Solid spot for an evening hangout with drinks and appetizers. We came here on a rainy Saturday evening in April 2023. I was hungry and looking for a satisfying dinner. I ordered the lamb burger no feta and garlic fries. My husband ordered the blackened salmon and sweet potatoes. His meal was quite delicious. That will be my go-to meal on my next trip here. My lamb burger didn't hit the spot. This place scores 4-stars for its ambience alone. Despite the rain, I could tell that the rooftop deck is a major hit on brighter days. Parking is a hassle. You'll have to either find street parking or park in a local deck and walk. Service was pretty good and responsive. I'll also need to try their cocktails on my next trip back. ***Note, their menu is seasonal. Many of the items photographed on former reviews may not be available during your next visit. read more

The Willard Rooftop Lounge - Blackened Salmon - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

I checked out the Willard's rooftop lounge thanks to Offline Raleigh. Head to the seventh floor for some lovely views of the Raleigh skyline. I was lucky enough to be there during a full moon. It's much larger than it looks as the lounge has several areas to it. Stay warm under the heaters or by the fireplace that's outside. There are high top tables, couches, tables with chairs and more so it's easy to find a seat. There's a full bar with a few beers on tap and in cans. The food was very good as well. This would be a great spot to get a drink with a date or catch up with your girlfriends. read more

The Willard Rooftop Lounge - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Ever had cabbage in a Caesar salad? Me neither, until today. Ever had a runny egg yolk in a Caesar salad? Me neither, until today. We were in the mood for something light and simple so we ordered 'Caesar salads' with shrimp. What arrived was cabbage with undercooked shrimp that was so over seasoned it wasn't edible. We each took a few bites and actually gagged and didn't eat 90%+ of our 'Caesar' salads. The waiter saw that we each left over the entire dish and didn't ask how our meals were or ask if we wanted a doggy bag (I wouldn't subject my dog to this). This was hands down the worst dish I have ever had in a restaurant. Sincerely, Appetite lost read more

Lovely rooftop bar on the top floor of the AC Hotel with great cocktails and both indoor & outdoor dining spaces. We stopped in two nights during our stay, once for cocktails and once for a light meal. Our drinks were great and our flatbread was awesome. The view from the outdoor seats was excellent and the heaters ensured we were comfortable even though it was a chilly evening. This place gets busy on weekends and service was slow and/ or preoccupied one of the nights we were there. read more

The Willard Rooftop Lounge - Flatbread - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Absolutely atrocious. We had a reservation for a party of 8 at noon and we were the first and only people. Three of our meals came out, sat on our table as we were waiting for everyone's food, and it was a solid 20 minutes before the rest of the meals came out. Three of the orders were wrong, and then the cheese wasn't melted. Also, there were two additional burgers that we didn't order? We complained to the manager that the original three meals were cold now by the time the last five meals came out, and they said "we're a tapas restaurant, it's hard for us to get eight entrees out at once" well then why did you take a reservation for eight in the first place? The waitress very rarely came around and was just not attentive, plates never got taken up, drinks other than water were not refilled. She literally didn't ask us how our food was. I will be telling people to not go here. read more

The Willard Rooftop Lounge - Pitiful cheese - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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We were invited to a private event here, so this review will not be about regular serve for patrons. We enjoyed some complimentary wine and appetizers, stood around indoors for a while, and then spent a little time on the terrace facing Glenwood Avenue. Rooftop bars tend to be in vogue right now and this one seems nice enough. It seems parking at the hotel is only for guests, so you'll need to look for free or paid parking around the area. We drove around until we found free street parking about a block away. There's an elevator in the back of the lobby that pretty much takes you right up to the top floor. read more

The Willard Rooftop Lounge - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

The Willard is such a lovely rooftop bar for a date night, night out or just during the day to enjoy the view. They have small plates and good cocktails. Parking can be challenging because it's on glenwood but overall it's a great location. I do wish they have live music from time to time but overall I come here often and enjoy an Aperol spritz. read more

The Willard Rooftop Lounge - Aperol spritz - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

