Which cocktail bar is the best in the Triangle? Vote in the final round
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- The News & Observer launched a public vote to find the Triangle’s top cocktail bar.
- Forty-nine bars compete in a six-round poll running from June 9 to June 23, 2025.
- Only bars prioritizing cocktails over dining were included in the competition lineup.
June 23 update: Come back later to see who won!
The perfect cocktail can soothe our palettes and stir our souls. With the cocktail Renaissance firmly embraced, the Triangle is now home to dozens of cherished bars elevating mixed drinks to an art form.
But who shakes it above the rest?
The News & Observer is looking to find the Triangle’s absolute favorite cocktail bar. Readers tipped us off to the ones they love and we added a few spots of our own, adding up to 50 top cocktail bars.
For this poll we included bars where the drinks are truly the star, with creative concoctions and crisp renditions of the classics. Here you’ll find James Beard finalists, dark and moody basement bars, airy rooftops and glitzy hot spots.
Many fine dining restaurants have stellar beverage programs and cocktail lists, but you likely wouldn’t just drop in for a drink before a show, so we left them off this time.
Now, it’s time to put it to a vote. Here are the details:
The first round will determine the Top 25. It will be live from Monday, June 9 until 2 p.m. Wednesday, June 11.
The second round will determine the Top 12. It will live from about 2 p.m. June 11 until 2 p.m. Friday, June 13.
The third round will determine the Top 8. It will live from about 2 p.m. June 13 until 2 p.m. Monday, June 16.
The fourth round will determine the Top 4. It will be live from about 2 p.m. June 16 until 2 p.m. Wednesday, June 18.
The fifth round will determine the Top 2. It will be live from about 2 p.m. June 18 until 2 p.m. Friday, June 20.
The final round will determine the winner. It will be live from about 2 p.m. June 20 until 2 p.m. Monday, June 23.
This is not a scientific poll or survey — it’s just for fun! If you have more than one favorite, you are welcome to refresh this web page and submit another vote.
Top 2
- Wolfe & Porter
- Nightingale Rooftop Restaurant & Bar
Top 4
- Wolfe & Porter
- Revival 1869
- Nightingale Rooftop Restaurant & Bar
- The Oak Raleigh
Top 8
- Wolfe & Porter
Nightingale Rooftop Restaurant & Bar
Revival 1869
Aunty Betty’s Gin & Absinthe Bar
The Oak Raleigh
Wonderland Kitchen & Cocktails
Annexe
Smashed Burgers & Cocktails
Top 12
Wolfe & Porter
Alley Twenty Six
Belltree Cocktail Club
Wonderland Kitchen & Cocktails
Nightingale Rooftop Restaurant & Bar
Bar Virgile
Aunty Betty’s Gin & Absinthe Bar
Smashed Burgers & Cocktails
Revival 1869
The Oak Raleigh
Gussie’s
Annexe
Top 25
Wolfe & Porter
Belltree Cocktail Club
Wonderland Kitchen & Cocktails
Neat and Sweet
Alley Twenty Six
Nightingale Rooftop Restaurant & Bar
Bar Virgile
Revival 1869
Gussie’s
The Blind Barbour
Watts & Ward
Smashed Burgers & Cocktails
The Oak Raleigh
Kingfisher
William and Company
Aunty Betty’s Gin & Absinthe Bar
Sous Terre
Urban Oak
SideBar
Annexe
Dram and Draught
Foundation
Conniption Bar & Lounge
The Roof at The Durham
The Merchant NC
Top 50
Alley Twenty Six
Location: 320 E Chapel Hill St STE 200, Durham, NC 27701
The Anchor Bar
Location: 207 Fayetteville St, Raleigh, NC 27601
