Eclectic interesting local hotel aka museum! Their speciality is bourbon in the bar! We didn't eat in the restaurant so can't give a review on food. read more

This restaurant is awesome. The food is intriguing and delicious. Be a little adventurous, you won't be disappointed. I had the fish, which was a perfectly spiced Tobacco rolled tuna steak, cooked just right. Save room for dessert, the chef earns stars with real vanilla in the ice cream. Also, this is a place to explore the house cocktails. The decor is great. Whoever came up with the ideas of making animals out recycled men's clothing gets a prize. read more

Great atmosphere, not overly snooty, snooty? Snotty, snotty. The Grape Expectations was a little sour and almost was refreshing, missed something. I was it was more lavendery (wifey comment) and more grapes. But good still. The Jack Roae Old Fashioned was awesome. And a nice helpin of bourbon. I want 6 of them. The All Nice Things was extremely flavorful and unique. I could drink a whole pint worth, but add some ice. The Julep Swizzle was eh, strong so works but, eh. Good service too. But the best part was North Carolina Weekend shooting by the elevator. #deborahholtnoelleholtnoelle read more

Counting House - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

We went to dinner before a show at DPAC. I ordered the potato soup as an app and it was phenomenal. The burger I had for dinner was great, too. My hubby ordered swordfish and oysters on the half shell. Service was wonderful and dining area has a really neat atmosphere. Don't forget to check out the restrooms (sounds weird, but they're sort of Euro-cool). Highly recommend! read more

Counting House - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

First, the good. The space is beautiful. The staff is attentive, warm and competent. The food? Not so good. I had the snow crab risotto, which said it came with "buttercup squash, vanilla and champagne." It would have probably been better labeled as "rice pudding." In addition to the squash, it also had some bizarre tasting candied fruit element to it. The risotto was also a bit more al dente than I usually like, but I know some folks like it this way. I very nice gentleman came over and asked how we liked the food. I told him the sweet elements in the risotto didn't really work for me, and he suggested in might be a question of balance. Not really. Candied fruit and risotto don't quite go together, And the snow crab really didn't make and appearance. I also had the "loaded potato soup," which came with cheese and bacon. It was way too salty, and I often add salt to things. I couldn't identify the cheese. It was bright orange. My dining partner and I shared the roasted Brussel sprouts which she found to be too sweet, but I thought were OK, but for $15.00 they should have been superb. She was underwhelmed by her flounder. Finally, the "Damn Fine Coffee Liquor" which should have at least been slightly sweet was totally bitter. I don't like cloying liqueurs, but this had only one note, which was just bitter. I am sure it was homemade, but at $11 I want to be blown away. I didn't finish it. The only thing that was supposed to be sweet or savory and hit is mark was the flourless chocolate torte which was quite nice. Also on the upside, they made a very nice Boxcar! And my dining partner liked her cocktail a lot and she is very particular about her cocktails. My recommendation? Come for cocktails and dessert. read more

A gorgeous bar and lounge with unique artwork. There is also a gallery in the hotel showcasing modern paintings, photography, sculptures, and art installations. We had tapas from the bar menu (deviled eggs and mushroom poutine) and tried one of their cocktails (the mass hypnosis). Food was delicious. Cocktail had kind of a medicinal taste that was not really my thing. Got to sit and talk on cozy couches in a semi-private setting. Service was friendly, non-intrusive, and timely. Not too busy at 10pm on Friday night. read more

Counting House - Lighting is bad in this photo, but the place is cozy and well lit. Pictured: deviled eggs and poutine from the bar menu. Both really good! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

One of the best parts of this hotel is the Counting House bar. Great selection of bourbons, and a super cheese sandwich. The bartender was courteous and prompt with his service, the drinks were tasty! read more

I was really excited to try the counting house for brunch, but was unfortunately not impressed. It was very empty, and yet service was on the slower side and not very welcoming. The Bloody Mary was pretty bland, even though I had asked for a spicy one. BUT: the BLT and accompanying salad was absolutely delicious. The fried oysters were fine, but not amazing. So, overall pros and cons. The space is absolutely beautiful! read more

