“Benjamin made my Earl Please (an alcohol free cocktail from their menu) and was so kind and attentive. As a graduate student who can't drink alcohol much due to disabilities, places with options for me me to enjoy delicious and fancy beverages are special. The only thing that makes me sad is that I'm not rich enough to order more than one a day! ?? Someone pay me more money! It's so tasty! Best non-lavender mocktail ever!Dietary restrictions: Alcohol free cocktails; non-alcoholic beverages“
“Pretty, trendy space with cute indoor and outdoor spaces. Great drinks menu and innovative food menu. NY Strip Steak Teriyaki Bento was one of the best Asian meals I've ever had. The NY Strip Steak was grilled to perfection, sashimi was on point, and sauce was amazing. Highly recommend for a business dinner, date night, or casual fun meet up with friends!“
“They have an amazing brunch! Super gluten-free friendly, delicious food, great atmosphere, and the nicest staff. I have Celiac’s and Lavina was so kind and helpful, answering all my questions and making sure our whole group had a fantastic brunch. Can’t wait to go back!“
“The Velvet Hippo is a vibe in itself! I first went months ago and I haven’t stopped coming back! I love this spot and highly recommend checking it out if you haven’t yet! It’s spacious with an amazing outdoor area overlooking downtown Durham. The decor is incredible and one of a kind which only increases the welcoming yet groovy atmosphere! The drinks are always well thought out and balanced and the food is always delicious! Having said all that one of the biggest reasons I keep coming back to this rad women owned spot is it’s staff! They are all amazing! Especially Sarah! No matter how long my week might have been I know I can always come and immediately be cheered up by her infectious personality and friendly demeanor! She always has a smile on her face and never fails to entertain! Not to mention her A-plus skills behind the bar. She is one of my fav bartenders in the triangle! So do yourself a favor and put the Velvet Hippo on your itinerary for a night out in Durham! You won’t regret it!“
“Offline brought us here and NIKOS did not disappoint. The service from Tyler and the food and drinks were great. The 2 of us shared 2 apps and 1 main and it was plenty of food. The restaurant, located in Brightleaf Square, is really cute. This would be an awesome place when the weather is warmer. They have a nice looking patio set up.“
“This place was the first place we went to for drinks. It had a speakeasy vibe to it with the low lighting. Their menu had a few drinks to choose from so we ordered the Marg, PCN, Cold Days In the Sun, and Feelin' Emotions. The drinks came out fairly quickly. The Marg was not bad, the Cold Days In the Sun was good and the Feelin' Emotions was tasty. It definitely was something I could see others try out too. The amount was not too much so it was good. Good place for drinks if you're in the area.“
“The food is delicious! Everything! We ordered chorizo queso and it was so good we ordered another one. The chips and salsa are too good! We had the birria quesadilla with consume and it was top tier!! Steak fajita quesadilla with rice very good and the kids chicken quesadilla with fries. Next time we will skip the fries because the rice is so flavorful! We recommend and will absolutely return! Staff was friendly and works quickly!“
“I’ve been going for Open Mic on Tuesdays for a couple of months now because I absolutely love hearing the live band. They have some delicious margaritas with a bartender who knows what he’s doing. And finally, last night I went and had the Chicken Philly - it was sooo good. So delicious.“
“Found this spot just walking around waiting for a show at DPAC.Food & drinks were very good, service was excellent.Had the Shrimp & Pastor tacos,The spicy watermelon margarita & the bad bunny were delicious and you can actually taste the tequila.“
“This is a gin joint. A Beautiful place. Hidden in the back of a distillery. The vibe lighting and vaporwave music alone make it a must visit. The drinks are gorgeous to look at and with a wide range of flavors to test any palette. Small bites menu nothing for a meal but enough to keep you sipping. Worth a try outside seating also available but at least take a look inside!“
“Great bar with great bartenders. Bethlehem is just the sweetest. She ran out of lemon juice, but my drink called for it so she went out of her way to squeeze lemons for me at 12 am. Not a lot of places that will do that for their customers!!“
“Had a GREAT first experience at Kingfisher! The staff was very friendly and helpful in picking out drinks. It feels like a speakeasy vibe, which I loved. My favorite part is how the bar is so much bigger than you initially think. I went with a group of 5 and we were taken to a back room with a circular couch which was a great atmosphere to hang out with friends.“
