We came in for a show and loved the dive bar vibe. The show we saw was a NOLA style brass band and it was so fun. My only complaint was not having more seating. Everything else was great. We will be back to catch more shows soon. read more

Must-Visit Bars for a Night Out in Durham This bar has an excellent selection of music, and the vibes are always on point. I really enjoy the themed nights--they're a blast, and it's great to see so many people get dressed up. I feel completely safe and comfortable here, making it one of my favorite spots. read more

$9. For a tiny little pour. This place is just silly. I don't understand the appeal and will not come back. read more

The Pinhook - Whiskey - Bars Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

A bit cool, a bit hip and very comfortable, the Pinhook is a great little venue to hang out and maybe catch some music! I stopped in a for an art show last night and was surprised at the space. Not much to look at from outside, the Pinhook is long and deep with three separate areas. Up front you've got the pool table and couches, in the middle a smallish bar, and in back the stage and some more seating. Reminds me a bit of the Pourhouse but with a more hipster, arty crowd. Music posters and bills line the walls in various places including the restrooms. They had a drag-fest going on last night which would probably be a little out of place in Raleigh. However after spending some time in this area, I can safely say that Durham does it a bit dirtier then its more conservative sister city across the Triangle! So the crowd was really mixed (figuratively and literally) last night. Mixed gender-wise, lifestyle-wise and across the color barrier, so a thumbs up there. If I were younger and lived in the hood I'd probably pop in here from time to time because it's a reasonably mellow meeting spot and bar. All y'all Durham-ites, enjoy the place for what it is, an interesting little music club that brings in all types! read more

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This is a dive bar with great music and relatively cheap beer. What more can a person ask for?! read more

The Pinhook - a crowd of people at a concert - Bars Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Okay, time for an update because I've been spending more and more time here than over other venues and spaces. I've been dating other femmes lately, and it feels like a good place where I can hold a date's hand. And I'm not the only queer person there holding hands with their date or partner. It's one of the few places in town where you can just walk in, feel safe, and not worry about being harassed by creeps because you know the staff and owners will have your back if something happens. I like that I can walk into this bar and know no one will judge me for who I am, who I love, and that's so important. Especially in the South. Especially in this state. I will also say that the staff in general has been very kind to me. Complimentary, even. I walked in twice in one night, and the person at the door complimented my glasses. It was loud, so they just put their hands around their eyes and said "LOVE" and pointed at my glasses. So sweet!! Also, they curate a great line up of local and international artists. On nights when there's no band playing, there's no cover. Just walk in, tip the door person, tip your bartender, and relax. If you live the sober life or are straight edge or just don't like drinking alcohol, they also have soda on tap (is it called on tap when it's, like, that spray thing at the bar? What do they call that? I'm not a bartender, obviously!!!!!) and also a selection of fancier Boylan's sodas. I love a good root beer. If you prefer to drink alcohol, they also have a wonderful line up of vegan friendly cocktails!! You want a White Russian with soy? They got it. You want a Piña Fauxlada that my colleague can't get enough with? Yep, they have it. You want a root beer shake made with soy milk? You got it. And you should get it, because it's delicious. PS they also have a new craft fair called the Durham Bazaar where local artisans sell their handmade wares. I went this month, and a DJ from Carolina Soul down the street (disclosure: they buy A LOT of records from a friend who lives in Detroit). Also, you can order pizza at pie pushers (or anything else on their menu -- salads, the Danny Devito (oh my god is that thing delicious or what?) and eat it at the bar if it's too busy upstairs or if you just want to hang out at the pinhook!! Anyway, I can't recommend this place enough. Durham needs more inclusive places where you can feel at home regardless of your sexual orientation, gender identity, gender presentation, or sexual orientation :) read more

The Burlesque show last weekend was a glorified high school talent show. I soooo regret spending $40 on it. I'm sorry, but there are 1000 ways to make it better. I get it that it's a place for people to showcase freely, but there should be some talent involved and some coherence in a show if you're gonna charge people to see it. read more

