Everything was delightful from start to finish. Great service, food and atmosphere. We are excited to come back and try more food items and drinks! Thank you for making a lovely experience and family memory.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ryan Egan
Our new favorite spot in the triangle. Truly an unexpected gem! Lots of amazing flavors and choices with great wine pairings. They have a gluten free menu for those with allergies! They were very accommodating.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Michael Papazoglou
This restaurant is phenomenal. The staff are extremely knowledgeable and friendly, and the food is exceptional. Everything was so good, but the ribs stood out, they were really fantastic.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Linda I
Excellent! Great food. Great service. Great decor. Love the complimentary sparkling water. Many dishes surprised me. Very dark in the back. Will come back for the dishes we didn’t try. And best of all it’s a Resy restaurant so the new Amex Platinum credit will work here. This place fills up quickly so make a reservation.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Brent Lambert
Somehow, this new jewel of a restaurant magically appeared in the middle of the block directly across from the UNC campus, in a stretch that historically catered to either students or tourists visiting for a sporting event.
Cutting to the chase: It's another excellent offering by Chef Brandon Sharp (Hawthorne & Wood, Bluebird). It's great. You should go.
The details: Elevated Spanish tapas. Small plates, authentic top shelf-ingredients, thoughtful flavor and texture pairings, both authentic and re-imagined Spanish dishes, excellently curated Spanish wines, knowledgeable and friendly qait staff.
Sit at the counter for the 'show' (full view of the kitchen), or in the back for cozy and dimly lit booths.
Highly recommended!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Stacey Richardson
We had an outstanding dinner at Proximo, seated at the casual counter and watching the love and attention put into every dish in the open kitchen.
Wine steward and superstar server Matthew gave us excellent wine advice, including a show-stopping 2016 Rioja Reserva that paired perfectly with our lamb Cordero. Order them both and then order another round! 🥳
Go discover this hidden gem and let’s bring it out of hiding! 🍷🍷🍷
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Scott Windham
Extraordinarily well prepared with fresh, flavorful ingredients. The brussels sprout salad is one of the best salads I've ever had anywhere.
Everything we had was very delightful! Henry Henry Henry how was your day? Did you have fun with your pals? Did you see Jaden? What else did you see Miss Josie? How about Eli Eli? How about the twins the girls?
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mariana Daher
We had brunch at Próximo and it was pleasant surprise. Tasty dishes, great service and enjoyable playlist.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kate Berlin
This is my new favorite restaurant. I have been wanting to try it for a while and it definitely lived up to the reputation. We sat at the counter and enjoyed stellar service. I lived in Spain for a small portion of my life and the experience brought back a lot of food memories. My favorite dishes were the Congrejo (so tasty and refreshing) and mixing two desserts together as recommended (Torrijas and Chocolate cremeux). The staff were friendly and kind and clearly wanted us to have a good dining experience. Highly recommend and can't wait to go back.
The zucchini dish made me emotional. I haven't had that kind of food experience...ever.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Pietra Melo
I recently dined at Proxima and had an absolutely delightful experience, thanks in no small part to our incredible server, Eleanor! From the moment we walked in, her warm and welcoming smile made us feel right at home.
Eleanor was attentive without being intrusive, always checking in at just the right moments to ensure we had everything we needed. She expertly guided us through the menu, recommending her personal favorites, and her enthusiasm for the food was infectious. It was clear that she genuinely cared about making our dining experience memorable.
When our meals arrived, Eleanor took the time to ensure everything was perfect, and she even took a moment to share the story behind one of the dishes, which added a lovely personal touch. Her knowledge of the menu and wine pairings was impressive, and she was more than happy to accommodate our dietary preferences.
Eleanor's service was impeccable throughout the evening, making sure our glasses were never empty and that we felt fully taken care of. It’s rare to find someone who exudes such passion for their work, and her positive energy truly elevated our experience.
We left with full bellies and happy hearts, all thanks to Eleanor’s exceptional service. If you visit Eleanor make sure to ask for her—you won’t be disappointed!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Christopher Schultz
I want to start this review but saying what a breath of fresh air it is to have Proximo downtown on Franklin Street. The owners have done wonders with the tight space that was vacated by Ye Olde Waffle House years ago. Regarding the food and experience - our party of three ordered about 3 to 4 plates per person, which is what the server recommended to start with. We also ordered the paella special. We had so many great plates, several that were good, some were just okay, and maybe only one that was just meh.
