TLDR; Service: good. Food: fine. Worth the price: no. So, hadn't been on a date night in a while, and this place was actually recommended to my SO from a coworker for a nice date night. We got dressed up and hit the town! The outside of the restaurant has an almost tavern feel, but the inside is small and quaint. The hostess was a little frazzled, but very nice, and got us seated fairly quickly. There was no wait as long as we sat by the bar. Which is actually what was recommended to my SO anyway. We were lead up and seated and our drink orders were taken immediately with menus while we waited for the waitress, which was not a long wait at all. Side note; they have two types of ginger ale (which is my drink of choice ha-ha), home brewed and spicy. I got the home brewed and it was incredible. Best ginger ale I have ever had. Highly recommended IF you like ginger, not just canned gingerale. It's also sold by the glass; no free refills. They didn't tell me that but I should have assumed and didn't mind. The ambiance and small and intimate, it's rather dark but still enough candle-like light to see the menu. It was quite literally next to the bar. But somehow with the ambiance the lack of space didn't seem to bother us much, there was plenty of footroom, that's all that matters, really. When trying somewhere new, we typically share an appetizer, an entree and a dessert. My SO also always asks for recommendations. The waitress immediately asked about any dietary restrictions; I let her know I need to avoid anything spicy. She said "Well nothing on our menu is spicy so that is easy." She recommended the beef carpaccio (raw beef) dish, the Vietnamese spring rolls, and two other dishes I can't remember because we ordered the carpaccio and spring rolls. I had never had raw beef before but it sounded interesting. We also ordered the crispy NC fish as an entree (red snapper). The carpaccio and spring rolls came out first, and together. The carpaccio was very spicy. I don't think it was peppercorns, I think it was something else. It was dark so I couldn't see exactly what was so spicy - I think it was the dark sauce. But regardless it was hot hot hot in my mouth. The Vietnamese spring rolls were interesting. My SO said there were too "raw" for him (not enough meat, too much green), but that's per his taste. I liked them okay but wish there was more shrimp. I also could not dip them in either of the sauces they were served with. My SO tried both dips for me because the carpaccio was spicy; he said both sauces had a spice. So the spring rolls were ultimately a disappointment. The crispy NC red snapper came next. It was cool, because the whole fish was cooked in tact, and I've never been served a fish like that. The flavors did not do it for me though. I think there was a lot of cilantro, maybe, or some other herb that doesn't do it for me. The fish itself wasn't spicy but the sauce and veggies it was laid in were spicy. The carrot salad side it was served with was spicy. The jasmine rice is was served with was the only think NOT spicy I was served all night, which was disappointing as the waitress said nothing was spicy. Everyone has different tastes, but I was given an expectation and none of the food met it. We chose not to get a dessert. My SO wished we had gotten an additional appetizer because he was still hungry but none of the dessert selections stuck out to us. I got two gingerales over the meal and my SO got a coke (which did have refills). Our total was 69.00 and some change. With tip we paid 83.00 for the meal. We would not go back. The waitress was nice and the ambiance was cool but the food tasted like things we could make at home, AND was too spicy for me after being told nothing was spicy at all. With how much we paid we would go elsewhere in the future. The food isn't bad I don't think. But the combinations above in addition to it just maybe not being our kind of food to taste made it not a winner for us. I'm rounding up from 2 1/2 stars. read more

The decorations were pretty and fusion-y. It's dimly lit and dark but still light enough to see the menu (thank goodness). The place is super small, but when we went around 5:45-6pm there were still tables open around us maybe because it was so early. The food was par. Not bad but not anything extraordinary. People have been saying the dumplings are really good and maybe it's because I'm asian having tried gazillions of dumplings throughout my life - 'meh' is the only word I can think of to describe my feelings for them. I had the chicken dish which was pretty good, but it's not something that would make me want to go back for it again. The place is unique, being an upscale asian fusion restaurant in Chapel Hill but it somehow just didn't quite meet my expectations. Nonetheless, the food and service were both good - just not good enough to make me want to go back. read more

