Hayes Barton Café & Dessertery

I any dish from the Hayes Barton Café and Dessertery specials menu. I have yet to order something from their regular menu because there’s always an enticing dish from the specials menu. Tonight I had the squid pasta with mussels, clams, NC grouper & shrimp in a tomato saffron broth that’s sooo sooo GOOD! Their desserts are incredible. My personal favorite is the coconut cake. I cannot come to Hayes without ordering my coconut cake. I have even ordered a whole one for a friend’s birthday. Love this place!

Awesome cakes & pies, great local business, but they rush you when you are picking out your dessert and don’t explain each cake. They give you the name of it very quickly and expect you to decide instantly. It’s a shame because the experience would be much more enjoyable if they had better customer service!

Came here once after shopping antique stores nearby. I’m not a big fan of dessert. But my BF is huuuuuuuge fan! Our friends said this place has the most delicious cakes!
It’s slightly pricy for cakes. But each piece is soooooo big! Each piece is enough for two to three people to share. Because it was out first time there, we decided to get one for each of us. I ordered the raspberry chocolate one. My BF got the coconut cake. Wow! Both of them were so good! The raspberry chocolate had a well mixed favor of sour and sweet. But it’s a little too sweet for me. I really liked the coconut one! I always like coconut! This cake feels so fresh and is within my comfort zone for sweetness. Love it!
Next time may come back for other flavors.

My date and I came in last second to grab dinner and I was grateful that they accepted us so late, showed good hospitality, and were keen on refills. It had a good atmosphere and I had high hopes for the food. At this point, I was going to tip very well because of their acceptance of us. The hot wings appetizer came with very fresh vegetables and it was delicious. No problems yet. The food took a second but our entrees came out beautifully presented. I had the pot pie and my date had their famous meatloaf. I tried the meatloaf and it tasted oddly rubbery, but it still had a good taste. The pot pie, although indicated on the menu to be «traditional», was filled to the brim with mashed potatoes. As a culinary-​student foodie and single mom, I didn’t expect mashed potatoes in the filling and did not enjoy the otherwise beautiful, hearty dish. The cakes looked delicious and I was going to order a few slices at the end. The food was tasty and filling, despite my personal distaste for the pot pie. When the check came around, I asked if it would be possible to return the pot pie considering I didn’t eat the majority of it. We didn’t mind paying if it wasn’t but the waiter informed the manager-​looking guy of my request and the manager comes to our table. «In all of 18 years I have never once had someone complain about our food.» He babbles on and on about how impossible it is for someone to dislike their food, and then grabs our plates and tells us to «find a different restaurant.» I was upset I didn’t get to buy the cake, but with that kind of service; at $ 9 a slice, it isn’t worth the hostility and rudeness this restaurant showed me today.

We decided to take my mother here for her birthday. I made reservations a few days ahead of time since Saturday is a busy day for this place. My mom went with the crab cakes, my siblings ordered the infamous meatloaf and I chose the chicken piccata. Everyone liked the food, but mine was just ok. The chicken cutlets which I thought would be breaded, were skinless, very small which seemed to be boiled and tough in texture and tasteless. The sauce which consisted of capers and lemon was the only thing I tasted. My mom was underwhelmed by the crabcakes, which was mostly breaded and lacked crab. As for the desserts, they were good. The keylime pie is excellent, coconut cake really good. I’m glad I had the chance to try this place. If I decide to return, it would be for dessert.

Best coconut cakes!

I’ve only ever tried the double chocolate pie with pecans here but it’s been so good I’ve never had a reason to stray from it. The slices are expensive ($ 9) but the portion size is easily 2 – 3 desserts worth and the quality is absolute top notch.

