The place was nice. The waiter was friendly. Food took forever to come out and we weren't offered bread. My dish was great but my fiancé's dish not so much. Parking wasn't an issue but I'm sure it could be if it's a busy night. Overall we won't be going back. read more

They're back open for brunch and the quality is fantastic. We've always been fans but, honestly, the quality had degraded over the years. The kitchen staff must have been reinvigorated by the break because the food was exceptionally good today. read more

First of all, the service is simply marvelous. I was served by Claire who was informative, cheerful and efficient. I give high marks to the escargot and chicken liver pate. I was excited about trying their onion soup, but found that less than exciting and ate not even a quarter of the bowl. If you get the pate plate, it comes with a nice amount of side salad, so I found that ordering the Bibb lettuce salad, although excellent, was not necessary as I already had a nice amount of salad already. I'll be back, and am happy they are nearby! read more

Enjoyed Brunch here with the hubby and some friends. I have to say service was super slow. It took a fair amount of time to be asked to take our order and our waitress did not come around much at all which is fine as I normally would enjoy that but it was at the expense of when we really needed her. Started off with some Cafe Au Lait which was super tasty the rest of the folks also enjoyed coffee like drinks and all expressed positivity. We all ordered some french onion soup to start and it definitely was everything you want in a French onion soup, cheesy, great bread and a depth of flavor in the onions. Definitely not salty like other reviewers had mentioned, the serving is large and no one in our party was able to finish. Secondly two of us ordered the hanger steak and got great reviews, the crepes were a second. I ordered the scrambled eggs and those were definitely a tad salty and I'm a girl who loves salt. I couldn't finish them due to the salt. The shallots were also large pieces in the eggs and was stringy and just not appealing so I'm definitely glad I ordered some soup to start, and it definitely was a tad pricey for brunch and no one drank any alcoholic beverages. As a lover of French food not sure they are the best option in the triangle. read more

Excellent restaurant. Great food, ambiance and has a "Durham" feel that I love - urban, vibrant, diverse, and the casual elegance I like in a restaurant! You can dress down or dress up; food does not care!! Definitely coming back! read more

For me, Vin Rouge shines due to its consistency. I don't know if it's always the *best*, but it's always satisfying. My favorites include: 1$ Tuesday oyster special, chicken liver pate, salad Niçoise, and the eggs Oscar. As it is, I eat here at least once a month, but I would be inclined to visit even more frequently if there were discounted drinks at brunch and if the prix fixe menu was switched up on occasion. read more

Just great French cuisine! The seafood towers are really great, but the lover's the best. Feels like you're in Paris

Excellent service! My spouse and I have dined here on several occasions and the food is always great, but our most recent visit was the best. Our waiter was the most woke server I've ever encountered! He was truly amazing. My Open Table profile specifies my dietary restrictions, after we ordered he came back to confirm that everything was okay for the both of us without any alterations. Then he popped over and apologized for assuming our genders when he referred to us as "ladies". We do both use female pronouns, however my spouse is more masculine in presentation, dressing exclusively in "men's" clothing and is often misgendered. His level of understanding, kindness, and humility during this interaction was truly heartwarming. We love this restaurant and it's staff and can't wait to go back! read more

Vin Rouge is a very good high end French restaurant. Unfortunately I've only had the opportunity to dine here once. For an appetizer I ordered mussels. These were the best mussels I've ever eaten. For an entree I ate a filet mignon. The cook on the steak was a little bit uneven, but other than that it was good. For dessert I had a delicious creme brûlée. It was the perfect dish to end the meal. Parking was not difficult for me. The setting inside of the restaurant is quite nice. There is a pleasant feeling. My waiter was very good and helpful with the menu. I will warn you that an appetizer, dinner, and dessert for two cost me around one-hundred dollars. If you have some extra money and want to spend it on good food Vin Rouge is a good option for you. read more

