I tried City Beverage yesterday for the first and only time. When a friend wanted to get together for dinner I suggested The Pub in Woodcroft because I love their burgers. He wanted to go to City Beverage so I agreed. The first thing I noticed was how loud it was in there. I hadn't seen my friend in a situation for us to sit and chat in about 7 months and this was not the place for us to catch up on each others lives and have real conversation. Second, although there are a plethora of beer selections, I like Yuengling and Blue Moon on draft. The server recommended a beer that "tastes just like Blue Moon." Well, no it doesn't, not really, but as close as they can offer so I had one. They are heavy on the IPA' s but neither of my favorites were available  on tap or in bottles. Third, usually when trying a new restaurant for the first time I order a burger because how badly can you screw up a burger, right? While there wasn't anything wrong with the burger there was nothing memorable about it either. I love a great beer in a cold mug or glass (by the way, beer is served in room temperature glasses) with a good burger and this burger filled me up but nothing special about it to make me want another one. Service was okay, not great. Next time my friend wants to meet for dinner I am picking the restaurant.
Review Source:I was a little hesitant to try City Beverage because of the mixed reviews, especially some from my friends! Â However, I know this is a major hotspot for CrossFit 919'ers, and it was also recommended to me by my brother: "Wisconsin Hangover Cure burger. Â No bun. Â Add avocado." Â The garlic fries smelled more like garlic than tasted like garlic, but I still enjoyed them. Â My date thought everything on the menu looked good enough to try, but since that one burger was specifically recommended, he went for it as well. Â Neither of us was disappointed by that choice! Â Also, any place that has Highlander Gaelic Ale (from Asheville) gets a big smile from me. Â I enjoyed the other beer choices they had on tap, too, including Triangle Brewing Company.
The decor was completely overwhelming in a super fun way. Â It was nothing what I was expecting! Â It's so random and colorful, but it works, and it put me in a good mood.
City Beverage also gets bonus points because it has a pool table, and we were specifically looking for a local place to play pool... Looks like we found a winner!
I couldn't remember why I hadn't eaten here in years...now I do.
Service was spotty and borderline unfriendly. My food came out wrong. My partner didn't care for his sandwich and when mine finally came out (after he finished eating), the fries were hot (but weirdly cold at the same time) and flavorless. I waited longer than I should for refills on my water, too. With that being said, my cuban sandwich was decent but not great.
Also, the vibe in the places seems really off. I get what they're trying to do - a 50's retro, surf club theme, but it just seems like they went to oriental trading company, bought some hawaiian leis and then went thrifting for some old album covers. The atmosphere doesn't seem well thought out. They were also burning crazy-strong scented candles on most of the tables which gave a place this gross flora aroma. As you can probably already guess, this doesn't mix well with the only thing you should smell in a restaurant: food.
Also, no sweet tea! We're in the South, people!
The onion rings were under-seasoned, I'm sorry, you're Chopped.
Seriously... after reading some of the reviews on here describing the food as horrible, I was very hesitant to even step foot inside. Â But I was pleasantly surprised to find that nothing was wrong with the food at City Beverage. Â Not quite sure what standard some of the previous reviewers were using to judge this bar. Â This is not 3-Michellin Star dining... it's a pub, and they serve pub food. Â Onion rings, fries, cheeseburgers, and nachos... all of these were perfectly fine choices and I have zero complaints about the service!
I have been to City Beverage 5 times or so. Each time I am just not impressed I don't see why people think this place is so great. The dim lighting makes it feel gross and dingy. All of the floral things hanging from the ceiling just seem to be a major trap for dust. I have had several sandwiches here, nothing to write home about but not bad, but also not that good. The garlic fries are consistently good. The chicken tacos are horrendous---so bad that the thought of tasting them again makes me want to gag. The wait staff has always been okay. I once had a book club meet here, not the best place because they blare fairly bad music. All and all I think I will stop going here after 5 times, I am just not into this place.
