It was an awesome combination of superb food combined with outstanding service. The wine choices were great and the attention to detail was evident. read more

We stopped at Death and Taxes for a drink prior to going to Poole's restaurant. We were challenged to find a spot at the bar, but the restaurant manager Ryan did an excellent job accommodating us. We enjoyed a wonderful oyster appetizer along with a drink. Service was excellent! She even came by to greet us at the bar and make us feel very welcome. We left and walked to Poole's for our dinner reservation. Much to our surprise, Ryan had called ahead to provide a complementary appetizer when we arrived! So thoughtful! So appreciative of her extra effort and thoughtfulness! We will be a forever customer! Thank you so much! read more

It's not every day you get to dine in a former mortuary. Eating solo, I opted for a seat at the bar, which turned out to be the right decision. While the food left me somewhat underwhelmed, the cocktails were exceptional, among the best I've had in recent memory. The standout was the Over/Under, a beet-infused gin take on a Negroni. Absolutely phenomenal. The earthy beet notes were subtle but present, complementing the bitterness of the Campari, the floral qualities of the gin, and just enough sweetness to tie everything together. Every cocktail I tried was excellent, but this was the clear winner. As for the food, it never quite reached the same heights. The beef tartare was the best dish I had all evening. In fact, I found myself enjoying it more on the accompanying sourdough bread than on the rice crisps it was served with, which ultimately justified ordering the bread. The "pickled egg yolk" was an inventive twist, essentially replacing both the raw egg and cornichons found in a traditional French tartare. Clever in concept, but the pickling process seemed to sacrifice some of the creamy richness that the dish could have benefited from. The rice crisp accompaniment is also part of a trend I've noticed at several restaurants and one I'm not particularly sold on. They're usually too brittle to hold much tartare and often end up scattered across the plate. I find they work better crushed into the tartare itself than as a delivery vehicle. The oysters were the biggest disappointment of the meal. Heavily drenched in butter, they felt one-dimensional, with the lemon zest providing the only real counterbalance. To be fair, this is likely intended as a shared dish, and as a solo diner consuming the entire portion myself, the richness may have become more pronounced than intended. The gnocchi delivered deep, satisfying flavor and were impressively light, though perhaps a touch too soft for my personal preference. As I glanced over at the roast chicken being served to the couple next to me, a sense of ordering regret began to creep in. What ultimately elevates Death & Taxes is its hospitality. The service was genuinely five-star. Every dish was explained thoughtfully as it was delivered, and the bar team struck that perfect balance of attentiveness and conversation, making a solo diner feel completely welcome. Their warmth and professionalism raised this experience from a three-star meal to a four-star evening. And they are all 5 star. read more

Wow, this might be one of the best restaurants in Raleigh! I stopped in for a business dinner and was really excited to finally try one of Ashley Christensen's restaurants. Parking can be a bit challenging as you'll either need to find street parking or in a open lot near by. The restaurant itself is located in a historic building that once was a funeral home and also was also a tax practice in a different chapter. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant feels very upscale but there isn't a strict dress code.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]The kitchen is open as well if yo prefer to sit along the kitchen and watch the chefs cook.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] When you order you'll have to place everything at the same time but they'll pace it out to your table. For drinks, I ordered the In Gold Blood (Bourbon, amaro, Fino sherry, banana, golden raisin) and the head in the clouds (Vodka, Falernum, strawberry, pistachio). Both drinks were excellent and extremely easy to drink. You'll definitely want to start with the sourdough bread, NC Oysters (Roasted NC oysters, chili butter, preserved lemon gremolata), and fried NC shrimp (Fried NC shrimp, buried garlic aioli, pickled green tomatoes). All of the appetizers were excellent in their own way. The bread and butter just complemented each other so well, the oysters were well balanced and almost seared where they weren't chargrilled but partially still raw, and the fried nc shrimp has a nice contrast of flavor with the pickled green tomatoes and fried shrimp. For the entree we split the Prime-aged Delmonico (ribeye; and was served in a red wine jus, and topped with sea salt and peppercorn). The steak fell apart as you bit into it. For sides, we ordered the crispy potatoes (Crispy potatoes, Italian chili crisp, piquillo peppers) and Brussel sprouts (Embered Brussels sprouts, apples, lardon vinaigrette, almonds). The steak and potatoes were definitely my favorite. The Brussel sprouts were good but a bit on the salad side where they were still a little hard. For dessert, we ordered the cheesecake (Basque cheesecake, strawberry compote, olive oil shortbread) and the Sticky Toffee Pudding (Sticky toffee pudding, embered vanilla ice cream, benne seed brittle). The sticky toffee pudding was so warm and was excellent. The cheesecake also had a nice balance of flavor and the strawberry compote combination worked perfectly. This is by far one of my favorite meals I've had in Raleigh and you definitely need to go here if you are in the area. read more

