The AdmiralFabulous as usual!!!....Always plotting the next visit to The Admiral!!!Makes life a lot more fun for a foodie!..5/16/2013 12:00:00 AMFunky Asheville food gemIf you did not know where you were going, you most likely would not go into The Admiral. It is in a nondescript building in West Asheville and you enter by going thru the parking lot into a side door. Once inside, it becomes clear why devotees return here. It is a small, cozy restaurant that exudes a warm, rustic atmosphere. The best feature is the food. Much is locally grown or produced and the chef performs magic with it. The menu offers wide variety and the dishes are creative without being flamboyant. We make The Admiral a must whenever we visit Asheville.5/14/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Spot in AshevilleThe building and the neighborhood look a bit rundown, but this place is awesome. The menu is interesting and the food is great!5/14/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazingThe Admiral is a favorite of mine! I took my mom and dad for Mothers Day and they too were very impressed, which is no small feat! I would recommend The Admiral to anyone, the prices range from 5-30 for food and the drinks are very reasonable. They include a few local beers on taps, drink specials, I recommend the manhattan and the dark and stormy, but have the full bar behind them as well. The wait staff is amazing, they are always ready with everything your table could need, but never hover and bother. If you want great regional gourmet food at a fair price, come to The Admiral!5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMThe word has gotten out!I have eaten at the Admiral since it first opened and it was hands down my favorite restaurant in Asheville. Let me give you my restaurant history- blackbird,chestnut,rezaz, corner kitchen, zambras, Vincenzo's, limones,marketplace, table, curate, laughing seed, bouchon, LAB, if its a new Top Chef restaurant i will be eating there ASAP! So yes I would consider myself a foodie! This last experience at the Admiral has gone downhill, I don't know if it has something to do with one of the owner/investors leaving and doin he's own thing with others or what. It was not up to par. I would not recommend the Admiral to my friends anymore but look forward to the two new restaurants soon to be opening.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMVery good.The food was very good and the service was wonderful.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMStupid goodSo good I wanted to renounce all my worldly possessions and live the life of a ascetic monk in the himalayas or the andes (not sure which). Sopping up the broth from the mussels with bread will probably be remembered as the highlight of my 20's. I want to wear a tuxedo made out of the friend quail for my wedding.
The server was friendly and accommodating without being obtrusive. I want to adopt him, but I'm a single guy I think he's a few years older than me and I don't even think that sort of thing is even allowed under current adoption laws, so we have a lot of stuff working against us in that regard, and maybe we'd be better off just being regular friends.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMU must goGreat neighborhood gem that local foodies highly recommend. Cozy atmosphere with welcoming service. Menu offers something for everyone with its fresh offerings. Small plates great for sharing and allows you to experience this eclectic menu .Every time I'm in Asheville, I MUST go and enjoy dinner here.5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMLives Up to Its ReputationThe Admiral is as good as it gets for food Not much in the way of decor or ambiance and the noise level is high but the food is the star, at a level most places never attain. We had a chilled soup, grouper, and scallops, all of which were superb. The real winner was a mussels in broth/stew that literally was the best thing either of us had eaten in memory- beyond description. The wine list was modest, especially by the glass, but more than acceptable. Overall, a night of great food.5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMThe AdmiralGreat food-cool place. No parking. Run-down neighborhood. Not for kids or large groups. We'll go again!5/6/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful as usualMenu was hot off the press, with many choices of creative meals. Meat, seafood, Asian. I think they should give up on the deserts, although the basil ice cream was very good. Love the road house feel and atmosphere.5/6/2013 12:00:00 AMMy wife and I have eaten atMy wife and I have eaten at the Admiral on several occasions. Great food, awesome service, local. The only negative that we encountered on this last visit was that the portion sizes was quite small in comparison to what we have been used to. My wife has gluten sensitivity and they are excellent to work with in this regard. Lots of options available, great suggestions.