Diners' Choice: Lively restaurants in Raleigh

OpenTable

Updated June 05, 2025

Looking for restaurants that have the most vibrant bar scenes 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!

Trophy Brewing & Pizza

4.9

4.9 (306)

$30 and under

Pizzeria

Raleigh

About the restaurant

A brewery and full service restaurant serving hand-made pizza and more in Downtown Raleigh. We feature Detroit style pizza on Monday and Tuesday from 4pm until they're gone. We have a full bar featuring inventive cocktails, great wine, cider, non-alcoholic options, and more!

We have several areas for private events and larger gatherings. Reach out to our events team for details: events@trophybrewing.com

Top review

Raul

Dined 4 days ago

Pizza could use a bit more cheese and the lamb was overwhelming in the best dressed pizza❤️

PLUS Dueling Piano Bar

4.8

4.8 (472)

$30 and under

American

Raleigh

About the restaurant

PLUS Dueling Piano Bar is a one-of-a-kind live music venue and nightlife hotspot located in the heart of Glenwood South, Raleigh. Known for its high-energy, all-request dueling piano shows, PLUS offers a fun, interactive experience where the crowd drives the music all night long. Whether you’re celebrating a bachelorette party, birthday, or just looking for the best bar on Glenwood Avenue, PLUS delivers unforgettable entertainment, great drinks, and good vibes every weekend.

Open Friday and Saturday nights, PLUS is the go-to spot for live music in Raleigh, group nights out, and spontaneous singalongs. Reservations are recommended for the best seats in the house!

Top review

AlexanderVIP

Dined on Jun 20, 2025

Amazing night of music and drinks. We will be going back multiple times. No food on site, but you can order from surrounding restaurants and bring in. Also, bring cash for music requests.

Gonza Tacos y Tequila - Wake Forest

4.5

4.5 (528)

$30 and under

Mexican

Wake Forest

About the restaurant

A Raleigh favorite opens a new location. Come experience the best Colombian-Mexican restaurant now with a location in Wake Forest!

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

Bill

Dined on Jun 18, 2025

This was our first time at this local Wake Forest Mexican restaurant. Inside the restaurant is rather dark and macabre portraying scary masks and mannequin heads that look eerie. There was a good selection of menu items, and the waitress, Kendal, was very knowledgeable and helpful on explaining the many different choices. Service was excellent, the restaurant even had an automated food delivery robot to tables that were accessible. The food was very good; portions were the right size and attractively presented There were 5 ( two boys, three adults) in our party and the average cost per person was $30 which included the tip. We only ordered two beers. Rather expensive for Mexican food but I guess that food delivery robot expense has to be covered someway.

Gonza Tacos y Tequila - Cary

4.5

4.5 (576)

$30 and under

Mexican

Cary

About the restaurant

WELCOME TO NORTH CAROLINA'S AWARD-WINNING COLOMBIAN-MEXICAN TACOS Y TEQUILA JOINT! Currently serving Dinner and Drinks.

Top review

Melissa

Dined on Jun 20, 2025

Great food, fast and friendly service. Loved the armadillo eggs.

Good Day Good Night

4.5

4.5 (149)

$30 and under

Unspecified

Raleigh

About the restaurant

Good Day Good Night, located within The Casso Raleigh, is a distinctive restaurant in the heart of the Warehouse and Glenwood South Districts. Currently open for Breakfast/Brunch and Dinner.
Good Day Good Night is led by chef Devin Bayles and is focused on bringing comforting, delicious food for intimate dinners or family get togethers. Join us for meals and stay all day and evening for drinks, our specialty cocktails are made with fresh juices and unique spirits to provide an experience like none other for all our guests.

Top review

Jalien

Dined on Jun 1, 2025

It was amazing!! Everything was great the food and service.

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Experience

Carolina Clam N Jam

Brewery Bhavana - Fenton

4.5

4.5 (60)

$31 to $50

Chinese

Cary

About the restaurant

Our newest location brings the signature Brewery Bhavana experience to Fenton, blending craft beer, dim sum, and a thoughtfully designed space. Flooded with natural light and filled with lush greenery, the setting is anchored by a hand-painted Garden of Eden mural and a canopy of hanging plants.

Located on Lower Garden Lane, the glass-walled dining space offers a warm, verdent atmosphere, while the courtyard provides the perfect spot for a beer in the sun. Enjoy a diverse cocktail program alongside a menu inspired by our Raleigh flagship.

