Restaurants in Sanford

“OMG….. LISTEN, I’M SO GLADLY I STOPPED HERE AND TRY OUT THE FOOD! LITERALLY, MY FIRST TIME HERE AND I’M A SATISFIED CUSTOMER…. THE FOOD AND DESSERT IS EXTREMELY DELICIOUS TO ME!!! I WILL BE STOPPING BY MORE OFTEN, SERIOUSLY. KEEP UP THE EXCELLENT WORK!!!! TWO THUMBS UP.”

“Great family restaurant, cool vibe, general tso chicken is crispy and not greasy (served with an amazing sauce). We will be back”

“This place is pretty great! I like mangoes, if you do get mango anything. You're going to like it. It's very clean and also very friendly. Customer service rocks every time. They will see a lot of me this summer!”

“Great food, affordable prices and a friendly staff. It is now one of our favorites.”

“Great customer service & some of the best brews I’ve had! They have a great variety of beer & outdoor area. I would love to see a few tv’s added to watch games on Saturday & Sundays.”

“first time eating there today. very clean. staff was very kind and sweet. food was very good. loved the chips and ranch. will definitely be back to try the shrimp tacos.”

“This is the best coffee place in Sanford! It is so good and the staff is super nice! Also the cheapest coffee in town I believe especially for a large! Definitely recommend”

“Always best food and service”

“This is my favorite Mexican place in the state of NC. Everytime I come the food is delicious and the drinks are amazing. They are super consistent. I tell everyone about this place. Absolutely wonderful customer service. They take care of their customers treat them like family.”

“Delicious foods. Very Clean Restaurant and the costumer service is awesome.”

“The ice cream was amazing. The worker that waited on me was not so amazing. He hates his job clearly and has no customer service skills including communication. He was more than rude! The lady that waited on the next customer was awesome! So I would return to give it another go. Hopefully next time someone who likes working there waits on us.”

“OMG!!! I just had the best Baklava, EVER!!! This is my first time trying...and it's definitely not my last! Everyone here (@ my job) can't stop talking about how amazing everything (donuts, muffins, baklava, elephant ears) is since it walked thru our doors. Kudos to you and your staff!!! You are all amazing, special shout out to the young lady that took my order, I believe her name was Penny (sorry, if that's not right). #Customer4Life #SandrasBakery deserves 4 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼..co-worker allowed me to borrow 2 thumbs 😊”

“Best ceviche I’ve ever had and delicious shrimp cocktail! Really bright, fresh flavors. The fish tacos are also excellent. Highly recommend!”

“Definitely the best Mexican restaurant I’ve ever been to, the food is ready in 5 minutes after you order, very affordable.”

“Great atmosphere, amazing people and coffee as strong as you want it to be! I always stop in when I'm going through the area ☕️”

“Very good! Sushi takeout was great!”

“very good!! I love pizza but have gotten weirdly picky about it over the last few years, probably due to my medication dulling my senses. So now I only like a couple places. We decided to try La Montesina tonight because I wanted somewhere I could get thin crust. It was really good! My husband and daughter said it was very good too. My 3 year old actually ate a lot of her chicken tenders. I tried a bite for review purposes, they were good too.”

“It's your typical strip shopping mall Asian restaurant that is big enough to seat maybe 12 customers. Definitely more geared towards take out orders.

What's not typical is the food quality and variety on the menu. I ordered the hibachi steak and shrimp and was very pleased with my decision. Quality cut of meat with a generous amount of various veggies and the white sauce was on point. More than enough to get your fill and maybe even some leftovers depending on how hungry you are at the time. I would recommend you give them a visit but plan on takeout if you're looking for ambiance.

Parking: Shopping mall parking.

Wheelchair accessibility: Wheelchair accessible but small restaurant with close quarters.”

