Food was excellent! The Omikase presented opportunity to try many new flavors. A great experience overall.
Matt
This has been my birthday meal two years in a row. Every course was a thoughtful delight, worthy of Instagram, and on a Wednesday evening, the pace was unhurried and the noise level low. We did the 7:00 seating both times, and since we were the last table to leave, Chef Savannah was able to pop out for a quick photo. I have tears in my eyes thinking about how special I felt to be eating a meal this good.
Jenna
My girlfriend and I went here for our anniversary dinner and enjoyed every moment of the evening. The staff was wonderful and the food was amazing. The mochi crepes literally melt in your mouth. . Will be back again!
Luping
It was a great experience to have dinner at M Tempura. The food was great and the services is also very nice!
Bob
We really enjoyed our anniversary dinner at M Tempura! What a unique place. Everything in the M Omakase serving was delicious. Fresh, interesting flavors, beautifully plated and served. Two thumbs up all the way!
Charles
Excellent food, service and atmosphere. Small place, bespoke menu - would not recommend for a large group. But fantastic for an intimate dinner where you really experience excellent and unique cuisine.
Adrian
I had really high hopes for this restaurant, and unfortunately I was very disappointed. I took my son out for a nice dinner, and we were really looking forward to some delicious food. From the first course, the flavors just didn't work. Even worse, some of the seafood tasted fishy. Overall, it was almost gross, and it was extremely expensive. It is not worth the money, and honestly, even if it was decently priced, I would never return.
Maryana
Delicious and Delightful! Amazing way to celebrate an anniversary, birthday, or special occasion.
Marisa
Enjoyed the omakase style for tempura and other dishes. Everything high quality. Scallop phenomenal.
Jamie Jungwon KIM
These are dishes you can only experience on the Japanese mainland — they’re absolutely the best!
This is one of our favorite restaurants, and of the M restaurants we've tried, it's our favorite one! This one is more fun and the staff seems to enjoy the experience as much as we do, which really elevates everything. It's not fried heavy food - it's delicately fried with an ultra thin layer of batter. There's so much more to this gem of a restaurant. Our go-to dishes include the Chawanmushi with blue crab, the miso-marinated seabass over rice (they instruct you to mix it first, eat half, then pour seafood broth over the rest), and the Maitake mushrooms - we always order an extra serving because they're so good. The house-made ice creams are creative and easily one of the most underrated parts of the meal. The chef's variety really shows. Pricing isn't cheap, but when you consider the food, atmosphere, and wonderful staff, it's well worth it.
Amanda Huynh
My partner and I came here for our 13th wedding anniversary — we don’t live in Durham but we were visiting my in-laws. It’s long been on my list because of Top Chef but I was still totally floored by the experience. It was the best meal I’ve had in a very long time.
We had the M Omakase with beverage pairing. It was very well-paced and every course was a pleasant surprise. Standouts were the tempura shrimp, scallop, and house-cured trout roe. I also loved the meal, miso-marinated seabass on rice with the barley tea dashi that came halfway through. It took an already so deluxe dish to the next level.
The service was attentive but not overbearing. We had a lovely time, thank you! Can’t wait to come back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Silas
Very cool experience, a little expensive for what you get. Do not recommend the wine pairing option and just get a bottle instead.
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.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Tempura Course
Jill Manzo
Brunch was an amazing treat! I am still dreaming about the Wagu Tacos. One order was not enough, so we ordered one more! The hot dog fried rice was an interesting choice and a good one as it was a burst of amazing flavors I never would have expected. The pork dumplings were the best I have ever had and lastly the Moci Crepe was heavenly! Eating at M Tempura was a wonderful adventure and a joyful flavor ride that I look forward to experiencing again!
Food was excellent! The Omikase presented opportunity to try many new flavors. A great experience overall.
This has been my birthday meal two years in a row. Every course was a thoughtful delight, worthy of Instagram, and on a Wednesday evening, the pace was unhurried and the noise level low. We did the 7:00 seating both times, and since we were the last table to leave, Chef Savannah was able to pop out for a quick photo. I have tears in my eyes thinking about how special I felt to be eating a meal this good.
My girlfriend and I went here for our anniversary dinner and enjoyed every moment of the evening. The staff was wonderful and the food was amazing. The mochi crepes literally melt in your mouth. . Will be back again!
It was a great experience to have dinner at M Tempura. The food was great and the services is also very nice!
We really enjoyed our anniversary dinner at M Tempura! What a unique place. Everything in the M Omakase serving was delicious. Fresh, interesting flavors, beautifully plated and served. Two thumbs up all the way!
Excellent food, service and atmosphere. Small place, bespoke menu - would not recommend for a large group. But fantastic for an intimate dinner where you really experience excellent and unique cuisine.
I had really high hopes for this restaurant, and unfortunately I was very disappointed. I took my son out for a nice dinner, and we were really looking forward to some delicious food. From the first course, the flavors just didn't work. Even worse, some of the seafood tasted fishy. Overall, it was almost gross, and it was extremely expensive. It is not worth the money, and honestly, even if it was decently priced, I would never return.
Delicious and Delightful! Amazing way to celebrate an anniversary, birthday, or special occasion.
Enjoyed the omakase style for tempura and other dishes. Everything high quality. Scallop phenomenal.
These are dishes you can only experience on the Japanese mainland — they’re absolutely the best!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
This is one of our favorite restaurants, and of the M restaurants we've tried, it's our favorite one! This one is more fun and the staff seems to enjoy the experience as much as we do, which really elevates everything. It's not fried heavy food - it's delicately fried with an ultra thin layer of batter. There's so much more to this gem of a restaurant. Our go-to dishes include the Chawanmushi with blue crab, the miso-marinated seabass over rice (they instruct you to mix it first, eat half, then pour seafood broth over the rest), and the Maitake mushrooms - we always order an extra serving because they're so good. The house-made ice creams are creative and easily one of the most underrated parts of the meal. The chef's variety really shows. Pricing isn't cheap, but when you consider the food, atmosphere, and wonderful staff, it's well worth it.
My partner and I came here for our 13th wedding anniversary — we don’t live in Durham but we were visiting my in-laws. It’s long been on my list because of Top Chef but I was still totally floored by the experience. It was the best meal I’ve had in a very long time.
We had the M Omakase with beverage pairing. It was very well-paced and every course was a pleasant surprise. Standouts were the tempura shrimp, scallop, and house-cured trout roe. I also loved the meal, miso-marinated seabass on rice with the barley tea dashi that came halfway through. It took an already so deluxe dish to the next level.
The service was attentive but not overbearing. We had a lovely time, thank you! Can’t wait to come back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Very cool experience, a little expensive for what you get. Do not recommend the wine pairing option and just get a bottle instead.
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.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Tempura Course
Brunch was an amazing treat! I am still dreaming about the Wagu Tacos. One order was not enough, so we ordered one more! The hot dog fried rice was an interesting choice and a good one as it was a burst of amazing flavors I never would have expected. The pork dumplings were the best I have ever had and lastly the Moci Crepe was heavenly! Eating at M Tempura was a wonderful adventure and a joyful flavor ride that I look forward to experiencing again!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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