Second Empire Restaurant And Tavern

A second wedding for both of us, we wanted an intimate location for our small wedding (about 45 people). We had our ceremony in the East dining room, and while it was very tightly packed for that large a group, it was beautiful...no other decorations needed, just the room itself. Our reception was located downstairs in the atrium, preceeded by hors d'ouvres and drinks at the downstairs bar. The food was incredible--everyone raved about it. And the service was exceptional. We had absolutely no complaints. While it can be rather pricey (especially if you select the open bar option), if treating your guests and making them comfortable is a priority, you cannot do better than this.

I enjoyed my wedding at Second Empire. The food was fantastic; the cake was delicious and gorgeous; the venue is breathtaking. On the day of my event, the staff was very professional and accomodating. My only complaint is that it is very difficult to get feedback in the form of responses to emails and returned phone calls prior to your big day, so you'll have to be very patient in contacting them and getting very clear responses to your questions.

Apart from being one of the most beautiful venues in Raleigh, the food was fantastic and the atmosphere was very classy. We booked 9 months in advance for a wedding of 80 guests. We utilized the entire first floor (not the lower tavern), for a sit down dinner and space for a dance floor. Tracy was fantastic to work with and had worked with many of our other vendors before which was great. We also had Second Empire make our cake which turned out above expectations. The location is very desirable, as our ceremony was at Peace College and only a short drive away, we also used a trolley service to transport guests to the beautiful front entrance of the restaurant. A Clarion hotel is located right beside Second Empire which was IDEAL for older guests, or those unable to drive home! :) There is ample parking, restroom facilities and use of outdoor space (for smokers). All the staff were extremely accommodating of our guests and attended to our every need. Would HIGHLY recommend Second Empire as a reception location

Beautiful place, professional and personable servers, fabulous food and presentation, great wedding cake and presentation. Wound up being more expensive than we thought- charged for drinks like soda and tea with meal and big gratuity price. Fair sound system and tech.