Better than average food, worse than average service. I live in Manhattan's Financial District and am spoiled with multiple Michelin star restaurants a short walk from home. If I faced the pretense and condescending manager of this place at one of those, I might put up with it. But here the quality of the food does not come close to the snooty vibe of the manager. We've spread the word at work, where we often had big group events with this owner's restaurant group, so we can steer clear in the future. read more

We were pleasantly surprised with the great food and amazing service! Our group of over 40 had the privilege of using their upstairs banquet room. The food was served family-style, everything was cooked to perfection and no one left hungry. read more

Excellent tapas. Great service. The marrow was great. The ham wrapped dates fantastic. Albondigas also great. A tad loud and the red sangria was more grape juicy than wine tasting but good. Still a solid place. read more

Mateo - Heather and I had a great dinner - Tapas Bars Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Mateo is a gem! The seafood paella was rich and flavorful, the charcuterie board was perfect, and the wine selection was excellent. Fantastic service and atmosphere! read more

We really enjoyed Mateo! The Atmosphere It was evening, we walked through the extra tall wooden double doors off from the chilly wintery streets of Durham and are greeted by not only the warm swankiness of the joint, but the staff as well. The lights are turned down low and the place is abuzz with laughter and good food. The Service In a word: excellent. From being seated to walking out of the door, we felt well-taken-care-of. The server was very attentive, knowledgeable about the menu options and specials and had that air of, "I want to be here", something failed to be realized in so many service providers. She was warm, welcoming and helpful as well. The Food Well, it was wonderful! It was an experience as well. It had been a minute since I had anything Iberian or tapas and I had forgotten the joy of the experience; it was restored to me! I think we tried six or seven plates: Paté - rich with a sort of reduction jelly on top that made a sweet and fatty-rich combo pop on top of a yeasty, tasty toasted bread. Datiles - "a surprise, but a welcomed one to be sure" (Emperor Palplatine). The sweetness of the fruit paired with the clean richness of the goat cheese was a masterful foreground to the savory romesco and ham in the background. Truly delightful. Sauteed Pea Shoots - bright, citrus, oily (in the best way). We had this midway through as a palate cleanser of sorts and it did just that, providing a notably plant-based brightness that served its purpose well. Gambas as ajillo - Can you really go wrong with shrimp and garlic in any combination? These were as tasty as you'd hope. The shrimp were perfectly cooked and tender, bathing in a garlic sauce that would make you say, "ay Dios!". Pulpo - Maaaaaaaaan, I love some well-done octopus and they nailed it. It was PERFECTLY cooked. So tender and paired with the potato espuma, which was a revelation, there was a good balance of a perceived fattiness (which was really starchiness) and protein. This was my second favorite. Pato y Arroz - this was my favorite favorite! I'm not ashamed to say I've been having dreams about this one. The savoriness is unparalleled. It was so full of poultry flavor and wonderful textures of the rice (I'll call it congee) and the braised duck. This one make me salivate to date. Beef Tartare - this one was a late addition, but I'm glad we did! I don't get this is often for obvious reasons, but I gorged myself on it! The beef has a light presence that was accompanied by it's best friends who were deeply charming herbs, mushrooms and who doesn't like a good egg yolk? Before we even left, we decided we'd be back. A great time was had by all and I can't wait to make an excuse to come back! Well done, Matthew! read more

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What a pleasant surprise this was! I was passing through NC on the way to Atlanta and stopped by in Durham to get some tapas. The ambiance was very lively, a packed crowd - I was surprised we got a table last minute. However, the energy of the crowd fit the vibe of the restaurant. You really felt like you were in a local restaurant somewhere in Spain. The food was exquisite. I've had my fair share of tapas in Europe and these were quite on par. The bone marrow was to die for - highly recommend it. If you're in the area or driving through like me, I highly recommend stopping by. read more

Mateo - Bone Marrow - Tapas Bars Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

This is the place to go if you're craving tapas. The only downside is that it's pretty pricey. Be ready to spend $40-50 for paella to share. Each of the tapas was around $10-20 and I loved it! The bone marrow was surprisingly delicious and came with perfectly buttered and toasted bread. The elote was so good too. I loved the mini croquets. You really can't go wrong with any of the options here. We paired our meal with a bottle of red wine and it was delicious! read more

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Mateo is one of the reasons I moved to Durham, no lie. The service is impeccable and the food is always on point. I come back time and time again! I love their specials, too and their mocktails are very tasty, not very juice or syrup heavy like other places. Love Mateo!! read more

All the food was amazing! The vibe was also really nice. Our server was attentive and service was quick!

