Surf Club is just about everything you'd want in a chill, no frills neighborhood bar.
It's got the dim lighting, awesome booths, darts and shuffleboard, and a spacious outdoor patio. Furthermore, the drinks are reasonably priced, the craft beer selection is admirable, and there's a cut out in the patio side wall so you don't even have to come inside to order should you be enjoying a beautiful Durham night outdoors. Score!
For better or for worse, Surf Club never seems to be super packed so you can usually find a spot easily, engage in some conversation without yelling, and have your run at the darts or shuffleboard without being harassed or hustled. Though I like the freedom of not being packed in like sardines, I sure hope Surf Club does well enough to stick around!
Surf Club has become one of my favorite places to grab a beer in Durham.
The inside area feels hip and inviting and they rock a spacious outdoor area. Â The beer selection is impressive, fairly priced and they give you 12oz pours allowing you to try more and they are priced accordingly. Â There is a shuffleboard table to use which is always fun.
They don't allow kids(a plus for me), which makes sense as this place is clearly intended to be a bar. Â The clientele as a whole is usually a laid back group of people, definitely a different vibe than the weekend brightleaf square crowd ( their liquor selection includes a lot of whiskeys but not the ingredients for most popular bombers).
They don't serve food but the delicious Mama Dukes is often there and there are usually food trucks at the nearby Fullsteam and Motorco that you can bring in.
It's a rather odd place to describe as there is nothing "special" about Surf Club, it is just a bar, but a good one and I respect that. Â If I am enjoying a couple beers with friends it has become one of my favorite places to go.
Nice place to get drinks, but the menu is pretty small. They don't have champagne or wine really (have 1 white and 1 red). Also, they don't offer food which I think is a mistake. Overall though, if you're just looking for drinks and don't mind the limited selection, it's a cool spot.
*Also, drinks are a bit pricier than most places in Durham.
This is definitely one of the coolest bars in Durham. The beer is pretty cheap (though they don't give you pints), there is stuff to do there (shuffleboard, pool, darts) and the environment is just way cooler than just about anything else around here. I will definitely go back often. It is great.
Review Source:A favorite spot of mine, Surf Club (in my opinion, of course) is a great mix of drink selection, value, and vibe. Â The bartenders are attentive, prices don't burn holes in your pockets, and the crowd is more or less mellow. Â Additionally, MaMa Dukes is usually parked out back on the weekends which is a definite plus!
Great for:
Cheap(er) drinks.
Mellow(er) atmosphere and if you like a bit of an older crowd.
Darts, Shuffleboard, a game of billiards (table is a bit shabby)
Not so great for:
Those that are looking for a dance party
Finding "Wooo!" types
Great place! Check it out.
The Pros:
Fantastic beer and liquor selection
Outdoor seating
Friendly bartenders
Food trucks on some Saturdays
Cornhole
Shuffleboard and a pool table
The absence of jerks, small screaming unattended children, twenty-first, barf-all- Â Â Â over-the-bar birthday parties, undergrads who think they are the center of the universe, tools, guys who say, "Hey Buddy!" when the address you, crying, screaming drunken girls and pat-downs to enter the bar
Cons:
No free shuttle service to drive me back to my house on Saturday nights
No lazy river for my friends and I to float down in summer
Surf Club was amazingly fun. I went here looking for 'cheap drinks" and got just that. My friend and I spent a few hours here and the bill was 30bucks. The bartender was a little cold at first but he warmed up after awhile and joked around with us a little bit. The place wasn't crowded but emptied out by 11-12ish. They have a food truck out back and they do take credit cards.
They have a great selection of scotch. The beer selection was different, lots of stuff I had never heard of. I love that they have cans.
This is an excellent bar as an alternative to the other venues in the area, also would be a great place to stop in before heading to a show at motorco.
The drinks are very reasonably priced, the bar is fully stocked and a decent selection of wine. There is a very large out doors seating area with nice lighting and corn hole for those in the mood.
