The Yummiest Beer Gardens in Raleigh

Franklin Motors

★★★★☆ 4.4 (31)

"Franklin Motors rates somewhere between three (OK) and four (good) stars for me. We had a good time here.Until we visited, I didn't know this was Chapel Hill's first and so far only beer garden. It's located just one block east of the Carrboro-Chapel Hill border, on popular West Franklin Street. The business opened in October 2021.Over the last few years, my wife and I passed by this place several times, saw all the people enjoying beer and food outside, and it piqued our interest. We're glad we finally got to check it out.According to Chapelboro.com ( https://chapelboro.com/news/business/beer-study-moving-to-new-chapel-hill-location-new-bar-taking-over ), the folks behind Franklin Motors renovated a small building previously owned by Franklin Street Auto, LLC. That's presumably where the "Motors" part of the name comes from. There are several auto shops in the immediate vicinity, including one I went to often: Automotion. I highly recommend them, by the way: https://www.yelp.com/biz/automotion-carrboro There's a Town of Chapel Hill gravel parking lot that you can pay to park in, adjacent to Franklin Motors. We parked for free on the street (South Graham Street).Compared to other beer gardens I've been to, Franklin Motors is one of the smallest and most humble-looking. The business sits on an unassuming corner lot. It's a simple, sort-of-makeshift spot that gives off vibes of an independent garage. You can get up on the rooftop, which is nice, and they also have a dedicated food truck on site: Roquette at Franklin Motors. The building has an indoor space on the ground level. Outside, it's gravel and there's a canopy -- that's where we sat. We couldn't get the fans to work. We stayed for hours, into the night when the property was string-lit. There was also a fire pit.This place is good for groups. We had a group of eight. It's also dog-friendly.Here's what my wife and I had:Drinks* Pimms Cup (forgot the price) - Pimms No. 1, lemon juice, cucumber topped with ginger ale* Middle James Great Musa Hefeweizen, 4.8% ($7)* Noble Wild Berry Knight Cider, 6.0% ($7)Food from the Roquette food truck* Mac & Cheese ($10) - fresh cream, Ashe County cheddar, toasted bread crumbs* Hand Cut Fries ($8) - hand-cut potatoes, parsley, rosemary, thyme, and housemade roasted garlic aioli (and ketchup).* Pineapple Chipotle Tacos ($18) - braised pulled pork, simmered in a pineapple sauce, chipotle, coriander, ginger, and orange, with avocado, pickled onion, cilantro, and queso fresco* Sliders (pick 3 for $15) - we got 2 Cheeseburgers -- Baldwin Beef (Yanceyville, NC), tomato, pickled onion, roasted garlic aioli, toasted brioche bun; and 1 Cajun-fried Chicken -- pickles, house slaw, roasted garlic aioli, toasted brioche bunThe drinks hit the spot. The beer selection was good. Decent variety. The cocktails were standard.The food was OK. The only underwhelming dish was the mac and cheese. While the portion size was generous, it didn't taste significantly better than instant mac and cheese. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but you expect better when going out and paying $10+ for mac and cheese. I did appreciate that it was made with local cheese. Everything else was pretty tasty and again, generous portion sizes. The fries were nicely seasoned. We wanted slow-cooked duck leg instead of braised pork on our tacos, but they were out of duck. That's alright. The tacos were meaty and filling. The sliders weren't bad. The beef in the cheeseburger sliders was a bit tough (well done to overcooked), but that was fine. Better safe than sorry. The Cajun-fried chicken slider was tasty enough. Some of our friends got the Caesar Salad ($10). It looked fresh and yummy. Portions on that were generous as well.Service was fine.We visited on an ordinary summer Saturday and stayed from about 5 to 9pm. There was a slow, steady stream of customers and it never got too busy or crowded. I wouldn't mind coming back to hang out and have drinks with friends."

Gizmo Brew Works - Durham

★★★★★ 4.8 (21)

"Gizmo has their third location in Durham. It's in a neat spot with a good mix of indoor and outdoor seating. The beer and game selections were good. You can also buy games and merchandise. If you are in the area, it's definitely worth checking it out. Cheers!"

Durham Beer Garden

★★★★☆ 4.1 (8)

"A solid new option for beer near downtown Durham, the new Durham Beer Garden along with Little Bull next door are adding a lot of energy to this corner of the Bull City. Durham Beer Garden is a large and sprawling space both indoors and out. Two main rooms along with three patio areas (front, side, in back) means there's lots of space to spread out in. There's about 15 or so taps along a small menu of American grill eats (wings, burgers, etc) available for food. There are several cool murals in the space along with a fun, Durham bull neon sign up front. Overall it's still early to see where this business goes but stop by and check it out!"

