Sunset Grille

Sunset grille has been renamed and revamped to 5850 bistro. Tonight we had a great meal with a fun martini. Live jazz played in the background while we ate. This is our new favorite place in our neighborhood ;-)

Service is a little weird. We went on a Friday night. It was not that busy — plenty of empty tables. So our slow service was a little mystifying. My sunrise burger was ok, but husband got a coconut chicken sandwich that was not all that good. Cocktail drinks are over priced — stick to beer/​drink specials of you don’t want to spend a fortune on just a few drinks. The bartenders are liberal with the alcohol.

I rarely feel the need to review restaurants that don’t «wow» me, but Sunset Grille is an exception.
I left the establishment almost 2 hours ago and am sick already. I ordered a chicken salad sandwich and a diet coke. The diet coke was salty and despite me alerting our server to the possibility that something was wrong with the soft-​drink connection, he insisted that it was fine. Before picking at my mangled sandwich, I had to cut away a part of mold that was on the under-​side of the soggy wheat bread. I can probably count on two hands the chunks of chicken that made up the entire «chicken salad» on the sandwich. It was tasteless, dry and terrible. Essentially, It was a soggy, moldy sandwich with half-​ass chicken salad and mushy tomato slices. The french fries were okay, but covered with some seasoned salt that was excessive.
Our waiter seemed to be under the influence of some substance. His unprofessional demeanor and lingering, calling my dining companion and me «girlies» was creepy. This establishment left a bad taste in my mouth (literally) and I’ve had to cancel my afternoon plans due to what feels like on-​coming food poisoning.
Steer clear, diners. Literally, ANY restaurant is better than this one.

I hope that Sunset Grille improves or that last night was just an off night. If it was an off night then things were waaaaay off. It’s the details really, as a rule I don’t drink cocktails or alcohol so I ordered un-​sweet tea which wasn’t; no problem it was quickly changed with an apology and a comment about color coded containers but then immediately a co-​diner at my table experienced the same problem with the same apology. Seems to me that some training is in order there.
Sadly, things only got worse. Drinks were slow to just wrong and the somewhat simple bar food that we ordered took an hour to get to our table and it was NOT what was detailed on the menu.
I ordered the lemon chicken, over rice with vegetables. The chicken was described as two boneless breasts. What came was the sliced chicken that’s used on salads and fajitas, lightly grilled and then smothered in some sort of creamy soup like substance and dumped on some sticky white rice. The steamed vegetables were good. The lemon chicken was not.
For a party of eight seven of us were served our entrees but number eight sitting next to me had to wait an additional ten minutes for his steak which was «coming right off the grill.» Clearly it wasn’t and his medium steak was red. His order had been forgotten.
The staff waiting on us was anxious and over compensating with apologies.

We just can’t seem to get enough of their wings! In the last couple years we’ve been trying wings all around the Triangle and I have to say, these are the ones we enjoy the most!
They are the biggest we’ve found, the crispiest (w/​out putting any flour coating on them) while staying juicy inside. They have a handful of sauce choices, including traditional buffalo in various levels of heat, but we prefer the terriyaki. Amazing! Lots of other great choices on the menu too.
During football season they have ongoing raffle drawings during the game to spin a wheel to win food and stuff. Makes it a lot of fun and Michael is the best Master of Ceremonies! The entire staff is great.
We’d come here several times a week if we could — the food is that good!
PS-Don’t know why it’s showing two $$‘s as it should be just one $. Prices are low in comparison to competitor’s. Also, smoking is only outside on the patio.

