This place is real deal holyfield. A complex menu of Spanish tapas (with a southern twist), complemented by a pretty stellar Spanish wine list and flavors that you'll be thinking of for days. We sat at the bar for dinner - something I'm enjoying doing increasingly more these days. I feel like it's such a good vantage point of a place, and the bartenders are often the unassuming stars of menu knowledge (and who better to offer recos on wine?) Last night was no exception to this. Megan (bartender) was fab. She described a certain beer as the "Spaghetti Western" of beers. She had me at hello. The food here is fabulous. You'd be selling yourself short if you didn't get the Gambas (shrimp in a succulent garlic chile oil) or the Mejillones (mussels, which were served with these haystack potatoes that brilliantly soaked up all the mussel broth). Definitely a welcome addition to the local scene, and we'll be back - for sure! read more

We came here for a celebratory birthday meal, and I walked away slightly disappointed. Ambience: Wow loud? It was dark and it seemed like everyone was having fun. But everyone also had to shout to be heard because it is exceptionally loud. Some noise dampeners would do wonders for the decor, which was nice on its own. Service: We were seated very fast. Our server was very friendly and prompt, but also not annoying (you know who I'm talking about). When asked for a recommendation, he had two choices instantly (which we found were solid choices) and was very helpful. Food: The dishes ranged between disappointing and decent, with one notable exception. Our favorite by far was the Iberico jamon, oh that was such an amazing experience. Disappointing part? It's not a Mateo dish or product. The sweetbreads were such a disappointment, they were chewy, dry, and too heavily salted but also unflavored (how do you pull that one off?). The Queso Frito y Heuvo was a bit confused, but the stew itself was extremely flavorful and beautiful. Overall, I don't think I would come back to Mateo for the food any time soon. read more

Came here last night for dinner and was pleased. The Patata dish was really good, the sauce that it is cooked with was really yummy. the pollo fitta was extremely overcooked and the skin was chewy so did not like that. The deviled eggs with chorizo didn't come out so they comped it, which was nice of them but it was pretty decent. The chocolate cake and churros were mediocre. Overall a decent experience, not sure I'll be going back any time soon though. read more

My wife and I tried Mateo for dinner before a show at DPAC this evening. We ordered and shared a variety of tapas. They were all great. The skirt steak with chimichurri sauce was our favorite. Service was great, food came quickly and empty serving plates were whisked off the table as soon as we finished them. Our waitress was friendly and helpful and made some great recommendations on what to order. The atmosphere was warm and casual with exposed brick walls. It will be a great place to visit during Winter. The only problem we encountered was with trying to make a reservation. I called the restaurant and asked for a reservation for 6:00 PM. The guy who answered put me on hold to see what was available and never took me off hold. I was on long enough to check out some other restaurants on open table. I looked at Mateo and they didn't have any tables open for 6:00, so I made a reservation for 5:30 through open table. All this time I was still waiting on hold for the guy at the restaurant. While we enjoying our meal I noticed a lot of open seating at 6:00 and there was still open seating at 6:30 and 6:45. So how come I couldn't get a reservation for 6:00 either when I called or through open table? read more

If you like tapas, you will love Mateo! The perfect venue for a date night or a night with friends. Interesting menu, really good gin and tonics and superb location. Must order the meatballs, shrimp and anything with mushrooms. You're welcome! read more

Excellent food and even better wait staff. Helped us pick from their large and diverse menu with recommendations and everything was delicious! More casual than the price would reflect, but definitely a great place for an excellent meal. read more