Review Source:I'm reviewing this place more for the stand point of a restaurant rather than strictly as a bar. Â After having lived in Southish Durham for a couple years I somehow never managed to make it out to city beverage. Â
I arrived Sunday evening around 7ish and stood at what appeared to be the hostess table. Â After waiting for a couple minutes for someone to acknowledge me I ask one of the servers walking by if I can just claim a table outside and they abruptly tell me no there is a wait and to put my name on the list. Â Which of course I have been trying to do. Â It takes probably another minute after requesting it for someone to finally come by and take my name.
After finally being seated the service our group got definitely wasn't especially friendly, there was no simple greeting and no information about the drinks or food was offered we were just asked if we were ready to order. Â I did found out they had 1.50 pbr pints which I ordered, apparently they have a hefty beer list though I never found that out til after I ordered.
I order the fuego diablo burger medium rare and asked to sub a salad for the fries which I was disappointed to find runs you an additional two extra dollars. Â I Â dislike when places charge an unreasonable fee for wanting a vegetable side especially when it is fairly standard as their side salad ended up being. Â Though I tried my friends garlic fries which he ordered extra garlicky...and they left a lot to be desired, including still lacking any real noticeable garlic.
The burger comes and it is definitely hefty, but I take bite and I am disappointed. Â The meat is tough and overcooked (definitely not medium rare) and seems of questionable quality. Â The toppings for the burger are fine, but rather sloppily thrown together and not good enough to overcome the meat and the bun isn't that great either. Â For $12 I was pretty disappointed, I've had many better burgers in Durham.
We didn't get checked up that often by our server but after finally getting our check we leave and I realize and I didn't have much of a desire to go back.
Always hate basing so much off one experience, but I was unfortunately not a fan.
This place is around the corner from us. They have an OK wine menu, a pretty good beer menu (so I've heard; I don't drink beer), and a few mixed drinks. We used to eat there pretty regularly until, in the last 6 months or, so the food started to be really bad. We were there with 6 people recently and everyone's dish was overcooked, bland, missing key ingredients, or some combination of the above. Also, during our last trip, the service was terrible. I honestly can't remember the last time I had service that bad: she forgot to bring out my main dish, wouldn't refill our drinks even when we asked, didn't bring over ketchup (we had to ask 3 times), and completely skipped over taking the order from one of us. And it wasn't because she was busy: she was just standing over by the bar.
Review Source:Food at City Bev is consistently very, very good. Great menu. Great beer selection. Service is so-so. Last few times I've been, the staff have been very curt and seem not to want to be bothered (though the bartender with the pony tail is great). Service really seems to be slipping there. Management/ownership - are you listening??
Review Source:City beverage is hit or miss. I just do not understand the mentality of the owner and staff. Today is Sunday, and I walked through the door just before 9pm. The parking lot is over half full, and the place is hopping. Not packed, but not empty either. After waiting for a bit for someone to notice I am waiting, someone finally came over to seat me... Or so I thought. I stead I was told the kitchen is closed and the restaurant is closing. The place is FULL of people, and they've stopped serving food and drinks, and turned me away. There was a ton of money to make there.
This is not the first time something like this has happened either. City beverage has a bar side and a restaurant side. The restaurant closes at 10 sharp. If you're still eating and drinking tough for you, because the employees just want to go home. A group of 15 of us was told in no uncertain terms that we need to move to the other side. We weren't the only people in the restaurant either. They made everyone leave. If you have a full dining room you don't kick people out or turn them away.
The big group of us haven't been back since. Every Friday we go out - at least 10 pf us, usually 15 or more. and city beverage is permanently off our rotation. They don't want our business. They don't want my business. So I choose not to give them my business again. I am across the street having a beer and a sandwich at the Pub. They're not swanky, but they at least have no problem taking my money.
City Beverage was a pleasant surprise. Â I was in the mood for a good burger and they didn't disappoint. Â The Blackened Blue burger was very tasty and the garlic fries were excellent. Â The value for the money was top notch. Â The decor is a bit of a hot mess, it seems like they tried to combine about 3 different themes, but that didnt take away from the taste of the food. Â Great place!
