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Hillsborough st. and Downtown Raleigh: 50 Places to Try!

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at NCSU chapter.
It’s the weekend, you don’t have class tomorrow… yet, you are stuck at home in PJ’s watching TV. So maybe you should check out things to do instead of staying home…Here are 50 suggestions for something to do tonight!!

 
If you want to stay on Hillsborough Street:
 
 
Pizza Places:
 
1. Gumby’s Pizza: 3017 Hillsborough Street – (919) 836-1555 : Gumby’s Website
 
2. Marco’s Pizza: 2906 Hillsborough Street  – (919) 832-8889 : Marco’s Website
 
3. Pizza America: 2810 Hillsborough Street- (919) 832-6255 : PizzaAmerica Menu
 
4. That’s Amore Pizza: 2526 Hillsborough St # 106 (919) 832-6671 : Reviews!
 
5. I Love NY Pizza: 2316 Hillsborough St # 102 (919) 838-0011 : I Love NY Pizza Menu

 
Restaurants:
 
1. FarmHouse: 3011 Hillsborough Street (919) 828-1777 (Open Mon-Wed 11am-11pm; Thu-Sat 11am-3pm) Reviews!
 
2. East Village Grill & Bar: 1 Dixie Trail (919) 821- 9985 (Open at 11am, 7 days a week). Daily Drink Specials!
 
3. Zaxby’s: 2907 Hillsborough Street (919) 832-7707. Menu
 
4. Sakura Xpress Restaurant: 2811 Hillsborough Street (919) 828-3869. (Open Weekdays 11am-2pm, 4pm-9pm; Weekends 5pm-9pm) Menu
 
5. Shanghai Express: 2502 Hillsborough Street (919) 754-9797
 
6. Two Guys Amer-Italian Restaurant: 2504 Hillsborough Street (919) 832-2324 (Open Daily 11am-2pm, 5pm-10pm) Menu
 
7. Mitch’s Tavern: 2426 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC 27607 – (919) 821-
7771. (Open 11am Monday-Friday, 11:30am Saturday, 5pm Sunday) Daily Specials,  Dinner Menu
 
8. Jasmin Mediterranean Bistro: 2430 Hillsborough Street (919) 755-9991 (Open Weekdays 11am-10:30pm; Sat 12am-10:30pm; Sun 12am-9pm). Menu
 
9. Frazier’s: 2418 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC 27607-7248 – (919) 828-
6699 (Open Sun-Wed 5pm- 10pm, Thursday-Sat- 5pm-12am). Menu
 
10. Wing Zone: 2020 Hillsborough Street (919) 832-9464.  Menu
 
11. Porter’s Tavern: 2412 Hillsborough Street (919) 821-2133. (Open: Open Mon-Thu 11:30am-10pm; Fri 11:30am-11pm; Sat 5pm-11pm; Sun 11:30am-2:30pm, 5pm- 9pm) Menu

 
Bars & Pubs:
 
1. Shakedown Street: 2500 Hillsborough Street (919) 899-6381 – (Open Wed-Sat 8pm-2am; Sun 8pm-12am) Food MenuDrink Menu
 
2. East Village Grill & Bar: 1 Dixie Trail (919) 821-9985 (Open at 11am, 7 days a week). Daily drinks specials
 
3. Katmandu: 3003 Hillsborough Street (919) 838-6919
 
4. Pack House Pub: 2526 Hillsborough Street (919) 828-2395 Website
 
5. Five O’clock Sports Bar: 2508 Hillsborough Street (919) 755-1101 (Open Mon-Sat 5pm-2am; also open Sun) Website
 
6. Porter’s Tavern: 2412 Hillsborough Street (919) 821-2133. (Open: Open Mon-Thu 11:30am-10pm; Fri 11:30am-11pm; Sat 5pm-11pm; Sun 11:30am-2:30pm, 5pm- 9pm) Menu
 
7. Frazier’s: 2418 Hillsborough Street (919) 828-6699 (Open Sun-Wed 5pm- 10pm, Thursday-Sat- 5pm-12am). Menu
 
8. Jackpot: 1303 Hillsborough Street (919) 821-8422 (Open Daily 9pm-2am) 

 
Others:
 
1. Moroccan Oasis: 3018 Hillsborough Street (919) 803-3437. Menu
 
2. Prince Café Hooka Lounge: 2 Dixie Trail(919) 828- 5680 (Open Mon-Thu,Sun 4pm-3am; Fri-Sat 4pm-4am) Facebook Page
 
3. Brueggers: 2302 Hillsborough Street (919) 828-7103. Menu
 
4. Planet Smoothie: 2302 Hillsborough Street (919) 839-0022. Menu 
 
5. Cup’ A Joe: 3100 Hillsborough Street (919) 828-9665 (Open 6:00am – 10:30 pm, 7 days a week)
6. Global Village Organic Coffee: 2428 Hillsborough Street (919) 828-4567 (Mon-Thu 7 am – 7:30 pm, Fri 7 am – 6 pm, Sat 8 am – 6 pm) 

 
MUST GO TO Events on Hillsborough Street: 
 

1. Hillsborough Hike:
Occurring on the last day of classes (before final exams), NCSU students participate in a bar crawl that starts at one end of Hillsborough Street and ends at the other. The goal of the event, known as the Hillsborough Hike, is to get a drink from every bar.
 
