Noir Bar & Lounge

Came here on Halloween after looking for a place to dance on Glenwood South that wasn’t Solas and Alchemy is always super super packed. Really liked the music here (though it may not be everyone’s cup of tea) — a good mix of EDM and hip hop that I usually don’t find in the Triangle. They had great décor on Halloween and some neat laser effects going on as well. Drink prices were about par for the area and they were pretty strong even if they weren’t made the best. We got in free on Halloween by going to the outdoor area and then walking in through the back, but apparently there’s normally a cover to this place of $ 5. All in all, had a great time here.

I’ve been to Noir several times. The past couple of times, I’ve been on a Friday night, and this seems to be the sweet spot for me. On Fridays, the DJ is pretty good. Around 12 – 12:30, the place is usually pretty packed.
1 star deduction because the drinks are ridiculously expensive.
Another star deduction because this used to be a cover-​free bar, but now you have to pay. On top of that, when I checked in on Unilocal it said I get two free entries Thur-​Sat, but the girl taking the money said she doesn’t know why that is on Unilocal because they don’t except it. I know why it’s up there, you want people to come to your bar, but once they get there, you want them to pay. Simple :-)

It’s a cover-​free bar/​club located next to Solas. There’s nothing much to say about this location as the drinks and bartenders were awful. Outside seating is pretty much not available and I’m not a fan (while I understand) of drinks served on plastic cups.

The DJ had poor taste in music and the bouncers decided to enforce a «no white t-​shirt policy» as they saw fit. They denied entrance to certain people while others in white t-​shirts are allowed to enjoy the establishment. I wouldn’t recommend spending time there, there are plenty of other fun places on the street!

The friday nights there are the BEST! They only use the top DJs in the state and the bartenders are fast even when it’s packed. Definitely the place to be on a friday night on Glenwood ave.

We got there and took some seats near the dance floor. It was pretty dead! My group of girls were the only ones on the dance floor just about the entire time we were there. We had been there over an hour and had ordered several rounds of drinks. The guys were seated and the girls were dancing when we were told we needed to move. We were seated in VIP area. There was no signs and no one had mentioned it beforehand. That’s some straight up BS!!! You don’t snub paying clientele.
Will not return!

I like Noir… I really do. I’ve been here multiple times and feel like its a good lounge. The ambiance is great, the drinks are decent, and there’s a decent amount of seating without needing bottle service. Although every time I’ve gone, it’s been dead inside. Maybe I’ve just hit it on dead nights or am getting old and leave too early. But the part that irks me is that they were charging a cover the last time I was there, and there were literally two customers inside. If you get there early, you can get in before the cover, but just come in with the expectation that you’ll be having a chill time having a casual conversation with your friends, rather than a dancing or club experience.

What a bunch of crap. We arrived at Noir when the place was empty and stayed until it started to get busy. At that point the waitress showed up and said our seats were reserved for VIP. No signs, no ropes, nothing. This place is a joke. Don’t waste your time or money.

Good atmosphere, mix crowd, nice music but drinks are over priced. I had a vodka with juice, didn’t feel there was any vokda in it.

Great ambience. Crowded but nice. The D.J. knows his music and the drinks are readable priced. If you wanna sit down you have to do that outside. Overall a good experience.

Great, chill hangout spot to gather or meet up with friends downtown. Also, if you feel like doing a little more, Solas (club) is right next door. Also, walking distance from most of the activity on a Friday or Saturday night. Highly Recommended.

My review might vary drastically from some others here because I was only at Noir for a couple hours, early in the night, but I thought I’d still write one down.
My husband and I were visiting Raleigh for the time prior to moving and we were in the mood for fancy, dressy night out on our last night in town. We decided to go to Noir. Luckily we like mellow laid-​back bars and lounges and the night we were there, it was perfect for that occasion. We were there a bit early in the night (9:30pm), so the place was still pretty empty, but I was fine that.
The place is beautifully decorated for its size — modern plush chairs, dim lighting with a chic boudoir atmosphere. We enjoyed a couple drinks before continuing on with our evening, and it was exactly what we were looking for. No hassle, friendly and fast service, decent priced drinks and no late night crazy drama. I would go again on a Friday or Saturday night — again on the earlier side of the evening to just chill in a cute outfit and enjoy a drink.

As a general rule, when I go out I prefer to hang out at quieter, more laid back bars and pubs. On the few occasions I’ve had the urge to check out the dance club scene in Raleigh, I’ve been rather unimpressed (I’m looking at you, Solas). However, I was pretty happy with Noir. Me and my group got to Glenwood around midnight or so on a Saturday night, intending to go to Solas, but we ended up deciding the cover wasn’t worth it (I have a real issue with being charged money just to walk in the door someplace, especially that late into the evening). The doorman at Noir saw us walking away and told us we could go into Noir without paying a cover, and that’s how we ended up there. I’m not sure if that’s a usual thing or not, just for reference.
Anyway, I loved the décor inside. As other reviewers have said, it’s got this dark, vintagey vibe that’s super fun. Though seating is limited, there’s a pretty decent sized dance floor for such a small place. The DJ was playing good music and the crowd was having a great time. And even though the place was jam-​packed, the service at the bar was fast and efficient. It takes a significant amount of alcohol to get me to dance in any kind of situation, so I appreciated that I didn’t have to stand around for twenty minutes desperately trying to flag down a bartender.
I could definitely see returning here on the rare occasions I feel like dancing!

