10/19/09

Best Restaurant in town

by Big Daddy

Have been to Angus Barn many times. Ask for what you want. Think of menu as starting point. Have had custom orders all the time. For Special occasions ask for Table in celler. Went there on 20th anniversary. Six to Seven course meal with wine for every course. Able to talk to chef as he prepared our meal. My wife loved the tips. $100 per person. Worth every penny. Great steaks and seafood. Have eaten at all the big name restaurants in North America and some in South America. Still in top 5. On a regular meal night can call, get in and out in 1 hour. Better than any outback waiting line. Have 2 great steaks and sides for $90.00 with leftovers for breakfast. I can't get out of other resturants in town for under $70. $20 to be a human - priceless!!! Service is best. Anybody will stop and get your drinks or fix any issue. Week nights busy with Business clients, try Sunday night. Have great buffets at holidays.

• Pros: Service, groups, special rooms for couples
• Cons: Busy. Make reservations

08/22/09

Snobby and so so food

by rstoomanyhobbies

Third visit here in four years and each time I have the highest expectations that just aren't met. This time I tried the 'signature' dish of this period, flounder with veggies cooked in parchment paper. For $33 approx, the fish has no taste other than that of the burned paper. They did exchange it for a small filet and though very tender, had no real taste other than the salt I begrudgingly added. Excellent customer service (not from our waiter) added a complimentary dessert, we wrongly chose the key lime pie which had very little taste and was frozen hard. Seriously, a key lime pie from the grocery store (Edwards, etc.) has more taste than this. I have heard the other desserts are excellent but not this one. Seating: on top of your neighbor, hear every word, just no ambiance at all. Our waiter, please I don't need you to make up the name of the daughter of the winery owner like you're best friends. We just wanted a simple glass of wine. ho-hum, no more for me/us. At these prices, there is just not the value in my opinion. If some (and many do as the crowds came in around 8pm) find this a great place - go for it.

• Pros: Very tender beef,
• Cons: Cramped seating, snobby service, extreme pricing

08/14/09

ARE YOU SERIOUS

by PIZZA1

not a romantic place to be.. just good food that cost more than the NORM but I like to go .. because it makes people feel important to spend money

• Pros: good food
• Cons: over priced

04/08/09

You're only paying for the Atmosphere

by piratesgs

I was not impressed with anything from the Angus Barn except the atmosphere. I felt rushed the entire time I was there. I hate when you can't even finish a salad and the steak was already on its way to the table. My filet was over cooked and was seasoned with nothing better than anything I could get at an Outback (for a cheaper price mind you)

• Pros: atmosphere
• Cons: food, service

02/09/09

Completely over-rated

by Andrew621

Just as the user before, I've lived here for 10 years and never went to Angus Barn. Always heard of it, was recommended but I don't know, just never went. My wife and I went this past weekend and it was a decent experience. The service was average. The server did not speak much, bascially he got our order and that was the most we saw him all night. The steaks were just good, I thought and I had mashed potatoes but they were beyond salty. It wasn't even tolerable to eat kind of salty. Worse mashd potatoes I've ever had. Maybe I came on an off night. I know everyone has them. Maybe for being in service for so long they have gotten slack as well. I don't know. I always try to give a restaurant 2-3 trips before I make a decision if I'm never going back. Hopefully next time will be better.

• Pros: Was seated promptly
• Cons: Not a good place for a romantic night

12/28/08

Not Romantic but good food

by debcom

We've lived here for ten years but had never yet been to Angus Barn, so when our 20th anniversary approached we made reservations a good four months in advance. We told them when we made the reservation (and again when we confirmed just a week out) that we were celebrating this milestone anniversary, and that we had never been to the restaurant and we asked for a romantic table worthy of the occasion. I told them specifically that I wasn't familiar with their assorted rooms and asked them to pick out a romantic spot for us. We arrived and were seated very promptly, but we were given a spot in the main room where a large family party was going on, complete with little kids just being kids, but being loud and running around, and we were seated in a corner with a small partition and a table right next to us where two businessmen were having a conversation so loud I could scarcely hear my husband. I was closer to this strange guy than I was to the man I was celebrating with! We asked the waiter if there was something in another part of the restaurant, and that we'd be willing to wait, but he apologized and said no, they were full up that evening.

