Symposium Cafe

I've had some bad dining experience but last night took the cake. When we arrived we were told there was a 15 minute wait, 45 minutes later we were finally seated. It took another 15 minutes for someone to even come by our table. Because we were now running way behind schedule for show at the DPAC we ordered a simple soup and salad. We had three different waiters come by the table, say they would get our soup, after 20 minutes - still no soup. Mind you, we could see the soup pots from our table Just how long does it take to dip up soup?? The waiters all acted like they were walking around in a fog. During this time we saw several customers complaining to the manager and leaving in an irate manner. You would think it was the first night any of the staff had ever worked in a restaurant. We left without ever getting our meal as did several other groups. For a restaurant near the ballpark and the new DPAC you would think they would be better prepared for large crowds. Cons: Bad service more

had a really good time at Symposium Cafe on saturday. me and my friends went there after the beerfest at the bulls and we sat down on the padio. the server came and took our orderfast and said it might be a minute because we got like 12 tables at once. i said ok and the server brought the drinks after 2-3 minutes. ordered food and had the appertizers. they have on special 3/2 apps on saturday the best deal ever. i reccomend this place for big groups and alone time with the girlfriend. thank you Symposium more

This was one of the worst restaurant experiences I have EVER had. From the start, the service and presentation were horrible. We ordered an appetizer, a burger with fries and a salmon sandwich with crab chowder. Our meals came out less than five minutes after ordering, which would have been great if it had been right. The appetizer hadn't even shown up yet. The waiter looked confused when we asked about it. The burger came out with the crab chowder (it was supposed to be fries!) and the salmon sandwich had a Caesar Salad on the side (it was supposed to be the crab chowder!). The waiter did correct it by bringing out a plate of fries, but those were cold and soggy. The soup was lukewarm and spilling all over the sides of the cup. Finally our appetizer came out about the time we had finished our meals. It was some kind of shrimp and marinara thing with tortilla chips. The chips were stale and rubbery. Then when I discovered my saltines that were on my husband's plate (because he had originally gotten my chowder) I found that one of the packages was already opened and the crackers in that one were crushed. I went to speak with the manager and to top it off he didn't seem to even care. He had stamps on his hands that clearly showed he had been clubbing the night before and he seemed to be nursing a hangover. When I told him what was wrong, he waved his hands as if to say 'enough', mumbled something about how he'd take care of it, and then walked off. We sat there for five minutes wondering if that meant he was going to take care of the check or what? When something like that happens, the manager should bend over backwards to apologize for the poor food and horrible service. Other than the mumbled 'I'll take care of it', there were no efforts to make it right and try to get us to come back. I might have forgiven it if the manager was apologetic. He could have at least offered dessert. What a dump! Pros: Beautiful location Cons: bad service, overpriced food, cold food, horrible management more

i was there with my girlfriend on july 4. We wanted to go have dinner there and go see kevin costner concert. we were there about 6 and the place was busy. The hosstess said it will be about 15-20 min before we sat down, it actually took 8-9 min. We saw the place was busy and my girlfriend said lets go someplace else, but i usually come here for lunch and i like the place. so we sat down by the hosstess and she said when we sat down " guys we're sorry if we will take to long with anything but we are too busy" i said no problem. now our drinks and food took long but if the place is busy there is nothing you can do just wait, because this place has potencial to do much better like most other places and these guys took care of us very good under the circumstances, even my girlfriend wasn't mad thank god. so I THANK SYMPOSIUM for being here in Durham and i will keep going back, go because the have goos specials on different days Pros: good under pressure, good food, good service, goooood breakfast Cons: they should be opened later more

My wife, her parents & I dined at the Symposium Cafe on Friday night before the Kevin Costner show at the DBAP. Throughout this meal we assumed we were on some type of hidden camera show. Unfortunately, we weren't. This place has a great location and should be a great stop before a game. However, every single employee we encountered was completely overwhelmed. I could rant for a while about how bad every aspect of this experience was, but I'll just give you a list: Seated immediately - no one to our table for 10-15 minutes Drink, app and dinner orders taken and the waiting game begins. Drinks took literally 25 minutes - we ordered water, a beer, a rum & coke and a soda...we were told the bar was 40 tickets behind - there weren't 40 people in the restaurant. Wrong app came out When app finally did arrive, it looked as if it had been on some other table for a while or under a heat lamp. Waitress tells us that 2 of the dinners are ready to come out, the other 2 can't be found - we request to eat together the 2 dinners are brought out alone - they have been under a heat lamp for a while - they are both done wrong, missing the risotto the other 2 finally come out 10 minutes later. the manager brings us 1 plate of "risotto" - instant rice with some butter on it. If he had come back to check on how things were, I was planning to offer him my fork to try this garbage - he didn't bother to check. I always try to look at the positive and do not normally complain about service that meets a minimum standard. There was not anything positive to say about this dining experience. Please go somewhere else - anywhere else - there are a lot of decent places by the ballpark and certainly worth the extra walk. Cons: Awful service more

