Came here for my boyfriend's birthday dinner and we were both very pleased. I made a reservation online and I am glad I did becasue even on a Monday night they didn't seem to seat anyone without a reservation. Expect to spend a good chunk of $$$, but the food is high quality and worth it. We each got a drink and split the empanadas, which were delicious. For our entrees, I got the 16 oz. skirt steak with sweet potato fries and my boyfriend got the 8 oz. filet mignon and asparagus. The steaks themselves were cooked perfectly and full of flavor. While my sweet potato fries were quite good and there were a lot of them, the main letdown was the asparagus side-dish or lack thereof. The side of asparagus came with 6 very stringy small pieces, which was hard to call a side dish. Besides this the wait staff was extremely nice, and even after my leaving my sweater behind, they kept it behind the bar for me to come pick up the next night! read more

The last time we came to Metro 8 was about 2-3 years ago. We have been talking about coming back since and tonight was the night. We like that is is smaller and not super crowded, not overly loud like a lot of places, the staff is very nice as well. The Provoleta is delicious!!! We got it both times we have been and when we go to their other restaurant as well. We will definitely be back again. read more

Went to Metro 8 Steak for Restaurant week to try a new place. The food was amazing and the service was great. Will definitely try them again. read more

See all

My boyfriend and I went here Friday night for date night. We had a reservation, but could've gotten in without one. We did the restaurant week menu and actually got the same meal: provoleta, churrasco steak, and chocolate torte. We both liked the provoleta but it was a LOT of cheese. This would be a good appetizer to split. My boyfriend's steak was tender, but mine was tough to cut (even my boyfriend struggled) so there's some big inconsistencies. Also my boyfriend's steak was smaller than mine, and both of ours were smaller than the table next to us which were so big they had to be folded to fit on the plate. That didn't leave us with a good feeling. The chocolate torte was very rich. read more

This is a GREAT spot to grab a TASTY steak in Durham. The Churrasco skirt steak served with chimichurri sauce is what they're known for and it's definitely what you should get here. It comes in 8 or 16oz and a side of sweet potato fries to top it off. This is hands down one of if not the best skirts I've ever tasted. Grilled to perfection with a warm red center. Ridiculously good. The 16oz is a large portion so be ready! The pre dinner bread is served with a tasty butter spread that has sour cream and other flavorful ingredients. If you're up for dessert you won't be disappointed with the cheesecake! Absolutely amazing. And to top it off the steaks here are nearly half the price you would pay at other big named places. I'll definitely be back here again soon! And often. read more

This is a nice and quaint place to check out! It is small, but cozy. Went for restaurant week and had tuna that was great. Nice spot for date night. read more

Metro 8 Steakhouse - Tuna, salad, and asparagus - Steakhouses Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Excellent food and service. When my chocolate volcano cake fell before it made it to the table they made me another one!

So first I'd like to say the food was alright and probably would have been better if it wasn't served cold. The service was awful. It took 20 minutes to get a drink stating it's super crazy at the bar but the place was actually rather empty I had counted several empty tables and no one at the bar. Once we got a drink it was a whole 40 minutes before we were allowed to order food and luckily another server noticed we were out of drinks and got us another in between that 40 minute our server disappeared and hadn't taken our food order. So they finally come to our table and ask if there was anything we needed. I asked if we could order food and they seemed shocked like they had forgotten or something. The place was not busy at all. Our order gets taken and we expect it to probably take a minute to get our food cooked so we're just hanging out. We notice all the people who ordered around the same time as we did got their food. We watch our food get delivered to another table. Then whoever is bussing the food sweeps it up off of that table and walks around looking confused until finally they bring it to us. Both of our meals were just barely warm. We finish that and decide why not treat ourselves and get some desert. That was actually okay but I'm assuming only because it's made in advance and supposed to be easy to serve. They ask if we need anything else I ask for the check which is give to us and then it's another 15 minute wait until I just decide luckily I had a large enough amount of cash on hand to pay. I was super disappointed I felt like I wasted half of the evening waiting around. Pros- cocktails are good Cons-you may waste over 2-3 hours waiting on a not busy night. read more

