Second Empire Restaurant & Tavern

Great service. Great food. Wife and I had a marvelous time. Too expensive to come often, but worth the special occasion spend. Only detractor was my drink could have used another shot of bourbon to balance the other ingredients. If you like bourbon, just get bourbon and skip the cocktail.

If I could give more stars I would! We went for our anniversary and they printed customized menu with our names on it and the head chef signed it. Service was top notch and the food was amazing - would highly recommend and we will be back!

One of the best meals ever! Delicious flavors in each dish. The service was impeccable! Beautiful building inside and out.

Amazing. Bar staff were on it and made great beverages. The hostesses were accommodating while we waited. The wait staff was on point. Jason was exceptional along with the others assisting him. Really made the dining experience one of the best.The food was delicious. We all had something different and stole bites from each other. We also had 4 kids in tow and the chef was able to pull something together too keep them from turning into crazed animals. Another bonus point for them.If you haven't tried Second Empire, you are missing out. We will certainly return and we urge others to try it out, I cannot see how someone would be disappointed.Hats off to the chef and wait staff. Thanks.

This restaurant sits in a beautiful old house in downtown, and has a great old country french inspired vibe.The food was excellent, though a bit more traditional for the price and level of restaurant.The cheese selection was amazing, the firsts were excellent, and all of the meats were expertly cooked. The dessert selection was also amazing.I recommend this place for a more traditional nice dinner, that has a lot of class, and is reasonably priced!

Everything was delicious. Plating was beautiful. And prices are spot on for what you get.

The food is superb, the ambiance is magical, and the staff delivers the highest level of service and courtesy. We celebrated a special occasion around the chef's table which was impressive on all facets: four extraordinary courses, perfect wine pairings and an amazing "reality show" from the highly skilled kitchen team. Highly recommended.

Phoenomenal food and service!! Well done and appreciated extra steps for 5 year anniversary! 4 out of 5 only due to desserts not matching the perfect dinner.

I fear that no words can convey the brilliance of my experience at this exquisite restaurant. The staff is nothing short of top notch service and the food was absolutely unbelievable. My wife and I will certainly be back. Chef Daniel Schurr is an artist!

The pork belly starter was fantastic, along with the scallop entree. Our server Chris was a warm welcome and was knowledgeable on the history of the establishment, along with the food. A new favorite in Raleigh.

Enjoyed great service with a group of 10. Food was incredible, with a number of great options. Service was excellent, both in person and over the phone for reservations. Highly recommend for a large group looking for a formal dinner.

The Victorian house holds many wonderful rooms and the bar downstairs is excellent. Thank you to our bartender for being so attentive and informative. Dinner upstairs did not disappoint. The starters were spot on and the presentation and flavor of the mains were perfect. My barramundi was excellent. Our waitstaff were also spot on. I recommend this restaurant for special occasions as well as for weekend getaway dinners.

Service was perfect. Knowledgeable wait staff. Wine selection and quality was 5/5. The food was accurate and fast enough for made-to-order. For the price, I was expecting a little more taste from the entree. Perhaps I would rate 5 stars if I had ordered a different entree. The chef was extremely nice and wrote us a custom message on our menu which was a nice touch.

Amazing place!!! Made are night perfect! Will 100% go back.Great place to go on a date night. Very romantic setting. It is pricey but worth it.The service was amazing. Everyone went above and beyond to make it a great time. Food is delicious. Its very fresh. Loved the cheese plate.I would recommend making a reservation.They do have a spot for large groups. They do have parking, but its not a lot. If you get a chance you should go.

It's rare I post reviews after only going somewhere once, but this place was that great. I had the paella, which was fresh and delicious. The dessert, a butterscotch cake with butterpeacan flavoring and citrus reduction was made in house by their pastry chef and out of this world. Would happily go back. Service was on point.

This is by far the best dining experience I have ever had! Everything I ate was thoughtfully cooked and constructed, so it was as delicious as it was beautiful! Since I visited for my birthday, I was gifted a personalized copy of the menu that was signed by the chef which was a wonderful touch to top off the evening! It is a nice, quiet, and cozy atmosphere to compliment all the other positive things going on. I am absolutely going to dine again the next time a special occasion arises!

Second Empire definitely lived up to the hype! Firstly, the historic building greats a great ambiance especially in the main dining area. Our server was extremely attentive and made great recommendations. I enjoyed ALL my courses!!! Definitely some of the best salmon I've had.

Dined here last Tuesday, and everything was phenomenal! The atmosphere is cozy but upscale, and the food is on point! My date and I tried a variety of different foods and were impressed with all of them. Our waiter and bartender (Bryce and Chris) were both very knowledgeable and accommodating. Would definitely recommend!

Absolutely a 5 star restaurant! Everything was luxurious!!! Food was amazing and worth every penny. We had the beef tartar and bone marrow as a first course then we had the scallops and tuna. The service as well as the food were out of this world incredible! They also went above and beyond for the birthday we were celebrating, worth every penny and would go again in a heartbeat!

This place is everything. From the old fashioned architecture to the incredible service to the delicious food. The waiter opens the front door for you on your way inside. Dishes include duck, lamb, and of course, steak. You can't go wrong. The drinks are hit or miss. One drink was excellent and the other was not. It's expensive. Overall, this was a fantastic experience :)