The Velvet Hippo Bar & Lounge

This place is so cute! Cerrissa is awesome, friendly and makes amazing drinks! We are local and enjoy coming here with our of town friends to show off the amazing location and view. Thanks for a great evening Cerrissa!

Enjoyed a wonderful evening with friends at this downtown Durham bar. It is conveniently located near the affordable public parking deck on East Chapel Hill Street across from USPS; I'm grateful not to overpay to park as is often the case for city parking.Outside seating is available and was full during the pleasant weather last night. We chose to start at the bar then moved to the cozy banquette seating when more friends arrived.Fantastic and attentive bartenders Sarah and Walker served up tasty cocktails - my favorite reason to go out. I admit I'm a picky drinker. The bar at Velvet Hippo did not disappoint. Highly recommend the Jean-Claude Pandan, which was surprisingly flavorful and light despite its opaque color. Several went down easily yet left me with no migraine or hangover the next morning. #winning Friends enjoyed different cocktails from their drink offerings.I must provide only 4 stars as the food menu left me wanting. While I ordered several small plates, which were of good quality, the menu choices are very limited. I don't recall any dessert listed. An expanded food menu would provide customers with more reason to patronize the spot - and stay longer for a meal. If food options are expanded, I'd suggest larger round tables in the lounge area to accommodate drinks, food plates, and the table-top lamps.Service by bartenders and waitstaff was excellent. This is a smoothly run operation that pays attention to detail.Yes, I'll be back... AFTER dinner elsewhere but, I'll be back!

Absolutely a hidden gem! I was looking for a cool spot for a mocktail and stumbled across this rooftop bar. The vibe was amazing, and the customer service was top-notch. They make some incredible mocktails--I wish I'd gotten the bartender's name because she crafted some excellent drinks. There's plenty of seating and great views of the city. I highly recommend coming here for happy hour, a date, or just to hang out with friends.

Bartenders were so funny and helpful! Great rooftop bar, loved the vibe of the place! Would definitely recommend:)

It's a Vibe! Two sips into this island vibes old fashioned and my boyfriend is admiring the ambience and seeking a second round. Two sips into my hot girl summer and I'm already thinking this could be my after work weekend kick off spot.

Very cool rooftop bar! I liked the vibe inside at the bar as well, seemed like a young fun crowd. Talented bar tenders with a creative and unique drink menu. I got the espresso martini - "jaguars do it in the dark" I believe was the name. My boyfriend got the smoked old fashioned and he enjoyed it. Plenty of space outside, even on a busy Saturday afternoon we were still able to get a table and enjoy the nice weather.

I visited the velvet hippo this past weekend on Friday evening. I had a difficult time navigating my way to Orange street which is the popular alley way street next to the parking garage. Upon arrival, the security guard informed my friend and I that we just made it in time as the " last two". I had no idea what he was talking about as it was not yet 9:30 p.m. He lacked decency and displayed poor manners as the face of the establishment. I ran into this same staff member again and he was a very strange character. The zoo animal/ safari earth tone theme is consistent throughout the venue. Well done with decor. Lighting is soft and the light fixtures are unique. We found a table near the bar and were happy when a waitress provided table service. It was a humid night so we decided on mules. I had a Kentucky mule with Uncle Nearest bourbon. While my drink packed the bourbon there was way too much ice in the mule cup. Filled to the brim. This place was packed. I expect that weekends are always going to bring high traffic and crowds.This lounge features a rooftop equipped with heaters and dogs are allowed during certain hours. The rooftop was also packed but we were able to grab 2 seats overlooking the garbage area and side entrance of the lot. This place may be more enjoyed on a weekday evening.

I joined a friend at Velvet Hippo on Friday. First impression, I love the name. Upon arrival at the entrance, there weren't any pleasantries such as a Hello or Welcome at all. This person checked my ID and told me I was the last person to enter. What type of greeting is this? Very off-putting to say the least. I entered and found the space to be clean and with nice decor. The lighting was just right for the space. I like how the bar is accessible from inside and outdoors (on the roof). The rooftop bar seems like a decent place to gather depending on the view. On my Friday visit, there were massive crowds and this almost deterred me from ordering.A waitress came over and offered services. I appreciated this service. I ordered the Hendricks Moscow mule. My cocktail arrived with an extreme amount of ice. The ice was working at watering the drink down.I ended up leaving my tab open and found that it was difficult to get another drink even if I wanted one. I had to approach the bar to have it closed and check out. I didn't understand the point of keeping it open if not providing continued services at our table. I would recommend visiting on a slower weekday when the crowds and bar access are easier. Overall, nice space but I was underwhelmed.

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 saltHanger Management:* Elote Dip ($10) - with Oaxaca cheese, cilantro, and tajin-dusted tortilla chipsIn 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).

We stumbled upon this place while staying at a nearby rental unit and loved it! A fun vibe with friendly service and a great place to propose (yes,did that -- was told we were the first to get engaged here!)