This cool little speakeasy in South End is worth a visit any time of the year, but is especially fun during the holidays, when it turns into a festive wonderland of cocktails and magic. Located behind the SoundBound taqueria on South Blvd., this small space comes alive between Thanksgiving and Christmas with fun decor, holiday-themed drinks and even indoor snow. On a recent visit, I enjoyed a delicious Snowball Old Fashioned while my wife sipped a rum-infused Yippee Ki Yay MotherF*****r! The menu also includes non-alcoholic cocktails and shots. In classic speakeasy fashion, you access the lounge by picking up a hallway phone and giving a 'secret' password that's available on the Backstage Instagram page. On our visit on an early weekend evening, the phone wasn't working and the freezer door leading to the lounge was already ajar. A bit disappointing, but nothing that took away from the overall experience. Service was great at the bar, and the lounge also has booths and tables for larger parties. Definitely one of the best speakeasies in Charlotte, and one of the most enjoyable pop-up holiday bars you'll find anywhere. read more

Backstage Lounge - The Christmas pop-up bar at Backstage Lounge - Speakeasies Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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Stopped in to Backstage for the Christmas pop up and was not disappointed. It's Christmas overload in the best way, if you're looking for something fun and kitschy. They have a Christmas drink menu, mostly sweet, but they also offered to make some minor modifications. I had the Koala LaLaLa, which was more tart with some apple and bitters. Probably not everyone's jam, but I loved it. All the bartenders were great-Star kept us laughing, and they moved quickly considering how busy the place got. I recommend going early to get a good spot to people watch. I plan to come back at least one more time during the holidays. 10/10! read more

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Similar to what many people before mentioned it's a really great theme and ambiance. The later you go the longer the wait. My friends only were in line for 5 mins but unfortunately I was the late one and waited in line for 30 mins. Luckily the line does move fairly quickly. If I'm being honest, aesthetically the drinks look good but not worth the price. My friends and I got the koala lalala and were bummed that after paying so much, it was mostly soda water and barely any alcohol for almost $19. Not worth it imo. I did however love the music selection. It was very nostalgic. Despite the technically difficulties they were having, my friends and I had a great time dancing the night away to our favorite middle and high school jams. My only suggestion would be next time for the dj to put his device on do not disturb. Every time a notification came through, the music would lower and was very noticeable. My friends and I laughed it off thinking we were just hearing things at first only for it to continue followed by the speakers completely going out. Overall it was nice to dance and be around holiday cheer but I don't think it would be worth a repeat experience. read more

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3* =A ok Went with a friend to visit Christmas in July theme. At 5pm, I injured myself in the restroom. *more about that later. When my friend arrived, she used one of the 2 passwords I found on IG for us to get in. We took pics and sat down. Beautiful, fun Christmas decor with old (70s/80s) Christmas tunes. Drinks were good and our bartender was really cool. We will definitely return when Miracle Christmas comes later this year. Just a tip/request: diversity the Playlist and expand the food menu during the different themes please! *So, I hurt myself from some screws that were protruding through the wall in the stall. I asked several staff members from the restaurant and the lounge for items that would be in a 1st aid kit. No one has anything, no one apologizes, no one takes an incident report. At 6:45pm I finally got some items to clean off the wound. I called the next day and informed the GM Daniel. He was very kind and apologetic about what happened. He said he would call me back the same day but did not. I called back the next day and he informed me that someone named Sylvia will be reaching out to me. No resolution yet, but I'm sure it will be addressed. read more

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My friend and I visited Backstage Lounge for their Christmas drinks and enjoyed the themed decorations, holiday music, and lively atmosphere. We shared the Koala Cooler, Rudolph's Replacement, Christmapolitan, and Elfing Around. The drink flavors were a bit adventurous for my liking but all the fun glasses made up for it! The main downside is the busyness and size of this establishment. We waited about 30 minutes to go in as the line wrapped through the building, then once we got inside it was long lines for drinks and limited tables. Overall it's a fun place to go once in the holiday time and definitely has great photo backdrops. read more

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If you are looking for a speakeasy experience in the Queen City, you'd be hard pressed to find a more authentic experience than Backstage Lounge. Tucked away beneath the restaurant Southbound, the entrance isn't so easy to find, but if you see a barber's pole then you are getting warm. The lounge space is small and intimate with bar seats, high tables, and some booths tucked away. The mixologists there take their job seriously and they are excellent at what they do. My favorite time to go is around holidays like Christmas and Halloween, as they always go all out on putting together a themed concept. They offer their own unique creations but can make the classic cocktails as well, and they are happy to make something special for you if you give them some guidance or ask for suggestions. Because of the amount of care that goes into making the drinks, they may not come out as quick as you like. This isn't the type of place to go if you are in a hurry, it's a place to go to enjoy the experience and take your time. Cocktail bars have been popping up all over the city, and Charlotte has many excellent ones, but Backstage Lounge is firmly planted in the top tier. read more

