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Weddings

About

More than just a restaurant, The Pit is an experience to be shared, enjoyed, and remembered. We invite you to celebrate and share the experience with friends, family and co-workers in one of our many private dining spaces. Our private dining manager will work with you from start to finish to create the perfect menu for the perfect event, no matter the size of the party.

Invite friends for a cocktail party on the rooftop, overlooking stunning views of downtown Durham. Gather co-workers together for a unique corporate party. Enjoy an elegant rehearsal dinner with close family and friends. Celebrate a birthday. We know how special your event is, and we look forward to taking care of you and your guests at The Pit.

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Frequently asked questions

Do you have a site fee for wedding receptions at your venue?

No

Do you have a site fee for wedding ceremonies at your venue?

No

Which of the following are included in the starting site fee?

Chairs
China
Clean Up
Flatware
Glassware
Linens
Parking
Set Up
Tables

Which of the following are included in the cost of wedding catering?

Cake Cutting
Dessert
Server(s)

What is the starting price per person for bar service?

$10

Which of the following are included in the starting price for bar service?

Bartender(s)
House Liquor
House Wine
Open Bar
Premium Liquor
Signature Drink

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

2

Describe your venue:

Historic Building
Restaurant
Rooftop

What kind of settings are available?

Indoor
Covered Outdoor
Uncovered Outdoor

Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?

Ceremony
Reception
Bridal Shower
Engagement Party
Elopements
Rehearsal Dinner

What event services do you offer?

Bar Services
Clean Up

What bar services do you provide?

Bartender(s)
Cash Bar
House Liquor
House Wine
Open Bar
Premium Liquor
Signature Drink
Specialty Beer

What food and beverage items are available?

Barware
China
Flatware
Glassware
Linens

What transportation and access is available?

Parking
Valet
Wheelchair Access

Reviews of The Pit Authentic Barbecue in Durham

V
Victoria Sent on 10/07/2018
5 out of 5 rating
The Catering manager, Liz was very responsive and easy to work with. We wanted a casual feel for our rehearsal dinner and authentic BBQ was totally the way to go. We did buffet style food with a cash bar which was easy to navigate with our small party of 30 people. The food was delicious and the wait staff was extremely accommodating. I would highly recommend The Pit Durham for a rehearsal dinner or any function in general!!
M
Matthew Sent on 07/31/2018
5 out of 5 rating
I would give The Pit 10 stars if I could. We had our son's day-after-wedding brunch for around 100 family and out of town guests at The Pit. Long story short---the food was delicious and the service exceptional! Liz, the catering manager was amazingly helpful in recommending menu choices. Many of our guests had never tried N. Carolina BBQ and Liz's suggestions were spot-on. Our guests raved about the food- pulled pork, beef brisket, baked beans, grilled vegetables, hush puppies and banana pudding. Vegetarians were offered BBQ soy nuggets which got a big thumbs up. The servers were so attentive, friendly and helpful. The downstairs room has a nice atmosphere and comfortably accommodated 100 guests. There was no fee to reserve the room aside from a minimum food/beverage tab which was quite reasonable. I searched quite a bit for a private dining room for a large party that wouldn't break the bank, and this was it. Complimentary valet parking is available- a big advantage when booking an event in downtown Durham. All in all, wonderful food, awesome service and a great value. So glad we booked The Pit!
C
Liz Sent on 07/27/2018
5 out of 5 rating
I'm so happy we had our rehearsal dinner at the pit. The coordination was super easy, the prices I found to be really reasonable and they were willing to work with us to figure out the bar situation ( we ended up basically having a little bar table with beer and wine which worked perfectly - some people went and got something harder from the bar and I don't think it was a big deal.

We were in the downstairs space.
A
Andrew Sent on 06/06/2018
5 out of 5 rating
Liz and her event staff were absolutely amazing! They helped us put together an amazing menu, and really worked with us to get the most out of the space at the venue. While it didn't end up raining (thank goodness), we also put a rain plan in place so it wouldn't really have mattered much if it had. Before and during the wedding and reception, everything about The Pit was not only wonderful, but designed to make our lives as easy and stress-free as possible. Highest recommendation!
C
Carolyn Sent on 05/10/2018
5 out of 5 rating
We had our rehearsal dinner at The Pit in Durham - it was awesome. We had the entire upstairs room (private bar!) and outdoor deck to ourselves. We had beautiful weather for our outdoor dinner, and the food and service were top notch. After our dinner, we opened up to a welcome social, and The Pit was very flexible in catering and serving beverages for our entire evening. We definitely made the right choice!
U
User3239255 Sent on 10/05/2017
5 out of 5 rating
We had our wedding reception at The Pit in Durham and it was perfect!

