This restaurant has been on my "to try" list for a while so I'm glad I got to order takeout from here recently. I ordered the coconut curry shrimp, which was to die for! My friend ordered The Havana, and he really liked it. We shared the chocolate cake for dessert, which was delicious. We didn't feel up to dining in at the restaurant so we ordered carryout, but one thing I should mention is that this restaurant requires proof of vaccination to dine there. I really liked the vibe here, and they have a few seafood options, which are my favorite so I'll definitely return here.
Aidan Buehler
Oct 30, 2021
5
Speaking from an employee perspective, I've eaten all manner of leftovers, and it's all wonderful. (And even better freshly cooked and hot!)
Alphonza Faison Junior
Dec 4, 2021
5
The restaurant was warm and inviting. The menu online gave me a feeling of nostalgia and opulence from a soil to table experience. The best part was the service. Waiter Doug served with excellence and intelligence knowing the menu front to back. With only two minutes before the kitchen closed they still made the Paella that takes 45minutes. Owner came out to talk after dinner and explained the inspiration. Just a fantastic culinary experience.
jorge garza
Nov 3, 2021
3
I will not recommend this restaurant. Ambience was great, but service was not. They seemed to be understaffed so set your expectations. It took 40 minutes to our server to come to our table to take our drinks order. If your going for Cuban food, I’ll suggest going to Carmen’s Cuban cafe.
Brian Ragusa
Oct 27, 2021
3
Fair living wage fee adds 20%. We usually tip 20%, unless service is not good. We were stuck. The service was not good. We were very overlooked. Server never asked if food was to our liking. We had to flag him down to get the check. Food is okay. So many Cuban options in Raleigh/Durham make it feel mediocre.
Jennifer Dolphin
Sep 8, 2021
5
Best Majitos in The Teiangle and the chocolate cake alone is worth the jaunt from Raleigh. If you dine outside you'll most likely end up with Doug as your waiter and he doesn't miss a thing; he's fantastic. Absolutely everything on the menu is amazing- shout-out to the chefs, you can't go wrong. Love this place!
Ezra Weinstein
May 29, 2021
5
My only sadness is that I live very far away from Copa. This is the most incredible Cuban restaurant I have ever been to. The food is absolutely outstanding. Service was phenomenal and the atmosphere is warm and inviting. Did I mention the food is out of this world? Absolutely will be visiting Durham again, I will find an excuse to visit and come back to Copa. I highly recommend to anyone near the area if you have not experienced the cuisine of Copa, go now, and read the back story of the restaurant on their web site, it's fascinating!
Efrain Hernandez
Jun 27, 2021
5
Great authentic and flavorful food. The art work and vibe is amazing. The mixed drinks are unique and delicious. I appreciate the Chef and bartender Angel.
erik lars myers
May 29, 2021
5
Always fantastic food and cocktails. I'm never disappointed.
Robert Zandt
Apr 15, 2021
5
[Updating my Review to 2021. We have enjoyed the service, quality, and staff personality for a long time. Copa, and Chef Roberto's contribution to the community are examples of excellent citizenship and help drive Durham to be caring as well as a great place to be. ] Excellent service, locally sourced food is important to me and Copa Durham does a great job with prep and presentation. A super experience and a very tasty meal. Compliments to the chef and the staff!
Joyce Chapman
Apr 1, 2021
5
This is one of my favorite restaurants in Durham. The pulled pork and plantain chips are really good, and they are one of the few places in Durham that serve shredded cabbage-based citrus dressing salads. That sounds super specific but if you've had these salads before you know what I mean. They also use sustainably raised meat and grow as much produce as possible on their own organic farm. Don't pass up the mojo sauce... that stuff's amazing! There is something on the menu for pretty much any set of dietary restrictions.
Clarke French
Apr 1, 2021
5
Roberto brings us the food of his homeland with skill and passion. Reliably excellent for a quiet dinner for two or a big family celebration. You won’t regret COPA! We’ve been back many times.
