Really great vibe here. Rooftop seating overlooking Durham. Cool industrial-type architecture…read moreDurham is known for. Hard to find because it's on a weird side street sandwiched between some major streets. If you look up for people on the roof you'll find it and can take the stairs or elevator up in the lobby. I'd definitely like to go back. There were good drink and food selections and the service was good. I got the cheese plate, olives and hot girl summer drink.

Stopped by the Velvet Hippo while out in downtown Durham. When you arrive parking can be a bit…read moretricky in this area as you'll need to find street parking or park in a nearby lot. When you walk in you'll need to either take the elevator or stairs up to the third floor. Once inside the bar you'll feel like you've been transported to an upscale, tropical bar. To order you'll need to walk up to the bar to place your order. I ordered the Hot Girl Summer (Olmeca Altos Reposado, fresh watermelon, Gran Gala orange liqueur, house-made habanero syrup, lime, salt half rim) which was so good. I also ordered a cheetahs do it in the dark (Astral Añejo tequila, Licor 43, Caffè Borghetti liqueur, espresso, orange twist) which was also excellent. I'd recommend walking out to the rooftop if it isn't too hot. There are several tables and the views of the city are nice. Definitely will come back to the velvet hippo next time I'm in Durham.

Best cocktails ever !!! I will be back!! Wish we had this in Mebane :) The manhattan was perfectread more

Came here for lunch on a Sunday. Did a flight and had some lunch. The staff were nice. Not many…read morepeople in there. Nice location and nice bar. Plenty of seating. The apple flavor whiskey was not good. Too syrupy and the peach flavor is insanely sweet; may be good in a mixed drink. The sweet potato was good. I could sip that easily. For food I had deviled eggs and brisket nachos. The deviled eggs weren't that good. The nachos tasted good and a nice portion. Though it's not bad, it also wasn't good. Glad I tried it off my list, but won't be back.

We visited Kingfisher for drinks and had an amazing time. I should have taken more pictures. I…read moreloved the contemporary spooky ambiance that was set for Halloween. The cob web decor sets this place apart from other bars in the area and made it feel like we were in a spiders den. I loved it! My Vampires kiss was delicious!

Another disappointing stop on our GNO. I had been looking forward to this speakeasy vibe with…read moreinventive drinks...but ugh. We got here at 8pm and wanted to sit outside but they told us there was no service out there since it could start raining at any time. It was not busy at all so we went back in and got seated in an admittedly very cool round velvet sofa. All of the decor (that you could see) was really fun and I liked it a lot. However, it was extremely dark inside and it made me wonder exactly what they were trying to hide. Nina was out server and she was really fun. We ordered a round from her and waited. And waited. She finally returned TWENTY MINUTES later with our drinks. By that time we asked for our check because that was ridiculous. I had a Paloma and it was disgusting. Bottom shelf tequila. And then we got the bill...I knew from yelp that we were going to have automatic gratuity but it was $70 for 4 drinks. SEVENTY. Do they do automatic gratuity because it takes them 20 minutes to make some drinks? Yeah, I'm not coming back here.

As a first time visitor, the ambience was a whole vibe. I enjoyed the music, seating, service, and…read moreexperience. The bartender made a special drink for my mother and me. We are pleased and will return again. Thumbs up for me. The lounge was not smoky or loud. The location is convenient, and is central to downtown stores and restaurants in Durham, NC.

Great vibes on a Saturday night! Drinks were good but the music was even better. 10/10 spot for a…read moregirls night out, thank me later.

Grabbed a drink here recently and had an OK time…read more First, parking was easy in a nearby garage. My wife and I came at opening so the bar was completely empty initially, but it filled up by the time we left. There was a pretty impressive array of comfortable seats, although they looked a little dusty to me. When we chose our initial seats, the bartender came over, apologized, and told us that the chairs we had chosen were only for parties of 3 or 4 :) Kind of strange but whatever. We chose a different set of chairs and ordered our beverages. Honestly, it took a very long time to get our drinks. They were pretty well made but were also extremely expensive (all of the cocktails were around $17 to $19). Other than the delay, the bartender was nice and did a pretty good job throughout our time there. The venue also served food but we didn't partake this time. Overall, not a terrible experience or anything, but the high prices and slow service make me a little hesitant to return.

This cozy bar & lounge set between the American Tobacco Campus and the DPAC is a great place to…read moreunwind and chill. Got a show coming up? You can come here for a pre-show drink. There is waiter service at the lounge tables. I enjoy the bar service: plenty of seats and friendly bartenders. Old Bull Apartments residents have it best. They can hang out here, steps from their homes.

An absolute gem for date night! My wife and I had a wonderful evening at Alley Twenty Six…read more The warm, welcoming atmosphere and great seasonal decor set the perfect mood right away. Our server, Brian, was fantastic--incredibly attentive, knowledgeable, and gave excellent recommendations. The house burger was absolutely fabulous, and the cocktails were masterfully crafted and perfectly matched to our meal. You can truly see the clear vision and intentional direction of the ownership and management here. Everything aligns perfectly to create a top-tier experience. We will definitely be back!

Amazing Food, Wonderful Service, and Great Atmosphere!…read more We had an absolutely wonderful experience at Alley Twenty Six! Our server, Alexis, was exceptional! She provided fantastic recommendations for cocktails, appetizers, main courses, and desserts, and everything was absolutely delicious! The atmosphere was incredible, with such a positive, welcoming vibe. The food, drinks, and service exceeded our expectations. Alexis truly made our evening extra special with her attentiveness, professionalism, and excellent recommendations. Outstanding food, amazing cocktails, exceptional service, and a beautiful atmosphere! We highly recommend Alley Twenty Six and can't wait to return!

