Poole’s Downtown Diner

7 Reviews on “Poole’s Downtown Diner”

• Kaidyn Ash

  I went here a couple months ago. It really isn’t noticeable at all and you could easily miss it. The inside is dark, crowded and a little loud but I still loved the set up of it. The food was a little bit more expensive than what we usually go for (college student problems) but it was definitely worth it. The Mac and cheese was as good as everybody said and the entrees we got were yummy too(:

  December 24, 2015, 12:42 am

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• Madd Matt

  You would drive right by this place if you aren’t careful. I like how it is this discreet little gem. We did have to wait about about 40 minutes at peak time on a weekend evening, but got seated at one of the semi-circle counters and had delightful service. I guess I was expecting more from the food and was a little under-whelmed the evening we were there. I will agree with the masses that the mac&cheese is amazing and almost worth going just for that. I will try it again and hope to find some different things on the menu next time that might be more appealing to my pallet.

  December 22, 2015, 8:42 pm

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• Boomer234

  A Near Miss . . .. I must have read thirty or forty reviews of Poole’s Diner before heading downtown for dinner. There seemed to be a lot of heat both pro and con in the reviews I read. Dining out is a personal experience which means that what pleases one person will not necessarily please another. Given that, I will try to keep this simple and to the point. The food appears to be really good. We just had the fried green tomatoes and chicken liver pt as the menu seemed a bit limited on this night and a bit pricey. The pt was wonderful! The fried green tomatoes were very good also. We really like wine but the cheapest selection by the glass was eight dollars and it was a very short glass at that. Ok, so it’s pricey. No big surprise for downtown. What got us was the noise level. There is this constant cacophony of low frequency hub-bub mixed in with indistinguishable music. We could not hear each other talk. Neither could we hear the waitress when she was trying to describe the dishes on the menu. If you enjoy conversation while you dine, this is not the place to be. The menu issue does seem a bit silly as well (chalk boards in hard-to-see places). A simple one page flyer on each table can’t be that hard to produce. The bottom line is this: Really good food but the environment is not conducive to the enjoyment of a good meal. I would not go back . . . .

  August 14, 2015, 2:15 am

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• Steven Jackson

  Overrated – James beard award???? Ice corn- was actually a bowl of salt with corn and mushrooms added- green beans were not cooked- or seasoned at all – And serving sauted squash and zucchini under a soft shell crab is outdated and lazy- will not be back

  September 20, 2014, 4:21 pm

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• Leckert

  Excellent food and inviting environment. The music was a bit loud. Mac n cheese is worth sharing amongst 4 people easily. Order a hand crafted cocktail for a fun experience. I had the Tex-Mex Mule… delicious.

  September 1, 2014, 2:10 pm

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• Donohue.jessica

  Favorite restaurant in Raleigh. By far our favorite spot in Raleigh! The food NEVER disappoints! Although we love trying new places and are big fans of lots of downtown Raleigh spots, if we are going to spend money on a nicer dinner, we almost always default to Poole’s… it’s that good. Expect a wait, but it’s worth it (although sometimes you’ll get lucky if you time it right)! Also, you MUST get the mac and cheese. This is one time where being healthy is just not in your best interest.

  May 20, 2014, 11:53 pm

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• Joseph Hillenmeyer

  One of the best meals I’ve had all year. Out of three meals at our table all were amazing. THE best Mac and cheese you will ever eat!

  January 7, 2014, 12:30 am

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