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    Manhattan Cafe

    4.3 (179 reviews)
    InexpensiveDelis, Salad, Sandwiches
    Closed Closed

    Manhattan Cafe Photos

    MANHATTAN CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Manhattan Cafe

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    Reviews With Photos

    Turkey Cubanans & Fries
    Brian V.

    Great lunch spot in Raleigh! My coworker, Ezra, picked it out and we both enjoyed the food and atmosphere. Great variety on the menu between paninis, salads, soup, etc. Quite often you can learn a lot about business when things don't go as planned. A customer spilled their drink my coworker and I both jumped up to help clean up and notify the team working behind the counter. When I told him he smiled and said "no problem". I'll take care of it" and grabbed the mop immediately. I'm a big fan of Manhattan cafe.

    Potato salad
    Amber C.

    I tried this place for lunch. I ordered online to go. Service was really fast. By the time I walked over from by the courthouse my food was ready and waiting. The place was busy because it was lunchtime so I didn't interact with the staff. I has the chicken calabrese and it was good. The chicken didn't taste like it was seasoned but the sauce they gave on the side helped a lot. I also tried the potato salad and that was great! I can't wait to go back and try more things!

    Where's the chicken?

    Not one to regularly leave reviews but I think I was bamboozled. Or I just assumed I was getting something else? I ordered the chicken parm panini and what I got was a mound of soggy, spicy breadcrumbs topped with cheese on a heated pita...and no chicken anywhere to be found. Went back and double checked the menu thinking maybe it was a vegan sandwich. Is it a vegan sandwich and I totally missed it? Literally wet, soggy, breadcrumb mush. I feel like I got punked and there's a hidden camera watching me eat this, except I can't eat it.

    Buffalo chicken wrap
    Hannah M.

    I have been a huge fan of Manhattan Cafe since I first tried it from an Offline Perk in 2019. Their food is amazing and so affordable. I am a huge fan of the buffalo chicken wrap- don't forget the side of crack sauce, it is one of my favorite condiments ever. I love a good salad bar since they are so rare these days and this one is amazing and has so many options. I love that they make it for you and toss it up before putting it in the container. I recently took some coworkers who had never been before, and they all loved it. In 2019 they used to have Saturday hours so I wish they would add those back in. Or extend into Durham because I would be there every week. I did take off one star since when I went this week none of the employees had masks on, and there is still a mask mandate in Wake County at this time.

    Buffalo chicken sandwich and fries
    Tasha S.

    Well I had high hopes for this place. It is always packed and smells good walking past. I went in today the customer service was great. I ordered the Buffalo chicken wrap with fries and a drink. Being honest the chicken is dry and nothing about the wrap says buffalo. It does not have any spice to it and really honestly kind of bland. The salad bar looked really good. Maybe I'll try that the next time.

    Menu and address
    Tia W.

    Place was recommended by my sister. She was a frequent customer prior to the pandemic. The pick two was a popular item and that's what my son choose. He ordered the Buffalo chicken wrap with a side salad. He got to customize the salad with 3 toppings. He said it was the best wrap he ever had. I order the salad and customized it with chicken and other toppings. The Buffalo ranch was a great dressing. I also ordered the Cajun chicken panini. I with it was more toppings due to the dryness but the sauce they provided really help and was delicious. We both recommend the salad!!! Ingredients were so fresh and picking your toppers made it even better. We love great salads. The place was smaller on the inside and it was busy so we decided to take the food to go. However, the staff was very nice and brought the food right to us. They also have tv in there if you dine in.

    Ranch Dipping Sauce  Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas with Fries  B.L.T. With Fries
    Luke Z.

    Great downtown location and New York / "Hole in the wall" vibes. I've conducted casual interviews here and frequently eat here on my lunch breaks. The ranch sauce is amazing and the Buffalo Chicken Casadia & Wrap are my go to!!

    Chicken Philly
    Creighton F.

    Quick fast and very delicious chicken Philly sandwich. Staff is very nice and respectful. Luckily I visited this place on Philly Friday where you get free fries

    Outside Manhattan Cafe, Raleigh NC
    Bruce K.

    Getting set up for lunch with their amazing looking salad bar, but I was here for breakfast. And I ended up falling a little bit off my keto diet with a great "western omelet" bagel. Fully loaded with egg and cheese and bacon and onions and peppers on an Everything bagel, it was delicious. Good coffee, too. I need to get back her for the salad bar. [Review 11665 overall, 1447 of 2019.]

    Steak & Eggs Wrap w/Home Fries
    Lori R.