I break my review down by sections. I'll get the complaint out then I'll review the restaurant's food. Parking: The restaurant is part of a hotel. There is no parking unless you are stay at the hotel. There is street parking and a parking garage about a block from the Willard. No issue there. Complaint: When we entered it was clean and the hostess was very friendly. We had reservations and ask if we could be seated in the section with the heaters or hopefully near the fire. The hostess said they were booked for the rest of the evening. She seated us and offered us a blanket. She left and never brought the blanket back. A group of 4 came in and told her they wanted to sit in the heated section after they were seated in the no-heat section. She said we are going on a shift change we can get you in a table on the side balcony. Off to the heat they went. We watch another couple come in and she took them to their table. They didn't like it. She took them to a high-top, they asked if they could sit in the warmed section. She said they were booked for the night. She then sat them at another table with no heater like us. She gave them multiple blanket. As soon as the table next to the fire cleared, the man went to the hostess and asked again. The hostess cleaned the table off and different couple asked for the table. She repeated that it was booked. She then moved the other couple to the table by the fire. They had not reserved this table because we talked to them. I don't understand why they were able to get a warm seat but we were not. Dinner: Service - 4 stars Drinks - 4 stars Our water was very nice. He brought us waters and offered a blanket. He brought it back with our drinks. The Willard Margarita was wonderful. It was very well balance. My husband had the Doctor's Order. He enjoyed it. He ordered two. The first came with dried pineapple but the second one did not. Both of my drinks were identical. Service - Appetizers: 3 stars We ordered crispy duck arepas. They were out. We ordered the garlic ginger chicken bites. It was good. There was a hint of ginger and there was no taste of garlic. It tasted like chicken with barbecue sauce. We also ordered fried mozzarella. The breading could use more seasoning or some finishing salt. The pesto cream dipping sauce was slightly bland. Either the mozzArellano or the pesto sauce was seasoned more, it would have been great. Entrees: 4 stars For our entrees we both had the bacon burger. My burger was not cooked to the requested temperatur however, the burger was absolutely wonderful! It was the perfect mix of sweet, salty, and spicy. This would be 5 stars if cooked to the requested temp. read more

The Willard Rooftop Lounge - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

It was lovely place for a dinner at the rooftop. We went for my gf birthday and the service was very nice and friendly. The food was a solid 10/10! Definitely would go again. read more

The Willard Rooftop Lounge - The drinks are amazing, they will sneak up on you. Highly recommend ! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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The good: The food was incredible. The chicken flatbread, bacon burger and lamb burger were well worth it. The ambiance and view were relaxing. The bad: from the hostess to the server, everyone acted as if we were bothering them and they hated their job. Drinks went empty several times. We only had water, which I think annoyed the server as well. I ALWAYS tip well over 20%, especially since we don't usually drink and we didn't get appetizers. But i was so annoyed with the attitude, I tipped accordingly. It really ruined the experience for us. I have looked forward to trying this place for quite a while, and was disappointed that the service was sub par. I might come back, but with MUCH lower expectations. If this place wasn't rooftop....it probably wouldn't last long. read more

Went here for a girls night and loved how classy the ambiance was. Everyone was dressed accordingly and it was a nice little city vibe. Some of the food was a little funky, but we ended switching it out for the dessert. There were a couple hiccups in the beginning, but the staff really tried to make it a great night.! They get a 5 star for all the effort. Most definitely a sophisticated environment. read more

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Absolutely love the ambience here. The gals at the bar are amazing. Great indoor outdoor space great views. We absolutely love the chicken Shawarma pizza. It's amazing flatbread. Prices for drinks are fair. This is a great place to bring family and friends when they are in town. Parking is free on the weekends, On the street. this is one of our go to places. read more

The Willard Rooftop Lounge - Espresso martini mmmmm - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