A dinner on a Friday night was creative and delicious from beginning to end. The noisy, crowded atmosphere and higher-than-called-for prices keep me from moving to five stars. Also as a warning, for those who are not adventurous in their meat-eating endeavors, Mateo may not have many safe choices for you. Our server did a very good job of taking our jumbled order and having it show up in the right order and at a comfortable pace. We didn't feel rushed with multiple dishes showing up at once, but never had a long gap without something showing up. My dinner companion and I shared six small plates and two desserts, all of which were quite good. The kale salad and salad with peaches were highlights from the cold menu. The marinated, fried artichokes in the kale salad were a treat. And the mixture of cheese, peaches, and pistachios in the other salad was perfect. In the middle of the meal, the salt cod fritters were good, the duck egg cheese fritter was great, and the smoked rabbit pasta was out of this world. At the end, the farmer's cheese with pepper jelly was quite good. The cheese was creamy and light, the pepper jelly was sweet with a spicy kick, and both on top of the crusty, chewy baguette made for a wonderful end of the meal. I loved the panna cotta--the tarragon was a perfect addition. The chocolate mousse cake was not much like a mousse, but it tasted good. Oh yeah, I almost forgot: the Bitter Flower cocktail was terrific too, but as advertised--there is plenty of bitter in it. read more

I love Mateo!! The Spanish food is amazing, the best I've had outside of Spain. I highly recommend the pan con tomate with jamón because it's cheap, it will fill you up, and it's downright the best jamón I've had in America. The bone marrow is a very warm, rich dish that just melts in your mouth. I wasn't too excited about the lamb meatballs, but anything on their special menu will not disappoint. For a more intimate setting, ask to be seated upstairs. I also would recommend not sitting on the first floor tall tables if you have a bad back because those chairs do not have backs on them. I love the atmosphere of Mateo, and even my Spanish roommate says that the food there is delicious. Mateo has to be my favorite restaurant in Durham! read more

Fantastic. If you are looking for a Tapas Bar in the Triangle area this is a great place to start. This particular part of downtown Durham has become the go to place for the best food in the area. Dame's, Taberna and Mateo are all on the same street corner. You even have Toast for a lighter meal during lunch. Mateo has a number of amazing dishes that include everything from caviar to ham wrapped dates. Every time I go to this location I try something different and I have never gone wrong. If you like adult beverages, the beer and wine list is quite extensive. read more

In love with this place and will go back for more.We were a group of six and made a reservation beforehand. We tried almost everything on the menu and each dish was excellent. HUEVO DIABLO was simply wow and my vegetarian friend loved the GARBANZO. read more

This is the best $60 meal you can get in town! I am really into fine dinning and a regular customer to 3-Michelin-starred restaurants in NYC. Compared to the $300, $400, $900 bills I collected elsewhere. I'd say the $60 meals you get from this place is a steal. The only challenge is parking. You guys can expect me to be here at least weekly if not more. read more

This place was the best Spanish tapas place I've ever been to. The food was amazing, beautiful, and served quickly. There wasn't a wait because there were seats upstairs, which was great. The portions were smaller than I thought they would be, but it was still worth it because the food was so good. I would say an average of 2-3 tapas per person was needed, whereas in other places it might just be 2, but I would still 100% recommend this place for anyone in Durham. read more

This review is based on two key factors - ambiance and food. 5 stars for the ambiance. Why? You walk into this dimly lit establishment and immediately you say..."I have been transported to some alley in Barcelona at 2:00 AM.." The decor with its large mirrors and multiple shelves stocked with wine bottles, the candles, the intimate tables. It all works to perfection. 3 stars for the food. Lamb meatballs were blah, pork sausage was bland, beet salad was just a beet salad. Chicken croquetas were the hit of the night - I believe we ordered 4 servings of those.... Wine selection and cheerwine sangria, were outstanding and so was the service. The cheeses were rapidly devoured and so were the olives. All in all 4 stars for this gem, love, love , love the look... will certainly be back. read more

