Vin Rouge perfectly brings the "I was in Paris and happened upon this most charming and welcoming bistro with the best food" feeling right here in Durham. The tables are close together, but it feels just right. Everyone else is probably also having a delightful dinner, so don't you want to share the experience? The exquisite food (salade Niçoise! oysters! steak frites!) combined with the friendly and yet not overbearing service (Isatu, our server, described things so poetically) have to be presented in such an intimate space. Go here for date night, special occasions, or just because you want to experience something beautiful. I eagerly await my next visit! read more

8.5/10 Great service and atmosphere. A bit difficult to find parking. Food was generally very good. Frisee aux lardon - while a runny yolk egg, fried potato, and crispy bacon chunks are always delicious together, this could actually use more greens as the balance was off. Delicious, though. Bouillabaise - soup was well seasoned, maybe a touch salty. Decent amount of seafood. This came with a small piece of bread with a dollop of some sort of cream or butter on it. Couldn't figure out what exactly that dollop was, but it did not taste good at all. Bread would be better served to the side as it was way too soggy. Apple bread pudding - delicious although the topping of cream would be better as ice cream instead. Very dense and cakey bread pudding if you're into that. Not overly sweet. Ny strip - steak cooked perfectly and delicious. fries were soggy. Dark chocolate mousse - good but nothing too special. read more

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Top notch great outdoor setting and wonderful selections The wait staff was totally on top of everything read more

Wow! If you are looking for a nice French dinner THIS is the place to go! I've lived in France for almost a year and I miss it so much. This restaurant made me feel like I was back en France Since we went during COVID-19, there was a shortened menu but still had such an amazing selection. We did all appetizers and we're VERY pleased with the food. We have Oysters, Escargots, Cheese/Onion Tarte and the Rockefeller Style oysters. Great place and can not wait to go back. read more

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Huge kudos to our bartender Josh who took care of us during peak hours on a Friday. The place was packed and we showed up without a reservation and to our surprise we found two seats at the bar right away. We had the shrimp appetizer and the butter garlic lemon mixture they were cooked in was very tasty and it was perfect to dip our baguette in next time I will be starting with some muscles because I can just imagine they are perfect in that kind of "sauce". We waited a pretty good while for our dinner to come out. My boyfriend's steak was undercooked and it was supposed to be medium rare, but my salmon was perfect. The lentils that come with the salmon are just spectacular and full of flavor. Our bartender kept our drinks full and was so very kind to offer us dessert on the house for our patience. The bread pudding and our amazing bartender really were exceptional. I have been here before when things went smoothly and I will be back again perhaps in the spring so we can sit outside. The patio looks like a great spot for a special evening out. read more

Vin Rouge - Bread pudding - French Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Such a cute brunch place that will take you to a vintage time period with all its antique decorations and the black and white actors pictures. The staff is super nice and friendly and the service was pretty quick given how packed the place was. We got the scrambled eggs with salmon which was delicious and the french onion soup was so good and full of cheese . Highly recommend this place and will definitely be going back to try their outdoor seating. read more

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Please have more wines by the glass. You have a huge wine list. I can't get a Vouvray? Wines are over priced and some are not very good. Some wines are only available with one option despite a long list by the bottle. $12 Burgundy was awful. $15 Bordeaux was ok. Food was good but presentation was awful. My chicken crepes came folded over not rolled with a few pieces of lettuce that they call a salad. Presentation at dinner is better. Service was just ok but they were busy. I had to get the wine list myself. Twice. I come from NW Raleigh. I don't think I'll do brunch again. I can get better food at First Watch for half the price. read more

Vin Rouge - Chicken crepes with salad. - French Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Out of the three French restaurants we've been to (maybe that's not enough to compare?lol) in the triangle this is the best one. The ambiance, the service, the food. All incredible. A Durham gem for sure. read more

Excellent food and service were definitely going back soon. Great place for a special occasion or anytime

The parking could be a challenge, so give yourself a little time to look for that if you've got reservations. I loved the vibe in there. Reminded me of the kind of restaurant you might find in the northeast, sort of old world gaudy decor done right. Love the open kitchen although the smokiness/steaminess in there was starting to bother my eyes by the end of our time (we were sat right across from the kitchen and bar). Our waiter, Jax was friendly and looked after us with just the right amount of attentiveness. Even though it was packed and the tables are pretty close together, it didn't feel overly loud in there and my friend and I were able to hold conversation easily. My friend had the salmon dish and he loved it! I appreciated that it came out on a nice little cast iron dish. Not a whole lot of options for a vegan, so I went with the beet salad minus the chèvre. It was decent, beets were tender, citrus dressing was light, haricot vert were cooked properly, and lettuce tasted fresh, but of course it wasn't super exciting. Just your basic beet salad. I will say the portion size was good in that I had enough left over for lunch the next day. I do understand it's a French restaurant, not a vegan joint so it wasn't made to suit me, but throwing a nice veggie dish on the menu that isn't dairy heavy would be a nice touch. Overall good experience. read more

