Left this place in high spirits!! :) Mysterious and amusing impression as the "entrance" was unsealed. I won't spoil it for you, but as you walk up the stairs just ask for Green Light instead of Merchant (which is also a great bar!) This bar is more intimate; a bit of a propriety aura with a street view. Different cocktail options than The Merchant, and so our waitress who normally works over there wasn't familiar with any of them but she asked for us. Loved the Porn on Mute (similar to Sex on Beach). read more

The Green Light - Menu - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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If you're looking for a truly unforgettable cocktail experience in Raleigh, The Green Light is where you need to be. Tucked away behind a secret door inside The Architect, this speakeasy hits all the right notes--classy, intimate, and effortlessly cool. From the moment you step inside, the ambiance wraps around you like velvet--dim lighting, rich textures, and just the right touch of mystery. The vibe is perfect for a date night, catching up with friends, or treating yourself to something special. read more

Incredible Speakeasy. Bartender knew his craft like science. Top tier craft mixed drinks/cocktails like you've probably never had before. Ask the bartender to make you something off menu, you won't be disappointed. Great atmosphere. Highly recommend. read more

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The Green Light is not a yellow or red light, it is a must GO!! This bar is uniquely beautiful and provided my friend and I with surprises all around. From the entrance of the speakeasy to the handcrafted cocktails. If I could leave six stars I would!! read more

Interesting place. Nice ambiance. It's hidden behind a wall to get into the bar. Their special cocktails are overpriced (almost $20 each) and we're disappointing. They need a new mixologist to make their drinks. You can get better cocktails elsewhere for cheaper. The service was disappointing too. They ignored us for the first 10 minutes and it was not busy and we had to go ask them how to order. One of the bartenders even went and talked to another group that came in 5 minutes after us. We had to keep going to the bar for everything. Poor service. Won't be going back. read more

This place was amazing and that is all thanks to Bryn. She fixed a drink that was curated by herself called the "Japanese Maple". It was AMAZING to say the least. The customer service was great the vibe was amazing. If you are in the area please check out this spot you won't regret it. Now for the owners add this drink to the permanent menu, it is a killer! I hope you all enjoy. read more

The Green Light - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

This was SUCH a fun place to take my out of town guests! It was such a cozy, upscale, and romantic spot. We had the best bartender that was open to questions and customized drinks - he made amazing suggestions, which led to us being there far longer than anticipated. I can't wait to return! read more

The Green Light - Femme Fatal - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

This will be your favorite speakeasy in Raleigh...if you can find it ;) The staff is nice and attending and the overall ambiance is perfect for a date night or a little meet up with friends. Heads Up! You should definitely make a reservation prior to going and it is a pretty small space so it may not be the best bar for big groups. read more

The Green Light - Standout Drink: 5th Avenue - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Was not expecting this "hidden" gem in a bar that was clearly closed to the public. I was greeted by a waiter who led me back to a bar behind a bookshelf. I was greeted more by the dim lights than by the bartender. But, once I was, I enjoyed my bent umbrella, which was way more citrusy than I thought it would be in a good way, and it was super smooth to sip and enjoy. I finished this while speaking to the bartender and a patron who was very kind. The bartender was very open and kind. He made me feel very comfortable and was so kind! My second drink was the "Apples and Allies," which reminded me of a spicier apple cider with rum. It was super smooth, warm, and easy to sip and sip! I would come back here for the drinks and atmosphere. Very chill and great drinks! read more

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Such a great vibe! Drinks were good - they were out of some liquor and the tender did a great job working around that. Service was phenomenal. read more

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We were in town visiting family and had dinner nearby - this was a big surprise treat after! I had no idea this existed and my Uncle was so excited to surprise me with this speakeasy. When they opened the door behind the hostess I think I almost yelled out loud - not even joking LOL. Super cool and unique spot - small but not too small. Bartender was really nice and the cocktails were OUT OF THIS WORLD. My husband said it was one of the best Moscow Mules he's ever had. I naturally went for a Bourbon cocktail and was VERY happy with my drink too. Highly recommend! Make sure you have a reservation because it can be pretty limited seating and you don't want to miss out. Cheers! read more

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You guys! How awesome is this place! Green Light is the best kept secret in Raleigh and it's out of the bag if you have never heard of it before! It's a hidden bar behind a bookshelf that's a secret door! We had the Final Word and the Daisy and both we so good we had a few! Note: Do not attempt to go without reservations. The place is small, intimate and they will not have an open table. We had dinner at Sitti across the street since they do not serve food. Second time for me at Green Light House Speakeasy Raleigh NC and they do not disappoint! This time i got the Honey Rose. Their bartender Reed is great! read more