2.5 stars is all I can give Lantern... While it's clear that they use high quality ingredients and are putting out a better product than most places, our experience was seriously mediocre on several fronts. The big take-away is that it is ridiculously overpriced for what you get... Service was friendly and attentive, though when I asked the server whether he liked the chicken or steak dish best, he simply said "the steak" but could not provide any reason or breakdown of the dish other than saying "it's just better." Thus, I suspect, he was simply directing me towards the higher priced dish... Tea and cocktails were good. Also had an asparagus appetizer with slow cooked egg, thin sliced crispy country ham, miso-hollandaise, and lightly roasted cherry tomatoes. It was excellent and perfectly seasoned. Though they served it with chopsticks and forks. Between the egg and hollandaise, this dish definitely needed a spoon and possibly some other food medium with which to soak up everything on the plate. I'm shameless so I used my finger. My boo was proud of me for not simply licking the plate. I'm proud of me too... Entrees were a serious disappointment. I got the "Japanese steakhouse-style seared Niman Ranch flat-iron steak - crispy spinach, ponzu sauce, warm green tea sushi rice, sea salt." Steak was cooked perfectly though it was a little tough and definitely a ridiculously small portion. It also came with roasted shallots that were not listed on the menu, and if they had not been on the plate, this dish would have been severely lacking in flavor. Also the rice portion was maybe 1/2 cup. Overall, there simply wasn't enough food on the plate nor was it executed well enough to warrant the $32 price tag. I'm an average sized guy with a normal appetite. I finished my plate (after eating most of the appetizer as well) and was still pretty hungry... My boo got the "Crispy whole NC flounder Châ cá la Vong - hot chile, fresh turmeric, dill, fried shallots, roasted peanuts, spicy heirloom carrot salad, jasmine rice." Again, the description sounded great, but the dish was completely underseasoned and lacking in flavor. I didn't see any fried shallots on the plate. The "spicy heirloom carrot salad" was just strips of shaved carrot that tasted like vinegar and nothing more; totally weak. The fish was dry. And I didn't understand the point of crispy frying it to then lay it in a pool of sauce so that by the time you flipped the fish to eat the 2nd filet, it was completely soggy... Another big disappointment at $30. We had to order dessert since we were still hungry and went with the hot chocolate cake with roasted peanut ice cream. It was pretty good, but again, the portion was ridiculous for $9... The "cake" was the size of an average cupcake with the top sliced off and the scoop of ice cream was about 1/2 cup... I might try this place again when they rotate the menu. But I won't hurry back. The execution did not warrant the price we paid, not by a long shot... read more

A week in advance I made my reservation here. We moved here about 7 months ago (Fort Bragg) and I had this restaurant on my mental checklist of places to try that are within driving distance. The accolades and awards make this something that one is determined to try. Drinks- Husband ordered two beers, they were decent, I had their chardonnay. App- Charcuterie board and the carrot curry soup. The soup was great- complex, the right amount of spice with the right amount of sweetness from the carrots. It was excellent, it made me look forward to the entree. The charcuterie plate was also good the pork rinds were so perfect, fresh and seasoned well, the meat and the pickles where my favs on the plate. We quickly devoured our apps. Then we waited. And waited. The tables next to us received our food. Even tables that were seated a good 10- 20 mins after us got their entrees. We were left waiting. No update from our server. Entrees- Sturgeon, Bok choy, the fillet and black rice. The miso butter sauce was delicious, but there wasn't enough on the plate. Bok choy was a perfect doneness, the fish was good. Ribeye was my husbands order. It was a decent steak, with fried spinach. The ribeye was served on a skewer which made it hard to cut. I guess all in all I was expecting a experience to be wow'ed with complex flavors and new ideas. I wasn't. A bit of a disappointment. The food was good. But that was it. The other thing- this place is LOUD. It is a small place with other tables very close to you. I could not hear myself think. I had a hard time hearing my husband talk. I relished the quiet street as soon as we stepped out the door. Very far from the intimate romantic dinner I expected it to be. There was a point in the meal that we were interrupted by the table next to us ohhhing and awwwing over our appetizer choice. I prefer a much more private dining experience. I think more than anything I disliked the atmosphere the most. It made it hard to enjoy the company I was there with. If you cant hear the person across from you but you can here the ladies loudly discussing every detail of the dish they are eating it makes for a very lousy experience. Between the awkward wait in between courses and the atmosphere of the restaurant it gets 2 stars. read more

I hosted a surprise retirement party for my dad at Lantern and I truly could not be more pleased with how the planning, execution and post party went! To begin, I started planning this party ~6 months in advance of the date and selected the private dining area with heavy appetizers as the menu selection. Lydia, the events coordinator, could not have been more helpful in fulfilling my every request and staying in constant communication with me over the 6 months. The detail this location puts in to making the party effortless for the host is truly top notch. Every guest who attended raved about the food, drinks and overall ambiance of the venue. Living in Los Angeles and planning the party 2K+ miles away seemed impossible, but with Lydia's help, it was a breeze! After I returned back to CA, I contacted Lantern to share photos and discuss the bill, and to my surprise, they quickly refunded/addressed my concern with headcount. Truly, the HIGHEST customer service there is! I cannot wait to return to Lantern to enjoy the food, drinks and location when I return to NC! If you're thinking of visiting/booking this location for an event, DO IT! read more

