4 Best Nightlife in Raleigh, Central North Carolina

Goodnights Comedy Club

University

This club near the university combines dinner with a night of laughs. Past performers include Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, and Ellen DeGeneres.

Raleigh Beer Garden

Cameron Village
This two-level pub claims to have the world's largest draft-beer selection. If that's not enough, it's just plain fun to drink here—there's a tree in the ground-level bar and junglelike patio seating amidst walls of green vines.

Raleigh Times Bar

Downtown

Faces of early-20th-century newsboys stare out from a 20-foot photo mural covering one wall at this 1906 newspaper office, artfully restored into a gastropub. The bar features a great selection of Belgian beers and thoughtful wine and cocktail lists.

Recommended Fodor's Video

Watts & Ward

Downtown
There's definitely a speakeasy vibe going on at this subterranean club downstairs from Caffé Luna. In fact, Watts & Ward is named for the legislative acts that first sought prohibition in North Carolina. With several bars, a terrace, and nooks with sofas and cozy seating, it’s the perfect setting for sipping a scotch or expertly mixed cocktail. There’s often live music.