TLDR: this is a popular place with average tapas, drinks, atmosphere, and service. Check it out if you live here but if you're only in town for a short while I would pick somewhere else. I was very excited for this place as it came recommended from a friend. I was visiting for the weekend so only had a few meals and made a reservation for Mateo as one of them. We arrived for our 5:30 Friday reservation a few minutes early and found a half full restaurant and 3 hostesses at the stand (stay tuned for info on that). I quickly surveyed the very small bar stools and chairs with no backs at high tops. I asked the ladies if we could sit at a low top (there were a few available) and pointed to one. The one hostess who spoke up gave me a long uhmmm before saying she could seat us at one upstairs but they needed it by 7pm. Not wanting to feel rushed, I agreed to the high top small stool table about 2 feet behind the host stand. Cut to 45 minutes later being moderately satisfied by the food, it did not make the most uncomfortable seat in the world worth it (one low top wasn't taken the entire time we were there). I contemplated standing the second half of the meal but didn't want to be a weirdo. We also had to listen to the 3 hostesses and whatever employees decided to stop by the stand discuss boy troubles and other dramas. In hindsight we should've taken the table with the time limit since we were out by 6:45. Now for the food- I quite enjoy the tapas from my local place back how in CHS, so was excited for some new deliciousness. What we got were expensive small plates with their own unique twist that wasn't amazing. We thoroughly enjoyed the Patatas Bravas and they graciously put the sauce on the side as my bf is allergic to tomato. Meatballs were nothing special, but the queso frito was excellent!! As a tapas place however, they need to offer a small paella option. The smallest one would've been good for 2 people if you didn't want to order anything else, which we did. I wish I could've tried it. Drinks- tbh I did not enjoy my cocktail but could be my fault for mis-ordering. They have a lot of sherry options which seems like their thing but I don't like sherry either. Service- waitress wasn't particularly friendly but food came out quick due to ample food runners and plates cleared quickly. Silver lining- when Resy asked for my feedback I wrote honestly and management replied agreeing about the stools. Apparently they ordered new stools a while ago and are still on back order. They also passed the feedback to the host stand. However, you're not gonna get the hosts to stop talking, so I suggest only 1 or 2 a night (the three of them were not all busy at once the entire time we were there). It's nice to see management cares even though this place wasn't for me. I think others could enjoy this place but unfortunately it was a miss for me read more

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Tapas are great for groups and we order a bunch of different things to share. I really enjoyed the pea sprouts, duck, scallops and the soft mozzarella cheese/jelly spread. They also had a fried sunflower root/stalk and that was too interesting for me. Their nonalcoholic spritzer was really good. For groups larger than 6 would be a good idea to order 2 of each item. read more

Mateo - Scallops - Tapas Bars Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Love Mateo! Sit at the bar for a great atmosphere with super friendly bartenders! Can't say enough about the patatas bravas, pulp, datilas, or the cocktails. read more

I have wanted to eat here for a long time! Why have I waited! OMG! The service and the food were both AWESOME. Our server Kel and her new trainee were impeccable as were all of the staff. We chose 4 tapas to share! WOWZA!! Every ONE better than the one before we each ordered a dessert. My partner had the Basque cheese cake. It is not what you are expecting!! Be ready for a yummy surprise! I had the olive oil cake! Yummy as well! read more

