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    Watkins Grill

    4.0 (128 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 am - 2:30 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Watkins Grill Photos

    WATKINS GRILL ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Greek omelette and home fries
    Kellie D.

    Have been wanting to try this little gem on the side of Old Wake Forest Rd for years and finally made our way there for Saturday lunch. Tables were available and we were told to seat ourselves. Soon after our waitress brought us silverware and menus. We were in the mood for breakfast but there were several lunch specials available and a list of the daily vegetables on the wall. I ordered the Greek omelette with home fries. The omelette was a good size with lots of toppings but didn't have aloe of flavor to me. On the flip side, I'm glad that it wasn't overly salty. The home fries were different. They were not crispy on the outside but were well cooked on the inside. Son's girlfriend ordered her omelette with a biscuit and the waitress warned her the biscuits could be hard on the bottom. She decided to get it anyway but the waitress kindly told her if she didn't like it she could have an English muffin. They had sugar free syrup for my health conscious son's pancakes which surprised me. Overall a great lunch. Everyone was friendly and prices were reasonable for the generous portion sizes. What a great place to!

    Interior

    There are some good things, but I'll put them at the end. I was super disappointed coming here for the first time about a week or two ago. I had such high hopes of finding a neighborhood type place that served food that I'd enjoy. And the prices looked very fair. The short of it: the biscuit was very hard and so large that the contents (bacon egg and cheese) got lost as far as flavor goes. The pancake was gummy and tough and required diabetic amounts of syrup to get it down. The sausage patty wasn't browned, and had an unappetizing texture and flavor. More Detail: I'm a pancake snob, admittedly. I grew up with my Mom making my Grandpa's blender pancake recipe for so many years. So good. McDonald's pancakes, and the box mixes were not nearly good enough to waste calories on. Cracker Barrel does pretty good, though... but still not quite worth it to me. What we have been doing for the last decade or so is making Alton Brown's pancakes from Good Eats. Those are amazing. They were thick but light, and they were great with all kinds of toppings, or just lightly buttered! You could even go light on the syrup and you'd still have a great eat. However, these Watkins pancakes were hard to get down! And i was really hungry! I wanna say that they were dense, but you could see some aeration in there. I just know that a normal-sized bite gummed up inside my mouth and made it a real chore to finish. If I drowned it in way too much syrup, that would help lubricate things to get it down. But even for me, it required too much syrup. I would have also had to reduce my bite size, to keep it from gumming up too much, and that just would have made it take too long to eat. The sausage is a "homemade" patty, and I believe it. It doesn't seem to be ground meat, but more like a fine chop. It felt like I was chewing on tough, small, pork shreds. It was cooked, but had only browned a little, so that roasty/seared taste wasn't there. Even if it was browned to the level of your average sausage patty, I don't think I'd like this, because of the texture of the "chopped" pork. but based on other folks at the table, I think this light cook on it is pretty standard. But for it to be on their menu for a while, others must really like it. So maybe you will to. I won't get it again though. Another staple I love to try is the Bacon Egg and Cheese biscuit. I love ones from Hardee's, Bojangles, Buscuitville, etc. But we all agreed at our table, who had biscuits, that they were hard as rocks. The insides were nice and fluffy, though. Pucks like these are often okay for use as a gravy biscuit, when available, though. The biscuits are so large that they make you feel like you didn't get nearly enough filling. If they're going to serve it as this kind of biscuit-sandwich, I'd almost double up on the filling quantity, or advise the customer that it will come like that, so they aren't surprised. I took off the harder of the two halves and was left with an open-faced biscuit, but one in more reasonable proportions. The sweet tea was also lackluster. Often a down-home place like this will have very sweet tea, that you write home about, and look forward to indulging in when you visit. But no, it was just average sweet tea, with actually a little less sugar than most places, I would guess. I won't be getting it again. I didn't even drink half of mine. The service was very friendly, but I'd say we were checked on a little less often than I would have liked. But it was alright. I didn't actually need much tending, since I didn't like eating any of the three things I got, and the sweet tea was the same, with me never needing a refill. The Good: I'll go back for sure, just because I love this kind of place, and generally will make a lot of effort to find something I like. Although the breakfast options are limited for me, since I'm not an omelette fan. Ummm... I interrupt this review to mention something I just found... that a photo seemingly of their menu from as late as 2016 shows that their burgers were named after Civil War events and people. I'm a proud Southerner, so I get that. Fine. However, some of the folks they chose to "honor" seem a little suspect... they seem to have been proud of their Nathan Forrest burger (the first Grand wizard of the KKK). And they named a burger after Henry Wirz, who was hung for war crimes after the Civil War because of the way he managed a prison camp. Did they know these details, or was it just because he was Swiss, and that burger has Swiss cheese on it? I don't know how this all plays out with the owners today, and of what opinion they are regarding issues like racism, etc.