I was really excited to eat at the Lantern because of all of the five star Yelp reviews. I believe that the Lantern is way hyped up. I ordered the Poulet Rouge. Honestly it tasted like rotisserie chicken from Kroger. It was SUPER salty and none of the flavors or garnishes were extraordinary. It was served with rice and beans with some sort of sauce. The sauce wasn't anything special and salty. One reason I ordered this dish was because the server said it was one of their signature dishes. I really don't see how someone could love that dish.... My boyfriend had the Pork Butt which he thought was very average. The server hyped it up saying how the pork was local from the creamery, etc., etc....again, very "average." My Aunt had the halibut and my Uncle ordered two appetizers, the spiced crab cakes and spring rolls. I really wish I would've ordered two appetizers. His appetizers looked delicious. Another downside is that the plates are pretty small for the price. I think our dishes were just under $30. We never would've eaten here at this price, but my Aunt was taking us out to eat. I felt guilty ordering anything else, but I was still hungry. We got dessert. My Aunt had the banana ice cream and I had the chocolate lava cake. The desserts are the only reason I gave the Lantern 3/5 instead of 2/5. The decor is nice, minimalist style. The wine was pretty good....should've ordered a speciality cocktail because they did look yummy. Only eat here if you have deep pockets and a small stomach. read more

This place gets two big thumbs WAY up. I went there with my family recently to celebrate my Mom's birthday. We've lived in Chapel Hill over 20 years but had not yet had a chance to visit Lantern. After looking at the menu, and reading its reviews from fellow Yelpers, I was really excited to eat here and let me tell you, Lantern did not disappoint. Very cozy atmosphere, although I didn't find it overly crowded or damaging to my overall dining experience. Thanks to suggestions from previous posts we got four different appetizers and split them all up family style. Crab cakes (the nightly special, heavenly), Korean fried chicken (think fried Chicken's flavor-filled, high class Asian cousin), Pork and chive dumplings and spicy beets. For my entree I got the duck soup which was delicious. Great broth, not too overpowering, cabbage, other veggies, big hunks of mushroom and a crispy on the outside-tender on the inside duck leg. Awesome. At this point I found myself thinking, "There is no way this can get any better." The dessert menu quickly put that assumption to shame. Let me make a shameless plug for the banana ice cream, with homemade whip cream and NC peanut brittle. Oh yeah, it's as good as it sounds. The Rundown: Lots of amazing flavors from start to finish. An incredible culinary experience. Prepare to drop some serious $ but it is a worthwhile splurge. read more

5 of us students splurged here on a fancy dinner to wrap up our senior year. While the server was professionally polite, he was curt and likely displeased to be serving presumably broke college kids. This vibe was obvious and embarrassing. I'm not a big fan of Asian food, but my mushroom dumplings were delicious and my friends all raved about their food as well. Our same group ate at Tao in Las Vegas, an Asian fusion restaurant of similar cuisine and quality, and they are definitely comparable in most aspects. There are maybe three vegetarian options on the menu, one of which is a few pieces of lettuce on a plate for $8. I wouldn't suggest it to vegetarians or vegans. read more

Delectable foods - having the duck rice congee which was very flavorful and palpable consistency, but the portion was small for the price; chosen the fried whole North Carolina catfish with chilies, garlic, tamarind, fresh lime leaf, carrot salad and jasmine rice" which was good in flavor, texture, temperature and aesthetics, except that the fish was breaded and the carrot salad was not a salad, but was tasty lightly fermented. The jasmine rice was not quite jasminely. We also ordered the "Moon-viewing hotpot with homemade Anson Mills soba noodles with black trumpet mushrooms, fresh bamboo, local vegetables and a poached Fickle Creek Farm egg" - deliciously fresh vegetables, but the broth was a little strong. The service was impeccable, but the server knowledge of the menu was somewhat limited. Would recommend a try if you enjoyed farm-to-table meals. read more

Have you ever felt disappointed by a Vietnamese soup that looked and tasted like the water you used to wash the seafood? I did, BUT NOT THIS TIME! The seafood hot pot was just delicious. The balanced mixture of crab, clams, shrimp, lemongrass, ginger and delicate noodles was aromatic as surprising to the tongue. My wife had a marvelous steamed salmon with rice covered with coconut that was also something else. And the desert... Man , the brûlée figs with toasted pistachios and frozen yogurt and caramel were very, very good. This was the best culinary experience in the region so far. read more