Annexe
Location: 105 S Mangum St Unit #1, Durham, NC 27701
Arcana Durham
Location: 331 W Main St, Durham, NC 27701
Atlas Bar
Location: 118 E Main St, Carrboro, NC 27510
Aunty Betty’s Gin & Absinthe Bar
Location: 411 W Morgan St, Raleigh, NC 27603
AVA Rooftop Bar
Location: 301 Fenton Gtwy Dr, Cary, NC 27511
The Bar Beej
Location: 202 Corcoran St, Durham, NC 27701
Bar Virgile
Location: 105 S Mangum St Unit #1, Durham, NC 27701
Belltree Cocktail Club
Location: 100 Brewer Ln A, Carrboro, NC 27510
Bittersweet
Location: 16 E Martin St, Raleigh, NC 27601
The Blind Barbour
Location: 3055 Medlin Dr, Raleigh, NC 27607
Botanical Lounge
Location: 419 Glenwood Ave Level 1, Raleigh, NC 27603
Circa 1888
Location: 412 W Davie St, Raleigh, NC 27601
Conniption Bar & Lounge
Location: 715 Washington St STE B, Durham, NC 27701
The Crunkleton
Location: 320 W Franklin St, Chapel Hill, NC 27516
Location: 403 W Johnson St, Raleigh, NC 27603
Cuya
Location: 413 Glenwood Ave Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27603
District
Location: 222 Glenwood Ave Suite 109, Raleigh, NC 27603
Dram and Draught
Location: Multiple
Flask
Location: 7930 Skyland Ridge Pkwy Suite 100, Raleigh, NC 27617
Foundation
Location: 213 Fayetteville St Ste 010, Raleigh, NC 27601
The Green Light
Location: 108 E Hargett St, Raleigh, NC 27601
Gussie’s
Location: 927 W Morgan St Suite 116, Raleigh, NC 27603
Hank’s Downtown Dive
Location: 111 E Chatham St Suite A, Cary, NC 27511
The Haymaker
Location: 555 Fayetteville St #115, Raleigh, NC 27601
Killjoy
Location: 116 N West St, Raleigh, NC 27603
Kingfisher
Location: 321 E Chapel Hill St, Durham, NC 27701
La Mala Mexican Inspired Cocktails
Location: 110 Corcoran St, Durham, NC 27701
Liberty & Plenty Distillery
Location: 609 B, Foster St, Durham, NC 27701
The Merchant NC
Location: 126 S Salisbury St, Raleigh, NC 27601
Moon Room
Location: 500 N West St Suite 150, Raleigh, NC 27603
Neat and Sweet
Location: 225 N Salem St, Apex, NC 27502
Nightingale Rooftop Restaurant & Bar
Location: 300 S Main St Suite 312, Holly Springs, NC 27540
The Oak Raleigh
Location: 4035 Lake Boone Trail, Raleigh, NC 27607
Peck & Plume
Location: 301 S Academy St, Cary, NC 27511
Remy’s Lounge
Location: 347 W Main St, Durham, NC 27701
Revival 1869
Location: 222 E Main St, Clayton, NC 27520
The Roof at The Durham
Location: 315 E Chapel Hill St, Durham, NC 27701
SideBar
Location: 215 E Chatham St, Cary, NC 27511
The SideDoor Craft Cocktails
Location: 1389 Kildaire Farm Rd, Cary, NC 27511
Smashed Burgers & Cocktails
Location: 242 S Main St Ste 118, Holly Springs, NC 27540
Sous Terre
Location: 620 N Person St, Raleigh, NC 27604
Urban Oak
Location: 200 W Davie St, Raleigh, NC 27601
The Velvet Hippo Rooftop Bar & Lounge
Location: 119 Orange St 3rd Floor, Durham, NC 27701
The Waiting Room
Location: 300 Blackwell St #100, Durham, NC 27701
Watts & Ward
Location: 200 S Blount St, Raleigh, NC 27601
The Willard Rooftop Lounge
Location: 9 Glenwood Ave, Raleigh, NC 27603
William and Company
Location: 616 N Person St #1214, Raleigh, NC 27604
Wolfe & Porter
Location: 905 W Morgan St, Raleigh, NC 27603
Wonderland Kitchen & Cocktails
Location: 222 Glenwood Ave, Raleigh, NC 27603
This story was originally published June 9, 2025 at 7:00 AM with the headline "Which cocktail bar is the best in the Triangle? Vote in the final round."