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    The Bar Association

    4.7 (9 reviews)
    Closed • 12:00 pm - 12:00 am (Next day)

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    This is the vibe
    Ben M.

    This place pops up out of nowhere! How did this cool place pop up in Smithfield? Twilight Zone. Really cool bar in the middle of our highway/outlet/country/Ava Gardner/fill-up-your-tank-on-the-way-to-Florida little town. This review will be stupid because I was just gazing around this drink bar, being amazed, enjoying my drink in the comfy furniture. I totally glazed over. This is a cool place. Friendly people running it, and very, very chill. Smithfield for decades has been known as a little mill town and I-95 fuel stop. Between places like this (there are others popping up...) and Smithfield slowly modernizing, places like the Bar Association in Smithfield are like a Steampunk Renaissance. Yeah. Steampunk. Sherlock Holmes' library. Charles Dickens, Jack London, and Earnest Hemingway might meet here. That's the vibe. We'll be back.

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    7 months ago

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    16 days ago

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    3 years ago

    Nice place, nice people. Drinks are fantastic Staff is great!! Tucked away in a nice corner too

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    2 years ago

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    The Velvet Hippo Bar & Lounge - Holiday Decor!

    The Velvet Hippo Bar & Lounge

    4.5(109 reviews)
    46.9 mi
    •$$

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

    Stopped by the Velvet Hippo while out in downtown Durham. When you arrive parking can be a bit…read moretricky in this area as you'll need to find street parking or park in a nearby lot. When you walk in you'll need to either take the elevator or stairs up to the third floor. Once inside the bar you'll feel like you've been transported to an upscale, tropical bar. To order you'll need to walk up to the bar to place your order. I ordered the Hot Girl Summer (Olmeca Altos Reposado, fresh watermelon, Gran Gala orange liqueur, house-made habanero syrup, lime, salt half rim) which was so good. I also ordered a cheetahs do it in the dark (Astral Añejo tequila, Licor 43, Caffè Borghetti liqueur, espresso, orange twist) which was also excellent. I'd recommend walking out to the rooftop if it isn't too hot. There are several tables and the views of the city are nice. Definitely will come back to the velvet hippo next time I'm in Durham.

    Photos
    The Velvet Hippo Bar & Lounge - FARMERS ONLY - as smoky and delicious as a rancher's dating profile (Cerrissa)

    FARMERS ONLY - as smoky and delicious as a rancher's dating profile (Cerrissa)

    The Velvet Hippo Bar & Lounge - Tap & Unwrap

    Tap & Unwrap

    The Velvet Hippo Bar & Lounge - Avocado toast with chopped egg, tomato, onion, and pepitas

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    Avocado toast with chopped egg, tomato, onion, and pepitas

    Belltree Speakeasy - Exterior

    Belltree Speakeasy

    4.5(41 reviews)
    50.2 mi
    •$$$

    Great spot. Loved it. I had a Whiskey paloma and it was solid. Next I had a paper airplane. It's a…read morereally good vibe and all of the drinks were crafted very much at a higher level. I was at the owners were there so have some time I have a conversation with them and they were super nice and friendly. Let us walk around the entire shop and answer all questions and total some history. It's a college vibe but not an undergrad vibe if that makes any sense. You may see some grass students or whatever the case may be, but you wouldn't find a bunch of 19-year-olds piled up in this kind of spot. It used to be small apparently but they expanded it out to a back room and an attic kind of situation. It seems like a attic kickback kind of spot. Really homish or something you will find in a living room. It made it on the top list of speakeasies on Yelp so I had to check it out while I was in the area. I would 100% recommend.

    Stopped by the Belltree Speakeasy after having dinner out in the Chapel Hill area. When you arrive…read morethere is parking available across the street in the gravel lot. Walking up to the bar it's a bit hard to find, but look for the wooden sign that says "Belltree" off of Brewer Lane than you've located this bar. Walking into the bar you'll feel like you've walked into a grown up, local, and upscale speakeasy. For my drink I ordered the last word cocktail (house gin, luxardo maraschino, green chartreuse, and lime juice). The drink was excellent and the bartender explained how rare it is to find a bar with green chartreuse as it became a huge staple during the pandemic. Overall this bar was good, and definitely worth checking out for a drink or two.

