Tapas tapas and more tapas! One better than the other. We did run into a huge problem though,…read moreexplained in more detail below. Wife and I started our quick little anniversary getaway here, and they nailed it. The place itself is gorgeous. Huge patio with greenery, baller bar area in the middle of the upscale open space, which gives a modern and chic vibe. That problem I mentioned? Deciding what we were going to order off of the amazingly stacked tapas menu. One sounded better than the other, plates coming out to the left and right of us...we were deer in headlights not knowing what to do, words didn't come out when our friendly and knowledgeable server came by. As far as problems go at a restaurant, I guess it could have been worse. With helpful guidance and knowing our love for anything foodie related, we just started picking one by one after a few sips of our well balanced cocktails (another large menu with anything and everything for fellow cocktail lovers out there). Had to go with a meat and charcuterie board first. A decadent manchego, a creamy French that was smooth and tangy, plus a 20 month cured ham that was salty and smoky. Honestly everything that came out after was a 10/10. From the wild mushrooms, Wagyu carpaccio and bone marrow, to the pork belly, corn bunuelos and steak paillard...everything was cooked to perfection with amazing spices and sauces that complemented each dish perfectly. (See pics and captions for more details) These chefs and mixologists know what they're doing here. 2 managers came by our table to make sure everything was going well. Top notch service, top shelf food and drink, modern and upscale decor and vibe. A perfect concoction for a special night out with family or friends.

I like Barcelona Wine Bar mainly because they are open late so you can have a nice meal after 9 pm…read more The bar is the highlight as they make good crafted cocktails and they do have an extensive wine list. The ambiance is dark and nice for couples or friends. The booths at the bar are not the most comfortable, so I prefer a table. The tapas are those you find at a traditional Spanish tapas place. The papas being amongst the most popular are a good staple. The charcuterie is also very nice. The other tapas can be hit or miss depending on what is seasonally offered. On this visit, I wanted Brussels sprouts but they were no longer on the menu and the lamb was not a bone in lamb but rather ground meatballs. Not bad, just not what I expected. It's not a place I seek out to come, but it's solid food and drinks that fills a need when I want a late bite.

Nice mix of different foods you can get tapas style. Patatas bravas is always a classic and was…read moremade well. Everything we got was good. I didn't realize the Brussels sprouts dish was a salad when I ordered it but it ended up being good if you like Brussels sprouts. If you like pickled vegetables the mushroom dish is a must as it has mostly pickled vegetables in it. The steak was well made and paired well with the rest of the food. The shrimp/gambas were also delicious. The chicken empanadas weren't my favorite. The staff was very friendly and took good care of us.

The food at this restaurant was excellent! We are accustom to enjoying Spanish food and we found…read morethe food to be super authentic. We can easily spot when the food is authentic, or when there is lack in flavor. This place was amazing. The staffs were also very friendly. We tried the croquettes, the ribs, patatas bravas and Spanish omelette. All of the selections were very flavorful in par with traditional Spaniard food. We tried a delicious dessert called coffee tres leche. It was amazing and must try if you are a coffee fanatic. The place also has excellent customer service. The server mistakenly brought us the patatas bravas instead of the Spanish omelette, and they quickly replaced it without a charge. We will definitely be coming back to visit. I also want to bring my family over when they come visit us.

One of the best things about traveling is discovering great places to eat. They're usually not very…read morebig, not part of a large chain, but they're full of magic. Mateo, a Spanish tapas bar in Durham, NC, has everything you could want in a good restaurant. You can't miss it!

Mateo is a very comfortable tapa restaurant. The atmosphere and service make you feel at home and…read morethe food is excellent. Starting with the Datiles, which are dates stuffed with goat cheese and wrapped in Serrano ham, we could have stopped there. They are that good! We also enjoyed the Patatas Bravas, Gambas Al Ajillo, Ensalada and the Tortilla Espanola. With our meal, we also ordered a large Pan de Tomate, which included fresh tomatoes on freshly baked focaccia. We devoured every last piece! It was especially good to dip in the saucy broth the shrimp left behind. Our server, Aidan, was very attentive and was helpful when making selections. Having this assistance was helpful, as I could have made a case to order the entire menu! If you want excellent tapas, excellent drinks and a comfortable spot where you can sit and chat...Mateo has it waiting for you!

The food and drinks were super tasty! The server was friendly and had great recommendations. I…read morehaven't been in a few years but the food is still great so I'm glad that their menu and taste has been consistent.

The food here is good and the ambiance inside is nice! Their cocktails are super flavorful and…read moreaccommodate the food well.

Unfortunately our last visit to Casa Cubana was not great. Service was slow, it took over an hour…read moreto get our food and when we did get it, it was disappointing. My friends asked for steak sandwiches and they had more bread than steak. The steak was so small they could barely taste it. My friend and I asked for palomilla steak and got a churrasco cut. Staff was somewhat friendly.

We decided to give this a try on a Saturday night, the location is unassuming and it's clear that…read moreit's a converted fast food spot as some of the infrastructure still remains. (I think they are trying to get a drive through going?). As we walked to the front door the live music was blaring outside and it was a great night for it..it was a little early so it wasn't too crowded yet but people were enjoying the party. Once inside it was much more quiet, we were actually shocked at how well insulated it was from the music, which is great for those that was a little more cozy experience. We were greeted right away by a very friendly man in a great hat! We had our pick of tables and I would describe the decor as a casual vibe. I'm assuming as the name suggests, it's supposed to feel like you are at someone's home for a party. They had a good bunch of people working and everyone was really nice but they also were clearly family and had some kids running around and just basically enjoying themselves, I really enjoyed the atmosphere. The menu was great, loads of options. The drink selection was also good, classic Cuban favorites and others. I chose the coconut mojito and it was fresh made and SO good. For an appetizer we had the guacamole and tostones which were really good, and fresh. For dinner I had the arroz con pollo, which was seasoned really well, the rice was a little under for me but still really good. My husband had the ceviche which he said was the best he's ever had and could have had three more bowls. Overall, great spot. We might come back for the music and drinks on another warm night. They also have a good looking breakfast menu!

