I visited Counting House with my wife for our anniversary dinner, and the service was impeccable. We started with a couple cocktails. I ordered the Sweaterweather, and my wife got a Moscow Mule. My Sweaterweather was very aromatic, and had a lot of spices. I do not usually order a drink like this, but my wife and I liked it so much she ordered another. I ordered three Harker Oysters, and they came with three different sauces. There was a icy cucumber sauce, a watermelon inspired sauce, and a cocktail sauce. All of which were delicious, and the cucumber was especially tasty. My wife and I both ordered the steak for dinner. It came with some small onions and potatoes, which were nice and soft. The steak was one of, if not the best I've ever had. It was very juicy and cooked to perfection. I would highly recommend. As it was our anniversary, the manager treated us to some champaign and a dessert. The service was great. I asked for several recommendations, and I was pleased with each suggestion. The manager stopped by each table to make sure everyone was taken care of, and made sure we were pleased with the service. After dinner, we brought our drinks downstairs to check out the old vault, which was a cool way to end the night. Overall, there wasn't anything I would change about the food or service, and we will definitely be returning. read more

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We came here for drinks and then again for breakfast while staying at the 21C Hotel. The bar is very sleek and modern with beautiful light fixtures. The liquor bottles are nicely stacked behind the bar and make a nice impression when you walk by the hotel. The windows also let in a lot of light and makes for a nice setting either during the day or at night. There are a few small televisions in case you need to catch a game and our bartender was very friendly. The bar menu has cocktails, wine and a few local beers on draft like Ponysaurus. I had a glass of wine but I later realized it wasn't the freshest and should have gotten a cocktail instead. If you are hungry, they offer small bites and then also lunch items like hamburgers and salads. The main restaurant has open seating and the artwork in the restaurant is interesting. There are crows on the walls and other animals and modern art adorns the walls. The kitchen is in the middle and a bit exposed. We had the breakfast and I loved the Banker's breakfast with two eggs, bacon and bread. Daniel had the biscuits with gravy and Carolina prosciutto. Everything was fresh and locally sourced. I usually don't eat grits but even the grits were creamy and perfectly cooked. The restaurant was empty when we arrived and it then filled up with families and couples that were staying in the hotel. The servers took great care of the families with children as well and our server was very kind. I would suggest coming here for a cocktail while in the area and highly recommend the breakfast. You also don't have to be staying in the hotel to dine here and it is a great addition to the downtown Durham food scene. read more

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Slow start on service. Slower start on appetizers and drinks. People around us, seated after us were on desert before our entrees came out. No visit from the waiter to acknowledge the delay. The manager came out with a small plate of oysters to enjoy until our entrees came out. Not what we ordered. After entrees finally arrived, plates cleared. Boom check. No offer of dessert. The food was good, but when you are ordering Tartare, steaks and 13 dollar drinks, the food should come out on time and the wait staff should not avoid your table. Just stop by and say there was a mix up in the kitchen. We apologize. Extremely disappointed in the overall experience. read more

The only private tables are reserved for parties of 3 or more. For parties of two, you get to sit along the wall where one side is a shared long bench. So the next party of two is less than 3 feet away, and you can share each other's conversations. If you are wanting a romantic evening at a high dollar restaurant, you only get the latter half. The bar area is fantastic. read more

visited Counting House for the 1st time today, but definitely not the last! I was very impressed by the atmosphere. It was very modern, swanky, dare I say even sexy. Most restaurants feel super crowded these days, as owners try to squeeze in as many seats as possible; but the arrangement here is cozy, yet roomy and comfortable. The staff is very welcoming and polite. Our server, Angel, was awesome! She was extremely knowledgeable and gave great detail about the menu items, even down to warning my mom that the chicken on her chicken & waffles may appear pink despite it being done, due to the sous vide cooking method. Thankfully, my mom shared a bit with me and it may have been the best fried chicken I've ever had! My cocktail was amazing as well. I will definitely be returning to Counting House soon. read more

