Bolt Bistro & BarThe food was delicious andThe food was delicious and the staff were very accommodating even though it took an hour for everyone in our 8 person party to trickle in. Live music that night was perfect for the festive atmosphere we were looking for.6/14/2013 12:00:00 AMPerfect for BirthdayWent there for my daughter's birthday. Food was excellent. My daughter and I had the open range chicken dish - excellent, 2 large chicken breasts that were very moist (meal was too big for her!), my wife had blackened scallop special that was good and my other daughter had short-ribs - also excellent. Fried green tomato appetizer was a little disappointing as was cold / tepid in the middle. Excellent, personable service. Open air restaurant with all hard surfaces makes a little loud on the first floor. Would definitely go back. Not inexpensive but quality and amount of food justified the price.6/12/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Night!My sister was visiting and we wanted to try somewhere new downtown...I had heard the Bolt was very good! It was a perfect evening, the service, food and the overall restaurant was great! We made a excellent choice!6/11/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat foodWe were very happy with Bolt. We will be going back!6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMDined at Bolt last SaturdayDined at Bolt last Saturday night of Restaurant Week. We were surprised that only the Restaurant Week menu was available. But the food was very good...filet mignon, lobster mac n cheese and salmon over spaghetti squash...all were very good. Special drink menu...cucumber margarita...all were excellent. Chocolate bread pudding was really good...peach cobbler mediocre. Would recommend !!!6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat addition to RaleighWe decided to try Bolt as part of Restaurant Week before we headed to Memorial Auditorium. It was a good choice. The waitstaff was attentive, and the food was quite good.6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMRestaurant Week GemWe tried this restaurant during Restaurant Week and were not disappointed. The Filet was cooked perfectly and everything tasted great. The service was impeccable! Definitely would return!6/7/2013 12:00:00 AMThe scene was great and foodThe scene was great and food was delicious. My only real issue is that it took 20+ minutes to get our drinks after being seating and a total of 2 hours to eat a 3 course meal due to lots of down time in between. I'll admit it was during restaurant week; however, the place wasn't packed and they had a limited menu which makes me think it should go much faster. I would still highly recommend this place regardless because the food was so good (with lots of variety) and the scene allowed for nice conversation during our lengthy meal. Just don't go expecting to get in and out quickly. Go to enjoy the food and time with your company.6/6/2013 12:00:00 AMAwesome lunch!Went during Restaurant Week. Salads were great! Service was a little intermittent; we were told they were short staffed in the kitchen, but food was excellent. Waited awhile for our dessert, sorbet and gelato, and chuckled that it did seem strange that it would take so long because it would seem as if anyone could just scoop it, but we were not in a hurry so it was fine. They ran out of the gelato restaurant special dessert, and instead of asking what we wanted instead, randomly brought something else which seemed a bit strange.6/5/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food and service was excellent.The food and service was excellent. I will return.6/4/2013 12:00:00 AMGood service and good location,Good service and good location, however I feel the quality of the food didn't match the price. It was not bad but it was not great, it was just mediocre.6/4/2013 12:00:00 AMgreat findWe went to Bolt on restaurant week and had a much better meal than even expected. The service was friendly and good. Our waitress was very helpful with entree selections. I had the salmon over spaghetti squash that was fabulous and my husband had as he said the best pork chop he'd ever had. It was a nice evening and sitting outside on the sidewalk was a bonus. The sangria was tasty and on special that evening as well. I would certainly return. The only thing I would change about the place was no table cloths outside. The wrought iron tables let the drinks sweat through and drip on you. Otherwise pretty perfect.6/4/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent ServiceWe enjoyed Bolt Bistro & Bar during Raleigh's Restaurant Week, drawn in by the prix fixe menu. While the lobster bisque had been removed from the menu, much to my 19 year old foodie's chagrin, the watermelon gazpacho offered a flavorful substitute. Everything we ordered was perfectly prepared and delicious. The highlight of our visit was the service! Our server was attentive but not intrusive. He even provided our second son a lesson in how to properly set a table and serve a meal. Excellent!6/3/2013 12:00:00 AMWe visited Bolt for the firstWe visited Bolt for the first time and found the food excellent. I had the very best scallops I have every had. My husband had the special stuffed pork chop and he was in heaven. The wine list and cost were very attractive. They also had my husbands favorite beer, Boulevard Wheat. What a surprise. We would have given a 5 star but missed a chilled glass for the beer and stemless wine glasses were proved with my wine.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMgreat findGreat outdoor dining which gives you a good feel for the best of the city. Truly enjoyed the ambiance, the wine, the food, and the outdoor keyboardist. I must say the lightly fried oyster appetizer is DIVINE! Can't wait to go back.
