It was our first time here and we had a fabulous time. Waitress was amazing, beer on tap ice cold and wings perfectly cooked and yummy. It was a shag St. Patrick's Day party and it was so fun. We will definitely return. read more

The Blue Note Grill - 8 Wings- so yummy - American Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

It's super weird attending a concert seated at a dinner table. We were happy that a band we really like played there but it was so strange sitting through the music especially in such tight quarters. Definitely don't order their brisket. IDK what that was but it was not any brisket that this Oklahoma girl had ever experienced. My husband loved their burger though. I tried to order an appetizer, they said they were out of it. I think the bar needs at least one more bartender. I went to order a drink and the bartender never acknowledged me. She was super focused on making drink orders that were brought in by the servers. I did not know we were supposed to order a drink from a server because I was there for a long time before I saw a server. Once I realized I had to order a drink through a server I was able to order a drink and it came in a decent amount of time. I tried to order a beer, they said they were out of it. Really enjoyed their Old Fashioned. I'd go back if a band I really love came through. read more

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Good dive bar feel. Seems to always have live music. I would come back with a group of guy friends again. I'm currently here on a Friday night at 6:30 and there's not many people but maybe later in the night when the music starts at 7:30 It gets more lively. read more

The Blue Note Grill - American Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Visited on a Wednesday evening. Brett Chambers Open Mic was featured. Band was strong possessed what appeared to be large repertoire songs. Music was mainly R&B classics. Open mic singers were quite good. Food was terrific and wait staff were fantastic. I had the fried catfish, chili, and coleslaw. All the dishes were fresh and perfectly cooked. Only blip was the sound engineer on several songs had mics/sound system too loud for the small venue. I really enjoyed the overall experience. read more

a great spot for a bbq dinner! they had a live folk band playing when we went and it was really cute and wholesome. people got up and danced too!! the food was yummy and the vibes were vibing~ the broccoli side was unironically my favorite. they only offered it since they ran out of green beans. but it was buttered perfectly and not overcooked! the hush puppies were also delish. it was my first time trying it and I was very pleasantly surprised :) read more

The Blue Note Grill - Pulled Chx Plate, Collards, broccoli - American Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Went to the Blue Note Grill to see a band we like (Reverend Paytons Big Dam Band). The place is pretty small with a bar and maybe a dozen tables tightly squeezed in an area right in front of the stage. To buy tickets to the show we had to pick seats at a table and purchase those seats. It was kind of strange watching a band while seated at tightly spaced dinning tables. The staff was friendly and attentive. Thier is a small menu that boast typical bar fair with some bbq options. I had a burger and fries that came out rather fast. The burger was delicious and the fries were on point. All in all it was a fun night and I would go again. read more

Food was fine, sides acceptable, service quick. Overall average but not exciting, a fair three-star review. read more

The Blue Note Grill - American Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

I was astounded by the extreme high quality of the local amateur talent during my recent visit to the Blue Note Grill's Wednesday Night Open Mic. The backing band is very professional, and they can play any song you might want to sing. What a treasure this venue is! read more

** Long Post Alert** As a Durham native, this was my first time to the Blue Note Grill. I have always seen it so busy and thought that I would try a local restaurant with my family. Well last Wednesday, I see that all of the hype must be for the open mics and live music, because it sure can't be about the food. In all honesty this was the saddest dinner I have had in a very long time. Because we did not want to attend open mic we sat in the dinning room which was great, but our table was dirty. We ended up ordering the cheesesteak egg rolls (3/5) and deviled eggs (3/5) for appetizers. The eggs were okay, however it was disappointing that there was no cheesesteak in the egg rolls, but instead chunky hamburger meat. As an entree we ordered shrimp po boy (2/5), shrimp basket (2/5), and I the pulled chicken plate with baked beans and mac & cheese. It took about 15 minutes for the food to come out and I was disappointed. My pulled chicken did not look like the pictures or pulled chicken. Instead it was chicken rib meat. After our waitress explained they had mad changes recently, I sent it back and got the pulled pork bbq sandwich instead. The shrimp on the po boy and in the basket barely had flavor. Not to mention the breading kept falling off the shrimp. For this to be a bbq joint my pulled pork didn't taste like it was made with love. It barely had any smoke flavor, it was a little on the dry side and my cole slaw was heavy on the celery seed. The cole slaw in the shrimp basket on the other hand was not edible at all. We won't even talk about the hushpuppies. The only thing we enjoyed was the french fries. The quality of the food needs to be way better. read more

