Really love the atmosphere here! Very cozy and chic. Service was excellent and the drinks were SO good. My favorite dishes were the tuna hand roll, bone marrow, and broccolini. We got the burrata but it was too sweet for me. Dessert was great—I recommend getting the Taiyaki.
Leah Cox
Nov 28, 2023
5
This place was truly spectacular from start to finish. Excellent imaginative cocktails, fun and inspired dishes and outstanding service.
This is one of the ONLY places in NC that makes octopus PERFECTLY. It’s like I’m back in Spain or Portugal. The flavors of every dish were nicely balanced, perfectly seasoned and expertly executed. We started with 2 cocktails (the Negroni our way and the La Mula) fantastic!
Then we ordered multiple small plates to share. First was the “Birria dumplings” in consume, they were pillowy soft dumplings filled with goat birria and topped with the delicious consume, (this is a MUST!) then we had the “tongue & cheek” it was a roasted bone marrow topped with beef cheek barbacoa accompanied by 4 corn tortillas & a homemade salsa (this was incredible, very indulgent!) next was the “grilled octo” this octopus was grilled to perfection leaving a beautiful crust and a very tender interior it was served over a bean mixture filled both a perfect balance of flavor to complement the octopus (seriously the best in the state!) we also had the brussel sprouts, the roasted potatoes with a delicious chimichurri, and the homemade bread & garlic butter, all were excellent compliments to the other dishes but could easily stand on their own if you were going vegetarian. Lastly we had to try the churro balls, they were perfectly cooked balls of heaven with a dark chocolate dipping sauce.
I highly recommend this incredible spot for a date night or a night to catch up with a girlfriend.
Angela Guarin
Oct 5, 2023
5
Little Bull is a 5 out of 5 in every category.
The food is incredible, the way the flavors come together is pure genius. I have been to Little Bull a couple of times, and I am yet to experience a dish that has not surpassed every expectation I had. I can tell the Chefs love what they do. There is not a place like this in the area and it is just what was needed.
When it comes to service. There are zero complaints. The staff goes above and beyond for customers and is knowledgeable about the food. They truly welcome you like family from the moment you walk in.
The restaurant itself is beautifully and thoughtfully decorated. The music is at the right volume, and there is a very welcoming atmosphere.
My only suggestion would be to make some t-shirts with the super cute bull design!
Manisit
Sep 4, 2023
5
Little Bull is a terrific restaurant near Downtown Durham with delicious Mexican-esque food. Every bite is a burst of flavors, wonderfully presented, and picking a cocktail or an entree or small plate is so hard— an excellent problem to have. We are looking forward to returning soon.
Street parking is your best bet here.
greta vanderloop
Aug 25, 2023
4
This spot has potential. The overall experience was alright. Team members friendly, cocktails superb, food was mediocre, atmosphere was a lot going on.
I loved that the chef is incorporating fresh ingredients, unique presentations, but overall the dishes all lacked something. Likely be awhile till trying this spot again.
Pictures have details of about each item.
Kristina Lee
Aug 19, 2023
5
Most amazing experience here, worth every dollar and the hype is so real. Went with my husband and my parents for a birthday dinner, we all were raving about how incredible the food and service was. My parents are experienced foodies and were impressed - in fact my dad commented that it was one of the best meals he had had in a long time. Our server (I think her name was Mich) was so kind and sweet! She made the experience fun. Favorite dishes were the octopus, steak and chorizo. Churros for desert were incredible too. Also seems reasonably priced because for 4 people we had 9 dishes and 5 glasses of wine and the bill was just over $200. Definitely will be back!!!
Alphonza Faison Junior
Aug 13, 2023
5
Culinary tactical sniper. They hit the flavor mark bulls eye. The renovated restaurant to the insane mastermind of flavors. Won’t disappoint. Please, please sweet Jesus please try the Tongue &Cheek.
Chelsea Adams
Aug 13, 2023
5
'Latin flare + a touch of comfort and sophistication' This is the only way to describe this gem of a spot. The NC Tuna Crudo was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully plated. The gambas a la plancha was rich, smokey, and brought me back to Las Ramblas in Barcelona. Their cocktails are delicious and expertly paired with unique ingredients and aromatics to surprise and delight the palate. On a final note, do not miss the pastelito (warm pastry with guava, goat cheese, and sweetened cream). Shout out to Leslie (server) who was lovely and very knowledgeable about every flavor profile.
This place is a new favorite and I'm eager to tell everyone I know to run (not walk) and grab a reservation. You will not regret it.
Food in pictures: NC Tuna Crudo, Gambas a la plancha, Birria Dumplings, Dame Maz Pan! (cocktail)
Chanel JMH
Aug 10, 2023
5
The food here was absolutely amazing. I learned showing up without a reservation was not a good idea as I had to sit outside. Outside was absolutely beautiful however one fan wasn't working so it was humid and sticky and I could not stand the bugs around my food. I would highly recommend that they get citronella candles for each table. The good thing is that it rained and the outside patio is covered so that kind of got rid of the bugs a little bit.