Most nights you can find a food truck camped out here as well.
A big thumbs up from me!
Surf Club gets 5 stars from me because they have great prices and a great selection of bourbons. Â Don't worry, they have all type of liquors and even a few selections for wine. Â The beer is super cheap and they always seem to have something different from everyone else. Â
Sometimes you just wanted to go have a drink without the typical bar decor and college crowd; Surf Club is the place.  It's all about drinking...nothing flashy or distracting here.  The large patio area is amazing  and since the weather has gotten a little cooler it's a great escape from the always crowded Fullsteam. Â
I have some friends that were turned away with a child in tow. Â At first, I thought this was pretty harsh but I get it now. Â Hope that Surf Club stays as is!
New favorite nice-weather hangout for cheap drinks and Durhamesque atmosphere. The inside is a bar-bar, with dim lighting, dark wood, and cozy booths. Outside has picnic tables and chairs, strung up utility lights, and the occasional resident food truck (Mama Duke's), so you can get your beer & falafel tot on.
Drinks are super cheap, and service is fast. I personally like that they give you your drink and mixer separately -- allows you to dilute to your taste, and the drink portion is typically VERY generous.
I'm a big fan of the Surf Club! Â Great draft specials, good value ($4-5), and a great atmosphere with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Â And unlike Fullsteam, they have A/C inside so it doesn't get hot as balls.
Also, sometimes Fullsteam is over run by young families (with little children running amok) or douchey looking Duke professional school students. Â Not a problem at Surf Club. Â It's got a slightly older crowd (mid 30s) and I have not seen a single child crying or dog barking.
Sometimes, the bartenders can be AWOL or pissy. Â One time I waited at the bar for 10 mins before the bartender showed up. Â Another time the bartender seemed like he hated the world and wanted to go home & write in his diary. Â But he still poured a great pour, so I didn't have any beef. Â In fact, Surf Club is pretty much my fave bar in Durham right now.
My husband went to Surf Club when it first opened and was ignored for 15 minutes before he walked out, so it took some convincing, months later, to get him to go to back with me. And we're both glad he did! We've been back several times since then.
I love the pared-down decor of industrial (very dim) lighting and subway tiles, plus booths flanking tables that aren't attached to the wall. Plus, the bar (the actual bar, behind which the bartender tends) is a really good size and adorned with retro stools.
The outdoor space is impressive and I especially like that you can get to/from it from the front or back of the building, or you can order more drinks at the little window.
While the beer list isn't as expansive as I would hope for a place such as Surf Club, I can always find something I'll be happy with.
Did you know that the bar and doors to the cooler at Surf Club is actually from a prohibition era bar in Chicago? It was delivered in 3 parts for a life in Durham.
There is at least one more bar stored that's just as cool as this one somewhere in Durham.
I know this because I got drunk with the bartender one night.
I love the atmosphere - inside & out - of this place. It borderlines dive bar, but keeps a real classy ego about it. The dark wood, neon lights, and those really cool light bulbs (seriously, have you taken a good look at them?) just work together to bring an old bank into a kickass bar.
There are plans for improving the outdoor area for those of you who are concerned. They plan on putting up shades and stuff across the lot and I believe there were plans discussed to initiate a movie night off the wall of the building next door. However, none of this will be possible if people don't keep blowing that place up! (Also the reason for my 4 stars instead of 5. But I'll re-review once that outside gets finished.)
Thursday & Fridays you can find Mama Duke's Greek truck there. And they've got this new neon light out by the door that says "FOOD" when there is a truck there serving. Plus they do live music frequently - DJs and bands, I've seen it all - and usually there's no cover. Which is nice, because sometimes I do just want to go hang out at a bar with friends and be surprised that I get some entertainment.
If you're a craft beer junky you'll be happy to know that there are some really great options on tap. I saw a few rotators that still had high-quality, somewhat rare, seasonals of NC Beer.
