Four Square Restaurant

four square needs to have the same camera system that one restaurant has (streams the kitchen activities to the bar for the guests). maybe then every chef in kitchen, including the chef de cuisine, will wash their hands every so often. the food was good but, how safe was it? if the food was all i cared about, sure, it was great. but the thing is, i was ServSafe certified and washing hands when handling food is a must. I mean, seriously, who cares these days if their food is clean if it's good... more

Chef Ingram is a complete jerk to work for... food is okay but it is over priced. Chef ingram has the biggest ego trip out of any chef i have ever worked with more

I'm a vegetarian and my husband is not (far from it) - so finding a restaurant that we both really love for a nice dinner isn't always easy. We've been to Four Square twice just the two of us - and we liked it so much that we went with our family to celebrate a birthday. Highly recommended! Pros: Creative, delicious dinners more

We went to Four Square because it had good ratings so I am writing this to provide you with some balance. Four Square is at most a four star restaurant. The service was very good but the food was just OK. Our dinner was not a good value when comparing it to the many other triangle area restaurants we can choose from. I liked the house's historical features, its structure, and its openness in most places except the bar. If your a man, you may get a brief scare when you discover that your bathroom is the one with pink walls and 2 sit-down type toilets :) Like the bathroom, the artwork hanging on the walls clashes with its location. Thinking about it, Four Square restaurant is an odd mixture of trendy food, misplaced art, and historical house. Pros: service Cons: value more

A wonderful old house is the setting, terrific service. Shane Ingram and Elizabeth Woodhouse (the owners) are real pros. The menu changes every month. Near Duke University. Very highly recommended. Pros: Outstanding food - some unusual and interesting entrees more

For Triangle Restaurant Week in Durham, participating restaurants offer a 3-course meal for $25 with a set menu. Last week, my friends and I downloaded about 10-15 menus from different restaurants around the area, finally settling on Four Square's menu because it sounded the most appealing. We had heard great things about Four Square, and we went ahead and made a reservation. This afternoon, out of curiosity, we looked at the menu again. The one from last week was now gone, replaced by a not-so-appealing menu with fewer choices. When I called the restaurant, the man who answered the phone said that the menu ""may have changed,"" and that ""the chef may have put together something for advertisement purposes."" What is the point of ""putting together a menu"" if you won't even stick to it? The reason we chose the restaurant was because of the menu! However, all in all, we had a great experience, and the food is really good. Service is excellent. more

I don't mind dropping money on a fabulous meal. I've dined in some of the better restaurants in NYC, Atlanta, Boston and Chicago and have no problem spending double per person what you will at this restaurant. My opinion is that there are better places to go in the Triangle with a similar price tag. Bonne Soiree in Chapel Hill, in particular (they will pair courses with different wines per your request). The food here also shows a strong French influence, but it simpler and better executed. I think Nana's has equally good food to Four Square, if a little less creative. But the atmosphere at Nana's is twice as enjoyable, and the staff more friendly and accommodating. Pros: Good food Cons: Not worth the money. more

yes, the location is weird BUT it is in a beautiful Victorian house on chapel hill rd. It has to be the best kept secret of durham. I have been to NaNa's which was voted one of the top restaurants in the nation BUT I have to say FOUR SQUARE is better. The only reason it may not be NANA'S is because of the location alone. The food and wait staff is so excellent that if you give it a chance, you WILL want to come back and you forget about the location. For the first course, I has a sweet potato bisqet which was recommended by the staff, For the entree I had the lamb.. the meat was SOOOOOOOOOO tender , the greens that came with was better than my moms seasoned greens ( mind you im a born & raised country boy) and the presentation!!!!- you can tell the chef loves his job. My babes had the pork loin- delicious.. then to end I had the chocolate cake and my babes had the cheesecake. SO THE PLEASANT SURPRISE WAS.. me and my baby been together 2 years and it was our two year anniversary...so when they brought out the dessert they wrote HAPPY ANNIVERSARY in chocolate on my plate. This is important to me because every wait staff that came through were genuine and got to know us- and did I tell you we were a gay couple... didnt bother the wait staff one bit. I need not tell you I gave the waiter an excellent tip.. kinda wish I gave him more.\r they change their menu every month, so me and babes going back for my birthday this month.. I m so looking forward to it... I'll NEVER forget FOUR SQUARE! if you are looking for a nice 4 star to take a love one or a business dinner LOOK NO FURTHER! I can honestly say It's worth the money. Pros: FOOD! FOOD! FOOD! Cons: nothing to look at out the window, after service & food that will not matter! more