Backstage Lounge - Speakeasies Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

This is a favorite spot to check out regularly. The themed pop-ups are one thing but the curated drink menu to match, makes this place a perfect spot to check out with friends and bae. The service is always on point when I've visited and if there's not a drink on the menu that you'd like to try, the bartenders are awesome and can make you something else (Smoked Tequila Old Fashion is my new favorite drink now). There are small bites available and they're perfect for a snack - with a price point around $10-$20, a couple of small plates are doable for a couple. There's a parking lot available on the side of the building, but it can get crowded on the weekends, as with most bars in the area. Just be sure to follow them on IG for the password, you're bound to have a great time. read more

A vibe! Make sure you check social media for the password to get in. This is the cutest little spot. The food and drinks are delicious. Big shout out to the chef Garcia he knows what he is doing back there. Bret the bartender and his team were attentive and kind. Will definitely be going back. read more

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Amazing hidden bar! My friends and I went here for our annual Galentines outing and I'm so glad we picked this place. It was decorated sooo cute and fun! The food was great as well. I got the shrimp pasta and it was flavorful and filling. We also bought a bottle of champagne which was very good and crisp! I will definitely return for other holidays to see how the decorate the place and see what's on the menu! read more

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I definitely want to try the food and the other vibes next time. The drinks were good! Definitely a little bit pricey but that's expected. Such a fun, well decorated speak easy. We went on a Friday evening and were able to snag a seat at the bar. The service was pretty slow but it's okay. So excited to try again! read more

This is the 2nd time I have been here. Each month they show off a different theme that comes with different menu and catered drinks to that theme. I went this time because it's a spring and blossom theme.. You also must know the password to get on. Which if you follow them on Insta, you will see they posted it. James our bartender was great.. my drinks were perfectly made. Ambiance is more geared towards #girlsnightout or a first date. They do serve beers and have an extensive whiskey collection. This is a must stop in when you're in Charlotte. read more

Backstage Lounge - Manhattan - Speakeasies Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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Food: very good! Ordered the short ribs to stay and to go. Drinks: shared a bottle of prosecco with girlfriend(4)- great decision! Service: A bit slow- waiter was MIA for about 20-25 minutes when we were waiting for someone to take our orders and half way through we didn't see him at all. Someone else came to check in on us and he was great! Decor- cute and on point for Vday. read more

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Backstage is a great spot for a date night or girls night, especially during Lovers Month. The only downfall during specialty months are the wait times but it moves pretty quickly. I love that you have to get a passcode to be able to come in...which they release on Mondays on IG and FB. It was super cute for their Valentines theme. My crew and I were on our third stop when we got there so we had already eaten but we did get some drinks and dessert. They have themed drinks but we opted out of that because they were more like dessert cocktails so we asked for Lemon Drops with tequila and make it red for VDay. Those were good. I spy a couple who had the Lobster dish and they LOVED IT!!!! All in all this is a cute spot and the turn around is pretty quick. read more

Backstage Lounge - Views - Speakeasies Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

We went to Miracle the Christmas bar (12/9) they really went all out for Christmas!! Ambiance: amazing! So many Christmas decorations, they make it "snow" with dish soap from a machine. They play Christmas movies with the sound off and the dj is amazing!!!! He played solely Christmas music but they were rap remixes. Drinks: the drinks were expensive and honestly I didn't think they were all that good. But the mugs are so fun, they are also available for purchase. Seating: it was mostly standing room only. The bar is fairly small. We ended up getting a table but just because we were standing next to it when the group was leaving. The wait: we got there at 9:15 on a Saturday with the expectation of having to wait. We ended up waiting around 45 minutes. The wait really wasn't bad though because it was inside, there were fun decorations in the hall, you can clearly hear the music still, and you can order a drink from the southbound take out window to sip on while you wait. Once inside it was pretty crowded so we had to wait for drinks too but the bartenders were working hard and it moved fast. Definitely a super fun experience!! read more

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Just rating on the Halloween theme speakeasy - decorations were amazing and so creepy. Also love the theme cocktails and the employee dressed as Wednesday with the Thing hand moving on her shoulder. Bartender was ridiculously attentive and nice. read more

