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.

Yum! My boyfriend and I split some dishes at the Federal and thoroughly enjoyed our experience. We…read morechose the classic cheeseburger with Swiss cheese and sauce on the side, a cubano, and the fried artichoke salad. Both the cheeseburger and cubano came with hefty servings of French fries fresh out of the fryer. Despite being a little salt heavy, they were flavorful and complimented the sandwiches well. The cubano and burger were both 3/5 for me but I enjoyed both. I'm not a huge meat fan... My boyfriend said they were excellent though! The fried artichoke salad is where I feel like I found my peace. The olives, tomatoes, salad dressing, and all other salad components were awesome. It tasted fresh and the ingredients complimented each other. The fried artichokes were a nice crunch too! I would be back to the Federal for the hot food and good vibes. Service was excellent here as well.

Bartender tonight was so accommodating. I came to watch the Duke UNC game and it was standing room…read moreonly. I'm 7 months pregnant and my feet started to hurt. There were customers at the bar who ordered a drink and thought that was enough to sit there the entire time. The bartender nicely asked them that if they weren't going to order more food or drink it would be polite if they gave up their seats to paying customers. I finally got to sit down and rest while I enjoyed the game. Great food and even better service!

I have been to the spot several time in various guises. It's a great location. This iteration seems…read morelike the best for the area: it's very family friendly, with tons of games and playground area for the younger set. I came at 5:45 on a Monday (because no other places are open on Mondays!), and was one of maybe four me. In the place. The rest were moms with one or two (or more!) kids, some waiting for dad to join them after work. I ate in a covered patio that in a few months will be too hot to endure. But tonight, mid-March, it's a sunny delight. I ordered a smashburger and a Kingstown Negroni. Drae stirred my drink and out the order in, and it arrived with fries just minutes later. Juicy double patty burger, caramelized onions, cheese, salt & pepper fries. Fresh and very tasty. WiFi was fast, music was smooth but subdued. (Think Sade and Barry White dueling. Wish I wasn't alone!) Kids were everywhere, but very well-behaved and in explore mode, which I find adorable! There are outside areas covered in open or tarps, clear flexi-glass walled off areas, and true "indoor" places you can watch TV in. Everything from Top Gear to REN & Stimpy. A great way to spend an early dinner/very late lunch.

Food was great and came out surprisingly fast. The curry fries were something different and…read moredefinitely worth trying. You can order right from your seat using your phone or place your order at the bar. The staff was very helpful, answered all of our questions, and did a great job explaining the menu. There's plenty of seating available, both indoors and outdoors, with covered and uncovered options depending on your preference.

I've been hearing about this Bull City Burger spot for over two months, (noted for their tasty…read moregrass-fed beef) and in watching the reviews -- I figured that the experience should be very pleasant; to the eyes and the palate. I was hoping I would not be disappointed. Downtown Durham on Parrish Street I do believe. I went there midday and there was a sparse lunch crowd already seated when I arrived. The warmly lit space presents nice aesthetic as you walk into the restaurant. A very chill and comfortable atmosphere. I love the bar and the mirrored wall nestled behind it. The spot is pretty laidback and very clean, but has a bit of a rustic nuance to it as well. I like that. The serving staff were extremely nice and helpful towards advising me in making my selection -- with me being a first-timer and all. I kept it simple...I chose the Classic Burger (pink) with pepper jack cheese, bacon marmalade, and as a side, I had to go with the Dirty Fries -- 'cause that's how I roll y'all. About the food: I have to say, the burger was staunchly built and crafted with artistry. Nice and tall with a seriously tasty bun encapsulating everything. Perfectly well-seasoned meat and the first bite was simply delightful. I noticed as I got towards the center of the meat, it was bit less juicy than the surrounding parts of the burger, but nevertheless still tasty. My Dirty Fries were delicious In the end; the experience as a whole was quite delightful and I would definitely like to go there again -- perhaps try a different burger to expand upon my experience with this place. Gotta try out That Bar y'all! I do recommend it for those who haven't had a chance to go by there to check it out.

I'm going to open by saying that the fun and humor of this restaurant is amazing. The interior is…read morenice and vibrant, with a perfect mix of minimalist and maximalist designs in the building (especially with the brewery apparatus being visible--which is awesome!!). Even before me an my party entered we could hear music playing from the building, which kept the vibes up! Moving onto the food, a certain menu item caught my eye. Something that I'm legally obligated to keep quiet about... but let tell you- this burger was Gooood. This "Signature Secret Burger" was rather unique, as it was like you took a pretty simple egg burger, and just ramped it up. My initial thought when I first tried it was that it was a burger squared, the mystery ingredients amplified the flavor to make such a savory meal. It wasn't to overbearing like many other burger places that I've visited, not immediately making me feel fat and full after taking a few bites. Our party also ordered a whole quart of fries, and they were SO GOOD!!! I'm a sucker for good fries, and you knocked this out of the park! Your fry soft was nice and mellow and complimented the fries perfectly. (And even afterwards, the fries warmed up really well and were still Really freakin' good!) Finally, during my visit, their anniversary event (Happy 15th By The Way ) and they were offering FREE DESSERT for someone who happened to sit in a randomly chosen seat. And by the luck of the gods my little brother found his way onto the seat! It was just really awesome to see a restaurant doing such awesome things for their birthday, y'don't see that every day! Overall, this place is definitely a place to stop by if you're in Durham. If you're in the area visit IMMEDIATELY if you love good fun food!

