Nanas

This was our first opportunity to go to the reimagined Nanas at Rockwood. It was one of the best dining experiences that I have had anywhere. From the moment you walk in the door you feel the difference in quality. The atmosphere is quite pleasant with chill, but modern, music playing. The server we had and the ones I heard were quite knowledgeable about the menu. When asked to explain a dish, it was a proper explanation of the dish, the preparation and chef's notes. The cocktails were subtle, balanced, and elevated. It's hard to elevate a cocktail these days, but these were on par with Alley 26 in Durham. It's what you would expect in a place of Nanas quality, but better. The bar is very nice, If you want something very good and not any more expensive than most restaurants in the Triangle, have a drink. The food was exquisite. We started with the young greens salad with radishes & Scallops Milanese. It was enough for 2 people to split & the scallops were some of the best I have ever had. It was not the traditional presentation and it was perfect. I had the duck with collard greens and my companion had the salmon. The dishes were perfect. There isn't anything else to say. The dessert was a chocolate souffle with Bourbon ice cream that was rich, chocolatey and not sweet. Overall, the perfect end to a meal. If you have a special occasion, date or business meeting this is a great place to go, because the atmosphere allows for conversation unlike most places these days. Servers are efficient and unobtrusive. I would compare the overall experience, quality of food, and thoughtfulness and quality of the beverage pairings to the best I have had around the world.

Amazing! Worth the wait. We have tried to get a reservation before and failed. We finally made it this evening and it was legendary! Service was perfect a s paced nicely. Food was legendary. Shrimp. Risotto is a MUST! Our expectations were exceeded! Thank you Nanas!

First time at Nana’s — went with a party of 4. Absolutely delicious. From the cocktails/mocktails (Trinidad Sour🔥) to the service, and the food… everything was fabulous. Forgot to take pics of all the food we ordered but would highly recommend the Tuna Carpaccio, Warm Dinner Rolls, seasonal pasta and the Grits soufflé. Thanks!

Really really good food. Every dish was tasty and interesting. The yellowtail tuna carpaccio was especially good. Everything came out at the perfect times. Service was thoughtful and prompt. 5 stars!

First time trying Nana’s and it sadly didn’t live up to the expectations or hype. The service was par at best, sub par if you account for the more expensive menu prices. Other ‘fine dining’/nice restaurants in the Triangle do a MUCH better job of providing their guests excellent service. Additionally, our food was anywhere from solid to good, but nothing above that. Again, for the prices, I’d expect much better flavors and dishes. Overall not a bad experience, but certainly won’t be chomping at the bit to return

Had an incredible dinner here tonight. Every dish was outstanding. The symphony of flavors had my taste buds dancing with joy. The service was great and the atmosphere was inviting and warm. I highly recommend Nana’s to anyone looking for a wonderful evening.

After we set down a lady with a bread basket brought us a piece of ice cold bread that was black/burned on the outside to dip it in a chemical tasting olive oil. We got really hungry after our appetizers as it took exactly 1 hour for our main dishes to arrive after we were seated. They asked me how I liked my wood grilled duck, I said medium. The first bite was blue/rare and was barely even cooked while the last bite was over well done and burnt on the outside. I think the heat source was on one side and the cook forgot to flip the duck so the other side would cook. The dish was also drenched in BBQ sauce. I know that BBQ sauce was in the ingredients but from it I could barely taste the duck let alone it being “dry aged”. I loved the menu, I loved the decorations and paintings but I really disliked the food and the service. I feel like whoever opened the restaurant did an excellent job but the current manager doesn’t know how to run a restaurant. I also have to give a bad rating to the service because my fork and knife had finger prints on it and usually with restaurants that have tiny portions or long wait times you are given a warning like “our portions are bite sized, are you okay or would you like to order more appetizers” or “our ducks take an hour to cook, would you like something in the meantime” but they didn’t say anything like that so we had to go to another restaurant to eat afterwards.

We go out to eat once a week and try different places and I can’t remember the last time I had a meal this good! I tried to remember and it was a 3 star Michelin Restaurant in NYC. The food was perfect! Literally everything was delicious! If they have it on the menu when you go please get the rotolo and the chocolate soufflé 👏 delicious!! Bravo!

What a great experience- chill atmosphere, good service, great steaks! Save room for fresh, string coffee and seasonal desserts.