For those of us who don't drink the beer, the bar is fully stocked. I'm a bourbon girl and while the options are nothing as diverse as Whiskey, I still get plenty of options at affordable prices which makes me happy. I don't know about fruity cocktails, but the bartender we met was able to create almost anything. So if you're at a loss (there really isn't a menu) just tell the bartender what you like to drink and let him/her make ya something!
So the reason I've been putting off a visit here is because it's just a bar. Not a dive bar. Or a cocktail bar. Or a sports bar. And a plain ol' bar just doesn't sound that exciting...
Wrong.
Coming from the couple behind Whiskey, I should have known the interior would be tasteful... but it's almost surprisingly sharp; with clever details like the dart board alcove and tube lighting down the bar. Drinks are CHEAP. Beer list isn't bad. No tonic on tap? I felt bad wasting my short can of tonic that was served with my G&T. But the bartenders were cool, and even offered Phil a generous sample of the Lagunitas (which rotates) before he ordered.
The real prize is the courtyard. It's huge! It has space for more seating, and I hope they continue to add tables, as right now there are only about five tables to camp out at. Lights are strung overhead. There's a window cut into the wall, so you don't even have to step inside to order another round! I really can't think of a better place in Durham for sitting outside, tipping a few back. There's the expected -- cornhole -- and the unexpected -- FOOD TRUCK -- parked in the patio, two nights a week. I felt like I was in Austin! Glad I finally stopped in, and will be back for sure.
Surf Club is everything you want in a neighborhood bar. Dark, good, with no gimmick. Good beer on tap, good beer in cans. I've been here a few times. The first couple times, almost empty. The last few times I've been, it's been crowded. Even with the crowd, I didn't have to wait long for a drink. Â Gets away from the family friendly atmosphere of Fullsteam. Swearing here is not going to get you the hairy eyeball. This bar is beer centric for sure. No fancy cocktails here. Wine is described only by its color and price: $3. I'm not a wine guy, but the red tasted fine to me.
This bar does one thing. And it does it very very very well.
This is the best new neighborhood bar in Durham. Â It's a casual, inexpensive, dark bar filled with people you know or might want to know. Â Weekdays are a bit slower which is pretty normal. Â I suspect it won't be quiet for too long.
The bar and the back bar date back to the 20's and are from Chicago. Â They are gorgeous dark wood. Â The back bar has really nice art deco lines with lighted columns. Â It's nice without being pretentious and makes the space feel like it's been there forever. Â Plus there are built in dark wood booths along the opposite wall for more intimate seating.
The bathrooms are, I believe, mostly original. Â I base this on the pink (women's room) and seafoam green (men's room) tile on the walls and matching mounted ceramic soap dishes. Â It's pretty awesome! Â
Good beer selection and a decent liquor selection for your well drinks.
What the Surf Club is:
1) Dark
2) Reminiscent of a high school locker room
3) Inexpensive
4) Unpretentious
The best way to describe Kotuku is that it's a drinking person's bar. The atmosphere is very relaxed, and the staff is friendly and efficient. The beer selection is good, lots of stuff you don't see often in Durham, but they also have a well stocked cooler of bottles and cans, including the woefully underrepresented Coors tan can.
The liquor selection is good, though not expansive. They don't do cocktails, but will serve you a mix it yourself highball.
It's members-only, as they don't serve food and since they serve liquor the wee ones from the Fullsteam playground are kept at bay as well.
