5 out of 5 stars

I had a chip on my shoulder about Crabtree Tavern because I have been so often disappointed by “upscale” taverns, including the Oxford. But it turned out to be a perfect lunch outing for the family, seated on the patio with our new baby. It has a suprisingly green view, considering that this restaurant is situated between two hotels and the parking garage of Crabtree Mall. It has the benefit of being slightly up the hill and nestled amongst trees.

I ordered the Guinness Chili , which was fantastic.. you could taste the Guinness for sure in the ground beef as well as other spices and the black beans. Also a house side salad on the side for an extra $2, with fresh cherry tomatoes, baby greens, red onion and fresh parmesan.

Hubs had the Californian turkey burger, which was moist and flavorful. I didn’t even realize it was a turkey burger until he told me later. The burger came on grilled fresh-baked wheat bread with avocado, feta, salsa and cilantro aoli.

Ellen had one of the grilled chicken breast sandwiches, which she raved about due to the seasoning on the chicken breast and the smoky flavor imparted by the wood grill. She got some sweet potato fries on the side, which are always fun.

The service was a little slow, but we couldn’t complain for two reasons – 1) we were the only ones on the patio and 2) the menu asks that you be patient as all items are made to order. At least we were warned in advance. Baby Devin enjoyed his time out on the patio with us and we can’t wait to go back and sample more of the food at the Crabtree Tavern.

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3 out of 5 stars

Remington Grill is a counter service joint specializing in burgers and bbq. It’s not gourmet, but the burgers and pork sandwiches are tasty, and the crispy fries are perfect dipped in their special mayo sauce that tastes a bit like french dressing. The atmosphere is ok here too, it’s western-style complete with fake cacti and deep wooden booths.

Remington Grill
2101 S Main St
Wake Forest, NC 27587
(919) 556-9880

I had heard this place offered some of the best burgers in town although I can’t remember which website I read this on. The only local Raleigh burgers I’ve had the chance to sample since I’ve been here are Char Grill, which are delightfully charred on the outside, albeit a bit thin and small.

Five Guys are hand formed and never frozen. I was initially disappointed when I walked in because these are cooked on a standard flat griddle rather than a grate over charcoal or a gas grill. But these babies were tender and delicious, and the fries were amazing. Normally fries are a sideline item but these could be the star of a meal if you wanted. They’re fresh cut daily.

Here’s the list of top five Raleigh everything (including burgers) according to a local blogger vs AOL City Guide. Here’s a review of one of the original Five Guys locations by Roadfood, one of my favorite foodie blogs.

Five Guys
North Hills Mall
4120 Main St
Raleigh, NC 27609
(919) 787-7772