The Anchor Bar

I have been here several times (and always had a good time!), but my most recent experience will cause me to never go again.
I looked at my bank statement a week after I went, and saw that the bartender took it upon himself to add a tip to my check. Keep in mind, I had tipped him already with CASH (as I ALWAYS do) and crossed out on the receipt where it said ‘tip’ and put the correct amount it.
Not only is this ballsy (since I had already left a tip) but it’s illegal.

Kelly is the BEST Sunday funday bartender!!! She is fun, cute and always ready to make amazing shots for everyone

Delicious Mojito handcrafted with subatomic lime particles floating around in it. Muddle me anytime in this narrow quaint gathering spot located in the epicenter of Downtown Raleigh.

Solid bar overall. The drinks are delicious and the bartenders are friendly and helpful. Overall ambience is pretty great. Can get a little packed on the weekends, but that’s pretty standard for downtown

This bar is crooked. I ordered drinks from a female bar tender. She double charged me and my party for drinks we never received. We told them we would call the credit card company and then the bouncers came and physically threw us out for contesting their terrible charges. I would never suggest going here unless you want to get stolen from.

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Worst experience I have had at any bar or restaurant establishment. The bartender (bearded guy with tattoos) was rude, unprofessional and confrontational to the point that I was worried for my personal safety. He wasn’t happy with the tip (9%) that I gave him for my drink, so he grabbed it from my hands and chucked it out into a sink. He then proceeded to have the security guy remove me from the bar, which I would have left anyway. A traumatic, scary experience. Please don’t patronize this establishment.
I have tried countless times to contact the owner to no avail, so I will be reporting this to the Better Business Bureau.
**UPDATE: now that I have posted a negative review, someone from the bar is harassing me via text. Insulting me, instead of an apology or response. What a great experience!

I finally had the opportunity to stop by this place, and it didn’t disappoint! I sat at the bar, ordered a cocktail, and the drink came just the way I ordered (that’s actually more difficult than it seems).
There was DJ in the house so it was little loud than I had hoped, however it wasn’t crowded and the bartenders were very attentive and friendly (Nice work on the drinks!). I thoroughly enjoyed my drink and I will definitely be returning to this place very soon.

I came with my friend to the Anchor for a little pre gamming before we head to the nightclubs. We arrived around 10pm and the place was packed.
The bouncer was not the nicest person on Earth (but which bouncer is, right?) and he basically said that my international driver’s license was not a valid ID — be aware international peeps, y’all should bring your passports.
By the name you can imagine you will see a few anchors, ropes and other nautical related décor (I just wish the bartenders could wear a navy outfit, lol). Cocktails and beers are cheap, I had a gin tonic and it was pretty decent. On that night they were also serving complimentary pop corn.
The crowd is a mix between frat boys and cool kids, but you will for sure have a good time.

How on earth have I passed this up without noticing it for the past 8 months since its opening???
I went in alone, sat at the bar, and ordered a $ 4 IPA. Not bad! The space was comfy and kept well to the nautical theme. The bartender was friendly. It wasn’t crowded. I enjoyed my drink.
The craft cocktail menu beckons me and I would be interested in returning to sample some of these concoctions. Unpretentious, nearby, and has a cozy feel.

This place has denied 3 of my friends who are all over 21 because their VALID drivers licenses got turned down by the bouncer. Quit turning down people who are of age because they have an older license that has NOT expired.
I’d write a review about my experience inside, where I plan to spend money with my friends who also plan to spend money, but I haven’t made it that far yet because the bouncer turns down valid drivers licenses every time I try to go.
If I ever decide to give this place another try I’ll make sure everyone I’m with brings their birth certificates and passports.

The Anchor Bar is the cutest cocktail bar! I love the nautical décor — makes for a comfortable and homey vibe. The bar is always very clean as well.
Super friendly and knowledgable bartenders. I had the best French 75 of my life at Anchor Bar!
Great place to stop in for a drink before dinner on date night. It’s also a good place to go at night when you want to relax but don’t need the «rage» attitude of some of the other bars nearby.

This bar is just sort of basic to me. Not a huge fan of the décor. The bartenders are okay. I do like that they pour a healthy glass of wine but it’s just not memorable.

MY NEW FAVE BAR! Love the craft cocktails — each made carefully and lovingly by their talented bartenders. I love the décor, and the space is conducive to great conversations with friends. Even with a live DJ there, the music was GREAT but we could still hear each other. I’m a fan — totally a fan — drinks run about $ 11/​cocktail. Also, be prepared to wait a little while for your drinks — as always, it is what it is when you order craft cocktails — it takes time to put a little love into each drink.