Review Source:This place is straight out of .... Tiki Bar... sure... 70's lava lounge... sure... they are a mess for decor (only reason I gave it a 4)
Food... FANTASTIC...
Both of us got burgers with their garlic fries and you know they have real garlic fries when you can smell the garlic... REAL GARRRRLIC
The burgers aren't the precut, round cheap hamburgers.. You can tell they make the patties themselves...
Very TASTY, will be going back!!!!
Just down the street from my office, City Beverage is a friendly little place to have a drink. I don't get there nearly enough but when I meet a friend there, the atmosphere is perfect. If I'm lucky, they'll be serving an awesome Creme Brûlée. Maybe next time they'll have it waiting again for me!
Review Source:Brought an out of town visitor here for dinner. Â She's really funky and so is this place so it was a perfect match! Â They have such a wide range of choices it's hard not to find something to please anyone. Â It's a little pricer than I'd like for dinner, but really standard for someplace such as this.
I had the Straw & Grass, which is Italian Sausage, Portabello Mushrooms and Rosemary on Spinach and Egg Noodles with a Parmigiano Cream Sauce and Crostini. Â It was delicious, filling, and even though I could have easily had leftovers, it was so good I chowed it all down!
Our server was great, the place was packed, and the lights are low so a little tough to read the menu, but great for a romantic date, although a little loud.... Â If you haven't been, check it out. Â It's really a nice alternative.
I am so glad that a friend suggested we meet up here for happy hour--and even more glad that this is now one of the closest dining establishments and bars to my job!
I accidentally drove past City Beverage the first time, thinking it was just some random building beside the CVS. Oops. Even though it was just after 5, the parking lot was already decently full... yet when we went inside, there were plenty of tables and booths, and we had our pick.
The booth we sat in was a round booth upholstered with gold glitter padding. Paper flower garlands hang from the ceiling and bad movie posters and comic book stills adorn the walls. I loved it. It is fantastically kitsch and it doesn't care who knows.
Our server was FANTASTIC. Seriously, he is among the best service I have had since moving to NC. Quick, attentive, always smiling, not overly talkative but very obviously friendly (he even seemed happy to be there!). When we had an unexpected fifth person show up, he was over with a menu before we even signaled him.
I had a mai tai and a raspberry margarita--in both cases, slightly cheaper than elsewhere in the Triangle where I've had comparable drinks, and in both cases, the flavor to alcohol ratio was great.
I also had the super deluxe burger. I ordered it medium rare--and it actually came out medium rare! Those of you who like some pink in your burgers will appreciate the magnitude of this event. I can't count the number of times they've accepted my "how do you like it cooked?" response without comment and cooked it a solid medium to medium well anyway.
One caveat: This seems like a group happy hour place to me; I don't think that I'd feel great about going there by myself for food or to grab a quick drink.
I was so pleased with my first experience at City Beverage--may there be many more to come!
After literally waiting years to hit up City Bev, I finally had an excuse! Â The location is really meant for locals so stepping in I had no idea what to expect. Â A bit hipster, a bit tiki bar, a mish-mash of decor means City Beverage serves as a restaurant on one side, and the Lava Lounge on the other side. Â Patrons seem like neighborhood folks and students right out of work and I detect some Duk-iness in the scene (don't ask me exactly how! Â :-) Â Tattooed guy at the bar passes over some menus and I go with the classic chicken nachos along with pork dumplings. Â
The food comes out and it's a LOT. Â A large platter of nachos scattered with cheese-beans and chicken. Â The dumplings are actually wontons and come with a cucumber-peanut sauce. Â Overall satisfying but not particularly well-prepared, the nachos were too brown and the wonton filling was sort of bland. Â But I know why this place works, it serves large quantities of different bar food in a hipsterish environment. Â But yeah, it's really a neighborhood place and not something I would kill myself for. Â If I merged Five Star and the Rockford in Raleigh, you'd end up with something like City Bev. Â Service was a bit hit or miss but kudos to the bartender who handled the crowd with aplomb...
