Daniel’s Restaurant & Catering

Lovin’ this place! Someone at my husband’s job recommended Daniel’s while we lived in Cary and now we go there all the time for takeout, especially since we moved to Apex. The margarita pizza is delicious! My husband and I agree that it’s like the pizza that we ate in Italy. Also, their calamari is amazing! I have this thing where I try calamari as an appetizer wherever we eat and they have the best I’ve had. Even bringing it home as takeout, the calamari stays crispy and the sauce for dipping is a great compliment. The gnocchi was great as well as the lasagna. Not too crazy about the spaghetti and meatballs though. The takeout area runs super efficiently and they have always been right on the money when telling me how much time it will take for my order to be done. This place is our go-​to when we don’t feel like cooking and want some really good food!

Met a couple of friends for supper tonight at Daniels. Have been here once before and had an absolutely delicious meal. This time was to be no different. My taste buds were just so happy when the tender veal and portobello mushrooms in the red wine sauce over a bed of linguini. The taste was unbelievably delicious. Of course I ended the meal with the white Chocolate cheesecake with raspberry drizzled over it.
As the terminator use to say. I’ll be back.

Booked a Mother’s Day reservation for myself and my parents. I’m extremely skeptical about Italian restaurants as so many other establishments have been massive letdowns. My dad is even harder to please when it comes to his pasta and ravioli. Daniel’s catering was recommended to me by my cousin and so we all went in with high expectations – needless to say Daniel’s excelled!
When we were seated we became a bit anxious as our table was set in an enclosed patio-​like room next to a table of 15 or so. Yikes! Although it was loud, we had a grand server who was very professional and took care of us (if I could remember his name I’d mention it here). Our appetizer was warm brie served with crackers, grapes, and a small arugula salad with a bit of raspberry vinaigrette.
The best part about their menu is that there was something for everyone. They had pasta, pizza, seafood, and some beef dishes. My mother and I selected the seared beef tips in a wine reduction sauce while my dad chose blackened chicken with spicy ravioli. The portions were just right. The Italian in me loved the garlic mashed potatoes, which actually had whole cloves of garlic incorporated in the food. I put garlic in e-​v-​e-​r-​y-​t-​h-​i-​n-​g so that was fine by me! The best part was that my dad enjoyed his ravioli so much that he asked our server to send his compliments to the chef. HE HAS NEVER DONE THAT FOR ANYONE ELSE’S RAVIOLI EVER. I was in complete shock. We ordered dessert as well. I highly recommend the crème brûlée for custard lovers like myself.
Thank you Daniel’s for making that evening special for us.

Had reservations for Mother’s Day. As we had quite a crowd (17), we had a private room with a table that allowed us to sit all together.
I was really surprised that we had one server, but he did an amazing job in taking orders and kept our glasses full.
They have a pretty extensive menu with pastas, seafood, pizza, salads, apps etc.
I chose the penne ala casa, garlicky red sauce with sun dried tomatoes and spinach. Very flavorful and huge portion that heated up perfectly a few days later. Easily shared with 2. Side Caesar salad and the yummy garlic bread that comes to the table is very good. Only had one as the carb overload is a treat I only indulge in on occasion. And What better occasion to indulge than Moms favorite day of being pampered.
I also got to taste the pizza and being a New Yorker, didn’t have high expectations, the sauce was fantastic and would definitely order pizza again!
No room for dessert this time around. Pricing is reasonable considering portion sizes.

Neighbors ordered Take out for Mother’s Day. Picked up their order at the designated time and it was ready for pickup.
Staff was courteous, and the only drawback was the long drive home as Chicken Parm aroma overwhelmed.
Chicken Parm was good, and the Penne was just average. Good option for Take out. Might try their Pizza sometime…

I have been to Daniels a few times, the food is good not great, but a not bad either. The greek salad is amazing! Pizza is very good when served hot! The atmosphere is nice and service is a hit or miss. I went for lunch and there were about 6 tables with guests, our waitress who was working just a few tables was awful! It took her over 10-​minutes to get us water and when asked for bread, it took forever! The food was good but took to long and being at lunch during the week, you have to get back to work, it took us a hour and half for 2 people!
They need to have quicker service during lunch time!

Beautiful atmosphere, great food, and caring service. All together my favorite place to eat.
BUT, the take out service is AWFUL. I got baked ziti, fried calamari, their bread, and penne alla vodka.
The baked ziti was literally just ziti with sauce and a scoop of ricotta on top. Not mixed at all. Not good.
The fried calamari wasn’t even wrapped. It was just thrown in the aluminum bowl with no cover??? It just would’ve been nice to have a wrapped bowl.
The bread, also, was not wrapped. Just pieces of bread thrown in a bag. It was unsanitary.
Penne alla vodka also had too much garlic.
To reiterate, love sitting down and eating here. I always have fun. But only come is you have an hour or two to kill.

