Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Libations 317

    4.4 (24 reviews)
    Closed 4:00 pm - 9:30 PM

    Libations 317 Photos

    LIBATIONS 317 ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Libations 317

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Chef!
    Laurie N.

    More than a cool spot to grab flavorful food and quality beverages, this is a place that welcomes everyone and makes you comfortable. The weekly specials, themes, and events are curated with intentionality from the owner, Chef Hamm, who greets customers like family. And the regulars in turn will adopt you quickly, like the night I popped in for an after work wine and joined a trivia team! The little back corner area has comfy sofa and chairs like you are in chef's living room! Last night, we celebrated a big milestone and I enjoyed a French 75, made to order and laughed so much during drag Bingo which is hosted by the incredibly talented Emory Starr My next visit will be for their acclaimed Biscuit Brunch on Sundays! Oh, and chef likes to put out hearty snacks ( no, not stale, salty pretzels to get you to order more drinks) like hummus, chicken salad, and pimento cheese so you stay healthy as you libate! Finally, I just want to say that he makes a mean pork belly Banh Mi!!! Go alone or with your friends whether you are a local or visitor, this place will become your home away from home!

    Quirky decor
    Marissa M.

    I finally visited Libations 317 and enjoyed the rather unique quirky, retro decor and chill atmosphere. The staff here really aim to please. Chandler and Kyle greeted me while at the bar and I decided on a Kentucky Mule with Maker's Mark whiskey. It was very refreshing. Kyle provided excellent service as well as the other staff. I love the outdoor seating as an option. The bathrooms are well decorated and kept. I enjoyed the mouthwash they provide in the ladies room. This is a cozy little lounge for a cute date while downtown with the retro board games and ambiance. I look forward to the bar growing their menu and food offerings.

    Holly K.

    Pretty cool addition to downtown. My husband and I went in for a super early dinner on a Wednesday and we pretty much had the place to ourselves. I love the interior vibe, it's cozy, trendy, and thought out. They have a corner filled with board games and all sorts of great seating areas. Folks did sit at the bar and it got pretty loud. The sound isn't the best in there, but since it is a cocktail bar that is kind of to be expected. My husband loved the peach old fashioned and I went with wine. The food is the fanciest bar food you've ever had-- totally up my alley! We started off with the tailgate dip, the menu said ground beef, but it was actually tasty brisket mixed in there. They even have homemade tortilla chips which were tasty. We also got the brisket hot dog, bougiest bologna sandwich you will ever eat, and dessert. The hot dog was great and reasonably priced at $8. The bologna was literally on a homemade focaccia, open faced. Delicious! The only thing I'd skip next time was the dessert. We got to the pumpkin roll and it was good, but for $9 it felt over priced. They have quite a few tables outside which is a plus as well. A great addition to downtown!

    Drag Brunch!!!
    Lindsay M.

    Went here on a Saturday for brunch for Drag Brunch and had a BLAST!!! It was so much fun and the queens were incredible, hilarious, and entertaining. The food here is delicious. I got the Southern Benedict and it was phenomenal. The drinks are great too and they have many options. The only down side to the drag brunch is that the build your own bowl is unavailable because of the number of people who attend drag brunch, but if it weren't for that, this place would have got 5 stars in book!!! (Drag brunch is 1 Saturday a month & is a ticketed event. My ticket was $12)

    Eat Sip Cheer at Libations 317
    Leslie H.

    Looking for a bar in Downtown Raleigh where you can eat, sip and cheer in a comfy, cool setting ? Then check out Libations 317. I recently was there for a private event where food was provided but I got a chance to purchase a drink at the bar. The drink menu included beer, wine and specialty cocktails. I asked the bartender /Kyle to recommend something that would taste as good as it would look in photos. He advised the Lemon Lavender Gin Fizz would show a layer of colors and if I like gin I should try it. I did and it was refreshing and a drink I would order again. I loved that it was not only garnished with a lemon but also rosemary which gave it a nice flavor as well. The have a full bar so even if it's not in the menu, you can ask them to create your fave drink or discover something new!

    Stephanie J.

    Libations 317 is in the space previously occupied by The Borough. We dined in for dinner and I started off with a glass of sangria and the spinach dip with chips. Next it was the chicken salad sandwich for me and the brisket melt for my husband. For sides we split the broccoli salad and bacon cheddar roasted potatoes. The food and service were both really good, I can't wait to return and try their brunch menu.

