How do you like your nachos? Piled high with cheese, drenched in queso, or loaded with so many toppings you can’t see the chips? Well, whatever your style, you can be sure there is no shortage of high-quality places to eat nachos in Raleigh.
Whether you’re looking for something quick and easy form a Mexican restaurant or a fancy gourmet creation, the City of Oaks has nachos for every occasion.
But finding the best is no easy task, so we asked the Raleigh locals and taste tested our way around the city to bring you this guide on where to eat the best nachos in Raleigh. So, grab those extra napkins, loosen the belt a notch, and chip into these nacho hotspots!
Tobacco Road Sports Cafe
- Address: 505 W Jones St
- Website: tobaccoroadsportscafe.com
First up, there’s Tobacco Road Sports Cafe, one of our favorite sports bars in Raleigh. Along with its burgers, iIt has earned a stellar reputation for providing top-notch nachos.
In particular, its Down East Nachos — an indulgent entree served with a generous heap of house-made tortilla chips, lavishly layered with melted Mexican cheeses and a rich black bean sauce and then topped with the star of the show – the cooked-to-perfection Eastern North Carolina pulled pork.
We love these nachos because they pair the traditional flair of Mexican cuisine with the region’s rich barbecue traditions – if one dish transcends Raleigh’s community ethos of “All Are Welcome, Y’all,” this is it. And they don’t skip out on the veggies. This dish comes with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, pickled red onions, and pickled okra, adding a zesty twist.
Tobacco Road Sports Cafe is a vibrant and welcoming restaurant, housed in the historic Powerhouse building, which also features a brewery (Tobacco Road Brewing), game room, patio, and tons of seating, giving it a lively ambiance.
Salt & Lime Cabo Grill
- Address: 6006 Falls of Neuse Rd
- Website: saltandlimecabo.com
At Salt & Lime Cabo Grill, the nachos starter on the dinner menu is a crowd favorite. It features crispy tortilla chips lavishly layered with a blend of melted cheeses, black bean puree, queso, corn succotash, pico de gallo, queso fresco, baja crema, cilantro…and lettuce.
If those satisfying flavor and texture combinations aren’t enough, you can add chicken tinga, carnitas, steak, or short ribs for an additional fee. Although it’s meant to be a starter, the portion size is exuberant, which makes it great for sharing, or you can have it as a main.
The restaurant itself is laid-back and casual and has a decor reminiscent of a coastal Mexican cantina. We love the brightly colored interiors, rustic wooden accents, and an inviting outdoor patio with heaters.
Raleigh Times Bar
- Address: 14 E Hargett St
- Website: raleightimesbar.com
The Raleigh Times is a G.O.A.T restaurant in Raleigh known for its lively atmosphere, historic building, and delicious bar food. One bar snack that quickly flies off the menu is the Times Nachos, which features crispy tortilla chips layered with a blend of melted cheddar and jack cheeses, fresh jalapeños, and cilantro.
It’s then topped with pico de gallo, sour cream, and guacamole, creating a harmonious mix of tangy and zesty flavors, which pair well with the crunch.
If those aren’t enough ingredients for you, for an additional fee, you can add chicken tinga, grilled chicken, black beans, barbacoa, Al Pastor, or to bring a taste of North Carolina to the table, and add some authentic NC State BBQ with The Pit’s authentic North Carolina BBQ pork!
The bar is housed in a historic 100-year-old building and used to be the old newspaper printers. The walls are adorned with old press clippings and images from its namesake newspaper. They often have live music and events, and the atmosphere is always lively. It also has delicious shrimp and grits!
Gym Tacos
- Address: 411 W Morgan St
- Website: gymtacosnc.com
Gym Tacos has earned a loyal following of patrons thanks to its highly acclaimed and impressive Gym Tower Nachos — a dish that elevates the traditional nacho experience to new heights, quite literally.
This towering creation is built inside a towering cylinder and features layers of crispy tortilla chips generously adorned with a medley of fresh, flavorful ingredients and held together with cheeses.
The cylinder is then removed, and a gigantic mass of nachos, guacamole, and cheese remains (See the Tower Nachos here). Grab a few friends, you’re going to need multiple forks (or hands) to tackle this beast.
Lola’s Beach Bar
- Address: 1803 Glenwood Ave
- Website: lolasbeach.bar
Over in Raleigh’s fantastic Five Points neighborhood, there is Lola’s Beach Bar, a quirky beach-themed restaurant that looks as though someone has picked up a beach shack from the Carolina coast and dropped it here in Raleigh!
