This hookah bar is a brunch spot, but it is more of a daytime club. Very loud club music is playing with opportunities to dance. Where we were sitting people were walking around our table and dancing. It was definitely a friendly vibe. We decided earlier in the day we would visit, but not eat. There is a cover charge to get in. If you want a speciality table, you have to reserve it. I'm not sure I would pay extra to sit in any portion of this restaurant. I definitely wouldn't eat in the section we were. It would be rather difficult with the lower coffee tables. It wasn't anymore aesthetically appealing than other areas in the establishment. We ordered a $80 peach mimosa tower. It tasted like orange juice. When we sent it back and came back, it still tasted like orange juice. I'm thinking all flavors are just some type of flavored orange juice. Overall, I had a good time with my friends. I think they could fill the place, if there wasn't a cover charge and overpriced "VIP" sections. read more

Okay, so it's kinda what you see on social media but not really. The wait time is unreal. The security will take money and cashapp if you want to skip the line. The line for food......... we stood in line for an hour. They make you pay the $35 at the door. When you get to the food, items were out of stock or given sparingly. As if they were running out of food? Not sure, but we were told we couldn't get a second plate. So that's not a buffet. Also, I was not expecting to eat out from a Hefty sectioned plastic plate. Thats not what's shown online. So thankful the food was good but everything else needs some work. And you have to buy your drinks that $15+. Im giving 3 stars. I visit Raleigh from Dallas often and I will skip here next time. read more

Get there EARLY on Sunday for Brunch....at least 11:15am!! They open at 12pm $40/pp for all you can eat Brunch! Doors finally opened at 1215pm and we were seated immediately. Love DJ and MC Krystal we're in the building hyping the event up. It was packed !! Prayer was done at 1pm then we all got in line. Our waiter Dominik was amazing!! He kept the mimosa towers coming $80. They can be filled with any mimosas or margaritas. Brunch consisted of salmon/ bbq wings / eggs / shrimp & grits / grits / sausage / bacon / waffles / collards / yams / Mac n Cheese and a plethora of desserts. A cute backdrop to snap pics. Hookah Bar - get you some!! The music was amazing and a great vibe!!! They did tons of raffles - I'll be back soon!! read more

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Service was terrible, everybody was pressed about money when the service was TRASH. We waited 2 hours just for server to have "lost" our order. Also told us she doesn't serve water we can get it ourselves (in a paid for booth) in a community water dispenser (nasty). Management had no decorum and was rude. Overall i bet the food we never got may have been good but between bad attitudes and unorganized staff, Terrible experience. They weren't as busy as they presented, just seem lazy and not welcoming. If you serve food you provide a service ! We wanted to support but the everything was just not a good experience. read more

Ambiance and service was a vibe. Went for Sunday Brunch. The price was $40 for buffet. The food was ok, not a great selection. Drinks, hookah and the DJ were good. We watched the game. I would revisit for sure. read more

I arrived around 11 am on a Sunday and found parking on the side of the street nearby to avoid paying. I waited for about an hour to get in, but I was aware of the wait beforehand. The staff collected the entrance fee and provided wristbands. By around 12:10, I found a table and joined the buffet line, which offered eggs, grits, fish, wings, and more. They had various flavors of mimosas priced at about $23, which was plenty for two people. The DJ was fantastic, and the host maintained a lively atmosphere throughout. Overall, it was a great time. read more

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I would give it 0 if I could. I am not pleased at all. DONT WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY. you have to pay $30 when you walk in before you even get seated without seeing the brunch menu or anything. Then when you are seated the servers take forever to even come for your drink order. The mimosas are $5 each or $20 bottomless per person which is normal but not when you pay $30 to get in. The head lady prayed over everyone and the food before releasing all of the people TO GET IN LINE for the food which is buffet style but they serve you. If you are not christian or believe in God then I'm sorry for you. But to have to get up from your table and stand in a 50+ line when you have 90 minutes to a table is RIDICULOUS!! Also, her releasing the masses instead of by order of when ppl got seated because ppl were walking in and hopping in line not even having a table yet after paying was not cool at all then the food was mediocre at best .. The mimosas were warm and oversaturated with pulp. And you have to wait forever for your server to even come back to get another. The only good thing I can say about this experience is the music was really good. And the vibe inside was nice. But it was hot read more

If you are from out of town. Don't not and I repeat don't not come to this place. You will waste your time and money with this place. We waited a hour just to put an order in. Then another 2 hours for food that never came. We had to get a refund and go eat somewhere else. read more

DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME GOING HERE. This was the worst experience I've had out dining in a while. First and foremost, we had a 7p reservation. We got there at 6:50p and they let us know that they would open the doors at 7p. They did not open the doors until 7:40p. (I was calling around to try to get reservations elsewhere, but it was Saturday night and everywhere downtown Raleigh was booked up or had very long waits). We also have to pay for parking in the lot where the Venue is so it's disappointing that we paid to stand around outside for 40+ minutes. The staff was not apologetic and didn't seem to care they had people standing around. The hostess did not even apologize or offer us anything as compensation for waiting over 40+ minutes. She was not friendly at all. We get in and don't get water until 25 minutes after being seated. We order a cocktail, the cocktail is in a small plastic drink cup and it costs $15. The cocktails are weak. The only thing good about the food were the sides, which were very tasty. The main dishes were horrible. I and a friend had salmon and our salmon came out looking completely different and it was hard and over cooked. (Pictured) Another friend got the "grilled Thai chicken" (pictured) it looks like chicken tenders dipped in sauce. These entree plates are $20. I'm also disappointed because our silverware didn't match (pictured) and they served the food on cookout type plastic plates. They didn't care about presentation of the food whatsoever. We complained to our waiter and she was nice enough to apologize. She was nice but took forever to bring our water and drinks. We also got our food after the table beside us, and they ordered after us. This is just disappointing and I hope they can do better, I would never know if they do better because I'll never step foot in that place again. read more

The Venue Raleigh - Grilled Thai chicken - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Let me just say this, everyone was on good vibes, they were happy, the energy was everything. I got here extra early and waited in line,(yes the vibe is just that good) the doors opened up on time(noon). The food is really good too. They do offer table service read more

I love going to the Venue; it always has a good vibe. I've been a fan since they first opened and have enjoyed every visit. Although the wait can be quite long, I think it's worth it. I invited a friend for their birthday, and while they initially couldn't stand the wait, they were glad we stayed once inside and had a great time. The food can be hit or miss, and I hope they improve on that. However, you will definitely leave that place drunk, so make sure to Uber. read more

Definitely not worth it! The vibe once you get to sit down is the only positive thing I can say. The wait time is out of this world both outside and inside, We stood for basically 2 and a half hours. Just to have to wait on more food to cook , 3 hour parking meter ran out before we could even sit down good and eat just to give some reference to how long it took. People were just walking up to people they know and cutting line, Add ons were over priced, They should consider rethinking their process of operation. read more

We had a great time at The Venue!! We got there early! Waiter was amazing! Food was delish!!! Mimosas could have been just a little stronger but the shots that came around later during our time there definitely made up for it! A brunch day party w/soul food! Great back drops and even better vibe! Fun! read more

The vibes were excellence ma and my friend went late night and really enjoyed ourselves. The drinks were good, the food was decent. Heard we need to come back for brunch so looking forward to that experience read more

The Venue Raleigh - Chicken and waffles - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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The food was cold, horrible. There were a lot of choices to choose from. That wasn't a buffet, we stood in line in the cold about an hour in a half. Then once we got inside we had to stand in another line to get cold , disgusting food. The price was $40.00, not worth it. Then, after we finished our food we were told if we were not having drinks, then we had to leave in fifteen minutes. My party and I, immediately left. VERY Disappointing, I will never ever return there again. Or recommend anyone to go there. Revamp customer services, I believe in supporting black owned businesses, but get your business together. Very poorly managed. This was on yesterday March 20, 2023 They did not open on time either . Don't waste your time or money going to this unorganized unprofessional business. Just a waste of money, time, and energy. I will NEVER GO BACK AGAIN!!!!! Also, you have to pay to park. read more

Had a good time!!! The staff were wonderful and the food was amazing!!! Their chicken wings are so good!!

I wish I didn't have to leave this star. This place is HORRIBLE. We got there at 12pm, there was already a long line. They didn't open the doors until close to 12:30pm. We waited in line for 1hr and 15mins. It was freezing cold and rainy. I saw this place on TikTok and it looked like a good time, so we decided to stick it out and hope for the best. We got inside around 1:15pm, paid $40, we got in the buffet line shortly after and it took us 45mins to get through the buffet line. The food is mediocre at best. The grits were stiff, the waffles were cold, the fried chicken was bland. The Mac and cheese was decent, the bacon, and sausage links were the best, and they were just okay. They only serve Country Time lemonade and water, unless you order from the bar. The server was horrible. She came to ask us if we wanted anything from the bar and took our plates when we finished eating. We ordered a hookah. It arrived and did not work. They exchanged it for us and the new one was dirty. If the outside was dirty, I knew she inside was. We did not feel confident that the hookah was sanitary, so I requested a refund, which they granted. All in all, this place is a joke. All of the employees stand around on their phones, talk and play, and take shots and drink while paying customers have to wait hours to be seated and fed. I will not return and will not recommend anyone to visit this establishment. read more

The Venue Raleigh - Employees playing around and on their phones - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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This is by far the worst black owned establishment I have experienced. Poor management proor training. Food looked like it was cooked from out side and brought in. In a nut shell it was so bad me and my group of friends all asked for REFUNDS I hope the owner(s) read this post and do better and please stop opening up in prayer this is not church its a public place. Be respectful of other people religious beliefs everybody is not a Christian! read more

I'm not impressed at the moment. It's 12:30 and this establishment still has not let people in. The website stated they open at 12:00. This is not good at all especially since we drove an hour to get here! Timing is important! Parking is not free. You pay by the hour. If I had not road with someone I would be leaving! If you're not going to open at 12, don't advertise that time! read more

