Stanbury

WOW. Best food in Raleigh thus far. We tried to go to Stanbury at 5pm on a Saturday last year. That was a bust. You HAVE to be in line by 4:15 to even have a shot at getting your name in the list and being seated by 6. Went on Wednesday night - arriving just before 7 - and our party of 4 was sat outside (with heaters) immediately. Our server, Trudy (99% sure,) was phenomenal. She knew each dish and its history and gave us amazing recommendations on food and wine. My husband and I chose to share 5 small plates for our dinner. Our friends got two apps and the ribeye. We all tried one another’s food. Stupid good. I can’t comment on everything based on small tastes, but my standouts were the lamb and bone marrow. It was my friend’s birthday and they brought a slice of beach pie to the table. It was so refreshing and perfect!

The food and service were both top-notch! We loved sharing the snack plates - everything was so flavorful and well-thought-out. The decor is definitely unique, with a bit of a log lodge vibe. If you're not a fan of taxidermy, you might want to be prepared for that.

Love this place. Rotating and experimental menu. A place that pushes the envelope unapologetically. Highly recommend. Can't recommend a single dish because it's likely it won't be the same the next visit, which is a GOOD thing. Northwest vibe. Incredible food.

First time dining here. We (my wife and 2 kids) arrived early to get on the list and got seated in about 15-20 min. The hype is real. Great vibes. We kept it really simple with a hand full of small plates, one pasta entree and a dessert. Everything was delicious and I can’t wait to dive into the rest of the menu. The drinks were on point as well.

I really can't speak highly enough of this restaurant. I went there last night for the first time and had a 5/5 dining experience. The atmosphere is eclectic but fun, dim but not too dark. Our server was absolutely excellent, knowledgeable about the entire menu and made top tier recommendations. I love small plates or tapas because I get a kick out of having variety vs larger portions of 1 meal. Every dish we got here was crafted masterfully with SO many good flavors. If I had to pick a favorite, I'd go with the crispy pig head. The mochi dessert is a must try as well. Can't wait to come back here!

Had the octopus salad, beef tartare, nyc swordfish, and f1 sausage small plates. I wasn’t a fan of the octopus salad but I think I just don’t like octopus as this was the 2nd time I’ve had it and I didn’t like it at either place I’ve been served. The beef tartare, swordfish, and sausage were all great, the swordfish was my favorite dish and the service is fantastic. Service is fantastic too. Absolutely would recommend.

Easily one of the best meals we have ever had. We ordered the trout dip outside while we waited. Inside we had the fried oysters, Rabbit Confit Agnolotti (so good we ordered a second one), the ribeye (best steak ever) and the apple pandowdy. Highly highly recommend!!!

Finally got to check out one of the most popular restaurants in town. All I can say is wow, I get the hype now. We chose to sit outside and I like the smell of gardenias. The service was superb. We ordered five small plates to share and were both blown away by how creative and flavorful the food was. My Japanese whiskey and Faux 75 were also great. Top-notch experience in Raleigh, period.

Stanbury is a definite place to try in Raleigh. Food as outstanding and a fun experience for families who appreciate different plates and varies ingredients. Service was outstanding while waiting for a table and at the table- attentive, cordial, informed. Ambiance is definitely weird, with bizarre decor and over the top Xmas decorations, but fun to appreciate - probably an extension of the eclectic menu experience. Drinks were very varied and well executed. Not a five star on the wait time for a Tuesday night as it's impossible to make a reservation... not bad wait, but they certainly can manage better as we saw larger parties arriving later and getting seated earlier. Ambiance is probably for younger foodie crowd, but it is what it is. overall 5 star and can't wait to com back with the rest of the crew.

Food is unbeatable. This is a great place to go for a date or a small group of friends. There are so many dishes to try and all are so well executed, absolutely delicious! Probably one of the BEST ribeye steaks I have ever had. The menu changes often, but would recommend the broccolini and fried oysters. Lots of good indoor and outdoor seating options. Our server was also so knowledgeable and helpful with the food and wine choices. There is limited parking out front but plenty of parking in the surrounding neighborhood streets.

Fantastic! Ordered mostly small plates. Waited outside by the bon fire and drank an old fashion.

