Charlotte, every day, is a different city than it was the day before. Old favorites give way to new condos almost as quickly as one can spell IPA. With this rapid development comes a new demographic, in the name of bankers, technologists, and the otherwise upwardly mobile who, true, especially on social media, look about as diverse as Wonder Bread. But to the people who live here (and the IPA drinkers who love them), the Queen City is brimming with diversity, sometimes unsung, sometimes overshadowed by the new kids in town, but which has nevertheless been here, thriving, all along. Therefore, any list of the best bars in Charlotte should be as eclectic as the population of Charlotte, circa now. These are the bright spots in town, the neighborhood watering holes, the chic first-date spots, and the places that create community.
10 Best Bars in Charlotte, North Carolina
Find everything from alluring cocktails to plastic cups of PBR
New to the map: Substrate, Frenchy’s, Lorem Ipsum, Moosehead Grill, Humbug, and Copperhead Social Club. Locations are listed geographically from north to south.
10 Best Bars in Charlotte, North Carolina
Find everything from alluring cocktails to plastic cups of PBR
Charlotte, every day, is a different city than it was the day before. Old favorites give way to new condos almost as quickly as one can spell IPA. With this rapid development comes a new demographic, in the name of bankers, technologists, and the otherwise upwardly mobile who, true, especially on social media, look about as diverse as Wonder Bread. But to the people who live here (and the IPA drinkers who love them), the Queen City is brimming with diversity, sometimes unsung, sometimes overshadowed by the new kids in town, but which has nevertheless been here, thriving, all along. Therefore, any list of the best bars in Charlotte should be as eclectic as the population of Charlotte, circa now. These are the bright spots in town, the neighborhood watering holes, the chic first-date spots, and the places that create community.
New to the map: Substrate, Frenchy’s, Lorem Ipsum, Moosehead Grill, Humbug, and Copperhead Social Club. Locations are listed geographically from north to south.
Idlewild
No menu, no problem. Everything is on the table at Idlewild in NoDa. With no set menu to speak of, mixologists instead ask customers what they like (and dislike) to let their imaginations run wild. For example, pointing to a bottle of Pedro Ximenez sherry on the bar might lead to a riveting take on an Old Fashioned that is as dark and chic as the bar itself. For more space, food, and a set menu, visit sister cocktail bar Fairweather next door.
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Copperhead Social Club
Copperhead Social Club in NoDa is not so much a dive bar as it is a hangout in someone’s super cool house. It is unpretentious and laid-back, much like the neighborhood itself, and the food, in particular, is a delight. Try one of the wonderful smashed cheeseburgers after your fourth or fifth beer while playing Super Nintendo in the back with friends.
Humbug
Always mentioned in conversations about Charlotte’s best cocktail bars, Humbug — located in the Plaza Midwood-adjacent neighborhood of Villa Heights — wows crowds with some of the most creative cocktails in town. Their current menu features a potent coconut-milk-clarified concoction with blue curacao that transports drinkers straight to a tropical beach. On an equally riveting menu of shooters, a Malort shot is available for the brave and well-meaning.
Substrate
Substrate, the self-anointed “blue collar enoteca” in Optimist Park, is as eclectic a bar as Charlotte has ever seen. The vinyl adoration, the assorted bric-a-brac, the hip, brooding vibes that extend to the wine list — all of it makes this vermouth, amaro, and wine bar a unique addition to the scene. A large outdoor space allows for wine club gatherings or collaborations with food trucks on nice weather days.
Super Abari Game Bar
Just like a video game character ready to level up with another life, the nondescript white block of a building in Belmont that houses Super Abari — is a super rare coin. The game floor draws crowds from the entire demographic spectrum: friends trading punches over Street Fighter II, strangers laughing at the game’s retro look (or shedding tears of nostalgia), and retired couples calling over their new Gen Z neighbors to play pinball while drinking PBR from plastic cups. The cocktail list features the Princess Peach made with peach and orange blossom vodka and several boilermakers, including the Rise N Shine, a coffee-infused Fernet, and Wooden Robot’s Good Morning Vietnam, a coffee vanilla blonde ale.
Lorem Ipsum
Lorem Ipsum, the Black-owned bar inside the lobby of Refuge Hotel in Plaza Midwood, is designed as a listening bar, where local DJs gather and the music is always playing. Cocktail pro Justin Hazelton aims to offer a “full sensory experience,” bringing people together with music and his expertly crafted cocktails, which include “Kind of Blue,” a sweet potion of bourbon, blueberry, and amaro, as well as “Florida Water” with gin, spiced syrup, and orange blossom.
The Bar at Supperland
The Bar at Supperland in Plaza Midwood is a place to see and be seen. Looking in from the outside, the bar is a transcendental experience set apart from the former church that the restaurant proper calls home. Go inside to claim one of a handful of plush purple stools that line the bar and try a spirit-free cocktail, a handcrafted spirited cocktail, or an interactive absinthe service. A limited menu of food from the restaurant is available, including sausage gravy croquettes, caviar, and baked Brie bites. A true hidden gem, try to snag one of 10 seats at the Speakeasy Spirit Experience, available Wednesday through Saturday by reservation only.
Frenchy’s
South End is a neighborhood primarily geared toward recent college graduates, especially when it comes to the bar scene, but Frenchy’s feels more like a proper adult watering hole, an oasis in the youthful chaos. This gay-owned and operated wine bar offers a lengthy, rotating list of wines by the glass, a WSET certification class for wine enthusiasts, and doubles as a pet-friendly bottle shop for those who want to enjoy a nice red (or white) at home or at the bar.
Argon
Argon is a multi-colored, multi-hyphenate oasis down in newly branded LoSo. It welcomes everyone who can or cannot follow a beat, and that is just fabulous. It is a karaoke bar for people who can’t sing. It is also a place for members of the LGBTQ community to gather and watch RuPaul’s Drag Race with their friends and allies. There is no one type or demographic for which Argon solely exists. Many nights, long after the DJ stops spinning and the video monitors go black, patrons (some dressed to the nines and others dressed for the gym) trickle out into the parking lot, still buzzing on Absolut and sodas (or Smirnoff Blueberry and tonics, for the discerning), as they board their Ubers, laughing and dancing through what is left of the night.
Moosehead Grill
Moosehead Grill is a prototypical dive bar in Charlotte’s Montford neighborhood that some say also has the best chicken wings in town. And they are, indeed, superb, from the OG blackened version to the popular “Killer Bees” that are coated in honey, mango, and lots of habanero. But don’t come expecting craft cocktails. Settle instead for Narrangansett on draft and an always eclectic round of people watching under the Christmas tree lights that adorn every square inch of the bar.