My husband and I came here for dessert after dinner because we saw the delicious pictures of cake on Unilocal.We came here on a Saturday night so we had to wait a little bit, but we were seated at the window. I think they were understaffed because we didn’t have a server until we asked the lady behind the cake counter if we could have a slice of cake directly from her. My husband told her we didn’t have a server so she promptly assigned us one. I was getting irritated because we had waited 30 minutes for a server, but the wait was worth it. I got a heavenly slice of raspberry chocolate cake; the cake was moist and not too sweet which I appreciated. I couldn’t finish all of it, but it was definitely one of the best chocolate cakes I’ve ever had. My husband got the key lime pie which was perfectly sweet and tart. We didn’t get to try their regular menu, but guessing from the large crowd waiting to be seated, it’s probably good as well. A lot of people came in to get their desserts to go, so they are definitely known for their desserts. This place is small and cozy and has a nice vibe. Can’t wait to go back for more cake!

I love this place. It’s small and can get crowded but it’s got a solid menu and changes specials regularly enough that there is always something new to try. I work nearby so can get lunch to go but when I’ve stayed to eat, it hasn’t ever taken just way to long to be manageable, if you’ve got a full hour for lunch.
Also, if you’ve read any other review, you shouldn’t be surprised that I’m in love with the dessert case. Four or five people can split a slice (read: huge chunk) of cake easily. The coconut is always on point, but really any other cake is a safe choice. I haven’t tried many of the pies, but between food and cake prep, I feel pretty confident that they make good pies as well.
Your main issue is likely to be parking, particularly during the day. Street parking might be easier after working hours, and they do close at 2 for the lunch hour so just be aware of that if you do go out before dinner.

Lunch.
I felt as though I stepped into a time capsule and was transported back to the 1940s when I entered H&B for lunch: checkerboard tile floor, red swivel bar stools, and 1940s memorabilia plastered on almost every inch of wall space. I admired the beautifully retro décor as I stood in line to order, and I was excited to catch a glimpse of the dessert case with cakes and pies that were all extra large and in charge.
I wasn’t as excited to catch a glimpse of the sanitation rating but I sensed that those mouthwatering cakes were trying to sway my judgment. Those little who-​ers were trying to seduce me. But, I am an oak. I turned my attention to the menu in my hand. That sticky plastic menu was the voice of reason in the face of temptation. That sanitation number was now etched in my memory so the feel of a sticky menu in hand made my imagination run wild, and not in a good way. But, I was hungry and already committed to eating lunch here.
I stepped up and placed my order. No dessert, thank you. I’m an oak. I watched as Hubby ordered lunch and then… added on a slice of my favorite pie, Key Lime. Good grief. At $ 9, and designed for sharing, it is a major slice of temptation. I’ll deal with that later. For now, I’m focused on lunch.
The southwest chicken wrap special was good but I noticed the taste of slightly overripe avocado in a few bites. I was really disappointed with the overripe avocado but the overall flavors were very tasty. The deviled eggs were creamy and flavorful although the whites were a little on the tough side. The eggs presented well with the filling pressed through a cookie press and sprinkled with paprika.
Service was okay. It was busy and while waiting for our meals, we were able to check out the 1940s memorabilia which included a dusty military uniform displayed in one corner. At one time, someone probably looked wonderful in that uniform but the dust made it difficult to get that sanitation rating out of my mind.
Since it took longer than expected for our meals, we took the Key Lime Pie to go. I was an oak at the order counter where I could see the sanitation rating but the memory of it was beginning to fade later on as I admired the beautiful presentation with twisted lime slices and whipped cream on top, and drizzled with a sweet, light syrup. Plus, I’m a team player so I can’t let Hubby eat this gigantic indulgence alone. The filling was creamy, perfectly tart and sweet; delicious. The graham cracker crust was sweet but not overly so. Probably a solid 4+ stars.
In summary, lunch was positively okay. The sanitation rating was a lot lower than I expected for a restaurant with an average 4.5 star rating. But, if the sanitation rating doesn’t concern you and you like desserts, then check it out.

the stars do not represent the cakes but rather the business itself. so we go to have dessert and get turned away because they have people in there who ordered dinner and were worried about having dessert left for them… ok 3 things 1) If you care about that stuff then being a server you should inform your guests and have them place a cake order early to reserve it. 2) if you are unsure about having enough and blaming it on valentines weekend then make more or take some out of the fridge that you are saving for tomorrow night. 3) first come first serve I am ready to pay and leave and they are still eating without placing an order then too bad… it’s valentines weekend right? guess they should have been given that excuse too.
anyways the cakes are good but not worth the poor service and attitude… especially at $ 9.50 a slice.