“Food is consistently good! This is our go to Chinese place. I will say the level of spice depends on which team is on but nothing too crazy either way. Favorites include crab Rangoon, General Tsos, bourbon chicken, and Singapore mei fun. I will say I could do without the pork in the Mei fun as it is usually fatty but otherwise good Chinese”

“the service was great, they were SO nice to my kids. a lady named Brenda, wasn’t even our server & went above and beyond for my kids. My oldest wanted to play the claw machine but only had 50¢. she gave him a dollar, wouldn’t even take his change. then he was sad he lost & she came up with a plushie for him, and for my youngest son too. Brenda seriously made our whole night! our server was good & attentive also, the food was good & affordable. but the service was impeccable! they didn’t even act bothered over my son sobbing, we’re just helpful. 10/10 recommend & will be back!”

“Made a quick stop for lunch. The food was delicious. Order came out quick food was hot and fresh. Had the shrimp lo mein and fried chicken k wings. By far best Chinese I’ve had ❤️❤️ we live 2 hours away and will come back to eat again.”

“I was driving by and just popped in for dinner on a whim. Never thought it’d be this good—hibachi steak and chicken are both so tender, and the shrimp are massive!”

“So happy to find this restaurant today, service and food is spectacular 👊🏻”

“Overall the food was great! The customer service was very antetative! Lunch time seems to be the time to come here as everything was as expected. I would love to come back again!”

“This is where we stop on the way to our ski trip annually. Kandi and Lizabeth made this trip extra delightful! We had to split our tables since we have grown kids. Every staff member checked on us, food was hot, drinks stayed filled. 10/10 experience! Wonderful experience!”

“Today is the second time we have purchased Happy Meals and when we got them home there was no toy inside. Let’s face it, we’re not buying them for the “haute cuisine “. It’s hard to explain to a pre-schooler why she didn’t get a toy. Should call them unhappy meals. The Spring Lane store needs to take better care of business.”

“got a very dark pink undercooked burger after waiting for 15 minutes to recieve it! 🤢 When I got a chance to finally eat it, I bit in and took a few bites. I didnt realize it was raw until I set it down bc it wasn't hot anymore ( this is not their fault I was working). I'm totally used to eating cold food so it didn't dawn on me to look at the center. I am no nauseated by this and cannot even eat anything. I hope this does not happen to anyone else. raw hamburger should be cooked to at least 165°F to avoid any sicknesses. Ground hamburger touches many exposed surfaces during processing and hence why it has to be well done to kill bacteria.”

“ba ba ba ba I'm loving it”

“Love the atmosphere in Family Grounds. The perfect place to sit and talk and enjoy coffee or sit and study. The staff are sweet and the coffee is delicious.”

“The food delicious!! Wesley the prime rib. However, we waited watched as group after group were seated and served as we sat and sat waiting for our food . We ordered the special prime rib and were told it was quickly prepared so she wasn't putting our order in right then. I think she forgot to put it in later. Several other folks got their food who came in after us.”

“Amazing food! Everything!”

“This restaurant serves the meal cafeteria style. Pick your options and it's put on the plate by the servers from the hot pans. My first time here, I had a two meat meal with fried chicken wings and a BBQ thigh (pictures attached). Both ways the meat was tender and hot. The wings had the home cooked fried flavor you would expect and the BBQ was nicely favored with the sauce, I didn't taste a smokey grilled flavor though, but the sauce worked well with it. They also had sliced ham, fried shrimp and fish and pulled pork. (I'll try two other meats next trip) The side of fried okra and broccoli with cheese sauce had good flavor and were also served hot. They have many other side choices to try on another visit. The prices are down to earth and there are good portions on the plate or box, if you get a to-go tray. A worthwhile home cooking food option in my opinion. I'll be back with friends.”

“Real feeling of a 50s diner. The foods great, haven't had a bad item yet and the staff are very attentive and friendly.
Went again today (1/20/26), still great!”

“best service around. great tasting food. great daily specials during the week. a must for anyone in the Sanford area looking for fast fresh great tasting peruvian food.”