Love this place! It's definitely a bit on the pricey side when it comes to the wine, but the…read moreoverall experience makes up for it. The service is awesome--our server was super friendly and gave me a great drink recommendation when I wasn't sure what I wanted. It ended up being perfect. My friend and I shared a glass of the 2023 Cederberg Bukettraube (sweet white wine) and got the charcuterie board for one with the truffle salami. That board was so good--I can't stop thinking about it. The toasted baguette slices with truffle salami and mustard? Unreal. It was the perfect little snack to share. We also had the citrus lavender crème brûlée, which was surprisingly delicious. I don't usually go for crème brûlée, but this one was light, not overly sweet, and just had a really nice flavor. I've also tried their shepherd's pie before and loved it--wish it was still on the menu! The vibe inside is moody and cozy, and they've got a cute outdoor patio too. Overall, such a great spot. A little pricey, but I'll definitely be coming back. Highly recommend checking out Killer Queen.

I was excited to try Killer Queen for a downtown girls' night. We don't make it downtown very…read moreoften, so I've been enjoying exploring some of Durham's newer spots -- and this one was absolutely worth the visit. The wine list is broad and thoughtfully curated, with options that feel approachable whether you're a casual wine drinker or someone looking to try something new. The sommeliers were welcoming, knowledgeable, and genuinely enthusiastic about helping us find something we loved. The space itself is adorable, with eclectic décor and cozy lighting that makes it easy to settle in and stay awhile. It's a great spot for conversation and a relaxed evening with friends. The only downside is that the space is fairly small, and I would have loved to see one or two more lower seating options for small groups rather than mostly high tops. That said, I could absolutely see us coming back for a pre- or post-theater glass of wine or an easy catch-up night.

Five stars for Liberty & Plenty, a true gem that we didn't even plan on visiting. We were headed…read moredown the street to somewhere else, saw the sign, looked at each other and said, "Let's check this out" and I am so glad we followed that impulse because it turned into one of those stops that completely makes your afternoon. What was supposed to be a quick pop in turned into two full hours of socializing, tasting, talking and working our way through a lineup of spirits that dhows just how much care and craft is happening inside this place. I need to say, Stephanie is a darling. She's not a bartender. She's a proper mixologist, the kind of professional who knows her spirits, knows her history, knows how to read a customer, and somehow manages to be both entertaining and deeply knowledgeable at the same time. She walked us through their menu with the kind of confidence that makes you trust every recommendation, and every drink she made had that extra flourish that tells you she actually loves the work. It's rare to find someone who can make you laugh, teach you something, and hand you a drink that's better than what you expected all in the same moment, but she does it effortlessly. Somewhere between the rum and the vodka, we learned that they're gearing up for a big move to Wilson, expanding from two stills to a dozen, which is wild and honestly well deserved because the quality here is already top-tier and the idea of them scaling up that much is exciting. You can feel the ambition from the crew here, the sense that they're on the cusp of something bigger, and it made every sip feel like you're getting in on a story that's about to blow up. That said, I'm begging. Please, please, please, find a way to keep a tasting room in Durham. You're awesome, the vibe is awesome, the people are awesome, and this city needs places like this where you can wander in on a whim and end up staying for two hours because everything feels and tastes just right. Expansion is great, growth is great, Wilson is lucky to have you, but Durham will really miss you if you disappeared completely. Liberty & Plenty is the kind of spot you stumble into once and then start recommending to everyone you know. If you're anywhere nearby, go. And if Stephanie is behind the bar, settle in, because you're in very good hands. [Review 1073 of 2026 - 4782 in North Carolina - 26252 overall]

Yummmmmm! The cocktails were delicious! You can just taste the fresh ingredients. I didn't think I…read morewould like the Tomatini but I loved it. It was like a lighter more refreshing take of a Bloody Mary. If you like Bloody Mary drinks, pretty sure you'll like the Tomatoni. Plus, service was friendly and attentive. Such a cute little cocktail nook.

Although I often forget about this little gem in Durham located in the Brightleaf area, it's…read moredefinitely worth multiple visits. Each time I've visit, I am impressed by the way the mixologists's skills in curating an estectically appealing and sip worthy beverage!

If you're looking for a place that will make you a good, strong classic cocktail this is it. They…read morehave a rotation seasonal menu but don't expect the theatrics. It will be delicious and balanced.

We came here on a Saturday afternoon. Hugo, our server, was great and attentive. The restaurant was…read morepretty busy so I'm glad we had a reservation. The apple pie chai was delicious! This was a limited time item but so good. The ceviche was excellent with the fried plantain chips. I loved the combo together. The ceviche was so fresh and light. The huli huli chicken skewers were also really tasty. The flavor was sweet and savory. I loved it. The jerk chicken over fried rice with the yuka fries was prepared really well. The chicken wasn't spicy, unfortunately, but the fried rice was buttery and every bite left me wanting more. The fries were good too.

The service was fantastic. Our server was very attentive, and the drinks were lovely…read more The Supreme Totchos were delicious, and the tater tots were especially good. The B.E.C. Sando Combo was a standout, with incredibly fluffy toast. The portions were generous, and my friend and I were completely stuffed by the end of the meal. I'd absolutely come back!