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Fullsteam

4.3 (515 reviews)
Closed 12:00 pm - 10:00 PM

Fullsteam Photos

FULLSTEAM ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Live music
Classy
Casual

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Ana H.

This place is really cool the attention was so good, and the beers were delicious and as for the food I'm glad I waited until I got here! I ordered the smash burgers and tots, you definitely want to get this one! As for the beers, I had their Farmhouse Lager, Pilsner and their hazy IPA. The ambience was very relaxing and more when you're surrounded by so many cute plans and nice murals. The service was on point, very helpful and attentive.

Flight, prices vary (about $16 for these 5)
Mary W.

Mixed reviews about this place, some gripes of which aren't at the fault of Full Steam. I'll start with the positives. The venue is really nice, super chill with great vibes. It's also very spacious with two separate sections and lots of seating, one side is the bar with some seating and the other is an open almost garage like area with many long tables. Bartenders are also great, friendly and efficient. I'm clumsy and accidentally spilled one of my beers, and she kindly poured me a new one which was so sweet! I ordered a flight which is 5 5oz pours of any beers on the menu, prices vary. I paid about $16 for my 5 which I didn't think was too bad. I didn't care for the 6/19 or the Uncle Ricky's, but that's personal preference. The Southern Basil on the other hand was phenomenal! Yum! I'll definitely be back specifically for that one. Now, the not so positives, mainly just two. It was honestly so hot inside that it made it uncomfortable (for me, at least). Plenty other patrons seemed fine! The bar side was cooler, yet still hot. The "garage" side was swampy, which I know they realize as fans are set up, and the garage door was open so it definitely would be unbearable if not. I'm not sure if this is par for the course or just because of the time of year. I also bet during cooler months it's really pleasant! Secondly, totally not Full Steam's fault but unfortunately a huge factor...PARKING (or lack thereof). I'm not a local to Durham so I'm not used to this, though I recognize most probably are. There's a lot directly across the street and if you're lucky to find a spot, you'll spend between $8-$10 for 2 or more hours. The cost really isn't the problem, it's more the finding a place to park. There's so much construction in the area right now, too, that many lots or decks on the map are inaccessible. My friend that I planned to meet up with drove around for, no exaggeration, an hour in search of parking. We finally gave up and she picked me up and we went elsewhere. Summarily, I would go back here and recommend to others. I would simply be aware of these two main issues listed above and plan accordingly. I didn't get a chance to try their food this time, sadly, due to the parking conundrum, but I'd love to try it next time.

Vegan Reuben and fries
Jessica H.

This place is a great meeting spot for a large group! I have gotten the vegan Reuben twice in the past few months- once with a side salad and once with fries and both were equally delicious. You order food at the bar and you get a buzzer to tell you when it's ready. The service is friendly and the food is quality! Great beverage selection, too. It's pretty cold there in the winter. And hot in the summer, which is my only complaint. I wish they would control the climate a little more.

flight
Savannah K.

Fullsteam has a wide variety of beer options. I got a flight so I could try multiple (the flight comes with 5 beers rather than the normal 4!). The most unique beer had a basil flavor which I had never had before. There are tons of tables inside and outside with an outdoor covered area as well. They have games you can play while enjoying some brews. Good vibes and friendly bartenders.

Taps
Grant S.