I was here last night with a large group of people; it was my first time at Sunset Grille (first time for many of us, actually). I didn’t order an entrée, so I can’t comment on that (others at the table seemed to enjoy their burgers and fries just fine), but I did order the side of fresh fruit. It was a good portion for $ 5, but somehow the fruit all managed to have a meat after-​taste. I really don’t know how else to describe it, but it was distinctly unpleasant. There was also a dead mosquito on one of the orange pieces. Ick.
Our waitress was apathetic at best. Admittedly, it was a big group — and I have no idea how busy it was inside, since we were on the patio — but she would disappear for long periods at a time, and it was almost impossible to get her attention when she did come outside. She would take the orders from one end of the (long) table, and then not go to the other end of the table until someone managed to flag her down fifteen minutes later, and she would respond, «Oh, y’all ready.?»
The menu looked pretty good, and it was nice to sit someplace that could accommodate a large group (12 people? 15?), but the small amount of food I had was uninspiring, my friends said their drinks were weak and rather flavorless, and the waitress was largely absent, monotone, and seemed annoyed that we were there. I have worked in a restaurant before, and, speaking from the other side, this was NOT an obnoxious group. We were not loud, the orders were not complicated, and we were friendly and flexible, and content to socialize during the long gaps between service. Still — I will not be inclined to go back here anytime soon.

My favorite Southwest Durham watering hole, the chicken wraps are pretty good too :)

Went on a Friday afternoon and there was a limited crowd which didn’t explain the lack of service. It took several minutes to receive a drink from our server, although to her defense, she was the only server on a friday afternoon. Poor planning by the business. The food was decent but the drinks seemed watered down, which was a bummer. Probably won’t visit this place again.

While the drinks are reasonably priced, it’s loud, noisy and generally the crowd seems a little rude. Wasn’t all that clean, but it was very late in the evening so maybe that’s not the norm. I may try it again, but my first impression wasn’t favorable.

I’ll be honest with you. This place used to be a dump. Smoky, dirty, and the food was terrible. In the past year or two, it has slowly evolved into a fantastic little joint. Great place to catch a ball game, play pool or get a round of Golden Tee in. The cleanliness is night and day from what it used to be — which was filthy — and the food is actually some of the best bar food in the SW Durham area. If you want a cool little happy hour spot, or a place to catch a ballgame, this is it.

Big changes have taken place in the last year or two at Sunset. Tons of renovations have opened up the previously cramped space and the restrooms are now something special indeed. Since the new owner took over, too, we get tons of coupons for being members of their loyalty program: $ 5 off entrees about once a month; score! They keep track of our birthdays and our anniversary, and also send out emails about special events.
The outdoor seating at Sunset is pretty ridic, particularly in warmer weather. Of course it can get a little smoky out there, since folks can’t smoke inside, but since the patio wraps around three sides of the building, odds are nonsmokers can find a non-​smoky section. There are all manner of squishy lawn chairs and couches and pillows, plus plenty of coffee tables, and several high tops.
The beer selection, in my opinion, isn’t stellar, but they do always keep a rotating IPA on tap (hallelujah!). Recent IPAs include Redhook’s Long Hammer and Lagunitas. They’ve also got some New Belgium options here, but I’d really like to see them offer some local microbrews (Big Boss, Fullsteam, Triangle, etc.). Prices are reasonable and there are always tons of specials. I’ve honestly never had a mixed drink here, but my liquor-​drinking buds have good things to say.
I recommended the nachos (sans chili) in my last review, and now I’ll rec the veggie pizza wrap. Not too shabby for sports bar food. Still, their salads are not good at all. Iceberg lettuce, boring veggies, bacon on everything, etc. I’d love to see them make some kickass salads here! Nothing too terribly fancy, even: I’m talking maybe just some spinach /​red onion /​dried cranberries /​Gorgonzola /​balsamic vinaigrette. This could be a sports bar thing; why not?
I like coming here most on Sundays for some football! But I’ve also been here Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Monday. They often have stellar raffles and giveaways during Monday Night Football, so rad! The bartenders and servers are super; always in a good mood, funny (smartasses, really, haha!), and just the right amount of attentive.
They seem to be a little low fi at the mo, which is to say that their website appears to be down (I swear they used to have one …), but here are their current specials (from
), and I think you’ll agree with me that they’re pretty damn special:
Mondays: All Domestic Drafts $ 2.25 | Coors Light bottles $ 2 | Royal Flush $ 3.75
Tuesdays: seasonal draft $ 2.25 | Rumplemitz Shots $ 3.75 | Miller Lite bottles $ 2
Wednesdays: Michelob Ultra draft $ 2.25 | raspberry Kamikaze shooters $ 3.75 | Bud Light bottles $ 2
Thursdays: Sunset Wheat draft $ 2.25 | Miller Lite bottles $ 2 | Jäger shots $ 3.75
awesome:
Fridays: Goldschlager shots $ 3.75 | Bud Light bottles $ 2
Special Type: Beer
Saturdays: Coors Light bottles $ 2 | Kamikaze shooters $ 3.75 | Yuengling draft $ 2.25
Sundays: Soco & lime cocktail $ 3.75 | Bud bottles $ 2 | Bloody Mary $ 3.75