The décor of this place is beautiful. It has a smoky boudoir vibe that I totally dig. The DJ was playing great music and the drinks were heavy. It’s a nice spot to hit up when you don’t feel like an overly busy club.
Be warned-​it isn’t the biggest place so prepare to be squished if it’s a busy night.
It’s worth checking out.

well i think i might have gone on a wrong day cuz there is literally not many people in the club. I went around 11 pm there were only quite few people and they are also ready to leave soon.
Its definitely has very nice atmosphere, clean and drinks are bit pricey though. DJ is really good. You can check it out when you do not want to pay cover at solas cuz its right next to it.

I’m not normally a fan of clubs, but Noir is pretty cool as far as the clubs on Glenwood South go. Maybe that’s because they bill themselves as a «bar & lounge» rather than a club, but the scene on the weekends definitely has more of a club vibe. The dance floor usually starts to fill up around midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, but there hasn’t been much of a crowd when I’ve gone on week nights.
The beer selection is pretty limited, but they always have Stella on draft and I tend to stick to that. They also usually have liquor specials depending on the night if you’re trying to get yo’ drank on.
Being on Glenwood South, I’ve personally witnessed several fights break out both here and at Armadillo Grill next door late in the evening. The bouncers do a good job breaking things up and kicking people out, and it’s usually pretty entertaining. Also, the ‘dillo is a great place to go after Noir closes since they’re open until 3.
Noir and Mosaic are my favorite places to dance on Glenwood South, but Mosaic is usually pretty dead and I end up at Noir. The music on Friday night seems to be mostly songs from the late 90’s and 00’s, so it’s perfect for the 20 – 30 crowd. I haven’t come across a cover charge yet either, and the bathrooms don’t back up with long lines, huge wins in my book compared to some of the other popular places downtown and along Glenwood South.

Some say when you are impatient to wait at Solas and don’t want to drop a cover, slide right into Noir. Actually skip even thinking about Solas and make Noir first choice. The place doesn’t close until 3am! If that’s not convincing enough, the large open smoking patio and dancing crowd will draw you in.
Décor tries to be boudoir with the heavy velvet drapes, sparking chandeliers, poignant candelabras and oversized smoky mirrors.
The DJ was surprisingly good for a Friday night and since spring break was in session the dearth of college students was refreshing. Bartenders were working pretty fast through the lines.

I like going out to Noir on the weekends. The place has a really cool atmosphere, with the chandlers, the carpets, the interesting décor including beads that hang from the ceiling, and the curtains, it definitely stands out from some of the other clubs on Glenwood South. There are couches spread all along the walls, and a private lounge area for parties and drink service. There is also an outside patio with seating and heated lamps to keep you warm in the cooler months. What I like most about this bar is that even with being a late night scene, and I have definitely seen clearly intoxicated people here, they manage to stay clean and my shoes do not stick to the floor. A nice touch for a place that has people stumbling around (dancing) with drinks in their hands.
The drinks here are reasonable, not overly priced well drinks, and cheap domestics. The servers are really friendly and I can usually get a drink quickly. I always enjoy the DJ, he plays a nice mix of top 40s and old school songs, and always plays my requests within ten to fifteen minutes of my asking, which I appreciate. I enjoy coming here for late night dancing. It usually gets crowded on the weekends, but not so much that you feel you can’t move. A good place to get your groove on! ;-)

Where else can you see a pimp dressed in a floor length fur coat and pinstripe suit? Or small ladies wearing even smaller clothes? Or get a 24 oz PBR in a can that looks like you could shoot it out of a cannon?
This place was well designed and has a lot of kitsch. Not really into the ladies in corsets and i claim exploitation but at the very least, it fits with the feel of the overall spot and when I have more time, I’d like to hang out here and have a couple more of those gigantic PBRs.

Lost in the shadow of the loud and gaudy Solas nightclub is its sister club, Noir. Maybe because of its size, its simple façade or what have you, the place seems to get ignored but you’ll be missing out on a very cool bar, lounge and club scene…
I’ve only stopped by for early evening drinks but I could see this place rocking it out at night. Inside it’s really simple, the space is built for dancing with the bar and seating along the edges. But no surprise, the bar is the centerpiece, backed by a large ornate plate glass mirror and ceilinged with chandeliers. There’s a handful of stuffed booths with some beads hanging about. So seating is limited but I’m guessing that means you’ll just have to stand or dance your nights away at Noir! Out front they’ve got a cute little patio where you can get some fresh air, they also do some grilling out here.
Noir does a couple of great themed events during the week with live music, food and drink specials perfect for those of you who aren’t into clubbing. And I’m sure the crowd and atmosphere totally changes based upon the evening and hour. All I can say is that if you’re not into Solas, you still might want to check out Noir. Even though they come from the same family, think Khloey Kardashian versus Kim Kardashian. Noir’s sort of like the quieter and smarter sister to a brash and showy sibling…