The Crunkleton

What an elegant and cozy bar. The liquor selection is unrivaled and the staff is unbelievably helpful. Lauren recommended a bourbon a little more expensive than what I usually drink, but it was worth it and Michael was an expert mixologist with the cocktails. Only in town for a few days but will definitely make my way back.

Lauren and Michael took such great of my friend and I. I had the best Scotch of my life at this bar, and the Blood and Sand was TO DIE for!!!

The crunkelton is a splendid example of how well a local college town bar can present some of the finest high end bourbon in the country. Professional and knowledgeable staff, quiet atmosphere (especially before 8pm), perfect for trying a well crafted specialty drink or sippin something you don’t personally own.

I gave this establishment two stars only because the drink was very good. The owner, Gary, was pompous and offensive, to be quite frank. He came to assist the bartender (who was quite friendly, but just overwhelmed) wearing a stained, ratty t shirt and flip flops and mocked a number of my friends while chatting with his own friends at the bar. He did not hide his mocking at all and was downright rude to paying, and tipping, customers. We simply wanted to order drinks and have a good time like any other customer and were patronized by this man who thinks he owns a «classy» establishment. Don’t waste the money because the service does not match the price. I’ve never been so offended at any other bar on Franklin.

Before posting a negative review I emailed the bar owner directly, about 2 months ago, and never received a response. Though this was previously my favorite bar in the Chapel Hill area, I will no longer give it any of my business.
The short version of my terrible customer experience is that after almost an hour of waiting for a second round, my group and I asked for our check because we were told the wait would be a while longer. In response we were yelled at by the bartender from halfway down the bar something to the effect of, «Can’t you see it’s busy ladies?! Can’t you see I’m busy?!»
I’m sympathetic to being in the weeds but who works in the service industry and thinks it’s okay to yell at customers? After spending $ 23 on a single drink I am not obligated to wait until a bartender feels like serving me again; I am free to take my business elsewhere.
I was more than willing to give the bar a second chance; anybody can have a bad night. I rarely leave negative reviews, but I am astonished and disappointed the owner did not respond to my email. There are plenty of great bars in the area that won’t yell at you, and plenty of owners who will respond when you email them about a bad experience.

After hearing great things about The Crunkleton my husband and I decided to try it out last night. The bar is really cool! I liked the décor and it wasn’t a lot of college aged kids which was nice. The drink menu is intense but we didn’t order one of their specialties as the one I wanted to try they were out of the cherry paste. Would defiantly recommend to anyone wanting to go out on Franklin St but is past the college phase! Drinks are on the pricey side but we didn’t mind as it was date night out.

Creative cocktails. Large selection of whiskey. Knowledgeable bartenders (especially Alexander– he was really nice!). Coming from LA, I wish there were more places like this in the Triangle.
I like to come here on the weekdays because there are places to sit and have good conversation… or maybe play a game of pool. Not so much on weekends because it can get quite busy and I’m the type who needs to sit and drink or dance and drink (not stand and drink haha). Every time I’ve been here there seems to be an older crowd… grad students or older people wearing tweed jackets. Definitely not a place I would go to to get super «crunked» haha… but I love coming here to have a night cap or a good night with friends over conversation.

The cocktails are really overpriced, especially for the rather loud, almost dive-​bar ambiance. Bars with upscale pretensions should hire bartenders that treat customers really well and make them want to come back. The guys here, at least when I went, were unfriendly. Not quite «What the hell do you want?” – but close. No desire to go back here.

I’ll start with what is good about this place. The bar looks very inviting from outside: you see leather chairs and a small but not too small room. On the night that I went, which was in February 2016, the greeter was very friendly and welcoming. Lots of smiles.
The Manhattan that I ordered was very good. It was a good size, not huge. Oddly, the first Manhattan that I ordered went to the brim, but the second Manhattan that I ordered filled the glass only 75%. Can’t explain that one.
Now the cons. I was there on a Friday, and bar was loud, hectic, and crowded. Now, if that is what you want, then great. But the bar sells itself as upscale, with its high-​priced cocktails and leather chairs. It felt more like a college bar to me, the place where grad students and professors might hang out, although there were quite a few 30+ and 40+ townies there.
The drinks are absurdly overpriced for the area. $ 15 for a cocktail on Franklin Street? That’s ridiculous – no other bar in the area gets away with that, not even Peccadillo. Those are San Francisco prices. I would pay that price for a great ambiance and fantastic service, but frankly this place doesn’t have it. My partner ordered a gin and tonic, and the water was flat. As I said, my Manhattan was very good, but at the price it should have been huge and outstanding.
Now, the bartenders. The two guys working the bar had, in my opinion, seriously put-​upon attitudes. If a bar sells itself as a high-​class sort of place, and squeezes you for $ 15/​drink, then it damn sure better do it with a smile. The ex-​Marine looking bartender didn’t smile at all, make small talk, or make even the slightest effort to be friendly. He made it seem like he was grudgingly doing me a favor by serving me. I also asked for something a little different, and he gave me attitude about it. The other male bartender had the put-​upon attitude: I watched him interact with people. They were a little aggressive with people. I’ve heard from others that a female bartender is very good, but she wasn’t there when I went. I don’t think Gary Crunkleton was there either.
On the stereo? Led Zeppelin. In the back, two unsmiling guys playing pool. You must be kidding me.
The room was really crowded. People were standing around, jostling each other, looking for seats. The din made it hard for me to hear my partner over the table.
The bill for four cocktails: $ 50. I’m no snob (really), but I felt a bit conned, and served with attitude to boot. I will not go back to this place. I’ve talked to other people who have had similar experiences and believe, like me, that if you want to sip a cocktail at a fancy place in Chapelboro, Crunkleton ain’t it. One local bartender told me she ordered two glasses of wine there once and got stuck with a $ 32 bill. So, two stars and I’ll never set foot in this place again. It is a clip joint!
The reviews on here are love it or hate it. Several other people have raised my criticisms (overpriced, unwelcoming staff, loud, dive bar vibe with upscale pretensions).