I met a friend here on a Friday night. Little did I know there would be no place to park! I must've circled the place 3 times before finding an [illegal] parking spot. But, it wasn't too hard to find a table, since we wanted to sit outside.
The beer selection is great. I ordered a Sweetwater Blue (I'm a Georgia girl, so I was kind of thrilled to see that they carried this.) As for the food, I've had better. Per Yelp's suggestion, I ordered the chicken nachos. When they brought them out, the server warned me that the plate was hot. Unfortunately the nachos were not. I'm sure they would've been delicious had they not cooled before they got to the table.
I really regretted not ordering some of the garlic fries. I went in to wash my hands and the whole restaurant was one big delicious garlic smell. But, I can't say I'll go back to try them out.
Nacho Genius and Other Fantastic Fare
Visits: Twice
I found this place accidentally last year when my husband and I went to a wine tasting at Hope valley Bottle Shop across the street. After the wine tasting, we decided to grab a bite to eat and used Yelp to evaluate all the restaurants in the surrounding area. Yelp Mobile is such a handy, dandy tool! On our first visit to City Beverage, there was ample parking. However, last week when we came for dinner, it was a gorgeous evening and there was a large crowd making it very difficult to find a vacant parking space. Be forewarned, do not park in the CVS parking lot or you will get towed. We were hoping to snag a table on the large patio but everyone else had the same idea. We said no to the 1-hour wait and found a table inside. I like the arrangement of spaces...there are a few high top tables and a sofa with chairs and a coffee table at the entrance for getting together with friends and enjoying a drink. Very social! There's a bar and a row of 2-top high tables and further into the restaurant there are many tables. The interior has a fun and quirky décor and the place exudes an easy going and happy ambiance...a really good vibe.
I had the chicken tacos and Cosmo. Let me just say up front that I don't care for sweet drinks and the Cosmo is a great test of bartender and the recipe. To me, a good Cosmo is tart with just a hint of sweetness....cranberries WITHOUT a lot of fructose corn syrup are NOT sweet. Well, I'm not sure where to put the blame, the bartender or the recipe or both, but the Cosmo failed...too sweet and most definitely weak. The chicken tacos were extremely good with thin slices of chicken breast that were moist with a wonderful, flavorful seasoning. The dollop of roasted tomatilla sauce was delicious and really added a tasty accent to the whole ensemble. My husband had a glass of wine that he enjoyed and he raved about the City Beverage Sticky Fingers. He said the soy glaze and spicy chile lime garlic sauce were awesome. And he commented that he didn't think the sauce was very spicy just a little bit of heat.
On our second visit, I decided to try another mixed drink since I was in the mood for a margarita and City Beverage offers a great selection of flavored margaritas. Well, I opted for the plain, old-fashioned Classic Margarita with middle of the shelf tequila that was Jose Cuervo. Well, I wasn't pleased with the margarita in that it was also leaning more to the sweet side. My husband got wine again and was happy with his choice. I guess I'm going for wine next time. Since I'm trying to eat a meat free diet, I ordered the Blackened Mahi Mahi tacos and they rocked! The portion size was huge. The soft tacos, tortillas, were about 4-6 inches in diameter (didn't have a tape measure, lol) and there were 3 of them piled high with crunchy, shredded Napa cabbage and diced onion lightly dressed in a crème fraise sauce with thick strips of mahi that was tender and flaky. The fish was actually blackened...a crisp outer coating with a tad of heat. My husband ordered the Chile Braised Chicken Nachos. OMG! Fab-u-licious!!!! And the nacho chef was a genius by spreading the homemade tortilla chips on to a HUGE plate and then piling on all sorts of tasty treats like small chunks of chicken, spicy black bean salsa, lots of gooey cheese, and small scoop of guacamole and a side of salsa. Because the chips were spread out, a large portion of them had some sort of delicious topping instead of when the chips are piled high and only the very top portion of chips are coated with goodies. I may be making a big deal of out it but these nachos were really good.