After reading all the negative reviews, I still gave this place a chance... boy that was a mistake. All the reviews were consistently bad about the overpriced cover charge, rude staff and bartenders, feeling like I was putting them out by ordering a drink and them just doing their jobs. The bad reviews were spot on! Drinks were bad and staff was worse. When I was bartending I worked for tips, not sure about these employees.... Won't be back. read more

I go to Pinhook regularly for great music/events, affordable drinks (beer, wine, mixed drinks with local flair), and the amazing & kind staff. The atmosphere is cozy/grunge with some booth seating, bar seats, couches + there's a back porch that faces DPAC and the neon bull sign. The karaoke here is SO FUN and always brings out a crazy mix of people who know how to keep things interesting! It also feels really interactive and the audience always shows support for karaoke participants! Such a great sense of the Durham community! read more

The Pinhook - Pinhook shows are the best. Always a wide variety of music and events (check their calendar!). Everyone is welcome here. Feels like home! - Bars Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Disclaimer: This is just a review for the Pinhook's karaoke night. Talk about a flipping mess. Hardly half a dozen songs could go by without some technical difficulty disrupting the evening. Some of these disruptions were as mundane as router difficulties and subsequent WiFi outages completely disrupting their ability to play music. The DJs had a mixing board the size of a coffin whose only function was apparently two mix the karaoke videos they were streaming off of YouTube. After waiting 3 hours to sing the particular song that I signed up for, when I got to the stage I was greeted by a computer monitor sitting in a folding chair. As I geared up to sing I saw on the little monitor the DJs cursor executing a 2-second YouTube search for my song. I know that karaoke by its very nature is an exercise in public humiliation. But I have never experienced a professional karaoke situation in which the DJs were just there to YouTube search a song when the performer got on stage. The version of the song they played for me was the unlicensed knockoff version of the radio eddited song containing multiple errors in the lyrics. On top of that, there were multiple long stretches in the song in which the vocal accompaniment normally supplied by backup singers was absent. This left me with long stretches of time during my song with my microphone in one hand, my dick in the other, and an embarrassing silence filling the room. And all of this might not have been so bad if I hadn't had to pay a cover charge. The funny thing is that I love the Pinhook as a venue and I will absolutely be back there for other events in the future. But I will never go back there for karaoke night and I cannot recommend that you do either. read more

They will make you retroactively pay cover regardless of whether you've been buying drinks since 8 pm. This was not communicated to us when we arrived. We left. read more

I came here for the YOLO karaoke and was not impressed. They only have karaoke once a month, which means there's a huge turnout on that one day (rather than spreading out the usual karaoke crowd over a few days) and that you only get to sing once in 5 hours (maybe twice if you show up right when it starts). I'm sorry, but if you're willing to hang around for that long to get up on stage for your own 3-5 minute performance, that's narcissistic and sad. Overall, it's just badly run. First, the music is so loud that it masks the singer (which is the whole point...). Second, they need a more sophisticated system than a notepad for sign-ups: it would be nice to know who is coming up on the list on a screen somewhere. Third, there is a lot of cronyism going on: either you're friends with the Emcee and can get on stage twice in 20 minutes (yes, a duet counts as your turn), or you're the Emcee himself who says "We don't know if we'll get to everyone tonight!" and then proceeds to sing a song himself, wasting the time of the actual patrons who paid a cover fee. To top it all off, there is only one working toilet for the entire club. I know it's a dive bar, but that's just gross. The seat is falling off the hinges and just caked with grime...and it was only 11:30pm when I used it. read more

