THE LOOP RESTAURANT — Restaurant in Durham

I really don't have any notes except for I wish they were open for longer than 9:00 p.m. I originally went to moondog for karaoke night with some friends and realized they weren't serving food but would welcome food from other places just not drinks. I had not eaten all day so I was thinking this place was somewhere I can get a quick burger or a quick meal and go back. I was happily mistaken when I walked in and was captivated by the atmosphere. Pristine walls with original artworks and music that was hurt but never louder than the voice of the person at your table. I was cordially welcomed by the host who informed me that the grill is going to close at 9:00 and I wanted to place my order right then and there.

He gently guided me to the bar table where I got to take some time and look at what I wanted. He made recommendations that I was thinking about already such as the empanadas and the Argentinean themed signature state that they serve. I ordered both along with some shrimp and cocktails as well as an artichoke dip with a side of asparagus.

I rarely eat food that makes me emotional but when I do it is simply a Divine moment. The steak was so savory with exciting hints of zesty acids that came with the vinegar-based sauce that they offered with the steak. The asparagus was a delicate balance between crisp yet chewy with the crisper parts being at the end of the stock where there's a little more fiber. The shrimp was laced with lemon juice and a nice cocktail sauce which you can never go wrong with. The artichoke dip with chunky and filling with the nacho chips that they made. Going back to the stake, it was strong as it was difficult for me to cut as its gaming texture refused to separate between the blade but once I managed to get it cut and put it in my mouth it seemed like the meat melted away on my tongue.

I would strongly recommend this place for a nice sit-down meal, a congratulatory dinner, or a date, or simply catching up with a friend. The beautiful atmosphere with original artworks sets the conversation and brings many for visitors to talk about and the ambiance is relaxing for gentle conversations. The food was simply sublime and my friends who partook in this large meal that I ordered, had nothing but praise for the food and the cooks that prepared it. I definitely recommend sitting down and enjoying the space and the people in it and not to do what I did and walk in hoping to pick something up and walk back out. This felt like a place that I needed to show up as my best self. When I return, I'm going to return with a nice date and my best looks to set the tone in the occasion for a great and...

I'm torn to give a 2 or a 3... but decided to stick with the 2. The wife and I have been to The Loop in Chapel Hill a handful of times and always had a good experience ... so figured should be same at the new location in Durham. Well, basically, the wife ordered the mediterranean chicken wrap only to find out they're completely out of tortillas for the wrap, it was suggested to order the salad as it would be the same but without the wrap, she accepted the alternative. It seemed to take a while for the food versus the small number of patrons in the restaurant at the time but we did get out food and after a few bites she noticed there was no chicken in her salad, I then went to the counter to let them know the mistake which at first was really only met with confusion, it seemed most of the front end folks wanted to just believe the salad did not come with chicken however it is an option on the menu. Finally, that was determined and they asked the grill to prepare a breast to fulfill the order. After patiently waiting and trying not to eat too much of the salad, I approached the folks again asking could the chicken be switched to a sandwich because she was basically done with the salad. They agreed with no issue, even providing a side which comes with the salad. It arrived and it did satisfy the mistake. Look, I hope this doesn't appear to be nitpicking, we were practically there almost an hour by the time the chik sandwich arrived, it's just that they weren't extremely busy and the staff numbers were not short by my count. It just wasn't a good experience and we'll prolly not be back to the...

You know, I want to like this place so bad because even though it’s a chain, it’s like a neighborhood joint (in my neighborhood). We’ve been to the Chapel Hill location a lot with rarely an issue. This location has been spotty at best. Our visit last night was overall what I’ve come to expect, mediocre everything, but good enough if you are tired and don’t want to cook or go to a full service restaurant. We both ordered the French onion soup, I had the Cajun chicken alfredo, and she got three chicken fingers. The soup in the past has always been cold, but in a shocking twist, it was very hot! Which made using a plastic spoon that much more enjoyable. They only had ONE metal spoon which I gave to my companion. I noticed the restaurant had 18 individuals eating at the time, not one of them was consuming anything spoon related. There also was no bread in the soup, weird choice but whatevs. The chicken fingers apparently were pretty good. I struggled to locate any chicken in my Cajun CHICKEN alfredo, which also was cold, served with two “bread” sticks. I offered a bread stick to my companion which I accidentally dropped into her metal (ironically not plastic) serving bowl of chicken fingers and it made a noticeable “CLUNK” sound. “We’ll that doesn’t bode well…” was my companions reaction. Overall, I think this may be my last attempt at giving The Loop a pass. There is just too many other options when spending around $50 for a quick, effortless(ful) meal. Thank you for coming to...