Coupe & Stein in Durham is exactly the kind of place you want to end a holiday evening, festive,…read morecozy, and sparkling with charm. Tucked inside the American Tobacco Campus, the bar is beautifully designed with vintage touches and modern elegance, but it's the holiday decor that truly makes it shine. They go all out. From floor to ceiling, it's a Christmas wonderland with glowing lights, garlands, ornaments, and glittering touches at every turn. It's even been featured in local press, and rightfully so. The service was excellent. The staff made us feel taken care of from the moment we walked in. Everyone was friendly, enthusiastic about the menu, and went above and beyond to make sure our experience was perfect. We kicked things off with a glass of Gruet Rosé, crisp and bright with just the right amount of celebratory flair. The Christmaspolitan was a seasonal standout, vodka, elderflower, dry vermouth, cranberry sauce, lime, and a hint of rosemary and absinthe mist. It was complex but incredibly smooth and well-balanced. My personal favorite was the Cheery Cherry Chocosaurus, a bold mix of brandy, sweet vermouth, dark crème de cacao, cherry, chocolate, and lemon with chocolate bitters and brandied cherries. It was rich, indulgent, and felt like dessert in a glass. To pair with drinks, we ordered a few small plates. The Crab Dip with Crostini was warm, creamy, and packed with flavor, and the Mac n' Cheese Balls were crispy on the outside with gooey, three-cheese centers, served alongside a sweet pepper jelly that pulled everything together. Coupe & Stein is an absolute must-visit for cocktails and small plates in Durham, especially during the holidays!

A very comfy and cozy modern champagne bar - the decor and pink theme were super fun. They had live…read moremusic with a musician who played the piano and sang while we were there which was a nice touch. The atmosphere inside was otherwise relaxed and drinks were good. Will have to return for their holiday menu and ambiance.

Great small bites. I recommend you trying the Elote dip it was AMAZING and perfect for sharing with…read moretwo or more friends! They have great drink specials for different days of the week! Very speedy service all of their bartenders are very sweet and will fix whatever drink to your liking The vibes are disco balls on the ceiling very open very Miami Beach vibes they have an indoor and an outdoor seating area not only that they have fireplaces. If you get a little too far from their heated porch area! The vibes just don't stop. They have an aesthetic fireplace in side as well as a fake tree in the middle beautiful for taking pictures Their bathrooms are adorable, but you might have to wait a little bit on a busy day. But this is the same problem with every bar. Very glad that they have more than one bathroom.

Stopped by the Velvet Hippo while out in downtown Durham. When you arrive parking can be a bit…read moretricky in this area as you'll need to find street parking or park in a nearby lot. When you walk in you'll need to either take the elevator or stairs up to the third floor. Once inside the bar you'll feel like you've been transported to an upscale, tropical bar. To order you'll need to walk up to the bar to place your order. I ordered the Hot Girl Summer (Olmeca Altos Reposado, fresh watermelon, Gran Gala orange liqueur, house-made habanero syrup, lime, salt half rim) which was so good. I also ordered a cheetahs do it in the dark (Astral Añejo tequila, Licor 43, Caffè Borghetti liqueur, espresso, orange twist) which was also excellent. I'd recommend walking out to the rooftop if it isn't too hot. There are several tables and the views of the city are nice. Definitely will come back to the velvet hippo next time I'm in Durham.

Nice place, creative food, lobby bar vibes. Go upstairs to see the art. This place is in the…read morehistoric back building that dominated the skyline of Durham for decades before the new condo tower across the street. Both sit adjacent to the public square, a triangle really, that is accepted as the center of town. It's where the iconic bull statue is located and is just a few blocks from all downtown attractions. We lived in the One City Center condo tower for a few years and went here often.

Came here for a brunch in honor of Mother's Day. Unfortunately, I do not have great things to say…read more We had a reservation for noon, but it took 20 minutes to get slated. We were seated at a table that was clearly not meant for six people and we were crammed together. The room we were seated in had blinking lights due to an electrical issue, and it was extremely irritating. Our servers were very nice, but unfortunately were all over the place, so we had to keep making the same requests over and over again. It was not a crowned at all, so we were very confused. Now, on to the food, it was just not worth the visit. I did not take pictures because our meals just didn't look that great. Three of us ordered the chicken sandwich and agreed that it was the most flavorless chicken sandwich we'd ever had. The gochugang was no where to be found. The other two ordered the crab and shrimp grits. It looked like white mushers, you'd be served in prison. My family members said there was no seasoning beyond butter.

Grabbed a drink here recently and had an OK time…read more First, parking was easy in a nearby garage. My wife and I came at opening so the bar was completely empty initially, but it filled up by the time we left. There was a pretty impressive array of comfortable seats, although they looked a little dusty to me. When we chose our initial seats, the bartender came over, apologized, and told us that the chairs we had chosen were only for parties of 3 or 4 :) Kind of strange but whatever. We chose a different set of chairs and ordered our beverages. Honestly, it took a very long time to get our drinks. They were pretty well made but were also extremely expensive (all of the cocktails were around $17 to $19). Other than the delay, the bartender was nice and did a pretty good job throughout our time there. The venue also served food but we didn't partake this time. Overall, not a terrible experience or anything, but the high prices and slow service make me a little hesitant to return.