I AM ABSOLUTELY LIVID. WOW. I'm still in shock. I just got back from what was supposed to be an awesome 21st birthday dinner, but it turned sour. Like "I don't even want to take another bite because I'm going to be sick" sour - not the food, the service. HORRENDOUS. My mom came to visit from NY, too, so I was excited to take her here. (I'd been here before and it wasn't this bad - it wasn't bad at all! That's why I came back.) But tonight, I was appalled with how inconsiderate the waitstaff and servers were. Even the manager! He was SO condescending. Here's what went down: We arrived and were seated. Well done. We ordered two appetizers and one entree. We waited about 20 minutes for the first appetizer. Then we waited another 25 minutes for the second appetizer to come out. Now, if we're going to wait this long for an appetizer to come out, I would expect our waiter to at least come over and check up on us and let us know how much longer we'd have to wait. But nope. Nothing. After yet another disappointing dish, we waited around 30 minutes for our entree to come out. This time, our waiter came by around 20 minutes in to let us know that our entree would be out "in another minute." MISCALCULATION. We waited another ten minutes. By that time, we were all just exhausted. The backroom was getting heavy with smoke and my eyes were beginning to water. My mom and sister looked pretty tired too. When the server came out with our dish, we didn't want it. We asked for our check instead. The server took our dish back and explained what happened to basically the entire restaurant staff. I saw the chef look our way in annoyance. The manager came out to apologize. We explained why we were dissatisfied. He said that he'll take the entree off our check ... like he was doing us a huge favor?!? No, that should be a given! If your customers are unhappy, you do everything you can to make them happy. There was no other service offered. One curt nod later, the check appeared at our table. Even our waiter didn't apologize. We walked out feeling like lepers with the cold looks we were being given. As for the dishes: First appetizer: oyster gratine - UH WHERE ARE THE OYSTERS?! I didn't taste a single oyster in all the bites I took. Disappointing. I feel like they were trying to mask the oysters, or lack thereof, with all the mushrooms they put in. Second appetizer: shrimp provencal - again, time was a huge issue. We waited TWENTY-FIVE minutes to have five measly, overcooked and chewy shrimps presented to us?! Is this a joke? Entree: cotes de porc - I WOULDN'T KNOW. I'm never going back. I've never felt so disappointed and angry because of a restaurant's poor service. And to have that turned around on us, to make US feel bad?! Good riddance! read more

What a disappointment! I've been to Vin Rouge before and enjoyed it. I was looking forward to sharing it with my family. The graduation menu was lackluster and overpriced considering the average options. We thought the food was mediocre. Service was curt. I'm relatively certain they moved in extra tables to meet graduation weekend demand, making the space extremely cramped. All of this would have been fine, except my chicken leg/thigh was undercooked and bled after I cut into it. The server took it and promised to bring me a new entree, which seemed promising because the rest of the table had just started eating. After watching at least 4 chicken entrees emerge from the kitchen and go to other tables, and after everyone in my party had finished their entrees, my chicken dish came back. Indeed, it was the exact same dish, same chicken, and same garnish that had just been contaminated with chicken blood. The only difference was that the previously-undercooked chicken now looked rather shredded and haggard. Someone either pulled off the skin and put it in the oven or microwaved it, returning the same chicken to me instead of simply sending another fresh entree. Needless to say, I did not eat it. The manager, Michael, was a bit argumentative, though somewhat accommodating. He seemed shocked that I wasn't effusively grateful that he did not charge us for a meal that I did not eat because it could have resulted in serious food poisoning. Vin Rouge, we won't soon forget the time you were too cheap to send out a new chicken thigh. Trashy. read more