My daughter and I made the 1 hour drive to get the vegan friendly empanadas & yucca fries. It was…read moreso worth it. Until next time.

First time having an empanada that was not from a food truck. You dejected how many to order in…read moremultiple of 3, select your choice, get a dipping sauce and that's it. The filings were overstuffed and the food piping hot. The drinks were coke products in cans. No water available, nor cups or straws. I do not drink soda so this was a negative for me.

One of our most exciting and flavorful dining experience in months. Our downtown Raleigh dining…read morescene has amazing options, and Madre has stayed under our radar for no particular reason. We dined at their lovely bar back in the first months of their opening, and it was good. We had met the general manager, Red, and were impressed with the flavors of our one appetizer, Calabrian Chicken, yet we never rushed back. Now, we feel compelled to return ASAP to enjoy these exceptional flavors, fabulous teamwork system of service, and a comfortable chic atmosphere. The place was happening at 5:45 pm on our recent dining night out with friends. Grateful to have a reservation we were seated at a very comfortable banquette type of seating. It felt like dining in a friend's home. Our server, William, is excellent at his job. Very efficient, great input on food choices, and quite personable. The meal started off with a burst of flavor as we enjoyed their fairly new offering of a ceviche called Eye of the Tiger that featured a sauce you can never get enough of. Wish their bread service was a bit more inspired, but the Le Farm bread did soak up some of the various sauces sent out from a very inspired kitchen team. Food runners help make certain the tapas come out fresh and hot when needed. They are a friendly group of hospitality workers who seem to genuinely enjoy their work and treat their guests with sincere appreciation. It all starts at the top, and GM Red is a personable and sound leader. We loved the Chef's pasta, our octopus dish was stellar, the Calabrian Chicken almost stole the show, but the unctuous flavors on the plate of the Seared Halloumi was hands down my favorite. I love how this culinary team can crank out such outstanding flavors table to table and patron to patron without missing a beat. The energy in the room must feed their souls & for that we are grateful. Lastly I wish to mention the thoughtfully curated wine list where my husband discovered a treasure of a wine from the Familia Torres brand. It was exquisite and paired perfectly with Madre's flavors. Our friend who frequent their bar often rave about their Mezcal margarita! Another visit. See you soon Madre familia!

This used to be one of my 3 go-to first date restaurants, but I've had to cut it from the list…read moreafter realizing it makes literally everyone in the place seem irresistibly sexy, and that is not wise. Truly, though, I'm here often and love it - my dear friend and I are both heavy-duty allergy kids and the Madre squad is exquisite at managing cross-contamination and adapting plates to be accommodating. If you have nothing else, order the cauliflower with the green goddess dressing. Maybe order that two or three times, actually. The salchipapas are probably my favorite app in Raleigh. Also, the owners are both super cute, and the Bryan Costello design is magnifique. I would hire that man to redo my entire home to feel like Madre.

Friendly quick service. Explanation of choices was excellent. The food came out quickly and was…read moredelicious.

I've had this placed saved to try for a while and finally got the opportunity to try it out on a…read morerandom Wednesday. The space is large with plenty of seating and also bar seating. You order your food at the front (bar) and then grab a seat wherever you want. I got a mango margarita which they didn't skimp on the tequila in it! Was sweet enough where I didn't notice at first how much tequila was in it (a win in my book). For dinner, I got the pernil w/cuero which was full of flavor. Tostones were nice and crunchy without being greasy. The rice was just okay, I prefer a bit more sazon and sofrito. I think this restaurant would do well in a more inhabited area instead of connected to the mall but the guy working stated they do very well on the weekends, so I hope it brings them continued business!

I stumbled upon this cute, quaint wine bar when searching for a bite to eat on a Sunday evening. I…read moreloved the coziness of it and it was just what I needed to "wine" down before the begins. My servers were really nice and attentive to me, with a good balance of providing my space to enjoy some "me" time I came for. The wine flights are what caught my eye so I tried the one with white wines. I love that they have so many options for them. Plenty of tapas to choose from too, and the sliders and olives paired perfectly with my wine selection. It's cool that you can tell it's a neighborhood gem, because it sees like they had some Sunday regulars which is nice in a city that's growing so quickly and can easily to lose that neighborly feeling.

We had a great evening with friends enjoying the perfect weather, great friends, delicious food and…read morewine. Our service was terrific too. Highly recommend this place.

Food was really good and authentic. Gambled with the opportunity and doubled down. Great service…read moreand quaint atmosphere.

I was a bit disappointed with Kokí. We came on a Thursday for lunch because the empanadas looked so…read moregood in the post, but they were out of almost every flavor except for cheese and a mushrooms one or something like that. If we would have had more time, we would have left and went somewhere else. My fiancé and I actually saw two groups (7 people total) leave the restaurant after speaking with the people at the register. We ended up getting the Señor Iglesias Chicken Sandwich, which was good but very messy. The chicken isn't a patty and the bun isn't solid enough to hold the sandwich together so the tomato and chicken strips were constantly falling out. The Spanglish Cuban was very meaty and good as well. Not my type of sandwich but that's what I got from the bite I did have and my fiancé loved it. The pinto beans and steamed white rice were good. I probably won't return out of fear that I might waste time going there because if you don't have the empanadas during your lunch rush, when would you have it.