I visited the Counting House during restaurant week in Durham. I opted for a starter of cheesy grits and shrimp and one of the best braised short ribs I have ever had. The dessert of chocolate cheesecake was a nice surprise as well. Located in the Hotel 21c, it is right in the middle of downtown Durham. Solid if a bit lax service but not enough to take away from the 5 star menu and delicious food. Imaginatively composed recipes that were fantastic. This is for grownups with mature palates! read more

Love the bar area and being able to grab a drink and go look at the art display. They have good cocktails and great selection of bourbon and whiskey! Bartenders are very nice as well. Took the time to help me pick out a cocktail I would like even though the bar was completely packed. read more

Boy was I disappointed. I was recommended here so my coworkers and I went for dinner. The food was just okay. The flavors were on the boring side. But worse was the service. Service brings the overall review down to 2 stars (from 3 for the food, 4+ for the atmosphere). The bar service was on point. The service by the waitress once we sat at the table was very subpar. She even had a trainee following her and one of the people commented: "she's being trained by her...??". Too bad as I really wanted to like this place. read more

I've previously had good experiences at Counting House, but last night was definitely a bummer. Am I alone in finding it ridiculous that two old fashions made with rail bourbon should cost $27? It didn't make sense to me that a rail beverage should cost more than the craft cocktails on the menu using premium liquor... and asking a question about the cost was met with complete rudeness. We tipped anyway, but highly doubt we will return. Oh well. read more

Priced amazingly and cooked with precision this restaurant has more to offer than just food! The experience made the food taste so much better! Paired with a hotel and art exhibit 21c/Counting House is hands down the best establishment of it's kind, I went for my 30th birthday and the staff was amazing and friendly! Bartender was really attentive & really into his craft. I recommend this place to any one having a special event or celebrating a birthday, graduation or accomplishment! read more

Counting House - Loaded Tots and Fried Oysters - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

The food here was very delicious but the service was no where near fine-dining caliber that you would expect based on the price point of this restaurant. read more

Great artistic atmosphere at Counting House in downtown Durham. I've been to the bar several times and have been waiting for an occasion to eat in the restaurant. The menu was small and upscale with choices of small plates, charcuterie and entrees. It was a hard decision. There were several options I would have liked to try but scallops are my go to favorite and Counting House did not disappoint. The dish had great bright flavors and perfectly cooked scallops. It went well with the Emerald Hour cocktail, an herb and prosecco delight! This a great place for a special occasion or maybe if you want a small dish with drinks. I love the bar, the art and the style at Counting House. And now I love the food ! The are lots of fun things to discover around the hotel. read more

Counting House - Amazing scallops ! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Went to check out the bar in this artsy boutique hotel. We were a group of 15 people, had a lot of space at the back of the bar. Comfortable sofas. Good service. I had the Fullsteam IPA which was good. All the artwork on the different floors certainly make it a unique bar experience. You can take your drinks from the bar area and stroll around looking at weird, expensive objects and go 'hmmm, interesting' along with some intellectual nodding. By the entrance there is like a waterfall made of plastic spoons and there is a large American flag made out of thousands of little miniature army men. There is a bank vault downstairs with a couple of sofas in front of the safe deposit boxes where you can hang out. Some of the big vault deposit doors look like a massive iron laundry machine. And the floor has a dollar bill pattern. If you are claustrophobic you might want to stay upstairs. read more

We went to the counting house for a holiday luncheon for 8. The seared sea scallops came with only 2 scallops and creamed risotto which was not well articulated in the menu. We were expecting the main course to be sea scallops. The creme brûlée has heavy taste of Clove so average. Service was ok. I didn't but think it was a good value for the prices. read more

We sat at the bar. They have a pretty large bourbon collection. Some very unique bottles. The cocktail were great. read more

This bar/restaurant is incredibly chic and sexy. The vibe is very relaxed, artsy and creative. There is something to look at in awe in every corner. We stayed in the hotel and came down to have a cocktail in the hotel bar/lounge and we were very impressed. I tend to judge a place by the looks but I was impressed at first sight. The customer service was flawless as everyone was attentive, generous and just as pumped about the art we were snapping pics of. We would totally recommend this place and would definitely be back our next visit to Durham. read more

