The food was pretty good. We came here on Valentine's Day for dinner. They had steak frites on the menu but ran out. It looked delicious though. We ended up with short rib pot pie and baked chicken. The pot pie was delicious, the chicken was just ok. The sides were delicious and the staff were super nice. It was an enjoyable experience. read more

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A couple of foodies from California visit Raleigh looking for a fun food experience. Turns out Pooles was just the place. Lucky us. A small jammed packed restaurant with a noise level like a 777 taking off doesn't seem to bother the crowd one bit as they drink excellent cocktails and wait for their creative food. As you might expect the noise levels increase as the alcohol gets consumed and louder voices prevail. The food--the menu is posted on the wall and selections are lovely. Local fish, local Meat, a great small variety that makes choosing difficult. Every other dish coming out of the kitchen seems to be chicken. We had one and it was superb. Also tried the fish stew-- very delicate in a tasty but not heavy "jus" vs pasty tomato sauce. Also brined pork- it's served sliced vs as chop- it was tender and delicious. Deserts are interesting- we had panna cotta and chocolate slice cake. To die for. Last/ I must mention the Mac and Cheese-one of a kind. Definitely a share for 4. Don't even think about trying to finish it solo. read more

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I have gone to this spot twice, the first time I was disappointed and just figured it was a bad night so thought I would give it another try, this idea of it was exciting, the reality of it is average and overpriced. 1) If you arrive early for your reservation there is no place to have a drink, you can order one and sit on a chair by the host stand but for "high end" restaurant this makes no sense, especially since the chairs are uncomfortable and right by the door. 2) My last visit, I arrived on time for my 7:30 reservation. We were seated and told that they were 86'd on a number of their items. When we did finally get our food, at 8:45, bear in mind our reservation was 7:30, it was disappointing. The short rib was fine but slightly over cooked and nothing special, the chicken ($32) under cooked. The Mac and Cheese was fine and they push that as their signature dish but it okay and expensive ($18). 3) I should add that while we were waiting for our dinner the women next to us leaned over and told us NOT to order the Pork ($36), she said it was terrible, and so we did not. The ambiance is nice, other than not having a place to have a cocktail before dinner. I gave it two tries and I am not going back. I would not recommend. read more

I knew Poole's had amazing reviews, but I was honestly shocked HOW good the food was. We snagged an early reservation before a concert at Red Hat. Started with some cocktails and the bread with butter. We're from NJ and I was truly SHOOK by how good the bread was, haha. We also got the watermelon salad which was delish. For dinner, my husband had the pork tenderloin and I had the chicken. Both were absolutely amazing. My husband said that his meal was the best meal he ever had. It's decently pricey for how casual it is, but that speaks to the quality of the food. Next time, we'll definitely sit at the counter. read more

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We went here for a work dinner with a client. At first I thought it was a diner but I was wrong, it was just diner themed. The food and the prices where a different level than the decor. They have that stupid rule about everyone in your party being present before they seat. We had 4 of 5 and a reservation but had to wait. Finally I showed that the 5th person was down the street and they had too many incomplete parties taking up the waiting space so we were sat. The menu is on chalk boards around the restaurant. That was the only instruction we received so we had to get up, look around and take pictures to realize that the two boards on the left and the two boards in the front said the same thing. Neither could be completely viewed from where we were so the pictures came in handy. They are also particular about how you order. You cannot order without everyone being there even if it is just appetizers and you can't order from certain menus out of order. This might help with some efficiency but we were there for 3 hours so I am not seeing it. When we could finally order we were so hungry. We started with pimento cheese and fried crackers. Yes they literally fried saltine crackers. Some people liked it, I thought it added calories and fat without adding flavor. The pimento cheese was strong, not to my taste but we did eat it all. We then could order the beet salad, Bibb lettuces and macaroni au gratin. The beet salad tasted just like it sounds, like beets. So if you like beets then it is very good. What it comes with is very complimentary to the flavors. The Bibb Lettuce was my favorite. The lettuce is very soft and buttery, almost melts in your mouth kind of flavor, and the cheese and dressing add just enough flavor. The macaroni was talked up quite a bit so there were high expectations. The noodles were so very tiny and very al dente. Almost not cooked enough. We ate one serving of it between 5 of us. For the main course three people got the Hanger done three different temperatures and they all said they were correct and delicious. One person got the balanzoni which is a pasta with cheese and she said it was good. I had the halibut, which was prepared well. What it came with seemed more like a soup with a little sliver of potato tiny square of squash. The fish was prepared well. I am more about the sides myself but honestly by the time the mains came I was getting pretty full. Of course you can't walk away from a work paid for dinner without dessert even if you can only take a bite. We got the panna cota and the chocolate cake. The panna cota was sweet and light, I loved the oatmeal thin cookie it came with. I had one nibble of the cake and it was very rich and strong in flavor. It was good, but I could only do one small bite. Last comes the bill. We did order a lot of food, but when I compare what we got with how much we spent, I probably wouldn't come back. I am glad to have the experience and even more happy to be reimbursed for it. I will probably try to find some Bibb lettuce, at least one thing new that I am happy I tried. read more

