Always a thoughtful, tasty and memorable experience. From the warm and inviting atmosphere, attentive, responsive and respectful customer service, sublime libations and delicious food, Bar Virgile never disappoints. read more

Bar Virgile is a must-visit in Durham. The drinks were top notch--crafted really well and definitely stand out. The burger is easily one of the best in town, cooked perfectly and full of flavor. We also tried a couple appetizers and they were amazing, especially the deviled eggs--honestly some of the best I've ever had. The overall vibe is great too, just a really solid atmosphere to hang out and enjoy a good meal and drinks. Definitely recommend checking this place out if you are in durham read more

I go there quite often with friends and it's been great. Tonight, four of us went there for drinks and dinner, and was very disappointed in the amount of time it took from when we ordered one appetizer, then we ordered dinner entrees and it took one hour for our meals to come out. Tables around us, who came in after us, got their food before us. The server said it was because the printer stopped printing but she saw that and told the kitchen what our order was. We finally got our appetizer snd They took our appetizer off the bill and that was nice but that was for one person in our party. We finally got our entrees an hour from ordering! Not one time did anyone come out and address our concern which is very unusual! Most places, management would have been out and spoke to us but nope. I love this place but had a bad experience tonight read more

Fantastic visit from a random find! We were aimlessly walking around downtown and saw people standing outside Bar Virgile and stopped to chat. Their high regard, enticed us to enter this warm and charming establishment. They have an excellent drink list focusing on craft cocktails Schweety, had the House Burger and I had the Braised Pork Risotto. Both were excellent as was the friendly service. Definitely one of my favorite dining out experiences of the year. read more

The food is pretty good. My daughter introduced me to this spot. She loves the burgers. I had the salmon with veggies and it was surprisingly good. The service was good. Eclectic atmosphere and we sat downstairs. read more

Bar Virgile - Salmon with seasonal vegetables and pea puree - Bars Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Great spot for a quick bite if you're taking in a show at the DPAC. Close by and an easy walk. The Blackened Salmon over brussel sprouts and mashed potatoes was most excellent. The fish and chips came with 2 pieces of fish. One piece was great, the other was greasy. Service is a little slow when they're busy, but the staff is very friendly. I would return. read more

Bar Virgile - Giant glass. - Bars Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

What I recommend: The single or house burger with extra sauce and the Brussels sprouts Bar Virgil is one of my favorite spots in Durham, especially on a Thursday night. The smash-style burgers are cooked perfectly every time and always hit the spot. The drinks are great, the service is friendly, and the ambiance is unmatched with a speakeasy vibe upstairs and a tiki feel downstairs. It's first come, first served, but worth the wait. I've tried the fried oysters, deviled eggs, and Brussels sprouts, and the Brussels sprouts are the clear winner. Bar Virgil is my go-to burger spot in Durham and one of the best places in town for a chill night out. read more

Bar Virgile - House burger - Bars Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Where do I begin! This very cool but small bar was the perfect place for an impromptu date night. We were seated downstairs in the "annex" bar which has a fun tiki bar vibe. We sat at the bar and had the pleasure of witnessing Casey's superb skills. My husband ordered a hurricane which was delightful but my drink was the star of the evening, The Saturn! which I am now referring to as Hawaii in a glass. Several years ago I had a drink at the Ritz in Kapalua that has been seared in my taste bud memory, The Saturn is this drink's party girl sister and I am here for it!!! We ordered a double burger and the fish and chips and both were finger licking good. The burger was a smash burger but also still juicy, the fish and chips were made with fresh cod and was so juicy and flakey. And let's not sleep on the fries, sure some may say fries are fries, right - wrong! These fries were perfectly salted with the right balance of fluffy center and crispy outer mixed with the harissa aioli that came with the fish. CHEF'S KISS! read more

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It's been a while, and I have forgotten how cool this place could be based on the creative cocktails combined with great food options however, this visit was negatively impacted by the Bartender who chose to ignore me at my section of the bar as a solo patron and entertain his regulars at the other end of the bar. As I paid for my appetizer I mentioned to him the importance of working the entire bar to which he replied I know that, but based on this experience, clearly, he does not know that, and failed to provide the same level of service. Fingers crossed for a better experience in the future, and I can actually order more than an appetizer to enjoy the vibe that this cool space provides read more

Bar Virgile - Bars Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

AMAZING vegan risotto!!!! Perfect texture, lots of mushrooms, hint of lemon. Delicious. Very cool atmosphere and ambiance.

