Nantucket Cafe & Grill

Stopped in to get some cake in the middle of the afternoon restaurant was empty. Waited for like 10 mins before anyone spoke. Once I was greeted the woman enthusiastically showed and explained the cake options and prices. Delicious. I got the chocolate and lemon. Price was HIGH. but. Some of the best cake I’ve eaten. I always stop here when I’m in the hill. I’ll be back.

My lunch favorites include pine nut salad with salmon, tomato basil soup, New England clam chowder, and chicken wings. Pricey (salad is $ 18, quart soups are $ 17) but never a disappointment. Fresh salad ingredients. Wish they would use oil sun-​dried tomatoes instead of dried on the salad as dried are difficult to chew. Soups are always hot and full of flavor with large chunks of clams and potatoes in the New England and onions and basil in the tomato. I’m a weekly patron and treated with sincere appreciation whether I eat in or take out.

The ordering style is a little unique here… you wait in line to order deli style and take your number to your seat. I enjoyed the buffalo salad and my wife loved the pecan chicken salad. The kids loved the hot dogs — the dogs are a little larger than your normal dog with a «bread slice» style bun. It came with fruit. We did sample some of their awesome cakes for dessert. I would love to eat an entire slice!

My boyfriend and i ordered new england clam chowder, sweet potatoe fries and fish and chips. The chowder was pretty good and so were the fries. However the fish and chips was actually one huge fried fish and chips. Fish was gross but eveything else was good

Had to order at the hostess stand, fetch our own drinks, refresh our own drinks. No one checked to see if our food was OK. My medium burger was very dry. Disappointed.
Was recommend by our hotel and also by ourselves from our visit from last year. But won’t try it again.

This is a decent restaurant. The restaurant is clean and so were the bathrooms. The service was fast. Let me say the service was extremely fast. Our entrées came out while we were still trying to eat our appetizers. I wasn’t thrilled about that.
The food was good but average. This would be a good spot for family meals. That cakes are something to save room for.

Cute little place in Chapel Hill with a nice atmosphere. Would be nice to sit on the patio in warmer weather. The sweet potato fries were out of this world but the tuna melt was ok. I would try it again and perhaps order a dessert… They were HUGE!

Menu reads like a high end Appleby’s but food was very god to excellent. Everything a grill can cook, Nantucket has it. Prime Rib special was excellent with crisp fresh vegetable mix of squash, onions and red & yellow bell peppers. Daughter loved the seafood ravioli. No complaints, good service, good food.

I have mixed feelings about this place… last Friday nite, we ate there late in the evening, the place was empty around 8:30 pm.
We had a good meal and decent service, although it as obvious that the staff were waiting for us to leave so they could close.
Saturday nite after the UNC/​UVA game, we had bragged about the good food and brought family back with us. Sat. nite after the game it was much busier… we opted to sit on the patio instead of waiting for an hour for a table. We had a party of 7 and we’re seated at a table on the back patio (we were the first group seated out there).
Our waiter was scattered and slow. The two other parties seated on the patio had a different server and we’re taken care of way before us…
we ordered with a few modifications, nothing too extreme, but boy did our orders get screwed up. Two people ordered the same burger one rare and one well, and those got mixed up.
I requested 2 servings of veggies instead of rice… that didn’t happen. The waiter was uninformed and was back to the table many times, ‘we don’t have that tonight’
our pregnant niece wanted cocoa to warm up, ‘we don’t have that’ …yet a cocoa drink was listed on the cocktail menu…”the other restaurants have it, we don’t’.
A side order of veggies came out at the end of the meal to replace the rice I didn’ t want… and the second glass of wine I requested was either ignored or forgotten by the scattered server… with all of this going on, we then had to wait for our check because the wait took forever to return… NOT sure I would go back… mostly due to the service!

