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M Tempura – Durham, NC
Great experience and amazing food. The food was delicious and fresh and you can taste everything dish after dish. Tempura are freshly fried and the our dessert- …
M Restaurants – Location Picker Page – Durham, NC
M Tempura · M Pocha · M Sushi Cary · M Sushi Durham · M Kokko · M Izakaya.
M Tempura (@mtempura_restaurant) • Instagram photos and videos
111 Orange St Durham, NC 27701 @m_restaurants …
Reviews
Lisa Mayes
Oh my! My first visit here! It will not be my last! We had the Tempura Tasting and added one serving of lobster. Totally worth it! Yummy! I was a little skeptical at first as I am not an adventurous eater however chef was amazing! We sat at the bar and enjoyed the total experience. Haven’t written a review in quite sometime. But, M Tempura is TOTALLY WORTHY OF IT! NOT TO BE MISSED! I am plotting my next visit and I am still eating my ginger ice cream and will be having hot tea very soon. I could just kick myself for not taking pictures of this beautiful presentation and the lovely servers are so nice too! I literally ate my pictures! Next time!
… moreZenMaster212
Amazing flavors and variety on the menu. Service is very attentive and the dishes are well timed, so you’re not waiting around.
For the money spent, the decor and tables could be a little bit more upscale but it’s just a minor detail.
… moreFor the money spent, the decor and tables could be a little bit more upscale but it’s just a minor detail.
ALLISON DRAPALA
Let’s just say this: I went to M Tempura expecting a decent dinner. What I got was a tempura-based love story—with Jennifer as my culinary matchmaker and the chef as my trusty narrator.
Dining solo here doesn’t mean dining in silence. Jennifer, my waitress and now spiritual flavor guide, suggested I add the *brie course* to my tempura tasting. I hesitated. Brie? With tempura? Ma’am… YES. Brie, nori, honey, and truffle in one bite? I don’t know what kind of culinary witchcraft that was, but I’d follow it into battle. Or at least into another reservation.
Every course was thoughtfully prepared, with the chef offering insights that made me slow down and actually *think* about what I was eating. It wasn’t just dinner—it was a little education in flavor. The tempura itself? A revelation. Light, crisp, not drowning in batter like your usual “tempura adjacent” spots. You could *actually* taste the ingredient inside. And let me tell you, the root vegetable course? Delicate. Earthy. Unexpectedly elegant.
To top it off, the ginger ice cream was the kind of palate cleanser that makes you consider skipping dessert for the rest of your life because nothing else will live up.
Would I go back? I’m already planning my return like it’s a second date with someone who actually listens.
**Pro tips:**
* Go with the tasting menu if you’re not starving—plenty of food, but no food coma.
* Don’t skip the brie add-on. Seriously.
* Sit at the bar for chef interaction if you’re solo—makes the experience that much richer.
This isn’t just a dinner spot—it’s a damn delight.
… moreDining solo here doesn’t mean dining in silence. Jennifer, my waitress and now spiritual flavor guide, suggested I add the *brie course* to my tempura tasting. I hesitated. Brie? With tempura? Ma’am… YES. Brie, nori, honey, and truffle in one bite? I don’t know what kind of culinary witchcraft that was, but I’d follow it into battle. Or at least into another reservation.
Every course was thoughtfully prepared, with the chef offering insights that made me slow down and actually *think* about what I was eating. It wasn’t just dinner—it was a little education in flavor. The tempura itself? A revelation. Light, crisp, not drowning in batter like your usual “tempura adjacent” spots. You could *actually* taste the ingredient inside. And let me tell you, the root vegetable course? Delicate. Earthy. Unexpectedly elegant.
To top it off, the ginger ice cream was the kind of palate cleanser that makes you consider skipping dessert for the rest of your life because nothing else will live up.
Would I go back? I’m already planning my return like it’s a second date with someone who actually listens.
**Pro tips:**
* Go with the tasting menu if you’re not starving—plenty of food, but no food coma.
* Don’t skip the brie add-on. Seriously.
* Sit at the bar for chef interaction if you’re solo—makes the experience that much richer.
