Madre

Having visited this establishment a second time, the experience, regrettably, mirrored the previous one. While the restaurant boasts a beautiful, modern aesthetic, other aspects did not quite align with that standard. The food was rather bland, and the calamari consisted primarily of puffed-up fried components. The fish croquette was served atop a bed of mayonnaise, and the sweet potato torta was an unexpected choice. We did, however, find the cauliflower and chicken to be enjoyable. The presentation of the dishes was certainly commendable. The service was adequate, though not without its shortcomings. Drinks were mistakenly delivered to our table, intended for another. Furthermore, despite the vast space, three tables were placed in close proximity to one another. Upon requesting a relocation, as our "neighbor" had also expressed a desire to move due to the close seating arrangement, the host was accommodating. The staff members were friendly and helpful, but their attention to detail seemed lacking. The seating arrangement appeared to prioritize the staff's convenience over the customers' comfort. Overall, it was not an entirely satisfactory evening.

Strolled into Madre on a Wednesday evening expecting a midweek mood boost—and Madre delivered like a therapist with appetizers. The vibes? Immaculate. The decor? So chic I felt like I needed to apologize to it for showing up in jeans. The staff? If caring and attentiveness were Olympic sports, our server would’ve brought home the gold—and probably offered us a sample of it with a green sauce. Drinks were on point: two beers, a martini, and a wine walked into a bar… and none of them disappointed. Martini? Smooth. Wine? Elegant. Beers? Happier than me after finding parking in downtown Raleigh. Food highlights: Salchipapas: A potato dish so good it made me question my relationship with French fries. Cauliflower Tapas: Came with a green sauce that deserves its own Netflix show. Eggplant Tapas: A bit too oily—but our server replaced it with Zucchini Tapas, which was crunchy and kind of like cucumber if cucumber had a glow-up. Polenta Main Dish: Creamy, nutty, and slightly confusing—like rice that went to culinary school. Overall, Madre is that classy-but-cool friend who hosts dinner parties and actually pulls them off. Go for the food, stay for the service, and definitely try the green sauce. 10/10 would befriend a tapa again.

We had an amazing time at Madre. The food was fantastic and Johnny our waiter did an excellent job explaining to us what the menu was like. He is clearly very knowledgeable about the menu and understood his favourites compared to crowd favourites. I'd highly recommend their roasted cauliflower, fried chicken and Salchipapas (fried potatoes). Their menu is seasonal / changes fairly often too. I wish we had a chance to tired their bone marrow! If we're ever in town again we'd definitely come back. You won't be disappointed if you make a trip for this!

Madre is a fabulous place to host private events/group dinners. My company’s holiday party was held here and the evening went over perfectly. Red/Celina/Mike/Jamie, and the rest of the crew working our party showed they really care about their guests and their experience. I do want to note that I personally haven’t had the best experience with regular dinners though; service is consistently lacking. Varying issues from taking ages to get the attention of servers, to missing ordered menu items, to poorly timed dish deliveries, I’ve had a hard time justifying the price tag with the far less than stellar service. All of the servers I’ve encountered have been very personable/lovely people, but the attention to detail is really lacking. After my most recent experience, I think I will be sticking to just cocktails. The positives worth mentioning are the beautiful atmosphere, the care for dietary restrictions, and the sincerity & personality of the servers. Love this place but just wanted to provide a comprehensive but honest review 🙏🏼

Service was excellent. The food all tasted connected but uniquely separate. The Calamari was so light. The feature was the Salchipapas. Roasted potatoes with chorizo and so savory. We didn’t feel rushed at all and the servers were always not far away. Definite 10/10

We really enjoyed brunch here! Favorite dishes were the pan con tomate, turkish eggs, and sliders. Bread with butter/olive tamponade was very good. Our waiter Johnny was fantastic.

Lovely tapas restaurant. Great menu options for sharing and tapas. Plus a lot of vegetarian options. John is a great server. I'm newly obsessed with the desserts 😁❤️ we'll definitely return.

This place was amazing. My oldest treated me today, for Mother's Day. The ambiance is calming and comforting!! Johnny was an amazing waiter! Definitely will return. Amazing designs in this place!!👌🏽Food was hot, fresh and delicious!