    Watkins Grill, Raleigh NC

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    14 years ago

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    12 years ago

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    11 years ago

    Lovely local "Greasy Spoon" with home cooked food. You can't go wrong with the Daily Specials. Very affordable.

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    8 years ago

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    11 years ago

    Cheap, southern, nifty, weird, quality, perfection. For sure really crappy coffee though. They should get 8'clock coffee.

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    18 years ago

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    Postino Village District

    Postino Village District

    4.4
    (222 reviews)
    2.2 mi
    $$
    Happy hour specials
    Catering service

    I returned here with a friend after enjoying a Yelp event. It was very busy on a week day at lunch…read moretime and our lunch took a bit to arrive but it was all good once it did. I ordered the crispy cauliflower app which was delish! Don't let the raisins sway your decision - it's suttle but just right with the cauli. They add a romesco sauce that's flavorful add capers to add the salty goodness. Loved this! I also ordered the meatball app which was plenty. They were perfect size and more than enough for two. The sauce was rich and bold with flavor and a sprinkle of goat cheese was just right. I will return and try a few more apps next time.

    This was my first time visiting Postinos, and we stopped in for lunch. The service was amazing. Our…read morewaitress was sweet, attentive, and made us feel welcome right away. The food was pretty good. I started with the tortellini soup and had the French toast from the Brunch menu. For drinks, I tried the pineapple mimosa, but it was warm, which really affected the flavor. I also ordered an espresso martini, and unfortunately it had an artificial taste that I would not recommend, especially for the price. One issue we ran into was the number of flies around our table. Even though we were seated inside, there were several constantly circling, and one ended up landing in my water. Our waitress tried to help, but the problem continued. Overall, I enjoyed the food and the service, but I would come back for the food only and not for the drinks.

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    Postino Village District
    Postino Village District
    Postino Village District

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    Birdie's Barroom and Kitchen

    Birdie's Barroom and Kitchen

    4.2
    (202 reviews)
    1.8 mi
    $$

    It feels like you're dining at a high-end restaurant the moment you walk in. The service is out of…read morethis world everyone is incredibly kind, attentive, and welcoming. The atmosphere is spotless, comfortable, and very family-friendly, making it a great place for both adults and kids. The food is absolutely amazing. I had the grilled cheese sandwich with soup, and it was hands down the best grilled cheese I've ever had in my life. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and perfectly prepared. This place exceeded my expectations in every way. Highly recommend!

    I was so excited to come here to try the French toast, however, this was our first time out with…read moreour 6 month old, so we got there a little after 11am, which is when they stop serving their brunch menu. I didn't realize they had a separate breakfast, lunch and dinner menu (I guess they use brunch and breakfast interchangeably) so definitely something to note if you have your eye on a specific dish. We started with the pull apart bread which was reminiscent of the old school cafeteria rolls I had in elementary school (a great comparison) and were delicious - wonderful crunch on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside. It came with chive butter, then the host gave us the honey butter. Both were good, I just preferred the chive. I had the roasted turkey French dip which was good, just not memorable. My husband liked his shrimp and grits, said it was rich, but tasty. I absolutely loved the decor and vibe of this place, I would go back for the vibes alone! The staff was really nice too. There's a bakery in the front, I think was closed since it was lunch time, but I would definitely return to Birdies!