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The ambiance is amazing but the music is sooooo loud and doesn't match the vibe at all. It is a dark and intimate setting playing Y2K hits. So weird. Would be so much better with a jazzy or spooky vibe to the music. read more

The actual bar is fairly small, 6 or so seats at the bar and 6 tables that fit 3-4 people each, with the corner table fitting about 6 people. When there aren't that many people in there, it's very intimate and fairly quite, but as the night went on and the tables were full, I found myself having to speak very loudly even though I was sitting right next to my friend. I wouldn't call this a speakeasy, as soon as you get to the top of the steps and tell the hostess your name, she opened the "secret door" for us and let us choose our own table. The drinks were really good and I enjoyed my time there read more

Awesome ambiance and drinks , bartenders know their mixes and drinks . It has gotten popular so make reservations if you want to go . Weird b/c it's a 'Speakeasy' but that's the latest word ! read more

Now this is a speakeasy, not so easy to find the door but thanks to a little help it didn't take long to get in. One thing I like about these hidden gems, you they are not typically overcrowded and very personable. They also seem to hit the target on quality in every drink they serve. The Green Light is as comfortable as it gets, and the staff make sure of it. This is definitely a bar that will see us again. Cheers! read more

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I really enjoyed my experience at The Green Light Speakeasy. Hargett St is easily my favorite place downtown. It's a street immersed in very eclectic spaces.The staff here are excellent. We visited The Architect failing to realize that The Green Light was within the bar itself. We followed a few folks into the turning bookcase and were greeted by Jason. We did not have a reservation for the evening and luckily he was able to find us a comfortable corner seat near the deer head. We reviewed the menu and decided on the Rum Flipped cocktail. The best way to describe this cocktail is Eggnog. It was literally the perfect night cap. The bartenders are talented, the wait staff and management here are excellent. Green Light definitely gave me east village New York vibes and that is dear to my heart as a home sick Native New Yorker. I can't wait to return again. read more

The Green Light - Rum Flipped. Amazing - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Very cool, low key speakeasy with delicious cocktails. Went right when they opened and it was nice and quiet and easy to get a seat read more

The Green Light - Eastern Medicine - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

This place certainly has an authentic speakeasy vibe. The manager went above and beyond to accommodate our requests and also recommended a nice bar to go next after our drinks, he also offered to walk us there :) giving us a japanese hospitality experience. The cocktails could have been better, some of them lacked complexity. read more

The Green Light - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Drinks were nice. We were told of some cool bar that has a hidden bar you have to find, so we went to see. After climbing the stairs to the bar, it was empty and to the right of the stairs is the only bookcase on the floor, which means that's the door lol. Not sure if reservations are needed but was asked if we had one. We didn't and we're sat down immediately. It's cute and dark in the little bar. Did take a while to get our order taken but there was one server who went table to table to take orders. Nice experience but not a place I'd frequent read more

The Green Light - Porn On Mute, Get Lit, 5th Ave - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

This place gives a chill, small speakeasy vibe. It is recommended to reserve a table but they do take walk ins. The bartenders and waitress are easy to talk to and are good to talk with. The drinks are a bit pricey but is understandable with the amount of time it takes to make them and set them up. They are tasty and are more complex to be able to sip and enjoy rather than binging for the quick buzz. Great place to take pics, enjoy a drink, and talk story. read more

The Green Light - Honey bourbon - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Man, there's this bartender Omar. I asked him to make me a drink based on the atmosphere and it was amazing. I came back and presented him with a vision of an environment and he made me a drink based off of that information. If you want to go somewhere that crafts original cocktails that are catered to your own desires, this is the place! The music can vary, but late at night, I'm down for the smooth jazz/rnb vibes. It's a beautiful, intimate hole in the wall that will surprise you and is perfect for date night. Ask for the magician Omar. The only thing that limits you is yourself. read more

Nice secrete entrance the doorman let's you in . Pretty small basic room and not playing period music , but modern music took from vibe . Drinks good but was out of a lot and not willing to make off custom drinks off the menu ? Hence not 5 star . read more

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What a fun place! I love a great speakeasy with tasty cocktails. I suggest bringing your friends and not telling them you're going to a speakeasy! I did that with my friends and it was so fun seeing their faces when the bookshelf opened. Other than that the cocktails are delicious! It is very small and can get crowded quick. read more

