• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer

NC Triangle Dining Food Blog

The Best Restaurants and Bars in Raleigh, Durham, Cary, and Chapel Hill

  • Home
    • Blog
  • Best Restaurants and Bars
    • The Best Restaurants in Raleigh, NC
    • The Best Restaurants in Durham, NC
    • The Best Restaurants in Cary – Apex, NC
    • The Best Restaurants in Chapel Hill – Carrboro, NC
    • Best Food Specials and Deals in Raleigh, Durham, Cary, and Chapel Hill
    • The Best Bars and Lounges in Raleigh, NC
  • News
    • Coming Soon to the Triangle – New Restaurants and Bars
    • New Restaurants and Bars in Cary and Morrisville
    • New Restaurants and Bars in Chapel Hill and Carrboro
    • New Restaurants and Bars in Durham
    • New Restaurants and Bars in Raleigh
    • New Restaurants and Bars of the Triangle, 2022 Edition
    • New Restaurants and Bars of the Triangle, 2021
  • Index of Reviews
    • Cary – Restaurant and Bar Reviews
    • Chapel Hill and Carrboro – Restaurant and Bar Reviews
    • Durham Restaurant and Bar Reviews
    • Raleigh Restaurant and Bar Reviews
    • NC Video Reviews
    • Travel Reviews
  • Food Photos
    • Food Event Photos
  • About
    • NCTD Blogger- Ron Wen
    • NC Triangle Dining Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
    • NC Triangle Dining Blog Policy
    • Working with NC Triangle Dining
    • NC Triangle Dining Blog and Social Media Statistics
  • Home
    • Blog
  • Best Restaurants and Bars
    • The Best Restaurants in Raleigh, NC
    • The Best Restaurants in Durham, NC
    • The Best Restaurants in Cary – Apex, NC
    • The Best Restaurants in Chapel Hill – Carrboro, NC
    • Best Food Specials and Deals in Raleigh, Durham, Cary, and Chapel Hill
    • The Best Bars and Lounges in Raleigh, NC
  • News
    • Coming Soon to the Triangle – New Restaurants and Bars
    • New Restaurants and Bars in Cary and Morrisville
    • New Restaurants and Bars in Chapel Hill and Carrboro
    • New Restaurants and Bars in Durham
    • New Restaurants and Bars in Raleigh
    • New Restaurants and Bars of the Triangle, 2022 Edition
    • New Restaurants and Bars of the Triangle, 2021
  • Index of Reviews
    • Cary – Restaurant and Bar Reviews
    • Chapel Hill and Carrboro – Restaurant and Bar Reviews
    • Durham Restaurant and Bar Reviews
    • Raleigh Restaurant and Bar Reviews
    • NC Video Reviews
    • Travel Reviews
  • Food Photos
    • Food Event Photos
  • About
    • NCTD Blogger- Ron Wen
    • NC Triangle Dining Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
    • NC Triangle Dining Blog Policy
    • Working with NC Triangle Dining
    • NC Triangle Dining Blog and Social Media Statistics

The Rainbow Luncheonette, Raleigh – A Friendly Neighborhood Joint that Delivers Tasty Diner Eats!

Home » Restaurant & Bar Reviews » Raleigh » The Rainbow Luncheonette, Raleigh – A Friendly Neighborhood Joint that Delivers Tasty Diner Eats!
December 4, 2022 by Ron Wen
The Rainbow Luncheonette in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com
The Rainbow Luncheonette in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

When you think of a diner, what comes to mind? To me, it’s a large, plastic-covered menu with an array of eats, from breakfast to lunch and dinner. And maybe some beer and wine since a diner is a restaurant for adults! Unfortunately in the Triangle, we have a relative dearth of diners in the area. To my mind, I think of Metro Diner and Shiny Diner in Raleigh, Elmo’s in Durham along with Breadman’s in Chapel Hill. Probably the hundreds of Waffle Houses in the area might qualify as a diner but…

So I was super curious when I heard about the Rainbow Luncheonette. My research shows that a luncheonette is similar to a diner but even more simple, focused on the mid-day meal and counter service. Long in the planning, Rainbow Luncheonette just opened up in November and I’ve had a chance to visit a couple of times. 

