Okay, so we have been here 4 different times, on 4 different days of the week, sitting in 4 different locations, including at the bar one night. We really like the food - I mean we have liked every dish we have tried, and we have made it through most of the menu. However, we are done with this place because 4 out of 4 times we had serious service issues, ranging from incredibly slow service (always), to items we ordered never showing up, to servers disappearing for 30 minutes at a time. Twice, we were given tapas we had not ordered and when we mentioned it, were told just to enjoy it (I wonder what table did not get their order?) As we sat at the bar (our final try here), we could see the chaos that exists in the restaurant - servers arguing with the bartender, runners walking around with food but not knowing which table they should go to, staff pulled in every direction. Like a well-rusted machine. Anyway, we gave it 4 tries mainly because we really enjoy the food and the location. I hope they get their act together, recognize that there is an issue and fix what is undermining their business. In the meantime, we are done. read more

Beautiful place & great food!! Loved the octopus and patatas bravas, tastes just like Spain

Arrived early (6ish) so the crowd had yet arrived. The food was remarkable, the space clean and attractive, and the service was exemplary. looking forward to our next visit. Criticism? The flan was more 'crème brûlée' but would order it again in a heartbeat. this restaurant is now on my list of Durham favorites. Will try the paella next time as reviews are very positive. read more

Extremely disappointed - I looked forward to getting Tapas but our recent visit was a failure. I ordered some of the same things from my previous visits but some were cold (which was meant to be served warm) other tapas were bland and the paella was so dry. What happened?! The plating was awful. I am not sure that I will recommend Taberna Tapas to friends. The drinks took forever to come out as well and the restaurant was not even half full. Aside from the food and the slow bar, service was good, but that was all. read more

Good, but not great. I found several items tasting too oily. We did love the bacon-wrapped dates, others were all ok, but not memorable. I do will rave about the chocolate with orange desert: this was awesome! I have never tasted such a deep chocolate ice cream, and the orange taste to it was perfect! I would return just to enjoy it again! read more

It always breaks my heart when I rate lower than a three. So here are the reasons why: The food, I would say 3/5. Mild in flavor. The chorizo was a joke; there was no flavor there. Nothing stood out besides the bacon and dates which was $12 for five pieces. Additionally, we were surprised by the prices. Even looking online, the prices were ~$2-5 more in the restaurant. The food was definitely not worth the price tag. The second reason for my low rating was the staff. We had a table VERY close to the bar. The waitress had to walk between our table and the bar stools to get to the other side of the restaurant to fold napkins. Each time she did this, her BUTT WAS LITERALLY ON OUR TABLE. This got ridiculous to a point where we moved our table over so she would have some room. Even then, there was very little space. read more

My mother-in-law's birthday is today and she really wanted paella. Found Taberna on Yelp and booked reservations via OpenTable a few days ago. How convenient! Announced to the family the time and location. Everyone was super excited. Then, the next day I get an email saying that the reservation was cancelled by the restaurant. I figured there must have been a mistake. So I proceed to make the reservation again. Voila! Crisis averted (or so I thought). Just to make sure, I called them but no answer, so I left a voicemail. Never heard back. Then, today I received another cancellation email. WTF. I call them again, and again leave another voicemail. Still no call back! I called several more times. Went straight to voicemail. Very disappointed with this experience and it left a really bad impression. At least have some common decency to return a simple phone call. Unbookmarked! read more

We went before a show at DPAC. The waiter was nice, but the food was mediocre. The chicken in the empanadas and paella seemed like the worst of the worst dark meat. read more

Nice dinner last night for a party of eight. Nice selection of tapas. With eight people we got to share many plates and compare many items. It was all pretty good. Particularly liked the octopus, oysters and picquito peppers. Good assortment of vegetarian disses as well. Gambas ajio was good but have had better. Sangria was good, some people make sangria to sweet but this was good and refreshing. We also had a nice Spanish tempinero reserva. Felt they could have had a larger selection of Spanish wines but this wine was quite good. Fun place to go for a large party. Would recommend future visits. read more

This is my husband and my all time favorite places. We have been coming here since before they expanded. We originally found it while looking for. A place for our rehearsal dinner. It's so quaint and the atmosphere is amazing. The staff treat us like family every time we come in. The drinks are always amazing. read more

Has the potential to become my cheers ! Anytime dining in Durham becomes a consideration or when guests arrive from out of town---we are there! Great flavor, interesting wines and staff are very approachable and cool. A must do! read more

Hostess was very rude. Needs some customer service training. Not very accommodating or friendly. Food was great, waiters were great. The Hostess (who should set the tone for the whole establishment) is not doing this business any good. read more