    Mac & Cheese pic 1 of 2...before stirring.
    Chip R.

    Bottom line: I dig the new Libations 317 at the corner of Dawson and Morgan. 4.5 stars for eats and drinks here but I round up to the solid 5 stars for the welcoming atmosphere, the positive upbeat staff, and casual relaxing vibe they offer. They truly are keeping the legacy of The Borough that occupied that space years back, and I love it. The Deets: A friend clued me in that there was a new bar/eatery opened up in the space formally occupied by The Borough years ago, and I needed to check it out. That, I did, and I have enjoyed visits to Libations 317 ever since. The space has been decorated well, casual and relaxing, open and inviting, including outside seating at the best people watching corner in DTR (corner of Dawson and Morgan). Each time I have sat at the bar, which is full service for drinks and eats. Seating anywhere else in Libations, you will need to come up to the window inside to order and then they can bring it out to you at your table (staffing during these times, and understandable). The drink selection at Libations is wonderful with a nice menu of wine and beer selections to enjoy. Their custom cocktail menu is a good one as well, and includes the very popular "Q" from The Borough era (5 different flavors of vodka and just a splash of juice for color, filling a pint glass). The eats menu offered is absolutely not your average bar food selection, but wonderful food choices from Chef Hamm (I enjoyed his wonderful food from PG Werth's when open, and still miss it). The spinach dip here is not to be missed! The mac & cheese is just the right consistency, with the cheese melted over the top, however with an unexpected kick of pepper (more on that later). The Chicken Cordon Bleu sandwich I had was delicious (ham & Swiss with fried chicken, topped with honey mustard on focaccia bread). I had a few nibbles of the meat in the Pork Belly Bahn Mi and it was equally delicious. I was even glad to hear they do brunch on Sat/Sun 11a-3p with a good listing of brunch items such as tempting Benedicts and also build your own brunch bowls. I have enjoyed a couple of their brunches now. One thing I will note is that a few of the menu items do appear to be heavy on pepper or have a bit of kick to them. The mac & cheese I mentioned above has a distinct pepper taste. The cheese gravy offered on the brunch bowls has a bit of a peppery kick to it also (I had chosen it because I did not want the peppery taste of the white pepper gravy). I am not a fan myself of very peppery or even spicy foods, so it's a personal taste thing...many like it, just as my friend raves about the pepper in the mac & cheese. However, the best part I think of Libations 317 is the very welcoming atmosphere, the very positive, upbeat, and attentive staff...it's like your own modern Cheers, where everybody knows your name. I appreciate this part of Libations most of all, and why I keep coming back along with the food and drink selections. Chandler and Chef Hamm have made a place worthy of The Borough legacy from the past and I enjoy it!

    Brunch Menu Sat/Sun 12-3
    David B.

    So excited to be out of the pandemic and enjoying an awesome place like this. Cozy, Instagram worthy corners, great drinks, delicious food, friendly crowd. I'd recommend starting your night here. The menu consists of some bomb ass dips (with fresh in house made tortilla chips), open faced sandwiches, a section that you can get made as tacos/salads/or nachos (awesome on those homemade tortilla chips), and a bangin' hot dog list. Do note that there aren't sides, but the idea it seems is to get a dip to share and then an entree or two. The dips can easily satisfy 3-4 people each. The Sonoran Hot Dog is with bacon, refried beans, guacamole, in house made jalapeño pimento cheese, and fried onions. It's a solid choice. As is the chef's favorite with velveeta, Mayo, bacon. Cooked beautifully just the way I love a hot dog. Low and slow. The candied pork belly will make you slap yo mama. Lord Jesus it's smoky and sweet and delicious. Came back for brunch and we overdid it because everything was so good. Very well seasoned and flavorful. The jalapeño pimento cheese grits are amazing. The southern Benedict was so unique and so good. The build your own bowl is an awesome way to get what you're craving after a long night out. The food here is really delicious and incredibly reasonable. There are some great cocktails to get the night going and I highly recommend coming to check it out. I'll be back often and everything I've had was delicious so far. #HomemadeTortillaChips

    Carolina chicken tacos Chicken cordon bleu hammie  Chips and queso
    Roger S.