Rarely, I had the opportunity to give a 6 star review. Well there are no 6 stars available. But, if they were, this will be the place to get it. What a gem! Ambiance is so so fantastic, I could believe it. The music selection was amazing. Food was great. We loved that it was in tapas format, because we got to tried several dishes. And, about the service, well, another amazing point. It was really good. For anyone who is already in the Raleigh area or is planning to come visit, this restaurant is highly recommended. We are visiting NC, and we love it! Happy meals everyone.

I got to try out Madre during a work trip while passing through North Carolina. The service and ambiance were great. I decided to follow the servers' recommendation and order multiple tapas instead of one entrée as my meal. Portions were much larger than what I was expecting. If I could describe the food in one word, I would say "confusing". Everything I ordered was just okay and didn't really stand out much for me. The description of the restaurant online said Mediterranean, but the name and tapas concept would suggest Spanish food. The items on the menu also didn't seem Mediterranean to me either. I ordered papas bravas, sushi, chicken drumsticks, salad, and pasta... The papas bravas were okay. They just would have been better if they were crispy. I'm guessing they were boiled/roasted. The sushi and chicken were my two favorites out of what I had ordered. I wasn't a fan of the pasta or salad. The pasta was covered with breadcrumbs, which seemed strange, and the salad was just a giant wedge half-grilled on one side.

I was excited to try this place, and after someone randomly recommended it that day, it was like a sign for me to finally check it out. Firstly, this place has a great ambiance. It's a great friends night out or date night spot. It's very dim and definitely above average noise level, but still allows for conversation. I would not bring kids here. We were seated on the side with the bar, which also could've contributed to the noise level. Secondly, I love that they are tapas style. They also have a few bigger entree-like options for complete meals. I ordered the potatoes and chicken since I've heard great things. My husband ended up getting the roasted duck entree. The potatoes and the bok choy from the duck were the best things we had. The bok choy soaked up all that delicious sauce and was absolutely scrumptious. However, we found the duck to be under seasoned and just bland. It was also a tad rubbery. The chicken was good, nothing wrong with it, but we figured out it was missing something. It's served in a bowl with the hot honey sauce pooled at the bottom. This dish would be the best chicken for a chicken and waffle dish! It needed a savory mini waffle to complement the sauce and chicken. Overall, it was good, but I would try other spots before I return. I could see it maybe being a good starter spot to your night as a fun spot for drinks.

Love Madre and its energetic vibe. Our party of six was treated exceptionally well with great service throughout dinner. We started with three great apps then moved on to several plates. You must have the Honey Chicken, it is delicious. We really enjoyed the roasted cauliflower. A statement I never thought I'd make. This is a terrific place for drinks and dinner with friends, but plan ahead and make a reservation.

Outstanding tapas and small plates restaurant from vibes to the food, this place is quickly becoming a Raleigh staple for obvious reasons. With all the great "tapas and small plates" restaurants that's seem to be taking over Raleigh, it's hard to stand out, but Madre finds a way to! Upon entering, they make you feel like you're in a mix of modern, and old timey restaurant from Barcelona with their excessive candle wax drippings and dark ambiance. Looking over the menu, it's easy to pick out starters such as the bread and butter (10/10) or prosciutto. From there, you can branch out of your comfort zone and order more adventurous plates such as the bone marrow or pulpo (octopus) Stand out dishes that I recommend are the charred broccolini, salchipapas, and Calabrian chicken! Service, food, vibes, and overall experience was a 10/10

Madre has a cool modern ambiance with an airy main dining room and a buzzy bar area. They have a short but sweet menu of tapas style dishes. For the most part, flavors are on point and drinks were great. I loved the Rosemary Paloma for a light refreshing cocktail and Off the Record for something more complex without being overly strong. Overall we had an enjoyable meal with just a few let downs. Watermelon salad 4/5 - satisfying combination of sweet and savory but unexpectedly arrived with half honeydew despite no mention of it on the menu or from our server Fried mushrooms 5/5 - our favorite dish of the night, very well seasoned and flavorful! Yellowtail crudo 3/5 - not bad, but generic and unremarkable Steak 2/5 - based on other photos online, we got stiffed because we ordered medium rare and received what looked like the leftover ends of a cut. the meat was barely pink in the middle and tasted gamey. luckily the sauce helped mask the flavor Calabrian chicken 4/5 - meat was tender and came off the bone easily. the exterior is quite sweet and not spicy, but overall yummy. Vanilla flan - very small portion but strong vanilla flavor. we were celebrating an anniversary so it wound up being comped and it came out with a candle.

