Raleigh’s Angus Barn is one of the most profitable restaurants in the United States
This time of year, the Angus Barn is a feast of lights, where even the wood seems to twinkle.
The iconic Raleigh steakhouse was recently named one of the country’s top independent restaurants by an industry magazine, a fact that won’t surprise anyone who has tried to get a table during the last two months of the year.
In Restaurant Business magazine’s annual rankings of the top 100 independent restaurants, the Angus Barn ranks as No. 15. The rankings measure the country’s most profitable high volume restaurants, putting the Angus Barn among the likes of New York’s Balthazar, which is No. 8, and Miami’s Joe’s Stone Crab, which is No. 1.
The Angus Barn is the only restaurant in North Carolina included on the list.
According to the magazine’s estimates, the Angus Barn on Glenwood Avenue serves more than 313,000 meals per year, with an average check of $72. In all, it estimates the 687-seat Angus Barn does $22.7 million in sales for a year.
Representatives for Angus Barn said the restaurant’s owners were unable to comment on the ranking and figures, this being the busiest time of the year.
The Angus Barn opened in 1960, founded by Thad Eure Jr. and Charles Winston. It’s currently owned and operated by Van Eure, daughter of the late Thad Eure Jr. Earlier this year, she received a lifetime achievement award from the National Restaurant Association for her leadership of the restaurant into a new generation.
Today, the Angus Barn is best known for its extravagant holiday decorations, a classic steakhouse menu and an encyclopedic wine list. November and December are its busiest months of the year, with an employee reporting its annual Thanksgiving buffet sold out in the spring.
Executive chef Walter Royal has been at the Angus Barn for two decades and previously cooked in some of the Triangle’s top restaurants, including Durham’s now-closed Magnolia Grill.
This story was originally published November 25, 2019 at 3:08 PM.