Home runs: the pork ribs were out of this world good and were garnished with some delicious pieces of peach. The yellowfin tuna was great as well and we thoroughly enjoyed the watermelon gazpacho. Our son did not share the jumbo lump crab with us but he said it was his favorite and that it deserves to be up here.
Plates that were pretty good: We liked the crispy potatoes and the scallops. The olives were decent and a nice starter. We had the chocolate mousse dessert and I really enjoyed it. The Jamon Iberico was good but not great. For $19, one of the pricier items on the menu, I was hoping for more (the bread it was served with was on point, however).
Misses: the only item we ordered that was a miss was the hot ham and cheese sandwich, which the server recommended for my son. He didn't care for it. He was expecting something similar to a grilled cheese sandwich. I tried it and thought it was either rushed or incomplete...something seemed off. Anyways - for ordering so many different tapas I felt that they got nearly everything right which is saying something.
That brings me to the paella. I didn't catch the full name and description of the paella special as it was very loud at time we were ordering. It received mixed reviews from my crew. My wife and son weren't fans of it but it really grew on me. Besides the chorizo and shrimp this paella variety had a lot of olives.. and by a lot I mean it was more olivey than any paella I've ever tasted. Now, I love olives so I thought it was pretty damn good. Not everyone will feel the same way and I wouldn't be surprised if they serve different varieties of paella depending on the week or time of year.
I highly recommend Proximo if you have a group of 3 or 4 friends and want a different experience eating out in Chapel Hill. As for myself - I look forward to going back very soon and sitting at the counter (we sat at a table in the back corner). We tried a lot tonight but there's still half the menu I haven't tried. Plus I would like some of that jumbo lump crab next time around.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Grant Leonard
Amazing re-use of space. Very comfortable overall, and the food was incredible. Definitely going back soon
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kate M
Delicious tapas and sangria! Went with a group of 6, and we shared probably 12-14 plates total. Favorites were the manchego, tuna, and the toro.
Everything was delightful from start to finish. Great service, food and atmosphere. We are excited to come back and try more food items and drinks! Thank you for making a lovely experience and family memory.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Our new favorite spot in the triangle. Truly an unexpected gem! Lots of amazing flavors and choices with great wine pairings. They have a gluten free menu for those with allergies! They were very accommodating.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This restaurant is phenomenal. The staff are extremely knowledgeable and friendly, and the food is exceptional. Everything was so good, but the ribs stood out, they were really fantastic.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Excellent! Great food. Great service. Great decor. Love the complimentary sparkling water. Many dishes surprised me. Very dark in the back. Will come back for the dishes we didn’t try. And best of all it’s a Resy restaurant so the new Amex Platinum credit will work here. This place fills up quickly so make a reservation.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Somehow, this new jewel of a restaurant magically appeared in the middle of the block directly across from the UNC campus, in a stretch that historically catered to either students or tourists visiting for a sporting event.
Cutting to the chase: It's another excellent offering by Chef Brandon Sharp (Hawthorne & Wood, Bluebird). It's great. You should go.
The details: Elevated Spanish tapas. Small plates, authentic top shelf-ingredients, thoughtful flavor and texture pairings, both authentic and re-imagined Spanish dishes, excellently curated Spanish wines, knowledgeable and friendly qait staff.
Sit at the counter for the 'show' (full view of the kitchen), or in the back for cozy and dimly lit booths.
Highly recommended!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
We had an outstanding dinner at Proximo, seated at the casual counter and watching the love and attention put into every dish in the open kitchen.
Wine steward and superstar server Matthew gave us excellent wine advice, including a show-stopping 2016 Rioja Reserva that paired perfectly with our lamb Cordero. Order them both and then order another round! 🥳
Go discover this hidden gem and let’s bring it out of hiding! 🍷🍷🍷
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Extraordinarily well prepared with fresh, flavorful ingredients. The brussels sprout salad is one of the best salads I've ever had anywhere.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Patatas Bravas, Jamon Iberico, Prosciutto, Brussels Sprouts
Everything we had was very delightful! Henry Henry Henry how was your day? Did you have fun with your pals? Did you see Jaden? What else did you see Miss Josie? How about Eli Eli? How about the twins the girls?