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What a creative dinner adventure! My wife and I stopped in on a Saturday night after a DSI show. We didn't plan ahead so we did have a wait. It was only about 30 minutes. In the meantime, the host offered to call us on my cell if we wanted to walk around town. We waited up front and he brought us each glasses of water. He kept us updated on the wait and it really went by quickly. The whole place is intimate and well decorated, giving it a smooth & peaceful vibe. The paper lanterns and candlelight sets a great mood. Our waitress was helpful with recommendations My wife started with the Junebug, a very refreshing, complex, and creative ginger cocktail. For appetizers, I had a coconut based soup with mushrooms and some lime. I can't remember every component, but it was definitely unlike anything I've ever had. My wife ordered the spring rolls, which will redefine what you think is possible from an otherwise common Asian appetizer. The chef also provided us with a complimentary fried oyster app with a curry sauce. Similarly tasty and much appreciated! For our entree I had the shaking beef, which was incredibly well seared and still tender and rare in the center. Just a perfect preparation - I can't stress that enough. The watercress salad was nice for something different and the caramelized onions were fantastic in the soy-vinegar pan sauce. My wife had the tea and spice smoked chicken. The half chicken was plenty enough that we had some to bring home. The whole dish had a unique earthiness that made the dish fun. For desert we had some tea and I tried the persimmon pudding at the recommendation of the waitress. It's not something that I'll be craving or running out late at night looking to find, but it was a one-of-a-kind dessert experience that was a perfect ending to an adventurous meal. Even though we were seated late in the evening, our meal was not rushed. Many have commented about the expense here, but considering the quality and quantity of food we had (plus the cocktail and tea) I think it was fairly priced. I literally have nothing bad to say. This restaurant would impress just about anyone, I think. If you're looking for something different, this is a perfect spot. read more

I found this place completely overrated and WAY overpriced for what we got. My girlfriend got the Seafood Hot Pot(29.00), and I had the Crispy Duck Soup(27.00). At almost thirty dollars a dish, they tasted like a mediocre bowl of ramen or Pho. The duck cut in my soup was fine, if a little fatty, but her seafood seemed to have an overly fishy taste to it. We also had the Salt and Pepper shrimp(13.00)--these were very good. Eight good sized shrimp, served over crispy spinach and jalepenos; these we enjoyed. The service was also some what lacking--it took quite a while for us to greet us, and we barely saw our server. We had better service from the person that ran our food to us, and we later needed to flag down to get our check. I've heard good things about the bad area, and may make it back for a drink and the shrimp. The entrees, however, felt like a rip off and were quite the disappointment. We will not be back for dinner. read more

I wish I hadn't missed the Momofuku event, but I went a few weeks later for a friend's birthday. Poor college students like me can rarely afford places like this, but luckily her parents were treating *\(^.^)/* The food was absolutely delicious, the portions were surprisingly satisfying, and the atmosphere was dreamy. We had a wonderful bottle of malbec and sat at the window to enjoy. If I had money, I would come all the time.... read more

Walking in, I was actually quite surprised at the small size of this restaurant! First impression was that it was very intimate yet had that modern feel that I love. We walked in and were seated immediately in the corner - which to me, was the perfect place as it gave the opportunity to people watch and get a full look at the room around me (as well as operations). The wait staff was very courteous, and made it a point to talk to the both of us directly while going over the wine list and what would go well with the selections we made for dinner. Nothing gets me looking forward to having a piece of striped bass than a full description of the wine I've just selected (which happened to be what he would have recommended...yum!). Our entrees were put together very well, and holy moly, was that some seriously tasty Pad Thai! The bass was also put together very well, but my only complaint on that was the soy based sauce at the bottom of the dish was way too overpowering. I had to be very careful not to dip the fish in the sauce, or it would blow away the yumminess that was coming from the main course. The jasmine rice was done to perfection, and I've got to say that I always love me some bok choy. Overall, a very solid experience, and I'd definitely go back or recommend. read more

My favorite restaurant in Chapel Hill. We find unusual and delicious flavors here, and I like the cozy yet special atmosphere. (I like the front of the restaurant, anyway - I've only had a crammed waiting-around experience at the bar in the back, so I can't really endorse that.) It's a good strategy to get a bunch of appetizers instead of a main course. It feels like as much attention goes into creating each appetizer as a main dish, and so this way I get to sample a bunch of great tastes. read more

Really cool restaurant space. Friendly service. A good size menu (not overwhelming and not limited). Had a reservation, so we were seated right away in the front restaurant area (still need to scope out the amazing back bar space). We quickly settled on the pork dumplings, soft shell crab (special appetizer), the seafood hotpot and the flounder. SOOOOOOO good. The dumpling wrappers were tender and the filling perfectly cooked and spiced. The soft shell crab tempura was tender and delicious in the mayo sauce. The seafood hotpot had plenty of seafood and a great broth base. The flounder was whole fish, which helped us to slowly savor the delicious medley of spices and flavors. For dessert, we ordered the yuzu pudding, described to us as a citrusy bread pudding. Spot on! Great sour flavor and soaked cake texture. About twice or maybe even three times what I'd like to spend on dinner for two, but for a special occasion, it's a really great place. read more

