OpenTable may have dropped the ball on our Easter Sunday reservation, but Local 22 turned it into a…read moregreat experience. When we arrived, the restaurant was completely full, yet Paul handled the situation with genuine kindness and calm. He asked us to hang tight and, true to his word, had our party of four seated within five minutes. The food absolutely delivered. The standout was the apple cinnamon hush puppies, crispy, warm, and just the right balance of sweet and savory. Truly delicious. A huge thank you to Paul for his outstanding hospitality. He made what could have been a frustrating situation feel effortless and welcoming. We'll definitely be back.

My first time visiting Local 22 Kitchen & Bar and it was sooo good. I cannot wait to return. Our…read moreserver Matthew was awesome and very nice and knowledgeable. We ordered the charcuterie board with local cheeses, prosciutto, and the smoked trout dip . Freaking delicious would definitely order again. We also ordered the skillet cornbread with honey bourbon butter (I think). Soooo goood. I ordered the quinoa salad with blackened shrimp. Super amazing so glad Mat recommended the blackened shrimp to go on top. My date ordered the spicy chicken sandwich with tots. Definitely spicy but delicious. We ordered drinks as well and let me just say they were delicious and STRING. For dessert we got the pecan pie bread pudding. That was just okay for me not to sweet. I can't wait to go back and try other items. Oh and the vibe was good we dined outside.

First time at this place. Didn't have to wait too long for a Sunday brunch. Have to say that this…read moreplace was a little slow on service. Took them a while to get our order in. The ambiance wasn't bad. Food wasn't all that great. I think as a food person it was pretty bland. Didn't have too much flavor in any of the dishes. It maybe for some people but for us it wasn't that great but wasn't horrible.

Decent breakfast. Better deal than hotel breafast. I had a bisquit and a veggie scramble which…read morewere pretty good. Kid had eggs that were a tad under-cooked. Service super friendly. Biscuit was good. Nice diner vibe.

We had an extremely memorable experience at Alley Twenty Six, in large part to our amazing server,…read moreAnthony! We made a reservation for a Saturday night dinner and he made sure we were well taken care of all night. We started the night with their James Bears award winning cocktails, and every drink we ordered was a hit! Spiced strawberry mule, Sunset Sipper, and the table favorite: Earl Please. The latter two drinks were mocktails and they were still standouts! As for the food, the Alley burger was perfectly cooked: juicy patty paired with truffle cheese and simple toppings that really highlighted the burger itself. And shoestring fries are always a good choice with a delicious burger. Ricotta gnocchi was also very good. As our server Anthony said, let's get this burger nominated!

It's always exciting to go to Alley26, namely for their food. Out of all the options in a block…read moreradius (with the exception of sushi nearby), I will always chose Alley26. Over burgers, over French food, over ramen, over Indian. Why? Because Alley26 serves delectable oysters, succulent burgers, and incredible tin fish. Yes, tin fish. If you haven't seen their extensive menu of fish, you must! While it's not for everyone, it is a tinned fish enthusiasts heaven! I go here to celebrate milestones with a good friend and we always have a mini feast, paired with a glass or two of wine. My favorite time to go is when the weather is comfortable and we can sit in the alley way, it's soooo chic that it feels like you're sitting outdoors at a meal in Italy of France. Service is always on point and I forget the bartenders name that is super knowledgeable and super kind. When I remember, I'll circle back to update this review. If you're thinking about this place, definitely check it out! The only inconvenience though is that I believe is 21+ over, at least at night it is.

Yum! My boyfriend and I split some dishes at the Federal and thoroughly enjoyed our experience. We…read morechose the classic cheeseburger with Swiss cheese and sauce on the side, a cubano, and the fried artichoke salad. Both the cheeseburger and cubano came with hefty servings of French fries fresh out of the fryer. Despite being a little salt heavy, they were flavorful and complimented the sandwiches well. The cubano and burger were both 3/5 for me but I enjoyed both. I'm not a huge meat fan... My boyfriend said they were excellent though! The fried artichoke salad is where I feel like I found my peace. The olives, tomatoes, salad dressing, and all other salad components were awesome. It tasted fresh and the ingredients complimented each other. The fried artichokes were a nice crunch too! I would be back to the Federal for the hot food and good vibes. Service was excellent here as well.