Excellent, authentically Spanish Tapas restaurant. I went with a colleague who has been to many tapas places across the world and so he picked from the menu. We got the Patatas Bravas, Bacon Wrapped Dates, Spicy Lamb Sausage, Mussels in Garlic Sofrito and the Spanish Cheese Tray. The greatest plate of them all was the dessert - we ordered Dark Chocolate Valencia Orange Ice Cream and it was absolutely, melt-in-your- mouth, so rich, so delicious some of the best ice cream I've had in a while. Also, a great selection of Spanish wines! Would definitely come back again to try more on the menu (or get the same things again) :) read more

Taberna Tapas - Dark Chocolate Valencia Orange Ice Cream...SO GOOD! - Spanish Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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We thoroughly enjoyed our tapas here. We tried 7 over the course of 2 hours because we couldn't make up our minds! Bacon wrapped Dates (5) - sweet, salty, delish! Gambas Salteado (4) - tasty, fresh with a little zip Lamp Chops with Creamed Parsnips (3 very small) - cooked perfectly, loved the creamed parsnips (who knew?) Calamari- good but least favorite of all Skirt Steak with Chimichurri-loved the flavors and the thin sliced potatoes on the side. Crab Cakes (3) more like croqettes, lots of crab, little fill, could've had more of these Crispy Pork Shoulder-tender, flavorful with crispy sweet potato strings Enjoyed the Old Fashioned made with Knob Creek too. We sat at the bar post-DPAC Motown matinee for an early dinner. They did fill up for pre-show and would recommend reservations. They are expanding next door, which they need. Very small and tight seating. Would definitely come back. read more

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Horrible service. My tapas were straight up frozen on the inside - they definitely serve frozen food. Just wasn't good. Never going again

Only the second night open, and things seemed to be running pretty smoothly at Taberna. Alcohol permits aren't yet in hand, but I imagine there will be some Spanish wines and sangria to look forward to soon. The space has been redone nicely; it's small, dim, and feels intimate. Music was only playing for part of the time we were there, and I think it needs a little something in the background, since the tables are close. The menu is large and pretty varied for a tapas-style restaurant. It's also amazingly affordable, with many items clocking in around $6-9. We explored a few of the categories (eg, Small Plates, Paella, Flatbread, Sandwiches, etc.) with our order. Everything came out of the kitchen as it was ready, and I felt it timed well. The first plates to arrive were the calamari and flatbread. The calamari has a heavy batter that my husband and I didn't care for; the serving was also pretty paltry -- maybe 15 pieces? I'd skip this dish next time. The flatbread, on the other hand, was fantastic. We got the one with tomato, goat cheese, and artichokes; really enjoyed the sweet raisins against the tang of the cheese. Next up was our paella, the Valencia. Finally! Chorizo done right!! Along with skewered shrimp and tender chicken, over rice and veggies, this was some of the best paella I've had in the Triangle. And I'd love to try the other varieties on the menu. The final dish to arrive was the flamenquine... hubby picked this, and I had a feeling I wasn't going to care for it (meat wrapped in meat). I was right; but he happily gobbled it up. Since I wanted to end on a high note, I ordered the Molten Chocolate Cake for dessert. Do not miss this! A generous portion for sharing arrived topped with whipped cream. Dip your spoon into the spongey cake, and into the rich, melted chocolate center. Such a treat. Aside from the food, the service was really wonderful. Mercedes chatted with us, made recommendations, and also kept us informed on our orders. Sadly, the brunch menus weren't yet ready; but after eating that chorizo, I can hardly wait to try a Sunday meal here! read more

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Came here for a birthday dinner, in a group of six. The ambience is really cool and lively, which was exactly what we were looking for. All of the tapas are delicious, and our waiter was really helpful in assisting us with our choices! Definitely get the paella if you come here; it is delicious and unique! The patatas bravas and octopus are also good, but you can't really go wrong with any if the choices. The price is a bit high for the portion sizes, but the food and service was good, so would recommend this place for nice nights out!, read more

If you love the Olive Garden then you have to check out Taberna!!! Unlike at Mateo, I've never needed a reservation and their waitstaff is the kind of quirky fun that you'd normally only get on a late night trip to the Waffle House! The manager there has definitely cultivated a unique, blue- collar vibe... A must visit! read more

Taber"not" the best place to eat. Tucked into the downtown Durham scene, Taberna Tapas occupies rather a small restaurant space. It's shape can only be described as narrow, though there were plenty of seating options when I came in for a weekday lunch. As for the food... Arugula salad: I was a fan of the interesting mix of flavors between slightly bitter leaves, sweet then sour sensations in the honey vinaigrette, and richness. This was my favorite dish of the day. Asparagus: the stalks were slightly over cooked, and the ham was too salty for my liking. Lamb: rather fatty meat that was not well-marbled. The foodstuff under it had a light mashed potato like flavor but a strange and off-putting aftertaste. Service was average and unremarkable. Unfortunately, only one out of three dishes left me with a good impression, and I don't believe I will be returning here anytime soon. read more