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For lunch, we went in search of BBQ and found @bluenotedurhsm on @yelp. We were sad we could not go back for live music, but the BBQ was outstanding! Our server was super sweet and chatted with us about the different dishes. We ordered: Pimento Cheese Dip - came out hot and served with tortillas Half Rack BBQ Ribs with Cole Slaw and hush puppies - meat fell off the bone, I would skip the hush puppies next time Rib Sandwich on a brioche bun and Mac & Cheese - all delicious, especially with the vinegar based bbq sauce added! read more

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The food is HORRIBLE! The drinks are USELESS (not potent). I frequented this place during COVID because it was the only bar open during the week. NOW, I wouldn't waste my money there. read more

The food, the service, the staff...always amazing! ...and then comes the music-the best in local, regional, and national talent. read more

We enjoyed our time at The Blue Note Grill in downtown Durham. I think the food is three stars (okay), but the live music, laid-back atmosphere, and friendliness of both the staff and the patrons bumps this business up to four stars (good) for me. Barbecue, ribs, and music succinctly sums this place up. We ended up here because we were looking for a barbecue restaurant in Durham that was open for dinner on a Wednesday night after 8:00pm. There weren't many options. We didn't know about the live music aspect of The Blue Note Grill until we arrived. This place is popular. We showed up and checked in around 6:45pm. They don't take reservations. We were told the wait would be about 30 minutes and I was given a pager. The estimated wait time was pretty much spot-on as we were seated around 7:15pm. On a Wednesday night, we were told the main indoor dining room and bar - the one with the stage and live music - was full. If we wanted to sit in there, there would be a $5 cover charge per person. Our other options were the fully-enclosed patio and the open-air patio. I asked if I could see all three options before making a decision and one of the staff obliged. I ended up choosing the open-air patio for our small group of three because: (1) We wanted to catch up and the music was too loud inside. Sitting inside is for those who primarily want to enjoy the music. (2) The enclosed patio was actually warmer and stuffier than the open-air patio. We ended up liking the open-air patio, even though we had to deal with flies and mosquito bites, because we could hear each other easily and still enjoy the live music coming from the inside. The patio was decorated with plants and string lights. It had picnic tables, most of which were covered by umbrellas. We got the only table that was under a canopy. By the way, I also noticed another indoor dining room called the "Rib Room." It's to your right upon entering. There was no one in there and it appeared to be closed. Maybe they didn't have enough staff to open that room. The night of our visit, it was "Brett's Open Mic," 7-10pm. "Brett" being Brett Chambers, who's been doing Open Mics since September 1996. Go to https://www.thebluenotegrill.com/events to see all upcoming events. According to The Blue Note Grill's website, they've been around since 2010 and moved to their current location at 709 Washington St in June 2015. They have live music nightly, Tuesday-Saturday. They're closed Sunday and Monday. The business is located on the northern edges of Durham's Central Park and Warehouse District neighborhoods. The building is old. Free parking is located next to and behind the building by an old wooden train trestle bridge and some defunct oil tanks. I'm not sure what was here before. Be careful pulling into and out of the parking lot because the ramp from the street was very steep. Sitting on the patio, we heard many cars hit and scrape the curb/driveway. The ramp needs to be redone/regraded. Along with barbecue, The Blue Note Grill serves burgers, sandwiches, chili, Brunswick stew, wings, barbecue/Southern sides, appetizers like crispy pickle fries and deviled eggs, and desserts like banana pudding and chocolate lava cake. Here's what we got: * Redneck Cheese Fries ($9.99) with Pickled Jalapenos (+$1.00) - French fries smothered with melted housemade pimento cheese, served with ranch dressing * Alaska Wild Wings ($9.99) - eight fried pollock bites with sweet red chili sauce and tartar sauce * Baby Back Ribs Full Rack ($31.99) with hush puppies, fried okra, and housemade coleslaw * Baby Back Ribs Half Rack ($19.99) with hush puppies, substitute salad (+$2.00), and fried okra * Pulled Pork BBQ Plate ($13.99) with hush puppies, collards, and green beans sauteed in bacon and onions Overall, I thought the food was fine. Nothing stood out as either great or bad. My wife enjoyed the Redneck Cheese Fries more than I did. The ranch dressing was a nice touch. I liked the Alaska Wild Wings. They were crispy and boneless. They also came with celery and carrot sticks. The Baby Back Ribs were a bit too tough and chewy. However, the portion size was generous. The Pulled Pork was OK. In general, I think it and the sides lacked a bit of seasoning and flavor. The salad was fresh and came with onion, cheese, tomatoes, and carrots. The fried okra was yummy. The condiment basket included two kinds of barbecue sauces, Eastern NC (thinner, more vinegary) and Western NC (thicker, sweeter). Our server Kai S was great. He was funny and did a nice job. The other staff was great as well, including the hostess/manager. Despite a busy night, all of our food came out fast. There was a scan-QR-code-to-pay option on the receipt. I usually prefer this over using my physical card, but The Blue Note Grill uses Heartland Payment Systems who makes you download/install their app, sign up, and then pay. I didn't have time for that and paid with card instead. From a guest experience, Toast is better. read more