There were balloons on the table, sure, but that hardly made up for the very public, common day atmosphere. Our food was great and the service was excellent and we made the best of it, but c'mon, all I've heard about for years was how wonderful this place was for celebrations, and here I was on my 20th anniversary and I might as well have been in an airport for all the "romance." Later on we walked around the restaurant and I couldn't believe how many other rooms and tables would have been more appropriate for us. To me, if the restaurant can't get that simple request, made far in advance, correct, then they don't get my repeat business or my recommendation.

• Pros: great waiter, prompt seating
• Cons: didn't listen to customer, very expensive for what you get

11/18/08

The best bar ever!

by joshua7

I went to Angus Barn years ago and thought it was over-priced and that the steaks weren't the rage they claimed to be. But the last two times I went, it was great. Expensive, yes, but worth it. Maybe my taste buds or appreciation for steaks hadn't developed when I was young, I don't know. But MAN, their ribeye tastes so very good!

Man, I LOVE the bar! We went with a bunch of friends and sat in a little cozy area next to a fireplace (there were several) with plush couches and a coffee table between us. Excellent service. Free crackers and cheese and olives and celery. More comfy than our living room!

I love the barn-feel and the barrel of apples on your way out. This place is cool-ito!

• Pros: the BEST ambiance, fireplace, free crackers-n-cheese & olives, cozy feel, GREAT service
• Cons: expensive (but worth it)

11/15/08

Overpriced, Bland, and tough meat - Overpriced - yes!

by LuckyBubba

My wife says: "Prime rib was bland and tough" My feeling is that they do age their steak, but use a low quality grade beef - select or lower. The crackers and the cheese -compliments of the house - was the best part of the meal - oh yes, the desert was good. It is possible they wet age instead of dry age which would be the reason for the blandness of their steaks. The steaks did not exhibit shrinkage which is an indicator of a good dry age steak along with a nice nutty flavor.

I don't quite understand the hoopla behind this place and maybe because I am rather new here. This place was recommended by a friend and I'll only recommend it for the atmosphere. This place is about atmosphere like the cheesecake factory which is very bland and about the worst cheesecake I've ever eaten.

I've had much better steaks at applebee's and of course the steaks I make at home.

Save your hard earned money, this place will cost you about a 100.00 a head for a fast evening. The angus barn is great if you want to impress your friends with how much money you have or your status. But they will have the last laugh.

If you want to take you friends out for a great time and the food service is not too fast (allows for more time with friends) try CasaLinga on Capital or even "On the border" and enjoy.

Bottom line: I think we are being fooled as a consumer when eating at the Angus Barn. I honestly do not believe you are receiving what they are implying.

I once went to a popular restaurant and made an honest mention at the end of the meal which is going against the popular belief that I did not like the food and did not understand why so many people did. I was worried about the feedback and to my surprise, nobody else like it there either!! Ask your friends and family for an honest opinion because you might just be throwing your money out the window because you think that you are making them happy!

• Pros: Cheese and Crackers and good atmosphere
• Cons: Poor Grade Beef and probably wet aged. Not fine dining - it is a steak house

11/09/08

Heading Down The Drain Fast - A Real Shame

by saturnfan

Our first few visits to the Angus Barn were great - good food and attentive service.

Our last visit in August visit this week were totally different regarding the food quality. Service was still great.

The prime rib was tasteless and tough - totally opposite from previous visits. The lamb was fatty and had poor taste.

Prices have gone up quite a bit, but food quality is down in the drain. In fact, Outback's $9.95 steak special is much better than the steak at Angus Barn.

Since this restaurant is a Raleigh tradition and owners are involved in many worthy causes, we hope they wake up before this great eating place is no more.

• Pros: Great service, local history exhibits
• Cons: Lousy meats have replaced previously great selections

10/17/08

service bad,great food

by bookamania

the food is heavenly.not the service.tables with males and children get nice treatment.not the female tables.the waitstaff rude to female tables. not volunter to wait on them,give food,bill and drink,not come back to table after the food and drink given,volunteer.rush to get rid of female customers. waitstaff tell females not want to write down order,not a job description. the food order is not given correctly. the waitstaff not volunteer to do anything about it. also overcharge customers. female tables,female have to ask the waitstaff to come back to table.often waitstaff will walk away with out explination in the middle of the meal and not come back at all. try to start fights with customers,back talk rude and interrupt females while speaking to them. they give food,drink and bill run away. not busy at all. when ordering a small size steak,the waitstaff will bring back a larger size steak. and charge more for it. without telling the customers what was done until the check arrived.i had argue and not pay for the steak. told the waitstaff they knew it was a mistake and not do anything about it.

• Pros: the food
• Cons: the service bad.employees what happen to the nice service.