The service was fantastic. Susan was one of the nicest people I've ever met and she recommended some great dishes. My daughter and I enjoyed some dishes with plantains, chorizo, and churros. There's a very South American and Caribbean vibe to all of the dishes and coming from Puerto Rican heritage I absolutely appreciated every dish.
Stay for dessert! There are so many great options. I cannot wait to come back... With a reservation lol...
Anna B
Aug 6, 2023
5
Incredible new restaurant in Durham. The food was outstanding and had so many different layers in every dish. The birria dumplings, grilled octopus, and fresh pastellitos were just some of the standouts. Loved the decor and overall atmosphere of the space. Our server was fantastic and took excellent care of our table. Can't wait to go back and try more things!
Jessica Washington
Jul 17, 2023
5
This restaurant was so good I just spent 15 minutes helping my 75 year old father sign into Google so he could leave his own review. We split several tapas dishes as well as two entrees and two desserts amongst our group of 5. Every single dish and cocktail was thoughtful and delicious. The octopus and beans were a standout but every component of every dish was immaculate. Service was also very friendly. Will definitely be back!
lucas haskins
Jul 14, 2023
5
What a wonderful time we had. We went for the first time and Odessa took care of us. She walked us through the menu, gave us the history of the chef and his visions for our experience, and she tailored the visit to us the whole way. She took time at our table and made us feel like we were her only guests, even with a full restaurant! Based on where we sat we could watch the bartenders craft our drinks and it was clear they took great pride in what they were doing.
To drink we had “from Cuba to japan” ( take on a French 75) and la clara (their take on a margarita) and they were delicious. To eat we had b&b (bread and butter) with a delicious miso, garlic confit butter, the tongue & cheek (think barbacoa & bone marrow served with tortillas), the gambas (butterflied shrimp with a spicy, flavorful sauce and bread to dip), and the pork chop with mole sauce and mashed potatoes. Everything was delicious but take their soft bread, add some of the butter, and dip it in the gambas sauce for the best bite of the night! Oh also if you get the tongue in cheek, take the shot of tequila out of the bone. It’s quite an experience!
Will return here a thousand times. Compliments to the chef, the service, management, and everything about our experience. Excited to go back.
Jojari Cannon
Jul 8, 2023
5
We are on the Oscar tour! Started with the original Jose and Sons (oh how I miss thee!) then to Cortez, the new lounge upstairs to Cortez and now here. Love love love the unique food plates! Beautiful quirky yet elegant decoration make it a great vibe.
Ckm Boothman
Jul 8, 2023
5
I’m not sure you can miss with anything you order. My husband and I had a variety of their small plates - the Crab Alcapurra, the Ceviche, the Market Vibez & the Gambia’s a La Plancha. The GAMBAS A LA PLANCHA however, [was] easily one of my favorites…the sauce alone almost brought a tear to my eye - literally it was spicy but probably the best dish we had in a year - we almost asked for more bread so not to leave anything behind. The Ceviche was a my clear second while my husband would say the crab. Our cocktails were refreshing and tasty. I had the Ole Pamela & my husband had an old fashion. We ended with the Churro Balls. Our least favorite, a little stodgy, would like them to be lighter and maybe a little cinnamon. We saw many dishes go by that looked impressive enough that we booked another reservation while eating!
Overall impression: Customer service was outstanding Danielle was lovely, kind and attentive, food was an awesome treat, and the price was pretty great. Outside seating was great perfect, on a covered patio , sheltered from the elements. Probably the best meal in NC in 2 years— Our new favorite restaurant.
Brendon Bourque
Jun 25, 2023
5
Awesome spot and welcomed edition to the neighborhood. One piece of feedback would be the pacing. We eat slow and before we knew it we had all our plates on the table. Not a huge deal, but figure the staff will improve on that over time. Also, really hope this helps to bring additional restaurants and bars to the Old Five Points section of Durham!
Sean Deyerle
Jun 19, 2023
5
Great food and really fun cocktails. Would recommend and will return with a bigger group so we can try more things
Aaron F
Jun 12, 2023
5
Fantastic restaurant. The fish dishes were above the others in my opinion. The cocktail menu was overpriced but the menu delivered.
Jacquelin Coronilla
Jun 10, 2023
5
Genius take on Mexican American fusion, plus fantastic cocktails. Loved the oceans notes throughout the Grilled Octo & Crab Alcapurria small plates. The Thai influence in the ribeye was delicious too. Cocktails were on par with other Durham greats, couldn’t get enough!
Autumn Arenas
Jun 8, 2023
5
My husband was so excited to come here, and now i see why. Our server (Odessa) was very knowledgeable and cocktails were complex. We had several plates, which were all great (our critiques were minor at best), but the grilled octopus stood out as my favorite - t was even better than the one we get at our favorite NYC restaurant. We already can't wait to come back.