Listen... Was I forced to carb load this meal? Yes. But did I have a good time while doing so? Also…read moreyes. As a vegetarian, there were admittedly pretty limited options, but I was aware of that going in and still wanted to try out this Durham institution. You get complimentary Focaccia (not once, but twice!), with perfectly crusty outside, bouncy inside, and a wonderful olive oil. If I had known this beforehand, probably would not have ordered the Dinner Rolls- nonetheless, they were delightful (pillowy soft and came with an airy butter). As an appetizer, we got the Little Gem Lettuce, which was a little too salty for my taste, and I felt the citrus accentuated the saltiness even more. However, my friends thought it was seasoned well so take this with a grain of salt lol. But I did enjoy the creaminess of the dressing and the crunch from the topping; also, it was pleasant to eat along with some bread. For my entrée, I got the Spaghettini. This was my first time trying shaved black truffle and I was underwhelmed, but I loved the pasta itself, which had a really unique bite to it and was rich but not heavy. The pasta dishes are on the smaller side with regards to portion. Last but definitely not least: the Hot Chocolate Soufflé. Oh my gosh. When I say this was heavenly, I could literally hear angels singing as I took my first bite. The hot fudge was velvety but not overwhelming, the soufflé soft, and perfectly balanced by the cool bourbon-caramel ice cream. This is assembled table side so you get a fun little show as well haha. We were taken on a bit of an emotional rollercoaster because apparently they were having trouble with the oven, but so grateful that could be fixed. Service was amazing (shout out to Beza!), very friendly and appropriate timing. Ambiance is superb, literally the epitome of modern elegance and probably the best in Durham for a fancy night out. Highly recommend getting a reservation. I could see parking being tricky on busy weekends, but I was able to snag a spot in front of the restaurant. Overall, I had a good experience with some minor room for improvement with dish execution but definitely would appreciate more vegetarian and vegan-friendly options (although, I suppose I didn't ask if modifications to dishes was possible). 9/10 would recommend!

Get the buttermilk rolls appetizer! That was by far the best thing we had. Soft and fluffy inside…read morewith a perfectly buttery outside. The cocktails are overpriced ($20 Paloma), so I went with a single glass of wine that lasted me through dinner. For dinner, we had the Rye Tagliatelle and Wood Grilled Dry Aged NY Strip. The Tagliatelle was in a gravy style sauce that was a little rich for me and the steak was undercooked (ordered Medium Rare and came out Rare). The steak was also not the highest quality. We had high expectations going in since they made the Michelin list, and we left underwhelmed.

Landed on this place while on a short trip in Durham and the food was so good! I ordered the…read moremolletes with a cilantro pineapple marg. Solid combo! I loved the vibe inside and wish I could take a dive like this back home with me. The food also came out super fast and the workers were really cool!

This place is super cute!!!!! I was a group of friends at…read moreanother bar that doesn't serve food, so I knew I needed to have something on my stomach before consuming libations! When you walk in, you grab a menu at the door - order at the bar - and have a seat! I could not tell you what I ordered, I took the bartender's recommendation (since it was my first time there) I can't remember the name (I think it's called Mollette or something close to that - sorry), but it was like chicken tacos in bread (if that makes sense). You can order another meat type, I just ordered the chicken! I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!!!!! And the ladies that were working the bar - GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE! I will definitely go back again!

