We worked with the Cookery for over 2 years because we had to postpone our wedding from 2020 to 2021. At every turn, the Cookery and its staff were nothing short of amazing.We fell in love with the venue for our special day because of the atmosphere and layout. They offer a lot of versatile space that’s perfect for large events including bringing in a food truck to the courtyard for a late-night snack.One of our biggest planning highlights was the wine tasting (pre-covid). The selection overall is great, but the tasting experience made it more impressive.Which brings us to the staff. Juli and her team are rock stars. Prior to the event, Juli was responsive, helpful, and provided a lot of much needed guidance. We asked a lot of questions. Almost too many questions. We always got polite and helpful answers quickly. Alyssa, the Manger-on-Duty on the Day-of was awesome. When we arrived, we knew we were in good hands.Prior to the event, the Cookery communicated very clearly what was expected around mask mandates and other local ordinances. This took the stress out of the situation because we were able to then communicate those details to our guests. This put a lot of guests at ease because they also knew what to expect when they arrived.Our only regret was not listening to the venue’s recommendation for preferred vendors the first time around. Due to conflicts from postponing, we had to change a few vendors. Every vendor on their preferred list was excellent. Postponing was as stress free… as it could be. We worked with the Cookery to select our new date and then communicate with our vendors.Just an all-around great experience during a time of uncertainty. Our guests raved about the venue and the event overall.

Great place to hold an event. Very nice staff and very efficient. Nice atmosphere.

It was first time been there, for a wedding of a friend of mine, the place was clean ( bathrooms)Beautiful, romantic sitting!! Great place for any kind of function THE FOOD WAS THE BOMB 💣 especially the shrimp 🍤and grits!! The people who work there very nice and pleasant and accommodating!!! I WISH YA HAD A SPOT IN RALEIGH!!

Attended a wedding here. Great venue with indoor and outdoor areas. Dance floor and bar with room for a band. Great staff.

The Cookery was the first, and only venue we toured when we got engaged. It is a beautiful space, and we couldnt wait to celebrate there with all our family and friends.Six weeks prior to our April 2020 event we had to postpone due to Covid. When it became clear hosting a Fall 2020 wedding wasnt going to be any safer, we postponed again to Oct of this year.In an attempt to make sure vaccines were available for the children in our wedding party, we attempted to postpone one final time... but were told no.We were not beyond understanding their desire to have our event done and off their books - but pigeonholing us into a date we werent comfortable with left a bad taste in our mouths.Fast forward to last week. We reached out to our caterer, Durham Catering Company, as we had questions around choosing a new menu. After having a hard time contacting anyone at Durham Catering, we had to get confirmation from The Cookery that Durham Catering was no longer in business. (And by the looks of their social media - HAD been out of business for quite some time.)Not only had one of The Cookerys preferred caterers ghosted us, but they took our deposit with them. (To be absolutely clear - the catering deposit check that was cut for Durham Catering was made out and given to The Cookery.) Now we were left, four months out from our wedding, scrambling to find another caterer from their preferred list who could accommodate not only our diminished catering budget... but our Oct date as well.The Cookery may not be contractually obligated to let us know when one of their caterers goes out of business - but are they not morally obligated? Had they given us a heads up that Durham Catering had gone out of business when it happened instead of simply removing them from their website and leaving us to find out on our own, we would still be getting married at The Cookery this October.At this point wed rather eat our deposits than give any more money to a business who obviously cares so little about its clients. How many other couples got screwed out of money, had their weddings blown up, and reached out to The Cookery wondering where Durham Catering had disappeared to? We know we were not the only ones.

The Cookery had everything we wanted for our wedding. The main thing we loved about the venue was that there was a separate space for the ceremony, the cocktail hour, and the reception. While the venue was a dream come true, it really was the staff that made our night turn out so perfectly. Starting with Tammy, I felt like I could reach out to her about anything, big or small, without feeling like I was inconveniencing her. This was huge for me. Planning a wedding when you have not planned any large event before can be a bit scary and I felt very comfortable with the whole process knowing I had her support.On the actual wedding day, the staff were amazing and so friendly. I felt like they went above and beyond. We really appreciated all that the staff did to keep things moving seamlessly. We had so many compliments about the space, it was a huge hit with the guests. I can honestly say that The Cookery as a venue coupled with the amazing staff, made all of our wedding dreams come true.

