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Cosmic Cantina

4.5

1920 Perry St
Durham, NC 27705
Phone: (919) 286-1875
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Hours:

Monday: 11:00 AM – 2:00 AM
Tuesday: 11:00 AM – 2:00 AM
Wednesday: 11:00 AM – 2:00 AM
Thursday: 11:00 AM – 2:00 AM
Friday: 11:00 AM – 2:00 AM
Saturday: 11:00 AM – 2:00 AM
Sunday: 11:00 AM – 2:00 AM

Price Range
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Cosmic Cantina
Mapped location of Cosmic Cantina

Google Reviews

4.5
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Photo of Joseph Swope Joseph Swope
May 20, 2019 5

This place is the real deal. It was for places like this that the tem "hole in the wall" was invented. Food is delicious. Comforting, filling, tasty. Even the coca cola tastes better than usual. Menu and pricing are a bit odd: some parts of the menu look really cheap and other parts look really expensive. Keep in mind that the "giant" burritos are truly giant: definitely big enough for two people. Digs have a local, hidden feel. Tables are in close quarters and when I went the place was full of people. There is a nice outdoor rooftop seating area.

Photo of michael mathews michael mathews
Jun 12, 2019 5

Today I had the regular Green Burrito. As usual it was huge and outstanding! I'd you haven't tried Cosmic, I highly recommend you check out this place. You won't be disappointed!

Photo of Torin Wade Torin Wade
Jun 11, 2019 5

Burritos. Fun. Late night munchies. Low key bohemian vibe. If you're in the mood for any of these things, this is the place.

Photo of Jonathan Fleming Jonathan Fleming
May 11, 2019 5

This restaurant is amazing. The delicious, traditional food is of the highest quality. Pair that with the old-style vibe and you have yourself a one-of-a-kind eatery.

Photo of Ken Ray Ken Ray
May 14, 2019 5

The Cosmic Cantina is one of Durham's greatest hidden treasures. Accessible to the kids living on campus at Duke University and open till FOUR in the morning, it is a locals only late night paradise. Owned by a Duke grad, the place sources all of its ingredients from only the best that can be found. Local and organic when it can be, and only top shelf for everything else. A burrito or chimichanga will fill you up, and leave you with enough leftovers to eat a good meal the next day. Order the chicken chimichanga, you'll thank me for it.

Photo of Kathy White Kathy White
Jun 18, 2019 4

Cosmic Cantina gets 4-stars for it's food and it's funkiness. It is very unusual so was glad we tourist were taken there by local friends. I do not think we would have found it on our own. One enters the place going through a utility closet, then climb to 2nd story by going up 3 flights worth of narrow, steep, stairs. Also, the pitcher of margaritas was good and the three of us made it back down the stairs without incident.

Photo of Kerry Graham Kerry Graham
Jul 6, 2019 5

This is one of my favorite spots in Durham to grab a beer and burrito. The food never disappoints. It's a dive for sure, but the graffiti in the stairwell and the rough-hewn tables are part of Cosmic's charm. With that said, I gave four stars because the ladies room had no seat on the toilet. A dive I don't mind, but no toilet seat pushes the limit

Photo of Ktktkt Tktktk Ktktkt Tktktk
Jul 7, 2019 4

The food was good. The only thing that I was disappointed in was that chips and salsa are on the appetizer menu, so if you are a person who puts salsa on your burrito, taco, etc order it because it isn't part of the meal. Also, unless I missed another entrance, there isn't a handicap entrance.

Photo of Josh Buck Josh Buck
Aug 9, 2019 3

Not the most friendly staff...but polite and efficient. The food wasn't too bad...way too much rice in my burrito and not enough of anything else (especially veggies). It was tasty, but I'm not sure I agree with their proclamation that it's the best Mexican food on the planet.

Photo of e g e g
Aug 13, 2019 5

Amazing food at amazing prices! There are plenty of vegetarian options and the vibe is really cool. There’s both indoor and outdoor seating although you do have to climb stairs to enter the restaurant and I’m not sure if there is an alternative accessible entrance. Home a must-visit while in Durham!