A weekend in the triangle area came here to celebrate a friend's birthday. The place offers indoor and outdoor seating. We were seated outside cause it was full indoors. Everything we ordered came out fresh, hot, and tasty. These dishes are phenomenal. The only thing that would give it 5 stars would be bigger portion size. The quality of the food is spectacular, but the serving size is small.

Celebrating our 15th anniversary at this restaurant was truly special. The staff went above and beyond with a thoughtful anniversary card and complimentary drinks, adding a personal touch to our evening. The food was exceptional--each tapas-style small plate was high quality and paired perfectly with their impressive drink menu. Ambiance is cozy chic but not pretentious which made it so inviting. Thank you to the staff that night

Beautiful restaurant and fantastic food. This is literally the type of food I imagine I would try from a chef in a professional cooking show. Everything was exploding with flavors and also looked good on the plate. Make reservations because it's definitely trendy. The restaurant itself is extremely beautiful and decorated so well. It reminds me of a place I'd look for when I go out of town. The bar and dining room is very aesthetically pleasing and makes you want to look nice and take pictures. Make sure you take a trip to the cool bathrooms. I came for brunch and got the mimosa carafe, biscuits, burger, french toast, and chicken and donut. The stand out was surprisingly the biscuit. My partner and I agreed this was the best biscuit we've ever tasted anywhere and it was paired with a nice jam and onion-y butter that I loved. The chicken was good as well and even though we weren't a fan of the bread for the french toast because it made it too crispy, it was still tasty and the chantilly was sooo flavorful. We also wanted some scrambled eggs since it was breakfast and even though it wasn't on the menu they delivered. I loved my experience here, the service was great, and I'll definitely be back for dinner and interested to see how the menu continues to change.

Celebrated my birthday brunch here, I was initially excited however the service wasn't great. The waitress wasn't friendly and when asked for recommendations she seemed annoyed. We ordered different plates/tapas, obviously the portions were small. Overall the ambiance is great but not sure it was worth the hype.

I've been here twice now with friends! The first time was right around the time they opened and the second experience was much more recently. My first visit didn't leave the most amazing impression on me but it feels like they must have improved since then because my second experience was great. The restaurant is gorgeous and their bathrooms are really unique! It's a great spot to hang with friends or for a date. Most recently I came around 6:30 pm on a weekday and it was not busy and our server was attentive. One of my friends cannot have dairy and the server took time to edit the menu and explain everything they could do to accommodate her! We tried a variety of dishes and I thought every dish was well done. It is easy to share since most everything is a small plate! The food is a mix of all cultures, take a look at the menu if you're picky or nervous about what you can eat there! Plenty of vegetarian options too! I am usually nervous to order octopus because if not done well, it can be tough to eat but I thought they cooked it perfectly! However I know their menu changes so I am sure you will enjoy whatever you order! For drinks they only had one nonalcoholic mocktail option. It used a NA gin and was really delicious, I would definitely order it again!

We sat near the bar at a table. We started with a dirty martini and an old fashioned. No blue stuffed olives, which we missed but the martini was made well. Nice ambiance and a waiter that provided great service with a smile. He even noticed we needed a little extra light to read the menu and brought us an additional table lamp. Flavor was very good. We will be back.

Absolutely amazing experience! The food, beverages, and service were world class. We just happened to be in the area on Valentine's Day and they were busy. Great vibe. They had someone taking Polaroid pictures that they attached to a card for you on the special day. We were blown away. We have been a few times and it never disappoints!

Walking into Madre was like entering into a modern Spanish version of Wonderland. It is its own little planet in terms of decor and vibe. If I were to describe it using just one word, it would be shwae. But not only is the ambiance dank, the food is so very tasty. Some of our favorites were the chicken, potatoes, and burrata. Unfortunately, we had one small set back: my friend was served her bourbon with floaties in it (i'm assuming it was residue from the cup). The lack of attention was concerning, but this did not ruin our experience, as they were happy to give her a new one on the house. Not to mention, our waiter was prompt, helpful with choices, and had the most beautiful green eyes. I will definitely be coming back to try more tapas, cocktails, and maybe a dessert if i'm feeling ambitious.

