Tonight, Josh and I checked out DSSOLVR Durham, Bull City’s newest taproom! For months now, we’ve been excitedly awaiting DSSOLVR Durham’s grand opening (we love DSSOLVR’s original location in Asheville), so naturally, we just had to visit it as soon as it opened.
After our months’ long wait, we finally had the chance to check out DSSOLVR Durham, so here’s my review.
As a reminder, I’ll rate this bar on a scale of 1-5 stars in five different categories. If you need a refresher, or if this is your first John Denn Bar Review, our categories include:
- Service. This score is based on the customer service we receive from the moment we arrive until the moment we tip and leave.
- Vibe. This score is based on the general “vibe” of the bar, everything from décor to music.
- Cleanliness. This score is based on how clean and well-maintained the bar is.
- Drink Variety and Quality. Duh! This score is based on how many adult beverage options there are, as well as how good the adult beverages tastes.
- Buck Bangness. This score is based on how well the experience justifies the price — the “bang for our buck,” if you will.
I can hear that you may be asking yourself: But John, what are your credentials? Well, my cynical friend, I have been bargoing and barhopping for quite some time now (10+ years), so I consider myself somewhat of an expert in this social realm.
DSSOLVR Durham – About
Address:
630 Rigsbee Avenue
Durham, NC 27701
Phone:
N/A (as of September 19, 2023)
Hours of Operation:
Sun, Mon, Wed, Thur: 12pm-10pm
Tues: 12-4 pm
Fri-Sat: 11am-11pm
Service: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
I was pleasantly surprised by the customer service we received at the bar. Tonight’s bartender (her name escapes me…) was extremely friendly and knowledgable of the bar menu — pretty impressive considering the bar is literally four days old at the time of posting this! She gave great recommendations and maintained her friendliness as we asked to try sample after sample. When it came time to cash out, we were able to collect our check without any wait, and we were on our way.
Overall, the customer service was great!
Vibe: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
DSSOLVR Durham’s alien/intergalactic vibe is definitely unique. I can confidently say I’ve neither been to nor seen an alien-themed bar before. So even though I’ve got nothing to compare it to, DSSOLVR does a great job establishing an out-of-this-world vibe for its guests. The decor is on point, as is the general color scheme (tons of bright, neon colors!), and even the drinks have fun and quirky names.
It’s definitely a cool spot!
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Cleanliness: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
In terms of cleanliness, DSSOLVR Durham met expectations. I have nothing notably good or bad to report on!
Beverage Variety & Quality: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
DSSOLVR Durham featured a much larger drink menu than I had anticipated, which is always a pleasant surprise. (Here’s the menu, if you’d like to browse.)
Personally, I opted for and then enjoyed one of their smoothie seltzers (the Purp Purp Lemonade), which was super berry-tasting. As a cider fan, this seltzer was the perfect blend of a cider’s fruity sweetness combined with the bubbly lightness of a seltzer. Highly recommend!
Bang Buckness: ⭐ ⭐
The only downside to DSSOLVR Durham is that the bar is a bit more expensive than we had expected. Granted, we had three rounds of drinks (so 6 in total), but neither Josh nor I expected a $70 bar tab.
In terms of bar/taproom pricing, DSSVOLR Durham errs on the more expensive side. Off the top of my head, I can name at least six other bars in Durham where we can order six drinks of equal quality for less. Just giving a head’s up!
DSSOLVR Durham – Overall Score: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Overall, DSSOLVR Durham earns 3.4 stars (which we’ll round to 3 — and wow! — that actually surprises me).
Albeit on the pricier side, this alien-themed bar has great customer service and a cool intergalactic vibe, so you can’t go wrong stopping by DSSOLVR Durham on your next Bull City outing. Though it received a three-star rating, I recommend DSSOLVR — just prepare yourself to spend a little bit more than you would at your average taproom!
For more information on DSSOLVR, you can find DSSOLVR’s Instagram here.