Village Tavern — Restaurant in Raleigh

Let me start out by saying that the staff are TEN OUT OF FIVE stars - okay?!

I went for the first time today, and Nicki (at the Bar), Nicky in the Back of House, and KC (i think?) at the bar were so so sweet, helpful, and as attentive as they could be - given how packed the bar/restaurant was. Nicki helped accommodate my special vegetarian request for the Thai chicken salad, and I appreciate her so, so much for putting in the extra time and effort, while the bar was packed and her and KC were the only ones back there ensuring everyone was catered to and checked in on.

My salad was made with chicken at first, and although I assured not to worry, I could simply set the chicken aside - Nicki had it remade. The second time- I got basically a different salad, given that spring lettuce was not even an ingredient listed for it, and I was really disappointed to basically get a (mostly) green leaf salad with barely any veggies or anything else that was supposed to come with the thai salad. I told them not to worry, just drop the order - but Nicki (bar) and Nicky (BoH), although appearing visibly stressed given the volume of orders and patrons kept their cool and collected demeanor and did their best to ensure i had my salad, and it done correctly. The third time - the salad wasn't as it should have been (they informed me) because they ran out of 2 or 3 of the ingredients and they apologized. I honestly said not to worry, that I appreciate the extra time and trouble they put into it, and they helped accommodate the deficiency (like, ingredient wise...it was still a beautiful and stellar entrée imo) by asking me if I needed anything else.

So my 4 star rating is moreso due to the kitchen running out of ingredients during peak dinner service (about 6pm) and order issues and long waiting time to be noticed by a staff member or get silverware - HOWEVER! This is an issue more on the corporate/managerial side, imo, because for the massive volume of customers -- your staff NEED help and you need to have enough of them to keep things flowing without causing staff to burn out or be split in too many ways at once; we are all human after all. And we also can't blame staff for ingredient shortages; the fact that they kept trying to correct the order issue(s) and offer additional supplementation/accommodation speaks volumes to the caring and diligent staff they have on hand. And can we PLEASE appreciate how the staff are able to tend to guests, keep calm and happy and be personable, and still care to provide the best service all while under such high pressure?

I look forward to revisiting and comparing my initial experience.

The food is fantastic- sure, pricey compared to your nearby Chopt or Five Guys....but it is a SCRATCH 👏 KITCHEN 👏 of high quality and freshest ingredients, and the portion sizes are fitting and flavor of 🤌 chef's kiss quality. And everything is so beautifully and cleanly plated/presented.

The drinks are also beautiful,...

I’ve dined at Village Tavern in North Hills on several occasions, but this particular visit was exceptional and absolutely worth highlighting.

From the moment we were seated, our server Emma made the experience memorable. She was warm, attentive, and incredibly knowledgeable about the menu. Her genuine personality and attentive service were the perfect complement to a wonderful meal. It’s rare to find a server who strikes the perfect balance between friendliness and professionalism, but Emma nailed it.

We started with appetizers for the table, and let me just say—Village Tavern knows how to kick off a meal. The Korean Fried Cauliflower was the perfect marriage of sweet and spicy with an irresistible crunch that had everyone reaching for more. We also shared the spring rolls, which were bursting with flavor. I decided to mix the peanut sauce with the sweet & sour sauce, and let me tell you—it was a game-changer! That combo was next-level delicious.

One thing I’ve always appreciated about Village Tavern is their commitment to quality—everything is made in-house and from scratch, and you can truly taste the difference.

For my entrée, I stuck with my go-to favorite: the Meatloaf. It’s hearty, comforting, and seasoned to perfection. The mashed potatoes were creamy and flavorful, and I always request extra gravy because, honestly, it ties everything together beautifully. Paired with a glass of Hearst Ranch Red Blend, it’s a combination that never misses.

My dining companions were equally impressed. One ordered the pork chop, which was incredibly tender and packed with bold flavor. The chutney on top added just the right touch of sweetness and complexity. Another guest had the Braised Short Rib—not my personal favorite, but it was undeniably rich and flavorful. The carrots arrived slightly after the dish, but they were cooked perfectly and well worth the wait.

Dessert was the cherry on top of an already incredible meal. The peanut butter pie was indulgently rich and sweet, while the warm butter cake stole the show and quickly became a table favorite.

To top it all off, Village Tavern offers convenient parking directly below the restaurant, making the experience seamless from start to finish. You just park, take the escalator up, and you’re steps away from a fantastic dining experience.

All in all, Village Tavern continues to impress, but this visit truly stood out. Exceptional service, scratch-made dishes, and a cozy yet upscale atmosphere make this a must-visit spot in North Hills. We’ll definitely be back—and next time, we’re asking...

We definitely experienced this place on hopefully a bad night for the team. Just an all around bad experience and they have such potential! In short, service was poor and the food was not done accurately. Not sure I would recommend this to anyone visiting as you only get a few chances to dine on the visit and this one isn’t an assured good experience.

845p reservation, arrived on time but had to wait to be sat. A trio walked in after us, and were sat immediately. 4-5 min we got sat. Fast forward 9-10 minutes, zero greeting by a server. Went to host stand, asked to confirm we have a server. They promptly have her come over. Same gal who walked past us 3 times during that time frame. Ordered a wine and a soda. Wine is great, the cola was awful. Not sure if bread service is common, but asked for it after having noticed another table had it. The brown bread in it is spectacular. Both ordered filet mignon, medium, different sizes. The 8oz, smaller of the two comes out barely medium rare. Carrots absolutely cold and fries not hot either. Hate sending anything back, but had to send the steak and carrots back for heating up. The 10oz and accompaniments were accurate and hot. Took a long time to get the bill, likely because they took off soda (and bread service if that was extra). I can’t blame just the server for maybe being overwhelmed. A table adjacent to us left about 20 minutes into their experience, couldn’t hear all of their justification but they had enough of it and likely chose one of the other great places nearby.

Opportunities for this place: focus on greeting times, maybe use teamwork all around service improvement, e.g. clear app plates before entree arrives. Deliver steak knife ahead. Pre bus and heck even post bus tables. prepare food accurately, ensure things are hot and not sitting. fix your soda machine, yikes. acknowledge cruddy service, I fear this team didn’t recognize how bad it all was.

You’re 6 months old as a business? That may explain it, yet, you’re in the honeymoons period still and things should be top notch. I predict this will be the first venue to fail in this new dining district if this is everyone’s experience. Which by the reviews it seems folks tend to have a good experience. And the menu is phenomenal in its options and...