“Such a dope and fun spot in downtown Durham. It’s so colorful and vibrant inside. They have two picture opportunities for their guest to enjoy. You are allowed to sample two flavors before making a decision. They offer a variety of flavors with all types of alcohol! Prices are reasonable and the staff and owner are very knowledgeable and friendly“
“Loved the Digging in the Crates event. I've been here a few times before and had no issues with service...however last night during the Digging in the Crates event I kept getting passed by the caucasian bartenders. To the point that one was serving other caucasians around me, even holding full conversations. Ridiculous that the one black bartender who wasn't even serving that end of the bar came over to make my drink and he got an amazing tip for serving me as well. So for the bartenders that kept walking by me...that could have been your $13 tip. They need to do better with delivering better service, which is probably how the bar area started to look a little segregated.“
“I've been to Arcana a few times now and the vibes are so good! They always have a really great selection of signature cocktails and their espresso martini is among the best I've had in a while. It's a small-ish space so great for a more intimate hang, but they do occasionally have big parties here like goth prom. You can also get your tarot read here, which is really fun! My only complaint is that there really isn't any outdoor space at all to take a breather or a smoke break, but other than that, this is a super cute great little bar and I will definitely be back.“
“Tried the new location at lunch with coworkers. The interior is really well decorated. The service was really good. The food is always really good and this new location kept up the trend from the original one in downtown durham. Full bar with draft and bottle selections of beer.“
“Talk about a fun date night! My wife and I sat at the bar. We got a dinner and a show. It was so fun watching the staff roll out the food. As it came out, we got to see first hand what we wanted to eat. Everything was super delicious and the staff is great! We will definitely be back!“
“delicious food and drinks. Great for a quick bite or full dinner. We went for full dinner and it was well worth it. Awesome atmosphere. Service was great and they provided great recommendations. Priced appropriately and worth every dollar! Will definitely be back. Thanks for a fun night!“
“If you know me you know I love big portions!!!! And that's what I got here. I was super happy with my portion, especially for the price. The lunch specials here are only about $10. That is an AMAZING deal for a sit-down restaurant with big portions. And I enjoyed my meal! I especially enjoyed the rice. The refried beans weren't my favorite though (I wanted more bean flavor and less butter / creamy flavor). Service and ambiance were really good too! I love when restaurants have really big water glasses and keep them refilled so you can stay hydrated. The new location is really beautiful.“
Cafe • $$
“Randomly came to this place with friends for a quick bite & some tea. The breakfast melt was delicious as well as the Southern Black Girl tea. It was not too busy which gave it a cozy vibe on their couches, I loved it. Will be a go-to spot for sure.“
“I eat here every single time I’m in the area! The patacone sandwiches are phenomenal! And if you’ve never had Ecuadorian Horchata … you must try it! Forget everything you know about other horchatas - this one is a floral, citrusy tisane dream (best served hot imo). Service is always fast and friendly. Lots of seating. I only wish this was closer to home haha“
“We visited for my wife's birthday. The staff was friendly and accommodating. The service was very good. We brought a bottle of wine as the wine selection is not great, but they have a reasonable corkage fee. The bartender decanted the wine for us as soon as we were seated - nice touch. All of our food selections were great - the poached pear salad, grape leaves, duck appetizer, and the coffee rubbed ribeye. The steak was perfectly cooked and high quality meat. It should be for the $$$. Dessert was nice too, but limited selections. Overall a lovely evening.“
“Was suggested this place to try and I'm glad we did. Husband and I shared lamb appetizers, and it was delicious. We came just for a small bite and almost ate the entire menu. First time truly having Indian food and this place did not disappoint. Service was impeccable. Atmosphere was great. Can't wait to come back and try more items whenever we visit NC again.Dietary restrictions: Gluten free options“