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Great food and service. Gravy Boys are exceptional band. Travel from Tennessee for the show and will br back next time.

A Durham treasure! I've been to the Blue Note Grill over the years and the service and food are always excellent. Portions are generous. Live music in the evenings makes for an enjoyable night out. Even if you don't dance, it's fun seeing other people breaking a move and having a good time! read more

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Food and service is great. Don't leave without saving room for the bread pudding. Nothing around like it!

Great food. The cow jumped over the moon with onion and fig jam and melting Brie. Cole slaw yum. My husband had pulled pork and hush puppies. Definitely coming back, you're on our list !!! read more

After a 3.5 hour drive from Virginia, I met my family at the Blue Note for some live music. I got the last seat at the end of the bar and it took literally ten minutes to get any bar service. I know it was a music night and the bat staff was busy, but it would've been nice to hear from the staff that they would be right with me and they were sorry for the wait. I did get a beer and a pulled chicken platter. the meat game in one of those small paper trays. It was pretty good flavor, very mild smoke. I needed some of their sauce for more flavor. Pretty good tomato based sauce, I'm not too much into the Carolina vinegar. read more

The Blue Note Grill - Pulled chicken platter - American Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Would definitely come back. The ribs were fall off the bone, great flavor, with just a hint of heat. Service was as friendly as you could imagine. The place has live music at times, which would have been awesome had they had it. Highly recommend. read more

The Blue Note Grill - Picture doesn't do it justice. Full rack of ribs -- fall off the bone incredible. - American Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Blue Note was such a good lunch spot; I'm so glad we decided to wander from the center of the city to try it. I am no stranger to North Carolina barbecue, and it's always great being back down south because the BBQ in NY is average at best and unrecognizable at worst. The ribs at this place are out of this world. Fall-off-the-bone. Some of the best ribs we've had in a REALLY long time. I loved the Mac n cheese to help break up all the meat, and the little personal-sized bread pudding dessert was so cute and delicious. Their hush puppies were so good too - very flavorful, no sauce needed! The wings were just alright. Nothing wrong with them, but nothing to write home about, either. I'd skip these and get more ribs next time. Service was great- our waitress was really nice and helpful with her suggestions. If I lived in the area, this would, without a doubt, be part of my regular rotation. read more

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I never give poor reviews, especially when the food is really good. But just like with any experience poor service can ruin a meal. We arrive on a Saturday evening with music scheduled in the music hall. We opted for we thought would be a quick dinner on the patio sans music and cover charge. We were seated rather quickly in light of the fact that the host was dealing with a large party. We were seated on the patio and there we sat for over 10 min with no server, no water, no nothing. Servers did come and go from the patio but none of them even gave us a second glance. I finally had to go back to the host area and ask to be served and again waited 5 min for someone to take our orders with not even an apology. Once our order was taken drinks were slow to arrive; apps and entrees were faster; hot and tasty. Cocktail (southern peach) was good but they were out of my husband's favorite beer. read more

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We came here since it had a patio and we could bring the dog. I think if we had a different waitress the experience would have been better. It seemed like she just didn't want to be there and really didn't like being a server either. Otherwise I definitely would come back the inside was cozy and they were setting up for what looked like a good blues band. Next time definitely won't bring the pup and will go inside as well. We ordered two appetizers - the brisket street tacos and the Alaskan wild wings which was fried haddock- waitress didn't ask us what sauce we wanted and only brought tartar sauce. The food was actually decent portions for appetizers. We were going to order a entree but the waitress asked if we wanted dessert instead and we definitely were not up for that either. The food was cooked well and tasted good! We ordered the Mexicali drink which was ok I definitely could have used spicier and not tajin sticking to the rim but it was still good. Also next time I'll order a different tequila since the one tasted too much like cucumber. Hubs ordered Hoppium and it was good and in a nice cold glass too which is key! read more

