One of the best Tapas bars I’ve ever been. Highly recommend the octopus and churros with chocolate dip. The octopus is crispy outside and chewy inside. Even the tomato at the bottom is delicious. Oxtail is very tender and fatty (in a positive way). Spiro is very nice and introduced his favorite ones as well. He recommended the salmon!
Patrick Turner
Mar 18, 2025
5
Taberna Tapas is a fantastic spot with a great location and a warm, inviting atmosphere. The full bar is well-stocked, and the bartender was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable, offering great recommendations, including a local gin martini that was spot-on.
The menu is easy to navigate, featuring a broad variety of dishes, most of which are genuinely shareable tapas. The food arrived as it was ready, ensuring everything was fresh and hot. The Estrella beer on tap was a nice touch, and the spare ribs and tomato on toast stood out as absolute favorites.
If you’re looking for a laid-back yet high-quality tapas experience, this place is definitely worth a visit.
Summer Xia
Mar 14, 2025
4
Very good food! Love the fried oysters , oxtail, octopus, lamb cooked to the perfect level. A little pricy
Neha Patel
Nov 16, 2024
3
Nice cozy atmosphere and staff, quick service. However, food is mediocre and nothing special, as is the usual with most tapas around here. We tried the beef empanadas and the Brussels sprouts which were pretty bland. Way overpriced.
NSA
Nov 3, 2024
3
Cute spot located in downtown Durham. the vibe is dark and moody with a tiny candle on each table. the tables in the back are a little cramped, it may feel like you are sitting with others.
the food over all was a disappointment
the octopus was the best of it all, but not compatible to Nikos octopus
the portobello mushroom was the most disappointing..whatever was in it was wet and hard at the same time..
the cheese plate was alright
the "spicy" lamb was 4 bites of lamb, 2 chilli's that made it spicy and a pile of mash....ok...
paella was ok...
overall for two people we had 3 dishes, paella and cheese board and was just enough
Melissa Poole
Oct 20, 2024
4
This was our second time visiting Taberna. Great date night restaurant. The atmosphere leans toward romantic with its low lighting, and cozy candle lit tables. On this visit we had the bacon wrapped dates, chimichurri steak, and honey Chipotle wings. The service was pretty good. I would say it would have been nice to have our water refilled without having to flag someone down. The wings were the highlight of the meal. The dates were as expected. We ordered the steak because it was amazing the first time we came. Unfortunately last night it was not. The portion was slightly smaller than before. The steak was a little over cooked and lacking chimichurri sauce as compared to the first time we had it. I would still highly recommend Taberna. Next time I’ll request my steak med-rare.
Isabella Grandic
Oct 5, 2024
5
Grilled octopus here is SO delicious we ordered a second serving. Ambient candle-lit tapas atmosphere, delightful red sangria to pair with the dishes. Loved the Oyster Mushrooms and Kale, grilled cauliflower, Spanish bruschetta, Grilled Octopus *** (must have), and the sangria. Spanish Cheese plate could be skipped. Try something else from the menu instead! Not enough bread : cheese ratio (low on bread), and the cheeses felt very very similar. And it was >$ than most other tapas.
It’s a bit loud, even late at 8:30pm. But this seems to be a theme for Durham restaurants. However, otherwise it’s a really nice atmosphere to be in!
For the price, while the waiter was super nice, the service was a bit inattentive. They left the dirty plates on our table for a long time and we had to flag down different waiters to order more.
Did not need a reservation on a Friday night.
Impressive wine & beer & sider & cocktail selection.
Several vegetarian options. Better if you eat sea food too. The good news is that 100% of the items from the veg menu were delish!
About $40pp pre-tip
Scott Strine
Sep 14, 2024
5
Excellent food. Great, friendly service. Wonderful location in the center of downtown Durham. Great ambience (perfect lighting, big windows, exposed brick, etc). This is our third visit. This place never disappoints!
Alex Dumas
Sep 6, 2024
5
This place has so many amazing things going on.
Divine food in smaller portions priced way less than average.
Beautiful decor and atmosphere in a great location.
Incredible professional courteous staff.
I sat at the bar and Patrick took extremely great care of me.
I had the short Ribs which were full of melt in your mouth flavor and arrived to my seat about two minutes after I placed my order with Patrick.I had the Flan for dessert which was equally as delicious as the short ribs and arrived just as immediately.
I can't wait to return.