Lantern is always a great experience for me. Even though they don't have specifically vegan options all the time, the servers are always extremely helpful in making changes and accommodating. The ambience of the place is really nice and they have a great drinks menu as well. One of my favourite spots for Asian food in chapel hill! read more

Lantern - Steamed mushroom and cabbage dumplings - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

We went to the Lantern for husband's birthday on a busy Saturday night. It was group of six, reservations for weeks and were so excited to try Lantern after all the wonderful reviews on Yelp. We got there right on time for our reservation, but it wasn't quite ready so we headed to the bar, which was totally fine. I had this delicious little concoction called a Junebug. The bar was dark and cozy with a funky vibe. It is separate from the restaurant up a little flight of stairs. The server came to tell us our table was ready, we sat down, he gave us the specials (they were out of a few things, but it was later in the evening so I understand that happens). We ordered the spring rolls, salt and pepper shrimp and the fried chicken for appetizers. The fried chicken was amazing - the skin was so thick and crispy I could have eaten that alone for dinner! Shrimp was really tasty, spring rolls were good. Dinner - and this is why I'm giving three stars instead of four of five. The food is good. It's really good. But it is over priced. I don't mind at all paying $30+ per plate when the food is simply amazing. But it wasn't. Again, it was good but not mind blowing. Some of the dishes we had - tea-smoked chicken, duck, pork chop, and the whole fried fish special. The decor is great, the atmosphere is cool, the service was wonderful. I think I'd like to go back and reevaluate on a not-so-busy night with an earlier reservation to see if things might be different. read more

This place is OK. Pros: Some of the food is really delicious and well cooked. The staff is really friendly and accommodating. Decent drink selection. Cons: Some of the food is NOT delicious. Total roulette with the menu. Also having to park off of Franklin Street can be a terror if the students are in. Expensive for what you get. Overall not bad, but not great. read more

If money is no object, and you're required to eat in Chapel Hill, this place would be tied with La Residence, in my opinion. If you're in the mood for "Asian fusion," though, this is the only game in town. Came here the night before Thanksgiving with DH--we had received a $100 gift certificate to Lantern as a wedding present. (Really nice idea for a gift!) Even so, we ended up spending about $10, and we didn't have drinks or dessert. I started with the crab and pork spring rolls, and DH got the chaat (chickpeas and potatoes), both of which were outstanding. Our entrees were the smoked chicken with pork and shrimp fried rice and braised local greens, and the coconut braised pork with shallots, spicy green papaya salad, and jasmine rice. Again, both entrees were interesting, presented well, and very tasty. Portions were just right--not too big, not too small. We were pleasantly full. The service was slow, but friendly and professional when it came around. It wasn't particularly busy when we arrived, but it was full by the time we left. Reservations are strongly recommended. The environment is very NYC--low lighting, closely placed tables, industrial decor. It wasn't as noisy as it could have been, which I appreciated. The only reason I don't give Lantern 5 stars is because of the slow service and relatively high prices. (It also helps tremendously if you like fish.) La Res gives them a run for the money in Chapel Hill, but for me, the place to beat for fine dining is still Magnolia Grill over in Durham. read more

There is a lot of hype for the Lantern; likely well deserved. Thus, I was expecting a lot before trying the Lantern for the first time. While I thought it was very good, just not excellent (on my scale). The wait staff was excellent....full of enthusiasm. My table shared a few appetizers...mushroom and cabbage dumplings (average tasting), salt and pepper shrimp (okay....crunchy shells stuck in teeth), and the Chaat (tasted the best of the group). I had the halibut which was very good. my colleague tried the meatballs and reported they were too salty. The best was last...dessert....I highly recommend the: Bruléed local fig sundae- crème fraîche ice cream, pistachio cream, spiced red wine caramel and toasted pistachios. Delicious! I plan to return again, but not top of my list. read more

Hands down, this was the best meal I've ever had. I've been wanting to eat here since before I moved to NC. When I decided to move here and started researching the area, this place came up and has been on my list of places to try for the past 2 and a half years. It's a special occasion only place, but fiance and I decided to finally celebrate our engagement and went here for dinner. The atmosphere is nice, service was friendly, if slightly over-attentive, but I'd prefer that to bad service any day. The atmosphere was somehow relaxed and romantic at the same time. I love the decor. We had the okra and a scallop sashimi dish for appetizers. For entrees, I ordered the special Korean Fried Chicken with potato salad, Peter got the pork lettuce wraps. Dessert, I got the figs with creme fraiche ice cream, Peter got the hot chocolate cake with hazelnut ice cream. Finally, for drinks I got the Late Blossom and he got the Dark and Stormy. With the exception of my cocktail, I've order everything again. The fried chicken was especially delicious. I'm notoriously picky about chicken, I do pretty much boneless skinless breasts. I ate this off the bone, no problem. No weird bits, nothing gross, just amazingly tender and flavorful meat. The batter and spice were divine.I'll have dreams about this chicken. My cocktail was good enough, but nothing about it stood out to me. It was mildly sweet. I couldn't even say it tasted like anything in particular. I'll be back and as soon as possible too. Maybe for my birthday in November... read more