Apparently known for its cocktails, this hip bar was packed at 6 pm on a Monday! The exposed brick walls melded beautifully with the modern wood ceiling and retro bank decor. I had a very nice vegan mushroom risotto (full disclosure my dinner-mates got the pork version which smelled delicious). Another person in my group got the fish and chips which looked good. I liked my fig walnut cocktail and the rose. read more

Just wow. Came back to Durham to spend time with friends. A few typical drinks, and then a cool seasonal menu. The one that blew me away was the Ichabod bane. It had an amazing savory note that changed on your plate with each sip, with ingredients I'd never seem before. So many inventive drinks, in a fun and still quaint space. Drinks are affordably priced compared to other cities. Can't recommend this highly enough read more

Bar Virgile in Durham is a perfect spot for an elegant mood. The drink and food menu features a plentiful selection of deliciousness. The service staff are always busy, but kind! read more

Bar Virgile - Fall cocktails - Bars Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Second time in for a cocktail and dinner before a show at the DPAC.. Service was very good and friendly. I ordered my favorite drink and it was made to perfection. The Flavors of both the Food and drinks were amazing.. I only wished I lived closer so I could make it my regular hang.. Must give it a try read more

Amazing ambiance, it gives me cozy prohibition vibes that I could not get enough of! Service was fast and effective with them allowing us to get drinks while we wait for our table. Food: Charcuterie: 8.6/10 Salmon: 9/10 read more

Bar Virgile - Salmon - Bars Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Cute little place in Durham not too far from DPAC Pleasantly surprised by my fun fizzy mocktail and delicious Brussel sprouts appetizer. Had a nice dinner out with a friend and it wasn't too loud, which was great for conversation. Great service too. Would definitely try it again! read more

Food and service were great!! We sat at the bar and were served promptly. The drinks were as delicious as the food. They had a wide variety to choose from on the menu. read more

Bar Virgile - Bars Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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I have been passing by this spot for years and finally my husband recommended we dropped in. It was the best decision!! We sat at the downstairs bar. Decor reminds me of Gilligan Island but a very nice vibe! Drinks and Single Burger was on point! Definitely a spot we will go back but thumbs down no pickles for burgers. Excellent service from Artson! read more

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Great cocktails, great food, great service. Cool spot packed into very small space, all cocktails made with fresh ingredients juices, fruits, herbs...large selection of not only bourbon but gins, scotches and other. Small plates, smash burgers as well as a few mains, food very good. read more

Friendly staff, good service, cool intimate decor. Signature drinks were really good. read more

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You know a place is special when reviews from 4+ years ago talk about how good the burger is and you go in after all that time and also agree that this is the best burger you've had in North Carolina. This burger is FANTASTIC. Both me and my partner agreed on it being the best and we will be back very often after learning the kitchen closes at 9:45 pm. The mac and cheese was also super good. We got it without bacon and it was delicious. Good mac is hard to come by these days. Both our server and the bartenders were welcoming and friendly, and our food came out quick. The bar itself is really beautiful- decorated really nice, has a really cool ambience, nice seating and lighting, and fun. I can tell it gets busy on the weekends. Great for dates and nights out. We got two fun cocktails we saw chalkboard drawings of and loved it. I'm definitely a big fan of this place now. read more

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This place is not large but intimately decorated with a nice ambiance. It can feel a little tight for space but the experience is worth it. We had the deviled eggs and fries oysters and they were on point. Followed with the steak frites and salmon which were both excellent. Meal was excellent and the staff very friendly. Pricey but no complaints on the food or service. Definitely on the go to list. read more

I had been to Bar Virgile before, but not in several years, and they popped up again when I searched for "best cheeseburger in Durham". It's a wonderful, small, not ridiculously expensive or bougie boutique bar right in downtown Durham. My cheeseburger was totally amazing and the mac & cheese was out of this world. Highly recommend. 11 out of five s. read more

Bar Virgile - Beach salad and four cheese mac & cheese - Bars Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Great vibes mixes with culinary knowledge. Thank you for a pleasant experience. I'd strongly suggest you pop in if you are either going for show in DPAC or just cruising downtown Durham and want a safe harbor to explore. read more

Bar Virgile - Basil Hayden ( perfect ) Manhattan. - Bars Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Warm vibes in this upscale pub very close to DPAC. The staff are very professional and detail-oriented. My wife and I had a great time and will definitely return soonest. read more