Vin Rouge - Beet Salad - French Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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This is one of our favorite places in Durham. As soon as you enter it feels like you're in a little French restaurant. Antiques, dark wall colors, low lighting, white wood trimmed windows and doors. Our server was French which added to the authenticity as well! We ordered drinks at the bat first and my hubby loved the "turf club" cocktail. I had their only chardonnay by the glass and it was excellent. We had the French onion soup (delectable), the escargot (extremely flavorful), the oysters (fresh and delicious), the chicken liver pate (very good and generous portion) and the shrimp Provencal (perfect sauce). Everything was fabulous! The bread they serve with the olive tapenade is a must! Definitely recommend. read more

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I have been coming to this place on special occasions for years. Fantastic restaurant with a great atmosphere. Its like being inside an old parisian house. and the outside seating is beautiful too. The food is top notch. I always get the curry moules with truffle frites (dont forget the frites!) and the duck confit salad. The duck just falls apart. Service is always terrific. Choose this place for your next romantic date night or special occasion. You wont regret it! read more

I've lived in Durham forever and had never tried Vin Rouge. My wife and I recently celebrated our 10th anniversary and decided to give VR a try after getting a recommendation from a friend. The food was delicious. I had the trout which was perfectly cooked and accompanied by beautiful haricot verts and mashed potatoes. My wife had the pork chop and loved it. Our table was ready for us at the reservation time. The service was suitably solicitous. Our server acknowledged all of our choices as "brilliant!" or with an enthusiastic "oh yes!" The only issue I experienced was being seated at a two top, in the corner, in the most uncomfortable table/chair arrangement. The chair was one of those standard bistro chairs, round seat, bent wood backs, creaky from continued use. There was something off about the height of the chair related to the table top. I was sitting awkwardly all evening. I realize I should have asked for us to be moved, but I was halfway thru dinner before my back started hurting. Ironically, all of the other chairs in the dining room were padded and comfortable looking. Also, while we did enjoy everything about our dinner, the menu prices are quite expensive even for the quality of the food. This will be a once every five or ten year experience for us. But it's definitely a destination dinner. Give it a try. read more

I had the Croque Madame and have never forgotten it. It was so amazing. I've tried it at other places but nothing comes close.

Just got back home with my wife from a very lovely Valentine's Day* dinner. She got the Bouchées á la Reine, filet mignon, and we both got the vanilla bean creme brûlée, and myself received the Beausoleil oysters and the seared scallops. Everything was wonderful, and the filet mignon was pretty big too. Excellent cocktail menu. All in all, a very enjoyable evening. * Prix fixe menu for Valentine's Day 2023 read more

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The food was AMAZING! The French 75 was made perfectly. Though seated at the bar, there was plenty of space and very quick service. Reservations advised. Parking is limited. read more

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Ya know, I've been eying this place for a few years. Now that I've tried it, I do regret not coming sooner. The escargot and mussels were fantastic. I'm pretty sure I've gained muscle from eating so many. I also had the côtelette de porc (pork chop) for my entree, which I highly recommend. Our experience, even sitting at the bar area (first come first serve), was phenomenal. The staff were extremely friendly, positive and knowledgeable and didn't laugh at my poor French pronunciation. Viens et bon apetít! read more

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We went for Easter Brunch - food and service were excellent - fantastic wine and bubbles list - enjoyed everything we ordered. Great little brunch place. read more

I've never felt so fancy! I visited with my folks for my mom's birthday. It was about $200 for three appetizers, 4 main dishes, and one dessert. It was expensive but luxurious. Really a place to go for special occasions. The escargot could have a more creamy sauce, but the French onion soup with tantalizing cheese crust was delicious. The hangar steak was very flavorful with a blue cheese butter. And, the lemon pie which had a crepe brûlée crust tasted like a lovely key lime pie. This place is a great option for a graduation dinner, special birthday, or anniversary. read more