A wonderful dining experience! This was our first visit and we arrived right at 5pm. We were the first ones in the restaurant. Within 30 minutes, the place was full and we were enjoying a variety of different flavors. Definitely recommend reservations unless you don't mind sitting at the bar. There were 2 of us and we ordered the following: Pepino - Gin cocktail made with salted cucumber. We like Hendrick's gin, so this was a no-brainer for us. The salt on the cucumbers was a bit heavy, so we couldn't handle more than one. Huevo Diablo - basically a deviled egg wrapped in sausage. A little expensive at $4, but very tasty. Datil - dates stuffed with goat cheese, wrapped in country ham; the flavors went so well together. Skate Cheeks - this was a nightly special that my girlfriend suggested we try. The fish was light and sweet, absolutely delicious. It was in a nice broth served with white beans that were also cooked perfectly. 3 cheese board and Iberico - 3 nice pieces of cheese, along with nuts and a jam-like accompaniment. The ham is different than what you may be used to; not overly salty. Very nice. We decided to only eat half of this and take the rest home for a snack the next day. Pato y Aaroz - The highlight of the night. Similar to a southern, warm-night chicken and rice meal, but made with duck. The butternut squash was cooked perfectly and the flavors a perfect compliment. The service was good as water glasses were always full and empty dishes taken away immediately. Our server was very good, but none of them were very engaging and didn't provide great descriptions of any of the items. If you didn't know what you were ordering, you may be in trouble. read more

Mateo - Pepino - Hendrick's gin, salted cucumber, tonic - Tapas Bars Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

The food here is consistently DELICIOUS. Amazing tapas dishes, and compared to other tapas restaurants in Durham and in major cities from locally owned restaurants to famous chef chains, Mateo's food comes out on top, easily. The downsides are that the seating is small and uncomfortable, the high tin ceilings, lack of wall decor, and general layout makes it VERY noisy, it gets quite crowded, and can make conversation difficult. On a popular night, even if you have reservations, you may wait 20+ minutes for a table. BUT... the food is SO worth it!! But sadly, this is not a great place to take a first date or a group of friends during primetime because conversation can be difficult, but the food is great for folks who know each other well to communicate with few words or wait till after dinner to rave about how great it is. read more

Amazing. One of the best restaurants in Durham. Tried it for restaurant week and no regrets. Would def come back for a special occasion. Everything we got was absolutely amazing and it was nice to see the food spaced out when served. read more

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Great food but a little pricey for portion size. We went here with another couple and had a good time ordering all of the different tapas. Everything tasted great but some of the portions were very small, even for tapas. Some came with only two or three small pieces (Datil & Costillas de Puerco), so not everyone at the table could try. On the other hand, some tapas like the Jamon plates and Patatas Bravas were much more filling. I would suggest starting with something larger if you are hungry. Also ask the server how many pieces a plate comes with so you know how many to order for a group. All of the food itself was amazing and the service was good! read more

Given the quality of the food, wine selection, great atmosphere and attentive staff--Mateos has become one of our favorite places to go in downtown. We especially love the way the menu changes seasonally (to ensure the freshest ingredients are being served and utilized). While they keep favorites, these changes are always welcome and showcase the chefs experience and versatility--which we appreciate. Located in an easily accesible area of downtown, they are easy to get to and do have a parking lot for their patrons (which saves time and money from having to find it on the street!) One thing I would recommend however, is making a reservation at least one week in advance as it gets very busy in the evening/weekends. In addition to dinner, they are also open for lunch and occasionally have specials. So definitely worth checking out! read more

This was better than Jaleo in DC and I love Jaleo. My parents really enjoyed it and there is something for everyone on the menu. Some of the portions were big and some were weirdly small but that's tapas for you. I didn't love the chicken croquettes but REALLY loved the pan con tomate, little ribs, dates with goat cheese, some rice dish with smoked duck and garlic aioli, and my parents were LOSING IT over a dish that was like an egg over easy within a little cheese pancake? I don't know how to describe it but it had manchego and they wanted to eat it every day. We also had the deviled egg which was actually a deviled egg in a little chorizo shell- like a scotch egg. The garlic shrimp were delicious and keep some bread to mop up all the butter. It's loud in here and you will need a reservation but it's amazing and worth it. read more

