Came here to celebrate a date night and had such a wonderful time. There's complimentary valet parking, which was great so we didn't have to worry about finding a spot. We had a reservation and were seated immediately, and our server team greeted and gave us the rundown of how the restaurant works and recommendations. We were tempted to do the 5-course tasting, but decided to order a la carte! Drinks: - Espresso martini: Super rich and refreshing - Alexan red wine: The best! Absolutely loved this wine Food: - Beets: Loved these, so light and great flavor - Harkers island oysters: I'm not a huge oysters fan, but these were incredible! They tasted great and the presentation was very cool - Maine lobster: 10/10! Small but great flavor - Dry aged duck: My fiancee had this as his entree and loved it - Aged beef strip: My entree, really delicious Overall had such a special time here, would definitely recommend anyone to come here at least once for an incredible experience! read more

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I went into Herons Christmas dinner with high expectations, and the experience fell well short. The creativity and presentation were strong. Every plate was visually impressive and thoughtfully composed. Unfortunately, that is where the positives largely stop. The food was bland or oddly prepared, with flavor combinations that did not work. There was not a single dish on the menu that I enjoyed. I could have prepared a better tasting meal with my hands tied behind my back. The hamachi was described as having wasabi, yet there was no heat or spice at all. The beef was cooked perfectly from a technical standpoint but completely under seasoned. The beet dish, described as a celebration, was unpleasant. The quail was mediocre and forgettable. Service was polished but incomplete. At no point during the delivery of each course did anyone ask how the food was. In a fine dining setting, that absence is noticeable. Part of me was relieved not to be asked, but it also gave the impression that the staff already knew the meal was overpriced and under delivered. By the end of the evening, I was eager to leave and questioning whether I would ever return. The experience leaned heavily on concept and presentation while failing at the most important element: flavor. For a restaurant of this reputation and price point, this was a major disappointment. -- read more

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Our server Pam was AMAZING! We come for our anniversary and brought our new baby and she was so attentive and sweet. Food was amazing and the ambiance of the place is so relaxing. read more

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I was really looking forward to it since this place came so highly recommended. The service was excellent, we were welcomed with complimentary sweet bread and a savory scone along with a welcome drink, which was a nice touch. For mains, we ordered the NC Coastline and the Chicken. The presentation was great but both dishes were a bit dry and slightly lacking in flavor. Thankfully, they came with a sauce and broth that helped bring everything together. For dessert, we had the Citrus and Tiramisu, both were fantastic and didn't disappoint. read more

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Went there with a friend after a week on a 1,500 calorie per day regimen at the Duke Health and Fitness Center. I left hungry and wanted to stop at a Waffle House on the way back to Durham. Bird food in tiny portions. A tiny filet mignon that looked as though it had been seared with a blowtorch. If you are a bird or with a picky eater, this might be the place for you. Very good martinis at the bar, though. read more

Heron's is a lovely spot to spend a special occasion at. My husband and I have been twice now for our anniversary and are wowed each time. (They also knew it was the second time we spent our anniversary with them since they keep track of that type of stuff). The food is artful and inventive, but also delicious. The tasting menu has a enough variety where even if you don't love one of the dishes plenty more are headed to you. I also love to do the wine pairing and hear the spiel from the sommelier about each of the vineyards. You will be paying a lot, but it will certainly be a memorable celebration. read more

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Impeccable lunch. Made reservations here for lunch on my birthday. We split the beet salad and the butternut squash soup, and the kitchen pre-split all the plates for me and my partner which was much appreciated. For my entree, we split the Umstead smash burger which was extremely tasty. They brought out complimentary cookies with a happy birthday piece of chocolate, and we ordered the stick toffee as well. Service was excellent and I would definitely return for a nice meal. read more

