Starting in 2012, Alley Twenty Six can take credit for setting the high bar for craft cocktails in downtown Durham and was the first in the state to be a James Beard Award finalist for Outstanding Bar Program. You won't want to miss a drink made with their hand-crafted tonic on a Durham trip; regular events like Whiskey Wednesdays will keep you informed and entertained. It is 21+ only, even for dinner service. Chef Carrie Schleiffer also regularly makes the 'best of' lists, with the foie gras burger a headliner.
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Hours:
Monday: Closed Tuesday: 4:00 PM – 12:00 AM Wednesday: 4:00 PM – 12:00 AM Thursday: 4:00 PM – 12:00 AM Friday: 4:00 PM – 2:00 AM Saturday: 4:00 PM – 2:00 AM Sunday: 4:00 PM – 12:00 AM
Family in town with their dog meant finding restaurants with outdoor spaces, which Alley Twenty Six provides. Amazing staff took care of all four of us (three humans plus dawg), bringing Hank a bowl of water AND treats! Our food was amazing, starting with devilled eggs (slightly too spicy for us wimps but great flavor) and pimiento cheese with fried saltines and pepper jelly. WOW was that latter a success! The cheese was fabulous but the jelly lifted it to another level!
Brother and I both had the spring vegetable risotto with asparagus, green peas, mushrooms, and other veg. Perfect sized portion we completely devoured. SIL liked her chicken wings but said they could do with less sauce.
Very happy to discover this charming place -- will be coming back!
Matthew Schuster
Apr 9, 2025
5
Can't say enough about this place. First, there staff. Seated quickly, very knowledgeable, attentive, helpful, all around fantastic.
The food is amazing. Great selection and delicious. We had a decent gathering here and had a variety of the menu which was a hit with everyone. I added pictures from my pre-drink to the festivities.
Don't pass this place up. It's eclectic, has great vibes, and an awesome staff playing up the great environment!!
Gabi G
Mar 22, 2025
3
I’ve been here before for brunch and loved it, so this is only reflective of my dinner experience.
Firstly, service was superb, everyone that works here super friendly and attentive and the food came out fast, even for a busy Friday night.
My partner and I wanted to try out the dinner menu after really enjoying the brunch menu a while back. Unfortunately, I was left disappointed by the high cost and lackluster flavor. I understand restaurant costs have grown exponentially and this likely contributes to the high costs, but it’s worth noting that the prices expected at nicer dining establishments in Durham (not just Alley 26!) meet or exceed prices in bigger cities like Chicago, yet the food quality is just not there. Our food scene is being wrecked by corporate greed driving up prices for all involved.
What we ordered:
3 appetizers: The deviled eggs, fried cauliflower, and pimento cheese
The review: the fried cauliflower was AMAZING and my favorite dish that night, a dish that can be hard to get right. That being said, the dipping sauce it came with was way too thin and needed to be further emulsified. The flavor was great, but the execution of the sauce made it a messy eating experience. My partner really liked the pimento cheese dish, and the homemade saltines were delightful. Unfortunately, I would not recommend the deviled eggs. They were very salty and almost too salty to eat, and the filling tasted on the older side which might have contributed to why it tasted so salty. I’m sure it was made that day, but deviled egg filling doesn’t love to sit in the fridge very long, in my experience. I think the pickled topping contributed to the salt overload.
Main courses: We got the fish and the steak. My partner got the fish and liked it, but didn’t say much beyond that. The fish was cooked well and came right off the bone. I found the flavor profile a bit confusing, and didn’t love that you had both edible and non edible herbs mixed together on top to dig through (had to pull off some twigs of herbs, which to be fair maybe my partner should’ve done before digging in 🤣). If you want a very stimulating and layered flavor experience, this might be a good pick for you. Presentation was nice. My steak was very disappointing. It was leaning undercooked, and none of the fat was edible, so I couldn’t eat about a third of it. I’m sure they would’ve cooked it a bit more for me if I asked, but I already was not in love with the flavor. Lacking in flavor, I thought about asking for salt but didn’t want to be rude. Generally just wasn’t my favorite cut of meat. Given how much alley 26 likes to make herbally flavored things, I think doing something similar with the steak would be a big improvement. The bone marrow butter was not notable and could’ve had more punch. It’s entirely possible the flavor profile just wasn’t for me, as I prefer bigger flavors in my steak (which alley 26 does well in other dishes). Durham is not exactly a steak town, nor is North Carolina a steak state, so I wouldn’t hold it against them in any way, I just wanted to leave a few thoughts and recommendations for the owners and the great staff.
We got a couple cocktails and a beer as well and those were all good. I was worried I wouldn’t like the spice of the Mexican herbalist, but I didn’t find it spicy at all despite being told it was the more spicy of two options. If you like spicy drinks you might be disappointed, but if you like more fruity drinks you’ll be pleasantly surprised. I’m sure if you want it more spicy they could adjust it for you, or if you wanted it less spicy you could make that request ahead of time.
Overall, admittedly we probably won’t be come back for dinner due to the hefty price (the food was NOT bad but I did not feel it was worth the price we paid), but I would recommend Alley 26 brunch as a solid Durham mainstay. Alley 26 flavor palate for dinner may be geared towards a particular audience that is simply not me, and that’s okay. Definitely try it out and see what you think! They have a lot of passion when it comes to food.
