I've been here a few times and wanted to chalk up the bad service I've received in the past as a fluke. Unfortunately that's not the case. I'm not sure what it is about me to cause every server I've ever had here to just forget about my table but so far I have yet to have good and attentive service. (Tonight I also witnessed a server I've had in the past deliver terrible service to another table so I don't think I'm the problem) However, the food here is very good. I really like the variety of vegetarian and vegan options, and everything I've eaten has been really filling and delicious. (But as a note, the "great special and secret recipe" bloody mary is VERY bad - do not order). The Carolina Burger is my favorite - and I'm willing to suffer through terrible service for this one. I recommend you show up with a lot of patience for your server, but hopefully the tasty food can make up for it. read more

I love the Spotted Dog. Their waitstaff is helpful and provide quick service. Their menu is fantastic, there's tons of choices for both vegetarians and omnivores, and always have a great drink special going on. I normally am not a fan of fries, but the waiter convinced me to try theirs and they were fabulous - crunchy, the perfect thickness, and not greasy at all. I even had dessert when we went, I hardly ever order dessert, but they had a vegan dessert that sounded amazing: vegan vanilla "nice-cream" on a warm vegan brownie topped with vegan hot fudge. It. Was. Incredible. The first time I went it was for dinner, and I went a second time for lunch and had the same experience - great service, amazing food, and a friendly atmosphere. OH! Also, they have super cute photos and paintings of dogs decorating their walls. As a dog lover, I think I'd go even if the food wasn't so incredible! I'd definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone. If you are in or near Carrboro, definitely at least stop by and check out their menu. read more

Ordered a burger on a gluten free bun. The burger was small and dry and the bun disintegrated instantly. I know certain GF buns can be less than durable, but this one was ridiculous. Go down the street to Al's if you want a big, juicy burger on a nice GF bun that holds up for $4 less. read more

I love this place, my husband is a vegetarian and I don't eat a lot of meat anyways so eating soy doesn't bother me one bit. I always get the curry "chicken" here, and in my opinion it's better than real chicken of any kind. It's the most amazing comfort food. I often order it to go just for that reason. The vibe is great here and it's in a great location. I am constantly recommending this place to everyone I know who passes through Carrboro. The art work is also very lovely to look at while you eat. read more

My wife and I are absolutely stupid when it comes to dogs. We have two of our own, we have to pet every one we see, and we get all goofy whenever someone so much as says the word "dog". So of course, when we saw this restaurant, we had to check it out. The place is kind of small (well, its large but there's not a lot of seating) with a moderately priced menu that caters more towards veggies, foodies, and hippies... but with enough stuff that a meat-and-potatoes guy like me can enjoy. They carry some good local beers I've gotten to check out and I believe they have tons of bottles of craft beer from all over. It's definitely a quiet place compared to nearby Southern Rail or Tyler's Tap Room. Seems to cater less to the college/grad student crowd. Would be a nice place for a date if you're trying to show a lady a slightly more classy time without being all stuffy. Sadly, there are no actual dogs at the spotted dog, but there is lots of dog related artwork and pictures of cute dogs behind the bar. read more

It's a little hard to get to, and parking can be difficult, but this place is worth it. By "hard to get to" I mean that it's a little triangular building between two streets, and there's not much parking on the smaller street. (I would also not recommend trying it, after we watched someone bump into another car multiple times as they were trying to parallel park.) But there are free public lots within walking distance. The food here is awesome. About half of the menu is vegetarian or vegan, and everything we tried was great. We had the homemade chips, salads, and I got a veggie bbq sandwich while my husband had a burger. Everything from the sandwiches to the salad dressing was excellent. I'm not sure yet whether it's the best vegetarian bbq in the world, as Spotted Dog's website claims, but it is definitely awesome. (Black Cat Cafe in Raleigh is also excellent and would be another contender for that title, but I'm more of a cat person anyway.) read more

Thank you yelp for coming through in reviews! Yes friends this is a spot where meat lovers and vegans can join in harmonythey have a great craft beer selection as well. We had the sweet potato fries as an app and I'm typically not a fan but loved them with the dipping sauce. Friend had the vegan BBQ and loved it, and she was pumped that they also had vegan dessert that she rated top notch-brownie sundae. I had a burger that I scarfed down, but favorite was the bread pudding. They make different kinds and tonight's was blueberry. Tasted like a warm blueberry pancake with crispy goodness and love. read more

Spotted Dog - Inside and outside seating - Vegetarian Near Me - Carrboro, North Carolina