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We came to celebrate our 11th year anniversary! We heard so much about this place, we had to splurge. We were treated immediately like royalty. We were seated in this cute corner both with pillows and cozy setting. The decor is dark woods, masculine, kind of old fashioned. Our beautiful waitress kacey was very accommodating, knowledgeable, and friendly. We started with drinks. I ordered the grenache blend, and my husband: the ol fashioned. My wine was absolutely beautiful in color. Our sommelier, Jake was very knowledgeable. That wine tasted better and better throught out the meal. We decided to try the 5 course chef selection. First course was absolutely mind blowing. Oysters with caviar, a champagne sauce, and something i couldn't recognize. There flavors i never had, presentation I've never seen! I've only studied food and wine. But experience this Michelin star quality cuisine is just another level. Every course was creative, direct, and left you with enough intrigue to want more. Every one was so nice including Diane, who had so much pride in the restaurant, she could have been the owner and i would believe her. It was inspiring to see good ol fashioned high end service again. Such young vibrant servers who made you feel human, loved, and cared for. Thank you all for the best dinner of our lives may God bless you with a Michelin star ;) read more

Herons - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

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We were so looking forward to having dinner at Herons. We were there to celebrate our anniversary and though that was noted when we made the reservation, nothing was said when we arrived or at any point during our dinner. Strange. We were seated at a comfortable table and after perusing the menu made our selections. The food and presentation started out great. The squash soup was a highlight and the serving dishes and squash blossom on the side were a sight to behold. Everything was going well until a man and his young son were seated next to us between our second and third course. The boy proceeded to lay down on the banquette and start playing on an ipad with the volume up loud enough for us to hear it. Seriously? In this restaurant? Now mind you, we have kids and we love kids, but an ipad completely ruined the vibe. I politely asked if we could be moved and the hostess seemed a little flustered but moved us to an even better table. Our server then came over and explained that the boy was sick and that's why he was laying down with his ipad. I smiled and said, that's unfortunate but the hotel does have room service. No response. My duck was chewy and our service wasn't great after I asked to be moved. No manager ever came by to check on us, no one apologized for the interruption. It was like we shouldn't have complained and that we were in the wrong. We finished our meal, nothing was said about our anniversary and we both agreed that our appetizers and drinks at the Umstead bar were a way better experience than dinner. read more

An obvious contender for Michelin recognition (when the new guidebook comes out later this year) is likely the best fine dining restaurant in the south. And it has the many accolades to prove it (notably its five-star rating from Forbes). So I had high expectations, which were tempered by some all-over-the-map reviews on Yelp (read the three- and four-star reviews for context). So despite my anxieties, my high expectations were all met. While it's definitely not a three-Michelin-star experience, it's very much worthy of its frequent accolades. The most impressive part of the meal is the food itself. Yes, service is wonderful, but it's the food that makes this so special. The opening trio was wonderful, particularly the standout dish of the evening, a modern fine-dining take on a corndog (this time made with duck and coated with a truffle ketchup). Most of the other dishes were wonderful - the lobster and the duck were particular standouts, and the potato accompanying the lamb was inventive. The foie gras was an addition - it didn't come with the tasting menu - and it was as savory as one would hope. The cons: the restaurant looks dated. Which really contrasts with the modern sensibility of the food. The carpet looks like a relic from the 1980s, and the artwork is very 1990s New York. An upgrade could also improve the kitchen window - it's too small to really enjoy seeing what magic is going on inside. read more

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I went with my husband for a birthday dinner, on a Tuesday. Upon entry, the hostess was extremely welcoming and noted the note about his birthday, and wished him a HBD. It was wonderful to be welcomed that way. The service was very kind, and personable, and we were well attended. We had the chef's tasting menu along with the wine pairing. I did really enjoy both and the local thought put into each menu and ingredient. I do wish we had a consistent sommelier thought the pairing experience. Overall, a wonderful place. We look forward to going to a few courses and sharing a few of the cocktails soon! read more

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8/6/25 the three chef special tasting- sublime! Opened with the Krug champagne, a cut above those I had tried heretofore- with the canapés; a three- layered tomato dish, which was the winner of the night for me. Duck, by Chef Lee- fantastic; lamb with Pommard- perfect. This was a Michelin 3-star meal for sure. I felt so privileged to be here, served wines by the two Hannahs, perfectly plated dishes served by Carlos, Gregg. Thank you! read more