This dinner was phenomenal and the menu is innovative! Stanbury-- I stan. The pork chop, butter and piping hot bread, beef tongue, and fried oysters were all highly recommended and well received. The flavors and plating were absolutely spot on. The service was fast and friendly. The hubs and I enjoyed the ambiance and the cocktails. The restaurant was packed but didn't feel stuffy. All in all, we'd come back in a heartbeat. Cheers!

If you are going on a Saturday, be sure to get your name on the seating list right at 4:30! The timing worked out for us tonight and we absolutely devoured this meal. My favorites were the beef tartare, grilled romaine, and pickle soup (very unique and not too pickley, despite the name). Our server checked in at all the right times and ambiance was perfect. I appreciate the chocolate shop next door and plenty of heated spaces to wait until opening. We will definitely be back!!

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 meal GET 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

A very unique place and the menu changes all the time but the three things we got on the menu were all very good. I would say this is not a place to come to if you're looking for large portions but the cocktails were unique and the food was unique and a great experience overall. The wait was supposed to be two hours but it turned out to be just over an hour. So plan to do something while you wait. They do not take reservations but they are efficient at the way they manage their list with a phone call.

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-- 4 Black 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.

The best food with a diverse changing menu. Great service as well. They intentionally bring your next dish once you finish one which was great. Cool vibe of decor and music. Great selection of wine too. Highly recommend!!

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.

The food was amazing. Great chef w/some awesome dishes. Service was also fabulous. Only complaint was with the Hostess as she kept telling us later times for an available time. First it was an hour and then 15-20 min then 30 min and it was finally a 2 hr wait. She was very unpleasant insensitive and unprofessional. Her not response was "do you want me to get my manager". She even claimed she called us but there was definitely no call !!! Otherwise I highly recommend

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.

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.

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 CAKE The 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.

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.

While the wait was around 1.5 hours, the appetizers and cocktails were a prelude to an inevitable wondrous culinary experience. I met a friend here for a late lunch. Neither of us had ever visited and we were eager to try the selections. Everything was perfect! From the smoked bluefish pate with the radish, Dijon mustard, gherkins and tasty crackers to the succulent pork chop that literally melted in your mouth. Dessert was fantastic (light and not too sweet) as was my new favorite cocktail (The Midtown). Staff was courteous and greeted you with a smile...they were also Uber attentive as well as informative. The atmosphere was a little loud but the music and rustic look served as a perfect backdrop for some of the finest food you'll ever eat in Raleigh. This gem is a must! Visit and try as much from the menu as you're able to before making your next trip - you'll talk about the experience for days!

Was disappointed the last time I tried this place and after my favorite spot was closed on a Tuesday decided to check it out and Two words resonate : over seasoned and overdressed. The flavor profile is amazing but for some reason, the salt and the volume of sauce overshadowed the potential. And as I walk out after paying almost $150 for dinner I'm really amazed that my server nor management bothered to inquire, as to whether or not, I enjoyed the dining experience. So much potential but I simply give up.

This is likely one of my top Raleigh restaurants so far! We don't like that they don't take reservations here but since it's just the 2 of us it's not terrible. We do like that while you wait for a table you can sit down outside and order drinks and select small bites. Stanbury is a small restaurant with a unique eccentric charm. The menu is constantly changing but always has fixed staples. I check their IG for their latest menu offerings. The vibe is ultra low key-casual but the food is sophisticated. You will find menu items like bone marrow and beef tongue or classics like oysters, pasta, steak and fish. Whatever you order it's probably going to be great. I won't say every single dish here I've had here has been a hit but the misses are rare and doesn't stop me from returning. If all this sounds good to you, then you're definitely missing out. P.S. they are located in downtown Raleigh so it will be street parking.

The only thing I can find to complain about is: it's hard to get a table. The interior looks like a Wisconsin fish lodge. The whole vibe they give off is as low-key as it comes. They frickin' serve 40 oz. Miller High Life like champagne service. The food they turn out is as good as I have had anywhere in the world. On two visits we had: * Chicken liver mousse zomg, the best I have ever had. So light and airy. * oysters * steak 2 different ways * perfect pork chop * Green bean salad * Char siu quail * Crispy fried pig's head (not the whole head) * Some bone marrow thing * Canadian sausage with buckwheat pancakes * Szechuan ice cream - weird but amazing The service is like the rest of the restaurant - looks breezy, but it executes at a very high level. Unless you get there even earlier than we did, you will wait a little bit at one of the front tables. Great cocktails if you don't get that Miller High Life bottle service. Now that Chef & The Farmer is closed, I put this at top 3 restaurants in North Carolina, with Lantern in Chapel Hill and Curate in Asheville.