    Photos
    Latte
    Latte
    Hot Honey Cauliflower

lime elote aioli, chives
    Hot Honey Cauliflower lime elote aioli, chives
    Hellish Eggs*

Spicy tomatoes, roasted baby peppers, crumbled feta cheese, poached eggs

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    Hellish Eggs* Spicy tomatoes, roasted baby peppers, crumbled feta cheese, poached eggs
    Parkside Restaurant

    Parkside Restaurant

    4.1
    (465 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$

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

    The service here is easily a five, and for what it's meant to be--a neighborhood sports bar--the…read moreambience is about a four. We came in today with reasonable expectations after finding the restaurant online and seeing mostly positive reviews. We ordered several items to share as a family: broccoli cheddar soup, a French dip sandwich with green beans, and poutine fries. Unfortunately, the broccoli cheddar soup was very bland and lacked seasoning. We had a few bites and ended up leaving the rest. The French dip was the standout of the meal. While the meat itself was a bit dry, dipping it in the au jus made it the most enjoyable and edible item we ordered. The poutine fries were disappointing. They were very basic and didn't resemble what I would expect from poutine--more like prepackaged frozen fries that had been deep-fried. We didn't finish them and left most behind, though we still paid for them. Our child wouldn't eat any of the food, so we ordered the fried ravioli appetizer, hoping it would be similar to versions we've had elsewhere. Sadly, that was another letdown. Although we were told there was no breading, the texture suggested otherwise. This was the one item we did send back. I wouldn't recommend this location for anyone with food allergies or sensitivities, as much of the food appears to be made from frozen or prepackaged items. That said, our server was absolutely wonderful--the highlight of the visit. She was kind, attentive, kept our drinks refilled, and genuinely made us feel welcome. Her sweet demeanor and constant smile were honestly the reason we didn't complain more at the time. While I wouldn't return for the food, I might consider stopping by again strictly for drinks during a sporting event. Otherwise, this just wasn't the dining experience we were hoping for.

    Photos
    Inside/bar seating, May 2025.
    Inside/bar seating, May 2025.
    Parkside Restaurant
    Parkside Restaurant

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    Midwood Smokehouse

    Midwood Smokehouse

    4.4
    (255 reviews)
    1.5 mi
    $$

    This was my second visit to Midwood, and may have to be a regular stop on my visits to Raleigh!…read more I ordered the half slab, with mac and cheese. Both were delicious. I had the bacon wrapped jalapeños for an appetizer. They too were very tasty! My half slab included some hush puppies and a cucumber salad. They were also very good. The staff was very friendly and attentive. Great atmosphere!

    My oldest daughter has been craving barbecue so we decided to give this restaurant a go. The…read morehostess was really nice and the decor of the restaurant was sports themed with a bit of country... we liked it. We could watch the World Cup as well as other things. Our waitress was kind and went over the menu with us. Our orders: side of fries Well-fed (4 proteins and 2 sides) 2 of us shared Burnt ends plate with 2 sides We know that NC barbecue is NOT SC barbecue but anywho, the portion size was not what we expected for the Well-Fed nor did it match previous photos we'd seen. Our food was cold but tasty except for the macaroni and cheese, my daughters hated it. We politely let our waitress know and she took our plate back and the kitchen in turn, provided us with a whole new plate of food. We were ready to dig in but this time, the barbecue lacked flavor and my daughters were so disappointed and were ready to leave. I definitely appreciated the kitchen for trying to make it right but I don't think we'll be returning on our next trip to Raleigh.