Upon walking in without a reservation the host was very friendly! Our server was very attentive and helpful. The food was delicious. The portions are just right. Everything made to order. The lager was also very good. Modern design, nice open concept. A great spot!

***FOOD: Elevated Tapas Like Food. larger plates than a tapas Over all food was Good to Ok, PULPO - was a little hard to eat, not my favorite; PORK BELLY - OK although was expecting it to be more melt in your mouth good but it was a little difficult to eat; SCALLOPS - maybe it was the sauce but it was a little too salty; FRIED MUSHROOMS - it was Ok, because it was fried didn't really taste the Unami ness of the mushrooms, didn't taste the mushrooms at all; DUCK - took a very very long time for it to come, if you do get this dish, definitely order it right away so that they have time to make it, we were wondering if they were plucking the duck in the kitchen because it took sooooooo long. BLUEBERRY FLAN - tasty but didn't look or taste like a flan. ***COST (OUT OF 4$) $$$ dishes were $14-25 each. DUCK was $29 ***DÉCOR: beautiful contemporary, cool vibe, velvet curtains, looks like west elm type furniture. BATHROOM is so cool, doors are see through but once you lock the doors the glass becomes opaque. I've seen this in a house and in Asia hotels before, so I wasn't surprised but it may catch people off guard. Parking an issue, need to pay for parking ***SERVICE: Friendly, made a point to touch base with us and fill our water glasses. Only issue was the Duck taking so long. We ended up being there for 2hrs waiting mostly for the duck. ***RECOMMEND: Yes RECOMMEND and if someone else invited me & paid to dine here I wouldn't oppose the invitation

What a cute little vibe here at Madre. It is a small plates place. Lots of tasty items on the menu. We got different items to taste test more. Our fave was the Calabrian Chicken for sure. Mind blowing. The bread and butter was very hard, but they said it's different each time so hey. The salchipapas disappointed me really bad but maybe that's because I actually like Authentic salchipapas and this was nowhere near close. This was potato's with sauce and droplets of ground up chorizo. I guess more of trying to make a street meal fancy. I was sad. The Hanger Steak was delicious once we got it cooked to the right temp. I had a piece as that wasn't my order. Butternut squash is a yes for sure as well. The bathrooms were the star of the show. I liked how they were see through until you turned the lock and voila! I went to the bathroom about 2 times just because it was an experience. Id come back for sure. Plenty of the food was delicious! The service was great as well. Everyone was friendly and polite. They were accommodating and did what needed to be done.

Finally had a chance to dine at Madre this past month and it did not disappoint. Setting: Conveniently located across the street from a parking garage in Glenwood. Filled with large windows the ambience inside Madre is romantic with an exuberant amount of candles surrounding the walls of the dimly lit restaurant. Food: Mediterranean/Tapas. The menu has a variety of proteins and grains, and also the ability to make the dishes vegan. We started off with the tuna, yellowfin crudo, calamari, and brussels caesar. The seafood dishes were light and refreshing. The Caesar was perfect with the anchovies. We then transitioned to heavier dishes with the Calabrian chicken and Salchipapas. The Calabrian chicken was so crunchy with the perfect spice paired with the hot honey and aioli. The Salchipapas was by far our favorite. The potatoes were so unbelievably crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The chorizo and dijonaise paired perfectly with the potatoes as it was drizzled over. For dessert we ordered the bread pudding. Was not overly sweet. Good texture and flavor. Drink: Ordered a Vieux Carre which was made well and delicious. Service: The waitress was attentive and informative. Always available and ready to continue our order or pickup empty dishes. Overall: Delicious new restaurant that absolutely knocked it out of the park. Between the ambience and delicious food we can't wait to go back.

Great atmosphere and even more amazing food! We loved all the dishes, cocktails and wine. We did have to wait about 20-25 mins after our reservation time, but were comped with an appetizer sampler. Our server was attentive and knowledgeable.

Beautiful restaurant! The decor and the atmosphere were stunning! (I wish I had taken more pictures, but I didn't want to disturb the other patrons). Bar and outdoor seating as well. Nice spot for drinks with your girls/guys or your boo. The mezcal Margherita was on point! A fesh take on Spanish tapas. Great cocktails. Jill was our server, and she was phenomenal!