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Incredible dining experience. Highly recommend sitting at the bar so you can watch the food being prepared. Entertaining experience, excellent service, tasty food. Can't wait to return! read more

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We've been back many times over the last 8 years. Last night we had another amazing meal. Micah our server was so fun and helpful and really set the atmosphere for an amazing meal. Thank you! This time we enjoyed apps of beef tartar and roasted oysters, mains of steak and NC fish and a side of roasted potatoes with peppers. The pastry chef also is on . Those desserts may have even outshined the food it was that amazing! read more

Came here a few weeks ago on a Saturday with a 9 pm reservation but arrived around 7 pm and were kindly accommodated at the bar. Service was excellent from the start -- they took our coats and thoughtfully reviewed the menu with us, which set a great tone for the evening. We shared the ribeye (a very generous portion), a salad, and the bread, and my husband had a cocktail. Everything was delicious and well-prepared. We also ordered the Grenache chocolate pie for dessert, which unfortunately was just too rich for us -- we could only manage a bite or two. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Overall, the space is cozy with a relaxed, warm ambiance and truly excellent service.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] It did feel a bit overpriced -- we were surprised to spend over $200 after tip for sharing a steak and a few items -- but despite that, we would definitely return. read more

Death & Taxes - New American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Oysters - 3.5/5 needed more salt / char, there were quite a bit of shells in all of them Steak tartar - 2/5 heavily needed salt / pepper and some flavor, we found it really bland and the chips were too weak to hold it Feta Zucchini - 5/5 this was our favorite dish definitely recommend Half chicken - 5/5 juicy, lots of pan sauce / veggies, this was also the star of the night. The price is a little steep but can be split between 2 [[HIGHLIGHT]]Overall, service / ambiance was a 10/10 love the open kitchen concept and would come back to try more of the veggie options[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

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Oh my. I have died and gone to a wood fired Heaven. [[HIGHLIGHT]]From the service to ambiance to the actual food this spot was 1000 out of 10 in every category.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] You truly cannot go wrong when ordering anything off the menu but here is what I would recommend you must try: Roasted oysters: normally I'm not a fan of roasted oysters as they are usually heavily breaded and over cooked but these were cooked to perfection and smothered in a super delicious butter. Persimmon & Squash Appetizer: this is likely seasonal but it is an absolute showstopper. No other way to describe it. Steak tartare: I would order this again just for myself if I got the chance!! So delicious and well balanced with the egg yolk and aioli. NC Fish: honestly this was the perfect main course for me- I was not super in the mood for a steak and the flavor profile for the fish was phenomenal. I would order this again and again. Cavatelli: This was a very good pasta dish but I would order the fish over this as the flavor here is more one note. Brussel sprouts: do not skip this. Perfectly roasted. Grilled beets: I didn't know how much I loved beets until I tried this dish. Another must order. The potatoes can be skipped- they were delicious but I would honestly order a 2nd beet dish. Don't worry- we also got their chocolate passion fruit cake for dessert and I will be dreaming of that cake for days. The cake itself was super light which is so hard to accomplish for chocolate cake in general. If I could afford to add this to a monthly rotation I would! Definitely will return for special occasions. read more

