518 West Italian Cafe

Recommends

Vanessa H.

Joined 1 year ago

Awesome service, food is good. This is one of our regular family dinning spots. The service is always great (5 star), and it's the kind of place where the waiters/waitresses and greeters remember you and are great with children. The food is brought out very quickly, which is a big plus when eating out as a family. I absolutely love the bread they bring out; it's obviously freshly made. I've had a lot of different dishes, and the food is good (3-4 stars). It's not anything that "wows" me, but it is consistent and good. It has that freshly prepared taste, not a prepackaged and heated flavor. I highly recommend going with the specials; those are probably some of their best meals they have. They also have some very tasty mixed drink specials. Unless you eat at 5 pm on the weekends, I would recommend a reservation.

Doesn't Recommend

LLAnne

Joined 3 years ago

TERRIBLE TERRIBLE NEVER GO HERE!!!!!!!!!. First i only gave it a star b/c I had to. Otherwise I would not give it one at all. Big Frown face instead.

Whoever said this was 4 star obviously does not know anything about the culinary arts. The food was completely overrated.

The waitstaff and greeters were amazing.

Except for the short pudgy woman who greeted us and took us to our table. She needed to wax her mustache. I was feeling a sick revolting feeling and could feel the vomit coming up after she seated us. Thankfully we had an attractive lady wait on us so I gained my appetite back.

Only to lose it again. I swear the pasta tasted like card board. Awful. There are so many other Italian restaurants in Raleigh who are much better than this! It was a disappointment.

Recommends

Kevin Coats

Joined 4 years ago

Excellent Italian in Raleigh. 518 West is one of the best Italian eateries in Raleigh! It's located in a 100 year old building that started life as a train depot! On the inside, you'll see exposed brick and plaster walls, making you think you're in NY loft! The food is excellent and the service is always good. Don't miss the whole wheat fettuccine and the brownie dessert! And if you're ever in Chapel Hill, 518's sister restaurant 411 on Franklin St. serves basically the same menu in a similar environment. Posted by Kevin Coats

Recommends

cratledge

Joined 11 years ago

Great d'town eats.. Have been coming here and its sister restaurant 411 West in Chapel Hill for many years, and have never been disappointed. Great food and drinks consistently. Highly recommend the Whole Wheat Fettucine and Lemon Linguine. Great place!

Doesn't Recommend

SAS1278

Joined 3 years ago

North Carolina Italian. The building is fantastic. We sat upstairs and had a great view of the whole place, and I was very excited for the meal to come...but, um...not so good.

I would say if you enjoy Carraba's, or Johnny Carrinos or the like, you might eat here and think it was fabulous because the food is essentially comparable but in a far more fabulous setting. But if you grew up in the Tri-state area, or in an Italian family or just consider yourself a true fan of real Italian cooking, skip it. It will be a huge disappointment.

The sauce was bad, the pizza not much better. My pasta was overcooked, everything tasted like it was seasoned with the kind of "Italian seasoning" mix you get from Mrs. Dash. Sadly, every time a native recommends a "great" Italian place to me...I end up with pretty much the same experience.

The waitstaff was nice though :)

Recommends

2bmarried

Joined 3 years ago

MMMM :). I've liked just about everything I've ordered from the restaurant! The bread, pasta, salad, pizza, and dessert are all GOOD! The only downfall is that they often change their menu, and the removed items are always things I love!

Doesn't Recommend

cheers2all9

Joined 4 years ago

Seriously?. 518 has this "reputation" in NC that's completely overrated. this is basic Italian food that you could get at the olive garden....maybe my particular experience was just a bad night for the place, but after waiting to be seated, I expected a little more flavor in the food. I would go again, but not by choice.