The best date night place I have been to in Raleigh so far! Such a romantic atmosphere!
Walked in on a friday for a date night and asked for a table for 2. The owner seated us immediately, but then realized he had a reservation coming in. As compensation he moved us to the bar area and gave us 50% off our check. The ambience is super romantic and interesting. I ordered the Rita Hayworth margarita, which was to my delight one of the strongest cocktails I’d ever gotten from a restaurant. They provided us with an assortment of bread, which included this pumpkin cornbread that was so moist and delish! For entrees we stuffed our face with meatloaf and heirloom tomato pie with steak. My steak was cooked perfectly and the tomato pie was balanced and not too rich; the meatloaf was moist and flavorful and the size of the Titanic. #leftoversfordays
Having eaten enough for 5, we ordered the key lime pie and pumpkin cheesecake to go. They were of course exorbitantly sized and exorbitantly rich. I was a fan of how balanced in flavor both desserts were, but the key lime was a little eggs tasting… makes sense but I would ordered something else.
All in all a fantastic and kooky place!

There is not a single more attentive restauranteur in Raleigh. We wanted to take my boyfriend’s parents here after moving into the neighborhood and joked that we should be there 30 minutes early to get a table. By accident we ended up there 20 minutes early and by god there was a line. Before opening. Some quick tips anything on the menu was great one slice of cake serves four. The owner is lovely and just a real treat to see each time.

Keep in mind this review is going to warrant an update once I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing something other than the phenomenal desserts Hayes Barton offers.
This place is a cute, quirky little diner by day and a more formal sit-​down situation at night. The building was quite obviously an old pharmacy, set up with the same little horseshoe bar in the center of the floor and surrounded by other little 2-​top tables around the perimeter. They’ve maintained the old-​school charm of the pharmacy with their 1940’s décor and ambience.
Let me just paint a picture for you about how generous their portions of cake are: myself and one other person ate one slice of cake for 3 consecutive nights. The friendly woman behind the counter can always fire off each flavor of the dozen-​or-​so cakes in the case by memory, and they’re ever-​changing.
This place is pretty popular and you can’t really sit and eat your dessert after dusk because the tables/​barstools are reserved for dinner guests only (we got politely but assertively pushed out of our window seats around 7:00 one time after we’d overstayed our welcome apparently), so be prepared to grab and go if you’re only planning on enjoying the dessert.

Best of the best!!! Came back again and again & I brought more a party of 15! The Heath Bar Cake and Blackberry Vanilla Bean cakes are AMAZING!
During dinner they have an Heirloom Tomato and 4 cheese dinner pie, 4oz Filet that melts in your mouth. Lunch is just as good Dinner is the BEST.

The best damn desserts in Raleigh. Hands down. Their hours are a bit wonky so check to make sure they are open before making the trek to get your tasty treats. :)

Located on glenwood, H is located in northern Raleigh. The neighborhood seems to be little bit old. Street parking is the only way for you to grab a bite here so I guess it could be very ugly when it’s during dinner time
Food: I am here mainly for dessert. So I should have pecan pie but I ended up with apple pie due to its popularity (but I ain’t a fan of apple pie) I have to say even though I kinda hate apple pie, their Apple pie is way too delicious. The layers is clear and mixed well with other ingredients. In addition, the top crust is crispy and delicious!
Service: bit slow. The owner is trying to talk with every customer and be nice. And everyone is not in a hurry but enjoy the hospitality. Very interesting. Their decorations suggest the restaurant has been here for a while and the owner is pilot?! I don’t know but looks like a place with millions of history to be discovered.
Pricy slices of cake — FYI
Overall: love their cakes and I will come back for lunch sometimes.

