Chef Warren's Bistro — Restaurant in Southern Pines

A hopping good time at Chef Warren's.

What to say about Chef Warren's? It is easily the best combination of food and service my fiancee and I have experienced in MoCo. We started our night with some house specialty cocktails that hit the spot paired with the kangaroo. The kangaroo may sound off putting to the light-hearted, but allow me to propose that if you enjoy a hearty red meat, then the roo is for you. The portion size was substantial but not off kilter.

For the mains, we had the crispy duck and the special, two 4 oz beef medallions. The duck was cooked perfectly and paired nicely with the bok choy. The sauce was sweet but just right to mix with the saltiness of the duck. The meal could have used a starch, but it was absolutely delightful.

The medallions were to die for. I've raised cattle, cooked, grilled, seared, and eaten more steaks than most. I have never had a more tender steak in my life, and that includes every other steak house in MoCo. The steaks we prepared with a peppercorn mushroom sauce reminiscent of steak au poivre. The sauce provided a perfect addition to the meat, finishing the meat with warm silkeness. On a bed of Brussel sprouts and carrots, the meal was completed with the exception of potato pie. The potato pie was lacking due to being a bit stodgy. It was the only part of the meal that was lacking, albeit barely missing the mark.

The service was amazing. Between being sat and attended to by our servers, we were never without required attention but given space to have our personal time. The servers were all personable and showcased their humanity as well as their care for the establishment as we chatted about the history of the establishment and the food.

If you haven't been there, then you are missing out. Go to Chef Warren's, enjoy the food and the establishment as a whole. Bonne...

I can’t comment on the food, as our reservation was canceled by the restaurant. Originally held a 8:30 reservation and I called and asked for a change to 8:45. Was told that it was “easy Peasy”. Those were the hostess’s exact words. We arrived late, due to a tremendous thunder storm that we waited out at our hotel, at 9:00 to find a closed and locked door and a dark restaurant. The hostess came out and lectured us about being late and told us the kitchen was already closed and cleaned up. She was nasty and downright mean.

Here are my issues: 1) at no point when I asked for a time change did she tell us that we would be close to closing time. She never informed us of us running up against any closing clock or that we would have to immediately order our food. Heck, if seated at 8:45 we would have leisurely had a cocktail and likely not ordered until 9:00pm anyway. 2) she had my telephone number in the reservation and she made no effort to reach out and ask where we were at 8:45. 3) she made no effort nor showed concern for her customer, only herself. She blamed previous customers who were no shows and made it clear that she thought we were doing the same. Only problem is we were standing at her front door 15 minutes after our reservation and the place was already bolted shut and dark.

Bottom line, we were not a no show customer, but the restaurant was a no show service provider. Blaming the customer!

Avoid this place no matter the food reviews as the service was downright hostile and mean spirited. This isn’t how classic southern hospitality should be in a tourist town, is it? And to think I really wanted...

Eating at Chef Warren’s is an experience. The food is phenomenal. Not a surprise, knowing the hands that prepare it and the care they take with every ingredient. The service is superior. This is also not a surprise as the owners, Marianne and Warren, take pride in everything they do and lead their teams by example. This is a go-to for birthdays and anniversaries, but come on a weekday night, and be spoiled. I had the pleasure of sitting alfresco (plenty of fans and light) and enjoyed a delicious rose and the best burrata I’ve ever eaten. For dessert I couldn’t resist a chocolate mousse. It’s been my favorite dish for years, but there was something extra special that evening, and I “helped” clean the plate with my fingers.

This review was written months ago and I’m just getting around to posting it. I take it for granted that everyone knows Chef Warren’s, and that my review won’t make much of a difference. But it’s the people we love and our hometown favorites that deserve the first applause. Don’t wait for a special occasion to visit. Warren’s isn’t about being spoiled. It’s about being treasured. Chef, Marianne, and their team do that like...