“Wife wanted me to try this burger spot. Did not disappoint. I meant to take a picture of my burger but it looked so good I didn't want to wait.
Definitely will be back. Thank you”

“My wife and I have been customers for a couple of years. We have been here during their best times, and not so best. The staff has always been outstanding in every way. The food has always been good to very good. Some of the specials they offer are just incredible. I am limited in my beer choices, because I prefer darker beers, brown ales. Even with that, I've always found something I enjoyed.
I absolutely love watching how the families with smaller kids seem to enjoy it here. It's simply a great brewery, friendly people, staff is attentive and fun.”

“This place is awesome food and service great also! Definitely worth stopping in!”

“Best dive thru authentic Mexican food. I waited for my food maybe 10 minutes after I ordered it and it was worth it, way better than fast food drive throughs. The staff is super friendly. I look forward to going back”

“I am always happy with this restaurant”

“Best burger I’ve ever had! It”

“1st time being there was today. It was between lunch and supper. The Waitress was very knowledgeable about the menu. The food was delicious and was worth every penny. I’m probably gonna order Take Out Pizza tomorrow.. If you have never tried it. I really urge you to. Thank U4 Reading David Barner”

“Great atmosphere and awesome staff. Usually really good food… Got some ribs the other day that you couldn’t cut with a knife. Didn’t taste bad but definitely not “fall off the bone”. Other than that exception, always a great experience!”

“Outstanding Service. Great Food.”

“The food is amazing ! This is our second time having take out. I’ve had tacos, enchiladas verde, quesadillas , and tortas. I will go each time I come back to NC to visit.”

“Best barbque,slaw , hush puppies, fried fish okra, …these are a few of my favorite things. Lots of other good things including banana pudding.”

“LOVE this small resturant! Good food and service. Mike and his cooks know how to cook. I've noticed they do a lot of call ins and take outs. Parking can be limited, but you always seem to get a spot. Be careful pulling out, cars are moving fast on Hawkins Ave. Limited seating. 1 large group table other seating is for 4. I'd be surprised if you don't see some one you know eating there.”

“Libations is one of our favorite meals every week! Dinner specials are always yummy, and brunch is simply the best around!”

“Glad Jersey Mike’s returned because it has the best subs.”

“Had the Butterbeer coffee - YUM! Also had the Crock of French Onion soup. It was excellent.”

“best place I've been in around here !!!!”

“Like another reviewer said this food is blam additive! The quesabirrias is awesome, also ordering quesabirrias on a torta with the Consomme (broth) is amazing. Tortas are not usually my go to but this is so good dipping it in the broth. Don't say I didn't warn you, it will be hard to stay away from this place after you've tried it.”

“It’s great! Everyone that works there is 👍🏾 great! Food is amazing!”

“Wana Navu Kava Bar is not just a place. . .it is a whole vibe, an experience! The concept is delightful and the atmosphere is top notch. If you have been hesitant to go or just procrastinating a visit -- do so no longer! Definitely go. Again, this isn't just a place. . .it is a growth and knowledge opportunity. Love it!”

“Been eating at Scoops since I was a kid and hands down Scoops is the best place to get hot dogs and sausage dogs!”

“The food was really good. I ate a pollo con tajadas. The fried chicken wad crunchy and juicy. The tajadas were good. My wife ate the Taquitos. She said that her tacos were very good”

“Tried the cafe for lunch today and had the southwest chicken wrap with pasta salad. It was so good! I’d highly recommend them to anyone for a quick lunch!”

“Such a great random find! Wanted to stop for a late lunch date and was so surprised. Mezcal margaritas were amazing and the birria tacos were perfect! Staff and everyone was great”

“We drive from Clayton, NC to Sanford, NC just to eat at San Felipe. The service is always exceptional and everything we order is always delicious.T\nThey even allow me to replace the refried beans in my taco salad with grilled onions since I am not allowed beans. All the wait staff is friendly and quick and knowledgeable. We are elderly, and it is important that they speak English understandably and have patience. We LOVE the courtesy of this staff!”

“After 3 years of consistently getting my cookie fix here this place is STILL my favorite spot and never disappoints!”

“This is an awesome place to hang out and bring your dog. Nice people, nice atmosphere.”

