Was so excited to try this place tonight with my girlfriend. The ambiance is great- there is indoor and outdoor seating. We made a reservation for a Thursday at 7pm and probably didn't need to but we were seated almost immediately. The outdoor patio is perfect. The wait staff was amazing. Unfortunately, the food was just okay. The prices are pretty high for the amount- appetizers were 15 dollars on average and main plates ranged from 25-40 dollars. We split 2 appetizers and a main course and our total was 60. The feta and bread app we got was not worth it. It came with 6 small very hard and thin slices of a baguette and a dip. It was just okay at best. The Brussel sprout and beet app we got was delicious and I would order this again, but for 15ish dollars maybe not. The main dish was Japanese eggplant and it was also just ok. The overall flavor was good but wasn't a lot of food and cost around 27 dollars. Overall, we were disappointed with the amount of food we got for the price and would have to think about coming back again. Parking is easy thankfully and there were plenty of spots. My girlfriend was disappointed and reported that she's unlikely to return. read more

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Ambiance was astounding. Food was pretty good. Service was excellent. I got the steak and it was cooked to perfection. And the mashed potatoes! Delicious. My s/o got the braised lamb. So much food that she couldn't finish it but the flavor was off the chart. Sometimes the service took a little time to come by but they always checked on us and kept making sure we were doing ok. read more

I wanted to like this restaurant, and it has a lovely patio and staff, but at the end of the day, I go out to dinner for good food and Tandem was unfortunately disappointing. We made a reservation for a Thursday night and were given the choice to sit outside or inside. We're glad we picked outside because the patio was beautiful. The servers were friendly and prompt and made recommendations. The biggest disappointment, and reason for the low rating however, was the food. This restaurant is expensive- apps range from $12-20, salads $15-20 and entrees $30-50. For the price and the atmosphere, I'd expect excellent dishes. We ordered the feta appetizer which was disappointingly small with hard stale bread and maybe 2 tbsp worth of feta. The brussel sprout and beet salad was good, but again quite small. Finally, the eggplant entree was plated beautifully but consisted mostly of crunchy couscous and sauce and little eggplant. Overall, I'd rather explore a different restaurant than give this spot a second chance and it's unfortunate because I wanted to like it. read more

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We really enjoyed our recent dinner at Tandem. We had the cauliflower appetizer and cheese plate which were both excellent. My husband had the steak for dinner which was delicious. The atmosphere is warming and relaxing and the service was very nice and attentive. We will certainly be back! read more

Very good brunch menu Solid bloody menu Had the eggs, smash potato with bacon and toast Smash potato has a great taste with the rosemary read more

Excellent Thanksgiving lunch. Very good cocktails, nice wine list,q outstanding turkey and sides, attentive service. Nice location within the old mill. We'll be back. read more

Outstanding in every respect. We have a client that will only bring their people here to eat when they're in town.

Came to Tandem several times with my partner and we enjoyed the mussels and steak. However, our experience left such a bad taste in the restaurant that we will never go back again. We reserved a table for 7 for dinner. We arrived and were told that they were getting the table ready and it will only take 5 minutes. This was very suspicious considering we made a reservation in advance but if it just 5 minutes, it shouldn't be an issue. 15 minutes pass and I go to front desk to ask again why we are not able to be seated. She continued to say that they were still getting the table ready and that this time it will take 5 minutes. Another 15 minutes pass and this time I am a bit concerned. I am an avid foodie and I have never had to wait for a reservation, let alone this long. A bit flustered, I go up to the receptionist again to ask questions. Why are we waiting this long? After back and forth conversations, she finally told us that there was a table there. Ridiculous! Not sure why we decided to wait another 15 minutes, maybe because I vouched for the restaurant and had good faith that maybe they will pull through. They never reached out to us. It was always me having to talk to the receptionist. I don't mean to make it a race issue but it was very suspicious when there was no large party leaving the table and when FOUR other large parties (White) were seated before us (Asian American). Finally, after 45 minutes, we sit down only for a waitress for the table next to ours to spill STEAK BLOOD/JUICE on one of our friends. Ridiculous logistical and management issues that the manager would not specify why this happened. All the questions I had asked were never answered. Safe to say, we will never be going back to this restaurant again. read more

