This is consistently the best place to eat for higher end American fare in the Lake Norman area. Everything is executed incredibly well, every time. I've ordered steak to-go from here (I know, gross) but it comes cooked to the correct temp every time and everything is amazing. Great place! read more

131 Main is a solid experience. They fix problems and do so in a way that really helps you feel confident that they understand hospitality. I had a big problem with 131 Main and they fixed it. Avoiding problems is the best, but being able to fix problems is another huge plus (nobody can always be perfect and it is nice to know if they aren't perfect you aren't totally out of luck). Call this my cable rule. If you get cable and it works then everything is perfect. If anything goes wrong with your cable, welcome to an endless hell of never getting anything done right. 131 Main isn't like the cable company - problems get solved. The food here is very good, I am a little sad to see some of my favorites disappear from the menu - bye bye lamb. They still have plenty of wonderful options. Appetizers - they are ok, but I would skip them and focus on the entrees and desert as both of these are much better experiences. Entrees - they know how to cook a steak and they know how to cook fish. They have a menu with enough variety to let you experiment and it is worth exploring all of it. Dessert - I am not a huge dessert guy, and I wish they had some more options, but what they do have in the way of chocolate cake is very pleasing. Parking - you can find parking but you may have to walk through a lot of parking lot. If you make a reservation, make sure you get it confirmed. I left some voice mail and didn't get a response back. I followed up and didn't get a response. Make sure you get a confirmation of your party size and the date/time of your reservation. read more

The original 131 Main... I'm so happy to see this restaurant grow to 4 NC locations! This location is the one I frequent the most. The staff there is great, food is terrific & drinks are refreshing! I only wish there was more seating. The Lake Norman crowd loves 131 Main too, so they stay busy a lot. :) Go with the Thai steak salad, prime rib or crab cakes for an entree...double dip, scallops or cornbread as your appetizer. DELICIOUS! read more

Excellent food! Exceptional service. Went there for New Year's Eve and had an amazing time.

Came here for Christmas Eve with 15 people and the only thing that was disappointing was they don't have tables that go together . We all had to sit at separate tables . The tables are bolted to the floor so they can't put them together . They didn't tell us that over the phone but they made it right by giving us some free appetizers. The food is always very good with huge portions . The staff is high end and very attentive . I always have leftovers and no room for dessert . Overall a great place but not for big Parties . read more

131 MAIN Restaurant - Eggs Benedict with crab cake - American Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

See all

This is Lake Norman's finest restaurant. Love the upscale atmosphere and the food is always 5

Our favorite go to bar/restaurant in LKN area. Food is always consistent and bar area is always welcoming and we always make new friends

Owen was our waiter and he was RIDICULOUSLY on point and polite! He knew every ingredient, every special and was super happy to work there. The service was phenomenal, and the food was really good as well. We had the halibut and the Hawaiin ribeye. The banana pudding pie was phenomenal too! Will definitely be back! read more

131 MAIN Restaurant - Banana pudding pie - American Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

Many visits to 131 Main in Charlotte, esp Blakney, but first time here in Cornelius. Same theme, but slightly different...and in a good way. Menu was abbreviated. Maybe because it was Sunday? So not the many choices we are used to. For instance, meat loaf, one of our favorites was missing, but grilled artichokes were still there. The artichokes make for a great sharing appetizer of could be a light lunch. Service is simply excellent. Caroline kept up the pace and was immediately responsive to us. I had a Manhattan cocktail which was excellent. Then the baby back ribs, which was a full rack, cooked so well that the meat did fall off of the bones. And because of the thorough cooking, most of the fat had melted off. The ribs were not slathered or drowned with sauce, which you see in many BBQ places. It was just the right amount. I asked Caroline if I wanted more sauce could I get it? And she said, "Sure...as much as you want." Nice to know that the people who order BBQ for the sauce can get their fix. One difference we notes was the bus staff. In Blakney the bus staff snatches plates as soon as they are empty. Very efficient, but annoying, especially if you are a group. The bussers hover around the tables and a so quick that soon all but two of a group of six are still finishing their meals. Not so in Cornelius. Their bussers wait until each course is complete before swarming in. When in Blakney, we ask the bus staff to hold off until each course is completed and that helps. Atmosphere is quiet and dark. Not quite a kid place, but our grandchildren love to come to 131. And they are well behaved. If you have wandering children who want to get out of their seats, they might get truly in the way of the busy wait staff. Wife had the Thai steak salad which looked like a small mountain set in front of her. The ginger flavored dressing was very tasty and my wife loved it. And looking at the portion of meat served within the salad was generous for sure. Their wines are available by the glass and are listed/grouped on the menu by price. Excellent idea. If you want a bottle, there is a more complete wine menu. Nice place, plenty of parking and the open kitchen is always a great atmosphere enhancer. They do a good job and seeing so much consistency among the 131 Main locations lets one know that management is on top of things. read more

