The food was very good, but not particularly exceptional for Italian fare. The service was exemplary, both friendly and attentive. The atmosphere is comfortable and cozy without feeling crowded. It is the type of place to linger. So why the 4 star rating? They are charging an extra fee for using a credit card. I find this irritatingly petty. There are too many other good restaurants that are NOT nickel-and-diming us to death. We won't be back anytime soon.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Kelly Bitz
I ordered a to go appetizer and one meal on Thursday.The prices that they advertise are not correct.I was expecting $38. We paid $58.Big difference.They should change pricing on their website.Very misleading. Love the food!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 3
Victoria Voight
I love this place. They have some of the best mussels I have ever eaten. Sit at the bar and have a drink, or a meal. Chat with the bartenders who make a killer old fashioned. Check out the wine list. Watch a Canes game. Quiet enough that you can actually have a conversation. Eat in the dining room. Great atmosphere and a nice menu. This is not a pizza joint. It is a quiet little gem.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Phil M.
This place has a great atmosphere for a romantic date or for a small group of friends. The menu has a lot of options and the food is really good. The service was top-notch as well. It's one of the better Italian restaurants in Raleigh.
Lesa B.
Haven't eaten here in a while, and after we sat down, remembered why. Very tired restaurant! 1. Although the server was friendly, the service was sloppy - wait staff wearing big baggy sweatshirt with dirty sleeves - not ok, set some standards Ensure the team wears proper black uniforms that fit. 2. White table cloths nice touch, old dried center pieces, not so much. How much can a single fresh carnation cost? Simple and says volumes about someone caring about the details. 3. If you're going to charge $24-30 for pasta dishes, should be fresh pasta, with flavor and know what you're serving. Ordered carbonara- NOT carbonara nor did the server know. 4. Pricey for the experience- one app, 2 pasta dishes, dessert + one glass of house wine- $125 Overall, all signs look like this restaurant is struggling to stay aloft, it's dated, worn, food is dull, and staff couldn't care less if they work there. The restaurant was crowded so perhaps they are not putting their profits back into the business or still catching up after Covid? Unfortunately, better restaurants in Raleigh to enjoy!
Kerry O.
Food was OK. Service was terrible. Ambiance was very loud. Prices were high but then charged us for extra bread and a 4% service fee to use Credit card. We wanted separate checks and to split the cost of the appetizers between us but they couldn't figure that out. All in all a poor experience. Never experienced this before there.
Tommy Z
Food was average. Service was terrible. Prices were crazy. $18 for 4 mushrooms! There are so many better places to in Raleigh.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 1
Kevin J.
I hesitate to give this review but everything went downhill. The server was decent at first but kept going MIA (actually we knew where he was, he was managing the bar as well as serving so he disappeared for long periods of time). We ordered two dishes, a drink and a dessert.. total cost, $94.82. How? We're not sure, the math was very funky. First off, they charge a 4% fee for paying by credit card. That's just odd. So, drink $13, soda $3, spaghetti $25, Fettuccine $24, and choc cake $13... subtotal says $84, which it isn't, it's $78. The server said there's a 4% cc charge but that still doesn't total $84. That's magic math right there. We didn't bother arguing the math anymore and just paid it. We're not from NC but isn't there supposed to be an alcohol tax? There wasn't one on the bill. On to the food... $25 for spaghetti and $24 for fettuccine. That's a seriously high amount for the small portions you get. Worse yet, it was good but not anything special. Some would almost say it was plain. At least they had enough sauce so it wasn't dry. All in all, the place was highly recommended but very disappointing. We will be back to Raleigh but not to this restaurant. Apparently when the place was ran my Nina it was amazing but whoever is doing it now is focusing on massive profits and lowered the standards. One stop visits and no repeat customers with food and prices like this.
Tamara Clary (Art Teach On The Go)
I have not been to Nina's in years. My friend and I met there for dinner and sat at the bar. Alison was a wonderful bartender and server. The service was excellent and the drinks wonderful. The food was fine. I had the shrimp, scallops over angle hair pasta. Cooked perfectly but not a lot of flavor to the sauce.We got our separate bills. There were 2 prices on the check. A lower price if you paid cash and a higher total if you used a debit card / credit card. Nina's was charging their customers 4% extra if you used a debt or credit card. We couldn't believe in 2024 Nina's was pawning off their credit card service fee to their customers to pay.I have been a business owner in Raleigh for 30 years and I would never do this to my clients. I understand offering credit cards/debit cards is a service offered by a business and paying the fees is part of the deal of my overhead that I can write off on my taxes. There are so many wonderful restaurants in our area. I won't be returning to Ninas.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Dan Swart
I really hate a bate and switch business. We went here because we seek out restaurants that have half priced wine on specific evenings. Nina's has half priced wine on Tuesdays,,, well, sorta. They told us they do have it up to a $60 bottle. For higher priced bottles its just $30 off. That was OK with us. Then we looked at the wine list and realized all the wine was around 25% more expensive than their list on their web site. They had put a significant increase on their in store menus, but not updated the web. We looked at the food menu and saw that bait and switch continued on the food as well with everything looking to be about 25% more than on the web. So we order a bottle of wine listed on the web for $34 but was actually $48 and started to enjoy our evening. The bottle we ordered was fine for the half off $24 but was in no way worth $48. The waitress brought a really small plate of bread with a bowl of some kind of dip along with it and dropped it on our table. I tried a little of the dip and found it was ONION. I use capitals because the onion was all I could taste for a while after trying just a touch of it on the small piece of bread. The little bit of bread provided seemed fresh and warm, but the waitress was nowhere to offer butter or oil and balsamic to go with it. We got our dinner and the flavor was good. I did notice that the plates were cold, but when served, the food was warm. The cold plates made the food cool down really fast. The pasta that came with my dish was very tasty, but was sitting in about 1/4" of water with a little sauce on top. As I ate it, the sauce got into the water and made a pasta soup that was not very appetizing.The main meal itself was pretty good. But due to the bait and switch pricing we will not be back for a while.
