Carolina Ale House - Cary — Restaurant in Cary

I have to admit that our experience at the Carolina Ale House on April 5th, 2025 tops our worst experience ever list. We arrived about 2 hours after attending a concert. When we entered there was a very long lune of people and we were actually going to leave and find another place to eat until we found out that the line was for doordash orders. We were seated almost immediately but that was the ONLY positive thing that happened.

The restaurant was not even half full. We waited for about 10 mins before anyone came to get our drink order so we ordered our drinks, a coffee and an unsweetened tea, and our dinner (2 order of 12 piece grilled wings with a side vegetable). We received our drinks and my coffee tasted stale and it was luke warm. We waited another 10 minutes just for the waiter to come back so I could ask him to change my drink to an unsweetened tea, which I never got. As we waited and waited for our food we saw servers and hosts running back and forth to the door with huge doordash orders. Meanwhile, everyone in the restaurant was waiting for their food orders. People started complaining, so the servers started handing our $5 off cards. Our server finally comes back to the table and apologizes for the food taking so long. He says if we want to wait it should be only 10 more minutes. By this time we have been there for about an hour so we say...okay fine we will wait. More doordash delivers gp out the door. More and more door dashers show up at the door. More doordash delivers go. Another 20 minutes go by and then the server brings our order or should I say, half of it. He tells us that the other entree somehow got taken and that they were not going to remake it because it was now after 1:30am and they "don't accept orders after 1:30 am." Of course we tell him that is unacceptable and we need to speak tp the manager. He leaves and comes back about 10 mins later informing us that they will cook the other entree. Another 15 mins go by and at that time we have had enough. More doordash orders go out. More people complain. Then then they started serving customers the food that others had ordered but had left after waiting so long. The food (one entree) that they did bring was overcooked and bland. We asked to speak with a manager several times and when she finally came over as we were preparing to leave she seemed totally clueless and was not very apologetic. Her claim is that she was unable to pause the doordash orders and she had been calling her senior leaders for help and no one was responding to her nor would they assist her. The staff also state that they only had 3 cooks.

I understand being short staffed but at some point when do you say, "hey we have customers IN OUR RESTAURANT that need to be served so prepare their orders first. How do you tell a customer that has been sitting in your restaurant that their order got lost and you will not prepare it because it is now after 1:30 am BUT you are still preparing and sending out doordash orders.

As a popular chain restaurant, I expected much better than the service and quality of food we experienced lasr night. Shame on you Carolina Ale House,...

Yesterday was my little sister’s bachelorette party. We finished shopping and wanted a bite to eat. I made the mistake of suggesting Carolina Ale House because before this, I never had a bad experience. It was my first and last time at the Cary location.

First, it took a while to get service even though we came before the large group. We ordered and it took forever for the food. My party wanted to leave but I assured them it’d be worth the wait. This was my fault so I’m leaving the review. I ordered coffee. It was not good and ended up taking a nap anyway. Waiting is fine when the food is good and CORRECT. However they placed the wrong order in front of me, shrimp which gives me anaphylactic shock. My sister boxed it for our dad.

Additionally, we ordered appetizers, one of which never came. They were just fried pickles and fries. Why would that take more than an hour? My party got their food but it wasn’t worth it. One was without mayo though she asked for extra mayo. Hard onions though they should be caramelized and bland “Cajun” food. I never got my correct order. Never got fries. We were there about two hours.

When got into the parking lot, we burst out laughing. We laughed about how you could cut the tension with knife when I asked for the check. One heckled the burger order saying “EAT THAT DRY BURGER!” We continued, “Yes, I’d like the Cajun without the Cajun. Add toenails (the almost raw onions).” Then my party looked at me asking if I could even review since I got no service. I joked saying they were jealous because Carolina Ale House was growing my potatoes and they aren’t used to organic food. We had a blast, but not the way I expected. I’m happy they were cool since I forced them to go...

The food and service was sub par. If you don't care about the quality of food and don't mind wait staff that could care less, this is the place for you.

I started off ordering a margaritas, and of course being sold in a chain sports pub it was served in a tall glass rimmed with salt and a straw...

I ordered an appetizer and pub burger for the meal, but when I asked if the fresh never frozen burger was ground in house or not, they said it came in frozen. I of course order my burger medium well as I didn't want to take the chance of getting food poisoning from a frozen undercooked burger patty.

Granted the place was very busy, but after about 20min the appetizer and the burger both came out at the same time. Obviously trying to rush me out of the restaurant. I asked the waitress to bring it back, and she replied that the kitchen was very busy, and if I wanted it to be remade so I could enjoy the appetizer it would take a very long while.

I reluctantly told her to just leave the food, and when I tried the fried pickles the skin of them was like thin chewy leather. After I finished that, the burger itself was medium on one side... but the other was well done. Eventually I got to the fries and at this point they were ice cold.

As far as the service, I didn't tip, because when the waitress that you start with isn't even the one to bring the food to you, when they don't know the burgers are frozen, and when they do nothing to address that the appetizer came out with the main course, you don't deserve a tip. Sorry not sorry.

With that being said I ate the food. I was hungry and really didn't feel like finding another place to go last minute. Would I return here however, absolutely...