Mateo Bar de Tapas

Great laidback atmosphere with the menu being mostly small plates. There are a couple larger plates for 3+ people to share as well. Can be a little loud due to high ceilings but over all a great place to share a meal with friends or a date. Flavors are all well balanced and the service was great!

OMG seriously.... The food here was Ahhhhmmaaazzzinngggg!!! Our waitress Kate was so awesome. The vibes were so chill and I love the fact that you could order so much and share and just in case you didn't like it, it was small, but I loved everything I ordered!! Again, if my stomach had more room, I would have had so much more, but it gives me a reason to come back again and again to hopefully try the whole menu. The prices were reasonable too. So awesome!! Chefs kiss 😘

First visit here, loved the decor and vibe. Each dish was truly great, high quality ingredients and expertly prepared. We had the roasted beets salad, little neck clams with jamon and boiled peanuts (somehow this works), the jamon croquettes - out of this world, potatoes bravas and the pulpo (our favorite but not pictured). Only 2 comments: 1) I wish the potatoes did not have the tomato sauce smothered on top (side dish is better) else they get soggy, which defeats the purpose of deep frying them in the first place, and 2) I would recommend a bit more spice / heat on the clams..smoked paprika or cayenne or something. Our server was very pleasant, attentive and joyful. We will be back!

My wife and I loved this place! Food was so good!! Plates are small but that information is stated upfront. Drinks were unique and enjoyable. Atmosphere was comfortable. We ate in the upstairs area.

one of my favourite restaurants in durham the paella, bone marrow, pate, and queso frito are excellent. sangria is good too on weekdays, walk ins would usually work if you go early, though it’s best to make a reservation on weekends/ fridays service is usually fine also they usually don’t accept apple pay

Our party of 10 had a fantastic Saturday night experience at Mateo. Top notch recommendations on cocktails and tapas by our excellent, attentive waiter Nathan (Nate). Our bunch of folks in their 20s and 60s all had a great time as we chowed our way through the menu. On deck were small plates ranging from Spanish deviled egg to bacon wrapped dates to a delightful ensalada, pork ribs, garlic shrimp, beet gazpacho, shishitos, meatballs, a very well done charcuterie board, queso frito, anchovies and more, followed by delicious chocolate mousse and Basque cheesecake. Great atmosphere. Thanks to all the staff for a very fun evening!

This is my third time, and my wife’s and my second time in the last year. Fantastic restaurant with a great atmosphere, and so many delicious options. Today we celebrated our seventh anniversary, and our waiter even threw in a little something special, which we really appreciated! While we didn’t get it this time, I think the best dessert is the apple pie. We also really liked the pork belly, but you really can’t go wrong with anything… Except for the chicken croquettes, that one we did not like ha.

Without any previous planning, what we have in sched for Friday got canceled, and we decided let's go to Mateo. Best decision ever. Started w a pitcher of red Sangria and some pan w tomate. The we order a table of ham and cheeses, fried calamari, pollo frito (OMG), bone marrow and patatas bravas. Everything was AMAZING.

Too-shelf experience from top to bottom. I finally tried out Mateo on a weeknight before a show at DPAC and the place was buzzing with concertgoers. Lively atmosphere that felt like it was firing on all cylinders Service was friendly and prompt, and our server steered us in the right direction on our menu selection. We opted to share 5 or 6 smaller plates instead of going for a big entree, and we left plenty full! The surprise highlight was the chorizo scotch egg, that thing was awesome! Pan con tomate was pure too. There's a reason this spot has been crushing it for well over a decade, a quintessential Durham restaurant in downtown that you need to check off your list,

