Diners' Choice: Best Overall restaurants in Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill

OpenTable

Updated September 05, 2024

Looking for the best overall restaurants in Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favourite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

On The Square

4.9

4.9 (1289)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Tarboro

About the restaurant

Due to limited seating, we are only accepting in-house reservations. Please call the restaurant directly for a reservation.

Located in Historic Downtown Tarboro, one of the oldest towns in North Carolina, On the Square Restaurant offers seasonal, sustainable ingredients that are celebrated throughout the ever-changing menu. Open for dinner on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings and for lunch on Monday through Friday, we are as proud of our food and comfortable atmosphere as we are of our eclectic and value-driven wine list.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined on Aug 16, 2024

The Summer Salad is named perfectly! Simply delicious, as well as everything else we ate. This restaurant is truly a gem!

Oxford Oaks Distillery

4.9

4.9 (204)

$31 to $50

American

Oxford

About the restaurant

A Unique Dining and Libations Destination in the heart of downtown Oxford, N.C.

Oxford Oaks features a micro distillery, specialty cocktail bar and upscale restaurant where the community can gather and enjoy fine spirits, elevated cocktails and delicious cuisine.

Top review

Jonathan

Dined 7 days ago

We had a nice brunch with a few Bloody Marys, all of which were excellent. Good atmosphere. Morgan, our server, was special. I'll be back sooner than later.

Gonza Tacos y Tequila - North Raleigh

4.9

4.9 (1420)

$30 and under

Mexican

Raleigh

About the restaurant

Come experience Raleigh's Colombo-Mexican Tacos y Tequila Joint!

Hand Crafted Latin Cocktails
Extensive List of Tequilas & Regional Spirits
Carefully Selected List of Latin Wines & Latin Beers

Voted Best Latin Restaurant in the Triangle by Wake County Living Magazine!

Won the Indy Award for Best Mexican / Latin American in the Triangle!

Top review

Samuelvip

Dined on Sep 5, 2024

Tremendous. One minor issue, drinks were slow in coming, otherwise tremendous

Blue Jay Bistro

4.9

4.9 (971)

$31 to $50

American

Halifax

About the restaurant

At Blue Jay Bistro we invite you to "Escape the Ordinary." This isn't just our slogan – it's our promise.

We've crafted every aspect of your dining experience with you in mind. From our attentive service to our carefully curated menu, we aim to exceed your expectations at every turn.

Indulge in our finest Contemporary American cuisine, featuring fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Savor premium meats, just-caught seafood, and farm vegetables that showcase North Carolina's seasonal bounty.

Your culinary journey with us is about more than just exquisite flavors – it's about creating moments of delight and discovery. Enhance your meal with our selection of wines, craft cocktails, and local beers.

At Blue Jay Bistro, we're not just serving food – we're dedicated to making your visit truly extraordinary. Your satisfaction is our highest priority.

Join us to Escape the Ordinary, where your culinary desires meet our passion for excellence, creating unforgettable moments just for you.

Top review

michael

Dined on Sep 6, 2024

Best restaurant in the area, always a great experience...

Herons

4.9

4.9 (3040)

$50 and over

American

Cary

About the restaurant

One of only 64 Forbes Five-Star restaurants in the world, Herons is the signature restaurant of The Umstead Hotel and Spa and annually acclaimed among the best restaurants in and around Raleigh, North Carolina. Open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch, the intimate, 98-seat dining room features a full-view kitchen, a meticulously curated private art collection and floor-to-ceiling window views of the surrounding gardens and grounds.

Top review

Michael

Dined 7 days ago

Beautiful location nestled in the woods. We were there for brunch. Elegant dining with fantastic food. Service was great as was the food. We will definitely be going back.

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4.8

4.8 (411)

$30 and under

Asian

Durham

About the restaurant

Pocha is short for Pojanmacha in Korea. The exact definition of Pojanmacha is "Tented Cart on Wheels" that serves street food with drinks. Over the years, pojanmacha has developed more into a brick and mortar style and has similar feel that of Japanese style Izakaya. It is an intimate but causal spot to share good food and drinks with friends. We focus on Asian fusion with a concentration on Korean food.

Top review

Pat

Dined on Sep 3, 2024

We had a great experience at M Pocha. The food was fresh and tasty and well prepared. We sat at the bar and had very good service. The Trout Larb Pa was our favorite!

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4.8

4.8 (573)

$50 and over

Japanese

Durham

About the restaurant

M Tempura is Durham's traditional Japanese tempura restaurant offering Tempura as well as Kaiseki Omakase offerings.

For the multi-course menu items, all members of your party must choose the same option please.

We currently cannot accommodate shellfish, vegetarian (egg in batter), gluten, and seafood allergies. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Top review

Ericavip

Dined 3 days ago

Every dish in the kaiseki tasting menu was exquisite. Perfectly paced meal with exceptional service.

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Experience

M Omakase Tasting Menu

Experience

Kaiseki Omakase Menu

Bida Manda Restaurant and Bar

4.9

4.9 (3758)

$30 and under

Laotian

Raleigh

About the restaurant

Bida Manda is a thoughtful gathering place celebrating the diverse food traditions and culture of Laos. The Sanskrit ceremonial term for father and mother, Bida Manda was created out of the deep love and appreciation of food and its power to bring people together.

Please be advised that we only seat complete parties. Reservations are highly recommended, however our bar seats are available at a first come first serve basis. Due to high volume, we have a 15 minute grace period, if you are running later than 15 minutes from your reservation time kindly give us a call and we will try our best to accomodate you.

Thank you so much for your continued support and we can’t wait to host you soon!

Top review

Shelbyvip

Dined 3 days ago

Bida Manda has and always will be my favorite lunch spot in Raleigh!! I never go without getting the crispy lettuce wraps and pork belly soup - total comfort food any time of year.

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Popular dish

Chicken Wings

Popular dish

Crispy Rice Lettuce Wraps

Popular dish

Saffron Crepe

Durham - M Sushi

4.9

4.9 (2935)

$31 to $50

Sushi

Durham

About the restaurant

M Sushi is triangles first dedicated sushi and seafood restaurant. We concentrate on raw and cold applications of fresh exotic seafood as well as cooked and vegetarian courses utilizing the same high quality ingredients. We are creating simple and traditional sushi cuisine with Peruvian and Spanish influences. We are the only restaurant in NC to make the Opentable top 100 restaurants in 2021.

Top review

Mary

Dined 4 days ago

We loved the chef’s tasting menu! We were sad when the dessert course was served because we were enjoying everything so much. Delicious sushi and beautiful presentation. Highly recommend.

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4.8

4.8 (1555)

$30 and under

Italian

Raleigh

About the restaurant

Located in Raleigh, North Carolina, Cafe Tiramisu offers a menu full of authentic Northern Italian cuisine. The family-owned and operated restaurant is decorated sparingly and the dining room is a cozy, relaxing environment. Cafe Tiramisu has a full bar but specializes in wine with an extensive wine selection both by the glass and by the bottle.

Try the ravioli or the shrimp dip to start out your meal at Cafe Tiramisu. Choose from Italian classics like the lasagna or the marsala. The menu includes plenty of vegetarian and gluten-free options as well. Choose one of the restaurant's sides for your entree like the fried eggplant or the sauteed spinach.

Top review

Lynnvip

Dined 7 days ago

Wonderful food, servers, and ambience! We dine here often and it is always amazing!

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Popular dish

Beef Carpaccio

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