Beautiful venue. Cant wait to host an event here. Highly recommended

Ive had the pleasure of attending a couple events at The Cookery and most recently this past weekend. I gotta say this event venue used to be a quaint little event space but Ill circle back to the little part here in a minute. First, off the original room with its mezzanine is awesome! The way the exposed brick fits in with the re-purposed structure give this place a very rustic feeling and it couldt be anymore cozy. It also seems to be a very versatile space in that they can dress it up however need be. Secondly, the staff has always been the most friendly and helpful people Ive come across. You could have the best looking place in town but without the right people running it but in the end you wouldnt have much. The Cookery seems to do a outstanding job in the staffing department. Now, getting back to the little part.... I had noticed in the past that the Cookerys space was a little on the limited side. Well, as of this past weekend they just opened up some additional space they expanded into on both the back and side of the venue. The end result is what has to be an extra 5000 square feet consisiting of a huge great room, a spacious brick patio, extra bathrooms and even a Bridal Suite which can be used as a private room. I got to chatting with the owner Tammy, who is awesome by the way, and she gave me a quick tour of the new areas which werent in use at the time and I couldnt believe how absolutely beautiful it all looked. The Cookerys new expansions have to have more than doubled the capacity for the venue and added a lot of really cool options for people looking to rent event space. Basically, if you are in the market for a place for your event in Durham this would absolutely be the place to check out.

We held our wedding reception for about 80 guests at The Cookery in late December. Our guests loved the industrial chic vibe and look of The Cookery - it was a wonderful way to introduce our out-of-town guests to the areas history.The space is so unique and stylish it didnt need any decoration - minimal flowers on the tables and votive candles & tea lights. The Cookerys inventory of A/V equipment, tables, chairs and dinner & glassware are all included in the rental price, making it easy on your budget and your day-of preparation.The Cookerys preferred caterer list includes many of the best catering companies in the area and the bar packages (provided by The Cookery itself) offer options for multiple budget ranges. My brothers are beer aficionados and loved the selection of local brews that were included.For all the benefits that The Cookery offers, none is more important than their General Manager, Tammy Carwane. Tammy is the consummate professional - her email responses are always prompt, pleasant and helpful. For a person unfamiliar with the intricacies of planning a wedding Tammy is an invaluable resource. Her suggestions on the reception timeline and layout of the space helped us efficiently achieve the event we wanted. Her familiarity and communication with our various vendors made the day go off flawlessly. Moreover, she was endlessly patient with our questions and changes and was unfailingly complimentary and supportive of all our choices. We are so lucky that she was part of our team.