Mateo is a cool, fun tapas bar in downtown Durham. If you get lucky, you may be able to snag a parking spot on the street or in the lot next to the restaurant. If not, there's a parking deck close by. A group of 6 of us came in for dinner right when they opened at 5 on a Thursday evening. I'm not sure you'd want to bring a group much larger than this here as it's a little small for large groups. It's cool inside, though, and the bar is spacious! The service is outstanding! Our waitress and everyone that brought our food out was awesome. Our waitress explained the dining concept to us and they really drive home the family style idea, to the point where splitting the check multiple ways isn't easy or favored. Totally understandable. She also made great recommendations! For drinks, we started with a Oaxacan Manhattan, Tiki Espana, Garden Party, and a couple Mocktails. Their cocktail menu is nice and they were all delicious! The mocktail drinkers didn't love their choices but personal preference. I also appreciated their beer and wine options. Food: we ordered enough for a small army I think! Patatas Bravas, Chicken Croqueta, Pato y Arroz, Calamares, Mata, Remolacha, Datiles, Huevo Diablo, Ensalada, Gambas Al Ajillo, Panceta de Cerdo, and Albondigas. All were beautifully plated and delicious! Extremely unique flavors and dishes. My favorites were the Patatas Bravas, Mata, and the Chicken Croquetas. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed our experience. There is a tapas bar 30 minutes over in Raleigh that I have to admit I prefer, but they are definitely different despite offering similar concepts and dishes. This is a great runner-up, though! Highly recommend!

Excellent tapas. Great service. The marrow was great. The ham wrapped dates fantastic. Albondigas also great. A tad loud and the red sangria was more grape juicy than wine tasting but good. Still a solid place.

We came to Mateo around 7pm on a Tuesday evening. The restaurant was pretty full, but we were able to get seats at the bar. This quickly turned into table seating after a couple didn't show for their reservation. The service was pretty inconsistent. There were several times where we were looking around for help with our water glasses that had been empty for quite some time. It also took an extraordinarily long time for our patatas bravas to come out (which thankfully they took off the bill). We ordered the ensalada, patatas bravas, chicken croquetas, calamares, pulpo, bistec, and pan con tomate. The dishes were also pretty inconsistent. The chicken croquetas were pretty bland with a canned tuna-like texture. The patatas weirdly came with a red sauce you would find on pasta. It was too overpowering of a flavor and felt like a completely different dish. The pan con tomate had a comically large proportion of tomato to everything else, made worse by them putting only a single boquerones on top. The bistec and pulpo both had a wonderful combination of flavors and textures, and both cooked perfectly. The issue with these two dishes were the portions. Mateo features some of the highest prices I've seen for tapas (I've been to tapas restaurants in Atlanta, DC, etc.), with some of the smallest portions. We enjoyed a majority of the dishes, but Mateo is difficult to recommend due to the high prices and inconsistent dishes.

Mateo is a large, popular, and fun tapas place right in five points, and from what I gather it was an early influence on the burgeoning Durham food scene. I'm rating it on a curve because it was so highly recommended by the staff at every other place I ate in Durham. The experience and food are definitely good, and I got excellent service at the bar. I'll probably go back, and I think Mateo would be a great spot for a work dinner. Compared to other places in Durham, though, the food and cocktails kind of let me down. There were no major issues, but I wasn't blown away either. I got a handful of tapas (clams, pan con tomate, gambas, and another that I forget)... they were all tasty but none of them were particularly memorable. However I appreciate the extensive sherry and vermouth options!

Food: 4.5/5 Delicious!! Pretty much everything we tried we liked, minus the steak!! Do not order it, super rare and honestly flavorless. Great items: chicken!!!!!! Best meat we had, get the half seared (so moist) or the one with cheese, it's so good! The croquetas are ok, not the favorite chicken dish. The olives only come with about 10 so if you have a few folks, get more than one. Not sure what the Marconi almonds are flavored with / on the olive tapa but they are TO DIE FOR- I wanted more!! We also ordered the anchovies chops, I didn't try them but seemed to go over well with the group. The dates were one of my favorites, so good!! We also had the meat and cheese tray ( I like chorizo but was not a fan of theirs. Was too chewy for my liking). The sauce on this board is also very boring - I would recommend the restaurant change this up. Other dishes were the shrimp - not great, and the desserts. Ooolallaa the desserts were all very good. Could share among two or save for yourself haha. Drinks: 4/5 Wide selection with unique cocktails! Server let me try the tomato one which I was not a fan of, but happily replaced my drink with something else. Appreciate the service here. Ambiance: 4.5/5 The smell in this place is amazing because of the wood fired oven!! FABULOUS bar and great atmosphere, would be fun to go on a date here! Not a lot of room for big parties so book in advance! Service 4.5/5 Our waitress was fabulous! Offered great recommendation, switched out my drink no charge, and overall was on top of refilling cocktails and checking on our table.