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I love this place. I don't think I've been here since Covid. Still nice wall of spirits behind the bar, still loads of chatting between parties at the bar, tables are mostly 2-tops. There are three larger ones in corners of the dining area. I sat on the banquet in the far corner because I had some writing and research to do. There were only a few other folks at tables. The waitress came and brought menus and we chatted for a minute. I wound up getting a really good smoked drink called the Alejandro Fleming - a riff on the Vesper martini - that has mezcal, lemon juice, honey-ginger syrup, and is smoked in the glass table side. It was amazing! Followed up with a Shrimp Alfredo Spaghetti dish. I think I'm trying to sample this at every place in the Triangle. This one was great! I even managed to save a bit for lunch the next day. If you're looking for a truly out-of-the-way place, this is a great spot on odd evenings. If you're looking for the same on a weekend night, forget it - it'll be packed! But whenever you come, plan to sit and savor. It's worth it. read more

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First time visit to Bar Virgile and used Yelp reviews to help find this gem. It was a perfect date night spot with my wife. We sat at the bar and got quick service from a pro bartender (Andrew?). The ambiance of was perfect with exposed brick and a full bar. We ordered cocktails on recommendation from bartender. I looked up the menu to try to list names but the cocktail menu changes offen and I don't see the ones we had listed. Mine was a rum based drink with a foam top sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. My wife got a vodka based drink that had balsamic in it. We both enjoyed them and the pro presentation. Dinner was the short rib risotto and the veg out plate (3 veggies). Got succotash, beet salad, tomato salad. The food was served fast and, nice and hot, and was delicious. Second round of drinks was gin based with oregano sprig for me and a sweet vodka drink for wife. We enjoyed both. This restaurant owner has 3 places and we visited all of them that night. Bar Virgile for dinner, The Annex for post dinner drinks (got Dragons Breath and something else sweet), and Dive Bar for beers and popcorn last. Perfect date night spot. Will definitely be back. read more

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My favorite bar in Durham. They have an incredible seasonal rotating menu. The drinks are by far the most creative and flavorful I've had. Not too sweet but they find ways to use really creative ingredients. The goat cheese pumpkin cheesecake keeps us coming back and their dessert menu pairs well with their cocktails. Above that the bar service is amazing, the staff are friendly and cheerful. A great, cozy, intimate environment that we love bringing our friends and family. read more

It's been a while since we dined at Bar Virgile and it was as delicious as ever! We were seated in the Annex at the bar since there was no more space in the main area. I believe the Annex serves the same menu, just a bit of a different vibe with it being more like a tiki bar. The Blue Hawaiian was perfect and made me feel like I was on vacation! All of the food was amazing as usual. I had the Mac & Cheese and Fried Okra. My husband had the salmon and mentioned many times that it was sooo good! We had a small hiccup with the staff being unsure if they could use a gift card in the Annex area, thankfully it was all sorted out. If they gave us a one time courtesy, that's probably something that needs to be noted for anyone trying to dine at Bar Virgile though. We love this place and it's probably the best food we have ever had in Durham! The only reason we don't visit more often these days is due to having limited time before events in downtown Durham and just not being able to make reservations. read more

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The ambiance is amazing for a cute little date night. They do have a food menu as well. Service at the bar is great the women working there are such sweethearts. Would love to come back for dinner next time. read more

Bar Virgile - Bar photo - Bars Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Bar Virgile has been in many conversations for a while. I got an invite here to join after dinner. I'm not a big bar scene person, but I enjoyed Bar Virgil enough to indulge in two cocktails. The Southside and a French 75 are both equally delicious since these are two of my favorites. Bar Virgil doesn't have an extensive craft cocktail list, but they cater to several classics that many can enjoy. Small, quaint, rustic, and a cozy lil space perfect for an evening nightcap. The staff is friendly, professional, and knowledgeable about drink preferences if you ask for something unfamiliar. The space was clean and with low lighting. The loud Spanish music played in the background wasn't too bad. read more

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Great spot! Great steak salad, great craft cocktails and even better bartenders! I almost don't want to leave this review because I hate to lose access to this gem! read more

Bar Virgile - Bars Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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The drink was absolutely phenomenal. However, the service and the ambiance were two thumbs down. We came in about 20 minutes before close just wanting one drink to check it out. The music was so loud that we couldn't hear each other and one of our friends chose to call the night early because it was so bad. We asked the waitress and her response was "the bar gets to do what they want to do this late at night." We asked how long they do this and she told us that they controlled the screaming music for the last hour. When I say the music was loud, I'm saying it was screaming voices and my Apple Watch told me I was in a loud noise environment. It only does that during concerts- if that paints a picture. read more

Bar Virgile - Menu - Bars Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Rich ambiance, delightful beverages, and DO NOT FORGET TO TRY THE DEEP FRIED BROCCOLI. Pardon the caps but I cannot emphasize that enough!