I totally agree with what others have said. The Pinhook is a "gay/lesbian" friendly establishment that does not LABEL itself. Since Durham does not have a major gay bar (other than Steel Blue) it is a welcoming place for the community. Durham is very welcoming I have found. If you are gay, lesbian, bisexual, straight or whatever...it DOES NOT matter because everyone here is welcome. At The Pinhook you find and eclectic mix of people across the age spectrum. It is very alternative and always hosts a friendly crowd of people. The attitude is left elsewhere. There really are no cliques here and I like that! The people watching is amazing! Their beer selection is great and they had the Fullsteam Carver on tap which is my fav. Everything is very affordable. If you do not want to break the bank you have ample PBR as per usual. Might I add, they can pour a strong drink. I had a couple of vodka and cranberry's and they were potent but did not kill my wallet! The staff is very friendly and fun! Me and my group were there the other night for Karaoke and managed to get there around 10ish and they were very busy. However, the bartenders stayed attentive and cheerful. I briefly chatted with the owner, who was awesome..but forgot her name. Back to Karaoke, what a blast! The host is Marilyn Manho who is 'effin awesome! This lady knows how to put on a show. As the night progresses virtually everyone gets up there to pour their heart out on stage...yes, even your trashed Duke sorority girl. Other nights that I have been here there have been live bands (The sound can be a bit clangy). They really have varied events: From gay pride to country night (which they had an event scheduled for Dolly Parton's 65th birthday..I can only imagine) and everything in between. I am always happy to see this place busy. More good times to be had. read more

One of the best things about Pinhook is that it seems to avoid being labeled. It's not really a "lesbian bar" or anything, more like a "gay and lesbian friendly" bar. Not everyone might agree with me, but I think most places in Durham are very unpretentious and welcoming to ALL. Pinhook has a great relaxed vibe! There were all kinds of people, all kinds of ages hanging out. We were there on karaoke night. It was pretty much empty when we arrived at 7ish, and by about 11 it was packed. There's tons of retroish furniture. It is long and somewhat has at least two different areas. While it got crowded around the stage when the karaoke started at 10, it was still pretty calm in the front section (the bar is somewhat in the middle). I think there is only one bathroom? At least I only saw one unisex bathroom that has two stalls. But the bathroom is cool - they used chalkboard paint on the walls and have some chalk so you can write whatever you want! I'm not sure this place would make a good music venue... the acoustics are probably not so hot. Local beer selection is decent. There are less than 10 lines on tap, but there is PBR (in bottles or tall boy cans) and Schlitz (my favorite college battle cry: "Let's get SCHLITZED)!!! I didn't have a problem with service at the bar, but we did get most of our drinks before it filled up. Pretty cool to see downtown Durham hoppin! read more

This past Saturday we paid a mere $5 to see Aden, Big Hell, and the Balance, and it was probably the most badass show I've seen at the Pinhook yet, complete with a poetry slam, a dance off, and some stunt roller skating action that would put the punks in Roll Bounce to shame. I've got to check these folks out again. Pinhook patrons are, generally speaking, a 25+, liberal crowd which, lemme tell you, is a big of a relief. I'm thirty now and am afraid that one of these days the kids at Cat's Cradle are going to start thinking I'm someone's mom. Hell, some day I probably will be. Anyhootieandtheblowfish, the Pinhook's recently built a new stage, which can easily accommodate one big-ass band. By the speakers, you go deaf (I'm getting old and my friends made me stand there), so I'd recommend putting in them earplugs. Lordy, did I just say that? Well, it's only because, after so many shows, one goes a bit deaf. Not the very best acoustics, and there's definitely an annoying hum coming from one of the amps. And at least one of the band's mics went dead during the show, but the tech dude was quick about swapping them out. They've got a great beer selection on tap: always two or so from Fullsteam and Bell's Two Hearted, Bad Penny, and the like. Love it. And there's a full bar, which was great for my one non-beer-drinking friend (she is missing out, tho, IMO). I don't think the bartenders are the friendliest. Suffice it to say, they don't suffer fools. And apparently I'm rather foolish ... It also bears mentioning that there's a $10 minimum for credit card purchases, so either plan to drink at least two pints, or else hit the cash machine beforehand, so you'll have enough for the cover and drinks. Free water! They've got one of those Igloo coolers with lots of plastic cups. It's super duper awesome. And they've got a few little snacks there, too, like packets of crisps and whatnot. Clean bathrooms, two stalls, chalk to scrawl some temp graffiti there, if'n you're feelin' the urge. This place has never been overly crowded any of the times I've visited, and it's in a great, central location near Five Points and any number of other lovely joints with great nightlife. I can dig it. read more