Recommend: Banker's Breakfast Yard Eggs Buckwheat Pancakes Pros: Friendly staff and a quirky set up. Lots of interesting stuff to look at. The food was definitely hale and hearty breakfast food, with an upscale twist. I particularly liked the Yard Eggs if you're looking to fill up without feeling heavy. Cons: It's pricy, but the quality and quantity are there. Treat yourself every so often. read more

Wow, is Durham ready for a place like Counting House and its parent hotel 21C? It's so cool that I desperately want the answer to be "YES!" My friend serendipitously asked the staff outside Counting House when they were going to be finally open and was answered enthusiastically with "We officially opened 10 minutes ago!" Being Durhamites, we called an audible on our dinner plans and headed inside the building formerly known as the SunTrust Building. The entrance and interior has a great "wow" factor (clearly, the theme of the review). High ceilings, large windows, beautiful installations. I love the bright pink penguins decorations and pins on the staff. I understand why they went with a soft opening as there's clearly still some work to be done, but already a worthy date night or treat yo' self spot. Heck, even the bathrooms made you go "wow" when you locked the door. Warning: No "wow" means you probably didn't lock the door and everyone can see you. Starting off with drinks, the drinks menu are priced well and cross my fingers these prices are permanent and not just an opening week special. I had the Southern Side, which was a delicious gin based drink and a cool twist on the classic mojito. Refreshing and comforting. I don't recall the drinks my friends ordered (we had spent a couple hours at Bull City Ciderworks before happening on Counting House), the consensus was that the drinks were delicious and we would all love to make this our regular cocktail spot. We started with a meat and cheese plate chockfull of local meat and cheese options. $19 gives you three choices. The timing and portion of the plate was off as the bread arrived after the plate, leading my friend to assert that meat & cheese plates didn't come with bread. Luckily, some delicious bread and nicely softened butter arrived a couple of minutes later. For $19, I wish they gave us more than two thin slices of the Carolina Moon cheese. My tastebuds are still dreaming about the pate and chorizo. For dinner entrees, the $13 burger is the best bang for buck and can give Bull City Burger & Brewery a run for their money. My friend's rotisserie chicken (bone-in) was moist, flavorful, and a generous serving size. My husband's short ribs were expensive and cooked to perfection, the only negative was the small amount of roasted root vegetables it came with. That's a low cost side that could've helped compensate for the smaller portion of short rib. My mushroom bolognese was delicious. The pasta had great bite and there were enough mushrooms to make each bite rich and meaty. Throughout the night we were checked on regularly and it's clear the staff there are expertly trained and want to make this a five star experience for you. Other than some minor tweaking of portion size and timing, it's as close to being five stars for opening night as you can get. Counting House, you are too cool for Durham and I can't wait to see more of you! read more