Each time we received great service from the amicable and helpful wait staff. Overall good experience with solid food with a comfortable interior and a much sought after outdoor patio. I only wish it was closer to home.
City Beverage is a great laid back place. It has a very eclectic feel with vintage decorations. I especially love the gold booths. Â It is also nice for the fact that it has two sides, one side for drinking and playing games and hanging out, the other for eating.
They have a great selection of food and drink. Their drink menu has a wide variety. I had the fish tacos and nachos while there this time. Â The fish tacos are great. You can't even tell you're eating fish. I especially enjoyed the sauce that is on it. The nachos are also tasty. If you get a full order be prepared to share because they are big. I wish I had more guacamole because it was delicious.
I would go back to experience the other side.
I was really disappointed in this place after seeing some of the good reviews from my yelp friends, but this place was mediocre at best. Â As noted, parking was horrible but I was able to find a good spot in the front so I thought I was in for a treat; unfortunately easy parking was the end of my luck.
I tried the mango margarita and it was awful, I got the crab dip which surprisingly had all cream cheese and no crab. Â Honestly, I was not impressed by this place at all and I won't be returning.
I was at least hoping for a great atmosphere but that was also lacking. Â I really wish I could find a place in Durham where young professionals of all races hung out. Â I know I can't expect to find DC Happy Hours in NC, but there has to be a place where people under the age of 28 congregate after work; right?
I went to City Beverage for the first time in late May and was looking forward to sitting outside. When we got to the hostess area around 8, they told us if we sat outside, we had to order from the bar. I thought it was odd that they wouldn't have any waiters serving the patio area...this may have just been because of the time of year/time of day/day of the week, but I still feel like it's nice to offer indoor AND outdoor guests waiter service...equality for all.
Despite the lack-of-waiter situation, my friend and I decided to awkwardly set our stuff down outside and go inside to order from the bar. For drink selection, I would definitely give City Beverage 5-stars. The Turkey Burger I ordered was great and I was really impressed by their menu options. However, halfway through my meal, I realized that I was basically just sitting outside in the dark under a patio umbrella. There may have been dimly-lit tiki torches, but some sort of non-fire based outdoor lighting would have been ideal.
Anytime we wanted another round of drinks, another trip inside was necessary. Maybe this would be a good scenario for a bad date, as it would be easy to frequently get away from the other person in a fairly un-awkward way. The bathroom excuse only works so many times really...However, if you are at City Beverage with someone you actually like and decide to sit outside, be prepared for the flow of the dinner to get interrupted as frequently as you decide you want another drink.
At the end of their dinner hours (around 10, I guess), our pseudo-waiter slash bartender came outside to collect our plates. He brought us our check and told us we could pay in the other bar area. I was glad I had a chance to see the second bar (the "lava lounge"), but once I saw myself in the light and realized I was covered in mosquito bites from my outdoor dining experience, I decided it was time to go home.
My tip would be to sit inside... waiter service, no mosquitoes and dinner in a reasonably lit area.
Went in on Friday around 7 with a group of six. Not the best time to show up to a restaurant, but the place was not very busy. Maybe half the inside tables were occupied.
Ten minutes in, I'm still not asked if I want a drink. You're City BEVERAGE FFS. Â I went to eat some real food (this place managed to mess up a burger previously. How do you make a bad burger?). I returned and stayed about 40 minutes and still was never acknowledged by the waitress. By the end, a friend was asking people to go to the bar for him to order a beer. The waitress was seated, casually chatting with her friends at an adjacent table. Shut up and take my money.
The parking lot is a bitch to get into. There is not any parking. Don't try parking here. There's even a sign on the door saying not to park in the adjacent cvs lot. You're better off going elsewhere anyway.
Hit or miss for sure. I've been there and its been so crowded that there was an hour wait and other times I have pretty much been the only person there.