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Played the Resy notifications game and got a Saturday night res for our party of six. I tried: + Clover leaf cocktail - great + Pop quiz cocktail - great + Tuna carpaccio - great + Heirloom tomatoes - these were over sauced, which detracted from the tomatoes a bit, but they were still tasty + Mixed lettuces - highlight #1 + Cider braised pork cheeks - decent, small plates were more exciting + Macaroni au gratin - highlight #2 + Chicken liver pate - highlight #3 + Half chicken - whipped potatoes were amazing + Chocolate hazelnut pot de creme - great + Coconut cheesecake - possibly the best thing I ate + Strawberry hand pies - also perfect Definitely will be back, as they seem to rotate their menu a lot. Service was great! read more

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A staple of downtown Raleigh. When in doubt, make a res at Poole's. We sat counterside for dinner - really fun experience. The bartenders are fun to watch. While I only took pics of the wine and our salads, everything was wonderful. I had the beet salad - IMHO perfect summer salad. The tomato salad was also delightful. The cornbread was on point. We ordered the lamb and soft shell crab. After dinner we had the strawberry handpies. I am pretty sure I ate an entire week's worth of calories but it was well worth it. If you haven't been here, do yourself a favor and go! read more

Poole's - Beet salad - New American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Overall, a whelming experience at best. The decor is low lit and somewhat old fancy, but kind of makes it hard to see anything. There wasn't too much space, so don't plan on taking too many things with you and get ready to overhear conversations if you happen to come in at a crowded time. Service is standard and friendly, but nothing mind blowing from my experience. Patte and pasta tasted decent, but at this price point - I am expecting not only much better quality, but also a greater quantity as well. I'm starting to feel that I'm doing this review a disservice since I did not get any drinks, so do take that into consideration. read more

Poole's - New American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

An exceptional experience! The food is amazing, the service is wonderful, and the atmosphere is beautiful. We had a little of many things on the menu and all were fantastic, from drinks and appetizers to main dishes! The macaroni au gratin did not disappoint. We'll definitely be back! read more

While stopping through Raleigh in decided to check out pooles as I have heard great things! It did not disappoint. We had a 9 o'clock reservation and were seated promptly! Our service was great and the atmosphere is the diner vibe you would expect! With elevated dishes that you wouldn't expect at a diner! The Mac and cheese is a must try and the fried okra is a great starter! A definite must try when in the Raleigh area read more

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Food: 3 Decor: 3 Service: 3 Been here at least 3-4 times in 2014 since my hotel's just a block away. Overall, food was pretty average and not particularly memorable. read more

Finally made it to an AC restaurant. As expected super casual yet busy on a Saturday night. Glad the menu was limited, and to be honest, I would have been happy with just the apps we ordered. Started with the beet salad, sooo good with shaved crudite and tahini. Then came the oysters, slightly warm topped with smoked tomato. Also tried the artichoke tomato tart with Gruyère, a little rich after the first two dishes. Opted for the macaroni au gratin, because why not? And husband had the pork cheeks with gnocchi and charred cabbage. So of course we had to get the baguette to soak up the braising sauce, which blew any chance of us ordering desert. Plus we tried 2 cocktails, a concoction named Hemingway and a gin based drink with strawberry infused aperol. An incredibly satisfying meal and overall memorable dining experience. read more

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Best restaurant in town for sure! This is our go to spot for date night. We can't wait for the horseshoe to come back but we love the bar area of the new space! The food is top notch and the cocktails are delicious, inventive and balanced! The manager is the sweetest young lady and she always greets us and makes us feel super welcomed which we really appreciate! An extra perk that my husband particularly likes is the parking lot right across the street. Poole's provides validation for guests who dine at Poole's and park there! It is so easy and stress free! Definitely try Poole's! I rarely take pictures of my food, but I did take one of my beet and goat cheese salad that was fantastic!!! read more

Poole's - Beet and goat cheese salad!! FANTASTIC!!!! - New American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