In the three years I've called the Dirty D my home and with so many new places to dine in the area Vin Rouge remains my favorite. The service, the atmosphere, the food, the wine, everything is always top notch. To me they are the quintessential date night with white tablecloths and an extensive wine list. I can't bring myself to order anything but the Hanger Steak when I visit. If I was told I had inoperable stage 4 CA I would ask my husband to take me to Vin Rouge for my steak and then smother me with a pillow. The perfectly salted, golden splendor of their French fries soak up the steak juice and coupled with the lightly dressed mixed greens is, in my humble opinion, the greatest meal on earth. If you have not been to Vin Rouge yet and you enjoy French food you're crazy not to try them. Their Brunch is ok but to truly experience their god like qualities you must try them for dinner. Reservations are a must and there is a large parking lot just west of them on Hillsborough Rd to take the stress out of parking in DT Durham. read more

See all

Wonderful meal with superb staff. Took my 75+ year old parents for Christmas Eve and had a quiet and pleasant dinner with lots of attention to our needs. I had original mussels and salad. Salads are large and definitely could be a meal alone. Others had fish special and salads. Great wine selection. Perfect for intimate evening with ambience of France. read more

Vin Rouge has been at the top of my list of to-try restaurants in Durham and finally came here for a date night last week after convincing my boyfriend to take me and was just so... soul crushingly disappointed. :( We had a reservation and was promptly seated in a small room. Our waiter was pleasant and attentive. The decor was great but the lighting was definitely a little too dark. The main dining room and the outdoor patio didn't seem to have this issue. Also note that the tables are also very close together! There were awkward moments whenever the couple seated sideways to us leaned in or kissed and I could see them out of the corner my eye even when keeping my gaze directly in front of me. But all this does not play a major factor into the rating here - it's really all about the food for me. Boyfriend had the Hanger Steak w/ Fries and I had the NY Strip w/ Potatoes Dauphinoise. Sadly, the best part of both of our meals were my potatoes, which were the perfect parts of creamy and cheesy and simply delicious. Unfortunately, the restaurant got both of our steak orders wrong - mine was supposed to be medium rare but the meat was definitely on the tough side and a large chunk of it was fat. (The steak also tasted like it was just smothered in garlic.) My boyfriend got his medium and it definitely came out red in the center. I have a pretty high tolerance for the range that medium rare usually translates into, but he really doesn't like meat undercooked so I told him to send it back. When it came back out, it was STILL undercooked. Obviously he wasn't going to send it back a second time but he was clearly unsatisfied with his steak. I felt so bad because I convinced him to go to this place in the first place and he just winded up having a horrible and unsatisfying meal. :( Steak portions are also a little on the small side for the price. I really want to give Vin Rouge another chance (especially for brunch), but after this experience.... I just really don't know if I can. It may take a lot to get me to come back here. read more

I went to this restaurant for brunch with high expectations as I had heard many good things about the food here, especially brunch. The ambience had a very french feel to it, down to the french red stripe towels that the servers were using. I would give this a two star if it wasn't for the way the place was decorate. Our server I am not sure if he had a few bloody mary's of his own before he served us, but was not very friendly. We ordered several things, one of us ordered Crèpes du Jour which was chicken with chicken stock on top of it. The food was pretty bland and definitely have had better crepes elsewhere. The english muffin for Eggs Bénédictine was so hard that we finally just picked it up and ate it like a pizza. No amount of force with knife and fork could have broken that thing, the Mushroom and Gruyère Cheese Omelette I could hardly taste the cheese in it, lacked any kind of seasoning on it and it was definitely not a french omelette because that I have had before. The pommes frites served were amazing though, salty and crispy. A great place for date as the atmosphere is nice but I wouldn't say this is a great place for brunch. read more

