The Waiting Room

Sophisticated whisky bar in Durham. Comfortable seating and soft lighting make for a relaxed experience, add expertly crafted cocktails and you have the perfect evening. The staff are very helpful figuring out what you like and what to order.

We had a great time at The Waiting Room, a relatively-new cocktail bar and lounge on the American Tobacco Campus in downtown Durham.The Waiting Room opened in December 2022 as a place for folks to get drinks before or after going to a nearby restaurant, the Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC), the Carolina Theatre, etc. Hence, the business name.That's what we did. We came here after having dinner at Pizzeria Toro (highly recommended, by the way) and beer at Pour Taproom. The Waiting Room was the perfect nightcap for us. I liked the late closing time: 1am on Friday and Saturday nights. We were here well past midnight.It was busy when we arrived on a Saturday around 9:30pm. We got the last open table. The vibe was that of a speakeasy. Low-key, kind of swanky, but not pretentious at all. I liked that it wasn't loud. The staff was welcoming and friendly, and service was excellent -- just one of several things to love about this place.We tried a third of the cocktails on the menu. Here's what we had:Signature* Old Bull ($14) - Conniption gin, Vida mezcal, pineapple juice, lemon juice, agave simple, orange bitters* Wake Up Holland ($14) - Ketel One Oranje, Kahlua, espresso, Baileys salted caramel whip* The Smoking Jacket ($14) - Old Forester 4-year bourbon, dry vermouth, campari, triple sec, lapsang-souchong-infused creme de cacao* Miss Grey's Tea Time ($14) - Lady Grey-infused Conniption gin, lemon juice, agave simpleSeasonal* Shut Up & Drink It ($15) - 21 Seeds Cucumber Jalapeno tequila, lime juice, lemon juice, agave, smoked pineapple juiceAll of the drinks were outstanding. They were definitely among the best we've had in the Triangle. Flavorful, balanced, creative, well-executed, and high-quality.My wife's favorite drink was Wake Up Holland because she loves a good espresso martini and The Waiting Room put their own spin on that classic drink. The spin being the whipped cream and orange zest (the latter wasn't mentioned in the menu description above).My favorite drink was The Smoking Jacket. It was a smoked old fashioned, but not just any smoked old fashioned. It was the best smoked old fashioned I've had to date. The smoker was locally-made by Oak & Iron. There was a strong smokiness in every sip and it was great, not overpowering. The drink itself was among the most complex old fashioneds I've had.Miss Grey's Tea Time is ideal for people who love tea. It's like a hard Arnold Palmer, but fancy and in cocktail form.The Waiting Room also serves beer, wine, champagne, and non-alcoholic beverages including coffee. Additionally, they offer food -- small plates and sweets/desserts. Tables next to us ordered the Deviled Eggs ($12) and Strawberry Shortcake ($12) and they looked good.It's table service here so you don't have to go to the bar to order drinks. Our servers were very attentive.I recommend this place.Note on parking: The Waiting Room doesn't have dedicated parking. One place I suggest parking is the City of Durham's Corcoran Street Garage at 110 E Corcoran St. It costs $2.25 per hour to park in that garage, Monday-Friday, 8am-7pm. Otherwise, it's free. Most hours The Waiting Room is open is outside of the enforced-parking hours.

Why does it take me so incredibly long to visit highly recommended places? I know I will love it! That's exactly what happened with The Waiting Room. My friend asked me weekly to come visit this bar with her for literal months! I finally said yes and made a visit yesterday. The Waiting Room is exactly what I love in a bar! The modern decor mixed with original brick walls, cozy and vibrant chairs, Edison lightbulbs, window seats, and textured wallpaper, give you a sense of comfort and familiarity. The Waiting Room feels exclusive without the membership, though it is 21+. The menu is small but mighty. It's the perfect place to stop by for a quick drink or meet friends and chill for awhile. Whatever journey you're on, The Waiting Room is a great place to visit along the way. I ordered quite a bit: The Spicy Carrot, Wake Up Holland (my favorite), and the Smoking Jacket. I also tried my friend's Pixie Dust drink. We also shared the Deviled Eggs and Thai Chili Blueberry Trifle. Each cocktail was crafted beautifully and all were unique, allowing me taste new flavor combinations I have never tried before. The Deviled Eggs were perfectly made and delectable, I was left craving more. The Thai Chili Blueberry Trifle was outstanding. It had the perfect textures and a wonderful combination of sweet and spicy. The Waiting Room isn't just a speakeasy, it's a flavorful experience.

What a great place for a late night cocktail. Be sure and take a stroll through downtown and stop by. The place seems to clear out at 11 PM. Plenty of room for you and and your friends afterward. Hand mixed cocktails of all sorts. Local and historic and brand new stuff.

So so cute. Awesome place to grab some drinks. We had 3 of the fall pear drinks because they were so good!My only complaint is that the bar stools are too short for the bar, but that's not enough to remove a star. They have plenty of beautiful couches to make up for it. Also, the bathrooms are gorgeous. The bartenders were also so friendly and nice!

We had walked by this place several times on our way to shows at DPAC and even tried going one Sunday but they were closed. We finally walked over from downtown on a Saturday in Durham just about the time the show at DPAC was starting. It was full when we stepped in but practically emptied out when theatergoers left. It slowly filled up again during our visit. We enjoyed a boozy hot chocolate, a In Fashioned cocktail, and some deviled eggs with furikake (delicious!). They also had other light bites but we had eaten dinner earlier. We had a nice chat with our server who I think is actually one of the owners. It was the holiday season so the decor was festive, and the vibe was energetic and fun but not too loud. We'll be back.

This was well worth the wait. Finally a BAR in Durham that is built for people to drink and socialize. This is ideal for coming here for a good time or a long time ....or BOTH. This feels like the place where you want to go and everyone knows your name. The place when you want a drink while you and friends decide what your next move is. The place where customers become friends, friends become family and you're on a first name basis with the staff. Come by and enjoy a casual environment with five star drinks....psst Order the Old Bull... and have a great time that you will talk about and remember in anticipation of coming back. Don't walk run...I promise you will thank me later.PS: The owners a true gems. You will absolutely love them!!! Ready, Set......and Gooooooo see them!!!!

The location is perfect for a before or after show drink at the DPAC. We swung by after the show and we're seated immediately with waters in hand less than 30 seconds after sitting down. The seats are all comfortable and draped in velvet, so beware if velvet isn't your thing, but I loved it. I had the Holland 75 and it was delicious. I can't wait to go back again.

Just had a fantastic time a The Waiting Room owner showed us some fantastic drinks and really opened up about the best drinks for my particular pallet.

Small, quaint and welcoming. All staff are truly friends and the bar accommodates everyone. Service is great and the food is fresh and tasty. Pairs well with your drinks. Definitely a good spot to hangout before or after the DPAC shows. I will definitely return and recommend to others.