Ate here this week. Food was excellent. Had achovies, shrimp, jamon iberico, and patatas bravas. The jamon could have been a little better considering the price and since it was iberico bellota , or acorn fed pork. Had the same jamon in Spain, Mateo's wasnt even close. Overall a great place, and it is the closest thing I have seen to a tapa bar in Spain based on food and ambiance. They also won me over by having Estrella Galicia on tap. Please get Cerveza Alhambra and add fried achovies, and improve the jamon. Also, improve the service a little, dude at the bar had a little attitude. read more

My boyfriend and I go there all the time. Hands down, the best restaurant in Durham. I lived in Atlanta for two years and never had anything as good as Mateo. We have had almost everything on the menu and haven't been disappointed once. Make sure you get a reservation. This place is always packed. Don't count on getting a table if you walk in on Thursday-Saturday. read more

As usual...dinner time rolled around and what to do and where to go? Yelp* to the rescue! We weren't really starved, but wanted a small bite to carry us over. What better than Tapas -small delicious bites of excellent food. We had the special of the day which was Crispy Rabbit Racellette, Fried Manchego Cheese with a fresh Duck egg and my favorite; fresh Serrano Ham with crispy baguette. Oh my! A little slice of Espana to tempt the taste buds. This place is urban cool with a busy and energetic vibe. Wait staff was sharp, friendly & efficient. Interesting food very well prepared. I'll be back again when in Durham. Don't miss this sweet spot! read more

Spanish cuisine with a Durham twist? What more could I ask for in a restaurant? You had me at hello, Mateo. Though I am a fan of Cheerwine, I was vaguely concerned that the red sangria was listed on the menu as "Cheerwine" sangria, but I was delighted to find that the sangria, in fact, was pleasantly fruity and the soda wasn't overt at all (and not near as carbonated as tinto de verano would be). The tortilla had sweet potato in it and had a sorghum sauce on top, and it was some of the best tortilla I've ever had. I couldn't stop eating the farmer's cheese with pepper jelly on rustic bread, and the chicken croquetas were crispy on the outside and warm and creamy on the inside. The sweetbreads served over cheesy grits were also very rich and delicious, as were the dates wrapped in bacon. We topped it all off with a toffee bread pudding, which was the perfect consistency-- neither dry nor mushy, and full of flavors. The only thing we tried that I didn't love was the chicken skin chicharrones, but when I ate them with the chow chow and the sauce they're served with, it was a nice blend of flavors. Only other downside is that the space isn't large and the tables are close together, so it can get a bit loud. Definitely a must if you're stopping through Durham! read more

I got high recs for this place from a friend- so maybe it didn't quite meet my expectations for amazing spanish tapas. Nonetheless, the duck confit and peas risotto was amazing and I liked the sweetbreads (quite frankly it's hard to go wrong with sweetbreads considering they're breaded and fried). Those are the only two dishes that I really liked from the dishes we ordered... read more

Mateo - Duck confit and green beans risotto. - Tapas Bars Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Mateo was excellent - I am not a tapas aficionado, by any means, but it was in the top tier of tapas that I have had. There were about the usual number of vegetarian options, relative to other tapas restaurants, about 4 or 5 dishes and probably more that could have been easily modified. Everything was delicious. It was packed on a Thursday night - there were not that many reservations for 4 available by late afternoon when we were making our reservation. I worried that it would be too loud for 4 people but it was not bad, we definitely had easy conversations without yelling. The noise would have been tougher for folks with bad hearing, or for a larger group, stuff I think about when I'm scheduling dinners for work. There is a big bar - looked like it would be a great spot to eat dinner at the bar. read more