If anyone asked me...What makes a great Rooftop Lounge? I would say the following: Finely Crafted Cocktails Tasty Small Bites   Lovely Skyline Views Get all 3 and more at The Willard Rooftop Lounge, located at the the new AC Hotel Glenwood South, Downtown Raleigh, on the 7th floor. With both indoor and covered outdoor spaces with cozy seating and a fireplace, this is a nice spot to enjoy cocktail hour or host your next event! Plus, here's a tip: Each day at 5 p.m., all guests seated at the bar can enjoy a sample of a smoked sangria. The small bites are Mediterranean inspired so think hummus, Flatbread pizzas etc but I loved their stuffed mushrooms. For a cocktail, I tried the Donkey Kong..rum was the base and tropical is how I would describe the taste. I am looking forward to returning and enjoying more good drinks, good food and good time! read more

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The contemporary AC Hotel is an exciting new addition to the vibrant Glenwood South District and Raleigh's colorful skyline. Now open to non-guests, the hotel's Willard Rooftop Lounge is one of the best places to view that skyline over carefully crafted cocktails. With covered patios, heaters and fire pits, the space is equipped for year-round enjoyment indoors and outdoors. While the Willard offers an assorted food menu, I visited first for drinks. Our affable and knowledgeable server, Tia, recommended terrific cocktails--on and off the menu. She also arranged for half-pours of wine, which may or may not be officially offered but were nonetheless appreciated. Drink delivery was a bit slow, but that's to be expected from any new dining establishment. Ultimately, we found the Willard experience wholly gratifying and look forward to returning often. read more

The Willard Rooftop Lounge - Bar and indoor lounge space - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

I went to Willard during the opening weekend and while I thought the atmosphere was awesome, I could not believe how slow the service was. Granted- it was packed, so I figured this was a reflection of how many people were ordering around the bar. Also, it has quite a fancy cocktail list so we all know those take longer to make than pouring a draft beer. I returned for their cocktails with Santa event and I cannot believe what I saw. It's one thing to be continuously over staffed, but like... don't promote/host an event then. The tables were just covered in empty plates/trash and the bar was covered in empties so much so that you couldn't sit to enjoy a cocktail. I'd generously estimate an approximately 20 minute wait until you had bartender attention. Customers were vocal about their frustrations and how dirty the bar was. There were 3 bartenders and it's a small bar. It wasn't crowded, as this event was family oriented and kids don't drink cocktails. I couldn't excuse them this time. The worst part was witnessing the manager coming over to "look at things" and ask people how they were doing! Are you nuts? Are you somehow overlooking how backlogged your 3 employees are? They are wearing their exhaustion. He wasn't willing to help. That's a poor manager. I won't return and this review is a total reflection of manager from Sunday 12/12, not his bartending staff. read more

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We pulled into the parking garage under the hotel BECAUSE "The Willard" entrance sign was there. Well, parking is for overnight hotel guests only, BUT IF YOU'RE LUCKY, a hotel employee will offer to let you park in the garage for $10 and pocket the cash. Or you could try to find free parking on the street, but if you can't find free street parking and come back, price goes up to $15. SO SLEAZY! So, food and drinks are decent but way overpriced. Got the "Rose All May" flight and it's served in mini stemmed wine glasses. This is just me, would have preferred stemless over a super tiny wine glass with a 2" stem. Check the charcuterie board pic. Two huge crackers, a puddle of mustard, six slices of meat, and three tiny pieces of cheese. That was $26. Service was horrendous. Waitress disappeared often but still reaped the 20% mandatory tip. When we were seated we were told we had a time limit (even though we too had a reservation) so to have the waitress disappear often was incredibly frustrating. Here's how to do The Willard: Uber or Lyft or walk. Come up for a quick over-priced drink (order it yourself at the bar) and take a few selfies of yourself with the view, then head out to a better Raleigh restaurant for better service and amazing food and drink, which will be priced accordingly. Trust me, you'll have more fun and not walk away feeling bamboozled. read more

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Cute rooftop bar with great food and drinks. Our server was very friendly as well. My friend got the steak burger as well and enjoyed it. read more

