Wye Hill Kitchen & Brewing — Restaurant in Raleigh

I really wanted to give this place a better review. I've been dying to go here for a while, but it was overall a really underwhelming experience. Initially our service was great, but as their patio filled up, they quickly forgot about their inside dinners.

Our apps were delicious and full of flavor. The beet hummus, strawberry goat cheese bruschetta and the ahi tuna were all spectacular. The tuna had some kind of BBQ on the outside layer and it added something different to ahi tuna that I've never tried before. The spices were well balanced and complimented the tune really well. The hummus was bright and beautiful and the strawberry bruschetta was really tasty. I'd only want more goat cheese because I love goat cheese. Otherwise the ratio of cheese to strawberry was perfection

The chicken lollipops were way too spicy, and very one note. The fry was good, but it was a chunky outer layer that came right off the chicken. Maybe others would enjoy this, but it was way too hot and barely any buffalo flavor. I love blue cheese but could barely taste the blue cheese under the chicken, even though it was a big puddle on the plate. I'm definitely someone who prefera deep fried chicken wings so this may have been entirely a preference thing.

The chicken corn chowder has the consistency and flavor of a spicy chili. Again, fun concept, maybe others would like it, but it was too hot for my taste buds.

They did take the chowder and my friend's extremely bland and boring potato salad off the bill, which was appreciated. However, when my friend ran our cards and asked if any gratuity was included the person checking her out said no. Then we got our receipts and there was a 3% kitchen gratuity. We don't mind supporting kitchen staff, as former servers, but this was a flat out lie. It even said the word gratuity on the receipt. Just don't lie to your clients. Mention the kitchen fee or whatever you want to call.

Or, owners, just pay your kitchen staff better or raise food prices. Don't lie to your clients. And frankly, if you're going to charge those prices, I expect better service and food. I don't mind paying for food that's worth it, but when all you serve is heat with one note, it's not for me.

I will probably try it again, because maybe other menu items are better, but of all the incredible places in Raleigh this one doesn't quite compare. The views are beautiful of course, and the vibes of the place are nice, but again I'm not overly eager to go back unless it's just for...

My wife Jonnin and I visited Wye Hill Kitchen & Brewing because we’d heard it was the perfect spot to catch the sunset—and it absolutely lived up to the hype.

When we arrived, there was a short wait for an outdoor table, so we put our names down and grabbed a drink at the bar. The beer selection leaned lighter, which isn’t usually my wife’s preference (she’s more of a dark beer fan), but Melany, the bartender, went above and beyond by offering to head down to the cellar for a limited run of a discontinued stout. We told her not to go through the trouble, but that thoughtfulness really stood out. Instead, we enjoyed a pair of IPAs—both fresh, crisp, and delicious.

When we finally sat outside, the timing couldn’t have been more perfect. It was a comfortable 70 degrees with a light breeze, and the sunset set the entire skyline on fire. My wife couldn’t stop talking about how beautiful the view was.

As for the food—outstanding. We ordered the hummus and pita, Brussels sprouts, and the wings with Dr Pepper BBQ:

Hummus – Creamy, smooth, with just a hint of cumin that elevated the dish and made it unique. Brussels sprouts – Fearless. Most chefs try to tame the bitterness, but Wye Hill embraced it, surrounding the sprouts with bold flavors. The charred leaves gave it a crunchy, cheesy, buttery quality that was one of a kind. Easily the best Brussels sprouts I’ve ever had. Wings – Magical. The Dr Pepper BBQ sauce was incredible, and instead of just crispy, the wings had a deep, satisfying crunch. Flavor and texture in perfect harmony.

The service and atmosphere made everything even better. Our server, Ailine, was friendly, attentive, and genuinely made us feel welcome. The whole team worked together seamlessly, which is something we really appreciate.

But the real standout was Melany. After we were seated, she surprised us by bringing over two glasses and a chilled can of that discontinued imperial stout she had mentioned earlier. She had gone down to the cellar anyway, just to make sure my wife got to enjoy a dark beer. That small but meaningful gesture left such an impression—Jonnin said it was the first time in a long while that she felt a place truly cared about us as customers.

Between the incredible food, the sunset views, and the staff who go the extra mile, Wye Hill has won us over. We’ll definitely be back,...

Disclaimer we went during quarantine in June

Chill casual fun atmosphere with low lighting, good for date night. Pretty ok food. We were recommended the Buffalo Chicken Rillette, Beer Cheese, and Southern Saltimbocca. We ordered Southern Saltimbocca, Buffalo Chicken Rillette, and falafel waffle.

Southern Saltimbocca: 10 out of 10 amazing, would totally order again. Crispy chicken, flavorful bourbon sauce, yummy creamy grits.

Buffalo Chicken Rillette: Not my favorite. Has potential and good flavor but they basically blend the chicken until it's totally creamy which, if you think about it too much, may make you hurl imagining it's cat food. Would love to see this dish with more chunky chicken!

Falafel waffle: exactly what you'd expect. A falafel shaped like a waffle with a generous salad. Healthy not super flavorful. Salad needs a little sea salt and fresh pepper.

Moment of clarity cocktail: Good but small for $11.

Watermelon mocktail: Very good and refreshing. Jalapeno is not a prominent flavor so is not spicy at all.

Sour ale: Good. Typical sour ale.

Wait staff: a bit jumbled with different people serving us. Everyone looks the same in gray shirts and black masks. Mostly guys, a little rough around the edges. Ultimately they were interested in our experience and what we had to say. When my husband mentioned the size of his cocktail for the price they explained it's actually as much alcohol they are legally allowed to give in 1 drink but they gave him a complimentary shot. Very nice!

We sat indoors but it was a beautiful night. Would have been great to sit outside on their gorgeous patio but they said it was a 1.5 hour wait. I feel the atmosphere would have been so much better outside and it wasn't even bad inside.

Very nice view of Raleigh skyline. Does not face sunset though.

Also during the pandemic they said the pastry chef is not working and so their dessert offerings are limited to Bestow cupcakes.

After we paid the check wait staff came around with free little glasses of beer, celebrating being open. Gotta say I love the fun positive vibe.

All in all I think this place has great potential. Looking forward to seeing them refine their menu more to really make all the dishes a home run. I would like to come back and try to beer cheese. Thank...