My husband and I have been coming here for years. we still keep going back. The greek salad is the best we have ever had! A real true greek salad! Peanut butter pie is the bomb.
The food is awesome, real Italian with lots of flavor. We have eaten in, we order take out.
Always consistent. Service has always been great.

This was our first visit to Daniel’s and it was a super yummy experience! It was early afternoon so the place was not crowded at all. For an appetizer we had the Mozzarella Melt, with marinara sauce, which was delicious! The lasagna with meat sauce was excellent and they give you a nice size portion! Loved the Chicken Piccata, will be getting it again!
For dessert we shared the Strawberry Shortcake which we both enjoyed! The strawberries was so sweet and you can tell they use real whipped cream!
There are so many dishes that we both want to try so for sure we will be coming back! The atmosphere is very cozy and rustic. Prices are very affordable. Highly recommended! :)

Best Italian restaurant for miles and miles! A local place in apex, with a great atmosphere and by far the best Italian food! Menu with gluten free options! Service is amazing. Try the sparkling moscato, and mushrooms appetizer. The specials are always a delight. Anything u put in your mouth off the menu is to satisfy.

Daniel’s is still doing it and they are doing it well. Talk about a restaurant that is always consistent from the service to the food, you just know what to expect and that’s why I keep coming back for more.
As one of the few locally owned restaurants in Apex it’s a favorite among my friends and family. My most recent trip was for dinner when I had some family in from out of town. It was Valentine’s Day weekend and I didn’t think there was anyway they were going to be able to accommodate a party of 10 but they fit us in!
We all started off with some yummy salads, a caesar for me with homemade dressing and croutons. I ordered the marsala penne with chicken which I love. Their salmon piccata is also one of my favorite dishes but you can’t really go wrong with any pasta dish on the menu.
They have a fantastic wine list at very reasonable prices. Whatever you do don’t leave here with out dessert. I love all their cakes and pies but the tres leche was especially good on this last visit.
They also expanded the outdoor area and covered it up for the winter time so they can now accommodate more parties. The only downfall can be the parking, it’s tough when they are busy.

We were out for dinner last night at Daniel’s. I can guarantee you that you won’t find a restaurant with this number of customers on a Wednesday in triangle (maybe the downtown McDonald’s,); that shows how popular this place.
Little history– I had my first meal in Raleigh from Daniels. When I first visited Raleigh in 2010 for the interview, my company catered from Daniels.
Ambience — very good
the staff — very friendly.
Food — exquisite
Our order: Fried calamari, lobster ravioli with shrimp and lasagna.
I don’t believe in quantity over quality. However, at Daniels you get good quality food in quantity.

After driving 8 hours from NJ to visit my brother, I wanted some good Italian food. Lucky for us, we found Daniel’s. We ordered a few appetizers, fried ravioli, calamari, and rice balls. Every single appetizer was delicious. I ordered as a main course the fettuccini Alfredo with pancetta, wow! That’s it, wow! Everyone else truly enjoyed their food as well. Service was great! Will definitely return again on my next visit.

My hunny and I came here for our anniversary dinner after reading the rave reviews. It was good but not a place I would frequent.
We were seated promptly upon arrival and our server made his appearance shortly thereafter. The menu and wine list are both extensive which sometime causes me pause. (Author’s Note: I always think that the best restaurants do a few things well rather than spreading themselves thin on a big menu. An extensive menu often leads to a compromise somewhere in the quality of the food for myriad reasons. But this is never enough to deter me from a restaurant. Just worth mentioning.)
We ordered the calamari as an appetizer as it is one of our favorites. The calamari were hot but under-​seasoned themselves as was the accompanying sauce.
I ordered the fruitti di marre. They seafood wasn’t super fresh but it wasn’t poor quality either. The cream sauce was expert in texture but the whole dish lacked seasoning in each component. My hunny had the salmon in dill cream sauce and while there was nothing wrong technically it was bland as well.
For dessert we opted for the tres leches which was a but of a let down as well. Overall I would describe our experience as disappointing especially after so many rave reviews. We live in Apex so I was hoping to make this a regular date-​night spot.

I had a craving for pasta and this definitely satisfied it. All of their dishes are perfection. I honestly can’t think of one criticism for the food at Daniel’s. Although I have not sat down inside of the restaurant to eat, I have ordered take out on many occasions. They are consistent, always quick, and top quality food. They have been jam packed every time I’ve stopped by, which is a great sign of excellent food and service. Do yourself a favor and make this your next stop for authentic Italian food!