Started with a hibiscus vodka and thai basil cocktail that was unexpectedly summer in a glass. We had 3 different appetizers (chicken lettuce wraps, flash fried peppers, and pork dumplings). The Flash Fried peppers were the stand out - they were sweet and salty and we could not stop munching on them. Sadly they stole the show from the other apps. My husband had the flat iron steak special which he loved and I had the steak from the menu. The steak was cooked perfectly and the green tea rice was especially delicious. I would order this meal again. For dessert, husband had choc cake with strawberry ice cream that was flavorful. I had a lemony cake with blue and black berries - I wanted to lick the bowl it was so delicious. Highly recommended. read more

Overall: Great food and atmosphere. Interesting menu. I will continue going back for more. Complaints: I really have none. Comments: Make a reservation. read more

This is solely for the back bar (not enough money for the food, yet). Like stepping into Manhattan. Come here for classy drinks and some freaking cool surroundings. (not to mention the bathroom). read more

One of my favorite places to eat in Chapel Hill when money is no object. Their drinks are really great and I don't do a lot of mixed drinks. I had a gin based drink and it was solid. It's a place I'd take someone if I wanted to make a good impression or just have a fantastic meal. read more

After having been to the Lantern several times now, I now feel comfortable writing a review because I can say that it is consistent. I got chicken my first time, and my second time, and it was advertised as farm raised and free range (which I believe) and both times it was stellar. Both times it was almost as stellar as the free range, farm raised chicken I had at Heron's, and I'm sure about a third of the price. I had a lovely pinot gris both times, and as has been pointed out before the staff is knowledgeable about the food and the wines. I was pretty surprised at how reasonable the price point on the wines especially is. The desserts *sound* outstanding but I have not had room either time to actually try one. The one thing I wish they could change but I don't know how they could is the table placement. You can hear every single morsel of the conversation of whoever is seated next to you. The place is already quite intimate and does not allow for much seating, so I don't think removing tables is an option. I don't know if there are plans to move to a larger location in the future, but to me it is awkward to be that close to the next couple. I just need a little more room. Not too much, just a bit. Otherwise - absolutely no complaints. read more

It's lovely. Very, very lovely, but... I ended up being underwhelmed. I'd love to give them 5 full stars, but based on my one and only experience I just can't. In fact, I almost gave only 3 stars, but since i couldn't put my finger on exactly what it was that didn't impress me, I went w/ just what I thought of the food- thus the 4 rating, if i was giving it based on service alone, it would have been 5 stars. We went here for an early valentine dinner since I was going to be out of the country over the holiday itself. Normally, we don't even celebrate valentine's day. However, we wanted to do something special. I specifically told the person I talked to for a reservation about our plans and requested something nice. She suggested glasses of sparkling wine on the table when we arrived so I agreed. When we were seated though, they weren't there. The server brought them over later and proceeded to provide fantastic service for the rest of the evening. Appetizers: We started w/ spring rolls and dumplings. The spring rolls were delicious and the dumplings were... just good. We've had similar or better at local Chinese restaurants (ie, David's noodles). For entrees, I ordered the tea smoked chicken and my husband ordered the Pot on fire w/ beef. Both were good. Different and sometimes delicious, but not WOW. The chicken seemed a little dry and my husband noted that he' just prefer pho from our local Vietnamese place instead of his dish again. We both enjoyed our meal, but frankly for the price, I expected to be blown away. The saving grace of the meal was our dessert- I had a hard time chosing actually. And we went with something I hadn't had before- the steamed persimmon pudding. This is what I expected of the whole meal- local/regional ingredients that are elevated to new heights! I wish the whole meal was as lovely. read more

I don't understand why everyone loves Lantern. It's just OK by me. The atmosphere is meh but I like the back bar-room. I enjoy going to Lantern for drinks but even those are way overpriced. I went to Lantern for my birthday dinner with my girlfriends. I had to search for items I wanted to eat. And the portions are very small. I must say, they have a tomato salad that was simply delicious. Although it's never been on the menu the other times I've been back. The menu is about 70% fish. Not seafood (like shrimps, scallops, mussels, crab) but actual fish. I don't like fish so that may be why I don't see the appeal of Lantern. Basically, for the money, I think there are much better places to dine. Just head across the street to Elaines or down the street to La Residence or Kitchen. read more