I really wanted to love Madre! The restaurant is stunning. The design and the atmosphere are so chic and unique and it's a beautiful new gem for Raleigh. I really enjoy tapas style restaurants that are set up for sharing and community. I had the shaky knees drink which was delicious. Service was a tad bit slow because the kitchen was backed up and although I made a reservation, I had to wait about 20 minutes for my table. As a non land meat eater, I found the menu not as satisfying. If I ate meat, I think I would have loved my experience, as what seemed to be the most popular dishes coming out the kitchen were the chicken and lamb. I had the whipped goat cheese which was very good and flavorful and a great way to start the meal. Next I had the salmon crudo which I felt was just okay, the sauce was really good but I felt the salmon itself lacked flavor. Finally I had the roasted cauliflower which was extremely well prepared and delicious, it had a bit of heat to it. Overall, I still wanted something else, something more filling but I wasn't really impressed with there other options for me. I wanted to try a shrimp dish but I can't have avocado and it was premixed. Overall, again, I think I would have been in love with Madre if I ate meat. I'll be back because I love the vibe and want to give the restaurant another shot.

Meet at Madre for amazing food , service and ambiance. Located in Downtown Raleigh in the Smoky Hollow area, I found parking in the garage just walking distance from restaurant. There's also street parking. I met up with two girlfriends, who had dined here before and have been raving about it , so I was happy to join them and see what was all the hype about. I definitely exceeded my expectations as everything was so delicious. Starting of with something that sounds so simple as bread and better gave a great first impression. The butter will change with seasonal ingredients, but the bread was fresh, warm and yummy. My top 3 small plates were the cauliflower..pork belly.. callabrian chicken. Definitely order a cocktail or enjoy a glass of wine and get ready to have a wonderful time at Mardre!

This place gave me everything I was looking for in terms of experience and food. I am a foodie, and I love trying new places in new cities. The ambiance here was beautiful, thoughtful and I enjoyed the bathroom experience (I won't spoil it for you.) the lighting was perfect, music could have been a little lower. we, a group of 5 ladies, enjoyed the cauliflower, bread, hummus and chicken plates. I was looking forward to some desserts but nothing caught my sweet tooth or eye. Everything on the menu was amazing and delicious. I enjoyed a glass of Sangria and everything I ate. Def come and give yourself a big madre hug!

We had a really great dinner at Madre last night. Give yourself a few extra minutes to find street parking or just head into the garage. Madre's entrance is at the inside of Smoky Hollow and not the West Street side that your GPS will probably take you to. The interior of the restaurant is beautiful and you can tell a lot of thought went in to every detail. Our server was wonderful, she was friendly and on top of things. I liked that their wines by the glass list had some of the usual suspects, but also some interesting wines I haven't heard of before. They have a great variety of small plates. We tried the whipped goat cheese, the cauliflower, the crispy potatoes, and the fillet. My top two were the cauliflower and the crispy potatoes. Everything was super flavorful, those were just the two standouts for me. The goat cheese had more of a kick than I was expecting. There are a lot of other things on the menu I'd love to try the next time I head in. Looking forward to going back in soon!

Wow just wow! I came two nights in a row!!!! So the first night the bartender Alanie recommended the octopus to me. I am so happy I took her suggestion. The food was amazing. So amazing that I came back the next day for my same Order. This time I met Heiress! So genuine so sweet and welcoming!!! I even watched him interact with other customers at the bar and I couldn't be more Please about my Entire experience here! Between Alanie and Heiress my experience was nothing that I could Explained to the public but more So a feeling !! You will feel invited here and welcomed !!! I will now probably be a regular here just based off my interaction with these two bartenders. Please run here don't walk and enjoy yourself.

