14 East Hargett Street
Downtown Raleigh, NC
http://www.raleightimesbar.com/
Entrees: $7-12
The above picture does not do justice to the atmosphere of The Raleigh Times Bar. It is much larger than I expected, taking up half a city block but divided into a lot of cozy, smaller spaces with two main bars, the Morning Times coffee shop, an art gallery, and outdoor seating. It's modern but not pretentious and would be great for drinks after work. Callbacks to its namesake, The Raleigh Times, are sprinkled about the building by way of old newspaper reproductions.
There is a large beer selection available, with a focus on Belgians, and a decent wine and cocktail list. The beer is sold at very nice prices for very large quantities. Giving into my cucumber cocktail kick, I tried Hendrick's in the Garden, a gin cocktail and didn't particularly like it. My friend didn't like her watermelon cocktail either, so beer may be a safer bet.
Food is mainly dressed up pub fare that was passable but did not make a strong impression. One friend loved that tilapia was used for the fish and chips but the portion size was not satisfying. I had the grilled cheddar, tomato, and avocado sandwich on toasted sourdough.
The bread was too thick and the sandwich bland but I enjoyed the plentiful avocado. It would have been greatly improved with an aioli, flavored mayonnaise, or more fanciful cheese choice. I did like that their BBQ Pork Nachos were available in a small portion size for $4 instead of having to get a mound of chips that inevitably end up half uneaten.
While the food was just okay, the relaxed and hip atmosphere of The Raleigh Times Bar earned it a higher rating than the meal would have alone.
Reviewed 7.17.09.
3 stars
