Mateo has had a Spanish heart with a Southern soul in downtown Durham since 2012. The first solo venture from James Beard semi-finalist Chef Matthew Kelly of Vin Rouge, Mothers & Son’s, Nanas and the beloved Saint James Seafood (RIP), is housed in the old Book Exchange building in the heart of downtown Durham. The menu blends the flavors of Spain with beloved ingredients and dishes of the South, with one of the largest sherry collections in the country and a large Spanish wine collection. Alton Brown called it the best tapas bar in the country, posting a pic to social media before taking the stage at DPAC.
Hands down my favorite restaurant in downtown Durham. My boyfriend and I look forward to eating here every time he visits and we have never been disappointed. I have had a couple tapas that I didn’t love, but that’s just taste preferences. I’ll never forget the first time we went and we were so shocked at how good everything was. Usually with tapas, there’s a couple misses, but Mateo’s never misses. I have never had anything poorly served or underwhelming. And their drinks are always phenomenal. Servers are super attentive and willing to provide suggestions as well. I love the vibe inside and they play great music. Fun, new specials each time we go. I genuinely can’t say enough good things about Mateo’s.
Some of our favorite dishes: pan con tomate (good with either the cheese or ham), the deviled eggs (I’m a deviled egg lover and these are SO good), the shrimp (idk how they do the sauce but WOW), the queso frito (my boyfriends obsessed), the meatballs, the fried chicken, etc etc etc. We usually get like 5-7 and leave pretty stuffed. Their dessert also ROCKS. Grenada cobbler drink is soooooo yum even tho it sounds like a lot going on and my boyfriend’s signature is the Ferdinand.
Christine Nix
Nov 26, 2023
5
First time at Mateo and loved it. Our waitress Lauryn was outstanding and didn't great job guiding us through the menu. Can't wait to go back.
Callie Williams
Nov 16, 2023
4
The inside atmosphere of Mateo is gorgeous, very cozy with warm lighting, well spaced tables, and high ceilings. Our server was quick, kind, and efficient. Knocking a star down for the food - while it was pretty good and we enjoyed the cocktails, the tapas we got were just okay (the patatas bravas in particular were mid). I very much didn’t like the Spanish olive oil cake and wouldn’t recommend it, but the banana pudding was pleasantly boozy.
Desiree
Nov 13, 2023
5
We had a very good time! The host was very friendly, even though we called at the last minute, they tried fitting us in. The tapas were great, especially liked the bone marrow, which has some meat besides marrow on it. We also did the sherry flight that came with four different Sherry for tasting. The atmosphere was nice, cozy and relaxed, definitely recommend anyone to come visit!
Jordan S
Nov 13, 2023
5
Celebrated a birthday dinner here this weekend and it was wonderful. Every dish was uniquely crafted & perfectly portioned. Our server was lovely & very knowledgeable. I’m not a big banana pudding fan, but they may have some of the best banana pudding I’ve ever had in my life. Definitely worth a try!
Great spot for a date night or for a small gathering!
Ana Rodriguez
Aug 6, 2023
3
The food was underwhelming. The steak arrived cold and dry, you can even see this in the picture. The bone marrow was subpar, and topped with a brisket that was like warm. The octopus was room temperature. The only freshly cooked/ hot thing we got was the garlic shrimp.