See all

3.5 stars. We heard about this restaurant from a Food Network show talking about its Mac & Cheese (made with house-cured & smoked bacon). We were hoping to go go with the prefix menu but the waiter told us we arrived too late, when we actually were at our table in time but it took him a while to show up. We had a hard time understanding what the waiter was saying due to this French accent and we already knew what we wanted to have. The menu can be difficult to understand/interpret if you do not know French or familiar with French gastronomy terms. Look at the menu online before going and look up any words you don't know. We felt the service was very "French" and somewhat disconnected from its customers - it was casual attire with the haute formal-attire attitude (with prices for the food in the middle and a bit pricey wine menu). The food, though, is good. Indeed it feels very "French," tasty, with great sauces, cream, and butter. The Gratin de Macaroni was rich and tasty. The bacon was cut rather thick and felt more like ham, but it was tasty. The pasta was cooked well and the bubbling cheesy top is something that I want to do with the mac & cheese I will make at home from now on. I don't think it was a life-changing mac & cheese experience, but it was a good one. I think our expectations were skewed by the Food Network show and if I revisited I could foresee ordering this and being satisfied. Just don't drive great distances to try it. I ordered the Corque Madame, which reminded me of a great breakfast - toast, sunny side up egg, a great sauce and flavor. The fries were some of the best I ever had - cooked and seasoned excellently. This was indeed unexpected and probably the best part of the food, which does not say much because we enjoyed eating it all. I was surprised at how heavy the meal was and I was only able to eat about half - it made a great breakfast the next morning. We also shared an order of creamed spinach - something I rarely make at home & figured that would be decadent in a French restaurant. Indeed, it was very rich and cheesy, cooked, again, excellently. I found it a bit salty, but it paired well with the meal. The chef and his crew indeed know how to make some great food. The atmosphere reminded me of what I would expect a small French house to look like. The red walls, high ceilings, and lots of windows was nice. There were few soft surfaces so the volume was rather high - don't bring anybody here that has poor hearing because they will be lost. The outdoor seating looked promising but I was too warm to go outside but I suspect once it gets more comfortable it would be great. There are a few parking spots in front of the restaurant and then street parking very close by. Overall, if I lived closer I could see myself coming here to pick up food to-go and eat it at home in more comfort. I wish it would overcome it's identity crisis and pick to have casual service or more formal environment. Either way, it would be much better if it was quieter. The food is the redeeming quality that keeps this from being abysmal experience to something worth going to once or twice. If only there was a way send the tip to kitchen staff. read more

My husband and I made a reservation for 7:00 on a Saturday night and ended up sitting outside on the beautiful patio. We split a bottle of wine and ordered escargot, oysters (some of the freshest I've tasted), a charcuterie platter, and steaks. Everything was amazing and the service was top notch. It felt like I was back in Paris! This place is not cheap by any means, but the price of the food matches the quality. My first steak came out medium when I ordered it rare, but it was quickly fixed and I had a piping hot rare steak in front of me within five minutes. These guys got it right on every level. read more

My boyfriend and I celebrated Valentine's Day at Vin Rouge and had a wholly unforgettable experience. Vin Rouge's General Manager, Michael Maller, truly understands the art of creating an outstanding restaurant experience and it is more than evident that he imparts this knowledge on the rest of the Vin Rouge staff. From our arrival to our departure, every staff member treated us incredibly well and made every effort to ensure we had a memorable experience. We arrived a bit early for our reservation and were greeted warmly with a smile by a lovely hostess who took us to our table in the cozy back dining area. Shortly thereafter our waiter arrived at our table and explained the night's prix fixe menu. In spite of our indecisiveness regarding our selections (everything sounded amazing so it was difficult to choose!), at no point did we feel rushed. In fact, our waiter turned our indecision into an opportunity to further educate us about our possible options, even sending over Manager Michael Maller to give us his input. Their comprehensive knowledge of the cuisine and wine & spirit selections really set the service far above that of other restaurants, minus the pompous attitude that you often encounter at other fine dining establishments. Everyone who served us, from our waiter to those in charge of filling our water, was highly attentive. Being well-acquainted with many chefs and having spent time in France, and given that my monthly food expenditures make up the majority of my budget, I can say with full sincerity that the food speaks for itself. Furthermore, Vin Rouge is a prime example of authenticity when it comes to French food: their snails for their escargot dish are imported from France, need I say more? I'd also highly recommend checking out their selection of seafood; the Chef's Plateau in particular is quite impressive! If you are craving an outstanding restaurant experience, complete with high-end service without the "stuffy" atmosphere, wonderfully delicious & authentic French food, and an impressive wine & cocktail list (did I mention their bartender is fantastic?), look no further than Vin Rouge. I never write Yelp reviews, but I felt the need to share how wonderful this place is! read more