Brought my Mother and Aunt here for dinner and it was fabulous. They both said it was like having a home cooked meal! The short rib is fantastic and my aunt loved her lamb. This is a great restaurant and I absolutely will be back! Only negative is their beer prices are way too high. $9-10 for a pint of beer is a little ridiculous. Not enough to detract from the amazing food. read more

Special Occasion Celebratory Dinner? Tandem. Date Night on a Tuesday? Tandem. Trying to impress your boss? Tandem. You literally cannot go wrong by choosing to dine at Tandem in Carrboro for any occasion. Tandem does Farm to Table dining on a level second to none in Carrboro featuring rotating menu items and decadent seasonal specials. Some personal favorite constant menu items are the Braised Short Ribs, and the Steamed Mussels! Make a reservation. You won't regret it! read more

Tandem - Braised Short Ribs and Seasonal Special of Fresh Veggie Risotto - New American Near Me - Carrboro, North Carolina

Great food and extremely friendly service. Went for lunch and given it was a bit pricey the food all tasted great, I personally got the burger and everything from the extremely rich brioche bun to the exceptionally seasoned fries were fantastic. Interior is very nice and honestly much larger than I had expected looking at the door from outside. Would definitely recommend. read more

I've been to Tandem 4 different times since 2018, and the quality remains the same. Each time I went, I always ordered the best thing on the menu which is the super/dinner for two or four. Now the dinner for two is $78, I'm not sure if that was the same price back in 2019 and 2018, but it seems like the prics may have gone up. So $78 for the price of two people what do you get? (Is what you are thinking) For $78 you receive 5 items: 16oz of beef ribeye 16oz of bone in beef short rib A modern romaine salad A healthy serving of bone marrow dip serve in this cool looking pottery jar & A french oven pot LOADED with homemade mash potatoes and a vegetable medley consisting of broccoli, mushrooms and some very crispy yet tender parsnips cubes. The quality and serving has remained the same since the first time I had it back in 2018. It's a very delicious and fullfilling dish. The veggies taste equally great as the meat. Altogether its ensemble cast of items that make an epic dish to be tried at least once. It still hits the spot every time I get it, but that first time was the most memorable to me. Also, the service has always been great too. If you end up a Tandem I strongly recommend the super for 2. read more

