the

BarBeej

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A glass of iced tea with a slice of grilled orange on top, sitting on a wooden table with a dark background. This is at The Bar Beej in Downtown Durham.

a bar built

by the kitchen

Three cocktail glasses with colorful drinks on a silver tray against a dark background. This is at Cheeni in Downtown Durham.
A cocktail in a stemmed glass with a frothy top, placed on a wooden surface, with green ivy plants in white pots in the background. This is at Cheeni in Research Triangle Park.

  • The Bar Beej is a cocktail bar driven by the spices, produce, discard, and flavor profiles of an Indian home kitchen, created by Preeti & Amy Waas.

  • We cook the way we eat: simple, comforting, approachable, seasonal. But the ingredients in an Indian kitchen are anything but ordinary, especially when transformed into beverages.

    Using as few technical procedures and fancy bits of equipment possible, we’ve developed a rotating drink menu that highlights the beauty and diversity of our kitchen’s spices, waste products, produce, and more.

  • The Bar Beej is open from 5-9 PM from Sunday to Thursday, and from 4-11 PM on Fridays & Saturdays. We’re located in the adjacent space to Cheeni Durham, our Downtown location (202 N. Corcoran St., Suite 100).

    We opened on June 21, 2024, and in our first year, we were listed as a Semifinalist for the James Beard Foundation’s “Best New Bar” award, a national honor.

  • We are ever-changing, and our space is a small, intimate respite in the middle of Downtown Durham.

    We play rotating Bollywood movies, focus on nostalgic flavors and details, and prioritize making The Bar Beej a welcoming, approachable space.

    It’s never too loud or too crammed. It’s full service, so you can eat dinner from Cheeni as well.

    The bar menu is much expanded from the dining room cocktails that Cheeni has to offer, but the seating model is walk-in only; no reservations.

    Occasionally, we host private events, mixology classes, gatherings, and more. Interested? Please get in touch with us, and we’ll respond ASAP!

Inside a dimly lit bar with a dark counter, floral arrangements, and multiple chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. There are mirrors on the wall reflecting the TV, which pictures a woman in a movie sitting on a bed with gold curtains.