Service counter at Rainbow Luncheonette in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com
Service counter at Rainbow Luncheonette in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

The Rainbow Luncheonette, Interior and Decor

Head on over to West Street, right off Capital Blvd, and you’ll find a neighborhood in transformation. With the Cardinal Bar, Layered Croissanterie, the Pink Boot, and now, the Rainbow Luncheonette, you’ve got some hip and funky food and drink options here! The Rainbow Luncheonette sits in a narrow storefront within a white-washed brick building. The space is brand new and done up bright and with colors. The tiled floor looks like a pack of assorted Lifesavers, there are padded booths to one side and about 12 black and wood stools (23 seats total) in front of the formica counter (pegs underneath for handbags) to the right. It all feels a bit retro but refreshed for the 21st century. The short-order kitchen is open to the dining area so you get to see your food prepped and cooked up, luncheonette-style!  

November 2022 menu at Rainbow Luncheonette in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com
November 2022 menu at Rainbow Luncheonette in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

The Rainbow Luncheonette, Menu and Food

The menu and food options are pretty basic at the Rainbow Luncheonette: eggs, pancakes, breakfast meats, sandwiches, Southern sides along with some daily specials! Most everything off the breakfast and lunch menu is priced under $15 for affordability. One special note is that Rainbow Luncheonette also offers up beer and liquor which is a nice beverage option for adults.

Rib sandwich with mac n cheese at Rainbow Luncheonette in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com
Rib sandwich with mac n cheese at Rainbow Luncheonette in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com
Steak and eggs at Rainbow Luncheonette in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com
Steak and eggs at Rainbow Luncheonette in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com
Corned beef hash at Rainbow Luncheonette in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com
Corned beef hash at Rainbow Luncheonette in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

So how’s the food? I highly recommend their rib sandwich which is like a high-quality McRib, amped up! Take some boneless rib meat slathered with tangy barbeque sauce and pickles, sandwiched between two hefty pieces of Texas toast and you’ve got yourself a meal! A side of creamy, Southern mac n cheese just makes it pure comfort food. I also highly recommend the steak and eggs which is a grilled strip steak with two eggs, a choice of grits or hash browns, and Texas Toast. The steak is wonderful and prepared to order, the eggs dotted with pepper, and the hash browns are grilled up with bits of onion and pepper, perfect. The corned beef hash is a comforting plate: hashbrowns, eggs (your choice) along with a strip of tender, grilled corned beef!

Front of Rainbow Luncheonette in Raleigh - nctriangledining.com
Front dining area at Rainbow Luncheonette in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

The Rainbow Luncheonette, Conclusion

Service at Rainbow Luncheonette is excellent as you would expect for the small space and dining area. Usually, they’ve got some 90’s pop or rock streaming out of the overhead speakers. The staff is definitely friendly and engaged and the feel inside is of a neighborhood hangout joint where people know each other. And I love how you can watch while your food is being prepared while sitting at the counter, the cooks definitely take care of your food with some culinary effort and skill. While you don’t get the full diner experience (see Metro Diner), Rainbow Luncheonette hits all the right notes. Overall I do like what they are doing here, offering a more casual, quirky, and affordable dining option in the sometimes expensive Glenwood South area. Basic and delicious always works for me and I’m sure you’ll like Rainbow Luncheonette if you live in the hood or want some breakfast! 

 

The Rainbow Luncheonette

911 N West St, Raleigh, NC 27603

Location on Google maps

Related

Category: Raleigh, Restaurant & Bar ReviewsTag: Diner
Previous Post:The New Sugar Koi in Cary for Ice Cream That’s Swimmingly Good
Next Post:Superica in Cary for a Bright and Spicy Take on Tex-Mex Eats

Sidebar

Subscribe to NC Triangle Dining

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

New Reviews!

  • A Visit to the New ZincHouse Winery & Brewery in Durham
  • Shake Shack, Chapel Hill – Burgers and Fries, Done Right!
  • Best New Restaurants and Bars in the Triangle, 2022 Edition
  • A Look Back at the NC Triangle Dining Scene, 2022

Categories

Inspiration

“Do a little better each day.”

– Thomas Keller, French Laundry

Popular Posts

Copyright © 2023 · NC Triangle Dining Food Blog · All Rights Reserved · Powered by Mai Theme