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I'll be honest...the food was pretty good...it was good...not everything was like SO GOOD...the tartar was the best thing we ordered...the fish was sort of like just boring...Im not loving the portion to price ratio either...I don't think I will come back. Not bad, just not really worth it for me. If I am going to spend like $100 a person there are better places to do it...also...don't charge me to use a credit card. That's a cost for you to run your business not for me to cover for you...we the customers already greatly subsidize the cost of your server and bar staff by basically paying their wages for you bc we all know you aren't paying them sufficiently by the hour...so pay your own cc processing fees. You charge enough for the food...I think you can cover it read more

I have been to Death & Taxes a couple of times. This time I went for my Birthday dinner. It was on a monday and the place was fairly busy. I had made reservations but it did not let me reserve a table for some reason so we had to sit at the kitchen bar. Not the best place to sit as you can feel the heat from the grill. I asked the host if we could get a table but they couldn't accommodate us. We got the followings items: Heritage Grain Sourdough Bread: The bread came out warm and soft with a generous amount of butter. One of the good breads that I have had. Creamed Corn: This was one of our favorites. The corn was so flavorful and the relish, pecorino definitely added to the flavor profile. I will definitely get it again. Roasted Oysters: I am not a big fan of cooked Oysters but these were pretty decent. The lemon and the chili butter went really well with the oysters considering they were roasted. Cavatelli: This was a flavor explosion. The braised pork, grilled pepper escabeche, fennel pollen all complemented each other making this dish really flavorful. It had a slight kick to it which actually made it better. One thing that ruined my experience, hence the two stars, was that, they can charge a 3% processing fee for credit cards where average check per person is around $100 but they can't comp a birthday dessert. For an upscale place, that's the least you can do to make a customer feel appreciated on a special occasion. read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]Nice little restaurant. Trendy but intimate and great service.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Got same day reservations for a Monday night dinner. Started with the Placebo effect which wasn't my cup of tea. Tasted like the salted plum drink from Asian restaurants which I was never a fan of growing up. And I don't know if it was the coconut juice but it made it taste a little thicker. Like I wanted to dilute it with water but we were seated at the bar so I didn't wanna be weird. The oysters were delish. Very buttery and not spicy at all which is good for me cause I'm a wimp at spice. The roasted Brussels sprouts were solid. The green apple slices were pickled which made it skew more sour. Would have preferred a balsamic glaze for more sweetness. The filet with chimichurri sauce was delish. Steak was cooked to perfection and delicious on its own. Super tender. The baked Alaska was good. Nice play with a cold brew ice cream but the shell made it hard to get a good even bite. The chocolate cake at the bottom was nice but wish it was slightly thicker. All in all a good meal and would totally come again. read more

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The food was absolutely beautiful. We had the green beans, golden beets, NC fish and the pork cavatelli and not one dish disappointed. The creamed corn side was out of this world!! And the dessert - the meal was so balanced and complete. The service was great, the sommelier was really knowledgeable and [[HIGHLIGHT]]the energy in the restaurant felt quality but not in a stuff way.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I can't wait to return!! read more

Death & Taxes - Golden beets were amazing - New American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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I recently moved to Raleigh, so I decided to come here after work. This place is fantastic! From the moment I entered, the hostesses, servers, and bartenders made me feel like it was all about me. The roasted oysters were succulent. The steak tartare was sublime. The bartender made me the best cocktail I have ever had. This will be my go-to place. read more

Death & Taxes - Vodka gimlet and tap water - New American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Absolutely fantastic dinner before our Three Days Grace concert! The Resturant has a ton of gluten free options including fried shrimp w gluten free breading and dedicated gluten free fryers! The shrimp was out of this world and along with the grilled oysters started our meal out very well! My wife and I split the large steak which was cooked perfectly with crispy potatoes. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The service, food, drinks and ambiance just outstanding![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Make your reservation now!! read more

Well. Enough said that this is my favorite restaurant in Raleigh. The mixologist is phenomenal, and the oysters are worth the price of admission. Seriously though, I've never had anything here - food or service - that was just middle of the road. read more