As a first time customer, I have to say this is my new favorite restaurant! A group of 5 of us had decided to try this place after a friend had suggested it. There was no wait for a seat or service! We were treated like royalty and both the waiter and manager were extremely helpful with making recommendations. Our appetizer was wonderful! The best spinach dip I have ever had! And our entrees fell nothing short of perfect! My boyfriend (who is a very picky eater) ordered the flat iron steak and absolutely loved it! After going back and forth on whether or not we wanted to order dessert, the manager finally suggested the chocolate cake. So full from dinner, we were still not sure if we wanted dessert, but when the manager brought out a piece of complimentary cake (weighing in at over a pound), how could we resist? With three girls at the table, the enormous piece of cake was gone in no time! This place is perfect for a cozy date or a celebration with friends! Drink specials can not be beat and the wine is superb. The food was outstanding and the service was even better!!!! Thanks Symposium for a wonderful evening! Pros: Great food and service! Located in a wonderful area! The ambience can't be beat! more

First time customer at Symposium Cafe, and had an absolutely fantastic experience! Service is the best I have seen since moving to Durham in 2003! We celebrated with 20 friends for a birthday bash, Ryan and Tony made us feel right at home! I do recomend this unique and enchanting restaurant for large groups/parties...try the callamari and chicken marsala, the best ive ever had! more

This place is a disaster. I really can't decide if the food or the service was worse. I will never go near this place again. more

I went to this establishment with 3 friends on this past Friday night. The look of the place was esthetically pleasing but that was where it ended! We were 4 out of roughly 20 people who were dining at the time. We arrived promptly at 6:30 and were seated immediately. Our initial non-alcoholic drink order was taken and 10 minutes later they arrived. We ordered appetizers when the drinks came and also a Martini and a Cosmo. The martini was ordered with a twist?20 minutes later we heard a crash in the bar and were informed that ?that was your drink sir so it?ll be a little longer?. When the martini came it had olives and no ?twist?. It was sent back and from our vantage point we could see the bartender remove the olives and toss in a twist as opposed to making a new drink that didn?t have the olive taste! So now it is 7:15 and the appetizers arrive?LITERALLY 30 SECONDS later the MAIN DISHES CAME OUT! BUT only 3 plates! My other friend didn?t get her food until 25 minutes AFTER we had gotten ours! We were done eating by the time her food arrived! So the kicker in all this is that the ?Manager? I assume walked up and asked ?how is everything? to which my friend very politely explained what had happened. He, in a monotone, said ?I?m sorry? and walked off leaving us to look at each other and ask if that really just happened. He came back a few minutes later and said that they would comp the appetizers, nice gesture but if you get there before 6pm they are ? price. We had a basket of fries $3.25 and a dip tray $7.50 so for the extended drama and wait for a meal we were comped $5.37. The food was just ok. It was ridiculous to say the least and a really bad experience. I had a couple of friends who I knew were going to try this eatery on Saturday and I called them as soon as we left and told them to go somewhere else. It was awful and I am not typically a complainer! Unless things drastically change I don?t foresee this place being there long. Pros: Nice atmosphere Cons: Service slow, kitchen run poorly (all dinners not brought out together), uninformed wait staff. more

A group of eight of us went here before a Bulls Game. Located in a really neat area, the restaurant decor was attractive and the seats comfortable. The service, alas, was way below par. Drinks were slow to come, and the waiter spilled my husband's drink on one of our party, soaking her jacket, and breaking the glass as it fell to the floor. Anyone can make a mistake or have an accident, but what appalled us is that no one offered to pay for cleaning the jacket, to rinse it out, to bring a fresh clean rag to wipe off her arms and shoulders, to check her chair to make sure it was not soaked (yes, it was wet), to offer her a clean, dry chair. I even had to point out a lot of broken glass missed during the clean-up. The appetizers were reasonably quick in coming and were quite tasty, BUT... The meals were very slow in coming, in spite of a less-than-busy night, and most of the orders were not as requested ? a side not ordered, the wrong side, serving an order to the wrong person, forgetting salads, etc. At at the beginning, I let the waiter know that we were headed for a Bulls game. The food that we got ? sandwiches, wraps, and salads rather than full entrees ? was nicely seasoned and flavorful. My husband quietly asked for the manager and told him of all the problems, that this was not acceptable, that the manager needed to make it right, needed to offer to take care of the jacket, and needed to adjust the bills (note plural) The group agreed amongst ourselves that at the very least our one round of drinks should be free. The bills came...finally. Not only were there no adjustments, there was a 20% tip to each of our bills! They did not charge for our drowned party's meal, but nothing was done about her jacket. There were no apologies by the manager. And we missed the first four points scored by the Bulls! They lost eight potential customers and earned this review! It's a pity, as this location should have a great restaurant and great service. Pros: Has the potential setting for a great restaurant Cons: Service slow, inaccurate, and unrepentent more

