Best Casual Restaurants in Raleigh

If you are a grits person then I highly recommend their cheese grits! They’re definitely some of the best I’ve ever had. The service is always great and the food comes out quickly. It doesn’t help get loud inside but that’s cause they’re such a popular place!

It was Valentine’s Day weekend on Saturday. We had a 6:15 reservation. The place was packed & we were told it may be a short wait. Happy surprise—It was a very short wait of just a few minutes. The server was prompt and advised of some non-dairy selections. Bread & dipping oil came right out. We ordered the stuffed portobello mushroom as an appetizer—served with tons of yummy marienera sauce. The wine was a nice pour. The grilled salmon with arugula & thinly sliced squashes was presented beautifully and tasted delicately delicious. My partner’s pasta with broccoli & sauce was plentiful and tasty. The meal was awesome. The service was attentive. As I mentioned, the place was very busy, so noise level was a bit high, but not so much that it restricted conversation. The staff were super nice and very busy moving food & clearing tables. Everything was A+. Will definitely come back to try more dishes.

Our time was pushed back a half hour. The bar was busy due to this so took 15 minutes to get a drink. The times were very slow for a prefixed dinner. Food was excellent. We ended up leaning before dessert as we were there over 2 hours.

This was our first sushi experience in Raleigh since we recently relocated and O-Ku made it a great one! The sushi was fresh and delicious, with a wide variety to choose from. The service was top notch, thanks to our fabulous waiter, Austin, who was amazing! If you're a sushi lover or just in the mood for something special, Sushi O-Ku is highly recommended!

Great service, nice vibe Wish they sold finger food items, but great experience overall