David Arthur Aguilar
Apr 1, 2021
5
COPA is always a delicious meal and one we routinely have. We've never had any issues nor concerns with their staff or their sanitary practices. We are happy to support a good local business that provide high quality food and treats their staff well. Also, kudos on vaccines!
Kezia McKeague
Apr 2, 2021
5
COPA is my all-time favorite restaurant. I say this not only because of the outstanding flavors and presentation of the food and cocktails, but also the lively ambiance and the friendly, personalized service. The menu is based on the unique concept of farm-to-table Cuban-inspired food, incorporating the highest quality ingredients. I highly recommend COPA for date nights, family dinners, or any other occasion.
Linda McDonough
Apr 1, 2021
5
This place has been a favorite of mine since the days when they were a sandwich shop. My favorite is still the Havana sandwich. Their black beans are amazing. And their desserts are the best. I feel like they have done a great job during the pandemic of keeping us safe and fed.
Mark Cada
Feb 2, 2021
5
Great food drinks and spaced out environment
Dawn Witter
Feb 27, 2021
5
The food was delicious and the atmosphere was perfect for date night.
Lindsey Zarracina
Feb 28, 2021
5
Oh my! Our biweekly night out was so tasty!! I don’t know why it took so long for us to come here. We had the pork belly to start (whoa), the Havana and pork chop entrees (double whoas), and GF almond cake for dessert (yum!!). I ordered the Danzon No. 2 cocktail. Everything was absolutely wonderful, and the service was perfect. They are doing a fantastic job keeping to Covid protocols. We sat inside and felt very safe. We love supporting local restaurants, and this was such a treat. We will definitely be adding Copa to our night out rotation. :)
Spencer Wise
Oct 20, 2020
5
A little pricey but the food is worth it. Some of the best food in durham in my opinion.
Jimmy Branley
Sep 24, 2020
4
I really really dig this spot. I used to have Cuban Revolution as my go to Cuban spot but after consistently awful service, I bailed. Everything here is good.My one gripe is that on the menu, they advertise a "deconstructed rum and coke." It's a rum and coke with Mexican Coca Cola instead. Not worth the upcharge at all.
Tim Becker
Sep 8, 2020
5
Lovely outdoor seating! Great food, tasty drinks, service was quality but a little slow. They were busy though and doing everything really well so no complaints here!The loaded plantain chips were definitely worth it. I will definitely get those every time I go.
Milica Lakobrija
Sep 19, 2020
5
Accidentally ran into this place, 30 mins before closing and fell in love with the place! The food is great, the service is amazing (especially since they let us get food just as they were closing), the art is eye pleasing and it has nice Cuban vibe. Definitely going back! ♥️
Aaron Kesler
Sep 9, 2020
5
This place has fantastic food and literally the greatest drink I've ever had. Order the La Diosa Negra, best drink! They're also very good with food allergies.
Princessgirl Pongyart
Dec 26, 2018
4
Havana sandwich was great.But I took 1 off cus salad as garnish tasted like oily grass. Could have been better.
Vi Phung
May 17, 2019
3
We went for lunch on a Saturday. Overall food was ok. We got the El Caney sandwich and the Una Completa plate with chicken. The sandwich was kinda dry for me and the plate came with little food for the price. The best part was the plantain chips that came with the sandwich. We also got the pudding for dessert and that was pretty good.
Andy Turnbull
Apr 13, 2020
5
If you haven't given this place a try, it's definitely worth your time. Love the food, it's not just Cuban --- it's a wide range of options with Cuban inspiration. My favorite place to eat when I'm in Durham.
Geoffrey Banks
Dec 28, 2018
5
Awesome staff. Super kind and attentive and the food is even better! One of the best Cuban Sandwiches I've had. not to mention the fantastic art all by Cuban artists. Really enjoyed my visit
Michelle Lubick
Feb 15, 2020
5
Delicious food! I went for a food tour with Taste of Carolina then I went again a few days later. The food was just as amazing the second time as it was the first time. Copa was amazing with food allergies. They are very knowledgeable about their menu! The decorations in Copa and I think it's really cool that all the art is from local artists! Definitely worth the visit!