This was a very good experience. Great food, prices were not awful, attentive staff, downtown location, and very cozy feel to the place.

Awesome place for old school cocktails! Get there early, it gets packed. Great burgers as well!

This bar was so cute and had the most divine cocktails! I got the one that tasted like a melted sherbet and omg it took me everything not to order a bunch more because they did have a kick! I got the angel hair pasta which was excellent but the mushroom risotto pork was divine! The bartender (we sat at bar) was so sweet and nice and answered all of our questions. I tend to avoid these types of cocktail bars because servers and bartenders can be a bit gruff with my multiple questions but these guys were so kind and nice. Ambience was immaculate. Loved the experience! read more

Bar Virgile - Pork and mushroom risotto - Bars Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Wow where to begin!!!! We ended up here due to recommendation and thank goodness we did! The hospitality was ON POINT. From the second we walked in, the hostess, who was also serving, was delightfully patient and kind. She got us drinks while we waited for table. Now these drinks.... I ordered a vodka, pineapple, sprite and grenadine (my go-to, I call the skittle) and it was the best I've ever had! We later learned they make their own grenadine and it was clearly the most amazing I've had and made a world of difference in this drink. Not too sweet and perfectly easy to drink. Now the food, we started with the Brussels sprouts which had bacon and pecorino cheese. Wow! So yummy. We also got the deviled egg duo, half with bacon, half with caviar. I preferred the bacon as I learned I don't care for caviar. The hanger steak was delightfully cooked at medium rare and came with a tasty herb blend on top. The fries were crispy and came paired with a delightfully delicious dipping aioli. We also got the Mac n cheese which came out bubbling and AMAZING! I had mentioned it was my perfect and they surprised us with some sort of chocolate mouse pie with a sparkler on top! A wonderful surprise. 10/10 recommend and will be back my next trip to Durham. read more

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A wonderful 4.5 stars for this gem in downtown Durham. My wife and I stopped for a quick dinner on Friday prior to attending a Yelp event at Hi-Wire Brewing, which was a short distance away. We don't often venture to Durham for dinner but, I read previous reviews and we decided to give this place a try. They don't take reservations and we planned on getting there around 6pm. The restaurant was busy. Luckily for us there was an open table and we were seated right away. The interior is nice with an urban artsy look to it. I really like exposed brick walls, especially in older buildings like this. It added to the eclectic art on the walls and the drawn up cocktail menu above the kitchen serving station. The bar setup was really nice too with the exposed brick walls behind the shelving for bottles. Throwing in the subtle lighting effects adds to the ambiance of the place. My wife and I each started off with a specialty cocktail. I went with the Figgin' Nuts (Rye, Fig, Black Walnut Bitters, Fig syrup and orange bitters) my wife ordered an Aunt Ginny (Conniption Gin, Cranberry Compote, Barrel Rested Gin, Lime and egg white foam). Both were really good. With the fig syrup, I figured the drink would be sweeter, but it wasn't. I tried the one my wife got. It was a bit more tart but still really good. For an appetizer we split the roasted Brussel Sprouts. They were seasoned really nicely and had parmesan as a topping, nice touch. For dinner my wife went with the Black Trumpet Meatball Bucatini. She said it was delicious. I sampled a bite and I concurred. There was a nice balance with the meatballs that are made with beef, pork and veal. When we go back I may get this. I went with the Steak Frites. The hangar steak was cooked perfectly. The fries were crispy and seasoned just right. The desert menu looked fantastic but, we skipped desert on this visit. On the next one we will definitely be splitting one. We enjoyed our pre-yelp-elite event dinner here. We will, without a doubt, be back again. read more

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This is my second time going to Bar Virgile. I love their ambiance and cocktails. They rotate their cocktail menu with seasonal craft cocktails. I got the following three cocktails: Let me be Brisk is a gin based cocktail made with earl grey tea infused syrup. It is really refreshing and easy to drink. Phoenix #4 is a Mezcal based cocktail that is SPICY! It's not for everyones taste palette. Figgin Nuts is a rye based cocktail that is made with fig syrup. It's a spin on a Old Fashioned and is very liquor forward. Will definitely be going back to try rest of the cocktails as well! read more

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