The Good: Best burgers I've found in town. The Annoying: Dread-headed waitress passive aggressively pushing vegetarian food. The Ugly: One time, my wife found a piece of metal from a pot scrubber in her food... We remained calm about it, and brought it to the server's attention politely because we like this place. I was pretty surprised that the only response was a cowed "sorry bout it". I mean, sharp metal in your food is kind of a big deal, and I think most people would freak out... it seems like since we weren't squeaky wheels, we got a marginal response... We still eat here from time to time. I accept accidents as part of doing business, but I think other people should be aware just the same. read more

Spotted Dog is restaurant with a fun atmosphere and a delicious vegetarian-friendly menu. My favorite is the black-eyed pea cakes, but if you're feeling carnivorous, their burgers are pretty amazing, as well. It's difficult, but if you can save room for dessert, I'd suggest it. The desserts seem to rotate based on season, and they are always a treat. Also a great thing is their drink specials. I've been on nights where dog-themed beers are on special, others where you tell the waitress what kinds of beer you like, and they pick for you based on that, which is a great way to try new beers. Every now and then I'll get the pasta specials, which can be a bit hit-or-miss, but that's the only thing I've ever been disappointed with. read more

The Radical Rooben, "crab cake" sandwich, fries, and "crazie chips" made an excellent all-vegan lunch break. Spotted Dog is not cheap for the area, but it's worth it if you're a fan of novelty vegan imitation meats. I'd never had such convincing fake crab before! I want to come back for the chili dogs and the cocktails full of locally-sourced ingredients. read more

Spotted Dog - Vegan crab cake sandwich (on a white bun so it's 100% vegan) - Vegetarian Near Me - Carrboro, North Carolina

My friends and I ventured to Chapel Hill/Carrboro one Friday night to see how many places we could explore in one evening. We were unsure of where to eat but Spotted Dog came up. I am so happy we decided to try this place. I was with a vegetarian and someone who would rather not eat meat. First of all the corner location is very interesting both inside and out. The staff is extremely friendly and will give suggestions upon request. Highballs were $2.95 which was helpful on the budget when exploring food and drink places all night. We started with the hummus which came with pita, carrots and celery. It could have come with a few more of each (or maybe we should have loaded up the hummus carriers a bit more) but it was delicious! My friend and I split the special quinoa burger but we got it buffalo style with blue cheese and buffalo sauce. The burger was mushy which we really did not like so they let us get something different because our server told us no matter what this quinoa burger was going to have this texture. We got the black eye pea patty in the buffalo style and it was delicious! It has the perfect consistency to hold up to sauce and cheese. It is a favorite of customers which I can understand because the patty was so flavorful. I would probably get it again! The dressings are made in house and so flavorful. I tried the lemon tahini and the caesar because I couldn't decide. Both were so good! This place is vegetarian friendly but also great for those who must have meat. Things are marked if they can be vegan which I think is considerate as well. read more

Spotted Dog is on point for take-out. We ordered a couple of sandwiches to-go recently and really enjoyed their vegan options. I had the vegan quinoa burger and it was really delicious with a great amount of spice and a delightful sauce. It was sort of like a falafel burger. I loved the sliced pickle that came with it. This was our second visit to Spotted Dog. For our first visit, we ate in the restaurant and were underwhelmed. It's really cramped and there are a lot of dog-related knick knacks. The service is very friendly and the atmosphere is okay. I think we'll stick to take out from Spotted Dog, but we'll definitely order again soon because it is yummy. read more

I can't say enough about how fabulous this restaurant is. Their emphasis on vegetarian/vegan food does not prevent them from making delicious meat and fish dishes. While I've never had a bad meal from here, I would recommend: The vegetarian barbecue (top choice, definitely try it) The fish and chips The tuna steak salad. In the summer, they serve mojitos on Tuesdays for $4. They put every other mojito I've had to shame. My only complaint is that the intimate, triangular-shaped restaurant is tricky for groups of more than four. When I had a birthday dinner here a few years ago for eight people, we took up the entire front of the restaurant. We also had a fabulous time. Highly recommend everyone to try this place! You'll be coming back for sure. read more

Just adding that I recently tried their buffalo mac n' cheese, as well as one of their cocktails. The buffalo mac n' cheese was sooo creamy and delicious, and I must say that the soy chicken and bacon were pretty good! My cocktail was about $11 and it was STRONG in the best way possible. Well worth the money. My friend enjoyed her cocktail too, and it is worth reiterating that they have $4 screw drivers on Sundays.... :) read more