“We love everything we have tried.. snickers fudge, frozen bananas, I haven’t tried a flavor of grape we didn’t like and the strawberry crunchy apple is my absolute favorite!!! So yummy!!!”

“I absolutely love going here!! They treat you like family. The owners are wonderful and knowledgeable, I always get my Aries tea with fake blue. They knew exactly what I was talking about and it is always consistant with the taste. I have been other places where they started out great and with time the taste went downhill. Also, if you haven't tried the muffins you are missing out. They are homemade and yummy!! I've tried every one so far. These people really care about what they are doing.”

“Had the greatest dinner there this evening. It was absolutely delicious and freshly made. We highly recommend the veal parmigiana and the eggplant parmigiana subs….ah yes, and the cannolis 🤗 We will definitely be back! 🎉”

“Super Friendly staff! Great Subs!”

“Unassuming from the parking lot, this diner is an example of “it’s whats on the inside that counts”. Hands down the best steak and eggs I’ve had, with a plate full of delicious grits and two fluffy biscuits. The staff are warm hearted, salt of the Earth people. Low prices too, remember to tip generously. Will visit again.”

“Family owned and operated for decades. Main staple for DT Sanford area. Food is delicious and the staff is great. We have dined there since I was a young child.”

“Doesn't look like much from the outside, but seems to be a local favorite. Service was great, food was delicious and prices were so reasonable. Would go back here in a heartbeat!”

“Ordered pick up. It doesn't even make sense how great this food is!! 10/10!”

“Love joes! Come here weekly!”

“Everything is delicious!!!!”

“My peppermint mocha frappe was fantastic!!! I would suggest everyone to stop here. The staff was very professional and fast. They did an awesome job with my coffee. Thank y'all so much”

“The fries are just as I remember from 40 years ago. This is the only P.D. Quix left. it was worth the hour drive”

“Great pizza! The buffalo chicken was excellent.”

“Your Spicy Southwest chicken salad used to be great in quality and quality. But recently you have shrunk them in size and they don’t fill me up anymore. What are you doing? Will you make them bigger again at some point? I sure hope so.”

“Today is the second time we have purchased Happy Meals and when we got them home there was no toy inside. Let’s face it, we’re not buying them for the “haute cuisine “. It’s hard to explain to a pre-schooler why she didn’t get a toy. Should call them unhappy meals. The Spring Lane store needs to take better care of business.”

“There is a new manager at this location. (She is amazing , kind and very knowledgeable). The store has turned completely around. It’s clean, fill with beautiful decorations. There has been a new staff hired, they are friendly and very fast. They are always full of product. The bread is the best in Sanford. The subs are amazing. I saw a 97 A on their health inspection. This is my to go to store from now on.”

“Jackie is our favorite server! We love to come in and will request her table because everything is always perfect and served with a great attitude.She always makes it a fun experience!”

“best service around. great tasting food. great daily specials during the week. a must for anyone in the Sanford area looking for fast fresh great tasting peruvian food.”

“I am always happy with this restaurant”

“I work here, I don’t know if I am supposed to or allowed to make reviews but after reading some of these reviews, I have tons and tons of questions because I’ve never heard of a large percentage of what they’re saying. Overall, Marcos pizza is a great pizza place with friendly work colleagues and I love seeing customers over and over, really makes me feel at home, doesn’t even feel like work.”

“Food was amazing and the service was on point!!! Definitely recommend. New manager is very personal and ensures your dining experience is first class.”

“This place is pretty great! I like mangoes, if you do get mango anything. You're going to like it. It's very clean and also very friendly. Customer service rocks every time. They will see a lot of me this summer!”

“Like another reviewer said this food is blam additive! The quesabirrias is awesome, also ordering quesabirrias on a torta with the Consomme (broth) is amazing. Tortas are not usually my go to but this is so good dipping it in the broth. Don't say I didn't warn you, it will be hard to stay away from this place after you've tried it.”

“Super Friendly staff! Great Subs!”