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I've been here three times now, and I can officially say that this is one of my all-time favorite restaurants! The presentation is so impressive, the dishware is unique, and most importantly, the food is always delicious. I love that they have their own farm so that they can showcase all their seasonal produce too. My favorite bite was the scallop this time, and it wasn't even my entree (big mistake). It's one of the best scallops I've ever had; I wish they gave you five more. My second favorite bite was the duck confit corndog. The presentation was so creative - it really did look like a cattail. For the desserts, our server said that the glassware was custom made to match the colors of the painting behind us. You can just tell that they put so much thought into every single detail here. The bread courses are also amazing! I've dreamed about their bread, and I'm not even a big bread person. This is a great special occasion restaurant in the Raleigh area, and I'm definitely coming here whenever I visit NC! read more

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Herons was amazing. It lived up to the hype. This is one of my top two restaurants in the Triangle. The other is Fearrington House in Pittsboro. When it comes to fine dining, these are among the best in North Carolina. That said, they're expensive and not everyday restaurants. (For "everyday" restaurants in the Triangle, a couple of my top picks are M Sushi in Durham and Tesoro in Carrboro). My wife preferred Herons to Fearrington House. For me, it's a push. She thought Herons had both better food and service. Food-wise, she thought the dishes at Herons were better composed and balanced. Service-wise, she felt the staff at Herons, from our bartender to the hostess to our server and the food runners, were warmer and provided more seamless service. Regardless, both places deliver exceptional dining experiences. I've dined at six Michelin-star restaurants to date (I'm not saying that to humble-brag, I'm saying it to give context) and I think Herons is Michelin-star quality. It's on that level. When the Michelin Guide hit Atlanta in 2023, I correctly predicted several of the restaurants that got stars. While the Michelin Guide hasn't covered North Carolina yet, Herons still has impressive accolades. I saw 2024 Forbes Travel Guide Five Stars and 2020 AAA Five Diamond awards during our visit. Herons is located inside the Umstead Hotel and Spa, a luxury hotel and spa situated just off I-40 exit 287 (Harrison Ave). For parking, you can use the hotel valet or self-park for free in the dedicated lot off Woodland Pond Dr. Use OpenTable to book your reservation. Unlike Fearrington House, which I also booked via OpenTable, Herons awarded dining points. I used OpenTable's messaging system to communicate with Herons staff and make a change to our reservation. It worked well. Herons serves breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner. My wife and I had a 7pm reservation on a Saturday. We showed up early and had drinks at the Umstead's Bar & Lounge. It was really nice (the entire property was) and set the tone for what turned into a magnificent evening. The Bar & Lounge was busy before and after our dinner. The Umstead is a happening place. For dinner, we went with Herons' standard four-course prix fixe dinner at $170 per person. For comparison, four courses at Fearrington House was $150 per person. Both offer $100 drink/wine pairings and supplements for certain courses. Both also offer more elaborate tasting menus. At Herons, it's the "Art Tour," consisting of 8-15 courses at $250 per person. We got to choose from 4-5 selections for each course. My wife and I chose different things for each course so we could try many dishes. Here's what we got: Cocktails * Lilac ($16) - Cathead vodka, creme de violette, blueberry, lychee, yuzu * Ruby cocktail ($16) - Lunazul Reposado, rhubarb, One Oak Farm beets, citrus Non-Alcoholic Infusions * Drinking Vinegars - Strawberry-Basil ($8) Before First * English pea macarons with creme fraiche and Siberian caviar * Buckwheat baguettes and butter from Marietta, Georgia First * Oyster - poached, Charleston Gold Rice, Champagne Sabayon * Wagyu - asparagus, egg sauce, finger lime, kosho, sauce Japonaise Before Second * Chef's play on bacon, eggs and toast; quail eggs, bacon mousse, edible nest * Chive croissants with garlic butter Second * Egg - 62-degree egg, One Oak grits, mushroom, Iberico ham, shrimp. * Foie Gras ($20 supplement) - strawberries, sudachi, salted Marcona almond creme; Carolina pineberries Before Entrees * Duck confit corn dogs, made to look like cattails * Milk bread with honey butter Entrees * Tuna - ossetra, miso, chive, Meyer lemon, brown butter dashi * Beef - two styles (strip steak and short rib), farm carrots, sea buckthorn puree, Shaoxing sauce Before Dessert * Elderflower pickled rhubarb, lime (and other ingredients I forgot) * French press decaf coffee (large, $9) Dessert * Honey - milk ganache, kataifi, orange blossom, nitro labneh, bee pollen * Cheese - Fromager d'Affinois espuma, air baguette, mostarda, English peas After Dessert Gifts * Dark chocolate, yuzu gummies with blueberry centers, housemade Red Hots, and caramels The four-course was an "art tour" itself. It was truly a culinary adventure with neat surprises along the way. And for those wondering, we left the restaurant completely stuffed. The timing and attention to detail was almost impeccable. For example, the butters that accompanied the bread courses were consistently themed. The garlic butter that came with the croissants looked like leaves and the honey butter that came with the milk bread looked like honeycomb. The quail eggs in the edible nest and the duck confit corn dog cattails were creative and fun. The 62-degree egg was served in/with wooden bowls and a wooden spoon rest made from fallen trees on the property. The dishes were unique and the flavors and textures were superb. The entire Herons and Umstead staff were terrific, including our fantastic server Mike. read more