This is a fun place for a special-occasion dinner. It has a cozy little snug of a bar off the tight entryway, and the dining areas have been redone for it's relaunch a year or so ago. There are some plaid carpeting, big abstract splashes of color in the paintings, and some Art Deco touches in some rounded frames on mirrors and wall hangings, giving everything a late '70s/early '80s feel. The vibe reminds me of the places Jonathan and Jennifer used to frequent on "Hart to Hart." The food was good for the most part. I enjoyed the Milanese part of my Scallops Milanese, but the bay scallops surrounding it were a touch rubbery. The halibut special was delicious. It was served with a side of fingerling potatoes topped with lump crab. It was a fun combination, if the temperature differences were a little odd. Desert was a house-made oatmeal cookie ice cream, which I could eat a pint of every day until doctors made me stop. Others at the table enjoyed their meals, though one thought the gumbo was too spicy. (But he's a wimp.) Service was very friendly if slightly unpolished with pacing that's a little uneven. The cocktail list is great and the wine list quite sufficient. My only other note is that the parking is not fun -- there are some spaces along the front, but you'll never score one of those. There are many spaces behind the building, but the lot is absurdly narrow and hard to navigate and I wouldn't even consider going back there with anything bigger than a mid-size sedan. Otherwise, I suppose you would have to park along the sides of the neighborhood streets surrounding the restaurants.

We sat at the bar and this was the first time we dined here since it reopened under new ownership. I love the decor and dark wood. Music was great playing in the bar. We had 4 dishes we shared and they were all good. Grit cake, bread with agrodolce honey and fig, shrimp risotto and scallop Milanese all tasted good. Portions were on the smaller side. Bartenders were very attentive. I would go back. It would be great if they offered a bar menu in addition to the regular menu.

The food was delicious (albeit our choices were very rich), the service was quite good; it was like a return to the old Nanas when it was very delicious and deeply lovely to dine there and enjoy being with your special people. We particularly enjoyed the sauces on the well prepared dishes and my friend (we were celebrating her birthday) much enjoyed her risotto and her duck -- not bad for someone who just turned 88!! Yay for the return and the great update on Nanas!!

We had a great dining experience at Nanas! Love the retro decor and the service was impeccable. The drinks were spot on and unique and the food was delicious. Must try the Caught in the Rain. A twist on your pina colada. The desserts were all yummy. I didn't get a pic of the chocolate soufflé because it disappeared so quickly!

Got food poisoning over the holidays there. Literally puking and throwing up all over the place. Left them a message. They finally got back to me and simply said sorry. I guess business is so good there they can afford it. Warning! Do not order any fish, crab, or seafood related dishes!!!!!!

I think it is terrific! I would say the portions are a little small but they can make very interesting meals and weird cocktails! As my mom noticed, there seems to be an abundance of servers! Maybe they are doing some training. This place has gone through a lot of trouble in recent years. The new setup seems good!

Made it into Nanas 2.0 which opened up this week. This classic restaurant has re-opened after a pandemic-induced break and has been renovated and revamped. While the exterior remains the same (plain jane), the interior is beautiful. Sporting a 70s or 80s retro vibe, the woodwork and lighting at the main bar is fabulous. The menu is ecelectic, seasonal, I did the classic shrimp risotto and duck tagliatelle. Service was solid as I would expect to be at these price points. Didn't make it to the chocolate souffle which takes 20 minutes to bake. But overall, super impressed with Nanas in Durham and can't wait to get back!

Somewhere between a 4 and 5 star review, I can't put my finger on it but not comfortable with five stars. Started with the scallops Milanese, the bay scallops and sauce were great, I didn't like the consistency that much in the actually scallops Milanese, which was like a thinly sliced scallop cake, didn't work perfectly. I ordered chicken as my main, not usually a chicken first person, but it was very good. The sauce was extremely flavorful and made the chicken anything but boring; my only small negative was it was somewhat hard to cut given the small pieces of cartilage (probably best totally deboned). Also it was listed with asparagus, and there were only a few very small almost unidentifiable slices of asparagus stem. The sauce with the scallops was great as was the flavor of the chicken, so please do not take this review negatively, it just wasn't perfect.

Sublime food, lovely if odd decor, and helpful unobtrusive server. Recommend without hesitation. Not inexpensive but worth it.

Probably one of my favorite restaurants in Durham. The recent renovation that took place also makes this one of the best atmospheres for dinner. The bar is great. Amazing cocktails, comfortable seating options, and friendly staff. The food is very good. The best food I've ever had... no. However, I wasn't disappointed nor was I blown away. Everything is just very good. The perfect spot for date night, going out with friends or taking folks from out of town.