Not the biggest fan, but I wouldn’t object to coming here either. I’ve been here for dinner and dessert before (the most recent time, just for dessert), and both times, I’ve been less than impressed, even though my food was decent.
I’ve tried the fish and chips and grilled cheese for dinner. Not fantastic and not horrible. I remember the fish and chips being pretty greasy and the grilled cheese being something that I could make on my own at home.
The desserts look pretty captivating (their mile high cakes!!) but they’re expensive. Unless you come for one of the days (I think it’s Wednesdays & Saturdays? but don’t quote me on that) where you get a free half slice of cake with any entrée above $ 10.
The cakes themselves are pretty traditional flavors; they just look really cool because they’re so tall. In actuality, once you receive the cake on your plate… it looks flat and pretty average. Honestly, the cakes only look cool when they’re standing tall. The strawberry shortcake that we ordered was pretty good. I wish there were more strawberries in the mix, but nothing else really stands out.
I also ordered the banana pudding and thought it to be pretty average tasting as well. The pudding is very thick, and I prefer my banana pudding texture to be more light and fluffy. Just a matter of preference I guess.
Oh, and our service. We waited around 20 – 30 minutes to get a slice of cake and a prepackaged container of banana pudding… Can’t believe it took that long. Waiter said that it was because the dessert person was preparing food for a large table, but shouldn’t he have at least updated us? I actually thought he forgot about us.
Decent food at a mid-​high price. I never crave of coming here, but it’s worth a shot if there’s nowhere else to go.

Really love this place! Luckily I pass it on my way home from work so I am often tempted to stop in when I don’t feel like cooking or know they have half-​off wine. The service is always prompt and friendly! I usually sit at the bar and there is always a smiling face to engage in conversation with either working behind the bar, or seated beside me.
Their menu is huge and has almost anything you are in the mood for. The blackened salmon salad is my favorite item and something I often find myself craving. The salmon is always perfectly cooked and the dressing is amazing. It’s a generous portion too. I’ve had a couple of the sandwiched and entrees and never been disappointed. I will agree that it is overpriced, but the great specials on wine and cake make up for it in my opinion. Although it is more of a wine place, they have a great beer and cocktail selection as well.
The décor could use an overhaul, but it almost adds to the charm since they have been there so long. I try to resist the cake, but they do offer free half-​slices with an entrée on Tuesdays and Saturdays so I would definitely recommend checking that out.

I expect a waitress when I spend $ 50 for lunch. Over priced with no service. Staff acted as if you were inconvenience. Would not recommend.

Decided to check out Nantucket after a recommendation. So glad we did. It was a nice night so ate outside. They had a large fan to keep area cool. My wife and I both had salads to start. Cold plates and nice fresh salad. Bread also came with meal. It was warm and fresh. My wife had seafood ravioli and I had seafood pasta. Both were fantastic. My pasta had half a lobster tail, scallops, shrimp and fish in it. A bit spicy and also full of mushrooms and tomatoes. Really enjoyed it. We also enjoyed the ravioli. Service was great. Tip-​if you go on a Saturday night –free cake. The cakes looked great, but we were full.

So I had a last minute epiphany, that I should come here for my bday dinner with the gals simply because of the strawberry short cake-​which is heavenly! I had never eaten at this location before but we landed here because I had a friend driving in from Greensboro to celebrate with me and this was closer for her. Two of us arrived an were seated promptly outside while we visited and waited for our third friend. Our server brought waters and we placed a drink order with him-​margaritas were on special-​yum! I was a bit thrown off by the random guy in «plain clothes» that brought our bread to the table-​he kind of threw me for a loop. Our server was missing in action for quote sometime-​we were hoping he was going to check in on the two of us bc we made the decision to order food before our other friend arrived and he was no where to be found. So when my other gal arrived we quickly ordered. I got the pecan crusted talapia w mashed potatoes and asparagus. It was soooooo good! I felt bad bc I was not able to finish the mound of potatoes they gave me. My friends were happy with their meals also! I even sampled the ones spinach rossoto and it was pretty good. I definitely felt rushed though towards the end of our meal. Super excited for the piece of free cake that came with each of our entrees, our server made it known that their cake cutter was leaving so we needed to decide quickly. Amazing food, but the customer service was only so so when we were there yesterday.