Great food and beautiful ambience. Great for outdoor dining. I went with my family, and the meals across the table were fantastic. Service was top notch. Great place for a romantic date too. We even saw that they allowed someone with a very well behaved dog. Which is good to know, I just hope my puppy gets to that "well-behaved" tier one day so I can bring her. read more

Very good French bistro. Many restaurants like to use the term "bistro" for places that don't vaguely resemble one, but this place feels like Paris. Lovely outside dining area, wonderful staff and a terrific wine list. Very comfortable place, feels like home. read more

I came here for brunch with some friends and I had the French onion soup. It was fillllllled with cheese and it was pretty good. Their brunch menu is pretty small though. Their wine menu is like a book. Their mimosa was good too. I just wish there were options to choose from for brunch. Other than that, this place is good. read more

Perfect place for a candle lit dinner or date! The place isn't very huge but the service and food definitely makes up for it. On Thursdays, i believe, they have a special burger that is out of this world! Their dinner menu is also just as amazing. My first time there i asked a lot of questions but the server was very nice and helpful. Definitely a go to place! read more

Have been at least a half dozen times now. Other than the appearance and disappearance of coravin single pours everything has been consistent with Vin Rouge. Consistently good. There was this one time a waiter asked my wife and I whether we liked Game of Thrones and each of us answered "no" and I said "it's just way too violent for me" where the waiter then took that as a cue to explain GoT to us for the next five minutes. But every other server has been superb and I'm pretty sure that gentleman is no longer with the restaurant. The setting always feels intimate, and there are outdoor tables when the weather is reasonable. I can always count on Vin Rouge for a terrific fish special, and their other seafood dishes are all winners. Their steaks are good too, and their pâté is just to die for. The wine list has remained very good (several Jo Landrons for those who like solid pairings with seafood). It seems to always be busy and always be friendly and always be delicious. It's the most reliable bite (and drink) in town and that's really something that matters in a town crowded with a long line of newcomers, many of which offer fine competition. read more

This is a brunch review. The place was packed so we cozied-up at the bar; service was speedy and attentive. We had the french onion soup to start, which while super stinky was super good. My wife and I both had the lobster benedict special which was superb. A very generous portion of lobster along with a side salad and frites. Add the tasty bread and butter on top of all of this and it means an afternoon nap on the couch. Vin Rouge is a bit more pricey than Watts Grocery and some other area brunch spots but the food and atmosphere is great. read more

I was visiting my significant other in the Triangle Area for the weekend and told him to find a romantic place for dinner. He found Vin Rouge and it was excellent. I am very glad he made a reservation, else we would have been waiting a while. Our server was cheerful and friendly. Significant other started with French onion soup and I a bibb lettuce salad, both of which were excellent. He had poulet rôti grand-mère and I moules and pommes frites. Both dinners were cooked perfectly and were a generous portion. We split a carafe of the wine of the day, a Provençal rosé, which was crisp and perfect. There wasn't much room for dessert, so we split chocolate mousse, which was a delight. In all, it was a great experience and will be repeated. read more

We dined at Vin Rouge first time in September for our wedding anniversary. We were disappointed in the food, the service, and atmosphere. The ambience on the patio is poor, and the lack of ambient lighting leaves you wondering what your food really looks like. We notified the management regarding our first impressions and received no response. We don't plan to go back. And for vegetarians--you can have macaroni and cheese. lol read more