Beautiful and Delicious! Just had our first experience at this new Tapas Restaurant in Smoky Hollow downtown (off Peace St in the Glenwood South vicinity), and I'm already thinking about going back. Everything about this restaurant is welcoming, comforting and so tasty! The ambiance is beautiful. There are large tables, cozy small ones, a vibrant bar area with comfy looking booths. Chic, modern...very NYC or LA: Shiny new. Outside seating as well. The menu is small yet loaded with great-sounding options. Hard to decide. The two of us started with refreshing drinks. A chardonnay for me and a bourbon drink for Husband. Water was served without ice, but ice was brought when I requested it. Not a bad idea to have cold water when enjoying the spicier dishes. We started with two "snacks"...the grilled olives and and an interesting take on Pan Con Tomate. Instead of fresh tomato, the topping was sundried tomato paste with probably calabrian chiles. YUM. The olives were warm, spiced nicely with citrus and tangy chevre. Both were terrific. Next up we shared the Roasted Cauliflower. Husband had the Steak with Chimichurri, while I was giddy with Calabrian Chicken Legs with hot honey and two pepper aioli. We loved every bite. Thought for sure we would be taking food home but we happily and easily polished it all off, with room for Orange "Phyllo" Cake for Dessert. Not sure why the word "Phyllo" is in the description. It shouldn't be. This was a very moist cake that was not too sweet. Very refreshing despite looking dense when it arrived. It was not. It was soaked in something that made it light and delectable. Especially great with a cup of their coffee with it. Every staff member we encountered was super friendly and seemed to genuinely care that we were enjoying ourselves and loving the food. Even the bathrooms are super cool! They are like the ones at the 21C in Durham. Clear glass until you lock them, then they frost over. Nice and clean. Really nice. Everything about this place is nice. Note for parking: there's a parking lot for the apartments very close. It cost us just four bucks, but I don't think we needed to actually pay it, cause the gate went up before we put in the paid card. Guessing maybe it's free on the weekend? I'm in LOVE and can't recommend this new place enough. See pics and DROOL.

The place is beautiful and the vibe is lively albeit a little bit too loud to have any meaningful conversation. The servers were friendly and knowledgeable and parking was a breeze with a parking structure across the street. That being said, the food was just okay and underwhelming. We got the bread basket and a few small dishes and the bread and squash dishes were the best. The pork belly was good but a little cold. Pasta with salted cod was very salty and not good, and the salchipapas should have being called patatas bravas as there were no pieces of chorizo and just some chorizo sprinkles that you could barely see. It actually reminded me of bacon bits. We just found this dish misleading. The bone marrow was meh. I get that is kind of a fusion place but something like the salshipapas should not have been messed with. Overall it was not a bad experience but one that we will not be repeating.

Madre is doing a lot of things right given it just opened a month ago. Small plates, modern and beautiful interior with excellent service! Prices are under $10 for snacks, about $15 for a starter and $20 to $35 for main plates. The menu spans Spanish, Italian, and more, some of my hits include the boquerones (sardines), pan con tomate, and roasted branzino fish. The menu is somewhat on the smaller side but I suspect it will expand a bit since the place is still new. Overall I like what they are trying to do here, it's a bit different from most everything else in the area but fits the Smoky Hollow demographic as hip and tasty dining option in the area.

Parking was iffy, but the restaurant was clean and open. Our server was great...helpful and patient. The food was delicious and cooked to perfection. Detailed review coming to: www.foodbloggernc.com

Wow! I expected this gem to be amazing "if" they hit the mark on the inventive dishes (charred cabbage?) and they exceeded the mark! I didn't expect that they would thrill my meat and potatoes loving husband and boss, but they did! Way to go, Madre kitchen, servers and all who made my retirement dinner so delicious!!! The decor was subtle and the tables were nicely spaced. Can't wait to bring friends and out of town family very soon.

Wish there was a way to add another star. Mike Gleason and his FOH team took care of a group of us wine lovers and made it an evening to remember. Everyone brought a special bottle to share, and the staff was super helpful at pairing with each wine, making sure we had spare glassware, decanters, the whole nine. They let us take our time and geek out on wines, camaraderie and incredible food to pair. Nothing irritates me more than when you are rushed, or forgotten. The service was flawless and though we were not a typical table of 8, they made it perfect. It says a lot about a restaurant when they can pivot to a large party with a lot going on, and make it an exceptional experience from start to finish. Pacing was key and they nailed it! Looking forward to some of the wine dinners they are throwing, in addition to routine visits. Thanks gang for the tremendous evening. I should add that this was over 3 months ago and I am still raving about it. This is not some review the day after where you are still on the "high", it's rather based on how often I get to look back and recall that awesome dinner. Cheers Madre!

