M Tempura
Phone: (919) 748-3874
M Tempura, one of only a handful of true tempura restaurants on the East Coast, was named by Bon Appetit as one of the top 50 best new restaurants in the country in 2019. From Chef Mike Lee, who also owns M Sushi, M Pocha and M Kokko downtown, M Tempura is also home to Chef Savannah Miller, one of the 'chef-testants' on season 21 of Bravo's Top Chef.
Cuisines
- Casual Dining
- Japanese/Sushi/Korean
Hours
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 5:00 – 9:30 PM
Wednesday: 5:00 – 9:30 PM
Thursday: 5:00 – 9:30 PM
Friday: 5:00 – 10:00 PM
Saturday: 5:00 – 10:00 PM
Sunday: Closed
Tuesday: 5:00 – 9:30 PM
Wednesday: 5:00 – 9:30 PM
Thursday: 5:00 – 9:30 PM
Friday: 5:00 – 10:00 PM
Saturday: 5:00 – 10:00 PM
Sunday: Closed
Map
Google Rating
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The kaiseki omakase experience was great. I sat at the bar and got to watch the chefs make some of the dishes which was really cool to watch. The food on the other hand was JUST good. I am spoiled by the other restaurants in the “M” series and the food here didn’t wow me in the same way and it was a similar price point. I definitely recommend trying it once for something different and to taste their obviously top notch ingredients.
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We went partially because we’re Top Chef fans, but we were also intrigued by a Japanese brunch. We sat at the bar so we could watch the cooking which was really fun to engage. Please be aware there is no Omakase at brunch, but there’s a whole bunch of intriguing choices and we quite enjoyed it. It is meant to be shared the only challenge we had was picking which dishes to order. We thought the omelette was incredible and I think that was the biggest surprise The only disappointment at least for brunch it doesn’t seem you can trust the online system if there’s space or not. We were driving home so we thought we’d chance to see if we could get in for brunch even though it looked like it might be filled.
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Go there with a small group or by yourself. Sit at the counter. Get the M Omakasa... Yeah it cost some money but the experience is worth it.
Listen to Chef explain each course of Tempura to you.
I enjoyed every course so much I forgot to take pics until they served the Miso-Marinated Seabass.
ALL KILLER NO FILLER
Enjoy yourself, you're worth it, it's worth it. -
We ordered the Valentine’s Day prix fixe menu. While I understand holiday pricing, the overall food quality was only a 2/5.
The appetizers were good and were honestly the highlight of the meal. However, starting from the tempura, the quality dropped noticeably. The tempura was not crispy at all and felt soft and soggy, which was very disappointing.
From that point on, the dishes became excessively salty, especially the soup and the rice course. I informed our server that the soup was extremely salty, and while they kindly brought a replacement, the flavor was unchanged. I then asked if the main course could be remade with a lighter seasoning, but the answer was simply no.
What was most disappointing was that the restaurant did not offer any compensation, substitution, or meaningful resolution for dishes that were clearly problematic—nor was there any real acknowledgment of the issue.
Given the high price of a holiday menu and the level of service provided, this dining experience did not meet expectations and felt unacceptable for a meal at this price point. -
Let’s just say this: I went to M Tempura expecting a decent dinner. What I got was a tempura-based love story—with Jennifer as my culinary matchmaker and the chef as my trusty narrator.
Dining solo here doesn’t mean dining in silence. Jennifer, my waitress and now spiritual flavor guide, suggested I add the *brie course* to my tempura tasting. I hesitated. Brie? With tempura? Ma’am… YES. Brie, nori, honey, and truffle in one bite? I don’t know what kind of culinary witchcraft that was, but I’d follow it into battle. Or at least into another reservation.
Every course was thoughtfully prepared, with the chef offering insights that made me slow down and actually *think* about what I was eating. It wasn’t just dinner—it was a little education in flavor. The tempura itself? A revelation. Light, crisp, not drowning in batter like your usual “tempura adjacent” spots. You could *actually* taste the ingredient inside. And let me tell you, the root vegetable course? Delicate. Earthy. Unexpectedly elegant.
To top it off, the ginger ice cream was the kind of palate cleanser that makes you consider skipping dessert for the rest of your life because nothing else will live up.
Would I go back? I’m already planning my return like it’s a second date with someone who actually listens.
**Pro tips:**
* Go with the tasting menu if you're not starving—plenty of food, but no food coma.
* Don’t skip the brie add-on. Seriously.
* Sit at the bar for chef interaction if you're solo—makes the experience that much richer.
This isn’t just a dinner spot—it’s a damn delight.
Nearby Businesses
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