Amazing ambience, great food. Loved the beer and music

1st time at The Cookery. Attended a wedding last weekend and was really impressed with the layout, service and food & drinks. The space is a hollowed out old brick building which is nice because whatever bash gets booked in there means there’s plenty of freedom to create any desired look without having to cover up what’s already there. It’s a nice blank canvas to work with. I especially liked the smooth cement floors. A modern touch in a vintage space.So, the main entrance is a large room with a dance floor on one end, a long bar on the side, and lots of space for seating (ceremony area) at the other end.Next to that is a courtyard with strung up accent lights and some tables & chairs.On the other side is another courtyard with same accent lighting and an old, large, metal door slid open along the brick siding which made for a nice photo backdrop.This leads into another space which has a smaller bar. The space has a really tall ceiling, and there’s a staircase along one wall leading up to what I think was additional space for guests to hang out. I’m actually not certain about that as I didn’t make it over to check out.All in all, I really liked the variety offered here. It’s nice to be indoors and go outdoors in a snap, without having to feel like you’re leaving the party.Much needs to be said about the service here. From the moment of arrival to the time of departure, every employee I encountered was extremely helpful, friendly, and professional. One of the bartenders even made a cocktail for me that was not on the party menu. He noted it would take a few minutes as ingredients were at the other bar. Well I can’t tell you how thrilled I was that I got the cocktail I wanted. Not only that, but the bartender found me milling around in a different room and brought the glass to me. It tasted amazing! Even though the other drinks I had were amazing too, and they really were, this one is probably my fave because extra effort went into making it and getting it to me.The food was catered by Donovan’s Dish, out of Apex. I had never heard of them before, but now I’m sure I’ll never forget them. They served apps at cocktail hour which were delicious, and then at dinner they were serving 3 types of entrees at stations. I wouldn’t be able to call myself a foodie if I didn’t taste all 3, so of course I did just that. The meat, the chicken and shrimp were incredible.I’m not sure what biz provided the wedding cake but it was gorgeous and tasted excellent.Tip: If you arrive a little too early for an event here, (like I did), just note that there’s a coffee shop diagonally across the street where you can hang out until it’s time to walk over to The Cookery. Joe Van Gogh Coffee, is the place.

This was my first experience being in the Cookery. I was there in the capacity of a waiter(server), to help bring magic to a brand new couple at their wedding reception. The venue offers a variety of options and accommodations and a talented staff to make things happen. The Cookery created an enclosed outdoor ceremony for 132 which could have passed for a church ceremony. Provided a Buffet with four different serving stations each with uniquely designed menu offerings. Highlighted with candlelit expansive table floral arrangements. Tastefully done without the guest being crowded on top of one another. A ballroom class full service bar. When you leave the ballroom you pass through another enclosed outdoor veranda where you can sit and have cocktails. When you are ready, feel free to stroll into the full fledged Disco, with complete stage(with lights, mikes, dance floor, rest rooms, and another full service bar). The Cookery is expansive with a lot of versatility. And the food is great. If youre celebrating a special occasion.......call em.

Our office space is not optimal due to COVID, so we hosted a small training at The Cookery’s Front Room. The high ceilings, large garage door we could roll up, and outdoor courtyard gave us continual airflow in the room for the distanced tables we arranged for each participant. We utilized their large projector screens for our presentation, and were able to incorporate our off-site colleagues to the meeting via Zoom. I would definitely recommend The Cookery for your corporate needs to keep your team safe and distanced!

The Cookery was the PERFECT place to have our wedding. The venue is absolutely beautiful and requires minimum decor. Booking caterers and rentals was also very easy (especially the streamlined payment process). The staff was super attentive the day of, and Juli was a dream to work with. 10/10 would recommend to anyone looking for a venue in Durham!

Just hosted a wedding at the Cookery and it could not have been any better! Facility is rustic with wonderful lighting throughout. Different rooms, an a courtyard make this venue the perfect location for a wedding. Cocktail hour was in one space, dinner and dancing in the main hall, a courtyard for outside activity and a private area complete with leather sofas. Cookery staff was excellent. 150 guests was a good number but I would imagine up to 200 or so would be fine. Two thumbs up for The Cookery!

Working with Juli and Tammy was a dream.The venue tour not only showed the 4 amazing spaces, but the knowledge and story of the buildings history really draws you in. They also have a PHENOMENAL bridal suite with leather couches, full length mirrors, champagne and so much space for getting ready. Two spaces are the front room and ballroom which both provide space for dinner, dancing, etc. and have great bars! The front room is attached to the kitchen so all food can be prepared on site (no hot trays needed), and the courtyard and garden space can host the ceremony, cocktails, or any space in between.They coordinate catering and alcohol directly and it is priced through them - you choose from a preferred catering vendor list and varying alcohol packages - which really streamlined the process. When beginning to contract other vendors, every time we mentioned our venue the response was Oh, we LOVE The Cookery.Day of, Tammy kept water and champagne in the bridal suite, kept an eye over the vendors/set up and the entire day ran perfectly. We are still getting compliments about the gorgeous and unique venue.

