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✔️Brunch ✔️Lunch ✔️Dinner ✔️Dine in ✔️Take out
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A Downtown Raleigh landmark since 1945, Poole’s Diner serves modern comfort food. James Beard Award-winning Chef Ashley Christensen elevates classic dishes – like macaroni au gratin, pimento cheese, and roast chicken – using seasonal, local NC ingredients. Experience our iconic Double Horseshoe counter, spacious dining room, or casual lounge. Perfect for date nights, celebrations, and experiencing an iconic part of Raleigh dining culture. Dinner served nightly. Reservations recommended for counter seating and larger groups; walk-ins welcome in main dining room and lounge.
Circa-1945 diner with seasonal comfort food, cocktails & house desserts in a retro-chic setting.
Hours
| Wednesday | 5–10 PM |
| Thursday | 5–10 PM |
| Friday | 5–10 PM |
| Saturday | 5–10 PM |
| Sunday | 5–10 PM |
| Monday | 5–10 PM |
| Tuesday | 5–10 PM |
Address and Contact Information
Address: 428 South McDowell St, Raleigh, NC 27601
Phone: (919) 832-4477
Website: http://ac-restaurants.com/pooles/
Menu Photos
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Reviews
cindy morgan
Highly recommend, one of the best dining experiences, service and food outstanding. The salad was incredible super fresh and I loved the finely shaved cheese like a pillowy covering. Crusty bread is maybe the best bread in Raleigh. The gnocchi was super light and savory. My friend had the salmon and said it was fantastic. Oh and the fennel tarte was exquisite and something I wouldn’t have ordered if our server hadn’t provided such great recommendations, so glad we listened to her. We are planning our next visit.
… moreEd Crabtree
We dine for Valentine’s. Appetizer and dessert were excellent. Main was good, but not remarkable. Swiss chard in horseradish cream was very tasty. Steak was fine but nothing amazing. I found the fried potato log to be gummy and not spectacular.
… moreDrew N
Great staff and atmosphere. Solid drink selection, but was a little disappointed with the Mac by itself. Short rib dish was tasty but not blown away. I combined the beef short rib with the Mac and cheese – not on the menu but elevated both to a delicious level.
… moreCalvin Tran
Overall a nice dinner experience. Staff was super attentive, great atmosphere, very nostalgic decorations.
Dessert was star of the show with the Pear Tartin. Not too sweet, nice crisp on the tartin, ice cream was smooth, perfect amount of crunch.
The Wagyu Royale was an oversold meatball. The Au Jus was nice, but couldn’t make up for the dryness. Lacking in salt and overall flavor. Not really enough cheese topped to complement the entire dish. Disappointing for what was expected, but not by any means bad.
Pickle Juice cesar was awesome! Perfect addition of something new that added a little salt and tang to a well done cesar.
Mac and Cheese was phenomenal! Depth of cheese flavors and melty underneath, with a crispy almost parmesan crisp on top. Wish the noodles were the larger mac style as to not give it a kraft mac and cheese feel. Great flavors and salt levels overall.
… moreDessert was star of the show with the Pear Tartin. Not too sweet, nice crisp on the tartin, ice cream was smooth, perfect amount of crunch.
The Wagyu Royale was an oversold meatball. The Au Jus was nice, but couldn’t make up for the dryness. Lacking in salt and overall flavor. Not really enough cheese topped to complement the entire dish. Disappointing for what was expected, but not by any means bad.
Pickle Juice cesar was awesome! Perfect addition of something new that added a little salt and tang to a well done cesar.
Mac and Cheese was phenomenal! Depth of cheese flavors and melty underneath, with a crispy almost parmesan crisp on top. Wish the noodles were the larger mac style as to not give it a kraft mac and cheese feel. Great flavors and salt levels overall.
J Clayton
When looking for a place to eat in Richmond, colleagues recommended Poole’s as the best place. They couldn’t be more right. We found the food outstanding, the service top notch and the place was awesome. Mariah and Dama at the bar could not be more amazing. Makes me look forward to going back to VA.
… moreKatie O
One of the best spots in Raleigh. The food is always absolutely perfectly balanced and cooked. The appetizers and sides are amazing. Can’t recommend the Bibb lettuce enough. Mac and cheese is great. You seriously cannot go wrong. Come with a few people and try lots of things. Great cocktails as well.
… moreAndrea Martin
The chicken was for sure the best part of this meal and the only thing that was seasoned properly. After all the speak of the “Mac and Cheese” here, I was highly disappointed in the lack of actual cheese. Reheating leftovers the next day showed the insane amount of butter and lack of… cheese. The oysters were bland and the dish didn’t seem to go together. The server discussing the North Carolina Salmon had me cringing a bit. Overall nothing makes me want to go back here. I feel there is much better food in the area.
… moreDennis
Usually I choose who I review based on the food at the restaurant , but this review is for the amazing service we received. We went on a Tuesday evening around 6:30 and the restaurant was busy. When we ordered, the waitress/server told us our meals would t take about 30-35 minutes. I’m sure you know where this is going. It took over an hour for our food to come out. Since you can see into the kitchen, we could tell something had gone wrong. Throughout our wait the server and the manager were communicative and apologetic. They really did care about our experience. Every restaurant will have an off night, but the way they recovered, means that I will be back another night.
Food was pretty good, but even after all of the waiting we still had to send one plate back. So I will reserve my review for food for the next time i visit.
… moreFood was pretty good, but even after all of the waiting we still had to send one plate back. So I will reserve my review for food for the next time i visit.
Ihor Zeiger
Amazing food, especially Mac’s and Cheese. Great selection of craft beers. Professional and friendly service.
… moreluther kincade
stumbled into Pooles thinking it was just a little “diner” tucked away in Raleigh. Turns out, I walked straight into a high-end spot that knows exactly what it’s doing. The vibe feels like a mix of old-school comfort and modern flair, with a service team that treats you like they’ve been waiting all week just for you to show up.
The menu isn’t your average lineup—it’s built around creativity and ingredients you’re not going to find on every corner. But let’s be real, the showstopper here is the legendary macaroni. Imagine the cheesiest, creamiest dish you’ve ever had, then turn the dial up about three notches. It’s so rich and delicious it almost demands applause after the first bite. That said, it’s definitely heavy, so unless you’ve got bottomless stamina, you’ll probably be boxing some up for later (and trust me, you’ll be glad you did).
Pooles surprised me in the best way—unique food, polished service, and that signature mac that basically owns the spotlight. I walked in expecting “diner,” but walked out knowing I’d just eaten at one of Raleigh’s best kept open secrets.
… moreThe menu isn’t your average lineup—it’s built around creativity and ingredients you’re not going to find on every corner. But let’s be real, the showstopper here is the legendary macaroni. Imagine the cheesiest, creamiest dish you’ve ever had, then turn the dial up about three notches. It’s so rich and delicious it almost demands applause after the first bite. That said, it’s definitely heavy, so unless you’ve got bottomless stamina, you’ll probably be boxing some up for later (and trust me, you’ll be glad you did).
Pooles surprised me in the best way—unique food, polished service, and that signature mac that basically owns the spotlight. I walked in expecting “diner,” but walked out knowing I’d just eaten at one of Raleigh’s best kept open secrets.