The Village Grill

We tried this place twice. The first time, the vibe was great. We sat outside and enjoyed the scenery. The second time was meh. However, the food was good on both days. I ordered the mimosas each time. The beignets were fresh and fluffy. The chicken sandwich was huge and cooked to perfection. The burger was very juicy and flavorful. The deviled egg appetizer was mediocre and lacked flavor. The smothered pork chop literally fell off the bone. The chicken that topped the waffle was a little too crispy but it was good.

The Village Grill has been remodeled and has a new menu with a New Orlean's theme. The changes to the restaurant are really nice with the booths; tables and bar.I've had mixed experiences at the Village Grill. My brunch back in October was amazing with the eggs benedict and grits. The service was also really good and attentive.So I had been meaning to get back to dinner and was disappointed. I went with the filet mignon. I'm not sure why they put pimento cheese on it but I took that off as it doesn't belong on a filet mignon. The meat wasn't up to the quality I expect for the cut so maybe that is why they use the cheese. I did enjoy the sweet potato but no cinnamon was provided but that just might be my personal preference. The asparagus was good although all the food was on the cooler side rather than served hot. Another in my party sent some of her food back to be reheated. I think I would have been better off with a burger. Service was also lacking as the waitress disappeared at numerous times. I did get a refill on my tea but others had to wait for drinks. Then there were issues getting the checks. I do hope this was an off night and service is usually better.

This was my first time at The Village Grill located in Raleigh's Lafayette Village. It's next to Simply Crepes, Sushi One and across the grass area from Jubala. Parking is free and easy. I opted to park by Driftwood and walk thru the courtyard but parking by Simply Crepes is an easier route. I was kindly greeted by the hostess who advised that the private dining room was straight back and to the right. It was beautifully decorated and the fireplace gave it a nice, cozy ambiance. The birthday girl advised that they had recently renovated this room and we all were pleased with the area. It seemed to have tables separated in four areas - two tables of 6 and two tables of 12. It was spacious and comfortable for us all. A portion of their menu was customized for the private dinner but guests could order off regular menu as well. I had a cocktail and appetizer and was pleased with my choices. Guests raved over the salmon salad and other items from the menu that I would go back to try more. Service for our large group was great and I would recommend having a private event here. We were there from 7-9p but make sure to ask what the operating hours are for the season as the bday girl didn't know they were closing at 9pm on a Saturday.

Delicious burger! I can't remember the name, but it had pimento cheese on it and was cooked right at medium. The French fries were a bit disappointing and I didn't eat all of them. My side of coleslaw was decent. Our server was friendly, but it took a while to get him a few times because he was covering multiple tables.

I ate a Cobb Salad for lunch. Chicken was tasteless, croutons were burnt. While I like LaFayette village's ambience and understand the costs come with it, I certainly expect more from a simple salad for that price.

The food was sooooo amazing!!! Our waiter was also! The atmosphere was very calm and laid back and the staff were all so welcoming and friendly. My boyfriend and I went here for the first time and we were blown away! We had the shrimp and grits and the chicken and sausage pasta! Both were amazing and we will definitely be back!!!

Really interesting to get seated and be ignored in an empty restaurant, but I figured it out. The bartender had regulars/friends at the bar who clearly were more intriguing than any new guest. I finally asked the manager working at a nearby table if she worked here and could get me a server, after all of that, the pork chops were overcooked but decent flavors, but is it worth a return? Not sure this place will be here in six months.

We had reservations on a Friday night but didn't seem to need them. We were seated in a cozy booth on the perimeter of the restaurant. Both sides of the restaurants have booths all the way down, there are tables in the front and a big bar in the center. Husband and I both ordered draft beers which are $2off on Fridays. For an entree I ordered the cod which came with mashed potatoes, asparagus, Brussels and cannellini beans. I'm not a fan of mashed potatoes but it came with so many other items I thought it would just be a dab of potatoes. It was actually heaviest on the potatoes but the rest of it had so much flavor that it was fine all together. Cod can be really boring, too, but this was an excellent, flavorful presentation of it. Husband ordered the soup of the day which was chicken poblano and said it was excellent. He also ordered the muffuletta and said it was good but did not compare to a muffuletta in New Orleans. He did really enjoy his side of Brussels bacon hash. Service was excellent. We were charged wrong for our beers but the waitress quickly fixed it when we brought our attention to it. Overall it was a lovely dinner out.

So much better than a year ago, I had the chicken sandwich and liked it. I also like the ambience, the green lawn etc

For convenient parking and a pleasurable dinning experience, check out La Fayette Village! Would highly recommend!