Miguel Lozada
Feb 14, 2020
4
Interesting twists on Cuban food. Need more waitresses, two is definitely not enough for this # of tables. Maybe they forget that tapas style servings means more trips to & from each table. There were too many stretches of time with our waitress nowhere to be found. long wait for a 2nd drink, for hot sauce for desert and even for the check.
Gerald Wooten
Jan 12, 2020
5
If you make a reservation, you will have a terrific meal with great service. Rich and warm Caribbean flavors that are authentic along with locally sourced ingredients. Make a reservation as this place is popular!
Wilmer Gregg
Jan 17, 2020
5
First visit and I must tell you, I really liked it! The food was great, and our server was GROOVY. The atmosphere was actually nice. We had people from other tables talking to us making suggestions since they knew it was our time . Loved my burger and the Thai sweet chili fries.! I will go back just for those! Great food, great experience. Will be back!
John Tucker
Dec 27, 2019
3
Didn't live up to the hype. Over priced
carol wooten
Dec 29, 2019
5
We had reservations and you will need them because You want to Go! Doug was fabulous and attentive even though we only ordered appetizers and drinks. The Croquetas are amazing! Chef pays attention to every detail and takes the time to greet every table. The food is not hot spicy but rather Caribbean warm, rich, and complex. And, the Flan, oh, my! It's a totally enjoyable experience. Just go!
Emily Bernard
Nov 30, 2019
3
Came here after visiting during lunch on a Durham food tour. Had high hopes for dinner but unfortunately was extremely disappointed. First problem, the waiter had little knowledge of the menu, pairings and portions (key for any restaurant but tapas especially). Two, the tapas came out to the tiny 4 top table all at once. The food runners were literally stacking plates in front of us. At any other tapas restaurant ive ever been, food comes out in waves as to enjoy each plate amongst your group, foster discussion and take.your.time. I asked the waiter if we could slow it down and he suggested this was the pace they always serve food at Copa. So, problem two was we felt rushed through our meal. Third problem which isnt necessarily in their control but our table was directly under a vent that was circulating cigarette smoke into the restaurant, so we did not have a pleasant experience there. Aside from those issues, food was OK, cocktails were OK and the atmosphere is neat. Would not recommend if you are used to a traditional tapas experience or if you are trying tapas and this would be your first impression.
Allison Zimmerman
Dec 13, 2019
5
Great food and atmosphere. Love the speciality cocktails!
Stephen Daniel
Nov 18, 2019
4
I really wanted to like this place. The atmosphere was inviting, the menu was interesting, and the wait staff was charming and perky.However the service was terrible. Our waiter had trouble entering our order into her iPad -- we had to repeat it multiple times. 3 of the dishes we wanted were already sold out by 7PM. We were served a dish we had not ordered as a replacement for one of the sold-out dishes. One of the dishes we did order was served twice. Our wine arrived just as we were finishing. We asked for more bread -- three times -- before it eventually arrived.On the whole the food was good. The pork we ordered was bland and dry, but the rest was quite tasty. There cocktails were well executed.
Sean Lynott
Oct 23, 2019
5
This place is amazing! Let your server pick the food, you won’t regret it
mo vas
Oct 12, 2019
4
Great service and food don't expect fancy food dish display is what we call come Plato
Sloan Christopher
Sep 1, 2019
5
Fantastic food! And a lot moe of it than I expected. Great prices, atmosphere was low key and comfortable. Staff was very friendlier and knowledgeable about the specialty drinks and dishes.
Boyce Currance
Oct 15, 2019
5
We came here to celebrate a friend's birthday.The hostess that took us to our tables was very friendly. The ambience is really nice and very open. Their drinks menu and food menu is very elaborate and took me some time to read through it. I ordered the first cocktail drink on their menu and it was really good and served in a pretty glass!
Viviana Solórzano
Jul 21, 2019
5
Freshest, tastiest salad I've ever had - seriously. All the rest of the fare was delicious as well, and served in an interesting way. For example, platanos rellenos are usually cups made of plantain, fried, and when they're solid, filled with the meat. But here, the filling is surrounded by the plantain, which looks to have been fried while the plantain was still uncooked, and so it reached out with lovely web-like structures. The visual appeal was almost as impressive as the taste itself. But the taste of this and all the other fare, was by far the MVP of the night. I would love to return!!
