Enable JavaScript to run this app.
Skip to main content
OpenTable logo
Mateo Bar de Tapas, Durham, NC

Mateo Bar de Tapas

4.8 (2471)
$31 to $50
Spanish
109 W Chapel Hill St, Durham, NC 27701

Make a reservation

2 people
10:30 PM
Booked 16 times today

About this restaurant

  • Lively
  • Neighborhood gem
  • Hot spot
Mateo Bar de Tapas is the first solo venture from chef Matthew Kelly, housed in the old Book Exchange building in the heart of downtown Durham. Featuring a menu that blends the flavors of Spain with beloved ingredients and dishes of the South. We offer a casual, yet refined, menu of Spanish small plates with Southern inflection. Accompanying the food is a robust Spanish wine list as well as one of the largest sherry offerings in the country!

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Spanish, Tapas / Small Plates, Southern
  • Hours of operation
    Tue–Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (919) 530-8700
  • Website
    http://www.mateotapas.com/
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Executive chef
    Matthew Kelly
  • Private party facilities
    For your next event please email us at privatedining@mateotapas.com
  • Private party contact
    Elizabeth McMaster: (919) 530-8700
  • Location
    109 W Chapel Hill St, Durham, NC 27701
  • Neighborhood
    Durham
  • Cross street
    West Chapel Hill Street & Ramseur Street
  • Parking details
    There is a small lot beside our restaurant as well as street parking. There is also a large parking lot located behind Mateo on Ramseur St.
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Private dining

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 2,471 people are saying

Mateo Bar de Tapas reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • Durham

    Best Ambiance

  • Durham

    Hot spot

  • Durham

    Lively

  • Durham

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Mateo Bar de Tapas delivers an exceptional dining experience with "excellent food, great service," and a lively atmosphere. Consistently praised as "the best tapas" in the area, it's a top choice in Durham. The diverse menu offers "delicious" dishes, and the "friendly and attentive" staff ensure a memorable visit.
2,471 Reviews

  1. Alan

    Asheville / Western North Carolina2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Ambience is good. Service is good. Food is good. Price is high.

    Is this helpful?

  2. Agnes

    Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fantastic food! Great service. Perfect for special occasions.

    Is this helpful?

  3. Christina VIP

    Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill66 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The dinner on Saturday was lovely. We started with the pate (OMG SO SMOOTH!), the deviled eggs (also amazing!) and the beet salad. All things were amazing. Our second course was the "seafood" course with the octopus (good, but needed a bit more acid), the clams (SO tasty) and the Tortilla Espana (so traditional and awesome). We also squeezed in the pork chops (DELICIOUS!). The only thing less than delicious was the chocolate mousse for dessert. It wasn't bad, but it was just OK. Overall, I highly recommend Mateo!

    Is this helpful?

  4. Ashley

    Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Super cool vibe, great food, and fantastic service.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Jennifer

    Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill12 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Very good. Very good. Very good. Very good. AAA

    Is this helpful?

  6. Adam VIP

    Greater Boston1 review

    4.0

    Dined on June 14, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    We have eaten at a lot of places in the triangle and this is easily the best tapas and one of our favorite restaurants in the area. It very reasonably priced too. We rarely repeat restaurant visits so we can keep trying new ones, but Mateo has been an exception. Would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Deedee

    Greensboro / Winston Salem / Highpoint8 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 14, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    It’s always great! We love the food and the service. They have wonderful specials and lots to choose from on the menu. Pate is one of my favorites.

    Is this helpful?

  8. Megan

    Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill1 review

    5.0

    Dined on June 14, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great atmosphere and wonderful food. Made a delightful birthday celebration setting.

    Is this helpful?

  9. Ava

    Philadelphia County3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 13, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    My favorite restaurant- always exceeds with quality foods and service. Great ambiance as well!

    Is this helpful?

  10. Anne

    San Francisco Bay Area4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 12, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent food, great service. Well worth a repeat visit

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Mateo Bar de Tapas is rated 4.8 stars by 2471 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill
  4. Durham
  5. Durham

Make a reservation

2 people
10:30 PM
Booked 16 times today
Google Map for Mateo Bar de Tapas

109 W Chapel Hill St, Durham, NC 27701

Additional information

  • Cross street
    West Chapel Hill Street & Ramseur Street
  • Neighborhood
    Durham
  • Hours of operation
    Tue–Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Spanish, Tapas / Small Plates, Southern
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    There is a small lot beside our restaurant as well as street parking. There is also a large parking lot located behind Mateo on Ramseur St.
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Matthew Kelly
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Website
    http://www.mateotapas.com/
  • Phone number
    (919) 530-8700
  • Private party facilities
    For your next event please email us at privatedining@mateotapas.com
  • Private party contact
    Elizabeth McMaster: (919) 530-8700
Discover
OpenTable
  • About Us
  • Blog
  • Careers
  • Press
More
Our sites
Businesses
  • Restaurant Management Solutions
  • Restaurant Reservation Software
  • Restaurant Marketing Software
  • Restaurant Event Software
  • OpenTable For Restaurants
  • OpenTable For Restaurant Groups
  • Restaurant Resources
  • OpenTable Pricing & Plans
Join us on
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Cookie Preferences
Copyright © 2025 OpenTable, Inc. 1 Montgomery St Ste 500, San Francisco CA 94104 - All rights reserved.
OpenTable is part of Booking Holdings, the world leader in online travel and related services.
Booking Logo
Priceline Logo
KAYAK Logo
Agoda Logo
OpenTable Logo