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I've been looking forward to the opening of the 21st Century Museum hotel and its associated restaurant Counting House for a while now since I believe this facility is going to help kick downtown Durham up another notch--for years, we've had only the Marriott as a hotel space downtown and, let's face it, it's getting tired. But with this place, The Durham hotel (with an Andrea Reusing restaurant), and the Aloft (including restaurant NanaSteak) opening this year, we're going to be well-stocked with options. But I digress. Counting House is the first to open and they've been quiet about it--I think the hotel is more really on a "soft" opening right now as April is the advertised full-open date and you can't charge meals to your room yet. But the word seems to be getting out as the place was absolutely packed this past Saturday night, both lounge and restaurant proper. I spent my time at the bar since I was a walk-in. It's a stunning, striking space that would absolutely not be out of place in Atlanta, Miami, DC... name your metropolis. The ceilings are towering and have what look like huge white paper leis suspended from them over the bar with some white neon tubing in them. The bar is a long marble-top and there are tables for four opposite the bar, plus some sofa seating at the doorway. The look is clean, crisp, and modern, plus it has neat local touches like a couple of bull's heads hanging over the bar with feed bags tied to their snouts, as a nod to the Bull City. The restrooms are also contemporary cool--up a set of stairs and along a hallway overlooking the bar, they are individual rooms completely made of glass, which frosts when you lock the door. Now for the food. It's obviously a chef-driven menu and it's smallish at the moment, but there is plenty of variety. I tried the octopus with butter beans and chorizo ($14) and immediately knew the kitchen was having early success. A perfect balance of flavor and texture. I followed that up with the brined pork chop with Swiss chard and a blackened cornbread base ($27), also terrific. So in design and food quality/creativity, CH is already up there with Revolution down the street as the best fine-dining in Durham. But whereas Revolution is more of a global-cuisine thing, CH is doing the New Southern thing as you can tell from the butter beans and cornbread. They also have a dish of tuna dried in tobacco leaves for more local flair. I put the bar staff to the test on their wines, liquors and the menu and they are all obviously already well-drilled in the offerings. And despite a full house, everyone seemed to get attention in a timely manner. The food was quick to arrive as well. So now in a half-mile stretch of Main St. downtown, we have Mateo, Taberna Tapas, Counting House, Revolution and Bar Virgile. If there's a better half-mile stretch of restaurants in the state, you'll have to prove it to me. read more

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Great place to go for drinks and apps. Beers are perfectly reasonable , cocktails can add up for $$ but they also have session cocktails which are pretty cool and cheaper. Great selection of apps esp their Nashville style fried vegan "chikn". It is so so good. Complete with vegan ranch. Many other great and creative apps with a professional chef. They hosted a vegan drinks night for us one night with many more vegan options, so if you are vegan, consider calling ahead and asking for something special- I am sure they can deliver on your request. Not to mention popping down to the museum and vault after drinks! (Update: Nashville tempeh chikn not on the menu currently but I hope they'll add it or something like it back! I still think they can accommodate what a request in advance for vegan items) read more

I love this place because it's one of the best date night spots in Chapel Hill. The restaurant is located in the 21c Hotel, a spot known for it's cute and iconic pink penguins that are hidden everywhere, some in plain sight. The menu is contemporary, small plates and on the pricier side. I am obsessed with the octopus, my date and I ordered this maybe three or four times I can't remember haha. Their drinks are fantastic but can be on the froofroo side if you know what I mean. After dinner, you definitely need to roam around at the free art museum in the hotel. They have amazing pieces and wonderful installations to look at, all for free! And check out the bathrooms, I know lol. The doors of the bathroom are so cool. And then after dinner and the museum, end the night by walking across the street to the rooftop bar of the Durham Hotel. You're welcome for the perfect date night. read more

Imagine a restaurant in a museum, there are creative art pieces almost everywhere you look. If you have to wait, I recommend checking out the actual museum on the first floor (free) or go down to the basement and peak at the vault. They also rent out the vault space for parties, there are couches in it and a bar and kitchen area they can open up down there too. They have a small menu but everyone enjoyed their food. Everyone's orders were portion-controlled. I ordered the "biscuits and gravy" for $13 which was a biscuit split in half, topped with delicious prosciutto, 2 perfectly poached eggs, and a creamy gravy with a few small cubes of sausage in it. It was very good but I wish it would came with a side too. We were there at 10:30 am on a Sunday and the restaurant was pretty quiet. They were also OK with serving anything off the lunch menu too. This location has pink penguins everywhere that can be moved around... we watched a kid at the table beside us drag 3 of them to his table. Prices are high for quantity but the quality of food paired with the unique atmosphere is really what you're paying for. Waitstaff is friendly and laid back. Would recommend to stop in at least once to check it out. read more

classy and full of flavor. I could eat here everyday. Nice ambience. Great staff. Fantastic cuisine. The roasted cauliflower was my favorite. Stopped by for brunch the next morning and even the breakfast was amazing! If you're visiting the NC area this place is a must. Trust me you won't be disappointed. read more