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Tandem catered our reherasal dinner, cocktail hour, and wedding reception, and they did an excellent job. The food was a priority for us, so we were willing to spend a good portion of our budget on it. Emma was thoughtful and very prompt to respond to emails. In the planning stages, I generally felt well cared for. There were only two times when I had difficulty: Several months before the wedding, we were told that we would be able to rent bowls from Tandem for $12 a piece and steak knives for $2 a piece. I had gotten quotes from rental companies, and with delivery fees it seemed to even out, so I decided to go with Tandem's rentals. A few weeks before the wedding, I asked Emma for a final quote so that we could make the remaining payment. In this new quote, the bowls were suddenly $20 and the steak knives were $2.50. When I asked her why the price had increased (with no prior notice), she stated that "the cost of the product has increased" because the bowls were from Asheville, and somehow the rental for steak knives had increased as well? With only a few weeks until the wedding, I felt blindsided, because time was running short to make different arrangements. I ended up buying 30 bowls of a similar size from Costco and selling them back to my venue, because Tandem's price change was just ridiculous. The other difficulty with communication happened only a couple of days before the wedding, when Emma asked for a list of our rentals (most of which were provided by our venue), and we found that we were missing many items that would be necessary for the food service. This was very stressful for me, and I wish that the conversation had been initiated earlier. However, in the end, Emma was able to provide the needed rentals for a reasonable price. For the rehearsal dinner, we had a buffet for 15 people with salad, Moroccan chicken, 72-hour braised beef, salmon with dill beurre blanc, smoked Japanese eggplant, seasonal vegetables with couscous, and mini desserts (cheesecake, chocolate mousse, strawberry cake). The quality of this buffet was OUTSTANDING. I could not have asked for a better array of dishes; truly, there was not a single item that was not above average in flavor. They delivered the trays on time, and the food stayed warm throughout dinner. The cocktail hour was also impressive. We had three passed appetizers: spring rolls, duck confit figues tartine, and eggplant caviar bruschetta. They were all delicious, but it seemed like the eggplant bruschetta was not passed around as much as the others, because we had a TON of leftovers and guests complained that they never had the chance to try it. We also had a raw bar with fresh oysters (sweet and delicious!!), shrimp cocktail, and mini crab claws. The crab claws were quite expensive, but they tasted soggy and not fresh, so I wish that we had not gotten them. For dinner, we had three plated options: filet mignon, bouillabaisse, chicken, and butternut squash risotto. Everything was delicious except for the bouillabaisse, which was unfortunately what I had ordered. I should have just used one of Tandem's signature or suggested dishes for the seafood entrée, but my family likes bouillabaisse, and we had a French cuisine theme going, so we had requested it specifically. The fish was cooked well, but as a white fish I didn't think it was very flavorful. The mussels, clams and shrimp were all overcooked, mushy, and stringy. The broth had a nice, strong saffron flavor, but I just had this sense that something was missing. Looking back, I should have recognized that bouillabaisse is difficult to execute at scale. However, I had also trusted Tandem to make every dish equally excellent, as they had promised. All in all, I am very happy that we went with Tandem. Looking back, I would have done a few things differently (would not have gotten the crab claws or the bouillabaisse), but as everything else was spectacular, I think we made a good choice in hiring them for our wedding. read more

Fun for dinner always but this time business lunch (my go to in Carrboro). Soup and sando combo, great vibe, spot-on server.

Tandem is a gem! Beautiful setting, fantastically prepared interesting food, and good service all for a reasonable price mean you can't go wrong here. The Mussels were fresh and generously portioned and both the Smoked Beets and Brussels salad as well as the Cauliflower were all unusual and delicious preparations. For entrees, the Shared Steak Supper for Two was more than enough for 3 of us and we were grateful for our server's warning that we didn't need another entree. For dessert, we tried both the Beignets and Chocolate Pudding, which were fine, but probably the least remarkable of the meal. A private room and outdoor seating are is also available for those looking for a options beyond the standard dining room. read more

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Been to Tandem several times over the years (within the first few months of it opening) and overall, I am always please with the meal and ambiance. I've dined for both brunch, lunch, and dinner, along with attending a private party for my coworker's engagement party. Every time the food was stellar, always cooked properly and plated beautifully. The only reason for 4 instead of 5 stars is that the service can be hit or miss. I've had some of the best service in the triangle, and I've also had to go up to the host to get the bill for our table because the server just kind of disappeared (this was post-pandemic so I know it was tough for restaurants hiring). If this place was cheaper, I could forgive the misses on service. For the price though, you want it perfect everytime. I'll still go back to Tandem, for sure, but maybe just ask for a more experienced server. read more

