The Cardinal Bar — Restaurant in Raleigh

A bar and hot dog joint, you say? My prejudice murmured "must be run-of-the-mill hot dogs, those take it or leave it dogs (you're probably better off leaving it) from the store that they mark up for convenience". But No No No! These reasonably priced dogs are deliiiiicious!

We begin with the base dog of $3 with offerings of ketchup, mustard, relish, and sriracha at no charge. Other fixings can be added for additional money (maybe $.25 each i think?). You're vegetarian? They have a tasty veggie dog for you for a dollar more. Numerous friends have commented on the excellence of the non-meat option. Not just a "oh its an ok veggie dog" but a, "This is a great veggie dog!". Either meat or meatless, the dog comes out in a toasted bun as to the likes of grilled cheese (minus the cheese of course. We're talking dogs here.). So. Darn. Delicious!

The place is small and comfortable with the inside accommodating two tables of 6, two tables of 4, and a bar of about 10 or so stools. There are a few arcade games in the corner and a giant map of Raleigh on the wall for a trendy fun atmosphere. The outside covered porch has a lot more seating and those stand up heaters. And as an extra bonus, there's an arm chair seat in one of the bathrooms. That may mean nothing to you.. but for some, that's a big deal :) The bar is stocked with liquor galore and a variety of beers. On the two occasions I've been here, the bartenders have been friendly and chilled out. A nice place to relax with a brew and a good eat or to just grab a quick tasty bite...

Hot dogs are tasty if soggy. Haven't tried the veggie dog but my friend liked it. The picked okra is a nice touch and they have good chips. Only one porch heater had propane when we went. The service is reasonably fast and decent. Beer on tap was somewhat flat and not that cold. Don't put any money in the jukebox. The bartenders fancy themselves DJs and will skip all your songs and scream about how they won't listen to that song. They really seemed to hate Spanish language music, but were cool with Kenny Rogers. Not sure what that's about but it was pretty rude. Apparently, you pay for the privilege of the bartenders judging your musical taste. I probably won't come back, as I seriously could do without the joyless, unwelcoming vibe they work hard to perpetuate in there. I don't know if they're trying to keep people away, but I fear it might be working, as it was pretty dead on a Friday night. Snoopy's has better hot...

I own a business close to the Cardinal, so in my quest to find spots to frequent I decided to visit. If I could give this excuse for an establishment negative stars, I would. The products they sell aren’t the issue. The horrendously insensitive, uncouth, disrespectful staff is the problem here. I gave this place two chances with two different bartenders and I have never felt so insulted in my life. The first bartender rudely told us to “hurry up” with our payment within 3 minutes of us sitting down and ordering it. The second time, a bartender i never saw said he didn’t want to serve my partner because he didn’t feel he would give him a tip. What kind of business are you rubbing here? I can assure you that my clients, family and friends will NEVER step foot in this place if I...