If you’re looking for a classic Raleigh dining experience, you won’t want to miss the Angus Barn! This longtime North Carolina restaurant favorite is known as the place to go for a business meal, celebrations, and special events. And there are very good reasons why it’s such a fave dining experience in the NC Triangle! During the holiday season, the Angus Barn transforms into a wonderland of Christmas lights and cheerful decor by mid-November. Read on to learn about this amazing holiday tradition for the NC Triangle!
Built by new restaurateurs Thad Eure Jr. and Charles Winston (along with their wives) in June of 1960, the restaurant had people initially questioning its location back in the day. Located far on the outskirts of the city of Raleigh, it seemed like an odd choice for a steakhouse. But that bold decision would turn out to be crucial to the success of the Angus Barn over the decades. Given its central RTP location, the Angus Barn is conveniently located near a variety of offices and businesses, along with the quickly growing traffic from RDU airport. While Thad and Charles may not have foreseen the tremendous growth of the Triangle, the Angus Barn certainly benefited from it over the years.
As you head up their driveway past the Angus Barn signage, you’ll be greeted by a low-slung, sprawling, 2-story red barn with a windmill in back. There’s plenty of parking space for this high-capacity restaurant, along with its private events facility, the Pavilion, which sits in back on a pond. A perfect spot for business parties, weddings, anniversary parties, and more!
Head on inside and you’ll find a large waiting room area with a couple of bars out front for peak hours. This front seating area is known as the saloon and features thick, uncovered beams, stonework, and a brick floor. Note, unless you have a reservation (they get snatched up a year in advance for the holidays), you’ll likely have to dine in the Wild Turkey Lounge, which is first come, first served.
Enter the main restaurant building, and you’ll be greeted by the hostess kiosk and a country store where a variety of meats, pies, and foodstuffs are sold to the public. To the right, you’ll find a sitting room and stairs leading up to the popular Wild Turkey Lounge. The main dining room is right up front, decked out in Western decor, gingham tablecloths, and carved wood chairs. While the decor is pretty casual, the Angus Barn is a fine dining experience, so try for business casual dress or better!
Where the Angus Barn really shines is during the holiday season, when it gets decorated to the nines! The holiday and Christmas season is the peakest of peak times at the Angus Barn, and reservations are usually booked out unless there is a cancellation! And you’re highly unlikely to get a seat at the Angus Barn in the main dining room unless there’s a cancelled reservation. And that’s where the Wild Turkey Lounge comes into play. You can sometimes slide in early (after 2pm) during the holidays, but oftentimes there’s even a multi-hour wait for the Turkey Lounge. Note that Angus Barn’s holiday season and decor usually start a week before Thanksgiving and run into late January.
Drop your name and party size to the staff member guarding the entrance to the lounge. Once your name is called, head on upstairs to the cozy Wild Turkey Lounge. The Wild Turkey Lounge used to be the offices of the Angus Barn founders, but now it’s a cozy second-floor space decorated with bourbon decanters and period decor. Grab a seat at the bar or at one of the small tables at the edges. The Wild Turkey Lounge serves up a special menu of more casual eats along with the full menu from the restaurant.
Known as a steakhouse, the Angus Barn is really focused on a fairly traditional, meat-heavy, American menu. Aged beef, ribs, salmon, turkey legs, shrimp cocktail, salads, along with their popular chocolate chess pie! Expect large portions and exceptional service; the Angus Barn does extensive training with its staff before they ever get to serve customers. And if you enjoy wine, the Angus Barn has one of the finest wine cellars and wine lists in the Southeast!
Dive into a thick, juicy slab of prime rib—delicious! For smaller appetites, the steak sandwich will do, but it will likely be two meals for you. Even the pork ribs are spectacular! Slathered in savory barbeque sauce, you typically get two full racks for your order, so you’ll be bringing leftovers home, for sure.
As with any long-lived restaurant, the Angus Barn has several additions and specialty rooms beyond the main dining areas. There’s a humidor where you can purchase a stogie and smoke it on the Western Patio. The Meat Locker is a covered patio area, decorated as an English-style pub, complete with fire pits! Apparently, the Meat Locker is also first come, first served and offers a lounge food menu.
For private parties and business dinners, Alice’s Room, Thad’s Room, and the Captain’s Table offer special dining experiences for groups. The Captain’s Table provides a behind-the-scenes look in the kitchen for two to four people. Enjoy a private dinner adjacent to the busy Angus Barn wine cellar kitchen. You’ll be provided a special menu along with wine pairings from their extensive wine cellar, a 5-course meal paired with 4 glasses of wine. As you can guess, reservations are needed for all of the above!
So how does all that sound for your visit to the ever-popular Angus Barn?! It’s such a large restaurant and facility; knowing a bit about all the dining options helps you figure out what to do for this long-time favorite of the NC Triangle.
So if you’re ever in the Raleigh area and looking for a unique dining experience or place to entertain colleagues, the Angus Barn is a great choice! From the traditional American menu to the interesting decor and great service, expect a top-notch dining experience for all. And an unforgettable dining experience during the holidays!
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