Vin Rouge - French Onion Soup Gratinee and Escargots - French Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Wait staff was great... especially Steph. Onion soup and chicken liver pate was great. Oyster gratnee was ok. Charcuterie was great! Pork chop good, poisson of day bland and all presentation but little content for the price. Desserts great- chocolate mousse and bread pudding with caramel sauce was to die for! Tables too small and need more light. read more

This was my first dine-in experience since before the pandemic, and Vin Rouge did not disappoint. The waiters and staff were masked, and masks are still required unless you are at your table. Food-wise, everything was outstanding. We started with the Fruit and Crème Chantilly; it was a large portion of fruit, and the crème was amazing: light and sweet. For the main course, our table had the French toast, hanger steak, crêpes du jour (with pulled pork and a cream sauce), and scrambled eggs. I'm pregnant, but the chef easily swapped out the smoked salmon in the scrambled eggs for ham, and they were divine. The pommes frites were cooked and seasoned perfectly, and we all loved that the salads were dressed in a light and acidic vinaigrette. All in all, we had clean plates all around, and full bellies (without feeling too heavy). It was the perfect ambiance for our bachelorette party brunch, and it was easy to make and confirm reservations. Prices were reasonable, too, and portions were just right. If you're looking for a taste of France that is close to home (or you want a unique place to bring out-of-town guests), stop in. You won't be disappointed. read more

My husband and I consider Vin Rouge our favorite place for dinner. Everything about this place is great: your neighborhood restaurant, with excellent wine selection. French, quaint, friendly. Prefect!!! We get dinner there at least once a month! Try getting there at 5 PM and have Alan the bartender help you choose your wine. Such a friendly knowledgeable guy!! read more

Vin Rouge is a "coup de cœur" for us especially because we chose this restaurant to celebrate our wedding. The service was incredible, the staff was always asking us if we need anything. The timing of the dish was perfect, no rush but exactly when we were ready for more. The quality of our meals from A to Z was impeccable. First we served us a "tapenade" with a good baguette, we were so surprised because they offered 2 flûtes of champagne. We ordered the charcuterie board for "l'apéro" 2 appetizers, one was a beet salad.. the other was onion soup with the most amazing stretchy cheese of Durham. Then for our main entree: the traditionnal steak frites and a Macaronis and Cheese with huge piece of bacon. During the evening we drank a white wine Côte de Gascogne that was so good so we bought 6 bottles the next day. Also the menu of wine was extensive. There are only good options. Even the coffee was Amazing because of the collaboration with Joe Van Gogh. The final touch was the dessert which were offered by the couple who were dining next to us. The ambiance was chic and very cosy like the type of bistro you can find in Paris. Anyway, what a wonderful night. Thank you so much. read more

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Great classy brunch option on 9th street! If you want to grab a table you should definitely plan to make a reservation 2-3 weeks in advance. We were lucky enough to just show up when the opened and get seats for 2 at the bar, which was great. We had the crepe brisket and french toast which were both amazing. The french toast had the ideal blend of sweet, crunchy and flavorful so I would definitely recommend! Most things on the menu are fairly affordable ~11/person read more

This is my favorite restaurant in Durham ! It exceeds all Expectations. The trout almandine is to die for! read more

This is one of our favorite brunch spots in Durham so I'm actually surprised I haven't written a Yelp review before. I know COVID changed a lot of things, and we made reservations for Sunday brunch once restaurants started opening up again. We sat outdoors and everyone seemed to keep their masks on until they were seated. We enjoyed our coffees and I enjoyed my eggs Oscar. It's brunch, but it feels more elegant. It even comes with a little salad. We've only eaten dinner here a few times over the many years, but their brunch is superb. Fair warning -- it can get busy on days like Mother's Day, Duke University graduation, etc. We are fans of chef/co-owner Matt Kelly, and his restaurants never disappoint. read more

Vin Rouge - Outdoor seating area - French Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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I dined here for the first time with a friend last weekend for Sunday brunch. We had the option of indoor or outdoor seating and were immediately seated upon request for indoor dining. Both the interior of the restaurant and the outdoor dining area were beautifully decorated and made for a great ambiance. The waiters very quickly took our orders for drinks and walked us through the brunch menu with suggestions. We ended up ordering the eggs benedict and french toast from their brunch menu. The food arrived quickly -- within 10-15 minutes of ordering. Between the two dishes, we definitely enjoyed the eggs benedict more, as it was flavorful and had an egg perfectly cooked. The french toast had good flavor, but I wasn't the biggest fan of the texture or the cook of the bacon (though it really is just a matter of my preference). The food can be a little pricey, but the portion sizes definitely make it worth it. Overall, while I didn't think the food was amazing, we still had a great dining experience between the great ambiance and the great service provided. read more