The Blue Note Grill - Alaskan wild wings - American Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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The dining experience is causal, you have indoors and outdoor sitting options. The service was a bit slow and not very attentive in the outdoor area so we made sure to get everything in just one order. The ribs were well seasoned and tender, I would add our batch had a lot of fat but still delicious. Complementing the ribs were the hush puppies, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, providing the perfect textural contrast. The Mac and Cheese is a comforting classic, while the refreshing cold slaw adds a zesty, crunchy element to the meal. We also tried the shredded chicken sandwich which offered a blend of savory and smoky flavors, the sandwich we chose did not come with sauces so you can choose the options available at the table. Whether you're a barbecue enthusiast or a comfort food lover, the menu offers a symphony of tastes that will have you coming back for more. read more

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We visited for my husband's birthday. We were pleasantly surprised when we found out they had live music last night. My husband loves Willie and they had a Willie N. cover band that was very talented. Dinner: The food was deliciously smokey in a wonderful way. We had pulled pork plates with the best Brunswick stew I've ever had. Flavorful meat and spicy tomato. Additionally, the wing appetizer was like none I have had before. Perfectly crispy and tender wings with delicate, flavorful slighty spicy seasoning that did not mask the smokiness of something slow cooked. The atmosphere was fun and lively! Great wine list. Yes, I had a French rose with my pulled pork. Run, don't walk to check out this spot. read more

The Blue Note Grill - Pulled pork, Brunswick stew, fried okra and hushpuppies. - American Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

The sandwich and lunch platter was very good. The atmosphere was excellent and the service was good. We'll go back when the music is playing. read more

Amazing food, fantastic service, and fantastic live music! Not to be missed, you'll love it...

I am a 67 year old woman who went to have dinner and see the live music. I got there well before the music started. I'd ordered and finished my food and was continuing to enjoy the show when out of nowhere, an hour after I'd sat down, the hostess shows up with a couple of strangers and seats them across from me in my booth! Didn't say a word, much less ask, much less apologize. I cannot tell you how outraged I was that the hostess, who could have sat this COUPLE with other COUPLES, decided to pick the one old woman who was there by herself and impose these strangers on her. But OK. I figured this was "family seating" and no one told me. So two weeks later I went back. The music was already playing. The rude snippy host TOLD me I would sit at the bar (and pay the cover charge). I said no, I wanted to be seated in someone's booth. He TOLD me I would sit in a private room with one family, two tables, and lots of noisy kids. I said no, I wanted to be seated in someone's booth. See if you can guess whether that happened. So how come a young couple gets to roll in whenever and sit wherever, while the old woman is shoved aside? Guess Blue Note isn't all that devoted to DEI!! read more

Food: I got the Brunswick Stew for $7.99 which came with three hush puppies. The stew came with option of a salad, I assume at extra cost. The stew by itself is more of the size of a side. I got it because it was one of the cheapest and heartier items on the menu. The taste didn't disappoint as it had a tangy Worcestershire meets beer (?) flavor which was a nice complement to the shredded beef. To me it was enough to chew on for a while as I listened to music. The hush puppies were crispy and had like a buttery, onion flavor. Decent but if you don't particularly like hush puppies this won't make you a convert. Seating: Arrived on Friday night around 6pm shortly after the live band Duke Street Dogs started playing. Most indoor large tables were already seated, but the bar and two person tables were empty. They quickly filled up though. The outer expansion patio area seemed empty but took in the extra people. I was there at a small table for an hour and I don't think even one person seated inside left. A reason could be Friday is no extra cover charge to hear the music, where other days it might be $5 or $10 depending on the musician. There are no reservations so if you have a large party definitely get there early. Music: I had checked out the Duke Street Dogs beforehand with YouTube videos. They are older gents on guitar, banjo (?), cello and keyboard. They had a great sound, seemed happy to be there, and were in tune with each other musically allowing solos. I would have stayed to listen to their whole set, but a privileged white lady wanted my table and mentioned to me she was a waiting ten minutes for it. My server was patient but I did feel pressure from the people waiting to get going. Service: My waitress was friendly, a nice middle age lady. I appreciated her kindness as I don't regularly go to restaurants and was unsure of myself. But other servers seemed just ok. Overall: I liked the vibes of the band. It was generally an older crowd which makes me think this restaurant is a neighborhood staple. Some people danced. I would go again as people seem to like the food. But I probably would just sit at the bar next time as I prefer taking my time enjoying music than being bothered about who is next in line waiting. I don't know if food is served at the bar though as I only saw drinks. read more