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!!!

Absolutely loved this place. It was very welcoming and you get to decide whether you want to sit outside or inside. I truly enjoyed the flavors they played with. I recommend this place if you want to try something new!

Just wasn't the same. Usually love this place. Makes me very sad. I will be back as it was my favorite place in town. Need some space to recover.

I don't know if I would have found this place, if not for some friends who gave me a gift certificate for my birthday. And, man, I am so glad that they did! The ratings for this place are already high and I am only going to add to the rave reviews. We had the fresh oysters, one large plate, and two other small plates, which was more than enough for two people. I especially recommend the quail and the tagliatelle. We also had mixed drinks, which were perfect. The atmosphere is also really relaxed and easy going. They do not take reservations, so get there early, if possible. I highly recommend Stanbury and I will most definitely return soon.

My two trips to the Stanbury have been exceptional. You can count on them for adventurous proteins, great cocktails, and attention to detail throughout a rotating menu. This place is the perfect spot for a "treat yourself" dinner, and they throw down aces on every plate as far as I can tell. Definitely a unique, hard-to-compare dining experience you won't forget.

My sis-in-laws go to spot for delicious, upscale, country cookin'. Waitstaff are all top notch. A great laid-back but somehow busy as hell spot for fancy grub.

Wow, wow and a third wow!! This was our first time here and I can't wait to go back! We made the mistake though of getting there at 5:30pm and was told it was close to a two hour wait lol. Oh well, we grabbed two chairs by the fire in front and perused the cocktail menu. From what I read our wait would be worth it. We had a couple of craft cocktails while we waited to be seated. The ambiance here is top notch. It's different than most restaurants and very eclectic, which we enjoyed. There was a nice crowd inside and outside. The small fire in the mini firepit added to the great vibe here. When we finally got seated inside we were near the kitchen. It was bustling with the staff and the servers. The service here is great. We ordered the following: roasted cauliflower, roasted brussels sprouts, pork cheeks and bone marrow. Everything was awesome. Each dish came out separately, which was fine. Like I said they were really busy. We haven't had bone marrow in a very long time. The last time was in February 2013 at Tom Colicchio's Craft restaurant in NYC, so we were newbies again to this dish. It was delicious!!!! Its not a dish you see here in Raleigh often and I hope on our next visit they will still have it, it really was that good. The pork cheeks were also delicious although the bone marrow stole tonight's show. We finished off with desert which is a rarity for my wife and I. We got the apple crisp with a scoop of vanilla ice cream which was locally sourced. Forgive me though, I'm not sure if it was from NC State or another producer. The desert finished off the meal nicely. The Stanbury was a great experience last week. My wife and I had a lot of fun on a rare date night. We will definitely be back!

HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend Stanbury! For dinner we ordered the tuna crudo, scallops, sweet potato agnolotti, tagliatelle, and pork cheeks. For cocktails we ordered a spritz, practical magic (my fav!), girl from ipanema, and midtown down. For dessert we ordered the apple crisp! It is rare to go to a restaurant and find ALL the food delicious, but Stanbury did it! I personally do not like tuna but their tuna crudo was perfect. The scallops were crispy but not over cooked, just the perfect texture! The Agnolotti was perfectly sweet and buttery! The tagliatelle, just wow! Mind blowing delicious! The pork cheeks were served in soy sauce so if you do not like soy sauce, do not order it, but the cheeks were super tender and full of flavor. I recommend having a glass of water next to you when eating the pork cheeks to taste the rich flavor of the cheeks! The service was fabulous and top notch! We were greeted and seated immediately upon arrival ! The ambiance was great too. In a nutshell, it was the perfect dinner!

Fantastic food. Can't say enough good things about the food. Great service, very friendly staff and an all around great environment. Would highly recommend 10/10

It was okay. We're new to the area from Indiana so there definitely isn't this much of a variety out by us.. maybe we just need to branch out more?