Photo of siyeducation siyeducation
Aug 12, 2019 5

Always the best food, and reasonable price. Gotta love that! Great staff as well. Very friendly and I have gone there for a number of years!

Photo of Kaya Bowling Kaya Bowling
Aug 11, 2019 5

The food is always fresh. Honestly it's the best Mexican restaurant in Durham. It's a great place to socialize with friends or just to enjoy the food, also the place doesn't close until 4 AM. I love me some Cosmic Cantina!!!!! Get you some... Lol

Photo of Minh Hung Tran Minh Hung Tran
Oct 7, 2019 5

This is a very fun place for a very late night bite. The place is filled with music - a very fun vibe. The stairway up to the place is cool and reflective of street art which was nice. The burrito was great. I may look smaller than a Chipotle burrito but it was tastier.

Photo of Boyce Currance Boyce Currance
Oct 15, 2019 5

I've tried the chicken and the steak and honestly they're better at making chicken. The burrito comes with chips but it's literally like six chips, if you like chips to go with your food your best bet is to just order a basket of chips for like $1.60. I'll be honest the burrito is kinda dry so order it with sour cream or salsa.

Photo of Jason McElroy Jason McElroy
Sep 3, 2019 5

Great late night spot!!! Fresh made to order food. Tasted exactly how I imagined it would! Delicious! Great customer service. Great food, and open until 4 a.m.! Would DEF recommend.

Photo of Joseph H. Vilas Joseph H. Vilas
Oct 9, 2019 4

Just about the best & cheapest place for late night food in Durham. 9th Street area. Not a lot of atmosphere, but that's not why you're there. Maybe you can sit outside if the weather's good.

Photo of John Thomas Kong John Thomas Kong
Nov 10, 2019 5

This hidden Durham gem on Ninth Street has the best food. The prices are low but the food so so good and the portions are huge. The steak burrito is the size of my forearm (5’8 and 160 lbs). The salsa is homemade and delicious when paired with corn chips. Also they have beer! Wash it all down with a beer or two. What a great way to start a Saturday night!?

Photo of Greg DeWitt Greg DeWitt
Sep 19, 2019 5

I stopped in today for quick lunch and was not disappointed. While I sat there eating a deluxe steak burrito, I tried to figure out when I first came to Cosmic Cantina. It must have been in 96 or 97 and I have been enjoying Cosmic ever since. Thank you!

Photo of Lisa Roman-Shaffer Lisa Roman-Shaffer
Nov 27, 2019 3

Definitely one of my favorite places to get an authentic burrito but tonight it was just missing the secret ingredient. Not sure what that was but after standing in line for forty minutes to pay for an order I called in 30 minutes prior. I want the first and last bite to be amazing.

Photo of Catherine Bhattachar Catherine Bhattachar
Dec 1, 2019 3

Overall, a disappointing burrito. It had a lot of rice, and not much of anything else. It was flavored with dill, which was unique, but not good. The tortilla for the burrito had not been warmed. Will not be returning.

Photo of spamset willy spamset willy
Dec 3, 2019 4

This Mexican restaurant is fast, good and inexpensive. It's that place you've driven by and had no idea you were missing a great experience. The burritos that are huge or others that are giant.

Photo of BRIAN MASSENGILL BRIAN MASSENGILL
Dec 29, 2019 5

Always great. My favorite Dive Bar in the word. Lines always long so be patient. With all due respect, it's such a cool "Dukie Bar"!

Photo of Robert Joines Robert Joines
Jan 4, 2020 5

Been coming here for many many years and I've never been disappointed. There's a certain charm and it always brings back good memories. The food is truly out of this world.

Photo of Nathan Miller Nathan Miller
Jan 27, 2020 5

The regular burrito was bigger than almost every burrito I've ever had. The prices are cheap but the food tastes great. It might not be the most sophisticated environment (or easy to find), but the roughness adds to the character. An excellent lunch spot to be sure!

Photo of Shannon Roy Shannon Roy
Feb 9, 2020 5

H.o.l.y C.h.i.t ....... It's like a Mexican food Paradise in here ...never order the giant. Everything is already giant. Service was wonderful. The young girl at the counter was really cool. Def coming back

Photo of Sarah Calabro Sarah Calabro
Mar 5, 2020 4

Great little hidden hole in the wall! Seriously tho, food is good and fast. It's a small place so when it gets busy it's really crowded. But they get orders out quick.

