I'd been wanting to come here for 2 years and finally had the perfect occasion, an anniversary dinner with my boyfriend. It was packed on a Friday night at 7:30pm. I'm glad we made a reservation ahead of time on Open Table. We ordered/review: * Glass of NC white wine (blend): delicious. Drier side and agree with the waitress it goes with everything. * Hop on Top IPA beer (can poured into a glass) * Duck Pot Pie: incredible. Wanted to lick the bowl. Such amazing comfort food starter. * Pastrami salad: so inventive. I've never seen it on a menu before anywhere (or anything like it) and probably never will again. So glad we ordered it. * Duck entree * Tuna entree From the photos on Yelp I was worried we'd be hungry after but the portions of the entrees were really big and I ended up taking a lot of my dinner home. My only complaint is the noise. The acoustics in the restaurant are terrible and it was hard to hear my boyfriend talking half the night, and he was sitting right across a small table. I'm not sure why they asked if we were celebrating anything special - we told them it was our anniversary (because it was!) and they said "Happy Anniversary" which was nice, but whereas they give you a dessert if it's your birthday, they don't really do anything special for an anniversary. A note on dress code: I saw people in jeans and people dressed up. So if you want to dress up, do it! But if you want to dress more casual seemed to be acceptable there. read more

Mandolin - Duck pot pie. DELICIOUS - Southern Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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We had at a great date night at Mandolin! Definitely recommend getting reservations before hand. It was nice to have our table waiting for us when we arrived. We started with the oysters which were extremely fresh! Our waitress was very friendly and knowledgeable of the menu, and helped me decide on my main course- it was a squash vegetarian dish which I thoroughly enjoyed despite not being anywhere near a vegetarian. I don't have much of a sweet tooth, but my boyfriend RAVED about the caramel cake. So I suggest ending your meal with that based solely off his reaction!! Good drink selection as well and well made mix drinks if that's what you decide to order. read more

The service was subpar. The food arrived cold. The server was not organized. Did not live up to the expectations I had.

We stumbled upon this place for brunch after trying many others that were difficult to get into without a long wait for a reservation. Sunday brunch, it was delightful. Not far from five points, a quaint little street-side restaurant, clean and well appointed, and the service and food were excellent. My husband had the biscuits and gravy with a fried piece of chicken, and I had the pork Madame. What a pleasant surprise to find this hidden gem in Raleigh. This is a highly recommend read more

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Mandolin does an excellent job of bringing NC products together on a plate and making it seem simple yet taste phenomenal. My most recent visit was on a Saturday evening with my family. We were seated and attended to very promptly. The service was friendly and helpful through and through. I wasn't sure if it would be a kid-friendly place, but there were a handful of other families with small children there, which was reassuring to see. For starters, we tried the Heritage Farms Pork Spareribs. They were incredible. The smokiness was spot on, and the meat fell right off the ribs when I bit into it. The pork rind blueberry crumble over the ribs added another layer of texture to the ribs, and the cucumber-fennel salad served as a light complement to the heavier meat. Highly recommended. We also tried their first course special, which was a house-made chicken sausage with a habanero pepper-based sauce and grilled eggplant. The sausage was flavored well, and the sauce added a kick while the grilled lemon contributed just the right amount of tang. The eggplants were soft, but not mushy, and cooked near-perfectly. I'll add that on another visit, I tried their lamb sausage, which is still my favorite thing I've had at Mandolin. If it's ever on the menu, GET IT. For our second course, I ordered their special 30-ounce ribeye steak. It was a monster. It had a blue cheese-type topping over it, and was served over Robuchon potatoes, grilled carrots, green beans, and cauliflower. The steak itself was cooked perfectly - I ordered it medium rare. Since I am a big fan of blue cheese, my taste buds were having a party with that topping. My favorite part of the dish, however, was the Robuchon potatoes - it was like a very finely mashed potato, but with some body to it. I loved the flavor, texture, and everything about it. The vegetables were grilled nicely, too. I also got to try the pan-seared spadefish, which was served over Hoppin' John, and came with a pickled vegetable salad. The spadefish was crispy on the outside, but tender on the inside - the way it's supposed to be. The Hoppin' John was enjoyable, as was the pickled vegetable salad. My favorite second course, however, was the Grilled Hanger Steak. The steak was incredibly tender, well-flavored and topped with an excellent chimichurri. The squash gratin was also flavorful, moist, and kept warm in the cast iron. The entire dish got high marks on presentation, and was even better in the taste department. Definitely recommended for any steak lovers. For dessert, I tried the Counter Culture Coffee-Videri Chocolate Chess Tart. While I'm not a huge fan of chocolate cakes or tarts, because of how dense and heavy they can be, this one was well-balanced. If you love dark chocolate tarts, this is definitely for you. What made it work for me was the lemon chantilly and candied lemon over top of it. The denseness of the chocolate was cut through with the lightness and tartness of the chantilly and candied lemon. When combined together, it made for a perfect couple. As previously mentioned, the service was superb. I like the layout of the restaurant, with its contemporary, yet homey-feeling decor. It's clean and well-kept, and it's also fun to get to peek into the kitchen a little. The prices of the dishes may deter some people from trying Mandolin out, but in my opinion, it's well worth it. At least give it one try - you probably won't regret it. read more

