Element Gastropub — Restaurant in Raleigh

Legitimately one of the worst and most frustrating experiences I’ve ever had.

I’m from New Jersey, so I’m very familiar with confrontation and not afraid of direct contact. When we walked in, we were ignored for a minimum of 8 minutes. There was also only one other group of 4 there at the time. Our group of 6 did not fit at the regular tables. Given how empty it was and that no one had acknowledged our existence, I assumed to seat yourself.

I started moving two small tables together to fit us and a bald man came over and asked if I needed help. I advised him of the situation, how many people are in the group, and told him why I was moving the tables together. He then berated me for touching the tables and chairs. I took my hands off and waited.

Once we sat down, he came over and immediately informed us that it was a vegan and plant based only menu, and that there is absolutely no meat or dairy on the menu. The actual words he spoke were not the problem. But the fact that when we asked if the “burgers” that they had on menu and “bacon” are not in fact those things, he not only replied in a bitter way, but almost jumped down our throats for even suggesting something so ridiculous, which his menu was clearly designed to appeal to all people.

Personally, I don’t eat plant based but I figured how bad could someone ruin fries?

Well, they did. The taste of the actual potatoes was dirt. Not fresh. Just dirt.

The pretzel tasted like actual uncooked barley and old moldy wheat. The nachos were sub par at best and whatever “meat” they used on it was not appealing in the slightest.

We also attempted to order a mojito. Assuming that we are at a plant based vegan restaurant and that the plants are fresh; we were hoping to really enjoy the drinks. Until our waiter made it very clear that he “did not have most of the ingredients for drinks”

I would not only never go back here, but I don’t even write reviews.

I also had my car blow up on the way home, and somehow this restaurant gave me a worse experience than being stuck on the side of 95, 7 hours from home, with 2 small children in a car and a hole in my engine.

EDIT:

I’m so thrilled that someone from the restaurant was able to follow up on this review, and at the end of it instead of apologizing for a bad experience, I’m then gaslit into being told that I’m the problem.

The problem was not your plant based menu. It was the blatant negligence of your staff to your paying customers that stood at the door waiting for someone to even acknowledge our presence and being completely ignored.

The words I already said were not the problem. However, you very clearly did not read my statement. The point was not informative. He made it a point to be confrontational and almost baiting everyone at our table into an argument about the menu. That was flat out unacceptable.

Not to mention that your response to this review was actually quicker than the response to someone walking into your establishment.

My “weekend” was a bad experience. But the worst of the weekend was attending this place and trying to choke down the food that you’re refusing to accept your part in ruining.

I tried to write a review that was able to properly express how bad of an experience this was, and for your response to just be blaming a customer is mind boggling, but good...

My friend and I visited Element on August 31, 2025 for dinner. We decided to dine outside to enjoy the concert. Our server took our orders and I said I wanted the BLT burger with the fries. When my food arrived it was the wrong burger. It was the double smash burger with the b&b pickles. I don’t like b&b pickles so I definitely didn’t want or order that burger. I chose the BLT burger because I was excited for their vegan bacon. I told the server that it was wrong and then she said “I repeated the order so….” I replied “I pointed to the BLT burger and I didn’t hear you repeat the order. It’s so loud out here due to the concert. Then she (the server) took the burger back. When she arrived it was the same b&b burger that I didn’t order. She stated “The b&b smash burger and BLT burger are the same and that we’ll just bring the bacon out on the side”. I replied that “I want to see the menu”. I wanted to see the menu because I know the menu describes two different burgers. The server said “ok” then after a while she never returned with the menu and said “Yeah, the b&b burger didn’t come with bacon and I can’t do anything for you but put the bacon on the side”. I told the server “Just charge me for the fries that I already ate”. The server then said “noted”. I’ve never been to a restaurant where they weren’t accommodating and said that they couldn’t do anything for me and that I had to accept the food that I didn’t request. My original server never returned and instead another male server came out asking what was the issue. I then informed the new server that “I ordered the BLT burger and not the b&b smash burger that was served and she said we can’t do anything for you”. I also told him ( the new server) that I requested a menu to see the difference in burgers and that she also lied saying that the burger are the same minus the bacon and that we can’t do anything for you if you don’t want the bacon on the side. He (the new server) said “Well she (female server) told me (male server) that she offered you a replacement and you (the customer) refused”. I said that was completely untrue. The male server then stated that I had to pay full price no matter what. I then got upset because I’ve never been treated this way as a paying customer, I never had a problem paying the bill. I have an issue paying for a full meal that I never ate and never requested. Element’s staff didn’t even try to accommodate me or reconcile the issue correctly. The male server then threatened to call the police on me because I was upset over the lack of customer service. It was very degrading and demeaning as a customer who has patronized Element in the past. As I’m waiting on my check expecting to pay for my full bill. The male server then brought out my BLT burger that I originally requested after being threatened by the male server that he was going to call the police over. I was confused because they said they couldn’t remake the BLT burger that I originally requested. I was humiliated over this burger and now here it was being served. I paid for my meal, full price without even eating my burger because of the lack of customer service. The embarrassing treatment I experienced as paying customer left a sour taste...

Wow! What can I say about this amazing and so delightful place. I can actually write a book on how good this place is. I want to give a special thanks to Dakota(manager). She is the most welcoming spirit and has a very positive magnetic energy. I am doing veganism as a new vegan, and I told her that I don’t do well with things that are predominantly made with soy little bit of soy is OK, but mostly soy, I cannot eat because it gives me a bad reaction.she was so accommodating and found things on their menu that I can eat and that taste immaculate. This was the first time I went there and I had their cheese steak. When I She was so accommodating and found things on their menu that I can eat and that taste immaculate. This was the first time I went there and I had their cheese steak. When I say it was the closest thing to a Philly cheesesteak and I literally used to work for almost 17 years at , a cheesesteak restaurant in Wilmington, North Carolina. As a vegan cheesesteak, this was the best I’ve ever had because it taste just like a cheesesteak and it was so delightful. These pictures are based off of the second time I went within a week period. My husband and I went for lunch for a day date. My husband is not a vegan at all, but he supports my journey and wants to help me in anyway that he can. So I got the scallop scampi pasta and he got the beef ribs and then we shared the BLT. I would have to say that the beef ribs was not his cup of tea I guess because of the sauce being a little on the two spicy side but also to me I taste the molasses in the salsa. I wasn’t a fan of the sauce, and I really think the meat could’ve been a little bit more denser as far as to have that beef rib texture. He was not a fan nor was I. However, that’s a small thing to a giant. The potato salad was beyond immaculate. The scallopini was divine and the BLT was all that plus more and a bag of chips and soda on the side make it rain and pour it out. All that and a mouthful for that BLT as well because it was so good that my husband actually told him he wasn’t happy with the beef ribs and they allowed him to switch it out for the BLT. He was so grateful and he gave our daughter and a piece of the BLT and she was like I have to go back there and get another one. When I say the vibe in this restaurant is , it goes without saying. It’s really a vibe. Anyone who’s vegan or not vegan you go there you have something amazing to drink and eat and your hearing good music and the service is immaculate. Oh I have to give a special shout out to Sadie. She is so wonderful when we go back there I’m going to especially request her because when my husband and I went there , Sadie was so kind and caring. She is an amazing waitress and has a energetic spirit. Thank you Gastropub Element for making my transition to Vegan from...