I’ve been to Hayes Barton many times for dinner and cake, sometimes just for cake, and each time I’ve had an unbelievable experience. The overall atmosphere of the diner has a very lovely vibe to it, and it’s one of the best restaurants in Raleigh for date night, especially when there’s a lot cake involved. It’s a small and cozy family run restaurant, and you will immediately feel they take a lot pride in treating their costumers with great food and service.
The food is best described as really good American classics with HUGE portion sizes! The only thing I love more than good food is huge portions of good food. You will not leave this place hungry, guaranteed. For appetizers, the steamed mussels are some of the best I’ve had. The sun dried tomato pesto broth is creamy and so flavorful. The sun dried tomato is so prevalent and with the cheese and pesto, the broth is just amazingly good. I could literally dip a whole a loaf of bread in that broth and eat it as my meal. I would recommend ordering the «small» size for two people because it still comes out to about 50 mussels.
For entrees, the meatloaf is really good and huge, which is the theme of all their portion sizes. It’s a giant, thick cut piece of meatloaf that’s so tender and moist. The brown gravy is also a great compliment, and the buttery mashed potatoes and green beans round out the meal. You can’t go wrong with the meatloaf, their signature dish. I’ve also had the two chickens pot pie, which is also enormous. There are two thick layers of shredded chicken covered in a delicious gravy sauce with a thick layer of mash potatoes, peas, and carrots sandwiched in between. It really reminded me of Thanksgiving. All of the vegetables were perfectly cooked, and the pie shell it came in was really good, not dry at all. Even after taking half of it home, the pie crust was still good the next day. I’ve also tried the crab cakes, which were a very generous size with a good amount of crab meat. The filet mignon here is also amazingly tender. Literally melts in your mouth. It was so tender I didn’t even use the steak knife they gave me, the butter knife easily cut right through. The filet came with a tomato cheese pie, basically a deep dish pizza with a ton of fresh tomato and cheese inside.
Even if you’re completely stuffed, you must order cake. You cannot leave Hayes Barton without trying the cake. For about $ 9, you get the biggest slice of some of the best and biggest cake you’ll ever see at a restaurant for dessert. Every time I get cake, it lasts me about another 3 desserts. I would highly recommend the Kahlua, raspberry chocolate, and flourless chocolate torte. You also can’t go wrong with red velvet, carrot, or tiramisu as well. The apple pie cake is a little different in that there’s not really cake, but a thick layer of apples with an apple crisp topping. Overall, I love coming to Hayes Barton and have never been disappointed leaving here, except when they sell out of the cake I want. But there are so many options, you’ll ultimately end up leaving satisfied.

Only stopped in here for dessert after dining somewhere else (similarly to quite a few others it seems), and I was pretty impressed with the Peanut Butter Brownie Cake.
As others have said, each slice of cake is $ 9.50, but they are all VERY large. The cake we order consisted of a chocolate brownie cake with a peanut butter mousse style frosting and chocolate buttercream frosting on the very outside. The brownie-​cake was amazing! Moist, fudgy, super delicious, and exactly what you would want in a «brownie-​cake» hybrid. The peanut butter mousse was good and complemented the cake well but wasn’t great. (Coming from a guy whose favorite food is peanut butter) Overall I would say this cake was really, really good, however, but the service and everything else at Hayes Barton wasn’t positive in my experience here. The lady at the cake counter was rude to multiple people in front of us, including blowing off a girl who asked if they had a dessert menu and then finally stating after being asked a few more times that they did not have a menu that you just had to look at the cakes and see what you wanted. She did tell us all the cake flavors at least, but I was also disappointed that you cannot order just dessert and eat in the restaurant. If you want to dine in it has to be for dinner as well, otherwise you have to get your slice (s) of cake to go.
Overall: awesome cake but I was somewhat suprised at the customer service (but maybe that was due to it being a busy Friday night?) I’ll have to come back and try ordering dinner as well.