Always been top level in all facets of dining experience. Probably the best all-around restaurant in the immediate area.

One of our favorite "go to" places! Food is a bit pricey but well worth it. The salmon dip appetizer is one of our favorites!

I ordered the Slow Roasted Chicken with Smashed Red Potatoes lunch entree. This time it was for take out. Big mistake. I usually order in to eat in and it is wonderful. This time they gave me a tiny chicken thigh and leg quarter instead of the usual large breast and wing quarter. I guess I should have specified but just assumed I would get the same as eating there. Definitely not enough to share which was my plan. Definitely not worth $24. read more

Nice place with great food. It's very dark inside but the gas lamps make you feel as if you're in Charleston. Service was very good and professional. We had a great time on our 11 year wedding anniversary and will go again. read more

Outstanding food and service at 131. I have been coming here for over a decade and you cannot ever find Them off their A game. They do not charge a cork fee which is awesome! read more

Mixed feelings: The prices were $$$$$, I have been here before and the prices were more reasonable. The food was good, the atmosphere dark and casual, the servers shared tasks, fast taking drink orders, fast getting the meals to the table. The attendance to detail after being served was horrible. The water ran out, to-go boxes and checks had to be asked for, the desert was offered but without any explanation or showing. We were astonished at the prices when we sat down. Our favorite, crab cakes, entree was $32. I chose the special grouper $38 + sauce $3 add on. Tea and a $12 cosmopolitan. The total bill was $95 for two. The grouper was a 4-5 oz piece of fish ($152 a pound). Overpriced - the place was full. . . so I guess people at the lake don't mind paying those prices. Limited selection, well prepared, fresh and delicious. I prefer a well-prepared meal in the $20 range. read more

Always a great place to go with great food. Typically a little loud and not a great place for an intimate conversation, but a great place to go for a celebratory meal with family and friends. Highly recommend! read more

As usual excellent service, great menu selections and high quality food. We travel Pgh to Sarasota and stay close just to have dinner here Not to be missed read more

This restaurant is really nice. I would have given it 5 stars if there was more to choose from on the menu, but other than that, it's a great restaurant with great service. Fairly pricey, but overall a great experience. I visited this location for my mother's birthday. I called and made a reservation earlier in the week and had no issues once we arrived. The servers are very knowledgeable which made my daughter and I extremely excited because of everything they were reciting from specials, to knowledge about wines. I was able to taste two different wines to determine which I wanted to order. I ordered the ribs with fries and honey mustard which were all great. The fries are similar to shoestring fries, very slim/thin. Most places have terrible honey mustard, theirs was perfect to my liking. The ribs were not hot, as if they had just been placed on the plate. More so as if they had been sitting for a little while. They were still good though and fell off the bone, which are my kind of ribs! The atmosphere of the restaurant is nice as well. I like brighter restaurants better, and this one was pretty dim. I would definitely return though. read more

131 MAIN Restaurant - American Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

131 Main delivers with high quality food EVERY time! My wife and I love this place as our go-to for date night. I've honestly never had a meal that wasn't top notch! read more

Fun restaurant with a a great atmosphere, definitely my style. I ate at the bar with my wife. The bartender immediately gave us water, menus and was very friendly. I ordered a medium rare steak that was slightly over cooked but it was seasoned well and tasted great. I ate every bit and will order it again. Do yourself a favor and eat here! read more