Spotted Dog - Buffalo Mac n cheese - Vegetarian Near Me - Carrboro, North Carolina

#vegetarian #vegan I concur with the previous reviews this place is vegetarian heaven. It was a pure struggle trying to decide what to order, the dishes looked so good. Everything we ordered came out to perfection. The staff was very engaging and helpful. Too bad I don't live in Chapel Hill, it would take me months to try everything I would have love to eat here! You guys have a gem! read more

Spotted Dog - Paw Flight - Vegetarian Near Me - Carrboro, North Carolina

OH MY VEGGIE HEART! Why has it been so long since I'd eaten at the Spotted Dog?!? Probably because I live in Cary now and don't get to Carrboro often. But it's worth the drive to eat there. So glad my husband & I rediscovered it and can't wait to go back. Had a hard time deciding, with all the vegan options, but was delighted with my choice of sweet potato-black bean burger made in-house. It was FABULOUS! As were the house-made chips & vegan Ranch dressing, and the NC specialty mule cocktail. Thanks, Spotted Dog for sticking around all these years, and for serving excellent food. Hubby loved his cow burger & fries too! read more

Directions for a tasty lunch: 1) Start with the sweet potato fries. Crispy n' hot, this is how sweet potato fries should be served. 2) Have your meat loving boyfriend love and get satisfyingly full off the black eye pea burger. 3) Get yourself the dogstar salad and be surprised by the random but delicious mix of cheeses, nuts, and greens. 4) Rub your tummy, smile, and feel good about the food you just put in your body read more

Vegan/vegetarian options galore. But don't expect anything fancy; they offer sandwiches, burgers, salads, and simple plates. It's good, casual lunch food. I love trying fake reubens because before I decided not to eat meat, I had a weird thing in trying to find the best reuben sandwich. But the fun is even better when the search is on for veg-reubens! Spotted Dog's version consisted of double-fermented (awesome & better for you) tempeh, tangy sauerkraut, avocado spread & swiss cheese and thousand island dressing. I opted out of the last 2 and instead got their own tofu-based vegan mayo. Oh, and for my side, I chose tabouli, which tasted fresh and simple. They have a cool bar and local beers. The service is average, but it's a college campus ya know? Overall, I had a nice lunch with a very filling vegan meal. I probably wouldn't go out of my way to come back here, but if you're a local looking for a vegetarian friendly lunch spot, Spotted Dog is the place. read more

This was a great place for me and my vegetarian daughter to visit while touring NC. My daughter had the veggie BBQ sandwich and she said it was the BEST veggie burger/sandwich she's ever had (and she has been searching for years)! It came with some scrumptious homemade potato chips that were so good, we ordered more to take back to the hotel for midnight munchies. The salad with omeboshi dressing was nuuuuummmmyyy too! The service was super fast and friendly and we loved the animal art throughout! This will definately be on our list of places to visit next time we are in NC! read more

Spotted Dog - Vegetarian Near Me - Carrboro, North Carolina

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I really like this unique little corner spot. They have a wide selection of foods from the all-out vegetarian, to Americanized tabbouleh salad and huge turkey clubs. All beers on tap are local, NC beers, which is a huge plus in my book! They also have bottles from all over the country seasonally. As has been mentioned, they mark their veggie and vegan options clearly and aren't shy about it. However, last time I ordered a crab cake sandwich with a side of housemade chips. The cake was almost entirely crab and the chips had found that great place between crunchy and chewy. Finally, they really do support animal welfare and donate money to a Paws4ever! Check out the local artwork for sale on their walls, too. I wouldn't recommend them for a large group since the space is a little 'quaint', but with a few friends you'll be just fine! Check them out for a sunny lunch looking out at downtown Carrboro or for dinner and a few drinks at the bar. read more

I remember reading some bad reviews of this place somewhere, but as far as I'm concerned, they're ungrounded. I went for lunch, which may be a different experience from dinner, and it was both an enjoyable atmosphere and delicious food. I love how many vegetarian, vegan and gluten free dishes are offered and it's a bonus that they are well-labeled on the menu. Talking to the waitress, it seems that they use restaurant-grade Morning Star patties for the burgers labeled 'veggie' (rather than the soy imitations of ground beef or shredded chicken). They were quite good, and, according to my dining partner, they were much better quality than the products available in the grocery store. We split the California [veggie] burger, which was topped with sprouts and guacamole in addition to the lettuce and tomato. The side was tabbouleh, which I think was made of cracked bulgur. Together we also ordered the DogStar salad , which was incredible. Its amazing how simple ingredients, when combined, create an extraordinary salad. It was romaine topped with cottage cheese, grated cheddar, granny smith apples, raisins and walnuts. I would highly recommend this diner-esque spot for lunch or a casual dinner with friends. read more