We have had brunch at Poole's many times and always enjoyed it. This was our first time for lunch with their full menu. This time our service was poor. Our original waiter disappeared and after flagging down another had a new one that was good. Ambiance is always nice. Food was excellent but my entree was lukewarm and the fries were way over salted for me. Prices, like all restaurants, when up and the steaks have gotten smaller. Still love all of Ashley Christensen's restaurants in Raleigh and we will continue to support her creative and tasty menu items, but our last trip was a little disappointing. read more

Wow! We ordered almost everything on the board and ate family style. It was all delicious! My favorites were the seared ahi tuna, the braised greens, braised short ribs, Brussel sprouts, roasted beets and avocado salad. Others also raved about the ravioli and Mac-n-cheese. Seriously everything was delicious. Hope to come back when I return to Raleigh. Abs it was very affordable read more

Poole's - The menu - New American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Wow! When I got there the place was packed with only our reservation booth and about 4 other small tables at 8:15 on a Monday night and stayed that way until we left around 9:55. The atmosphere is unique with everything ordered from the chalk board menus (that change regularly). The waitress was extremely friendly and shared all of her favorites as she walked us thru the current menu. The food was delicious. The drinks were a little smaller than I expected and I'll likely get a glass of red wine should I return (it's a 35-40 min drive from home so not a quick go-to spot). the food photos will speak for themselves. But everything was really tasty! read more

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So many wonderful southern classics and consistently great food and a fun atmosphere....can be a little loud but that's part of the charm...

We had dinner last night. From beginning to end it was amazing! Our waitress Hailey was amazing! The starter special watermelon, goat cheese was so wonderful we bought the cookbook! During dinner the fabulous owner came out to the dinning room and my husband told her it was my birthday and she came over and signed the cookbook! If you want a fabulous meal with each part done to perfection, make a resreservation to Pooles! Make sure to get the Mac& cheese! read more

I've been coming here for years, but last night's experience was something special. The food is always great.. The staff is so warm, and we had the chance to meet Ashley, who took a moment to chat and thank us for being there--such a kind gesture. The brussels sprouts were phenomenal. The mac & cheese is to die for, there is simply nothing bad on the menu. This photo is of the handmade Gnocchi which was the best Gnocchi I've ever had. read more

Poole's - Gnocchi - New American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

So disappointing. We saw this on a list of the top 18 restaurants to try in Raleigh and then again on another list of local favorites you must try. Here's a true review - don't waste your hard earned money here. 1. It is VERY noisy 2. The food is extremely overpriced. Sides range from $11-$18 (excluding $4 for bread and butter) 3. It took over 50 minutes to get our order - beet salad - tasted like canned beets topped with yummy goodness - fried okra - the batter was SO thick and flavorless - grilled okra - they brought this out since we didn't enjoy the fried okra; let's just say they must've spilled the salt container on this dish, inedible - braised greens - fine, but not $11 good - mac and cheese - it was good, definitely enjoyed the crusty cheese on top - 10 oz steak - very nicely cooked $42 This was the first $100+ meal I've regretted eating. read more

Wonderful food, cocktails and service. We were from out of town, CA, but if we are ever back in NC I will for sure be back.

I get to Raleigh occasionally and this place is home. Everything is good. Especially the staff, food and ambiance. But especially the food because ya gotta eat. But the staff? Really really cool. And the vibe makes ya happy. I had the roast Lilly den half chicken and gawd...so good. No picture because I dug in and forgot. Oh and the whipped corn soup. Please do this one. Your momma will be proud. read more

If you go here, you should order the hanger steak, the blistered peppers and the mushroom medley. You should make a reservation and you should ask for Hallie to be your server. Meal and ambiance were exceptional (duh) but hallie's kindness and knowledge were unsurpassed. She did an amazing job answering questions and explaining the menu as first time guests. She made the experience A+! We will definitely be back! read more

Poole's Diner located in the heart of Downtown Raleigh, NC! They are known for their Mac & Cheese so we had to try! & I wouldn't be L if I didn't ask for hot sauce‍ It was paired with a complimentary glass of champagne! . . #FunFact The owner Ashley Christensen also owns Beasley's Chicken & Honey, Chuck's and Fox Liquor Bar! . . Check out our experience at https://lsfoodie.wordpress.com/2019/12/10/pooles-diner/ . . . #FoodBlogger #LsFoodie #Foodie #Dinner #PoolesDiner #MacAndCheese #Champagne #GoodEats #GoodTimes #Downtown #RaleighNC read more

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Very disappointed, ordered scallops, three baby scallops size of a quarter for $39. I should've sent them back.Macaroni and cheese is always good. I should've stuck with that. read more

Not in Raleigh often but this is a "must" stop for me. The food is really good & reasonable pricing.