By far my most favorite place in Raleigh! I will start with the staff. Kellie, Layton, Billy and Mel are always providing excellent services. The first time I stepped in this bar I knew I would love it. I have been different times through out the week and have gotten to know each of the bar tenders. I have always had a positive experience, been welcomed and most importantly feel safe.
I’m a beer drinker and there is always a nice rotation of craft cans in house. Recently a tap has been installed and is a nice addition to this bar. Anchor is known for the craft cocktails. I would suggest the mules. To keep you thirsty they serve up the best popcorn in town.
The rustic nautical décor puts your mind at the beach. There are some fun bar games. Plenty of bar seating, two tops and out door seating. The bathroom is clean and well stocked. This is sure to be a favorite.

Due to a local downpour, I strategically ran into the Anchor Bar to avoid getting soaked but what a nice spot! Long and lean, the place forgoes the dark and sultry look for a lighter ambiance. Green-​hued, aquamarine paint, glow lighting, it’s a small spot dominated by a long bar. The bartender greets me and I grab a seat at the end.
Anchor Bar has a smallish list of beers and cocktails which is fine by me, reasonably priced. After I finish my beer, I am outta here but I enjoyed my short visit to the Anchor Bar. While it was different than what I expected, a cool space with a cool bartender is most of the battle when it comes to bars. And the Anchor Bar, certainly has that going for it…

Fayetteville Street has a lot of bars. And I like bars. I really like bars. And I really liked this bar. If you go early enough, you can avoid the younger crowd and actually get one of the very limited seats. I liked my drink, liked the scene, and liked the bartender. Great that there is a feeling of being outside with the comfort of being inside. Looking forward to returning to Raleigh and re-​visiting.

The Anchor Bar is my newest favorite place in downtown Raleigh for a tasty libation or three :) Located on Fayetteville near the Hargett intersection, Anchor Bar has a lovely little outdoor seating area as well as tons of cozy stools to belly up to the bar inside. They even allow your dogs inside! :) Oh & they often have a live DJ on Friday/​Saturday nights to turn things up.
The bartenders are great and the drinks are even better! Kellie, Layton, & Billy really know how to make some damn good drinks. Truthfully, I’m a huge craft beer fanatic and like their beer selection (&they just got a beer on tap!!).$ 4 Raleigh Brewing cans is a sweet deal (though its $ 3cans on Wednesday)! Moscow Mule Monday is also a favorite– $ 6 for any mule of your liking. I also love the Cucumber Ricky– a gin drink with meddled cucumbers, it’s so refreshing for a hot day.
Last but not least, the popcorn… oh, that popcorn. Who knew a little bar could make such a tasty treat? Best of all, it’s free for your enjoyment in little wooden bowls! They sprinkle old bay seasoning on it, and it’s truly something to be reckoned with.
Between the good drinks, decent beer selection, and oh-​so-​tasty popcorn, why wouldn’t you find yourself here one night?!

A fantastic and welcome cocktail addition to downtown. Its definitely nice to have another place to get a quality drink since everything can get pretty packed on weekends.
We had two gin drinks that were fantastic and our waitress was super friendly. The bar is a really cool layout and you even get some awesome popcorn with your drinks.
Will definitely be back.

I stopped in for a drink at The Anchor Bar with a friend last night. They serve craft cocktails, have a great whiskey collection and are destined to take on Foundation’s overflow. I judge all bars on their ability to make a Manhattan and I was very pleased. It was on the dry side, which is fine by me!
They had a lot of interesting cocktails on the menu. I was a little taken aback by the fact that some of their beverages featured George Dickel, but no matter — there are plenty of other quality whiskeys available.

The DTR Fayetteville St. area has a new custom cocktail bar in The Anchor Bar. I had the opportunity to attend their first night/​soft opening and liked what I saw. The staff had the place ready to go and they were eager to serve up some new inventive libations for us that night.
First off, I like that it’s a bit brighter than a lot of the cocktail bars opening up recently. It’s not overly dim like a cave (many of the new bars are) but not blindingly bright, I like the environment. It’s not as long/​deep as many of the bars along that strip but its feel is upbeat and cozy, check out the pics I nabbed. Lots of stools available along the bar and small wall tables are along the left side as you come in. I started out the night along the bar and started sampling some of their crafts. I did snap a pic of their menu they are opening up with that includes their custom cocktails, craft beers, and other beers available. I tended to like the Whiskey Smash (Bulleit bourbon, mint leaves, simple syrup, and lemon) out of all of them as it was light with just the slight hint of mint so it is not overwhelming. I did also try the Ramos Gin Fizz that had a citrus soda type of feel (Bombay Sapphire gin, lemon, lime, simple syrup, cream, egg white, Orange Blossom water, vanilla extract) and the Smog Cutter (Vida Mezcal, ginger simple syrup, lemon, topped with Negra Modelo)…I like both of these creations as well. From my inspection there were happy customers with smiles on their faces, I had a smile on mine. They were near capacity and going strong on opening night!
Bottom line: I like Fayetteville Street’s new cocktail destination. The Anchor Bar offers a brighter, lighter environment with some inventive cocktails to enjoy. Positive attentive staff adds to the experience. I will be stopping by The Anchor Bar more in the future!