Elaine's on Franklin

Name: Elaine's on Franklin
Address: 454 W. Franklin St, Chapel Hill, NC, United States, 27516
Telephone: (919) 960-2770
Price range: $31 to $50
Rating: 4.5

4.5

1187 Reviews

$31 to $50

Farm-to-table

Top Tags:

Chef/owner Bret Jennings brings you authentic regional world cuisine made with only the finest local, organic ingredients, presented in an elegant, but not pretentious environment. With menu changes almost every day, you can expect to find fresh, seasonal meats, cheeses and produce served up all year round in a style that's fun without being fussy. A southern boy at heart, Chef Jennings specializes in wild game and seafood along with traditional southern recipes that would make his granny proud.
Three certified sommeliers on staff will guide you through Elaine's award winning wine list, while a friendly and accommodating service staff provide for your every need.
Come in today, and find out what we mean by "Food for the Soul, Prepared from the Heart."

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Additional information

Dining style
Fine Dining
Cuisines
Farm-to-table, Contemporary French / American, Global, International
Hours of operation
Dinner: Tuesday - Thursday: 5:30pm - 9:30pm; Friday - Saturday: 5:30pm - 10:00pm
Phone number
(919) 960-2770
Website
http://www.elainesonfranklin.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Business Casual
Executive chef
Bret Jennings

Location
454 W. Franklin St, Chapel Hill, NC 27516
Neighborhood
Chapel Hill
Cross street
Roberson Street
Parking details
You can use free parking on the street after 6 PM or any town lot after 8 PM.
Public transit
Elaine's is located less than 50 yards from the nearest Chapel Hill Transit stop. Chapel Hill's buses run free of charge all year round.
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

90 Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day

Charleston Style She Crab Soup$15.00
w/ fino sherry & n.c. lump blue crab
Millarckee Farm's Organic Green Salad$12.00
w/ mountain apple vinaigrette & curried pecans
Artisanal Three Cheese Sampler$12.00
w/ homemade crackers, fruit & nut compote
Peregrine Farm's Caesar Salad$13.00
w/ bacon, roasted red peppers, garlic croutons, grilled red onion & anchovies
Three Cheese Anaheim Chile Relleno$15.00
w/ refried black beans, cotija, radishes & salsa rojo
Pan Seared Fresh Poulet Rouge Livers on Bacon & Onion Risotto$15.00
w/ porcini jus
Oysters Rockefeller$15.00
mill creek n.c. oysters* baked in the shell w/ spinach, bacon & hollandaise
Seared Labelle Farm's Foie Gras 'BLT'$16.00
w/ candied bacon, arugula & house-pickled tomatoes
Seed Crusted N.C. Tuna* on Olive Oil Mashed Gold Potatoes$30.00
spinach, cured lemon, fried parsley & sauce romesco
House-Smoked Pork Tenderloin$30.00
w/ sweet potato waffles, maple butter, pecans, greens & warm bacon vinaigrette
Grilled Local Shrimp*$28.00
w/ brinkley farm's butterbeans, corn, arugula, fried okra & heirloom tomato water
Skillet Crisped Poulet Rouge Leg Confit on Truffled Creamed Corn$28.00
w/ chanterelle mushrooms & arugula salad
Grilled Wild Salmon*$30.00
w/ french lentils, asparagus, arugula, onion rings & grapefruit beurre blanc
Grilled Fresh Rack of Lamb$36.00
w/ goat cheese-potato gratin, sautéed local vegetables & red wine-lamb jus
White Lasagna$28.00
housemade pasta, chanterelle mushrooms, ricotta, mascarpone, greens & petite herb salad