KoKyu

★★★★★ 4.5 (208) • $$

"The food and service were great! There is no longer an indoor space to eat, so you have to either eat outdoors or take your food to go. The only problem with sitting outside is that cars pull up to take out food and they tend to leave their engines on while waiting. It would be great if Kokyu asked them to turn off their engines while waiting. With that being said, we'll be back soon because the tofu bibimbap and the steak fries were so tasty!"

Eastcut Sandwich Bar - Durham

★★★★☆ 4.4 (348) • $$

"I love a good sandwich! Especially when the meat is good quality and the bread is toasted just right! This place is incredibly nice and I love how you scan the QR code to access the menu to take your order. They have plenty of seating outside and their menu is amazing! It's such a dope and fun vibe there. They give you a ton of fries so make sure to share them with someone."

Yacht Club Beverage House

★★★★★ 4.8 (21) • $

"Do not bad review this spot or your review may end up framed on the wall in the bathroom. I found it entertaining to read a few of those. Yacht Club looks small when you walk up but they have a ton of outdoor seating available. We grabbed a few rounds and had a blast. They had a nice selection of beer on tap and a small selection available to purchase for home. Cheers!"

Compass Rose Brewery

★★★★☆ 3.8 (130) • $$

"CRB is located in a hidden nook off of Gresham lake Rd. We come to Compass Rose frequently. There is a viewing area to see the brewing process, food trucks, yard games, and large tables for big groups. More of an industrial vibe for sure. This time around CRB featured amber to dark beer. They generally always have a cider on tap as well as a Hefeweizen. Each selection is a full tasting beer. For the non drinker they do have canned sodas and snacky foods. Even wine. I'd love to see CRB find their niche but overall we enjoy our time spent here. Game night is nice Bc they have a projector screen. Go Pack! Likes- clean Large space Projector screen Would be acceptable to bring children Scott's View (Scottish Amber) is a great tasting beer. Cons- no niche beer necessarily. Lack of distribution and advertisement. No food truck schedule. Chairs are appealing to the eye but not comfortable at all."

The Glass Jug

★★★★★ 4.5 (137) • $$

"Very fun spot for drinks, eats (BYOF), and music. Outside of their own selection, their RTP location has a large variety of drinks from other local breweries. Very large back patio area with tables and events. Very nice vibe there overall, the staff and patrons are friendly and inviting. *murals in the back are very dope!"

Oak City Brewing Company

★★★★★ 4.5 (70)

"Who doesn't love a brewery? I enjoy their beer options, they have a food truck most days, and their out doors space is lovely. It is family friendly which I love! Definitely recommend."

Bond Brothers Beer Company

★★★★☆ 4.2 (210) • $$

"Outside seating, dog friendly, child friendly, shaded seating, drink variety on tap (ciders, ale, etc) sparkling drinks and non alcoholic can options. Walkable downtown Cary. Definitely recommend for a day outin"

Bombshell Beer Company

★★★★☆ 4.1 (59) • $$

"I love the location of this brewery. The owners and staff are always great to talk to. My three favorite beers (in order) are the Yellow Haze IPA, Hob Lab-Experimental Hop IPA and Dirty Secret Coconut Stout. If it makes sense, I recommend signing up to become a tap club member. It's $40 ($30 each year for renewal) and there are a lot of perks. The one that I use most often is drinking from the tap club mug each visit. They also do lots of events here (these should be starting back up again post-COVID) so check out their website and/or social media pages for more information."

TCB - The Corner Biergarten & Bottle Shop

★★★★★ 4.8 (28) • $$

"The Corner Biergarten is a great place to grab a few beers and play games! Cornhole, darts, board games, shuffleboard and bumper pool are all available to play. With twenty beers on tap, they have a good selection that is competitively priced. Check out their website or facebook page to see what is currently on tap. Only complaint is that the bottle selection is smaller and did not have prices but this spot is newer so maybe that will change. Hungry? Grab food from Wingin' It which is located a few doors down. Friendly staff, dog friendly and, of course, beer make this place a chill spot if you are looking to get out and about in the area."

Brier Creek Beer Garden

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (326) • $$

"Brier Creek Beer Garden is a great choice when you're in the mood for a great selection of beer and delicious food. There are a ton of options on their beer menu and their flights are individually priced between $3-4 each. With such a big selection, the flight is completely worth it! Our waiter was outstanding and made us feel comfortable. He was energetic and fun to be around, as well as having extensive knowledge of both the beer and food menu. We sat outside on the patio underneath an umbrella. It was definitely a nice way to enjoy some good food and beer while getting fresh air. I loved my Sausage and Sauerkraut meal. The portions were a tad bit small but big on flavor. The restrooms were clean and well stocked and the inside of the restaurant was bright but cozy with large windows and wood decor. I will definitely be back!"