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    Midwood Smokehouse
    Midwood Smokehouse
    Midwood Smokehouse

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    Beasley's Chicken & Honey

    Beasley's Chicken & Honey

    4.2
    (2.2k reviews)
    1.9 mi
    $$

    I went back to Beasley's Chicken & Honey one last time as they close January 25th. Even on a cold,…read morerainy morning, there was a line outside before opening. I understand as if you aren't seated when they open, you can expect a 90-minute to two-hour wait. I was hoping to get the Chicken Pot Pie this time and thought my prior visit was just off. I was thrilled that most of the menu was available. They were just out of the banana pudding. So I got to try the pecan wings I read about with the white sauce. It was so good. Then I got the chicken pot pie and biscuits. The pot pie had old biscuits for the topping, but the creamy mixture with large chunks of chicken was delicious. My biscuits came with honey and were served warm. I left with a slice of the chocolate-caramel-coconut cake, a side salad without onions, and a fried boneless thigh. The salad was made correctly, and the dressing was included. The salad was full of veggies, and the cake was rich and moist. Service was friendly and as soon as I finished my iced tea, another appeared. My wings were brought out first and it was a while for the rest of the meal as the restaurant was full. But they didn't rush me at all. I actually liked the space between the dishes, as I might not have been able to eat it all otherwise. I couldn't finish both biscuits and was even provided a container for the honey. I am going to miss Beasley's, but I'm glad I got a positive experience to remember the restaurant.

    So long Beasley's! Your last day is 25Jan2026, or thereabouts. We went last week as a nostalgia…read moretour, but it turned out we really didn't have a connection with it much at all. They were out of a lot of items already, and the menu we knew pre-covid wasn't as exciting. The items that were the same, were good, but much more expensive and smaller. Had the hot chicken sandwich, which was mostly bread, but hot and flavorful. The hot chicken benny's that my fam got looked good, but they moved to a different recipe (or cut the biscuits into 3rds to save money). They looked skinny and dense. Most of the menu moved to rice flour where it could, to be more accommodating of the 8% of people with a gluten allergy.......... I think the area will be fine without it, and there is always Danes and others that are very good. I doubt that the Meeker group will find another restaurant to fill that area, so it will likely be fallow for a long time. could be wrong, but know one can afford the rent that has basically doubled on leases in Wake county over the last 6 years. The only seafood place in Cary (full moon oyster bar) had its rent doubled, they are replacing it with a shake shack. Way of Wake. At any rate, say goodbye if you have fond memories (to full moon as well, cept they are already gone as of dec2025).

    Photos
    Courtesy of @NewRaleigh
    Courtesy of @NewRaleigh
    Chicken + Honey!
    Chicken + Honey!
    Beasley's Chicken & Honey

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    Village Tavern

    Village Tavern

    4.1
    (159 reviews)
    2.7 mi
    Takes reservations
    Outdoor seating

    This was our first time going to village tavern…read more It was packed on a weekday afternoon! We got seated very quickly which was a surprise. The food was excellent. Service was great. I heard some people next to us complain about the wait time for their food but given how busy it was, I don't think it was insanely long. We sat on the porch and it was really nice dinner! Will definitely be returning to try other menu options!

    My husband and I went to the Village Tavern for dinner and ordered the NY Strip (med rare) and…read moremeatloaf. The NY Strip arrived more than well done, so we told the waitress and she apologized and sent it back to the kitchen. As I was eating the meatloaf, I noticed an off taste and texture. I looked closer and realized it was still pink/slimy/raw! How can meatloaf be raw? It's supposed to be fully cooked first and then grilled. Whoever sliced it from the "loaf" should have noticed it was not cooked before throwing it on the grill! We notified the manager when he came to apologize for the NY strip, so he took the meatloaf back to the kitchen. When the NY Strip came back out, my husband cut into it and it was shiny and purple inside, from top to bottom...absolutely rare. The waitress agreed it was rare and took it back to the kitchen again. When it came out for the third time, it was perfect (third time's a charm, I guess?). The only saving grace was the kind waitress who felt awful about the sub par food. The kitchen put her in an uncomfortable position, but she handled it with grace. We ordered the chocolate torte for dessert and it was very good, but that's the only thing I'd return for.

    Photos
    Fantastic bar for having a bite to eat and a chat with friends
    Fantastic bar for having a bite to eat and a chat with friends
    Village Tavern
    Village Tavern

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    Watkins Grill - breakfast_brunch - Updated August 2026

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