Libations 317

This bar is an absolute gem! Their burgers are nothing short of fantastic, and the homemade desserts are the perfect sweet ending to any meal. Don't miss out on trying one of their original mixed cocktails--they're as creative as they are delicious. The atmosphere is welcoming and inclusive, making it a great spot for "friends of Dorothy -- young or old." Plus, there's some occasional eye candy, whether inside or strolling by on the sidewalk. Parking is a breeze with plenty of options just steps from the door. It's definitely a place you'll want to visit again and again!

I finally visited Libations 317 and enjoyed the rather unique quirky, retro decor and chill atmosphere. The staff here really aim to please. Chandler and Kyle greeted me while at the bar and I decided on a Kentucky Mule with Maker's Mark whiskey. It was very refreshing. Kyle provided excellent service as well as the other staff. I love the outdoor seating as an option. The bathrooms are well decorated and kept. I enjoyed the mouthwash they provide in the ladies room. This is a cozy little lounge for a cute date while downtown with the retro board games and ambiance. I look forward to the bar growing their menu and food offerings.

Looking for a bar in Downtown Raleigh where you can eat, sip and cheer in a comfy, cool setting ? Then check out Libations 317. I recently was there for a private event where food was provided but I got a chance to purchase a drink at the bar. The drink menu included beer, wine and specialty cocktails. I asked the bartender /Kyle to recommend something that would taste as good as it would look in photos. He advised the Lemon Lavender Gin Fizz would show a layer of colors and if I like gin I should try it. I did and it was refreshing and a drink I would order again. I loved that it was not only garnished with a lemon but also rosemary which gave it a nice flavor as well. The have a full bar so even if it's not in the menu, you can ask them to create your fave drink or discover something new!

Went here on a Saturday for brunch for Drag Brunch and had a BLAST!!! It was so much fun and the queens were incredible, hilarious, and entertaining. The food here is delicious. I got the Southern Benedict and it was phenomenal. The drinks are great too and they have many options. The only down side to the drag brunch is that the build your own bowl is unavailable because of the number of people who attend drag brunch, but if it weren't for that, this place would have got 5 stars in book!!! (Drag brunch is 1 Saturday a month & is a ticketed event. My ticket was $12)

Pretty cool addition to downtown. My husband and I went in for a super early dinner on a Wednesday and we pretty much had the place to ourselves. I love the interior vibe, it's cozy, trendy, and thought out. They have a corner filled with board games and all sorts of great seating areas. Folks did sit at the bar and it got pretty loud. The sound isn't the best in there, but since it is a cocktail bar that is kind of to be expected. My husband loved the peach old fashioned and I went with wine. The food is the fanciest bar food you've ever had-- totally up my alley! We started off with the tailgate dip, the menu said ground beef, but it was actually tasty brisket mixed in there. They even have homemade tortilla chips which were tasty. We also got the brisket hot dog, bougiest bologna sandwich you will ever eat, and dessert. The hot dog was great and reasonably priced at $8. The bologna was literally on a homemade focaccia, open faced. Delicious! The only thing I'd skip next time was the dessert. We got to the pumpkin roll and it was good, but for $9 it felt over priced. They have quite a few tables outside which is a plus as well. A great addition to downtown!

Libations 317 is in the space previously occupied by The Borough. We dined in for dinner and I started off with a glass of sangria and the spinach dip with chips. Next it was the chicken salad sandwich for me and the brisket melt for my husband. For sides we split the broccoli salad and bacon cheddar roasted potatoes. The food and service were both really good, I can't wait to return and try their brunch menu.

