Great spot, five minutes away from DPAC. Great service and food. Nerra Shrimp was, by far, my…read morefavorite thing we ate. That being said, Tempura, Ceviche and Calamari were very good as well. Highly recommend!!!

I keep trying to remember the last meal out I've had where EVERY bite of EVERYTHING was 150%…read more Nerra, this weekend, comes close and could perhaps exceed that benchmark. Nerra is at 506 Ramseur Street, Durham, NC. Get a reservation. Don't show up hoping. We went for a belated Father's Day, a week late, because my wife and son let the date slip past them. They'll deny it. I know better. And I'm not actually upset about it, because if they'd remembered, we'd have missed this. We started the night with the Baker's Flight (pumpernickel, cheddar rosemary biscuits, cornbread, house butters). The pastries were excellent. The butter was something else entirely. I asked for 8oz to take home, which is not a thing I do. I don't need more butter in my life. Seriously. But this butter was coming home wiht me regardless. Our entries: Shrimp and Grits (built on stone-milled grits with jumbo shrimp, spinach, seared peppers, smoked gouda and parmesan, under a Cajun cream sauce). Number two, the Sun-Fire Jerk Chicken (bone-in, braised and marinated, with fried plantains, island jerk sauce, jasmine rice, and a salsa). Lastly: The Whole Roasted Fish (Snapper this particular night, with spinach, tomatoes, citrus caper, and roasted potatoes). Each dish was spectacular. As if not enough, we still ordered dessert. Mama Made, we were told. Cheesecake and a Chocolate Brownie with ice cream. I'm not going to lie here and say either were shared. Somewhere about this time I was doing math in my head of how we could come to Nerra on a weekly basis. Seriously, I was. The Chef came by the table. The Chef's Mama came by too. Our server, Andrea, did the kind of work that doesn't get talked about enough. Andrea was attentive without hovering, present without performing. Andrea should take some time to right the manual on how to take care of a table and party, cause she's a master at it. If none of this moves you, I don't think I can do more for you here. If it does, you already know you're booking a reservation in the next 30 minutes. We are absolutely going back. The only question is how often I can make that happen without rearranging our entire budget. I'm working on it.

Twice I've been to Seraphine, and twice I've had a superlative experience. If you like Louisiana…read morecuisine, this is the place for you. Divine seafood dishes? Check. Creative and fun cocktail list? Check. Varied and unique sides/salads? Check. To top off the fantastic food, the service is always perfect. Everyone knows the menu backwards and forwards, and truly love what they're serving. When you're at Seraphine, you're getting an experience. As far as specific food recs, try the shrimp & grits, Boudin sausage, Frenched chicken breast, pickle plate, and Beignets. But I have a feeling anything from their menu is stellar.

We've been to Seraphine a couple of times now, and the experience has been a mixed bag…read more The biggest issue is speed. Both the kitchen and bar are painfully slow. Expect to wait 10-15 minutes for each drink, and considerably longer for appetizers or entrees. On top of that, our server forgot a drink or an item on every single visit. That might just be our luck, but it's a hard pattern to ignore. I'm no beignet expert, but Seraphine's are much closer to fried whole wheat bread dusted with powdered sugar than the light, donut-like dessert you'd hope for. Unappetizing, frankly. The beignets at Succotash are *vastly* superior. That said, there are definitely things to like. The ambiance is lovely, and the food -- once it finally arrives -- is genuinely good! If the service and timing matched the quality of food, this would be an easy place to recommend.

Shuckin' Shack Oyster Bar in Durham sits in a shopping center where the parking is posted as…read moreone-hour, but if you're a customer, you can stay longer without issue. That's the first thing you notice--plenty of parking. I had no trouble finding a spot on two separate visits this week. Inside, it's a cozy setup with a bar, table seating, and an outdoor patio area. It has that laid-back oyster shack feel. The patio looks like it could be dog-friendly, though I didn't confirm. The place is clean, and the staff are genuinely friendly across the board--welcoming without being overbearing. Food-wise, it delivers. On my first visit, I had steamed clams and steamed Gulf shrimp. Both were phenomenal. The clams were sweet and perfectly cooked, and the shrimp was just as impressive--simple, fresh, and done right. Second visit, I went a different route and ordered a hamburger--yes, at a seafood spot. Running keto, I skipped the bun, and it turned out to be a great call. Cooked exactly to order and full of flavor, it held its own against the seafood. Whether you're coming in for oysters on the half shell, fresh seafood, or even a solid burger, this place covers it. Make sure to check the chalkboard specials--that's really where the menu shines, with daily deals that are worth the visit.

We were greeted warmly by Renee as soon as we walked in. She told us to sit wherever we'd like. We…read morechose a high top. There's bar seating and a main seating area with about 8 tables. It's small, but comfortable and inviting. Renee single handedly with ease and a smile served 6 tables while I was there. She never seemed rushed or overwhelmed. We started with the Happy Hour special (4pm - 6pm) raw oysters (or steamed) for $1.50 each. They were good. We then ordered our entrees. I had the Fried combo with oysters, shrimp and fries...absolutely delicious and fried perfectly. My daughter had the Lobster Roll and fries. She said it was really good and was pleasantly surprised. We had a great dinner and loved the service Renee provided!

