STIR — Restaurant in Raleigh

Both times I have been to STIR have both been exactly the same, disappointing. The first experience I had was about 3 months ago when me and my partner sat at the bar to have drinks and apps. The bartender took forever to even "greet" us, and by "greet" I mean stepped up to the bar without saying "hello" or "what can I get you?" but instead just stood there. So we assumed she wanted our order, so we apprehensively placed it. Once we received our drink we noticed flies circling around the several dirty glasses sitting at the end of the bar, which made us change our minds about getting any food. We wanted to order another drink but the bartender was too busy talking to other staff members at the end of the bar and when we finally caught her attention she just walked up to us without saying ANYTHING, so that made us get our bill instead of sitting there being ignored and surrounded by flies. The 2nd experience we had was almost exactly the same. About 2 weeks ago we decided to give it another try and sat at the bar again. We sat there for almost 15 minutes before the bartender even greeted us. He seemed like he was super busy and stressed but when I looked around to an almost empty restaurant and a few customers at the bar I was confused. Once he gave us our drinks he then disappeared again for another 10 minutes. When he reappeared we were ready to order another drink, but once again never asked us how the drinks were or if we wanted another round. So we finally waved him over and ordered a 2nd round and at this time a new patron sat at the bar next to me and asked for a menu. The bartender then picked up our menus and slammed them down in front of the new guy at the bar. Meanwhile there are several dirty cups on the bar and behind the bar was filthy, and again even more flies. Maybe this is a good place to go sit down and get food/drinks but this is definitely NOT a place to go to enjoy a few drinks at the bar. There are so many better options in North Hills and sadly after my last 2 experiences at STIR, I will not be coming back. Coming from someone who has 15+ years experience in the restaurant industry...my suggestion to management would be to find friendlier, more personable bartenders, and to make sure the bar is kept tidy and clean so customers are not afraid...

Stir never disappoints this was our the third time here…

We arrived just before the Saturday night rush with our children in tow. Although there weren’t many open tables inside, we opted to sit outside and we’re glad we did. The weather was calm with a subtle breeze, and the temperature wasn’t too hot. The outdoor seating let us enjoy the lively atmosphere of the city the hum of conversations and life happening all around us.

It took a little longer than expected to receive our drinks after being seated, likely due to the crowd. One suggestion for the restaurant would be to have a patio floater or hostess assist servers in managing outdoor tables, especially during peak times. We even overheard another guest mention that no one had come to serve them after being seated, which could’ve easily been avoided with a bit more attention outside.

Fortunately, our server Makeala was fantastic attentive, kind, and always checking in to make sure we had everything we needed.

We started with two Caesar salads and a plate of Char-Broiled Oysters ($17.95), which were a big hit—especially with my wife, who’s been craving them ever since our trip to Charleston, SC. The Caesar salads ($11.00 for each) were fresh with crisp greens and generous shavings of cheese that even our kids enjoyed.

I ordered the Braised Short Ribs from the monthly specials menu ($32.95). The meat literally fell off the bone and was beautifully plated with au gratin cauliflower and microgreens. A flavorful, comforting dish. My wife had the Lobster & Shrimp White Cheddar Mac & Cheese ($29.95). It was rich and delicious, but we both agreed it could use a bit more sauce. Next time, we’ll request extra on the side. Our children ordered from the kids’ menu: Chicken Fingers and Mac & Cheese, both served with what we believe were hand-cut fries crispy and perfectly seasoned. They devoured everything!

Overall, we had a wonderful evening. The service was strong (shoutout again to Makeala), the food was flavorful and well-prepared, and the atmosphere made the evening memorable. Next time, we’ll probably make a reservation and choose to sit indoors but Stir has definitely earned another repeat visit from our family.

Would recommend for families, date nights, and anyone craving...

FOOD IS SO BLAND I THOUGHT I HAD COVID

My boyfriend and I are in town for a wedding and decided to try STIR for brunch due to its proximity to our hotel. If I would have known how God-awful this place is I would have preferred to walk 10 miles barefoot on a road with broken glass to another restaurant instead of eating at Stir.

SERVICE: I've had better service at an airport Chilli's. We sat at the bar thinking we would be accommodated faster than a table and we were wrong. It took them 10 minutes to even ACKNOWLEDGE us and we waited another 10 minutes to order. By the time the food arrived, we waited about 50 minutes after ordering. The woman who was behind the bar moved slower than a sloth and I genuinely feel so sorry for the other bartender behind the bar who was running around doing 95% of the work. In addition, our glasses of water were empty for over 20 minutes before they topped it off.

FOOD: I ordered the Shrimp & Crab Benedict under the assumption that it would be more than decent. WRONG. The meal was so bland I literally thought I had COVID and lost my sense of taste. I had to drench the meal in salt to confirm that I did in fact have my sense of taste and the benedict is just criminally unseasoned. We also ordered the Deviled Eggs and were just as unimpressed. The eggs looked so nice, but it also had no flavor. You would get tastier deviled eggs pre-packaged from a shady gas station. Again, I also thought I lost my sense of taste from COVID. My boyfriend ordered the Baja Omelette and requested sausage on top. The omelette tasted like they cut the eggs with tap water. AND THEY LEFT OUT THE SAUSAGE and he was already halfway through his omelette when they brought out another plate with his correct order.

AMBIANCE: The restaurant itself was really nice and put together. BUT DON'T LET THAT FOOL YOU-- they're compensating for their horrendous food.

STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE. I LITERALLY WENT OUT OF MY WAY TO MAKE A YELP PAGE TO...