This is the fourth time I've been to Tandem (once for brunch, three times for dinner) and I have to say I prefer brunch to dinner. Dinner is more expensive, but that's to be expected for the higher end of dining in carrboro (and being one of the few options for finer dining). I got the flounder special which came with butternut squash purée and Brussels sprouts with a rich buttery sauce. The sauce did not go well at all with the butternut squash and the flavors really clashed. The flounder was meh, but it was a little dry. It would have been better with the sauce but that got all soaked up in the butternut purée and didnt allow the flavors the blend well between the fish and the sauce. The pancetta and brussel sprouts really saved the dish - they were excellent. I'm not a wine snob, but was a little disappointed that they ran out of the most affordable glass of rosé and it took so long to get a glass of wine. Saturday night is not a good time to be understaffed at the bar! It would be nice to have more options for the one by the glass. If they had less bottles of wine and more glass options, I think we would come here more frequently for appetizers and drinks. If you go to dinner, your best option is either stick to appetizers or get the steaks or two, as that's where Tandem really shines. The mussels were amazing - so flavorful and the broth was unreal. My friend came the week before and said the chickpea fritters are to die for. The beef and lamb options are so succulent with a gorgeous presentation on a big wooden board. The appetizers are full of unique flavors and interesting mixes of ingredients. The meat options come with great sides - The accompanying mashed potatoes and root vegetables are delightful. One nitpicky thing...my favorite thing about tandem is the ambiance. The eclectic lighting and chic decorations in the main room make me so happy. But last night we were seated in the albeit more spacious but very bright side room in the back. The lights were SO bright and totally ruined the ambiance you want on a Saturday date night - that you would definitely get in the main room. The tl;dr version: come for a drink and an appetizer to save money on date night and still have a great vibe at the bar or high top tables. If you want dinner, go for the steak for two. read more

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We were in town for a wedding and needed a place that could take a party of 10, so we went here. The service was fantastic, nice atmosphere, but the food did NOT impress anyone in our group. Some over cooked, some assembled haphazardly...not at all what you'd expect for the price. Very disappointing for almost everyone in our group. From pictures we saw posted by others, maybe we hit a day when the cooks weren't the usual?? read more

This was a really nice spot. The ambiance was great and would be great for a date night or even just friends night out. The food was fair, I may not have liked the texture of my food as much as I would've wanted to. Otherwise, it's a pretty nice location. read more

Tandem - Salmon Dinner - New American Near Me - Carrboro, North Carolina

Service and food were both excellent. We had the fried chicken Benedict with smashed potatoes. Yum! The hollandaise sauce had an excellent flavor, the chicken was juicy and delicious, and the potatoes were packed with flavor. We also thought the kale salad that accompanied the Benedict had a nice vinegar and spice kick that paired well with the dish, though not great as a stand-alone side. My only complaint was that the drinks were terribly overpriced and I don't think the bartenders know exactly what an aperol spritz is. Also, a mimosa for $12?? Not when I can buy a bottle of champagne for that. I'd definitely return, but I'd do my drinking elsewhere. read more

Bitter taste after a celebratory meal. I have visited Tandem for dinner a few times, and my expectations have been met every time except the most recent one. I came here with my family to celebrate my recent graduation. We like to celebrate accomplishments and landmarks with a nice meal with fresh ingredients, cocktails, and ambiance. Our most recent experience at Tandem fell very short of these expectations -- not because of the quality of food, but because of the disingenuousness of the restaurant. Price-Gouging: We made a reservation for 4 and were informed (on OpenTable) that there'd be a $50/pp cancellation fee if canceled less than 48 hours in advance. Fine -- graduation weekend, high demand for tables, that's steep but understandable. We arrive for our reservation and are seated on the patio, supplied with cheap patio furniture and folding chairs. This is not akin to the rest of the interior dining room and feels like an afterthought. We are handed menus that have only a few starters and a few mains respectively, which was pared down from their normal menu. The selection is passable but missing some standout items like the shrimp, pork belly starter, and steak main dishes. Disappointing. The coup de grâce came when we realized the prices -- HEAVILY inflated, to the point of price gouging. For example, the eggplant main dish is normally $28, as listed on their menu on the website and normal menu. For Saturday night, it was $41. Every main dish was at least $13 more than the normal price. I have never felt so misled and gouged in my years of dining at respectable, well-established restaurants. It's one thing if you post a special event (Graduation Weekend/Mother's Day) menu on your website, and inform diners when they make a reservation. But it's absolutely unacceptable to pull a fast one and A) charge an exorbitant cancellation fee of $50/pp, when Tandem normally doesn't charge a fee; and B) inflate the menu prices by about 50%. The food: consistent, fresh, and of normal quality for Tandem. All the food was good and on par with the quality that Tandem turns out. Service: Disorganized and slow. In addition to the massive transgression of inflating the prices for dinner, the waitstaff was disorganized and slow. Starters came out well before and drinks came. Waitstaff started explaining dishes that were not ordered. All in all, it's a shame that the food at Tandem is good because the ethics of this establishment is seriously messed up. I will be taking my business somewhere else at least until they reconcile their transgression and apologize to all diners from that weekend. I feel ripped off and taken advantage of. If the Tandem staff thinks their behavior is okay, they should not be in the restaurant industry. No other restaurant in the Triangle did anything of this nature for the Graduation weekend. Shame on Tandem. read more

