Daniel B.
Yelp
We had a good time at The Velvet Hippo in downtown Durham. This is a new, hip bar and lounge that opened a month ago (August 5, 2023) on the third floor of the 119 Orange Street building. It's very close to city hall and adjacent to the Chapel Hill Street Parking Garage (convenient, but potentially crowded parking).
TL;DR version - The drinks were delicious and this place had a fun vibe. It's got a dog-friendly rooftop bar and overall, it's worth checking out.
During our visit, a sign outside on the sidewalk said dogs welcome Saturday and Sunday, 12-6pm.
We showed up around 7:30pm on a Saturday and there was no line to get in. They checked IDs at the door (21+ only). We left around 10:30pm and there was a long line, down at least 2-3 sets of stairs, to get in. There was definitely a buzz about this place.
We found out about this place from our friend who discovered it on Instagram. The rooftop deck was already completely full by the time we arrived and, unsurprisingly, it stayed that way for the entire time we were there. There was plenty of space inside when we arrived, but it quickly filled up. Hence, the line to get in when we left. This isn't a huge place, but it's not small either. There are a handful of areas to sit and stand (a small variety).
The Velvet Hippo serves food and drink, though everything is ordered at the bar. No table service. The food is light bites and small plates. The bartenders were at 100% utilization the entire time we were there. As the night wore on, we found it much easier and faster to get drinks by ordering them from the outside bar. Same bartenders, same bar. It's an indoor-outdoor bar. It really depends on which side is busier during your visit.
Here's what we got:
Signature Cocktails:
* Ursula, Queen of Atlantica ($12) - Empress 1908 Gin, lavender simple syrup, sparkling wine, fresh lemon, glitter
* The Garter Belt ($14) - Hendrick's Gin, St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur, lime juice, simple syrup, muddled cucumber, three dashes Bittermens Burlesque Bitters, grapefruit, mint
* Hot Girl Summer ($14) - Olmeca Altos Reposado Tequila, watermelon, Gran Gala Triple Orange Liqueur, habanero syrup, lime, and salt half rim
* Maui Mahalo ($16) - Plantation Stiggins' Fancy Pineapple Rum, Appleton Estate 12-Year-Old Rare Casks, pineapple, lime, OJ, housemade cream of coconut, kiwi, Crude 'Tropi-500" Bitters (Toasted Coconut-Pineapple-Allspice), Bittermens 'Elemakule Tiki Bitters, crushed ice, saline mist, grated nutmeg
* Cheetahs Do It in the Dark ($15) - Teremana Anejo Tequila, Licor 43, Cantera Negra, espresso, orange twist, Maldon salt
Hanger Management:
* Elote Dip ($10) - with Oaxaca cheese, cilantro, and tajin-dusted tortilla chips
In general, the drinks were good-quality and tasty. They weren't too sweet and were well-balanced, flavor-wise. My favorites were The Garter Belt and the Maui Mahalo. Both were fruity and refreshing, as well as subtly complex. My wife, who loves espresso martinis (she almost always orders them, if available, when going out for drinks at night), liked Cheetahs Do It in the Dark, which is The Velvet Hippo's version. It's made with tequila instead of vodka. It was actually made with The Rock's small-batch tequila brand, Teremana. The chips and corn dip were very good. High-quality and flavorful, like an appetizer you'd expect to find at a solid restaurant.
Self-serve cups/glasses and room-temp water were available from a tap by the patio door, inside.
The bouncer was very nice.
We parked for free in the aforementioned adjacent Chapel Hill Street Parking Garage at 326 E Chapel Hill St. It was full at the time of our visit. Cars were circling around the various levels of the deck looking for spots. At the time of writing this review, it costs $2.25 per hour to park here, Monday-Friday, 8am-7pm. Otherwise, it's free (gate arms will be up).
