Counting House

Name: Counting House
Address: 111 North Corcoran St 21c Museum Hotel, Durham, NC, United States, 27701
Telephone: (919) 956-6760
Price range: $31 to $50
Rating: 4.2

4.2 (1588)

$31 to $50

Seafood

111 North Corcoran St, 21c Museum Hotel, Durham, NC 27701

Make a reservation

2 people

Jun 25, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 6 times today

About this restaurant

Innovative
Good for special occasions
Good for business meals

At Counting House restaurant, led by Executive Chef Melanie Wilkerson, local cuisine meets bold flavors and playful execution. A seafood-driven menu set amongst the art of today, designed to provide you with an easy-going escape that will feed your soul. The bar and lounge is a welcoming place to taste innovative cocktails, sample local craft brews, and explore broad bourbon and wine lists.

Reestablishing the warmth and vitality of a historic gem, Counting House combines contemporary design with architectural details including the building’s original terrazzo floors and arched windows.

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Seafood, Oyster Bar, Contemporary American
Hours of operation
Breakfast Mon–Fri 7:00 am–10:00 am Lounge Mon–Thu 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 8:00 am–11:00 pm Sun 10:00 am–10:00 pm Brunch Sat, Sun 8:00 am–2:00 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 10:00 am–2:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
Phone number
(919) 956-6760
Website
http://www.countinghousenc.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Melanie Wilkerson
Private party facilities
The Private Dining Room, an intimate space off the main dining room of Counting House can host groups up to 32 and is perfect for a small event or dinner.

Location
111 North Corcoran St, 21c Museum Hotel, Durham, NC 27701
Neighborhood
Durham
Cross street
Corcoran & Main Street. Located on the first floor of 21c Museum Hotel.
Parking details
Valet
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

50 Raleigh Restaurants to Connect In For Mother's Day

EGG SANDWICH$13.00
bacon, egg, cheese, Heinz 57 Collection chili pepper crunch, breakfast mayo, tots
AVOCADO TOAST$15.00
sourdough, avocado, soft-boiled egg, shaved radish, lemon zest, everything bagel seasoning, greens salad
SMOKED SALMON BAGEL$16.00
herb cream cheese, caper, pickled red onion, cucumber, plain bagel
STEEL CUT OATMEAL$9.00
golden raisin, walnut
WHOLE EGG FRITTATA$13.00
gruyere, wild mushrooms, baby kale salad
BELGIAN WAFFLE$12.00
seasonal compote, vanilla-maple syrup, honey butter
BANKER’S BREAKFAST$14.00
two eggs*, bacon or sausage, tots, toast

Lighter

SEASONAL FRUIT SALAD$6.00
YOGURT & GRANOLA$8.00
berries, almond-coconut granola, honey
FRESH-BAKED BREAKFAST BREAD$6.00
honey butter, house compote

Sides

Seasonal Fruit Sald$6.00
mint, chamomile syrup
Yogurt & Granola$8.00
berries, almond-coconut granola, honey
2 EGGS$4.00
TOAST$3.00
sourdough, whole grain, or gluten free
PLAIN BAGEL$4.00

Drinks

Juice$4.00
orange, grapefruit, cranberry, pineapple
Drip Coffee$3.00
beans from Joe Van Gogh
Espresso$4.00
Americano$4.00
Cappuccino$5.00
Latte$5.00
EVIAN$8.00
sparkling or still

What 1,588 people are saying

Counting House reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.2

4.2 based on recent ratings

4.2Food
4.3Service
4.3Ambience
3.8Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill
Innovative
Durham
Innovative

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Counting House offers a delightful blend of innovative cuisine and a vibrant atmosphere, perfect for pre-event dining near DPAC and The Carolina Theater. Guests rave about the "excellent service," "unique and tastey dishes," and the artful ambiance. Standout dishes include the ribeye, clams, and mussels. Perfect for food enthusiasts and art lovers alike.

