Irregardless Cafe & Catering

Had a birthday dinner here after a really crappy week. Food was great: able to meet my dietary needs without me feeling left out and everyone at the table was happy with their food and drinks. The waitress was nice and did not let our drinks run dry. The alcoholic drinks were great, there was actually alcohol in it and they had potato vodka. The servings were large enough that I was able to bring half of my dinner and half of my dessert home for another meal (everyone else finished their salads/crab dip in one sitting and were full). The music was nice and we were far enough away that we could still hold a conversation without shouting at each other but still have the ambiance of live music. One group parked on the street, the other parked in a lot around back. I've already told everyone that I can't wait to come here again and I was so glad they picked there to eat for my birthday! more

I've been to the Irregardless three times, always hoping for the best. They have such a great reputation with long-time locals. Well, apparently unless you ARE a long-time local, they really DON'T want your business. The staff is horribly rude, the food was only so-so. My Mother's Day dinner was served without the mango sauce that was supposed to be on it and when I asked my server for it, he said NO and that they were not doing that anymore....despite the fact that it is still on the menu. Hostess, rude. Manager/owner: also rude. Don't bother. more

This is a fantastic restaurant. Don't be put off by these few snarky reviews complaining that this person was curt or that time there was a wait or there wasn't enough parking or they didn't like the music that night. I even see one in which the person says the food was 'very, very good and a good value' but they didn't enjoy the music. That's too bad in two respects -- one that he/she didn't enjoy the music (always a dice roll, I suspect; but if you're worried, go earlier.) and two that the person gave the restaurant a 2 even though he/she said the food was fantastic. Fact is, this is a one-of-a-kind restaurant with superb cooking, great value and wonderful atmosphere. I've been coming for years and have watched it change and know that Arthur Gordon puts his heart and soul into this. There must be a pretty good reason for a restaurant to thrive with one owner since 1975. Yes, sometimes it is crowded and there's a wait -- that's because it's good. That's because so many people come. And yes, wouldn't a lot of places NOT in a mall love to have parking. But this is a superb restaurant -- the food is consistently excellent; wait staff professional and presentation excellent. more

Dined August 23, 2011 during Downtown Raleigh Restaurant week for the 3 course prix fixe menu. Hostess was just awful both coming in and leaving. All she had to do was smile and take us to our table! She was curt & sullen-- could not squeeze out a smile for our coming OR going! Naturally it was crowded- had to wait over 10 minutes to get water. The Bruchetta was the best I've ever had, the mixed grill was great. Dessert was just ok. Wine was good. Overall food was very, very good and a good value BUT the musical entertainment was not good and was WAY, WAY too loud. The main girl (who was the least talented) had her family there cheering her but volume was out of control and did not allow discussion between me and my guest. Soft canned music would have been far better than lousy live act at too high volume. more

Dined at Irregardless Cafe on May 28, 2011. The ambience was very nice, the wait staff was very efficient and the food was good. The negatives: the restaurant needs some additional parking made available for customers and the wait staff, while efficient, were not warm - actually they came across as being quite indifferent, as if they were just trying to do their job and get through the evening. The food, while nice, is overpriced for what you get and the atmosphere in general has lost that ""down-to-earth, granola"" feel and seems somewhat stuffy. more

The restaurant had such a great vibe on Mother's Day morning. Happy moms, happy families! Yummy food, attentive service without interruption to the discussions at our table. Thanks for a great start to the day! more

I've been a huge fan of Irregardless Cafe for years now and I really enjoy the live music they have. I eat there many times a week for lunch and dinner and must say the food is FABULOUS!!! The only complaint I have is that, on certain Wednesday nights, there has been a band called the Kudzu Ramblers and they play as if they are in concert at a stadium!! I always request to sit in the farthest booth from the music but somehow it seems like they are playing right in front of me!! This past time, as I was heading to the restroom, I notice them being extremely rude and condescending to their waiter and the manager who, from my tables conversation with him, has been with Irregardless for 13 years! VERY DISRESPECTFUL! I hope this band does not frequent the restaurant anymore or I will have to choose another night to attend! more

My father played there tonight with his band and the manager there was very rude. He's new and he is very rude. Just giving a heads up to people that go there. He was rude and argumentative, he said that the band was ""his employees"" and was all rude about it. Great food, but the manager sucks. more

My husband and I have been eating here for years. We had our wedding reception here and everyone raved about the food and the space. I even recommended it for another one of my couple and they also had their reception here. I loved, loved, loved everything that I got here. I liked that the menu was ever changing and that I could count on some of the old favorites would always be there. I cannot describe how obsessed I was with the house made balsamic dressing. I had people come here from out of town and want to eat at Irregardless first thing. Now it seems that none of the food is the same. The salad dressings have completely changed. They do not even resemble what it used to be. I am highly disappointed that a landmark restaurant in Raleigh feels that it must do a complete 180. I understand that places must grow and change to keep up with the time but, sometimes you just have to roll with the 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' mind set. more