What 1,187 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

4.5

4.5 based on all time ratings

4.6Food
4.5Service
4.2Ambience
4.2Value

Noise • Moderate

1,187 Reviews

C
Charlotta
Raleigh
2 reviews
vip
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on March 14, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience5
It is always a great experience. That's why we keep coming back over and over again!
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HK
HillelK
Western NC
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on March 13, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience5
We think this is one of the most valued restaurants in our area. We have been their clients for many years and were never disappointed. Bret is an innovative and creative chef, his staff is competent, helpful and courteous. When bad times come we always think of small businesses and Elaine's always pops up as one of the first. we admire Elaine's consistence quality and hope it will continue to sustain difficult and hopefully rare crisis situations.
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JH
JenniferH
San Francisco
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on March 6, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience5
The most delicious food I have ever had. Will be dreaming of it until I come back.
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KL
KathrynL
Phoenix
96 reviews
vip
5.0
96 reviews
Dined on March 4, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience4
Fresh flavors. Excellent service.
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KR
KatieR
Charlotte
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on March 1, 2020
overall5food5service4ambience4
I went to Chapel Hill for 4 years and never went to Elaine's. I have been an alumni for 20 years and this was my first time. What was I thinking?! The food was fabulous and a tremendous value. This will be on our list from now on every time we return to Chapel Hill. Wonderful experience!
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SG
StuartG
Raleigh
133 reviews
vip
5.0
133 reviews
Dined on February 29, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food and drink in a lovely environment! Will be back soon
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PS
PaulS
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 27, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great king salmon dish. Service also great. Free parking in front.
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L
Larry
Charlotte
96 reviews
vip
5.0
96 reviews
Dined on February 26, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience5
We finally got rsvp to return to this great place! They did not disappoint us. Great service and food too bad no longer have valet parking!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Raleigh
6 reviews
vip
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on February 25, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience5
We love Elaine’s, delicious food, excellent service and relaxed comfortable atmosphere.
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JR
JimR
Raleigh
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on February 22, 2020
overall5food5service4ambience4
Amazing Food~! I love this place and we always go there for our birthdays - they have a specialized happy birthday menu!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Raleigh
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 21, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience5
I was very happy with our dinner. We came for an anniversary and they had special menus printed for us when we arrived. Our service was amazing, all the staff was attentive and helpful. Our server, Alec went above and beyond and gave great recommendations for food as well as personal after dinner recommendations. We have no complaint about our food, everything was delicious. We have nothing bad to say. Overall, wonderful experience and great restaurant. We will definitely be returning!
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V
Vivian
Atlanta Metro
33 reviews
5.0
33 reviews
Dined on February 15, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience4
Food was wonderful. Our waiter, Alec, was fantastic!
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r
rossmck
Raleigh
265 reviews
vip
5.0
265 reviews
Dined on February 15, 2020
overall5food5service4ambience4
We were at Elaine's for a prix fixe Valentine's Day dinner, so it's not really a fair evening on which to judge. They did start with a sparkling rose and a rose on the table (and a gift rose at the end of the meal for my wife). The food was all good, particularly the scallop entree. I very much enjoyed my warm chocolate cake. The wine pairings were mostly okay, although the Banyuls with the chocolate cake was pretty stellar. The price was very fair for the quality of the food. We've been to Elaine's many times, and we'll be going again. We might even go again for Valentine's Day some year!
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t
tbbottom
Raleigh
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on February 15, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience5
Went for Valentine's Day. Had a great experience. Food and service were fantastic!
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GK
GlenK
Hertfordshire
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 12, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience4
Characteristically an excellent culinary and experience with exceptional service
1 person found this helpful
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on February 12, 2020
overall4food5service5ambience5
We were celebrating our 43rd wedding anniversary
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CF
CaryFoodie
Raleigh
2 reviews
2.0
2 reviews
Dined on February 11, 2020
overall2food2service3ambience4
Tuesday evening birthday dinner. Unfortunately the whole meal was a bust. The appetizer had goat cheese but it was more like alfredo sauce and mushrooms. For the main entrée, they must have looked in the fridge and realized they had run out of ingredients on a Tuesday and only had cilantro and duck. The Elaines skillet crisped duck breast was 90% cilantro. The location and ambiance was nice, server was nice, but the food was disappointing.
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CG
CarolinaGirl
Richmond
24 reviews
vip
5.0
24 reviews
Dined on February 11, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great place for dinner before show!
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JE
JohnE
Raleigh
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 8, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience5
Elaine's is where we go for special occasions, and it has never disappointed. Great service and ambiance, and then there's the outstanding food and drink. We always leave happier than when we arrive!
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KC
KarenC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 8, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience5
We arrived at the restaurant prior to the Duke/UNC game and it was semi busy, but it was nice that we could converse over dinner. Food was fabulous and the wait staff was well trained. We would go there again in a heartbeat.
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V
Vgab
Greensboro
76 reviews
vip
5.0
76 reviews
Dined on February 4, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience4
