The Blue Note Grill — Attraction in Durham

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As a Durham native this was my first time to the Blue Note Grill. I have always seen it so busy and thought that I would try a local restaurant with my family. Well last Wednesday, I see that all of the hype must be for the open mics and live music, because it sure can't be about the food.

In all honesty this was the saddest dinner I have had in a very long time. Because we did not want to attend open mic we sat in the dinning room which was great, but our table was dirty. We ended up ordering the cheesesteak egg rolls (3/5) and deviled eggs (3/5) for appetizers. The eggs were okay, however it was disappointing that there was no cheesesteak in the egg rolls, but instead chunky hamburger meat.

As an entree we ordered shrimp po boy (2/5), shrimp basket (2/5), and I the pulled chicken plate with baked beans and mac & cheese. It took about 15 minutes for the food to come out and I was disappointed. My pulled chicken did not look like the pictures or pulled chicken. Instead it was chicken rib meat. After our waitress explained they had mad changes recently, I sent it back and got the pulled pork bbq sandwich instead.

The shrimp on the po boy and in the basket barely had flavor. Not to mention the breading kept falling off the shrimp. For this to be a bbq joint my pulled pork didn't taste like it was made with love. It barely had any smoke flavor, it was a little on the dry side and my cole slaw was heavy on the celery seed. The cole slaw in the shrimp basket on the other hand was not edible at all. We won't even talk about the hushpuppies.

The only thing we enjoyed was the french fries. The quality of the food needs to...

The 1st time dining there I shared a plate with a friend and the ribs were good but nothing outstanding, if they had been hot that would have made a difference but it did take about 30 mins which I would have been ok had the food be hot and as good as they claimed, and I may have had my expectations set hi from what I was read and heard, I noticed a lot of people including myself didn't finish there meal and me personally if a dish is good my plate is clean,that said it was a busy night but they should also be prepared for this, the servers were good,friendly staff, and some of them impressed me walking through a crowd that's dancing and all and there carrying a tray with 5-6 glasses of wine working there way through the crowd! 2nd time there when Anna P. performed I didn't eat not that I did not want to eat there it's just kinda how it worked out that night, the place was packed but the outdoor (I want to say porch) but I remember it was heated so that was nice but nobody was out there but a few people smoking which me being a smoker found that very convenient, it's a nice place to get out and hear live music and I was surprised at the selection of beer they had for the size of the joint. Would I recommend it, depends on what your looking for if a quiet roomy dinner is what you want get there early or just find another restaurant but if you want to go out and have a few drinks and have a band play for you just a cupl feet away go for I would suggest to get there early if you want to sit down at a table...

The best thing about The Blue Note is, obviously, the music. The first time I went there, I remember thinking,"Finally, a place for old farts like me!" Of course, The Blue Note has something for everyone, regardless of age. But as a musician, I especially appreciate the fact that they provide live music-making opportunities for those of us who hold a special place in our hearts for the best music ever made: soulful blues, tight jazz, funk, and motown, folksy Americana, and, of course, classic rock. I'm a big fan of comfort food, and The Blue Note doesn't disappoint. The burgers, chicken, and fries are terrific, and the portions are ample. As a southerner, I also really dig the thing that most makes them a dinner destination in Durham: their barbeque. The wait staff are courteous, attentive, and efficient, and the bartender knows what she's doing when it comes to making a killer drink. The atmosphere is timeless, casual, inviting, and perfectly conducive to live music. It's reminiscent of the back-room, speakeasy style jazz/blues venues of 1920s era Chicago. The bar is opposite the stage, but raised so one can easily enjoy the performances even from across the room. Adequate in size to accommodate enough people to support national acts, but small enough to provide an intimate feel when the local bands perform for their regular audience. No matter your age or musical tastes, I encourage you to check out The Blue Note. And the...