To answer you websites reference about being available to each customer’s needs and wants, you should know that you do not meet this expectation and the owner and leader is responsible for the overall achievement of the restaurant. The food was very good. The service was excellent. The owner was aggressive and spoke like a Pit Bull. I forgot my food that was boxed for to go. When I went to see if it was still there the owner Arthur Gordon verbally and aggressively attacked me. He told me “this is how things are done here."" Then after I explained that I came from a family who owned several restaurants he again attacked me responding “Go and run your families restaurant but this is how I run it here!"" When I think about my dining experience on Valentine’s Day I think of extra tables added to the point where I could introduce myself to the people eating inches away. Then I think of the owner/ Pit Bull accommodating me when I asked if they found any boxed food. I will not return to a restaurant where I would feel physically sick if I saw the owner, Arthur Gordon. I like to have dinner with the person I come with, not the four people next to me as well. I like to see a pleasant owner not an aggressive mean owner who will assault you when receiving feedback. A respectful and dignified restaurant owner will graciously accept any feedback and provide a pleasant dining experience. As a person who deserves respect I will not go to Irregardless to because I do not want the miserable encounter I had with the owner to ruin my dinner. I do not think it is miracle to have complements and receive no complaints but a good restaurant and Irregardless does not have all of those qualities. I also agree with the other poor reviews and can imagine that this would take place at such a restaurant. more

My husband wanted to take me to a special Brunch in N.C. after a difficult move from Arizona.It was the day before Valentine's Day and some tables had red flowers and I heard they were giving a complimentary glass of Champage for dinner,but not Brunch\r \r After waitng to get seated we waited for about 20 minutes for our server ,Ryan to come and apologize for being late.This place was chaos and bussers were running,not walking,clearly they were not prepared, though they ARE AN INFAMOUS SUNDAY BRUNCH restaurant.\r \r Our food took another 40 minutes after waitinf at least 20 minutes for our Bloody Mary's which I returned due to the super chunky sweetness and not a hint of liquor...not even a lone celery stick or wedge of lemon.\r \r My entree came cold after waiting solong.The eggs Benedict were NOT POACHED....Gummy Soft Cooked eggs and the Muffin was not toasted or warm.Barely enough Hollandaise sauce AND the crabcakes,gummy and cold.\r \r I am furious because The server and the owner were clueless...when I sent my food back,Ryan asked if I wanted a to go bag and I said no...that should give an expensive restaurant a clue when someone is not happy.I had complained 2 times and still paid for everything.I am calling the owner and letting him know he needs himself and staff to look at the big picture....never mind..I just did and they are too busy to answer. more

Our first Thanksgiving dinner in a restaurant.\r Reservations at 3:15pm. Website stated that the Turkey dinner was $20, but the menu stated $24. We were never offered the choice between sweet potato or mashed potato (like the website menu listed). Out of Apple pie already. Food was ok, but felt rushed. Try somewhere else next year. more

Since I moved to Raleigh a couple of years ago, I made it my business to find the best breakfast place in town. Needless to say, over the months, I have tried many. Today, was The Irregardless Cafe's turn. I was immediately impressed and excited that the menu was arranged so that I could get one entree or choose several dishes to make up my plate- for just 7 bucks!!! Good stuff too: grits w/ real parmesan cheese, herbs and fresh tomatoes, eggs- with the option of an ""add in"" for no extra charge, and even a pancake or french toast. I judge breakfast restaurants by their french toast and theirs, flavoured with this custard batter and grilled was outstanding.\r \r I was literally about to pull out my cell phone and text my friend that I had finally found THE spot for breakfast when I overheard the manager tell a customer that today was the LAST DAY! I am so sorry that I will be unable to go back and sample all of the other delicious sounding dishes on the menu. Honestly, it amazes me that the chain breakfast house around the corner is still standing. At this point for me, the IC has been the best breakfast in town without a doubt, in terms of food quality, varied menu with classic favorites with tasty twists, and price! Please bring breakfast back - I neeed that french toast!!! \r \r In the meantime, I guess I'll have to check out brunch.. more

My husband and I went to the Irregardless Cafe the other week for the very first time and we fell in love. Food was great, service was professional, and the live music and dancing made the evening so special. Our anniversary is next month, and I know where we will be going (especially since they send you a gift certificate for a free bottle of wine for anniversaries!!) You have to try the basil grapefruit martini yummm Pros: love it all! Cons: Very busy on a Saturday night, get a reservation for sure more

Met some friends at Irregardless the other night. Had a ball, our server was really cute! My favorite is the Morgan St. Chicken, for 35 yrs in business ya'll are doing something right!! Pros: Great to meet Friends more