Mandolin - Heritage Farms Pork Spareribs. Deliciously smoky and fall off the bone tender. - Southern Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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I've been wanting to visit the Mandolin for a while, so I decided to go for brunch. I made reservations (during Covid) and that worked out well. Everyone was wearing masks and social distancing. It was a rainy day, so outside dining wasn't an option. I ordered the Pork Madame and it was pretty good. I wouldn't say it was the best brunch meal I've ever had, but it was tasty. I was disappointed with the Bloody Mary though. It lacked good spice and was a little too watered down. I am also not a big fan of raw okra, so I didn't eat that. The biscuits on the other hand were delicious. It made me think that I would order the biscuits and gravy if I go again. Overall, the food wasn't overall amazing, but it worked and I would try it again to see if a different item on the menu would give me the wow factor people talk about. read more

Mandolin - Pork Madame - Southern Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Impeccable attention to the details from check in to table service. Ask for Grayson. She's the most attentive and entertaining server! With Mandolin's popularity, prepare for a wait during peak dinner hours even with reservations. Mandolin is a smaller, more intimate restaurant with vaulted ceilings. If they're busy, it's a bit loud & can be difficult to hear the conversation of everyone in your party. And the food...Oh my! It's prepared to perfection! I got whiplash watching other diners food coming to their tables! Our ribeye for two was fork tender even at medium rare! You owe it to yourself to experience Mandolin! I promise you won't be disappointed! read more

Mandolin - Ahi Tuna that simply melts in your mouth! - Southern Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Full marks! The entrees were excellent as were the salads. Inventive combinations of flavors. The wine selection was solid although not extensive. Great value for the quality. read more

Oh. My. Gosh. Dinner with friends in private room. For the love of God, get their fragrant house Old Fashioned. Every dish was perfection. My eyes rolled back into my head when I tasted that chocolate soufflé. I must return next time I'm in Raleigh. read more

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The food was tasteless, overcooked and overpriced. The dish I ordered "duck" tasted old, the beans were hard with no flavor. My "sweet tea" was just colorful water. The service was ok. I honestly would not recommend for a dinner party or anything at all. read more

Delicious local restaurant. Slightly upscale, but not too much of a fine dining feel. I had a blended burger, a sustainable effort to make a better burger. It was very moist and flavorful. I had a bourbon cocktail that went well with my burger. The staff was very friendly, the restaurant was also not very loud, even though it was ~70% full on a Sunday evening. Great meal. read more

Mandolin - Blended Burger - Southern Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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This place was amazing. Called ahead to make a reservation for a party of 6 and they seated us immediately at a very spacious table. There is outdoor and indoor seating to comply with COVID regulations and the door is left open to promote ventilation. The server was very attentive and I never had to flag him down to get his attention. The food came out at reasonable times and all of it was delicious. Pictured is the chicken and waffle but also definitely recommend the shrimp risotto & pork belly appetizers. The pineapple upside down cake and chocolate soufflé desserts are absolutely exquisite as well! Overall, great experience. read more

