I accompanied my girlfriend to a surprise birthday party for one of her friends. First warning sign: It was a Saturday night in downtown Durham and maybe 2 people outside of our party were there. Second warning sign: there was only 1 bar tender there and we had a party of nearly 30 in attendance. On top of that, Christian, the bar tender, was snarky and slow to boot. I wish this place would close down so we could have something new downtown. read more

Awesome spot great drinks and food. Pool tables, bocce, and more us locals like to hang here and vibe. Durham is a chill spot to be yourself and meet like minds. read more

Great bar for a group, especially any group where people don't know each other that well, because of all the games you can play on the billiards side. $2/hr for Shuffleboard, $4/hour for bocce ball, can't remember for pool table. Cocktails are outstanding. Food takes a little while to come out, unclear why since it's just hummus and pita. Bartenders are so nice. Suggest arriving around 7:30/8:00 to beat the crowd but this place starts filling up early in the evening and keeps going til pretty late. read more

Good things: generous pours with their wine flights good ambiance neat back art gallery Bad things: flights are pricey and the selection was unimpressive pizzas are terrible tasting and terribly overpriced. I paid $14 for a pizza the size of my hand that was all crust and hardly any toppings (just cheese and mushrooms) The bar staff wasn't very friendly nor helpful, and awkwardly had us pay before we even had our wine or food, kind of hard to decide on a tip at that point. read more

New place in Durham-good for a date night or a night out with a large group. Atmosphere is fantastic....a little upscale for Durham, but definitely worth checking out. read more

The only reason this is not a 5 star is the price. I paid 7 dollars for a pint of belles two hearted. 16oz can not draft. I generally expect 5 or 6 for a draft belles. All splitting hairs aside this place is awesome. It is loud enough to have a good time but quiet enough to chat with friends. Bar tenders were friendly and knowledgeable. Best part of the entire situation is the versatility of fun. They have indoor bocce ball, pool tables, table shuffle board (the kind with the sand...) and a basketball goal. Tons of suff to do when you're out having a drink with friends I will definitely go back and I completely recommend this place. Just knock a dollar off the drinks!!! read more

My co-workers and I made a visit after a difficult day at work late Thursday afternoon. The four of us and a gentlemen at the bar were the only patrons. We settled in downstairs with our glasses, roasted almonds and manchego. It was a nice way to decompress from a challenging day. West End is a lovely stopover from work to your evening plans. read more

Great wine in a cozy area (reasonably priced). The food was just okay though... a tad expensive for the portion size. Got the cheese flatbread and it was meh. I would recommend eating before going here. Will def go back for drinks. read more

I really like their location and their ambiance. I am frequently surprised that this place isn't more crowded. I probably shouldn't write this, because there will probably be a wanted poster-style picture of me hanging behind the bar the next time I go in...but if I were ever to get busy in a bathroom...their upstairs bathroom would be my bathroom of choice. Clean, large, good lighting, and there's never anyone in line! ;o) read more

Came here to relax and chat with my bestie last night. 1st Time. We had a beautiful time. We are both very laid back and don't like crowds at all so PERFECT . Nice music ...good stuff for Durham!!! I'm a Durham-ite so to find this spot was great! read more

I ended up here due to time constraints and the place I originally was going to go seemed to be closed. They seem to have a larger liquor selection than wine. They also have an "Italian meats" pizza. Apparently having more than one wedge of pepperoni on the pizza counts as meats instead of just one type of meat. I know one place to not go back to when I am in Durham. read more

The bar tender was super helpful to my ultra picky partner and was very knowledgable, so that's a positive. When I walk into a "wine bar" I expect an EXTENSIVE wine menu. Not so at this location. There is loads of awesome lounge space and some outdoor seating, but we were incredibly disappointed to discover that the ordering system required us to go to the bar. If I'm up in da club, okay, no biggie, but again, if I walk into a "wine bar" I want to be served in a lounge area if that's where I choose to sit. It was bothersome too that the bartenders and table buser didn't inform us of this when we walked in, so we ended up sitting on a sofa for several minutes wondering WTF. One redeeming factor was the warm hummus! It's a must try. read more

Maybe I'm biased since I had a great night here, but I've added this to my bar short list. It's classy and low key, with an upstairs loft that you can rent out for your private party. Good wine selection, beer on tap, and I'm looking forward to a hot buttered rum next time I'm back. You can gather with your friends on low couches or pull up to the bar. In warmer weather, the front porch is a nice option, but I enjoy the dimly lit interior during the colder months. read more

Easily my favorite wine bar in the city! Great place for a date, a meeting or just hanging out with friends!

