1. Roberts At The Franklin
City: Raleigh, NC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (919) 442-9000
Description: In the lobby of the posh Franklin Hotel, the Roberts is upscale-comfy chic. Deep sofas and pillow-back chairs beckon you to sink in while you listen to someone tickle the ivories of the baby grand or soak in the warmth of the gas logs. It’s a bit like being in a friend’s well-appointed living room, if your friend also offered a well-chosen wine list and a menu of specialty cocktails. French doors open onto a sidewalk patio illuminated by gas lights. It’s busy at cocktail hour and on weekend nights when diners meet for pre-dinner drinks or after-dinner nightcaps and dessert.
2. The Borough
City: Raleigh, NC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (919) 832-8433
Address: 317 W. Morgan St.
Description: On the ground floor of a new downtown high rise, the Borough is a sleek but comfortable watering hole that attracts an eclectic mix of patrons. Drinks like the Short Little Span of Attention, a combination of amaretto and pomegranate, and the Schmitty’s Schnapps reflect the owners’ quirky sensibilities. The food menu includes matzo ball soup, carne asada quesadillas, and homemade “What’s In a Name” chips and salsa. Smartly arranged seating areas and a street-front patio give everyone plenty of room to spread out. It’s gay friendly, a place where drag queens feel comfy letting their hair down.
3. Foundation
City: Raleigh, NC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (919) 896-6016
Address: 213 Fayetteville St.
Description: A small, underground space, Foundation takes mixology to a higher level with its dedication to fresh ingredients, rare liquors, and innovative drink recipes. Inspired by the locavore movement, Foundation dedicates most of its taps and space on its wine shelf to beer and wine from North Carolina. Drinks include the Queen Anne’s Revenge, a blend of spiced rum, egg whites, and cinnamon named for the ship that belonged to the pirate Blackbeard, which was sunk along the North Carolina coast. The decor is renovation-minimalist with exposed masonry and ceiling beams dominating the dark cozy space. The sidewalk patio upstairs is great for people-watching while you sip.
4. Havana Deluxe
City: Raleigh, NC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (919) 831-0991
Address: 437 Glenwood Ave.
Description: Half a block off the sidewalk along Glenwood, you might miss Havana Deluxe if you didn’t know it was there. It’s a scotch-and-cigars lounge where you can settle into a leather chair and have a waitress refresh your drinks all night. Several televisions turned to sports often dominate crowd attentions, but the vibe is also conducive to board games and chatting.
5. Hibernian
City: Raleigh, NC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (919) 833-2258
Address: 311 Glenwood Ave.
Description: Of Raleigh’s Irish pubs, this one feels the most authentic, with its dark wood interior, close spaces, and fans watching soccer matches on TV. It’s in the heart of Glenwood South, which means it can get packed on weekend nights. But in the evenings, it’s a cool place to sit and have a pint or a cider and a bit of conversation, as the music isn’t too loud. The menu features Irish staples such as bangers and mash or fish and chips. The black and blue salad, with blackened steak and bleu cheese, is a popular favorite. The pub also has a Cary location.
6. Humble Pie
City: Raleigh, NC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (919) 829-9222
Address: 317 S. Harrington St.
Description: A longtime staple in Raleigh’s flourishing warehouse district, Humble Pie makes great use of its interior spare, wide-open space and its outdoor patio area. The tiki bar, which features parachute-cloth sails and strings of globe lights, fills up regardless of the time of year. Popular items on its small-plates menu include tuna tartar tostados—a blend of barely seared tuna, wasabi, and tortillas—and tempura asparagus. The atmosphere is relaxed, and it’s a great place to grab a nosh or have a drink after a barbecue dinner at The Pit, around the corner.
7. Lynnwood Grill
City: Raleigh, NC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (919) 785-0043
Address: 4800 Grove Barton Rd.
Description: Neighbors become regulars of this North Raleigh bar thanks to the great pizza with imaginative toppings like shrimp and potatoes, cheap wing specials, good beer selection, and welcoming atmosphere. It’s a good place to grab a bite before heading to a movie at the multiplex next door, to watch a Canes game, or to show up in costume on Halloween night. The crowd is friendly and the service is reliable.
8. Player’S Retreat
City: Raleigh, NC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (919) 755-9589
Address: 105 Oberlin Rd.
Description: A few steps from the corner of Hillsborough and Oberlin, the PR, as old timers call it, is an old-school N.C. State fan hangout and Raleigh’s oldest bar. Basketball memorabilia recalls Coach Everette Case’s 1950s era as well as Jim Valvano and the 1982 NCAA championship team. Decor includes fish tanks, a vast collection of obscure beer cans, and wooden tables carved with patrons’ initials. These days the PR is a gathering spot for hockey fans who can watch the Carolina Hurricanes action on flat-screen TVs on the sidewalk patio.