Such a cool spot! I went for their Christmas in July, and it was decked out beautifully. Had Christmas music and movies playing. The drinks definitely are not skimped on the liquor that's for sure lol. Apparently they do different themes through out the year so I can't wait to try them out again. I ate before I went so I didn't try any food items, but the drinks I had were delish. If you go, make sure you check them out online to find out the password for the wk to get inside. read more

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Went here with a few of my friends and once we found the entrance and the password. (Which sadly for us took longer than it probably should have) I got a mocktail and since it wasn't on the menu the bartender had to play around with a creation and I couldn't have hoped for a better drink! I will definitely be back! read more

This is a late review! I originally went during their Christmas themed bar night. Normally it is a speakeasy, you have to have a password and reservation to come. But it was open to the public for the christmas season, so I had to take advantage! I had the hot butter rum which was 5/5 . I don't think they're selling it anymore. Im not a huge old fashioned. I've had it before on their regular nights. The service isn't Bad. The hostess and bartenders are normally great. If you sit in the back the service could be better. They forget about you from time to time. But besides I had a great time! The ambiance and decorations are always nice too! More videos and reviews on my Tik Tok @SwaleEats read more

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Love the pop-ups at this bar. Visited the Valentines and Christmas one. The Christmas one was the best - great photo ops - but be prepared for crowds and waits. read more

What a cute place perfect for date night or cocktails with your girlfriends. This speakeasy is a little hidden in the heart of southend and super cute. It has a more intimate feeling but you can also meet a group of friends there. Best of both worlds. They have themed cocktails depending on the decoration. We went during their pink valentines themed nights and the drinks did not disappoint. Come check this place out before your next girls night out or meet your next date here! read more

Backstage Lounge - Swing - Speakeasies Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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Wait for their Christmas bar was about 40 mins on a Friday night. Atmosphere was really fun but it's very hot and limited seating, they could use some fans. I ordered the Koala LaLaLa (along with my friends) and was given a completely different drink, what I think was the Christmasaurus (it was in a dinosaur cup). When I told the bartender the drink was wrong he refused to remake it so I bought another $16 drink. All I can say is thank god I don't have a nut allergy because this could have been a really bad mistake. I do not recommend this place to anyone with a severe nut, dairy or egg allergy in case you get the wrong drink like I did. Three stars is for the vibes. read more

Backstage Lounge - Speakeasies Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

No food only drinks. Christmas drinks in unique cups. Still a bit takin back by this holiday trendy place. Came here for friends bday following dinner in Uptown. There was a long line to get into this smaller place and it is quite decorated for the holiday complete with multiple fake snow contraptions mounted below the ceiling. This place was very crowded with a long line waiting to check it out. They offered drinks while we waited in the line that came from the main bar. My friend ordered a margarita and myself, my wife and the birthday girl ordered a mule to tied us over. Having drinks while waiting in line was a nice jester but they were poor mixed and tasted incredibly bad. The margarita that my friend ordered tasted like straight margarita mix with very little tequila. Most of the customers were 20 something's. I liked the unique drink glasses for their specialty drinks including a unicorn, goblin, and a few others. Prices of drinks were what we expected for a seasonal novelty bar. Once was enough for me. Not my crowd and I am not a crowd person. Give it a shot if you like waiting in line, poorly mixed drinks and a crowded spot with minimal seating. Cheers to ya! Enjoy and happy holidays. read more

Backstage Lounge - Let it SNOW - Speakeasies Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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It's all decorated for Christmas ‍ It took FOREVER to get into here (12/2) because the line was so long but it was so fun and the DJ was great! He played a mix of christmas, pop, and edm! The mugs are so festive and you can actually buy them if you like them! It's a pretty small bar and honestly a lot of fun but very hard to get into. 7/10 experience read more

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We went to the Christmas bar this year(2024) as well as last year (2023) Last year was fantastic! This year our experience was not as good. The atmosphere was consistently awesome both years. Beautifully decorated and festive. Drinks were expensive but the pour was heavier and they were tastier last year. This year they were still expensive (about 16-17$ per holiday cocktail) however there was virtually no alcohol in them and lots of mixer and lots of ice. One of the drinks you get a big ball of ice, like snow cone ice and BARELY any cocktail. Like it was dry after 3 sips. Super lame. I essentially paid $17 for a snow cone. The drink recipes were not as tasty as last year at all and a couple of the drinks tasted the same as the other. $16 for a drink that was watered down with mixer is just not going to cut it, even if the atmosphere is amazing. Also, for a speakeasy, there aren't any unique or unusual whiskey choices. For these reasons I won't be back for 2025. Sorry it missed the mark for me this year. Happy to pay premium for quality cocktails and environment. Bad cocktails were the deciding factor in my decision not to return. read more