The food, the atmosphere and the service were all amazing! My husband and 2 teenage girls went last weekend. We arrived at 4:30 to put our names in and were promptly seated a little after 5pm. We went to a Michelin star restaurant in NYC last year and this meal was much better! We will definitely be going back!

Clap clap clap! This is, along with Herons, my favorite restaurant in NC. I've been coming to Stanbury for about 2 years now and I'm never disappointed. Here you will find a fantastic selection of small plates that change on a regular basis. It's always high quality and fresh. The deserts are also very good. This place is also not pretentious and the service is always on point. If you're in Raleigh I'd 100% recommend this place for dinner.

Easily the best restaurant in Raleigh. The ambiance, food, staff, drinks. Just go. (But maybe go 1-2 hrs before you're hungry if it's a Friday or Saturday).

Can't ever go wrong with this place! Getting a seat took a minute, especially since we weren't neighborhood regulars, but it was worth the wait. Every dish was delicious. Brussels sprouts were to die for. It was a fun environment!

Best random Yelp find ever! Have a few unexpected (and unpleasant) days in Raleigh and have been wanting to treat myself in the evenings. Stanbury was the PERFECT spot for this. Super funky and cool space- someone clearly has a quirky sense of humor! Delicious and inventive cocktails topped a thoughtful and reasonably priced wine and beer list. I started with the sweetbread yakitori, which was absolute perfection- the sweetbreads were firm but not dry, with a delicious grilled flavor that was complemented beautifully by the Kewpie mayo and grilled scallions on the side. I moved on to the crispy pork head, which was just so rich, so deeply flavored, and so delicious that I was really tempted to order a second round. But...my basket of house made bread and delicious cultured butter kept calling, and I kept answering. I can't wait to go back to Stanbury!

Arrived exactly at 5 PM on a rainy Friday night as they were opening and there was already a line queued up. We were seated at the end of the first group of diners. at about 5:20pm. Ordered a really cool gin cocktail, can't remember the name, my wife had a Prosecco spritzer. The food was ridiculously delicious. We ordered small plates, four of them, and they brought them out one at a time. We had a main waiter, and she was great, but we were also served by about four other people who seemed very attentive and very relaxed. I'm typically an impatient person but I enjoy a slower rhythm when I'm out at a restaurant. There was no rushing around, the dining area was medium sized and all of the servers, chefs, bartenders etc.. were in a kind of collaborative, chill groove. The rhythm was slow but prompt and deliberative. It was really pleasant and everybody who served us was friendly. The vibe of the place and the decorating and the spaces and the bar.... They've created a really relaxing and pleasant ambience. Not stuffy at all. There was a guy sitting at the bar in a pinstriped suit and then there were people showing up in very casual attire. If I can make a a musical analogy... Grateful Dead meets the Dave Brubeck Five meets the Tedeschi Trucks Band. Relaxed, sophisticated virtuosity. It was a great show. Go spend an evening here you won't regret it.

Rustic but eclectic aesthetic with a WILDLY unique menu! We made it a point to come for my partner's birthday because we'd heard that Stanbury is a staple in Raleigh. We got on the waitlist (no reservations are accepted) and got seated in their waiting area where we ordered a quick snack and cocktails. Our server was really nice and super attentive in the beginning of the meal but he seemed to get pretty busy at the end so we waited for longer than we would've liked to be able to pay and leave. Love their menu style and the variety of small plates! There are some really unassuming items and pairings so we decided to be adventurous. Sounds silly but the bread & butter and the charred broccoli were the best things we had all night, even though everything else was really good too! These were simple but super well done. Cocktails were all VERY good. And even though I love desserts and am very easy to please when it comes to them, I could recommend skipping dessert and just getting another cocktail or dessert wine. Hoping to try the menu as they switch is up but it's worth a visit if you're not in a rush.

Love the outside area for cocktails/snackies before dinner. Cocktails here are super fun and on the unique side. Service is wonderful and food is good, the dessert here is delicious!

They do a nice job here. We've only eaten outside when the weather is good. Inside is fairly loud and less pleasant. We were well taken care of and everything was delicious. The wait can be long, but if you just want an app or dessert and drinks you can basically get that at a table outside without the wait, which is our go-to here if we don't come right at opening.