Really good! My sister and I were going to see a show at DPAC and wanted to try a new place for dinner. I read reviews on Yelp and Open Table. We were both pleased - I had the Tortilla Espanola, smoked salmon, and carne steak empenadas. My sister had pork and beef almondigas, Portobello mushroom with rice and goat cheese, and churros with chocolate sauce. It was reasonably priced, our server was great, and it was a short walk to the theater. read more

Taberna Tapas - Smoked salmon - Spanish Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

My husband and I popped in here real quick after walking around town. We sat at the bar and exchanged words with the excellent bartender. He made a perfect mojito, and made us laugh. Come to find out, he's the owner. Our food was exceptional. We were perfectly satisfied. Ordered another drink because of the good conversation. We will be coming back. The atmosphere is great, bathrooms were clean, clientele was respectful. read more

Had a great experience here; I think I like the vibe even better than at the bigger Mateo just down the street. This is a small, intimate place--probably not 15 feet across at its widest point. But the high ceilings keep it from feeling cramped. It has a nice dark atmosphere, with iron chandeliers casting a small, flattering glow. There are about ten seats at an L-shaped bar, plus tables all the way down the length of the room. There are a couple of tables for groups right at the front window looking out onto Main St., then the rest of them are away from the door. So when you try a new Indian place, you sample their chicken tikka masala. When you try a new tapas joint, you go for the patatas bravas. Those here were spot-on, with small chunks of nicely-crisped potatoes and some good heat behind the red sauce, which had a nice depth of flavor. Also had the clams and chorizo in a wine-garlic-spicy sauce. This was one of the best small plates I've had in some time. The clams were plump, the sauce was savory, and each clam had a generous slice of chorizo for that perfect ultra-salty bite. It was served with a few pieces of garlic bread to soak up the sauce. Wonderful! I also greatly enjoyed their white sangria, which is made to order--no pouring out of a pitcher. At $7 a glass, it was cheaper than anything else on the wine list and very tasty to boot. Service was right on and food comes out of the kitchen efficiently. I'll be heading back here many times I'm sure, to work my way through the rest of the menu. read more

Taberna Tapas - Clams and chorizo. Very seriously good. - Spanish Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Fly in drink so the bartender re made it and comped it, then we saw a cockroach on the wall. Getting two stars instead of one because the slow roasted wings were fantastic. read more

FABULOUS. This is the 5th time I've eaten there. Owner Chris E is intelligent and accepts suggestions. Jessica is a cute sassy waitress and XYZ?!! (I can't remember his name. Drat) welcomed us our first time. Wings are delicious. Short ribs to die for. Watermelon gazebo (damn auto correct) uber yummy. I could go on and on but I won't and I won't ENJOY!!!! Still a great place... do not miss out!!! YUM read more

Paella was the best thing on the menu by a mile, ordered about 12 different dishes and the only other one worth eating again would be the spicy lamb. Not good food overall. Service was lacking and slow. Place was crowded and tiny tables, too dark to read the menu and not chic enough to be a "cool tapas place". Would never go back there honestly. read more

We really enjoy going to Taberna Tapas. Their menu shows some real culinary creativity and isn't full of the usual Americanized deep-fried stuff that has infested so many "tapas" places of late. I'm a big fan of the Gambas a la Plancha and the Slow Roasted Pork. She always gets the Patatas Brava, and I have to act quickly if there's a hope I'll get any. Service is always quick and friendly, and the Main Street location is great for people watching. read more

Meh. We were fed, the octopus was decent, the rest was meh. With Mataos 500 feet away, I will skip this next time and go there.

Had dinner here before a DPAC show, and the food, staff, and experience were all excellent. Bacon-wrapped dates and roasted chicken wings, on the recommendation of our waitress, were foam-at-the-mouth good, and left us desperate to continue! We had roasted brussels sprouts with flamenquin and gambas, with chocolate mousse as dessert. Magnificent flavors and textures. The brussels spouts were a little salty, but that is a minor criticism. They were also having a special on certain bottles of wine, and I'm pretty sure we ended up with one for half-price - always a nice treat - and its flavor paired very well with our mains, as our waitress suggested. We'll be back here for sure. read more

Taberna Tapas - Dessert after a delicious tapas meal... - Spanish Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

So back in February precovid i had a reservation here on a Saturday night. When I arrived the door man couldn't find my reservation so I showed him the reservation email that i had on my phone. He said it didn't matter whether or not I had an email of the reservation because he couldn't find it according to their system so I went elsewhere. Tonight in September i decided to try them again as they recently reopened. I had made a reservation specifically for a table. This time not surprisingly a different doorman told me I could only sit at the bar which I can't do because of my back so once again I went elsewhere. I guess if they manage to stay open i will try again in another 7 months. read more