Food: 4.5/5 Delicious!! Pretty much everything we tried we liked, minus the steak!! Do not order it, super rare and honestly flavorless. Great items: chicken!!!!!! Best meat we had, get the half seared (so moist) or the one with cheese, it's so good! The croquetas are ok, not the favorite chicken dish. The olives only come with about 10 so if you have a few folks, get more than one. Not sure what the Marconi almonds are flavored with / on the olive tapa but they are TO DIE FOR- I wanted more!! We also ordered the anchovies chops, I didn't try them but seemed to go over well with the group. The dates were one of my favorites, so good!! We also had the meat and cheese tray ( I like chorizo but was not a fan of theirs. Was too chewy for my liking). The sauce on this board is also very boring - I would recommend the restaurant change this up. Other dishes were the shrimp - not great, and the desserts. Ooolallaa the desserts were all very good. Could share among two or save for yourself haha. Drinks: 4/5 Wide selection with unique cocktails! Server let me try the tomato one which I was not a fan of, but happily replaced my drink with something else. Appreciate the service here. Ambiance: 4.5/5 The smell in this place is amazing because of the wood fired oven!! FABULOUS bar and great atmosphere, would be fun to go on a date here! Not a lot of room for big parties so book in advance! Service 4.5/5 Our waitress was fabulous! Offered great recommendation, switched out my drink no charge, and overall was on top of refilling cocktails and checking on our table. read more

Was in the Triangle on business. College friend in Charlotte came up to meet and we went here to catch up on missed events since the last time. Everything we ordered was great- from the mixto board to the albondegas-to the pollo frita-to the tomate pan- etc - etc. All good at a great price. Hit this place when you can. You will not be disappointed! read more

Any place that can have a dish with organ meat that tastes amazing as the liver patè can do no wrong in my eyes. The restaurant is cozy and the service was good. read more

ln Spain l get a bottle of wine for the price of just a glass at Mateo! Typical bill in Spain is 7-10€ for a couple drinks with free tapas. Workers at Mateo mentioned their pay is $2-5 per hour, l wonder where all the money goes. Maybe towards pension/healthcare :) they demanded l tip more - how do the owners think this is okay. ln Spain you occasionally leave an extra € and the server is happy read more

Delicious tapas at an early dinner, We were seated at about 5:30, and the place was just starting to fill up. It's a rectangular room, with about 15 tables along one wall, a dozen high tops in the center and 15 seats at the bar. Very cool oversized Edison-bulb fixtures above the bar, exposed brick on one wall, tin tile ceiling - a very hip vibe. It's cozy - everything spaced closely together. Noise level is moderate. I admire the finesse of the wait staff - always graciously stepping aside with a smile as patrons pass in the narrow aisles. Our server, Cassy, did a great job orchestrating the meal. Timing is everything in a tapas place, and the pace is a little quick at Mateo. Cassy spaced our our choices just right, made great recommendations, helped us with solid descriptions of the specials and set expectations right with prep time of one of the dishes. Thank you! We started with a carafe of Cheerwine sangria - a classic red sangria blend. While sipping, we enjoyed a bowl of wonderfully spiced crispy chickpeas. A couple of the specials of the day were excellent - chick croquetas, lion's mane mushrooms, tuna crudo. Croquetas are 7 to an order, golf-ball sized dollops of finely shredded and seasoned chicken; breaded and fried crispy golden brown. Mushrooms are prepared a la plancha (grilled on a hot metal plate), tossed in black truffle butter and topped with a poached egg yolk and puffed grains. A great taste combo with the earthy mushrooms, garlicky truffle butter and creamy egg yolk. Yum! Next was queso frito y huevo. Manchego cheese is broiled till crispy to form the tortilla, then topped with a fried egg and veggies. Next were brussels sprouts - broiled till crispy, tossed with pine nuts and raisins, served atop a tangy saffron yogurt. The yogurt is intense, and distracts a little from the goodness of the sprouts but still fantastic. Tuna is sliced sashimi-like and dressed crudo-style - in this case with a lime curd and pumpkin-seed oil, then dressed with coriander. Much better than your standard lemon juice/olive oil prep, this one is outstanding. We also tried a butternut squash special. This a halved squash, broiled with burnt honey, spiced with benne seeds and sumac. The squash is served with a scoop of cheese. I'm not sure what kind of cheese it is - it is reminiscent of fresh mozzarella, creamy and soft and melts with each bite of squash. It's sweet, creamy, rich and earthy all at the same time. No room for dessert this trip. Plenty of other options to try on the extensive menu and special board. Mateo is tough to get a reservation, and you can see why - every choice is delicious. Recommended! read more