Daniel’s has been a consistently good smell over the years. I had always meant to visit Daniel’s, but never got the opportunity. Fortunately, that has changed.
Walk into Daniel’s and be impressed by the beauty of the venue. The restaurant has a clear rustic charm, but it does not look old. Judging by some of the older reviews, they might have done some recent renovations. The lighting helps create a terrific ambiance, a perfect place to take that special someone (that I’ll eventually find, get off my back mom!). A better host stand wouldn’t just drop their many menus on the table and walk away, but it’s not too difficult to figure out what is what.
Daniel’s won’t bankrupt you, but many menu items are in the $ 15+ range. Expect to find many of your classic Italian favorites. Given that the pizzas are the cheapest items on the menu, I decided to go with a small meat lovers pizza for $ 12.
You never want to fill up on bread, but that might happen at Daniel’s. The bread is baked fresh, lightly seasoned with Italian herbs and spices, and served with marinara sauce. Fortunately, the pizza arrived before I filled up on bread.
Forget Papa John’s. Better ingredients and better pizza is found at Daniel’s. The pizza was absolutely delicious, with meat piled high over a thin crust that was cooked perfectly. While a rational person would’ve saved a few slices for a meal for the next day, I devoured my entire pizza, because why wouldn’t I?
Service wasn’t the best I’ve ever had, but it was head and shoulders above some of my recent experiences. Our server was very knowledgeable about the menu and made sure to introduce the specials and the desserts. Bless this beautiful restaurant for giving 50% off desserts with a Unilocal check-​in. I will have to try the peanut butter pie during my next visit.
Miyagi would be very proud to see what Daniel-​san has accomplished with his life. Daniel’s provided me with one of my better dining experiences in recent memory. I’ll have to save up my pennies and try one of the risottos during my next visit.

Delicious! Came here for a NYE dinner with a large group. The food was excellent and the service was great. A few highlights:
* Large portions — I’d consider some of the dishes family size including the lasagna and Penne Alla Casa.
* Loud! Expect a noisy atmosphere typical of Italian family restaurants
* Price — I was visiting from DC so I noticed the moderate prices immediately
I wish there was a place like this near me!

So we live practically walking distance from this place and I HATE I didn’t try it sooner. I have gotten to go from here before and dined in before – both of which were great experiences.
To go: They know what to do! They package everything perfectly so it is still hot and well sealed and displayed when you get home. Dressing is always on the side, pasta is double wrapped, bread is included, they show you your pizza before you pay, they read back your order on the phone AND in person at pick up… I mean they know what they are doing.
Dining in: The have Wine Wednesdays in which their wine bottles are discounted. Can it get better than that? The answer is yes. Fresh bread, great service and the penne alla casa make it better. It looks like they are adding on to their building to have more seating too.
The Penne alla casa is amazing and my husband and I can split it because it is so big. We have also gotten their pizza before and it is great and much better than your standard delivery/​take out pizza places. They have every good cannoli for dessert, but I will say it is drizzled with a raspberry sauce. I hate when I don’t know about a fruit’s involvement in my dessert, so let this be your warning to all of you who feel the same as me. Next time I would order it sans the fruit sauce (but nowhere on their menu does it say this is part of the dessert so ask before you order).
We will be back many many times.

I have to say I was pretty disappointed in the overall experience I had. My friend had a surprise birthday party for her boyfriend. We arrived a little early and there was a small circular table seated for seven prepared for us. The reservations were actually for 10, so we got up from the table and they pushed a couple of square tables together. Seating seven people in the circular table would’ve been extremely tight with very little elbow room. The restaurant also charged my friend $ 10 because she brought a cake. The server was very attentive and accommodating. She offered me an individual gluten-​free menu and also confirmed a few items on the chef’s selection being gluten-​free. Big rolls of warm bread came out, however the marinara sauce was served in a very small bowl, certainly not enough for four pieces of bread. I ordered the gluten-​free penne alle vodka. The portion was enough to feed two, however it was barely warm and there was hardly any cream sauce on the pasta. It seemed dried up. My husband ordered the spaghetti and meatballs and his sauce seemed like it was plenty. Good-​sized meatballs as well. The server sliced up the cake for us which was a nice gesture.
What really disappointed all of us was right after we paid the bill, the manager came to our table with a loud voice and clasped hands, and said that he needed our table for people who had reservations at that time. In all the years of eating out and frequently in very busy, crowded restaurants, I have never been told we had to leave before we were ready. And we certainly were not a rowdy crowd! A very disappointing end to a really fun night of dining with good people.

My husband and I came here on a Sunday afternoon. We were seated right away and the service was outstanding. We ordered a bottle of white wine that was on sale. They have an enormous wine list and offer wine at all prices. We started off with arrancini which was delicious. Perfect crisp on the outside and cheesy on the inside. Our bread and marinara sauce was delivered to us beforehand. The bread was also delicious. For our entrees I had penne alla casa with chicken and my husband got veal in madeira cream sauce. My penne was very good, the chicken was nothing special but overall a great dish. A very large serving size so we both took home leftovers. My husbands entrée was out of this world good! The cream sauce was amazing! I’m not a fan of mushrooms ether. I found myself dipping the bread in his sauce. (Sorry hunnie)
We also got dessert to go a snicker’s cheesecake. I got 50% off desert for checking in on Unilocal.The cheesecake was delicious.
I was a fan of the décor especially the wine cork tables. They offer tables, booths, and outdoor seating with a beautiful fountain. This is defiantly my to go place for Italian food. I can’t wait to go back!