The staff at the entrance are enthusiastic and welcoming. The bartender wasn't as enthusiastic but overall polite. The bartender could've seemed happier to be at work and suggested cocktail options when I asked and shared it was my first time. The cocktail wasn't memorable. It was watered down at best. I guess the hype here is the staff at the entrance and the aesthetics inside. The Ark is beautiful inside and it wasn't busy at all on a weeknight. I enjoyed having unlimited seating options. The seating here was cozy and comfortable for a date night or a girl's catch-up evening. read more

The Ark Royal - Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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I love this tiki bar! Such a neat addition to Glenwood South. The interior has an awesome tropical vibe and they also have a great patio. Even though the patio is in the parking lot, they really made it a neat little enclave. The One Love is my favorite cocktail. I really haven't ordered anything else in the three times I've visited. It's just so good. I've tried my husbands pain killer which was tasty, but that One Love is just so good. The slight cacao finish against the pineapple and lime, yum! I also love how beautiful each cocktail is. Yes, they are pricey, but you are literally getting small works of art. Parking can be tricky on Glenwood South, but the Ark is literally in a parking lot. You have to pay for parking but it's super reasonable. You can usually find a spot within that parking lot or if you follow the lot around to the back to the second section of the lot. read more

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Had an enjoyable time at the Ark - got a spicy Rita and enjoyed cocktails in the private tiki room beside the bar. Very cool vibe in here, our bartender was friendly and was the one who pointed out the private room for us since it was near empty (and early). read more

The Ark Royal - Bar area - Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Really cool spot Great drinks Nice vibe , like the little private room in the back.......... read more

Tucked away just off of Glenwood Avenue you will find one of your favorite staycation getaways around Raleigh. The Ark Royal is a unique, cool Tiki Bar that hosts events and provides the perfect backdrop for your girl's night out, birthday party, date night, and more. Unique drinks and located close to other bars and restaurants in the area. Check it out! read more

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Amazing addition to downtown! Very welcoming vibes and awesome hospitality. The drinks are delicious and creative; the bartenders obviously put care in their drinks! The ambiance is fanatic - truly a great bar with tiki vibes. It's a little hidden off the side street, but spotting the purple and green colors is a clear indicator you're heading in the right direction. There's an awesome patio with fire pits. The gentleman at the door helped light the fire pit for us just as we sat down. Truly an awesome place for good drinks and vibes. read more

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One of my favorite stops during my Raleigh visit! The Ark Royal is a new tiki bar tucked away from the party strip that is Glenwood. As an out of towner who only had a few days to take in the city, Ark Royal delivered the perfect Friday night vibe. Despite being new, it wasn't overly crowded and we were able to spend our time surveying the drink menu and even scored a seat. Sometimes, I think tiki themes can be a bit too forced, but they executed it perfectly here - from the decor, to the furniture, to the drinks. I had a few of their signature frozen cocktails (Belafonte No. 1) and it was a beautiful sky blue coconut-based drink, garnished with a fresh flower or pineapple leaf. In fact, I could have one right now. Everything went so smoothly, I would have never known they just opened. If you're wondering about the crowd, it seemed a bit more mature to me than the other bars we passed by. read more

The Ark Royal - Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

This new tiki bar was fun. My friend and I stopped in to grab a cocktail, it was the Saturn for me and the Gin Riki Tiki for her. The drinks were good and I liked the vibe and decor. It just started to get a little too busy and loud closer to 5PM so we left after our first round. read more

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I LOVE this new, modern tiki lounge in downtown Raleigh! I am a huge fan of Watts and Ward, so it was exciting to see the owner's new exotic cocktail lounge come to life. The location is great because it's slightly tucked away from the craziness of Glenwood itself. I stopped by on a busy Friday night but to my delight, there weren't too many people in this bar when I arrived around 11:00 PM. It was still lively but not too crowded like some other bars can be. My friend and I tried out their frozen cocktail, the Belafonte No. 1, which was super tasty, made with Tito's Vodka, Rumhaven coconut rum, blue curacao, coconut cream, and pineapple. I also asked the bartender for his favorite drink, so I tried the Jamaican Planters Punch. This drink is made with their Ark rum blend, demerara, and allspice. The drink menu leans heavily toward rum-forward drinks (obviously, it's a tiki bar), but there are a lot of options to choose from including beers, ciders, sake, wine, and bubbles. Overall, I'm a fan. Bartenders and security were friendly and cool. Bathrooms were clean. Music was good and loud, but not too loud. This place passes the vibe check for sure. They are open Wednesdays through Sundays from 4 PM - 2 AM. I'm excited to bring more of my friends here and to try more drinks off their menu soon! read more

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We LOVE an over-the-top tiki bar experience! The Ark Royal is a lively, yet intimate tiki bar with playful light fixtures and quirky decor. There's indoor and outdoor seating, and heat lamps are available outside for chilly nights. The cocktails are your classic island drink fare: think mai tai, daiquiri, spicy margarita and painkiller. They also offer beer, cider, wine and sake. Nearby street parking is available, as well as a small lot. read more

Cute secluded tiki bar off of Glenwood Ave. I love the decor and decorative drink options. The bartender let my friend switch out her drink when she did not like the first one she tried so that was nice. Drinks range from $11-13 which isn't bad because they're a good size and super cute. Our favorite was the Belafonte but I also tried the jungle bird. A good amount of indoor seating and limited outdoor seating. Hopefully in the future they offer snacks or bar bites. read more