Vin Rouge - French Toast - French Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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My husband and I (both French) (this fact is probably not relevant as neither of us have ever lived in France, nor were our families restauranteurs) languished through a beautiful dinner here for our 10th wedding anniversary. It would have been a total five star experience EXCEPT, as other Yelpers have queried, WHERE DID MY LEFTOVERS GO? On the rare occasion that we get a sitter and head into town from the bucolic outskirts of Chatham, I'm mentally adding the $60-80 sitter charge onto the meal to decide what my rating is. I know that's not quite fair to the restaurant, but it's my truth, and I'm standing in it, y'all. There are so many little delightful things about Vin Rouge that shot it to the top of my ratings chart - its ambiance is cozy and charming; with a reservation, you're seated immediately upon arrival; window tables face out on the adorable patio and herb planters. The service is as attentive and skilled as you'd expect from a highly-rated French restaurant. I love it here. Food - amazing. We started off with Kir Royales and a dozen Blue Pointes, then launched ourselves (and the bread basket) into an order of delicious escargots. From there, I went with the tournedos of beef and my husband decided on hangar steak purely on the strength of the promised bleu cheese butter. We didn't speak for the next 30 minutes while we savored our entrees (but honestly, isn't "quiet" the whole point of this "date night" phenomenon people are so on about?). Soooooo good. Buttery tender steak, absolutely spot-on medium rare. There were three tournedos and I only ate one, so I was SUPER pumped for my lunch the next day. :cue ominous music: The wine list is exceedingly well done - you can try almost every major French varietal by the glass for very reasonable prices. I was able to have a lovely Côtes du Rhône for around $10, thanks to our waiter's informed suggestion. For dessert, I had the tableside mousse, and I'm still mystified as to why it's called "tableside mousse." Like, yes, it was mousse, and it was brought to my tableside, but I still feel like I missed something. Also strange to me was that there was zero plating for the mousse - it was three scoops/melon balls of mousse in a plain white bowl. Idk. My husband got the creme brulee and we each thought we had the better dessert, so that's always a good place to be. THEN, we asked for our leftovers to be boxed up, which our waiter immediately took care of... but then never returned the boxes. And after a few glasses and in the midst of a chocolate coma, I didn't even realize this until we were almost back to Chatham County. So, two-thirds of my $26 entree stayed at Vin Rouge. I was mad at myself until I read so many other reviews saying the same exact thing, and now I'm mad at Vin Rouge instead. That's a pretty basic thing to get right. Y'all can make it up to me with one of those Wednesday burgers. Deal? read more

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I may not be the best judge of good French food (though the meal I had was absolutely fabulous), but I can say that my birthday experience at Vin Rogue was one I won't forget! This was my first time dining at Vin Rogue and it for sure will not be the last. The icing on the cake of this birthday outing was our incredible server Katie S! Not only was she warm, kind, and so fun, she had extensive knowledge of the menu along with wine and drink recommendations that made the whole night so enjoyable! My favorite bites of the evening had to be the escargot and the truffle oil mash potatoes I had with my filet mignon! If this isn't appealing enough to make you want to make a reservation at Vin Rogue, then I honestly don't know what will. read more

Vin Rouge - Celebrating my birthday in an unforgettable way! - French Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

We ordered the pork chop and fish of the day. The meat and fish were both cooked very well but we were a bit disappointed in the sides. The mashed potatoes and cabbage that came with the pork chop were too salty and the side that came with the fish was as well. We also got the escargot as an appetizer and it was okay but would not get again. Other than the food itself, our waiter was very knowledgable about the menu and we enjoyed the service. The highlight of the meal would be the drink we ordered that was very holiday inspired with cider as one of the main ingredients. read more

Vin Rouge - Drink - French Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

An amazing dining experience. I spontaneously wanted to treat someone to a fancy dinner so we ended up sitting at the bar which is first come, first serve. We started off with escargot and mussels for appetizers. Both were incredible. Maybe some of the best mussels I've had in a while. For dinner, I got the lamb shank and my partner got the pork chop. Lamb was cooked to perfection, and was falling of the bone. I just wish I saved more room for dessert, I was already stuffed on the appetizers. The best part is it's very reasonably priced for a fancy dining experience. Will definitely be back read more

Vin Rouge - Cotes De Porc - French Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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One of my favorite restaurants! Nice "outdoor" seating regardless of weather. The staff is friendly and know what they're doing. Food is consistently excellent read more