The Willard Rooftop Lounge - Duck wings - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Came for a prix fixe brunch and it was delicious. Great views of the city, and on the date we visited, there was live music. We enjoyed craft cocktails, small charcuterie plates, shrimp and grits, and French toast. Everything was good, and I look forward to more moments on the rooftop when the weather warms up a bit. Parking is available at the hotel parking garage. Street parking is also available. read more

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This spot gets 4 stars off the strength of the view and ambiance. While this is my 2nd time at The Willard, the first time we were on the main rooftop and it was absolutely beautiful. This second time we were on the side, due to the seating being wet, but we still had a beautiful view. The menu is slightly limited in my opinion when it comes to food and drinks, but we found some things that were cool to try. The first time I had shrimp in a tomato/pepper sauce with some bread - it was ok. It was the safest option to me. The mocktails were cool as well. The second time we had ginger chicken bites (7/10), brussel sprout and sweet potato salad (8/10) and French fries which were cooked to perfection - just wish the serving size wasn't so small lol! I tried the Willard margarita and it was good and strong. Prices aren't bad but this isn't the spot to visit if you're super hungry, but if you want bomb views and a good vibe, then you'd enjoy it. Service was cool, she did what she was supposed to do. Make reservations if you want seating on the rooftop! Additionally, the rooftop is apart of a hotel & you may have to pay for parking since this spot is downtown Raleigh. read more

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Loved this place! My group and I enjoyed the food and cocktails. Everything was so delicious, The wait staff was responsive and helpful. The view was spectacular. We got to enjoy the sunset and a band who was playing at the establishment down below. The manager checked in with us and was very personable. We will be back ! read more

Service was not great, food was terrible, drinks were ok. The only good thing I can say about this place is that the view is amazing

We went here for a prepaid brunch. Food was average. However, it seems overly pricey. Area where we sat was not clean. Service was slow. One good feature is great view of the city skylines. We don't plan to go back. read more

This was a wonderful experience. I arrived and sat at the bar. The server, Jess and Andy, helped me with my drink orders. I knew what I wanted, but they helped prepare it as well as telling me the back story for each drink. I really enjoyed it. 1st drink- Piano One of the people who work here created this drink it is very good. The drink is one of those when I am ready to go out with my girls' drinks. It was so good and refreshing, plus the presentation was wonderful. 2nd drink- Pigeon My server Jess was the one to create this drink. It is an after you eat and enjoy the company of your friends drink. I am not a friend of match but it was so delicious. The meringue that is on top pairs perfectly with the drink itself. 3rd drink- Cupid and psyche This is a classic drink with a little razzle dazzle. I was a little scared about the fact they used egg white, but in the end, the drink was perfect. It was indeed a little stronger than I thought it would be, so I am glad I saved this for last. This drink was really good, though. If you are ever in the area, please check this place out. If you selit at the bar tou get to see them make all of the drinks. It really wnjoyed seeing what other people ordered. It has so much to offer!!! Can't wait for the next event so I can review it again!!!! read more

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Food was good. Prices can be considered competitive. Staff is amazing. Scenic views are beautiful. Drinks were just ok. Definitely an ups read more