I love that this place has unique vegetarian and vegan options while also catering to the meat-loving crowd. I came with the intention of trying a vegetarian dish but chickened out at the last minute (I've always had pretty bad experiences with vegetarian dishes) and ended up ordering the chipotle burger. The burger did not disappoint! I ordered a wheat bun which was surprisingly soft (it felt like I was holding marshmallow buns) but perfect for the burger. The combination of the chipotle mayo and the generous heap of cilantros on top of the bun made it for me. I'm a huge fan of cilantro but had never tried it on a burger. Needless to say, I fell in love. The fries were also EXCELLENT. There's nothing that makes me happier than a perfectly seasoned and crispy side of fries with a great burger. If anything, you absolutely must try the fries. My friend tried their side salad with the umeboshi plum dressing. All of their dressings are vegetarian and she raved about it so much that she said she'd come back and buy a bottle of it next time (apparently they sell their dressings). This place has so many cool options that I definitely can't wait to go back and try new options now that I am confident that their food is indeed good. All in all, the restaurant was clean and we had great service. Friendly, brought the food out while it was hot, and managed to fill up our waters without it coming to the point of bothering is. The interior is very casual but has the potential to be romantic during dinner time. It's a pretty small restaurant but doesn't feel crowded. The place is closed on Mondays (I know because I was planning on going today but that plan fell out of place). Very dog and family-friendly. Parking may be difficult to find because the only parking available is the lot next to Southern rail restaurant. However, if you do manage to find a spot there it is hardly a two minute walk to the restaurant. All in all, had a good experience and can't wait to go back and try a vegetarian option! read more

Great food but service was bad!! The lady (both times I went) was so rude and rushing us through everything. We felt super uncomfortable and it definitely ruined our dinner. We went there for Valentine's night and unfortunately it was a bad choice for a special night. Don't think I'll be going back if that lady is still working there. read more

My first couple of visits here were NOT great. I really wanted this place to be since they did provide alot of options for vegetarians which is why I went back after not such great food. However, they recently revamped their dinner menu and it shows some real improvement. Last dinner there wasn't bad and I'm looking forward to trying a few other things to see if they've improved as well. 4/26/07- update: Still not great service but the food is holding steady at decent but not great. read more

More of a tip rather but they now sell their salad dressings for $5.95 a jar. My favorite is the Asian Sesame. Take out is prompt and delicious. Would love delivery though! read more

The Spotted Dog offers great options for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike, while focusing on menu items that are slightly healthier than the average 'bar food.' Their food is always fresh, and the eclectic décor offers many talking points to spice up a boring dinner conversation. They have a great full bar and service is always quick and friendly. They used to have THE MOST DELICIOUS house-made mozzarella sticks with a beer-battered pretzel crust, but they sadly do not offer them any more. Please bring them back? read more

The Spotted Dog is a weirdly-placed (I mean, it's like in the middle of the street, but then again it's not! :-O ) restaurant, in between two streets and across the street from Carr Mill. It's good though. I came in here with some people on a nice Friday night and was able to get a cheap Rum + Diet Coke, as well as some chicken fingers. It's primarily a vegetarian place, but I did like the chicken fingers. Deals seem to be generally good as well. Overall a nicely eclectic restaurant in the middle of Carrboro. read more

The first thing that really hits you about the Spotted dog is the shape of it. It' starts with just the width of the door to get in - just where Weaver St. makes "vees" off of Main - and gets wider as the two roads separate. From there it's two narrow seating areas on either side of the bar. Really cool kind of spot, and one that I wish would be open later for just general drinking purposes. Most people seem to rave over the vegetarian selection, but there's plenty for the meat-eaters. Ironically enough, they have the best salad a carnivore could ask for in their grilled chicken salad, and actually make impressive Mexican-but-not-quite-Mexican dishes like enchiladas. The staff there is always incredibly friendly with the exception of one visit. My first. She was terrible. But the food was good enough that I went back anyway. So what does that tell you? read more

Delicious vegan and vegetarian options. I had the rice and beans with "sausage." It was absolutely delicious. The waitress was super sweet and the outdoor seating was perfect as the restaurant was freezing cold. Bring a sweater. It looks like it could use a small facelift as well. I like the Carrboro feel, but it needs a bit of sprucing up. read more