Beer list is okay, nothing too wonderful compared to other local joints.
Food it tasty and surprising ingredients are all around. But that is pretty typical for Durham.
I love the nachos but they are super salty and its hit or miss, sometimes they are overflowing with goodness and sometimes the chip to goodness ratio is way off.
Got the kabobs once, not a winner at all.
Service, yeah...not really there. Every time I go it seems like the staff has changed around, never a good sign.
I'm tentative about writing this review because I don't want other people to find out about C.B. I want this place all to myself!
Great beers that frequently change, friendly waitstaff, and good food (try their burgers!) make this place terrific. There are two bar areas when you can relax with friends, including some pool tables and booths in the back. On a nice day, the best place to sit is undoubtedly the outdoor seating area with umbrellas and tiki torches.
Can't really think of any negatives, except that over the last year, the parking lot is getting more and more crowded due to the growing popularity of this place!
If you're looking for a great burger, this would be in my top five triangle burger spots. Â But that's not to take away AT ALL from the rest of the menu, which (if the jerk chicken is a good gauge of the rest of the selection) is very well prepared with a unique kind of flare. Â It's good for eating, is what I'm saying: tasty food, good portion size, good price. Also, they're open later than most places if food is suddenly a last minute idea...
drawbacks: the servers we had kind of forgot about us. Â Also, the patio area wasn't lit so we basically ate our food in the dark. Â
so, food? Â awesome. Â Experience, meh. Â four stars.
I vaguely remember my first time visited City Beverage; I believe it was actually for an UYE or ROTDC put together by Erin W and Brandon J; this must be at least a year ago then, and had to be summer time, because I found the place right away from all the folks sitting outside on the patio.
The decorations inside City Bev is very neat in some perspective, although I think there is some identity crisis going on. Look up at the ceiling hanging decors and the art works on all the bright color walls, I think City Bev is trying to decide whether it is a restaurant/bar or an art gallery.
The Big Ass BBQ Burger was pretty big and kick ass. The fish(tuna) tacos, with cilantro and scallions and red onions and tomato added, had a pretty good southwest salsa flavor. The most ridiculous thing here is the aptly named The Ridiculous Steak Sandwich; a grilled ribeye steak added onions lettuce tomato and cheese. Try not to get it well-done, because I guarantee you'll have a hard time finishing your sandwich. The sandwiches and burgers come with some of the best garlic fries I've had.
First off, let me say that if you are coming here solely to drink, it's a 4-star bar. Great beer selection, good prices, cool ambiance in the lava lounge, totally cool place to go grab a beer. In fact, we do that often.
But, City Beverage the restaurant? Oh boy. Houston, we have a problem.
The first problem is that the service here is consistently below-average, and ranges from "where did our waitress go?" to "WHERE THE F^&$ DID OUR WAITRESS GO?!", depending on the night. If you like to wait, and wait, and wait, then city bev is for you. I say this having eaten here probably 10+ times. I am a glutton for punishment.
Second, their fries and chips are very popular and have a reputation for being very good, and as a result, city bev has taken to preparing them all well in advance of you ever ordering them. Unfortunately, this results in a flaccidity not even Rosie O'Donnel could hope to be the cause of. I'm sorry, that was wrong... I know better than to end a sentence in a preposition. Anyway, avoid their chips at all costs, they are always terrible, the fries are more hit-and-miss depending on when the last batch hit the fryer. The chips simply sit in a bowl all day and night, waiting to be ordered by an unsuspecting customer. Yuck.
Third, their food, with the notable exception of their Chicken Nachos, isn't very good. The Chicken Nachos are rather great though, and the only thing on the menu that is reasonably priced. Which reminds me, the food is overpriced.
So there you have it. CIty Bev serves a good purpose, being one of the only good bars in South Durham, but I would recommend against eating here.
City Beverage has a lot of stuff going for it. Namely:
1. Above average beer selection
2. Wide variety of food options that transcend normal bar fare
3. It's right by my apartment.
Ok, the third one might not matter too much to anyone else, but the first two still make it a good place in my book.
