43 Best Cocktail Bars in Raleigh

“This was our first time at Madras. Great food…loved the roasted cauliflower with green goddess dipping sauce. My husband loved the octopus. The outside Wednesday night band was an excellent bonus!!“

“AWESOME! Best Indian Food In RTP hands down!“

“Thoroughly enjoyed the dining experience! Exceptional wait staff, amazing craft cocktails and the cuisine was phenomenal! Loved the chic ambience! Will definitely return!“

“Fabulous service at the bartop. Roy's recommendations were impeccable and considerate of dietary restrictions. The food was outstanding and wine pairings complemented well. Highly recommend sourcing from the starters and sides to get the most variety, unless you wish to commit to the steak or full entree. Oysters and acorn squash were a great combo. I appreciated the ability to do a GF dessert (elevated ice cream sundae!) to top off the night. Thank you!!“

“Reese is our favorite bartender. Always a great experience.“

“The Bamba fries are great and so is the Taco Bamba. The 'Ol Dirty Basket quesadilla and the mulita birria was good but slightly one dimensional. The consomme was overpowering the meat. The Queen Bee taco is really different from the rest of the flavors and is definitely new age.“

“Great vibe! Mixologist Jefferson skillfully guided our craft cocktail selections. Impressive knowledge, real ingredients. At his recommendation we grabbed a couple of slices (authentic NY pizza) from Oakwood Pizza Box next door, that did not disappoint!“

“Food is fabulous and a wall of spirits, too, in case yours needs a lift! Their featured cocktails are delightful. It's almost always Wabbit Season for me! ?Vegetarian options: There are only a few, especially if you are GF. The beet salad is super, though. I also like their grain bowl.“

“I am so glad I came back here! If you like paneer, please try it here! I have been disappointed at so many other places that I had started to think I didn't really like paneer any more. But this experience reminded me of what I love in paneer!“

“Love this place, great food and amazing environment“

“I cannot rave enough about Gallo - we hosted our wedding reception there this spring. Our event with them was flawlessly organized, the communication was consistent and transparent and Angela and Ernesto were so kind and hospitable. Their food and drinks are uniquely delicious, the atmosphere is relaxed and beautiful and the staff are intentional about making your experience a good one. We can't wait to return for future date nights and dinners with friends.“

“Nothing beats a passionate chef. Tonight was my first experience, and it's only the beginning! The staff was amazing and did not make me feel rushed. 5-star plus. I've never been to a restaurant where all the mussels were open and full of flavor until Northside Bistro. It was impressive and absolutely delicious, and they also serve some of the best cocktails I've ever had!“

“I love the burgers here at Burger Village. There is something special about them that makes you come back again and again. The Burgers here are not ordinary but at a different level altogether. I would highly recommend this place. They also have a good collection of the draft beer.“

“Yummy and fresh! Great atmosphere!“

“Yummy and fresh! Great atmosphere!“

“Been here quit a few times now. The beer is always ice cold, the service has always been great and the menus choices are many and everything we’ve ordered has been great! Check it out, you won’t be disappointed!“

“Excellent liquor selection and great bartenders!“

“We had a wonderful time here, it almost feels like you know a little secret when you first show the bouncer your ID an d start walking down stairs. The drinks are perfect, and the vibes are so laid back. There a couple of rooms that feel more secluded, booths for more space, but primarily mostly couches to keep that chill energy while you sip on an amazing drink and catch up with your people, or even do some work like I did. Highly recommend Watts & Ward!“

“Always one of my favorite staples in Raleigh! I go almost every time I am in Raleigh! Col B! Is the freaking best. Has so much knowledge about anything you want to know about the drinks or the liquor he has behind his bar. The drinks taste phenomenal every single time. I have never had a beverage I didn’t like.“

“wonderful, cute place for delicious drinks and dessert. YUM“

“Their pizza was incredible, one of the best pizzas I’ve ever had and I’ve been addicted to pizza my whole life. Lol I got the Milton’s specialty pizza and wow I was blown away!“

“its like a hidden gem...great use of space, very personable staff great drink selection & Martini's wished I lived closer“

“I cannot say enough great thing about The Oak!! We got the Birria tacos to start and they were amazing, the perfect blend of savory and spice. The drinks were fantastic, the Pirates Garden was the BEST cocktail I've had in a long time??For dinner we had the pork shoulder and sea bass. The pork shoulder was served over a bed of delicious & creamy Mac n cheese and the Brussel sprouts... the entire dish was mouth watering. I highly recommend this place to EVERYONE!“

“Best customer service I had in a long time. Brianna was a great server, ask for her. My friend and I went on a Wednesday evening, it was busy but comfortable. They had a live artist. The art all over the walls create a really nice vibe. The kitchen was a little slow but nothing too serious considering the crowd. The drinks aren’t worth the price but the food… amazing. A week later and I’m still thinking about the peach cobbler. Will definitely be back.“