After 2 trips here, I will frequent this place as little as possible. Aside from the bipolar nature of this place regarding events and performances, it is the worst bar service I have ever experienced in the Triangle. Saying "It's a hipster bar what do you expect" does not give it a free pass. OCSC, Reservoir, Fuse - these places are often accused of hipsterism - yet you do not have to wait 30-40 minutes to get a bottle of beer, I'd even argue that the service is very good in those places. If you have a credit card, as I witnessed one poor soul use, forget it. The dude behind the counter will take every order before you. If you find yourself here - bring cash. Other problems, art shows are poorly lit - and oddly spaced. I would never recommend someone show their art here. Stage and sound, if there are many people - you will not be able to see much, and to make up for poor sound you just turn it up as loud as it will go. Thirsty? Finished that beer? forget it - getting back to the bar to wait 40 minutes for a yuengling isn't my idea of a great time. The free-access unisex bathroom is also a disaster waiting to happen, as a guy I guess this is easier on me than some of the ladies. It might be ok when it's not crowded, but imagine when it is... Pluses.. It's a place in Downtown Durham that appears to be hip which I think for most people adds 2 stars, I'd give it 0 stars - but hey, it's in Downtown Durham. Alternatives nearby, go to Bull McCabes, Whiskey, or maybe try out that new nightclubish place - Revolution? read more

Very chill place to grab a drink in downtown Durham. And they have something cool (80s prom, vegan brunch, live music, drag dance parties, movies & popcorn) going on every night of the week. From the door guy to the bartender to the bands, nothing about this place felt pretentious or even too-hip-for-you. Everyone was actually really friendly. They had some local beers on offer for $5, so I perched with an Aviator brew at some seating across the bar. There isn't a ton of seating space here, but the lounge-y mix of second-hand furniture really makes for a comfy hide-out. I was surprised to see so many people pouring in on a Sunday night. But then again, given the cool space, the great tunes, and the friendly folks, I guess I shouldn't have been too surprised! It's a place I'd want to go any night of the week... read more

My friends and I tried to go to a drag show. Website stated that it was all ages. Facebook event said 18+. Went (drove a half hour) and found out it was 21+??!? Do better. Don't lie on your website and Facebook event pages. read more

While The Pinhook doesn't (and shouldn't) shy away from it's queer friendly reputation, I'd like to make it clear that this isn't actually a gay bar... Straight guys and gals are as welcome as anyone, and ANYONE is welcome so long as they're not complete douchebags. Until very recently, The Pinhook was the only *real* live music destination in Durham; a surprising fact considering the wealth of amazing bands and musicians pouring out of The Bull City year after year. The place was actually founded by a couple of local musicians, so they've really got their fingers on the pulse of what's worth listening to from the local scene, and they bring in a lot of obscure/underappreciated acts that don't have a big enough draw to play some of the larger rooms. As a general rule, everything they book is probably at least worth a listen on reverbnation, and since most of the shows are only 5 bucks there's no reason not to support the ones that spark your interest. They also throw some of the best damn dance parties in the triangle. It's worth noting, too, that this is one of the few dedicated live music venues in the area that runs nightly drink specials... Great music and cheap bar tabs? If that's not your thing then you probably shouldn't be in Durham anyways. read more

Karaoke night is very wholesome - $3 cash cover fee is pretty nice for the good company (people are so friendly!) and music. The space is cute, but drinks are mediocre and I don't see myself coming here to hang out on an ordinary night. read more

I'm giving The Pinhook 5 stars because the bar tenders are spot on and most importantly The Pinhook practices inclusivity for all. I can't think of a better reason to be a patron of an establishment. Just knowing that people of all ethic backgrounds, sexual orientations, gender identities, religions, etc are welcome to celebrate with respect to one another there makes me feel great about spending my dollars here. read more