The Green Light - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

We came on a Thursday evening, and it was a delightful experience. For most of the 1.5 hours we spent here, we were the only customers in the speakeasy. It felt so secret and luxurious, like our own private room! The bartender was friendly and we had some nice conversation. read more

The Green Light - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

How to get in: Look for the bar the Architect and go upstairs. Ask the hostess at the door for the green light and he basically opened the bookcase door for you. I oddly found it underwhelming cause I was expecting a bit more wowwwww but it's a bookcase behind the hostess. Inside the speakeasy, it's very small! I saw a huge party there and I sat at one of the tables and orders the honey rose drink. Service was slow but they came to me when I needed them. They were slightly louder than I'd like but it was nice. read more

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Delivers everything it promises. You can only text msg for a reservation. The door is actually 108 5 (1/2) not 108. Justin was wonderful, the drinks delicious, ambiance posh but chill. read more

First time going to The Green Light and YOU have to go! It's the coolest little spot with amazing drinks. The Old Fashioned and the Honey Rose are to die for! The service we received was so amazing and we will definitely be back again. They made us feel welcomed and gave us an amazing experience. read more

The Green Light - The Honey Rose - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Funky, hipster-ish hidden bar with excellent cocktails and a great vibe. Most cocktails are ~$15. We've always had a good time at The Green Light. Text them in order to reserve your table in advance. read more

Let me just say I loved this place! Since I've moved here in September we haven't done too much going out but my sister in law and her bf stopped in town and brought us here. What a cool place it was, the vibes and the drinks were immaculate! First of all going into a place with a door that looks like a wall but is actually a door will always make me feel like I'm in some sort of mystery or mythical movie! The service was fantastic, and the drinks were delicious! I loved the Eastern Medicines so much I had 3! If you're a gin girl like me you will love this. I highly recommend this place to anyone visiting or if you just wanna a good time! read more

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I've gone by twice now and have just been really disappointed by the entire experience. First time they wouldn't let us walk in even though it was early and there was no one there because we didn't have a reservation. Second time we made a reservation for 10pm and get there exactly on time only to be told there was no room. We waited for 30 minutes and watched 3 other groups go in. We finally went back up and we're told that they'd moved us to 11pm since there was no room. When we asked why the other people were able to get in we were told "they had a reservation". Well so did we. Their reservation website says there is a 1.5 hour time limit for each reservation for groups under 6. If you can't get in without a reservation then please enforce the time limit. Otherwise just make it first come first served and give everyone the same opportunity to get in. read more

I was in Raleigh visiting a friend and she said that she had heard of the green light but had never tried going. We went to the Architect and I'm not sure what we were thinking, but we thought we were already there (and were a little underwhelmed). I had to use the restroom and on my way back I SAW THE BOOK CASE OPEN. I felt like I had seen some secret place and told my friend immediately we were NOT in the green light. I went up to the host stand and asked how we could get in. He said we needed a reservation because it's so small (It was a Friday night). He was nice enough to put us on the reservation list for 11pm. We ended up getting in a little earlier. It is a SUPER small bar. Maybe about 8 people at the bar and 8 two-seater tables? (just an estimate) Only two staff members working. The cocktails are a little on the pricier side ($12-15) but they are high quality. The bartenders were super friendly and made conversation with us. It was a really cool experience! read more

Such a great speakeasy! It was not the easiest to find, but was worth it when you do. It does not look like it belongs where the door is, the inside of the club is a completely different vibe. Inside we were sat and had a fabulous server. They explained everything so well and gave us some history about the green light as well. The drinks were made perfectly and were strong. I would easily say this was a little gem that we found on our trip. read more

Very amazing intimate place. Such a bonus to find connected to the Architect Bar. Relaxing atmosphere and incredible cocktails. The bartender, Reid, made us feel right at home. read more