This cozy bar & lounge set between the American Tobacco Campus and the DPAC is a great place to…read moreunwind and chill. Got a show coming up? You can come here for a pre-show drink. There is waiter service at the lounge tables. I enjoy the bar service: plenty of seats and friendly bartenders. Old Bull Apartments residents have it best. They can hang out here, steps from their homes.

I came here to experience a night out on the town all the way from Brooklyn, NY. I didn't realize…read moreuntil after when I looked on the business page that it had Brooklyn decor. Since I visited the day after Christmas there was still holiday decor up. The did play a small selection of NY based music which I did appreciate which music from other regions which I also enjoyed. What I didn't enjoy too much was my drink. I was trying to order a drink fro the festive list but one of the ingredients weren't available so I decided to just get a vodka and cranberry which tasted a little watered down. I'll probably try a second visit when come back in town.

Came here for the Christmas decorations and loved it! The service was great, the spiked hot…read morechocolates were delightful , the decorations are so creative (night before Christmas themed!) and we enjoyed the karaoke.

Finally made it to this cute spot with 2 of my girlfriends! The ambiance to so photogenic and…read moreinviting. There's limited seating in the interior, but there's a large patio with extra seating. We attempted to sit on the patio, but the mosquitos had plans that we did NOT sign up for! So we went back inside to sit at the bar. I wish there was different barstools. Those were just too shallow and not very comfortable or supportive. Thank goodness they weren't too busy when we were there because there was only one seserver. He was super nice and attentive as he could be seeing as how he was running in and out to serve the interior and exterior guests and also making the drinks! Some drinks are specialty so they take time to actually make. I hope they covert their pass-through window into a door into improve efficiency. I ordered the mojit flight and my two friends orordered the Tequila, and Marguerita flights. General consensus was that the drinks were good , but a bit too sweet. I wish mine was served with mint leaves like the menu pictures, but I didn't ask for them or why they weren't included. Overall, I'd go back with my girlies and try something different.

The place was cute. We got there as they opened. We were the only ones there for quite a while. The…read morewaitress/server was super nice, but the place didn't really wow me. Maybe bc it was a Thursday, and it's more busy other days? There were fruit flies around our table that were kind of annoying as well. Flights were okay. Charcuterie board was alright as well. Not sure I'll be back.

Five Stars. Great food. Great service. Always pleasantly…read morecrowded. The place to be for all Duke fans.

This is the bar at the Washington Duke (WaDu). A cozy environment to meet some friends/co-workers,…read morewatch sports, and grab a bite to eat/drink. When the weather permits, they open the back patio which looks out onto the golf course. Since COVID, they've added a heated tent which works well except for the very cold nights. It gets crazy busy around Duke games and other events. The menu is different than the Fairview restaurant with a few similarities. I've eaten tons of meals here --- Cheese plate: good sized for an appetizer. I ask them to substitute bread for the crostini. Cheese change over time but usually three kinds. Focaccia: comes vegetarian with pesto but I usually add chicken. Easy to share. Wings: I'm a definite fan. The Szechuan sauce is a touch sweet with a kick. You get 10 decent sized bone-in wings. This could be a meal if you aren't starved. Spinach salad: my fav salad on the menu. Sliced eggs and pork cracklings! The bacon dressing is quite tasty. Probably not healthy but you're eating in a bar. Caesar salad: solid but not spectacular, comes with a bit more dressing than I like. Turkey BLT: kudos for using Havarti cheese rather than some other. I prefer spicy mustard over the aioli but that's me being picky. The bread has a nice texture. Duke dip: this seems to vary from very good to eh. The horseradish cream is too mild for me. Ask for more Au Jus if you need it. Burger: pretzel roll is solid. I'm ok with the mushroom/tomato jam default but usually end up customizing my own. Beyond burger option available. Cauliflower steak: only thing I don't really like. Not bad just not satisfying. Salmon: a simple healthy dish. The garbanzo beans don't add much to the flavors. I had broccoli added once. People rave about the house made potato chips but I think they are just ok. The fries are thin and stringy - decent flavor but wish they were much better. The fingerling potatoes are the best of the three of them. Decent selection of microbrews and a few high end wines. Full bar of course. Servers are usually very nice but get VERY busy and sometimes overwhelmed. Even when the bar isn't busy it can take a bit for food to come out. If you're in a hurry, be sure to tell them when you sit down.

