1. Hell
City: Chapel Hill, NC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (919) 932-4997
Address: 157 E. Rosemary St.
Description: Anyone looking for an alternative to the argyle-and-loafers vibe that prevails at so many Chapel Hill bars can find an underground haven in Hell. Dingy and graffiti-covered, Hell takes great pride in its grittiness. The crowd is diverse, but a fondness for pitchers of beer served in dark places seems to be the common denominator. The beer selection is better than you might expect, going beyond the domestic staples. Thursday trivia night is a popular event, as is the twice-monthly dance party, which attracts straight and LGBT dancers in even numbers. A lifetime membership is $5.
2. Carolina Brewery
City: Chapel Hill, NC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (919) 942-1800
Address: 460 W. Franklin St.
Description: Both locations of this brewery offer great, fresh beer and a menu of better-than-average staples to accompany them. Try the award-winning Copperline Amber Ale with a homemade pizza and finish it off with the stout ice cream float. Ales are brewed seasonally, so you’ll be able to try new flavors throughout the year. The downtown Chapel Hill location is in the heart of busy West Franklin Street. The Pittsboro brewery is near the intersection of U.S. 15-501 and U.S. 64, about 2 miles from downtown.
3. Top Of The Hill
City: Chapel Hill, NC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (919) 929-8676
Address: 100 E. Franklin St.
Description: A popular spot for college kids and alumni returning for football games or homecomings, Top of the Hill has a great third-floor patio with awesome views of downtown Chapel Hill. The beer brewed on site regularly brings home awards, and when it’s time to tap the kegs on a new season’s batch, lines have been known to form outside the door. The menu includes salads and belly-filling entrees like king crab mac’ and cheese and buttermilk fried chicken.
4. The Cave
City: Chapel Hill, NC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (919) 968-9308
Address: 452 W. Franklin St.
Description: A beloved basement dive on Franklin Street’s west end, The Cave has been serving beer and giving local musicians a stage for more than 40 years. Musical acts range from pop to rock to country to funk. They serve beer, and that’s all. Dogs are welcome. Cover charge is usually between $3 and $5. Memberships are $5. It’s open every day of the year, and if you get lucky you might find a potluck on Christmas.
5. Four Corners
City: Chapel Hill, NC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (919) 968-3809
Address: 175 E. Franklin St.
Description: The tiered seating levels help give Four Corners an airy feel, which is rare among sports bars. The many televisions allow game viewing from any seat in the house, and the menu delivers all the fried food you expect, along with some better-than-average nachos. The name pays homage to the defense strategy former UNC basketball coach Dean Smith invented, the one that gave rise to the shot clock. And yes, it’s crowded on game days.
6. Ham’S
City: Chapel Hill, NC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (919) 933-3767
Address: 310 W. Franklin St.
Description: Part of a Greensboro-based chain, the Chapel Hill outpost of Ham’s has anchored the West Franklin Street bar scene for decades. The televisions are myriad, the fried food is served crispy-greasy just as it should be, and the beer specials are cheap. No one leaves without ordering a basket of homemade potato chips, served with a side of ranch dressing. Daytime specials often include free meals for the kids, while nighttime is dedicated to discounted Irish car bombs and Coors Light bottles. Ham’s is a raucous place to watch the game, or all the games at once.
7. Lumina Theater
City: Chapel Hill, NC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (919) 960-5765
Address: 700 Market St.
Description: A five-screen theater in Southern Village, Lumina shows first-run movies in an intimate setting that provides an alternative to the multiplexes. The theaters have stadium seating and digital surround sound. Family-oriented programming includes morning shows for kids when school is out and baby-friendly shows on Monday nights. In the summer, you can watch movies on the lawn and bring your own picnic.
8. The Varsity
City: Chapel Hill, NC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (919) 967-8665
Address: 123 E. Franklin St.
Description: A longtime Franklin Street staple, The Varsity was shuttered for a while in 2009 before reopening late in the year as a $3-all-shows theater. New owners renovated the 1927-era space, where they screen classic films and new releases. The theater also serves as a meeting place for corporate functions and private events.
9. Deep Dish Theater
City: Chapel Hill, NC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (919) 968-1515
Address: 201 S. Estes Dr.
Description: The fact that Deep Dish stages its four-play seasons in a shopping mall tells you that the company’s goal is to put theater where the masses can get at it. Ibsen and Brecht, Wendy Wasserstein and David Mamet have all been produced in the store space wedged between a hobby shop and a frame store in University Mall. Deep Dish pairs its productions with a suggested book for community reading and hosts discussions groups of the book and play during the run. Post-performance discussions also follow some of the productions.
City: Chapel Hill, NC
Category: Nightlife
Address: 150 Country Club Rd.
11. Chamber Orchestra Of The Triangle
City: Chapel Hill, NC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (919) 360-3382
Address: 1213 E. Franklin St.
Description: The Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle’s 30-plus musicians, granted admission by audition, perform five concerts a year in the Carolina Theatre’s Fletcher Hall in Durham. Performances often focus on rarely heard pieces of music and may feature visiting guest musicians. The orchestra’s conductor, Lorenzo Muti, is a native of Spoleto, Italy, and has led orchestras throughout Europe. The group also sponsors a competition for young string soloists.