Top review

Mary

Dined on Jun 24, 2025

My friend and I had a wonderful lunch at Brewery Bavana in Fenton. The service was excellent. The Dim Sum was fantastic. I love looking at the books, noticing which ones I’ve read and which one’s I’d like to read. I’m excited to go back. I highly recommend Brewery Bavana. My new favorite restaurant!

Sports and Social Cary

4.3

4.3 (70)

$30 and under

Sports Bar

Cary

About the restaurant

Sports and Social Cary is your ultimate fan experience this season. Don't miss a moment of the action with a huge 42-foot HD big screen and more than 65 HDTVs. Sports and Social Cary takes sports viewing to the next level with big eats, outdoor patio and crush bar, extensive beer selection, and social games like skeeball, foosball, hoops and more! Come see how we're raising the sports bar at Sports & Social Cary. Located in Fenton, exit 291 off I-40.

Top review

Robert

Dined on Jun 10, 2025

Great sports bar atmosphere with an elevated bar menu!

Bar Louie - Brier Creek

4.1

4.1 (14)

$30 and under

American

Raleigh

About the restaurant

At Bar Louie, we're passionate about delivering flavor packed experiences. Defined by our award-winning handcrafted martinis and cocktails, our lunch, dinner and happy hours elevate the top-shelf bar experience. In a vibrant atmosphere energized by our local community, we serve all guests looking to create unforgettable moments - making us the go-to-spot for all occasions, from a spontaneous happy hour hangout to a celebratory spot for milestone events.

Top review

jamie

Dined 5 days ago

The space is big and has eclectic decorations of photographs and paintings . They even have an area to post an instagram photo or social media . Our waiter was great but the food service was a little strange . We had a party of 3 and all of our food came out at a different time ,and it wasn’t even close together . One in our party received her food 10 min before the rest even started coming . We ordered an appetizer of nachos and the dips were great but the nachos were not even heated . They were cold and stale . The chicken tenders were dry and overcooked . We still had fun , but with the price of the food and the more upscale vibe they definitely need to do better . Our bill was a few dollars under $100 , I have had much better food at other cheaper restaurants and bars for what we ordered and that was disappointing since we were celebrating a 21st birthday

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Experience

4th of July Patio Party with Surfside

Bahama Breeze - Raleigh

3.9

3.9 (748)

$30 and under

Caribbean

Raleigh

About the restaurant

When you're at Bahama Breeze Island Grille, life's one big party. It's an escape from the ordinary and a much-needed excuse for you to let loose. Famous since 1996 for tropical cocktails, live music, and more, the vibe here is always as amazing as that Caribbean-inspired food we're known for. Bahama Breeze offers your favorites: seafood, salads, chicken--all with island flair. From Jerk Chicken Pasta to Seafood Paella, you can enjoy the islands one taste at a time, discovering new flavors along the way. Naturally, we're the perfect spot for all the sunniest moments in life: happy hours with friends, anniversaries, birthdays, date nights and unique culinary experiences. So, when you're ready to raise your glass and move your feet, the party's in full swing and the islands are waiting for you or if you'd rather bring the Island party home, online ordering is a Breeze too!

Top review

FayeVIP

Dined on May 18, 2025

I enjoy my brunch with my family of five ladies. I had the shrimp pineapple bowl. I was delicious and what I expected. The service was good. Our waitress was very attentive to our needs. I would return for another delicious meal.

Peace & Saint - Raleigh

3.6

3.6 (165)

$31 to $50

Bar / Lounge / Bottle Service

Raleigh

About the restaurant

Our elevated shisha café lounge inspired by Middle-Eastern and Mediterranean flavors is open 6 days a week, with a full service bar that invites you to engage in creative pursuits alongside wine, craft cocktails, and specialized hookah flavors.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur taking an afternoon meeting on our spacious patio, a designer stretching your creative inspiration beyond office walls, or a lifelong sports fan raising a victory glass, we invite you to our place of peace and genuine connections.

Respectfully we are a 21+ establishment.
ID is required upon arrival even with reservations.

Top review

Rich

Dined on Apr 27, 2025

The ambiance, vibe, art, music and experience with the hookah is excellent. Absolutely charming and romantic scene. Only complaint is they need more drink selections. Only two beers on the menu and they were out of seltzers, so it left expensive cocktails or wine as the only choice for drinks.

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