Diners' Choice: Best Ambiance restaurants in Raleigh

OpenTable

Updated December 05, 2024

Looking for restaurants with the best ambiance in Raleigh? 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 favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

RH Rooftop Restaurant Raleigh

4.6

4.6 (115)

$50 and over

American

Raleigh

About the restaurant

The RH Rooftop Restaurant is located on the third floor of RH Raleigh, The Gallery at North Hills. Enjoy a menu of enduring classics and signature dishes, along with a curated selection of Champagnes and wines. Dine in a year-round skylit garden escape with heritage olive trees, sparkling chandeliers and a cascading, cast-stone center fountain.

Top review

Karen

Dined 1 day ago

The staff could not have been nicer! Even with one of our steaks being overcooked service was top notch. They did make it right as well. Great place to take friends & family for a special night out. Ambience is excellent. Will most definitely be back.

Herons

4.9

4.9 (3081)

$50 and over

American

Cary

About the restaurant

Herons, the signature restaurant at The Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary, North Carolina, offers an exceptional fine dining experience for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. Located close to Raleigh, North Carolina, Herons is known for its locally inspired, seasonal menus and stunning garden views, Herons showcases a full-view kitchen and an elegant, art-filled dining room with floor-to-ceiling windows. Every detail—from the fresh, regionally sourced ingredients to the curated wine list—reflects a commitment to artistry and culinary excellence.

Top review

Joan

Dined 5 days ago

Servers work as a team really well. Excellent food, customer service and ambiance.

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Amalia's Authentic Italian Restaurant

4.9

4.9 (809)

$50 and over

Italian

Wake Forest

About the restaurant

Amalia Fumelli is the inspiration behind Amalia’s Authentic Italian Restaurant. She was born in Italy in 1932, and grew up on a farm. As she grew up, she took an interest in cooking and learned everything about the Italian kitchen from her mother and grandmother. For countless hours each day, Amalia began making hand-made pasta with her rolling pin on an old, wooden table. After many years, she had mastered her pasta creations through her skilled handiwork, precise cutting skills, and the amount of love she put into her work.

Over time, Amalia has passed all of her secrets and knowledge about food along to her children and grandchildren. One grandchild in particular, Filippo Fanfani, gained a passion for the art of cooking through her guidance. As a child, he spent all his days at his grandmother’s house preparing meals for his family. The two have a strong bond, that began with their conjoining love of creating meals that are enjoyable for everyone.

Top review

sonja

Dined 2 days ago

Exceptional food, service and atmosphere. Wonderful experience!

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Popular dish

Tagliatelle alla Bolognese

Gonza Tacos y Tequila - North Raleigh

4.9

4.9 (1431)

$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

KimberlyVIP

Dined 5 days ago

Amazing food and the service was fantastic! Love love love this place! The music was very loud though

Bazil Indian Cuisine

4.8

4.8 (191)

$30 and under

Indian

Raleigh

About the restaurant

Welcome to Bazil Indian Cuisine, a truly unique dining experience in Raleigh, NC. Our restaurant is not just a place to enjoy delicious food; it’s an enchanting story waiting to be savored. At Bazil Indian Cuisine, we pride ourselves on pushing culinary boundaries and introducing new flavors to the vibrant Indian food community in Raleigh. Led by a passionate mother, our restaurant offers an extensive wine list that perfectly complements our fusion menu. Prepare to be captivated by our assortment of dishes, including delicacies like sea bass, lobster, and octopus offerings that you won’t find in other Indian restaurants. We believe in creating an unforgettable experience for our guests, where every bite is an adventure of flavors and textures.As a mother-owned establishment, we strive to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere where families and friends can come together to celebrate life’s moments.

Top review

Debbie

Dined on Dec 11, 2024

The food continues to be excellent! There was an issue with the wine service. We each ordered wine flights as it was Wine Flight Wednesday. The server brought out the wines, set them on the table in a cluster and we had to figure out on our own which wines belonged to whom, and what the wines were. Wine Flight Wednesday is a good idea, however poorly executed.

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Oak Steakhouse - Raleigh

4.8

4.8 (2309)

$30 and under

Steakhouse

Raleigh

About the restaurant

Oak Steakhouse Raleigh continues the legacy of the original Oak Steakhouse in Charleston, SC, with a modern take on the classic steakhouse. Located in the Warehouse District of downtown Raleigh, Oak Steakhouse offers an innovative approach to steakhouse dining, serving farm-fresh dishes alongside steakhouse classics. Under the direction of executive chef Todd Woods, Oak's menu highlights the restaurant's relationship with local farmers and purveyors. To complement the menu, Oak's expansive wine list features California Cabernet and Old World reds, including a selection of Italian and Spanish wines, as well as an array of artisan domestic wines. In celebration of Raleigh's local brewery scene, Oak Steakhouse showcases local brews alongside domestic and international beers. Classic and creative, seasonal cocktails are also on the menu.