This was not our first time at Elaine's. The food was excellent (Venison and Duck were both very good). The service was as always very good. They are on a bit more expensive side but it is very much worth it. I do like also the fact that it is quiet enough to talk and not to shout over voices of others. Overall a very pleasant evening
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L
Logan
Raleigh
20 reviews
5.0
20 reviews
Dined on February 4, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience5
Outstanding food, ambiance, and service for our first visit. Mike treated us like royalty even though we were just getting the early evening menu and he chose our wine pairings well. The food was all local and exceptional, with highlights being the truffle cauliflower soup; sauteed NC scallops in a bacon, vegetable, and avocado cream sauce; local pork with shrimp and grits and country ham; and an outstanding sweet potato cake dessert served with roasted nuts, maple syrup, and creme fraiche ice cream. What a treat to have a candlelit window table looking out on Franklin Street that felt like a private dining room.
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JG
JohnG
Las Vegas
50 reviews
vip
4.0
50 reviews
Dined on January 29, 2020
overall4food4service4ambience5
This is one of Chapel Hill’s best restaurants; chef owned and operated, it has been around for at least 20 years since we moved here. We have been coming to Elaines since then- the food is consistently good, the staff always welcoming and the wine list is among the best in this area. Well worth a visit.
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m
marleydog
San Francisco
22 reviews
vip
5.0
22 reviews
Dined on January 25, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience5
Another wonderful dinner at Elaine's! The food is top notch, drinks are delicious, and the service is always great!
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RJ
RodneyJ
Richmond
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 25, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience5
This place has stood the test of time. It is still as good as it was 20 years ago.
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RT
RosaT
Washington DC
5 reviews
4.0
5 reviews
Dined on January 24, 2020
overall4food4service5ambience3
Food, service was amazing! Just wish my table was a bit bigger.
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JS
JohnS
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 19, 2020
overall5food5service4ambience5
Great Food. Who would have thought that pork tenderloin on top of shrimp and grits would be so good!!
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a
aaront
Raleigh
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on January 18, 2020
overall2food4service3ambience1
The seating arrangement forces you to sit shoulder to shoulder with tables on both sides of you. I can’t tell you what my wife and I discussed during our date night because all I could hear was the conversation of the neighboring tables. You literally cannot sit down at your table without bumping into the table or patrons next to you. Food was very good but that was the one highlight of the evening. We won’t be back.
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SO
SueO
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 15, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience4
Excellent food in a cozy, casual environment. Attentive service
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KP
KenP
Western NC
3 reviews
2.0
3 reviews
Dined on January 14, 2020
overall2food1service5ambience2
Food clashes with side dishes. Old fashion and Moscow mule where poorly made.
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MW
MarkW
Charleston
19 reviews
vip
4.0
19 reviews
Dined on January 12, 2020
overall4food4service5ambience4
Love Elaine’s. We were disappointed there were no specials that evening as the specials are always outstanding.
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h
hb12
Raleigh
7 reviews
vip
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on January 11, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience5
Amazing food. Lovely ambience. Excellent service.
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B
drdByte
Wilmington
4 reviews
3.0
4 reviews
Dined on January 3, 2020
overall3food3service3ambience4
The charm was somewhat eclectic and inviting. The staff was friendly and professional, but service was a bit off pace. The wine list was a perfect mix. The menu choices were good and descriptive. We had tuna and salmon. The portions were hearty and the presentations appetizing. However, the flavors were somewhat muted. The big disappointment was the desserts. And, I guess this is because of the disconnect between the descriptions and our expectations - such as, fudge cake being a brownie or chocolate cake bread pudding being mushy. To be fair the peanut butter ice cream was killer. All in all we would return to reevaluate the restaurant's offerings.
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C
Carl
Greensboro
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 1, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience4
Went there New Year's Eve for our first visit and very much enjoyed it. Food was excellent, although they had run out of my first choice for appetizer and they said I got the last of my first choice for the main course. The service was generally very attentive and I thought our waiter among the best I have experienced although I had to ask for bread several times before it came and they ran out of sour dough. I guess running out of things is the result of a 9:30 reservation. We will go back.
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DO
DavidO
Raleigh
19 reviews
vip
5.0
19 reviews
Dined on January 1, 2020
overall5food5service4ambience4
Excellent food as usual. Fresh, local, superb prep and presentation
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HT
HughT
Raleigh
4 reviews
vip
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on January 1, 2020
overall5food5service4ambience4
Excellent meal. As usual
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SC
SteveC
Charleston
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on January 1, 2020
overall5food5service4ambience5
A fine New Years Eve dinner!
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A
Angela
New York Area
6 reviews
vip
3.0
6 reviews
Dined on December 29, 2019
overall3food3service2ambience5
Wait for food took forever. We had to hurry an order kitchen was closing... oyster Rockefeller very cold. Soup was delicious
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JS
JohnS
Miami
285 reviews
vip
4.0
285 reviews
Dined on December 27, 2019
overall4food4service4ambience4
A very fine place with a good menu and vibe. Everything we ordered was quite good.
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D
Delightsinfood
Raleigh
28 reviews
5.0
28 reviews
Dined on December 20, 2019
overall5food5service5ambience5
Elaine’s is our favorite restaurant to share a holiday meal The food is always excellent. We all had filet mignon served over a delicious creamy sauce that just made it taste even better than the wonderful meat that was perfectly cooked. We shared a bottle of Ridge red wine that paired perfectly. Instead of dessert we had a Port flight of 3 wines that we passed. An excellent complement to the meal.
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FAQs