This restaurant was dirty and the service was poor at best. When you order a medium rare steak, please be prepared to receive a well done steak. The owner was none responsive. read more

I have to say, a salad is usually just an obligatory starter to get in the vegetables...there are very few places where I go just for a salad and for that matter wouldn't write an entire paragraph about it. Metro 8 is one place I'd go just for a salad. The Caesar salad was amazing with huge slices of the creamiest Parmesan cheese and the best croutons ever. My entree was the 8oz Churrasco (skirt steak)...the seasoning was just right and they new exactly what medium meant. There were intentions of saving half of my meal to take home as leftovers (this being a Wellness Committee dinner for my company after all), but they were pushed to the wayside...steak that good doesn't deserve leftover status. My side of spinach Alfredo, made with real baby spinach leaves (not that chopped stuff you get at the big box chain restaurants) was a little on the bitter side, but the chimichurri accompaniment mixed in perfectly with the spinach and Alfredo sauce to balance out the bitterness of the spinach. Dessert, though, was what I was super excited about. I've made my grandmother's recipe for Dulce de Leche before, so the fact that they had it folded inside a crepe couldn't possibly be bad. Unless you have a super sweet tooth, though, I'd recommend sharing it (comes with 2 crepes and whipped cream)...Dulce de Leche is very rich, sweet and caramel-ly. Metro 8 would be perfect for a company function, an intimate date, or a group of friends...the atmosphere is beautiful, elegant, and fun. And make sure to eat your salad! read more

Ah, 9th Street. How awesome would you be if homeless people didn't follow me down the street / approach me the second I step out of my car / go around hitting random cars? PRETTY awesome. So it was quite nice to step out of 9th St and into Metro 8. We went kinda late on a Saturday evening, without a reservation (this is during the summertime). There were some tables around, but they put us in this totally cool booth table - probably the nicest table in the place! I loved the wine, I loved the food (we all had steak). One thing to note, is that it's not like a traditional steakhouse where you order your steak and order sides for the table. Each steak comes with it's own side. I recommend the sweet potato fries! I have not found many good fries in Durham, but these were delicious! I honestly have to say that I would probably give just the food 4 stars... but the service brings it to 5 stars. We were treated like royalty! Our server and the other servers were so attentive, and explained everything on the menu nicely. The bartender (maybe the owner? I don't know why, she had an owner vibe) came over to pour a martini and pour our wine and was so friendly. I mean, the food was great, but I just walked out of there wowed. And then someone brought up the point "Why do people eat out? for the service and ambiance." Metro 8 is a reason to go out! read more

Checked out Metro 8 during TRW this year. Let me tell you, it was worth the trek to Durham. This Argentine Steakhouse has some of the best churrasco I've had. Their chimichurri sauce is just the kick to separate the flavor from what you find at the other places in town. I also had the spinach alfredo, which was essentially creamed spinach. The dulce de leche crepes were melt in your mouth good. This is the type of dessert you drive across town for. Don't forget to try the jalapeno cream cheese spread with the homemade rolls. Interesting concept, but was really delicious. Overall a great dining experience in a cozy joint in Durham. Highly recommend! read more