This edition of Excited about Eating takes us to Nantucket Grill, located at the corner of Hwy 54 & Farrington Rd in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
With its friendly casual environment, Nantucket Grill caters to couples, families and UNC fans with a wide variety of menu options.
We visited on Saturday night for their much anticipated free cake night, a free slice of mile high goodness with each entrée over $ 13.
Dora here. Confession time. We come up with excuses to make the two hour drive here on a Saturday just for the cake. Feast your eyes on this dessert case. Wouldn’t you?
Since I judged BBQ that day, my wife and I shared the full portion of the Grilled Scallop Kabobs (2 skewers), served over herb rice and mixed vegetables and drizzled with lobster cream sauce.
We were surprised when the meal came out already divided on two plates.
Dora here. Yeah, this plate is only half the meal! Yowza!
Generous scallops perfectly cooked, golden on the outside, tender and meaty on the inside. The rice, peppers and onions complemented the dish, but the main star was the lobster cream sauce. Creamy, with only a hint of seafood, a sauce that would raise any seafood to the next level. Outstanding!
Dora here. Oh. My! Smooth. Luxurious. Every bite leads to one more. I practically licked my plate clean!
And then… the Chocolate Peanut Butter cake. Six layers of chocolate cake separated by peanut butter filling and topped with chocolate butter cream icing, a Reese cup and peanut butter drizzle. Normally, I am not a big chocolate cake lover, but this cake was great with the peanut butter taking a back seat to the chocolate. So rich, it was difficult to eat the entire slice in one seating.
Dora here. Speak for yourself, Ernie. I had no problem eating mine!
Every time we visit, I scan the case for something different, but I always opt for my usual, Coconut Cake. Moist and rich, but not so rich I can’t eat every bite! A tip, though, get it to go and enjoy it later when you’re not so stuffed. You can thank me later. :)
We rate this restaurant 5 forks out of 5 for a family friendly restaurant serving outstanding food.
Ernie & Dora Hiers, Fiction Faith & Foodies Blog

Took dinner to go.
Fast and great service.
Buffalo chicken salad — crispy breaded chicken and tender inside. Savory blue cheese sauce on the side.
Tiny bit pricy in my opinion.
Would return for more.

I had the Caesar salad to start. It was yummy. Then I had the Cajun (not spicy) ribeye. It was so juicy. My husband had the stuffed flounder which was flaky, moist and delicious.
Taking the lemon cake for later. Check out their mile high cakes as you enter.
They have daily specials. Monday night is steak night.

My mom and I stopped in for lunch today and loved it. I got the Cranberry Bog sandwich — turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce on sourdough — which was absolutely delicious. It tasted just like Thanksgiving and I would definitely recommend it. My mom had the reuben, which she enjoyed, and we have pretty high standards for reubens. The fries were wonderfully crispy, with some sort of light breading. The fruit cup I got with my sandwich was very fresh.
I really enjoyed the meal, but what really took the cake (so to speak) was dessert. I agree with the other reviewers that you must try their cake. We got chocolate and it was fantastic — the frosting was possibly the best chocolate frosting I’ve ever had (and I really love chocolate cake). The slices are HUGE, and a half slice is easily big enough for two people. We found this out the hard way when we ordered a full slice and barely ate a third of it, but I can’t complain about the leftovers.
I would have liked to sit outside, as their patio looked nice from the road, but it was rainy and cool, so it wasn’t meant to be. The inside is also pretty nice. My only complaint is that the self-​serve area got a little crowded and messy — it kind of detracted from the cute atmosphere.
The service was quick and friendly, so no complaints there. Lunch is counter service — you grab a menu at the entrance and then go to the counter and order. This system seemed to work pretty well. I do agree that the food prices are a little bit steep for what they serve. However, I thought the cake was very reasonably priced, and I would definitely return for lunch as well!

When I first looked through their bakery menu, I was not sure if this is the right place to go. But desperating for some cakes and new spot, I decide to come.
Location: Right beside Bank of North Carolina, Nantucket Café and Grill is not hard to find. There are lots of parking spaces for you to choose. I was there during lunch time. I expected that most people who dine here are employees from UNC hospital. But to my surprise, most are actually elder people. Well, since their dish is traditional, I guess elders prefer this place better than others?
Service: the waiting is quite misleading. I first thought someone would welcome you at the front desk, but no! You have to take the menu first and figure out what you want to have and then go straight and ordered and then find a spot to seat. Well, I didn’t know so I just wasted about 10 mins to waiting for someone who I thought would greet me. I know, so stupid!
Food: While I was waiting, I saw their small taste bar for cakes so I tried red velvet, strawberry shortcake and coconut cake. I would say, although I did not order red velvet eventually, their red velvet is delicious as hell! It’s good, the layer is good as well as the frosting part. At the end, I had coconut, carrot, and weekly special –mocha cakes. OK, SO the thing is their slices are HUGE! However, I did not know so I ordered three and ended up not finishing them. But I love all of them and wished that I could have the gut to finish all.
Carrot cake is balanced, coconut frosting is light and creamy, mocha is well mixed with chocolate making me actually finish most of them.
All in all, I am not taking down my bookmark for this place because I will definitely come back and have more.

Everyone I come in town I try to visit to get the delicious clam chowder and grilled turkey and swiss. Oh and the sweet potato waffle fries are delicious! Great staff, fantastic menu and absolutely delish food! Love love love stopping by!