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Everything was fantastic here. The service was good. The atmosphere is vibrant but not noisy or so busy it's overwhelming. The food options are varied, delicious and nicely presented. They have a full bar with interesting cocktail choices. We've eaten here several times and I would gladly come back. read more

Went here with a group of my husband's coworkers and their wives for the first time yesterday. I believe going as a group is the absolute best way to dine here. It's tapas so all the plates are small plates but they come with amounts to share if you get multiple dishes. The restaurant is small with a big bar downstairs. I was wondering how they were going to fit 6 people down there but they led us upstairs where there were bigger tables and such a nice atmosphere. It was as if we were transported into another time and place. A very nice vibe and we were able to snag a table by the window. For food we tried many different dishes from the menu, I was only lucky to enough to snag a picture of the first two appetizers where were the cheese plate and the pan con tomate. I had the cheese and it was so good. I'm not that big on pork but the Serrano received rave reviews. Some of the other dishes that were ordered and very good were the pollo frito, queso frito, sautéed kale, bone marrow dish, and the grilled shrimp. We had other options as well but these were my favorites! The service was friendly and fast. The server gave a lot of great tips and the drinks were delicious. I got to explore my mom adventurous side with this dinner and it was fun. It's not a place that would be my go to because of the set up but if I have a group of friends to splurge with, I will definitely be back! read more

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My sister and I made a reservation and stopped in here on a quick weekend trip in the area. The ambiance is super cute and the food was delicious! The portions are actually pretty large for tapas, which I was very shocked about. Quality 10/10 and honestly service 12/10. Jake was super attentive and gave great recommendations for food. We had a superb experience. Definitely would recommend and would come back again. read more

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I didn't hate eating here but I can't say it's one of my better restaurant experiences. I've been here twice and both times I left unsatisfied. The first time I ordered a deconstructed hamburger type (I I believe it was Tortilla Española). I enjoyed it but it was definitely rich and heavy so I didn't end up finishing it. But I'm no expert on Spanish cuisine so I wont criticize! The French fries my group ordered the first time were definitely amazing. My second time coming I ordered the Pinxto Platter. I enjoyed it but I definitely didn't appreciate the presentation. Everyone knows tapas in the US are usually very small portions, but I would appreciate it if these small portions were at least presented well and not served like bar food. If I just wanted to eat a bowl of peanuts in a bar I would do that. My friends ordered the shrimp (Gambas al Ajillo) for $15 and the octopus (Pulpo) for $16. You can see in the pictures the amount that comes, but they did say it was good. We ordered the seafood paella for the table, which was $56 but seemed very large in the pictures we saw. For anyone considering ordering this, please be aware the pan it is served in is incredibly shallow. Like 2 cm. Do not be fooled by the photos! It is not as much as you think it is. But it is very delicious! Lastly I would say the customer service is kind of odd. I usually don't care about customer service at all, but we were standing at the front door trying to open the (entirely glass) door for an incredibly long time while four people stood at the host stand and watched us struggle. I had to put my face against the glass and make eye contact with the workers for them to come help us open the door. It was a very odd experience. Overall I've been to many tapas restaurants in my life and I can say I felt other restaurants have given more food and more memorable food for their prices. If you are in Durham and want to have tapas I would 100% recommend Jujus. read more

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Tremendous food, didn't ever want to leave. Such a great selection of cocktails, wine and cider. Loved every minute our large group spent nomming down the wonderful tapas. read more

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The datiles (dates) plate was amazing. I didn't even think I liked dates. Ensalala de tomatoes were amazing. Paella was also very good. The cheerwine sangria was excellent. read more

Mateo - The lactose annotated menu, very helpful from our waitress! - Tapas Bars Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Good food, good wine and great service. Our favorites were the bone marrow and the pate' we enjoyed a couple bottles of rose which complemented the various tapas we enjoyed. read more

Our first time here and we loved all the tapas we ordered. Food, service and ambiance was fantastic! Started off with a spicy margarita. We had fried oysters, brussel sprouts, beet salad, gambas al ajillo, patatas bravas, ensalada and banana pudding. Everything was delicious! Great spot for date night or girls night out. read more