Mandolin - Chicken & Waffles - Southern Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

I recently visited Mandolin with family for Sunday brunch and couldn't be more satisfied. The hollaindaise sauce screams perfection and there aren't enough homemade biscuits in the world. The waiters are very knowledgeable about the menu and will give great advice on providing a choice based on your tastes. I need to visit again soon for dinner. Word on the street is that they have the best wine menu in Raleigh. Farm to table restuarants are becoming a dime a dozen but this restaurant is hands down one of my faves. Just a note, when visiting Mandolin, you can park on the street but there is available space in the back of the building, so don't stress out! read more

Loved the atmosphere! It's a farm to table restaurant, the chef has his very own farm! Staff was very helpful and the food was good. We got the butter lettuce salad, steak frites, fish of the day, lemon creme brûlée, and caramel cake! All was very good. read more

Mandolin - Fish N.C. Catch of the Day with Red Pepper Coulis Grilled - Southern Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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I have eaten here once before and had an amazing experience. This week, I ordered three dozen of the yeast rolls that were advertised on the website (see pics below). Please take a look at what was on your website, as opposed to what you gave me. If you didn't have what was advertised, it should have been communicated prior to me paying my hard-earned money. I was basically given store-bought, oversized communion bread. My husband is a chef, and was absolutely appalled at this situation. I ended up having to make my own yeast rolls on Christmas Day, which was what I was trying to avoid in the first place. Not cool. And since no one has returned my message, I will be contacting my credit card company to get a refund. read more

Mandolin - What was advertised.... - Southern Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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After waiting 50 min and no offer for coffee refill, this is what was put in front of me. I used to LOVE Mandolin, but will most likely not be back. read more

Mandolin - Southern Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Mediocre food and terrible service. Took 3 hours for a meal when we told them we were in a hurry. Wildly overpriced for the quality

Went for a date night recently. Boyfriend and I split a mushroom appetizer and that was really good and felt hearty -- we both love mushrooms. I ordered the fried NC flounder and boyfriend ordered the chicken and waffles. The flounder was really good and I really enjoyed it. The fish was cooked very nicely and it was just the right amount of crispy. It came with romaine and a clam chowder potato gratin. The gratin was good but too salty for me. Boyfriend liked his chicken and waffles (and I had a bite and it was good), but fancy chicken and waffles isn't really much better than normal chicken and waffles --both are delicious but this was pricey. Overall we liked it but just thought it was a little too expensive for us. read more

Mandolin - Southern Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

We got four items on the brunch menu. The waffle was normal tasting with a light chantilly whip cream. They could have had a more unique tasting batter with a crunchier exterior. The shrimp and grits came out in a very small portion, but nice comforting creamy taste. The chicken braised hash was underwhelming that seemed to be more of a chicken on an unfinished stewed ingredients. The best of the four dishes was the pork madame, with the crunchy potato wedges and bbq filled toast. Nice ambience and interior! read more

I have come to Mandolin for dinner years ago and have also sent groups here for private dining. We most recently came to try their brunch menu and each experience is always a great one. The building itself is very light and inviting with a main dining room, bar in the back and then two other seperated rooms with large windows that can be booked for private space or used during meals. The chairs are white and clean and the decor is on the modern meets rustic side with wooden open fixtures. Mandolins and magazine photos featuring the owners and purveyors line the walls to the restrooms. We made a reservation on open table and were promptly seated in the side room. The brunch menu has many a la carte dishes such as the Country breakfast, hollandaise option, oatmeal and other dishes. I had green tea and it was served in a small metal pot. For my entree I had the country breakfast with scrambled eggs, bacon, and potatoes. Prior to the meal, our server brought out homemade biscuts with apple butter and those were delicious. We all enjoyed our meals and I would come back for brunch or dinner. They do not serve lunch. I also follow them on social media and learn about special events on this page. read more