Very cozy little spot that plays up the historic architecture of 9th Street with original rafters, pretty crown molding, and a fireplace. I loved the little window seats, which feel tucked away and intimate. The white linens and candlelight add to this. Our server noted that it was our first visit and gave us a little background on the Argentinean chef and some of his trademark dishes. For some reason, I'd had my eye on the spinach artichoke dip, so we actually didn't end up with empanadas or something like. But I was still happy with my choice. The serving size is plenty for four. The dip was a nice consistency, though I was surprised to find it served with tortilla chips instead of pita bread (only since this is a pretty upscale restaurant). I only glanced at the wine list (getting over a cold), but it seemed to have a pretty good selection by the glass and the bottle. They do half-price wine on Wednesdays -- and I can totally see grabbing a seat at the bar to enjoy that over some dessert. For the main course, Phil went with the full-portion skirt steak. It tasted nice on its own, but also came with a bit of dipping sauce that he relished (as evidenced by sauce breath all later tonight). =/ I opted for the herb-encrusted tuna. Sometimes menus will say herb-encrusted, and deliver something that is sprinkled or dusted or lightly rolled in herbs. This was the real-deal though. And the tuna was excellent -- sushi-grade -- I had mine done rare, and it was perfect. It was served with a balsamic glaze that I almost wish they'd dressed the dish with instead. Though it paired nicely, the tuna was just so excellent, I wanted to taste it alone -- or to lightly skim it through the balsamic. My dish also had broccolini and fresh greens. Loved both. It really takes a lot for me to enjoy "fresh greens" -- but the house dressing on these was delicious. I actually ate my greens first, and I ate them all. (Probably haven't done that since I lived at home =) The price. It's high. Not too far from what you'd pay at Magnolia Grill, which we adore. But I think, if it's steak -- or a little ambiance -- you're craving, you'd do better at Metro 8. Service was great! Both our waitress and the manager(?) who visited with us routinely to fill waters (curse the juice-sized glasses!) were nice, chatty, and helpful. We left with a great impression... and are discussing pitting Metro 8 against the *real* test (aka bringing in my folks for dinner when they visit in a few weeks!). read more

You could easily walk by this place on ninth street. You would miss it easily. My recommendation is that you should just walk by it. It's really not worth your time and money. The good - wait staff was very attentive. The bad - wine selection, and the steaks What's up with that name? It doesn't conjure up an appetizing image at all, it sounds more like a club or bar. Change the name and concentrate on doing good steaks. May be I'll come back when you do. read more

"Steakhouse hidden on Ninth Street" This is a place LOTS of people walk by all the time and somehow never notice. We tried it out based on the very positive Yelp reviews. We sat in the back in an open-air area with fans. The service was quite attentive-- they brought us bread with a delicious butter-herb spread when seated and consistently kept our glasses more than half-full even though they also gave us a bottle of water to help ourselves, too. My daughter and I split the Churrasco skirt steak and an order of empanadas. The steak was good-- a bit fattier than I would have liked, but tasty and prepared well (nice, thin cut)-- definitely not tough or chewy. I really liked the sauce that came with the steak, too-- it had a spicy edge that complemented the meat. The empanadas were good-- also a bit spicy, with the ground meat inside tasting like some sort of "ground beef taco filling." We also had excellent sweet potato fries. My wife had the chicken with capers- very tasty-- if/ when we go again, I'd be inclined to order that instead of the steak. For dessert, we had the dulce de leche crepes (recommended by our waitress). Those were VERY sweet-- far more than my preference. It was like eating a tube of straight caramel (albeit very high quality). All of us thought the crepes would have tasted better if the sweetness were cut with a different flavor, maybe Granny Smith apple slices. My son had the cheesecake for dessert, and I think that may have been a better choice. Overall, A-OK. Definitely not a cheap place, and probably won't be my first choice for a pricey night out. But I'm not disappointed having eaten here, and did like my food a good deal. read more

Metro 8 is a great place for a romantic date or a celebratory dinner. The food is good, the service is friendly, and the prices are reasonable, considering it's a steakhouse. So why 3 stars instead of 4 or 5? Well, for one, the steak didn't "wow" me. It was good, and cooked just as I ordered it, but here's the thing: my husband's a vegetarian. Because we cook a lot and share a lot, I rarely eat meat. And since steak is a special treat, I eat it with even less frequency than the occasional burger, chicken breast, or brat. So when a steak is put in front of me--especially one from a fancy restaurant--I want to it to be orgasmic. Is that so wrong? Another thing: two out of five of the orders were incorrect. Both our waitress and (presumably) the manager were very apologetic and a couple glasses of wine were comped, but waiting for the steak do-overs made for a cranky mother- and sister-in-law, which didn't help my nasty case of stress-acne for having visiting in-laws in the first place. And remember my vegetarian husband? I totally get that a steakhouse is no place for a vegetarian, but there were only two dinner options for him, and both were pasta. BUT! The side salads were absolutely delicious. read more