During a recent conference in Durham, we did a local brewery tour. The stand out brewery for us was Full Steam Brewery. From the outset, we were impressed by the space. Huge, open, and welcoming, there is outdoor seating, covered open air seating, and air conditioned indoor seating. Something for everyone! We also felt welcomed by the LGBTQIA+ flag hanging out front. Thanks for making us feel included! The next best moment was how wonderfully friendly and helpful the bartender was. As a first timer, I had lots of questions and she helped with kindness and positivity. I always appreciate that! My husband and I both got beer flights and the beers were AMAZING! My husband got a flight of IPA's and absolutely loved them! Between the two of our flights I really enjoyed the Westea IPA, the Oops...We HS17701Ed Again, Brumley Forest, Todor Vapor, and Southern Basil. However my favorite was the classic Biscuit Wheat Beer made with local NC ingredients. It was so flavorful and delicious. Yum! We also shared the Queer Beer on tap from Mill Whistle Brewing and thought it was delightfully yummy and Pride festive! We also tried the food and LOVED it. My husband got the Piedmont Chicken sandwich and liked how uniquely flavorful it was. I got the blackened catfish sandwich and found it wonderfully delightful! Bursting with flavor, but not too spicy. And the bread was a perfect baguette. Both sandwiches came with southern seasoned fries and they were literally like drugs they were so deliciously addictive. I could've eaten a whole other basket, even after being full! Prices were excellent, the space was clean, and hours were ideal. If we are ever back in the area, Full Steam will be stop #1 on our list. We tried 7 other breweries and it was definitively our favorite. If you're in the area, be sure to stop by for great beer, delectable food, and a lovely time!

Meri A.

Great bar and craft beer! Surprised to see so many food options, as well. Neat bar space and additional seating in a covered patio space, had an outdoor feel with plants and some live- edge tables. A big barrel shaped sliding door opens the space between these 2 sections. Got there early before a concert nearby and service was quick. Started to fill up as they were getting ready for a trivia night- looked like a fun crowd.

Front door
Lori W.

The Lowdown: I was impressed with the food and size of the building. The service and knowledge from the bartender, Jenelle was exceptional. Four stars because : I was a little disappointed in the beers that were available(although I'm not a beer drinker my friend is). Parking sucks and there was a smell of what resembles natural gas near the front entrance. Oh and yes, the front door is that big red thing under the sign (see photo) Fun fact: Triangles 3rd largest producer of beer in the triangle and they In Source most of their meat, cheese, grains. The worst part about my experience here was the parking and walking around all the construction happening in front and the natural gas-like smell near the front entrance just after you walk in. We will come back and I will update my review during the spring when their Girl Scout Cookie beers come out and the construction will hopefully be finished.

Outside of the brewery
Heather M.

We just arrived in Durham, and were looking for a place to burn some time while waiting for friends. We found this gem and could not have been happier with our choice. This is a relaxed, family-friendly brewery with ample seating, and industrial fans for warm days. Great selection of beers, and although we did not eat, several people around us had what looked to be delicious appetizers and sandwiches. We enjoyed the Paycheck (Pilsner), Biscuit (wheat), and Oops... Again! (Pilsner/IPA blend). These three beers were fantastic. The bar staff was friendly and helpful and will allow you to sample beers. When we are back in the area, we will certainly be back to Fullsteam!

Tots
Shaun C.

Very open space, lots of seating, the bar area itself isn't very large, but it's still a good size. We showed up about 10-15 minutes before the cutoff for ordering food, but didn't have any issues. My wife and I both ordered the Smash Burger, which was really good. It comes with their house-made "Rocket Sauce" which is delicious. There's horseradish in it, so it's got a little kick, but not so much to not enjoy it. Everyone we met was super friendly, and very welcoming.

Raelynn V.

There is ample seating with a ping pong table and beautiful decor. While we visited we had the pleasure of watching an artist work on a mural on one of the walls. The bartenders were extremely friendly and provided great recommendations. The peach sour and coffee pilsner were tasty and very unique! Have yet to try the food, which everyone says is great. Rating 3 stars because it was super warm inside. Everyone in our group was sweating despite giant fans. For a summer cold beer this is not the place to sit back and cool off.

The burnt bun chicken sandwich?
Kong L.

I haven't stopped here for a while so I decided to stop by for a bite. I highly recommend grabbing a bite somewhere else. I ordered the chicken sandwich and received overcooked fries, and a piece of breaded chicken sandwiched between a burnt bun. How do you even dare to serve me this? How does this even pass through the kitchen? This is quite disrespectful in my opinion. Spent over $25 on food and drinks to receive this? I left feeling like I was robbed.