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I previously gave Herons a five star review. However my most recent visit this week left me extremely disappointed. There is a seasonal chef's choice menu which is uber pricey for this area but I felt well worth the money the first time I tried it. That was the spring menu. I was excited to return for their summer menu. Imagine how irritated I was that it was the same exact menu only with some variations of the seasoning and presentation. The oyster appetizer looked amazing but was dangerously close to the taste of an oyster in Campbell's condensed cream of chicken soup. And the Crudo entrée did not taste extremely fresh. Admittedly, the second seafood dish was amazing. Then let down again with the tired Duck Duck Quail and Lamb with braised Romaine? You can't find a better vegetable to put on the side of the plate than Romaine Lettuce for this price? When you're dropping this kind of money for the experience and flavor you expect it to be on point. Sadly, it was not. I will say the service was great and the view is pretty. read more

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We did the tasting menu at Herons for our anniversary and had a delicious meal! All of the servers were very friendly and knowledgeable about the food. The table next to us also had the tasting menu and had gotten there before us. Some of our courses were delivered before theirs and vice versa. The only negative aspect was consistency with timing between courses. Sometimes we were still eating one course when the next was brought out and other times it felt like we were waiting a while. Overall loved the food and the decor. The plates were handmade and a very pretty color. All of the food came out beautifully presented. read more

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Hands down the best tasting menu I've ever experienced. The food and wine pairing was simply perfect. Each dish was flawlessly prepared with not only incredible flavor, but also stunning presentation. If there's any reason to visit Raleigh, this is number one. I can't wait to come back and experience their next creations. read more

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Went here for dinner during some time at The Umstead, and it's pretty good. Service was great, and there seemed to be plenty of them. The kitchen seemed to be a bit of a bottle neck, but maybe that's because it was a Saturday. My wife had the fried tomato sandwich, which sounded great...but turned out to be pretty average. The bread was a little bit too greasy. On the other hand, I had the smashburger, which was awesome. Perfectly cooked, and it's a two-handed sandwich for sure. Would definitely get that again on a return visit. read more

Finally got to check out Herons at the The Umstead Hotel and Spa. I was able to snag a reservation for the fully booked Christmas evening with my son. The restaurant was nicely decorated for the season. Very warm and cozy. I was warned that it was going to be pricey but the talent of the kitchen and staff is a standout. We had the prix fixe dinner without the wine pairing and we absolutely enjoyed it. The food was so tasty and plated like works of art. I highly recommend this place for that special occasion. read more