So I've tried this place several times hoping for a better experience with the food. No such luck. It's bland and tasteless. Fish overcooked, steak was chewy, bouillabaisse was awful, the onion soup needed salt and thyme, again just bland. The cassoulet was weird and mushy, duck confit was so salty it was inedible. Nothing truly French about this food other than by name. Won't go back. read more

Food was either bland or too salty I don't recommend this place at all it's over priced as well just wanted to get out of that place, I highly recommend going to the Indian spot down the street DEFINITELY made up the bad experience at vin rough read more

I dined here twice before deciding on my final rating of 3 stars, since I was a bit torn on what to think. Long story short, there's a lot of good things about Vin Rouge, but the food doesn't quite live up to the hype. The first time I came here for dinner on a Friday, and my friend and I dined inside (since there were no more outdoor tables available). While the outside of Vin Rouge looks rather unassuming, the inside of the restaurant is gorgeous, romantic, and surprisingly spacious. They do a good job of spacing out the tables so you don't feel like you're being squished in at all. The ambiance is exactly what you'd expect of a typical French fine dining establishment. I got a champagne cocktail and the red grouper for my entree - cocktail was refreshing and well made. The grouper was good, not great - the "sauce" was actually more of a very light broth, and the fish itself didn't have as much flavor as I'd hoped (and it didn't really soak up the flavor of the broth). Came back here a second time last night with a group and we dined outside this time - super cute string lights and a spacious table made it even more enjoyable than dining inside. We split several bottles of red wine (don't judge!) and got the shrimp provencal appetizer (delicious), and I chose the duck breast for my main course. The presentation was nice and the sauce was tasty, but the duck was VERY rare and difficult to chew. It was so chewy to the point that you could not even cut through the pieces with a fork and knife. Maybe this is how the dish is supposed to be cooked...but it's not quite my cup of tea. We shared the creme brulee for dessert, which was excellent! Service was also on par both times that I went - very attentive and friendly staff. Love the chalkboard menu concept to help with sanitary concerns, given this...um...lovely pandemic that we are still fighting through. Would I go back for an overall positive experience and a nice dinner setting? Most likely! Am I expecting the food to blow me out of the water? Probably not. read more

Vin Rouge - Red Grouper - French Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

What a VIBE! I felt like I definitely was somewhere in Europe. Enjoyed the service, enjoyed the atmosphere. Felt like we were very hidden from curious eyes and could spend a great quality time with my hubby. The food was modified to our tastes (dairy free request) and it was fantastic. However I did ask myself multiple times "What are you doing here?" French cuisine uses butter everywhere on everything, triple portions overflowing non stop lol. So that was really hard for me but still the chef did a fantastic job and made it right (used olive oil instead of butter). I am personally not a huge fan of French cuisine so I won't be back. But if you ARE this place should be on your list. Authentic and extravagant! read more

Vin Rouge - Snails - French Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Husband and father in law got sick from their oysters (father in law had to go to the hospital!). I called and left them a message with my number but no one called back! read more

Thursday night dinner with 3 friends. Restaurant was quite busy at 6:30 and waitstaff were in short supply. One friend enjoyed steak tartare with egg and declared it delicious; another less adventuresome friend had steak frites which he proclaimed delicious. Fries were skinny, salty and crisp. Our third friend had liver and onions with a giant portion of creamy mashed potatoes. She cleaned her plate and said Vin Rouge is the only place to order liver! I had steamed mussels, which were plump and delicious. Our dinners were served promptly, but took forever to catch the eye of our server-or any other server, when we required an additional plate and French bread for sopping. Once our meals were served, we were not checked on until the server wanted to turn the table. Food, while not 'truly French' was good and well-prepared. Noise level at Vin Rouge is often a problem and this night was no exception due to the large number of patrons. Guess that's a good problem for management to have, but makes it difficult to have a conversation between 4 friends. read more

Amazing food and great service! Everything we had was so delicious. Very impressed. We had the seafood tower with great oysters, shrimp, clams, mussels, lobster, and crab. The fries came with an amazing sauce. Tried escargot for the first time and it was so delicious. The beet salad was good as well. Impressive wine list. read more

Vin Rouge - Grand plateau - French Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Wow!!! We had dinner here on Easter evening and it was out of this world !!! The escargot was amazing, along with baked oysters Appetizers. Two of us had that and halibut that was absolutely amazing!!! Impeccable service, great drinks from the bar and amazing desserts. We had the crème brûlée and the Keylime pie. This place is located right next to Duke university, very convenient, and a definitely worth another visit!!!! read more

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