The cookery was the venue for my best friends wedding. Air conditioned (which was a godsend in the summer) as well as a cool atmosphere. Custom cocktails were tailored perfectly to the event. The staff was friendly, helpful, and just plain fun. It was my first wedding so I have no frame of reference but everyone said it was the best theyve ever been to (before they the alcohol kicked in). Style for days and a great staff, what more can you ask for.

This space is comfortable and spacious without being too big. Large service bar on the main level with an upper floor wraparound that gives you some privacy. Ample parking around the venue and a cozy feel all around.

My husband and I chose the Cookery for our wedding because of the beautiful atmosphere, flexible event space, great food and bar options, and amazing staff. We could not have been happier with how our event turned out. The Cookery staff helped us plan every detail of our wedding day, were quick to answer any and all questions that we had, and accommodated our special requests and timeline changes. I highly recommend them to anyone planning a special event.

We had a Sunday wedding at the Cookery, and rented the full grounds. Leading up to the wedding, we were in touch with Juli (pre-contract signing) and Tammy (post-contract signing) about once or twice a week, and they were always responsive, helpful, and thorough when faced with our many questions. We had a few in-person meetings also, which sold us on the venue; its a unique and beautiful space, it doesnt require too much additional decoration, and the different rooms give you flexibility. (The bridal suite is especially beautiful and classy, not the usual pink-and-white space Id seen at other venues.) On the day of the wedding, the staff was extremely friendly and accommodating. Regarding payment/cost, the Cookery rolls many of the vendor payments into their contract, which we found convenient. Its definitely a pricier venue, but if its in your budget, its worth it. We really enjoyed working with Tammy, and our guests loved the space. We wouldnt have changed anything about our wedding.

I provided the hair and makeup services for an event; in a perfect world they would have had more table space and better lighting for vendors like myself. Other than that I loved the venue and the staff that I met seemed very pleasant.

An interesting layout with modern industrial design, pleasant enough atmosphere. It is two buildings separated by what well call the small courtyard, there is good enough room for a medium sized get together such as a wedding. Theyre multiple bars, at the event I attended only got to sample what they had on hand but it looks like they may have a fairly large selection of beverages. The larger courtyard was accommodating for a ceremony. Downsides include location due to construction and the locals causing lots of noise such as revving vehicles, shouting, traffic noise, and traffic exhaust. Note that the courtyards have no shade so if youre going to go into an event where there is full on sun you may want to do something about shade.

What a gorgeous venue! We went for a bridal show and were so impressed with the venue itself. Its rustic but updating, the wood was gorgeous, warm and cozy feeling. The bartender that served us was very nice.

I cannot imagine a more perfect place for our wedding reception than The Cookery! It was a perfect backdrop for our event and all of our guests were raving about how beautiful it was. Tammy was incredibly helpful through the planning process and we could not have done it without her. She came with us to our appointment for linens and took care of the bar, tables, tent, and valet and was crucial for setting the room layout and timeline. The bartenders were great and drinks delicious! In the Cookery we were able to have the intimate event that we wanted while still having quite a lot of guests. We loved every moment of working with the team there and having our reception at this venue!!

Went for a wedding service very nice place. Just was odd when they served food told everyone to take just one piece of meat because they werent sure if they had enough and some people had to stand for the wedding due to a small amount of seats.

The Cookery is a beautiful venue with lovely staff. We had our wedding ceremony and reception here for 100 guests. Some of the perks for the venue are they provide tables, chairs, silverware and glassware but the biggest perk is the venue coordinator Tammy. Tammy is wonderful to work with, kind, excited, and incredibly detail oriented. She is an expert and made sure everything went off without a hitch. The bar staff was also wonderful. The venue itself looks beautiful during the day or at night and is steeped in rich Durham history (which sold us on it!).

My company hosted their end-of-year party here. The bartenders were great and the food was decent. The atmosphere was very fun, but I am unaware what part of that was The Cookery and what part was a 3rd party that was hired.

