Five Star Restaurant — Restaurant in Raleigh

Venturing into this culinary haven, we were greeted by a hostess whose warmth mirrored the inviting ambiance of the restaurant. Set against an industrial warehouse backdrop subtly infused with Chinese motifs, the atmosphere exuded an air of relaxation and comfort.

Our server, Ryan, proved to be a treasure trove of knowledge, offering insights into the restaurant's curated menu, a concise selection presented on a single sheet of paper. This deliberate choice signaled a focus on quality over quantity, a refreshing departure from overwhelming menus.

My fiancée, feeling adventurous, opted for the "Honey Walnut Shrimp" with Fried Rice, a recent addition to the menu championed by Ryan as a permanent fixture due to its popularity. Meanwhile, I inquired about the establishment's pièce de résistance, the "Five Star General's Chicken", touted as the number one seller.

Commencing our culinary journey with the "Taiwanese Pork Belly Buns", we were treated to tender pork enveloped in a delectable peanut-infused embrace, setting a high standard for what was to follow.

My own dish, the "Five Star General's Chicken", arrived as a visual delight, adorned with a dark brown sauce and sesame seeds. Unlike typical take-out fare, the chicken exhibited a light coating, accompanied by a fragrant fried rice devoid of the usual suspects. Each bite was a testament to culinary excellence, with perfectly balanced flavors and just the right amount of spice.

As for the "Honey Walnut Shrimp", its appearance masked its surprising flavor adventure. Wrapped in a delicate candy type shell, the shrimp revealed a savory seafood center, perfectly balanced by the tantalizing sweetness of the shell. With each bite, the crunch of the walnuts added a delightful contrast, resulting in a dish that seamlessly married sweet and savory flavors. Needless to say, my fiancée was left in a state of pure culinary delight.

In conclusion, our dining experience at this establishment was nothing short of exceptional. With each dish, we were treated to a symphony of flavors that left us eagerly anticipating our next visit to explore more of the...

This is a difficult review to write. In a vacuum, my review score should be matching that of the restaurant’s moniker; the food quality is that good. However, lackluster service on multiple occasions does not allow me to be able to fully recommend this restaurant in good conscience. For context, my wife and I have been here 3 times in the past 5 months. The first couple times were just us 2 and the latest as part of a party of 5. Each time we’ve been sat in the back corner of the dining area near the old fireplace. During our first visit the service was great, second visit not so much but we chalked it up to an off night. This latest visit was the worst of the three. Things started off well; we were seated and promptly ordered drinks, both cocktails and regular sodas. However, it took about 30 minutes for the drinks to come to us. I can understand cocktails taking some time, particularly on a busy Saturday night where the bar can be backed up, but sodas taking that long should be inexcusable. Once we got our drinks, it took another 15 minutes to get our food order taken. This wait likely would’ve longer had we not flagged down a different server to notify them that our server had not come back to take our food order. Meanwhile, multiple tables in our immediate vicinity (with similar sized parties) that were seated 15-20 minutes after us had received drinks and begun to receive appetizers. Once we were able to order, it took quite some time for our food to come out, all the while our waiter never came around to refill our waters or check on other drinks, but once it did it was as delicious as our previous visits. It’s disappointing because from my perspective, this place has the hard part aced: the food is consistently fantastic. But as I said in the opening, the uneven service I’ve experienced is a huge ding on their reputation in my mind. Raleigh is too chock-full of great restaurants to settle for...

I came to Five Star while in town visiting a friend. We decided to partake in restaurant week before a show that night. We made reservations early as our show was at 7pm. When we arrived it was pretty empty but by time we left it was packed. Restaurant week is my favorite thing and I can't believe how inexpensive it is. The Five Star menu was $20 for three courses consisting of an appetizer, entree, and dessert.

For the appetizer we all got something different and decided to share sort of tapas style. We had the heatseeker shrimp, Crab Rangoons, and Chinese BBQ Pork Tostadas. I am not a shrimp person but with some peer pressure I decided to try it. It was actually very good and did not taste "fishy". The serving size for the shrimp was also very large. I would have never guessed that we would get a whole bowl of shrimp. The crab rangoon was my appetizer of choice. It was very good (I'm not sure why I have always loved crab rangoon even though it is seafood).

For my entree I had the Grilled Beef Tenderloin and it had a Sweet Pepper Relish and Black Bean Sauce. They also give you rice as well. The tenderloin was perfect! The relish and sauce mixed with the rice made a perfect side! Everything was cooked to perfection.

By the time dessert came out I was stuffed. But lets be honest...there is always room for dessert. I went with the warm chocolate cake. It wasn't too bad but I was hoping it would have been a bit richer. It was a little light on the chocolate taste.

Overall this was an excellent dining experience and the service was...