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What I recommend: The single or house burger with extra sauce and the Brussels sprouts Bar Virgil is one of my favorite spots in Durham, especially on a Thursday night. The smash-style burgers are cooked perfectly every time and always hit the spot. The drinks are great, the service is friendly, and the ambiance is unmatched with a speakeasy vibe upstairs and a tiki feel downstairs. It's first come, first served, but worth the wait. I've tried the fried oysters, deviled eggs, and Brussels sprouts, and the Brussels sprouts are the clear winner. Bar Virgil is my go-to burger spot in Durham and one of the best places in town for a chill night out.
Where do I begin! This very cool but small bar was the perfect place for an impromptu date night. We were seated downstairs in the "annex" bar which has a fun tiki bar vibe. We sat at the bar and had the pleasure of witnessing Casey's superb skills. My husband ordered a hurricane which was delightful but my drink was the star of the evening, The Saturn! which I am now referring to as Hawaii in a glass. Several years ago I had a drink at the Ritz in Kapalua that has been seared in my taste bud memory, The Saturn is this drink's party girl sister and I am here for it!!! We ordered a double burger and the fish and chips and both were finger licking good. The burger was a smash burger but also still juicy, the fish and chips were made with fresh cod and was so juicy and flakey. And let's not sleep on the fries, sure some may say fries are fries, right - wrong! These fries were perfectly salted with the right balance of fluffy center and crispy outer mixed with the harissa aioli that came with the fish. CHEF'S KISS!
It's been a while, and I have forgotten how cool this place could be based on the creative cocktails combined with great food options however, this visit was negatively impacted by the Bartender who chose to ignore me at my section of the bar as a solo patron and entertain his regulars at the other end of the bar. As I paid for my appetizer I mentioned to him the importance of working the entire bar to which he replied I know that, but based on this experience, clearly, he does not know that, and failed to provide the same level of service. Fingers crossed for a better experience in the future, and I can actually order more than an appetizer to enjoy the vibe that this cool space provides
Great spot for a quick bite if you're taking in a show at the DPAC. Close by and an easy walk. The Blackened Salmon over brussel sprouts and mashed potatoes was most excellent. The fish and chips came with 2 pieces of fish. One piece was great, the other was greasy. Service is a little slow when they're busy, but the staff is very friendly. I would return.
Had an amazing experience sitting at the bar. The bartenders were super nice, and the atmosphere was perfect for a small bar. I've heard a lot about the burgers, and I would say it lived up to the hype.
Bar Virgile in Durham is a perfect spot for an elegant mood. The drink and food menu features a plentiful selection of deliciousness. The service staff are always busy, but kind!
I have been passing by this spot for years and finally my husband recommended we dropped in. It was the best decision!! We sat at the downstairs bar. Decor reminds me of Gilligan Island but a very nice vibe! Drinks and Single Burger was on point! Definitely a spot we will go back but thumbs down no pickles for burgers. Excellent service from Artson!
Food and service were great!! We sat at the bar and were served promptly. The drinks were as delicious as the food. They had a wide variety to choose from on the menu.
5 years ago
UGH! I've said this so many times to paces I've been: FOUND MY NEW FAVORITE PLACE. I guess I've got a lot of them lol. That's just how good it is! The ambience when we went was low-lit and romantic, with chatter in the air. Very cute. We got the Steak Frites, mussels, and pasta. OMG were they so good! The mussels were cooked perfectly. The flavor was robust and really brought what seafood lovers love. Especially the shellfish aroma, complimented with the sauce it was tossed in. The steak was done to our liking, which they suggested also.... medium rare, with the crispy thin fries and their version of the green goddess. Man oh man it was amazing. The pasta we got was also the best. The one who ordered it usually don't like pasta but actually fell in love with it.... So that speaks for itself. I tried it and it was mind blowing too. DESERT we ordered both deserts they had available. We were sure they were going to be mind blowing after eating the foods so we didn't wanna pass up on one or the other of the desserts and MAN they did not disappoint! We are definitely coming back here. OOOOOH almost forgot! The DRINKS! Wow. They were so creative with their herbs and flavors. They had the best kick and were so amazing! read more
4 years ago
Sat at the bar and had excellent service. The burger was so unexpectedly good. The drink menu is really fun, it feels like miami downstairs if u know what i mean read more