Had been a year since our last visit. Nice changes. The food menu seems much better. Still a little pricey, but we will probably be back before the year mark this time. Did feel bad for the bartender. Slow service, but she was the only one working that night. Not sure if they always schedule that way or someone called off? But too much for one person. read more

This was lovely until the end. Food was good and drinks great but at the end of the night the bill was just a Total not an itemized bill!!! NOT Ok! read more

My favorite local. Julian, one of the bartenders, always has a great recommendation and is incredibly nice. The other staff has been great as well. Good selection of wines. Great place to come with a book, on a date, or with friends. read more

If you've been to the West End Wine Bar in Chapel Hill, this will be a disappointment. It's a Starbucks with booze.

A nice place to relax, grab a drink, grab a snack, etc. Good wine selection- bartenders are knowledgable. The bar food is good. Crostini/mozzarella is delicious. If you play pool, their sister establishment, West End Billiards, is next door. We've been to West End several times, and it can be busy, but we've never had an issue with seating. read more

Possibly an ok place, but the two glasses I had did not give me confidence in its wine selection. I am partial to California and the list was dominated by international, particularly French and Italian, so ignorance could also be a factor. Food items were so-so and rather limited in choice. I suppose I might have had higher expectations than what the place was designed to deliver, however I doubt that I will be returning. read more

Great space! Sports to play, sports to watch, and excellent service. Check out the wine bar for an amazing selection of wines and snacks.

Fun beer bar with two large sand bocci ball lanes in the back. 10+ craft beers on tap plus cans and bottles. Nice staff. Dark lighting. Somewhat lively, a bit dead for a Friday night and probably doesn't attract college kids. The adjacent wine bar was quieter and looked upscale. You have to walk through it I guess to find the BIlliards. read more

A nice spot that my husband and I came across while looking for something to do on a Monday night in the summer (read: closed colleges made this city DEAD). The wines were a nice selection and variety of affordable wines, the pourer was just as nice as can be, and the joint was spacious. I was shocked the see a wine bar with no real collection on display, aside from the seven or so unopened bottles standing behind the bar (tsk tsk, they looked like bottles with real corks which, if you know an ounce or two about wine, you know you have to lay the bottles down to keep their corks wet), but it was a nice stop in an otherwise deserted town. One tip I would offer, hang a bigger sign above your door! You can't read it from the street! read more

Cute wine bar in Durham. Everyone is super friendly and the space is open so you can move tables and chairs around to accommodate a large group. The wine selection is fine - not too extensive, and they also have beer and cocktails. The place needs a little re-doing, especially the upstairs. But generally, a good place to come to grab a drink. read more

Came here for happy hour on a friday afternoon, and i was surprised this place was empty as its very nice and cozy and great drink specials, i had a belgian ale and my friend a glass of red wine, we also ordered a pizza and a salad which were both great too. I saw they also have apool table to play. Hoepfully ill get chance to come back and visit here my next time in durham. read more

Visited this past weekend. Solid wine list and nicely priced. You do not have to spend a fortune for a good Cab. Bartender was very knowledgable and lead us to a perfect selection. Also the small bite offers were varied and a little something that should appeal to most. We enjoyed the hummus baked with toasted pita points. I get it.....it's hummus but they prepare it correctly and offer it baked. Nice change from the always refrigerated version. Also had fresh mozzarella slices with pesto sauce, fresh basil leaves and flatbread crackers. Perfect light dinner. Hope to have the opportunity to return. read more

Upscale and refined atmosphere with terrific wine selection and knowledgeable staff. A local favorite spot of mine, can always count on them for a great evening. A great place to relax over good wine and conversation. Prices are reasonable, wine and small plates are very tasty. I really recommend this place. read more

This is a great place to take a date! The atmosphere was comfortable and offered a nice break from the standard dive bars in the area. I love a good, knowledgeable bartender, and this place has just that! John, the wine and beer connoisseur was friendly and offered several different types of wines for me to try. He even paired several wines with the amazing variety of meats and cheeses. Note- I went on a Thursday night, so the crowd was less than 12 people, which could be different than a weekend night. read more