I was pleased to see a tiki bar so close to where I live! My family doesn't love a bunch of frills with their drinks but I was able to persuade them to stop in with me before dinner one night. We were the only ones there at the time which was a plus since we are a larger group. The decor was very cute and boho and the drinks were great! To my surprise, my family really enjoyed it too! I can't wait to come back for another drink when I'm in the area. read more

The Ark Royal - Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

With bars and pubs opening up, Glenwood South might seem a little overwhelming. You haven't been able to travel and you're dying to see and feel the South Pacific. Well have I got the place for you. If you want a relaxed vibe and a damn good drink then I recommend "Arc Royal" on Glenwood South. If you dare to step off the main strip behind the Creamery you'll find this little nook of paradise. Darius makes damn good drinks, and Will runs a tight ship. I recommend the "Jaguar shark NO 2". If you search hard enough you just might find the "King" hanging out in a little corner. Even the champagne pops when no one's looking. Put on your Hawaiian shirt and get ready to explain what a reel to reel tape player is. Paradise is waiting. read more

The Ark Royal - The "King" - Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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The Ark Royal Tiki Bar has authentic tiki drinks that are delicious, unique decor & lighting, and an outdoor patio with fire pits. I loved the atmosphere here and everyone was extremely nice. The drinks were amazing and I will definitely be coming back! read more

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This is one if the most chic bars I've ever been to! The decor is just lovely and there was live music when I went! The bartenders are seriously mixologists and each cocktail is made with such craft and talent! A great overall vibe! read more

The Ark Royal - Saturn - Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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This is a newly opened and really great place to enjoy drinks with friends! This is the best tiki bar so far that I have been to. The bar ambience and vibe is absolutely amazing. The place might get crowded very quickly on weekends so don't wait if you find a seat anywhere to enjoy your drinks in their boho set-up read more

The Ark Royal - Bar - Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Overall pretty good first time experience! I ordered the zombie and I'd recommend it. I loved the outside patio area with the fire. Place was really cute with a chill vibe. Perfect spot to grab a drink and hang out with friends. I only rated it 4 stars because the drinks my friends ordered were decent but could've been better! read more

The Ark Royal - The zombie drink. I'd recommend ordering - Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

The manager here is pathetic. We bought tickets to this stupid event tonight and my girlfriend has food poisoning so we can't come - the manager flat out refused to refund us. Pathetic. The venue is small, service is terrible, and the drinks are overpriced. Go to a gas station for a better spot. read more

Great service! Ask for Ben behind the bar. Chill vibe, cool drinks, good parking. Will be coming back for the Jungle bird

What can I say about The Ark Royal that hasn't already been said... Do they have drinks? YES! Do they have Tiki? HECK YES! How's the Ambiance? Let's just say they practically invented the word. A gr8 night has never not started with a Riki Tiki and a sick beat. I give this place 5 stars and a pair of heart eyes. read more

The Ark Royal - Heart eyes with drink - Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

New management is something else. Will and the old crew provided better service and atmosphere. Place is empty, DJ is unnecessarily loud for the 2-3 people in the building. read more

I found this place through my Yelp search and so glad I did. My husband and I ventured out for some drinks last night and it was a great time. The decor, music, and ambience is very unique. The theme is matched from every aspect and it creates such a vibe. My husband said the restroom even smelled good. Ahaha! I mean if you truly allowed your imagination come into play and used your five senses only, you'd think you were on a trip somewhere! I ordered the Painkiller and imagined I was on an island lol! My husband ordered drinks (can't recall what they were named) and he stated they were great. We also had mermaid shots...yummy!! It was such a great experience we are stopping by again today. read more

Such a cool concept from the owner of Watts and Ward. Truly the most unique bar on Glenwood. Stop in and experience a trip to the islands from the comfort of this classy modern tiki bar experience. read more

The Ark Royal - Bartender mixing up some magic - Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Never a bad experience here. The cocktails are unique + tasty while the atmosphere is refreshing. A nice place to unwind in the afternoon or exciting spot to hit at night. read more

The best tiki drinks EVER and the largest selection of rums from which to make them. Wonderfully attentive and friendly bartenders. Steven was terrific and they are all so skilled. However, these over-the-top crafted cocktails come at a cost. ($$$ gulp). Hopefully you can enjoy enough drinks so that you can dull yourself to the tab. Oh... and the music! Even if you don't remember the 60's, you'll have a hard time sitting still. Certainly a place to go for fun. read more

Just started going here. Drinks are good and staff friendly. The best is we lost something there one night. The staff found it and held it for us. Thanks Ark Royal read more

Too bad they had to close. I had just discovered the place. Glad I was able to experience their last night being open. Wish I knew it was there last night open. read more

Omg this place is so cool... we just stumbled upon it tonight and it has the best vibes and music! Literally so cool

Great music and drinks. It is a little hard to find because it's hidden behind another restaurant but once you find it the atmosphere there is definitely amazing. Would definitely recommend going there! read more

This place is a hidden gem. Great drinks reasonable prices. They have indoor and outdoor area. Very Instagramable and a perfect for groups.