Susan6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMService and Food are second to noneThis was my second time at this establishment. Time before was for lunch. That was when I decided I had to try dinner. Raleigh is a two hour drive from my home. So when I plan a visit, I try to make meals memorable. The Bolt Bistro & Bar fit the bill. I enjoyed the "feature" both visits. Dinner was a Red Snapper dish. It was out of this world. The service is perfect. Many higher end places smother you. They mean well, they just get carried away. It's not the case at The Bolt. Our Waiter and the staff that assisted him were perfect. I look forward to meals here in the future. Yes, the price is on the upper end. But you really get what you pay for.5/31/2013 12:00:00 AMGraduation CelebrationWe took a group of 9 here to celebrate a high school graduation. We had family members ranging in age from 76 to 18. Everyone loved their food and the service was great. I had to change the reservation time twice because we weren't sure when the ceremony was going to be over and they were very flexible. It was a Thursday night so that probably had some impact. One of my party in particular loved the brussels sprouts. Our waiter was very knowledgeable and gave excellent service to our table. The restaurant is within walking distance of the Duke-Progress Energy Center, museums and other downtown hot spots. Another of our party who routinely eats out in the Washington DC area for business said this was the best place he'd ever eaten.5/30/2013 12:00:00 AMVisit to North Carolinai was in town for a meeting on Memorial Day weekend and was recommended to go to Bolt. It was a great recommendation,simple breakfast with a twist. The eggs benedict was great, bloody merry was madr with a house made mix which was delicious. The service was very prompt and made you feel very welcome. We sat outside and enjoyed the sun,
I recommend Bolt if youre in downtown
Raliegh.5/26/2013 12:00:00 AMFirst time @ BoltIn town for the holiday weekend, our host suggested we attend Bolt. Little did I know the experience we were about to embark on.
First off, the ambience is exceptional. A very open entry to the restaurant and very modern and "chic" feeling.
Our server, Ian, was very knowledgable about the menu and actually suggested to me what I ended up having for my entree - the seared scallops. The plate featured 3 jumbo scallops over a bed of wok vegetables on top of a cauliflower purée. I think I would put that purée on anything edible and it would be delicious.
The rest of our 4 person crew loved their dishes as well.
The service was attentive and the food timing was great. I don't think I could have asked for a better night out to eat.5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMHad an excellent watermelon/blueberHad an excellent watermelon/blueberry/jalapeno gazpacho. We weren't sure about it, but our server let us try it first. It was amazing! Wonderful shrimp & grits and my husband raved about the wedge salad and pork chops. Our server, Kelly, was very knowledgeable and sweet. The owner, David, visited our table and made sure everything was good. All in all, a wonderful evening!5/23/2013 12:00:00 AMgood food, serivce was ok.The food choices were great and the food tasted good overall. The blackened Ahi tuna and lobster tacos could have had a little more flavor, the beef short ribs were very good. The service was okay. Our server walked by us twice and we were obviously finished with the entrees (plates cleared) and not once asked if we were interested in dessert, and we were! After a third pass we just asked for the check.
Most likely we'll try again, but for lunch.5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMBolt offers another diningBolt offers another dining alternative for the symphony or ballet - going set. It is only a few blocks form Meymandi Auditorium and they offer a 10 % discount on your food bill with tickets for the evening's performance.
The setting is comfortable the food was good and the prices were fair.5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food and great locationI was in Raleigh on business and chose Bolt Bistro for our group of 4. It was a beautiful night, so we sat outside and watched the passersby. Everyone enjoyed their food, a couple of us had the shrimp and grits which were great. The setting was really nice, waitress was attentive-food and drinks came promptly but not rushed. I would absolutely go back next time I'm in town. Good find!5/15/2013 12:00:00 AMGood findThe waitress was outstanding. The food was all tasty. My group of foreign visitors had a great time.5/14/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat customer service!My food was AWESOME but one member of our party had issues with her oysters. The manager tried his absolute best to fix the problem.
The only bad thing I have to say is they need to print additional menus. We had to wait 10 minutes even though we had a reservation and there was seating available because they didn't have enough menus.