Went for a birthday dinner with my fiancé. First plate: Mussles were really good. Liked the sauce with plenty of bread to dip it in Main course: I had steak frites and she had tuna. Steak frites was fine, nothing spectacular. Tuna dish was objectively bad. It was completely overpowered by the kimchi, like really really badly so. For context I do like kimchi and am a fan when properly balanced in something like a bao where it has the texture and flavor aspects of other ingredients to balance it out. This dish had none of that and was subsequently inedible. Believe she had a third or less of the dish. I give credit to the chef for attempting something (I recognize the art in food) but this just did not work. Desserts: Chess pie and apple crisp. Both were very good Overall nice atmosphere and food was fine. It's just hard to give a chef owned/operated fancy restaurant over 3 stars on review if you have 6 main dishes, 1 of which is straight up bad and the other is so basic it's impossible to get wrong. read more

Excellent dinner here! Service was attentive but not overbearing. The atmosphere was pretty quiet and would be great for a date or business dinner. The pickles everywhere were fun and interesting, and I liked have herbs on the table. We started with the panzanella salad and sweetbreads. The panzanella had great pickles elements of course. It could use a little less dressing. The sweetbreads were -okay-, nothing to call home about. The second course we had sheepshead and scallops. Both were delicious and flavorful. I loved the crispness of the sheepshead, and the potatoes and greens that came with it accented it well. The scallops were light but filling! We didn't try any of the desserts, but they looked excellent. My only criticism is that they were out of most of the wines we selected on the menu. Overall, great raleigh spot! read more

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The tables are spread out nicely and the service and staff was amazing. I had the ceviche which was delicious, and burger with brie and fig which was a little salty but the fries were amazing. The wine selection is fantastic. The videri chocolate soufflé was also worth the visit! I love this restaurant and think it's great that the owner takes every safety precaution for the staff and the customers. They value safety over profits and I will continue to support them. read more

Mandolin - Southern Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

We went in October while in town for a visit. We were looking for another nearby restaurant which we were having trouble finding.The Hostess at Mandolin showed us where to go. The people inside our original destination were rude and not wanting any business. We went back to Mandolin and had a fantastic meal. I had the Chicken and waffles with the out of the world syrup. Yum. My wife had a pork Tenderloin special which she fell in love with. The service was amazing as were the drinks. Go! read more

I have been here for a few times and I am really confused. Sometimes, the food here is so amazing, but sometimes it's just mediocre​. We ordered the same lamb meatballs twice, a few weeks apart. The first time is was very flavorful and extremely delicious! That was the most delicious meatballs I have had in my life! We know the menu would change seasonally, we came back in a few weeks to try it again. It was much blander and not impressive any more! It's the same beans and meatballs, same ingredients, but totally different taste. The other food we had that night were all good, but but really outstanding. The same thing happened to hanger steak as well. Once it was really tender and good. Once it was chewy and bland. I don't what the reason why the food quality is not consistent here! It really makes​ me hesitate to come back. It's kind of like lottery and you will never know​what you get! I still give it 4 stars because the food COULD be super good here! The service is usually good, but it's a little crowded. read more

Spectacular food, outstanding service and place if you are in Raleigh is a must try, and expect to want to return.

Food has just gotten to be insanely salty, to the point where it is inedible. I think the food is really quite good, they are sourcing great local ingredients only to be destroyed by over seasoning. To management, spend a day as an expediter and you will see what I mean. Bottom line, less salt is better! read more

Our visit here for a Valentine's dinner was very nicely put together. It was a prix fixe 4 course meal. I don't judge a restaurant on the salad so we'll skip that. We had black truffle potato and ham chowder and it was very savory. Not too salty as it can sometimes get. For our entrees, we went with the short rib wellington and seared scallops. The scallops were finished nicely and were very tasty. We were a little disappointed they were smaller than other places we've had them at and the flavor was just a little short. But the mushroom risotto they were sitting on made up for it well enough. The wellington was cooked perfectly and the first few bites were tender and flavorful. The only downside and reason they didn't get 5 stars was the bottom of the biscuit was charred and that overtook so much of the taste. The burnt bottom was a disappointment but everything else and the service was spot on. Would definitely recommend anybody to try this place. read more