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I am super behind on my reviews for 2024, but as one of my New Year's resolutions, I will try to do my Yelp reviews regularly. Aside from that, I already planned to do this one ASAP as it was an amazing dinner. I am not sure how I found out about Herons in the first place, but I assume I was looking for Michelin-star-like restaurants in North Carolina as the tire company has not yet ranked anything in North Carolina. As it turns out, Herons, along with the Umstead Hotel and Spa that it resides in, is only one of 64 places in the WORLD with a Forbes Five-Star rating in addition to a AAA Five-Diamond rating. I originally booked a date night reservation with my wife but had to cancel the initial day. Luckily, I saw there were seats available for the New Year's Eve menu and my parents were still around to babysit the kids. The first course were six oysters with tapioca pearls, ossetra caviar, and champange sabayon. The combination of the tapioca pearls and caviar gave it this perfect blend of crunchiness and chewiness. The second course was lobster, crispy rice cake, sea buckthorn, and an ahi dolce curry. The curry was amazing and paired with the lobster perfectly. Not all of the rice cake was crispy, but still worked out great with the crunchy and chewy combination. This was my favorite of the night, aside from the main entree. Next, we had quail with truffle mouse, chestnut polenta, pear, and madeira jus. While I don't remember details of this dish, I do remember I liked it and the meat fell off the bone. Finally, we get to the main entree of A5 wagyu with asian pear, scallion, cucumber kimchi, fried rice, and galbi. Being an A5 wagyu, there was defintely a lot of nice intramuscular fat marbling to add a ton of flavor. The mini roll of galbi was a nice touch for visual appeal and flavor. If all that wasn't enough, then came dessert of Ecuadorian white chocolate, passionfruit, and champange ice cream bars followed by some more sweet bites. All in all, it was a great experience and despite having to cancel the first reservation, things probably ended up for the better. read more

Ambiance: Herons is an upscale restaurant with beautiful artwork and views of carefully manicured landscape surrounding the Umstead Hotel. Service: The service at Herons is exceptional. You are seated promptly with a team of employees who are constantly refilling water, delivering food, explaining the dishes, and catering to all of your dining needs. Food: The food at Herons can best be described as a twist between southern and Asian inspired cuisine using seasonal ingredients. There are intersectional flavors in all of their dishes. The signature Egg appetizer was the chefs version of grits with a delicious egg and truffle. The oysters were unbelievably flavorful. With the waiter telling us they where obtained exactly at 11:30am that same morning from the coast. The quail eggs in edible birds nets where an artistic treat. The wagyu appetizer was tender, delicious, and paired beautifully with the asparagus. The halibut was cooked to perfection with a fluffy texture and decadent flavor. The menu is carefully crafted and is worth the price. We cannot wait to come back again! read more

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Dining at Herons is such an exquisite experience that you know a few bites in that you couldn't imagine or realize how much work goes in behind the scenes to make your meal happen. The staff uniforms are pristine and pressed, the table linens are impeccably stitched, the wine list is perfectly curated, the chef grows persimmons in his personal garden for the salads, it's a cultivation of a labor of love if you take a moment to listen to the stories/lore. The steak is beyond tender with a swirl of savory sauces. The celery root dish- I dream of it... it's that good, imagine a lasagna or pastry but as a light vegetable. The fish is always equally light and delicious. HIGHLY recommend the chive croissant and the milk bread: spring for both. The grits are delicious and best shrimp I've ever had. The Umstead branded Champagne is actually wonderful, even for a nv. We especially love the simple yellowtail nigiri (and more detailed crudo). They have a secluded dining area for a 6top, but every table is lovely. The gift shop sells the dinnerware, and restaurant is well light, but not too loud. All the Hannah's are beverage aficionados, and our favorite server is Jake. Chef Greene never misses... 10/10 but don't wait for a special occasion, just go! If you stay for dessert the pastries are delicate but flavorful and they always send us off with cookies and/or chocolates! read more

Herons is an upscaled restaurant, the ambience is very elegant, the deco is stylish, and service is excellent. Food is also great. I have been to this restaurant three times. Each time I enjoyed their food, service and ambiance. This time, we had an Asian themed lunch, which greatly exceeded all our expectations. I hope Herons continues with this tradition and offers other ethical cuisines Like Indian, Spanish or Mediterranean. read more

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Amazing tasting menu!! We loved the modern take on the corn dog, probably our favorite part of the tasting menu, but all the dishes were very good and nothing too adventurous or crazy food wise, the display of the dishes were what was most stand out as well as the service. We added on the wine pairing which was a great decision however pretty expensive ($125 add on). On a Saturday evening the tables were flowing all night but overall pretty quiet in the restaurant. read more

From the moment you walk in you feel like you're in another city! Beautiful decor in the hotel and restaurant and the food was amazing as was the service.... highly recommended read more