Top review

Vincienzo

Dined 6 days ago

The food and drinks were exceptional. Service was good and The Oak has a great atmosphere

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Oak Steakhouse Burger

Anthony's La Piazza Prime - Downtown Raleigh

4.9

4.9 (17)

$30 and under

Italian

Raleigh

About the restaurant

Anthony's La Piazza is a family-owned and operated Italian restaurant in Raleigh, North Carolina. The restaurant brand has been serving the community for over 20 years. Anthony's La Piazza is known for its delicious food, friendly service, and warm atmosphere. The restaurant offers a wide variety of Italian dishes, including pasta, pizza, seafood, and steaks. Anthony's La Piazza also has a full bar and a wine list. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week. Anthony's also has an elegant lounge open late nights Thursday through Saturday. We are located on the first floor of the AC Hotel Raleigh Downtown in the Glenwood South district.

Top review

Kim

Dined on Dec 14, 2024

...My party, and I really enjoyed our food and drinks. Everything was amazing. I gave them a 3 on the service because I was seated after a group that came in after me. Their reservation was 745, mine 730. They immediately were served water, bread, and drinks. After I finally was seated. I had to ask for water. Only my glass was filled, although it was 3 others in my group. I had to ask for bread. One of the drinks that we ordered was incorrect and never rectified. I ordered the ribeye, med rare, the first time it came out, it was almost well done. Then, my second ribeye was almost rare. Again, the food was amazing, but the service I saw others receive and what I experienced left me feeling some type of way. I would still recommend this place because the food was truly delicious. One of my very guests is a picky eater, and she didn't complain about her food or drink. Only that she asked for no capers on her order, and it was brought to the table with capers.

Bodega Tapas and Wine

4.9

4.9 (874)

$30 and under

Tapas / Small Plates

Wake Forest

About the restaurant

Bodega Tapas, Wine, and Rum. Local and imported artisanal ingredients offered in an affordable small plate format. Enjoy the rum bar with craft, from scratch cocktails, or rum tastings in one and two ounce pours. Most of our extensive wine list is offered by the glass, bottle and tasting pour so you can indulge on high end wines with out breaking the bank. Order as many or little small plates as you like to snack on or piece a meal together and try an array of different wines. We’re perfect for a small bite after work, a night out with friends or an intimate date night. we look forward to having you at our table .
If you are a party of 5 and more, please contact us at Bodega and we will be happy to accommodate you.

Top review

Tom

Dined 3 days ago

Serge always offers the best of everything - food, liquor, service, and ambience!

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Popular dish

Lamb Meatballs

Popular dish

Beef Empanada NC Wagyu

Experience

NYE Regular Menu + a Feature Dish

O-Ku - Raleigh

4.9

4.9 (1840)

$30 and under

Japanese

Raleigh

About the restaurant

O-Ku's menu provides a fresh and innovative take on traditional Japanese sushi and cuisine. Located in the Warehouse District of downtown Raleigh, the restaurant offers rare and unique dining options with traditional sashimi and specialty rolls, highlighting seafood from the finest fish markets in Tokyo and Hawaii alongside local and seasonal ingredients. Reminiscent of traditional Japanese culture, O-Ku's menu is comprised of signature starters, contemporary Japanese entrees and seasonal traditional sushi that reflect the uniquely designed space. The beverage program is built around quality ingredients that celebrate Japanese culture.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined 5 days ago

Our first visit to this restaurant and we will be back! We celebrated a birthday and were overwhelmed with the special touches the staff put into our visit without any request from us! Custom menus, birthday Prosecco for the table and a custom card signed by staff - even a custom glass for the birthday girl! It was an incredible evening and we could not have been happier with our restaurant choice! Our friends dining with us were also in awe of the efforts to make the night special. The food was amazing - we tried 4 appetizers and a variety of rolls with the black magic roll as the favorite. Thank you to everyone who made the night special for us - it will never be forgotten for our family and our guests!

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Tamasha Modern Indian

4.7

4.7 (421)

$50 and over

Indian

Raleigh

About the restaurant

Experience the epitome of sophisticated Indian cuisine at Tamasha Modern Indian, nestled in Raleigh's dynamic North Hills. This culinary gem, owned by the discerning Mike Kathrani and the visionary Tina Vora, offers an extraordinary dining experience in an ambiance crafted with elegance by Tina herself. Tamasha's opulent design has earned it a place among the “50 Most Beautiful Restaurants in America” by OpenTable and People Magazine, a prestigious accolade that marks it as North Carolina's sole honoree. Executive Chef Bhavin Chhatwani’s pedigree from India’s most prestigious properties to Michelin-starred restaurants stateside – is unmistakable. Tamasha showcases the depth and artistry of Indian cuisine – from show-stopping cocktails and a well-curated wine list, to Chhatwani’s refined menu of artful shared and composed dishes. Guests will discover exceptional hospitality on this inspired Indian culinary journey whether dining in the main dining room, private room or at the chic bar.

Top review

LaurenVIP

Dined 2 days ago

Food was outstanding. Service was great. Would definitely recommend the butter chicken and the lamb entree

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Experience

Reserve Exclusive Private Dining Room at Tamasha

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