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMOutstanding food and a wellOutstanding food and a well constructed menu that lets you explore various options instead of ordering from traditionally structured courses.5/2/2013 12:00:00 AMNot quite Tapas, but in a good wayWe loved the small plates that were perfect to share for two. Stellar dishes: octopus, duck and the spring salad. Wine selection was very good as well. Wish we lived closer...5/2/2013 12:00:00 AMCan't wait til the next time!!This place is our destination for the BEST meal and service in Asheville...Always make reservations for any occasion at The Admiral...Looking forward to Mother's Day..Glad they are serving on Sundays!!!5/1/2013 12:00:00 AMBest food everUnbelievably delicious. Every selection had beautiful presentation and seasoned to please the palate. Meats were melt-in-your mouth tender. Service was excellent and no rush. I"ll be back!4/30/2013 12:00:00 AMFor was excellent and inventive.For was excellent and inventive. Choices were limited.4/28/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing Food, Fantastic ServiceAmazing food. Steaks and Pork Chops all around the table. Mussels and Steak Tartare for appetizers. Our group was eight, and that was pushing it size-wise. A little pricey, for a steak, but it was Top 3 of all time for me, perfect. We sat down 30 minutes after our reservation time, that I made 2 months in advance. But that was the only minor issue, which I blame on the size of our group, and the other people that lingered for 20 minutes after their check was paid. Service was perfect, nice pace and very non-intrusive, she apologized everytime for interupting our conversations, just the right balance. All this in a cider block building, that looks like (from the outside)that it used to be an auto repair shop. West Asheville Rocks!4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMAlways a favorite for a weekendAlways a favorite for a weekend in Asheville. Great food. Great drinks. Great service.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMthey get itawesome food, unpretentious, attentive yet unobtrusive service, cant wait to come back and try more menu items4/24/2013 12:00:00 AMFunky atmosphere with excellentFunky atmosphere with excellent food. Fabulous flavors!4/24/2013 12:00:00 AMJtmcncAgain did not disappoint. We had the flank steak,pork chop and pork tenderloin all served with unique sides that provided an array of great favors. Ambience is urban chic - not upscale. Don,t change it. The 64 degree egg served with the pork chop was special - bravo.4/23/2013 12:00:00 AMMy second time delightingMy second time delighting in the unique ambiance of The Admiral, I thoroughly enjoyed the menu selection and my choice of the Carbonara that included duck and ramps. Ooh! In our party of four, three had not patronized prior. Each was pleased with their choice: Flat iron steak, Grouper and Pork chop. My husband would prefer larger portions. The desserts were sensational, literally. The dry, red wine I chose was very nice, as well. Our only disappointment was that the selection of dark local craft beers was very limited. Though the seatings are always filled, we were not made to feel rushed, at all! What a delectable treat to partake of in Asheville!!4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMOverall we were disappointedOverall we were disappointed based upon our previous dining experiences there. The menu had no small plate offerings as in the past. The salad was OK but nothing spectacular as we'd come to expect. We ordered the grouper plate and the scallop plate. Found both to be lacking in what we would have expected from the Admiral: "over the top" The black beans lacked flavor, and the drizzlings on the scallops were a disappointment and only 4 scallops? Perhaps we should have opted for the pork tenderloin. We don't like to write off a restaurant on one disappointment, but we now hesitate on a revisit just the same. I overheard another patron praising the chef over what she had... so, it must not have seemed like an off night for one patron.4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMaye, aye, Admiral!When we drove by The Admiral, my hsband said, "THIS is where we are eating?!" When the meal was over, he was nothing but thankful. everything was fabulous -- the food was amazing, the staff knowledgeable,and the ambiance was just flat out fun and raucous. not to be missed.4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMWe had a group of 8 for aWe had a group of 8 for a business function and were extremely pleased with the service and the food. Awesome menu with interesting options!4/17/2013 12:00:00 AMIncredible food, the bestIncredible food, the best in Asheville. Make reservations a week or two out.4/17/2013 12:00:00 AMWas in Asheville for 4 daysWas in Asheville for 4 days and this was one of our favorite places we ate at while there. Would definitely go back again.4/15/2013 12:00:00 AMFood was creative and reasonablyFood was creative and reasonably priced; first time visit would return again; staff very friendly and informed4/15/2013 12:00:00 AMbig boys need more food.The food was Great, but there was just not enough of it, if your going to eat at the Admiral mack sure you have a back up plain for a burger after you eat there or get the stake i didn't have it but i thank its larger than the Quail. all and all it was a good dining experience. O ya, our waiter Nathan was awesome.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMThe Admiral has such a reputationThe Admiral has such a reputation that it would be hard to live up to it, but it certainly comes close. Particular favorites for our group were the carrot soup and mussels. Downer was the gravely oversalted carbonara. And the service is polished and professional, hard to find in Asheville4/10/2013 12:00:00 AMThe Admiral remains an eclecticThe Admiral remains an eclectic spot with delicious food.4/8/2013 12:00:00 AMAs always, a marvelous diningAs always, a marvelous dining experience. We took out of town guests there (one of which is a chef) and they were very impressed with the quality and deliciousness of the food and service!4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMFinally got to try The AdmiralFinally got to try The Admiral this past weekend when visiting in Asheville. A friend told me about it - reviews on trip