The restaurant has two sides, the sit-down dining side and the bar side. Bar side is a little more casual atmosphere, you order through the bartender, there are more TV's, a pool table etc.
Restaurant side is nice too though. Lots of interesting/eclectic old school music and movie posters adorning the walls, plenty of neat stuff to look at.
For dinner I've had a burger (which was really tasty), tuna tacos (also good) and the veggie sandwich (3 for 3 on delish factor). I've been here several other times to meet up with friends for drinks/shoot some pool, and it's a really good spot to do either of those things.
As I mentioned earlier, lots of good local and craft beer on tap. All around just a solid establishment for food, friends and brew.
Good food and good service. Â The outdoor seating looks awesome, but sadly the weather was not cooperating when I was there.
Had the "Ridiculous Steak Sandwich" and it was really good, as were the delicious garlic fries that come alongside. Â The spicy pork dumplings appetizer was fantastic, if you like spicy do yourself a favor and get it.
Beer selection is pretty solid too. Â Overall, just a really solid, fun place for dinner.
This is definitely our new go-to place for great outdoor seating, weather permitting. Â I've been twice now, both times were to celebrate somebody special. Â City Bev for sure accommodates a small party crowd. Â Their drink menu is extensive with a varied selection. Â The first time I went there, I only experienced the nachos and fries off of the appetizer menu, and the beer, of course. Â This place is not messing around when it comes to their portions. The heaping bowl of fries is definitely good more for a group.
The second time I went I had a tasty, semi-local beer and the Tres Bien, a grilled half lb. of burger with sauteed mushrooms, shallots, veal demi (whatever the heck that is), red wine, herbs and swiss gruyere all on a toasted kaiser bun, complete with a nice little side salad. Â I substituted the side salad, I think, for a dollar extra. Â So, I'm a fan of the patio, but indoors is very cool, as well. Â The decor is kitschy and fun, there are pool tables, as well as plenty of seating. Â Go here, people! Â It's good I tell ya' :)
Yay! City Beverage! The first time I visited City Bev I sampled a friend's nachos and knew I'd be back for more. Recently, I got that chance and I'm really glad I did!
It was late on a Monday night, but the place was fairly full of patrons. There was a wacky group of aging punks hanging around the pool table having a birthday party (complete with 4 dozen blue cupcakes). The rest of the interior was very pleasant in a low-lit tiki-lounge / exotica sort of way. I grabbed spots on the sofa while the boyfriend bellied up the bar.
The bartender was a bit sleepy, but still pretty nice. I ended up with a pint (or two) of Foothills Seeing Double IPA (YUM, by the way) and the boyfriend had some Two Hearted Ale.
The bartender was also our server, so when he came by we ordered the lamb entree and a spicy dumpling dish. It was a bit of a let down when he came back to tell me the chef was out of lamb (or didn't want to serve it - who knows, I respect the chef), so I ordered the Country Salad instead. The salad was very large and quite good, but the dumplings were fantastic! I would definitely get those again.
That area around SouthPoint is a bit chain-y, so I'm really glad that a place like City Bev exists in that area. It's a chill little spot where I know I can get a good meal and down some delicious brews and I will definitely be back!
Had the pleasure of dining and beverages here last night along with the company of some new great friends.
Wonderful selection of beers and wines (they have Shiner Bock, if only in bottles!). Ability to sit outside and visit on a nice evening with a little Spanish influenced 3-5 piece band playing outside with us made for a lovely evening.
Food: outstanding. Service: eh. (If I could do 3.5 I would because the service was pretty bad...)
I had chicken nachos which, although the chips could have been a tad less salty, were wonderful. My husband had the Sticky Fingers. The skewered steak was seasoned and cooked perfectly and the spicy sauce served alongside was phenomenal (but be warned for those that don't like heat - this sauce was HOT!)
