Chemistry is a gem in the south!…read more I had an unforgettable summer night! Anjelica and Alyssa, staff at Chemistry, made me feel welcomed in their workspace. I am visiting from Baltimore and had no idea what to expect. I enjoyed the diversity of the bar, which included immigrants, minorities, lesbians, queens, fems, hippies, LGBTQ seniors, and misfits! The music and layout of the bar was great! I'll definitely be coming back!

My daughter took me to their drag show and what an amazing group of talented artists. The staff,…read moreperformers and crowd was amazing and I highly recommend going if you get the chance!

Food was fire, service and employees were fire, and the decor was very cute. There was an event…read moregoing on and they were very lovely and friendly to costumers (yes, costumers!) coming in. Saw a spill get cleaned up just as quickly as it happened. Will recommend this place to others and try to stop by next time I'm in the area.

Great small bites. I recommend you trying the Elote dip it was AMAZING and perfect for sharing with…read moretwo or more friends! They have great drink specials for different days of the week! Very speedy service all of their bartenders are very sweet and will fix whatever drink to your liking The vibes are disco balls on the ceiling very open very Miami Beach vibes they have an indoor and an outdoor seating area not only that they have fireplaces. If you get a little too far from their heated porch area! The vibes just don't stop. They have an aesthetic fireplace in side as well as a fake tree in the middle beautiful for taking pictures Their bathrooms are adorable, but you might have to wait a little bit on a busy day. But this is the same problem with every bar. Very glad that they have more than one bathroom.

Step into a dimly lit labyrinth where the walls seem to swallow your secrets and every corner…read morewhispers mood and mystery. This bar is a glorious mess, the music pulses with an offbeat energy while a bartender is running a bar where the mixers seem to have gone on vacation. Better hope you're in the mood for whiskey neat or tequila straight up--because anything else is clearly an improvisation! It's a place where no one cares if the floors are sticky or the décor is a little less. It's chaos, it's charm, it's definitely unapologetic--a refuge for anyone who wants to drink, dance, and just be in the glorious mess of it all. The regulars are more like a family here, they have claimed their seats and built a strong camaraderie. Cheers!

Be careful about giving your credit card here for bar tabs....we were charged more than expected…read moreand card was hacked.

This was a cool and accidental find for us. It is located next to the Boot Room where you can get…read morefood. It is in a strip type mall with limited parking. There is indoor and outdoor seating. This place is fairly deep and has arcade games as well in the back. There is a large selection of beers... some of it theirs and others from NC. We tried several beers over the weekend at different places and this one was the one that had the ones we liked the best. They have an excellent amber lager called Lily(which unfortunately they do not bottle or can) and a lager called Dance in the Sun. We came back on the second day there just to have another beer! Very nice atmosphere and the bartenders that we interacted with were helpful and nice. Definitely a place to try and to return to

Ever since I found beer study, I have been enamored with the place! They have a nice selection of…read morecraft beer along with a nice selection of wine, another foreign and domestic beer. Adjacent to it is a place called the boot room which serves such a great and wonderful selection of food. Spacious & open air with decent seating and plenty of room for large crowds. Patio area in front of both businesses allows for outdoor dining and conversation over drinks. Not too pricey at all. Sampling of taps available as well. Bartenders are always nice, attentive and accommodating. Interestingly enough, they seem to have this strange fascination with Danny Devito.

We came in for a show and loved the dive bar vibe. The show we saw was a NOLA style brass band and…read moreit was so fun. My only complaint was not having more seating. Everything else was great. We will be back to catch more shows soon.

Must-Visit Bars for a Night Out in Durham…read more This bar has an excellent selection of music, and the vibes are always on point. I really enjoy the themed nights--they're a blast, and it's great to see so many people get dressed up. I feel completely safe and comfortable here, making it one of my favorite spots.

Legends is a good time. I visited with friends during my birthday weekend to attend a drag show and…read morehad a good time. This bar is notorious B.I.G. It has a beautiful patio with a cute tiki style bar. This is one of the largest bars I've seen in Raleigh. I've attended drag shows in New York City but the show here was way more entertaining. I really enjoyed the celebrity impersonations. Especially the Rihanna/Beyonce look alike lol. They have a huge dance floor, store inside that sells underwear and the large patio. Even if you aren't a member of the LGBTQ community, this is such a fun place to visit. Check out a show or stop in for a few drinks at one of the bars.

