Vin Rouge — Restaurant in Durham

On August 14, my partner and I dined here to celebrate my birthday. The young lady, Alex, who seated us was exemplary. Such a pleasant person with a beautiful smile who greeted us warmly and asked if it was our first time at the restaurant and if we were celebrating a special occasion. Five Stars to her. Too bad she is not waiting tables!

That is the only positive aspect of this review. The overall experience was really disappointing considering that we spent $170 for the experience, including the tip.

The first indication that this restaurant is still not living up to its reputation was that no ice was served in our small glasses with the tap water that had been pre-filled into botles resembling wine bottles. The water was not cold either. The second indication that this was not going to be an ideal experience is that we realized after about thrity minutes that the air conditioning system was not working properly. It became hotter and more uncomfortable as our two-hour dining experience progressed.

Next, and most important, our waiter was not nearly as attentive as he should have been given the impression that people have of this restaurant and the expectation of good service considering the quality of the food and the prices. We waited an inordinate amount of time between eating our appetizer and receiving our main entree with no explanation or apology from the waiter. We sat there for an eternity. We felt ignored. This waiter does not have the personality to be working in such a restaurant. Half of the pleasure for many people when dining out is the service and the interaction with the server. We were sorely disappointed. At the end of our meal, he came by and held up the bill presenter without saying a word or thanking us for dining at the restaurant. It was really unusual and just weird. Simply put, this waiter has the personality of cardboard.

This was our third time dining at this restaurant over a number of years, and regrettably, it has not improved since the first time we dined here. Quite simply, Vin Rouge is overrated for the atmosphere, inattention to detail, poor service, and the price that one is charged. You will have a better experience elsewhere and be...

UPDATE: 12/30/23 We've been eating at this bistro for almost 15 years, mainly at times of special occasions. Last night was our best visit yet! I don't know how this restaurant continues to improve year after year, but they find a way! The maître d' was very jovial and helpful, the manager made a point to visit every table to ensure the happiness of each party's visit, the waiter's service was impeccable, and the chef worked his art with both of the daily specials that we had. The crab gratiné dip had at least a half cup of flavorful meat in it; the sea bass served with a lemon butter and fresh thyme sauce was outstanding... fresh, a bit tangy, perfect consistency and unforgettable. The wine list was exceptional as always with well chosen by-the-glass options.

We've lived in the Triangle for 14 years, and this is hands down the best French restaurant we've experienced. My wife has traveled France extensively, and we celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary there with two dear friends who lived outside of Grenoble. First, Vin Rouge has an excellent by-the-glass and by the bottle wine list. The waiter will even split the glass between your fellow diner and you, making it enjoyable to do your own pairings for each course. The baked oyster appetizer, topped with perfectly browned gruyere was delicious, as was the goat cheese and caramelized onion tart. For the main courses we had the striped bass and the bouillabaise. Again, both prepared to perfection. For dessert, the Belgian chocolate mousse. A little dense, but a great way to end the meal. Service was great; really enjoyable atmosphere for our 27th anniversary. And if you love seafood with that southern France touch, this is the place for you! If you're looking for a bistro experience, they have that, too, in the outside dining area. But if you're looking for a fine dining...

Hostess was very friendly, atmosphere is great. Outdoor seating area is great, especially those looking a safer dining experience during Covid. However, the service, and food was disappointing. Having dined at St Jaques in Raleigh for years, I was very excited and looking forward to trying the other very popular French restaurant in the triangle. I've been wanting to try this place for a while now. The reviews I read were great! Unfortunately, it didn't measure up for me. Our server While nothing terrible, did the basic service routine. I had to ask for everything. Basically it felt like a "can I take your order" experience. Sadly, I watched as other tables adjacent to me, with larger groups receive a entirely different experience. They were explaining the menu, friendly, and very helpful to the larger groups. It made us feel under appreciated to say the least. That said, our waiter did rush out my boxed up leftovers that I had forgotten, so that made up for a lot! Thank you! The food - French onion soup was broth with a glob of cheese, not what I would expect from an "Authentic" French restaurant. I've had a better at national chain restaurants. Salad was pretty basic. Wine that I asked the waiter to recommend was $80, and I honestly wasn't that impressed. It lacked the complexity that I expected at that price point. After that, we waited a long time to receive our entrees. Pacing was way off. SHRIMP PROVENCAL was over cooked and did not seem fresh. I will say that the GRATIN DE MACARONI was really good, probably the only notable dish that I recall caring for. I did feel that this is a more casual French restaurant experience that they are providing..and that I do appreciate. However, I won't be rushing back...