Photo of dennis denmor275@yahoo.com dennis denmor275@yahoo.com
Mar 4, 2020 4

Food was very tasty. Generous portions, but inside could use upgrade remodel.

Photo of Abdulaziz Alghanem Abdulaziz Alghanem
May 12, 2020 3

I just had three chicken tacos.. they tasted good, but honestly, they were a mess.. a huge mess.. I love soft tacos and used to them from taco trucks.. but this one cannot be eaten by holding it regularly.. they get torn very easily..

Photo of Anthony Henage Anthony Henage
May 8, 2020 5

Careful where you park. I had a drunken car full of undocumented leaving cosmic wreck their truck into the front of my car and then drive off leaving me with 3 grand worth of damage that I had to pay out of pocket because there are no cameras on the building. The food is amazing just park in a high visibility area at night

Photo of Luke Pietrowski Luke Pietrowski
Jun 8, 2020 5

A great place to get food to go. The entrance is in the dance studio door. Its hard to find but great food! I always support local businesses

Photo of Gerry Harrington Gerry Harrington
Jun 21, 2020 3

The steak nachos we ordered was good, but we wished they'd had lettuce, salsa and sour cream. I also wished the woman who took our order had been friendlier. She seemed rather uninterested to us as guests at the restaurant.

Photo of Rose Alford Rose Alford
Jun 14, 2020 4

Always love their food and always delicious. During COVID the employees have mask on and hand sanitizer in two areas. And order ahead the wait is shorter. I would give 5 stars but they've been skimping on the chicken in the chimichanga.

Photo of LaWanda Swan LaWanda Swan
Jul 5, 2020 5

It was around 1:00am in Durham and I was hanging out with #DistanceBae. We were watching the Evolution of Hip-Hop and I was desperately trying to explain the beauty of Southern rap to a Yankee especially how the documentary didn't quite do it justice. This debate left us both hungry and I found this place via google. I thought it was a joke due to the early closings on restaurants in the area and the small hoops of looking for the correct number. All worth it, I promise!!! Y'all, the food was so good we stayed up an extra two hours sharing bites of food and just talking. Chips were cooked to order, queso and guacamole were bomb! Fajitas were amazing. The location and ambience were dope. It's gonna be my favorite stop spot.

Photo of Dwayne Bryant Dwayne Bryant
Jun 23, 2020 4

Food was good but covid is changing the service delivery. Workers seeMed agitated.

Photo of Kevin Bland Kevin Bland
Jul 26, 2020 4

Guacamole was phenomenal. Burrito had great flavor. Wish I got more steak inside the burrito.

Photo of Daniel Zhang Daniel Zhang
Jul 23, 2020 5

The burritos are so good I go out of my way to pick up food.

Photo of Ashley Pendarvis Ashley Pendarvis
Jun 25, 2020 5

Best burritos in town! Hands down!

Photo of Pocha Pocha
Aug 6, 2020 5

Never have I ever been disappointed with this place. It's a little pricey but delicious for the price you pay!!! Good job you guys!!!

Photo of Ay-AyRawn Badis Ay-AyRawn Badis
Aug 16, 2020 5

Been a regular here for the last 2 decades, enough said. Oh and ask for hot sauce, it’s a house green sauce that is exceptional!

Photo of Wesley Hayward Wesley Hayward
Aug 25, 2020 5

Not even joking this is it. The best restaurant on the east coast. Nobu? Nowho? This Cosmic cucciolo has the best volume/price/taste ratio around with the added bonus of modern hours.

Photo of nima navpanahi nima navpanahi
Jul 29, 2020 5

My Goodness! When I finally put down the house made chips and extremely fresh salsa, I moved on to my giant (and it really is! ) burrito (which includes the salsa, sour cream, and guacamole at no extra cost!), I couldn't stop eating! I ordered the steak and she ordered the chicken and both were huge for the price. Chips and salsa order came with a large salsa instead of that tiny side you get most places... plenty to take home and enjoy later. The meats were seasoned so well and you could taste the freshness and flavors of each of the ingredients and they all blended so well... from our of town but we will definitely make the trip again specifically to eat here.