Herons - Dessert - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

The restaurant is located inside of the umstead hotel. The restaurant is beautiful and nice ambiance. Very peaceful and pleasant. There's an option with a four course meal or 8 course meal or à la carte. The food was good, fantastic options of meals and unique presentations. It was a great experience and the service was nice. read more

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My wife and I came for lunch on a Wednesday, so even though we had a reservation, I don't think we would have had to wait long to be seated without a reservation. After we ordered, we were given two types of bread to start - a savory and a sweet bread, both of which were delicious. As an appetizer, we received a compressed cucumber with a mango salsa "compliments of the chef" (I think all tables received it that day), which was interesting - it had good flavor and while the cucumber was soaked / compressed, it still retained a crunchy texture. I ordered the Chirashi, which included salmon, hamachi, avocado, pickled vegetables, tempura battered seaweed, and rice. It was all very clean and the flavors and textures all complemented each other well. The tempura battered seaweed was actually my favorite part of the dish - it had a crispy texture and just the right amount of batter. The salmon and hamachi were both fresh and tender, and the pickled vegetables were the perfect combination of sweetness, acidity, and texture. My wife ordered the Fried Flounder, which came with a tea leaf salad, cabbage, rice, and herb aioli. Her flounder was also perfectly battered and the fish itself was tender and moist. The creamy aioli paired really well with the fish. The service was top-notch - very attentive, helpful, and prompt. And the lunch prices are less than the dinner prices, for good quality food and reasonable portion size. read more

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I dine in frequently and whether it be a personal outing or something business related- Gabby exceeds all expectations and is a joy to be around. I presume this is not her forever job, but whatever she does, I hope it's with people. Food is always wonderful. I've never had any complaints from myself or the people I've come in with. There is another hostess- Faith- she doesn't seem to be aware of what's going on. It's obvious on the weekends that she is only able to keep up if gabby is around her. Anyways, props to Gabby. Thanks for being the best place to go to. read more

Okay I've died and gone to heaven! Finally had a Heron's 4-course (which is really more than 4) dinner experience. And I do mean experience! Spoiled, pampered, luxurious. I felt like we were experiencing the finale of a Top Chef competition (or what I have imagined that to be like). You pick four courses (current price is $155 for the four), plus in my case I added on the $100 wine pairing which is four half glasses of wines chosen for each course. Service is impeccable with perfection pacing. In addition to our four courses, we were treated to other small (but powerful) surprises including three different small warm delicious breads with their individual butters. There were other treats also like an amuse bouche that was a savory macaron, quail eggs stuffed with something amazing and even special little "corn dogs". There's fun, there's whimsical, all to keep you entertained and amazed in between being dazzled by the chosen courses. Mine included crab two ways, one of which was like a very memorable bao bun and the other was a small dish of savory sea urchin custard. Then there was the perfect scallop topped with caviar, surrounded by onion petals with a warm flavorful dashi poured over. Followed by a rich yet delicate Turbo for me and a fabulous Filet for Husband. We chose different desserts as well...his being a more savory one, while mine was apple. By the time they brought more surprise birthday sweets, we could only have them packaged up to take to the room, cause we couldn't do another bite. Best part of it all for me was when I asked if Chef Steven Devereaux Greene was there, he made an appearance and I got my pic with him! I might have even cried a bit cause to me the highest form of celebrities are brilliant Chefs. Deepest thanks to all the hard workers who have perfected their craft to give us such a memorable experience. Also note we enjoyed drinks earlier at the bar at Heron's and had a delightful experience there as well. Husband's new favorite bourbon drink is their Fairview! read more

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Heron's never disappoints! We had the chefs tasting menu this evening and both the food and service was incredible. The only small critique I have is that the food was all very similar in texture - it would have been really nice to have some crispy elements in some of the courses. read more

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Wasn't anything special and the bill for three people was $850. Have had much better meals in the area at a quarter of the price. I would not return. read more

My fiance and I decided to get fancy for our anniversary and go to Herons. We went to the dinner service from 7pm and left around 9pm. The service was excellent and we had a wonderful time. I was surprised we left dinner feeling full as the plates were small but between our meals we were offered different tasting plates. I liked the ambiance and staff at Herons but the food was average. There were some weird flavors and textures that were unappealing, especially the egg (second course). We enjoyed our time and paid a big bill for a fun night out but we wouldn't go back anytime soon. read more