The hostess Lela told us it would be an hour wait. We had an elderly Aunt with us and we were walking. We started to look for a place close and before we knew it LELA found us a table for 3. Cassandra was our waitress but so much more. Explaining the menu and her recommendations were awesome. Our Aunt had 2 main courses. The filet was so great she took a bite of mine and ordered one for her. Wonderful dining experience. Service above and beyond and need story about building. From mortuary to tax collector. Highly recommended. We will be back. All homemade food down to the pasta. read more

Death and Taxes was amazing! When booking a reservation, you have the option to choose counter or table seating. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I would highly recommend sitting at the counter, where you can watch the chefs work their magic! It felt like dinner and a show! Watching them put together the dishes with such attention to detail was fascinating![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambiance was intimate and refined. Even with being close to the heat of the kitchen, we were not overwhelmed with noise.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] First, we started with cocktails which were fantastic! I had a cranberry drink which was beautiful and very very tasty! My husband had their version of an old fashioned, which he enjoyed. They also had a fabulous wine list and a very knowledgeable sommelier. We shared the roasted oysters for an appetizer. It seems like this is their most well known item on the menu. It definitely lived up to the hype, especially for a roasted oyster lover like me. For our main, we shared the pork pasta dish with sides of potato and zucchini. Everything was to die for! I was most surprised by how much i loved the zucchini. The garnish of mint and golden raisins was a touch I never knew I needed! The portion was perfect for two, but we didn't leave a mere scrap! After watching the deserts come up at the counter for an hour, we had to try one! We are not usually desert people, but decided to go for the layered chocolate cake. It was amazing!!! The passion fruit custard was the perfect contrast to the chocolate flavors of the cake. Overall, I LOVED this place! Would return in a heart beat!! read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]I love a restaurant with an open kitchen and seating to watch over the process and how the team works together![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The cocktails are always so fresh and tasty, changing with season. They also had 2 zero proof cocktails and a great wine list. The staff is always so knowledgeable and attentive to you. I've been here 2-3 times and each time we always say the food is amazing, the small plates are always a hit for us. This time around we got the arancini, raddichio salad, sourdough, a main dish and grilled sponge cake for dessert! The presentation of the dishes is always top notch as well as the taste! Death & taxes is also a restaurant that many of our friends have recommended upon moving to Raleigh, it does not disappoint! read more

Death & Taxes - New American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Good food and experience with a high price tag. [[HIGHLIGHT]]They offered to put our coats away and the restaurant had a nice atmosphere.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] They really good above and beyond with the experience but they are oddly structured. Like we weren't allowed to order apps before our entree. Since we wanted more time to decide on the entree. The waiter was like I will just come back once you have your whole order ready. Which maybe that just how they run it but a bit weird in my opinion to not allowed apps to be placed separately from the entree. The price is a bit expensive for what the food is. It good but I won't be rushing back as I felt like the price was a bit high overall. I still give it 4 star as I know price may not be a big deal for everyone and it is a higher end restaurant. They did have unique combinations and dishes which I really appreciate and loved the creativity. read more

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I'd been wanting to come here for some time and requested a visit for my birthday dinner. So glad we came - the service was attentive and the food was delicious overall! We decided to split a salad and the homemade green goddess dressing was the best I've ever had. Then we decided to split two entries because they both sounded so good. We ordered the pork with risotto and peas. The risotto was fantastic, the pork was a little too salty for my liking and I wished there were more peas. They were more like a garnish than a side - bummer. The eggplant however, stole the show! It was a whole breaded then fried eggplant with a side of summer squash and we both loved it. The taste and texture were amazing! Our cheesecake for dessert really completed a great meal! read more

Death & Taxes - Goddess salad - New American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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I would argue. This is the best restaurant in all of Raleigh! The waiters are amazing, [[HIGHLIGHT]]the ambience is incredible,[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] and the food is to die for! My wife and I first went here for our anniversary and then we loved it so much that we took our friends back! Please enjoy my photos! Unfortunately, I do not remember what they are called on the menu ... ‍ read more