Oh, and dogs allowed. I don't have a dog, but I love it when dogs are allowed. And, even though I live in Eastern Wake county, it will be worth the drive to visit often.
I love City Beverage! i love that there's a huge patio that I can sit out on, I love their Spinach Artichoke Dip (which is no longer on the menu i believe) and I love their selection of beers & specials!
The only downer to City Beverage for me is the parking situation. if it's popular, the parking is downright impossible after 10:30pm! Some people will park in really aggravating places making it difficult for others, but I can't really blame City Bev for that, I guess. It's not so bad that i won't put up with it, but I definitely think about carpooling instead of meeting people there.
Food picks: The Turkey Burger is fantastic. Turkey, cheese and avocado on a yummy bun! And garlic fries too! I'm totally drooling over my next lunch. Plus, they make a nice plate of nachos too. It's under the main courses, but it's a perfect appetizer for 2 or 3 people. Careful - those plates are hot!
There's usually a special, so make sure to call ahead to find out or follow them on Twitter - @CityBeverageNC - to stay in the loop.
If I could give 4.5 stars I would.
I feel bad for all y'all with the mediocre CB experiences. Maybe they just love me :P
Honestly though, I love this place. And that means that I've been there for the heaven on earth nights...and for those days you'd rather forget ever happened and funny how sometimes those nights can mingle!
City Beverage has [insert dinner, dessert, apps] that you will not find anywhere else at this price point. They have a creative menu, with something for every level of hunger, for every type of diet you've got. And if you don't like it, wait a season, or get a special. It changes! There is a certain love and care that goes into everything they have.... all that said...
The service, needs one major (half-star gone full star) thing: consistency. They're all over the place. And per these reviews, that's just not my experience.
Again, that said, the food rocks, the beer selection is amazing, drinks are on the awesome side of perfection and it's close to home, so I don't really care. Did I mention there's a patio?
If you haven't been, you're missing out on a local gem (serving up a bangin' mojito). Oh, and if the menu says "spicy" they mean it, so refreshing!
Good food, good value, and chill environment! Â City Beverage has very eclectic decor. Â But it pulls it off. Â It's sadly hard to find (they need a much bigger sign).
Drinks are a bit higher-priced than most bars in Durham, but maybe that's the sit-down aspect? Â Their food is surprisingly haute at times considering what they place looks like. Â I got the tuna tacos with tuna cooked rare. Â It cost $10 and tasted great! Â Tuna was very fresh. Â My friend got the huge burger thing and he said it tasted good.
Service was friendly and attentive. Â Though maybe their servers need some training in gender equality. Â When I reached for the bill, our (female) server looked at my friend and asked *HIM* "Are you sure?"
EXCUSE ME??????? Â What day and age are we living in?!! Â IS HE SURE??? Â I'm the one reaching for the check!!
Anyways, still a great meal, would repeat!
Apparently we arrived the same night as the new menu. Having never tried the previous menu I can't really compare. What I can say is that this meal was a treat. I had the Fuego Diablo burger with garlic fries. Thank you to City Beverage for being one of the few places that serves hand formed and fresh burgers. This burger was delicious with a spicy pepper relish, avocado and bacon. It was juicy and so good I ended up biting my lip because I was inhaling this great burger. The garlic fries were good but definitely not as garlicky as the Federals.
I would recommend City Beverage to all my friends and will absolutely be back. Especially since I found out Tuesdays and Thursdays are $3 pint nights.
I love CB for a mid-week beer with friends, happy hours or a great dinner. Â They have a great selection of draft beers - probably 30 or so - that rotate seasonally, as well as numerous bottles and a full bar.
The food is a pleasant surprise. Â The dinner menu is not fixed, entrees change regularly, but the steaks are always fantastic. Â The selection of appetizers is nice and can provide a nice tapas selection. Â The crab cakes are fantastic - all meat, no breading.
The place gets pretty busy on weekends and on weeknights when there's trivia. Â And it is pretty loud, so don't go for a romantic evenining.
It's great for a small group of friends.
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