Great atmosphere, friendly staff. 1. Wednesday nights are 1/2 price bottles of wine. 2. The Churrasco was outstanding. Cooked perfectly, great cut of beef. 3. Outdoor patio in the back is very nice. 4. Very reasonably priced compared to many of the other area steak houses. read more

This was our compromise place for Ruth Chris. Hubby loves steak and I don't like the big hunks of bloody beef served at most steakhouses. However, I love skirt steak, well seasoned and basically cooked using a searing technique. We started with beef empanadas and a caesar salad. Both were fairly large portions and I loved my empanadas. For my entree I orderd the churrasco skirt steak with sweet potato fries. My hubby ordered the cowboy steak rare. I loved my meat--very well seasoned and the sweet potato fries were awesome. He said his steak was good but I don't go near rare meats so have to trust him. For dessert we got the crepes dulce de leche and tiramasu. I would absolutely recommend the crepes. Service was fantastic and there was plenty of wait staff on hand to make sure you had everything you needed. I find the location on Ninth St to be a strange choice for a steakhouse, but was pleasantly surprised by the decor and ambiance. I guess this is why Metro 8 has so few reviews on yelp. People think Ninth St is just for Dookies? We will definitely be back. read more

My wife and I came here for dinner on Saturday night. We had chorizo and provoleta appetizers, caesar salad and two steaks (ny strip and skirt steak). I had high expectations because of the good reviews on yelp but sorry to say that the meal was not very good. Chorizo was insipid, proveleta was chewy and bland, the caesar salad was marginal. The steaks, well lets say that they were institutional at best. So disappointed in this Durham restaurant! read more

Full disclosure: came here for restaurant week and I did come with a fun group of people. Given that those factors may bias my opinions, we thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Metro 8. I certainly would not have though to try this place given it's unassuming location (between a laundromat and Chubby's Tacos on the always 'eclectic' 9th street). Once inside, however, we didn't mind! The interior was certainly more refined than it's surroundings. Our group enjoyed the atmosphere and overall loved our experience. Our server was kind, very attentive with frequent refills and answered any of our questions. No complaints here! My empanadas were good, but the beef didn't taste "fancy". The beef almost had the consistency and taste of something I might get at Taco Bell? I enjoyed it but others with more refined palettes may pass. I also had the ribeye, which I usually don't enjoy because I find it too chewy/fatty. I don't know what they did to this one, but they nailed it. Well seasoned and cooked to perfection with some garlicky chimichurri to boot. Sweet potato fries were quite tasty as well. My wife had the Churrasco steak which I sampled...also really good! Her broccolini side was apparently so good that she finished it without letting me try any. As for desserts, I got the Dulce de leche crepes and my wife had the chocolate souffle. The crepes were packed with caramel deliciousness--almost too rich for my puny taste buds. I enjoyed what I tasted of the souffle, and probably would opt for that next time because those crepes were so intense. TL;DR: Really a pleasant surprise and is probably a 4.5 star experience given our good service and excellent food (especially our steaks). Interior didn't really do it for me but others in the group liked it. read more

Metro 8 was amazing! Went for my birthday dinner with my parents and enjoyed everything from start to finish. The restaurant has a great interior with a few really cool, private bench areas in the back. Not a huge place, but very cool inside. Our service was fantastic from start to finish too. Our server was attentive and also patient as we wanted to just sit and enjoy our dinner and not be rushed out the door. We spent almost two hours there on a Saturday night and never once felt like they were trying to get us to leave. Our server was helpful with menu questions and just great overall. The food was obviously amazing too. Most of us at the table got the churrasco, which was worth the hype. A perfectly done medium rare skirt steak with fantastic flavor. The sauce it came with was really good too, but the steak was so tasty I rarely touched it. The loaded baked potato was super good too. My dad got the salmon and said it was really good as well. Definitely a great place to grab a steak or spend a special occasion, would highly recommend! read more