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
We had brunch at Próximo and it was pleasant surprise. Tasty dishes, great service and enjoyable playlist.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This is my new favorite restaurant. I have been wanting to try it for a while and it definitely lived up to the reputation. We sat at the counter and enjoyed stellar service. I lived in Spain for a small portion of my life and the experience brought back a lot of food memories. My favorite dishes were the Congrejo (so tasty and refreshing) and mixing two desserts together as recommended (Torrijas and Chocolate cremeux). The staff were friendly and kind and clearly wanted us to have a good dining experience. Highly recommend and can't wait to go back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
The zucchini dish made me emotional. I haven't had that kind of food experience...ever.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I recently dined at Proxima and had an absolutely delightful experience, thanks in no small part to our incredible server, Eleanor! From the moment we walked in, her warm and welcoming smile made us feel right at home.
Eleanor was attentive without being intrusive, always checking in at just the right moments to ensure we had everything we needed. She expertly guided us through the menu, recommending her personal favorites, and her enthusiasm for the food was infectious. It was clear that she genuinely cared about making our dining experience memorable.
When our meals arrived, Eleanor took the time to ensure everything was perfect, and she even took a moment to share the story behind one of the dishes, which added a lovely personal touch. Her knowledge of the menu and wine pairings was impressive, and she was more than happy to accommodate our dietary preferences.
Eleanor's service was impeccable throughout the evening, making sure our glasses were never empty and that we felt fully taken care of. It’s rare to find someone who exudes such passion for their work, and her positive energy truly elevated our experience.
We left with full bellies and happy hearts, all thanks to Eleanor’s exceptional service. If you visit Eleanor make sure to ask for her—you won’t be disappointed!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I want to start this review but saying what a breath of fresh air it is to have Proximo downtown on Franklin Street. The owners have done wonders with the tight space that was vacated by Ye Olde Waffle House years ago. Regarding the food and experience - our party of three ordered about 3 to 4 plates per person, which is what the server recommended to start with. We also ordered the paella special. We had so many great plates, several that were good, some were just okay, and maybe only one that was just meh.
Home runs: the pork ribs were out of this world good and were garnished with some delicious pieces of peach. The yellowfin tuna was great as well and we thoroughly enjoyed the watermelon gazpacho. Our son did not share the jumbo lump crab with us but he said it was his favorite and that it deserves to be up here.
Plates that were pretty good: We liked the crispy potatoes and the scallops. The olives were decent and a nice starter. We had the chocolate mousse dessert and I really enjoyed it. The Jamon Iberico was good but not great. For $19, one of the pricier items on the menu, I was hoping for more (the bread it was served with was on point, however).
Misses: the only item we ordered that was a miss was the hot ham and cheese sandwich, which the server recommended for my son. He didn't care for it. He was expecting something similar to a grilled cheese sandwich. I tried it and thought it was either rushed or incomplete...something seemed off. Anyways - for ordering so many different tapas I felt that they got nearly everything right which is saying something.
That brings me to the paella. I didn't catch the full name and description of the paella special as it was very loud at time we were ordering. It received mixed reviews from my crew. My wife and son weren't fans of it but it really grew on me. Besides the chorizo and shrimp this paella variety had a lot of olives.. and by a lot I mean it was more olivey than any paella I've ever tasted. Now, I love olives so I thought it was pretty damn good. Not everyone will feel the same way and I wouldn't be surprised if they serve different varieties of paella depending on the week or time of year.
I highly recommend Proximo if you have a group of 3 or 4 friends and want a different experience eating out in Chapel Hill. As for myself - I look forward to going back very soon and sitting at the counter (we sat at a table in the back corner). We tried a lot tonight but there's still half the menu I haven't tried. Plus I would like some of that jumbo lump crab next time around.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Amazing re-use of space. Very comfortable overall, and the food was incredible. Definitely going back soon
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Delicious tapas and sangria! Went with a group of 6, and we shared probably 12-14 plates total. Favorites were the manchego, tuna, and the toro.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
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