We knew the food would be good but OMG it was so delicious. What I've always loved about The Pit is not only is their BBQ amazing, but they don't slack on their sides. We are still eating the leftovers, that the staff kindly packed for us, days later. Soooooo good.

We picked The Pit obviously because of the food and the amazing building (the rooftop at night was absolutely enchanting, especially after our guests left and it was just the two of us), but also because they handled the setup, breakdown, staffing, alcohol, etc... I've been telling people The Pit was the unicorn of our wedding planning process.

Liz, the event manager, was a dream to work with. She was accommodating and very tolerant of lots of questions. She made sure we had all the information we needed. It did a lot for my anxiety with wedding planning for her to be so unflappable.

All of the staff were super friendly and helpful at both our tasting and the day of the wedding. They handled changes, like dropping off the cake hours early, with a calm, reassuring manner. Seriously they were all a delight to work with. The bartender, Alberto, and waitress, Emily, were absolutely great. They made sure we had any/everything we needed. Additionally they just seemed like really sweet people.

We had the upstairs area and it was such a nice night that all of our guests stayed on the porch the whole night, only coming inside for food and drinks.
B
Betsy Sent on 12/30/2016
5 out of 5 rating
We had our rehearsal dinner in the upstairs private portion of the restaurant. We were so impressed with the service, the food and the venue. Great indoor and outdoor areas gave our guests lots of space. If you are interested in giving your guests an authentic North Carolina meal in a historic building this is a great choice!
D
Devin Sent on 05/13/2015
5 out of 5 rating
We booked the upstairs bar/dining area and rooftop patio for our rehearsal dinner on April 24th. Because we booked it as private instead of semi-private, there were no other groups upstairs with us and we had free reign over the indoor and outdoor areas. The indoor area has a great, rustic, "Durham" feel to it, and the outdoor patio has a great view of downtown Durham. Our guests loved it!

Liz was AMAZING to work with, and so sweet and helpful throughout the entire planning process. It took almost no effort on our part to coordinate the details of the evening! The food was fantastic and very reasonably priced. They even gave the few vegetarians we had their own individual vegetarian entrees even though our meal was family style (so important at a BBQ place!).

Overall it was the perfect venue for our rehearsal dinner, and we could not recommend it more highly, especially if you want to give your guests a real taste of Durham and NC!
M
Michelle Sent on 11/29/2014
5 out of 5 rating
The Pit is one of our favorite restaurants to eat at here in Durham. It was an easy decision when it came to our wedding food. The food was absolutely delicious and everyone was talking about how good it was, especially the BBQ chicken and pulled pork. Even though the food was catered off site, the food was just as delicious and high of quality as if we were in the restaurant. Liz was great to work with and made picking out our menu easy and quick.
E
Erin Sent on 03/22/2015
4.8 out of 5 rating
The food was excellent. We enjoyed our time at the restaurant. We did our rehearsal in the semi-private dining area. At the beginning we shared the space which was fine with us. I would have liked to have them serve us a little faster BUT I am not sure if this didn't happen because someone else told them to wait.
We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.

Awards

12
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2019 Winner

Map

The Pit Authentic Barbecue in Durham frequently asked questions

The Pit Authentic Barbecue in Durham includes the following items and services for wedding events in its starting site fee:
  • Chairs
  • China
  • Clean Up
  • Flatware
  • Glassware
  • Linens
  • Parking
  • Set Up
  • Tables
The Pit Authentic Barbecue in Durham includes the following items and services in its wedding catering costs:
  • Cake Cutting
  • Dessert
  • Server(s)
The bar service starting price at The Pit Authentic Barbecue in Durham includes:
  • Bartender(s)
  • House Liquor
  • House Wine
  • Open Bar
  • Premium Liquor
  • Signature Drink
The space offered by The Pit Authentic Barbecue in Durham for wedding events is known for:
  • Historic Building
  • Restaurant
  • Rooftop
The Pit Authentic Barbecue in Durham offers the following indoor/outdoor options for weddings:
  • Indoor
  • Covered Outdoor
  • Uncovered Outdoor
The Pit Authentic Barbecue in Durham offers the following types of wedding events:
  • Ceremony
  • Reception
  • Bridal Shower
  • Engagement Party
  • Elopements
  • Rehearsal Dinner
The Pit Authentic Barbecue in Durham offers the following services for wedding events:
  • Bar Services
  • Clean Up
The Pit Authentic Barbecue in Durham is recommended by 97% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 4.8 out of 5 with the following breakdown: 5 in flexibility, 5 in value, 4.8 in quality of service, 4.8 in professionalism and 4.6 in average response time.
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