Mandolin

Locally procured food is Mandolins goal. Fish, shrimp, produce by Chef Fowler. A driven individual who has a passion for his craft and understands his food staples and his seasonal ingredients. Grew up in a family working with food and eventually in the restaurant business. Decided to make it his life and went to culinary school… thank goodness for us!
Mandolin is in a quaint location, surrounded by large trees, beautiful residential homes, and tight streets which give it a classy comfortable feel from the outside… and once you walk in it continues. Great craftsmanship of the entire location, specifically the private room which is perfect for a group of 20 comfortably to mingle.
The collard stuffed lamb was my favorite. It went so well with the pickled veggies (jars of pickled veggies along the walls are very cool). Spicy, succulent, and a perfect pairing together with the ingredients. I could eat six of these and make it my main dish… nom nom.
Hanger Steak with chimichurri and the squash gratin. The Squash Gratin will bring me back by itself. Kudos to the chef for creating something so well balanced. The flavors and combination of the veggies were perfect, and the consistency was great. The steak was good, but I thought there was too much chimichurri. I would recommend to look at the cut of the meat for the flavor pairing.
Dessert was the last and light touch to a wonderful meal. The blueberries and candied Angelica were a shot to my taste buds! Perfect guilt free size, but so soft and creamy sassafras ice-​cream.

The style of food is incredible. The edifice is clean and the décor is fancy. This is a great place to come for a nice date. The parking is a challenge as the location is in a busy area. I’ll definitely be back and I can’t wait!

Great place if you want so sit, and really enjoy some great food paired with great wine.

Really good farm to table place in Raleigh. I really like how their menu constantly changes and they are very innovative with their menu items. I think it is the perfect spot for foodies who appreciate a cool atmosphere with fairly down to earth staff. The only downside is how close you have to sit to other guests. It almost felt like I was a part of their business meeting when I was on my date but that’s no biggie, I’ll be back!

A cozy yet elegant gem in Raleigh with top notch service and extraordinary farm fresh cuisine. The cocktails were delicious as were the first courses. You can’t go wrong with the pan seared scallops — some of the best scallops I’ve ever had! The lamb carpaccio was full of intriguing flavors and textures. Definitely a must!
A winner at the table for the second course was the chicken and waffles. Great flavor and a huge portion size. As for dessert, don’t miss out on the caramel cake or chocolate chess pie. Out of this world!

My favorite Farm to Table restaurant in The Triangle. I love the style and vibe of this restaurant. The staff is knowledgeable and friendly. I have enjoyed everything i have ever tried there. Recently, I had a pheasant dish that was hearty and unique. I love trying new things at Mandolin because I know they will be prepared well and thoughtfully. They have a nice wine list and new bar options.

4 stars for service and ambiance, 3 stars for food.
The highlight of the meal is the charcuterie appetizer, I’m a fan of the mustard seeds with head cheese combination. The fresh corn bread muffin is so sweet and have a nice texture to bite into.
The entrée however, it’s a bit disappointing. My pan seared catfish was entirely too salty, with tar tar sauce drenched on top. The waitress asked how it was as I tried to scrape off the sauce aside to make it better, and I told her it is salty. She insisted on getting a new plate for me, which is a very appreciated gesture, and I got it with sauce on the side the second time. It’s still not great, but way better than the first round.
My husband got the chicken with waffles, it’s decent. But definitely not the best I’ve had.

The performance at Mandolin was as good as Kurt Cobain in Reading, PA, with Nirvana 25 or so years ago where he showed up in a wheelchair. Even better than the funniest commercial of all time: the guy fighting the grizzly bear for the salmon:
. Yes, it was an epic performance, enjoyed with my honey on a great night in Raleigh.
We shared everything: Started out with some local East Coast oysters delivered that afternoon. Just like a Goldilocks fable: not to briny; not too gooey; not too small or too big; but just right. Then came about the best beet soup I’ve ever had or could ever imagine having. Follow that up with panzanella salad perfectly dressed and then the entrée of pheasant with a caraway bread pudding, oyster mushrooms, cashews, and fennel; and Mandolin hit it out of the park.
All of that was accompanied by a very reasonably priced J. Christopher Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley and finished off with a Valrhona chocolate soufflé that was ridiculously good. OMFG, couldn’t have been better. Couldn’t have been more enjoyable or the service more skillful.
Can’t wait to go back and have an encore performance. Mandolin kills it.