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We came here for Father's Day Brunch. Our server was great! The food, however, was problematic. I ordered the Hot Mess which came "seasoned" which means had lots of black pepper on it. Hating black pepper I had to send it back for "clean eggs." My husband ordered the tacos, which were ok, but dry. When we asked for salsa, they said that all they had was hot sauce. They we had the Salted Caramel Creme Brule, but it wasn't properly bruleed. There was no sugar crust on top to be cracked. Finally the cappucino was luke warm, not hot. The steamed milk was not hot. The server told us that the kitchen had just lost its chef and there was a new kitchen staff. Obviously they are not properly prepared to offer food yet. Very disappointing. read more

Had visited this establishment a few times for drinks a year or so ago, but hadn't been in while. Dropped in on a Saturday night to pick up a drink and go check out what was new in the exhibits upstairs and wound up so extremely let down that I don't think I'll return. Ordered drinks, and asked to run our card instead of opening a tab since the plan had been to check out the art. The goofball bartender's attitude immediately changed from friendly to straight up rude. All I could think was "I'm sorry that I need you to run it now, but you're not busy and I'd like to just pay for my order and move on." The way he changed demeanor on a dime was really unsettling. For the prices that are charged here for BASIC cocktails, I don't want ANY attitude for something as small as "hey, do you mind running our card?" I wont be going back. read more

I've been to Counting House bar on five occasions (before pandemic, during pandemic and now). Without fail, every time, the bartenders ignore customers even when they are right in earshot and at eye level, face-to-face. It's as if you don't exist. I thought this was an anomaly, but it has happened every single time. I keep trying back to see if the situation has improved (because the location and space are good), but to no avail. This does not happen to me at other bars. My friends and I walked out twice. The seating host(ess) was nonplussed when advised of the situation. The same thing happened when I lived in Austin when the town was first becoming "hip" in the mid-90s. Busy, centrally located places (like Mezzaluna) rested on their laurels, treated customers poorly (because they could), and then, almost overnight, the hipper and better places started popping up. Restaurants and bars that had deplorable, disrespectful service were left in the dust. Customers have long memories - they don't forget when and where they were treated badly. read more

Great service, awesome staff, fantastic food! I can't wait to go and visit again, it really is a fun and cool environment.

Stopped here twice recently for cocktails at the bar, and been blown away. Clearly real care is given to their cocktails, and I fell in love with a Malbec float cocktail they had on my first visit. Spectacular. While it was off the menu by the time I came in again, I showed them the listing of it and they were happy to replicate it for me. Good service, regular check-ins for additional drinks, all around excellent. Will have to return to try dinner service again after these experiences for sure. read more

We had a great dinner at the Counting House last month (November). After drinks and food were ordered, our waiter brought out a scallop appetizer for all 4 of us. While the wait was reasonable, our waiter told us the scallops were brought out because the pork chop for one of us did not turn out well - we would not have known if the waiter didn't mention it. The octopus app and the shrimp and grits app were really good. For entrees, I can recommend squid ink rigatoni (be warned though - its in in a heavy cream sauce - very good but rich), and the burger. The pork chop was quite large, but ordinary. The food was all good, but the most outstanding item were the scallops - if available next time that would be my choice. Love the ambiance of the restaurant as well, and the art upstairs is always a hit (even if a bit odd at times - you know, "art"). read more

Counting House is located inside the 21c Hotel and Museum. The food is phenomenal. The decor is eclectic and beautiful at the same time. I've been to the restaurant several times and never had a bad experience. Each time I get the same thing -- the meat and cheese and the deviled eggs. The meat and cheese is locally sourced from N.C. or another local in a different state. Each season there is a different type of cheese and meat so you will never get the same thing twice. The deviled eggs are not your typical southern-styled eggs. They are mixed in with bacon jam. Very tasty. The drinks are also great! This is a perfect spot for date night. read more