Elaine's on Franklin offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (919) 960-2770.

Elaine's on Franklin is rated 4.5 stars by 1187 OpenTable diners.

Not available on OpenTable

Unfortunately, this restaurant is not on the OpenTable reservation network.

If you like, we'll notify you by email if this restaurant joins.

Is this your restaurant?

Claim this listing

Order delivery or takeout

454 W. Franklin St, Chapel Hill, NC 27516

Additional information

Cross street
Roberson Street
Neighborhood
Chapel Hill
Hours of operation
Dinner: Tuesday - Thursday: 5:30pm - 9:30pm; Friday - Saturday: 5:30pm - 10:00pm
Cuisines
Farm-to-table, Contemporary French / American, Global, International
Dining style
Fine Dining
Dress code
Business Casual
Parking details
You can use free parking on the street after 6 PM or any town lot after 8 PM.
Public transit
Elaine's is located less than 50 yards from the nearest Chapel Hill Transit stop. Chapel Hill's buses run free of charge all year round.
Payment options
AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Bret Jennings
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.elainesonfranklin.com/
Phone number
(919) 960-2770

Featured in

90 Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day

Elaine's on Franklin

Not available on OpenTable

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Featured in

90 Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day

Menu

Main

Charleston Style She Crab Soup$15.00

Millarckee Farm's Organic Green Salad$12.00

Artisanal Three Cheese Sampler$12.00

Peregrine Farm's Caesar Salad$13.00

Three Cheese Anaheim Chile Relleno$15.00

Pan Seared Fresh Poulet Rouge Livers on Bacon & Onion Risotto$15.00

Oysters Rockefeller$15.00

Seared Labelle Farm's Foie Gras 'BLT'$16.00

Seed Crusted N.C. Tuna* on Olive Oil Mashed Gold Potatoes$30.00

House-Smoked Pork Tenderloin$30.00

Grilled Local Shrimp*$28.00

Skillet Crisped Poulet Rouge Leg Confit on Truffled Creamed Corn$28.00

Grilled Wild Salmon*$30.00

Grilled Fresh Rack of Lamb$36.00

White Lasagna$28.00

What 1,187 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

FAQs

Does Elaine's on Franklin offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Elaine's on Franklin restaurant rated?

Not available on OpenTable

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Featured in

90 Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day