I keep trying to remember the last meal out I've had where EVERY bite of EVERYTHING was 150%. Nerra, this weekend, comes close and could perhaps exceed that benchmark. Nerra is at 506 Ramseur Street, Durham, NC. Get a reservation. Don't show up hoping. We went for a belated Father's Day, a week late, because my wife and son let the date slip past them. They'll deny it. I know better. And I'm not actually upset about it, because if they'd remembered, we'd have missed this. We started the night with the Baker's Flight (pumpernickel, cheddar rosemary biscuits, cornbread, house butters). The pastries were excellent. The butter was something else entirely. I asked for 8oz to take home, which is not a thing I do. I don't need more butter in my life. Seriously. But this butter was coming home wiht me regardless. Our entries: Shrimp and Grits (built on stone-milled grits with jumbo shrimp, spinach, seared peppers, smoked gouda and parmesan, under a Cajun cream sauce). Number two, the Sun-Fire Jerk Chicken (bone-in, braised and marinated, with fried plantains, island jerk sauce, jasmine rice, and a salsa). Lastly: The Whole Roasted Fish (Snapper this particular night, with spinach, tomatoes, citrus caper, and roasted potatoes). Each dish was spectacular. As if not enough, we still ordered dessert. Mama Made, we were told. Cheesecake and a Chocolate Brownie with ice cream. I'm not going to lie here and say either were shared. Somewhere about this time I was doing math in my head of how we could come to Nerra on a weekly basis. Seriously, I was. The Chef came by the table. The Chef's Mama came by too. Our server, Andrea, did the kind of work that doesn't get talked about enough. Andrea was attentive without hovering, present without performing. Andrea should take some time to right the manual on how to take care of a table and party, cause she's a master at it. If none of this moves you, I don't think I can do more for you here. If it does, you already know you're booking a reservation in the next 30 minutes. We are absolutely going back. The only question is how often I can make that happen without rearranging our entire budget. I'm working on it. read more

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I don't go to restaurants to complain and disparage. But Nerra was a seriously uneven experience. The good news is: friendly solicitous staff, great fish, Caesar salad, brussels sprouts. At home I put a good deal of salt on my food, so even though I had read the Yelp reviews saying that the chef was overly generous with the salt shaker, I thought, "This should be no problem." I was wrong. My brother-in-law's short ribs and my gumbo were at the top edge of salt tolerance. We did our best to politely eat, and didn't complain at the start, which some might say is our fault. By the way, I have eaten a lot of New Orleans gumbo, which characteristically is thicker and less salty. I ate half of mine, not wanting to stop the party, and when I was full, I called the waiter over and quietly mentioned the high salt level. She seemed astonished and said I should have asked for a different dish. Indeed I had waited too long, but when is it the diner's responsibility to sound the alarm about the chef's excesses? At this point, we paid the bill and I left a generous tip. On the way out, I chatted with the host/manager and politely informed her about the salt. She had her own explanation: the gumbo has been cooking all week and thus it gets very reduced and salty. Again, if this is true, there's no oversight in the kitchen, no one tasting the dish before it hits the table. Finally, it was too late, because of my polite hesitation, to offer me another dish. Was it too late to adjust the bill? Had that been offered, I would still be drinking many glasses of water but I would not be writing this review, an anomaly for me since the majority of my Yelp reviews are wildly positive. Eaters beware. read more

My husband and I went to Nerra for our anniversary. It was totally unplanned so we grabbed a last minute reservation and went at 1:30. So we were near the end of brunch/lunch and before dinner. The restaurant itself is really quaint and I just loved the decor. Staff was warm and friendly. Our waitress was Patience and she was AMAZING! We started with the vegetable tempura and we also tried the calamari. Now I will admit I wanted to stab my husband in the back of his hand with my fork for wanting me to share that tempura. It came with blackened ranch which I have never head of, but it was outstanding. I tend to be super sensitive to salt, and I found the Calamari slight salty. It is one of the primary reasons I don't opt for fried foods. Somewhere there was a memo that say if it's fried, go ahead and OVER SALT it. I will never understand. I had the Sesame Cruisted Tuna with brussel sprouts and my husband had the Golden Crusted Platter. I did not have one complaint about my entree. It was cooked to perfection, and I just enjoyed it to the last bite. I did taste my husband's dish and it was fried and it was salty. More so than the Calamari HOWEVER, he loved it and he did say it was just slightly salty for him, so ya know, it's probably me lol. His broccoli though...it had a grilled flavor to it but no grill marks. How they did it I don't know, but I had to steal a couple off his plate because he owed me for eating my tempura. ha! I rarely drink but I had a glass of wine and my tequila guy has a blood orange margarita! He loved it and that was a recommendation from Patience. Thanks Sis! All said, I only took a point off of this review for the salt. I just think chef's should know better and be careful that it's not too much. A little salt goes a long way and when in doubt, just leave some space for us to salt our food at the table, You can add, but if it's overdone, it ruins the dish. Otherwise, I will go back and try it other menu items! Tempura and then something different lol. The good news is I want to go back and sure, you go ahead and try it too. I think this one is a winner. read more