Photo of Marky Mark Marky Mark
Sep 6, 2020 5

This is my new favorite food place. I absolutely love the chimichangas. You definitely get your money's worth when you dine here. This place is on the second floor, so it's not handicap accessible. They're even open until 2 am, use to be 4 am before the covid-19 epidemic.

Photo of Stephanie Stephanie
Aug 26, 2020 5

Visiting Durham, I picked up a chicken burrito with added guacamole today. It was great! Heavy, the burrito was loaded and full of flavor. Reasonably priced also.

Photo of Zanetta M Zanetta M
Sep 12, 2020 5

Best place for late-night taco/burrito cravings. Great food. Affordable prices.

Photo of Micah Furlong Micah Furlong
Sep 5, 2020 5

A little hard to find if you don't know what to look for, but oh so worth it. There is a small entrance from the street that takes you up to the second floor. I'm not normally a gaucamole kind of guy, but their gauc was excellent when combined with the massive burritos. We will be back to enjoy the chips and queso.

Photo of Kayla Sanderson Kayla Sanderson
Oct 18, 2020 4

Good news food is still super delicious and not a bad price. Bad news patio seating is looking worse than ever at some points being straight up unsafe. It's been a rough year tho for everyone so like I get it but at the same time might think about just getting food to go next time

Photo of Vydashon-Telese Coleman Vydashon-Telese Coleman
Nov 6, 2020 5

THE BEST MEXICAN FOOD! Authentic and delicious. They are always open....at least until around 3am. I love the raw graffiti walls and tables. Its a perfect "hole the wall" spot to get great food. Highly recommend!

Photo of Eric Walker Eric Walker
Nov 8, 2020 5

I haven't been to Cosmic in over three years. Until today and the food is still as awesome as I remember. I can't wait to get back and get another burrito.

Photo of Kamillah Grant Kamillah Grant
Nov 17, 2020 4

My go to late night or not so late for a good burritto.. FAST FORWARD 100S OF TRIPS LATER!? TONIGHT my family an I ordered take out ..i repeated my order, the cashier took repeated my order...GUESS WHAT? ORDER WAS WRONG!😡AND IT WAS DRY TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY! HIGHLY DISAPPOINTED!!!! IT WILL BE A WHILE B4 I TRY MY LUCK AGAIN..SAD TIMES😔USE TO BE A FAVORITE 11/16/20 I guess its me??? I see people still having good reviews, I wish I loved my food tonight but I fed it to the dog 🐕 for what he would eat. It was dry as dirt, I mean how could your conscience allow you to serve up what seem to.be meat that has sat out all day.? I am just over it! Never more chances from me, waste of time and money.

Photo of Joel Gordon Joel Gordon
Jan 24, 2021 5

Delicious food with wide variety of choices from 3 different trucks. Friendly, fast service. Clean outdoor tables to gather with friends or family.

Photo of ms. S ms. S
Jan 22, 2021 4

First time trying this place. Had a chicken quesadilla and it was delicious. Do not be deceived by the outside of the building, the food is delicious here!

Photo of Bobby Sides Bobby Sides
Feb 23, 2021 5

They have really good food in fact I'd even say great food! Their food was hot and they prepared it pretty fast as well. Really unique location being that it's upstairs as well a real street influence with the graffiti on the walls outside their door. It was a totally awesome experience and their food was amazing but being from Texas I don't think it tasted like Mexican food. I'm a white boy from Texas and my homemade"mexican" food tastes more authentic than their food did. I stand behind my 5 star rating because they still have great food.

Photo of Dee Menser Dee Menser
Mar 7, 2021 5

Great food, customer service, and cozy. It's kind of hidden, and not very visible from the main streets. The menu is basic but extremely good. Great drink selection. Small and can be packed. Which at times makes it dirty in appearance, but will be cleaned upon availability.