Still 5 stars, but last night we noticed some changes. The Bread & Butters is now Bread and Butter. The bread was sourdough and excellent, but I was surprised that it came with just one seasonal butter. The preparation of the Brussels Caesar changed completely, and I'd no longer recommend this dish. The Calabrian Chicken was amazing, easily the best thing we've had at Madre in four visits. The Salchipapas were great, as was the filet. Still a favorite. Also wonderful: the Croquettes, and the Scallops. SO good!

Food: 8.5/10 Atmosphere/Vibe: 10/10 Service: 9/10 Value: 8.5/10 Overall a good experience. Would recommend

Food is great. Like their hanger steaks, the presentation is so neat and nice. Service is good as well, our server is very friendly and accommodating. Ambiance is nice and place is classy. I like it.

BLUF: We wouldn't choose this place again, but we also wouldn't be completely unhappy if it was the majority decision of the group. Get the whipped goat cheese w/ bread and the roasted cauliflower. The two were the best items of the eight dishes we tried. The roasted cauliflower was nicely charred and super juicy and moist. The texture had a great toothsomeness to it, felt substantial. The crumbled goat cheese and dressing were perfect accompaniments. Salchipapas, don't use the description "crispy" if the potatoes are nowhere close to being crispy. These are ROASTED potatoes in dijonaise. One expects the promised texture, when it doesn't come out as such it's a real letdown. Corn "ribs"... Half an ear of corn, cut into quarters, given only three of those quarters. Not worth it. Give us the entire ear! It's not going to eat your food cost to just give diners ONE whole ear of corn. Or the equivalent of one ear of corn. For $12 you can give us more corn. Salmon crudo... Meh. Salmon tossed in an orangey vinaigrette. It's fine. Pork belly. The fat was well rendered, nice and tender pieces. Pretty good. Brussel sprouts Caesar. The dressing a bit over salted.

Came here on a Thursday night for a mom Meetup. Cool vibes and decor with great food. The hits were the cauliflower, patatas bravas, corn, pork belly, I loved the calabrian chicken but the other woman who ordered it wasn't a fan because she was expecting wings. Another woman ordered the zucchini tartare I think it was? And this shrimp guac thing both of which she said were bland and disappointing/not filling. Apparently the lamb meatballs are great too and the risotto is good but "could use some meat" haha so it you're vegetarian choose accordingly.

Madre is another trendy tapas spot that has opened up recently. To start we ordered a round of cocktails. It was the madre margarita for me and the shakey knees for my husband. Next I had wine. For food we split the elote, lamb croquettes, whipped goat cheese, salchipapas, roasted cauliflower, calabrian chicken and orange phyllo cake. The elote is way overpriced for the portion so I do not recommend it. The tapas that I do recommend are the whipped goat cheese and calabrian chicken. It's worth a visit if you are around the Smokey Hollow area. A reservation is recommended.

We love Mediterranean food and wanted to go to a fine dine on a Friday night. Madre definitely did not disappoint. It's a perfect place for date nights. The lights are dim and the music is subtle. Their menu is limited and I love a small menu. We tried their chicken wings, scallops, bread and butter, trout and roasted duck. Chicken wings is soft tender with a lot of spices and amazing taste. Scallops were decent but the chickpeas and the sauce was too good. Trout was perfectly cooked with a succulent gravy. Their duck was a little chewy for us. The winner is their bread and butter which was sooo good. Their cocktails were strong and delicious. Do try the madre margarita. Overall a nice place for a romantic dinner.

Definitely a place to visit and frequent often if you're a tourist or local. Located in the smoky hollow neighborhood. I've been twice and loved each experience! First one was a reservation at a table, and the server was great, knowledgeable! The second time was probably my favorite, we didn't have a reservation but was able to grab 4 seats at the bar around 5:30ish and we had a friend who was gluten and dairy free and the bartender took a menu and wrote all over it to say what could be subbed and what she could and couldn't have.she went above and beyond !! The drinks were tasty, the ginger tequila cocktail was 10/10, all the apps were delicious. The pulpo and the crudo, with all the flavors!! So yummm!!

Love the atmosphere! We went on a double date and had a blast. Yummy drinks and the food was so good we had to order seconds. Usually not a fan of octopus but the pulpo was delicious.