Came to Nerra recently for dinner and had an OK experience. First, parking wasn't too challenging but we did have to search around for a spot. My wife and I had a reservation and were seated at a high-top right near the front door, but they had a barrier erected between us and the door so that was nice :) There was some confusion about who was serving us - one server came initially, and then another server talked to her and maybe told her that she had taken the wrong table? Then the first server came back with an obvious cover-up story to cover up the awkwardness, which of course didn't really work. Anyway, the first server took care of us for the rest of our time there and she did an OK job. My wife ordered the blackened kale Caesar salad (with blackened shrimp) while I got oven roasted salmon with citrus caper butter sauce. I sampled my wife's Caesar and it was pretty good! The shrimp were flavorful and the Caesar dressing was tasty, although I do think they forgot to include the croutons. My salmon tasted fresh but was a little bland. I would probably order something else if I came again. Overall, due to the awkwardness with the servers and my salmon being a little underwhelming, I gave Nerra 3 stars. I think if you chose a different entree, you may have a 4 star experience. read more

I absolutely love this restaurant!! We shared the jerk chicken, pasta and gumbo so that we could try some new dishes and everything was a 10. Every dish was full of flavor. I love the intention to every detail of the experience. The staff and owner are so nice. The decor is so Beautiful read more

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My husband and I had dinner at Nerra before a show and had a great experience. We started with drinks, it was a beer for me and the Plank & Pear cocktail for him. I also tried the Crimson Sky. The cocktails were tasty overall, although we noticed some inconsistency between the first and second Plank & Pear. One thing I really liked about the menu was the Curated Catch option, which lets you choose your fish, preparation method and sauce pairing. My husband selected the seared mahi-mahi with sun-fire salsa and a side of rice, while I ordered the shrimp & grits. Both dishes were delicious. The food was flavorful, the atmosphere was great for a pre-show dinner and the location in downtown Durham was convenient. Overall, Nerra is a great dining option in Downtown Durham. read more

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We went for our anniversary for the first time and was thoroughly impressed! It was beautifully decorated, and very chill vibes. We started with the calamari and I got the baked red snapper and my husband got the Cajun pasta special (not pictured). The server was attentive and gave us great recommendations. Definitely recommend for a date night or a nice dinner with friends! read more

Nerra - Baked Whole Fish - Seafood Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Came here for my friend's birthday and had such a nice time. The place is cute and quaint with really chill vibes. I ordered the Caesar salad, Cajun seafood pasta and 2 drinks. Everything was very good, a special shoutout to the chef for the dressing on the salad. Our server told us it was made in house and idk what she added (besides the olives) to make it so damn good, but NEVER CHANGE THAT RECIPE. I demolished that salad and pasta, not a crumb left. It was also my friend's birthday so she was able to pick a dessert and we were all able to try the Carmel Apple tartlet. It was very good! Super flaky and delicious. Parking is either paid or street BUT if you park in the lot, you get 2 hours validated for free :) I'll definitely be back again soon! read more

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Came here to Nerra for their Salt, Sea, and Lime dinner--a four-course prix fixe experience--and it was such a treat! The ceviche was bright, fresh, and perfectly balanced, and the chips served alongside it were oh so good. The tortilla soup was the next course...and it was nicely spiced, comforting, and warming. The braised beef short rib tacos were great--the pickled veggies really added a punch of flavor that tied everything together beautifully. As far as the cocktails go...the winter pearita was delightful--I could have happily had a few more of those. Dessert surprised me the most. I'm usually not a tiramisu person since I'm not big on coffee, but their Mexican chocolate tiramisu won me over. The coffee flavor wasn't overpowering at all and it had almost horchata-like vibes. Overall, the menu felt incredibly thoughtful, cohesive, and delicious from start to finish. The restaurant itself is super cute and perfect for a date night. Service was fantastic as well--our server, Mikayla, was attentive, on top of everything, and made the experience even better. Would absolutely recommend. read more