English: TL;DR: Beautiful atmosphere, fantastic coffee and…read morefood, thoughtful modern Latin flavors, amazing breakfast/dinner spot, and Fernando, the manager, is awesome. We've been to Aaktun in Durham multiple times for both breakfast and dinner, and it's honestly become one of our favorite spots. I'm Peruvian and grew up with Peruvian cuisine, so seeing lomo saltado -- a classic Peruvian dish -- on the menu immediately made me happy. Having also grown up in Mexico and lived in places like Miami, I really appreciate what they're doing with the menu: a modern, delicious take on Latin flavors that feels creative without losing what makes those cuisines special. The atmosphere is absolutely beautiful. You walk in thinking it's a stylish little coffee shop, then head toward the back and the whole place opens up -- gorgeous bar, tropical touches, cozy alcove seating, really cool vibe. One time we went with friends for a special dining experience they were offering, and it was excellent. The food, drinks, and whole experience were made even better by Fernando, the manager, who has always been incredibly warm, helpful, and accommodating. Highly recommend Aaktun for breakfast or dinner. Still haven't made it there for lunch somehow, but at this point we'd be shocked if it wasn't great too. Spanish: TL;DR: Lugar precioso, café y comida excelentes, sabores latinos con un toque moderno muy bien logrado, y Fernando, el gerente, es increíble. Ya hemos ido varias veces a Aaktun en Durham para desayuno y cena, y sinceramente se ha vuelto uno de nuestros lugares favoritos. Soy peruano y crecí con la cocina peruana, así que ver lomo saltado -- un plato clásico peruano -- en el menú me hizo muy feliz. Además, habiendo crecido en México y vivido en lugares como Miami, me encanta reconocer cómo integran sabores latinos con una propuesta moderna y de fusión. Se siente creativa, diferente y sobre todo riquísima. La atmósfera además es espectacular. Entras pensando que es una cafetería bonita y acogedora, pero luego caminas hacia atrás y el lugar se abre por completo: un bar hermoso, detalles tropicales, mesas tipo alcove... una vibra buenísima. Una vez fuimos con unos amigos para una experiencia especial de cena que estaban ofreciendo y la pasamos increíble. La comida, las bebidas y toda la experiencia fueron aún mejores gracias a Fernando, el gerente, que siempre ha sido súper amable, atento y servicial. Recomendamos muchísimo Aaktun para desayuno o cena. Todavía no hemos ido para almorzar, pero honestamente nos sorprendería mucho que no estuviera igual de bueno.

"Part Dos - Mostly great, with a few exceptions"…read more Food temp is major in my book. While many of the food options were hot, several were not, and I believe that impacted the overall dining experience. We ordered classic breakfast and jerk chicken lunch options. For drinks: Cappuccino and Mango Refreshers. The good: (1) Fried rice - which accompanied the jerk chicken (served hot). While simple, the slightly earthy and bitter (in the best way possible) from the braised/steamed baby bok choy perfectly accompanied the earthy mushroom, and complex soy inspired fried rice. So good - this could be a vegan or meat side entree unto itself - IMO. (2) Scrambled Eggs - If you enjoy large curds of gently scrambled eggs - this is for you. While we enjoyed the remaining options for portion size and flavor, we did note that the temperature was cool to mid - which impacted overall flavor. Jerk Chicken: we understand this is a jerk inspired interpretation. With that being said, the most interesting flavor was limited to the crispy skin. Perhaps the chicken was immersed in a salt brine and basted with a jerk flavoring? We loved the white (perhaps mayo based sauce), and accompanied pickled red onion. But baby, the food temp. Yucca fries - if you're unfamiliar - are the baby of a green plantain and white potatoes. While good, they were not hot. Maybe could have benefited from a unique sauce? Food service good. But the biggest miss was the cheese hash browns and Mango Refresher. Hash brown (cheese) room temp, and tough - Mango Refresher - too tart and not worth the cost. As far as ambience: Customers were Hip, sexy, multi ethnic , and included old and young. We loved our waiter. Overall, a little disappointing especially considering we loved our first coffee breakfast visit so much. Not sure if it was an off day or we just prefer other menu options. However, we'd definitely visit again! Brunch/lunch: 4.2

I have been to Little Bull several times and the meal is always consistent. I come here often and…read morebring friends here all the time. First the ambiance. It's cute. Small and the patio is so cute. The only downside is the a/c inside doesn't work well and it was hot. The drinks are craft and well done. I can always count on a solid cocktail here. The food is so good and perfect for sharing. My go to dishes are the gambas (shrimp), the barbacoa is my absolute favorite, the octopus and either the crudo or ceviche. This is more than enough food for 2 people. The food and drinks are consistent. I recommend making a reservation on OpenTable ahead of time as it can be crowded on any given day. They are kind and accommodating if you don't have a reservation, but you may have to wait. This is a Durham staple for me.

What a fun experience! We found Little Bull because we're huge Top Chef fans and Oscar was my…read morefavorite contestant this season. Naturally, we had to check out his place in Durham. It's an intimate setting with beautiful gothic decor. The menu is unique and eclectic, built on authentic comfort food. We made reservations on a busy Saturday evening and snagged one of the last ones about 2 weeks in advance. What we ordered: -Arepas: crispy and flavorful -Ay Papa: our favorite bite of the night -Barbacoa: fun to eat! And tons of meat, make sure you dig way into the banana leaf -Ceviche: bright and fresh, the leche de Tigre has a spicy, creamy, and pleasant finish I also had a delicious Orange Creamsicle inspired cocktail and a Oaxacan Old Fashioned. Everything was outstanding! A truly unforgettable experience. One thing that really stood out to me was Oscar was there! Yes, I completely fangirled! This was special to me though because it's evident how much love and care he puts into his restaurant, and the rest of the staff the same! Our waiter, Davon, killed it. Can't wait to go back here and check out his other spot.