Great place to hear some live music. A night out in downtown Durham ended with a live karaoke band at The Pinhook. This is a hip music joint with a great stage. It immediately reminded me of the Local 506 in Carrboro. It's a dive with unisex bathrooms filled with a diverse crowd and some friendly bartenders. This place will never get boring they change it up constantly with bands, films, open mic, trivia, burlesque, you name it and The Pinhook probably has it on their agenda. I don't get to experience the Durham bar scenes often but The Pinhook has got to be one of my favorites right now. They make sure to make everyone feel welcome here and that's what I really liked about this place. It's hip for sure and you know who the local patrons are but everyone was cool, relaxed, and just having a great time. Plenty of local drafts to choose from as well as a full bar. I'm going to be checking out their event calendar more often now they have some very cool things going on. And if you haven't had a chance to check out a live karaoke band it should be on your bucket list. Even if you can't sing who doesn't want to pretend they are the lead singer of an 80s hair band. Rock on! read more

A really cool venue with a fun vibe. Went this morning for the once-a-month Sunday brunch and had a great time. People tend to show up about 20 minutes early, so if you get there before noon, there will definitely be a decent-sized queue going down the block. It's also a good idea to come on the early side as they only make enough food for a certain amount of people (maybe 100-150?). It's a great event as long as you're prepared for an off-the-beaten-path kind of brunch. You pay $8, get food in a cafeteria style line, and scope out a spot which hopefully has somes chairs and/or a table. We were lucky to have a couple give up their seats just as we were looking for a space to camp out. But a lot of people ended up standing or sitting on the stage. I'm not vegan, but enjoy trying different types of food. This is definitely mark-your-calendar-worthy. read more

It's an easy-going little dive bar that's committed to inclusion. The people here are fun, welcoming, accepting, and cool to hang with. The drinks are great, and you can get non-alcoholic drinks as well. read more

I came here for a concert back in November. It's easy to find in Downtown Durham and is a pretty nice little spot for a small show. The stage and all are not huge, but it's still fun for a small group to play and there are a few chairs provided. Even more fun, the bar serves dairy-free/vegan/vegetarian cocktails, which were amazing! read more

The Pinhook - a band performing on stage - Bars Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Writing and updated review because the 'owner' of the bar supposedly tried to reach out months after people were complaining about extra money being fraudulently added to their credit card by bartenders. In addition, she thought it funny to post a 5 star review under the Pinhook, like it was just peachy that they have bartenders there stealing from people. Because ADDING and writing in tips onto someone else's credit card that wasn't authorized, IS stealing. Mind you these bartenders had already been tipped decently. The owner didn't care until multiple people posted on yelp that they were ripped off. I can't imagine if there wasn't YELP that they would care at all. If that doesn't speak volumes to what type of establishment this is then by the employees and the bartenders, then I don't know what to tell you. Thank goodness my bank was able to help me resolve this. read more

I like the place. They do live music most nights and they have movie night on Monday. The cover is sometimes outrageous for what's playing, but I guess that's the price we're going to start paying to have live music in Durham. Check out their website for an accurate schedule. There's a nice porch off the back. It's a fantastic view out to the DPAC and DBAP and if you're there early enough you can see the fireworks at night. I went to see a metal show last night, so it's hard to give an accurate review (metal's just not my thing, you see) but I do like the atmosphere and the collage stuff they've got going on the walls. The acoustics are ok - if you're over by the stage. If you're in the front of the bar everything sounds really "tinny." And sitting out back for a metal show gives pretty good sound too. I'm glad to have a live music venue in Durham. So for that, yay Pinhook! read more

The Pinhook is a small, chill club in downtown Durham. It's known for having great shows, dance parties, and being LBGT-friendly. If you're a big music fan, you also know that The Pinhook gets some great tours. They're also a venue for a couple music fests: Art of Cool and Moogfest. The sound system is good, though as others have mentioned - you'll definitely want to invest in a good set of ear plugs. Compared with other venues in the Triangle, I'd say The Pinhook is a little bigger than Neptunes or Slims. read more

Super divey. Kinda quiet on a weeknight, but that's fine by me. Not huge on crowds, although I'm sure it gets a lot more packed on the weekends. Looks like a good place to hear live music. Durham has definitely improved since six years ago when I lived there, and this is certainly a contributer to said improvement. read more