This isn’t just a dinner spot—it’s a damn delight.
Lee
Wonderful experience for dinner, cannot wait to come back for the full omakase, this time we did the tempura tasting.
Also highly recommend requesting the Carolina moon with truffle!
Chef Savannah and the staff are so kind and welcoming.
… moreAlso highly recommend requesting the Carolina moon with truffle!
Chef Savannah and the staff are so kind and welcoming.
Arthur Zak
A great higher-end restaurant. Only omakase style meals, where you are brought various courses. The tempura dishes themselves were delicious, especially the prawns, scallop, and lobster. Overall it as surprisingly a good deal for the price. Great service and cozy atmosphere. An obvious contender for date night or special occasion outing.
… moreMarci Fradkin
We went partially because we’re Top Chef fans, but we were also intrigued by a Japanese brunch. We sat at the bar so we could watch the cooking which was really fun to engage. Please be aware there is no Omakase at brunch, but there’s a whole bunch of intriguing choices and we quite enjoyed it. It is meant to be shared the only challenge we had was picking which dishes to order. We thought the omelette was incredible and I think that was the biggest surprise The only disappointment at least for brunch it doesn’t seem you can trust the online system if there’s space or not. We were driving home so we thought we’d chance to see if we could get in for brunch even though it looked like it might be filled.
… moreKatherine Reck
M Tempura’s kaiseki tasting was a wonderful experience from start to finish. The dishes were thoughtful, creative, and delicious. The lobster shabu was especially fun and memorable. The crudo was another standout, with a sauce that was vibrant and balanced. The tempura brie with truffle was a highlight, as the cheese in the tempura is unexpected, but the flavors came together perfectly. Pacing was excellent, and the service was warm, polished, and attentive. Overall, a beautiful kaiseki that felt refined, relaxed, and satisfying. Already planning my second visit!
… morePaul Cray
Incredible 7 course omakase! All the bites were perfectly prepared and the soft shelled shrimp were very fun. The wine pairing went great with the courses. It did take a little time between bites and we were there for about 3 hours total. I think this menu is the best bang for your buck compared to all the tasting menu options across the m restaurants.
… moreD F
Amazing food! We opted for the M omakase experience and loved every tasting menu item we were served. The place is quaint and great to go on dates or with a group of friends and is in the heart of downtown Durham with lots of parking on the streets or garage. We were also fortunate to say hi to Chef Savannah from Top Chef that night. Highly recommend trying it out and we will surely come back again!
… moreEvelyn Chung
We ordered the Valentine’s Day prix fixe menu. While I understand holiday pricing, the overall food quality was only a 2/5.
The appetizers were good and were honestly the highlight of the meal. However, starting from the tempura, the quality dropped noticeably. The tempura was not crispy at all and felt soft and soggy, which was very disappointing.
From that point on, the dishes became excessively salty, especially the soup and the rice course. I informed our server that the soup was extremely salty, and while they kindly brought a replacement, the flavor was unchanged. I then asked if the main course could be remade with a lighter seasoning, but the answer was simply no.
What was most disappointing was that the restaurant did not offer any compensation, substitution, or meaningful resolution for dishes that were clearly problematic—nor was there any real acknowledgment of the issue.
Given the high price of a holiday menu and the level of service provided, this dining experience did not meet expectations and felt unacceptable for a meal at this price point.
… moreThe appetizers were good and were honestly the highlight of the meal. However, starting from the tempura, the quality dropped noticeably. The tempura was not crispy at all and felt soft and soggy, which was very disappointing.
From that point on, the dishes became excessively salty, especially the soup and the rice course. I informed our server that the soup was extremely salty, and while they kindly brought a replacement, the flavor was unchanged. I then asked if the main course could be remade with a lighter seasoning, but the answer was simply no.
What was most disappointing was that the restaurant did not offer any compensation, substitution, or meaningful resolution for dishes that were clearly problematic—nor was there any real acknowledgment of the issue.
Given the high price of a holiday menu and the level of service provided, this dining experience did not meet expectations and felt unacceptable for a meal at this price point.