Bartender tonight was so accommodating. I came to watch the Duke UNC game and it was standing room…read moreonly. I'm 7 months pregnant and my feet started to hurt. There were customers at the bar who ordered a drink and thought that was enough to sit there the entire time. The bartender nicely asked them that if they weren't going to order more food or drink it would be polite if they gave up their seats to paying customers. I finally got to sit down and rest while I enjoyed the game. Great food and even better service!

We popped in for a drink while strolling the Brightleaf area. The staff were attentive and…read morefriendly, the place was super clean with a cool vibe. There are some arcade games and TVs. We didn't try the food today but I'm hoping to update this soon when we go back.

Had a quick couple beverages at Clouds Brewing. I'd call it a cool, bright sports bar with a lot of…read moreTVs to catch games, some arcade-type games and what I'd call pub grub. The service was friendly on a somewhat slower mid-afternoon. The mushroom appetizers were amazingly good: made fresh in the kitchen, you could tell. I'd put this on the list if you're looking to catch some sports on TV with your friends - a good spot.

Keep coming back to the Grub because food here is consistently delicious and you can't go wrong…read morewith The Rocket breakfast! I love that they don't just give you crappy melons and grape like in other places for fruit. Here you get fresh blueberries, strawberries and pineapple. Also, that biscuit I will add, depending on when you go, get ready to wait. The line is sometimes out of the door. The service and the prices are good. Also, there's plenty of seating downstairs, outside or in the deck upstairs. Hope you check it out!

What a cute little brunch spot in the heart of Durham! The concept is one where you order at the…read morecounter and then the servers bring out your items. This worked well until we were asked to wait several minutes for drinks because they were busy with food orders. The food itself was very good. We were all pleased with our meals and especially with the smoked wings. They have a house made ranch that is also top notch. I tried the cinnamon roll and wasn't impressed. The flavor was almost like it had a citrus hint to it. It says there are nuts in it on the menu but when I asked the server she shared there are in fact no nuts in the roll. Parking here can be a challenge due to the tiny lot but there is street parking available as well. I will definitely be returning here when in the area.

Listen... Was I forced to carb load this meal? Yes. But did I have a good time while doing so? Also…read moreyes. As a vegetarian, there were admittedly pretty limited options, but I was aware of that going in and still wanted to try out this Durham institution. You get complimentary Focaccia (not once, but twice!), with perfectly crusty outside, bouncy inside, and a wonderful olive oil. If I had known this beforehand, probably would not have ordered the Dinner Rolls- nonetheless, they were delightful (pillowy soft and came with an airy butter). As an appetizer, we got the Little Gem Lettuce, which was a little too salty for my taste, and I felt the citrus accentuated the saltiness even more. However, my friends thought it was seasoned well so take this with a grain of salt lol. But I did enjoy the creaminess of the dressing and the crunch from the topping; also, it was pleasant to eat along with some bread. For my entrée, I got the Spaghettini. This was my first time trying shaved black truffle and I was underwhelmed, but I loved the pasta itself, which had a really unique bite to it and was rich but not heavy. The pasta dishes are on the smaller side with regards to portion. Last but definitely not least: the Hot Chocolate Soufflé. Oh my gosh. When I say this was heavenly, I could literally hear angels singing as I took my first bite. The hot fudge was velvety but not overwhelming, the soufflé soft, and perfectly balanced by the cool bourbon-caramel ice cream. This is assembled table side so you get a fun little show as well haha. We were taken on a bit of an emotional rollercoaster because apparently they were having trouble with the oven, but so grateful that could be fixed. Service was amazing (shout out to Beza!), very friendly and appropriate timing. Ambiance is superb, literally the epitome of modern elegance and probably the best in Durham for a fancy night out. Highly recommend getting a reservation. I could see parking being tricky on busy weekends, but I was able to snag a spot in front of the restaurant. Overall, I had a good experience with some minor room for improvement with dish execution but definitely would appreciate more vegetarian and vegan-friendly options (although, I suppose I didn't ask if modifications to dishes was possible). 9/10 would recommend!