    Omg the food was amazing! Thanks to the bartender who recommended the Carolina chicken tacos, holy moly they were delicious! The mixer of flavors = yum, not heavy, and went great with the IPAs I had. The wife had the chicken cordon blue Hammie which I had a bite of and it was awesome!l, oh and the chips and queso dip was on point! Great little setup for a date night and a little get away. Definitely added it to our go to places.

    That's all that was left. Sorry!
    Barb S.

    We almost passed by this place and we are so glad we did not! We were here from out of town for a wedding and the drinks were wonderful: in particular, I got the fig and honey old-fashioned and my daughter got the special, "The Elderly". Lol. The food was fabulous. We enjoyed the Saturday brunch and I got the Southern Benedict, my husband got the chicken and waffles, and my daughter, the vegetarian, got the vegan tacos with cheese. Everything was fabulous. My daughter noticed the cake in the window with the espresso butter cream frosting and we couldn't resist sharing a bite. So glad we did! My daughter said she would think about moving here just to eat here.

    Double decker

    My husband and I were looking for a light lunch and drinks for lunch so we stopped here. The food was super delicious and the drinks were made well. I would definitely return here

    Tailgate dip and spinach dip
    Nation H.

    Libations offers an incredible meal and drink experience. The space is lovely, the food fantastic and well priced, and the drinks inventive. I highly recommend checking it out.

    See all

    Photo of Ted G.
    5000
    643
    2565

    9 months ago

    Helpful 8
    Thanks 1
    Love this 9
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Laurie N.
    32
    53
    214

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Marissa M.
    1296
    1442
    5165

    3 years ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Holly K.
    3304
    2009
    7354

    5 years ago

    Helpful 17
    Thanks 0
    Love this 12
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 1

    4 years ago

    Helpful 17
    Thanks 0
    Love this 14
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 10
    Thanks 0
    Love this 11
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Roger S.
    20
    99
    26

    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mike H.
    144
    11
    27

    4 years ago

    It's a great spot to grab a drink with very friendly staff and bar patrons! We had a great time hanging out!

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Tyelor M.
    545
    61
    33

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Paul M.
    0
    10
    12

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Tim P.
    56
    16
    0

    5 years ago

    Awesome food and drinks. The staff/service was incredible. I recommend the brisket melt which was cut into pieces for sharing

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Ask the Community - Libations 317

    Review Highlights - Libations 317

    Chandler and Khalil (sp?) are so nice, welcoming, and Khalil makes amazing drinks that are on point!

    Mentioned in 4 reviews

    Read more highlights

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Wine Bars 751 times last month within 10 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    FOUNDATION

    FOUNDATION

    4.4
    (332 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    This is a whiskey lover's dream and one of Raleigh's most unique drinking destinations. It's quite…read moreliterally underground as it's in a basement. With little signage the space feels like a natural speakeasy. It's unpolished enough to feel a little sleazy, yet polished enough to never feel dirty. In other words, it has character, and plenty of it. The bartenders were fantastic: knowledgeable, talented, and happy to chat about the spirits behind the bar. Whether you're a serious whiskey enthusiast or just looking for a well-made cocktail, you're in good hands. Being open later than most Raleigh bars makes Foundation one of the city's go-to late-night options, but that shouldn't overshadow what it really is........a great bar at any hour. The atmosphere, the drinks, and the people behind the bar make this a place worth seeking out whether it's your first stop of the evening or your last.

    Updating my review: Initially I really liked this bar however I went again on a Friday night and…read morehad a different experience to where I may not return. It was me and one other person and it took about 15 minutes for our waiter to come to our table to take our order or even speak to us (shockingly this same waiter took a couples order sitting at the table next to us even though they arrived way later). We understood that it was slightly busy since it's a Friday night however it would've been better to at least take our order or bring us water in the meantime while also letting us know we had to wait that long. I grew very impatient and ultimately wanted to leave the establishment altogether at this point. Once we got our drinks (I ordered The Middle Child) they were both way too strong to even take a sip. As a cocktail bar, the drinks shouldn't taste like straight rubbing alcohol. I couldn't even finish my drink because it tasted so bad.