I held an alumni event here, based on a recommendation from the previous leader of our group. I hadn’t been there before, and walked in to see a nice looking full bar, mod tables and chairs, and a penny tile long bench in the middle of the room, perfect for watching TV. There are video games, pool tables, and a side room with extra seating.
The service was great. Most of the positive piece of this rating actually reflects the service — the waiter was very attentive to the table, learned some of our names, and ran refills constantly. We all had a great time. The TV network had some issues mid-​game, and it was promptly fixed by the guys with the remote at one point.
The food itself was pretty good, and we had an assortment — nachos, spicy chicken, the Sunset burger, and wraps all made appearances at the table. Everything looked pretty great, and I enjoyed the Spicy Chicken (extra hot) with a side of vegetables. It wasn’t too spicy, and the roll had extra butter on it — yum! I did taste test a french fry, and thought they were good — salted and seasoned well.
All in all, we had a good experience — it didn’t hurt that it was a Wednesday night, and rather slow that day.

What an amazing time. My first Sunday football outing this season and did I go to the right place. Right from the start they have all the games playing on just the right 40 – 50 inch screens and they have them labeled as to what game is playing. Got a seat at the bar and was immediately greeted by Lisa the Bartender. Let me tell you, I have been to many sports bars from vegas to South Beach, and LISA was by a huge margin the most personable and make you feel right at home Bartender I have ever had the honor to have met. Great beer specials and the food was awesome. The wings can be ordered by 10 or 20 and you can have them cooked many different styles. I Also ordered the Chips and they came with a Jalapenos sauce that was amazing. Dan the owner was present and had trivia questions and raffle tickets for food and beer prizes going on at every step of the game. He was there to support his staff and take care of his customers and he did an amazing job.
I will be coming here every weekend and look forward in seeing Dan and Lisa as well as getting to know the rest of the crew that makes Sunset Grill like no other place in the Triangle that I have visited.

I really don’t like to give a bad review because in the long run, it can hurt the staff financially, but I’m hoping that maybe this review will bring a once great bar back.
I have been going to Sunset since Marty owned it. Regulars will know it from back then. I don’t go out as much as I used to or even would like to anymore… times are tough. When I do go out, I go to places that I know and love or places that are new and interesting.
Last night, some friends and I was hungry and hadn’t been to Sunset in a while. When we pulled up, it seemed busy but now slammed. The outside tables weren’t full so we walked in to ask about a table. I wasn’t expecting a hostess and when we saw how empty the inside area was, we thought we would get better service so we sat at one of the many empty tables. It took just over 5 minuets before anyone came to our table. When the waiter, a tall skinny white guy with a very poor attitude, finally got to our table, he greeted us with a «you guys know what you want to drink yet?». About 5 minuets later, our drinks arrived.
At this point, we had been there for about 10 – 15 minuets and had received no menus yet. We also witnessed a young waitress bring silverware and menus to a table that arrived after us. When our waiter finally returned, he just sat 1 menu in the middle of the table with no communication. None of us wanted to be the one to grab that one menu and as we sat there, we all began to lose our appetite for this newly revamped Sunset. We have now been there for 30 minuets, drinks finished and the waiter finally comes back by. «You guys ready to order», he asked. I’m thinking, are you serious? We asked him if we needed to move to the bar because it seemed that maybe he had a few too many tables. He responded with a «You guys do whatever you want.» At this point, we are all hungry and just wanted to leave. We asked for the check and left.
I was very disappointed in this experience because I really used to love this place. Maybe if enough people stop going and realize that there are a ton of great places to eat in this ares, the owners of Sunset will make some changes for the better. A polite service staff would be a good start.
BTW, I and my friends that were with me are all in the food service industry and DO know what we are talking about.

