Stanbury — Restaurant in Raleigh

The ambiance was amazing, the music was awesome, and the bartender was great. My rating would've been 5 stars, if not for the differences in the way I was treated by the other restaurant staff relative to the people dining next to me, and the fact that I didn't find the food and drink to be well-made enough to justify the price. I was dining alone - and this might have been the reason for the restaurant's behavior - but they charged me the same amount for the dishes and drink, so I felt shortchanged at the end of the night.

When I first arrived, the hostess asked me if I would be willing to sit at the bar, which I agreed to; no problems there. Then she asked me to wait, sitting me next to what looked like a burning aluminum trash can outside (the temperature was in the 30's). When a group of 3 girls arrived after me, they were told to sit at a small outdoor bar instead. I commented half-jokingly that it felt like I was a hobo, but the hostess didn't acknowledge my comment. This was the first time I detected that larger groups seemed to be treated significantly better, but at the time I forgave it as a one-off oversight.

After five minutes or so, the hostess seated me at the bar next to a couple in their 60's. Each time a dish arrived for the couple, they were treated the way one would expect at a fine dining restaurant - the server would take a few seconds to explain what the dish was, and recommend how to eat it. I got no such treatment, despite both of us being seated at the bar, and making small talk with each other throughout our meals. Granted: the couple were also ordering wine, and the restaurant probably figured they were "whales", willing to work harder for a larger tip. Still, the disconnect between their experience and mine was disappointing, and I might've ordered more things had my experience been on par with those around me.

The final reason for my rating is because the food and cocktail were simply not that good relative to the price. First, the cocktail was mostly ice; large chunks of ice easily took up more than half of the glass's volume. I don't blame the bartender for this, since the cocktail recipe was likely not his, but it resulted in a disappointingly weak (but still tasty) drink. Second, the dishes themselves weren't very good: the swordfish dish looked pretty, but didn't taste balanced; everything around the fish tasted way too acidic - especially the beet sauce surrounding the fish on the plate - and the fish itself was very oily/buttery for some reason. The bone marrow dish also looked very pretty, but the toast was severely burnt (see picture), and for the price I was expecting a lot more interesting of a dish - not just bone marrow and toast with a side garnish.

Overall, I'd recommend this place if you are a couple and intend to buy wine; the staff will probably treat you better, and the wine will probably get you buzzed enough to not care too much...

Okay friends, there has been a trend in the U.S. post Covid, where restaurants lost a lot of their skilled folks, and seem to have had to cut costs and quality goes first.

THIS DID NOT HAPPEN TO THE STANBURY!!!!! This is my go to spot to recommend to others and to eat out at when I can afford it. Often, high dollar restaurants are also full of pretentious wait staff that act like you are eating at the restaurant of an Iron Chef (looking at you brodetto). The idea that if the place is nice enough, then the wait staff can be rude and act like you should be so excited they allowed you to eat there IS NOT A THING AT STANBURY! Everyone is very kind, and puts energy into their service to the patron. Literally everyone is nice, kind and often interesting.

The menu constantly changes and the food is fabulous. I can’t say enough about it. I mean they have dishes inspired by so many cultures and cuisines. In one night we had some Thai food and Near East plates and the best desert I have had in my life! Now, I’m not rich and I haven’t eaten at the finest restaurants in Paris or Rome, although I have been to both. What I can say is that I love good food and I have a nose/taste for it when I find it. What I love that the STANBURY shares with European and other overseas dining is that it all tastes fresh. Each ingredient stands out (when it should). They somehow capture a flavor profile that matches exactly what you see on their menu. It tastes better than it reads which almost never happens.

Each time you go you can have a new experience. I had kibbeh niyah, soft shell crab Thai style and several other dishes. The deserts were insane. As in, I’m on death row for whacking someone (who I’m sure deserved it, in this fictional account) this is the desert I want to have before they fry me or punch me with enough potassium to make me say night night forever.

I don’t like oysters….turns out I do, I just hadn’t had any as good as the ones from here. I ordered a second helping. The wine was good but I can’t recall the name.

Bottom line is that in a time and place where restaurants are bougie, charging a ton for not much, skip them and go to the Stanbury. Kind people, great food, calm, relaxing, unpretentious atmosphere. Wondrous flavors from all over the world in one place. They don’t take reservations so show up and roll the dice. You can get small plates and beverages while you wait on their patio.

The inside is really weirdly decorated and fun. The decoration of the place is tongue in cheek, whimsical and fun. It’s almost a symbol of the fact that they don’t take themselves too seriously. They want a fun dining experience, and they deliver every single time I have been.

So if you want to have some great food on an evening out, or you are about to get the chair, make this your last meal if it’s in Raleigh, NC. You...

Selfishly, I don't want to sing Stanbury's praises because I want the wait times to stay down 😄 For my money, there is no better place to dine in the area. The quality and variety of food is unparalleled. Even if the menu didn't change frequently, which I love, I would still justify the cost to dine at Stanbury regularly. I will address the elephant in the room and admit that the prices are not low, but I am glad for it. You get every cent of what you pay for, and more, because the service is amazing and the atmosphere is relaxing. Unlike other restaurants with a similar price point, the staff does not act aloof or too cool for school. You can chat them up as much as you want and they are always fun, accommodating, knowledgeable, and genuinely gracious. I feel welcomed, from start to finish, every time I dine here. As far as menu items, the creativity is off the charts. I also love the use of offal, even though I eat a plant based diet, because I think it is important for those who eat meat to feel comfortable eating cuts other than those considered the most desirable. I feel it is important to make use of the entire animal. I bet Stanbury has changed a lot of minds about a lot of things like sweetbreads, for example. Plan on ordering at least one small plate to share, as well as each of the dessert offerings. They are always amazing, even one as simple as vanilla ice cream with cashews and chili crisp. That one ended up being our favorite of the three when we dined last month just because of the high-low feel and nostalgia of a bowl of ice cream. We are splitting hairs, though, all three desserts were stellar. Oh, and if you think you don't want to "waste" your starter/small plate on the bread and butter, think again. It is worth the price and the space in your belly. Just wear stretchy pants. You'll also want to order at least one of their creative cocktails or a couple of pours from their extensive bourbon list, if you're into it. Stanbury will make you forget about everything around you and have you savoring every bite of food and focusing only on your dining partner(s). Please excuse my rambling and poorly written review and take away this key point: add this spot to your rotation and your life will be...