The Haymaker

Staff are funny and engaging , all my dates compliment the decor , and the music is great.

Loved the Christmas at the Haymaker experience. It can take a long time to get in so I suggest going on a week night. I went on a Wednesday at 6 and waited about 30 mins to get in but when we left at 7:30 there was no line so it's hit and miss. The drinks were great (I got the Rudolph's replacement drink and it came in a dinosaur glass). The place was crowded but had enough tables where you could find somewhere to sit and have a good time with friends. I would go again!

Def good drinks. I have the dreamville. If tastes amazing. Good ambiance. The bartender made a great drink. I'd come here again for sure.

I arrived around 7:45, and there was a short line. There was staff outside managing the crowd and letting people in as others exited. Once in, we went straight to the bar and didn't have an issue quickly getting service and our drinks.I loved the view of the festive holiday decor. The holiday-themed drinks were also tasty. I tried the Elfing around, which is similar to the French75. Great drinks and service. I look forward to going back.

Great spot in downtown Raleigh. Lots of drinks and great bartenders. Sometimes there's also a dj which makes it a lot of fun

I went on a Saturday night when DJ Deluxe was spinning. The drinks and vibes were Unmatched and I will definitely be back. It's not a big venue but the intimacy makes it great for hanging w/ friends and having a good time. 10/10

Haymaker is always a good place to go for a night out. They have great cocktails and great djs on the weekends. it's pretty small in the venue and can get pretty congested which makes it hard at times to order from the bar. It can also be loud so not ideal if you're trying to talk to someone. The holidays are my favorite time to go though because they do the pop up holiday bar.

Disclaimer - I've been multiple times but only for their Christmas bar pop-up, so I'm only reviewing the bar as it appears in December.The entire bar is decked out with over the top decorations, including wrapping the bar in wrapping paper and a blow up santa arch inside. The Christmas drink menu is ~ 12 different drinks and 2 types of shots. My husband and I tried a few different ones when we went this week, our favorite was yippie ki yay. It tastes like a tiki drink, and came with a mint leaf sprinkled with powdered sugar.All the drinks are served in specific glasses for that drink, and you can tell the bartenders take pride in the presentation. The only negative, if you go on a weekend you'll probably have to wait awhile to get in. It's not a huge bar, and it's really popular this time of year.

Welcome to in Downtown Raleigh! If you still need to get into the holiday spirit, stop by and have yourself a cup or glass of holiday cheer! As soon as you open the door, Santa greets you! The room is completely transformed, fun ambiance!There isn't a lot of room inside and you may have some wait time but worth the wait. Drink names are great, they sell their glassware and I purchased the Santa naughty & nice shot glasses. I ordered the Elfing around drink and Yippie Ki Yay.

The drinks are strong and the vibes are stunning! A perfect pre-opera stop for drinks and good conversation! Love the ambiance