2 stars for food potential and other staff- I made a Yelp account purely for this, and the limit on Yelp restricts my ability to give a FULL recap It was a special date-night for my girlfriend and I. Sunday marked our 2 yr dating anniversary. V.Rouge sounded perfect. We made a reservation on OpenTable, making sure to note that it was our anniversary and we were celebrating We arrived 5 min early to our reservation and were greeted cheerfully by the hostess, who led us to an intimate table nestled next to a large window with a patio view. The hostess started to walk away before turning and saying "Oh, happy anniversary!" That was the only time it would be acknowledged After 15 min wait we started trying to catch a server's attention. A young man refilled our bread bowl for the THIRD time, promising our server would be right with us. Irritated, I thought about getting up, until a woman appeared. We looked at her, relieved, ready for our intro to V.Rouge! She smiled awkwardly, looked at each of us in turn..and didn't say a word. My gf and I looked at each other confused, then back to this lady. The awkward smile grew more strained before she finally broke the silence with "....so...drinks?" No name. No welcome. No apologies for a wait. No "I hear this is a special occasion!" Just "....so...drinks?" We shook off the strange introduction and asked for a recommendation between a couple of wine bottles we were unfamiliar with. Unfortunately, she seemed to be unfamiliar with them, too. At the end of her patience, my gf asked for tastes of both so we could judge for ourselves. The woman nodded politely and left to do just that, before we could inquire further about the menus And we waited, and waited, and waited some more. 15 min passed. A half hour since arriving, finishing 3 baskets of bread, we had 2 tastes of wine on our table. The woman claimed they had to find one of the bottles in the cellar, but apparently couldn't stop by our table in the interim. We probably should have left then, or asked to speak to a manager. But, it was our anniversary, and we didn't want to break up the evening by complaining to management, so again we bit our tongues. Liking neither, we asked to try another. She nodded and left again as I tried to catch her with "but about...the food." Finally, ANOTHER woman approached our table (I wish I could remember her name to give her kudos). She noticed we were sitting idly for some time and asked to help. She knew the menus, brought more tastes before we decided (never seeing our server in the meantime),and took orders. We thanked her, wondering if perhaps she had been transferred to our table. We only saw our server again after the first apps had been dropped, with the awkward smile and a wordless pause before I said "It's great," and she turned away. She returned to clear the appetizer plates and drop random silverware for the main course. When the food runner approached with our entrees (a pork chop and mac & cheese), he ACTUALLY asked us what the silverware was. We had no idea By this point, our section of the restaurant was empty except for one other couple, who coincidentally had the same entrees we did. Noticing their pork chop plate came with a steak knife, we wondered whether the butter knife would be sufficient to cut with (SPOILER: it wasn't). We looked around trying to waive down anyone we could for another 5-7 min to get a knife, before the nice lady came I am sure the entrees would have been delicious, but we had eaten so much bread while waiting we got a single bite in of each before we were full. We waited another 7 min (~15 since the drop) before our server came and asked how everything was, and took our food away We decided to try at dessert. Maybe this was where the restaurant would take the opportunity to celebrate our special occasion, but again, nothing.Upon dropping dessert menus, we asked our server which on the menu we should try, and she pointed at the first item, read its name aloud, and told us that lots of people ordered it. She then pointed at the next item, read its name aloud, ...well, you get the picture. The young man who came with dessert had more personality than the entire evening, and was kind enough to return to the table AFTER the dessert drop to update us on Women's World Cup When it came time for the check, my gf and I scrounged as much cash between us as we could (I wish we had more) to give to the nice lady to thank her for being so helpful. The only thing that netted our server a tip at all is that my gf and I both work in the service industry, and cannot bring ourselves to tip anyone less than 15%, no matter how bad it is We left with a very bad taste in our mouths. With a different server (perhaps the nice lady who helped us), and had they recognized our special occasion, things might have gone differently. But I won't be returning. After spending ~$150.00 to be forgotten about, I will not darken their door with my service read more