We really enjoyed Mateo! The Atmosphere It was evening, we walked through the extra tall wooden double doors off from the chilly wintery streets of Durham and are greeted by not only the warm swankiness of the joint, but the staff as well. The lights are turned down low and the place is abuzz with laughter and good food. The Service In a word: excellent. From being seated to walking out of the door, we felt well-taken-care-of. The server was very attentive, knowledgeable about the menu options and specials and had that air of, "I want to be here", something failed to be realized in so many service providers. She was warm, welcoming and helpful as well. The Food Well, it was wonderful! It was an experience as well. It had been a minute since I had anything Iberian or tapas and I had forgotten the joy of the experience; it was restored to me! I think we tried six or seven plates: Paté - rich with a sort of reduction jelly on top that made a sweet and fatty-rich combo pop on top of a yeasty, tasty toasted bread. Datiles - "a surprise, but a welcomed one to be sure" (Emperor Palplatine). The sweetness of the fruit paired with the clean richness of the goat cheese was a masterful foreground to the savory romesco and ham in the background. Truly delightful. Sauteed Pea Shoots - bright, citrus, oily (in the best way). We had this midway through as a palate cleanser of sorts and it did just that, providing a notably plant-based brightness that served its purpose well. Gambas as ajillo - Can you really go wrong with shrimp and garlic in any combination? These were as tasty as you'd hope. The shrimp were perfectly cooked and tender, bathing in a garlic sauce that would make you say, "ay Dios!". Pulpo - Maaaaaaaaan, I love some well-done octopus and they nailed it. It was PERFECTLY cooked. So tender and paired with the potato espuma, which was a revelation, there was a good balance of a perceived fattiness (which was really starchiness) and protein. This was my second favorite. Pato y Arroz - this was my favorite favorite! I'm not ashamed to say I've been having dreams about this one. The savoriness is unparalleled. It was so full of poultry flavor and wonderful textures of the rice (I'll call it congee) and the braised duck. This one make me salivate to date. Beef Tartare - this one was a late addition, but I'm glad we did! I don't get this is often for obvious reasons, but I gorged myself on it! The beef has a light presence that was accompanied by it's best friends who were deeply charming herbs, mushrooms and who doesn't like a good egg yolk? Before we even left, we decided we'd be back. A great time was had by all and I can't wait to make an excuse to come back! Well done, Matthew!

I came with a party of around 10 people for a birthday dinner. Thank goodness we had a reservation - the place was super packed! We ordered two orders of the following (except the paella - we ordered only one to share): calamares fritos, pato y arroz, paella, pan con tomate, patatas bravas, and the brussels sprouts catalan. I'm a huge fan of calamari, so the calamares fritos did not disappoint at all! The pan con tomate wasn't my favorite - I would forgo it if I returned. I was very surprised by how much I loved the brussels sprouts - would definitely get that again! The patatas bravas were exactly what I was expecting - nothing terribly special, but still good. The pato y arroz was really good - it was so flavorful! The paella was my favorite - there were generous amounts of shrimp and mussels! If you happen to be going to Mateo for a birthday dinner, and you bring your own cake, there is a cake-cutting fee that's $3/person which seemed a bit excessive. But, they do give a free mini cake! Overall, we had a wonderful time at Mateo! I'll definitely be back for another special occasion!

We stopped by here without any booking and found available seats for 2. We were walking around to find a restaurant for dinner for about 10min until we found this place. Grateful for that. We were seated by the bar. Decor is nice. Staff was friendly. Food came up pretty fast. It's a tapas place so portion is very small and the price is not cheap. Food is just ok. Nothing really stands out for me. I was a bit disappointed because the reviews were good. I was disappointed with the clams, tomato bread, braised duck, deviled eggs, meatballs. The only thing I like was the Brussels sprouts. The 3 stars were for the decor and service.