“1st time being there was today. It was between lunch and supper. The Waitress was very knowledgeable about the menu. The food was delicious and was worth every penny. I’m probably gonna order Take Out Pizza tomorrow.. If you have never tried it. I really urge you to. Thank U4 Reading David Barner”

“Jackie is our favorite server! We love to come in and will request her table because everything is always perfect and served with a great attitude.She always makes it a fun experience!”

“We went for Christmas dinner. It was short staffed and wait did not feel long. The waitress was very nice and food was great. Our family will definitely be eating here again”

“The bar and primarily the bartender Candance is the only reason we come to Applebee's. She is attentive, friendly and makes you feel comfortable whether your a regular or a first timer. If it wasn't for Candance we would drive to Fayetteville or Raleigh, and would no issue doing so.”

“Your Spicy Southwest chicken salad used to be great in quality and quality. But recently you have shrunk them in size and they don’t fill me up anymore. What are you doing? Will you make them bigger again at some point? I sure hope so.”

“got a very dark pink undercooked burger after waiting for 15 minutes to recieve it! 🤢 When I got a chance to finally eat it, I bit in and took a few bites. I didnt realize it was raw until I set it down bc it wasn't hot anymore ( this is not their fault I was working). I'm totally used to eating cold food so it didn't dawn on me to look at the center. I am no nauseated by this and cannot even eat anything. I hope this does not happen to anyone else. raw hamburger should be cooked to at least 165°F to avoid any sicknesses. Ground hamburger touches many exposed surfaces during processing and hence why it has to be well done to kill bacteria.”

“Today is the second time we have purchased Happy Meals and when we got them home there was no toy inside. Let’s face it, we’re not buying them for the “haute cuisine “. It’s hard to explain to a pre-schooler why she didn’t get a toy. Should call them unhappy meals. The Spring Lane store needs to take better care of business.”

“Love the atmosphere in Family Grounds. The perfect place to sit and talk and enjoy coffee or sit and study. The staff are sweet and the coffee is delicious.”

“Last Friday, November 7, 2025, our family was driving into New Hill, NC from out of state from Wahsington,DC, Baltimore, Md, Mead, Pennsylvania, and Northern, VA. After several hours of driving, we simply wanted to get our sleeping arrangements together in our AirBnB as we had more family arriving the following day for my nephew's wedding. Tired and road-weary, we elected for DoorDash. I downloaded the app and we decided on the Popeyes location on South Horner Blvd in Sanford, NC. We ordered the 16pc family meal with 8 biscuits and 3 family sized sides.
40 minutes later, our driver showed up to the door with not much more than a lunchbox sized package! I actually had to laugh as the meal was about $60. With tax, tip, and service fees, it came to around $93.
When he showed, he literally had 8 tenders, 4 biscuits, and a small fry! I never had any experience with DoorDash but I was terribly disappointed. My bro-in-law insisted
that we keep the meager food as the driver was already tipped and, if we lost the dispute, at least we would have something. With only enough food for a couple of people, we decided to go out anyway and see what could be done. 30 minutes later we pulled up to the Popeyes as they were closing. The store manager, Angelica, was so sympathetic to our plight. She understood that we had a long drive, that we had seniors with us in their 70s and 80s that couldn't travel anymore for the evening but were hungry and needed to eat. She and the short staffed skeleton crew that she had on hand worked in unison to pull off an absolute MIRACLE! She put together all that she could while still in the process of cleaning for the night and prepping for the next day. By the time she walked our bags out, the store was closed as was the register and she would not accept a single dime. The entire time, she smiled, was professional, and incredibly pleasant. While DoorDash did eventually honor our reimbursement request and returned our money, Angelica and her team acted IMMEDIATELY and turned what was a nightmare of a night into an amazing blessing that restored our faith in Popeyes. Every store should be so lucky to have a manager like Angelica that leaps into action when called instead of shrinking, shirking her responsibility, or passing the buck. That is what true leadership looks like and she is truly a gem.”

“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Friendly service and great food!”