If l just had to rate the atmosphere, they would get a 5 star rating. The decor is incredible and the pieces of art work are so unique. Went here for Sunday brunch. The drinks (a very small glass of wine for $14 and a small flute of mimosa for $9) are way over priced and the food was luke warm in temperature. Eggs Benedict awful as the eggs were hard, bread was soft and cold and the sauce was clumpy. If you are going to be an upscale restaurant you really need to have upscale food. A few more options would be nice. The grits were very good but again cold in temperature. Not sure l would go back as one visit to see the uniqueness of this place is not worth the prices you are paying for mediocre food and overly priced drinks. read more

What a waste of space, this restaurant is BEAUTIFUL, bar is huge and very vibrant, service top notch, but the food, oh my god. I have eaten at Prof on Main in Louisville and the food there blows your mind. not sure what was going on here. none of he dishes had a sauce or were constructed with not logic at all. Asked the server who is the Chef, he just rolled the eyes and that was enough answered for me. Hope the improve because I do want to come back here badly. read more

Normally, the Counting House is a safe bet for a good restaurant option prior to going to the DPAC for a show. But, regrettably, not last night. Kitchen was disorganized and food orders became backed up. Waited about 60 minutes for our entrees to finally show up. Had to rush through dinner in order to make curtain. Not the way I want to start an evening out with friends. As I've experienced better there before, I'll probably give them another chance. read more

Upscale atmosphere is bar none the best is Durham! Def a great place for late night drink and dessert or a spot to hang for the evening.

Chef made my a vegan cuisine on the House. I ordered oatmeal and coffee as brunch. The gallery is also a highlight of this nice restaurant. read more

Counting House - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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I really just don't get the hype. Went in for dinner with my girlfriend excited from the buzz about the menu here but left extremely disappointed. Setting - The bar definitely sets the tone as a swanky Manhattan style space ...vibrant crowd all seemed to be having a good time. The bar is slightly removed from the dining room but still overlooks it. It's nice that you can choose to be in either space depending on your mood....we opted for the dining room. The place was relatively busy but we were seated without a wait. Service - borderline pretentious which was almost alarming given that the servers are wearing jeans and a casual/dress shirt with an apron. Our server seemed like she was maybe trying to be nice but really struggling. More concerned with what we should have known about the menu instead of just explaining and answering our questions. She seemed to loosen up a bit as the meal progressed but the first impression definitely stuck with us. The Food - To get to the point, the menu is limited and it seemed as if they were trying a bit too hard to stand out. I guess ambitious would be an appropriate description. I appreciate fun and exotic ingredients, but there is a time and a place for them on every menu. This one is just littered with one after another and there was no rhyme or reason for a lot of it. We tried the Tobacco Tuna, the Rotisserie Chicken and a pasta entree that I cannot quite remember. Nothing we had was particularly bad, but nothing was particularly enjoyable either. We did receive some cotton candy with the check which just added to the bizarre feel of the place. A drink each and tip put us north of $120. Money isn't the issue but it's just one of those meals you know you could have gone elsewhere and had for half the price. I would prefer Harvest 18 at Southpoint for the food at a fraction of the price or Taza in Cameron Village which is more comparable in setting and blows this place out of the water on all counts. read more

I sat at the bar for some oysters, an appetizer, and some wine the other night. The oysters were nice, with a little granita along with the mignonette and cocktail sauce. I also had the shrimp and grits, which were fine but not particularly memorable. I had been hoping to order a cocktail, but there wasn't much on the list that I found intriguing. One of the drinks had an ingredient I had never heard of. I asked the bartender what it was, and she replied "I don't know, I've only been bartending a few days." Okay, I get that everyone starts somewhere, and I don't want to hold her lack of experience against her. But I do think that (a) the bartender should be familiar with all the ingredients used in the short list of the restaurant's specialty cocktails, and (b) if you don't know the answer to a basic question like that, the reply should be, "let me find out," not "I don't know." There was a second bartender working that night as well. I told him I wasn't seeing anything I was in the mood for on the cocktail list, but that I like drinks that are a bit fruity with some bitter notes, and vodka, gin or tequila, could he recommend a cocktail, perhaps a specialty of his? He replied he didn't really have any specialties that aren't on the list. So in the end, I just ordered wine. This is a rather important bar for Durham, and I'm just concerned that the bar itself doesn't seem to be in very experienced hands. read more