    Photos
    Belltree Speakeasy
    Belltree Speakeasy
    Belltree Speakeasy

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    The Sycamore at Chatham Mills - Black Grouper

    The Sycamore at Chatham Mills

    4.1(67 reviews)
    50.4 mi

    If you are looking for an upscale restaurant with a great ambiance this is your spot. The…read morerestaurant is in an old mill and has unique brickwork and exposed beams to really set a fun experience. They have a piano player playing quietly to really create a lovely atmosphere for a quiet dinner where you can talk with your company. The menu is à la carte. The worst thing is deciding what to eat because you want to order everything on the menu. We had a group of 4 and we all ordered different entrees. We started with a bottle of wine but their cocktail list looked amazing and I will try that next time. The bottle we ordered was on the dry side but ended up complimenting our meal very well. I ordered the beef tenderloin with mashed potatoes and mushrooms and it was excellent. Perfectly tender. My table also ordered stuffed scallops, the ribeye, and the halibut. I wish I had taken a picture of the menu because the sauces served with each meal really brought out the flavors. The dessert menu was also excellent. They offered a gluten free apple streusel and it was so great to have a dessert.

    Ambiance was great, such a cozy vibe. They have live music throughout the week and it compliments…read morethe dinner hour. Both indoor and outdoor seating options. It got pretty busy so be sure to make a reservation. Nice bar area with high top tables and lots of bar seating as well as a dining room option. The menu is small, however the dishes are prepared with local farm ingredients and there is a choice for everyone. Delicious flavors like a carrot and dill soup. If you are staying in Manchester I would give it a try for dinner!

    Photos
    The Sycamore at Chatham Mills - Bar area before they opened

    Bar area before they opened

    The Sycamore at Chatham Mills - Hawe River Mushrooms

    Hawe River Mushrooms

    The Sycamore at Chatham Mills - Dining area before they opened

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    Dining area before they opened

    The Smoke and Barrel - Brisket sandwich - not good

    The Smoke and Barrel

    4.0(235 reviews)
    48.5 mi
    •$$

    My husband had the Cuban, he said it was good. I had the grilled chicken pita and it was good.read more

    We came here to see a band we really enjoy and they were great! We hadn't been to S&B before and it…read morewas quite the drive to get there. Even tho we planned to arrive well before the band would start playing to have dinner, we were lucky to find a parking place, let alone a table. The interior inside is really lovely. The staff is terrific and the food was very good. I had the pastrami Ruben with the tomato & cucumber salad. Both were very tasty. My spouse had a BLT and a salad which she enjoyed. For dessert we shared the butter toffee bundt cake that has a caramel glaze and is topped with a small scoop of local ice cream. It was absolutely incredible!! We wanted to order another, it was so good! If we're in the area sometime I'd like to stop in for lunch and that mouth watering bundt cake. I would hesitate to come back in the evening, only because as the night went on there were some patrons so drunk that the atmosphere started feeling really amped up in a concerning way, like a fight was about to break out at any moment. It's not a big place inside so it could quickly get out of hand. I can say when something like that happens anywhere, it's not a situation to find yourself in as an innocent bystander. Had it not been for that element it would have been a really enjoyable night out, but alcohol and aholes don't mix well together. I'm still going to rate it high for the delicious food, friendly and attentive service, the beautiful interior, and the great music.

    Photos
    The Smoke and Barrel
    The Smoke and Barrel - Brisket cooked poorly, cut wrong and no trimming of the fat cap.

    Brisket cooked poorly, cut wrong and no trimming of the fat cap.

    The Smoke and Barrel - Monthly bottle choice. Solid local cider.

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    Monthly bottle choice. Solid local cider.

    The Bar Association - cocktailbars - Updated September 2026

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