The Barn is a Raleigh institution, if you have been to Raleigh but haven't been to the Barn it is…read morelike you haven't been to Raleigh My Ribeye was cooked really well and so was the wife's. Caesar salad was huge and home made crackers with cheese. Very few places or almost none can cook a good ribeye like I do so for starters I told Laura I was told this place cooks the steaks better than me. It is all about temperature and time Fire what, I wasn't expecting her to show up with a complimentary cake for our anniversary celebration, awesome but I only took a bite and brought the rest to the RV, will eat it tomorrow with coffee The decor is simple yet it is an actual barn

Food: 3 Service: 5…read moreAmbience: 4 Date/Time: 8/16/2026 5:40pm Order: Bacon wrapped filets, baked potato, stuffed potato and fries Crowd: Dining area 75% full, parking lot filled to the back of the lot I know, I know, Angus Barn is known all over, and at one time many MANY years ago when I went, it was pretty awesome all around. This time, maybe my expectations were too high, but it didn't strike me the same was as it did over 30 years ago. First off, I want to say that service from Andy was excellent! He was very attentive and actually interacted with us. We were celebrating my dad's birthday and Andy was really making it a big thing for him. He kept our glasses full and came around to check on us often. When he brought us the filets, he actually had us cut it down the middle and had a flashlight to allow us to see if it was cooked right. The ambience was still the same as before but more decoration with a lot more space and a lot more tables. It was a little on the noisy side but it was also almost full which I thought surprising on a Sunday. I think the wood walls helped absorb the sound better. We were seated immediately toward the back even being 20 minutes early of the reservation. The tables have a blue checkered tablecloth (used to be red checkers back in the day) and most everything was wood (walls, floor, etc). As you approach the front door, the covered area out front has seating and a bar with valet parking at the entrance to the covered porch. As you enter the main entrance, a country store counter is on the left, selling Angus Barn items, along with the restrooms further down. Straight ahead is the host station and then it opens up to the huge dining area. Wherever there are steps, there's also a ramp for handicap access. The food was a little disappointing to me. When I order a filet, I do expect it to melt in my mouth without much cutting required, and to have a natural taste to it as I don't usually put any sauce on it. This one comes with a red wine sauce which I was trying to use to get some taste in the meat but didn't like it. The bacon was sitting on top burnt to a crisp. The baked potato was good but the Caesar salad with homemade dressing didn't hit the spot for me. However, the chocolate cheesecake was very good! Also, the cheese/crackers/olives/etc starters waiting for us at the table was nice (used to have this at a big table at the front door where you wait for your seat but I'm sure COVID stopped that). Overall, the food was just OK, but not what I'd easily come back and pay the price for the filet. I'm not sure if maybe they hired a new cook and we got him/her or if this is just how they prepare their filets. I was going to give it a 4, but then asked myself if I were to look at a 4, wouldn't I expect the author to return... I probably won't return....... unless someone took me and let me order the chocolate cheesecake :-)

This place is perfectly located in the center of Midtown with a nice view of the park. They have…read moreboth indoor and outdoor seating upstairs and downstairs. There's tables, couches and the cutest seating throughout the entire building. The build your own charcuterie is what I went in for. For $15 you can pick three meats or cheeses and they have add-ons like pickles, jams and olives for an extra $1-$2. You absolutely should try the prosciutto and goat Brie, as well as the sweet pickles and fig jam, delicious! I paired this with two classic of their Pinot Gris. Although, I went alone this is a perfect group setting and/or date night spot! Service was quick and the bartender was extremely knowledgeable. Pick your seating and they will bring everything to you.

Grabbed a drink here recently and had a good experience…read more First, there are some parking spots directly next to Vita Vite and the neighboring businesses, but they were completely full when we came. I assume it's really hard to grab one of those, but luckily there's also a free parking garage nearby, so that's where we ended up parking. Inside, there is a combination of standard table seating and a few couches here and there. My wife grabbed a glass of wine while I ordered a beer, and everything was pretty reasonably priced. As expected, the wine selection was much more extensive than the beer selection :) The staff were polite and attentive throughout. We also shared a plate of hummus and crackers and everything was pretty tasty. Overall, I'd definitely come back here if I was in the area and wanted to chill out for a bit.

This is hands down the best rooftop in Raleigh. Parking is free in the garage and you take the…read moreelevator to the top floor. The moment you step off the elevator you can see the spectacular view. You have the option of shaded patio or direct sun. The service was great! His recommendations on food and drinks were on point. The new cocktail menu has so many amazing options! They put a unique twist on every drink and it's perfection! The Brazilian lemonade had a creamy sweet taste, so delicious. Also, the pretzel bites and chicken bites were tasty. I recommended getting the chicken bites tossed in lemon dry pepper rub and dipping in Thai chili sauce. I will be back again at sunset to enjoy the beautiful view!!

The Willard Rooftop lounge is a really nice and cozy place to enjoy either during the week to…read moreunwind after work or the weekend with friends. The lounge offers two areas for outdoor seating which offer great views of the Raleigh skyline. I tried the Chipotle lime marinated mushroom mini tostadas and bbq bacon slider which were absolutely delicious. Along with my food, i also had a Brazilian limeade which was a perfect summer drink.