Bienvenue! The kind staff at Rue Cler invite you in to order from a seasonally rotating prix fixe menu or order a la carte. Rue Cler is named after the famous market street where the parents of founder John Vandergrift lived in the Seventh Arrondissement of Paris. Executive Chef Todd Whitney’s food is inspired by French tradition and seasonal, local products.
We recently moved to the area about 7 months ago from NYC. I'm a big foodies person and we love exploring new restaurants and bars. When we go to Durham for an evening out, I've seen Rue Cler when we walk around there, I decided to make a reservation to see what it was all about. It was such a cute place walking in, simple but reminded me of the hustle and bustle of NYC.
We ordered Kir Royale and Old Fashioned for drinks. Started with the Frisee Salade Aux Lardons and ended with Poulet Roti Truffle and NY Strip Frites entrees. We didn't have room for dessert but ordered coffee. All the food was very delicious. The staff was efficient and provided a lot of details into all their dishes.
All I'll say and not out of disrespect, to be transparent and you can see it in the menu yourself. Be prepared, it is on the pricier side, however for it to be at this level of deliciousness, it has to be.
See my pictures in Photo section.
Gregory Lane
Jan 16, 2025
5
Wat late in posting this review. Hands down the best restaurant in Durham. My wife and I are both from the greater NYC area, so I am not easily impressed, BUT Rue Cler is the real deal. Nine years ago we just got finished moving into our new house, we showed up without a reservation and looking like dirt. The staff at Rue Cler could not have been nicer. I am glad to say that my recent experience was just as enjoyable.
Shelly Brown
Dec 18, 2024
5
Excellent food and service. I attended an engagement party, which the entire restaurant had been rented out for. Staff was attentive to all attendees!! Every course of the meal was excellent!! I can't wait to return in the future!!
Canaan Morse
Nov 19, 2024
5
Very good French/Creole cuisine - you cannot do better in this area. The duck breast with seared foie gras was tender and flavorful, the foie gras itself nutty and smooth. The win selection beats most other restaurants’ quite handily, and the beignets are doughy and fragrant.
Julian Muller
Nov 10, 2024
5
Phenomenal little place that we stumbled into on a Saturday night for dinner. All the dishes we had were delicious and well prepared, from the Dover Sole to a special with short ribs. The chocolate mousse and Paris Brest were the best French desserts we’ve had outside of Paris. They even gave us dessert wine pairings since it was our anniversary. Our server Jordan was awesome with lots of great recs for the area. Would absolutely come back to this gem. If you like great French food and wine then this is your place!
Might just be just, but the lighting could be a little dimmer inside for more “atmosphere”.
Dylan Karach
Jul 28, 2024
5
Fantastic food, location, and service. More on the medium-high end cost wise, but worth every penny. We got the Savory Beignets, Marinated Beet Salad, Ratatouille, Duck Breast, and the Paris - Brest featured dessert. They have a decent wine menu and great cocktails. The chef seated us and walked us through the menu and the rest of the staff was very kind and helpful. You get a ton of food with the Prix Fixe menu which can easily be split between two people. You can spend $50-$100 per person depending on how much stuff you want to get as well as cocktails and wine. Figulina is my number #1 in Raleigh and I have not yet had a #1 in Durham but I think Rue Cler definitely deserves that spot now.