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Pros: Went to D&T for my boyfriend's promotion. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Food was great, ambiance was also awesome. Really fun vibe, modern, and intimate.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I got fish and my boyfriend got steak and the dishes were incredible flavorful. Oysters were a slam dunk and I'm an oyster aficionado so that was major for me. Potatoes were wonderful but could use some seasoning - they brought some table side for the steak that we used. Service was on point. My drink never went empty and they brought us some champagne to toast my boyfriend's promo which was lovely! Cons: [[HIGHLIGHT]]It was quite cold in the restaurant but I run cold.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] It was a bit odd we couldn't order appetizers before our mains, we had to order them all at once but they came out before entrees which was good. Just a bit strange. Food is pricey but to be expected at this establishment. Would return! read more

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The food was phenomenal for the most part. The campanelle pasta with truffle is definitely a star - it was perfectly rich and the amount of truffle was so well balanced, along with the grilled shrimp appetizer - the beans were a nice, tasty surprise and so was the pop of heat. The cons for the food was that the fish skin was soggy and the pommes aligot was room temperature, and thus didn't get that stretchy, warm feel you crave. The service was rough last night when we went - We showed up 15 minutes early, and we still weren't served our entrees for over an hour. The time between our appetizer and entrees was 50 minutes, which was a bummer. Our waiter was great in his food explanations and recommendations, but unfortunately never addressed the long wait and stopped checking in on us during that long wait. It was my husband's birthday and we unfortunately didn't have time to try any desserts because the wait was so long and we had reservations across the street at The Merchant after. We had kitchen bar seating, and it was very cool to watch the chefs at work. I am hoping this service issue was a fluke as I normally love all Ashley Christensen restaurants, and the couple next to us seemed to get their food in a timely manner. Thus, we will likely be back. read more

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Death & Taxes earns 10 out of 5 stars from me! This was one of the best dining experiences my family has ever had! We came as a party of 5 and sampled almost everything on the menu!! Our server, Kaitlyn, was exceptionally helpful with food and drink recommendations, allowing us to order the perfect amount. The staff was so attentive and so friendly! My favorite side items on the menu were the oysters and mashed potatoes! The entrees were all delicious with the steak and chicken being my favorite! The steak was so tender and had the best fingerling potato side! I highly recommend checking this place out if you're in the Raleigh area! read more

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We came to visit my aunt and uncle and they were really excited to bring us to Death & Taxes for a nice treat dinner! I loved the ambiance of the space and it felt upscale and fancy without being too extra. Our server was great - she helped answer questions about the cocktails and the menu and was very knowledgeable. No issues with her rounding or timing - we had everything we needed. The cocktails were definitely interesting -- I expected mine to be much more bourbon/spirit-forward and it was a bit too much carrot for my taste. Fun to try something different but I ordered a more classic bourbon cocktail (smoked!) for my second drink. The bread was OUT OF THIS WORLD good - we could have eaten two plates of that along. I think we had some mixed reviews for our entrees - my uncle and I really, thoroughly enjoyed our dinner and my husband and aunt were a bit less than impressed. Overall, still really great food but for the price I think we were looking for something a little bit more on the steak dishes. read more

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This may be one of my new fave places to go! Their eggplant entree is very filling. We also ordered tomatoes and corn, both of which were delectable. The corn especially stood out to me. Cassandra was our server today, and she was very accommodating. The vibe of the place was somewhat romantic. read more