Jim White
Jul 1, 2019
4
Friendly staff. Pleasant atmosphere. The food was good but did not quite meet expectations. I may have chosen poorly. Definitely worth another try.
Heather B
Mar 6, 2019
5
The food is amazing and the cocktails are unique and fun. The waiter staff really understand the menu and the culture behind the dishes and they just add to the overall experience. If you haven't been it is a must for a true downtown Durham experience. Just don't be in a hurry, the concept is multiple courses and a leisure dinner to visit with your friends and share authentic Cuban food cuisine.
Zach Brown
Feb 14, 2019
4
An authentically Cuban night out. Everything up and down the menu seemed like an effort to make the best, modern version of a classic dish. Not every plate was a success but tapas means there's always another course coming. Service was good if a bit hectic for so early in the evening. The decor is comfortable but not truly unique. I liked this restaurant a lot and if it weren't in competition with so many great tapas in Durham right now it would be 5 stars.
Jesse Mowles-Aring
Feb 26, 2019
5
Great local food, awesome, friendly staff. Casual but high quality. Big portions for tapas. Will have to go back to try everything that looked amazing. The bad news is that you can't choose wrong.
Allan Logan
May 26, 2019
5
Amazing experience from the professional mixology staff (thanks Alex) to the incredible presentation and flavors of Traditional Cuban dishes. We strongly recommend and will be back often. Recommendation... Try everything!
Jim White
May 9, 2019
5
Lovely dining experience. So many excellent choices! I'll have to go back again. Great service too.
A.K. Edge
Apr 6, 2022
5
Stellar service & tapas. Particularly good charcuterie.
....a lovely unexpected night in downtown Durham.. A " Living wage" restaurant that shines with enthusiastic staff with a deep knowledge of their sourcing & menu items.
Soutchay Labang
Feb 17, 2022
5
Exceptional quality in service and food. The atmosphere was crisp and clean. Everything we tasted was phenomenal. Loved the friendly and helpful service. Copa did not disappoint!
Haley Bobbitt
Feb 22, 2022
4
Only leaving 4 stars because in the opinion of myself and my friends, the food & drinks are a bit pricey for what you get, but that also seems common for tapas places. However, our server Blake (sp) deserves all the stars you can give! They were excellent and made our experience super fun. They answered any and all questions we had and also made excellent suggestions. If we go back, it would be because of Blake!
Guan-Lun Liao
May 8, 2022
5
Everything we tried is so good! We were here celebrating graduation and our server Doug was very welcoming and warm. Paella is a must-order, but do order in advance since it’ll take 45 minutes to make. The only part we are not too satisfied is their small portions. I could probably finish the Paella myself even though it said serve two on the menu.
Joshua Milligan
Jul 13, 2022
5
We absolutely loved our meal here! The food was out quickly and delicious. The staff was very friendly and welcoming. Would recommend!
P Adams
Aug 13, 2022
5
We will seated quickly, even though we didn't have reservations. The drinks and food were delicious! I suggest getting here early, especially if you don't have reservations. We arrived right before the dinner rush.
Stacy Spivey-Mullinix
May 10, 2022
3
The service was good, the atmosphere was serene unfortunately the food was disappointing. I asked for condiments for the pork, mojito was delicious and necessary for flavor. The flan was bitter and the expresso machine was broken with no coffee choices. The living wage 20% adjustment added to the bill was an insult and should have been discussed prior to seating.
Unfortunately I chose the wrong spot to dine for my first night in Durham.
David Arthur Aguilar
Linda McDonough
Spencer Wise
Andy Turnbull
Michelle Lubick
Miguel Lozada
Gerald Wooten
Wilmer Gregg
John Tucker
carol wooten
Emily Bernard
Allison Zimmerman
Stephen Daniel
Sean Lynott
mo vas
Sloan Christopher
Boyce Currance
Jim White
Heather B
Zach Brown
Allan Logan
Jim White
