a bit high, especially for a new restaurant striving to become a fine dining experience.

The Depot on First has been open since October 2023 and since then has simply excelled as the only fine dining restaurant in the area.I think much of their success is based on the fact they not only maintain consistency in areas such as attention to detail, exceptional customer service and quality culinary experience, they also continue to evolve and adapt to changing tastes, trends, and customer preferences. I enjoy seeing their ongoing tasting and intimate dining events, of which I will have to attend at some point.Another cornerstone of success for many restaurant's is Authenticity, and this Farm-to-table restaurant continues to prioritize authenticity by sourcing quality ingredients directly from local farms and producers. They don't take any shortcuts when it comes to freshly prepared food to save time which is why I will wait patiently in the elegantly decorated intimate, warm and inviting dining room for my entree upon every visit. No Rush! Just me bring me another perfectly prepared old fashioned. Don't hesitate to step outside of the box and try something new on the menu, I am not a fan of porkchops, but I have become a fan of theirs. This is an environment that will put a smile on your face, Ben and staff are simply exceptional, every visit feels like coming home to dinner. I look forward to spending some time out on the beautiful back patio this spring.Cheers!

Where to start? Service: 5/5. The staff were very attentive, they walked around and helped each other out. Our waters never emptied, they were polite and made sure we had everything we needed. The manager checked in on us and asked how the food was as well. Some of the best service I've received in a while. Food: perfection/5. Oh lord, where to even start with the food? The chef is a food genius. Everything was balanced beautifully. The food cooked perfectly. Not a single thing I ate was disappointing, everything was perfectly seasoned and I couldn't get enough. The bruschetta was the best I've ever had, the steak tender, the salad balanced. I mean, I could go on but I don't want this to be too long winded. Atmosphere: 5/5. Clean, crisp, beautiful. The space is cozy and intimate without being bland and boring. It's perfectly balanced with being open and yet cozy. I seriously can't wait to go back and try some of the other items on their menu!

The cocktails are amazing if your long for bottom self this ok isn't the spot. You pay for what you get!!!! The bar tender is well educated on flavors and liquors in my opinion. Food has been pretty good. I recommend the pork belly

Another great visit to The Depot in First. We sat outside on the enormous patio and enjoyed the nice weather. Brooke provided great service and accommodation when offering vegan options for my wife. I had an Aperol spritz to start. Then devoured a Corn beef hash and a side of Biscuit and gravy! I love having an upscale dining venue so close to home. It was great catching up with Ben, the GM, who was going table to table insuring everyone was having an excellent experience.

I ate at the Depot food truck several times and it was always fantastic. Now that the full restaurant is finished, I was fortunate enough to be able to attend a soft opening to see the food and drinks they will be having.I don't know if I can fully describe how amazing everything was. The actual restaurant is beautiful. The construction and interior design is very well done. The food was incredible. Some of the dishes were things that I don't even normally like, but the way they were prepared here, I actually loved them. The drinks were also very good. Knightdale needed a place for great cocktails. The service was on point. From the managers to the servers, they never missed a thing.I highly recommend the Depot on First. You won't be disappointed.

We had a wonderful dining experience at the Depot on First. Monica was our server and she did an awesome job in taking care of us. We dined on the patio of this renovated historic home. Monica even thought of our dog and brought her a water bowl. We look forward to coming back. Thank you Monica!

I have been waiting to visit this restaurant since it opened. I chose to wait until my wedding anniversary since it's a bit pricey for a regular night out. We went tonight and I wish I could say it was a 5 star experience but it was not. I had a reservation for 6:30, we arrived on time but there was nobody at the hostess stand and barely anybody in the restaurant. The inside is nicely decorated, warm and welcoming. We waited a few minutes for someone to come and seat us. My husband had flowers delivered there and they were on our table, a pleasant surprise! Monica, was our server and she was a true gem. She was friendly and engaging, we were very appreciative of her. Then came the menu. They have just switched to their fall menu which consisted of an 8 course tasting menu or 3 different 3 course meals. That's it! We opted for the tasting menu which for the most part was very good. Now for the negatives....I had seen on their Facebook that they had a lobster and crab bisque that I really wanted to try. After traveling to Maine this year, I developed a new found love for it. It came out in a large bowl and my husband and I shared it. There was plenty of lobster and crab which was great, but barely any bisque. I expected a whole lot more soup for 40.00. The rest of the food was good and the burnt apple cheesecake was amazing! However, the drink prices are ridiculous in my opinion. 25.00 for a Dirty Martini (with store bought blue cheese olives, not fresh) and 25.00 for a basic Old Fashioned. Come on!!!! There are plenty of cocktail bars in the area that make great Dirty Martinis (with fresh blue cheese olives) and Old Fashioned's for a fraction of the price. It was a special occasion so I had budgeted for an expensive meal, but to me this was excessive. Western NC has just been devastated by a major hurricane but not one indicator of a fundraiser here. I wouldn't mind paying these prices if I knew a portion of my meal was being donated to hurricane relief efforts. So instead of leaving happy after celebrating my anniversary and enjoying a good meal, I left completely disappointed and sad. I would've felt better just donating the money to relief efforts instead. Definitely not the experience I had hoped for. There are plenty of upscale restaurants in the area that aren't as pricey. Maybe if they offered additional menu choices and less expensive cocktails, I would consider going back but for now it's a no for me. Thank you, Monica! You were the best part of the evening.