I chose to go on an extremely cold night. The wait was about an Hour (no reservations allowed) they basically said wait here (outside freezing) or in your car and come back in about 45 mins. We chose the car, we were sat within 10 mins of walking back up. I do think due to the limited seating Reservations should happen. The service, our service was nice and efficient but she lacked personality. She was very "matter of fact" like. I would have just preferred service with a smile but she got the job done. Now for the food. The Bread & Butter was nasty. It tasted like burnt popcorn, I told my server so and she took not back but didn't remove it from my bill even though I only ate one piece. I got the fried oysters as an appetizer which were good, my friend got their Rabbit which she said was good but I didn't try it. The Ribeye was great. It was a little overcooked for my Medium order but the charred Onion paired so well with it I didn't complain. Would I go back? Yes.. in a warmer month. All in all, 3 out of 5.

Not a review about the food. We have tried twice coming here and both with an hour and a half wait. Second time we came right at open. How?! How is that possible when you don't take reservations. Never coming here again.

Stanbury never disappoints! They keep it so unique and exciting - they change the menu pretty often and don't take reservations. It's hidden in the neighborhood of Mordecai and it's such a hidden gem. Anytime I have guests in town, I love to bring them here. Overall, the vibe is immaculate.

This was a real hidden gem that most of my friends in Raleigh haven't heard about. It's very hip, and I found it very hard to find a menu online. Decided for one of my final outings in town for the Christmas break, we'd treat ourselves. Didn't have any trouble with a wait, but we grabbed last table inside. Looked like there was a wait once 530 hit. Decided to check out this place. We started with an appetizer, Brussel sprouts with tikka massala and ghee spice mixed in. Very good and something I'll get the fiancé to make for us at home. Little pricey at $11 for a plate of Brussel sprouts, but I enjoyed it. For main meal, I ordered the NC Striped Bass. It's brandade, braised fennel, bread crumb, gribiche, and fennel salad. Cooked perfectly and very filling. At $31, I was happy with what I was getting. My friend ordered the smoked pork chop, and I liked it even more. It came with mole negro, kabocha, habanero onions, radish, cilantro, queso cincho I'm definitely going to come back here. Great vibe

One of the best restaurants in the country. And I don't say that lightly. I've been coming here since 2013 and it's even better since it now has more seating outdoors. Oysters were fantastic (both raw and fried). Pigs head was delicious. I had a tequila drink (forgot the name) but that was fantastic too. Only real problem is that the food is TOO GOOD, and I can never figure out what to get. You're best bet is to show up with 4+ people who are willing to share!

The servers are so nice and funny. I loved the electric fireplace and warm atmosphere, even on a chilly night! And as always, the food was well prepared and evenly spaced so that we were able to enjoy and savor every item.

Fantastic food and drinks. We sat on the patio and our server was amazing. Highly recommend!

Oh my!!!! All I can say is deeeelicious!!! The taste to calorie ratio is very high for this restaurant. My taste buds are still alive the day after. Everything was amazing. Everything!!! Came at 5:30pm and waited 70 mins to be seated. They don't take reservations. First come first serve. But so worth it. We got a seat at the waiting area, had a drink and a small appetizer, or you can hang next door at the chocolate shop to pass the time. What is this cuisine? I am not sure, nor was the chef. He wasn't worried about labeling it when I asked. But I am calling it Fusion American. With today's amalgamation of 100s of cultures embedded in America, it is clear this chef's adventurous spirit is into the study of these varied cuisines... et viola...creation anew - blending and extrapolating into new and tasty dishes. He seems to be of the generation that follows the Yottam Ottolenghi philosophy. His fusion, however, is of our much broader set of cuisines vs. just Mediterranean/middle eastern...resulting in an exquisite new journey in each plate. The prices are extremely reasonable. Mixed drinks are delicious. Atmosphere is very dark and could use an upgrade. Recommend outside seating if you are claustrophobic. Beware as it is very very noisy/loud indoors...but your so busy eating, who has time to talk? This place has gone straight to the top as my favorites to frequent. Thank you to chef Drew (Andrew) and team. I believe they experiment and change the dishes based on the season and availability which is exciting...but can be sad if you want to reorder a favorite dish. I don't know how frequently they change things up. Who cares I suppose... just go eat and frequently. It will be delicious. Enjoy! Enjoy! Enjoy!

Amazing food and service! It's also in a great location in downtown Raleigh. I would recommend this place to anyone, but you need to arrive early as they do not take reservations.