My two stars shouldn’t indicate that this place is anything «bad.» I’ve just found that all-​around, I’ve experienced much better. Sunset Grille doesn’t really seem to know what it’s trying to be and I found the mixture of people somewhat odd and all eying each other with suspicion; it doesn’t really welcome you into the place. The food is mediocre: the nachos were somewhat soggy and the mozzarella sticks were overly greasy, but I will say that the teriyaki wings were pretty delicious. The service was decent, the atmosphere was nothing special, and the beer selection limited. All in all, spend your money elsewhere.

We waited outside for 30 minutes and hadn’t even placed an order. This is the second time in a row this has happened and we won’t be going back for a third. So dissapointed…

It’s a bar. It will never be my favorite but I have no specific reason not to like it. I sat in the dining room area and the waitstaff was prompt and friendly. They had miller light or something on special for 2.50. Their long island iced teas were kinda pricey at ten each, especially because they come in small glasses. I got the sampler platter to munch on which included various fried meat and vegetables. Also a bit pricey.
The booths are comfortable and there was no shortage of seating. They have a lot of television screens so this might be a good place to watch a mainstream sporting competition. Parking is ample and the location is convenient

Sunset has been remodeled, so if you went there before mid-​2010 and didn’t like it, you might want to try it again.
The food is decent bar food, and you can usually find your game if you want to watch sports. The staff has always seemed friendly and they’ll change channels for you if there’s something you want to watch.
One thing to watch out for is the clientele. I have been verbally harassed to the point of needing to leave multiple times. A lot of people who work in/​near Southpoint go to Sunset after work, and get a little too rowdy. The bartenders don’t seem to do anything about it; they’ll just let their completely drunk customers pester normal people til they scare them away. Therefore, I don’t go there after about 9 PM anymore or on days with major football games.
That said, early in the evening or during the afternoon, Sunset is a good place to go — the outdoor seating is particularly nice!

I owe Sunset an update. In the last year, thanks to no-​smoking laws and a revamped menu, I’ve found my time there to be much more enjoyable. Swiss and mushroom burger was pretty good; as was the jalapeño burger with pepperjack cheese. You can order them to your degree-​of-​done specifications. According to the menu, they serve Durham’s «voted best» chili. My companion decided to test the accolade and found it up to par.
Beer list isn’t the best given so many great watering holes in these parts. But for a sports bar, the menu really isn’t bad. The rowdiness on the other hand is. Maybe it’s because of the layout (or maybe it’s just the type of crowd Sunset draws), but there are always excited fanboys here! Which makes it great for folks looking for an enthusiastic place to catch a game.

Sunset Grille isn’t a sports bar, necessarily, but it’s kind the of place where you can go to have a sandwich and a beer and watch a game, without being surrounded by wall-​to-​wall TV screens and noise. They have that variety of dishes you find at a casual neighborhood watering hole, from wraps and burgers to pastas and steak. Try to get french fries with your order — they have good ones. I prefer «grazing» on nachos and mozzarella sticks to eating a real meal. If you follow my example, you’ll enjoy your meal, but your cholesterol levels may not thank me.
They have nightly drink specials, and trivia, I believe, a few nights a week, although I haven’t attended. There are some outside tables if you’re not watching a game, and it’s a good place to bring a group of people for a fun, low-​key night out.