Fullsteam patty melt and French fries
Andrea A.

Came to Fullsteam absolutely famished and got the patty melt with french fries, both of which were delicious! I loved the soft focaccia bread they used for the patty melt (I'm also a sucker for caramelized onions on sandwiches). The fries are on the crispier side, which I enjoyed. I'm not the biggest beer fan, but I had to get the Girl Scout cookie flight because I've never seen this anywhere else! The cookies hit ofc; my favorite pairings were the Lemonade cookie with Road to Nowhere and the Peanut butter cookie with CIFC. Service was good- friendly and relatively speedy. Ambiance is great- awesome place to hang out with friends, very open space. 7.5/10 would recommend Fullsteam brewery!

Front entrance
Will R.

I've had Full Steam beer before via grocery stores & taprooms and their Rocket Science IPA has become one of my go-to IPA's, so I was pretty excited to go to the brewery in Durham. Very good sized brewery. Due to COVID, there was a path you go through to order and then to your seat (this is a good thing, as it was organized). Of course, they had plenty more options on draft so that was an excitement to try as well. The bartenders were very nice and didn't rush at all when selecting a beer. Our seat was in the main area and you can tell many events had (pre-COVID) been held there previously, which were probably very fun. The brewery itself you can see in the back through the glass, which is cool. The only bad thing was that we went during peak summer and their AC was not on, but rather open air. There are huge, multiple fans but only pushed around hot air. Aside from this, I still love their beer and would return to try more. I recommend.

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If you haven't had the Girl Scout cookie flight then you haven't tried anything! Worth a visit just for that alone

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Great beer good food and good service. Stopped in for lunch and enjoyed a sandwich my son had a burger which he

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Review Highlights - Fullsteam

For instance, I never thought I would like a basil-flavored beer, but their Summer Basil made me a believer.

Mentioned in 21 reviews

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Guglhupf Bakery & Restaurant

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I have loved Guglhupf's impressive bakery for years and finally got to try their restaurant over…read morethe weekend - WOW, I have been missing out!! They don't take reservations, so you wait in a queue to order at the counter. (Clipboards with menus are available throughout the line.) Once you order, you are given a number and can seat yourself either indoors or outdoors. We asked for appetizers first and received our bread service and brezels very quickly. The range of breads and the beautifully salted butter were a crowd favorite, while a pickier member of our party focused in on the delicious pretzels. I also received my drink, the seasonal Hugo Rose, at the same time - it was so light and refreshing & the perfect complement to a spring evening. Soon after we finished our appetizers, our plates were cleared and food was brought to the table. Two of our party ordered the schnitzel, an absolutely massive portion of perfectly breaded meat. Two more ordered the grilled bratwurst sandwich, which was absolutely spectacular both with and without sauerkraut. Finally, we tried their pigs in a blanket. Everything was beautifully prepared, warm, and delicious, not to mention generously portioned. While it took me a while to finally make it to the restaurant, I won't go so long without it again. My only caveat is to get there early, as parking is limited (and competitive!) Highly recommend to anyone who enjoys German food, outdoor dining, and beautifully mixed drinks.

Despite the 15-30 minute wait in line on the weekends, we keep coming back to Guglhupf for a few…read morereasons. First, the seating just can't be beat! You can sit outside or inside, and there's tons of seating for both. This makes it great for large parties, and it's easy to pull together some tables for enough seating. Second, you can order some more coffee or a pastry from the barcode at your table. Amazing! Saves the servers time and saves you time. Third, they have some fantastic vegan options. The vegan breakfast sandwich with shakshuka is incredible. And the spicy fried tofu sandwich is one of my favorite vegan sandos (i will come here just for this sando). Overall, a Durham staple that shouldn't be missed. Fantastic for meeting someone for lunch last minute, large parties, or groups of people who like to linger over their food (you won't be hurried out).