Mandolin - Short Rib Wellington - Southern Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Ambiance was nice...service was good. So, the food. The food was sub-par at best. As a French classical trained chef, I was excited to go to Mandolin, as I don't get to experience high-end food often. I had the steak Au Poivre. I love hanger steak, but this was served with zero seasonings and a swash of some sauce that added nothing to the dish. If you are not going to offer steak sauce, you better flavor it. The frites were just okay. I DID enjoy the vegetables. My daughter had the chicken and waffles. The waffles were "old tasting" and had zero flavor. They were reminiscent of a church host. The truffle honey literally tasted spoiled.(which is weird because honey is the ONLY food without an expiration date.) The duck fat jam on the charcuterie plate was not even close. You cant take a dollop of duck fat, bury it in jam and call it exquisite. A truly emusified jam would better represent the menu description. I honestly feel bad taking my wife here for her birthday. For the inflated price, the disappointment is more inflated. I believe the thought is there and the building is beautiful, but maybe hire a chef who cares about what is being served. Rule of thumb for chefs is ...if you wouldn't serve it to your mama.....we'll, my mom may have put me up for adoption. Mandolin, I KNOW you can do better! read more

My husband and I chose to dine at Mandolin do to it landing on a must try list of Raleigh establishments. Great atmosphere and service was lovely despite our waiter forgetting my cocktail. The pate served on the charcuterie plate was the highlight of the evening and wish the appetizer was served with a cheese. I ordered the grouper crudo and panzanella salad for dinner. Both dishes lacked cohesiveness and could have used a drizzle of olive oil and some salt and pepper. My husband ordered the popular Chicken and Waffles and stated the chicken was cooked to perfection but has enjoyed countless other renditions of this dish elsewhere in the Triangle when compared to Mandolins. I love the idea of farm to fork and seek out these institutions but lots of misses the night we dined and we will not be returning. read more

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Since moving to Raleigh-Durham, there haven't been that many times when I was enjoying a dinner at a beautiful restaurant with loved ones where I looked around me, and thought, "Yes. THIS." Our dinner at Mandolin was one of those near-spiritual experiences when the food, the people, and the atmosphere take on such significance that you know you will always remember. What you need to know about Mandolin is this: the atmosphere - minimalist and soothing; the food - elegant, nuanced, and inspired; the service - professional and friendly. This was the last fine-dining experience we shared with our daughter before her two-year move to Germany, and I'm so glad Mandolin was the place where we chose to acknowledge this special moment. read more

This is farm-to-table done right. We don't dine in Raleigh too often, but after winning a gift card in a charity silent auction, we made reservations for dinner on a Monday evening. The menu is short but that's in keeping with the seasonal farm-to-table concept. In fact, the chef has his own farm and grows a lot of his vegetables. We enjoyed fried pattypan squash and entrees of mahi mahi and chicken, both with a lot of vegetables. Our server was very knowledgeable, but almost to the point of overexplaining things. The decor is pretty basic but the food is the real draw here, and was delicious. Our minor glitches were a long time to receive our entrees, after the appetizer came out very quickly, and a minor hiccup with the gift card. Other than that it was a wonderful dining experience. PS, they have a very extensive wine list and have won many Wine Spectator Awards. read more

We came tonight to celebrate the sale of our home and were not disappointed! We've been wanting to come for a while and finally did it. We had the charcuterie board (which left us wanting a cheese to go along - they do have a cheese board) and the fried vegetables special as apps. The veggies were amazing! I had the panzanella salad with smoked farmers cheese and found a new love for caper berries. My husband had chicken and waffles and enjoyed every bite. My daughter (2) had grilled chicken and fries and couldn't get enough. Lynn was so sweet and gave great suggestions accommodating our daughters allergies. We will definitely return! read more