    Photos
    South side
    South side
    Foundation old fashioned
    Foundation old fashioned
    Bar

    See all

    Bar
    Bittersweet

    Bittersweet

    4.4
    (482 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    Bittersweet has amazing desserts and drinks. I've been several times and each time I enjoy what…read moreI've had. A solid go-to is their s'mores sundae which is sooo good! The chocolate brownie is thick and rich, but not too sweet, and the marshmallow cream is divine, especially with the ice cream. A lot of their drinks and gin based, which I'm not the biggest fan of, but I always find something I can enjoy. The service is great and relatively quick, and everyone I've met there is kind and willing to help. The inside is a bit small, so smaller crowds are better and it does tend to get crowded later in the evening and on weekends. The outside street sitting area is nice too and hopefully will be fully fixed soon. Overall a great places to stop for drinks and desserts after a nice meal! And the menu rotates seasonally so you'll always have the chance to try something new!

    My wife and I stopped into Bittersweet last night for dessert, and the whole experience was…read moreexcellent. As soon as we walked in, we met Brandon, and he immediately made the night better. We were honestly a little overwhelmed by all the options, but he gave us an extremely thoughtful and knowledgeable walk-through of the menu, helped us narrow down drinks, and absolutely crushed the recommendations. The desserts were great, the drinks were even better, but Brandon was easily the highlight of our experience. He was kind, helpful, sharp, and clearly knew exactly what he was talking about. Five stars all around. We'll definitely be back.

    Photos
    Chai espresso martini
    Chai espresso martini
    Derby Pie and Gin n Tonic
    Derby Pie and Gin n Tonic
    Pecan pie

    See all

    Pecan pie
    Cuya

    Cuya

    4.5
    (28 reviews)
    0.5 mi

    I've driven past Cuya Cafe more times than I can count, and now I'm wondering why it took me so…read morelong to go inside. The vibe? 10/10. The drinks? 10/10. The food? Unlike anything I've had before. And somehow they managed to be stylish, delicious, AND fast. The only thing that took some time was us deciding what to order because there were so many amazing things on the menu! Raleigh, add this one to your list immediately & honestly...this may be the best fried chicken in Raleigh! CUYA Cafe