Photo of Melissa Palomar Melissa Palomar
Mar 31, 2021 4

Very good food for a good price. Surprisingly cheaper than other places selling similar food. They're on the upstairs part of the building. They seemed short staffed tonight since there were a lot of orders and only one man taking orders and serving. But he was patient and made sure to get the orders right, as were all those in line. I will say I noticed that there weren't any visible signage for their patio eating, I only knew it existed from my husband who went before. And there is a notice inside the restaurant to not park in the lot across the street since it's private owned, but no visible signage outside for this, so would've had no idea until we got inside. I came at night, so maybe it just wasn't visible.

Photo of Mass Debator Mass Debator
Mar 23, 2021 5

"The best Mexican food on the PLANET." At least that's what the sign says......you be the judge. I love it, there is always a line, tho. Mask up, spread out.

Photo of Troi Perkins Troi Perkins
Apr 23, 2021 4

Good food at decent prices. Steak if skirt steak with no gristle. The shredded chicken is flavorful. Hard to beat their chimichangas. My only complaints are the lack of consistent menu and prices posted online and sometimes they overcook the chips and hard tacos shells.

Photo of Shelita Bowens Shelita Bowens
Apr 17, 2021 5

The food is perfect and so filling. How is something so cheap so good? I challenge anyone to find so much bang for your buck.

Photo of Yusuf Abdullah Yusuf Abdullah
May 13, 2021 5

Shlaps!!! You can't go wrong with anything on the menu. The food here would be a top pick during the day, but to be open till 2 am as well just makes it impossible to compete with. Definitely would recommend if it's within a 15 min drive to you!

Photo of Disgrace Central Disgrace Central
May 27, 2021 5

One of the best places to get burritos. Excellent option if you're a night owl or just get off work late. Always coming out with friends after work for the good food and even good alcohol.

Photo of Ricky Keene Ricky Keene
Jun 24, 2021 5

Absolutely the biggest diamond in the rough, needle in a haystack restaurant out there! Best Mexican food on the planet. Fresh ingredients and amazing staff. Loved for over a decade now.

Photo of Debdeep Bhattacharya Debdeep Bhattacharya
Jun 23, 2021 4

This is a hidden gem of 9th street. Might be a bit hard to find the entrance that leads to the upstairs dining area with open patio. Great hearty food, adding the house made hot sauce is a must. Great portions size for the price but the protein to rice ratio is a bit low, at least for the burritos. This place is open til late night and the staff is friendly.

Photo of a v a v
Jul 22, 2021 5

im just going to be honest and say it: this is the sketchiest place i have ever been to in my life. BUT when i say the food is HEAVENLY, i mean it. with a short climb up narrow stairs, you've reached the greatest place ever. with little pieces of culture sprinkled around the seating area, there has to be something to catch your eye off the menu. i would eat here every day for the rest of my life if i could (putting stomach issues aside).

Photo of Carla Beasley Carla Beasley
Jul 29, 2021 5

Food was plentiful and excellent. Green sauce is like eating fire! Tacos were huge. Great food all around.

Photo of a v a v
Aug 13, 2021 5

I'm just going to be honest and say it: this is the sketchiest place I have ever been to in my life. BUT when I say the food is HEAVENLY, I mean it. With a short climb up narrow stairs, you've reached the greatest place ever. With little pieces of culture sprinkled around the seating area, there has to be something to catch your eye off the menu. I would eat here every day for the rest of my life if I could (putting stomach issues aside).

Photo of Eric Baker Eric Baker
Sep 13, 2021 5

Amazing place, the entrance is pretty literally a hole in the wall. But the food is amazing, prices are great, and the vibe is fantastic. It has "that one place we went in college" vibe. A bit scruffy looking but in the best way possible. Is there graffiti everywhere but the owners don't GAF because they are to busy working hard to make delicious food. Been several times, never disappointed, and always look forward to the next visit.

Photo of Shantel Richardson Shantel Richardson
Sep 15, 2021 3

Not too expensive. There are several options for vegans, vegetarians, and meat eaters alike. I am willing to give them another chance in the future, but on my first visit, the spices and flavors for the beans were lacking. The vegetables were not crisp. Overall, the vegetarian option was edible and I wouldn't avoid the place if friends wanted to stop in for food. Personally, I would not chose it over other burrito places.