Counting House - Oysters - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Visited the Counting House for drinks and cheese on 1/31 and had a very poor experience. Ordered the cheese board and it wasn't served to us until we had to followup up 15 minutes later and found that it hadn't been entered in the system. Had the board entered in the system and it came out about 15 minutes later. Once we finally received the check it had an additional charge on it. Explained to the waitress and had to wait an additional 20 minutes for the waitress to relay info to management and for management team to finally adjust the bill for the item we we were incorrectly charged for. A simple adjustment for a servers error should not have cost us over 20 minutes of our time. read more

Loved this place. It was classy and artsy. The drinks are awesome, enough kick in them. Will be back for dinner.... read more

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After visiting the museum at 21C hotel a couple of times since the hotel opened, I was looking forward to visiting Counting House for dinner. It pains me to say this, but this restaurant was a disappointment. At the end of the night I was very annoyed by the amount of money that we spent and the lack of satisfaction. I ordered the Braised Beef and my wife had the Rabbit Pappardelle as our main dish. Braised Beef: "parsnip puree, sunchoke, beef jus" The braised beef had very little flavor -- it tasted as if they just dropped a piece of meat in a crockpot with only water. On a positive note, it was nice and tender and not too fatty. Rabbit Rosemary Pappadelle: "rabbit, yellow eyed steubens, preserved lemon" The Rabbit Pappadelle tasted like chicken noodle soup... ugh. Nothing in the description alluded to this flavor. Plancha Octopus: "chorizo baked butter beans, salsa verde" The octopus and beans did not go together well and neither tasted good on their own either. Roasted Hubbard Soup: "fermented beet, candy stripe beet, frisee" I didn't like the flavor (and I am usually a fan of beets). I didn't even want to look at the dessert menu because the rest of the meal was just not worth it. Perhaps we "chose poorly" but, personally, I think they could do a lot better and shouldn't serve any of the dishes that we ordered. Among the other great restaurants that have popped up recently, I think this place needs to work at setting the bar higher and be more adventurous. I'm not going to give up on this place but I won't go back until they significantly change the menu. read more

came back again for dinner. food was great except the steak tartare which I thought had too many capers. Couldn't taste the beef, just the capers. Had pumpkin soup, which was delicious and the cornish hen was accompanied by seasonal vegetables and sauces. This time the service was right on point. Again the ambience was perfect. Definate local favorite. Price was very reasonable to the high quality of food, the artistic surroundings and the wondering plating. The warm, fresh potato bread served with soft butter also stood out. Going to give 5 stars this time around. I've only eaten steak tartare a couple of times and I'm not sure that it wasn't on point. Didn't order alcohol this time around. read more

My friends were excited to bring me to this place for dinner so I was excited too. However, I got disappointed by the food and the service. I don't think it's worth paying this price given the other great options in Durham. We were a party of five and the restaurant wasn't full on Friday night. At first the service was attentive. They brought us the menu quickly and offered us drinks. The waiter also answered our questions about the menu. But once we ordered he totally disappeared. It took them about 20 minutes to bring the entrees. Once we finished them, it took them around 50 minutes to bring our main dishes. When we asked the waiter about our food (after waiting for more 40 min), he didn't even apologize for the delay! About the food, we decided to order the octopus and brussels sprouts as appetizers. They were ok, but none of them was memorable. I mean we were five people eating only two entrees and the plates didn't get empty quickly. I then ordered a pasta, the Casarecce (I agree with another review, lots of fancy names and many things are difficult to understand). I wanted something not to spicy or greasy, and this was a good option. But the problem is that it was missing flavor. I don't like a lot of spice in my food, but this was maybe too much. I didn't like this type of pasta either. It was hollow inside and a bit sticky. I was expecting much more for a pasta over $20 without proteins. My friends tried it and they thought the same. They ordered the other pasta with seafood, and they liked it but thought the portion was too small. Another friend tried the pork and said it was delicious. We decided not to order dessert given the food and the service, even though they looked delicious. My cocktail was ok. I'm the end I paid $50 including tip. I probably won't have dinner here again. I would just come for a drink because the place is cool. read more