1,588 Reviews

J
Jason
Atlanta1 review
3.0
Dined on September 7, 2024
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
The atmosphere and service is an expected for a somewhat upscale restaurant. The food is “ok but not outstanding” especially for the price.
Counting HouseResponded on September 26, 2024
Hi Jason, Thanks for taking the time to leave us a review. We're glad to hear you enjoyed the service, but disappointed that you didn't find the food to be outstanding. We hope you'll give another try soon as our new fall menu will be rolling out in a few weeks. Thanks again for the feedback, we know it's the only way we can improve. The Counting House Team
Is this helpful?
j
jeffrey VIP
Washington, D.C. Area16 reviews
5.0
Dined on September 3, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Very good food and service. Bring your credit card with a big limit line ! Not cheap.
Counting HouseResponded on September 26, 2024
Hi Jeffrey, Great to hear you enjoyed your experience with us at Counting House! We know you have many great choices when dining out and appreciate that you chose to spend your time and money with us. Hope to see you again in the future. The Counting House Team
Is this helpful?
J
Joe
Baltimore / Maryland5 reviews
2.0
Dined on September 2, 2024
1. Overall 2
2. Food 2
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 3
Overall below average experience. Good service. Food quality average. Not a restaurant experience I recommend.
Counting HouseResponded on September 26, 2024
Hi Joe, We're sorry to hear that you didn't love everything about your experience with us at Counting House, but happy to hear you had good service. Thanks for the feedback, we know it is the only way for us to get a little bit better everyday. We would love to invite you back again in the future so we can really wow you and give you the full Counting House experience. The Counting House Team
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Charlotte1 review
1.0
Dined on September 2, 2024
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 3
We went to Counting house for breakfast after reading the reviews and we were sorely disappointed. We seated ourselves per the sign at the front. We were in direct sight of a waitress who wanted on her phone for over 5mins before she acknowledged us. The seats were dirty and they didn’t have items on small menu. We left after coffee and had an exceptional experience at Vista Restaurant.
Counting HouseResponded on September 26, 2024
Hello, We're sorry to hear you didn't get a warm welcome when you arrived and our menu didn't have what you were looking for. We'd love to invite you back for brunch which has more menu options and give you the full Counting House experience. The Counting House Team
Is this helpful?
c
calval27
Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill21 reviews
4.0
Dined on August 24, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 3
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great service. The person who checked us in was fabulous. I can’t remember her name but she had so much positive energy. (Morgan maybe). The good was just ok. The scallops dish was not cohesive at all. The flavors just did t give well together. Same with the Shrimp and grits. The Japanese milk bread was good but really just tasted like a Kings Hawaiian roll that has been grilled. Probably would not go back.
Is this helpful?
D
Dan VIP
Greensboro / Winston Salem / Highpoint23 reviews
5.0
Dined on August 23, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Just Wow! The drinks were creative and delicious, our server Ginger was excellent and we even had a surprise visit from the Executive Chef Melanie when I inquired about the delicious elements in her special appetizer. The scallops were perfect and each dish was so thoughtful and intentional. Beyond impressed! Can't wait to return.
Counting HouseResponded on September 26, 2024
Hi Dan! Wow times two! We're so glad to hear you had such a great time and super appreciate the amazing review. We'll be sure to share this with Ginger, Chef Melanie and the rest of the team as encouragement. We can't wait to see you again! Thanks! The Counting House Team
Is this helpful?
r
richard
Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill1 review
5.0
Dined on August 10, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Jud and Morgan made our experience very enjoyable. We will return.
Is this helpful?
S
Steve
Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill13 reviews
4.0
Dined on August 10, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
This was our 2nd time dining at the Counting House and the food was again quite good. The menu is not robust, but there are offerings to suit most people. The fish of the day was great with the corn bread batter. Our waitress was a bit off -- she started asking us about what we wanted to order with 10 seconds of us sitting down, she wrote down the wrong shrimp dish for my wife, and the bartender had to come over and ask about the drink I ordered, but she was nice. We were surprised they did not offer a Pinot Grigio wine. The dining area can be loud, but it is a unique restaurant and recommended.
Is this helpful?
R
Richard VIP
Charlotte94 reviews
5.0
Dined on August 10, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Absolutely charming and delicious! From the incredibly energetic and wonderful greeting through our table and service, we were worried could the food compare. Not to worry, the food was superb and prepared perfectly.
Is this helpful?
B
Bridget
Utah1 review
3.0
Dined on August 10, 2024
1. Overall 3
2. Food 4
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 5
Good food, good vibes, great staff, but cannot overlook the blatant health risks regarding serving the food. FDA Food Code guidelines states that "all food handlers must keep fingernails clean, neatly trimmed, filed, and maintained." I'm not sure if this counts the servers as well as the chefs, but I would imagine so. So it was disturbing to have our food brought out to us by a lady who had very long, brightly painted fingernails that surpassed the edge of the plate and neared very close to the food. I'm not a hater on people's stylistic choices, but in a food environment, this is a health hazard! I debated leaving a review, given that it might cast this restaurant in a negative light, because truly every other aspect of our experience here was delightful. Staff was attentive and friendly, the food was very well cooked and well worth the price. We enjoyed the art in and around the restaurant, too! It's odd that in every other area but food handling, the Counting House seems to have very high standards. But ultimately, I feel it is important to mention such an extreme issue, because of the health risks involved. I would not feel comfortable dining here again.
Is this helpful?

FAQs

Counting House offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (919) 956-6760.

Counting House is rated 4.2 stars by 1588 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Jun 25, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 6 times today

111 North Corcoran St, 21c Museum Hotel, Durham, NC 27701

Dining areas

Additional information

Cross street
Corcoran & Main Street. Located on the first floor of 21c Museum Hotel.
Neighborhood
Durham
Hours of operation
Breakfast Mon–Fri 7:00 am–10:00 am Lounge Mon–Thu 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 8:00 am–11:00 pm Sun 10:00 am–10:00 pm Brunch Sat, Sun 8:00 am–2:00 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 10:00 am–2:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Seafood, Oyster Bar, Contemporary American
Dining style
Casual Elegant
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Valet
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Melanie Wilkerson
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.countinghousenc.com/
Phone number
(919) 956-6760
Private party facilities
The Private Dining Room, an intimate space off the main dining room of Counting House can host groups up to 32 and is perfect for a small event or dinner.

Featured in

50 Raleigh Restaurants to Connect In For Mother's Day

Counting House

Make a reservation

About this restaurant

Dining areas

Additional information

50 Raleigh Restaurants to Connect In For Mother's Day

Dishes

EGG SANDWICH$13.00

AVOCADO TOAST$15.00

SMOKED SALMON BAGEL$16.00

STEEL CUT OATMEAL$9.00

WHOLE EGG FRITTATA$13.00

BELGIAN WAFFLE$12.00

BANKER’S BREAKFAST$14.00

Lighter

SEASONAL FRUIT SALAD$6.00

YOGURT & GRANOLA$8.00

FRESH-BAKED BREAKFAST BREAD$6.00

Sides

Seasonal Fruit Sald$6.00

Yogurt & Granola$8.00

2 EGGS$4.00

TOAST$3.00

PLAIN BAGEL$4.00

Drinks

Juice$4.00

Drip Coffee$3.00

Espresso$4.00

Americano$4.00

Cappuccino$5.00

Latte$5.00

EVIAN$8.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

Does Counting House offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Counting House restaurant rated?

Is Counting House currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Dining areas

Additional information

Featured in

50 Raleigh Restaurants to Connect In For Mother's Day