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Social media can be deceiving but in this case the images align to the amazing taste! This place is something truly special and my inner fat boy is about to take over and have me coming back weekly!!! Don't judge me but I signed up for the Tequila 4 course next week! Great service (Mikayla was terrific), vibe and energy---great music as a backdrop and not blaring! Durham has a new crown jewel! Chef actually comes out and is visible working the floor. Very impressive! read more

Nerra - Berra shrimp appetizer...great flavors! - Seafood Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Service was excellent. Staff was very friendly. Outdoor seating was nice as the seats inside were very close together. The band started and my friend and I had to yell at each other. We had the special drink that was yummy. Mint, strawberry and gin. The ceviche was overcooked and rough which is weird as it is ceviche. The calamari was meh. We split the shrimp and grits. It was really great and way too salty. I enjoyed the brussel sprouts. read more

The service was top class, from the hostess to the waitress. The ambiance was so interesting -- feels like a beachside restaurant. The food was fresh. The mushrooms and Caesar salad were golden. The mahi mahi was a little bit underwhelming, though that could be due to how it was prepared. I'd go back again to try some of their other seafood options. One of the better seafood places in the area. read more

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I'd give 4.5 stars if I could. Visited Nerra for the first time and had a delightful date night. I loved the ambience inside and outside, and staff was amazing and welcoming. My husband I shared the ceviche and bread board for appetizers and both were delicious. The cheddar biscuits were my favorite. We accidentally went super carb heavy but our main dish didn't disappoint. The Golden Coast platter was so good. Mahi was cooked to perfection. The fried shrimp was maybe the best I've ever had, and the truffle fries were such a nice compliment. We'll definitely be back! read more

Nerra - Ceviche and Bread Board - Seafood Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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This place is amazing! Everything is so delicious and the service was great! It is a cute quaint place. The staff is very friendly and attentive. Our water was consistently topped off and food came out pretty quickly. Server gave great recommendations! Everything we had we loved. I didn't order this but the most impressive and original part of the menu was the curated catch menu where you can order two fishes cooked any way topped with any sauce of your choosing. I ordered the Cajun seafood linguini and loved it. Even the sides were delicious! My favorite was probably that delicious pear cocktail, I don't often see pear on a cocktail menu and it did not disappoint. OMG and the bakers flight! Those butter were so good I wanted to take them home. Loved everything. Can't wait to come back and try more of the menu. read more

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It's date night, which brought us to Nerra which turned out to be the perfect spot. I believe our waiter was new/training, and he did an excellent job. He had great recommendations on food and made sure we had everything we needed. The food was so good, from the mixed bread app to the main dish. I loved the option of being able to pick the fish, preparation style, and sauce. I will def be coming back here again. read more

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Excellent food and attentive service by Andrea. The vibe is retro diner chic. The seated mahi with chimichurri sauce and the jerk chicken with mango pineapple salsa were both excellent! We will be back! read more

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Good but not great. Nice ambiance and servers are very welcoming. Place has a good vibe. Cocktails were very tasty. Calamari appetizer was really delicious. Very much enjoyed that. Entrees were ok. We both got the fish, which is clearly their thing and should have been excellent. I got blackened tuna with a miso sauce, and my wife got mahi with a mango sauce. In both cases fish was somewhat overcooked so tough, and the sauces were fine but needed more flavor. Both dishes were fine but nothing outstanding. All good. I wouldn't mind coming back especially for drinks and calamari, but we were slightly disappointed by the fact that the fish really wasn't outstanding. read more

Great food. The ambiance was great and the service was really good. Super great server. read more

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We had read good things about this newish restaurant (woman owned, local ingredients, etc.) and made a reservation for dinner on a Thursday evening. We were promptly seated and perused the menus. We weren't in a drinking mood so only got lemonade and ice tea (very sweet!). Decided on the ceviche to start. My wife had the shrimp and grits and I had the gumbo after I had seen it featured in a video on their Instagram page. Food was good, although the sodium content of the gumbo hit me more as I was finishing it up. We decided to pass on dessert but it seems like they have some good options. We're happy to see lots of restaurants/bars in this part of Durham so we're rooting for them. read more

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Bummer. Was excited to try this new place out but unfortunately the brunch was very disappointing. The shrimp and grits had no flavor and the grits were super watery. My friend got the breakfast hash and that too lacked flavor and even salt and pepper couldn't help. Honestly, I could've made it better at home. The cheddar cheese didn't give the dish the oomph it needed. And the sautéed vegetables were just grilled vegetables with no flavor. I'm sorry to say but I can't recommend this place for brunch. Maybe their dinner menu is better or maybe they had an off day but paying $20+ something a dish and walking away disappointed is not something I can afford at this time. read more