We came here for an anniversary dinner while on a weekend away. This place came highly recommended in a guide to the Research Triangle and was pretty good French food. Highlights: My husband's boudin blanc (white sausage), crème brûlée, the wine list, house pâté, the frites (They reminded me of my semester abroad in Belgium-- any Belgian would feel at home with those frites!), the béarnaise sauce. The atmosphere was cozy and enjoyable. The staff was friendly and attentive. They were spot-on with keeping my water glass full, but without hovering (this is so tough to do, so kudos). Lowlights: My steak was a tougher cut than I expected, and my salad overdressed. My husband came out of the bathroom slightly scandalized by the racy wall decor (Baudy 1920s photos, he tells me), which I found amusing and also very French. read more

For many years, I went to Vin Rouge to sit at the bar, chat with friends, drink wine, smoke cigarettes (when I was still a smoker and when you could still smoke inside), and eat mussels. I had only eaten dinner at Vin Rouge a handful of times, and it was either disappointing or only okay. When my partner and I had a craving for mussels, I suggested Vin Rouge. So, we invited a friend and headed over on a Saturday night. Other than some rude fellow customers (yes, dear, we know it's cold outside -- did you know it is crowded inside?), it was a lovely experience. I had escargot to start; my dining companions each had french onion soup. I enjoyed my escargot; they all but licked their bowls, so I assume it was delicious. Of course we ordered "classic" mussels for our main course, and they were fantastic, as usual -- and they kept the crusty bread coming, which is crucial to enjoying mussels (the broth!) and is also not something that many places do any more. Our friend got the rabbit special, and pronounced it amazing. We also got a table order of vegetarian mac and cheese (gratin de macaroni, ha!), which they make with gruyere. It was divine -- I'm glad I don't live near there, or else I'd order about four dishes on a far-too-frequent basis! For dessert, there was creme brulee. It was beautifully done with perfect caramelization on the crust, and the custard was a lovely texture with a strong pleasant vanilla taste. Our only complaint was that the custard was a bit sweet. Service was okay; the kitchen was slow, but we actually appreciated having time to talk and enjoy the company and not feel rushed. Vin Rouge is back on my list of places to go. read more

My hubby took me here for my birthday a couple of years ago. The food was absolutely incredible. .. awesome actually!! The service was stupendous!! I had a fruity, bubbly rose wine that was superb! The only thing is the cost. . . it was quite expensive. I wish we could afford to eat their more often. :-( I can't wait to go back! read more

No joke, I have been meaning to try this place for a while. The boy and I decided to go and I can safely say it was one of most memorable meals I have had since moving to the area. The atmosphere was fantastic, perfect little place for a cozy Sunday date. The prices are more than fair for the quality and atmosphere. We shared the bacon and fried egg salad which was savory and fresh. For dinner, I had the mussels while Jon had the steak and frites. Both meals were cooked perfectly! I frankly cannot wait until we can go back! read more

Always busy always rude. We go to this restaurant quite often on Sunday's for brunch. The French toast is popular and tasty. My go to is the Gruyere mushroom omelet with ham. It's cooked just right and with the perfect amount of cheese...at least when they get it right. The last couple times I've been disappointed in the saltiness. I always order my frites with no salt because they are seriously covered and the salt burns your tongue. The last two times they came out with salt and when I mentioned it they did nothing to correct the situation. I left the frites on my plate along with half my omelet because it was inedible due to the amount of salt. No refund was offered either time. The wait staff is always rude, pompous and in a hurry and makes the dining experience less enjoyable. read more

I had such high hopes and I wanted to love it here and I did when I first walked in. I loved the interior...it definitely has the feel of a French bistro. An acquaintance raved about vin rouge but my experience was inconsistent and disappointing. There was some initial confusion on getting seated even though I had made reservation on open table, but they got me a table and that was fine. I was there as a #tableforone. The server was very nice and relatively new there so I didn't want to complain, but it would have been legitimate if I did because I thought my swordfish was undercooked to the point of the middle being cool to touch and difficult to cut. My reservation was at 630 and I paid the check by 7. Not an atmosphere where I was encouraged to enjoy the surroundings. In hindsight, I probably just should have sat at the bar and ordered one of their regular items. I'd like to give it another try but it's going to take some time. My bread and cocktail were delicious though. read more