Mateo - Spicy Margarita - Tapas Bars Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Came here with some peeps before seeing a show at the Carolina Theater. Inside, it's a cozy long dining room with a nice ambience. We all wanted the paella so 4 of us ordered the Seafarer paella, Calamare Fritos, and Tuétano (Bone marrow with short rib marmalade). We all enjoyed the Seafarer. My only complaint was that part of it was burnt on the bottom of the pan. But overall, it was well seasoned and tasted delicious. For the Bone marrow, I wish we got more of it. The short beef marmalade was quite flavorful. And the Calamare with the tar tar sauce was a hit with everyone. This is a good spot for an intimate dinner date or just a casual dinner with friends. read more

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Second or third time here, first time post COVID. To be honest, I was a little underwhelmed. The menu seeemed significantly different from previous visits, more southern style tapas than anything Spanish. The pimento cheese, grits with mushrooms and basket cheese were delicious. The brussel sprouts delicious as Catalan style with pine nuts and yellow raisins. The patatas bravas however were so disappointing, as were the nacho chicken skins. I was excited for the sangria made with Cheerwine, and again, nothing special, not even a trace of fruit. Sigh. read more

Mateo - Various dishes ... - Tapas Bars Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Amazing food! This place has a great menu with many options for every taste. My fiance and I love coming here. I definitely recommended coming here! read more

Fast service and great food! Highly recommend. Cocktails are great and the food is always fresh read more

I was in town for work and a local recommended this place for tapas. It was fantastic!! The food was easily on the level of Curate in Asheville which is super difficult to get a reservation. Here, we just strolled on in without a reservation on a Wednesday. We had a beet salad dish, a shrimp dish, a seasonal fresh corn dish, and some toasted bread with tomato and manchego cheese. Every bite was bursting with delicious flavor. We really loved every dish. Corn and beet salad were probably the standouts. The service was great. I am definitely eating here again on my next trip to Durham. Sadly we gobbled everything up before photos, but the food was beautifully presented as well. read more

I enjoyed my dinner at Mateo! There were a ton of things I liked about it. The proportions were perfect tapas style - I didn't find that we had too much or not enough of any dish and could order a large sample without being incredibly full. I also really liked the vibe with the open kitchen. It was really cool and I loved seeing all the different dishes pass by my table which gave me some food envy and always wanting to order something more! There were a few things I wasn't the most impressed with. You have to go past the kitchen in the pic to go to the bathrooms, which isn't a problem except the servers all stand around waiting to take dishes. It was uncomfortable walking through the maze of them. The bathrooms are also in labeled in Spanish. This probably sounds really dumb but I'm usually pretty intuitive and I had no idea which restroom to use and had to ask a staff member. The menu is also all in Spanish and not the most user friendly if you aren't familiar with the dishes. Overall, the food is delish and while on the upper side of your budget we thought it was actually pretty affordable for the quality and quantity. read more

