Congress Social Bar

Came here for drinks with a friend and it was kind of empty, but it gets packed when they throw events! Great drinks, regular prices. Black-owned. Dope artwork on the walls. Mellow neo-soul’ish music playing in the background. A nice sexy spot in a desolate-but-upcoming section of East Durham. “If you build it they will come” I guess? Hope they last long enough for the gentrification to take hold and also remain BLACK owned. Durham needs this place. Bartender said they might start selling food in 2025. Look forward to what they offer in the future

Great safe vibes. Loved my mocktail , recommended to all my non drinking friends. Loved how it felt like you were three places at once. The owner was super friendly and accommodating, we came with a group of 15 out of the blue.

Walked in and sat at the bar to order a drink; bartender refused to acknowledge either of us; left after ten minutes. Menu is interesting, good music and vibes— hoping this was just an off afternoon. Will definitely swing back by for a second shot since proximity next door was super welcoming and has a solid drink selection.

FYI, there is no food served here. But there's an amazing BBQ spot next door (Mike Ds) and you can also order from Sophia's and have it delivered to you here. Also big up to Amagees Jamaican Food Truck and Waffle Up, who are frequently set up outside of Congress. I almost don't want to leave a review because I don't want to advertise this place lol. But I saw a recent negative review and had to. I live 5 minutes away. My husband and I come through all the time. This is the spot for "us" (IYKYK what I mean.) Amazing vibes, great drinks. DJs (Hip Hop, R&B, Soca, etc), events geared toward the community. Service is ALWAYS impeccable, no matter if the place is empty or packed. But what makes it what it is are the staff and patrons. Everytime we're there, it's wall to wall, beautiful black people, just dancing, networking, relaxing, whatever... but so much unspoken love amongst the crowd. Very demure. Very grown and sexy lol. Any date night we have starts or ends here. My dream is that this will be the start of a lively nightlife in the area. Congress shows how much potential there is and we will support whenever and however we can.

First time this past weekend and loved it! The cocktails were sooo good, and unbelievable price for them too! The vibe is just right, low key and well decorated. The patio is a huge plus. Great service and friendly staff. Will definitely be back!

We had so much fun at karaoke night! The drink were good and the vibe was really nice, light and laid back! We will definitely be coming back!

Always a great experience and a great atmosphere. Great cocktail menu, but best thing is to give bartenders creative freedom to create a drink for you. Never disappoints!

Amazing cocktails, great prices, wonderful bartenders. Great place for a date or a get together You should go here.

I attended a networking event at this location back in November. This was my first time here and it felt very inviting. The drinks were tasty and made with love! The owner gave a warm & inviting welcome! Upon entrance, you are met with the bar and a small and cute seating space with art pieces throughout the space. There are two or more bathrooms located in the rear of the bar. There also appeared to be an outdoor area but I was not able to gain access at that time. The staff helped suggest a cocktail. The rum of it all!! Quite tasty indeed. If you are ever in the area, you should drop in. Whether solo or with a group, this is a lovely location to socialize, have a drink with friends, or make new ones!

Went for a going away party for a friend. Bartender was very friendly and helpful and suggested a virgin drink for me as I didn't plan to drink alcohol that evening. waffle up truck was there for the party and that was also very delish! Overall nice event at a nice spot. Would definitely go back.

Walked in and sat at the bar to order a drink; bartender refused to acknowledge either of us; left after ten minutes. Menu is interesting, good music and vibes-- hoping this was just an off afternoon.

Didn't try the food but our destination was proximity but they had a private event so we went next door and stumbled upon a GREAT BAR! Service was great bar tender was GREAT AS WELL AS DRINKS AMBIANCE AMAZING I AMD MY FUTURE WIFE ENJOYED

Highly recommend this fantastic new Black-owned and queer-owned drinks spot in East Durham, freshly opened by the owners of the equally amazing Rofhiwa Book Cafe just down the street. We came on a Friday night at the end of their first week in business and were blown away! The menu is simple, but the cocktails are not only set at impossible to beat prices, but were some of the better crafted and better tasting drinks I've had in a while. Shoutout to our bartender Bradley who took our vague and jumbled drink preferences and somehow picked out exactly what we were really feeling. We started with the Dark 'n Stormy which had a really nice herbaceous flavor, and their East end variation on a Tequila Sunrise, a drink that is often made too sweet but in this case was just right. Later I also tried a Negroni with prosecco -- these have always been hit or miss for me despite the simplicity of the recipe, but I felt like the one I had here really hit the ideal ratio. It is clear that the owners were making thoughtful decisions when designing the place; for example, we were told that all of the wood surfaces were manufactured from start to finish in East Durham itself. There is also a great outdoor space that is shared with adjacent businesses like Mike D's BBQ, making this a perfect spot if you're looking for dinner + drinks. Overall Congress is an authentic and vibrant new addition to East Durham and a must try for both locals and visitors!