Interior View of The Crunkleton

The Crunkleton

Bar Cocktail bar Wine bar

Private club mixing handcrafted drinks from a selection of 500+ spirits which line the wall. People often mention drinks, drink, great, bartender, atmosphere, good, bourbon, night, cocktails, Chapel,


Address

320 W Franklin St, Chapel Hill, NC 27516, United States

Website

thecrunkleton.com

Contact

+1 919-969-1125

Rating on Google Maps

4.60
(574481 reviews)


Working Hours

  • Friday: 4 pm to 2 am
  • Saturday: 4 pm to 2 am
  • Sunday: 4 pm to 2 am
  • Monday: 4 pm to 2 am
  • Tuesday: (New Year's Eve), 4 pm to 2 am, Hours might differ
  • Wednesday: (New Year's Day), 4 pm to 2 am, Hours might differ
  • Thursday: 4 pm to 2 am

Visitor Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: drinks (17) drink (12) great (10) bartender (10) atmosphere (9) good (8) bourbon (8) night (7) cocktails (7) Chapel (7)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 5/5 Wayan V. 3 years ago on Google
    What a wonderful before or after-dinner drink spot to round out your night! Perfect cocktails designed for you specific taste by the best bartenders in Chapel Hill. This is a club, so you need to be a member to enjoy - an barrier you should pass with a smile.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Oceanthebartender 1 year ago on Google • 105 reviews
    Excellent cocktail bar and den of spirits here in Chaple Hil NC. The Bartenders are knowledgeable about craft and spirits. The experience was solid. I had the Painkiller and it's good. Very solid and tasty I wouldn't say it's the best Painkiller I've ever had but I also couldn't say it wasn't the best. I'm not sure I'm sold on the vibe here. I think the music was very lacking in connectivity as far as inspiring a clientele. However I dig the jazzy vibe so it's hard to doc for that. I think ky experience is marred by how much this particular concept was hyped up to me. But all in all I def would say this is a whiskey lovers paradise and if your in town for a night or two this place 100% has your bourbon/whiskey/cocktail fix and that's an Ocean guarantee 💯. Come hang out have a drink and see what the vibes are. Hopefully I'm not blowing smoke up your crunkleton.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Ted G. 3 years ago on Google
    My first impression when walking into The Crunkleton was an upscale version of cheers! The large and cozy leather furniture, surrounded by the wood decor, lit up by the warm ambient lighting really creates a comfortable environment. I was absolutely amazed with the size of the bar within this comfortable venue and have no doubt they could make any drink the imagination could cook up. Much to my delight the large front windows open up to the street, giving you the option to sit outside without having to sit out on the sidewalk. The drinks are excellent, and the company is definitely casual and more upscale. Cheers!
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Artëm �. 3 years ago on Google
    Very interesting concept: this is a cocktail bar, just drinks, no food. Absolutely awesome selection of spirits, all drinks are made with a great attention to details, and the service is quick, efficient and with a twist of southern hospitality. The decor and ambience is also very unique, some cross between a club and a tavern... Highly recommended!
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Christopher M. 2 years ago on Google
    Beautiful bar with a fully stocked bar and bartender who knows his craft. Highly recommended
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Isabella G. 2 months ago on Google • 612 reviews New
    Actually really enjoyed. Got the elderflower signature drink. Ginger forward but super nice. The cucumber was really good. It’s a bit pricy, $15 per drink. But ambient atmosphere for a conversation. Empty on a Sunday at 7p but got populated by 8:30. Sophisticated vibe. Great lighting.