131 MAIN Restaurant - Chicago Ribeye - American Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

See all

Unfortunately, I am downgrading my review of the restaurant. After reviewing their Queens Feast menu, I quickly made a reservation and upon arrival, was seated promptly. We were given the standard menus. I had to request a Queens Feast menu. Later, I heard the waitress at the table next to us describe the contents of QF menu to the incoming customers. Jealousy set in immediately. My waitress was somewhat inattentive esp. since the restaurant had few customers between 3-4 on a Sunday afternoon. We had to wait for her to return to our table a few times. Back to our meal, I ordered: - Drumheller Cabernet Sauvignon: a nice blend that is easy on the palate. Went very well with my meal. - Deviled eggs (our creamy homemade mixture garnished with parsley): \not as creamy as described. My photo shows all. - Maryland-Style Crab Cakes (two jumbo lump crab cakes served with a whole grain mustard sauce with grilled asparagus): these were light and flavorful. - Brownie a la Mode: dessert was presented exactly as shown on the QF website. It was delightful!. I will return to 131 Main some months from now. Hopefully, service will be much better than it was today. read more

A very good restaurant with a very good environment. 131 Main is a great spot to stop at if you're in the Cornelius area, even if you live a little bit away, or you're just passing through town. A menu that's comprehensive, and not too long, but still giving everyone varied options. I enjoyed the daily special of Mahi Mahi, blackened with a mango relish. The fish was extremely fresh and was overnighted to the restaurant. The service was impeccable. Staff was very nice and helpful, including our waiter Dan, who added just the right amount of humor to our visit. Can't wait to come back. read more

See all

Made reservations for my daughters birthday. App was good. We had a few drinks. Ordered dinner. Wife ordered a filet. When the steak showed up it was a marinated ribeye. We asked is this is the filet the waitress said it doesn't look like it do you want the ribeye. Wife stated I ordered a filet. Waitress tells us it was a miscommunication in the back. Long story short. The family finishes dinner and 30 minutes later my wife gets her filet. What I took from it was the manager could care less. No comps and we paid full price for everything. When we look at the bill the waitress originally just put in two ribeye's. $200 for a dinner where only two of us ate and one watched. read more

Let me start off by saying that I love this restaurant. It used to be one of my go to's on the nights that I didn't want to cook. However, recently the quality of food has gone down substantially! The past few times I ordered the ribs they were way overcooked and dry with no bbq sauce to be found. Tonight was the worst they have been. I will not be returning and spending 30+ dollars on a single meal that is inedible. read more

131 MAIN Restaurant - Ribs with no BBQ sauce to be found. Yes, they are as dry and over cooked as they looked! - American Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

We ate dinner for the first time here tonight for our anniversary. It was an amazing experience! Everyone was so welcoming and friendly. Our waiter, Demarcus, was awesome and helpful with our dinner. He didn't rush us at all and answered any questions we had. I would highly recommend visiting here for dinner! The food is amazing. We had the halibut & prime rib (their specials). The deviled eggs are really great too! They're topped with bacon.. can't be wrong! If they offer the crab butter, get it! It was really great with my halibut. We'll be back again. read more

Stellar service and great food only over shadowed by the intensity of the crowd noise and cramped spacing of the tables.

Omg the ribs in this place are unreal! Everything about this dish, from the French fries to the coleslaw with the peanuts on top, to the Ribs it all works and is just amazing! Make sure to have some key lime pie because that's the real star of this show! read more

I go here often and love it every time! The wait staff is superb. Always pleasant and on top of things. I love their roast beef sandwich with cheese and au juice. My favorite appetite is the deviled eggs...yum! And I like to end my meal with their strawberry shortcake on a hot bun. Never a disappointment! read more

Good food and service but the menu never changes. And it's expensive. The ambiance is attractive both inside and out.

Food service quality of food consistently good. Atmosphere and bar pretty cool. Don't think I had a bad experience there.