Counting House - Deviled eggs with bacon jam - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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The atmosphere here is ultra cool and hip/post-mod artsy, so much that it's just the sight and simply being here, taking in the incorporation of art w/ hotel and dining that makes it worth the visit. The art gallery is definitely worth checking out and actually features several really incredible pieces. A lot of funky and cool art pieces are in the dining area as well. Also to highlight, the cocktails and mixed drinks here are absolutely incredible and possibly my favorite out of the numerous bars/drinks places that I've been to in Durham. I've ordered everything from classic obvious off-the-menu drinks to in-house specialities, and all of them have without fail been fantastic. Somehow they achieve the right amount of sweetness for sweet drinks, don't overdo the alcoholic taste, and hit good ingredient/liquor ratios for me. The food itself is fairly good, but I'd say the presentation was better than the taste. Portion sizes were a bit small and entrees are pricey as expected. I had the smoked pork belly entree - meat was cooked to tender perfection and had a pillowy layer of fat, topped with a very expertly crisp pork skin. The garnishes and "side" parts of the entree were lacking though, and the sauce was a bit bland and could have been much better to complement the meat. Overall though, the atmosphere here is very cool/hip and right up my alley, and the drinks are second to none. Needless to say, great place to bring your friends or a date. read more

Pork chop under seasoned and paired with a flavorless pesto. Pasta too spicy and no salt and pepper. The burger was the only food that was decent. Martini's small and over priced. Actually everything was over priced. Do not go there unless you enjoy a $100 20 ounce steak. read more

Food: 4.0 Ambiance: 5.0 Food/Price: 3.0 Pros: Excellent Atmosphere, Solid Food, Connected to the hotel/museum 21C which is a worthy spot of visiting in itself Con: Food is slightly overpriced This is perhaps the only place in Durham whose ambiance emanates Tier 1 city (Revolution being a contender). The design is open and modern yet presents enough intricacies and attention to detail to give an air of warmth and familiarity. The chic hotel/art gallery in which this place is housed is one of Durhams more interesting attractions but it deserves a review of its own. The menu is standard high end American. Steak, Rotisserie Chicken, Pork Belly, Shrimp and Grits, Oysters etc, etc. They have a small but interesting cocktail menu, and an extensive wine list, but I wasn't drinking on this particular night. I ordered the New York Strip Steak which came with a small portion of potatoes and an olive oil / greens topping that blended surprisingly well with the steak. Juicy, flavorful, and with an interesting topping.... for $28 I still expected more. It was a very good steak, but it was not a phenomenal steak. I'm giving this place a provisional 4 stars as of right now, under the assumption that their cocktails and remaining food choices are of roughly the same quality. I'll be back soon to test my hypothesis. read more

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Special place. Nice atmosphere. Good wine selection. Food was excellent. Check out open table for more accurate rating. Eggplant Parmesan app was delicious and well presented. Red oak salad was generous and perfectly balanced. Chicken is Smokey and slightly sweet! Must try! read more

We came across this restaurant after an evening at the Carolina Theatre close by. We were intrigued by the ambiance, lighting and wall decor so we checked it out. We were seated right away on a Sunday evening around 8 PM. Restaurant was busy but did not feel crowded. Server was friendly and attentive. For $15, I ordered the cheeseburger medium and it was very tender. It was actually a double burger. I wasn't impressed with the horseradish jam though. Not very much taste to it. The poppy seed/sesame seed bun was toasted nicely. Fries came out hot. The kitchen was pretty noisy so I recommend sitting away from that area. Otherwise, the ambiance was pretty classy. There is a 24/7 art museum upstairs. The restrooms upstairs were wild! The doors are see through glass until you lock the door, and it turns translucent. Very cool. Overall, a good experience and great location. read more

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Last night we dined in the dining room and the service was top notch! Quintessence martini for starters, seared flounder and oysters, the octopus was simply yummy and seasoned to perfection. Not a big cauliflower gal but tasty and such a healthy choice. The hubby couldn't go wrong with his burger cooked MW. He didn't complain at all!!! So we're back this morning since we spent the night in their hotel 21C...bottomless mimosas, grits, chicken and waffles... just what a girl needs to start her Cinco De Mayo!!! read more