Went to Symposium before a Bulls game after learning of 30 min. waits at Tylers. We were seated quickly, however nothing after that was quick at all. The seating, while comfortoble for lounging, is awful for eating a meal, and it looks quite odd and clunky in the beautiful warehouse space. After 5+ minutes, a guy introduced himself as our server, took drink orders, then disappeared for some time. Someone else brought out our drinks. Our original server stopped by a few minutes later w/ waters and said he'd be "right back" to take our orders. He then disappeared for a while again, only to be seen running ice buckets. We flagged someone else down and placed our order. It took almost another 30 minutes for our food to arrive (and of course the baseball game was about to start). Not only was the food slow to arrive, it was not very good at all...the meat was tough and somewhat fatty, for example. For the price, I expected something a little better. Especially considering the quality of other restaurants in the American Tobacco complex. Our server came back by and we went ahead and asked for the check. After almost another 10 minutes, he still hadn't returned, so we tracked someone else down and he brought the check after another 5 minutes or so. If I had the cash, I would've paid that way to avoid yet another wait for the credit card slip, but no such luck. So finally, after another few minutes of waiting, I paid for the sub-par meal and left. Bottom line - I will never return, and would never recommend this place to anyone. It is obvious now why there was no wait here while Tylers and Mellow Mushroom were packed with many folks waiting outside for a table. Pros: Great converted warehouse space Cons: Everything else more

Food is inconsistent and the staff is highly variable. Lacking professionalism- I have heard the waitstaff complaining to each other (loudly saying shut up or annoyed that others aren't doing their part) and their demeanor towards customers is obnoxious and rude. There are some gems on the staff that do not reflect this but my experience has been mostly negative. It is really too bad since they are so convient for so many offices. Also the menu was not accurate- my sandwich was on different bread than was listed and my "fresh squeezed" OJ was neither fresh nor squeezed. Pros: convience, comfy chairs, air conditioning Cons: service lacks professionalism or respect, variable food more

The bar staff are (or were) really nice. BUT the food is dreadful and service is poor or absent. They can't even make coffee. Rubbish. Go away . more

I miss the old staff, they were a great bunch. It's just not the same walking into Symposium, the friendliness that once made the place so great just isn't there anymore! Pros: food Cons: staff more

I attempted to go here for lunch today. There were 2 of us. It took a while to be seated. We were sitted by the door to the patio which people kept coming in and out of. We ordered 2 wraps. All veggies and a little chicken $8. 30 minutes later still no food. I complained. We were told our food would be out shortly. People that were sat 15 min after us got their food and had finished eating. We were told again our food would be out soon. After a total of 50 minutes we walked out. Couldn't tell you how the food was. Apparently that chicken takes a really long time to cook. I wouldn't go here for lunch unless you have time for at least a 2 hour lunch--if you get any food. I will not being going back. Period. Pros: None Cons: Service was horrible, No food in an hour more

Finally a great place to go with great food..setting is beautiful...something that Durham definetly needed! With such a great atmoshpere with equally great tasting food..the manager should think about "upgrading" his staff..."waitresses"!! Our young lady was very nice..but was definetly "challenged" when facing the task of serving three tables. An attractive..sharpe..with outgoing personality young lady or young man would only add to the surroundings!! Service needs to match everythingelse about this great place! Pros: great stmosphere, great food, good parking Cons: at best adequate serv more

We visited Symposium first because we purchased a gift certificate from Restaurant.com. When we arrived, we noticed immediately the cozy atmosphere. The chairs were lounge chairs like I would have in my living room (very comfortable). The background music was nice and it was quiet overall. I could hear my fiance talking without asking him to shout. The entire restaurant was very clean and new. Our food was also something to talk about. Best bruchetta I ever had! The service was extraordinary - we tipped our waitress 40%. I am a mystery shopper, so I definitely appreciate good food, cleanliness, and service! Pros: Great food, Great price, Fabulous desserts more

I recently hosted a friends engagement party in the private dining room, I couldn't have asked for a better outcome! From the fabulous eye appeal to the amazing food and service, everything was great. I was extremly nervous before the party, being the critic I am, but the staff helped so much and everything ran so smoothly! I have been back for dinner and must say, I have found my new favorite spot! Pros: inexpensive, great service more

I went to the symposium the other night with my boyfriend. I wasnt really expecting what we found.. the service was very friendly and the menu was very playful and interesting. we had the garlic mushrooms for an appetizer, which were /delectable/. there was a live jazz trio playing--we enjoyed that a lot! the veggie sandwich had crisp, steamed vegetables, and it came with homemade fries.. i dont eat meat, but my boyfriend seemed to enjoy his salmon pasta... and there were so many other things we would have liked to try! definitely get dessert! they have a big case FULL of delicious-looking cheesecakes, and lots of coffees and dessert liquers. beautiful presentation! i definitely wasnt expecting to find the symposium in downtown durham, but the new tobacco warehouses they've been renovating down there are full of surprizes! Pros: recently updated menu, atmosphere, live music! Cons: hard to find more

Wow! we had dinner with our friends who reccomended this restaurant and had just a great experience they had live music which was not to loud our food & service was outstanding we will definetely be back & tell our friends our waiter Moorgesh was very helpful with the wine selection also... Pros: price, ambiance, location more