Had dinner last Saturday. I have to agree with the unbelievably small number of reviewers here - it's hyped up. 3.5 stars. We started with cocktails. I got the Late Blossom, the orange flower water intrigued me. Personally, I like my drinks on the sweeter side, this one was more vodka than water. I ended up swapping my drink with my boyfriend's Cunning Kimono, a delightfully sweet lemony drink. Drinks were $8.50 a piece. We tried one of their appetizer specials, an off-menu seafood salad of calamari, shrimp, and scallop covered in a sauce, served with side of leafy greens ($12). It was unexpected and reminded me of shrimp cocktail doused in spicy asian marinade. I love seafood, but there was absolutely no sophistication in this dish. Cold sauce atop some cold seafood. Entrees were better, but unimpressive and uncreative. Perhaps I should have ventured further, but I wanted to see how they would modify the traditional asian steamed fish dish. Dried ginger strips atop a filet of steamed black bass, slices of green onion, black beans, and wilted bok choy all sitting in a soy-based sauce (~$25). Yes, it was good, but it was in no way innovative or creative. I have had this dish all my life in Chinese restaurants charging much less for a fish that could feed a family. Our dishes came out barely warmer than lukewarm. This I won't hold against the restaurant, but against the servers. Our service in general was very nice and friendly, but the fact our food wasn't piping hot definitely detracted from our dishes, especially my boyfriend's. He had the raw (barely seared) Japanese-style flat iron steak with crisped spinach leaves and a bed of sushi rice. The flat iron steak is flavorful but tough to begin with. Somehow eating rubbery, lukewarm raw meat was unappetizing. They did do the sushi rice well, but how difficult is it to mix seafood flakes, vinegar, and rice together? For dessert, we had the steamed yuzu pudding with berry sauce and creme fraiche. It was good, had some crisp citrus flavors, but simple. The decor was nice, romantic dim lighting with simple-modern lines. Service, as I said before, was very friendly and accommodating. But I came for the food and it had 3 expensive chances that evening to live up to my positive expectations. It didn't make it. I'm not saying this place is awful, but I am wondering whether Chapel Hill understands what it means to have good asian food. There was very little innovation (a few small tweaks on what is tried and true in asian cuisine?) and the execution was less than stellar. Saving my money for another restaurant. read more

I love, love, love the bar. Walking in there makes me feel like I live in a city with culture. (Maybe I do, maybe I don't.) I tend to get a couple of appetizers for dinner as the entrees don't really do it for me as much (plus I'm cheap and i like tapas). Fantastic quality, great local ingredients, sophisticated environment, and fantastic service (especially at the bar). read more

Can't book through Open Table or Urbanspoon. Can't book through their website. They don't answer the phone during evening business hours, but make you leave a message. It is now near midnight and no return call. So far, so bad. I hope that when we actually get a reservation the food is better than the process. read more

I have high standards for Asian fusion, having eaten at several outstanding restaurants including The House in San Francisco, one of my favorite restaurants of all time. I ordered the Steamed wild NC Fish, which tasted like something I could make at home. It may have been my fault for ordering a lightly flavored dish, but I tend to appreciate dishes like this so I was disappointed. I also tried a Pork and Chive dumpling that a friend ordered that tasted okay. Nothing impressive here - if you're looking to splurge I would save your money for something else. read more

In a nutshell: Good service, quality ingredients, but poor execution. Some dishes are delicious, but in several cases the seasoning and execution were just not up to par. I definitely see great potentials in this restaurant. However, as how it is now, I don't think it deserves all the hype. Too much salt and spices seems to be a recurring theme during our dinner. This irritates me because Southeast Asia cuisine is not about using huge amount of spices. If you are not familiar with those spices or seasoning, less is always better. A restaurant shouldn't call itself "Asian-inspired" or "Fusion" just because there is generous amount of spices in the dishes. Heavy seasoning not only does not honor the quality of ingredients, but masks the ingredients' original flavors and overwhelms our palates. Salt and pepper shrimp: This is a variation on a theme of a typical Southeast Asia street food. Seasoning was spot-on. However the frying temp was probably too low -- the shrimp shell was not crispy, nor was the parsley. Everything was soaked in oil. How come a restaurant like this can't even fry things right? The quality of the shrimp was good though. I hope they made good use of the shrimp heads, which, when fresh, can be deep fried as a stand alone dish and taste even better (much better) than the meat. Heirloom tomato salad: Meaty tomatoes with light dressing that really brings out more flavors. Delicious! Too bad the plating was messy. If I'm paying $12 for a few slices of tomato I expect it not to look like someone just dumps it on the plate. Pork dumplings: I believe they used store-bought wonton wrappers as the dumpling wrappers. Creative? Yes. Delicious? NO, because store-bought wonton wrapper doesn't hold well for prolonged cooking nor large amount of stuffing. The stuffing was heavily seasoned and was mostly lean meat. A large portion of heavily seasoned lean meat definitely didn't go well with the delicate (and melting/disintegrating) wonton wrapper. Pork spring rolls: So salty and too much spices. Chicken with fried rice: The quality of the chicken leg was really good. This is one of those free-range organic chicken legs you get from the local farmers' market. Firm and flavorful. However the seasoning (again) was too salty and lacks layers. (Hint to the chef: a dash of sugar may help you out here.) Fried rice was actually quite tasty. Panna cotta: Delicious. Sesame cashew candy/brittle was sweet and salty and crunchy, provides a very nice contrast to the creamy and sophisticated panna cotta. At least my dinner ended on a high note! read more