A very nice location for special events. Indoor and outdoor spaces. A generous bar and upstairs area. Parking is a bit of a challenge in that neighborhood so it may take a minute to find a proper place to park.

This has nothing to do with the cookerys food or dining experience as I went there for one of my best friends wedding. And this has to do with an incident that I had with the valet which is still under investigation. Basically when I came back to pick up my car there was damage done to my back rear. Along with other guests having car trouble due to a light that was kept on by the valet. Therefore I would recommend going to the cookery but not using the valet service.

I happened to see this event venue due to a wedding taking place there on last Sunday, 11/11/2018. The place is both spacious and beautiful within and outside the brick structure. I would highly recommend for family and friends who prefer a more intimate setting for their next event.

The cookery ten starsits a great and beautiful place I like to design other place on the outside and end is very low-key nice atmosphere beautiful on the inside great music great food they also do parties and events I will always have a party or event at the cookery they can always get my business I will always recommend you the cookery five stars you get from Danny Alston

I was there for a wedding. Its a really cool space, though. Has the whole hipster feel - exposed brick and beams, lots of wood, wrought iron railings etc. Hard to judge what it would be like without the wedding.They made some solid bloody marys, though, and the food was great for a brunch.

Attended a wedding here recently, and found the venue to have excellent service with a very attractive urban setting. I second the reviews saying this venue has a bit of a hipster vibe to it. All in all, if I was getting married in Durham, Id give this venue a look.

This is the trendy place for wedding receptions in Durham right now. Food and service were good. But I hated the chairs. Not comfortable. Not good for someone with back problems.

Went for a wedding reception and left with a lifetime of memories. Clean, beautiful tables, and the wait staff couldnt have more gracious.Would highly recommend it.

Such nice people, the facilities are top notch, love the new outside area, class all the way, kitchen is very clean. Love this place.

One of the most inconsiderate restaurants in Durham. There valet parking causes major traffic backups. As well as their staff being a hazard while crossing the street. Major changes need to be made. I cannot attest for the food because Im too aggravated and disgusted by their lack of concern for the well-being of the community

Beautiful venue for a wedding. Ive been to 2 there this fall. Great staff - great place! Loved it!

Visited for a wedding. The location in Durham is a bit off the beaten path but it is a quick Uber, and once youre there, the decor is nice. The space is all hard surfaces, so after the music and conversations started, it was pretty boomy, and its basically one large room, so no relief unless you want to stand outside, which seemed a little sketchy. On the plus side, the bar service was great and even though one wall was open to a courtyard on a humid night and lots of people were dancing, the place stayed comfortable and cool.

Great space for a wedding, the chicken under a brick (?) was amazing. Parking is even decent.

The Cookery stole from my friends with no restitution

Lovely place, very good space. Delicious finger food.

Great venue for a rehearsal dinner. Wait staff and bartenders were wonderful and the food was fantastic.

Had a great time, staff was very acomadating, even for specialty items, will be back soon.

Really cool venue. Went to a wedding here and the space was amazing.

Very nice spot for a reception. I wished I lived closer. I would utilize this place often.

Great venue for a party. Food was fantastic for group

Such a cool venue. It looks like a 20s speakeasy

Went for my friends wedding. Very nice.

We hosted our rehearsal dinner at the Cookery and had a great experience working with the venue and their staff. I would highly recommend the venue for weddings, rehearsal dinners, corporate events and more!

Great venue for just about any celebration.

Love it. Very beautiful place. Looking forward to becoming a member.

Nice rustic environment for a party. Lots of charm and character.

Great place for a gathering. Catered food was amazing.

Great wedding venue!

Great venue with a bar and big space for an event

Nice venue for a wedding

Nice rustic venue

Such a beautiful venue for a wedding!

Bring them down!!!

Great food, nice wedding venue

Fun place.

Great people

A bit loud and oddly located.

Wonderful venue

Great bartenders

Great Food

Really close to busy road

Interesting architecture

Parking is trouble.

Newt architecture

Nice place for a wedding, spacious while remaining cozy