Bowbarr

I'll just come right out and say that Bowbarr is my favorite hipster bar in Carrboro.

It's nice to have a bar to go to that isn't freaking obsessed with UNC.

They have a super-tiny TV that only seems to be there to mock television.

The decor is nice enough for what the place is.

The prices are good in comparison to other Chapel Hill / Carrboro bars.

They have a strange little layout, with a standard bar, and then a little row of seats behind the bar stools, almost as if the people are sitting in a pew, watching the bar.

A lot of the time there will be a large-ish crowd outside smoking their cigarettes. I for one don't smoke, but the outside area tends to be quite social and friendly, so I make it a point to spend some time out there anyway whenever I go to the Bowbarr.

In the winter, Bowbarr is nice and warm, which I appreciate. Also, the bartenders have by and large been kind-hearted. Again, appreciated.

This is the bar that townies go to. You'll see some of the people who organize or attend the Free Market here, and people will be happy to engage in a lively discussion about the merits of expanding the Harris Teeter, or allowing the CVS to relocate.

There's an element of surprise at Bowbarr. One night we went, and there was a wedding reception going on! We couldn't tell though, because the dress code was flannel, but they were totally cool with my wife and I interacting with them.

I've got one and a half complaints.

1. Only one uni-sex bathroom. I'm pretty sure my wife has never used the bathroom there for this reason.

1/2. It's like right next door to AA, which just sort of feels awkward, but I don't know who was there first.

Verdict: My favorite bar in Carrboro.

This bar is probably about as hipster as it gets in Carrboro, and I don't mean that in the pejorative sense. When your options are hipster vs. meat market...
There's a little outdoor area, there are books in the one bathroom. (Really?) and one tiny television that I assure you will NOT be playing the sports game. I had the pleasure of watching the end of Starship Troopers and the beginning of...Starship Troopers.

I do really like this bar, because even if it's faux cool, it's way cooler than a lot of other options, especially the further you head east. Reminds me of a Brooklyn bar, except the beer on tap selection isn't very extensive. Trying to find "my bar" in the area. I'll come back. Maybe it's here?

Yup, this place is a staple for me. It's almost as if Bowbarr was lifted and moved here from the trendier haunts of NY or SF, but retains a friendly vibe. If you are looking for the cool spot in Chapel Hill/Carrboro, you will find it here. I have turned many friends on to this place because of the great drinks and awesome bartenders.