Two nights, back to back, and two VERY different experiences, even with the same server! Night one: arrived about 9pm (friday) to a packed house - great energy and wonderful space at the bar! We were seated at the only spot left - a couch - and were promptly greeted and our order was taken by our lovely server. Drinks came quickly and food (the burger and fries!) was wonderful. We were checked on multiple times despite the busy atmosphere. Night two: we returned around 10pm the next night (saturday) excited to show off the space to a few friends from Raleigh. We looked for a seat at the bar with no avail and then a spot on a couch opened up near the front door. The hostess pointed us towards it and we were excited to try a new cocktail! We sat, the same waitress we had the night before kindly cleared off the table space, and came back to wipe it off. We then sat there for 15-20 minutes while she served the group across from us, and she seemed uninterested in looking our way. She was busy, that's for sure, but we ended up leaving after 20 minutes of being ignored. We'll try the bar again, but will be hesitant to go later in the evening due to our last experience. Hoping the kinks get worked out soon in regards to being served in the couch areas of the bar. read more

If I'm paying $14 for a friggin BLT, I have a few expectations. One being that the bacon isn't cold and floppy and tastes like it came out of a package, even though it's "house cured." And when we're literally the only table in the restaurant how does it take 15 mins to get our drinks - one of them being a glass of wine. Bad service and bad food. Won't be back. read more

Dined earlier tonight at Counting House with friends. Great dining experience from the moment we arrived. We had a reservation, arrived a few minutes early, were warmly greeted and promptly shown to our table. The restaurant's visual aesthetic is quite impressive -- a great combination of clean lines, open space and positive energy, with a tribute to the timeless Art Deco cool factor. Ingenuous artwork is on display throughout the restaurant -- look up from your electronic devices people and enjoy the thoughtful, fun art presentations on the walls above the tables and the small polar bear faces (that move with the room's airflow!) amidst the ceiling's large "ice-crystalesque" light installations. Our server John was first-rate; great personality, very informative, professional and attentive. I thoroughly enjoyed the artistically-presented shrimp & grits (not your mama's, I assure you), my entree (flounder) was perfectly prepared and beautifully presented. For dessert, the warm banana pudding (tucked into a perfectly fried pillow of puff pastry) and served with homemade peanut butter ice cream was absurdly delicious. At the end of the meal, our server John brought us watermelon-flavored cotton candy made fresh in the kitchen -- such a fun (and delicious) surprise to close out the meal. I would be remiss in reflecting on my Counting House dining experience if I failed to mention the fuschia penguins -- the fun-sized molded plastic fuschia-colored penguins that can be found throughout the 21c Museum Hotel. In the case of the restaurant, these charming happiness-invoking penguins find their way (thanks to the wait staff) to diners' tables to further elevate the positive energy throughout the venue. How can you not have fun sitting across the table from a cheerfully-colored penguin? (Even the Grinch would crack a smile!) After a while, the penguin moves on to another table to spread the love and goodwill. Following the meal, my friends and I commented to each other on the great food, positive energy, and attentive staff -- even more remarkable considering the restaurant and hotel have been open for less than two weeks! Counting House has brought a new level of dining sophistication, quirky fun and a thoughtful, impeccably- executed menu offering to Durham's dining scene. I look forward to returning again and again. read more

Counting House - Fuschia Penguin stopped by our table at Counting House. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Amazing experience. The bank vault, art galleries, food and drinks... everything was just wonderful! Will definitely be back when I'm there again! We basically had a private gallery viewing because we were able to walk around with our drinks after dinner around midnight. Amazing! read more

