We used to regularly watch basketball games at the Tavern when it was located on 15-501. It was one of the few places in town that was large enough and off-the-beaten path enough that you didn’t have to fight for a spot to watch a game. When the Tavern moved to its current location on Markham just off 9th street, we had high hopes. We stopped in the first week it was open only to be greeted by oversized bouncers outfitted in mesh shirts …

Last night was the soft opening of Surf Club – Durham’s newest watering hole. Surf Club, just a block up from Fullsteam and Motorco, is the brainchild of Rhys Botica, a partner or owner in some of the popular bars around town (Whiskey, The Federal, Bull McCabes). A rare Durham site, Surf Club is just a bar bar – no themes, no gimmicks, no food – just a well curated beer and liquor selection. It’s refreshing.

The décor is dark and lovely …

Not much needs to be said about Straw Valley Cafe, the pictures will speak for themselves. It is – to put it simply – a coffee shop/wine bar, but really Straw Valley Cafe is an artistic, mid-century paradise in the center of the hellish part of town known as New Hope Commons. Hidden beside a self-storage facility on the road that runs parallel to 15-501, Straw Valley Cafe was shamefully empty on a Saturday afternoon.

We ordered a mexican mocha – a rich spicy chocolate drink …

Honestly, I’m a sucker for a deal and the Firm’s tweet about $3 well drinks totally worked in getting us to drive out Cole Mill looking for the newish watering hole. The Firm is a cinder block building that seems to still be work in progress. The night we were in, part of the drop ceiling was missing and the bar didn’t have an ice chest or a soda gun. But hey, cheap drinks!

The Firm’s well drinks and draught beers are …

Carpe Durham’s love for Moe’s Tavern is well documented. In addition to this review, on previous visits we have been rewarded for the drive out to Rougemont with steak fresh off the grill, taco dip, bowls of chips and various other nibbles. A bar with free food is a bar after my heart. Lucky for us – the cold beer and friendly vibe of Moe’s has found a new home right in the heart of Ninth Street.

Mitch, who owns and …

The Republic is a bar and lounge that always intrigued me when I walked by, but for some reason, I never stepped inside until recently. I think it might be because the space looks really, really dark from the outside, which doesn’t come across as welcoming. But my glimpses of fancy, black armchairs lined up against the walls finally convinced me to try the place out. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the drinks and the friendliness of the employees.

Inside, the club’s walls are either …

G2B, a new gastropub from Shane Ingram of Four Square and One fame, opened a few weeks ago in the seemingly doomed spot that has housed Starlu and Restaurant Eden. And this past Wednesday, I drug four friends to G2B for what we thought would be a casual dinner and beers.

Despite a trippy, psychedelic website and logo, G2B’s interior is swanky and urban with lots of white and red leather. It felt like a place one would find on Glenwood …

Looking for a neighborhood bar with cheap beer, free pool, lots of TV’s and a friendly vibe? Then Doyle’s is for you. Hidden next to Piper’s Deli, just a block off University – Doyle’s is a laid-back sports bar and would be a great spot to catch a game.

Staring at a TV, nursing long-necks isn’t your thing? Doyle’s has five pool tables, a ping-pong table, dartboards, shuffleboard, foosball, bumper pool, a bunch of arcade games and a shoe shine stand. It …

written in collaboration with MEZ

In general, I prefer smaller bars to larger, more mainstream establishments. So when a friend suggested we watch the Final Four at Tobacco Road Sports Cafe, I wasn’t psyched. Not one to rock the boat, I went along for the ride and ended up being pleasantly surprised. Tobacco Road Sports Cafe is adjacent to the Durham Bulls Baseball Field and is walking distance from DPAC. This makes it a conveniently located downtown bar for folks wanting to grab …

On Saturday May 21, the Casbah is hosting Cask-Bah – a night to celebrate cask beer. A $30 advance ticket gets you unlimited samples of cask conditioned ales from local breweries such as Triangle Brewery, Roth Brewery, Natty Greene’s, Top of the Hill and Carolina Brewery. A commemorative glass is included.

There will be live music and a food truck rodeo. All proceeds go to Durham Central Park. Cask-Bah is sponsored by Triangle Brewery and All About Beer Magazine.

Casbah
Saturday, May 21 · 6:00pm – 10:00pm
1007 West …