Busy Bee Cafe

Ate dinner with my GF this week and LOVED it! The beer selection was awesome! Not a bulky menu of beers that noone orders but well thought out. The food was great, I had the fish tacos, and she had a burger. The fish tacos were huge, and served with all the fixins, and her burger was the best she has had in town. The bartender was knowledgeable and server was fast and friendly! My favorite place in town!

Posted 12/19/09 | Report Abuse

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The building is tastefully done. I would have liked to have tasted the food today! My friend and I went in and were told to have a seat anywhere. We sat down at a table right beside the bar. We sat there for about five minutes and a server had not been by with a menu so I went back up to the cash register and asked if we were suppose to get menus up there. I was told that the server would give us menus. There were four people at the table behind us when we walked in. After they left four more people came in and sat at the table behind us. They hadn't even placed their butts in their chairs good and menus were placed before them. My friend and I felt totally ignored and immediately proceeded to leave. We went across the street to the Brass Grill to eat. At least we know the food is good and our business is appreciated at the Brass Grill!

Posted 07/28/09 | Report Abuse

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I didn't go to busy bee last night expecting a fine dining experience, but what I actually got was appalling.

After heading upstairs, we asked if there was a table available outside. A server said yes, and led us outside, where he told us to stand with another party who clearly had received the same treatment. He offered to let us order drinks, and after showing us a beer list told us that nothing on the list was actually available on the second floor. Which begs the question, if you're going to micromanage your menu like that, couldn't you just print a separate menu for each area of the restaurant?

After standing around awkwardly for a few minutes, the same server suggested that "the polite thing to do" would be to ask a couple who had finished eating to leave their table so that we could have it. Seriously?

After that, we decided that the view from the roof of the Moore Square parking lot wasn't exactly enticing, and told the server we would be moving inside. He rolled his eyes and pointed us to a table, then proceeded to ignore us for ten minutes. When I finally got his attention to ask for menus, he informed me that they only served food outside, not 15 feet away from where we were now sitting.

I'm sure the owners think they are pursuing some high concept for their multi-story space, but it just comes off as trite when the featured drink seems to be the frosty cans of high life on the tables and the space is being micromanaged to death. A completely white bread food menu that's only served outside? What?

Compared with places like The Raleigh Times that are actually pulling off a cool bar scene with excellent food and service in downtown Raleigh, The Busy Bee/The Hive is an embarrassment. I want to believe that Raleigh is going to be a real city someday, but places like this are a step in the wrong direction.

Posted 06/21/09 | Report Abuse

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I have eaten at the Bee several times now and am in love. Finally, a casual restaurant downtown that employs a CHEF! The food is great and "healthy" with local ingredients. The beer selection is great, approachable not snobby. Wine list is small but appealing and they even serve espresso drinks with dinner! The staff was attentive not overbearing and the manager stopped by to check out the temps on our burgers. Its nice to see a manager interacting with the staff and guests! I will definitely be back! Welcome Downtown BUSY BEE!

Posted 04/24/09 | Report Abuse

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I'd been waiting for the Bee to open for some time, excited that it might be the best thing downtown after it opened. However having been there six times since it opened a few weeks ago, I feel confident saying they have a lot of work to do if they want to live up to the hype.

The drink menu is quality (although other than the cocktails there is little you can't find at the Times, Foundation, or other downtown haunts), and the building is really attractive. Unfortunately after that it breaks down-- every single one of my trips to the Busy Bee at all times of day (early lunch, late afternoon drinks, dinner, and late night drinks) has been somewhat unpleasant.

On opening day, I ordered a somewhat hyped beer on the menu that is generally only available in limited quantities. I waited more than ten minutes before being told they were "looking for the beer". After ANOTHER ten minutes the server returned to the table only to un-apologetically inform me that if I wanted that beer, I would have to drink it warm. Um, thanks. A server I had another time was very sweet, but tonight I once again had an inattentive server who also had the nerve to condescend to my date when he didn't like his beer and politely asked for another. Finally, at an uncrowded bar on a weeknight last week my friends and I waited over ten minutes to be acknowledge by any of the FIVE people behind the bar (who actually never noticed us until after the manager had already gotten our drinks). While the support staff here has always been friendly, the bar/service people leave a lot to be desired.

The food is somewhere in the middle of the road. All the sides are generously portioned and tasty, and the first time I had the tofu it was quite good (not so the second). Although my friends and I have enjoyed the Fish & Chips sandwich, in general the main courses definitely leave a bit to be desired. The burgers are dry and the shrimp in the Shrimp & Grits was so overcooked as to be totally inedible (also, it hardly lived up to the "Large Plates" category it is filed under).

While I was quite excited about a new downtown spot, the Bee really need to work on some things before I will consider returning for food/table service anytime soon. Hopefully these are just kinks to be worked out of any new restaurant and things will improve soon.

Posted 04/18/09 | Report Abuse

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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I ate there this week and it was amazing. The atmosphere, food, service and overall experience was quite a nice surprise.

We will most certainly be back soon!

Posted 04/16/09 | Report Abuse

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