“Great bartenders and truly unique atmosphere. Very creative cocktail menu.“

“My type of ominous basement cocktail bar. It was tucked away off the sidewalk down some stairs, illuminated by the red Foundation light.Dimly lit stone/brick walls with some awesome local artwork throughout. Hefty selection of bottles. I was striking out with too-sweet cocktails throughout my road trip and finally caught a strong old fashioned! The bartender nailed it. Add it to you late night craft cocktail stop.“

“Service was excellent and very good food!“

“Lakeside Kitchen is a very nice restaurant with a romantic feel about it. The food was really good and the service was just good. My only issue was finding it‼️ it is so tucked away. There is a beautiful view of the lake and lots of lovely spots to take photos if you like. Great outdoor seating for spring and summer. I look forward to going back‼️“

“Great food, cocktails & service!“

“I have been to 100 Pho restaurants. This was clearly the best pho restaurant I have ever been to. I highly recommend stopping by and ordering pho.“

“I love this little spot. You come in and just feel comfortable. The food is great and so are the people. I advise if you still have room to have the 21 and over cake before leaving“

“Bru's is an awesome neighborhood spot and I enjoy living right around the corner and being able to walk here. The food and beer selection is phenomenal. It does get busy during Carolina Hurricanes and NC State games but if you're willing to brave the crowd, it is worth it for the exciting atmosphere.“

“Walked in and sat at the bar, bartender was friendly. Drinks were reasonably-priced, and the atmosphere was nice to be in.“

“This place was great! We came on a Sunday night and the bartender was friendly and nice. He was attentive, and made recommendations. As for the location, it’s well kept with plenty of space.The drinks themselves were amazing, with a wide selection to choose from. Fairly priced as well though it can be tricky not to get carried away so be cautious.A nice touch I noticed was that the bathrooms contained mints and mouthwash for one to freshen up. All in all, it was a nice experience and I’ll def be back again.“

“it is just a good place to go and have genuine interactions. You eat great food and play fun games. I bring visitors all the time.“

“Great service, cocktails and food!“

“We actually went to the speakeasy inside The Architect (Greenlight). Private, good-looking bar with solid drinks and fair prices. The only problem: really small!!! There are very few tables, so reservations would be a godsend. No food, so eat something before.Luckily, you'll find parking somewhere nearby (we had to walk a few blocks).“

“Looking for a good cigar - run here!! Mine was sweet and tasty! Drinks were mixed perfectly!! I had 3- Long Island iced teas. Comfortable chairs however, get could use a facelift. Excellent service !! There was only one bartender and he handled the entire business. At one time there were about 19-20 people there. Bathrooms were clean!! 2 stalls per gender. Huge collection of cigars to choose from. Tip: This is a hockey bar so if hockey is playing then it's on tv. Period?? So no NFL draft but it was all good. Bar Rules!“

“I found a recommendation for Farina on a Reddit post about Italian restaurants in Raleigh and I am so glad I decided to try it! The food was beyond wonderful with amazing portions and our server, Rachel I. was just as splendid. I can’t say enough about how much we enjoyed our experience and I will definitely recommend Farina to everyone!“

“I recently heard about The Mill from one of my recruiter friends. So, a couple of girlfriends and I went to check it out. Immediately we were impressed with the ascetic and ambiance. Our waitress, Marissa, was super nice and helpful. She was able to offer suggestions and her descriptions made our mouth water. So, two of us ordered the Wood-fried Pork Chop and my other friend ordered the Mill Burger. We also had the Maple Bourbon Old Fashioned.When our plates arrived, they were very appealing; we couldn’t wait to dig in. The pork chops were paired with blue cheese mac + cheese and rapini (it’s like a broccolini). I wasn’t too sure about the Mac as I’m not a blue cheese fan, but it was really nice… the sauce was subtle and not pungent as one would think. For me, it was actually the best part of the meal. The pork chop, for me left a lot to be desired. While it was a rather large chop, about four fingers, it wasn’t seasoned well and as we got closer to the bone, it was undercooked to raw in some places.A gentleman came over to check on us, this was before we really got into the meal and I shared my thoughts on the chop being under seasoned as well as my misconception on the apple agrodolce which was on top of the chop. How it was explained, I expected a sauce, not applesauce, but something a bit more thick and less liquidy. He took our notes and thanked us.When our waitress came back to check on us, we had made our way through the meal and the unfortunate undercooked meat. We also explained our discontent with what was left. She explained about the cut and the cook-time etc then sent for the manager. He,in turn, came over and did more explaining, while apologizing, and made it right.All in all, I would definitely got back for drinks as they were on point. And I’d definitely get an order of that blue cheese mac.**note that they are working on a new menu with a new chef and the the four finger chop will not be a part of that new menu. The new menu is expected with the next week.“

“Very very nice place it’s just not non-alcoholic friendly. All the drinks are already pre-loaded with alcohol so the designated driver or non drinker has to have a soda I don’t drink soda. I would have taken a non-alcoholic slushy though. Like a virgin daiquiri so give I it a 6-8 bc for a bar my chicken egg rolls, fries & water was good. Virgin drinks I would have given it a 10!“

“Great new hangout place, Must see And try“

“Amazing Place! Honored to be featured!“