The food itself was actually very good and nicely presented. That's the good news.\r \r Location is actually quite sketchy, if you eventually find it. Passed through a few ""kids lock the doors"" type neighborhoods to get there. Nice view of the giant plastic cow on top of the Mexican joint across the street.\r \r Student/waiters didn't seem to want to be there. But to be fair, the place was packed, so it's apparently pretty popular by Durham standards.\r \r If you are looking for a lovely dinner in an old Victorian home in this price range, stick with Second Empire. I know I will. more

Hands down, the best meal I have eaten since I moved to the area. Nice atmosphere; polite, attentive service. Portions were perfectly sized and every item fresh and well-seasoned. Stay for dessert - banana & coconut bombe was amazing! Pros: food, atmosphere, wine, service more

Really good experience overall. The restaurant is in a lovely Victorian house on the outskirts of Durham. The inside has a lived-in feel that is very relaxing. Service was good -- attentive but not overbearing. The food was very good. Interesting but not overly fussy. Portion sizes were just about right. We arrived at 9.30 and they could not have been more accomodating. The wine list was good but the wines were too young. We had a 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon from Western Australia and an 05 or 04 Ridge Zinfandel with high levels of alcohol that were a bit overwhelming. Overall though it was a very positive experience and the food was very good. Pros: Nice atmosphere, good service, good food Cons: young wines more

This is arguably one of the finest restuarants in the Triangle. The service is always professional and attentive, and the wine list is quite extensive and offered at a reasonable price. While the cost is a bit high, it is worth every cent if you appreciate fine food and excellent cooking. The chef is inventive and there is a new menu every month. Do try Four Square for a special occasion, you won't be disappointed! Pros: Fine food, great service, beautiful old building more

We went to Four Square to try out their Thanksgiving Prix Fixe menu. It is housed in a historic Victorian in Durham, with an inviting porch and warm lighting glinting from the windows. We started out in the bar, where I had an underwhelming Sangriatini. The bar was cozy though lacking music, and its brown walls are luscious enough to make me reconsider completely writing off the ugly brown paint on the walls of our bathroom at home.\r \r For the dinner, we were led to a small chilly room that would have been improved had a fire been lit in the fireplace. The walls were sparsely decorated and the house definitely shows some wear and tear, especially in the restroom.\r \r Bread service was by the slice, which is helpful for people like us who are trying to control our portions. Their home-baked sourdough was quite good and that?s coming from a California snob. \r \r My husband and I shared a frisee and baby red onion salad and a seafood crepe for the first course. The crepe was groovy on my palate and the salad was pleasant as well. \r \r For the main course, my husband went traditional and chose the turkey offering. The sugar peas were not completely cooked and as a result, tasted bland. The turkey and mashed potatoes were good but nothing exceptional. I had the duck confit with expertly prepared brussel sprouts, a sweet berry sauce, and stuffing of Stove Top caliber, which is high praise from me.\r \r For dessert, I had the Bourbon Pecan Pie. I couldn?t taste any bourbon but it was tasty and the piecrust was to die for. My husband?s Rum Raisin Bread Pudding was more like a muffin. It had a great chocolaty flavor but both rum and raisin were missing as far as we could tell.\r \r A satisfying meal but we aren?t necessarily coming back again.\r Pros: Plenty of parking, nice price for a prix fixe meal Cons: The house and menu needs some updating. more

I wish I had read this before I visited this restaurant. We decided to try it after seeing a profile on a UNC program. All of the negative things outlined here- cold interior, unappealling exterior, costly ""interesting"" food and unbelievably slow, snobbish service. I did not particularly care for the food. It was not bad, but not anything special and when the server refilled my wine she looked around over our heads as though there were someplace else she'd rather be. We were checked on frequently, almost invasively, yet when we needed things, everyone was silently, officiously avoiding our gaze, as though our limit of service had been reached. I thought it might be racism, but evidently from these reviews that is the way customers are treated! I would not recommend this place. more