Drinks were mid. The sangria was terrible, and I got 2 more mixed drinks after that, and they were soda downed. The bartender (I was sat at the bar) was amazing, tho very knowledgeable in their wine, sherry, and menu and suggested pairings with dishes we ordered. I got the bone marrow it was good, but crazy good..just fine. I also got the fried egg it was also good. Lastly I got the tomatoe bread that too was good. There were other things I wanted but I can not eat that much bread! Will go again because the vibes are immaculate. And the food is perfect share with a group.

Someone we know recommended Mateo, so we came here while visiting the area. We made a reservation for dinner. There is street parking and a paid parking lot in the area. The restaurant is pretty dark (very dimly lit). They have music playing in the background, but everyone's conversations kind of over power it. When our waitress came over, she gave us a rundown of her favorite menu items and went over the specials. We ordered the Huevo Diablo, scallops, the Ensalada with apples, marrow, and Pato Y Arroz. The food was just ok. The chorizo encased the deviled egg and was thick. The Pato Y Arroz looked like oatmeal and was kind of soupy.

Visiting Durham and Mateo was recommended to us. We ordered the chicken croquettes, goat cheese stuffed dates, Calamares Fritos (fried calamari), Gambas (shrimp), and Pan Con Tomate (grilled bread with mashed tomato). Of these, the croquettes were my favorite, hands down. Slightly crunchy on the outside, soft filling inside, with a light touch of honey. I could've eaten another order. The calamari, gambas and pan con tomate were also good. The dates weren't terrible but I wouldn't order them again. The restaurant was about 3/4 full on a Tuesday night, but it's a bit noisy. Service was good and the food came out quickly. My only criticism is they don't offer free refills on Arnold Palmers. It's a small glass so not really worth the $3.50.

Pretty good tapas with a spin on Spanish classics. The croquetas aren't as good as Barcelona bar in Raleigh. Great service! Calamari get the seal of approval but I wanted a lemon wedge and not the end piece of a lemon.

Tapas could be great but are totally ruined by an insane amount of salt. It's also very pricey for basic ingredients. Service is ok, room is very noisy. We won't go back.

I always struggle to find restaurants that use adequate amounts of spice and flavor. Mateo, however, certainly didn't miss the mark, and every dish was extremely flavorful and decadent. I'm a vegetarian, and there were plenty of options for me, with the fried cauliflower special being my absolute favorite and unlike anything I expected from a cauliflower dish. I also had a beet dish with got cheese that was wonderful. You can't go wrong with their pan con tomate which is an excellent start to the meal. It's a shame I'm not from Durham, because I'd love to come back.

Was in the Triangle on business. College friend in Charlotte came up to meet and we went here to catch up on missed events since the last time. Everything we ordered was great- from the mixto board to the albondegas-to the pollo frita-to the tomate pan- etc - etc. All good at a great price. Hit this place when you can. You will not be disappointed!

TLDR: this is a popular place with average tapas, drinks, atmosphere, and service. Check it out if you live here but if you're only in town for a short while I would pick somewhere else. I was very excited for this place as it came recommended from a friend. I was visiting for the weekend so only had a few meals and made a reservation for Mateo as one of them. We arrived for our 5:30 Friday reservation a few minutes early and found a half full restaurant and 3 hostesses at the stand (stay tuned for info on that). I quickly surveyed the very small bar stools and chairs with no backs at high tops. I asked the ladies if we could sit at a low top (there were a few available) and pointed to one. The one hostess who spoke up gave me a long uhmmm before saying she could seat us at one upstairs but they needed it by 7pm. Not wanting to feel rushed, I agreed to the high top small stool table about 2 feet behind the host stand. Cut to 45 minutes later being moderately satisfied by the food, it did not make the most uncomfortable seat in the world worth it (one low top wasn't taken the entire time we were there). I contemplated standing the second half of the meal but didn't want to be a weirdo. We also had to listen to the 3 hostesses and whatever employees decided to stop by the stand discuss boy troubles and other dramas. In hindsight we should've taken the table with the time limit since we were out by 6:45. Now for the food- I quite enjoy the tapas from my local place back how in CHS, so was excited for some new deliciousness. What we got were expensive small plates with their own unique twist that wasn't amazing. We thoroughly enjoyed the Patatas Bravas and they graciously put the sauce on the side as my bf is allergic to tomato. Meatballs were nothing special, but the queso frito was excellent!! As a tapas place however, they need to offer a small paella option. The smallest one would've been good for 2 people if you didn't want to order anything else, which we did. I wish I could've tried it. Drinks- tbh I did not enjoy my cocktail but could be my fault for mis-ordering. They have a lot of sherry options which seems like their thing but I don't like sherry either. Service- waitress wasn't particularly friendly but food came out quick due to ample food runners and plates cleared quickly. Silver lining- when Resy asked for my feedback I wrote honestly and management replied agreeing about the stools. Apparently they ordered new stools a while ago and are still on back order. They also passed the feedback to the host stand. However, you're not gonna get the hosts to stop talking, so I suggest only 1 or 2 a night (the three of them were not all busy at once the entire time we were there). It's nice to see management cares even though this place wasn't for me. I think others could enjoy this place but unfortunately it was a miss for me