Bar Virgile does not take reservations and they usually will only seat you once your entire group is present, so the wait can be long especially on weekends. Fortunately, my friends and I were able to get a table and finish our meal in time for our show at DPAC. I had the "First Word" cocktail, which was a nice gin cocktail with aperol, honey syrup, lemon, grapefruit, and cava. For food, I got fried oysters, pimento mac & cheese, and moules frites. The perfectly crispy fried oysters and pimento mac & cheese were very good. The moules frites was nothing special, but fine. My friends enjoyed all of their meals. We weren't 100% satisfied with the service from our server. When she had finished bringing all the food to the table, we asked her to take a photo for us, but she told us she was really busy at the moment and would come back. That was totally understandable, except she never came back until the very end of the meal when we were all done with our food. No one even got a single water refill. (We saw her attend to other tables more than ours.) I'd rate service as a 2/5 if it weren't for the super kind host who ended up taking the photo for us and made sure we were enjoying our meal. Taste | 4.5 Atmosphere | 5 Presentation | 4 Service | 3 OVERALL | 4.5 read more
7 years ago
First time coming to this restaurant and would definitely return to try more on the menu. The drink we tried was very herbal but not bad at all. The garlic remoulade with the fried oysters was super tasty!! The deviled eggs were a bit salty and had too much filling for my personal liking but the caviar & smoked trout ones were good. Music was good and the staff was super friendly. read more
Amazing all around! The house burger and fries were perfect and so were the fried oysters. The best I've had in a while. The space is pretty small and intimate but the ambience is perfect. The drinks were also great. I got the Honey Bee Sour. read more
Open for lunch 11:30am - 2:00pm Monday - Friday now! I really enjoyed my lunch here. The steak was cooked to perfection with great flavor. The fries were crispy and the salad was fresh with balsamic dressing. I will definitely be back as the burger looked amazing! read more
3 years ago
Still as amazing as the first time!!! The menu is excuisit! There is no bad dish you can order. If you are looking for a well rounded experience with a great cocktail as well as equally wonderful food, this is your place. The roasted chicken is juicy, crunchy, mooshy and well seasoned in all the right places. In other words, a textural adventure for bacon and chicken lovers. The steak frites were perfectly cooked and balanced by the beet and goat cheese salad. The pork risotto, will make you love vegetables and delivers the right amount of heat and comfort. Again, you can't go wrong with any food or drink choice here. read more
2 years ago
4 years ago
5 years ago
This place is amazing the ambience is beautiful the customer service is excellent what is it the food is superb and the prices are great we went here for ladies night and it never disappoints read more
4 years ago
There were two previous ocassion where I had stopped by this place but didn't get to dine in because of the crazy line ahead of me. Hell, typically 1 hour of wait from 6~8 during Fridays and weekends speaks volumes about this place. So I have learnt my lesson and went during a weekday and it worked. We were quickly seated and the environment was cozy compared how it felt during the busiest days in the week. I went with the classic steak and frites and it was worth the price. (the vegetable side could be subbed with any other listed on the menu). My friends had the angel hair with shrimp and the roasted chicken and they tasted great as well. We ended our meal with their cheesecake. Nothing horrible besides being a little too sweet. This place will get a five star from me if the food is served faster (30 min wait) and if they could expand their menu... the options are very limited, especially with the dessert. Could try out their bar when I am not driving next time around, definitely looks entertaining with their collection. read more
5 years ago
3 years ago
Lol what a joke of a bar. Talk about a place that smells their own sh*t. The waiter was completely sh*tfaced and could barely stand. He didn't know if he was coming or going. We sat down and he bought us a to-go box and menus for the kitchen which was closed. Finally one of the kitchen staff came out to help us. We ordered an overpriced drink that took ten minutes to make (despite a half empty place) and left. Seems like a case where a bar gets great reviews and dedicated locals, then just lets everything go because they think they've earned the right to deliver crappy customer service if the waiter feels like getting sloppy drunk on a whim. Well, here's a one-star reminder that you can't decide "screw everyone tonight" and remain on top of your game. And if my assessment of this place is wrong, it still doesn't change the fact that that's how this bar came off to someone who was excited to visit after the Bull's home opener. Instead, we went up to 26 Alley where the drinks, service and food erased Virgile's laughable attempt at service. Was happy to drop money there and a nice fat tip. read more
2 years ago
So after our drink order was placed, we waited about 25-30 min and still no drinks had arrived. We asked the maitre'd, Moussa, what was up and he became extremely upset on our behalf. Immediately handled the situation. Comped our drinks, and even gave us olives and nuts to munch on. Great guy, representing a great bar that knows how to handle situations that are out of the norm. Pros: Great cocktails - tried one with a whisky mix (lucky sour) and a pimms cup, both legit Service Cons: Original waitress that forgot our order never apologized, and did not make any effort to remedy the situation at all. Honestly, a little unsure why she acted this way towards us. I truly hope it was not for reasons out of my control. Either way, Moussa handled it and I will definitely be back soon. read more
6 years ago