It was our first time here tonight. It was fabulous. Beautiful ambiance and vibe with phenomenal food. Seth was our server and he was excellent- informed, friendly and attentive. We had the Croquettas de Jamon, the Spicy Lamb Sausage, the Octopus (top 5 we've ever had), the Empanadas de Setas con Ajo (amazing!) and the Ostras Bravas . They were all flavorful and really enjoyable. We'll be back- probably this week- it was that good! read more

I was in Durham for work and noticed this restaurant right beside my hotel. I'm not the biggest fan of tapas because I always feel like I spend a ton of money only to be hungry by the end of the night but that was not the case with this restaurant. I shared four different tapas with a friend and 3 glasses of red wine. Let me tell you....experience was magical. I ordered the diablo chicken wings, fried calamari, chicken paella, and the chimichurri steak. Woah. Everything had SO much flavor. I always underestimate restaurants when they say their hot wings are hot but this place is not lying! I could barely get a sentence out after eating one of those wings and I kept going back for more. The steak....ugh! So flavorful and tender. The chicken paella was an entree but my goodness.. it was so delicious. I loved every bite. Excellent service and food! read more

Honestly the food was mehhh! Butt!!! The service blew me away. I forgot his name but he had a beard with some grey in it.. he wasn't even our bartender but he made us feel loved. Honestly guy was amazing! We were visiting from Atlanta and he suggested places for us to go and see. Are bartender who left earlier was great too. I was sad that they both left or we would have stayed longer ! Great service over all for both of them :) read more

Many of the tapas are quite delicious, and I do love dining in that area of downtown, nice urban feel when sitting next to the large windows. One star lost because of the wine list, which is deadly boring. So much so that I sometimes turn to cocktails, sad to do in a wine bar type place. Service more often than not very bad. Tapas arrive in completely random order, if at all. Once waited about 20 minutes for a cocktail, a Manhattan or Old fashioned, and it finally arrived with my clams and chorizo. I requested to enjoy my cocktail before my dinner, please, so they took the plate away and stashed it somewhere for it was returned 20 minutes later, cold and gelatinous. As other reviews noted, servers tend to mysteriously disappear for a good while, leaving diners to fend for themselves. This place has great potential-- please get your act together. read more

Food is just ok but what really got me was the bad service. Our server wasn't happy at all she even suggest the bring the check in the middle of my meal and no one was waiting for the table. Hope she gets trained in how to treat costumer. read more

Steak was cooked perfectly tender. The fried oysters cooked to crispy goodness. The chicken empanada was surprisingly flavorful. The crab baguette was a great addition. read more

Taberna Tapas - How picky are you? Doesn't matter with this eclectic menu. - Spanish Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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My husband and I ate here the Monday of Labor Day weekend. There were only 3 servers in the entire restaurant! One of them was doubling as a host. After getting our drinks, it took us 30 minutes for the server to take our food order. The salmon was dry, and the paella was over-salted. My favorite part of the meal was sitting next to the window and people watching. read more

Taberna Tapas - Tres Mares Paella - Spanish Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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First of all we had a reservation for 9:00, we got there 5 mins early, and our table wasn't ready yet. So we went to the bar for some drinks and waited.... 45 mins later we finally got a table! What the heck is the point of a reservation if you don't know how to make it work??? They couldn't care less that we had plans and were waiting for so long. Horrible host. Completely incompetent and had a young girl come get us and seat us and say "I'm sorry you had to wait" even though we all know it was his job and he should have made it right and apologized himself. We used to enjoy coming to this place... then they expanded, so did their prices, but sadly the food not only suffered it became ridiculous to buy. For example, 4 medium sized shrimp "tapas" (so no sides or accompaniments) for $12! First of all they were bland at best and second that's not a good price point for tapas unless you have at least 2 Michelin stars and are located in NYC. Everything on the menu was "ok" and wildly overpriced. We spend at least a week or 2 every year in Spain and Portugal so I expect you to know what you are doing when you put octopus on the menu.... WARNING! It was awful!! I had to send it back! It was so chewy and tasteless and had obviously been frozen for some time.... In conclusion, we won't return to Taberna. They are putting a bad taste in people's mouths when it comes to the wonderful bar foods of Spain and it's a tragedy. read more

We very much enjoyed our meal here. The sangria is absolutely delicious and so are the tapas! We lucked out and found a seat at the bar here during the last streetery event and we will definitely be going back! read more

Taberna Tapas has an amazing atmosphere and a great menu selection for resturant week. The service was great and food was really fresh and tastes amazing. read more

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Great food, better vibes! Tapas are the perfect solution for wanting small bites without sacrificing taste!