Tapas restaurants always leave me hungry, poor and disappointed. But, for the first time ever, not Mateo! Portions are slightly larger than the typical tapas, and oh so good! The winners of our night were the calamari (best I've ever had!), lamb meatballs (my date ordered 2nd then 3rds of these), and the potatoes bravas (and that's saying something bc I don't even like potatoes!). Only thing we didn't like we're the chicken croquettes which were chewy, dry and bland. Definitely make a reservation. We tried doing walk ins at 8pm on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night and we're told it would be a 2 hr wait each time. The next Saturday I called at 5 pm and easily got a reservation for 7. read more

Checked out Mateo for the first time this past weekend. The service was on point from the time we arrived until the time we departed. We had a 10:00pm reservation ( and I do recommend that you make a reservation) and never felt rushed or that our food was thrown together (like I have felt at other restaurants when dining toward the end of the day). The tapas selections were quite varied and provide us with an opportunity to try many different types of selections. We had one tapas plate with rabbit, pasta and chorizo sausage that was delicious. Everything that we tried was delicious in fact. We will go back. It was a great date night destination for my wife and I. read more

Great date night spot! We had the sweet tea sangria (didn't think sweet tea could get any better, but it did!), the deviled eggs, spiced chick peas, farmers cheese, the bocadillo pork sliders, pork ribs, and the bone marrow. All the tapas were superb! The cheese and ribs both come with a red pepper jelly that frankly I wanted to eat by the tub. The only dish we ordered that we weren't happy with was the tortilla espanola, but that was partially our fault. Having ordered it from many other restaurants, and having seen a pic of it on their Yelp page, we thought it was made with just potatoes. Mateos version (maybe it's new?) now is a omelet featuring onions, squash, and oysters.....it was VERY soggy and the onions were really under cooked. It was sent back and taken off the check. Overall though, it was a wonderful meal. Definitely recommend the blueberry hand pie for dessert! read more

Visiting from nj/nyc. Lots of food options. Everything we ordered was good. Love the half glass wine options for multiple tastings. Things we ordered: Shrimp, pulpo, padron peppers, spicy crispy potatoes, tomato salad, elote, boquerones, fried okra. Cocktails, Sangria, wine. Overall great experience. Really friendly and helpful staff. No complaints or critiques. read more

Wonderful experience! It only took a few minutes to get a table for 2 on a Saturday night but it was busy so I'd recommend reserving if possible. I loved the both cozy and hip atmosphere with the big wood bar, brick wall and old style lighting. Our server was incredible- very knowledgeable about the menu, polite, funny and had great suggestions. We were delighted with each plate we tried that included the pan con tomate, sautéed pea sprouts, popcorn shrimp, remolacha and the bacalao. I will definitely be coming back here and look forward to the seasonal menu changes to try more! read more

My only regret was that we didn't have a table full of people so that we can try EVERYTHING on the menu! This was a pre-DPAC show dinner date and even though I have not mastered and/or embraced the small plate "thing". This place has changed my views entirely. It was wonderful. The service was amazing and the food was PERFECT and served almost immediately upon ordering. The vibe of the restaurant was quaint, but busy and very cool, very hip but not in a pretentious way. The cocktail I had was a Cheerwine Sangria. The only time I've ever liked Cheerwine! REMEMBER THIS LIST PEOPLE: Queso Frito y Huevo - farm egg, crispy manchego over asparagus Bistec de Carne - ribeye a la plancha, crispy potato, horseradish creme fraiche, caviar, bone marrow Pollo Frito - chicken fried chicken, mahon, jamon serrano, aioli, pickle salad Calamares Fritos - semolina encrusted shrimp, piquillo tarter sauce I felt like I had a little taste of heaven with every single plate. NOT A LIE! The worst thing about this experience was not ordering a second plate of heaven and trudging through the menu to try something else. This was not a hardship. WAIT! Dessert? I NEVER pass on dessert. I wore my fatpants and ordered the Organic Strawberry handpie, salty and sweet and all kinds of YUM in my mouth. The boyfriend ordered the banana pudding and damn, it's not MY thing but it is now! Holy Moly. So much goodness! My new life goal is to go there until I have literally tried EVERYTHING on the menu. It was a wonderful experience. ALL OF IT! I even had the boyfriend tell me that was the best meal he's had in a long time. He was in love with the food, the flavor and the vibe. I'm in love too! I am a fan. I'm trying to make another reservation here ASAP. read more