It was such a relief to have a good dining experience after a few abysmal experiences trying out new to us restaurants lately! I have had this place bookmarked for awhile but when I saw Open Table was giving 1000 points for eating here it definitely moved it to the top.
This is a charming restaurant with charming staff. We were greeted very warmly and given excellent service without going overboard. Our waitress was very proficient at reading cues as to when to check on us and when to not interrupt. That’s a definite skill in the dining industry. Our waters were filled almost immediately by a runner after just a few sips. Although appreciated, I slowed down my water consumption so this poor girl wasn’t running over every five minutes. It was a little funny.
The atmosphere is nice without feeling pretentious. It does seem like the nicer the restaurant the smaller the tables are so I felt cramped with the bread, wine, water, place settings and plant on the table. It was a bit difficult to open the menu without hitting something. They have a private dining area across from the main room in which a party of about 20 were enjoying. It seems like a great place to host a smallish gathering.
I tried the vegetarian option of bourbon Marinated, Grilled Royal Trumpet Mushrooms with Collard Green — Peanut Chimmichuri, Cheese Grits, and Cauliflower. It’s so nice to have a well thought out vegetarian item that isn’t pasta based! It definitely had a kick to it and I enjoyed it except for the mushrooms which were a main feature of the dish, unfortunately They were wood smoked so mch that the mushrooms tasted like bark without any hint of the bourbon marinade. So that keeps me from five stars right there.
My husband has the mussels and thought they were small but spectacular. The broth was tasty and not just an afterthought. He also had the chicken pot pie which was rich and filling.
I ordered the caramel cake for dessert which was very good. I loved the caramel glaze and it was a good deal at $ 6.
I really enjoyed eating here and would recommend it for a nice, intimate dinner out.

Today I experienced one of the best brunch cuisines I’ve ever had. The Pork Madame at Mandolin. The pulled pork was seasonal to perfection with the juices ever so slightly making its own custom condiment for the sourdough sandwich, with an egg fried as if my aunt had cooked it just the way I like it settled atop a layer of melty gruyère complimented with seasoned home fries and a bed of greens. This flavor combination reminded me of an early morning eastern North Carolina farm fresh breakfast and a hearty homemade family supper. Honestly, one of my top 10 best things I’ve ever had in my life!
Oh yeah, the coffee was so delicious and they serve water over crushed ice! (I was excited about that). All of the wait staff was attentive even tho I was a party of one, which I don’t get often. Just a great experience all around.

Had a business meeting here. Everyone loved their food, from the dumplings to the steaks. Absolutely awesome experience, both in atmosphere and food. I would highly recommend Mandolin for any kind of event.
There is definitely a cool/​modern southern vibe to this restaurant.

One of the better experiences for an intimate dinner in the area. They were super accommodating with a good allergy and the service was amazing. I had the bass dish, it was the first night of it being on the menu. It was sooo good and the broth under it was drinkable! Lots of wines by the bottle too. And by glass. My boyfriend had the chicken and waffles. His mistake because he doesn’t love greens and it knowingly came with greens and mushrooms sautéed. The dumplings looked pretty amazing too! Generous servings! A little pricier but a great space to celebrate or enjoy a nice night!

We had a wonderful brunch here. The atmosphere is lovely, the waitstaff professional, and the food excellent. I had the special omelet (chicken mole – yum) and my husband had the Pork Madame. The pork was tender and flavorful. Both came with sides of potatoes with slivers of peppers. The coffee was strong and endless. We will definitely be coming back.

The first thing you’ll probably notice when you dine at Mandolin is the warm, romantic ambiance. The soft glow of dim lighting and flickering candles draw from the dark wood and cream accents throughout the restaurant. The second thing you’ll undoubtedly notice is the service. This was probably some of the best service I’ve ever had. Putting technical serving etiquette aside, the staff makes you feel welcome, pampered, and comfortable while maintaining a perfect balance of formality that is neither stiff nor too casual. Unsurprisingly, the food is exceptional. I enjoyed a creative take on a charcuterie platter and a perfectly-​prepared cobia that captured some of North Carolina’s finest flavors with a unique seasonal touch. This is — without question — a lovely date spot and a true example of Southern hospitality.