Went back there, going 5 stars now, everything was wonderful. Started with a Sazerac, one of the best I've had. All the food items our friends and us ordered were fantastic. Cheese and onion tart, WOW, what a great flavor. They have a great bread service they charge for--its worth it! Beet salad was very delicious, even to our friend who hates beets! Short ribs, tasty and tender. Chicken, juicy with a nicely flavored sauce. Mac and cheese is always spectacular. Chicken cake for desert, very, very good. read more

The worst service I've ever experienced and we didn't get a chance to seat down to eat. The manager named Nikki practically told us as soon as we walked through the door she didn't want us there. All because we made two separate reservations for a party of 4. We were so shocked and appalled of the manager's attitude and her choice of words that we walked away feeling disrespected and discriminated against, considering we were a group of black people. We frequently eat at restaurants across the country and spend quite a bit of money, however Poole's restaurants and any of the Ashley Christensen's affiliated restaurants will never see a dime of any of our money. And we will ask our entire network of people not to support them as well. Hopefully Nikki can remember her owns restaurant's motto: KINDNESS Side note: when you filter these reviews by 1 star you will see other people expressing the same discriminatory and rude behavior. Run away and stay away from this place. read more

Poole's - To the Manager at Poole's: try to practice KINDNESS (especially since your restaurant is promoting it) - New American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

There are tons of reviews here, so I will mostly supplement or respond to them. 1. Many reviews say Poole's is loud. We found Poole's to be no more or less loud than your typical restaurant. Having said that, we were there from 5:30 to 7:15, and the restaurant was around 75% full; perhaps things get louder later in the evening. 2. The Mac and cheese comes in a huge serving: easily enough for two. 3. Many reviews complain that the food took 45 minutes or more to appear. Our first course appeared promptly (within 10 minutes), with what we considered adequate spacing between the courses. 4. One review mentioned that there is a certain way you have to place your order. We didn't find that to be the case at all. The restaurant had no issue, e.g., with bringing the Mac and cheese as an appetizer rather than a side dish to the main course. 5. It is true what reviewers say about the menus. Depending on where you are sitting, you may not be able to see a menu easily. 6. It is also true that the parking lot beside the restaurant is paid parking. Then again, you are in the middle of a downtown, so that should not come as a surprise. 7. I recommend a table rather than the counter--unless you don't mind being elbow to elbow with strangers. The stools at the counter are stationary and close together. read more

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I went to Poole's last night for dinner with some friends and absolutely loved it! The ambiance is that of an upscale diner; super cozy and fun. There's also a cute diner bar area to sit if you prefer that over a regular booth or table! Our sever was great! Super attentive, funny, and knowledgeable. My drink choice was the sparking Rose and it was great! A bit expensive for a wine glass of that size but delicious, dry, and way too easy to drink. On to the food! The items are written on the wall so they do not have standard menus. We shared quite a few of the menu items and weren't disappointed! We started with the Brussels Sprouts and Mac & Cheese. Both of these were great. The Brussels Sprouts were served with mushrooms and pretty good. The portion was rather small but food still good. Mac & Cheese was on point! Some of the best I've ever had. However, the price point for this is a bit high, it being Mac & Cheese. $17 for the bowl I believe. Two of my friends shared the scallops entree and that looked delicious, but I didn't try it. They also shared the sweet potato dish which super flavorful and delicious. My friend and I both got the Royale, which was similar to an open faced burger with melted cheese, served with Au Jus. This was pretty good as well! I would definitely come back to Poole's! read more

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I like the concept and that the menus are rotating. I wish the macaroni au gratin came as a main and a side. It's so heavy! I wanted to try multiple dishes and yelp said we must try this. I thought it was very heavy and just ok. A smaller size would have been perfect. The short rib and Gnocchi was decent. It was a good size as a main entree. The arugula salad with pumpkin was nice and light tasting. I didn't care for the goat cheese on it. Prices are high. A lot of the seating is community style. read more

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AC's first restaurant...a must visit in Raleigh. It's a diner type restaurant where the menu is written on chalk boards around the restaurant and half the dining is countertop dining. The place does get busy and loud. The food is outstanding and what's especially impressive is how often the menu changes. I think the only item that never goes away is the famous Mac and cheese. I would recommend ordering a few appetizers, salads and veggies and maybe sharing an entree. Try to save room for dessert! It's hard to mention specific food items since the menu is always changing to focus on fresh local ingredients. Their bread (baguette) is worth ordering, as they spent years perfecting it. It's served with some really high quality butter that spreads like perfection. read more

