Venable Rotisserie Bistro

THERE ARE NO WORDS (except for these words) that could possibly describe how magnificent this brunch was. I’m not white enough, nor apathetic enough, nor atmospheric enough, to sit at this table. THIS IS VEGAN PARADISE. CARRBORO, HOW DO YOU MAKE A WEEKEND LAST FOREVER? ASK VENABLE BISTRO.

This is a great stop for a quick lunch the atmosphere is awesome. I am came in during prim lunch hour seats where still available but I used the bar seats. The food was f***ing GREAT the staff was awesome as well I live how you can see the cooks from your seat. This is a must stop at place anytime your in carrboro

The food was actually pretty good. Everyone let a pleasant «oooh» or «ahhh» when their dish arrived for brunch. Unfortunately, the staff was not the most helpful or friendly. They seemed a bit bothered to have a large group (the restaurant wasn’t full) and I stepped out of the restaurant briefly to go to my car and the guy at the front stared at me and kept the door locked even though he knew I was waiting. He finally opened the door to say «Mam, we’re not open right now» only for me to tell him that I was already eating there.
If it weren’t for that I would have given them five stars, but I think being attentive to your customers is a given.

I’m going to give Venable five stars for not only the interior décor, but for the vegetable tamales. Seriously, they make the most incredible vegetable tamales. In fact, they were the best tamales I have ever eaten. If you go, I can’t recommend them enough. Get the tamales! The presentation of the tamales was really very pretty on the plate, with the tamales pressed into corn husk shapes, and the plate dusted with chili/​cayenne pepper. Beyond that, the taste was incredible. Very nicely done.
The restaurant itself is a bit unassuming from it’s exterior. Situated next door to the Townsend & Bertram outdoor gear store, Venable is on the side of the Car Mill building. They have outdoor seating, with views facing downtown Carrboro and a side view of the train tracks.
Inside the restaurant they have several cozy, romantic window seats that give you a private two seat table with windows on three sides of your table. Very pretty, especially in the evening. There are also booth seats available, as well as larger group tables, and bar seating as well.
The wait staff are friendly and efficient, and service was quick for a «sit down» restaurant.
We found Venable while walking through the parking lot on our way into Weaver Street Market one day, but were confused by the name and by the fact that it looked closed from the outside, even though it was open. The restaurant is a bit dark inside, so from the outside it is difficult to tell whether or not they are open.
Parking is available directly outside the restaurant, and also all around the Car Mill mall on all sides, so if you can’t find a spot right out front, drive around to the other side of Car Mill where the Harris Teeter is. There is plenty of parking there.

Udon and arancini were great. The waiter was ready for us to leave after about 30 minutes though. Customer service fail.

Going to a restaurant is difficult. Going to a restaurant with a toddler that has food allergies is even more difficult. But I could not say a single negative thing about our experience! Our server was incredible, and was totally helpful with getting food out fast to our little guy. He was very accommodating with the allergy issues, and knowledgeable about what went into every meal. We will be back!

Finally made it to Venable! Let me tell you, it was worth the wait.
We came here with reservations for a party of 7 and were seated promptly; our waiter was fantastic! We had a few people with dietary restrictions and he was able to answer all questions regarding the menu, and make recommendations for those of us who love everything and can’t make up our minds. Wine list was decent; beer list seemed to be as well.
I am OBSESSED with their herb mashed potatoes and am making plans to come back just for them. My entrée (fried chicken) was delicious and absolutely everyone in our party was satisfied. I’d love to come back for brunch.