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

Went here for our son's birthday. Waitress was new so basically didnt know anything to answer our questions. Daughter-in-law had a very expensive burger and candidly speaking you can do better at...name the chain burger joint. The rest of us had over priced appetizers and weak drinks. My husband had tequila and club soda and we could barely taste the tequila. We had teo ofnthe festured deinks..they were pretty and sweet. The shrimp and grits is a small plate but it was good. My son had a chicken artichoke roll ofnsome sort iver black beans, small also but it was good. The rest...we could have passed. There is a hotel so cannot comment on that but it is a very beautiful cosmopolitan type decor. You can walk to other areas of the building, there a vault in there and apparently they have weddings here. We all said we would not recommend or return. The prices, the portions, and the taste of some of the dishes were less than stellar. As for drinks..most people would really like to know there is alcohol mixed in their drinks. So I guess if you want to feel a little fancy, and you just want to spend the money..go for it but para mi? Nope. Not a fan!!! The two stars are for the venue itself. read more

I love the countinghouse! I went there with my girlfriend I was visiting. She suggested it, and I'm glad she did. Well I can't remember the specifics on the menu... I ordered an appetizer which consisted of kohlrabi And orange. It was fantastic quite salty but it had a great tang. My girlfriend ordered something having to do with cauliflower for the appetizer. It was fantastic she loved it too. For her entree my girlfriend had the grilled lettuce salad, and it was gorgeous and tasted great. I had the shrimp and grits, which was excellent. For dessert I had their version of an apple pie, with cardamom ice cream on the side which was incredible. My girlfriend had chocolate mousse, which she said was to die for. Aside from the food, we had drinks and they are also great! I got a drink that contained champagne and some rose something in it with pomegranate seeds floating in it. My girlfriend had wine which she enjoyed. In one of our appetizers there was a piece of plastic that had fallen in, obviously from the packaging from some food. We alerted our waitress to it and she was completely friendly and very helpful. She did not charge us for the dish. The service there was great and very knowledgeable. If you're in the Durham area I would highly suggest visiting Counting House! read more

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Visting daughter at Duke and found this very fun and excellent place. Great bar!

Situated inside the 21c museum hotel, I was very excited to try this place. The artwork was trendy and gave our dining experience a unique feel. However, our server was not friendly and borderline rude and the food, rather mediocre. The wine selection was a redeeming quality but I would not return for another meal here. read more

Counting House - Crista de Gallo - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Great lunch. I recommend anyone in the area to come into the hotel and see the restaurant for its art alone. The food is also very tasty. I went for Triangle Restaurant Week and it was very good, especially the main course: Kimchi, egg, brussel sprout take on bibambap. I got the pb&j crème brûlée and I wasn't a fan. The crème part was delicious, but the combination with peanut hard layer on the bottom, while interesting, wasn't that good. I really enjoyed the tomato soup of the day as an appetizer. The staff was professional, the restaurant was quiet and clean. Will definitely go back, though it may be a little pricier than anticipated. Overall, good food, very nice restaurant with a beautiful decor. read more

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Chef Seizer is the best - all the plates we have tried are a nice blend of flavors, textures and colors making the food served at Counting House absolutely delicious. The ambiance is quite pleasant - unique decorations, confortable seating and nice music that is enjoyable but also allows for conversation. The service is superb, our wait staff are always very attentive and knowledgeable. All aspects make Counting House by far the best restaurant in Durham! I was surprised that last night it was not packed - maybe because we went for a late dinner. I don't usually write reviews but I'm writing this one as I love Counting House and it really deserves more patrons! read more