My sister and I made a reservation and stopped in here on a quick weekend trip in the area. The ambiance is super cute and the food was delicious! The portions are actually pretty large for tapas, which I was very shocked about. Quality 10/10 and honestly service 12/10. Jake was super attentive and gave great recommendations for food. We had a superb experience. Definitely would recommend and would come back again.

What a pleasant surprise this was! I was passing through NC on the way to Atlanta and stopped by in Durham to get some tapas. The ambiance was very lively, a packed crowd - I was surprised we got a table last minute. However, the energy of the crowd fit the vibe of the restaurant. You really felt like you were in a local restaurant somewhere in Spain. The food was exquisite. I've had my fair share of tapas in Europe and these were quite on par. The bone marrow was to die for - highly recommend it. If you're in the area or driving through like me, I highly recommend stopping by.

Our first time here and we loved all the tapas we ordered. Food, service and ambiance was fantastic! Started off with a spicy margarita. We had fried oysters, brussel sprouts, beet salad, gambas al ajillo, patatas bravas, ensalada and banana pudding. Everything was delicious! Great spot for date night or girls night out.

Fast service and great food! Highly recommend. Cocktails are great and the food is always fresh

This is the place to go if you're craving tapas. The only downside is that it's pretty pricey. Be ready to spend $40-50 for paella to share. Each of the tapas was around $10-20 and I loved it! The bone marrow was surprisingly delicious and came with perfectly buttered and toasted bread. The elote was so good too. I loved the mini croquets. You really can't go wrong with any of the options here. We paired our meal with a bottle of red wine and it was delicious!

Went here with a group of my husband's coworkers and their wives for the first time yesterday. I believe going as a group is the absolute best way to dine here. It's tapas so all the plates are small plates but they come with amounts to share if you get multiple dishes. The restaurant is small with a big bar downstairs. I was wondering how they were going to fit 6 people down there but they led us upstairs where there were bigger tables and such a nice atmosphere. It was as if we were transported into another time and place. A very nice vibe and we were able to snag a table by the window. For food we tried many different dishes from the menu, I was only lucky to enough to snag a picture of the first two appetizers where were the cheese plate and the pan con tomate. I had the cheese and it was so good. I'm not that big on pork but the Serrano received rave reviews. Some of the other dishes that were ordered and very good were the pollo frito, queso frito, sautéed kale, bone marrow dish, and the grilled shrimp. We had other options as well but these were my favorites! The service was friendly and fast. The server gave a lot of great tips and the drinks were delicious. I got to explore my mom adventurous side with this dinner and it was fun. It's not a place that would be my go to because of the set up but if I have a group of friends to splurge with, I will definitely be back!