Vin Rouge - Pink center that was cool to touch and very difficult to cut. - French Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

this is our reggae brunch spot. we've never been in for dinner, but i can only assume that it's fantastic. i've read the reviews and the popular complaint is the closeness of the tables, but i enjoy the truly french bistro feel of that. in europe, people basically sit in each other's laps in cafes, and don't think twice about it. typical american personal space hogs, i guess. onto the review? ok. i've always had wonderful service here. from the greeter at the door, the bartender making cocktails and coffee drinks, and the waitstaff who flawlessly dance through the dining room collecting plates, watering glasses, and checking in. it's a group effort and they do it well. it's not uncommon to be visited by 5 or 6 different people through your meal, making sure your experience is enjoyable. i notice these things and appreciate them. the food is always above par. despite my efforts to branch out, i always end up with the moules and frites. is there anything better than mussels and fries swimming in butter with white wine and lemon? my tummy says no. pair that with some fun bubbles, and my saturday night hangover melts away. you will wait for a table at brunch, so call ahead, or for god's sake people, use open table. that's what it's there for!!! read more

Sunday brunch was disappointing. The entrees were served room temperature and the recipes lacked inspiration. Our server was out of sorts and seemed to be taking it out on us. Really too bad because we had enjoyed dinner here on two previous occasions. read more

To all my vegan friends out there, I went to Vin Rouge tonight, expecting to eat lettuce and bread (or hoping for it, I guess) and, instead, found a dining staff and chef totally awesome about veganism. I said "vegan," and immediately my server offered me a "vegan surprise." Best of all, it was really good. I highly recommend it. Great wine and atmosphere, too. read more

Good food but a bit overpriced. Service wasn't the best but on par with crappy French service I guess!

Thoroughly enjoyed our meal at Vin Rouge last night. Our server was friendly, knowledgeable, and prompt. Our food was delicious -the oysters gratinee were totally worth every single buttery calorie, the French onion soup divine, hanger steak delicious, and the bouillabaisse DECADENT. absolutely would return, in a heartbeat! only downside to this particular meal was a slight smoke incident in the open kitchen left my eyes a little watery for the last few minutes... But overall perfect date night. read more

oh la la la la la! so happy to find this place + what do you know...an easy bike ride to brunch from our new house in durham! so excited! i never expected to wait for brunch...but did...+ well worth it. make a reservation for sure + if not, do as we did + head across the the street to some bar on 9th street for a morning bloody mary...easy! if a place serves mussels (in a white wine, garlic-ish sauce) i can't help but to go for it. i have a few places in the world that stand out...a place in San Francisco, a place in Italy + a place in Charleston, SC...+ i have to say Vin Rouge is up for a place on this list of awesomeness, delicousness mussels! i mean, i am an expert (+ if i'm not my husband who is an exec. chef, trained in italy is)! so go here...get the mussels + a delicious champagne drink for brunch + be happy with yourself. you've just tasted some of the best mussels in the world. as far as the other food - everything else looked great too - but it'll be hard to not order anything else from now on. my husband got a bowl of french onion soup which was bubbling over + looked great but his review says it was a bit salty...those croutons still looked super tasty (i'm vegetarian + some seafood so no french onion soup for me)... oh waiter was okay - it was more along the lines of 3 stars...but the creativity of exaggerating his accent, to be oh, so franch makes me smile an extra 2 stars. oh + since i'm fresh to Durham from the west coast...i am already eyeing that great outdoor seating area for when it warms up!!! enjoy! read more

I went here for my mom's birthday, and we all got mussels except for my dad who had the Hanger Steak with the blue cheese. We also all had salads. I had the Mixed Greens with Apples, Lardons, and Blue Cheese and that was fantastic. Then I had the curry mussels, it was so amazing, they used their regular base recipe and added the spice. For dessert we got the chocolate torte, lemon tart, and the apple bread pudding. The lemon tart was creamy and tasty, and by far my favorite. I would come here again in a second. Great French Restaurant read more