First off, I have been here several times & it's always a hit ! They are a speakeasy and for the longest one of my honeycomb hideouts . But since the secrets out & they have decided to turn it into a Xmas pop up for the holidays I guess I'll share . The cocktails are super cute even when the Christmas pop up isn't going on . They make it super secret society by asking you for the secret password when you arrive . It's usually dark n gloomy inside which I low key like because it sets a certain mood . Be sure to check them out while the Xmas pop up is going on until Dec 31st . read more

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Loved how hidden this spot was! This is a super cute and very well hidden speakeasy type spot and I'm here for it. I grabbed a parking spot at Southbound and just happened to park right in front of the entrance area. Which was great because I wasn't really sure where I was going. I was meeting some friends and they gave me great instructions. Once inside you pick up the cool old school phone and someone answers, they simply ask you the password and you tell them. I believe it's on their IG so make sure to double check that. It's super dark and dim light inside, which is cool. I didn't order anything because I was full from another event. It the vibes were high. My only complaint was the loud upbeat music on a Saturday night. I just feel like a speakeasy should be more chill and lowkey and calm, in regards to the music. If the music was more chill I would've loved it. Perhaps some R&B, something easygoing cool. That would've really set the mood for me personally. But I'm an old lady. I'd definitely come back though! It's a great experience and even though I didn't order anything the service was quick and attentive. Great spot! read more

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Love me some speakeasy vibes, add the holiday season to it...unbeatable experience! Backstage is one of my favorite speakeasies here in Charlotte because of their cocktails, food, and friendly staff. This time around we went for The Miracle pop up have a variety of drinks to choose from...my favorite being the Christmapolitan (as pictured) because of how refreshing and flavorful it is and let's not pass on that beautiful color! We ordered the fingerling potatoes (smothered in cheese and bacon) and the sliders (2 seemed to be equivalent to one full burger) so we were pretty full after those two items. Everything around us looked delicious such as the charcuterie board and shrimp! We were very happy with our experience here and I can't wait to be back in Charlotte for a date night or with a group to settle into Backstage Lounge for a great time! read more

Backstage Lounge - Speakeasies Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Very cute concept with some unique custom cocktails. The night we went they were very understaffed so the bartender was stressed out but it was still fun. The cutest cocktail is the pink lady slippers. read more

Had to see why the line was so long and definitely was worth the wait. The name's for the drink were very catchy and tasty just as good. My drink the Yippee Ki Yay Mother F****r had me feeling good. Staff were very nice and quick due to the the big crowd. Which was good based off the place we just left that took awhile. The decor was blast and brought a christmas adult edge. read more

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I love backstage lounge! It's such a cute date night or girls night spot. They have a drink menu that changes regularly and a appetizer menu in case you need a little bite to eat. They have such cute holiday pop up decor! Its a great place for a photo-op. They do Halloween, Christmas and Valentine's day! We went for the Valentine's day pop up, we didn't make a reservation but got a table just fine - there's was 3 of us! They have lots of parking but on the weekend but it may be difficult to snag a spot since they share it with Southbound. read more

Backstage Lounge - About Last Night - Speakeasies Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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Ugh! I used to love this spot but my experience this weekend has me debating never returning. Came around 7 on Saturday night. Could not move, literally packed like sardines. Tried to immediately leave, Couldn't come out the way we came had to get through the crowd out a different door. Took 15 minutes to go 50 steps. Floor was COVERED in spilled drinks my shoes were sticking to the ground after leaving. Then a woman patted me down to make sure I wasn't stealing a cup... I didn't even order a drink. There were also 20 people congregating in this door way just watching the pat downs lol, it was SO WEIRD! Look I don't go to night clubs for a reason, not my scene, but they are for some people. I've been here 10 plus times... but hadn't been in about 2 years. Is that what it is now? I did a Valentine's Day pop up and it was so romantic and nice. This was a college basement party lol. Could never recommend this as a speak easy (I used to always recommend it along with Dot Dot Dot), now I could only recommend it if someone said they were looking for epicenter right when it was shutting down vibes. read more