This place is way overrated. Our food was overcooked and dry. The duck and rice was almost entirely rice. I let the waiter know that there was no duck in the rice, and he tried to gaslight me and tell me it was shredded up and mixed in. I let him know after we ate some more that there was definitely not much duck in and he just shrugged, took it away, and didn't offer to add more duck to it or take it off the check. The waiter never checked to see if I wanted another drink. The clams were overcooked but the sauce was tasty. The paella was seasoned well but also was overcooked and most of the seafood and ham was dry. We were seated close to the door and the host didn't keep the curtain closed around the door so cold air kept rushing in. Also, people who were waiting on their table hovered near our table and were very annoying. The place is too small, super loud, and apparently they can't get their guests seated on time. I won't be going back.

The datiles (dates) plate was amazing. I didn't even think I liked dates. Ensalala de tomatoes were amazing. Paella was also very good. The cheerwine sangria was excellent.

TASTY DINNER A LITTLE PRICEY BUT WORTH IT FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS. Mateo. This Spanish-style tapas restaurant is a must-visit destination that won't disappoint. The menu at Mateo is great. The small plates offer a wide range of flavors and textures, with fresh ingredients and preparation that showcase highlights of Spanish cuisine. The house-cured meats and artisanal cheeses are a standout, and the seafood dishes are always fresh and flavorful. Don't miss out on the patatas bravas, a signature dish that is perfectly crispy and satisfying. The drinks menu is also nice, with a carefully curated selection of Spanish wines, sherries, and cocktails that complement the food nicely. The bartenders are helpful and friendly, and happy to offer suggestions. The atmosphere at Mateo is elevated and warm, with a charming and rustic interior like a Spanish taverna.

Great tapas, food, vibe, and service. A wonderful spot to eat and connect. This is the kind of place where friendships are made and good conversations flow.

It's not really their fault. I made the mistake of going on Mother's Day weekend on a Friday night. It's also graduation weekend for universities in the area, so they were not only packed, but had a special menu going, which was optional at the bar. Loads of confusion. I ordered the Señorita Fresca, which is a gin, Aperol, Raspberry-basil shrub, honey and lemon cocktail that is fresh, sweet, and has quite a personality. A very fresh young lady indeed! I first ordered grilled octopus, a personal fave anywhere. It arrived as a single perfectly grilled tentacle, surrounded by a sea of tomato, basil, oysters, garlic, and sesame seeds. It was fantastic! The folks next to me ordered it after seeing mine, and agreed! I then tried the Gambas al ajillo. In my Spanish class last week, the teacher asked "What food could you live on as your only food for the rest of your life?" Mine, without question, is shrimp. This bowl of a half-dozen beauties were swimming in melted butter, topped with chili slices, lemon zest, and a nice slice of bread for sopping up the sauce. I purposely cut them each into three pieces so they would last longer. Got a few more pieces of bread for sopping up the sauce from Kyle. He kept things going at the end of the bar I sat at - thanks, dude! Rounded out the evening with a Spanish Penny. Interesting combination (I'll order anything with Licor 43 in it!) of bourbon, amontillado and other flavors. Not the worst I've been served, but I won't be repeating it next time. I just need to accept the fact that, beyond a GodFather or a Cold Fashioned, I really don't like whiskey. Maybe a Rusty Nail.

Amazing food! This place has a great menu with many options for every taste. My fiance and I love coming here. I definitely recommended coming here!

Good food, good wine and great service. Our favorites were the bone marrow and the pate' we enjoyed a couple bottles of rose which complemented the various tapas we enjoyed.

Tapas are great for groups and we order a bunch of different things to share. I really enjoyed the pea sprouts, duck, scallops and the soft mozzarella cheese/jelly spread. They also had a fried sunflower root/stalk and that was too interesting for me. Their nonalcoholic spritzer was really good. For groups larger than 6 would be a good idea to order 2 of each item.

Cute place and great ambiance. Tall ceiling and spacious. Different styles of seating give lots of options. The tapas dishes are so creative mix with traditional and modern take. It was great especially the Pulpo (octopus)

Mateos is a go late night tapas spot that I've been to a number of times now. I'm usually here for the bone marrow and the octopus. This time wanted to make sure that I tried something new. All in all the food was good. The bread that was served was sliced a little too thick for my liking but the bone marrow never disappoints. The octopus dish has changed over the years but still a favorite. I'd recommend getting a reservation before hand if you can.