Wow. This place is amazing... I swear everything I try on the menu is amazing!! I especially recommend the Caesar salad, the empanadas and the filet au poire with sweet potato fries (or asparagus!). The staff is very pleasant and the owners are really nice. Its cool because the space is very versatile... it can be really great for fancy occasions or just a casual dinner. The menu may seem pricey, but you definitely get what you pay for and it's not too hard to have a nice meal here on a budget... they have half price bottles of wine every Wednesday and their signature steak (8 oz) is only $15!! It's a great place and I highly recommend for locals as well as travelers in the Durham area. They also have additional space for private parties or dinners! read more

After living in Miami for 8 years, my husband and I both constantly crave Argentinean food, so we decided to check out Metro 8 and we both loved it! The service was outstanding and we were seated at a table right by the window, which I felt made for a more private and romantic experience. For my meaI, I had the provoleta, churrasco with chimichurri, spinach alfredo, and chocolate souffle. Everything was excellent. Even the complementary bread they brought us was delicious--it came with a jalepeno cream cheese that I could have eaten with a spoon all by itself. The only reason I can't give Metro 8 the full 5 stars is that I've been to better Argentinean steakhouses in Miami, but for Durham this place is as good as it gets! read more

I'm a huge fan of this restaurant and have tried at least 60% of their menu because I go there so many times. For starters, I usually get the chorizo and the provoleta (they go very well together), it's like a umami explosion. Their soup is also very good, it's usually something simple like butternut squash or mushroom but it always tastes very pure. Their churrasco is the best piece of steak you can get in Durham, and I love the chimichurri sauce. I've also tried their ravioli, but seriously why would you get anything else when you can get the churrasco? I sometimes request for them to truffle the fries which come as a side, it's not on the menu but they're so awesome they always accommodate the request. Their service is always so wonderful, I love the people there. I also love the mojito, which comes in very generous portions and are equally generously flavored with mint and lime. Delicious during summer. Their desserts are generally very very sweet, especially the dulce de leche crepe and molten chocolate cake. They're delicious but I would share it with someone or I'll get a sugar overload. I miss this place already!! read more

Overall mixed review. Everything was perfect except the steak, which is the wrong thing to whiff at in a steakhouse. First things first: the steak. I had a ribeye, medium. Perhaps my expectations are off, but I ordered it with the hopes of a juicy pink center to the steak. Unfortunately the steak had very little pink, and was brought out closer to well done than medium. When my table started shaking as I attempted to cut into it, I decided to send it back (which I never do). They were kind enough to accommodate us quickly, but unfortunately the second steak may as well have been the same one as the first. I couldn't believe they overcooked it twice, but that's exactly what happened. Very little pink in the center once again. Closer to well done. It was a thin steak, so I can understand how fine the line was between undercooked and overcooked, but I expected more. It was a disappointing end to an otherwise fantastic evening. The grilled parmesan was outstanding, the carrot soup was flavorful and smooth, and the sweet potato fries were excellent. Great service, nice ambience. I want to like this place. I really do. Maybe I'll try it again one day. read more

The reservation we made afforded us walking in the front door, past available seating and out the back door to a humid patio, during a thunderstorm. We declined, and were then offered a seat inside where the seat cushions were flat and stained. The red wine was served cold and we were advised that that was how we should like it.... There was a table of loud people dropping F bombs like crazy just next to our table where we had two 11 year olds. Nobody thought to admonish them until we complained, after which one of them walked by and gave us an evil glare. But the food... oh the food, was tasteless and bland, impressing no one in my party of 7. The best thing, next to leaving, was the store bought sliver of Key Lime pie. Terrible experience and we won't be back. We have to take our out of town guests to anther place for dinner to make up for the bad experience/food had here. read more