The vibe is nice and the wait staff is always super friendly but I find the food to be terribly over rated. The fact that they have so many Vegan options is amazing but the food itself is lackluster and flavorless. read more

First off, props to the Spotted Dog for going with such an adorable dog theme. They even have a set of dog-themed beers! Anyways, the food here is good. They have a ton of veg dishes, but they have meat dishes as well. Oh, and for you vegans, they often have a vegan desert in the back that they don't put on the menu. Just ask read more

This is in a very unusual spot in Carborro. And given my laziness and lack of immediate parking I had never tried it. I was very impressed by their commitment to the 'dog' theme. Dog entrees, appetizers, even all the beers had some kind of a dog theme. Although it wasn't trying to be incredible, the lunch meals were priced at $7-$9, I walked away intending to return. The grilled hummus pita was awesome. Furthermore, it is a great spot for vegetarians and vegans. read more

Really liked the building, but that was about it. Food was not that great, really bland and over priced. The service was strange, not mean or unfriendly but the server doesn't need to be waiting tables. My wife cannot consume wheat, she asked for a turkey club on a gluten free bun, she was told that the turkey club was too big to put on a GF bun and would look weird? She ordered a burger (blandest ever) on a GF bun with no Side because the only GF side was salad (on the burger already) after ordering she was informed that they had a GF menu? I was excited about eating here based on the menu via the website but we were very disappointed with the quality of the food and the service. read more

With so many restaurants to choose from in Chapel Hill and Carrboro, we rolled the dice (aka found good parking) and went to Spotted Dog. It's in a great location and the food is good. We were starving so settled on the Carolina Pub Burger. I got the Quinoa Burger (excellent curry flavor) and my friend got the beef burger. Both were well seasoned and had great flavor balanced toppings like barbecue sauce, crispy onion rings, lettuce and tomato and cheese. Both were stacked high. The Tabouli as a side was fabulous and so were the fries. I ordered their take on the Old Fashioned made with NC Made liquor and it was good but not great. Next time, I'll stick with a local beer or wine. Customer service was good. Outdoor seating is great for listening to live music on Thursdays in the open space at the Weaver Street Market across the street. read more

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I'm a vegetarian and whenever I am out of town I seek out a place to eat. Spotted Dog did not disappoint. I got the vegetarian BBQ platter and I honestly will be thinking about it until I come back to Carrboro from Charleston. The menu was large and had options for vegetarians, vegans and carnivores! It is a super cute little spot and I enjoyed sitting outside on the patio. read more

Spotted Dog - Vegetarian BBQ platter. - Vegetarian Near Me - Carrboro, North Carolina

Really, really great vegetarian food. They source soy chicken from a local company Delight Soy - the best soy chicken I have ever had. So many options for non meat eaters (burgers, pasta, tacos, etc). There are also options for meat eaters! My go to is the pozole verde and the soy chicken tinga tacos. Great outdoor seating across from Weaver Street market in the heart of carrboro. The service is a bit slot but very friendly and hospitable. A bit on the expensive end but the portions are huge and I always have enough to bring leftovers home. They also have a good beer and cocktail menu! read more

Spotted Dog - Mediterranean pasta with soy chicken - Vegetarian Near Me - Carrboro, North Carolina

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The veggie barbecue was very good. Also the impossible burger is very good. Good food with plenty of vegan and vegetarian options - a surprisingly hard thing to find in chapel hill. Run by lesbians - 5 stars. read more

My wife always make a special plan to visit Spotted as of when we are in the area. There are so many awesome vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Raleigh, but we always love making a special trip here. The food is just so personal and wholesome, and we always have a great time. There are a multitude of choices for vegans, vegetarians and even those for omnivores. read more

Vegan Mother Ship! So many amazing Vegan choices. Our server, Abi and several other waitstaff were friendly and very knowledgeable. Our food was fantastic! Vegan version of the pub burger with fries, breakfast burrito, vegan sausage/biscuit/gravy and the showstopper... pimento cheese grits! Yes, we ate ALL OF IT. ( and then got a vegan chocolate torte ). Wonderful meal! read more

Can you say BLAND? Food was terrible, way overcooked, and way too overpriced. There rent must be really expensive to have to charge $15 for an overcooked burger void of taste and a few fries. Ordered a beer from a local brewery out of Winston Salem, and I think they drove there to get it. The excuse was that the bartender also had tables to serve. Is that my problem, I don't think so. So my frozen Gorden's fish sticks and the hockey puck burger took 45 minutes, $80 later we left with most of it untouched. read more