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I've been here a couple times now. It's a great place to go for a special occasion, but for the money, it's really not all it's cracked up to be. There are tons of restaurants in the area with better food at a fraction of the price. Cocktails 3/5 Food: 4/5 Presentation: 5/5 read more

This place is fancy with fantastic service but food is average but not excellent unfortunately. I came here 2 years ago but now revisiting, I think the food lacks flavor and portion is small for the cost. I had three types of pancakes, but while eating them, I was thinking Cracker Barrel has better pancakes ;( I had some bacon, which tasted like any other bacon. You would think they would have their own flare to it. The lobster roll was cold, which I don't mind, but did not wow my tastebuds. They really need to work on the flavors- not just presentation. The cookies were a lovely surprise for my dad. The service is really thoughtful. Therefore, it does deserve high marks for that. read more

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Absolutely phenomenal establishment. This Michelin star restaurant Blew my mind. We were in town for a wedding and decided to have brunch here before the ceremony which was later on. You definitely need a reservation here as it's always packed. It is located at the Umpstead hotel. Upon Walking in, guests are transported into calm, romantic vibe/atmosphere with a lady playing the harp just by the entrance. Talk about an entrance. Scott was our server and he was a delight. He also remembered that it was one of our parties birthday and brought complimentary dessert for her. Fantastic guy. I had the french toast, biscuits and smoked bacon, and I truly truly enjoyed every last bite. My friends had the açaí bowl, steak and eggs with fries and everyone's plates were pretty cleaned up. Definitely not cheap, but we'll worth the price. My only regret is not taking a picture of the harp being played. read more

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Herons is located in the Umstead Hotel. It has won many dining awards over the years. It is a Five Star restaurant according to Forbes. The service was outstanding as was the decor and the food. Bread was brought to the table. I went with the Filet Mignon which was cooked perfectly. It came with mushrooms and spinach. For dessert, I went with the chocolate torte. This was also delicious. All the dishes that came out of the kitchen were strategically placed on the plate to make it look beautifully. Valet parking is available or you can park in the self parking lot and walk among the landscaped walkway. Herons is a great place to dine if you are looking for a great meal. read more

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The atmosphere is good but the food is just an OK nothing special. The service is good, too. It is too expensive and not worth. read more

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First time I've visited in 8+ years but still a good experience and doesn't feel tired. Started with the tomato salad, which was good but not incredible (the tomatoes were not as flavourful as I would have liked). What really excelled was the salmon, I'm not a huge salmon fan but this was incredible, probably the best salmon I've ever had. read more

Herons - Salmon - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

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How could you not give this place five stars? I have eaten at many fine dining restaurants and a couple of Michelin star restaurants. This place is not just a restaurant, but an EXPERIENCE. We had the four course meal. I consider myself to have a pretty experienced palette but these choices blew my mind. Every course has an amuse bouche. And a bread course with its own specific butter. I noticed every different dish was plated uniquely, meaning different plate styles for each course and offering. New silverware for every course. At each presentation of something new to the table, the staff would explain every part of each dish, bread, butter, everything. I was very impressed. I believe the menu offerings change regularly, but I will say my favorite of the evening was maybe one of the most simple - the salmon tartare. The beef filet was very tender and tasty, nothing super unique but nothing to complain about. I did not care for the Foie Gras dish. I do usually love this, and the description sounded so unique and our servo mentioned it was the most artistic dish they had at the time. It was too sweet and not savory. Too much fruity mixed and it was not for me. But the plate was beautiful. I didn't love that I had a conversation with our server about making the decision and the Foie Gras, and he sold me with his words, but failed to mention that it was a $20 up-charge. It was likely in the menu somewhere and my bad for missing that, but also I assumed that the total cost of the meal included 1 choice from each section. I feel that if there is a dish in one of the 4 sections of choices that is not included in the set price - it should be very noticeable. And the server should verify the guest understands it is an extra cost. Our server was really great about it and removed it from the bill. I didn't mind paying the $20, just wish it wasn't a surprise for me, my fault or not. read more

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Everything was top tier from start to finish! The ambiance is very dim with beautiful art to complement the space! The food was immaculate and would happily go back again! read more

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