Jul

18

Meet me at The Mill

Written by S. Beaumont and filed under Food and Beverage, Entertainment 

EMBGWhether it’s the overly smoke-filled bar, the dining room that can be eerily quiet and feels like my grandmothers house (20 years ago), or the somewhat uncomfortable iron chairs on the patio - I love to eat and drink at Edwards Mill Bar and Grill.

Perhaps I feel this way because of the combination of these elements and how they work so well together to create an experience that is just real enough to be enjoyed for what it is, without the need to point out what it isn’t. Most can agree that the chain dining experience consists of a concerted corporate combination of food, service, and ambiance, where each part is scripted to simultaneously get the most money out of your wallet while also getting you out of the door as quickly as possible. Each aspect of the script is carefully calculated, so much so that very little is ever left to chance if the events unfold as expected. And while there may be benefit in knowing that your waiters excessive presentation of flare directly corresponds to the years of experience they have in their field of expertise, the overall feeling is not what I enjoy about dining out. I enjoy a local feel, well-prepared food, and a conversation with friends over a pint or a meal. I’m able to get all of this at the Mill, along with knowing that I’m supporting a local business.

Here’s the breakdown:

Pros
Reasonable pricing / local feel / good food (from $6 sandwiches to $20 steaks) / nightly specials / close proximity to the RBC center/football stadium

Cons
Bar can be very smoky / dining room can be a little twighlight-zonish / entire place can be very busy on game and event nights

Map to location

If you have a favorite local hangout you’re willing to share, list it as a comment for other Raleigh Free Press readers to enjoy.

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Comments

5 Responses to “Meet me at The Mill”

  1. Cindy H. on July 18th, 2007 11:59 am

    Well, on the other side of Glenwood is two places, very different from one another.

    Dos Taquitos off of Creedmoor:
    5629 Creedmoor Rd
    (919) 787-3373
    Great, GREAT vibe. Staff is super-friendly and the margaritas and mojitos are divine. Plus, they DO carry Corona LIGHT - my fave brew. Food is different — there are no Speedy Gonzales menu items — but very fresh tasting tamales, carnitas, etc.

    The other is Sawmill Tap Room on Lead Mine:
    7701 Lead Mine Rd
    (919) 845-7889
    I find the dinner entrees to be so-so, but the ‘bar’ food - fried mushrooms, wings, cheese fries, etc. - is great. One of few places I can actually find fried mushrooms.

    We take our two kids to both these places and have a great time. The kids are not as big a fan of Dos Taquitos because the decor leads them to feel it’s “spooky”, but it’s more cantina-like to me.

  2. Kristi on July 20th, 2007 11:38 am

    I’m a big fan of the Lynnwood Grill right off Glenwood Ave, next to the Raleigh Grand Theatre. It has the same atmosphere as these others listed - real laid back, good pizza, great salads and pretty good weekly night specials. The home-made croutons they put on the salads are to die for!

    Lynnwood Grill
    www.lynwoodgrill.com
    4800 Grove Barton Rd
    785-0043

  3. Sandy on July 27th, 2007 7:40 am

    Rudino’s pizza is a pretty cool hang out - on Strickland Road - good pizza, but I think I’m mainly drawn there because of the roof-top setting.

    Rudino’s Pizza
    www.rudinos.com

    8800 Harvest Oaks Dr # 102
    Raleigh, NC 27615
    (919) 848-8899

  4. theraleightimes on August 3rd, 2007 1:55 pm

    Does the sawmill tap room (or any other locations of the Harrisons/draft house family of restaurants) still have fried mushrooms?

    The wife and I went to the Cameron Village location when they opened the expansion, but the menu was redone and now there are no fried mushrooms! The waitress said it was done at all locations, since fried mushrooms was the only way whole, non-canned mushrooms were used.

    Their food is good, but the mushrooms made it worth going there.
    We haven’t been back since.

  5. S. Beaumont on August 3rd, 2007 2:57 pm

    I’m not sure about the Taproom, but O’Malleys Tavern off Glenwood has them. I think they’re half price until 6:30 or so during the week too.

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