Nerra - Shrimp and Grits - Seafood Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Nerra is a quaint little restaurant in Durham which focuses on seafood locally sourced. The atmosphere is mellow, and the staff are friendly and attentive. The food, drinks and dessert are top tier. The restaurant is on Ramseur St/ downtown Durham, and there there is available parking, in the lots, or the free parking lot across from Mezcallito. I will definitely be returning, and if you go, it won't disappoint. read more

Nerra - Key Lime tart - Seafood Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Food is really tasty and portion size is enough to fill me. Service very professional and helpful. I n-joi the meal and portion size. read more

Nerra - Cajun pasta - Seafood Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

I visited in 7/26/26 as an early birthday dinner with my sister's. I got the whole red snapper, deep fried, which comes on a bed of spinach, fingerling potatoes and diced tomatoes with a lemon butter sauce. OMG, it was cooked perfectly and the flavor was everything. I also got the short rib plate to go, which was a new menu item. They were out of the garlic mashed potatoes, so that was replaced with rice which I didn't mind at all. It was so flavorful, I was glad I was home eating it lol. read more

reserved on open table for lunch. confirmed, received reminder day of. arrived to closed restaurant. despite what they say on the website and what open table allows for reservations, this place does not serve lunch! they were unresponsive to my calls about my experience. I won't be returning read more

Husband and I made reservations here on a Friday night. Great vibe, beautiful artwork, indoor and outdoor seating available. Our server brought us water while we decided on drinks. I appreciate the carafe of water on the table. I decided on the Mermaid's Cove which was fantastic. The menu here looked amazing. I love seafood and I love the flexibility of picking your fish, style of cooking and sauce. I chose the mahi, grilled, with the crimson harvest sauce and husband ordered Mahi seared with Sun fire salsa. When our orders came they placed the wrong ones in front of us (based on sauces) so we switched. As we started to eat we realized I had the seared and he the grilled. Not a huge deal as we like both but something for the kitchen to be cognizant of. Crimson harvest sauce did not have much flavor. Brussels were 10/10. Overall this place has great potential but food and service weren't quite there for the price point. read more

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What a wonderful new addition to the Durham food scene! Nerra is a seasonal, seafood-forward kitchen. Two friends and I came on a Friday night, and we got the: - Spicy Tuna Crudo (tuna, cucumber, sun-fire salsa, sesame & micro-greens): We ordered the Ceviche but they ran out and recommended the Crudo instead. So glad, because this dish was delicious! Super fresh, zingy, flavorful, great textures, loved the crispy wonton chips- my favorite starter for sure. - Nerra Shrimp (shrimp stuffed with crab, bread crumbs, Parmesan & citrus-caper butter): Good, but didn't really stand out to me. - Bakers Flight (pumpernickel, Gouda-rosemary biscuits & hush puppies served with whipped honey butter & sea salt-garlic butter): I didn't like the hush puppies (not sweet like classic hush puppies should be), but the biscuit, bread, and butters were tasty enough. - Cajun Seafood Linguine (linguine with creamy Cajun sauce, seared scallops, jumbo shrimp, turkey andouille sausage & bell pepper): My favorite entree! Creamy but not heavy, lots of seafood, perfectly cooked pasta, loved the Cajun twist. - Oven Roasted Whole Snapper (served over baby potatoes, spinach & charred tomatoes with a citrus caper sauce): Well-cooked with subtle seasoning that allowed the fish to shine, but not really my vibe. - Honey Butter Corn Skillet: Way too sweet for me unfortunately, but I liked eating it with the pasta. - Wild Berry Crisp: Tart, sweet, good textural diversity. Unfortunately, they ran out of ice cream, which I'm sure would have taken this to the next level. Dessert is actually free if you get two entrees! - Fresh Brewed Sweet Tea: Lowkey loved this, the tea essence was strong and it wasn't too sweet. Ambiance is wonderful, super aesthetic- felt like we were seaside. Service was fast and attentive. There's plenty of nearby free parking (adjacent to restaurant, on Newman St, parking garage on S Elizabeth St). Definitely make a res or you'll likely have to wait, especially on weekends (it was popping). 9/10 would recommend! read more

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Went to this place with friends, and it was a stellar dining experience! Every single thing that we ordered was incredibly seasoned, generously proportioned, and priced well. I would 100% recommend this place. We died outside and the artwork was beautiful. Also, the service really speaks volumes, as all of the team members work together to ensure for delightful experience. I was surprised to learn that the Chef was from Durham, North Carolina. The food tasted like something straight out of Louisiana. read more