I came here for brunch, lunch, dinner and thanksgiving dinner. But all I can say is this place has became THE place for brunch. The brioche French toast and eggs Benedict with gravy is just out of this world. When I come here I have to order both. The service has been great too. Lunch, dinner and thanksgiving dinner was something I would never go back. But brunch is where the money is. read more

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A lovely place for Sunday brunch, albeit pricey. They have a nice outdoor patio that you have to request when you make your reservation; otherwise you'll eat inside. The strongest part of our brunch was our server. When the cold brew coffee tasted kind of sour, like diner coffee that's been sitting too long, and we talked about how cinnamon smooths out even bad coffee, she offered to bring us fresh ones, and when we refused, she brought more milk and a simple syrup with cinnamon, which turned mediocre cold brew into something delicious. When I suggested adding scallops and grits for those of us who are allergic to shrimp, she said it was a great idea and would pass it on. She had no issues with requests for simple variations (like plain hollandaise instead of horseradish). I had the salmon benedict, and it was perfect. A great contrast between the perfectly poached eggs with the smooth sauce, and the salty kick of the delicious smoked salmon and slight tang of the spinach. Friends who had the fried chicken benedict and shrimp and grits had similarly positive things to say about the food. I'm taking one star off only because there was a lasagna spill right outside the door, no doubt takeout from someplace else the previous day, that was still there when we left. At these prices and with the cool ambiance of this place and impeccable service, it was a jarring note of carelessness. read more

The food was excellent, the crab stuffed deviled eggs and smoked potato salad, in particular. We will definitely come back to try the outdoor patio, which is lovely! One thing- I didn't love that the bartender/waitress was not wearing a mask. If the restaurant is requiring that employees vaccinate, then I'm good, but there's really no way for me to know that. The restaurant should really realize that non masked employees coming up and talking over your table is a little uncomfortable for guests. read more

4.5 stars! Plenty of parking and quick service. Our party of four had a reservation for Sunday brunch but probably would've been ok as walk-ins. Food was good. French toast was so fluffy and cake-like in texture. Shakshuka was fine, eggs were perfectly poached but wish it came with more bread. A nice, treat-yourself place overall. read more

Tandem - Fried chicken benedict - New American Near Me - Carrboro, North Carolina

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Tandem's brunch is one of my absolute favorite area brunches, but it puts me into an incomparable food coma that renders me utterly useless so I dock them a star for that. If you order anything here that doesn't come with a smashed potato, you're doing life wrong. My favorite order is the Mediterranean omelet, which is ridiculously fluffy and gooey and delicious. My son claims that Tandem makes the best scrambled eggs he will ever eat in his life, so while I fervently hope he's not ruined for other eggs forever, they ARE pretty damn good. Brunch drinks are $$$, weak, and small, so maybe skip that part. read more

An absolutely delicious dining experience marred by horrendous service. To call our server inattentive would be a gross understatement. The food did not disappoint--crab stuffed deviled eggs, Atlantic salmon, club sandwich--every dish was perfect. But our server, who informed us she was new, appeared at the start to take our order and at the end to deliver the check. Not one single check in with us during the meal. There's no excuse for this lack of service, not even being a new server. Also--there didn't appear to be anyone managing front of house. So, no one else seemed to be paying attention to the diners or overseeing how a new employee was doing. We will probably give Tandem another try because the food is delicious, but if the service level remains the same, that'll be it for us. :( read more