Loved this place. Took a seat at the bar with my fiance. Ordered a glass of dry red, whatever was closest to a Pinot noir . Only issue was I really couldn't read the wine menu because it was all in Spanish, but the bartender was helpful! For tapas we got the fried deviled eggs..so good. The dentils, the goat cheese with honey, and pork/lamb meatballs. All were sooooo good and presented beautifully. The vibe was very chill, nice background music and decor. We will definitely be back! read more

I was so excited to try this place! I'd never been, but a friend who was a big fan of Spanish tapas was visiting from out of town and I thought it would be a great place to try. There were four of us in our group, and we had a reservation for 9pm on a Friday night. We arrived a few minutes before 9 and were told our table would be ready "in a few minutes." So we stood and waited because it was so hectic, there's no place to sit while you wait. After 15-20 minutes, I inquired as to the status of our table. I was told again "it'll be a few minutes" Hmm. So we waited again. And waited. Another 15 minutes or so went by and I was told yet again that it would be "a few minutes." We actually considered just forfeiting our reservation and trying elsewhere, but unfortunately in this part of Durham, finding any place without a wait is darned near impossible. So we stuck it out. Finally approximately 45 minutes after arriving, we were told that our table was ready! Hallelujah! It did take a while even after that to actually be seated, but we finally made it. Once we sat down, and looked over the menu, we were hoping to be acknowledged by a server, offered water....anything. But another full 15 minutes or so went by before our server greeted us. Yes, it was crazy busy, but I gather that is the usual there. By this time, we were absolutely starving and getting more than a little cranky at all the wait time. The good news is, the food arrived fairly quickly when we finally were able to order, and it was good. I doubt that I was as impressed as I might have been, due to being aggravated, but it was...fine. I do want to give this place another shot, because I have heard such good things. Perhaps going earlier on a week night might yield better results. But waiting close to an hour to be seated, WITH a reservation just seems pretty unacceptable. read more

I've been waiting to come to this restaurant for almost a year, and friends visiting from out of town finally gave me the excuse to make the trek out. We made reservations for a Friday night and I was so glad we did because it was incredibly crowded when we arrived. We were seated almost immediately, and our drink order was taken in no time. We had a bottle of a tempranillo blend, which was delicious. We didn't end up eating too much because our dinner was late and we had already eaten beforehand, but what we had was delicious!! I especially love the brisket and the octopus! The service was very polite and attentive. I was pleased with the entire experience - the food, the atmosphere, the music, the crowd, the general vibe... I will definitely come here again and can't wait for my next visit. read more

I showed up without a reservation and sat at the bar. I could easily see needing a reservation on a busier night. Full menu at the bar. It's Spanish style tapas with a local touch as many things are sourced locally. Nice ambiance. It's Food was good. I'm comparing to Jaleo, one of my favorite places in DC, and to bars in Spain where i lived for a few years. I wasn't blown away, but i wasn't disappointed either. I'm a fan of tapas, and Mateo is a very welcome addition to the downtown Durham area in my opinion. I loved the croquetas and the queso frito y huevo, which was particularly tasty. The padrón fritos were awesome. I agree with another reviewer who said the food was a touch on the salty side. It ends up being a touch expensive with 3-4 tapas per person necessary for a solid meal (not to mention drinks), but I feel like that's standard for tapas places. It's worth it to treat yourself, though. I'll return. read more