Extremely convenient restaurant as its located right next to Station 9. No reservations really needed as the place wasn't filled up on a Tuesday night (not sure how the weekends would be). We ordered empanadas, steaks (filet mignon, churrasco), baked potato, french fries, asparagus, and tried their wine recommendations (malbec and cab). Enjoyed the entire meal. Service was great and attentive. Would come back. read more

We stopped here on our way home to Richmond from the Charlotte area. The decor of the place was very nice and our wait staff were great. The cowboy ribeye was really delicious - that was a very big cut of meat so we split it. For appetizers we had the empanadas which were hot (temperature) and tasty. Also tried the mushroom soup. I love a good mushroom soup - this one had an OK flavor but could have been a bit thicker. While the steak was great, we had added on the au poivre sauce to go with it. Actually we had the chimmichuri sauce, horseradish sauce, AND the au poivre sauce. The pepper sauce was a little cold and really runny. It needed some more pepper and some thickening to it. We also selected the spinach to go with the steak. I love a good steakhouse spinach dish but this one was a bit cold, too. I totally recommend Metro 8 but I think if the items were served a little warmer, it would add a lot to the meal. It's always ok to have something a little too hot to begin with because items cool off so quickly. we were too full for dessert so cannot speak to that but they sounded delicious. I would give the service a 5 and the food a 3 for an overall 4 rating. read more

My boyfriend and I went on Friday to enjoy their Triangle Week Menu and to celebrate my birthday. We enjoyed everything about our experience!! The food was absolutely heavenly and our server, Jessi, couldn't have been more perfect!! My bf lives out of town and we both have crazy work schedules, so when we actually get to visit with one another/have dinner together, the experience we had at Metro 8 is exactly what we want!! Thank you Metro 8 and Jessi for a wonderful night!! :) read more

Metro 8 Steakhouse - 16oz NY Strip with sweet fries - Steakhouses Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

See all

I had a pleasant meal at Metro 8 tonight with my office staff. Atmosphere: We were a party of 8 so they sat us in a separate part of the restaurant specifically for larger parties. We'd love to have been in the front room (very cozy, nice lighting, great ambiance) but there was no space. The room we were in was a bit colder and the lighting was a bit harsher and it was empty except for one other party of 8 ... and they were seated right next to us. Drinks: I had a rum and coke, and the coke was flat. ... but they did put the right amount of rum in it. A couple of table mates shared a bottle of red wine - and I sampled it - and it was wonderful. Mental note: Next time order the wine! Appetizer: The Caprese Salad was a bit of a disappointment because the tomatoes weren't good. They were like the cheap ones you get at the grocery store wrapped in plastic, 4 to a package. Perhaps they'd been refrigerated? The mozzarella and the balsamic vinegar were good tho. Main Course: I had the Fillet Mignon Au Poivre (with creamy peppercorn sauce) and it was alright. Nothing spectacular but no real complaints. The baked potato could've been baked a little longer (the texture was a bit hard). The boss had the Churrasco steak and he raved about it! I sampled a small piece and he was correct to rave. It was great! Everyone else seemed to be happy with their main course. Dessert: I'm not usually a dessert person but I tried the Passion Fruit Mousse Layered Cake and it was brilliant! I would absolutely have that again! Service: The service was excellent. The waiter was there just when we needed him. Overall: I have kind of mixed feeling about the experience. I wanted to be blown away but I wasn't quite there ... I think I'll go back again with a friend, so we can be seated in the front room, and I'll order the Churrasco and a red wine! read more

Waiting on my steakhad to have them redo our drinks... Uh oh!! They nailed it!! My Margarita was in a water glass! No ma'am! Cocktail glass every time!!! So far so good. The ribeye was pretty good. The hubby and I split it and a baked potato. Pretty good! A little pinker than I prefer but seasoned nicely!would definitely hit them up again! read more