Just finished hosting a Soul Train party here as the Emcee for an organizations fundraiser, and have also had this venue be one of our locations for Troika...There is definitely an eclectic mix of audience and music at this particular venue and it is a great place to get your dance groove on....... read more

Lots of great music flows through here, local and non-local. Even when I don't have time to check out who's playing when I'm heading over, it's always a pleasant surprise because the booking is rock solid. Excellent cocktails at a cheap price, very friendly staff, patio out back when you need a breather, excellent sound system, free popcorn, excellent trivia, movie nights. The list goes on. My favorite Durham Bar. read more

Just a few blocks from the new Durham Performing Arts Center, this bar has huge potential for being the destination in Durham to hear great music. I was excited to see my favorite local beer on tap, and got a kick out of the old school video games. Although it opened only a few months ago, the floor and much of the hardware are undoubtedly reclaimed or original materials, so it feels like the well-worn bar you'd find in a hipster area. True, the employees were a bit on the gruff side, but strangely enough, it added to the character of the place for me. I will definitely return, hopefully to hear great up-and-coming bands. read more

For a man that is further removed from college, but still enjoys a night out at the bar - this place is perfect. The Saturday evening scene is always a mix of young professionals and hipsters in their early 30's. The bartenders are friendly and welcoming. I love the karaoke, as it is projected with great equipment and usually good singers. Every now and then, it can be a little run over with your frat-boy beer belly-type dudes that are screaming at the bar or performing uncomically on the stage as they get plastered. But definitely my "go to" for downtown Durham. read more

one of my favorite bars in Durham, especially on a down night. The staff is super friendly, the patio is great, and they have free popcorn. read more

The Pinhook - Patio - Bars Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Bitchy bartenders slinging drinks. The space holds a pretty good dance party, and mostly great bands too! It's a place for every type there is. read more

Warning to touring/local bands looking to play here: Unless you expect to draw a crowd of more than 60-70 people to this venue, you will get paid next to nothing here. This place has high house costs that they take out of the door to pay their employees (around $150), meaning that if your cover is $5, you will need to get about 30 people out just to break even. This isn't a challenge for most local bands on a weekend night, but if you're touring through on a weekday night with local support with a moderate draw, don't expect to get paid much. There are plenty of other places you can play in Durham/Chapel Hill/Raleigh (Local 506, Motorco, The Cave, Kings, Slims, etc) that are much better venues and will pay you more. I understand that rent is high on Main Street in Durham and that bills need to be paid, but if you're a small venue that wants to continue to have a reputation for bringing in good live music, you need to figure out a way to pay bands fairly. Larger touring acts are going to play at Motorco, which is bigger and better equipped to host live shows. This leaves Pinhook to host shows for low to mid level touring acts and locals. Turnouts are always going to be modest in these situations, and if you don't pay the bands shit for when they do play here, they probably aren't going to come back. This place needs to decide if they're just a bar where people come to hang out, or a legit music venue. read more

Updating review because it's TRUE, watch your receipts! Bartenders tacked on an additional $8 tip in addition to the cash tip we left! I am not letting this go, this is theft and it's obviously happening all the time! read more

The Pinhook has two bathrooms, a men's bathroom and a women's bathroom. They are both huge. No one, in the history of the world, has ever waited 40 minutes for any drink at any bar, ever. read more

One of the bartenders pushed her way through the crowd and told a friend of mine to get the "f" out of the way she works here. I understand it's crowded, but it's unacceptable to speak to patrons that way, no matter how frustrated you are, and when your guests tell you they are leaving due to your behavior, you shouldn't respond with "good". We will not be coming back here, the other bartenders were great, but the blonde with glasses needs to find another profession. read more

Super fun bar and music venue!! I watched Nappy Roots here (who were AWESOME), and the vibes, people, and ambiance were great. This bar is LGBTQ friendly, which makes it even more awesome. I only went here for the concert, but would definitely come back another night! read more