Kelsie
Mar 15, 2025
3
Food was okay, I had the ahi tacos which were very good, the crab cake was not my favorite and some fries. My drink had little to no flavor. Kind of overpriced for what you get, service sitting at the bar was quite slow. Friendly but slow/un attentive. I would likely not return as there were better options in the area.
Kay
Mar 14, 2025
5
Simply put, you should go here. Best bartenders making the best drinks! The bartenders are so passionate about their craft which is rare. The bar is has a chill yet classy vibe. Very crisp, clean but inviting.
Imisha Debuka
Feb 15, 2025
4
Their gnocchi was delicious. Absolutely loved it (though it’s the only veg option in their menu).
In terms of drinks, we went for Paloma and early evening in R1 and Mexican herbalist and casta diva in R2. Paloma and early evening were very refreshing and not too strong. Go for Mexican herbalist if you are looking for a strong drink. For an even stronger drink, try their casta diva. I went for it since I wanted to try out cognac. The drink is bitter but the taste grew upon me! Would definitely revisit to try out the other drinks on the menu or for another round of paloma and early evening
Taylor Orr
Dec 31, 2024
5
Has been my favorite cocktail bar in the triangle for the last 8 years. Excellent and considerate service. Food and drinks options are always being updated. Best Pina colada this side of the equator
Melanie Smith
Nov 11, 2024
5
Excellent place for dinner, grab a seat at the bar if its just a party of 1-2. This places feels like a local gem.
Cocktails are high quality- loved the Below Radar.
The menu will appeal to anyone. We had the deviled eggs, green salad, steak frites, and truffle burger. They also have rheas great homemade sauces for French fry dipping- the housemade ranch was a homerun!
Would absolutely reccoment dinner here is you are staying nearby! It was an easy walk from the 21c hotel and other hotels in downtown.
Alistair Kershaw (Akku)
Nov 1, 2024
5
This place is great. Really enjoyed the food, there was a good wine selection on offer too. They got us a table without reservation but I guess its best to book ahead as they seem like a busy place. A lot of folks seemed to be enjoying the cocktails. It has a nice bustle, and a younger clientele, feels quite a fashionable eatery.
Saqenda Dallas
Oct 27, 2024
5
The food is very good! High-quality fresh ingredients, well-prepared and thought-out meals. We ordered an IPA and Spiced Peach Mule for drinks, and I highly recommend the Mule. To start, we ordered the Butter + Salt and Fries. Very tasty! For main courses we ordered the Alley Burger and Fried Shrimp Roll, both with the side salad instead of fries, which was the best side salad I've had with a meal. Raves reviews for both! The service was fantastic. We were asked of any dietary restrictions before ordering, and accommodations were of ease. The atmosphere was intimate, trendy, with low lighting, and indoor/outdoor options for seating. Street parking is free on Sat/Sun and metered during the weekdays during the day. There's a garage nearby as well. Alley Twenty Six is a place I desire to visit anytime I travel Durham.
Jay Horowitz
Oct 7, 2024
5
Fun spot to grab a bite before a show at DPAC. Cocktails were very good as was the pimento cheese appetizer. We heard a lot about their burgers and we all decided on them for our entree. Mine was excellent; moist and delicious. Good all around burger. We finished the meal with the chocolate pot de creme which was also very good - thick, rich and creamy. Almost like an unbaked brownie.
Michelle Rodenberg
Sep 28, 2024
5
Came here for drinks and appetizers before an evening out and loved it. The bar staff is so much fun and engaging. THEN we came back for dinner and found one of the best severs ever. Corey was the magic that made our night something to remember. She had so much knowledge of the menu that she was able to take the time to walk us through all of the preparation that the chefs made. She inspired us to try dishes and drinks out of our normal choices and we were grateful for her recommendations. Corey made our night out one of the best, and we will come back to sit at her table again in the future.
Cindy Harrell
Sep 10, 2024
5
This restaurant has such a cozy and charming atmosphere! We didn’t have dinner here but we enjoyed wonderful craft cocktail with excellent service. We can’t wait to come back for dinner. Thank you!
Candice Overcash
Aug 1, 2024
5
This is a classic Durham restaurant! The vibe is emasculate and the food was perfect.
I made a reservation via the Google maps option, and noted my hearing issue in the reservation details. The restaurant was so nice to accommodate and wasn’t weird about it.
We ordered: (2 people)
- Cocktails
(MANGO PALOMA, TRAVEL AGENT, and an on special mule).
- COCONUT SHRIMP.
- SPAM FRIED RICE.
- THE SPAM BURGER.
Total was $104 (including a 25% tip)
Noelia Bautista
Jun 1, 2024
5
I went on Sunday and the hostess was rude and annoying so we didn’t eat here.
UPDATE: We made a reservation a Tuesday night and first we got drinks; Gracie on holiday and Chipiona both were very well served and great! Appetizers: the cheese board; unfortunately they didn’t have the three cheeses and the beef tartare.
Then we had the spring vegetable risotto which was my favorite and the Alley burger. The service was awesome our waitresses Rob and Shay were professional and kind. The place is really cute and they have tables outside. It was an enjoyable dinner.