Bull City Burger and Brewery - Exotic meat special: Camel, Elk and Yak sliders

Bull City Burger and Brewery

(1.3k reviews)

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I'm going to open by saying that the fun and humor of this restaurant is amazing. The interior is…read morenice and vibrant, with a perfect mix of minimalist and maximalist designs in the building (especially with the brewery apparatus being visible--which is awesome!!). Even before me an my party entered we could hear music playing from the building, which kept the vibes up! Moving onto the food, a certain menu item caught my eye. Something that I'm legally obligated to keep quiet about... but let tell you- this burger was Gooood. This "Signature Secret Burger" was rather unique, as it was like you took a pretty simple egg burger, and just ramped it up. My initial thought when I first tried it was that it was a burger squared, the mystery ingredients amplified the flavor to make such a savory meal. It wasn't to overbearing like many other burger places that I've visited, not immediately making me feel fat and full after taking a few bites. Our party also ordered a whole quart of fries, and they were SO GOOD!!! I'm a sucker for good fries, and you knocked this out of the park! Your fry soft was nice and mellow and complimented the fries perfectly. (And even afterwards, the fries warmed up really well and were still Really freakin' good!) Finally, during my visit, their anniversary event (Happy 15th By The Way ) and they were offering FREE DESSERT for someone who happened to sit in a randomly chosen seat. And by the luck of the gods my little brother found his way onto the seat! It was just really awesome to see a restaurant doing such awesome things for their birthday, y'don't see that every day! Overall, this place is definitely a place to stop by if you're in Durham. If you're in the area visit IMMEDIATELY if you love good fun food!

Vegan burger review!…read more Every once in a while even the vegans want a burger (aka me) so anyway I went to bull city brewery. The burger was yummy, nothing super unique, but I liked their vegan patty and thought it was moist and well flavored. I think it was a little expensive to come with no sides at all? but I don't think that's unique to the vegan burger. Anyway, I enjoyed the drink (blueberry mojito, a special at the time) a lot, and noticed that they have craft sodas on tap (super fun). The vibe is casual and woodsy, and the food came out in good time, though ordering at the front can take a while, since they only have one register. I think that the range of non-beer drinks they offer sets them apart a bit from other breweries (with the sodas, the specials, a few cocktails), which I really appreciate as someone who does not enjoy beer. They also tend to run drinks on a theme (i.e. when I was there they were offering like 7-10 different blueberry flavored drinks, both alocholic and non-alcoholic), which can make returning here fun. Overall, a good experience. They have some fun offerings, and a solid vegan burger.

Ponysaurus Brewing Co - Cocktails are amazing!

Ponysaurus Brewing Co

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The brewery staff was great, the pizza staff was rude.. I have been here many times because I love…read morethe pizza and sour offerings. We have many breweries closer to home but we drive 30 minutes out of our way for the pizza. I always tip them well even though they don't serve you. Today when I went to pick up our pizza, one of the staff members was rude and snarky towards me. I don't driver 30 minutes out of my way for that. I will patronize a local business that's closer to me next time.

Took an impromptu trip to a brewery we've passed numerous but didn't know the name, turns out it…read morewas Ponysaurus! I've been to the Raleigh location as well, check out the review if you want to know more. Panysaurus over all is a cool place (either location) but they have drastically different vibes - which in my book is a good thing. The Durham location brings you an awesome patio scene! The bar itself is a bit small but their indoor/outdoor approach makes it seem huge. The patio is two floors, both covered, one just off the bar and the other right about that which has a few TVs for those interested. Off of the patio is a nice size "beer garden" sitting area complete with picnic tables and a great view. If you are looking for chill family friendly patio vibes this is the place to be! I really love Ponysaurus beer, their pilsner is nice but their kolsch is my favorite. If you've been to the Raleigh location, the Durham menus is not the same. Yes they have pizza but it doesn't seem to have the same options - still good though. We went with a hankering for the hummus we got at the Raleigh location, again the Durham location had hummus but a different variation. One thing that's consistent with both locations is the amount of pita that came with the hummus, there is nothing worse than getting a huge bowl of hummus and only a few pieces of hummus or chips. Both locations knocked it out of the park. Plenty of WARM pita for everyone. This location is somewhat self-service, the bartender obviously poured out beer and there is a cute window for picking up snacks but no table service.

