Since being at NC State in my first undergraduate semester, I have been around Raleigh on multiple excursions and found some great dining spots. These are a few of my favorites:
Iso Iso Ramen & Bar I have been to Iso Iso Ramen & Bar on so many different occasions. Most recently, I visited with my girlfriend, one of my new college friends, and my childhood friend. I suggest this place because it fits any type of event–whether it be a birthday party, family get together, or just somewhere to eat. Iso Iso Ramen & Bar is located at 402 Oberlin Rd Suite 120, Raleigh, NC. The wait is never long, and the waiters are the sweetest. You can either order in or take out which is nice. The food is amazing and has a large selection of different choices to satisfy your cravings. The food ranges from ramen and rolls to sushi and a la carte. Whenever I go to Iso Iso Ramen & Bar, I order the Iso Iso Ramen with Gyoza and Chasu buns. If you have a low spice tolerance, I suggest ordering the Shoyo or Tonkostu Ramen. The pricing is also reasonable, but it depends on how much you order it could be expensive.
Brewery Bhavana Before I go in-depth about my experience at the Brewery, I would like to specify that I have only been once, and I am not old enough to drink; therefore, I have no opinion about the beer and other alcoholic beverages there. Nonetheless, my single experience was great, and I would recommend it. I went there for my friend’s birthday. This is a restaurant that is for more formal occasions. When I went, the waiter I had was incredibly nice and explained everything to me and my friends since it was our first time going there. If we had any questions, he would answer without hesitation. Brewery Bhavana is located at 218 S Blount St, Raleigh, NC. This food was more Asian cuisine. I ordered the General Tso Chicken and the Mild Green mocktail. The chicken was great. It was fried and had its own dedicated special sauce. I highly recommend it; however, I would say proceed with caution for the Mild Green. The best way I can describe the taste of the drink is that it tasted like freshly cut grass. Do not ask me how I came up with this conclusion; just trust me but I would drink it again in a heartbeat. It was probably the best tasting grass you could drink. You can order in or take out at the Brewery Bhavana but I say it is more of a sit-down area than take-out. The pricing would range from being expensive if you order a lot of food, but if it is one or two orders the pricing is also reasonable.
Hibachi & Company Hibachi Company is an underdog on this list of my favorite food spots. It is at 2316 Hillsborough St Suite 108, Raleigh, NC. I would say that if you judge it from the outside it looks like a sketchy food joint, but it is delicious. The first time I ordered from there I devoured that food in probably less than ten minutes. The service is fast and I bought my food for an amazing price. I bought my food for less than ten dollars. I ordered the Chicken Teriyaki Style with Rice and Vegetables.