Only stopped in for dessert around 815pm and it was awesome!
Very small interior, very busy. We got some dessert to go and it took about 20 min from walking in to walking out. Great cake selection. $ 9.50 a slice but they are huge slices and very delicious! My wife and I hope to come back for dinner soon.
When we arrived there were a lot of people waiting to be seated and we stood there with a few other couple for about 10 minutes before anyone even came up to get our names or asked how many in our party. Once we told them we were just there for dessert they said that dinner guests take priority and they won’t sit anyone for dessert until 9pm! That was a little weird but I guess they can do that because they have enough people willing to wait.
Parking was rough so be prepared to drive around to find a spot.

Are you going to try and get in on a Friday Night? Diner /​Dessertery with a Vintage Movie Theme and a Heavy emphasis on Dessertery! We got Dessert!
THICK ! T H I C K ! ! ! ! These Dessert have Considerable Mass!
1.) Blueberry Lemon Poundcake (or something like that) with and Icing that tasted like CreamCheese and SourCream [my eBay Bride chose this one and LOVED it]
2.) PeanutButter Mousse Pie covered in Chocolate with a GrahamCracker Crust [my Choice and I enjoyed it very much for FOUR Meals]!
My Bride and I were each pleased with our individual selections and though my ENTIRE 4 star Unilocal rating goes toward my Selection! In other words, though I tasted the Blueberry Lemon Cake, I did NOT factor it in to the overall Unilocal star rating because I did not choose it! I did not like the icing on the Blueberry Lemon Cake, ONLY because of preference (nothing was wrong with it)! If I had enjoyed the Cake my Bride chose, I would have factored it in the the Experience!
We were both interested in the Biggest Showpiece in the Showcase until we found out some of the layers were BananaBread and thought it may not be Rich enough! They were Very Busy on a Friday Night at 8:00 as they should be!!! Still the Lady working the Counter was very patient and pleasant explaining the flavors to us!
Neighborhood Crowd! This is a well-​behaved group and it would be easy to find a Local Hero, IF you were looking! [that is a BIG IF!]
Dim Lights at Night, kinda cool looking, not typical, a little cheesy, and also NOT factored in to my Unilocal star rating

PHENOMENAL. If anyone has put limiting portions and canceling out desserts for their New Year’s Resolution, then stay clear of this place. You won’t be able to resist the temptations on their menu or in their dessert case.
Normally, I wouldn’t discuss the complimentary bread basket. But this place even surpasses everyone else in this department. Not only do you get the normal bread and butter, but you get variety with cornbread, biscuits, AND gingerbread. Definitely a good start.
For an appetizer we started off with the Mussels. Since we both ordered entrees as well, our waitress suggested we get the starter size instead of the full size. Anyways, a «starter» size at Hayes Barton would be twice the size of a full size appetizer at any other restaurant. It was huge! And it tasted incredible too. The sundried tomato pesto sauce that the mussels are soaked in gets an A+. And for as much food as we got in this appetizer, the price was a steal.
I ordered the crab cakes as my entrée. Also delicious! I was already so full from the rest of the food that I was able to bring half of it home for a second meal. My boyfriend ordered the meatloaf. He doesn’t typically bring leftovers home because he has a big appetite, but this time it was even too much for him to conquer. The meatloaf was juicy and the whipped potatoes were definitely a must as a side.
And since it is Hayes Barton, we couldn’t leave without one of their many desserts. Their desserts are a way better deal than any other place (and tastier too). While it might be a couple dollars more than another dessert, the size is twice of any other place and three times more delicious. We got the chocolate cake with raspberries to go and I was in chocolate heaven.
You should definitely check this place out!