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Let me begin by saying this was for a graduation celebration luncheon And I had reserved it over two months befoe, and it had to be held with a credit card. Let me also mention the restaurant was not busy. We were the only ones there for the first 20 minutes, and then other tables slowly dwindled in. Let me also be fair and saying the only good aspect of the whole lunch was the view. And it was very nice. After that, everything goes downhill. It was in the hotel where we were staying. So we also had drinks the night before. The Mojitos were flat and did not have much flavor. Maybe two Mojito leaves that had not been muddled were in there. And about four pieces of ice. My recommendation would be to have beer or wine there and enjoy the view. That would probably be a nice evening. For two. not more, due to service. And Do not get any food. It will be mediocre and the service with it will be terrible So for lunch, we literally ordered hamburgers. What could be easier! Let's begin with they came out in stages. Two came out, and we thought the other six were right behind them. So after about 10 minutes, we begged those people to go ahead and eat them before they got cold. And then we still waited another 10 minutes for the rest of the food to come out. So my Two daughters had pretty much finished their burgers by then. It had been awkward for everyone as they ate and we "watched". And then it was awkward for the two of them again as six of us ante and they sat there. We were never asked how our food was or did we need a refill on drinks? Literally not one time. And mind you, they were not busy. And we observed bar wait staff inside, chatting it up, cutting up limes. If the wait staff had indeed been busy, which they were not, could the bar staff have not helped out At least refills and getting condiments requested? And the other Things we did ourselves happened twice. We literally cleared our own table. We had ordered appetizers and they never retrieved those dirty dishes. Where were our lunch dishes going? So we stacked them all in the center thinking the staff would see them and come and get them. No. We had to shove those over to the side when the first two plates came. You would think they would get them then. No. They sat there. Until the other six burgers came. And then it was awkward for the staff to try to be putting lunch plates on the table and taking plates off the table at the same time. so we again helped them. . After lunch, it didn't get much better. We stacked the plates again thinking they might come and get them. No. So finally, we ourselves put them on a table close by. We had cake that we wanted to serve to celebrate and we had nowhere to put it , because there was no table space until we cleared it ourselves Conclusion. If it's just you and your date, go for beer or wine and enjoy the view. Don't count on a cocktail being good. But the view is. But you do have to stand up to really see it. The walls are pretty tall around the sides. And whatever you do do not leave a credit card to hold a reservation. There was nothing good about this lunch. Except for being with family and enjoying the view. But the view is not worth this headache. read more

The Willard Rooftop Lounge - $2 worth of fried onions?? lol - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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The only reason I would give this 1 star instead of 0 is because of the rooftop / location. The food is gross and also on top of it, served cold. We got half of our parties food out 25 minutes prior to the rest of the food, and when we spoke to the manager about it, he said it was difficult to get a party of 5s food out all together at once (ridiculous), even tho we were the only people here in the entire restaurant. When all the food finally did come out, it was still wrong. On top of it, the waitress had grossly long finger nails with food and dirt stuck underneath them that you could clearly see / should not pass a sanitation review. I would not come, not worth the view. Save your money and time and go elsewhere. read more

The Willard Rooftop Lounge - Cold, soggy, and overall what is this? - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Terrible service, overrated drinks (avoid the signature margarita) and the steak tapa was over cooked, chewy and under flavored. Overhyped bar and food. Given the rich Raleigh bar and restaurant scene, you could do much better for less read more

In here at 10pm on a Saturday night and there is a nice crowd but not even a low level of music playing. It's just a rooftop bar at a hotel. Nothing special. read more

I don't even know where to start, since this place was so bad from service to the food. There was no hostess we had to go look for one, and when he sat us he didn't even realize the table was dirty and was extremely sticky. We sat for 10 minutes waiting for a server. When she finally got to the table we had to ask her to clean it but it took her 5 min to come back with a rag to clean it. We ordered our drinks and ordered off the restaurant week menu since that was the whole reason why we were there. We watched our drinks sit at the end of the bar for a good 15min before we even got them, the bar staff was more interested in the football game than anything else happening around them. The first course came out and wasn't bad but nothing like what the menu described. Our main course came out, and the salmon was mediocre but edible. The steak entree came out on an under cooked bed of french fries, and no steak knife to cut the steak. we waited again for 15 min for the server to ask for a knife so I could attempt to eat it. When I finally got a knife to cut the steak it was like rubber, and not appetizing at all. At this point we had lost our appetite and were ready to go but still had dessert. The chocolate pecan chess pie was chewy and looked like it had been frozen then defrosted and frozen again (I only know this because I work in food and beverage). We were excited to try this place but after the horrible experience, service and food we will not be going back. read more

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Looking for Sunset views with tasty drinks?! The Willard rooftop lounge is a must visit! The Willard is located on the top of AC Hotel. The lounge has TWO outdoor terraces and a great indoor space. You can enjoy cocktails and bites with the perfect view. read more

