Lantern

WE enjoyed the dumplings , chicken and meatballs ! Great service . Wine was well priced ...not overpriced. Thank you !

We had the best dinner! The service was perfect! We shared the shrimp and fried kale salad, shared the beef wontons, she had the sea bass and I had the seafood hot pot. Everything was wonderful, the food was perfectly prepared and the evening couldn’t have been better! Oops, I forgot..... the molten chocolate cake with strawberry ice cream was a wonderful finish!!

Wonderful dinner

Amazing as always!

Had a delicious meal here - the chaat small plate was fantastic - sweet, tart, spicy. Shared several other plates that were an interesting fusion of East and South Asian flavors.

Always a pleasure.

Great as always. Friendly staff that know what they are talking about. Very informative. Great food. Wonderful drink. Appetizers knock it out the park. I could eat here every night and never be bored!

We were there for a special dinner with food journalist and author of the new cookbook JUBILEE and were treated to a wonderful evening of inclusion and love where the food was wonderful, but it paled in comparison to the fellowship. Kudos to Andrea and Toni!

Very nice experience overall.

Wonderful rtestaurant -- the staff are exceptionally friendly and helpful, and the food is wonderful!

This was a really leisurely very delicious meal with friendly staff. Looking forward to going back again!

A thoroughly enjoyable evening. Chapel Hill institution, deservedly so.

A cozy, comfortable restaurant with modern interior. Delectable, seasonal menu using local produce, meat and seafood. Simple yet pleasing flavors and complex, layered flavored for the more adventurous. The special duck and crab spring rolls were amazing so was the seasonal take on the Chaat with root vegetables and cauliflower. Local NC fish, duck main dish and the chocolate hot cake for the shared finish; just perfect before heading to the theater.

Great experience as always- great attention to details- food and drink superb- knowledgeable staff- personal service- will be back in a heart beat!!

The freshness and healthful nature of their offerings make Lantern a favorite of myself and my husband.

It was great to see Lantern on the list for Triangle Restaurant Week. The preset menu had great choices that let us try many different flavors.

My wife and I, along with two friends, visited The Lantern on Friday of Restaurant Week. The food was outstanding and the service very professional and efficient. I had the pork & chive dumplings which were truly delicious (my tablemates wanted me to share, but No Way). They each had the Salt and Pepper Shrimp was they declared was the highlight of the night. One (a beef lover) had the Japanese steakhouse style steak, which was cooked to perfection. the rest of us had the Crispy, wild NC catfish which was first class (I didn't know catfish could taste so good). For desert there were three chocolate cakes - perfect - and one roasted banana ice cream sundae, good but not as tasty as the cake. It is very satisfying to see that the Lanterns still going strong and maintaining its fine reputation. There's a small parking lot beside the restaurant, but if fills up quickly (we went at 6:00 and found spots. Kudos to the Lantern.

I think this restaurant has been overrated since it opened, but I wanted to give it a fair shot. I've now gone 4 times over the last 2 years and have always been a bit disappointed, given its reputation. There's a better restaurant across the street (Elaine's).

A small, quiet restaurant on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill, just a "stone's throw" from IP3 and Al's Burger Shack. Minimalist decor, quiet ambiance. Went for Restaurant Week dinner special. Wait staff was very helpful, and provided excellent service. Three-course with numerous excellent choices [including one entree (pork shank) that was not printed on the Restaurant Week menu, but was on the a la carte menu]. The food most certainly did not disappoint. Would not hesitate to return.

We chose the pre-fixe menu. The unobtrusive waiter gave good suggestions and paced our order. The shrimp starter was amazing. My squash salad was very good, especially the crispy greens. We did not seem rushed. My Japanese style steak was very tasty but not a tender cut. The steak knife had to work hard. The greens accompanying were amazingly good. My husband loved his catfish entree. It's a personal thing, but my wine by the glass was not special.
We don't usually have desserts as they are not usually special. BUT our banana sundae and chocolate cake were memorable. We talked of going back soon!

Triangle Food Week had Lantern in their list and it was a location I had never been before. It was a wonderful experience.

Lantern was phenomenal as always.

Had high expectations for this chapel hill staple, but sadly it did not meet up to it's reputation. In an exciting triangle restaurant scene, Lantern just doesn't stack up to other offerings. The food sounded delicious on paper, but overall it lacked the balance and technique you would expect for the price and reputation. Sadly, I don't think we will be returning.

The Lantern has impeccable service, with just the right timing between courses. Their food is remarkable. I have never been disappointed in any meal I've eaten. Thank you for a fabulous and satisfying evening.

We were welcomed warmly and seated quickly. The food was incredible, amazing flavors. Service was attentive but not hovering. As it got busier the noise level picked up but never got too loud. Lovely dining experience.

Impeccable service! Been meaning to go forever. Everything delicious.

We were a little disappointed in that the menu format has changed. There are now very limited main course options.

Really enjoyed meal. Small menu selection. Dumplings were excellent. Don’t miss the roasted banana sundae for dessert

Delicious food and wonderful wait staff, really gem in Chapel Hill

Food and service were both good. Can’t wait to go back!

We had a wonderful time celebrating Emma's birthday! Thank you for your fabulous food and generosity! We will be back soon:)

Good food and ambiance. Happy we made a reservation early, as the place filled up quickly, but still had an intimate feeling.

Ingredients, creativity and consistency. The Lantern hits on all cylinders. Thanks for a deliciously fun night.

Always a special evening at Lantern. Pickled persimmon appetizer was a lovely seasonal a treat, and salt and pepper shrimp with flash fried cilantro never disappoint, but the meal was topped off by a warm persimmon pudding decorated with kumquats that was simply to die for. Woke up the next morning wanting to go back for more!

The food was very delicious and the service was great.

It was a superb meal. Everything was delicious. Everything on the plate added something to the dish. We were a little late for our reservation and also took our time celebrating birthdays during our meal - never felt rushed. My friend is gluten-free and was delighted there were so many dishes she could eat. It was one ofthe best meals either of us have had in years. Highly recommend!!!

My partner and I shared appetizers five different appetizers rather than ordering a main. Each was extremely tasty and very nicely presented. It was a great way to sample some of this restaurant's fair.

The only negative might be the limited number of entrees, but the four of us all ordered different dishes, shared, and they were all wonderful...our server was particularly knowledgeable about the dishes, prep, wine...cozy, warm atmosphere...cocktails were creative and well made too

Nice seating (table of 4 for 2 people). Excellent, attentive service - great teamwork. Innovative cuisine: tasteful use of herbs, spices and combinations. Main course comes with healthy serving of vegetables. Persimmon based dessert was delicious.

The 3 of us decided to order 1 of each of the appetizers and share alike. Each was outstanding and we didn’t require any further food; although 2 of the 3 of us order dessert, which we each shared. Also excellent.