Where to start? The prices on the website are not the actual prices, we went there thinking about the affordable prices, that’s not the case. The waitress couldn’t advice us on what’s good, since she is more a “Chicken Nuggets person” ? when we got the bill, the charged us 4% because we paid with a debit card. The food is nothing awesome, not a $30 worth plate of pasta. The place and atmosphere seems nice but it was a disappointing experience. Anyways go somewhere else.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 3
Alicia Marie
Our waitress was nearly the only one on the floor and there was nearly a full house! She could've used some help. We waited 30 mins from menu to placing our order and then another 30 mins between finishing our dinners completely and waiting for a dessert menu. The tiramisu was worth it though!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
Timothy Saunooke
Always a very pleasant experience. Great atmosphere, great food, wine, knowledgeable staff. Maureen is exceptional.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Lasagne, Torta Di Chocolate E Crema & Tiramisu & Special Pastry Plate, Saltimbocca, Zucchini Rollup, Scallops, Ravioli Con Salmone
Gerry C
We went early. Get reservations. Worked out great. Atmosphere was great. Waitress was great. Food was great. A little grizzle in my steak, but was cooked perfectly, and had good texture. The bruschetta was the best ever. Pineapple martini was perfect. We will go again!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Joseph A
The menu prices on their website are no longer accurate. They are quite a bit higher. Also, if you want extra bread, be prepared to spend an extra $2.00. That was a first for us!. Also, want to pay by credit card? That will cost you an extra 4%.
The food was very good, but not particularly exceptional for Italian fare. The service was exemplary, both friendly and attentive. The atmosphere is comfortable and cozy without feeling crowded. It is the type of place to linger. So why the 4 star rating? They are charging an extra fee for using a credit card. I find this irritatingly petty. There are too many other good restaurants that are NOT nickel-and-diming us to death. We won't be back anytime soon.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
I ordered a to go appetizer and one meal on Thursday.The prices that they advertise are not correct.I was expecting $38. We paid $58.Big difference.They should change pricing on their website.Very misleading. Love the food!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 3
I love this place. They have some of the best mussels I have ever eaten. Sit at the bar and have a drink, or a meal. Chat with the bartenders who make a killer old fashioned. Check out the wine list. Watch a Canes game. Quiet enough that you can actually have a conversation. Eat in the dining room. Great atmosphere and a nice menu. This is not a pizza joint. It is a quiet little gem.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This place has a great atmosphere for a romantic date or for a small group of friends. The menu has a lot of options and the food is really good. The service was top-notch as well. It's one of the better Italian restaurants in Raleigh.
Haven't eaten here in a while, and after we sat down, remembered why. Very tired restaurant! 1. Although the server was friendly, the service was sloppy - wait staff wearing big baggy sweatshirt with dirty sleeves - not ok, set some standards Ensure the team wears proper black uniforms that fit. 2. White table cloths nice touch, old dried center pieces, not so much. How much can a single fresh carnation cost? Simple and says volumes about someone caring about the details. 3. If you're going to charge $24-30 for pasta dishes, should be fresh pasta, with flavor and know what you're serving. Ordered carbonara- NOT carbonara nor did the server know. 4. Pricey for the experience- one app, 2 pasta dishes, dessert + one glass of house wine- $125 Overall, all signs look like this restaurant is struggling to stay aloft, it's dated, worn, food is dull, and staff couldn't care less if they work there. The restaurant was crowded so perhaps they are not putting their profits back into the business or still catching up after Covid? Unfortunately, better restaurants in Raleigh to enjoy!
Food was OK. Service was terrible. Ambiance was very loud. Prices were high but then charged us for extra bread and a 4% service fee to use Credit card. We wanted separate checks and to split the cost of the appetizers between us but they couldn't figure that out. All in all a poor experience. Never experienced this before there.