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Another AC location with an impeccable local seasonal menu. [[HIGHLIGHT]]You can't beat sitting at the bar and watching the cook over the fire.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Setting: Located in downtown Raleigh it is nearby to various parking garages and also a parking lot that was convenient. The restaurant is not large by any means, but it has comfortable two top seating near the bar and tables towards the back of the restaurant. Windows face the street and the two top seating has a view of the kitchen. On the night that we went in the middle of the summer, the air conditioner was set very low, and it was a little too cold for my wife. Food & Drinks: We started off with the Patè, which was absolutely delicious, and it was served alongside pickled onions, bacon jam, two mustards, and perfectly toasted crostini. Our second appetizer was a grilled octopus dish that had tremendous flavor. Perfectly cooked with a charred flavor. For my main dish I had Poulet Rouge, farro, embered hummus, red wine vinaigrette, roasted red peppers, olive. This was one of the most deliciously flavored pieces of chicken I have ever had. It was served alongside Crispy new potatoes, aged beef fat, fines herbs. I love potatoes cook this way they are crispy on the outside and tender in the inside. I wish I was able to cook potatoes like this at home. The cocktails in my opinion or nothing to write home about they are creative and interesting, but I prefer classic cocktails that aren't so elaborate. My wife had a coconut cocktail that came with a huge amount of some sort of whipped cream, and it was just overwhelming. My drink which had bourbon in it unfortunately ended up tasting like a V-8 tomato drink. For our dessert we had Embered cream panna cotta, cold brew granita, cracked coffee shortbread crumble, cherries jubilee. The presentation was nice and the taste was good, but it was nothing special in my opinion. I would come back once the menu is updated with different offerings. The waitress we had was extremely knowledgeable, and the service was prompt and attentive without being overbearing. read more

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I came here for dinner one night from a recommendation. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I elected to sit at the bar. I always like sitting at the bar because they had an open kitchen. I love when the restaurant has an open kitchen where you can see the hustle and bustle right from where you're sitting.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I ordered their steak and paired it with the brussel sprouts. I was able to watch as the chef threw my steak onto the open flame grill which was really cool to watch. My brussel sprouts came out first but I chose to not eat them until my steak came out. The brussel sprouts were a little cold by the time I finally got the steak. The brussel sprouts should've been timed with the steak but the redeeming quality here is that they sat in a cream sauce which was divine (I wish I had a straw haha). I ordered my steak medium and it was still a little too pink for me. That was a little disappointing considering the price point. The potatoes didn't disappoint though! Those fingerling potatoes were crispy! [[HIGHLIGHT]]All in all, it's a beautiful location and the establishment itself is nice.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I would not order the steak again if I were to come back. They had some other interesting items on their menu that I would prefer to try next time. read more

Death & Taxes - Dry-Aged Bear Creek Farms Steak, Chimichurri and Charred Brussels Sprouts, Fresno Peppers - New American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Dinner with friends while in town for NCSU game. All the food was excellent. We ordered a number of entrees and sides and shared all. Mushroom pasta, pork loin and fish on black rice. Creamed corn, potatoes and bread as sides. Oysters to start. Baked Alaska and blueberry dessert. All were so good. Great cocktails and wine. Server was as excited to tell us about the food as we were to try it. It was busy but we still had the right amount of attention from the staff. Would definitely return and would order it all again. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It was loud but not terrible.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]The building and setting are lovely.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

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Great fine dining experience, out of this world level service, with an incredible performing kitchen. Cocktail list was underwhelming, and steak options limited. But everything we had was exceptional. Not much complaints-wise just didn't have an entree on this evening that blew me away. read more

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Delicious menu in a lowkey swanky environment, Death and Taxes was a great special occasion spot for my husband and I. Our server was Cassandra and she was an absolute delight, with recommendations that never failed to impress (if you like lavender, I highly recommend the lavender cocktail!) I do wish the sourdough bread was a bit more sour (though I'm sure it's a crowd pleaser), but everything else was absolutely delicious (I had a duck breast entree with farro, my husband had a scallop dish, and we split a side of miso bok choy and watermelon radish that I'll probably have dreams about). We'll definitely be back! read more

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The food was spectacular, service flawless, and [[HIGHLIGHT]]the restaurant alive[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. Highly recommend- we will be back! [[HIGHLIGHT]]The only complaint I'd have is it was pretty chilly, bring a light jacket.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