advisor were very good. I've had it on my bucket list of restaurants. It was great. Heard it's THE hot spot in A'ville on weekend after dinner hours for dancing. Will plan to visit again to eat.4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMDon't judge a book by it's coverThe Admiral came highly recommended so we were a little surprised at the rough appearance, definitely not necessary to dress up. But it got better from there. The service was relaxed and friendly, the food was superb with enough variety to suit everyone. The carrot soup was out of this world and I'll have a hard time choosing something other than the mussels the next time we go, and we will. The meal prices were very reasonable but alot of the wines were pricey, however we ended up with a very nice Pinot Noir for $36 and overall had a fabulous night.4/4/2013 12:00:00 AMConsistent wizardry by theConsistent wizardry by the chefs to keep the offering varied. great place to try any foods that you might have balked at in the past. Service is great because of servers' knowledge and friendliness.4/3/2013 12:00:00 AMAlways amazing. This was dinnerAlways amazing. This was dinner for my boyfriend who left to hike the appalachain trail for 6 months and this was his desired "last supper."4/2/2013 12:00:00 AMAbsolutely wonderful meal!Absolutely wonderful meal! All of the flavors were different and tasty together. A great dining experience!4/1/2013 12:00:00 AMTastes as good as it looksI had the best Tuna and preparation of my life. The purple cabbage gazpacho was delicious and formed a spectacular moat for my tuna to float. Often the taste of the food preparation does not match the visual, in this case, they were aperfect complement to each other.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMSome Magic is LackingWe have been going to the Admiral since they opened. Every time it has been very good. This time some of the magic that used to be there was gone. Now it seemed just a high priced restaurant in an old building. The food was good but the presentation was lacking. Before I would say wow and now I would say, I can plate that good. I feel they have lost some ofthe charm that made them so popular.3/26/2013 12:00:00 AMVery tasty food but very expensiveThe service and food were outstanding. My party had a great variety of well-prepared food from salads to fish to desserts. The cost was a very real problem. The amount of food served was inadequate and the price was very high. One of our party ordered scallops as an entrée and was served two small scallops - and nothing else.3/25/2013 12:00:00 AMNot enough time to enjoyWe ordered an appetizer and two entres.The appetizer came within 10 minutes but then we waited almost an hour for our dinners even though we had let the server know that we had to be out of the restaurant within an hour.I think our dinners got lost in the shuffle.The food was excellent and hopefully next time we won't have those time restrictions.3/24/2013 12:00:00 AMFood was fresh and reasonablyFood was fresh and reasonably priced. Noise level was low, no loud music playing. The service was not rushed and the owner came by to see how everything was. Reservations must be made weeks in advance, but it is worth the wait.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent restaurant but forExcellent restaurant but for a heavy eater, like my husband not enough on plate but for me excellent. The quality and freshness is superb.3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat scallops...not so great steakThe service was excellent. The appetizers were excellent...I had the mussels. They were as good as any I ever had. My girlfriends steak, however, was not very good. To my disapointment, since it was her birthday, the steak was tough and difficult to chew. My scallops were excellent. We will return and bring guests.3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMEclectic, ExcellentThe Admiral is about one thing: Food. And it does food better than just about any place in/near Asheville, NC. The menu (which changes nightly) always has an incredible mix of meats, seafood and some vegan items, and the staff is very attentive. Downsides: 1) Parking is non-existent; sign outside entrance directs you to a parking lot a block away (on-street parking not recommended); 2) Size: Because of its popularity and limited seating capacity, reservations are a must. But, all things considered, The Admiral is top-notch for anyone looking for a food "experience." Awesome!3/21/2013 12:00:00 AMRecently had a conversationRecently had a conversation with a friend that Asheville chefs should take out the last 2 ingredients they add to every dish and they'd be perfect. It definitely applied tonight. Dinner was delicious, but there were a couple additional ingredients that didn't quite fit with the rest of the dish. Bar staff was great. Cocktails were delicious. We'll be back.3/21/2013 12:00:00 AMDon't let the working classDon't let the working class neigboorhood and exterior fool you. When you get your food you will be impressed!3/19/2013 12:00:00 AMThe Admiral is always fantastic.The Admiral is always fantastic. I was looking forward to eating there now that they have a new head chef. The food continues to be outstanding. The mussels and the grouper dish were the favorites from our group.3/17/2013 12:00:00 AMWe had heard good things aboutWe had heard good things about the Admiral and were eager to try it for ourselves. We were not disappointed! The presentation was interesting & imaginative, and the food was delicious. Our server, Holly, was helpful and attentative. We never felt rushed or ignored and really enjoyed our experience.3/17/2013 12:00:00 AM