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Finally convinced Husband we should try this infamous Durham Tapas restaurant this Saturday after a DPAC matinee. It's right next to Mothers & Sons, so just a short walk from the Theater. It's not a huge place, so unless you're early like we were and happy to have a bar seat or high top, make reservations! Bar stools do have backs on them, but they are not particularly comfortable. Not a big deal though. Overall the atmosphere is welcoming and trendy. We had an excellent Bartender who took good care of us. Very knowledgeable about the food and wine. Guided me to a red I really liked. Made Husband a really good Manhattan. Poured water before we had to ask. Food: Be prepared for small portions (duh, tapas), and pretty high prices. Only you can decide if each item is worth it. We ordered several things and they were brought out as they were ready. First up was Patatas Bravas. These were by far the best version of these fried potatoes we've ever had. Topped with two aiolis and a smoky tomato sauce (menu says spicy, I say smoky...as in smoked paprika). While a small portion, it's rich and satisfying. Perfect size for two to share, and a decent price at under $7. Up next they brought us the Pan con Tomate. We ordered the small, which is two pieces of bread topped finely chopped tomatoes. We ordered ours with Manchego (another $3 for a thin slice on each piece of bread). Excellent quality. Delicious. We also thoroughly enjoyed the Almejas Pequenas. These littleneck clams are indeed very little. You would starve to death if you ate only these. They were perfectly cooked and tender, and I could have bathed in the sherry sauce. The little pieces of ham added a lot, but honestly boiled peanuts have no flavor and no texture. I don't get why they're so trendy. The clams were served with one way-too-small piece of bread to soak up that wonderful sherry. Surely for $12 when two people are sharing a dish, they could add one more small piece of bread so we wouldn't have to tear it in tiny halves? Next up were meatballs that were tender and delicious, served on a bed of cannelini beans. There were four small meatballs. Would have loved a couple more. Not quite full at this point, we decided to try the Bistec de Carne. This was a mistake. It was a square of dry thick brisket. Unfortunately the first bite I took was mostly fat and totally turned me off. I did like the few crawfish that were tender. The potato fondue was like a sauce, and the chips in it were paper thin, tasteless and mushy. Honestly, this was a waste of $16. Overall, I really enjoyed everything except for the brisket dish, and there are lots of other things I want to go back and try. (if I can talk Husband into it again). read more

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Always yummy with a bustling and friendly atmosphere. We often eat here before a show at DPAC

Always had a great experience here. Amazing food, great service. Good drinks and wine selection. The menu is seasonal and really delicious. On the pricey side but always worth it. Upstairs is quieter if you are sensitive to noise. Overall my go to place to go out to eat - fave place in Durham and the competition is steep, believe me! My faves (avail depends on season) Pepino cocktail Patatas brava Brussel Sprouts Catalan (would literally kill for this recipe) Trout Dish (summer, can't remember name) Queso Frito Pato Y Arroz (or basically any rice dish there) Sautéed Pea Shoots Chocolate Mousse Apple Handpie read more

Magical spot on the patio under the string lights. Loved the small plates and sangria. Had the red sangria and the peach tree--both delicious (had to have two). Also loved the clams, elote, and bone marrow. Oh, the beet salad is as delicious! read more

Mateo is a large, popular, and fun tapas place right in five points, and from what I gather it was an early influence on the burgeoning Durham food scene. I'm rating it on a curve because it was so highly recommended by the staff at every other place I ate in Durham. The experience and food are definitely good, and I got excellent service at the bar. I'll probably go back, and I think Mateo would be a great spot for a work dinner. Compared to other places in Durham, though, the food and cocktails kind of let me down. There were no major issues, but I wasn't blown away either. I got a handful of tapas (clams, pan con tomate, gambas, and another that I forget)... they were all tasty but none of them were particularly memorable. However I appreciate the extensive sherry and vermouth options! read more

Went here for a special date night with my girlfriend. First time coming here and didn't know what to expect. The atmosphere was great, our server was excellent, and the food was as amazing as it seemed. The serving sizes were perfect, the variety was amazing, and trying new foods was a great experience. Recommend this place to anyone, will bring friends that come into town here. read more

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My first meal in Durham and also one of my first meals in a restaurant for... quite some time honestly. This was just the first stop on a food domination tour of Durham. Surprisingly great tapas place with nice ambiance. So we ordered quite a bit and have to say my top was the mata cheese. It was sooo creamy and light, it was ridiculous. Our server said she could eat it with a spoon and a thousand percent not joking. I also enjoyed the octopus and brussel sprouts quite a bit. Octopus was super tender and not rubbery at all. The papas fritas were also great but like french fries, if you fail at that i always just can't. The bone marrow was pretty good too and they give some short rib with it or maybe its more short rib with bone marrow on the side. Drink wise we got a carafe of the lillet sauvingnon, great and refreshing for a bright and warm spring day. I was very disappointed by the chicken croquettas though but may just be a high standard comparison. To me they were a bit mushy and bland though. Overall, I could see myself coming back here if I ever find myself back in Durham. read more

The aesthetics were very romantic, but the food and drinks were lackluster. We ordered the huevo diablo, pato y arroz, marrow and the ensalada. I ordered the cheerwine sangria and it was a little watered down. I might give them another chance, but the food needs some seasoning. read more