The Glass Jug Beer Lab - Fae and Ghoul Market - lifewithhanny

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This place is great in so many ways! I was here in the spring, and we sat in the outdoor garden…read morearea. This has tables with umbrellas, a play area, and a disc golf area, as well as fire pits. The menu has a huge draft selection as well as coolers full of canned and bottled libations. The cashier was friendly and efficient, but not particularly helpful. While they don't have food, there are several places in the same shopping center that have take-out options, and it's fast and easy to have something quick to pick up.

I usually go to the glass jug downtown, but I really wanted to try their Valentine's Day flight and…read moreit was only available at this location. So one Sunday morning when I got done watching my nephew play hockey, I decided to take a detour on the way home and stop here. I got there right as they opened and was the only one there besides the bartender. He was super enthusiastic and helpful and got me set up with the flight right away. I went and sat in the room with all of the steel brewing barrels. I nibbled on chocolate and sipped my beer as I looked around at all the interesting things. Right when you walk in the front door, there is an amazing bottle shop or selection of local beer. It was really quite amazing and much larger than the selection at the downtown location. Completely understandable since they have a lot more space here. The bar was nice and had really neat lit up menus with a lot of beers on tap. They also had two separate indoor seating areas that looked like they could sit quite a few people. It was chilly in February so I did not venture into the outdoor area behind the building. I'll have to try that if I come back. My most favorite thing about The Glass Jug are their specialty flights. I got the Girl Scout cookie flight last year and this year, which is a cookie paired with a beer, and I really enjoyed that. I actually had a Valentine's Day flight at the downtown location last year, but it did not come with chocolate. This year, the one with chocolate, was the best flight ever!!! It was absolute amazing. So now whenever I hear that they have a specialty flight, especially with chocolate or cookies, I will be making an effort to come back to visit. So much fun!

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We stopped by while visiting the area and ended up having a really great time. The place has a…read morerelaxed and inviting atmosphere that makes it easy to settle in and enjoy yourself. There's plenty of seating both inside and outside, and everything felt clean and well taken care of. The beer list is impressive -- so many options to explore, and the staff were happy to help with recommendations. The one I tried was fresh and perfectly balanced. We also shared a small bite, which came out quickly and paired nicely with the drinks.What really stood out was the friendly energy -- everyone seemed to be having a good time, and the service felt genuine and attentive without being overbearing. It's the kind of spot that feels both local and welcoming to visitors. Definitely a place worth checking out if you're nearby. Great drinks, great atmosphere, and a team that clearly enjoys what they do. We'll absolutely be back next time we're in town!

We came here on a Thursday for a late lunch. I do not recommend the burger melt. Despite it having…read moremelted cheese and caramelized onions, it had no taste. I thought beef had a naturally salty taste but there was nothing. The buffalo chicken sandwich was decent. I think the buffalo sauce and Cole slaw saved it because the chicken didn't have much of a taste either. I ordered fries originally but they delivered potatoes to me. The server that delivered the food quickly put in an order for fries to fix the first servers error and I'm glad he did. The fries saved the meal. They were cooked perfectly and hot. I'd come back here for the fries for sure. After we got our food, the servers just forgot about us and another customer that had been there for about the same amount of time that we had. We were in the restaurant another 15 minutes trying to get the attention of a server to come give us our check. The original server never came back even though we could see him at a register near the kitchen. The new server had to ask us what our order was and ring us out under her name because our original server was doing something else nearby and not being helpful to us.

Fullsteam - breweries - Updated May 2026

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