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I lived in Raleigh for 7 year and always wanted to try this place. Then I moved away and I finally made it here on one of my visits here 4 years after the move! I'm so relieved that I have finally tried it and especially got to try their famous Mac and cheese! Definitely make a reservation and definitely get Mac and cheese! We also got fried donuts they were delicious too! read more

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Fantastic trip to Poole's. There is a parking lot across the street from the restaurant - park here and they will validate your parking! Menu is on the walls like an old school diner. Everything we had was delicious but the half chicken was the standout. Food arrived quickly and service was great. Wish I lived in the area so I could visit again! read more

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This place is always highly recommended from friends. I'd say if you like southern-ish foods with a twist, it's a good night out. In my opinion the best thing I've had on the menu is the Mac and cheese. read more

I visited while in town for a conference. I made a reservation online for one and was sat at the diner bar with stools. If you need back support you might want to call for a reservation. I ordered the Royale which is only available on Sundays. Its like an open faced giant meatball with melted cheese and au jus. I wasn't over the moon with the Royale but maybe it would've been better if I could have shared it with someone. It was a lot for one person. I also ordered the NC corn which was delicious. The staff brought out a mini mac and cheese since I was from out of town. This was tasty and a very nice surprise! The service was amazing. The hostess wrote out several suggestions for restaurants for me to try while I'm in town. The prices were a little more than what I was anticipating but everything had good flavor. read more

Poole's - Royale, NC corn, and mini mac and cheese - New American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

We enjoyed the crab doughnuts, beets, Mac and cheese along with cocktails and beers. The Mac and cheese was a little heavy for us so we'll probably sample more of the small plates in there future. The service was excellent. read more

Poole's - Beets, crab doughnuts - New American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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This was such a great little gem we found in Raleigh! You do have to make reservations in advance but they are open for dine in! First of all, we made reservations for a Thursday night but ended up having to work on that day so we we wanted to reschedule. The lady I had talked to on the phone was truly understanding and made the rescheduling process so easy! That was already an A+ for us. Parking was pretty easy on a Sunday night but I would assume that it'd be harder on much busier days since there were a lot of parking garages around. We just parked on the street for free since it was Sunday night. Due to covid, you had to wait outside until someone comes out to see if you have a reservation. That was also an easy process since they came out quickly, confirmed your reservation, and then walked you to the table. Our serve was pretty nice and knowledgeable on the menu items. They were, however, out of a lot of items which was truly a bummer. We ended up getting the pimento cheese and baguette for our appetizer which was fresh and to die for! IT WAS SERIOUSLY AMAZING. For our entree we got the baked macaroni and cheese with ten ounce steak and some fries. You can tell the baked Mac and cheese was made in house and it was absolutely delicious! The sauce they put on the steak and fries was incredible as well. We were surprised at how simple the meal looked but it was truly delicious! I'm not much of a drinker but we decided to order one and it was really great, just could not finish it. The staff were all so friendly and hardworking from what I could tell. Once people left their table, they all help each other out in clearing the tables and sanitizing the space. They even waved goodbye to us which was sweet haha! The price, we thought, was reasonable but be prepared to pay a lot. They were not cheap. But we thought it was worth it since they were all SO SO DELICIOUS! We will come back for the delicious food, great atmosphere and great service over all. read more

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Visited Poole's diner first night in town. I've been recommended this place a number of times and was excited to try! Had the baguette, beet salad, brown butter carrots and the chicken and mashed potatoes dish. Everything was good but it wasn't great, nothing to write home about. Service was excellent I will say that, the ambience and overall vibe was cool and it seemed pretty trendy in there. Hated that the menus are written in chalk all over the wall. Probably wouldn't be on my list of places to return but had a decent meal. read more

Poole's - Roasted brown butter carrots - New American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Visiting the Research Triangle area and a local brought me here since I love Mac n Cheese. Wow!! The Mac n Cheese is wonderfully creamy and baked to perfection. I love trying Mac n Cheese at restaurants that are known to for the dish, but I typically can't finish the dish or it's too cheesy. Poole's does a great job with quantity and flavor -- 2 people were able to finish a Mac n Cheese and Brussel Sprouts. The Brussel Sprouts are also wonderful and a great pairing with the Mac n Cheese. Great indoor vibes, and glad I ate here! read more

Poole's - Mac and cheese - New American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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