This is not a review for this location as a place to hang out at, I love 21c, this is strictly considering it as a restaurant. I was in a fun position to pick my choice of restaurant for a dinner that would be on Duke's tab, I decided to try somewhere I hadn't been, the Counting House restaurant at 21c. I have been here several times for drinks and thought it would be a great place to take an out of town speaker. The ambiance is great and made a favorable first impression on my group of 7. Unfortunately, the rest of the night was not as impressive. The first beer I ordered took over 15 minutes to come out. To be fair, when I pointed out the delay they did comp the drink at least. The service in general was slow and unrefined that night. At this price point and with this nice a venue you expect a level of service and it just wasn't there. I thought it was just me, but other people at the table noted the service was a little subpar. Now onto the most important part, the food. The sea snacks we ordered (we got one of every option) were a highlight, I recommend them. The tobacco tuna and trout terrine were especially good. The entrees however were disappointing. I ordered a pork porterhouse (aka a pork chop), and it was just that, a standard pork chop. It was fine, but considering it was priced at about $30 it was disappointing. There was no real depth of flavor to the dish, it couldn't compare to entrees I have had at comparable restaurants in Durham like Nana's, Rue Cler, Vin Rogue etc. The vegetable dishes I ordered as a side were also disappointing. The collard green dish contains almost no collard greens, it is a dish of chickpeas. The roasted zucchini steak was good but a smaller portion than I would have thought, and zucchini is not an expensive ingredient. We all ordered dessert, and there were some highlights. I wasn't the biggest fan of my sheep's milk cheesecake, but the sweet potato dessert was quite good. I recommend that. Overall we had a perfectly fine meal, but it was sadly just fine. I must admit that if I could redo it I would have gone with somewhere else. I do give many thanks to the management who where easy to work with both when I needed to book and when I needed to arrange payment. read more

Let me begin by saying that I am not a "foodie." That said, I have worked in many kitchens in the Triangle area, particularly as a young man, and even cooked under the watchful eye of a gentleman who ended up on Iron Chef, so I know good food when I encounter it. I will not bore you with excruciating, "foodie-pedantic" details about each dish - I will simply say that my dinner date at Counting House this past Saturday night was one of the best dining experiences I've had in the Triangle area and Greensboro for many years. That's saying something, considering I grew up around here, going to places like Elaine's, Lantern, Nana's, and Magnolia Grill back in the day. Considering this was a last-minute date night switch-up with local restaurants, it turned out to be such a happy accident. My food was phenomenal, from start to finish. My appetizers, in particular, were among the best I've had over the past two years (we enjoyed several, tapas style). The atmosphere is hip, without being hipster, and the clientele seemed to be diverse - families, couples and groups. The ambience was comfortable with enough of a "vibe" to energize your evening without taking away from it or distracting you from other, more important endeavors, like enjoying your company or your meal. All of that said, what really stood out to me was the customer service. Our server and her support staff (runners) were pleasant and courteous. I spoke with two managers, Josh and Che, who were incredibly friendly and seemed dedicated to my total satisfaction, which was so refreshing, considering the attitudes I encounter when dining with some of their competitors. They did so many little things to enhance my evening, that I'm almost afraid that they set the standard too high for replication when I visit them again, which I intend to do very soon. read more

I hate to give a bland review but this place go me no choice. The food was really just bland and lacking in flavor. It has an interesting theme of Africa, Asia, etc, but doesn't realize those countries also use salt and pepper to season. Bummer. The service, how ever was filled with genuine and sweet staff. We felt bad our food experience was such a drag. The staff was great in doing everything they could to make us happy. read more

Wow what a restaurant. Good food, drinks, desserts & after dinner liqueur too. Extremely friendly and accommodating staff. I went with a friend and both of us are vegetarians. They happily modified the dishes to make them veggie. The restrooms on the first floor are an experience. read more

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This is a really cool venue. The decor around the dining room and the bar is fun and filled with different metal sculptures of animals. The hostess was friendly and seated us quickly. It did take almost an hour to get our food and the dishes are a bit small for the price. I ordered the Sea Snacks: the Trout Terrine, the Tobacco Tuna and the Marinated Muscles. My favorite of the three was definitely the tuna. The muscles were a little overcooked and rubbery but other than that, the rest of the entree was delicious. I did get dessert. My friend and I split the Chocolate Delice and the Sheep's Milk Cheesecake. The Chocolate Delice was very rich and I really enjoyed it. I really liked the Sheep's Milk Cheesecake though I was kind of thrown off in that it is not that much like a cheesecake (the texture is harder than a traditional cheesecake and much saltier). I explored the art gallery after dinner which was really cool, especially the pieces on the ground floor by the dining room (like an American flag made of thousands of plastic army soldiers). The art pieces are definitely more modern than I tend to go for but it was still a cool feature to explore after dinner. read more