Came here on a weekday night with some friends; we didn't make a reservation, but even though it was pretty busy, we were able to get a booth! The drinks were cool and unique, including one with smoked rosemary that smelled amazing. As for food, I went with the cajun seafood pasta, which was delicious. The portion was pretty small, but due to the large amount of meat that was included, I was content after I was done. Everyone else enjoyed their food as well, and we all loved the cider cheesecake that we got for dessert. A little pricey, but totally worth it if you're looking for a new interesting place to try! read more
8 years ago
Go early if you do not want to wait. Lets start off with the cocktails, the paradiddle was so-so but the lasso was fresh and amazing. I have to admit I was a little worried about what the portions would be like here but they did not disappoint. The mac and cheese, winter risotto and trout were all amazing. It is a smaller, more intimate spot so it is great for a date night. read more
3 years ago
3 years ago
I'm torn between giving this place a three or four star. Maybe a four if I had a different entree The oysters and garlic aioli was absolutely amazing but that was our appetizer. Loved the big sized oysters and loved the sauce even more. Batter was great too, perfect crunch. The lamb shank was alright, I thought it could have fallen off the bone more, sorta dry not juicy flavorful. The grits were pretty good but thin layer, wish there was more of it. Great service, our server was really nice. read more
Perfectly imperfect! Menu is on a note pad, and not totally reflective of what is offered or what they have. If you're like me and like to plan ahead via menus on websites, that's not something we can do yet with the fairly new Bar Virgile. And that's okay because they've obviously been busy collecting quality ingredients and the expertise to execute them properly instead of building a website. (note, they are on FB though) What exactly is a Spicy Italian anyway? We know it comes with caramelized onions and peppers, but is it a sausage? Salami? Pepperoni? Well yes, we could have asked, but by the time we ordered the Spicy Italian we had already had two perfectly concocted drinks...a Manhattan for Husband (who said it was possibly the best one he's ever had), and a creamy, citrusy Ramos Gin Fizz for me. Gin? Me? Not my usual thing, but all I can say is wow! Combine that gin with some frothy egg whites, and several freshly squeezed citrus juices, and I was sold on this protein-packed creamsicle! We had also already enjoyed Grilled Asparagus with Chorizo and an Egg, which surprisingly arrived full of mushrooms as well. Pleasant surprise for Husband...would not have been a pleasant surprise for me had I not had Husband to eat those 'shrooms. But boy was it good! Meanwhile we watched others around us eat terrific-looking lobster rolls with shoestring fries, and some rich-looking fried oysters and salads. (must go back to try them!) Spicy Italian turned out to be a wonderful housemade Italian Sausage with onions and peppers on a roll, with a mound of those addictive shoestring fries. Seriously good sausage! Easily up there with the best I've ever had, and I've had plenty in my Italian life. By now I had switched to a Hess Chardonnay and Husband was doing a dark brew that was very rich. The whole time we were expertly attended to by one of the owners himself, Daniel...who couldn't have been more welcoming. I would plunk down on one of his bar stools any day! We enjoyed watching him pour out his obvious passion for crafting cocktails (even discarded one that looked perfectly lovely to us, but apparently he had done something 'wrong'). And his enthusiasm for what they've obviously put so much work into was very contagious. Not perfect...they were out of the spiced pecans with cherries that we ordered. Offered popcorn on the house instead. Nice, and popcorn was decent, but we did get charged $3 for it. That's okay, it was worth it. Note that this bar/restaurant is quite small! We sat at the bar and were totally comfortable there, but we also went early on a Saturday night. By the time we left, folks were hugging the wall waiting for a spot. Perfectly understandable. read more
When you talk about bars in Durham, there typically hasn't been a lot of great choices around DPAC. But the new Bar Virgile really makes things MUCH better for those of you visiting DPAC. Brought to you by the folks from Nana's, Bar Virgile is a mix of old-school European with a hint of modern and current. Cool bar with stamped metal ceiling above. A smallish curated list of cocktails, wines and beers. You can keep it simple and just grab a quick drink here on a stool. Or head to the small dining room where you can enjoy their charcuterie, sandwiches or appetizers. While the menu isn't fancy, there's enough to put together a quick cafe meal here. So Bar Virgile walks the fine line between bar and cafe doing both quite well. Don't miss out this new option for a cocktail and eats if you're near Main Street! read more
This new joint is another one of those great local places that make us foodie and drinkie Durhamsters so thankful that we live here. Open only since 12/22/14 , Bar Virgile is an immediate bull's-eye, with a list of perfectly-made classic cocktails, three beers on tap and more in bottles, plus fairly extensive wines by the glass. There's also a small-plates menu with charcuterie, cheese (the Stilton is amazing), fried oysters, green salad with duck, etc. When I was there, they had a special of chicken wings with honey ginger glaze with just a little kick, and they were lip-smacking good. For cocktails, I tried the daiquiri and the Jack Rose (an apple brandy concoction). Both were terrific and served in specialty, appropriate glassware. Their wine pours are pretty generous as well. The space manages cozy without being cramped. It's located on the corner of Main and Mangum in a rear part of a classic old bank building. You enter a side door under a cool retro sign, then turn right and step into the bar. It's a gleaming wood L-surface with 12-14 stools. Then beyond that is a small table dining area and an open kitchen. The staff were all on top of everything and very friendly, and they know their cocktails and food. This new place feels like it's a classic that's been here forever. It's great for any occasion (it opens at 4pm) but is particularly convenient for a cocktail and small meal before a show at DPAC, which is a very easy two-block walk away. read more
