Counting House

We had a flawless dinner experience! Highly recommend. The tomato and peach salad was like nothing I’ve ever had- my husband and I both loved it! The Japanese milk bread was fantastic! Chef Melanie Wilkerson is very clever and uses high quality, fresh ingredients. The drinks were excellent! I had the “who rule the world” cocktail, yum!! The staff were very attentive and friendly! Will definitely return! We also returned for breakfast. The egg white frittata was delicious! The pancakes were perfect! Love love love this place!

Had Mother’s Day brunch there with the family. The pancakes were amazing and so was the burger. I got the smoked salmon to go along with my French omelet and both were so good!

This was our first visit and we were a party of four. The food was very, very good and the service was excellent also. We had Japanese milk bread and.Goujon For appetizers, two of us had the Cavatelli, One of us had the pan chicken and the other, the pan roasted bone in pork chops. All of them are excellent. I would only add that I wish the descriptions of the dishes were more complete with translations on some of the names. I realize that asking the waiter is appropriate and they like to describe them, but it’s easier to choose when you see it in writing. For example, it would’ve been nice to know that the cavatelli was black and made with black squid ink pasta. A very enjoyable dinner and we will return.

Counting House is my favorite go to place for yummy food, relaxed environment and a no rush feel. The art gallery vibe is a bonus, the waiters and waitresses are inviting and it's a place where I love to go to relax, eat and drink. Love the pink penguin, such a vibe and feels like it brings good energy. The pound cake was so freaking good, honestly, all of the desserts were great. The chicken finger things were awesome, they've been stepping up their game and it's paying off.

I was visiting Durham for the first time and wanted local experiences, including culinary. Counting House does not disappoint! I didn't take pictures because I wanted to be in the moment. This place is not a chain experience and is also not pretentious. What it is, isan upscale creative experience. I had 3 couses: Japanese milk bread and pina colada, mushroom risotto, and pineapple upside down cake. You can actually taste the ingredients - no overload of salt and sugar to mask the flavor profiles. This is the test: the pineapple upside down cake was a good cake even without the fruit o top. The risotto was creamy and even if you don't like mushrooms, try it! The ambience was everything! Quiet, dim lighting, and basically if you've seen The Bear on Hulu, this is similar to the type of restaurant Carmy and his team were trying to build. Everyone is on board and I can't wait until they get a star because this place absolutely is doing the work to get one.

This is my go to brunch spot when we have visitors in town, I have never had a bad meal, the staff is always friendly.

Came here for a business dinner. Food is delicious, a bit hard to find as it's inside the 21c hotel. Drinks are tasty as well.

The best thing going here is atmosphere. The food was super super super salty — the trout dip was so salty we sent it back. The scallops and snapper were very salty as well but a bit more tolerable and otherwise cooked to perfection. The oysters were ok. The service was unexpectedly subpar — our waitress dropped the ball on quite a few things. I will note that the restaurant tried to compensate by offering a free champagne toast. Nonetheless, I don’t know that I will return…

My partner and I came on a weekend evening for dinner. It was very crowded when we came, luckily we had a reservation. The ambiance was very modern and sophisticated while also a bit eclectic with animal models all over the walls and ceiling. We ordered raw oysters and a plate of crackers to start. I ordered the Rigatoni alla vodka which was delicious with a generous amount of seafood. We ended the meal with an ice cream sandwich with caramel popcorn which was very refreshing. Overall we had a great experience and will definitely return!

We continue to have nothing but terrific experiences at this restaurant when we stay at the 21C. This time we did breakfast and the service we received from Ann Marie was worthy of 5 stars alone for her caring, her kindness, her professionalism and for making me feel truly special for my birthday. Husband had their Breakfast Biscuit Sandwich with Tots while I had the Smoked Salmon BLT with Tots. She even brought me a birthday breakfast brulee for dessert complete with candle! And get this...she told us the pink penguin would be happy to visit us and she took my pic with him! Plus made sure I got a pic with the breakfast brulee. On top of it, she gave us our tea and coffee to go, as well as the rest of my sandwich, which we took back up to the room. All tasted terrific as always and we were made to feel so welcome and special from the moment we arrived and were greeted by a beautiful friendly Hostess. Much appreciation!

What a wonderful place to gather for dinner! The food is absolutely delicious and the vibe is very very cool. I dined here with colleagues on a work trip and it did not disappoint. The service was also very professional and we appreciated their expertise on the menu, wine, etc.

I was expecting the restaurant to be packed for brunch and it wasn't, which I found somewhat concerning during prime brunch hours. The hostess was warm and welcoming, and our server was pretty average. I loved the decor within the space and the food was also plated very nicely. My friend and I ordered the trout dip and it was amazing! My friend and I agreed to let each other sample the others order; I got the raspberry crème brûlée French toast and she got the shrimp and grits. The French toast was delicious!!!

The steak was a bit pricy at ~$75 but super good. The garnish was an interesting thinly sliced root vegetable. I honestly would have preferred something more standard like potatoes, but they weren't bad and it was nice to have something different. The mocktails looked and tasted like alcohol (which they weren't, of course). They were quite strange and I honestly would not get them again. Of course I had to get the most interesting item on the menu: the popcorn ice cream sandwich. The taste of the macadamia nut cookie was very overpowering and I could not taste much of the flavor of the popcorn ice cream, but overall it was a good desert. Very heavy on the cookies. Service and ambiance were decent and what I expected for this type of restaurant.

This restaurant is located in the lobby of 21C. It is open later than most other restaurants in downtown so it was a nice option for checking in late. They have a seasonal menu so it is more limited. It was pretty quiet and empty inside so service was fast. Food was pretty good but on the smaller side.

With a small, eclectic menu and and intimate atmosphere, counting house is highly recommended for a date night! The server was awesome and very knowledgeable and the food was delicious. They even ended the meal with a bowl of house made cotton candy which was a nice treat! The menu is definitely pricey but overall a solid place to enjoy a meal.

@countinghousenc has become on of my favorite restaurants in the Triangle! And yes, there's an art gallery and bank vault in the building If you're a fan of mussel, the rigatoni alla vodka Flavor profile is absolutely spectacular! Branzino is also a winner accompanied with the crispiest potatos.

I stayed at the 21c Museum Hotel and went to their (associated?) ground floor bar, the Counting House. I enjoyed their craft cocktails and some appetizers (the oysters). The food and service were both good. They did get busier later in the evening, and the servers were very busy. (Perhaps the CH could've used another, but that's not on the server.) I did not go further into the menu than the light appetizers. The ambiance is interesting; I think they're pursuing the art museum vibe that the hotel is going for.

Disappointing. The space looks nice, and the staff is courteous, but the food is lacking. Coffee tasted old, the second cup was fresher, but not good coffee. Breakfast tacos were dry with very little flavor. Hot mess was an odd combination of things, not very tasty. We won't be back.

Counting House is located in 21c Museum Hotel. Besides the restaurant is the art and the bank vault that make this a dining experience to remember. The basement features a vault as the building was a bank at one point. You will see the gigantic vault with safety deposit boxes inside. The Counting House has some artwork on the wall and the purple penquins. They offer valet parking or you can park in the parking garage a block away. I went with the Royale Burger that came on an English muffin and had Gruyere cheese and came with fries. It was good and filling. Service was very attentive here. The restrooms are located on the second floor and gender neutral. I recommend the Counting House if you are looking for great food and a unique dining experience.

Food was meh service was meh price was way too much considering the other two. Drinks pretty good though.

Surprisingly good! Not sure if this is related to the new chef but I'm very glad we gave this place a chance. I had the whole branzino which was excellent. Grandma had the char and husband the scallops, which he described as fantastic. Risotto (side with one meal) was just ok. Staff was very nice. We didn't come in with great expectations but left reasonably pleased.

Stopped in before a show at DPAC. Just a short walk away. We sat at the bar. The menu is small but we opted for a few drinks, mine was a gin and tonic with a splash of pomegranate. We shared a poached pear with Brie crostini and it was surprisingly delicious. Bar tenders were awesome and the place packed out. Great place to come pre show and will check out the restaurant soon.

We ate here on May 6 for lunch and after hearing all the hype, it was a bit of a let-down. My "grownup grilled cheese" and fennel tomato bisque were fine. The soup was very bland. It could have used some salt and garlic and seasoning. Banana bread was good. Service was spotty. The food took a long time and they forgot to bring food to one person on our party. She had to ask for it to go. So, the food was not bad, just not great. Service is in need of improvement.

Dinner was delicious. My prime short rib was tender and flavorful, good portion size. The drinks were good. Our server was friendly and took good care of us. Overall, we were pleased with what we all had ordered.

I was looking forward to a work dinner here. On my budget, the prices are out of reach. Well. It was DREADFUL. The ambience is soulless, a sort of designer's nightmare of grey. The service was forgetful and chaotic. But what really disappointed was the food. I had the mushroom dish -- a soggy, cold mess. For $$$$$$$. Not going back.

I dined here for both dinner and had brunch the following morning. Reservations were booked through the website and I liked that verbal confirmation followed the day before from their staff. The ambiance of the lounge and bar area are upscale and the service was professional throughout (hostess , bartender, and service ). The food was reasonably priced for the restaurant. The swordfish was fresh , but a little bland, so I added a dab of salt . I ordered their version of a French 75, which was very good and they added lavender coloring to the cocktail. Apparently the cocktail included glitter too, but they were out of it that night . I ordered the mimosa for brunch and it was a great selection of champagne and orange juice . The ambiance of the restaurant was okay ..the bar area had a little more flare . The only downsides were parking was challenging and the valet staff was not visibly available in the evening. However , the valet staff at brunch was awesome. I do recommend this restaurant. Shout out to Will -the brunch bartender that was extremely helpful and friendly!

It's a great place to chill/hangout and grab dessert/drinks. We always enjoy the art and sculptures since it's a museum hotel. Flourless chocolate torte and pumpkin spice creme brûlée are amazing. Oh btw the bathrooms on the second floor are fun - clear glass turns into frosted glass after you lock the door.

Delicious fresh food. Excellent cocktail choices. Friendly staff. And their desert menu has unusual delicious choices.and they even have cotton candy !!!

Went to the bar for a drink before dinner reservations. I loved the vibe and music playlist (the bartender said it was Nelly radio so there were a ton of great jams one after the other) I had the pink lady drink and it was delicious and fresh. My boyfriend ordered mid tier tequila but we were definitely surprised when we saw our bill with how expensive his drink was. Overall, great vibe and cocktail but extremely overpriced for mid tier drinks. Would probably not go back again for that reason.

Where else can you eat with w pink penguin inside of a historical art museum? Food is good - nothing over the top. What makes this place stand out is the service and atmosphere. Don't forget to try the free cotton candy that comes with your check.

We were excited to eat at the this restaurant as we made reservations a few week in advance to our travels.... What a big disappointment!! 1. Limited menu and not the best choices 2. Limited liquor- false advertisement from website 3. Took 45 min for our food that was cold from sitting to long to come out. 4. Staff wasn't that knowledgeable on menu or cocktails 5. Ambiance is not what they show online. Very cheap seating. Your better off eating elsewhere!

Everything was amazing. Food was great, the hostess was extremely pleasant and nice. Our server Jud was phenomenal & was VERY familiar with the menu. He made our dining experience ten timea better! 10/10 thanks to Jud. The manager on duty was great too! will definitely return.

The location is wonderful. The environment is perfect for social interaction or a romantic one on one. Food is amazing. Drinks are very well done. The decor is fun and stylish. Staff are always nice and bend over backwards to make your night memorable. It's a downtown location so it's a bit expensive but I've always walked out feeling like I hit my moneys worth.

Wow! I have been eyeing this hotel bar for quite sometime but never realized they had a great bar/restaurant inside. We stopped in here for a good cocktails and an appetizer and we were not disappointed. We would've had diner here, but we already had reservations somewhere else. Great spot! I just wish there was more signage for people like us walking by.

Had a delicious meal followed by a stroll around the galleries with a stop in the vault! The food was delicious and I can't wait to go back and try more of the items!

Amazing brunch! Great service and ambiance. Love the adult grilled cheese and deviled eggs.

Thank you to Joanne for making our experience so wonderful! You are a fantastic waitress and make the space warm and inviting. My party had so much fun laughing with you today. I look forward to coming back soon! A FABULOUS spot for brunch and mimosas with friends. The hot mess breakfast is delicious and the tater tots that come with the croquet are just the right amount of seasoning and fried to perfection. A beautiful and unique space to have a good time and enjoy food with friends.

I love this place. The service is superb, and the ambiance is excellent. The attached museum and tech-y bathrooms are always a lot of fun. I recommend Counting House to those visiting Durham looking for a trendy place to have great conversation, food, and drinks.

Visited During Mother's Day weekend for brunch and this place was Amazing. The inside art is beautiful and adds great decor to the entire building . They had great mimosas and their food was great all around. I went with 2 picky eaters and my boys loved everything. Best part of the visit was going to the bathroom . Will come back!

I've been to Counting House a couple times and most recently came with some friends for brunch. The dining room has very unique, artistic vibes and doesn't feel like a hotel restaurant at all. We were a few minutes early for our reservation but still were seated right away. We decided to get the bottle of champagne - an insanely good deal at just $10 (with OJ too). For my meal, I got the breakfast biscuit. The biscuit was buttery and flaky, and the sausage was nice and salty but not too greasy, the cheese melty, and the egg was cooked to perfection. The potatoes were ok, maybe could've been a little crispier for my taste. This will always be a solid choice in my opinion, and don't skip the eclectic art displays next to the restaurant - it's free!

I recently had a work dinner here. The ambiance is very nice. It does have a museum feel. The food and drinks were good. The servers were really nice.

Came here for some food after exploring downtown durham. We had made reservations and got there a little early so we sat at the bar for a bit. That was fine. We sat down and ordered our apps and wine. The apps were good and so was the wine. I ordered the burger for my entree and my dad and brother ordered two different things (I forgot what they had ordered). I thought the burger was pretty good but was a bit pricey. We had also ordered a pasta entree to share but that never came. We were super disappointed about that. We would've said something to the waitress but by the time she came back around we were basically done eating. Overall the service wasn't super great and the food was good but I guess it was just a little disappointing since we didn't get the entree we wanted to share.

This is the restaurant for you if you are looking for a artsy ambiance and excellent seafood for dinner in downtown Durham near Duke University. Tip 1: no free parking. However, there is a nearby parking garage as well as the option of valet. The restaurant is tastefully adorned with pieces of artwork making the ambiance very eclectic. The food presentation is beautiful. Lots of color. Good portion sizes. I tried a variety of dishes from their Catch of the Day, scallops to their osso buco and short ribs. Personally, their seafood dishes were way better than their meat dishes. The flavors they captured for the fish and the scallops were fantastic. The side dishes for all the entrees were different and delicious. I think the osso buco requires more flavor. A delightful and unexpected surprise was the cotton candy they served the table at the end of the meal. I loved it! Such a cool element to the dining experience. I also like the bathrooms. They were spotless, the wall is transparent that overlooks the restaurant then frost over when you enter and lock the door. They are all gender neutral bathrooms. Overall, a nice experience.

I went to Counting House for a girls lunch as I had a friend in town visiting and figured it'd be cool to see the art in the 21c museum and grab a bite and some drinks. The 21c art and hotel is interesting, and certainly a test of my taste in art (not my favorite but I appreciate it). That said, it was cool to see the vault that is now an area to sit and have some drinks (and I imagine an Instagram goldmine with its dollar bill tiled floor). The menu looked great and my two buddies had the short rib sandwich special, which they said was really good. We had the deviled eggs because, always get the deviled eggs. They were yummy! And the sweet potato chips were a work of art themselves! I was skeptical when they arrived but the pop of lemon and light crisp made them like a light as air pork rind if you will. I'd get both starters again. I opted for the Asian salad and added chicken. It was just ok. Chicken was over cooked and the whole salad just lacked anything memorable. I'm sure it was healthy and gave me nutrients so, there's that. Our server was very nice and attentive. I was surprised at some recent bad reviews on that. The dining area has more pieces of art to enjoy as you eat and they'll even give you one of their famous penguins to dine with you if you'd like. That's kinda fun. I also liked the Durham map tables near check in. Full bar and some specialty cocktails. I think dinner might be good here so I may try again and get what's on special because that seemed the way to go!

I had a great experience at Counting House yesterday! I took a friend out for her birthday and she suggested this place. It is inside the 21C hotel and you turn left to enter the restsurant (there aren't any large signs that indicate the location so we were a little cobfused at first before finding it). The place was clean and spacey with very interesting art hanging on the walls (halfway through the meal I looked up to see a giant orange tiger made of 3D materials and yarn hanging above me). My friend and I started with oyster special. If it is still going on I highly recommend getting the larger ones for $4 each. We then each got a pasta for dinner - she got the rigatoni and I got the fettuccini. Hers was nice in that the pasta was well seasoned and the chicken sausage in the rigatoni goes really well with the vodka sauce. I absolutely loooved mine however, much more! It has that homestyle taste of mom cooked short ribs that I could taste throughout the creamy fettuccini sauce with a hint of goat cheese. There wasn't much of the meat from the short ribs in the pasta itself but I was definitely able to taste it thoroughly. We got a tiramisu afterwards to share and it was nice and rich, and was taken off our tab upon realizing the meal was to celebrate my friend's birthday! Followed after was cotton candy which was such a cute way to end our dinner experience. Also, shoutout to our waitress Olivia who was so sweet and bubbly and attentive! Overall this is a nice quiet restaurant for date night or to catch up with a friend. The limited menu makes it easier to decide on what to get. If you are interested in drinks however the menu was quite extensive!

Had a disappointing birthday dinner tonight. The short rib was overdone, the risotto was room temp. and nothing special, poached pear crostini and cocktails were just okay, creme brulee was supposed to be with white chocolate and peppermint but was just plain. And no candle on the birthday dessert...that's such a simple gesture that I missed. I'm not interested in returning.

Disappointing and over priced. I ordered the only vegetarian friendly entre which was the crispy oyster mushrooms, which I was excited about because I love mushrooms. However I was served a plate of underwhelming sautéed mushrooms on the side of 4 very small "fried" oyster mushroom pieces. The sautéed mushrooms were edible but the "fried" mushrooms were a chalky, clumpy, flavorless mess. In fact they looked like the batter was only flour. Texture was disgusting, weirdly greasy, and soggy. It was served on a bed of poor quality lettuce tossed in a bitter dressing. My friends order some oysters which they enjoyed but the plating was sad and not deserving of the cost of the food. Our service was not bad but not noteworthy either. Our server didn't to care that I hadn't touched my food for over an hour. I should've spoke with the manager but at that point I just wanted to leave. The weird gray dividers were reminiscent of cubicle walls. No redeeming qualities worst dining experience in Durham.

We came here for Father's Day Brunch. Our server was great! The food, however, was problematic. I ordered the Hot Mess which came "seasoned" which means had lots of black pepper on it. Hating black pepper I had to send it back for "clean eggs." My husband ordered the tacos, which were ok, but dry. When we asked for salsa, they said that all they had was hot sauce. They we had the Salted Caramel Creme Brule, but it wasn't properly bruleed. There was no sugar crust on top to be cracked. Finally the cappucino was luke warm, not hot. The steamed milk was not hot. The server told us that the kitchen had just lost its chef and there was a new kitchen staff. Obviously they are not properly prepared to offer food yet. Very disappointing.

Amazing dinner! The pasta was some of the best I have had. The entire group I went with said they loved their meals. Service was great and our waitress was very prompt. The venue is very unique as well with interested artwork and a nice atmosphere! I liked it so much I am returning 2 weeks later for my birthday

We are all entitled to our own opinion, right? Well here is mines: Parking:5 Location:5 Ambiance:5 Customer Service:5 The Counting House & Event Staff are AMAZING! I came to the Counting House for a yelp event a couple months ago and while I was touring I discovered the 'spoon room'. Long story short, I reached out to the facility to reserve the space and I was assisted by a team of professionals that made my request a dream come true. They were such a delight to work for! When we all arrived to the restaurant we were greeted by smiling helpful hosts who made us feel super welcome. I just wanted to take a second to give 5 stars to the Counting House staff who helped us this pass Saturday. The brunch menu was awesome and the food was AMAZING! The place was super clean and the service was world class!

Underwhelming cocktail menu and a desultory bartender. The gnocchi with butternut squash, would have benefited from pan frying to finish the gnocchi or to brown the squash. The overwhelming flavor is salt, which I love, but could've used another herbal or other flavor. Some of the best art I have seen in a while in the exhibit areas. Sad that the bar didn't do something to cover the view of the boring office building across the street and didn't put a video installation instead of a football game.

Pork chop under seasoned and paired with a flavorless pesto. Pasta too spicy and no salt and pepper. The burger was the only food that was decent. Martini's small and over priced. Actually everything was over priced. Do not go there unless you enjoy a $100 20 ounce steak.

Visting daughter at Duke and found this very fun and excellent place. Great bar!

Really this review is only for the bar. Went last night and had a glass of wine and snack. I loved the decor and random eclectic artwork that was either hanging from the ceiling or walls. I had a glass of Garnacha, which I don't usually see on menus so this was a bonus. I also grabbed an order of their freshly made pork skins. They were so fresh, they were still "crackling" when they reached the bar. They were drizzled with lime and came with a dipping sauce that tasted like a ranch/sriracha blend. Just enough heat to make it work. Cute bar! I'll be back!

Meh. It was very average food, but it is a bar/pub. When I was there, I was bitten by something in several places Very itchy and annoying. My pork chop appeared to have grill marks drawn on it...they were a little too perfect. Pretty sure it was frozen that way. Fun if you want to drink, play games, watch tv and don't have a discerning pallet, I guess.

Met there for a work dinner. The menu was short and well rounded. I didn't love the atmosphere but the food was great. There's nothing wrong with the atmosphere or layout, but for me, it just was t cozy. But that's a personal preference. The valet service was not great.

I have frequented this restaurant several times for drinks and snacks but never dinner. The food was fantastic. I had the red leaf salad(with cranberries), and it was delicious, which is a weird thing to say about salad in general. My main dish was flounder which was served on top of tapioca pearls! The flounder was a bit salty, but this was a very creative dish. In addition, I had a drink called splendor solas with rum and leeche. I want to go back there for just that! At the end of our meal, we were served watermelon cotton candy, which was so tasty. I gave this restaurant one less star because the wait for drinks and food was longer than expected, but if you have some time on your hands, this would be the place to go!

Reviews are good soooo we stopped in for Sat morning brunch. One word. Terrible. Expensive. Saddest looking breakfast sandwich ever. No ooey gooeyness. Not good either. Breakfast mess was definitely a mess. Bowl full of potatoes with egg on top. Expensive and a wasted meal especially with all of the fabulous restaurants in Durham. Don't waste your money.