Metro 8 is a fairly modern steakhouse with a mild Argentinean influence in downtown Durham, NC. It's a high-ceilinged place with heavy plaster walls that looks to have been a warehouse at one time or another. It's been dressed up with a good coat of paint and wood trim, but the ceiling is the planks of the floor above and there's a slightly echo-y quality about the place. It could use some artwork on the walls, as they are fairly barren. However, the long bar on the side wall looks lively and there's plenty of space between the white linen covered tables and comfortable wood slat chairs. My coworker and I were there for steak, so we plunged right in. Prices were very reasonable and included one side of your choice, but not a salad. I chose an 8 ounce filet au poivre with a loaded baked potato and an extra side of sauteed broccolini. The steak was a solid medium rare and the sauce over it was good, with nice pop from the green peppercorns. However, the sauce did not contain any cognac judging from the color and flavor, which was disappointing. The broccolini was a little too underdone for my taste and cool in temperature. It also needed some salt to perk up the garlic. The loaded baked was a large potato and cooked well, but overall, just ok. My friend had the 14 ounce strip with spinach alfredo and roasted asparagus. His steak came accompanied by a hot, red, thin sauce with some good heat and a lot of garlic that tasted great. His steak was also cooked rare and a generous 14 ounces -- it looked more like 16 to 18 to me. The asparagus was reported as being good, but while the spinach was cooked very well, it definitely needed some salt and got cold very quickly as as well. Neither of us had dessert or drinks. Service was atypical for a steakhouse and more in tune with a modern American restaurant; hip young ladies that were more casual than normal for a true steakhouse. No matter, as service was fine -- nothing great but nothing terrible either. I thought Metro 8 was nice enough, but not really "special" in terms of a dining experience. They were ok, particularly considering the prices were reasonable. However, I still felt something was missing and I felt my meal was more of a workaday effort on a Tuesday night instead of something special. Overall, not bad, but not really great. Your mileage may vary. read more

I have to say my experience was pretty great. All I really demand of a steak place is that they have good cuts of beef (check) and understand that rare means a cold, red center (check). Everything else is negligible. If you must know about the extras that made me enjoy Metro 8 as much as I did, though, I'll be glad to share. The staff knows their wine, meaning that they know what they have and whether you'll like it if you can give them any kind of description at all about which kinds of wine you have enjoyed drinking in the past. Seriously, if they could pick out a good wine from the clumsy description I gave them (and they did), you shouldn't be a problem at all. Then there's the chimichurri. I'm normally a no frills guy when it comes to steak. I think that if the steak is good enough, sauce will only take away from the experience...maybe a little salt is acceptable. So when this little bullet of stuff came with my meat, I was skeptical. I gave it a shot, though, and it was fantastic. So good, in fact, that I've amended my "no sauce" rule to read "unless I'm at the Metro 8." read more

How does this place have 4 stars? So completely disappointing. Food- definitely mediocre. Durham has become a true foodie city and Metro 8 absolutely disappoints. NY Strip was very poor quality. Rare filet came out Medium. Wine & Cocktails- wines on the menu aren't steakhouse quality. Rough. Cocktails are on par with a chain restaurant. Skip this place. read more

Came here for restaurant week: 3 courses for $30. Appetizer: Provoleta - 2 slices of tomatoes on a mound of baked provolone cheese. I'm not a big cheese fan but this was shockingly delicious. Not oily at all. Similar texture to the inside of a mozzarella stick but even more chewy and (tough?). Main: Churrasco Steak - this thing was massive (not complaining)! I'm sure it was closer to 18-19oz than the labeled 16oz. I ordered a medium rare and it was perfectly cooked and seasoned. It comes with a garlic sauce, which was too pungent for me. This is Metro 8's signature dish. The owner or chef is Argentinian I believe. The main course comes with a side of your choice. I went with the sweet potato fries which were good, but no better or worse than those I've had at other restaurants of similar price points. Dessert: Dulce de Leche Crepe - I should start by saying that I'm not a sweets person. Dulce de Leche means "candy of the milk" and is a traditional Argentinian dessert made by caramelizing sugar in milk (think Nutella consistency). This filling was too sweet for me, and I ended up scooping most of it out from the crepe. The crepe itself was decent but a little tougher than I expected; I like my crepes light and fluffy. I love steak and this seems to be the best there is in Durham. The prices are reasonable, the service is excellent, and the atmosphere is exactly what I'm looking for in a place like this. I'll be back again - most likely to try the NY strip and see how it fairs against the Churrasco. read more