The best bar in triangle!!! Great friends great atmosphere love Gary!!! The cocktails are delicious and the staff are wonderful. Order a Negroni from the Barrel or the Elderflower Sour. Both a wonderful!

This place is classier than the name might suggest. There’s some kind of $ 5 membership fee for licensing reasons but we were brought in as guests of a member. The first drink I got, the Bumble Bee, wasn’t quite my style. It was a little too sweet and I didn’t feel that the lime went well, but the Dusty Cactus I got afterwards was good. This was a nice place to relax and catch up with friends, although somewhat marred by a misunderstanding with the check at the end.

Strange vibe and drinks were ok. I’d give it a second shot but the first impression wasn’t fantastic.

Had never been to Chapel Hill before. Gotta say, The Crunk definitely enhanced my visit.
Excellent/​knowledgeable staff, good strong drinks.
Crowd was… I dunno, older? Not older than me, but definitely older than the undergrad crowd. Older than I was expecting. Tweed jackets with elbow patches, and such. Not unpleasant, but plan accordingly.
Excellent atmosphere.

I most recently came here on a busy Saturday night for a cocktail. If you like spice, I’d recommend any cocktail that comes with a jalapeño in it here — trust me, you WILL get that kick! My drink had cactus in it, which was something I had never had in a drink before. This place has several unique, creative, cocktails. The bf and I first discovered Sweet Baby Jesus (chocolate, peanut butter porter) here as well, so keep an eye out for yummy beer. Given the relatively fewer cocktail bars available in Chapel Hill compared to Chicago where we last lived, I have a special appreciation for the Crunkleton. Its name alone gets it extra points (although I’m sure it’s not referencing «getting crunk,» as someone born and raised in the Bay Area, I appreciate the possible sentiment ;).

Easily my favorite bar in Chapel Hill. Get the Carrboro 75.
A classic, comfortable atmosphere with creative drinks and professional, friendly bartenders to provide explanations and recommendations. The Crunkleton is a welcome break from the usual sticky floors of other Chapel Hill bars (hey Topo), but keeps the fun and clean Southern prep feel.

This bar just feels classy. I wouldn’t feel comfortable going in jeans and a tee shirt, but there were plenty of people dressed semi-​casually (polos, flannels, etc.). I mean, if the bartenders are wearing bowties, I feel like I have to make a little bit of an effort, though I doubt they’d turn you away if you’re not all dolled up. My go to drink is a French 75, and they make a great twist on the drink called the Carrboro 75, made with brandy instead of gin.

We’re not from Chapel Hill, already had dinner plans, but wanted to grab a drink before dinner. We relied on our fellow Unilocalers, who rated this place 4 stars. We walked in quite early and it was just Gary, the owner, and two others. He was the most lovely, gracious, friendly and welcoming bar tender/​owner we’ve ever met. Quite honestly Gary could have served us Natty Light in a warm mug and we’d still feel the same way. I had the Elderberry Sour, which was absolutely delish. But most of the night, we allowed Gary artistic license to concoct wonderfully creative drinks, all of which we loved. We had an absolute blast and hope to be back soon.

Service: I’d always wanted to try this bar with it being named one of the «classiest» bars in Chapel Hill. I did love being greeted by a man in a bow-​tie but wasn’t a fan of the $ 5 member’s fee. You can have a «guest» with you to tag along with your membership. The bartender was patient and attentive while my friend and I took our time catching up and choosing drinks.
Environment: Love the atmosphere, you can come here dressed to the nines or in sneakers (which I did see the night I went in). Overall, it’s not the typical «college» bar you’ll find on Franklin, which I loved. Great ambiance and pleasant noise levels; however, the bar was pretty empty the night that we went in. There’s also a pool table for your entertainment.
Drinks: Expensive but well made. I would love to come again to try other drinks on the menu.
Overall, great experience! Just don’t forget about that «member’s fee»

Wow that was odd and disappointing. Walked in first time tonight because we heard good things. not busy and that’s okay its a Monday night.
Walk down to the end of the bar sat down first thing we notice is the music was non existent. faintly coming out. first thought was are they closing?! .but no its 10 pm and the bartender is anoyingly loud talking about his personal life… it was so loud and inappropriate .he may not have realized it but he could be heard all over the bar. perhaps that is why it was empty… expected this from a younger inexperienced bartender.
We picked up and left after 3 mins when he did not give us a drink menu and failed to shut his mouth. I hope the owner reads the reviews because this was a huge put off.
I have not reviewed in a few years never a negative review but felt compelled to highlight this experience.

Speakeasy bliss! If you’re not sure what that means go check this place out to see speakeasy goodness at it’s best.
You tell them what you like and don’t like and they can recommend a drink accordingly or make up one. It’s such cool place to hang out with friends!
My drink of choice right now is a Gin and Tonic with two limes. So at The Crunkleton I got a Elderflower Sour. Holy Crap, besides the actual gin and tonic itself this is one of the best drinks I have ever had at one of the best bars I have ever been to!