Bottom line: I dig the new Libations 317 at the corner of Dawson and Morgan. 4.5 stars for eats and drinks here but I round up to the solid 5 stars for the welcoming atmosphere, the positive upbeat staff, and casual relaxing vibe they offer. They truly are keeping the legacy of The Borough that occupied that space years back, and I love it. The Deets:A friend clued me in that there was a new bar/eatery opened up in the space formally occupied by The Borough years ago, and I needed to check it out. That, I did, and I have enjoyed visits to Libations 317 ever since. The space has been decorated well, casual and relaxing, open and inviting, including outside seating at the best people watching corner in DTR (corner of Dawson and Morgan). Each time I have sat at the bar, which is full service for drinks and eats. Seating anywhere else in Libations, you will need to come up to the window inside to order and then they can bring it out to you at your table (staffing during these times, and understandable). The drink selection at Libations is wonderful with a nice menu of wine and beer selections to enjoy. Their custom cocktail menu is a good one as well, and includes the very popular "Q" from The Borough era (5 different flavors of vodka and just a splash of juice for color, filling a pint glass). The eats menu offered is absolutely not your average bar food selection, but wonderful food choices from Chef Hamm (I enjoyed his wonderful food from PG Werth's when open, and still miss it). The spinach dip here is not to be missed! The mac & cheese is just the right consistency, with the cheese melted over the top, however with an unexpected kick of pepper (more on that later). The Chicken Cordon Bleu sandwich I had was delicious (ham & Swiss with fried chicken, topped with honey mustard on focaccia bread). I had a few nibbles of the meat in the Pork Belly Bahn Mi and it was equally delicious. I was even glad to hear they do brunch on Sat/Sun 11a-3p with a good listing of brunch items such as tempting Benedicts and also build your own brunch bowls. I have enjoyed a couple of their brunches now. One thing I will note is that a few of the menu items do appear to be heavy on pepper or have a bit of kick to them. The mac & cheese I mentioned above has a distinct pepper taste. The cheese gravy offered on the brunch bowls has a bit of a peppery kick to it also (I had chosen it because I did not want the peppery taste of the white pepper gravy). I am not a fan myself of very peppery or even spicy foods, so it's a personal taste thing...many like it, just as my friend raves about the pepper in the mac & cheese. However, the best part I think of Libations 317 is the very welcoming atmosphere, the very positive, upbeat, and attentive staff...it's like your own modern Cheers, where everybody knows your name. I appreciate this part of Libations most of all, and why I keep coming back along with the food and drink selections. Chandler and Chef Hamm have made a place worthy of The Borough legacy from the past and I enjoy it!

Libations is just what the corner of Morgan and Dawson needed. Their dinner menu won me over several months ago, but their brunch menu keeps me coming back Saturday and Sunday mornings. The food is on point, and their "The Q" is exceptional and reminds me of my years long ago. Ive had everything on the brunch menu now, and you cant go wrong with anything. Might I suggest though the Not-Cho City Fries (amazing) and the Wild West Waffle (divine). What really makes this place so outstanding is the staff, Chandler, and Chef Hamm. They have gone above and beyond to make this experience customer focused. This place, simply put, is amazing.

Omg the food was amazing! Thanks to the bartender who recommended the Carolina chicken tacos, holy moly they were delicious! The mixer of flavors = yum, not heavy, and went great with the IPAs I had. The wife had the chicken cordon blue Hammie which I had a bite of and it was awesome!l, oh and the chips and queso dip was on point! Great little setup for a date night and a little get away. Definitely added it to our go to places.

So excited to be out of the pandemic and enjoying an awesome place like this. Cozy, Instagram worthy corners, great drinks, delicious food, friendly crowd. I'd recommend starting your night here. The menu consists of some bomb ass dips (with fresh in house made tortilla chips), open faced sandwiches, a section that you can get made as tacos/salads/or nachos (awesome on those homemade tortilla chips), and a bangin' hot dog list. Do note that there aren't sides, but the idea it seems is to get a dip to share and then an entree or two. The dips can easily satisfy 3-4 people each. The Sonoran Hot Dog is with bacon, refried beans, guacamole, in house made jalapeño pimento cheese, and fried onions. It's a solid choice. As is the chef's favorite with velveeta, Mayo, bacon. Cooked beautifully just the way I love a hot dog. Low and slow. The candied pork belly will make you slap yo mama. Lord Jesus it's smoky and sweet and delicious. Came back for brunch and we overdid it because everything was so good. Very well seasoned and flavorful. The jalapeño pimento cheese grits are amazing. The southern Benedict was so unique and so good. The build your own bowl is an awesome way to get what you're craving after a long night out. The food here is really delicious and incredibly reasonable. There are some great cocktails to get the night going and I highly recommend coming to check it out. I'll be back often and everything I've had was delicious so far. #HomemadeTortillaChips