I have only been here a couple of times but each time was a good experience. The staff is always…read morefriendly and the food was great. This time I got a shrimp boil....so much great flavor! The seafood is always fresh. The restaurant is clean..that's always a plus. Oh before I forget, my husband enjoyed his oyster po boy...immensely!

Amazing food you gets your money's worth. They don't hold back portions in my opinion.read more

My son suggested this joint, and I am glad that he did! What a great place. The service was great,…read morethe food was amazing, and I loved the atmosphere. It is completely casual, and I loved seeing the owner in the kitchen when he greeted me and thanked me for coming in. My spicy mani was great, and my son really enjoyed his drum. The sides were great too. I will be back!

I had the fried sheep's head. It was cooked just the way I remember my Grandmother cooking it. I…read moregrew up on Lake Erie, so fishing was a common activity in my family. What a great food memory. The fish here is top shelf in its preparation and flavor. The staff is very friendly. The portions are nice. Dining inside is a nice experience. It is not a huge dining area, but it is a perfect space where members of the community can gather over great fish and conversation. There are a few tables outside as well to enjoy the weather. Prices are what you would expect from freshly prepared fish meals. Not expensive but definitely not fast food prices. The fish changes daily so you should come often to experience the range of goodness! As you can tell, I highly recommend this restaurant.

I love this place for consistently tasty food and a warm, inviting atmosphere. Every visit feels…read morerelaxed and welcoming, and the service is always on point. It's one of those spots where you can walk in anytime and know you're going to have a good experience. If you're looking for recommendations, the wings are a must‑try, and pairing them with a Bloody Mary never disappoints.

So I asked yelp to recommend a place for a birthday dinner. This was the first on the list. So…read moresince I couldn't get a reservation on my birthday to the place I originally wanted to go, we decided to come here. There is plenty of parking on the backside of the building, paid parking out front, and be careful not to park in the apartment spaces on the side...they sounded pretty serious about towing. I had made a reservation but it was probably unnecessary as it was pretty empty when we arrived (it was about 5pm on a Saturday.) The waitress brought a bottle of water to the table and took our drink order. And I know that this place is literally call it's a Southern thing but can I mention how much I dislike drinking out of mason jars? I ordered the chicken n biscuits, my husband got the country hamburger steak plate, my BiL got wings, and my SiL got the crabcakes. We also orders charred jalapeno & sweet corn hushpuppies and frickles as an appetizer. I was VERY excited about my food. Y'all...the only thing that impressed me were the Frickles. Everything else was distinctly underwhelming. I also ordered Blackberry Betta Have My Money which was not that great. My SiL ordered a espresso martini that they said didn't come from a mix but she said it tasted like it was. The bathrooms were very clean. The decor and the vibe were great. Cute even. I really enjoyed that part of it. After dropping off our food, we never saw our waitress again unless we flagged her down for drink refills. It was especially frustrating since there was automatic gratuity added. And since the place wasn't that busy, it felt like she didn't feel the need to earn her automatic tip. Overall I was disappointed in my birthday dinner. I won't be coming back here.

We had an extremely memorable experience at Alley Twenty Six, in large part to our amazing server,…read moreAnthony! We made a reservation for a Saturday night dinner and he made sure we were well taken care of all night. We started the night with their James Bears award winning cocktails, and every drink we ordered was a hit! Spiced strawberry mule, Sunset Sipper, and the table favorite: Earl Please. The latter two drinks were mocktails and they were still standouts! As for the food, the Alley burger was perfectly cooked: juicy patty paired with truffle cheese and simple toppings that really highlighted the burger itself. And shoestring fries are always a good choice with a delicious burger. Ricotta gnocchi was also very good. As our server Anthony said, let's get this burger nominated!

Nestled right next to an alley is a modern restaurant/bar mixing innovative drinks (non-alcoholic…read moreavailable) and preparing tasty morsels to share along with your drink. If you like tinned fish, the smoked trout with chimchurri sauce is flavorful and fun. They have a large variety of tinned fish to choose from, but they also have traditional dishes if you're not feeling gastronomically adventurous. The service was quick, and the servers were engaging. Just what you want when you're feeling social. There is seating both indoors and outdoors to suit your fancy.

Growing up in Southern California, I've chased real tacos through enough dodgy alleys and late…read morenight backyard taco stands to know authentic when I taste it. Somehow that same soul has landed in the unlikeliest spot: Foster Street, in downtown Durham. Pulpo tacos, legit goat birria, bright ceviche mixto, a killer torta milanesa, and that sneaky chipotle aioli that steals the show. All washed down with ice-cold Modelo Negra on draft. Unpretentious, soulful flavors done right, prices that feel like a steal, and food that tastes like your nana cooked it with attitude.

I came here on a Saturday around 6 and was able to be seated right away. We chose to sit outside…read moreand their tables are right along the sidewalk. The atmosphere could be better but I still give 5 stars because of the food! We were skeptical about goat cheese and guacamole going together but wow! It was really inventive and delicious. Flavors I had not tried before. I also really liked that the free chips came with bean dip-/ yum! The gringa steak quesadilla I got was open faced. A little different than I was used to, but the flavor was 10/10. Overall I thought the food was unique and I would totally come back for more