The atmosphere is definitely pleasing; however the dining area is way too crowded and loud at full capacity. The cocktails are great (my wife says the best Cosmo she's ever had), but the food is awful. Our appetizers tasted like burnt grease and the waiter laughed at us when we complained. He took the dish away and never comped us for it. Our entrees were only half-decent, but honestly boring in terms of flavor. The Ale House just down the street has better food than this place. I say avoid at all costs - this place is way too over priced for the quality of the food. read more

This place has a really nice vibe. I checked out the reviews and had to try it. Unfortunatley, the night I came, they didnt have the one dish I was really looking forward to.. the cod.. So I had another item which wasnt the greatest, but it was ok. The service was really nice. They have a bar in the back with tables and chairs in addition to the front room. Nice service, nice decor. read more

We loved, loved, loved our dinner at Lantern last night. We had the world's most-knowledgeable-without-being-annoying-or-pretentious waitress. All of her recommendations were right on, even the random wine varietal she suggested we try in place of a gruner veltliner (godello? who knew?). She alone was worthy of five stars. We had such a hard time choosing appetizers that we ended up ordering five of them between four diners, and a good thing too - the fifth one, the curried carrot soup special, was probably my favorite bite of the night. Which is saying something, because everything was good. Aside from that, I had the black mushroom and cabbage dumplings served with a yummy dipping sauce; and the tea-smoked chicken with braised greens, pork and shrimp fried rice, and XO sauce. The sauce sounded weird - cognac, ham, chiles, dried scallop and shrimp - but was actually wonderful. We didn't have reservations AND it was primetime on a Friday, but we had to wait only 20 minutes in the fun upstairs bar before a table opened up. Fabulous evening out! read more

All in all, solid food. It's a very small menu so there isn't much indecision in making your choice. They generally also have some sort of special menu item available beyond the regular menu. However, I don't think there was anything particularly exciting about it that would make me want to come back. read more

Whether you go to the wonderful little tucked-away bar for snacks and drinks or do the full dinner in the main restaurant, this place earns full marks. The bar is a little Moroccan jewel box with a nice cocktail, beer, wine, and sake list plus a full complement of liquors. The menu certainly does the chef's James Beard award full justice. A longtime standout is the steamed halibut with seared ginger, soy, fermented black beans, and baby bok choy ($29). It's incredibly tasty and probably healthy to boot. There are also usually other seafood choices, plus chicken and beef options. The appetizers are also an interesting mix. There are usually about three appetizer specials and an entree special as well. When we went the other night, one of the appetizer specials was tempura soft-shell crab, and it was a creamy, delicious winner. Every time I've been, service has been prompt and efficient without being all over you. Though it's a younger staff (i.e., probably a high percentage of college/grad students), it's polished enough to live up to the food. The decor in the main restaurant isn't as lush as the bar (with its hanging lanterns and glowing red back wall), but it's pleasant and usually busy but not overly loud. They take reservations (by phone only--no OpenTable) and you should probably make them or risk a long wait. Definitely worth the price; this is the best restaurant in Chapel Hill and one of the top three or four in the Triangle. read more

Lantern - Bar area - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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I really really wanted to love my meal and give Lantern 4 stars, but I just can't. I'm not from the area and this restaurant seemed to be one of the best reviewed here on Yelp. So I think my anticipation and expectations could not be matched. I sat in the bar area (in the back of the restaurant) as I was alone. Very cool decor back there. The bartender was awesome and spent quite a bit of time talking about wine and food options with me. He highly recommended the special, Miso Black Cod so I went with his suggestion. Normally I would give this meal a high rating but I ate THE EXACT SAME DISH at another restaurant recently and it blew this version out of the water. I think part of the problem was the cod was just a bit overcooked. I was so disappointed - for $28 it could have been better. read more