Food: excellent. The food is delicious, expert chef. It is expensive. Plus they add a surcharge for…read moreuse of credit card, which is surprising given the premium pricing which averages $100 per person. Service. Poor. Waitress Broke the wine cork, forgot to serve bread (blamed an ongoing wine dinner) and did not serve olive oil, when bread was served after making request. Ambience: Cozy with tables close. I came away annoyed. There are few restaurants of this quality in Durham, but they need to do better for me to return.

I have been to the spot several time in various guises. It's a great location. This iteration seems…read morelike the best for the area: it's very family friendly, with tons of games and playground area for the younger set. I came at 5:45 on a Monday (because no other places are open on Mondays!), and was one of maybe four me. In the place. The rest were moms with one or two (or more!) kids, some waiting for dad to join them after work. I ate in a covered patio that in a few months will be too hot to endure. But tonight, mid-March, it's a sunny delight. I ordered a smashburger and a Kingstown Negroni. Drae stirred my drink and out the order in, and it arrived with fries just minutes later. Juicy double patty burger, caramelized onions, cheese, salt & pepper fries. Fresh and very tasty. WiFi was fast, music was smooth but subdued. (Think Sade and Barry White dueling. Wish I wasn't alone!) Kids were everywhere, but very well-behaved and in explore mode, which I find adorable! There are outside areas covered in open or tarps, clear flexi-glass walled off areas, and true "indoor" places you can watch TV in. Everything from Top Gear to REN & Stimpy. A great way to spend an early dinner/very late lunch.

A decent spot, but caters more towards the crowd that wants to drink while their kids run around…read more Lakewood Social is a nice casual spot with a decent drink and food menu that really caters to the day drinking millennial crowd with kids. It's kind of a bug and feature. They have the order from your table QR code set up where you can get drinks and food served to you either inside or out. The service is always quick and prompt. This place is great on a nice day. It's not somewhere I would typically seek out myself unless with friends (with kids) or hosting a small party (where there might be friends (with kids) attending.

During my recent visit to The Restaurant at The Durham for brunch, I had the pleasure of ordering…read morefrom their weekend brunch menu. The Breakfast Fried Rice that I selected, featuring wild-caught NC shrimp, roasted mushrooms, broccoli, edamame, jasmine rice in a soy-ginger sauce, omelet, and Yum Yum Sauce, was delicious. To complement my meal, I also opted for the Pomegranate Hibiscus Spritzer mocktail. The servers were great and even in passing every staff i encountered was pleasant. On a different note, I couldn't help but notice that the water glasses on the table had noticeable water stains. Given the elegant setting of the hotel lighting fixtures and the significance of first impressions for me, it was a bit of a setback to observe this. The hostess tried to find me a glass that wasn't stained but never returned. I ended up passing on water. I would suggest improving the glasses by removing the stains or getting new ones. I would also recommend a better clean-up of the seating after each guest. I saw a few crumbs. Parking was effortless. A parking deck is right across the street. It's free on the weekends.

Staff,very friendly and attentive,love that southern hospitality,everyone enjoyed their breakfast…read more,plenty of coffee ,never ending cups,people meeting for business ‍,chatting with friends,great atmosphere

I enjoyed a tasty breakfast in a bright and cheery place with pleasant and attentive service…read more I had a Veggie Omelet and I substituted with egg whites and also was served a hash cake. The omelette was light on the eggy outside and earthy, with lots of healthy spinach. The potatoes were good and the decaf coffee tasted fine. The server, Riley, was upbeat and positive and fun to talk to. This is a good restaurant for a better variation of breakfast in a large dining room with bright service

How perfect to have Faith as our server on Easter Sunday. Good meal. And cute interior! The mild…read morebacon was a little salty to me and I was hopeful the hash brown would have some seasoning. It was cooked well but just potatoes no salt , pepper or anything. Nice brunch spot. I didn't eat a lot, but if you select meals you may have more flavors. My hubby liked the skillet and cheese grits. He said the OJ was fresh!! Winner-- No wait to be seated !! A definite plus.