The rumors are true...best cheeseburger in town! My fiancé and I had been wanting to try Bar Virgile for so long, and we finally went! Then we came back at least 3 more times!! Bar Virgile has quickly taken rank on my "best date night" list in Durham and also a favorite place to meet up with friends for cocktails and dinner. With easy access to the Church Street parking deck and just a quick walk from the heart of downtown or to the DPAC, location is on point. The atmosphere is swanky and intimate. There is always a hot playlist bumping - not the usual Billboard stuff, it's always unique and I frequently ask what's playing. There are not many tables, and truth be told snagging a spot can be challenging. They do not take reservations and will not seat you if the entire party is not present. If you're up for a potential wait, it's well worth it. Imbibe a handcrafted cocktail (or two!) while you wait, the bartenders are pros and the menu changes with the season. It's fun to snag a bar seat and watch them whip up their magic. There is full service at the bar, but my favorite spot is the corner circle booths because it's so cozy and royal feeling, plus it's a bit less noisy tucked away from all the buzz. read more
5 years ago
Awesome cocktails and very nice bartenders. All the cocktails I had were delicious and didn't have to wait long at all before they would appear in front of us. We ordered some bar food which also came out super quick! read more
A new chef at Bar Virgile has meant changes to the menu but still top notch cocktails. I love the creativity and work that goes into the cocktails at Bar Virgile, it is truly now the highlight of the experience. They have a seasonal cocktail menu that changes (seasonally) as well as their main-stay/classic options. You'll discover the flavor of fresh spice, sour/sweet/spicy combinations and egg white uses. As far as the kitchen goes, they've changed their focus from fancy "snack" foods to full entrees. Prices are much higher and portion sized much larger. Although our meals were both good, they weren't fantastic and I will say, I miss the old menu. They offer hand-picked cheese and meat places (priced per meat and per cheese you pick) served with a complimentary fruit spread, mustard and pickled vegetable. I would recommend the cheese/meat option if you're hungry, portion size per price was reasonable. The Steak Asperges ($18) is served with asparagus and fingerling potatoes and had good flavor. The steamed PEI mussels ($11) with addition of "frites" ($5) made for a tasty appetizer but were not as flavorful as I would've expected. I much prefer Vin Rouge's mussels over Bar Virgile. Overall, still an excellent if not the best cocktail menu in the area, but no longer my top choice for a romantic and excellent dinner in the area. read more
3 years ago
Previously every time I have tried Bar Virgile it has been super crowded on a Friday or Saturday night and I haven't bothered trying to fight for a drink or wait for a table. Last night, however, I learned that there is a very good reason that people come here-- because it's got good food, drinks and ambiance. When you walk in you are greeted by a well stocked bar and then there are a few tables in the back. The lighting is dark (but not too dark) and it definitely has a classy, old world feeling. It almost felt like I wasn't in Durham anymore but had been transplanted to a classy bar on the Upper East Side. On a Monday evening there weren't many other patrons and the bartender was friendly and attentive. It was great to sip a cocktail and have a conversation (and the Duke game was still on in the background). I had a cosmo and my husband had a manhattan and both were very well made. Cocktails are all around $10, which seemed fair to me for a well made drink. I didn't know that Bar Virgile had food (but it does), and it all looked great! My husband and I shared a charcuterie plate and it was delicious. On Mondays there is a special for a burger and a beer for $10 which I definitely will be back to try. read more
3 years ago
5 years ago
3 years ago
4 years ago
Very cute and great for a nice date night. It's a little loud but we were seated quickly and our waitress was very nice. My food was delicious! We started with the beets which were very good and well rounded. I had the crispy salmon which was fantastic and my husband had the steak frites. Didn't love the chimichurri and the steak was a little chewy. Our drinks, however, were quite good. The honey bee sour and the Ramos gin fizz were our favorites of the night. Rounded it off with the Jack Rose which was a nice sweet ending. Would recommend for a cute date vibe! read more
3 years ago
More info about Bar Virgile
105 S Mangum St
Durham, NC 27701
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(919) 973-3000
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https://www.barvirgiledurham.com
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