The food and service was great. The restaurant's interior design is one of the best I've seen. It creates an elevated and sophisticated atmosphere. I'm definitely going back.

The food was great, the ambiance was amazing, but the service, OUTSTANDING. Our server Bri H was such a sweet heart. Super attentive and an overall great person. She provided great wine and food recommendations and after hearing about the day we had, even left us the sweetest note. Thank you so much Bri! I'll definitely be back.

Madre 10/10 I can not say enough about the service and quality of food. Tyler's customer service is absolutely exceptional and took such good care of us. I came to Madre with a last minute request to take a party of 20 on a Saturday night. Not only did they accommodate this crazy request, but they treated us like vip, like family. The food was phenomenal! The vibe and DJ on Saturday night was amazing too. We already planned our next visit back, please go check this place out.

It's been a while I have had a good meal at a restaurant with great service. Our server was amazing and friendly, she did not push us to order answered all our questions and recommended based on our taste and not the restaurant price. Lovely atmosphere and our food was delicious. The menu changes as per season and I am looking forward to visiting again. I was very impressed with their staff and their mannerism. A good place, parking as usual in downtown is a pain but many lots around to find paid parking.

I was so excited to try Madre but left feeling very underwhelmed. The space is beautiful but the service was meh. We ordered four plates and were happy with half of them: Spicy Kale Salad: the description doesn't list that it is full of pickles, which is basically the only flavor you taste. We do not like pickles so this was a waste of food because we didn't eat more than a bite (and the waitress didn't seem to care when we shared our disappointment about the pickle overload). Maybe you like pickles and would love this. 1/10 score Burrata: this one lists tapenade in the ingredients but it's a lot of it in the dish, which takes away from the rest of the yummy stuff. Overall a 5/10 on this dish because we could still enjoy the Burrata and push some of the excessive tapenade off. Butternut squash risotto: this dish had great flavor and was very luxurious! It was a bit soupy and had more oil than we expected but still tasty! Score: 7/10 Sliced filet: this was the hit of the table. It was perfectly cooked and beautifully presented. Score: 9/10 Would we go back? Maybe if someone else really wanted to. Otherwise, probably a one and done visit.

We were very excited to book at the newest addition to Smokey Hollow - Madre. We made a reservation for Thurs date night, and were blown away by the beautiful industrial, yet cozy-feminine decor. They have extensive and delicious drink menu. The food menu is Mediterranean-inspired, and we wanted to order one of everything! We settled on the pulpo and Brussels Ceaser to start, and the saffron risotto for main entree, and ended with the Gianduja. Everything was seasoned to perfection and delicious. Will definitely be back for another date night or girls night.

The people at Madre can cook like a mother, and I'm super pumped to have this spot in Raleigh. From the menu to the music to the decor to the bathrooms, everything here is curated tastefully. This place was vibing on a Saturday night, and we were lucky to get a nice booth in the bustling bar area. Our waiter was fun and friendly, and she was intentional about parsing out our order into courses to maximize the experience. The best bite of the night for me was the Calabrian chicken. Super tender (surely brined) fried chicken lollipops with a flaky, crispy exterior and an amazing combo of honey and pepper aioli. The salchipapas were a great value for this level of craft and flavor at $8, I highly recommend those as well. I'm allergic to seafood, so that kept me away from a few of their signature dishes, but nothing about the meal felt lacking. This is definitely an elevated experience with lots of pleasant surprises. Undeniably cool space that backs everything up on the plate. Will definitely be back.

Everything was soo good and flavorful! I loved the Mediterranean spices used. The Tahini in the cucumber salad was such a good addition. I also loved the Calabrian chicken wings, they were sweet and crunchy on the outside and so juicy on the inside. We also loved the salchipapas! The cauliflower was so crunchy and the sauce paired was amazing. I'd definitely recommend this place!

the service was good but the restaurant was so very noisy. my friend who sat opposite me at a table for four had to move to a chair next to me because we could not hear each other talk. I thought the prices were high for what we had. $8 for some bread and special butter, then I ordered scallops $26 for three scallops with some chick peas and a paste of some description. I also had a cauliflower dish which was nothing to write home about. not a good experience for us. my friend had the potato dish which we both liked. I will not recommend or return to this restaurant, there are much better restaurants here in Raleigh.