For god sake get a DJ that can play music that anyone knows or can dance to. Techno beat music is…read moreboring and crap. When he finally plays recognizable songs the place goes wild otherwise everyone is just bopping not really dancing.

Conniption is a really cool place. They have an awesome speakeasy atmosphere and do a great job…read moreadding fun holiday decorations. The staff was really friendly too. If you enjoy gin, I can't imagine you'll find a better local gin distillery within 100 miles either. It's very smooth and they do a great job pairing it with smart ingredients in their cocktail list.

Well, a relatively new spot at RDU to take your money in exchange for waiting for your flight…read more The people working here are outstanding although I am only comparing them to those at other establishments at the airport. Definitely high stars for customer service. They could work anywhere I think and be noteworthy. The drinks were solidly on the "ho-hum" scale. Nothing out of the ordinary. In all fairness, I only tried one and maybe if I had a second, I would be more impressed. For the drink (espresso martini), the espresso beans floating in the glass were an unexpected fun addition, but they didn't have much flavor. Maybe after the alcohol, I should have expected that. If I sound "meh" -- yeah -- it was that. The food started out almost the same way, but as I worked my way through it, it got a bit better. The tempura squash is almost like light fried ravioli. While okay, I would have preferred more flavor from the squash rather than from the marinara sauce. It still didn't overwhelm me with flavor, but it was decent enough. Overall, I couldn't decide between 2 or 3 stars, but the employees alone were enough to put it at 3 for me.

Kingfisher is the cutest cocktail lounge located in downtown Durham. I struggled to find it at…read morefirst, but it's down the stairs. The service was great, drinks were delicious, and the aesthetic make for a great night! Also, the music was enjoyable and at the perfect volume. I will definitely be back!

GRATUITY ALERT I go to Kingfisher on occasion for the…read moreatmosphere. The drinks are very very innovative, which makes it disappointing every time that the drinks are always watered down. Way too much ice in rocks glasses and not much of the drink ourself. Watered down, over shaken martinis. **However, the real issue is the mandatory 20% gratuity. ** After the bartender forgot to make my drink, then waiting 20 minutes for the check, I noticed that in the details, my one cocktail had a mandatory 20% tip. When I pointed it out, I was informed by the bartender that I didn't have to add an additional tip in top of that, but "it would be appreciated" Are you kidding me?!?! I thought I bought a $15 drink. But it was really $18. And then they expect another tip, taking this to a whopping **$22 before taxes.** I won't be back - and with so many cocktail bars in Durham that don't stealth charge you, I don't need to.

If you're looking for a fun weekend date that feels cozy, elevated, and a little different, Weldon…read moreMills in Durham is such a standout. My husband and I visited recently for a bourbon tasting, and the entire experience exceeded our expectations. Our mixologist, Berkay, was incredibly knowledgeable and engaging. He shared the history behind each spirit and walked us through the tasting notes in a way that was easy to understand and genuinely enjoyable. The food menu was another big win, especially as someone who eats vegan. They offered vegan options, which made the experience feel inclusive and well thought out This is a fantastic spot for date night, a girls' night, or celebrating something special. They also host tastings, cocktail classes, private parties, and bachelor or bachelorette events, which makes it a great option for future plans. Highly recommend if you're looking for a memorable experience in Durham that feels both fun and thoughtfully done.

We had some friends in town from San Diego and wanted to show them a few places we've been meaning…read moreto try. It was a Monday evening and it was pouring down rain. We weren't even sure anyone would be inside Weldon Mills - thankfully they were. As you walk in it's just such a big space, lots of seating areas and visual interest. The bartender was very welcoming, and we think that he was happy to see us. We got our cocktails very quickly, and the bartender even explained some things about the distillery to us. We had such a nice time just relaxing and getting out of the rain. Sadly, I did not take note of the names of the cocktails that we got, but it is nice to see. They have a rotational menu. The drinks were fall themed. We will definitely come back!