WE HAD A BUSINESS LUNCH FOR THREE OF OUR FIRMS MOST CHERISHED CLIENTS AND WHEN ASKED WHERE THEY WANTED TO EAT WHILE IN TOWN THEY SAID ""IRREGARDLESS CAFE"" WHICH SURPRISED ME, THEIR BEING FROM CALIFORNIA. APPARENTLY THE CONCIERGE AT THEIR HOTEL HAD RECOMENDED THEY TRY IT. HAVING NOT EATEN THERE MYSELF, I WAS AT FIRST, HESITANT. A LOT OF MONEY WAS RIDING ON THIS MEAL. i TOLD THE MAN AT THE FRONT DESK PON ARRIVING THAT WE WOULD NEED A LARGE BOOTH AS WE WERE CONDUCTING BUSINESS AND HE IMMEDIATELY BEGAN SETTING UP SOMETHING IN THE CORNER FURTHEST FROM THE NOISIEST PART OF THE ROOM. I IMAGINED THAT THE FOOD WOULD BE A BACK-DROP FOR THE DISCUSSIONS WE WERE TO HAVE BUT AS IT WENT, NONE OF US COULD STOP TALKING ABOUT THE FOOD! TO OUR DELIGHT SOMEONE MAKING ROUNDS CHECKED UP ON US AND AT OUR PROMPTING TOLD A MOST HEART-WARMING AND INTERESTING HISTORY OF THE CAFE. NEEDLESS TO SAY, WE STAYED LATE TO FINISH BUSINESS, SIGNED THE DEAL AND AS A CELEBRATORY GESTURE OFFERED OUR GUESTS TO ENTERTAIN THEM FOR DINNER. WHEN THE INVITATION WAS USHERED THEY IMMEDIATELY REQUESTED THAT WE SECURE RESERVATIONS FOR THAT EVENING AT IRREGARDLESS AGAIN!! THE DINNER THAT NIGHT WAS ALMOST EQUALLED BY THE LIVE BAND AND BOTH TOGETHER LENT ITSELF TO THE PERFECTION ONE COULD ONLY DREAM OF FOR AN ALL IMPORTANT AND MAKE-IT-OR-BRAKE-IT BUSINESS LUNCH MEETING!~\r THANKS!! Pros: ATTENTIVE STAFF, GREAT FOOD, LIVE MUSIC Cons: NO LUNCH RESERVATIONS ACCEPTED more

I love Irregardless Cafe. I've only eaten here a handful of times, but the food is excellent and I really enjoy the atmosphere. To be honest, I had passed by the place for a while but had never given it much thought until I read something about it online. My boyfriend and I visited on a weekend evening without a reservation and decided to go to the bar instead of waiting for a table. The bartender was great to talk to! We did find it a bit crowded, though. (Although I guess that's a good sign!) We visited again on a weeknight and I actually much preferred this atmosphere! It was nice because we felt a bit more comfortable with the noise level and the amount of people. \r \r I do have to recommend the Warm Goat Cheese Salad. I'm not usually big on salads (i don't find them very satisfying and usually have to order something else as well) but this one was REALLY good!!! The goat cheese is what caught my eye, but the salad as a whole was very well balanced! \r \r This is definitely one of my favorite restaurants in Raleigh! Pros: Really good food, Cool atmosphere, Good Service Cons: Crowded on Weekends more

I recently decided to take my son out for a quiet Sunday Brunch and was so pleased with my experience with Irregardless.\r \r The food was excellent, the server friendly, and the music was top notch. But the best part, for me anyways, was that the atmosphere was casual enough to make an 18 year old boy comfortable, but nice enough to please his 47 year old mom. It wasn't loud or noisy and we were able to have a great time talking about life.\r \r He had the Crab Cake Eggs Benedict and took the leftovers home and ate them that night. (He NEVER eats leftovers.) That spoke volumes to me about the quality of the food.\r \r A great afternoon all around.\r more

The other night my friend held her bachelorette party at Irregardless Cafe, of which I had heard mixed reviews. All I know is that upon arrival, when we told the manager that we had 4 extra people in our party, he was gracious, accomodating and the only thing that could have been better was if we could have had a bigger table (but considering the circumstances)Anyways, out of all those girls, nobody brought a camera...i mean we had are cell phones but nothing substancial. up comes the hostess and asks if we would like to have her act as our personal photographer for the evening! then the food came. I didnt know that eating healthy food could be so joyfully accomplished. So anyways, before i left, I got a buisiness card and spoke to the manager about having my rehearsal dinner there! Cant Wait! Pros: friendliest servers and best paella Cons: hard to get reservations sometimes more

I have been a traveling business man for 28 years and i've eaten at some of the best(and worst) restaurants in the world. Sometimes you stumble upon a rare gem that is hidden off of the more posh and trendy streets and maybe isn't quite as ""hip"" as others might think they are, but the service is just right, not to casual, not overbearing, and the food...well the food reminds you of childhood when every taste was new and things exploded in your mouth and everything was a first. Well, that was my experience at Irregardless Cafe. Unassuming, Unpretentious. Persnal staff. Friendly Management. Perfect Cooking. I'd move here just to eat the food more often! Pros: Cutting edge menu Cons: closed mondays more