Killjoy

Killjoy sits on North West Street in Glenwood South, Raleigh's densest strip of late-night bars, and it is one of the few on that strip where ordering without alcohol does not mean ordering off-menu. The drinks list carries a printed section headed "Spirit-Free Cocktails", flat-priced at ten dollars, and the bar's own framing is that all drinks are treated with the same exquisite respect — a claim the list mostly earns.

The Sunset Sparkler is the house spritz, built on alcohol-free aperitivo and alcohol-free prosecco, and the Lemonheloooo Spritz runs the same structure with alcohol-free limoncello. The most interesting of the three is Pine State of Mind, which combines alcohol-free gin with lime, honey and celery bitters and then lengthens it with Athletic Brewing's non-alcoholic IPA — using the hops for the bitterness and aroma that a zero-proof build usually lacks. It is a properly constructed drink rather than a soft alternative.

Two things are worth flagging before you go. The first is that the bar's spirit-free section also lists a build containing a 5mg THC spirit; it is not included among the drinks above, because THC is not alcohol-free in the sense most people avoiding alcohol mean, and anyone in recovery should know it is on the same part of the menu. Ask if you want to avoid it. The second is the bar's own disclaimer, which is more honest than most: not every beverage on the list is alcohol free, and all of them are made in an environment where alcohol is in use, so cross-contact is possible.

The kitchen is run by chef Jake Wood, the room is listed as LGBTQ+ friendly and accessible, and the hours run late — until 1am on Friday and Saturday, with a 3pm Saturday open that makes it one of the earlier starts in the neighbourhood.