9. The Raleigh Times Bar
City: Raleigh, NC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (919) 833-0999
Address: 14 E. Hargett St.
Description: On the wall by the door, a floor-to-ceiling, vintage photographic mural of early-1900s newsboys, some of them barefoot, pays homage to the days when the narrow space was home to the ink-stained journalists of a now-defunct city paper. Today it’s one of downtown’s busiest bars, drawing the crowds with a well-chosen selection of beer, wine, and cocktails and a bar menu of delicious standards like pulled pork nachos, chicken-fried pickles, and fried green beans. Decorative touches like glowing drop lights combine with the restored pressed tin ceiling and exposed masonry for a chic but relaxed atmosphere. Among the photos above the bar tables is a shot of Barack Obama, taken when he stopped in for a Pabst Blue Ribbon and a chat during the 2008 campaign.
10. Sadlacks
City: Raleigh, NC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (919) 828-9190
Address: 2116 Hillsborough St.
Description: Before its recent renovation, Sadlacks was best-known for its grit, which fans adored. In fact, some Sadlacks fans worried the makeover would ruin the place, a Raleigh institution for more than 30 years. But their concerns were unfounded. Refreshed with new paint and a larger kitchen, it still draws a loyal mix of bikers, N.C. State students, blue collar workers, and Carolina Rollergirls and their fans. The most popular pastime is sitting at the picnic tables on the deck, drinking Pabst Blue Ribbon and listening to great local music. The sandwiches are fresh and delicious, too.
11. Papa Mojo’S Roadhouse
City: Raleigh, NC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (919) 361-2222
Description: Papa Mojo’s re-creates a little bit of Chef Mel Melton’s beloved Louisiana Cajun country. The chef takes the stage to rock the crowd with his harmonica-infused zydeco band, but also makes room for local and national acts to crank out party music like R&B and Big Easy–tinged blues. It’s the best place in the Triangle to eat étouffée, sip a hurricane, close your eyes, and imagine you’re in the Big Easy.
12. Boylan Bridge Brew Pub
City: Raleigh, NC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (919) 803-8927
Address: 201 S. Boylan Ave.
Description: Opened in 2009, this popular spot fits right into the old neighborhood, just a mile from downtown. Groups love to gather around the wide deck’s many picnic tables where they can soak in the views of downtown, and the railroad tracks that pass under the Boylan Bridge. The interior is bright and airy with lots of windows and warm wood. The beer is brewed on site, and includes seasonal specials. Fare like fish and chips, spaghetti and meatballs, burgers, and an excellent veggie burger fills out the menu. The atmosphere is comfortable and convivial.
13. Horniblow’S Tavern
City: Raleigh, NC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (919) 834-0045
Description: In an industrial area just north of downtown off Atlantic Avenue, you have to go looking for Horniblow’s to find it. It’s the tasting room for Big Boss Brewery, and the bar sits inside the metal warehouse above the brewing tanks. The interior is divided into three rooms. One has a typical bar, one is a game room with worn-out couches, and a third has a Ping Pong table, a pool table, and a couple of video games. All the games are free, and once you see the condition of the equipment, you’ll know why. It’s like hanging out in a buddy’s basement, if your buddy happened to brew some of the best beer made in North Carolina.
14. Natty Greene’S Pub & Brewing Co.
City: Raleigh, NC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (919) 232-2477
Address: 505 W. Jones St.
Description: A block off Glenwood South, Natty Greene’s is a newcomer to the downtown bar scene, having opened in March 2010. It is an outpost of the popular downtown Greensboro pub of the same name. The Raleigh bar brews its own beer on site, offering a combination of six standard beers and six rotating seasonal brews. Standouts on the regular beer menu include the Southern Pale Ale and the Buckshot Amber, and be sure to taste the Freedom American Strong Pale Ale if its on tap. The menu offers solid renditions of bar-food staples like wings and fried calamari and sandwiches served with Natty Green’s outstanding homemade potato salad. Pool tables, dart boards and table-top shuffle board add to the house-party atmosphere.
15. Dsi Comedy Theater
City: Raleigh, NC
Category: Nightlife
Address: 200 N. Greensboro St.
Description: Improv players present sketch and stand-up comedy and team events at DSI—Dirty South Improv—Comedy Theater. DSI hosts festivals, presents family friendly shows, invites audience participation with true-story night, and offers improv instruction to actors, business people, and teachers.