  • 5/5 Tanya Wells (. 2 years ago on Google • 158 reviews
    Great ambiance. Drinks are superb 👌. Nice mature environment. Music is just the right volume too. Service was well educated on the spirits available.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 I. M. 1 year ago on Google • 10 reviews
    Amazing drinks as always, this is my 4th time coming back! The environment is very lively but also pretty cozy, think a little log cabin in the mountains. The drinks can be a little pricey but the service & the quality of the drinks is totally worth it, and definitely what I would expect from this caliber of establishment. Love the house espresso martini, always a must for me! The elderflower sour is great for a refreshing drink, and their paloma is also amazing. They're also willing to create drinks with similar tastes & notes if they don't have the exact ingredients to make your usual favorite.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Lucy R. 3 years ago on Google
    I love it here! If you’re looking for an elite cocktail in a chilled and sophisticated environment, this is the place to be. The bartender was so helpful and kind too. The system went down when we were paying and they comped one of our drinks rather than making us wait around.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 John S. 2 years ago on Google
    An experience my wife and I wanted/needed. Drinks were exceptional. I enjoy having a cocktail where the liquor is complimented not hidden with mixers!! Bartender was A1. This will be our future spot in Chapel Hill! shoutout to Erik for the conversation and allowing me to taste the 11yr Fitzgerald
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 磯野直丈 3 years ago on Google
    I didn't think I would have to drink a drink that cost $200 a glass. If the drink is that expensive, tell me the price first. Usually, the bartender will tell you before you drink it, "This drink is very expensive, is that okay? ". But the bartender here didn't tell me at all. The atmosphere is good, but the quality of the bartenders is too low. I am very disappointed. Please be careful with this restaurant.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Meghan R. 2 years ago on Google
    Try the elderflower sour! Very classy place to visit after dinner. Amazing specialty cocktails.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Philip S. 2 years ago on Google
    This is a must go to bar! The staff are great and know their stuff. Be brave and ask them for something off menu and let them craft you a delicious refreshment to take the edge off the summer heat. Very friendly and knowledgeable as well. Will definitely go back to when next in Chapel Hill
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Scott L. 2 years ago on Google
    Been coming to Crunkleton for years, even been to the one in Charlotte (which was a very necessary addition with excellent food). Spent countless dollars here willingly. No doubt the service and atmosphere are impeccable here. Cocktails are great and their barrel aged program is a true strength. Cocktails are well-executed, fairly priced, and rotate frequently. The vibe is fantastic. What KILLS me is the seemingly unchecked escalation of bourbon prices. For example there is no bourbon list with prices as the selection is rotating (understandable), but as a frame of reference I asked for prices on EH Taylor BP and Weller 12 which were quoted at $98 and $112, respectively. Granted these are rare and limited bottles, but a quick Google search reveals that’s more than 2x secondary price (and 12-14x retail). Now if they had to pay secondary price I would totally get it but they get first allocation from the ABC board as they are a bar/business. It feels a bit predatory honestly. If they priced these at the 4-5x retail mark they could still make a killing and make this more attainable for those who are enthusiasts and curious about seldom available products. Obviously for vintage or discontinued products this rationale does not apply.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Johan D. 2 years ago on Google • 224 reviews
    One of the best cocktail bars in the country. Came here because they are whiskey advocate’s top 40 bourbon bar list and they didn’t disappoint! Very knowledgeable mixologists!

  • 5/5 Muga K. 2 months ago on Google • 141 reviews New
    There can be only one

  • 5/5 Rob M. 6 months ago on Google • 133 reviews
    One of the nicest spots in Chapel Hill. It's clean, classy, and elevated. The cocktails are wonderful, and their whisky selection is large! A lot of good, hard to find, rare, and allocated whiskies. Prices can be a little high, but the atmosphere makes it worth it. The pool table in the back is great! The decor is great! The service is top class! And the drinks are unique and good! Parking can be difficult to find. Not kid friendly. Very Handicap accessible.

  • 4/5 K T. 3 months ago on Google • 72 reviews New
    This is an old man bar. I mean that affectionately The bar is heavy and high and made me feel like a midget. The older man next to me wanted to mansplain touch my leg, and tell tall tales. He paid for our drinks. The bar tender was fine but didn't appear to be waiting on me but rather on him. Lots of deer on the wall. Lots of brown liquor and it is so loud with the noise males make when in peacock strut. So the man kept telling the bar tender to make me something sweet to which I had to protest several times and sternly advise him to stop trying to order for me. Let me look at the damn menu and find something that speaks to me. I ordered "The Bitter Southerner" It was perfect.

  • 5/5 Humna F. 2 months ago on Google • 35 reviews New
    The bartender Jared provided great service

  • 5/5 Olivian I. 8 months ago on Google • 31 reviews
    Excellent experience all around. Both cocktails were delicious (and large!). My boyfriend got the Painkiller and I got the Bourbon Bramble. The atmosphere is unbeatable, it feels like a cozy hole in the wall tavern. Long live The Crunkleton!