    This downtown cafe is across from Clyde Cooper's. They have an awesome selection of breakfast items, sandwiches, wraps, and paninis from the deli and the grill. They also have quite the salad "bar". Note: they are not doing doughnuts anymore! Hate that I never got to try one that others have mentioned. Order at the counter. Staff is friendly. They take your name and deliver to you at your table or booth. (outdoor tables are available also). Food arrived piping hot. My Western Omelet was loaded with peppers, onions, cheese and meats, and the chipotle sauce added a lot of flavor (yet wasn't spicy). I expected to have to kick up the home fries, but these fresh taters were seasoned just right and cooked perfectly. I ate half of my plate and took the rest home.Husband really liked his Steak & Eggs wrap also. Prices very reasonable. Both of our meals with a fountain drink were just $19 before tip. I will say we did have to wipe a booth off because all the empty ones were dirty, but someone came around later and cleaned the rest of them. If I lived or worked downtown, I feel sure I would be in here a LOT.

    Salad bar area

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    7 years ago

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    Thanks for your review! Hope to see you again soon. Cheers!

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    8 years ago

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    Thanks for the review!

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    11 years ago

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    7 years ago

    This might be my new favorite lunch spot in downtown Raleigh. Friendly and fast service. Great food that beats the average sandwich shop.

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    Thanks for the review and the support!

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    10 years ago

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    12 years ago

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    7 years ago

    By far my favorite spot to pick up lunch in downtown Raleigh. No matter how packed the place is I'm always greeted with a smile.

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    Thanks for your review! You rock!

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    Thank you for your support! You rock!

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    Thanks for the review and coming in Samantha. Have a great week!

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    9 years ago

    Food is pretty well priced and so delicious! Cute place too. Really liked their sandwich and salad combo! Only $6

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    Parkside Restaurant - Short Rib Melt

    Parkside Restaurant

    4.1(466 reviews)
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    My husband and I came here for brunch when we were first visiting Raleigh house-hunting. We decided…read moreto revisit for Mother's Day brunch this year. We showed up early with our 1.5 year old daughter and they were able to seat us immediately. The area felt spacious, although that could be due to the fact that it wasn't super packed inside. I ordered the short rib benedict, my husband got the chicken & waffle sandwich, and we ordered my daughter a side of the mac & cheese. What a delicious meal! The short rib was tender and flavorful, and sat on top of a biscuit (what's not to love here?!) - horseradish hollandaise was the perfect touch as the horseradish pairs nicely with the beef. The chicken & waffle sandwich was the best guilty pleasure! Waffle crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside, chicken breaded and fried with a nice crunch, and a nice hot honey syrup to go alongside -- wish this had a little more heat. To our surprise, the mac & cheese side was a highlight too! It's hard to get a good mac n cheese, but this had such a rich, white cheese, slight funk flavor - delicious. Brunch at Parkside is delicious. Looking forward to trying dinner here soon.

    Came to Parkside for brunch. We got the jalapeño deviled eggs which were good. Unfortunately, the…read morebreakfast burrito and steak bowl looked incredible but were just meh. Not a lot of flavor to either. The chipotle honey biscuit was solid. The overall vibe of the place was great and service was good, but the food fell a little short. I'd go back but with tempered expectations.

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    Sam Jones BBQ - BBQ Plate with pulled pork and fries

    Sam Jones BBQ

    3.9(372 reviews)
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    Stopped by Sam Jones BBQ as I've been on the search for good east Carolina bbq and this restaurant…read moredid not disappoint. When you arrive there is parking available on the street or in the parking garage across the street. Walking into Sam Jones BBQ it felt lively, casual, and family friendly. There was a bit of a line but it is definitely worth the wait. To order hop in line and order at the counter. Once you order you'll be given a number and then you'll be able to choose between sitting inside or outside. We ordered the three meat combo with the chopped bbq (this is whole hog bbq), the slow-cooked chicken, and the brisket with cornbread. For the sides we ordered fries and Mac & cheese. The slow cooked chicken was amazing and by far our favorite as it was packed with flavor and was so perfectly smoky. The brisket was our second favorite as the bark was well seasoned and it fell apart. The chopped bbq was good just needed some sauce but had a great smoky flavor. For the sides, definitely ask for the ranch and honey mustard on the side. They make these sauces in house and were excellent. The cornbread was interesting, kind of like a hybrid between a hush puppy and a piece of bread. Definitely worth trying if you haven't had the cornbread Carolina style. If you are in the Downtown Raleigh area this is a must stop. I can see why this restaurant was added to the Michelin guide.

    This was recommended by a friend who is a local and who's reccs I usually agree with. I've lived in…read moreMemphis and Houston, and think I've been spoiled by both places. Had the chopped pork and it was dry and flavorless. Had the vinegar sauce and that helped a smidge but overall it was really disappointing. Tried the potato salad and it was fine. Not bad, not remarkable. Also tried the cornbread and ...I have not had an unleavened corn bread before. I could appreciate it for what it is but wouldn't have again. Even without it being touted as "the place to go" I would be disappointed. Given its accolades, I'm totally confused.

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    BBQ Plate with pulled pork

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    Salad and brisket plate - corn bread?

    Manhattan Cafe - delis - Updated September 2026

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