Location: 320 W. Franklin St, Chapel Hill, NC 27516

History:

Gary Crunkleton, owner of the Chapel Hill bar The Crunkleton, opened his bar in 2006. A 1996 UNC-Chapel Hill alumnus, Crunkleton learned to bartend as an undergraduate at Henderson Street Bar and Grill in Chapel Hill, which has since closed and is now Zog's Art Bar.  Crunkleton said the reason behind his ability to open his bar was his failure to get into law school. Now 20 years later, The Crunkleton has been mentioned among the 100 best bars in the South, according to Southern Living magazine. The Crunkleton is located in the space which previously occupied Cat's Cradle, a local music venue now located at 300 E. Main St. in Carrboro. In doing so, Crunkleton transformed the small music hall into an upscale speakeasy.

Gary Crunkleton

Atmosphere:

Crunkleton designed his bar in the style of a pre-prohibition saloon, full of mission-style furniture, a pool table, open-air oak windows, deer heads on the walls and a wall of shelves lined with alcohol bottles. The bar fresh-squeezes many of their own juices, produces their own tonics and crafts their own ginger sodas. Crunkleton said he wanted to serve cocktails the way they did back when everything was authentically made and made from scratch. To enter the bar, you also need to be a member. Memberships are sold for a one-time fee of $5. Crunkleton said the environment he is attempting to create in his bar is that of a “cocktail culture.” He has managed to sustain a high-end, non-student bar in a town where college students dominate.

Menu:

The Crunkleton offers unique cocktails, as well as an extensive list of different liquors, including bourbon, brandy, Canadian whiskey, Corn whiskey, gin, Irish whiskey, liqueur, rum, rye whiskey, scotch whiskey, tequila, Tennessee whiskey and vodka. Click here to see their liquor list.

Cocktail list:

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Cool facts:

  • The Crunkleton was the first bar in North Carolina to sell Pappy Van Winkle, a rare bourbon.
  • Crunkleton is famous for his Sazarac, which is a local New Orleans variation of a cognac or whiskey cocktail.
  • The display of liquor bottles behind the bar holds over 500 bottles.
  • You can select the size of your ice cubes.
  • The Crunkleton houses a 1908 Brunswick Old Mission B regulation pool table.
  • Back behind the pool table you will find rotating art exhibitions from southern artists.

Noteable mentions:

Contact information: (919) 969-1125

Hours: Open every day from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Website

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