Tandem - Atlantic salmon - New American Near Me - Carrboro, North Carolina

We had a wonderful time. Skyler was fantastic. He was very attentive and knowledgeable of the menu. Food was great, and it was a very pleasant atmosphere. Would definitely go again. read more

My favorite place to eat in Carrboro, the best salmon ever! Burgers are amazing. Rosemary fries are amazing. Desserts are amazing , everything is fresh! Also best oysters! And Tuesday drink special Outdoor seating, fun bar, waiters are kind and knowledgeable read more

We came here for the first time on Friday night. We had a reservation, and waited a few minutes to be seated. The restaurant has a nice ambiance, however we were seated in a small back room that felt different from the rest of the restaurant. It felt like an overflow area, with an emergency exit and bright lighting. If the lights had been dimmed by half, maybe with some candles on the tables, it could have felt like an exclusive private room, but instead it felt more like a cafeteria. We started with the deviled eggs, I got the burger and my husband got the roast chicken. The deviled eggs were so good! And the fries with the burger were incredible. My husband said the chicken wasn't quite what he was expecting for the price, but not bad. The service was excellent. Overall we had a good experience here, but in the future I would request to be seated in a different area of the restaurant. read more

I've been to Tandum serveral times for dinner and 1 time for brunch. Dinner was amazing the mashed potatoes and steak and ribs tasted so good I had to take leftovers home. They also had a cheese board that tasted very good. Service is good. For brunch they don't have lattes so coffee is not something I would have again here I believe I had a cappuccino. They don't have oat milk as an option for coffee. Whatever I had it didn't taste too good I think the coffee wasn't rich in flavor or strong enough of a concentration. For brunch I had eggs and toast it was very good. My company got a BLT and wasn't a fan of the bacon. It wasn't crispy, it's definitely different and not something to order if you want crispy bacon. Overall I like this place and would go again. read more

I enjoyed the Sunday Brunch very much! I met two cousins there yesterday, and we sat on the patio. We all got different dishes, and everyone cleaned their plates! I liked my Mediterranean omelet a lot. The coffee was good, too. The service was solid. I look forward to going back! read more

Super tasty this place has an awesome menu and lots to choose from, we left full and wanted to go back again before we left town. They don't owe us anything we will be back. read more

Graduation dinner. Food was amazing (farm chicken). Service friendly and efficient. Would return.

We were visiting a friend who recently located to Chapel Hill from Florida. We met here for lunch and sat on the patio. The place is located in Carr Mill Mall in Carrboro. I ordered Cobb salad based on the waitress' recommendation and it was really good. My guy got the Brisket Sandwich with a salad instead of potato salad and our friend got the club with fries. Everything was good including the service. It was a lovely day on the patio and we enjoyed our visit & the service. read more

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Went for lunch on a weekend. Not a very memorable meal at all. The restaurant itself looks fairly nice, and it has a parking lot so those are the biggest draws for the area. I would not say to go out of your way to come here, but if you're looking for a fairly casual restaurant with okay food then consider here. read more

Great vibe and food, would go back for sure! The lamb sausage stuffed calamari and cauliflower appetizers were excellent. All entrees were beautifully plated and tasted superb. Very nice mix of northern African and Americans flavors. read more

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Amazingly prepared fresh food in a relaxed atmosphere. Service was great. A must if you like farm to table food.

I attended a rehearsal dinner at Tandem - family style meals. The staff was so incredibly helpful with my severe food allergies. They talked me through my meal, made a separate plate for myself and my boyfriend and kept me so safe. read more

I came in for brunch and told the staff about my food allergies multiple times. I told them explicitly of my dairy and egg allergy and emphasized not to use these products. I reacted to the simple avocado toast I ordered and notified the server. An hour later I went into full anaphylactic shock, with a near death experience and was in the emergency room for the entirety of the day. This is very disappointing considering I was explicit with my allergies over and over. This allergic reaction was due to carelessness and I will never recommended this place to anyone or eat here again. read more