The 7 Best Bars in Cary NC

Cary, North Carolina, is one of the fastest-growing cities in the South. Cary is home to incredible restaurants, world-class shopping, booming business, entertainment, culture, and art, and a wide range of leisure and outdoor activities.

When you visit Cary, you should attend one of its cultural and major festivals, including Spring Daze Arts, Crafts Festival, Lazy Daze Arts, Hum Sub Diwali in October, and the famous Kwanzaa Festival in December.

Also, Cary is famous for one of the best local pizzas and crafted beer. From bbq restaurants and classic North Carolina dishes to one of the best bars to enjoy drinks with friends, there is something in Cary for everyone.

There are plenty of hotels with different price ranges you can choose for your stay, and you will surely find something affordable.

While visiting Cary and its amusements, at the end of the day, everyone wants a little fun and drinks with friends. So, here we will guide you to the best seven bars in Cary NC, that will make your stay even more pleasant.

Visiting other destinations in Cary, NC? Check out our other delicious guides:

Sophie’s Grill & Bar

2734 NC-55, Cary, NC 2 7519, United States // +19197573317

Sophie’s Grill and Bar is the place you want to bring your family and friends for a beautiful meal, surrounded by a delightful atmosphere.

Nearly ten years ago, the owner, Desi Nikolova, left her homeland of Bulgaria and moved to the United States with high hopes and, with hard work, opened one of the best bars in Cary, NC.

In this comfy Cary bar and restaurant, you can find creative drinks, and interesting traditional Bulgarian and other eastern Europe dishes. The staff is always friendly, the ambiance is welcoming, and it feels like home.

Their menu is very extensive, but I will try to single out for you some of my favorite dishes and drinks.

One of my favorite dishes that reminds me of my grandma’s cuisine is Sophie’s Stuffed Cabbage Rolls, with a combination of ground beef, pork, and rice, all rolled together in steamed fresh cabbage leaves and baked.

On the other side, for the drinks, I recommend the Ukrainian Sangria, with Ukrainian red sweet Muscat wine mixed with fresh seasonal fruits and soda water. Finally, if you are in the mood for beer, try some of Sophie’s Bulgarian lager beer selection, and, believe me, you will not be disappointed!

Bars in Cary NC: Sophie's Grill & Bar Sangria

Brewster’s Pub

1885 Lake Pine Dr., Cary, NC 27511, United States // +19196501270

Brewster’s is a premier Cary sports bar and grill, dispensing burgers, wings, and sandwiches until late, with pool, darts, and theme nights. They serve food and drink from 11 am to 2 am, seven days a week, and I can honestly say they offer the best fun ever!

They have one of the fanciest Jar Cocktails, and from them, I would single out the Raspberry Hot Chocolate. This is the way grown-ups drink their hot chocolate! Smirnoff Raspberry Vodka, Swiss Miss hot chocolate, topped with whipped cream; it is absolutely delicious!

My other two favorites are Cinnamon Maple Sour, with Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey, Cinnamon simple syrup, lemon juice, sour mix, and maple syrup, garnished with lemon. Second is the Cranberry Margarita, with their House Gold Tequila, Gran Gala Orange Liquor, sour mix, Cranberry Juice, and lime juice with a salted rim.

All of their cocktails are pretty strong, so be careful with your refill. The alcohol is high quality, and the ingredients are paired perfectly.

There are also plenty of food options on the menu to match your drinks. Try soft, bite-size pretzels deep fried to a golden crisp, covered in salt and served with dipping sauce, Or how about hand-breaded and fried dill pickle chips, served with a side of ranch. Standard bar fare such as mozzarella sticks, burgers, and much more, are available at this Cary bar.

SideBar

215 E. Chatham St., Cary, NC 27511, United States // +19195883063

This is the fanciest upscale bar in Cary with a stylish, vintage vibe offering classic and unique house-specialty cocktails. Every time I visit with my friends, we have the best fun ever.

The ambiance is perfect, the music is loud enough but not too loud, and the staff is always polite. The SideBar is the best bar in downtown Cary for professionally curated cocktails. From the simple dirty martini to more advanced creations, they have top-shelf and fresh ingredients and a full selection of libations.

One of their must-try cocktails is the Painkiller, with rum, coconut, orange, pineapple, and nutmeg, and it is really pain relieving. The other favorite is the Next Levek Blend, with apple brandy, Byrrh, mezcal, grand Marnier, Averna, and orange bitters, and I can say it is seriously on another level!