Great food and fantastic service make this a great choice every time. Good job! I can't wait for my next visit

131 Main sounds like a street address, but is actually their business plan. (1 idea, 3 friends, 1 goal) The food here is excellent, and they are proud to serve fresh food - no freezers here. 131 was one of the first "nice" restaurants I went to when I moved to Charlotte. Since then, I've been countless times, but it wasn't until last year that I discovered my favorite menu item. (more on that below) The menu is fantastic, with specials that highlight what they're capable of cooking. I think you could pick any random item off the menu and have an exceptional meal, as well as a good choice for appetizers. The deviled eggs are always a tasty snack before your meal, but the real hidden gem is actually on the dessert menu. If you're craving something sweet, delicious, and most decidedly bad for your diet... you need to try the banana cream pie. Don't be afraid to order one to share with your date, as there's more than enough to share. (Did you eat that entire "slice" by yourself?! Shame on you, go for a long run to burn off those calories!) The banana cream pie is delicious, topped with bananas, caramel, chocolate, chocolate chips, and whipped cream. My wife and I have been known to visit on Tuesdays to split a 1/2 price bottle of wine, some deviled eggs, and a slice of pie, Overall, the price may turn off some budget minded diners, but the food, service, and ambiance more than make up for. I would highly recommend this restaurant, (or one of the other locations) for a date night, or that higher end dinner when you're trying to impress your in-laws or a business client. Also - you can order a whole pie for pickup, which is especially helpful for holiday meals. Don't try to claim credit for making it, because you need to fess up and tell your friends where to get this great dessert. read more

Just great in all categories food service and atmosphere. Have been coming here for the past 4 years and have never been disappointed.

131 Main has been our go-to place for most of our life's celebrations. The food, service, and drinks are always so good! This is one of the restaurants where I always have to ask if there are any specials because I normally don't order fish very much, but I almost always eat 131 Main's boat-to-table specials. And when they have the Dover Sole my dinner choice is a no-brainer... there is no way I can pass it up (especially with the different toppings). In the fall and winter we love to get a glass of wine and sit by the fire pit. As for favorite meals, the ribeye (simply seasoned), French dip, hamburger, and salads are all great!! Try the kale salad sometime. I can't believe they can make kale so tasty! And for drinks, 131 Main serves my wife's most favorite wine; Reference Point. I like the margarita, Mr Tea, and their various versions of a Moscow Mule. read more

Hands down one of our favorites when we travel into Cornelius . No freezer in the restaurant and food is so fresh. I always order the Thai Steak Salad each bite is like a party In the mouth . I mean each bite has a different flavor to the pallet read more

See all

The Hawaiian ribeye flavor is Delicious, the reason I even gave this place 3 stars. The quality in the steak is the worst I've ever had. I ordered a medium and this is clearly raw. I had to microwave my takeout to cook it some more. Half of the steak is all fat, and the meat the SUPER tuff to cut into and to swallow. Ribeyes are not his tuff and if I had eaten there I would of taken this back. This was my first time ordering from here, so this was a big disappointment based on the quality of the food but the flavor was amazing. Will try eating in the store and see if the quality is better and update my review. read more

See all

The service is passable and the food is too salty and not worth the money. Disappointing

We have now dined here for lunch and dinner and have had great experiences. Dinner is very busy, especially on weekends. I would recommend making reservations if you can. We came without one and were lucky enough to be seated at the last table left outside. Lunch was not very busy, so we were seated quickly by the friendly hostess. Just the smell of the woodfire grill will make you happy walking in. Both times I ordered the crabcakes, once in entrée form and once a crabcake salad. The crab cakes are amazing! Full of crabmeat and slightly crispy crust. The asparagus that comes with the entrée is decent. I preferred the salad, very refreshing. Love the touch of the cornbread croutons. My husband's burger was so tasty, perfectly cooked with a great grill flavor. The fries were crispy and very well seasoned... addictive. 131 Main is a little bit pricey, but worth it every once in a while. I'm sure we will be back many times. read more

131 MAIN Restaurant - Crabcake salad, perfect lunch! - American Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

Consistently amazing food and service. Even take out is always good. Highly recommend.

Went with my wife for our anniversary. The cornbread was amazing! The trout was sublime.