03/02/09

Best Place in Chapel Hill

by Henricus

A bastion of New Southern cuisine. I've lived in NYC for years and pride myself on being a foodie. This place is one of my top three favorite restaurants I've ever been to. Now that I've returned home to Chapel Hill I find myself trying to go here at least twice a month (if money were no object it would be once a week!). The food is always spot on but more importantly Bill Smith honors the memory of Bill Neal with his strong belief in Southern terroir. The vast majority of the food you eat was grown in Chatham County, the milks and creams in Orange. No potatoes coming in during the winter? He makes rutabaga and makes it incredibly tasty. The atmosphere is friendly with Smith often leaving the kitchen to greet tables. I remember the last time he came out and offered a woman having banana pudding another serving if she would like it. As far as dishes go I highly recommend the Southern pate, the cheese pork, and for the adventurous the sweetbreads sauteed in wild turkey (in Winter anyway).

If you are in Chapel Hill and haven't tried this place, I beg you to go and give it a go.

• Pros: Wonderful Food!
• Cons: Gets crowded on the weekend.

08/04/08

Excellent brunch!

by JPP1123

I heard Crook's Corner is the best Sunday brunch in Chapel Hill - and I wasn't disappointed! The Eggs New Bern were delicious as was the Smothered Chicken. I only regret not ordering hush puppies too. I really enjoyed the very casual patio and I thought the prices to be very reasonable. I felt I ate a lovely Southern meal but not as heavy and greasy as some "southern" restaurants - truly southern gourmet. The service was only so-so but I'll definitely be back to try dinner at Crook's Corner and I'll be a regular at Sunday brunch. I just won't expect a parking spot in their laughable lot.

• Pros: delicious, authentic, good value
• Cons: service only mediocre, hardly any parking

08/03/08

must have southern food

by JPinChapelHill

My wife and I went on a date here and didn't know what to expect with the unique hubcap facade. She had the shrimp and grits, myself the carolina sampler. Both were great, service was good, it is a cozy little place. Will go back. Only negative maybe a tad on the expensive side.

• Pros: if you get early 6-7, tiny lot behind has place to park, excellent food, good bar menu
• Cons: if you are later, no where to park, slightly overpriced

05/13/08

Customer Service Hassle

by JimBeaux

What is the big deal about getting a veggie plate? Is it really necessary for me to speak to the waiter, then the manager, explain the entire surgical procedure I had and the details of my post-surgery food plan to order what I need and what they obviously offer on the menu.? This was a nightmare in the midst of a celebratory meal for my niece's graduation. Get over yourselves, Crooks, it's all about making the customer happy, not massaging the ego of the chef. I don't recommend this place if you have ANY dietary requirements or expect cooperative and friendly customer service. Even on graduation weekend there ARE other options.

• Pros: Trendy and cute
• Cons: HORRIBLE customer service

03/13/08

Shrimp and grits are amazing!

by carvey17

The food was superb, especially the shrimp and grits, and the service was very good. There was about a 25-minute wait on the Sunday afternoon we were there, but we were able to sit at the counter and have a drink while we waited. The restaurant is small, but cute, and the atmosphere is fun and friendly. Street parking can be an issue, so be prepared to walk a block or two.

01/03/08

SHRIMP AND GRITS SUPREME!!!!!!

by shadesofblonde

I would drive across the state, if needed, to have the Shrimp and Grits at Crook's Corner. I'd recommend ordering your own plate and 2 or 3 to go (they heat up well). Good service, great food, and not a lot of children running around. No cigarette smoke. Heaven in North Carolina!!

• Pros: shrimp and grits
• Cons: parking

07/08/07

Resting on their laurels. Was the chef out today?

by chris127

I was really surprised at how so-so this place was because I was definitely looking forward to going. We had brunch there today and the service was pretty bad--our waiter only refilled our drinks when he brought the check, although he was very friendly. The outdoor seating area was very nice and it was surprisingly uncrowded. I liked that it was quiet enough that you could talk--rather than having really loud music as some places do. The fritters, which everyone seems to love, were burnt and hard. I couldn't believe they actually came out of the kitchen like that. My friend's shrimp and grits was too garlicky by far although it was lovely to look at. My eggs were great, but the biscuit was hard as a brick, even under the sausage gravy which had huge chunks of onion in it and very little sausage. My fries did redeam the meal, but the pina colada ice cream tasted like Hagen Dazs, no homemade as it was advertized. I will go back, but only to see if it gets better. I like supporting local businesses, but they need to stop resting on their laurels. Oh, and would it hurt them to have a changing table in the bathroom? If you're going to have highchairs, you probably expect babies, right? Don't make me change my twins at the table!

• Pros: Nice setting.
• Cons: Um, the food. At least at brunch.

03/17/07

GREAT OYSTERS

by godofsilvio

You can't beat their fried oysters. Yeah, it's pricey. The atmosphere is urbane without being insufferably pretentious. I prefer the outdoor seating when it's warm. Staff is friendly. A great place to have someone else foot the bill!

• Pros: Food is tasty
• Cons: Pricey

02/04/07

Nice place, ok but unimpressive food

by sabadone

I have been here twice, once for bruch, once for dinner. The place is very nice and service excellent. The food is OK, but honestly not worth its price if you go for dinner. Brunch is less pricey and maybe be worth it, but $60 for some average BBQ+rice & bread, a minuscule soup, shrimp & grits, one glass of wine & one beer is too much. The food is OK, but not memorable, and honestly I ate better and for much less at Mama Dip's or Bullocks. I do not think I will be back for a dinner here, maybe I will for a brunch.

• Pros: Nice location, good service
• Cons: Average food, pricey

A unique vision of the subtlety and diversity of American Southern cuisine.

by Contributor

In Short
The building is festooned with hubcaps and surrounded with all manner of flowering plants. A pink pig stands watch on the rooftop. Inside, the restaurant can be cozy or crowded--depending on your attitude and dining time. When it comes to the menu, the restaurant successfully expresses the diversity of Southern cooking with down-home charm and uptown sensibilities. The dishes are seasonally based, often with local ingredients.