Reviews for Lantern in Chapel Hill, NC
Absolutely incredible experience, from the space to the service to honestly some of the best food over ever had. I cannot wait... to make it back to Lantern! Read more
Tasty though a tad on the pricey side. Great outdoor seating with a dark and intimate interior if you prefer the bar. Food was... interesting and generally tasty though I didn’t really care for the catfish Thai curry as part of the prix fixe. Salmon bentobox looked delicious so would try that and the mango dessert ice cream was so good. Read more
Went here on a Wednesday night and sat outside. Great location and even better restaurant. This place is incredible. Reminds me... of brewery bhavana or bida manda but in Chapel Hill. I highly recommend going here. Great drink selection and great prices. Forfood get the pork dumplings, beef tar tar, mushroom noodles! Read more
Great atmosphere, excellent service, okay food. The fish was cooked whole, which I'm definitely not used to. If it blew my mind... I wouldn't have cared, but I've had much better fish that didn't involve mouthfuls of fishbones. The pork and chive dumplingswere good, not great. The cocktail I got (scotch, port, egg white, some other ingredients) was EXCELLENT. The chocolate cakeand peanut brittle ice cream dessert was so good we ordered a second one. Read more
Loved the ambience and the vibe. Cocktails were great. Fried okra was a disappointment. Not a fan of their entrees too. Overall... what's a restaurant with good ambience and okay ish food ? Read more
Good quality cooking, dubious if it’s worth the price. I had high expectations for Lantern as it is the only restaurant... currently open in the Triangle area with a JB award. The pan-Asian Southern concept is also quite interesting: it allows therestaurant to get away from authenticity if it allows for better flavor. Although, I doubt if that decision really pays off forLantern (the fried okra with tomato chutney is markedly inferior to any Indian or Southern preparation of fried okra). The restof the dishes, however, were executed perfectly. The noodles, in particular, were a highlight: it’s as if the very essence ofan oyster mushroom was distilled into the sauce. Similarly, the dumplings were cooked to a perfect toothsome level and thesesame dipping sauce accompanying them was outstanding. All that said, I’m still unsure this is worth the price - there arecertainly better restaurants in the Triangle area that you don’t have to pay this much for. Worth a visit, but not more thanonce. Read more
The first time I came to Lantern in August 2019 I was absolutely blown away. I was excited to take my husband so once they... opened post-COVID we were eager to book a spot in their outdoor patio. They have a new system where you order entirely on yourphone (although a waiter does come check on you and bus the table). The food was still good but I felt like it wasn't up to mylast experience. The pea shoot scallion dumplings were my favorite of the night, in large part to their miso sesame dippingsauce. We also got the fried okra but it tasted kind of cold when it arrived. The fried cauliflower was not particularly standout. The crispy catfish I expected to be more flavorful but it was bland (I got a whole fish the first time which was burstingwith flavor). The real winner of the night was the Peach Melba dessert - that was a 5 star and not even usually big on dessert.I still love Lantern from my original experience so maybe it was an off night - hoping things turn around and recognize thehardship they've been through! Pic - Junebug cocktail (similar to Pimm's cup, and appetizers). Read more
Menu is limited and service is slow….but most importantly, the food is mediocre and overpriced. While the atmosphere is nice,... there are so many better options for asian fusion in the area. Would not go back. Read more