“ba ba ba ba I'm loving it”

“Shakira S. at the Sanford Location Was Wonderful. Came Thru The drive Thru Late And she had my huge order correct and was such an amazing person! Go See Shakira S. you will not be disappointed!”

“I won't be supporting this establishment in the future. 1. IMO The seating policy is too rigid= "All guests must arrive before anyone can be seated." I understand management not wanting to tie tables up, waiting for late arrivals- but there should be some flexibility (all food ordered at once - time limit etc, extra fee etc) We could have lived with that. But... things devolved... 2. We ordered a bottle of wine that was obviously "corked". This happens from time to time in all restaurants that serve wine (hence - the tasting - when the bottle is opened to make sure it is good) When this occurs it is not the fault or a poor representation of the establishment. Sometimes wine goes bad. It's a thing. -What IS a poor reflection of this establishment, however, is the management's unwillingness to admit that pinot noir isn't supposed to fizz and have a slight vinegar flavor. We were told that sometimes wine is fizzy ... ummm NO - it isn't. (unless of course if it's Champagne -Proscecco or Moscato- a wine that is designed to be that way.) We asked for the bottle to be replaced- management initially declined stating they wouldn't be able to serve the rest of it to others because it had started aging? HUH???? A "corked"/ "bad" bottle of wine needs to go back to the supplier or be disposed. Not served to other unsuspecting patrons. The manager explained that we were "mistaken" about the integrity of the wine. He knew this b/c he has numerous years of "mixology experience" and "knows these things" Mixologist perhaps... Sommelier- definitely not. Contrary to management's nasty comment to one of my guest's feedback... We were not unruly, trying to bribe, throwing tantrums etc... we were simply trying to support a local business - celebrate our friend's birthday and have a bottle of wine worth consuming while we waited. 3. I was shocked and appalled after reading the owner/management's response to my friend's feedback. Snide- condescending- accusatory comments Wow! All I can say is - La DV - hope you guys are saving your cash. The " tough guy - my way or the highway" philosophy you currently employ will not serve you as our area grows. People moving to the area that have experienced true quality food, drink and service will not tolerate what you are dishing. Enjoy the rest of your reign... it won't be as long as it has been...”

“Want to definitely shout out an employee by the name of Bryanna, she is absolutely amazing. Made my experience exceptional, is the reason I will be returning back to this location. Her positive attitude, and beautiful smile; as she made sure my order was correct. Really made my day, she is definitely someone you want when it comes to food services. Felt as if it would not be right, if I did not take the time to show my gratitude. By not only letting the company know, but sharing my experience with this amazing young woman. Really hoping she’s able to see this, or they share the following with her.”

“Our cashier was so friendly and made us feel special and packed our to go order right away.she was very pretty and lots of personality our visit was on Wednesday, May 28th 11:15 am”

“This place is pretty great! I like mangoes, if you do get mango anything. You're going to like it. It's very clean and also very friendly. Customer service rocks every time. They will see a lot of me this summer!”

“The servers are always, customer focused and just plain nice people. Have you ever had the doner? Absolutely delicious! I used to drive down to Army City, but the DONER at the Lakes it’s a closer, better and the portion is larger!”

“Hunt Brothers Pizza is a great pizza for anybody searching for really good tasting food the employees are always very respectful their Pizza is also never undercooked or overcooked it is always just right with a perfect amount of toppings”

“Hunt Brothers Pizza is a great pizza for anybody searching for really good tasting food the employees are always very respectful their Pizza is also never undercooked or overcooked it is always just right with a perfect amount of toppings”

“Truck driver from Jacksonville fl shutting down in north Carolina sending the reviews made me go. I showed up late in the day but the chicken was still hot and fresh. Not a big fan of the biscuit but the chicken was hitting. The cashier had a real cool vibe 💪🏾”

“First time eating at this location and second time ever eating at a Wing Stop restaurant. The wings were hot and crispy! Ordered as a walk in and didn’t have a long wait time. The customer service was great and the staff seemed very friendly! Will definitely go back.”