What a lovely little spot! If you like seafood and you want it done right this is a great option. Our server, Nigel was a delight. He was very knowledgeable on the menu items and had great recommendations. All in all, it's on the top of my list for seafood in Durham! read more

I'd been wanting to try this place for while so I was happy to get to have a dinner with friends there! It's very small and cute. I love the aqua blue theme decor, it's bright and it brightens your mood as well. The food was the star of the show, each dish full of flavor and delicious. Tried the fried fish and shrimp, loved that it was light and flavorful. I did order the sauce flight and it was really good with the 5 different sauces. They have weekly specials and my husband ordered the seafood pasta and he enjoyed that as well. The service was fantastic! Tips order the bread flight, looks of unique options and they make the butters in house! One thing to note the cocktails are expensive, so they add up if you get more than one. I want to go back soon! read more

Went for the first time on Saturday- it was busy and they were killing it! The servers were welcoming, knowledgeable, and really fun people. The food was spectacular! We stuck to small plates because we wanted to try a variety of flavors and the executive chef did not disappoint! We had a spicy tuna crudo, the ceviche, a garlicky shrimp with crab meat and roasted Brussel sprouts in a honey glaze. The cocktails were also delicious and the finishing touch was the banana pudding cheesecake. We met the cheesecake creator and raved about her flavors- she told us to come back as she had 39 more flavors for us to try!!! It was a fabulous experience that was worth every penny! You need to check this place out...maybe I'll see you there because I am definitely going back! read more

I came to my first near a supper Club beautiful atmosphere jazz music wonderful dinner the wait staff is impeccable read more

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This is an excellent little seafood restaurant right near Ponysaurus brewing and the new Fizzwerks. Perfect location for a date night or dinner with friends before grabbing a few drinks out. There's a gravel parking lot right next to it too, so that's a plus, but it was filling up fast after we got there around 6pm, so you may want a backup plan just in case. My husband and I tried the Ceviche and Nerra Shrimp apps which were both delicious. Ceviche was fresh and bright. We did the Cajun seafood pasta and grilled salmon with caper butter which was cooked to perfection and had a bit of a smokey flavor. And we finished with the key lime tartlet. Yum! Food and service were excellent. We'll definitely be back to try the seafood boil for two. read more

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This was an after work meet up. I made reservations two days prior. I was intrigued because of the seafood offerings. My friend and I started out with the Nerra Shrimp, which is shrimp stuffed with crab and parmesan. We moved on to the entrees, she got the salmon with the butter sauce side and I got the short ribs and added brussel sprouts. The short ribs were a little on the salty side, but I was advised by our lovely and knowledgeable server, David that it would have been perfect with serving or red wine. (Note to self for next visit). The reason I did not have the red is because I preoccupied with the Driftwood Manhattan and the Deep Current tequila drink. On my next visit, I want to try the Red Snapper. I met the chef, Alexis and several wait staff. I will recommend this restaurant and I will be back. read more

This is my first time eating at this restaurant first of all I love the ambience. The staff was amazing. The service was so good and the food was excellent. I had the oven baked snapper and I have a garlic allergy and my food was tailored to my needs. I will be going back again. read more

This was my third time here and the food, service and atmosphere has been a 10/10 every time.

Great spot, five minutes away from DPAC. Great service and food. Nerra Shrimp was, by far, my favorite thing we ate. That being said, Tempura, Ceviche and Calamari were very good as well. Highly recommend!!! read more

Pros: great service, neighborhood vibe, good intentions, delicious dessert Cons: fish and brussels sprouts criminally overcooked; overpriced even for downtown Durham; felt like a work in progress. This place has such potential but needs refinement. The kitchen is attached to the bar so you see and hear, loudly, every order in and out. Employees were bringing trash bags through the dining area during our meal. Feels like cooks and staff just need more training. Yet forgivable because we felt like they were really trying to create a special space in Durham. We wish the best for this restaurant. read more

This restaurant was gorgeous and a refreshing addition to the area. The blue interior decor was stunning to look at while eating our delicious meals ans enjoying the cocktails. Our server Patience was friendly knowledgeable and made great recommendations for us. Cant wait to return! read more

Excellent service! Wonderful food! Group of 13 everyone was pleased. Outstanding fresh fried soft shell crab plate. Lovely buffet. Great coffee. No pork on brunch buffet was no problem. We will return, soon! read more

Food was excellent. We had ceviche, seared mahi mahi, and shrimp and grits. All very good. Main dishes arrived before we had finished our appetizers. I expect better at the price point. read more