I've been a fan of The Green Light in Raleigh for some time. Not always a great experience but always a good experience ... until recently. Earlier this month I brought a date there and made a reservation as is required. We checked in 10 minutes early as I always do and at the time of seating (9 PM) the Host informed me that they had a large party coming in at 10:15 and as a result, we could only have the table until 10 PM. I truly thought I was hearing things (Over the loud thumping dance music in the background) so I asked him again and he confirmed what he had said the first time that we had the table for 1 hour. I was flabbergasted! The date was impressed with the place and the Speakeasy motif and as we worked on cocktail #2, at 10 PM sharp, the Host walked up and told us to get a check to clear the space for the 10:15 party that was arriving soon. Our second drinks were half finished. Not only did I find this lack of professionalism appalling as a customer, but as a person whose first career was Culinary, I have never in my entire life heard of any such practice where reservations were taken, overbooked, and actually asked a customer to surrender a table! I couldn't help but imagine if this was a restaurant. The equivalent would be, mid-meal, for a Server to walk up with to-go boxes and a check and an invitation to vacate. When I texted the Manager, a person who identified himself as a Manager, I sent him the text with details of the complaint. That was three weeks and to-date, zero response. Pretty confident that was my last time at the Green Light. read more

Best kept secret in Raleigh!! Drinks are amazing and the service is truly divine...can't wait to return!

Cute idea that this is hidden behind a bookshelf but the overall experience doesn't quite hit the mark - at least not on a weekend. It's a super small space so if you want a table definitely make a reservation, otherwise the bar is available on a first come basis - 6 seats I think. Because it's sooo small the volume of just normal conversation gets to be excessive, which really kills the intimate vibe. The bar you enter through was incredibly dead even though we came on a weekend night. The music played there is crazy loud so not somewhere great to hang out if you're waiting to get in or when you leave Green Light. Surprisingly you don't hear that music when you're in there which is great. Personally tried two cocktails which were decent but not really anything special and not worth the price imo. I do think going here on a weeknight might be a lot better of an experience though depending on what you're looking for. read more

The Green Light - Porn on mute cocktail - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

This is a cool novelty spot to check out for something a little out of the norm on your night out. I went here during the day with my boyfriend and thoroughly enjoyed the quieter, more intimate vibes. It's a very small space, as you can imagine, but there are plenty of places to sit. I enjoyed the view and the natural light that lit the room. It's not a place I personally would want to camp out at for an extended period of time but it's definitely a cool spot to check out and bring a very small group. read more

The Green Light - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

I had to sneak up on my friend Luva who also happens to bartend at The Green Light last Friday on my visit back to NC. Little did I know exactly how hidden it was when I began this one block caper. Up the unmarked stairs and through the bookcase we went. I know craft cocktails are so passé now that they are the norm at nearly every bar you go to but The Green Light has really taken the ball and run with their selection. Foundation, who lead the crusade even falls behind. Alas. Point being: get the Eastern Medicine. I sent you. read more

The Green Light - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

I'm not normally one to write bad reviews because I know every bar/restaurant can have "bad days"---however, my experience at The Green Light was one that I would use to teach anyone in the food and bev industry what NOT to do. My New Year's Eve experience at The Green Light, which came with a hefty $108 per ticket price tag, left much to be desired. From the moment we arrived, there was a noticeable lack of engagement from the staff. No greetings, no explanations about the cocktails being served--just a cold and indifferent. The ticket per person was advertised to include 4 course cocktail pairing with charcuterie and desserts. However, the menu was never provided ahead of time, even when we contacted the bar ahead of time. The cocktails were decent, but unfortunately that did make up for the overall disappointing experience. The disappointment extended to the charcuterie board, or what was falsely advertised as such. Instead of an assortment of artisanal cured meats and complementary delicacies, we were presented with a meager board featuring lunch meat rolls, a solitary olive, and a quarter piece of celery. It was a school lunch rather than an upscale dining experience. You could pick up a better charcuterie board from a grocery store than what was served. Attempts to communicate with the staff ahead of time regarding gluten-free options went unanswered, leaving us in the dark about potential accommodations. Understandably, catering to dietary restrictions on a busy night like New Year's Eve can be challenging, but the lack of responsiveness only added to the overall frustration. The champagne, supposedly a highlight of the evening, tasted disappointingly similar to Welch's rather than a refined bubbly. As we ventured into the restroom facilities, the illusion of an upscale venue completely shattered. The state of disrepair--falling ceiling tiles, out-of-order signs--gave the impression of a run-down dive bar rather than the sophisticated speakeasy we had anticipated. The experience was so far from upscale that it bordered on comical. The cumulative disappointments reached a tipping point, and we decided not to endure the mediocrity any longer, leaving before finishing our drinks. Paying $216 for what can only be described as a joke of an experience was not just disheartening but also frustrating. It's regrettable to see such a promising concept fall short on execution. My advice: steer clear of this place, especially if you expect a memorable and enjoyable upscale speakeasy experience. read more