    This place was absolutely amazing. All I can say is, we made a lot of happy noises while eating,…read moreand there were plenty of "oh my God" moments at the table. From the staff to the manager to the food, everything was on point. The food truly speaks for itself. They serve small plates, which we love because it gives you the chance to try different things and experience a variety of flavors. We started with the fried pork belly on tostones. It was perfectly seasoned, topped with avocado, and every bite just melted in your mouth. Next, we had the tamarind sticky ribs with a tamarind mango barbecue sauce. This was a perfect example of how simplicity can create complex flavors. The ribs were cooked just right -- not completely falling off the bone, but tender enough that when you bit into them, the meat pulled apart so easily. They were juicy, full of flavor, and had just the right touch of spice from the chili flakes. Then we moved on to the mini arepas, and oh my God. They had slow-cooked pork, guava barbecue sauce, and fried papas on top. The arepa itself was crispy on the outside, warm and fluffy on the inside. The savory pork paired with the sweetness of the guava barbecue sauce was incredible, and the crunch from the fried papas took it to another level. Now, I have a bit of a sweet tooth, but my wife does not. I wanted dessert, and we were leaning toward the tres leches, but our waitress highly recommended the bread pudding. I am not usually a fan of bread pudding at all, but her recommendations had been on point all night, so I decided to trust her. I am so glad we did. They take a Mexican bolillo, soak it overnight in tres leches, then pan-sear it to create this crispy caramelized outside while keeping the inside warm, soft, and sweet. It is topped with crema and toasted coconut, then they pour warm guava syrup over it and serve it with a scoop of coconut sorbet. The layers of flavor in that dessert were unreal. Honestly, it may have been the best dessert we have ever had. And remember, my wife is not big on sweets -- she usually only takes one bite of dessert, but this time she tried to eat over half of it. Lol. I highly recommend this place. The food, the service, the drinks, and the atmosphere were all amazing. And after dinner, you can even head upstairs to work off the food with salsa lessons and a dance club. This is definitely a spot worth checking out! Este lugar fue absolutamente increíble. Lo único que puedo decir es que hicimos muchos sonidos de felicidad mientras comíamos, y hubo muchos momentos de "¡Dios mío!" en la mesa. Desde el personal, hasta el gerente, hasta la comida, todo estuvo excelente. La comida realmente habla por sí sola. Sirven platos pequeños, algo que nos encanta porque te da la oportunidad de probar diferentes cosas y experimentar una variedad de sabores. Comenzamos con el pork belly frito sobre tostones. Estaba perfectamente sazonado, cubierto con aguacate, y cada bocado simplemente se derretía en la boca. Después probamos las costillitas pegajosas de tamarindo con una salsa barbecue de tamarindo y mango. Este plato fue un ejemplo perfecto de cómo la simplicidad puede crear sabores complejos. Las costillas estaban cocinadas en su punto: no se caían completamente del hueso, pero estaban tan tiernas que al morderlas, la carne se desprendía fácilmente. Estaban jugosas, llenas de sabor y con el toque perfecto de picante gracias a las hojuelas de chile. Luego pasamos a las mini arepas, y ¡Dios mío! Tenían cerdo cocinado lentamente, salsa barbecue de guayaba y papitas fritas encima. La arepa estaba crujiente por fuera, calientita y esponjosa por dentro. El sabor salado del cerdo combinado con la dulzura de la salsa barbecue de guayaba fue increíble, y el crujiente de las papitas fritas lo llevó a otro nivel. Ahora, a mí me gustan mucho los dulces, pero a mi esposa no tanto. Yo quería pedir postre, y estábamos pensando en el tres leches, pero nuestra mesera nos recomendó mucho el budín de pan. Normalmente no soy fanático del budín de pan, pero sus recomendaciones habían sido excelentes toda la noche, así que decidí confiar en ella. Me alegra muchísimo haberlo hecho. Toman un bolillo mexicano, lo remojan durante la noche en tres leches y luego lo sellan en sartén para crear una capa exterior crujiente y caramelizada, mientras que el interior se mantiene calientito, suave y dulce. Lo sirven con crema y coco tostado, luego le vierten encima un jarabe tibio de guayaba y lo acompañan con una bola de sorbete de coco. Las capas de sabor en ese postre fueron irreales. Honestamente, puede que haya sido el mejor postre que hemos probado en nuestra vida. Y recuerden, mi esposa no es muy amante de los dulces; normalmente solo prueba un bocado del postre, pero esta vez intentó comerse más de la mitad. Jajaja.

    Photos
    Cuya
    Très lèche
    Très lèche
    Seasonal cocktail

    See all

    Seasonal cocktail
    Whiskey Kitchen

    Whiskey Kitchen

    4.0
    (789 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    If bourbon and whiskey choices were a personality trait, The Whiskey Kitchen would definitely have…read morecommitment issues...because the selection is massive. Seriously, if you can't find a pour you like here, you may just need water instead. Started with the biscuits topped with crackling and house-made preserves, and honestly, that combo alone made me question why I don't eat more biscuits in life. Sweet, salty, buttery chaos in the best way. For the main, I went with the pork chop and greens. The chop leaned a little overcooked for me personally, but the sauce helped bring things back together and added good flavor. The greens had a nice little kick of heat, but I kept waiting for that deep smoky ham hock flavor to show up like an old Southern grandma entering the kitchen... and it never quite arrived. Overall though? Still a solid meal, strong whiskey program, cool atmosphere, and definitely worth checking out if you're in Raleigh looking for a bourbon-forward dinner spot. Travelin_Broke approved with a slight side-eye from the greens.

    I like the environment and the wait staff is always phenomenal, however this last time I couldn't…read moreeat my favorite thing on the menu (lamb burger) like so many other they amped the spice up. I originally thought it was the sauce which the waitress voluntarily remade but no the current chef is apparently fallen into the current dining trope of spicy is better to the point. I gave my burger to someone else at the table to eat. That said everyone else enjoyed their meals and as always, no complaints on the drinks but... I won't be the one selecting/suggesting it when we're going out to each going forward.

    Photos
    Whiskey Flights
    Whiskey Flights
    Smoked mozzarella salad with fried chicken
    Smoked mozzarella salad with fried chicken
    The Botanist and Paper Plane

    See all

    The Botanist and Paper Plane

    Libations 317 - wine_bars - Updated July 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...