The Willard Rooftop Lounge - Joel Lane's Refresher - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Ambiance was okay, not bad, pretty mediocre. The service wasn't the best, our server kathleen kept forgetting small things like water, running our drinks from the bar, etc. The food itself was fine, I'd say just stick to the drinks because the food is mediocre. You're better of going to an actual restaurant with craft cocktails and more diverse menu. I'm sure this place has its good moments but this just wasn't an experience that would make me a returning customer. read more

The best view in the city. Such a great place for a date night or drinks with friends. read more

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Best views in Raleigh! The food and cocktails are perfect. The staff is super helpful and kind. read more

The Willard Rooftop Lounge - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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My girlfriend Juanita and I really enjoyed the food/drinks: appetizers, main course, dessert, and cocktails. Our server, Charleton, was helpful and service was speedy! We enjoyed the atmosphere indoors and outdoors! read more

First time dining at The Willard. Parking can be somewhat tricky, as you can't park at the hotel itself. However, once we were seated, everything was great. I will say this is not as much of a dinner place, as it is a bar. The food was very good though, especially the flatbreads and salads, just a bit of a limited menu in my opinion. Server was great. Prices in typical Marriott style, are on the pricey side. That is where I just reason that away because of what we all came here for, and that's THE VIEW. Yes, it's a really good one. Cool vibe, nice place for drinks with friends! read more

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Great drinks. Staff is extremely nice and knowledgeable about the craft cocktails. Rooftop is relaxing on a summertime Saturday afternoon. Wasn't crowded so the space was comfortable. Cocktail class was informative. read more

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Absolutely horrible customer service!! I was there last weekend, Saturday July 6th with a party of 7. We were treated so poorly by our waitress. She has absolutely no customer service skills. She ignored our table multiple times, tallied the bill to her liking, after we explained multiple times how we would like the bill to be divided. I ordered a ribeye steak, that I requested to be medium. The steak came out well done on a bed of potato wedges. I asked for an order of vegetables to go with the steak. The waitress said she can bring me a medley of veggies on the side. After 20 mins later, I told the waitress once again, I'm still waiting on my side of vegetables. She ignored me completely. My sister then mentioned to her that I'm waiting for my vegetables, to her replying "they're coming" and proceeded to roll her eyes. After the vegetables finally came, they were raw carrots and celery that you would eat with buffalo wings. I told the food server I do not want raw carrots and celery with my steak. Another person in my party had to wait 25 mins, after everyone had their food for her chicken thigh kabobs to come out. It took the food server to tell us the chicken takes a long time. That is something the waitress should've stressed to us when it was being ordered. She treated us really bed because they automatically take a 23% gratuity. I had to get the manager involved when the bill came. I specifically explained to him as well how we wanted the bill split in 3 ways. He too took it upon himself to charge my card incorrectly. My sister mentioned how we weren't happy with the service, and he ignored her completely. The drinks are overpriced. A Paloma in a skinny glass should not cost $25, especially in Raleigh. We were visiting from DC and we have a million high scale restaurants with better prices. They also need to work on a diverse atmosphere. We noticed all the people of color were either hosts or food server's. I will never patronize this place again when visiting, and will let other family and friends to visit to not as well. read more

My boyfriend brought me here for our anniversary and it was a MAJOR disappointment! Although our reservation was made days in advance, we were seated in the blistering sun on a 95 degree day with a view of a cement wall. Upon our request to move tables, the hostess acted confused and annoyed. Not to mention- majority of the staff looked unpresentable and unprofessional. Throughout our visit, no dishes were cleared from our small table and our water glasses were consistently empty, not one refill. Poor service, even worse food. Will not be returning. read more

Gorgeous views of Raleigh and Glenwood South! Service has been lacking every time I've gone because it's been so busy. read more

The Willard Rooftop Lounge - Charcuterie Board - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Home of the greatest bartender ever Scott! Amazing ambiance and cocktail menu. Really enjoyed the Donkey Kong pictured, fun!!! read more

The Willard Rooftop Lounge - Donkey Kong - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina