He's Not Here

Chapel Hill staple. Live band on the weekend sometimes ($5 and a huge vibe). $10 for the “blue cup” and it’s beer good for 2-3 people, tbh. Been to the trivia on Thursdays 8.30pm. Also good vibes. Outdoor space is super nice. Generally quite college-y, nothing too fancy, but it’s a nice gathering spot. Outdoors > indoors, but there are seats everywhere. Pretty dead on like, a Monday. $5 blues cups on Tuesdays.

The Outdoor Space is a Chapel Hill Community Treasure. 5 stars. Indoors I can touch the ceilings. Thats 2 stars. This is an Undergraduate Staple along with Pantana Bobs when I was around 25 Years ago. A must visit bar while you are in Chapel Hill to meet undergrads. The smallest draft beer is 32oz.... the signature cup of a black out night to come. Overall it gets 4 stars, this was a hard decision. The bar is a 3. Just know biger better bars and resturants lie ahead in your future! The outdoor area under the Magnolia Trees is special. As I noticed all the needed new multi family investment next door built 50' high. I bumped my rating to a 4 star because of the location and Trees and the value of the land. This is a "if its not broke dont fix" I get it. However I would add landscaping and more lots outdoor lighting. Outdoor area needs $10,000 investmest.

Definitely a college bar. However, I feel like I would've missed out on an experience integral to this community had I not stopped here. The beers are huge (blue cup) at decent prices. Honestly decent beer selections. The college kid working the bar is a beast. The place went from dead to packed (I mean it, we were packed in like sardines) in a matter of minutes. He was a boss though and handled everything very calmly and still managed to refill our beers timely. I definitely would recommend coming here if you're in the area.

Home of the blue cup! Great college bar. Has the ubiquitous college bar atmosphere and the prices to go with it. You really can't beat the blue cup on price, as you get so much beer with it. I can see the weather being an issue here as most of the seating is outside. The bartenders were fast, friendly, and didn't stiff on the pours. Come grab a cheap beer here!

Cool college spot. We went before the basketball game. Dudes working we're cool. Told me where to get a shirt for the game. Really chill outdoor space. Good vibes. Check it out.

Obsessed with the inside of he’s being so basement vibes. Love blue cup night because a bargain will always look good to me! Good ambiance I love the outdoor area

you can get the beer that you like. Prices are great. Outdoor environment is great

The most famous chapel Hill Bar!!!

Came here as a visitor in enemy territory after a football game (the fans here are very kind and hard to talk trash too). Got a couple of there "legendary blue cups" which is essentially a glorified yogurt container worth of beer. The price for one cup was $8 which is an absolute steal if you ask me. While the bar (and especially the bathrooms) are disgusting, this is exactly the type of college bar i was looking to go too. I understand the hype. And I would 100 percent anyone visiting check this place out.

I went out to North Carolina on a small quick trip with my Fiancée. While there everyone said He's Not Here is the place to visit. They weren't wrong, my Fiancee and I hadnt been to a "college bar" before so we swung by and really enjoyed the atmosphere. It was super fun and the service was amazing. Cant forget about the famous blue cup!

Solid 3 stars. It's pretty dirty. The walls are covered in the ages of accumulated dirt of generations of UNC students... maybe that's why it got such high marks from others. Personally it's just an indoor /outdoor UNC student hang out with alcohol on tap. The choices on taps for ciders aren't too wide. Usually you get one maybe two options. Service is nice enough. Their bathrooms are pretty gross too. We went on a Tuesday night. Only plus is the giant $6 cups which is why I'm sure the students flood in. If I go back I'll get photos.

We came to CH for a weekend with friends who live in the area. We spent a full day doing all the UNC things, and that included a trip to He's Not Here, a classic college bar established in 1972. It was early June, so university students had gone home, so there were just a few scattered patrons. The bar is awesome with ample seating outside and several tables inside. Upstairs and downstairs bars are great for busy weekends with college students. He's Not Here is known for its blue cups filled with draft beer of your choice. The cups hold the equivalent to probably three beers. It was definitely an experience. Bartender was helpful and answered questions. We probably spent over and hour just hanging out. We had a great time. If you are looking for a quintessential college bar with an established feel, this is your place!

This place makes you feel like you are back in collage! Giant plastic UNC Blue Beers for $9... So darn fun!!

Home of the blue cup and a chapel hill staple. Amazing prices/value and pretty much the ultimate college bar. Staff is typically very friendly and the outdoor section is ideal for groups big or small to even just hang out, especially when the weather is nice out. Highly recommend

Cool spot. Dropped by here to get the UNC college bar experience while watching the basketball game. Flat fee for drafts, plenty of craft. Enter around the back and upstairs. Really great hospitality.

Another one of UNC's awesome haunts as this is an great place to just chill and enjoy a beer...and some good tunes when they have them. Great place to gather before or after games or just with friends. Love the trees and the picnic benches. Low key but super cool.

This is your typical bar that gets very popular with students. They have ample space for nights that get busy and many places to sit. Place is dog friendly which is always nice! The bar is ok the second floor which I thought was a little different. They have a good amount of options for beer drinkers offered in two sizes: 32oz in the famous blue cups and 16oz. They also had 2 options of ciders when I went. They don't offer anything else if you are not into beer or cider, which is not bad but it is nice to know before hand. The bartender was very polite and was fast with the orders. Would come again next time I am in the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area

Tall 32 oz beers. Great dive spot / hole in the wall. I bet when school is in session this place is rockin

My boyfriend is a big Carolina fan so we had to stop here! Place isn't going to wow you with their ambiance as it looks like your typical hole in the wall college bar. They serve beer in giant blue cups for a pretty cheap price. They also have some cool wall art outside of the building that is Tar Heel themed. They have a big outdoor space as I'm sure it's crowded on game days.

Really liked this bar! Thought the beer was a great deal for the size that you get. The blue cup looks smaller online. Great ambiance.

Great beers and quick service! Definitely a must stop at while in the Raleigh-Durham area!

You have to be here. Total bomb place. Good outside space. Plenty of taps on. We love this place. Back hidden in a alley way. So you'll have to find them. Great Thursday night hang out. Beers big enough for Texas! You won't be disappointed!

I have heard a lot about this classic Franklin Street bar. In Charlotte there is a UNC alumni bar that serves their own version of the signature blue cups, so I've long been wanting to see the real thing. After attending the noon basketball game we decided to head on over here to do some post game day drinking. Most of the action seemed to be going on outside as it was a nice day out. There was plenty of room to drink and socialize and admire all the dogs people were bringing in. Walking inside to use the bathroom I was hit with the familiar smell of stale spilled beer and knew this was a dive. It reminds me a lot of some of the bars I used to frequent at Ole Miss so I can imagine how much fun college kids and locals have here. If I'm in town again I will have to check this place out at night.

The ultimate college dive bar, IMO. There are plenty along Franklin, but this one is the most quintessential "Chapel Hill." Get a free pint glass with your Blue Cup on Wednesday.

What a place He's Not is! One of my fav hang out spots in Chapel Hill! Always a great time, always great friends. An amazing selection of beer.

Welcome to one of UNC's most classic dive bars. Locals told me that this is a must go bar while in town so grab a big blue cup and enjoy this classic UNC drinking hole. The crowd on a Thursday evening was very diverse, it had everyone from college students to a guy who looked like Colonel Sanders. Staff was friendly and quick to serve a cold beer. They don't serve hard liquor either, so you've been warned.

Loved this place the other night! They had a live band playing and seating under a tree to hangout and listen in a cool courtyard setting. They have an upper level bar that you order your drinks at. It was roughly $8 for a hard cider because they give you your drink in a huge cup that you get to keep! (they do fill it up) Also if you go out the side opposite of Franklin Street they have this cool mural saying greetings from chapel Hill which was cool.

He's not is a Franklin Street classic and home of the iconic Blue Cup. It's a super relaxed atmosphere and the open courtyard is a great place to sit and catch up with friends. As a dog owner, it's great to have a big dog-friendly area. The inside is meh -- kind of dark, kind of dirty -- but no one comes here for that.

If you're really looking for a review of He's Not on Yelp, it's probably not your scene. However if you're looking for a college-bar staple in an ultimate college town, welcome. Home of the (oversized and reusable) Blue cup for drafts, you won't go thirsty. Also, a Chapel Hill postcard mural outside for all of your Instagram aesthetic needs.

Remembered from the old days, original owners - does anyone know what happened to the portrait of a nude woman that was placed behind the bar in the original HNH? It was painted by a Chapel Hill legend, Bill Wyatt and I would love to locate it, in Bill's memory.

Loved this place as a grad student in the 90's and although the Blue Cups have gone up in price, it is still the best beer bar in Chapel Hill. Met some people for pre-game last Saturday afternoon and they had an awesome band playing an incredible mix of covers that got the crowd very engaged. HNH-keep on rockin'!

Finest drinking establishment in Chapel Hill. Oldest and best bar in town by far. Sunny Saturday's at He's Not simply cannot be matched.

Let's be clear: the only thing you should be doing here is sitting at a picnic table outside, listening to live music and drinking cheap beer out of a blue cup. Eating, using the bathroom or sitting at a booth inside are all not advisable. He's Not is a Chapel Hill tradition, though. When I was in college, they sold blue cups of Bud Light for $5 on Sunday nights. That's 33oz of beer for $5! That also happened to be karaoke night. Maybe there's a correlation.

one of the best places in north Carolina. Nice cold draft beer, great staff and an unlimited supply of cute dogs. A great time , vibes and friends all around. Bathrooms suck but in a good way. 10/10.

Such a fun place! You can't leave without one of their infamous blue cups. They're only around $7-$8 and hold a lot of beer so it is worth it! This place has a huge outdoor area and a big crowd. I'll be visiting again!

I am amazed by this place. I think you will be, too. Let's address some rumors as they fester into fact. Yes, you do get enormous He's Not Here cups (32 oz?) of beer for practically a song (to be fair, I'll pay almost anything for a 32 oz Yeungling). Yes, the cover is normally cheap or nonexistent. Yes, the bar is outdoors for the most part. Yes, it is incredibly hard to find (walk off the street between TJ's and Yogurt Pump and just keep on going). I love the atmosphere (literally?). During the early fall and late spring Chapel Hill's weather is a lovely 72 and clear, and He's Not capitalizes on it with an enormous outdoor seating area. It's a great, open environment to hang out in, even if the tree roots will absolutely destroy you when you're drunk. It's a very different feel than your normally get, and I fully support it. Oh, and bring cash, you'll need it.

Six dollar bucket beer, that itself sounds pretty good to me. I didn't really like the smell in there, but maybe it's because we got there when they were closing and that might or might not be a good thing to have the place load with bleach smell. They have several dart board for entertainment. Closes late...

While taking a walk up and down Franklin Street we were drawn in here by the live band. It appeared to be the only place hopping on a Saturday evening which was rather surprising to be honest, because it turned out to be fairly empty. But free live music is what we were looking for and they had it on a huge open patio. there was a grill to cook on, lots of picnic tables and benches under the trees and some cornhole boards to kick back on while jamming to the live tunes. There was no cover to get inside, just a flash of the ID, but I'm not sure if that's the case for every night here. A quaint little bar outside served drafts and the full bar upstairs on the inside provided the more wholesome selection of all the beers they had to offer. Not sure exactly what kind of place this is aiming to be. It was really kinda run down and dive-y while the group was easily 30s and up jock types intermingled with old bikers looking for a party with some drunken 30 year old. However, if you get enough cheap beer in your system it is my belief that you can throw-down a jive anywhere you find yourself. For this joint I say rock on for as long as you can - life is what you make it!

Hands down the best bar experience in Chapel Hill!!! Don't miss out. Great selection of beer at great prices. Be sure to check out Wednesdays at He's Not where you get a free pint glass if you purchase the selected beer of the week. Take home a blue cup TODAY

Home of the big blue cup! It's one of the best deals on Franklin Street. It's often like getting 2-3 beers for the price of one. Fun college bar vibe. Good place to have a beer and sit outside when the weather is nice.

This bar is quite interesting. You must keep it in mind that most of the nightlife options in Chapel Hill are tailored to UNC undergrad students, therefore folks that just turned 21 and are ready to drink as much as they can. Good thing about this is: BEER CUPS ARE GIANOURMOUS and cheap. Yes! Thank you God of Cheap Beer for this holly grace. Vibe is chilled out, you will find a few Frat boys/sorority girls, but the place has karaoke (on Sunday nights), you can play darts or just hangout in the backyard. Staff is not the nicest, they will probably be rude to you whether when you are at the door and they ask to see your ID or when you order something by the bar. Just do not take it too personally and move on with you blue cup.

Know what you are getting into before you get there. This is a dive bar and more importantly a college bar. But when you get a great craft been in a 32 oz blue cup for $7, even beer snobs can't pass this place up. They don't open until 2pm on Saturdays so if you trying to get a few drinks in before any UNC game, it often is difficult unless it is an evening game.

He's Not.....is hands-down my favorite summertime CH bar. DID YOU KNOW that this is the oldest bar in Chapel Hill? And it's one of the few (can only think of PB's) that offers a huge outdoor area for mingling with friends and drinking, two of my favorite things. For people who have never been, it might look raunchy and sketch...and well, it does--but that's okay, really. Spilling your beer or someone else's doesn't really matter. It can be a little hard to locate, but once you find it, it's all good. Fair prices, great ambiance, and always a good time. Pretentious douches who cringe at dirt under their fingernails, get over it and realize looks are OFTEN DECEPTIVE, and this place is awesomely deceptive. Appreciate the antiquity, quit hating, and join the Blue Cup crowd!

All things considered, this is probably my favorite Chapel Hill bar, for a number of reasons. 1. Blue Cups - 33 oz plastic cups of beer. Cuts down on trips to the bar, plus afterwards you have a new piece (or a few new pieces, if your night's going well) of home decor (they make excellent vases and pen cups). 2. The crowd - this is one bar where you'll really find a mix of ages, from eager 19-year-olds with fake ID's to bona-fide grown-up locals. The atmosphere is casual; you won't feel like the only one not wearing stilettos and designer jeans. 3. Sunny days - when the weather's nice, it's hard to beat He's Not's open-air courtyard for an old-fashioned, college-style, beer drinking afternoon. 4. Close proximity to I Love NY Pizza and Yogurt Pump, for the inevitable munchies that come from drinking multiple giant Bud Lights. Seriously, posting this is making me wish I were there right now.

woah this was my first dive bar college bar dirty place ive been since graduating and I can def see how people love it. BUT for me it was a bit too dirty, small, sketchy to find. If i were back at school and needed somewhere to blast music and go grab a few beers this would def be a chill place to go. The bucket of beers is the popular item along with the plastic cups and bottom collecting. Two small bathrooms, random tables and patio furniture inside for seating. Outside there is another outside bar and during the summer I can see people playing music with their bands here while she sings.

He's Not Here is a classic Chapel Hill watering hole. It's super-fratty, and the beer selection leaves a lot to be desired, but the price is right, and it's uber-casual. And then there's the legendary Blue Cup. 33 oz of beery goodness. The best thing about He's Not is Sunday night karaoke, where you can hear the occasional excellent singer mixed in with your drunken frat boy belting out Baby Got Back. It's a blast. He's Not's also pretty great early, because you'll have the place to yourself. It doesn't get bouncing until 1030pm at the earliest.

Blue cups, pint nights and cool vibes - this is a great place to go whether you want to hang out with friends or go out for drinks. I bring my friends from other universities to He's Not, and they love it as well (they also say it's quite Fratty haha)! It's definitely a place for college kids to hang out, but I probably will not be going back here once I graduate. I'm not a fan of beer, but I still go to this bar to hang out. This isn't really the place to go if you're trying to get plastered though. I think it's more of a chill place or somewhere to stop by after going out to other bars. They have $5 blue cups, which gets filled to the brim with beer. On Wednesdays, they have Pint Night where you can get a glass instead of a plastic cup. There's indoor and outdoor seating. Because most of the bar space is outdoor, it's a great place during the warmer season but a lot more empty when it's colder. He's Not also has bands play, which adds to its great atmosphere. Like other reviews said, the bathrooms are pretty gross (they usually don't even have soap - ew) and be careful where you step because the ground tends to have random dips and raises.

This place rates up there with some of my least favorite places in Chapel Hill. Sure the beers are SUPER cheap (if you're into warm 32oz plastic cups of beer) and the outside area is large, but the sandy-ness of the standing area and the small gross-ness of the inside and bathrooms really makes He's Not a less than ideal place for me. Not to mention that I LOVE craft and specialty beers, and the best thing you'll find on their beer list is Sam Adams (not bad, but not ideal). He's Not is a place for intense beer drinking and hanging out with (or hitting on) friends and friends of friends. Great for big groups, not so much for intimate bar hang-outs.

This is my favorite bar in Chapel Hill! I love the laid back atmosphere and the friendly staff. The selection of beer can't be beat! I HIGHLY recommend checking out He's Not if you're in the Chapel Hill!

Oh man, I love He's Not Here. It's the only place that's an easy walk from campus where you can consistently be able to sit outside and enjoy some fresh air along with a beer. Note that the beer comes in 33oz "Blue Cups" by default, so if you want a smaller cup make sure you let the bartender know (but why would you not want a blue cup????) All the reviews saying that the inside is disgusting, dark, and super sketchy are 100% correct! However the whole point is you go in, get your beer and then get your ass outside to sit at the picnic tables and enjoy the fresh air. I would never drink inside this bar and I've only used the bathroom once (NOT RECOMMENDED). Also, avoid it like the plague on Fridays in the Spring when it'll be about 90% Frat and very crowded. It's much much better in Fall, Summer, or on weeknights when the crowd is more likely to be grad students and locals. The bartender is a jovial santa-type, he's fun to chat with when you get your beer but if the place is hopping you'll wait in line a looong time because of his tendency to chat. My main complaint is that sometimes there's something a little off about the beer. Occasionally I've gotten a Blue-y New-y (Newcastle Blue Cup) and it's tasted skunky. Other times it's been fine. Never had a problem with the Blue Moon though, and you get an orange slice! Also keep in mind there's a $10 Credit Card minimum so you may need to bring cash or get at least two beers at once.

It's a testament to its enduring popularity that He's Not Here attracts one of the most diverse crowds of any bar in Chapel Hill. I actually don't find it fratty at all - when I was a student I don't think I had a single friend who didn't love this place on a warm Sunday/Tuesday night. The blue cups are all domestic beer and typically around $5 each, except for on Tuesdays when they are, of course, $2. If it weren't for the fact that it has a large outdoor area, I'd probably consider He's Not a dive bar. The place is old, dirty, and infested with cockroaches, but those blue cups do the job so quickly that you likely won't notice them. And I think MIchael Jordan usually stops by He's Not once per summer while his basketball camp is in session. I've received those "OMGcometoHe'sNotMichaelJordanishere!" phone calls for several years in a row now.

It's obvious that the "He" in the bar's name refers to a certain UNC Geography student who will remain unnamed. That being said, I appreciate He's Not has an extensive outdoor area, unique for Chapel Hill (with the exception of The Lodge). It also has a decent inside, with various arcade games and some form of slot machine thing that I saw a guy hang out at for a whole hour. All of this being said, make sure you're clear with the bartender what size you want, or you will likely get the giant blue cup. This isn't a bad thing in most situations, but when it is, it is a definite problem. Also, avoid the bathrooms. They're... um, unique. No sinks, just a hand sanitizer thing outside of the bathroom. Overall, the beers are cheep. But this is an undergrad bar, and not in the fun way that a Bub O'Malley's can be (what I'm saying is that they need more shuffleboard).

So perfectly college how can you not love this place! Big beers, outside space and music a touch too loud.

Trashiest, shittiest bar I've ever been to. Smells like a porta-potty and they don't even have glassware. Low ceilings and everything is dirty. Will never come here again

Don't make the mistake of visiting Chapel Hill and NOT stopping for a blue cup at He's Not. Whether you're a student, townie or alumni- He's Not is a must see. Grab a blue cup (or bottle of champagne, if that's more your style) and some friends and soak in the awesomeness of this classic UNC drinking hole. Whether you're wearing yoga pants or a cocktail dress, you'll fit right in at He's Not.

The blue cup. The blue. Freaking. Cup. In some corners of Chapel Hill, you'll find it spoken of as if it were some mythical object of immense power, granting its holder unspeakable abilities and the right to be the King of all England. Then you go there and you realize that everyone has a giant blue cup full of whatever flavor of the limited selection of taps they prefer. Of course, by your second or third blue cup, you can be convinced that anything is legendary. When it's cold He's Not is a curiosity. You have to cross an expansive courtyard and climb some steps to get into what is a dive bar's dive bar. Low ceiling, dirty in a charming way, dark, and kind of small. There's no one who wouldn't get a little claustrophobic on their first trip. Once things warm up though, that courtyard comes to life and attracts most of Chapel Hill, as if a big blue beacon was beckoning them to come and drink. But what kind of big blue thing could possibly have that kind of sway?

Going to He's Not on a warm night is like going to a party at your friend's friend's house. You'll know the people you arrived with, they'll know a few other people; you'll stand around outside, drink beer out of a giant cup, and probably chat it up with a few random strangers. The only difference? You'll spend a few dollars at He's Not - but only a few. If you've never been, it's a little hard to find. The entrance is in the alley just beside I Love NY Pizza, between that building and the Caribou/Kinko's building. Blue Cups: 33oz. domestic beers, $2 on Tuesday, $5 otherwise. There's plenty about those in all the other reviews, so I won't rehash. Because of the setting, the atmosphere at He's Not is really laid-back. People wear real clothes, girls wear comfortable shoes, t-shirts are commonplace, and a blue cup mishap on your shirt is not grounds for leaving in shame (I know). Recently, He's Not started accepting credit cards, which may have made my life. In addition, they also sell champagne...bet you didn't know that! It's cheap champagne, of course, but one of these nights I'm going to have to buy a bottle of champagne and pop it there... "I heard champagne...where's the rich guy?" - 'He's Not Here.'