Decent wine selection but my opinion is its overpriced. The atmosphere at west end is great for before or after dinner drinks. However I can't get over expensive decent wine. read more

Julian and Giti (?) made this evening amazing. They were so welcoming and accommodating of attendees. I came with a group of 4 around 1:30 and although they were closing soon they treated us fabulously and were so hospitable. We will definitely come back! read more

Pros: -Lots of seating and types of seating (couches, chairs, barstools, patio seating) -Larger than it seems - loft area upstairs is cozy Cons: -Music was really loud for 6:30 pm on a Monday (couldn't hear people talking) -Very hot inside, especially in the loft -Extremely limited wine options (which is weird... because this is a wine bar.) -Wasn't busy but service was slow and bartender was almost rude/unhappy to see our group read more

My wife and I stopped here for a glass of wine. The bartender was very attentive and let us sample wine to ensure we did not pick one we didn't like. The our door seating was nice. read more

When you ask for a wine list in a wine bar and get told "we have a red or a white" then you know you're being deceived. If you want wine, go somewhere else. Oh, and they don't do age checks either, if you say you're old enough that's ok, they won't check. read more

I think I love this place. Friendly and feels like a neighborhood spot while being big enough to house plenty of billiards tables, table shuffleboard (so fun! $2 to have the table for an hour is totally worth it), and more games, plus friendly staff and a good bottled beer selection. The bar was a little understaffed for a Saturday night and the food menu was more limited than usual (they were out of a number of great looking bar snacks), but the charcuterie we had were tasty. I'll be back soon. Great place for groups, and I'm always a fan of free parking. read more

Okay service. Prices aren't bad. My biggest concern is the parking lot that they share with the Amtrak station on the left side of the building... At night, the parking light is TOO dark. And it stretches far back away from the street. At the back of the lot, it's the darkest. Someone could easily get robbed or abducted back there. I hope those businesses get it together and install lots of more bright lights at the back of that parking lot! read more

This place is great! Great drinks, atmosphere, and location. I wonderful to meet up with friends. The indoor bocce courts are really fun. It is great to have a selection of activities from the Bocce I just stated to the pool tables, table shuffleboard, darts, and the basketball hoop. Also has many TVs so it is also a great place to watch a game. Definately, an A+ bar in the Triangle. read more

Great chill place. Plenty of space fun games and friendly bartenders. Love it! Great well done drinks and a great choice of wines. By far the best setup I have seen in a bar since I was old enough to know what they were. read more

Worst customer service, ok wines but the atmosphere ruins the ambiance. Will not go back. Bartenders are rude.

I've been eager to check this place out since I read a profile on it in Durham Mag, and I have quite a rich history with its counterpart in Chapel Hill. Made it out there last weekend on a Friday evening. It's further down Main Street than I anticipated, which places it in an odd, kind of isolated area. We wound up having to park at the nearby apartment complex, but didn't see any threatening signs posted anywhere, so I don't think it's a problem to do so. There is some outdoor seating which is a nice element, but would be nicer if the view or atmosphere was perkier. The inside is two stories, and much smaller than I'd imagined, but does have a really cool cellar area. (Again, frequent visits to CH's Wine Bar are probably deluding my objectivity here!) Menu is laid out similar to CH with varietals, whites, reds, and an "unusual and interesting" category, plus flight selections. In the way of food, your option is essentially pizza -- and overpriced, at that. An interesting array of chocolate truffles are offered at $3 a pop (would have loved to try, but got the disapproving raised eyebrow from my dear fiance). We were in attendance for a book party, so that probably clouded the true demographic a bit. I think there were only two couples there aside from the party, so I wonder if it's typically that quiet. I confess I never made it upstairs -- the crowd was blocking the way and I felt it would be antisocial to retreat that way even for a sneak peek! I do hope this holds its own though, as downtown Durham needs a staple wine bar. read more

The BEST bar in Durham. Period. Nothing compares. The atmosphere, the people, the bartenders (Julian + Breez!). The energy aligns in all aspects of what Durham truly is. Eclectic but beautiful at the same time. The people make this place a vibe! Love it and love the business intricacies that has brought people together. A true representation of Durhams finest. Long live West End ! read more