Had an excellent dinner of prime rib with a great stout. We had lived in the American Tobacco Campus for over a year but didn't even know this was here

I had a wonderful dinner at Nanas! Love the vibe and the interior design of the place. I was a little confused parking at first since the front parking lot was filled, but I realized afterwards that they have a whole lot in the back of the building. Our server was super friendly and always there when we needed him. The menu had so many interesting things to order, it was hard to narrow it down. We wanted to start with the rolls, but unfortunately there was an issue with the yeast that evening. The focaccia they over to every table was a nice consolation though. The scallop Milanese was amazing. I've never had scallops prepared that way and it did not disappoint. The ricotta gnudi was tasty as well, the duck ragout though was the pasta winner for me. For dessert we went with the hazelnut tiramisu. It was one of the prettiest tiramisu dishes I've ever eaten. It was delicious as well, highly recommend! Definitely worth a wonderful night out!

My wife and I went to Nana's a lot a long while back but honestly it had been a while since I had thought about it when it shuttered a few years back. It was always very good but it seemed a bit predictable and boring towards the end. I remember when I was younger and it, Foursquare and Magnolia Grill were the only fancy dining options in Durham -- it was really such a dazzling testament to creative cooking in my home town at that point. By the time it closed those days had passed -- Durham has a plethora of great places to eat, so why go to Nanas for the same cast iron cooked duck they were serving in the late 90s? When I saw Matt Kelly was taking it over it was pretty exciting. When a good buddy of mine who has really good taste went for his birthday and loved it the excitement grew. Looked at the new menu and I really wanted to go. The ambiance looked similar but it seems like some renovation had been done and the who place seemed less stuffy (though it had been nine years since I had been so I can't remember it properly). The service was excellent which to be fair was always the case in its previous life. As to the food: 1. Parker house rolls were fine and did a great job of sopping sauces; 2. Oxtail mezzaluna was fantastic -- also not a huge portion so worked well as an app. Loved the smoky pecans alongside it; 3. Scallop Milanese -- amazing. Best part of the night. U10 scallop pounded flat and then expertly fried. Served with a tarragon and caper sauce and surrounded by seared bay scallops; 4. Duck with duck sausage, sweet potatoes and braised collards -- cooked perfect and in a delicious Madeira sauce. My wife loved it, especially the duck sausage; 5. Salmon with blackened fennel, mussels and citrus -- perfectly cooked as well. Especially loved the citrus element And 6. Chocolate soufflé -- it took quite a long time to cook but it was totally fine. Probably the low point of the meal which is more than anything a testament to its uniform excellence. Thrilled about the new Nana's and can't wait to return!!

Outstanding service! Nice ambiance inside, but 2 top tables are close together - can hear your neighbor's conversation. Food was top notch and portion sized right for the quality. Shared an app, had a pasta and shared a dessert - perfect! Husband had the fish, it was grilled and perfectly cooked. Make a reservation and visit this restaurant. This is one that's worth returning to!

Our first visit was great but this last one was subpar. First of all the realization that they are serving bottom shelf liquor in $15 signature cocktails is alarming at best. I mean Smirnoff, Gordons and Old Granddad are college booze you'd expect at a dive bar for a $5 rail drink. Portions are small, I mean tiny small for the price. Our appetizers were tasty but the main Salmon dish was flavorless and cold. The staff rocks, the ambiance is fun but its clear they are maxing out profits here in Durham.

Atmosphere, food and service are all great... cocktails are unique and bar staff is great in walking you through the options. Definitely give the dukes martini a swing, fits with the whole vibe. Roasted chicken is a flat out spectacular dish... and save room for desserts. Not necessarily a carrot cake fan, but server encouraged me to try the carrot cake sundae, and it's a favorite! My only issue is the bar are is popular enough that I have to get there right at 5 to make sure I get a seat at the bar.

This was a STELLAR dining experience. This place runs like a well oiled machine. Everybody is obviously there to help each other, having waited tables previously for a long time, I know how important that is! The food was absolutely amazing, beautifully presented and absolutely delicious. perfect portion sizes. Our waiter was lovely with the exact amount of interaction that we wanted and needed. I cannot wait to go back again! Duck and steak = WOW!!!!