I enjoyed my dinner at Mateo! There were a ton of things I liked about it. The proportions were perfect tapas style - I didn't find that we had too much or not enough of any dish and could order a large sample without being incredibly full. I also really liked the vibe with the open kitchen. It was really cool and I loved seeing all the different dishes pass by my table which gave me some food envy and always wanting to order something more! There were a few things I wasn't the most impressed with. You have to go past the kitchen in the pic to go to the bathrooms, which isn't a problem except the servers all stand around waiting to take dishes. It was uncomfortable walking through the maze of them. The bathrooms are also in labeled in Spanish. This probably sounds really dumb but I'm usually pretty intuitive and I had no idea which restroom to use and had to ask a staff member. The menu is also all in Spanish and not the most user friendly if you aren't familiar with the dishes. Overall, the food is delish and while on the upper side of your budget we thought it was actually pretty affordable for the quality and quantity.

Mateo is good, but it is not my favorite restaurant in Durham. I have had better Spanish food, for cheaper. Sometimes the portions seem rather small considering the price. More specifically, I wish there were more vegan and vegetarian options.

Always had a great experience here. Amazing food, great service. Good drinks and wine selection. The menu is seasonal and really delicious. On the pricey side but always worth it. Upstairs is quieter if you are sensitive to noise. Overall my go to place to go out to eat - fave place in Durham and the competition is steep, believe me! My faves (avail depends on season) Pepino cocktail Patatas brava Brussel Sprouts Catalan (would literally kill for this recipe) Trout Dish (summer, can't remember name) Queso Frito Pato Y Arroz (or basically any rice dish there) Sautéed Pea Shoots Chocolate Mousse Apple Handpie

Went with several people for a quick dinner before a Dpac Wicked performance. The food was delicious and beautifully presented. The portions were small but large enough to share if you ordered 1 or 2 each. We really enjoyed the pepper jelly, farmers cheese and toasted bread option and shrimp. The Duck was also good and the calamari was good but average. The service was very quick and nice. The mixed drinks were very good and cold. We were all very pleased with the food and service. Next time I want to leave room for dessert. They all sounded delicious. Also be aware that a tip is added up front to your bill.

The aesthetics were very romantic, but the food and drinks were lackluster. We ordered the huevo diablo, pato y arroz, marrow and the ensalada. I ordered the cheerwine sangria and it was a little watered down. I might give them another chance, but the food needs some seasoning.

Mateo is a beautifully decorated restaurant that has the ambiance you are looking for on that special occasion. I know what you are thinking though, tapas? Very little food for more money? Maybe at other restaurants, but not at Mateo! The tapas are reasonably priced, AND the portions feed multiple people. I have been twice, both times in larger groups (10 and 15). With such large groups, two-three orders of each tapa were adequate and sometimes more than adequate to feed everyone. Also, did I mention how tasty the food was? Every dish is wonderfully plated and embodies such incredible arrays of flavors. Some dishes I enjoyed include the Calamares Fritos, Pan Con Tomate, Patatas Bravas and Pato Y Arroz (my personal fav).

I didn't hate eating here but I can't say it's one of my better restaurant experiences. I've been here twice and both times I left unsatisfied. The first time I ordered a deconstructed hamburger type (I I believe it was Tortilla Española). I enjoyed it but it was definitely rich and heavy so I didn't end up finishing it. But I'm no expert on Spanish cuisine so I wont criticize! The French fries my group ordered the first time were definitely amazing. My second time coming I ordered the Pinxto Platter. I enjoyed it but I definitely didn't appreciate the presentation. Everyone knows tapas in the US are usually very small portions, but I would appreciate it if these small portions were at least presented well and not served like bar food. If I just wanted to eat a bowl of peanuts in a bar I would do that. My friends ordered the shrimp (Gambas al Ajillo) for $15 and the octopus (Pulpo) for $16. You can see in the pictures the amount that comes, but they did say it was good. We ordered the seafood paella for the table, which was $56 but seemed very large in the pictures we saw. For anyone considering ordering this, please be aware the pan it is served in is incredibly shallow. Like 2 cm. Do not be fooled by the photos! It is not as much as you think it is. But it is very delicious! Lastly I would say the customer service is kind of odd. I usually don't care about customer service at all, but we were standing at the front door trying to open the (entirely glass) door for an incredibly long time while four people stood at the host stand and watched us struggle. I had to put my face against the glass and make eye contact with the workers for them to come help us open the door. It was a very odd experience. Overall I've been to many tapas restaurants in my life and I can say I felt other restaurants have given more food and more memorable food for their prices. If you are in Durham and want to have tapas I would 100% recommend Jujus.

