Holidays in Raleigh, NC: The Iconic Angus Barn is a Southern Tradition for Families

Updated: December 2022

When you drive down Highway 70 between Raleigh and Durham, North Carolina, you will spot an iconic red barn that has created pure holiday magic in the Triangle for families for over 50 years.

And holiday decorations at the Angus Barn, a premier steakhouse in Raleigh, get better and better every year. It's like N.C.'s mountain's Biltmore Estate for the eastern part of North Carolina, just on a smaller scale.

The exterior of Angus Barn twinkles as soon as you see it. It's surrounded by car lots and commercial businesses on a bustling highway. However, despite the hustle and bustle, the Angus Barn still projects that same holiday magic of yesteryear. When this restaurant was first established in 1960 in Raleigh, it was located in the country. Seriously, the country! The country where you would see barns in rural North Carolina. I have photos of my parents dressed up and attending business Christmas parties. Even though Raleigh's Angus Barn is spread among urban sprawl on Highway 70,  it is one of Raleigh's most iconic places to visit, especially during the holidays.

The Angus Barn maintains its country roots with a rustic, elegant interior. But, this is no country Cracker Barrel, even though the Angus Barn Country Store sells its famous cheese and crackers. But, of course, Angus Barn elves are modern now and ship everywhere, so non-Southerners can taste what's so great about Raleigh's destination. With most entrees priced above $30 and a children's menu starting at $14, it's where many Southern families splurge during the holiday season.

People flock here because it's an experience like none other. A purely magical, joyous experience for kids. To dine during regular dining times like 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm, in December, you may need to make Angus Barn dinner reservations up to a year in advance. The Angus Barn extends its hours during the holiday season, though, and if you can sit down to eat dinner at 10:00 pm, you can snag a reservation during this busy time for the restaurant.

Dinner at the Angus Barn is steeped with tradition, and unlike most high-end steakhouses in America these days, they do not do that a-la-carte business of sharing a larger side with the table. Instead, your 14-ox "IronChef" Ribeye (Oh, yeah. There's that, too. Angus Barn Executive Chef Walter Royal won T.V.'s Iron Chef Competiton. He beat chef Cat Cora) comes with your choice of soup or salad and a side. Bread, homemade crackers, cheese, and fresh raw veggies are on the table for every Angus Barn diner to enjoy. Even for non-beef eaters, the Angus Barn menu has something for everyone to enjoy.

But, the view of the Angus Barn restaurant through the magic of a child's eye is where this eatery has its edge. Beautiful trees, appearances by Santa, and life-sized elves greet you at the door with homemade gingerbread cookies and hot cocoa. It's like North Carolina's own North Pole.

There is a toy box for kids, and the staff takes them into the kitchen to make their dessert sundae after dinner.

The only downside is for kids who are true steak lovers because the Angus Barn kid's menu has a variety of typical kid-like items, but the only steak choice for kids is a chopped hamburger steak. I've talked to many parents (you know, parents today have more sophisticated little foodies) who frequent this venue year after year, and they all have expressed their desire for a small filet option for kids. So, Angus Barn, are you listening? Unfortunately, one child is aging out of the Angus Barn kid's menu. He'll be 13 this month and has disliked any kid-type menu for years.

My son is one expensive date these days. But more and more elementary-school-aged children are eating fish and filet cuts of beef these days. So things have changed since the 60s.

And I must not forget the lady's parlor for little girls like mine. Liza remembered the bathroom experience more than anything. It's a fancy parlor; they have all these toiletries to powder your nose. It's a little girl's adult version of the blingy store Justice.

Can I wait for a Table at the Angus Barn?

During the week, you may have more luck waiting for a table, but the wait is long. Good thing you have lots of holiday decor and elves to view while you wait for a table. However, the restaurant's Angus Barn Wild Turkey Lounge upstairs is a first-come, first-serve, no, reservation dining with a full-service menu. It is open in the early afternoon during the holidays with a special sandwich-type menu, and it typically has live music at night. This part of the restaurant is charming. 

It is a sophisticated bar, so if you have older children like me who are used to dining in luxury hotels and do not have to dine off a kid's menu,  I will not hesitate to dine here in the late afternoon with them. Dining in the Wild Turkey Lounge offers elegance without the family bells and whistles downstairs. The Christmas season makes this lounge even more appealing.

Have you dined at the Angus Barn in Raleigh, N.C.?

The Angus Barn also has a Pavillion that hosts private parties. In December, parking is at a premium. It, of course, is free to look around the Angus Barn. The Angus Barn is closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.

The blog's local sponsor, Gladwell Orthodontics, made my time to write this post possible in Raleigh, N.C. 

I last visited the Angus Barn on my birthday after Christmas in 2017. All photos were taken by Leigh Powell Hines and are subject to copyright.