The Blue Note Grill - Brunswick Stew with hush puppies - American Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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TRY THE BRUNSWICK STEW!!!! My husband and I stopped in for a drink and stayed for the dinner and the music! Great service at the bar, excellent meats, and phenomenal music! My only complaint was the sides. We tried several and not all were equally amazing. That said, I tried Brunswick stew for the first time and LOVED IT! I highly recommend this place if you're looking for a good time on the weekend! read more

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Wings were amazing smoked to perfection and tossed is sauce of choice. Really good creamy Mac and cheese and burger was great with the Swiss cheese and grilled onions read more

I was looking forward to visiting The Blue Note Grill with my wife and children and had visions of listening to some great jazz considering the joint is named after Blue Note Records, an American jazz record label. Instead, it was open-mic night for some of the "regulars" who participate weekly in this event. There were some really good performances and I enjoyed watching as groups of folks got up and danced between the stage and the dinner tables. It was a little crowded if you were sitting up front. But the rest of the placed is organized well. Overall, I think there was plenty of room to move around. So, I disagree with those comments above and below. I was disappointed in the food thinking I was going to eat some quality "Q-Shackish" barbecue. It was not bad food, it just didn't knock my socks off. I will return to The Blue Note Grill to listen to a scheduled jazz band rather than open-mic night. Maybe by then the kitchen can get a few tips from Q-Shack and deliver some tasty brisket. read more

If this is a thing, I identify as a Bluesoholic! What a pleasant find. This place is a must, if you love the Blues. I kept it simple and had a patty melt and a coke. They had a full bar for those who enjoy good vibes and spirits. The music was superb. I wandered in on a night of local talent. The energy was high, with dance filled floor and talent that was second to none. I will definitely be back! read more

Excellent good food, service was great, music was very enjoyable . I've never been disappointed coming here.

We were warmly greeted by the host and seated quickly. Our server, Lilly, was friendly and helpful. Our food was fantastic! We had wings and pimento cheese dip as appetizers, and the BNG salad with grilled chicken plus the rib sandwich - so good! Our friends had the Mac and cheese and raved about it. The cover charge was only $10 and the band was top-notch! We loved seeing the regulars dancing and ended up dancing a little ourselves. This is such a cool place with lots of locals and everyone seemed so happy to be there. Definitely recommend getting there an hour before performance time as tables filled up pretty quickly. Definitely recommend! read more

Great food and great service! A big bar, outdoor seating, music - what more do you want? Highly recommended!

Best Ruben sandwich I've ever had. Best ribs in town! Excellent service & the music was wonderful.

Great music, pulled pork & atmosphere. Friendly locals having a blast! My favorite place to grab a beer, ear some que & listen to fantastic live music. Tuesday's open mic is amazing! read more

I stopped in around 5:45 p.m. to an empty bar restaurant with less than 3 people. The host told me to wait because she was busy doing something. She didn't even smile or greet me. I had a feeling this was not going to go well. I stood for almost 5 minutes​ before she took me to my seat, a standing table next to the bar. I received a menu and knew what I want. I waited for​ a good 8-10 to order my food. After ordering my food, it took an additional 20-25 minutes to receive my 3-bone rib and fries. The ribs were good but mediocre​. It tasted more like baked ribs. The fries were crispy but nothing special. I then waited an additional 10-15 minutes to receive my check. By this time, there were a lot more people. Overall, not sure if I​ would stop here again. It didn't feel inviting. read more

The ribs were top tier. Service top tier. The collard greens were bland and the baked beans tasted like Campbell's baked beans. The live music made the whole experience worth while. read more

Very good bbq and ambiance! Came for lunch and had the pulled pork plate. The pork was tender, hush puppies were great, good coleslaw, and fried okra in rounds. The baked beans were a little sweet for me. But the fried pickles were excellent. Great prices and service too! read more

The Blue Note Grill - Pulled pork plate - American Near Me - Durham, North Carolina