Mateo - Front entrance - Tapas Bars Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Quite honestly the best tapas place I have been to (so far). Well, if I am being completely honest, it's only the second tapas place that I've been to, but the fact that it beats the first (Philly's Amada) is quite a feat in itself. My coworkers and I came here to celebrate a birthday, and out of the menu's sizable list of "hot" tapas, we made double orders of probably half of them. The service here is great. The waiters are friendly but also professional. Our dishes came out within 15 minutes of ordering, and the staff frequently check on your table to clear away empty dishes and provide refills on drinks. Out of the many tapas we tried, I highly recommend the pork chops (sticky and slightly sweet) and the duck rice (hearty and filling). For starters, the pan com tomate (with ham and cheese) was extremely good, and I do recommend that people try all the different types of meat they offer here. The chorizo is especially tasty and goes well with the bread they serve with it. Dishes that were okay but not entirely worth the money were the fried potatoes and the fried chicken. As for serving size, the tapas were actually larger than I expected (while still remaining tapas size). My party of 6 wasn't even able to finish all of the dishes we ordered. This restaurant is a great place to treat yourself to for any occassion! I'm a fan. read more

First timer for lunch. Had the steak salad, which was a steak, cherry tomatoes, basil, croutons, and a yummy aioli dressing. Very good. Cool environment and great service. I'll be back for more lunches and will report if it doesn't live up to this visit. read more

Mateo - Dining - Tapas Bars Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

My gourmet club just tried Mateo tonight, and it was our first group outing for tapas. Very glad we made reservations (on a Wednesday night), as it was quite full, and a bit noisy. The food is inventive and tasty. We thoroughly enjoyed starting with 6 plates, tasting everything, then ordering 2 more savory plates, followed by 2 dessert plates. What a treat to try so many different things without feeling we were missing out! I also felt like we got to try a wonderful sampling of what the chefs are capable of. There are a lot of staff members on the floor, and they are remarkably well coordinated in delivering food and knowing who had what. A fun evening with really delicious food. We will definitely be back. read more

Food was unbelievable: Queso Frito y Huevo 9/10 Huevo Diablo 8/10 Costillas de Puerco 8/10 Tortilla Espanola 8/10 Gambas 5/10 (Very plain tasting olive oil) Calamares Fritos 5/10 (Nice and crispy but very plain tasting breading) Special: Summer Squash 8/10 Drinks were hit or miss: Rodenbach Grand Cru - Good but I've definitely had better sours and cheaper than $10 too! 6/10 Sweet Tea Sangria - Too much mint which made it too sweet to the point of overwhelming any fruit flavor in it. 4/10 Jerez de Frontera El Maestro Sherry - the best part of the meal! 10/10 read more

Had a late night dinner here after a show. Full menus after 10:30 downtown Durham seem to be a precious commodity. The ambiance is sophisticated yet laid back. Perfect for my total assimilation into the ever dreaded adult world. I'm simply not up for the bar scene where the conversations among drunks lean toward raunchy pickup lines anymore. The staff were extremely attentive and friendly. Our orders were delivered quickly. And yes I know that may have something to do with the fact that it was late night dining. Once finished each plate was cleared immediately. Drink selection was wonderful, I even found a new bear I like. And it must be said, every plate we ordered was decimated! First we started off with a five cheese plate since I'm a cheese addict. The variety was there as was the quality. For the rest of our meal we ordered several meat plates that exceeded my expectations. The ALBÓNDIGAS was my personal favorite, ordered twice! These delectable lamb meatballs were cooked to perfection and the benne tahini, cucumber, dill, and feta simply made me sigh with delight. My fiancé absolutely adored the chicken croquette which was a special for the evening. With a creamy center these little puffs were both a surprise and delight. MORCILLA were loved as well. A bit of crunch and sweetness from the apples complimented the blood sausage and bacon wonderfully. Note they DON'T skimp on the bacon in this dish! All that was presented in a lovely sweet potato hazelnut purée. With a large variety of plates, friendly staff, and quality of the food, this is my new favorite. We will definitely be going back! read more