The Backyard Bar

★★★★☆ 3.7 (3)

"If I took a star off it'd have to be bc the bathroom doesn't have push locks. I need to drunkenly be coordinated to turn the tiny lock horizontal to keep other patrons from gettin a look-see. And the hot water wasn't instantly hot . (lol c'mon).It is a great new place. comfy couches & chairs. Great Indian food truck! Guiness on tap & other top draughts. Wine selection. Rotating 2nd food truck. outdoor music. Outdoor fireplace w chairs. Great place to bring friends, make friends, or be a friend."

Rosecomb Beer Garden

★★★★☆ 4.1 (16) • $$

"This new beer garden is located inside Parkside Town Commons and is connected to BB's Crispy Chicken. We stopped in to grab a beer and had an okay time. The service was a little slow and the beer was pouring very heavy so it was a touch warm. They do have a decent selection to chose from and they also serve wine. In the end it is a nice space. I like that the garage doors open up and that there is a good amount of seating available both inside and out. It will definitely be popular once the weather warms up."

House of Hops

★★★★★ 4.5 (22)

"Another House of Hops location, yay! If you are looking to grab a beer there, the selection is great. If you do not like what is on tap just visit the cooler section. The selection to take beer home is decent. This strip is great if you want to grab a few beers then head to dinner."

Fullsteam-Boxyard RTP

★★★★☆ 4.1 (23)

"Fullsteam has a location inside of Boxyard RTP now. They have a small selection of beer and food. The food items consist of snacks, salads and square pizzas. I got a Rocket Science IPA and enjoyed it outside. I can't wait to return to try more beers and the pizza."

Bearded Bee Brewing

★★★★☆ 4.4 (42) • $$

"I am still a fan of the Bearded Bee! They have great staff and quality live music, two hard to find amenities in many small breweries around NC. BB has some very comfortable seating arrangements; the very large couches are great for small groups or families! Unfortunately, the odds of having slightly inconsiderate solo individuals occupying those areas rather than the more appropriate tables scattered throughout area are considerably great. They definitely produce some very good brews on both ends of the spectrum, and since my preference is lightest or darkest, I can't speak to any of those in between. Like most other local drinkeries they do have outdoor seating, sadly those seats don't come with any sort of propane heat for the colder months, so dress warm if you plan on sitting outside. Stop in for a brew or two and enjoy the live music, hopefully the improvements will keep coming, Wendell needs a place like this. Cheers!"

Fullsteam

★★★★☆ 4.3 (512) • $$

"Stopped by for some quick beers.I opted for their Hazy on tap. When I visited early August, it was very hot and humid out. There were only some fans on, and no AC was turned out (not sure if it is available).Not too busy for the afternoon. Parking is extremely difficult here. You may need to park a few blocks away. Read signs carefully. Lots of construction as well."

Raleigh Beer Garden

★★★★☆ 3.5 (1015) • $$

"This location came highly recommended to us from multiple people and we completely understand why! We arrived on a Sunday around 5 o'clock in the evening and there was plenty of space to be seated in. What we love about this location is one it is huge, but secondly, they have so many different options for seating both indoor and outdoor And they even have an area in the very back that has tons of space for younger children that we thoughtwas just incredible. There are also three levels to this location. The first floor has one bar that is strictly cocktails and hard liquor. The bar in the back has over 150 taps of local breweries when you go to the second floor you'll find over 150 taps of international breweries or breweries that are outside of the Carolinas. We love the huge assortment and especially as a cider drinker. There were over 30 different hard ciders alone that I had the opportunity to pick from. The top floor is not always open with the full bar, but you can always take your food and/ or your drink up there and sit. It's a rooftop deck and has stunning views of the area. We also love that this location has an extensive menu for food so you can get food and beer together. Overall, we had exceptional service and definitely will be going back before we leave town"

Trophy Brewing Co

★★★★★ 4.5 (81)

"I love Trophy, it's one of my favorite breweries in the area. I enjoy trying all of their new IPA's but my personal favorite is Cloud Surfer. My husband's favorites are the Milky Way, Slingshot Coffee Porter and El Hombre. Check out their website and/or social media pages to see what events and food trucks will be at this location."

Tap Yard

★★★★☆ 4.1 (19)

"Tap Yard is a fun time. They have beer, wine, cocktails, spirits and non-alcoholic options. I like the spacious outdoor area, it's good for groups of all sizes. In addition to having games outside they also have some inside, my favorite was the small rubber duck claw machine. Check out their website and/or social media pages for their social events and food truck schedule. Cheers!"

TapLine Growler

★★★★☆ 4.2 (21)

"TapLine expanded a while back into the space next door and it's great. The beer selection here is always nice, wine is also available. There are games to play and TVs to watch games so that is fun. Cheers!"