Food was average. Service was terrible. Prices were crazy. $18 for 4 mushrooms! There are so many better places to in Raleigh.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 1
I hesitate to give this review but everything went downhill. The server was decent at first but kept going MIA (actually we knew where he was, he was managing the bar as well as serving so he disappeared for long periods of time). We ordered two dishes, a drink and a dessert.. total cost, $94.82. How? We're not sure, the math was very funky. First off, they charge a 4% fee for paying by credit card. That's just odd. So, drink $13, soda $3, spaghetti $25, Fettuccine $24, and choc cake $13... subtotal says $84, which it isn't, it's $78. The server said there's a 4% cc charge but that still doesn't total $84. That's magic math right there. We didn't bother arguing the math anymore and just paid it. We're not from NC but isn't there supposed to be an alcohol tax? There wasn't one on the bill. On to the food... $25 for spaghetti and $24 for fettuccine. That's a seriously high amount for the small portions you get. Worse yet, it was good but not anything special. Some would almost say it was plain. At least they had enough sauce so it wasn't dry. All in all, the place was highly recommended but very disappointing. We will be back to Raleigh but not to this restaurant. Apparently when the place was ran my Nina it was amazing but whoever is doing it now is focusing on massive profits and lowered the standards. One stop visits and no repeat customers with food and prices like this.
I have not been to Nina's in years. My friend and I met there for dinner and sat at the bar. Alison was a wonderful bartender and server. The service was excellent and the drinks wonderful. The food was fine. I had the shrimp, scallops over angle hair pasta. Cooked perfectly but not a lot of flavor to the sauce.We got our separate bills. There were 2 prices on the check. A lower price if you paid cash and a higher total if you used a debit card / credit card. Nina's was charging their customers 4% extra if you used a debt or credit card. We couldn't believe in 2024 Nina's was pawning off their credit card service fee to their customers to pay.I have been a business owner in Raleigh for 30 years and I would never do this to my clients. I understand offering credit cards/debit cards is a service offered by a business and paying the fees is part of the deal of my overhead that I can write off on my taxes. There are so many wonderful restaurants in our area. I won't be returning to Ninas.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
I really hate a bate and switch business. We went here because we seek out restaurants that have half priced wine on specific evenings. Nina's has half priced wine on Tuesdays,,, well, sorta. They told us they do have it up to a $60 bottle. For higher priced bottles its just $30 off. That was OK with us. Then we looked at the wine list and realized all the wine was around 25% more expensive than their list on their web site. They had put a significant increase on their in store menus, but not updated the web. We looked at the food menu and saw that bait and switch continued on the food as well with everything looking to be about 25% more than on the web. So we order a bottle of wine listed on the web for $34 but was actually $48 and started to enjoy our evening. The bottle we ordered was fine for the half off $24 but was in no way worth $48. The waitress brought a really small plate of bread with a bowl of some kind of dip along with it and dropped it on our table. I tried a little of the dip and found it was ONION. I use capitals because the onion was all I could taste for a while after trying just a touch of it on the small piece of bread. The little bit of bread provided seemed fresh and warm, but the waitress was nowhere to offer butter or oil and balsamic to go with it. We got our dinner and the flavor was good. I did notice that the plates were cold, but when served, the food was warm. The cold plates made the food cool down really fast. The pasta that came with my dish was very tasty, but was sitting in about 1/4" of water with a little sauce on top. As I ate it, the sauce got into the water and made a pasta soup that was not very appetizing.The main meal itself was pretty good. But due to the bait and switch pricing we will not be back for a while.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
Restaurantji Recommends
Where to start? The prices on the website are not the actual prices, we went there thinking about the affordable prices, that’s not the case. The waitress couldn’t advice us on what’s good, since she is more a “Chicken Nuggets person” ? when we got the bill, the charged us 4% because we paid with a debit card. The food is nothing awesome, not a $30 worth plate of pasta. The place and atmosphere seems nice but it was a disappointing experience. Anyways go somewhere else.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 3
Our waitress was nearly the only one on the floor and there was nearly a full house! She could've used some help. We waited 30 mins from menu to placing our order and then another 30 mins between finishing our dinners completely and waiting for a dessert menu. The tiramisu was worth it though!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
Always a very pleasant experience. Great atmosphere, great food, wine, knowledgeable staff. Maureen is exceptional.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Lasagne, Torta Di Chocolate E Crema & Tiramisu & Special Pastry Plate, Saltimbocca, Zucchini Rollup, Scallops, Ravioli Con Salmone
We went early. Get reservations. Worked out great. Atmosphere was great. Waitress was great. Food was great. A little grizzle in my steak, but was cooked perfectly, and had good texture. The bruschetta was the best ever. Pineapple martini was perfect. We will go again!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
The menu prices on their website are no longer accurate. They are quite a bit higher. Also, if you want extra bread, be prepared to spend an extra $2.00. That was a first for us!. Also, want to pay by credit card? That will cost you an extra 4%.