I've been living here in the triangle for a couple of years now, and I've eaten at the vast majority of the notable restaurants - new and established - in the area. I've suffered through unbelievable snobbery, less-than-memorable food and lousy service at many. One restaurant, however, stands above the crowd. I've dined at Four Square Restaurant in Durham 5 or 6 times now, and each experience has been outstanding. Four Square has that magical combination of fantastic and innovative food, highly professional, knowledgeable and friendly service, and beautiful atmosphere. The last time I was there, the maitre d' actually greeted me by name when he opened the door for me upon my arrival. At the end of our meal, the chef came out to the table to greet us and see how we enjoyed everything. This is a place that cares about what they do and about their diners' experience. If you haven't been yet, GO! Pros: food, service, ambiance, and the little ""extras"" Cons: get good directions - Durham can be confusing more

It is disconcerting how anyone can write anything they want on this site and there is no opportunity for the restaurant to respond. I happen to work at Four Square, and the ""World Traveler"" below was an old woman whose credit card was declined. Yes, it took a while to process her payment because we had to call her bank to get authorization to charge her card. Maybe she should spend more time balancing her checkbook and less time writing untruthful reviews of a very nice restaurant. more

The screened porch is too close to the sight & sound of heavy traffic on that busy road, so we moved inside. \r to the table nearest the entrance. Ambience? Hardly. There wasn't a picture on the wall or a thing on the tables to relieve the plainess. The food was only adequate. Vaunted organic vegetables were overcooked and the portions tiny. Veddy artsy NOUVELLE though, if you still appreciate that tired concept when it Costs The Earth. And do bring cash. A lot of it. They haven't figured out how to work their credit card machine. It took half a day the following Monday to get the EXTRA charge [nearly doubled!] removed from my account. The experience would be laughable ~ IF it hadn't been my g'daughter's birthday for which they travelled from High Point.... In addition, the delay/mess at the end (after 2 hours) w/the card cost us our orchestra seats at the ADF until intermission. Horrible! Cons: Proximity to busy street precludes outside dining; absurdly expensive for too 'haute' everything. more

My husband and I tried Four Square for the first time for our anniversary. We were exceptionally pleased- the meal was exquisite. On Friday evenings they serve a ""wine flight"" which I would highly recommend. Ours included three varieties of Spanish wines. I had pork tenderloin and my husband had scallops, both of which were outstanding. The ingredients were fresh and both dishes successfully blended very unique flavors. For dessert I had the chocolate macaroon tart, which I believe was the best dessert I have ever tasted. We will absolutely return to Four Square and would highly recommend it for special occasions. Pros: Beautiful setting, unique menu, excellent service Cons: expensive more

The setting (historical landmark) is beautiful despite the ugly surroundings.\r Seating/service was prompt.\r \r Appretif: Non-vintage champagne is priced correctly (1.8x retail price). Wine selection is one of the\r better ones in the area.\r Ordered: Ravioli with chocolate/truffle sauce, diver scallops, dessert.\r \r Food was quite good, though some flavor arrangements are ""?"". I tend to think that there are\r too many American-French New Cuisine copies... it's not the ingredients who get the spot-light - and\r we are forced to focus on the chef's artistic creativity. \r \r Meal for 2 came to $140 plus tip. This is a special occasion restaurant which could be a once-a-month\r restaurant if not ordering higher priced wines. \r \r Pros: Lovely building, interesting menu, good wine list, nice staff Cons: Food interpretations could be questionable, at times. more

I enjoying trying new places and was excited about this little restaurant.\r \r First of all...get GOOD directions because it is not easy to find. The home is charming and the colors warm. \r \r The food, although I enjoyed the fresh veggies from their garden, was as if they were trying too hard. The crab salad for example had so many ingred. that it over powered the delicate crab flavor. The soup was luke warm at best and did not have good flavor. You almost got the feeling that they were trying really hard to be creative and they went overboard. Mixing so many flavors that none of them stood out. Honestly the food was very average. I would not go back. \r \r I hope this helps. Pros: cute house and nice cozy bar Cons: high price and missed the boat on mixing flavors more