  • 1/5 R H. 3 months ago on Google • 14 reviews New
    Bruh what $25 for two drinks... $25 for two drinks.... $25 for a guiness and a rail-mixed margarita Before the tip F me for not checking the prices before ordering but I would never guess I'd be spending more for drinks than you could in the most expensive cities in the world Staff nice but this place is for the ultra wealthy or something

  • 5/5 Stefani R. 1 month ago on Google • 14 reviews New
    I fashion myself something of a gin connoisseur and I found the negroni and gin rickey made by Louis possibly my best ever

  • 1/5 Michael C. 1 month ago on Google • 8 reviews New
    Absolutely stay away. The bartender was ridiculous. We sat at the bar and for 15 minutes we waited to get a drink while watching groups of women walk in and get drinks after having been there for 2 seconds. Clearly they only cater to a certain clientele. Just sad and ridiculous

  • 5/5 Aaron S. 2 years ago on Google
    An incredibly accommodating and excellent cocktail bar 👌🏾 if it exists: they have at least two bottles of it. Even if it doesn't exist, they have at least two bottles of it. The dusty cactus is worth a try if you can manage a little spice 🔥

  • 5/5 Jim D. 3 months ago on Google • 6 reviews New
    Best Manhattan I’ve ever seen poured. Bartender was spending time w/ a dude who wanted to get deep into exploring new bourbons; he knew them all. Atmosphere is glorious; relaxed but nice (picture nicely worn leather easy chair). The open window onto Franklin St. w/ chairs/couches set up appropriately makes for great people watching. And the playlist, so good. Why aren’t you here right now?

  • 5/5 Jeff W. 2 years ago on Google
    Always a great experience at the Crunkleton. Great staff, atmosphere and the handcrafted cocktails are arguably the best in the Triangle. If you’ve never been you should go and if you have you should go again. Highly recommend

  • 5/5 Kirsten S. 1 year ago on Google
    Great cocktails, excellent whiskey collection. Jack made us feel right at home— I can’t wait to come back.

  • 5/5 John V. 1 year ago on Google
    Excellent cocktails. Very packed the night before a big game

  • 5/5 Zan R. 2 years ago on Google
    What a pleasant surprise. Friendly and comfortable atmosphere. The drinks were well crafted and unique. Terrific customer service, they actually acted like they appreciated your business, hard to find these days. Would highly recommend.

  • 3/5 Rusty D. 1 year ago on Google
    Traveling for work and stopped in here 2 nights in a row. I have mixed feelings on the experience so here is the good and the bad. The Good: Beautiful setup. I love the wall of bourbon and just getting to see the vast array of bottles was worth the trip. The atmosphere is 5 out of 5 stars. The Bad: Due to the large constantly changing volume of bottles there is not a price list and you must ask the bartender for pricing. I learned that the first night and when I brought some extra friends the second night I specifically asked for a recommendation on a good $30 pour for the three of us. The bartender directed me to an excellent bourbon, but when I went to cash out the bill was $162 for the 3 pours. I pointed out that I was expecting it to be $100ish and the bartender was very frustrated. He then gave me a new bill for $30 total. I was not asking for anything free. He said I drank a valuable bourbon and now the difference was going to have to come out of his pocket. I proceeded to tip $60 to make it more in line with original request but he was still very upset with me.

  • 5/5 david d. 1 year ago on Google
    Love this place. Great atmosphere and people. My daughter lives close by and when we visit we go there every night after dinner. Probably the best bartenders out there. I thought I was a great bartender in my day but these guys and girls rock. Great selection of bourbon and other quality liquors.

  • 4/5 Rachael M. 1 year ago on Google
    I went to The Crunkleton on a Saturday night while visiting Chapel Hill. I greatly enjoyed the French 75 and several in my party indulged in the espresso martini. The drinks are a bit pricy comparatively to other downtown Chapel Hill bars but they are of a higher quality and in my opinion worth it. This location does not serve food.

  • 5/5 Cynthia H. 2 years ago on Google
    Beautiful bar, wonderful staff. First visit last week, felt right at home. Love that Elderflower Sour!🤗🍸

  • 4/5 Michael S. 2 years ago on Google
    A far fancier bar than I expected to find in Chapel Hill! Great drinks, reasonable volume so you can hear your conversation, and a beautiful bar.


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