Update: They have unique drink options! I enjoyed the Blueberry Butter cocktail immensely, and saw quite a few options on the drink menu that I'd love to go back and try. They also added some foods for snacking and sharing, such as the salt and vinegar chips with a delicious, light and fluffy dip. Upgrading to 5 stars. read more

Counting House - Blueberry Butter cocktail - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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I had been looking forward to the opening of the hotel and restaurant for several months we had the opportunity to try out the Counting House a week ago on Friday night. we had tickets for a DPAC show so I was a little concerned about the time of service since would have a "hard stop" for dinner in order to be on time for the show. we had a dinner party of 8 coming so we arrived early to ensure that our server knew we had to leave at a given time. Of course we HAD to try the bar while we were there and were very pleased with all of the different and never tried before offerings I had nothing to worry about for the service. Our server was fantastic and she let the kitchen know of our schedule. The wait staff was checking on us every few minutes to ensure that wine and water glasses were kept full for our party of 8. But the food was the real story WOW! we had several of the apps, a range of salads and different main courses. For desert we went family style and tried "one of each". Our group of 8 tested the kitchen over the course of the evening and all were very pleased with their meal. I am very much looking forward to the next outing in Durham and Counting House read more

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

We will be going again. What a truly remarkable experience. The service was impeccable. The food was fresh and delightful. Thank you Counting House for a memorable evening. David & Gail read more

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

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Love this place though it can be a bit pricey. They always have some great vegetarian options which are creative and delicious! Cocktails are also creative and unique. I just wish they would bring back The Brambling Man (or send me the recipe-- **wink wink**) since it's probably my favorite cocktail ever and they don't seem to have any plans to bring it back. The staff here is is also great. I recommend this place for a special night out, an after-event drink, or just a fun night out. :) read more

Disappointing and over priced. I ordered the only vegetarian friendly entre which was the crispy oyster mushrooms, which I was excited about because I love mushrooms. However I was served a plate of underwhelming sautéed mushrooms on the side of 4 very small "fried" oyster mushroom pieces. The sautéed mushrooms were edible but the "fried" mushrooms were a chalky, clumpy, flavorless mess. In fact they looked like the batter was only flour. Texture was disgusting, weirdly greasy, and soggy. It was served on a bed of poor quality lettuce tossed in a bitter dressing. My friends order some oysters which they enjoyed but the plating was sad and not deserving of the cost of the food. Our service was not bad but not noteworthy either. Our server didn't to care that I hadn't touched my food for over an hour. I should've spoke with the manager but at that point I just wanted to leave. The weird gray dividers were reminiscent of cubicle walls. No redeeming qualities worst dining experience in Durham. read more

Set up reservations for this past Saturday. Decided to pay the $85 a person for my wife and I to have the experience of being taken care of by the chef. We were very disappointed. 3 of the 6 courses were straight off the menu. The main course of pork and swordfish was very dry and basic. It was nice to be "Pampered" but the food was not worth the money. The bar staff was on point though. Thus the 3 stars. read more

The first time I visited the Counting House was for drinks and an appetizer and my husband and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. This past weekend we decided to have a full blown dinner to celebrate 10 years without killing each other. Love the atmosphere here with the corky art displays, beautiful lighting, and décor. I would consider this place upscale but found it odd the wait staff was dressed hella casual. I love that Durham is a come as you are kind of town but I felt overdressed because of their attire. Cocktails were innovative and reasonably priced as was the wine. The Beef Tartare was the best rendition I have had to date, in the states or abroad. Beef, egg, sauce, all of it worked well together. My complements to the Chef on this dish. The Scallops and Red Drum were also lovely but missed the wow factor the beef delivered. On the fence if they were worth the $30 price tag. We finished our evening with the toffee pudding and a latte and both were above average. I highly recommend this place for drinks and appetizers/dessert and would choose this place over Nana Steak for a pre-show spot as the DPAC is only a 5 minute walk from here. I don't think I would do a full dinner here again as I feel other establishments in the area i.e. Littler and Bar Virgile offer a better foodie experience. read more

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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