Overall, it was GREAT!5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMNice people and serviceGood price, good atmosphere, good service. You feel welcome.5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMOur party of four was at BOLTOur party of four was at BOLT right after Brewgaloo on April 27th. Excellent food and service. Downstairs the restaurant is a little noisy, but food and service make up for it. We enjoyed soft shell crabs, shrimp & grits, fish tacos...the gnocchi needed a little help !!! The bartender made a peach mojito for one of our party...excellent !!!4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMA very nice restaurant withA very nice restaurant with excellent service. Order the pork chop and you will not regret.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMEven though we had a reservationEven though we had a reservation we had to wait 20 minutes. The food was outstanding!4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing in Every Way!This was not my first time at Bolt Bistro, and it certainly will not be my last. My boyfriend and I sent our mothers there for a special night out in January, and they have been raving about it since so we took them there for brunch. Their comment was that they were treated as if they were the queens of England. Ironically, we sent them to the symphony that night as well, but all they talked about was how wonderful Bolt was. The staff is amazing. They have a great sense of humor and offer impeccable service. Everyone seems to remember you there from past visits and they all come to the table to say hello. If you make a special request they are happy to accommodate you. Try the hummus!4/14/2013 12:00:00 AMI marked the noise level asI marked the noise level as "quiet" because my husband and I were the only people there for Saturday lunch. I feel that's because it was the first Saturday Bolt had been opened for lunch this Spring. We really enjoyed our meals. My husband had the lobster Mac N cheese and commented that the lobster was very fresh, not frozen or old tasting. I had a grilled chicken sandwich that was absolutely wonderful, made with all fresh ingredients. Looking forward to returning to try something from the dinner menu.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food, great value!Excellent food, nice sized portions for the money...a great value! Hope this place can be successful and keep the customers coming in the door!4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMNice experience!My family of four went to Bolt for the first time for Easter brunch. The food was prepared well and there was a varied selection. Our server was very friendly and personable. Although I realize that the menu and service was altered due to the holiday and therefore not a true measure of what it would be like to dine there during a non-holiday, I would be eager to return. I hope to go back with just my husband. Overall, it was a great experience for all four of us. My only caveat would be that the pricing of the brunch was not stated, nor what was included with the brunch price. Because it was a holiday, we didn't really care because I was happy not to cook, but I would have liked to have known that the coffees and juices were not included.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMWe will surly be back soonWe will surly be back soon Brunch was GREAT wait staff was super and fast. We will be back for drinks next time cant wait.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMEaster Brunch was fantastic!Easter Brunch was fantastic! This was our first visit and definitely will return and recommend. Service was great.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMIt was a great experience.It was a great experience. The staff was very accommodating and attentive. I was drawn to this restaurant because it is fairly new. I Will recommend it to others. The food and drinks were excellent.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMMy wife and I went with anotherMy wife and I went with another couple for our first experience at the Bolt. We absolutely loved the inside decor. It was modern and clean. The restaurant is lively. The noise is happening which is what we like when going out with a group. We ordered the Lobster Mac & Cheese and the Hummus with olives as appetizers and both were fantastic. I am usually not a big olive fan but I was of these. We then ordered the Ahi Tuna, Double Breasted Chicken and the Beef Short Ribs. The group was very happy with their entrees. The happy hour menu and drink specials will definitely bring us back with some friends for a second time experience. It is from 5-7 pm. Pick the Bolt. You will like it.3/28/2013 12:00:00 AMThis was our first visit,This was our first visit, both the food and service were outstanding. The owner is very hands on, checking on each table to be sure every is enjoying there evening. Really liked all of the special touches through the restaurant. The wrench wall divider and other custom pieces of art were pretty cool We are looking forward to our next visit3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent dining experienceExcellent dining experience - we'll definitely be back!3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing staff!At the last minute we added 2 extra people to our reservation. The staff was very accommodating and eager to meet our reservation needs. The manager and servers were super friendly while we waited, making it a point to stop by the bar multiple times checking in and keeping us posted on the status of our table. Great experience! Great atmosphere!3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMWe really enjoyed our experienceWe really enjoyed our experience at Bolt. Great service from everyone encountered and the food was simple but flavorful.3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat service, good food andGreat service, good food and at good price. Patio space looks awesome. Can't wait to try it again when the weather warms up!3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMFood was exceptional. LotsFood was exceptional. Lots of choices. Management was very attentive but the service was nevertheless a bit slow and they forgot one order. They did however, did eventually straighten things out and they even comped us a side and dessert. We'll almost certainly return.3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMWe had 6 ladies meet for aWe had 6 ladies meet for a "Girls Night" out. The decor, service and food was wonderful. We also appreciated the free valet parking out front..... will be back! By the way, the sweet potato casserole was off the charts...3/15/2013 12:00:00 AM