What an incredible restaurant! I am so grateful for this addition (revival) to Durham. The moment you walk in, you're greeted by just a beautiful scene - gorgeous green tile, lovely walls and art, and super fun but not overly fun music. The food is easily the best food I've had in Durham, if not all of NC. Get the oysters, get the lamb, and get the house martini on the menu! The oysters were truly shockingly good - what a wonderful surprise! The lamb was even better than it sounds, which is a high bar; it was so rich, sweet, savory - really perfect. The steak was great, but when compared to the lamb, just a really high bar again. Truly, we had many plates, and each one was really very good. The wine list was also incredible. I cannot wait to go back and retry so many things and try a few new ones. The service was also lovely! Kind of old school, pleasant, so kind, and attentive. Seriously - I cannot recommend this more highly!

Absolutely baller place. Food and service are top notch. Was a little surprised at how fancy it is, but the menu is just overloaded with delicious items. Will have to revisit to try everything.

I remember dining at Nana's over the last two decades, and it was always a gem in the Durham restaurant scene. Tonight, I had the pleasure of experiencing its rebirth, and it was nothing short of vibrant and outstanding! The food was exquisite, the server provided top-notch service, the bar staff was wonderful, and the ambience surpassed my memories. We indulged in duck, liver mousse, greens, beets, and a delectable tiramisu dessert. Every dish was not only delicious but perfectly portioned and prepared. Here's to the new life of Nana's, and I wish them all the very best! Well done!

We remember the old Nana's, and the new one is much nicer. Food was absolutely terrific, and the atmosphere was very inviting. My husband and I both had small plates. I had the scallop dish, and he has the lobster pasta. Both were fantastic! And then we ordered dessert and they did not disappoint.

What a great start to 2024! First meal out in this New Year, and we decided to visit the new-new Nanas, and it did not disappoint. The pumpkin agnolotti was probably _the best_ pasta I've had in a long time -- neither my wife nor I could remember the last time we had better. Everything else (bread, baby lettuces, chicken pate, whole fish and cocktails) was delicious too. Service was excellent, the interior nice -- and speaking of nice, it certainly was, to see one of Durham's historic big 3 restaurants resurrected in such a classic, excellent way! We will be back!

the reimagined Nana's is essentially perfect. I've been four times since they opened in late 2023. the food is simply magical. they had a truffle gnocchi special in a parmesan cream sauce, that was ethereal and incredibly delicious. the crispy lamb shoulder with mushroom raviolo and pancetta creamed spinach is just perfect. the sauce work, a lamb jus, is deeply flavored. Nana's really excels at nailing every aspect of a dish. each individual component of their dishes, is treated with intention and focus. this restaurant is at the top of my local list and i cant wait to come back

We were in town last weekend to celebrate the life of our Nana who lived in Durham for many years, many of them married to my dad, a retired travel guide publisher. This was long one of their favorite local restaurants so we naturally wanted to have a meal at Nana's. Even late on a Saturday evening, we were not disappointed. Great food, lovely ambience, friendly and attentive service from Rod. Thank you.

The food was outstanding! Our server was a delight. The cocktails were strong and delicious. I love love that they are perfectly fine with sharing. We shared 5 courses from the scallops that were so tender and tasty, to the linguini with the octopus - I should have had my own order of that one ;-) - to the beef pierogis and the crusted lamb - every bite delicious. And finally, the tiramisù with a cup of coffee. Want a great food experience? Go to Nanas.

This is a pretty nice bar and the food from the restaurant is most excellent. We had a couple of cocktails and liked them very much. We ordered a steak tartare to pick at while we sipped our cocktails, waiting for our party to arrive and go into the restaurant. The only thing I didn't particularly like about the bar is the seating is all tall wooden chairs. I miss leather like diamond tuck 'n roll booths from steakhouses of days gone by. Uncomfortable seating seems to be the way of most places these days. They want to turn that table, I understand. That's why I often get my food to go and go sit in my chair at home and enjoy the show. I would definitely recommend coming to Nana's,, sit at the bar, have a cocktail and a hamburger, call it a day.

Really,unreasonabl,y good. Everything was cooked well and flavored in interesting and delicious ways. Also great service and nice ambiance, I'd drive back out to Hillsborough again just to eat here

Had a little snafu on our end with the reservation. The host staff was helpful and professional and on it to try to accommodate our addition of another person. Dining room is lovely, service is very attentive. Every single dish we had was amazing. Can't wait to return again, best restaurant in Durham!