A fancy restaurant with fancy food. I enjoyed my evening out at Mandolin. The service is spectacular; they really make you feel like a special guest. The food was great, however I did not like every dish I ate.
For our first course we ordered Seared Scallops and Oysters Mandolin. The turnip soup with the seared scallop dish was divine and the scallops were plump and perfectly cooked. The Oyster Mandolin had delicious pork belly accompanied by fried oysters which unfortunately I could not taste due to being heavily coated, but all the components of the dish went well. For the second course, I ordered the Butternut Squash Latkes but I could not eat the dish so I traded with my boyfriend who seemed to have no complaints about it. I did not appreciate the red mole sauce. I thought it was too pasty and would have preferred my veggies only lightly seasoned. With the thick mole sauce I could not tell what the vegetables were. The Grilled NC Cobia then turned out to be my second course and it was delicious. The Cobia fish was cooked and seasoned well and the portion was large. The dish included forbidden rice which was fried in balls; they were amazing.
This has been the best southern farm to table restaurant I have been to so far in Raleigh. Although I did not enjoy all the dishes, they have a nice selection and what they make for the most part, they make very well. Service is also superb.
For a table for two, we were stuffed to the brim after two first courses and two second courses. I think this could be a place where you can skip the appetizer to lighten the bill since the second course portion is decent. However, some of the best flavors of the night came from the first course dishes.

Mandolin has been on my short list for too long. Enjoyed panzanella salad, grilled scallops, ribeye, and chicken and dumplings. While the service was great and the food was tasty, there is nothing that makes me want/​need to return soon. Maybe my expectations were too high based on previous reviews, but Mandolin dishes fell short of amazing on my visit.

Great atmosphere with even better food! Casual dress but if you dress up, even better!

A very affordable, yet upscale brunch is a HUGE check in the win column if you’re looking to dine at Mandolin. I’ve eaten dinner here before as well (also very good), which is more in line with the $$$ price range Unilocal has them at.
But brunch my friends, is a horse of a different color.
All the plates are priced under $ 14 (with most in the 9 – 12 range) and you’re getting the same down-​home Southern flavors as you would at dinner.
The Counter Culture french press coffee is super smooth, with a delicious buzz that CC delivers so well, and the complimentary biscuits (you read that right, it’s free) are a perfect start to your weekend morning. (They’re a little more yeast roll than biscuit, but I’m not one to complain about free bread…)
I had the Mandolin skillet, which was a tasty combination of grits, fried eggs, bacon, black eyed peas and ranchero sauce all served in a convenient single portioned cast iron skillet.
But the real star of the show sat triumphantly in front of my girlfriend: the Pork Madame. Juicy pulled pork with melty gruyère, sandwiched between thick slices of soft sourdough and topped with a fried egg for good measure. I may have taken bites when she went to the bathroom. And after she came back…
If you’re looking to give Mandolin a try (which I highly recommend) do it at brunch with the Pork Madame. You won’t pay a ton for a white table cloth, New age southern eats experience, and your belly will thank you.

Mandolin on Mondays! If this isn’t the perfect «casual» but deliciously tasty date night, I don’t know what is. Mandolin is not a casual spot, but for a girl that doesn’t make her dates (i.e. boyfriend) frequent super uppity fancy places (often), Steve A. found the perfect night to visit Mandolin. Every Monday night they do a bar only $ 14 combo: chicken tenderloins, collard greens and upscale mashed potatoes with a beer. Arriving around 7:30pm on a Monday, we were seated immediately at the bar. After confirming the chicken and beer deal, we put in our order (for both!) Although the cocktails looked delicious, I stuck to beer tonight. Honestly, I wasn’t very impressed by their selection. While they did have the Anderson Valley Gose ($ 6), who doesn’t these days, the only hoppy item on the list that could be ordered with the ‘meal deal’ was a Pale Ale by North Coast Brewing Company (unfortunately the two IPA’s were $ 9, thus «didn’t count»). Plus, they don’t have drafts, so it’s bottles/​cans only. I think Mandolin might excel more in the cocktail department.
As for the food: OH MY GOSH! Yes, it was that good! Crispy tenderloins, I think THE BEST collards I’ve ever eaten out (crispy, sour, flavorful goodness!) and mashed potatoes «southern style» aka loaded. I will certainly be back for the delicious bar meal, and Mandolin wasn’t so bad itself. Although the bartender seemed a little flustered throughout our meal (a large party walked in shortly after us plus a SAS private event), he did his job. And the restaurant itself is beautiful, even from the bar view, just a lovely atmosphere and environment. If you haven’t been to Mandolin yet, go tonight! Or better yet go Monday!

Came here for a birthday brunch and it was very good! I’m sure they have a delicious dinner as well and I can’t want to come back to try it. Inside was very nice and servers were great. Nothing took too long to arrive.
Upon sitting down, I ordered some delicious Counter Culture coffee and enjoyed those great biscuits! Very soft and warm — I could eat 20 of them.
I had the Pork Madame which was good but I’m not a huge fan of vinegar based BBQ sauce and there was a lot of it on there. Even if you do like vinegar based sauces, I’d recommend you ask them to go light on it. I tried the Biscuits and Gravy which was very good and I’d probably get that next time I go.
Overall, I can’t wait to come back and try some other menu items!