Hands down one of my favorite brunch places ever! It’s pretty busy on Saturday and Sunday mornings so make sure you make a reservation ahead of time, if you can!
So far, I’ve had their chicken biscuit w/​gravy + egg, their huevos rancheros, and their herbed roasted eggs. All very delicious, perfectly seasoned, and pretty filling! My favorite so far is their chicken biscuit! The chicken is so flavorful and juicy, omg! The gravy is also perfectly seasoned and balances so well with the chicken and biscuit.
I’ve been here 3 times already and my table always order different entrees and I have yet to hear a single complaint! I heard good things about their pork stew, their burger, and their french toast! I’ve also tried their mimosas. Pricey, but good and strong.
Venable is a little pricey, but what good quality brunch place isn’t? Definitely check it out. Service is always great and the waiters/​waitresses are nice.
Can’t wait to go back!

This is a really good restaurant choice if you’re in the Carrboro/​Chapel Hill area. The restaurant has its own parking which is very convenient so you don’t have to deal with street parking, especially on the weekends when this area gets pretty busy. The atmosphere inside is nice, with a bar area, booths, and some extra tables. It’s dark inside and even though the restaurant is not too big it’s not too noisy either.
The food is good and the menu is perfect if you’re looking for something a little more unique than just plain American food consisting of burgers and chicken. They have a wide variety of different dishes to choose from, so it’s a great spot for a group of picky eaters or if everyone wants a different type of food. I’ve tried the udon noodles before which were very tasty. They come with Chinese pancakes which are my favorite. They were crispy and flavorful and a perfect side for the noodles. I’ve also tried the Rotisserie chicken which is delicious and juicy. Although chicken sounds like a plain dish, the flavors make it not so plain anymore since it’s so good. I got the fish tacos and they were very good as well. I was surprised when the dish came out since it looked more like a wrap than in the form of tacos. This actually made it easier to eat than a taco and I really liked the presentation. The flavors were good and the portion size was plenty big. It came with fries which were tasty too. The prices here are reasonable. With a lot of places to venture to in Carrboro, this one should be added to the list.

Great brunch spot. I was here on a Saturday for a friend’s birthday and I loved it. I shared a fried chicken and waffle with my friend. Fried chicken was a definite hit golden and crispy speaking to me the first moment I laid my eyes on it. Waffle not so much, very doughy and not crispy. And oh my God sausage gravy that came with the chicken was the best.
And they did a great job with the cake. Slicing it and decorated them with whipped cream and mint.

This has become my go to place for brunch and dinner! I cannot get enough of their panko crusted chicken which, thank goodness, is served during both meal times.
The vibe is great there — busy but warm, cozy and upscale and always delicious! Great service despite how busy and packed the restaurant gets at any hour of the day. The food is absolutely great; I have yet to have a bad dish yet.
Korean BBQ — I only wish that the scallion pancakes were larger
Venable Fried Chicken — Panko crusted chicken mentioned above. If you go for dinner they are served with a potato; if you go for brunch they are served with an egg, biscuit and this amazing spicy sauce. I could eat this all day, every day — hands down!
Green Chile and Pork Stew — Savory and comforting; it has a very strong caribbean nod to this dish and thats not a bad thing at all. This dish is perfect on a chillier brunch morning.
Waffles — how can these ever go wrong? Never.
Oh, and their brunch drinks — go ahead and have them all!

We ate here yesterday for brunch. I had the English Breakfast. The sausage and baked beans were both delicious. Service was prompt and everyone got what they ordered. My gf had the rancho huevos. I thought hers could have had a bit more body (corn tortilla was very thin) to it but I am not an expert and maybe that’s just how they are. Haven’t tried dinner here yet.

Venable is officially my go-​to brunch spot in Carrboro. I love how I can make a reservation via OpenTable and (not always easily) find parking in the parking lot. And, since it’s been fairly warm in December still, I’ve opted to dine outside, and the patio tables have always been clean.
I’ve only been here for brunch, and I’m very particular about brunch fare. There needs to be some variety of menu options but still have the classics. I tried the pork stew with green chilis, eggs with gooey, runny yolk, and perfectly buttered toast. And surprisingly the stew was not salty, but seasoned perfectly.
I also had the eggs benedict special that changes weekly. A classic brunch option for me that did not disappoint.
I haven’t tried their brunch cocktails yet, although they all sound yummy. But I LOVE their fresh squeezed grapefruit juice.
The service from the hostess and servers is always fantastic. If you’re in Carrboro, brunch here!