Crosstown Pub & Grill

154 E. Chatham St., Cary, NC 27511, United States // +19196502853

Welcome to this airy bar with big windows and a sidewalk patio, plus an American menu, whiskeys, darts, and much more. The menu has a wide variety of choices for all, including vegans. And the beer selection is incredible, plus it changes regularly.

If you like Hazy IPAs, I highly recommend Triadulation by Wise Man Brewing in Winston-Salem. The service was very attentive. Our server was knowledgeable and funny, and she brought a second round of drinks in record time!

I had the Fish and Chips with my beer, and they were just as good as the menu said. Also, I enjoyed their Sheila’s Shepherd’s Pie, which is an old Mahoney family recipe with seasoned beef, corn, carrots, and peas topped with a layer of mashed potatoes and garnished with scallions. The taste was really fascinating.

Crosstown Pub & Grill Fish and Chips and Beer

Their beverage list is also extensive, and besides beer, you can find a lot of classic cocktails and other liquors. No matter your taste in libations, make sure to visit this Cary pub.

Doherty’s Irish Pub & Restaurant

1979 High House Rd., Cary, NC 27519, United States // +19193889930

This is one comfortable bar with classic Irish food, multiple beers on tap, large televisions, and live music. The service was golden, and everyone was pleasant. The food was hearty, delicious, well-prepared, and beautifully presented. The drinks were nice and smooth, and the live music entertainment completed the experience.

They have a separate brunch menu which I really liked, including Irish egg rolls, onion rings, omelets, brunch cocktails, classic breakfast toasts, and much more.

Their beverage menu is so extensive that it makes it hard to choose the right drink. I will highlight their signature cocktail, Pomegranate Limeade, with Absolut vodka, Pama liqueur, fresh lemon and lime juice, topped with soda water. It is very refreshing and not too strong.

Doherty's Irish Pub & Restaurant Pomegranate Limeade

Also, if you are a Martini fan, try out the “Tito’s Dirty Blue Martini” with Tito’s Handmade Vodka with a splash of olive juice, a hint of dry vermouth, and blue cheese stuffed olives. It is simply gorgeous!

All this and more are available at one of the many bars in Cary!

The Neighborhood Sports Bar and Arcade

301 N. Harrison Ave., Cary, NC 27513, United States // +19193772344

Come visit a notable Cary bar, a chill hangout with bar bites, craft beers and sports viewing, plus pool tables, darts, and other vintage games. Their additional perks are spacious seating options in and outdoors, quite a selection of arcade games and dollar-play pool tables, and a dedicated parking lot.

I heard that The Neighborhood business began with two friends, The Neighborhood Guys (Mike and Jared), with an idea to create a place that brings everyone home, and it feels like that.

My friends and I had a beer and some little bites between games, and I really liked their Greek Pizza with Scampi Sauce Base, Banana Peppers, Kalamata Olives, Feta Cheese, Onion, Tomato, and Mushrooms.

The Neighborhood Sports Bar and Arcade Beer and Pizza

If you are interested you can rent this place for a private event like birthday, wedding or corporate parties and they also offer catering. Imagine – a full-service Cary bar!

Upper Deck Sports Pub

329 N. Harrison Ave., Cary, NC 27513, United States // +19194601786

This laid-back hangout with billiards and darts doles out typical pub fare, such as nachos and wings, and is the right place to have fun with a bigger group of friends.

If you are looking for a neighborhood bar in Cary with great beer, excellent food, excellent staff, and a lot of games, you have found your new home.

The Upper Deck has 28 kinds of beers on tap with unique daily food and drink specials. They can also pride themselves on a diverse menu for all foodies.

Pair your glass of beer with the fantastic combo of fried pickles, beer-battered mushrooms, and jalapeno bottle caps served with spicy ranch dressing.

Also, do not hesitate to try as many kinds of beer as you can, because they are fantastic!

Best Bars in Cary: Wrap-Up

In conclusion, we can say that the bar scene in Cary is huge. From fancy bars to chill spots for games and watching sports, there is something for everyone.

Food, beer, wine, or creative cocktails, the choice is yours.

We hope we have been helpful by picking the top seven must-visit bars in Cary, so you can make your stay here memorable.

Visiting other destinations in North Carolina? Check out our other delicious guides:

Igor Jovanovsky

Igor Jovanovski is an aspiring digital nomad, travel blogger and graphic designer who really loves food. He also has a creative side, and he works as a freelance graphic designer in his spare time. He has traveled across Europe quite a few times since he was young and recently started his mission to visit every country in the world! Igor’s favorite thing about traveling is the way he gets to know new people, food, places and cultures.
This exciting experience helps him create his own stories and make memories that will last forever

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