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Very nice. The food was delicious. We enjoyed fresh oysters from Virginia for a starter. Linse and Alex ordered the pork chops, which I was fortunate enough to taste. Great work on the preparation. Abby had triggerfish, which was well-presented. She reported it was delicious. I went with the southern inspired chicken and waffles. I was told it wasn't in my diet, but wow - it was worth it. The cocktails were decent and the wine list was good if you're ordering by the bottle. They were a little limited on the wines by the glass. I had a glass or two of Albarhino, which was a good selection. Our server was good, but not great. He was attentive but a little forgetful, and he didn't seem to have a handle on some of the dishes. He recommended steak over the chicken and waffles, because you can get chicken and waffles anywhere. No, actually, you can get steak anywhere - chicken and waffles are uncommon in most places. He also forgot the horseradish for the oysters, so we waited for nearly ten minutes with those appetizing morsels right in front of us. And he forgot extra limes for the gin. Again - good, not great. I would go back in a heartbeat next time I'm in Raleigh. read more

We we were seated promptly and Cameron,our server, came right over to take our drink orders. He was great all evening. Bartender, hostess and the other servers assisted in making our evening most enjoyable. The drinks and food were excellent. Very enjoyable evening despite the noise that kept us leaning over the table listening to the other couple talking. We will be back. read more

Came here for brunch on a Sunday morning. No reservation so we sat at the bar and the tables did fill up pretty fast. Brunch menu looked promising and we started with a couple of biscuits with jam ($2) which were good. BF ordered the country ham Benedict ($13) and I ordered the country breakfast ($11) which consists of house smoked bacon, scrambled eggs, home fries, and toast. I wanted to substitute the eggs for grits because I don't eat scrambled eggs but they said no. No biggie. So I also ordered grits($4), and a side of fried chicken ($5). I was extra-hungry! LOL Anyway, I was really looking forward to chowing down on some yummy Southern style food but then the kiss of death happened.....all of our food came out COLD. Every item was cold and hard except for the bacon. So they remade it and everything was nice and hot.....except for the grits. So we asked for HOT grits, ketchup and hot sauce. They came back with hot grits but no condiments until after the home fries were cold again. BF suggested I eat them without ketchup but that's crazy-talk. No way I'm eating a fried potato without ketchup #outrageous Anyway, The grits were GREAT and the rest of the food was pretty good which is why I gave them an "A-ok". Unfortunately the entire experience left something to be desired. The table next to us complained about not getting refills so it wasn't just us having probs. I can't speak for their dinner menu or evening service but it seems that brunch was a bit chaotic for them. However, I would come back to try dinner. read more

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We used to go there quite often.. we went there last night with 2 friends. The service was very slow... prices are way too expensive and the food was just ok... we never saw the bill but when I gave my Cc... the arrogant waiter brought me back a CC machine and total was 454.26 and he said I recommend 25 percent gratuity.... Lol... really?? So needless to say we spent over $550 for a meal that we really didn't enjoy and presentation of the food was very poor also.. the whole time our water glasses were empty!!! And had to ask twice... read more

3 stars because the braised chicken tasted old.. this greasy taste of chicken usually happens if the chicken has been sitting out or cooked with out properly washing / cleaning prior to handling.The cannelloni beans were ok-The chicken dish is served with beans...The short ribs were delicious and soufflé was devoured. The Jameson ginger drinks were on the easier side .. hoped the drinks would be a little stronger for the $. Overall worth the visit and look forward to future dinners at mandolin! read more

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Delicious brunch! The biscuits basically melt in your mouth! Save room for the homemade doughnut for dessert! Delicious! We will be back!

My boyfriend chose Mandolin for date night and everything was perfect from beginning to end. He called to make reservations and told me he never had such a friendly and helpful encounter when making reservations. The ambiance in Mandolin is perfect for date night and their wine menu is overwhelming, but I opted for one of their bourbon cocktails with ginger and it was refreshing. I wanted to order their famous chicken and waffles but since their menu is rotating and that is the only permanent item I ordered the porkchop. It was a grilled pork chop with fried green tomatoes (easily the best fried green tomatoes I've had), Freekeh, Carrot, Green Coriander, Peach and Pork Jus... It was amazing and a huge dish with plenty of leftovers. My companion ordered the 30 oz ribeye on special it was cooked and seasoned perfectly. His came with delicious mashed potatoes and okra that I would highly recommend. Service was also top of the line! read more

Mandolin - Southern Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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