The food is very good and they have grass fed steaks. My favorite is the NC steak with the heavenly mashed potatoes and veggies.

A theme to my reviews is the correlation between service and satisfaction, venable carries the trend. With a table of five and checks divided appropriately for four, the meal ended as well as it carried.
Cocktails are great, the B Side lounge serving a good drink at the rear side of the restaurant. The beer and wine list is long and reasonable and never did my waitress rush our drink or food orders for a busy night. We lingered and enjoyed the evening in a well lit, warm and comfortable space with high ceilings, very reasonable table space and spacing, and great food.
The Orichette is superb, with true broccoli raabe and fresh sausage without all the spices lower grade sausages employ while the pasta was chewy and fresh; for someone who seldom orders Italian because «I can make that» I was very pleased. The mussels in a rich buttery, lemon spiked broth were fresh and well cleaned, briny but sweet and my only complaint was that I would have liked more bread — the complaint there would have become one of overeating of course. My fellow diners enjoyed the sandwiches they tried, caponata and Bahn Mi, very much. The range of options and price ranges is impressive at Venable and venerable among upscale and casual restaurants galore in downtown Carrboro.
But the Panna Cotta. Let me tell you about the marshmallow lightness, vanilla depth, and black raspberry ice cream paired panna cotta dessert. It was truly something to make an italian pastry chef proud, just light enough but with superb structure and mouthfeel which make panna cotta a unique desert among custards like it. A sticky toffee pudding on the menu was also very much enjoyed, studded with dates and well sauced.
I really had a very good, overall experience at Venable. It’s a restaurant for upscale diners and casual fare-​goers alike — which I appreciate.

Took my wife there for brunch on Saturday. It was wonderful. French press coffee, croissants, eggs benny, and hole-​in-​the-​wall (egg in toast). Plus great service. We will be back.

Secret Obsession — Huevos Rancheros. Venable knows how to do this dish right. They are a fabulous farm to table casually comfortable restaurant in the heart of Carrboro. Fabulous location and the new addition of Back Bar is a sure winner.
Love the wild mushroom ragout and Brussels sprouts and if you are really feeling it go full out with the Venable Burger. Afterwards stroll on over to the Arts Center or hang out at Carr Mill.
When the place is really full it can get a bit noisy so ask for a window table, sit on the patio or at the bar. The owner is also the head chef so ask for Drew and say hello.

Venable offers up excellent fresh food in the farm to table genre and at an excellent value. Service is always casual but excellent. There seem to be some staple dishes but always new dishes in the rotation as well each time I go. Preparation and presentation are always a treat. A ginger carrot soup was thick and smooth and so fresh tasting. Beet salad was very tasty. Carolina mountain trout was served in a large portion. Shrimp Provençal featured pamlico shrimp whose freshness was obvious. In a thick buttery and lemony sauce with a good size baguette providing plenty of bread for soaking up the tasty juice. A tuna tartare made French style with French mustard, capers and small pickles. Tofu banh mi with great fresh veggies. Apple tart is amazing as is the raspberry panna cotta.

Popped in with some coworkers on a week night, and had a great experience. I liked the location for this restaurant, and enjoyed exploring the shops nearby before dining. As noted in the other reviews, the ambiance for this restaurant is on trend and would make for a great date night venue. The menu had a range of options, and I ended up settling on the fried chicken and herbed mashed potatoes. The chicken was huge, and was perfectly fried goodness. The plating for this dish was strange though. The arugula piled on top didn’t quite work for me and was a distraction from the delicious chicken. The mashed potatoes were great and were cutely presented in a separate crock. No one in my party finished their meals because the portion sizes were so large, so sharing a meal may be worth considering.

Excellent restaurant! Affirdable food with great service. Try the North Carolina steak and Leverano Rose.