2. Haunted Hillsborough Hike: In 2007, thousands of NCSU students and Raleighites celebrated Halloween on Hillsborough Street during the first organized Haunted Hillsborough Hike. This hike occurred in addition to the traditional end of semester hikes; its organization was partially motivated
as a NCSU response to the large annual Halloween celebration on rival UNC Chapel Hill’s Franklin Street. It has been a tradition ever since.
 
3. Paint the town red: As part of NCSU’s homecoming week since 2006, many businesses along Hillsborough Street agree to have groups of NCSU students paint their windows red, the main athletic color of the NC State Wolfpack. The spectacle was deemed “Paint the Town Red”. Also, for homecoming
week each year, the annual NCSU Homecoming Parade uses a segment of Hillsborough Street for its parade route.
 
4. Wral- TV Raleigh Christmas parade: An annual Christmas parade is held along Hillsborough Street and various other Raleigh streets every November. The event, sponsored by WRAL-TV attracts Raleighites, NCSU students, and visitors from around the area.
 
5. Krispy Kreme Challenge: The Krispy Kreme Challenge, a race invented and organized by N.C. State Park Scholars with a majority of runners attending N.C. State, is a new N.C. State tradition, which attracted over 1,000 runners in 2007. Part of Hillsborough Street is closed in order for runners to make their way from the NC State Bell Tower to the Krispy Kreme on Peace Street. The objective is to get to the Krispy Kreme, eat a box of doughnuts and run back to the Bell Tower in under one hour.
Source: Wikipedia.org

 
You don’t feel like staying on campus? You want to explore the downtown area?
Then here is your survival kit for DOWNTOWN!

 
Restaurants:
 
1. McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant: 4325 Glenwood Avenue (919) 881-7848 (Open Mon-Thurs: 11:30AM-11:00PM, Fri:11:30AM-12:00AM, Sat: 12:00PM-12:00AM, Sun: 12:00PM-10:00PM) Menu
 
2. Waraji Japanese Restaurant: 5910 Duraleigh Rd (919) 783-1883. Menu
 
3. Bella Monica: 3121 Edwards Mill Road (919) 881-9778, (Open: Mon-Thurs Dinner: 5- 10pm, Fri-Sat: Dinner: 5- 11pm) Menu
 
4. Sushi Blues: 301 Glenwood Avenue # 110 (919) 664-8061, (Half Price sushi- Sunday after 8pm, and Thursdays after 11pm) Menu
 
5. Solas: LADIES NIGHT FRIDAY! 419 Glenwood Avenue (919) 755-0755. (Open Daily 4pm-2am) Website

 
Night Clubs:
 
1. ESS Lounge: 327 West Davie Street (919) 829-5484. Facebook Page
 
2. Legends Nightclub: 330 West Hargett Street (919) 831-8888. Website
 
3. Lincoln Theater: 126 East Cabarrus Street (919) 821-4111. Website
 
4. Berkeley Cafe: 217 West Martin Street (919) 821-0777. Website
 
5. Sin City: 412 West Davie Street (919) 834-1116. Website
 
6. City Limits Saloon: 901 Tryon Hill Dr (919) 829-3939 Thursday Night: Battle of the sexes Bull riding challenge! All ladies free before 11pm!  Website

7. Still Life: 400 W. North St. Suite 120. 1-877-590-LIST Website

8. Fubar: 412 W. Davie St. (919) 671-6066. Facebook Page

9. Noir Bar & Lounge: 425 Glenwood Ave.(919) 858-6459. Website
 

10. Hi 5: 510 Glenwood Ave. (919) 834-4335. Website

 

In conclusion, have fun! But safe fun! Remember to either have a DD or call PACKspacs to get home safely!!!
Campus Correspondent and Founder of Her Campus NCSU - kristiedemers@hercampus.com Kristie Demers is a Senior English major at North Carolina State University. When she isn't studying or busy working on campus, Kristie enjoys running, writing, reading, photography, and painting. She volunteered as an athletic trainer for the Cheerleading team freshman year and developed an unwavering devotion for the Wolfpack. This Wisconsin natives passions include traveling, spending time with family and friends, and loving even the little things in life. Although she is down to earth and loves making people smile, Kristie is hard working and welcomes challenges. All that this happy-go-lucky girl dreams for the future is to write for a magazine and live at the beach. In the meantime, her heart lies in the bricks at N.C. State and beats with every chime of the Bell Tower!