I ate here twice in one week while visiting Raleigh, it was that good. [[HIGHLIGHT]]This spot strikes the perfect balance--upscale but not stuffy. Great vibe, warm atmosphere, and the food is incredible.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service was great both times, Roy and Paige were friendly and attentive. Roy was intimately passionate about the cocktails and did not steer us wrong with any of the food recommendations either. So well that we went back again later in the week. The first night started with bone marrow to start which was very rich and indulgent. For main got the Braised duck with house made rye maltagliati which was incredibly flavorful and tender. The touch of ricotta on top was very refreshing. For dessert, the cold brew marscapone cheesecake was an excellent finish to the entire meal. The 2 cocktails I got were the Happy Camper (rum, brown butter, pecan maple) and the My Second Rodeo (rye, mezcal, sweet vermouth). Both were unique and perfectly made but would strongly recommend the happy camper if visiting during the colder months. On the second visit before we left North Carolina got the bone marrow again but had to try to roasted NC oysters w/ chili butter, preserved lemon gremolata and then since they use a wood fired grill, had to try the dry aged strip. Oysters were phenomenal and wished I got them earlier in the week. Strip was also cooked well in front of me. Both times the timing and paces of the courses were spot on. Not cheap but I think it is great value for the money. Parking was quite easy to find along the street but there are also multiple lots all around downtown Raleigh. Overall, this is a great spot. I would return if I'm ever in the area again and will recommend to anyone going Raleigh. read more

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Have been three times and the service is always spectacular. The food was amazing, so flavorful and I love the wood fire flavor. The cocktail I ordered was absolutely amazing. Truly a great experience all around. read more

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Death & Taxes has been around for a minute and, because it is such a staple of Raleigh, I feel like sometimes it doesn't get its' due. While multiple trendy restaurants have come and gone, D&T has held it down on Hargett providing consistently excellent food and service since 2015 -- no small feat for any restaurant. We are generally regulars at the bar -- stellar, expert bartenders like Kat, Sam, Roy, and Jacob will ensure you always have an excellent beverage. It's also a treat to watch these professionals service a busy restaurant, engage with their customers, all while never missing a beat. The food is always excellent here -- when having dinner with my spouse, we usually order multiple starters and split an entree. If they have a mascarpone cheesecake on the dessert menu, don't miss it. read more

Went with my friend before seeing a ballet. So accommodating. We were in the mood for a cocktail and didn't like anything on the menu. The server promptly asked what type of drinks we like and came up with a delicious alternative that included my favorite gin from Durham Distillery. Our drinks were delivered and he next asked if we have any dietary restrictions. He then walked me through the menu and what could be changed (I don't eat beef or pork). I settled on the oysters, little gem Caesar (we split it) and mushroom pasta (we split it). Everything was excellent. My only complaint is that they won't take your order until you know everything you want. They pace the meal after you order which is why they do it that way. You definitely do not get rushed out the door. Will go back! read more

Our first time dining and definitely not the last. My partner surprised me with reservations on Valentine's Day, this was a delightful evening. The menu was coursed and the wine pairing was thoughtful. Our server, Anna, was friendly and knowledgeable; especially enjoyed her wine introductions at each new course. Ambiance was busy yet professional. Everything was truly delicious but some standout items were the king crab, that twice baked potato, and the lemon dessert. We loved how the menu was so comforting and not over-thought. Not that they need our suggestions, but the salad needed a crouton or five, the horseradish sauce was super weak, and that strawberry puff didn't slap at all... Still a superb meal and the half press decaf during dessert was a clutch choice on my part. Oh, and the handmade dishes? Oh la la, this potter approves! Thank you, Chef! read more

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Definitely one of the best restaurants in Raleigh. Everything on the menu "touches the wood fired oven in some way," as our server earnestly explained, and we found that both amusing and delicious. I tried: + Quittin' thyme cocktail + Suzy sunshine cocktail + Roasted NC oysters + Fried NC shrimp + Steak tartare + Grilled octopus + Fried NC fish + Seeded sourdough bread + Fettuccine + Pork chop + Crispy new potatoes + Strawberry baked Alaska + Embered creme brûlée + Videri chocolate peanut butter tart + You're a fine girl dessert cocktail + Forty weight dessert cocktail My favorite drinks were the quittin' thyme and you're a fine girl, and the best dishes were the fried NC shrimp, sourdough bread, fettuccine, pork chop, baked Alaska and creme brûlée. The crispy new potatoes were also awesome. Only miss was the steak tartare, which did not taste like any tartare I've had (just very saucy and weird). Some things were also a little salty, but that's kind of par for the course in this town. Amazing service, too. Definitely will return! read more

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