Known for its fresh, island-style tacos and nachos, this laid-back restaurant is the place to go for a relaxed dining experience. On the menu, there are three types of nachos to choose from – Gnarly Nachos, Hawaiian Nachos, and Buffalo Shrimp Nachos – and they’re all good!
If I had to pick one, I would go for the Gnarly Nachos, which come with chicken, shredded romaine lettuce, shredded cheese, black beans, queso, pico de gallo, jalapeños, sour cream, and Lola’s sauce. You can also add fish, shrimp, pork, or steak for only an extra $2.
Yard House
- Address: 4208 Six Forks Rd
- Website: yardhouse.com
Another restaurant with nachos made for sharing is Yard House. They have two variations on the menu: the chicken nachos and the poke nachos. We prefer the poke nachos, which are so distinctive and unique and packed with flavor. Try it, and you may never go to go for traditional nachos again!
This innovative nacho dish is made of marinated raw ahi tuna that has been artfully arranged atop crispy wonton chips and doused in avocado, serranos, white truffle sauce, and sweet soy ginger sauce.
Complementing the spice of the soy and ginger is sriracha aioli, giving it more of a kick, and finally, the ensemble is garnished with fresh cilantro, green onions, nori strips, and sesame seeds. And the best part? This entire dish comes in at 880 calories, which, if you’re sharing, is pretty good.
City BBQ
- Address: 9424 Falls of Neuse Rd
- Website: www.citybbq.com
We’re not short of BBQ restaurants in Raleigh, so why not pair your tacos with our namesake pit-smoked BBQ pork? At City Barbeque, you can do just that. A standout latest addition to the menu is the Pitmaster Nachos, a hearty creation that’s made of a bed of crispy tortilla chips, piled high with hand-pulled pork that’s been pit-smoked NC style.
It’s then topped with creamy queso, house-made chipotle ranch, and The Pit’s famous Original BBQ sauce, Swine Wine pico, and pickled red onions. With unbeatable delicious food, friendly service, and classic NC cuisine, this would be our choice of nacho spots for out-of-town visitors.
Element Gastro Pub
- Address: 421 Fayetteville St
- Website: elementgastropub.com
After all this talk of BBQ, the vegans and vegetarians might be feeling left out – so here’s one for you! At Element Gastro Pub in downtown Raleigh, the vegan BBQ nachos feature house-fried corn chips topped with plant-based barbecue, black beans, creamy cashew queso, fresh pico de gallo, and jalapeños.
It has a delightful blend of smoky, spicy, and savory flavors, and they are gluten-free! Be warned, a full serving comes on a half sheet pan, but you can order a half serving if you’re not looking for a huge serving.
MoJoe’s
- Address: 620 Glenwood Ave
- Website: mojoesburgerjoint.com
MoJoe’s Burger Joint may be where people go for one of the best burgers in Raleigh, but it is where they stay for their nacho experience. Gaining a city-wide reputation for being next level, the “Next Level Nachos” are an indulgent feast for the senses!
Choose between chicken or pulled pork, and then dive into a massive plate of homemade tortilla chips generously topped with grilled onions, green peppers, jalapeños, diced tomatoes, shredded cheddar, and MoJoe’s signature queso – crowned with a dollop of sour cream.
Gonza Tacos y Tequila
- 3 locations: North Raleigh, Cary and Wake Forest
- Website: gonzatacosytequila.com
Lastly, we have one of our favorite Mexican restaurants in Raleigh – Gonza Tacos y Tequila. The Nachos Gabachos are a crowd-pleaser, especially if you love your nachos to be fully loaded!
This piled-high plate features seasoned chicken tinga, melted cheese, pico de gallo, guacamole, and Mexican crema, on a bed of crispy tortilla chips that you will have to dig deep to find!
We love the traditional decor of Gonza’s. The ambiance is festive and relaxed, with vibrant décor and oddities, such as Day of the Dead masks and hanging lanterns. It also has a lovely outdoor patio equipped with heaters, so you can enjoy dining alfresco all year round.
In summary
There you have it. Some of our favorite spots to go for nachos in Raleigh. This dish can be so hit and miss, and often we are disappointed. So, we recommend starting with this list. Have you tried any of these? Where else would you suggest? Leave a comment below!
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