When: Friday 9:30pm party of 7 Drinks: 4/5 - I ordered the yippie ki yay mother f'er. It was a cool color but i was hoping to like it more. It was okay.. didnt expect it to be so sour. Others in my group loved the snowball old fashioned. We tried several other drinks too but I cannot remember the names. This place was cheaper than the royal tot which was good and Oh and the glassware/ceramic ware the drinks come in are so fun and cute. Service: 3.7/5 - Host was great, server was decent. Was kind of attentive but not as much as we hoped. Told us at the beginning we had a time limit for our large party which was understandable. But at the end told us we had to pay and leave and there were plenty of other empty booths near us. I get it- you have reservations in line but maybe kick us out when the reservations actually show up and the other booths are filled up first? Plenty of times reservations are no shows and you may have been able to get more business/drinks out of my group. Vibes: 4.8/5 - they had their Christmas themed pop up which was fun. Decorations were wonderful and themed drinks were cool. Packed and loud but that was the vibe we were going for. Nice "speakeasy" and would come again for the vibes. Other: parking lot on the side that could be filled. If so, find street parking nearby. This place is behind southbound on the left side. Go into the door that says barber/BSL and go to the BSL chalkboard. To your right there is a phone which you are supposed to pick up and say the password so they let you in. However, when we went they said the phone wasn't working and it was there as a prop. read more

Backstage Lounge - Yippie ki yay mother f'er, santa rex, bad santa - Speakeasies Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

I've now visited for both the Christmas pop-up and the Valentine's pop-up. Although both times the bar was well decorated for the occasion, I was unimpressed with the overall experience. Bartenders were rude at the Christmas pop-up which I thought might have been due to how busy the bar was, but unfortunately, I found them even more rude at the empty Valentines bar. Condescending comments were made to my friend whom I visited with and we were treated as if we were a burden. Drinks are festive, but simply just fine. Quality does not align with price. read more

I'll be honest I wasn't blown away by this speakeasy. Let's start with the good... cool little entrance through a barber shop where you pick up a phone and say the password to enter. My group had reservations and we were early but they were able to seat us right away which was nice! The staff was super friendly and attentive, although the service was all around slow. There was live music along with some great 90s R&B tunes... not sure if that's the regular vibes or more it being Saturday and/or Valentine's Day -- either way I'm not complaining as I enjoyed the atmosphere. However, on the flip side, the service was TERRIBLY slow. We ordered our first round of drinks and they didn't come until almost 40 mins later. Not to mention it wasn't until 15 mins after we ordered that two of our bourbons weren't available and then were offered additional options that they were also out of. At that point they just went straight for recommending the most expensive instead of staying with our price point. Overall my point here is... the drinks should not take that long to get and if you're a contrail bar, you should probably plan accordingly to stock your bar so you're not out of everything as that is very frustrating and takes away from the experience. The drinks overall were very good (and we all had a couple), which is why I gave them 3 stars instead of 2. There are other speakeasies in the area that are far superior with service and ambiance that I will be going back to before this one. read more

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Oh my goodness! What to say about this bar?? I visited on a Wednesday night during the Miracle Christmas popup. It was truly a magical winter wonderland! Plan ahead if you want to sit down at a table! When we arrived they were on a 90 minute wait for a table. We pretty easily found a spot at the bar and we were served in a reasonable amount of time based on the crowd. They had an excellent special menu of Christmas drinks and each drink had its own special glass and decor. They had three TV screens playing Christmas movies and Christmas music playing all evening. It was an absolutely magical evening and I cannot wait to visit again! Definitely go check it out! read more

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This was a fantastic little pop up bar, I came for the Miracle Pop Up during the holiday/Christmas event with some friends and what a great time! I'll start off with saying there was a long wait, so if you could get there early, it was the way to go! The decor was 10/10, lots of effort, ornaments everywhere, fake snow, stringed light, colorful bulbs, and lines of beads and Christmas trees. The drinks were very cool, the variety of crafted holiday cocktails were wide! I got the chrismapolitan, the Christmas cricket (a tequila drink), and also the naughty and nice shots! The atmosphere was great, lots of chatter and Christmas music with the movie Elf playing on the TVs scattered around the bar! Not too loud though! But just a lot of good energy! Service was decent, but of course it was a bit hectic with how many people were there! Great quality drinks, food was decent but also a bit overpriced for what it was, like the cheese plate and the éclairs, but they were a bit stale! lol the only other thing I wish, was that there was more food options! All in all, a very nice experience. I really loved this event and hope they will be doing it again next year. read more

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Sooooooo freaking cute! It was decorated all festive for the holidays and I loved it! Heard about this place from a friend and was finally able to go. It has a speakeasy vibe and who would have thought it would be behind southbound of all places. But it is great! The drinks were delicious, they had their holiday menu and we ordered the snowman old fashion and the Krampus. The tables were first come but we were able to get a table pretty quickly. