Nanas
Phone: (919) 251-8213
No edible tour of Tuscaloosa-Lakewood and Rockwood would be complete without a stop at the iconic Nanas. Long a favorite of the who’s-who of Durham, Nanas recently found new life after chef and restaurateur Matt Kelly (Mateo Tapas, Mother & Son’s, Vin Rouge) reopened the restaurant. It doesn’t get more Durham than dinner and a drink at Nanas.
Cuisines
- American
- Restaurants
Hours
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 5:00 – 10:00 PM
Wednesday: 5:00 – 10:00 PM
Thursday: 5:00 – 10:00 PM
Friday: 5:00 – 10:00 PM
Saturday: 5:00 – 10:00 PM
Sunday: Closed
Tuesday: 5:00 – 10:00 PM
Wednesday: 5:00 – 10:00 PM
Thursday: 5:00 – 10:00 PM
Friday: 5:00 – 10:00 PM
Saturday: 5:00 – 10:00 PM
Sunday: Closed
Map
Google Rating
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Best way to describe Nana’s is fancy retirement home food. Don’t get me wrong, it’s good food. However, the flavors are very one-dimensional and lack creativity. Additionally, we had a reservation for 8:30PM and were seated at 9:08PM.
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Had a great time celebrating Valentine’s Day a little early on the 13th here. The only reason it doesn’t get a full 5 starts is due to the very beginning of our experience here. We had a reservation for 7:30 and got in around 7:40 and were advised the table was still not ready. With it being VDay weekend we completely understood but after being told we could sit at the bar to wait and us checking the bar and seeing 0 spots available we asked if there was another place to wait and were advised to just stand wherever felt comfortable. Another host came by and offered those exact same words. In the end we waited out by the exit (really cold) because there was no place to stand and we didn’t have any comfort there since it was our first time here. Would recommend hosts find different verbiage or an actual location where people can wait. Nonetheless eventually we were sat and had a great time. It was a prix fixe menu and it definitely did not disappoint! We started off with the scallops, crab & lobster bisque, and added the tuna crudo to start. I’ll say the only complaint on food was everything felt too salty. I personally love salt but even I thought it was a bit much. For entrees we both got the short rib crusted filet that came with broccoli and mash and honestly these made up for anything wrong throughout the whole night. The filet was out of this world. To finish off, we got the carrot cake sundae and chocolate cake and the carrot cake sundae was 100/10, it’s on their everyday menu and is worth a trip to durham on its own. Overall a good experience that I’m sure would’ve been great on a less busy night. Worth a visit for sure 9/10
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My husband and I came with our baby for a dinner out—our first time dining out together since having him—so I was genuinely excited to try Nana’s and hate leaving a negative review.
The restaurant was nearly empty on a weekday evening, yet we waited about 15 minutes before anyone offered us water. One of the waiters later kindly offered us a complimentary drink, which I appreciated.
As for the food, it was okay overall. The appetizers were the highlight of the meal, but unfortunately the entrées were underwhelming and did not meet our expectations.
What truly overshadowed the evening, however, was finding a roach crawling on our booth and on the curtain directly behind our table. At one point it even flew from the curtain and was within arms reach from me. A staff member came over and appeared to try to remove it, but it ran away and remained near our table. It wasn’t until I jumped up with my baby and made it clear I was uncomfortable that we were moved to another table.
By that point, I had completely lost my appetite. We were nearing the end of our meal and honestly ready to leave. After being moved, we ordered dessert to go. I ordered a crème brûlée, which we paid for, and the restaurant also included a tiramisu that we had not ordered. While I appreciate the gesture, after seeing a roach crawling within inches of where we were eating, dessert was the last thing on my mind.
I understand that pest issues can happen anywhere, but for a restaurant that presents itself as an upscale dining experience, I expected the situation to be handled more proactively and with greater urgency. What disappointed me most wasn’t simply seeing the roach—it was how casually the situation seemed to be handled.
I truly wanted to love this restaurant but unfortunately I did not. -
I started with the scallop appetizer. The bur Blanc sauce was very nice with the Call Recorder. Large scallop was breaded in a Panko type batter and cut in half very thinly. It was interesting. I wouldn’t go for the batter. I think it would’ve tasted better without. Then I had the porcini Podell with the bone marrow. The first bite was amazing. Very salty umami, but then it became overwhelming. it was just way too salty to even finish. The flavor. Would’ve been awesome for a sort of prefix meal where you only had a couple bites because the bites were amazing in the beginning, but then you just could not finish it. It was too much and for my main course I had the striped bass. The skin was nice and crispy the citrus butter sauce that it was in was very nice and went well with the fish. The tiny spinach side was very nice as well, though. I also couldn’t finish that one either. I got the nonalcoholic blueberry drink, which was really nice and the tiramisu for dessert. my waiter was extremely attentive and would wait at the back of the dining room and watch to gauge if I was done with a meal and checked in frequently to make sure I had what I needed. The manager came by once to ask how my meal was as well.
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Service was amazing, our server Clover gave us great recommendations and took wonderful care of us. Figure out apps and mains according to your own preferences, but definitely get the carrot cake sundae for dessert!
Nearby Businesses
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