A no-nonsense bar in downtown Durham, Kotuku is plain and simple...just a bar. Â Just beer (limited selection), wine (white and red) and liquors to feed your fancy. Â No fru-fru drinks here, I couldn't even get an Old Fashioned (they said they don't have the ingredients..hmm). After that disappointment, I just tried to embrace the atmosphere of prohibition-age decor, cool music...until I got Rick Rolled, literally. Â Rick Astley and other 80s hits started blasting, messing up the ambience completely. Â However, just concentrating on the physical location itself, it's small and compact, 5-6 booths, one high table, and the bar, complete with complimentary wasabi peanuts. Â Staffing was low when I visited (looked like just one bartender), so don't go in a rush. Â Prices were reasonable:
Small beer for $3.75
Mixed drink for $6
Oh, and there is no connection with anything related to New Zealand (Kotuku) or surfing, so just get that out of your head and concentrate on enjoying a drink in one of Durham's newest bars.
Updated 6/25/12
Surf Club has gotten even better with its addition of a sweet-ass side patio for these sultry summer nights. There's EVEN an ordering window that connects to the bar..it feels like you're gonna get some chili dogs but no it's for dranks only.
They even have the Mama Duke's truck there now if you do need some grub. If the crowd at Fullsteam is getting a little too business school for you..move on down the Surf Club, it's a breath of fresh air. I've mentally just moved it into my top 3 bars in town!
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Surf club is exactly what Durham needs, a nice but unpretentious regular bar. No food, no live music and the only entertainment is a game of darts. The inside is dark and tastefully decorated with a beautiful wooden bar and awesome lighting. There's seating at the bar or a row of booths against the wall.
The bartenders were incredibly friendly..much more so than Whiskey or Federal (which share an owner with Surf Club). The draught beer selection was very surprising with lots of options that you don't see in town much. There wasn't too many local brew options but I think there's enough of that everywhere else in town.
There's a fenced in back yard that has great potential for a kick-ass patio to happen later. Great addition to Rigsbee Street..can't wait to see what kind of crowd regularly gathers here. Right now it's very uncrowded so check it out before it becomes too popular.
If "surf" inspires thoughts of bright lights, sunshine, water themes, or bleach-blond boarders, or "club" inspires thoughts of bumping music or Jersey Shore, think the opposite on both fronts.
This new addition to FullCo Row is about the closest thing Durham has to a basic neighborhood bar. It's small, dark, quiet-ish (for now), and a good place to chat with friends or strangers or stealthily listen in on conversations around you. The bar is gorgeous. The booths look nice. It's completely comfortable all around. Randomly, the bright-tiled men's room is completely out of place: it somehow reminded me so much of high school that I cracked up laughing -- both from that fact alone and because of the contrast to the rest of the place. (I'll have to leave it to someone else to report back on the women's room.) Bathroom-you-can-turn-around-in aside, the interior reminds me a lot of a nicer, calmer Fed.
The best parts:
(1) The atmosphere and space are awesome, as described above.
(2) Beers are all 12-oz. pours, which I really like (more sampling!), and cheap ($2.50-$4), which I double-really like. Great selection. (I'm thoroughly pleased that they have Anderson Valley's Boont Amber on tap, which is delicious and tough to find.) Also great selection of liquors, which are apparently also cheap.
(3) Jim, the daytime bartender who works into the evening (and also works the door) is superbly attentive and an entertaining conversationalist. On my first visit I felt like a regular. Not a bad start. He's worked at Whiskey, among other places, so he's probably a familiar face to many, though wasn't to me.
The cons:
(1) Rhys (part-owner of the Fed, Whiskey, among others, and full-owner here I think) seems to have also brought in at least one bartender from the Fed. Since service at the Fed is one of my least favorite things on earth, I'm wary of how that might influence the place.
(2) Yet another place with no food. I'm pretty sure this area has a secret mission to see to it that I starve. Not content to be without stuffing my face for too long, however, I went down to the BBQ truck parked conveniently at Motorco and brought back a plate. Later I went to Parker & Otis and retrieved a full pound of pimento cheese to snack on. Take that. (They seem to have no problem with bringing in food, in case you were wondering.)
The pros easily outweigh the cons, at least as far as my first visit indicates. I'm happy to have this place close to my house. Great addition to the Durham scene.
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