Don't dress cute cause it's no central air. It's so HOTTTT everybody walking around with plates fanning. The buffet line takes almost an hour to get through and there wasn't even 50 people in the establishment. You can't enjoy yourself being this hot. Food isn't bad. But you can't go back through the line for it to be buffet, cause it takes way too long. They really need to reevaluate how they do brunch. Definitely should bring the food to the tables to avoid everybody sweating ridiculously and waiting so long. I will never return! read more

No a/c on stage was very hot than normal. Customer service was not good at the door. They shouldn't had change up the people that was at the door. Ms. Deedee made sure who was apart of your party was the only people in your booth. Need to bring her back on the floor. Could be a good place to vibe if they just fix these little hiccups. read more

Let me start by saying I don't bash black businesses at all, I'm just going to tell the truth.this morning I've came to the venue to celebrate a birthday event. We heard mixed reviews but still wanted to try it out. First things first the Doors don't really open at 12pm as stated. We were in line at 1120 at approximately 1230pm that's when they started taking customers. With that being said we didn't get in until 130pm........ you guys can at least put super sized fans outside with the line to accommodate your customers.Once inside the air conditioning was over worked, so the whole entire time it was extremely hot before people actually started dancing.....You have to wait in another line, the buffet line to get your food. The food was very cold and not very appealing .potatoes cold ,string beans cold,sweet potato mash cold, eggs hard dry and cold...not sure if presentation has anything to do with the young children or young adults serving the food....but we waited in the line for so long and paid 35 DOLLARS after waiting outside in line WE EATING SOMETHING TODAY LOL. So of course I got a lil of everything and again it wasn't hot .... I will say the chicken wings were hot and grits with shrimp were also hot because we waited for it. Now at this point we are starving so we trying to consume this food.We get to the end for the line we had to pay and an additional fee for drinks..... I mean water!! And juice .no dessert no fruit salad or pasta salad like before! Idk what's going on but this is ridiculous. At the table there wasnt enough Condiments on the table as if they ran out.our hostess was being overwork so she kept forgetting to bring us condiments .You guys have a standard to upheld and yall folded. We want the old venue back .everything about today was rushed. The entertainment was AMAZING that's the only reason we stayed. read more

customer service was terribleeeeeee. Whomever worked the front door Sunday was not a people person AT ALL. I purchased 2 booths & they allowed anyone in my booth. I definitely didn't like that at all. Had to get DeeDee from servicing the food to remove folks out of my booth. Front desk STILL allowed folks in my booth even after that. Really want to speak to management at this point foreal. read more

Front door customer service sucked this past Sunday. No greeting the customers or anything. Definitely didn't feel welcome this go round

Is it just me but when you do VIP and purchase a bottle, why is it that the bottle never is sealed and they pour your bottle into a tall flask , the ones that the OJ and cranberry juice are in. I know for a fact that when you buy bottles of top self liquors, they have a plastic seal around them and the top pops out. I noticed that when we purchased a bottle at The Venue, it was never sealed nor did it have a top, it happen so fast that I thought about it later that day. Question has anyone else noticed this at The Venue, if not please start pay attention. I would hate to start think negative about this kind of practice, but would love to see more reviews after this posting. read more

Had a 7pm reservation and they didn't open until 7:07. They didn't have any of the food from their menu. We sat for 40 minutes and never received our drinks. The hookah was great along with the DJ. read more

Got a booth for 12 they said they could accommodate then when we got there they said they could only do 6 people. Ended up having to sit separately. Had to sit outside in line and wait cause they couldn't get their stuff together for what we already paid for. Service was Terrible. Bottomless mimosas tower we ordered took them over 1 hour to bring they finally bought it out at 4:15. Bar closed at 4:30 so we couldn't even get a refill. They said the tower was $80. They gave me the bill and they added $20 service fee which they didn't say would be added when I ordered. Table girl got an attitude for no reason. Will not recommend this place to anybody. Not coming back don't care if it's black owned or not. Try to support our people and they do us dirty. read more

The theme of the business was great. I had a wonderful time with the entertainment. The buffet was another issue all together. You stand in this long line walking to the back looking at a dirty kitchen. What is advertised on the menu (Sunday Brunch) is not what was served. Some of the items were there but the majority of them were missing (no collards, yams, various chicken wings, salisbury steak, mash potatoes, yellow rice, hush puppies and desserts - ALL MISSING). The items they did have, they ran out before everyone was served and when I asked if more was being prepared, they rudely said NO this all we have! The lemonade and tea even gave out! First - the food was cold, only seasoning was very heavy salt and nobody wore a hairnet! Servers walking back and forth to the serving line and the back room and never changing the gloves. They should hired a bartender to prepare the Mimosas because they were horrible. I was standing watching the lady making the pitchers and she was just pouring in orange juice and I think champagne while looking around the room talking and not measuring anything. They were supposed to be different flavors but you couldn't tell what you were drinking besides orange juice. This was my first and last visit! read more