It happened around 10:30 p.m. at Mezcalito, a Mexican restaurant on the corner of Fayetteville Street and Ramseur Street.
The crash left a gaping hole where the kitchen was.
There were about 25 people inside including a few people finishing their meals. No one was hurt, but some employees were shaken up.
Anthonio Rivas, the manager of Mezcalito, said there was a server in the area about 15 seconds before the crash happened. Luckily, they had stepped away in time.
WATCH | Mezcalito manager talks car crash at Durham restaurant
Mezcalito manager talks car crash at Durham restaurant
"So, if the server had waited another 15 seconds," he said, "they would've been hit and under all the rubble."
Rivas said they can't reopen until the health department clears them, which is devastating for his employees.
ABC11 has contacted Durham police to see if the driver faces any charges.