WOW! Our new favorite restaurant. Great historic feel in Metro 8, we had the pork chop with asparagus and salmon for our course and it was cooked perfectly. By far the best waitress we could have asked for (Star) she was bubbly and even gave us advice on where to look around downtown! We weren't done with just the meal we had to try some dessert (crepes!) also delicious! When we were one with our dinner one of the owners came over to ask how our meal was I felt like that was such a great ending to our dinner (showing she cared). We will be back for date nights it a such a perfect place for a romantic night out in Durham! read more

See all

This is definitely the spot for a good meal, conversation and great drinks. I sat at the bar and ordered the lamb meal the bartender/owner was very very helpful with suggestions that were all fantastic. I ordered a Malibu and pineapple mix but she told me she can make a good rum runner so I had her suggestion and she makes a kick ass great cocktail. Definitely worth the visit if you are in town. read more

I don't often give five stars but I cant name anything about Metro 8 that I didn't absolutely love. To be fair, I'm Originally from Argentina, which makes me love the food style but I also know if it tastes like "home" or not. It's always hard to get chorizo exactly right, Metro 8 makes their own and it's absolutely perfect. Was thrilled to have both chorizo and Provoletta as on the appetizer menu! The Provoletta was also very good - it's a traditional cheese grilled and seasoned - highly recommend trying this. The bread was baked fresh so it took a little while to come out but it was excellent, and worth the wait. Our server was friendly and knowledgeable and didn't rush our special occasion meal in any way... As a matter of fact we were the last people to leave!! We ordered the larger portion of churrasco, a marinated skirt steak, it was tender and juicy and cooked "al punto" which means just right - you want it a little pink on the middle. This is another traditional part of argentine cuisine - I haven't has great churrasco outside of Argentina. We selected the Brocolinni as our side vegetable mentioned in other reviews... Great choice too! If you haven't tried Malbec wine from Argentina I highly suggest a bottle to compliment this tasty combination of traditional regional flavors. I've lived in NY, Dallas and Florida and Metro 8 is by far the best Argentine restaurant I have tried in the past 25 years. Dessert is worth keeping room for - don't leave without trying the panceques de dulce de leche (just look at the picture I posted!). I forgot to mention the warm inviting decor of the restaurant - I really loved everything about it and will definitely go back on my next trip to Durham!! read more

See all

Checked this place out for Triangle Restaurant Week, and it was excellent. Called for a reservation for 7:30 for my husband and I, and we were seated immediately after being offered the choice of patio or indoor seating. The decor is fitting for an Argentinian steakhouse, and the service was attentive without being smothering. I had the Restaurant Week menu of an app (Caesar salad), entree (16 oz churrasco steak with sautéed broccolini) and dessert (flourless chocolate torte). My husband had the lobster ravioli in pink sauce and a cheesecake. They also set out a bread basket with cilantro/jalapeño cream cheese, which was also very good. My churrasco steak was cooked well, medium as I requested, and it came with a garlic mojo sauce that really made the steak perfect. My husband enjoyed his lobster ravioli very much, and the cheesecake as well. One more thing I will add is either the manager or the owner was extremely attentive and recommended an excellent rosé wine that I enjoyed immensely. Overall a great experience and we will return. read more

Tried Metro 8 for the first time tonight with the hubs as a belated Valentines dinner. We were so pleased with our experience. Atmosphere was pretty, customer service was excellent, food was amazing. We both started with Caesar salads and both got steak with sides of loaded baked potatoes. 100% recommend and will be back! read more