I made reservations at Mateo for a birthday dinner and was excited to see how the tapas stacked up to authentic Spanish food I'd tried in the past. The exposed brick and warm lighting made for a welcoming ambience. My boyfriend and I split an appetizer and six tapas- a perfect amount for the two of us. At the top of the heap was the Pan con Tomate and the Calamares. At the bottom was the Tortilla Española, which, other than the aioli, lacked flavor. Overall, the food was great but they went a little heavy on the aioli for several dishes.

Good spot for pre-DPAC dinner. Everything was good. Service was really fast. I really liked the deviled eggs and the pimiento cheese. My friends liked a couple of the potato dishes. We did not try too many things. Will definitely return.

Went here for a special date night with my girlfriend. First time coming here and didn't know what to expect. The atmosphere was great, our server was excellent, and the food was as amazing as it seemed. The serving sizes were perfect, the variety was amazing, and trying new foods was a great experience. Recommend this place to anyone, will bring friends that come into town here.

Came here with some peeps before seeing a show at the Carolina Theater. Inside, it's a cozy long dining room with a nice ambience. We all wanted the paella so 4 of us ordered the Seafarer paella, Calamare Fritos, and Tuétano (Bone marrow with short rib marmalade). We all enjoyed the Seafarer. My only complaint was that part of it was burnt on the bottom of the pan. But overall, it was well seasoned and tasted delicious. For the Bone marrow, I wish we got more of it. The short beef marmalade was quite flavorful. And the Calamare with the tar tar sauce was a hit with everyone. This is a good spot for an intimate dinner date or just a casual dinner with friends.

Excellent for larger parties. The food is fab and the atmosphere very fun! We went with 3 other couples and shared everything. The drinks kept coming and it felt like having a huge family dinner

We've had some just "pretty good" meals there but the last time we went it was excellent with several stand-out dishes. I wish the menu changed a little more with more vegetable/salad options. Would five 4.5 stars if I could.

Tremendous food, didn't ever want to leave. Such a great selection of cocktails, wine and cider. Loved every minute our large group spent nomming down the wonderful tapas.

I'd heard mateo was good. When looking at the menu I thought, oh this will be good. And I was still not prepared. Absolutely unbelievable small plates, and not over-priced. This place will be on rotation forsure.

This James Beard nominated tapas place was the first restaurant I ever tried in Durham. Since then I've been back at least 3 times -- it certainly gets pricey fast but it's always worth it when I have visitors or a special celebration! The food is absolutely phenomenal -- often a place that does so many different things has to sacrifice quality somewhere, but despite having tried nearly everything on the menu I have yet to be disappointed by a dish. If I had to pick a few highlights I would say the patatas bravas, pan con tomate, albondigas, and of course the pulpo a la plancha, but again truly everything was above expectations! I have come with vegetarians and the veggie options are equally delicious, if a little less filling. They have a great drinks menu with cocktails, beer and wine options available. Would definitely recommend a reservation if coming at a popular time (e.g. Friday/Saturday evenings). As all the plates are small and meant to be shared, it's the perfect place for a large group for a special event!

Second or third time here, first time post COVID. To be honest, I was a little underwhelmed. The menu seeemed significantly different from previous visits, more southern style tapas than anything Spanish. The pimento cheese, grits with mushrooms and basket cheese were delicious. The brussel sprouts delicious as Catalan style with pine nuts and yellow raisins. The patatas bravas however were so disappointing, as were the nacho chicken skins. I was excited for the sangria made with Cheerwine, and again, nothing special, not even a trace of fruit. Sigh.