We chose Nana's because it was our 50th Anniversary and we wanted a memorable celebration. The entire experience was beyond our expectations, which were high. We were greeted by a personal Anniversary card on our table. we were seated inside the first small room in a corner booth. The Decor was beautiful, music was good, not overly loud, and our server was excellent. She introduced herself and made fully explained the menu, portion sizes, and timed the arrival of each choice so they could be fully enjoyed. we each had a cocktail- the 37degree martini and the manhattan featuring tobacco bitters. both were excellent. We enjoyed the complimentary focaccia and olive oil, freshly baked rolls, the tuna carpaccio, and fresh ravioli with Bonota and Morels. We shared the roast chicken in a delicious sauce and the citrus beets side. We made some room to share for a fresh soft serve dessert with strawberries. Our server, the meal, and the ambiance were all 5 star experiences that made our special celebration! . Thanks to Matt and crew for a night to remember.

It's a beautiful space with good service but an underwhelming meal. The New York strip was very tough - I realize a strip is not a filet but this was hard to cut and chewy. A 50.00 steak should be delicious - this was far from it.

Visited Nana's on a Thursday night at the invitation of friends. Frankly, we were disappointed. First impression: parking was horrendous... had to park way up the hill in the neighborhood, bet the residents love that! Worse, the place has no marked handicap parking and is not accessible. Our friend in a wheel chair had a very difficult time getting in and out. The food was mixed. The softshell crab appetizer was a hit. The oxtail pasta dish was also good. The salmon was meh. The waiter warned portions are small, and he was right. Sides are extra. Pureed potatoes were nothing special, despite good reviews. The banana pudding did not bear any resemblance to banana pudding... had only two tiny slices of banana in it, smothered in whipped cream. Ambiance was fine, waiter was fine, but service slow. Overpriced for what you get. We won't be back. Sorry.

Absolutely amazing experience here. From the food (lamb shoulder, pasta, and wood fired oysters were a few highlights), thoughtful cocktails, and top notch service, we couldn't have picked a better place for a birthday dinner. The dessert menu was one of my favorites. Will absolutely be back.

Just stunning! We were visiting from California. The room is gorgeous. Everything was delicious - ravioli, shrimp risotto and the breads and desserts. Highly recommend!

We had been to Nanas so many times before it closed. It was our favorite place. This time, upon the reopening, it left a lot to be desired. The service was poor. We waited a long time for anyone to approach the table. The food runners appeared confused. Our food was delivered to the wrong table twice. The bread was really bad, and the fish I ordered was way too salty, almost inedible, and I love salt. We ordered dessert, which was simply two scoops of ice cream, and we didn't get it, so we had to ask again, and then it took another twenty minutes. I have worked for many years in restaurants and I hate to give this kind of review, but Nanas needs to hear it.

Super salad greens, but the shrimp risotto was a real disappointment. It tasted more like shrimp porridge than risotto. We ate in the bar in some of the most uncomfortable chairs you can imagine. We won't be going back.

Seated on a plush banquette left from the old Nana's era in a darkish corner of this beautiful restaurant, sipping on the mellow Cabernet Franc we chose with the help of a fine sommelier, we waited with anticipation for our appetizers to arrive. We had the beef tartare and scallops milanese---both excellent, the scallops being the best appetizer one of us has ever had in the Triangle. But to our delight, the second course was even better---flavorful ravioli with ricotta, ham, and greens and steak perogies-both with subtlely delicious sauces. Then we were thrilled by the again well sauced and succulent duck and lamb shoulder topped with spinach and a raviola entrees, followed by superb house made ice cream, tiramisu, and creme brulee. All excellent. Everything was well portion sized-we felt satisfied but not stuffed as we left. Excellent, non intrusive servers--not one "How's everything so far?" All in all a great, fairly priced evening. Bravo!

we were happy to see this restaurant re-open. it was a neighborhood favorite and reliably great food. Unfortunately, their customer service has taken a steep nosedive. we had a terrific waitress and the food was good. We forgot to order a meal that we planned to take home for a family member who could not join. we called them to say we would love to comeback and pick up the additional food we had forgotten to order and they said -- not kidding "we don't do takeout" I explained we had just left. They refused to help out. I explained we had just spent over $230 in their restaurant in the past 10 minutes. They refused bc "they don't do takeout". are you kidding? worst customer service ever. we won't be going back.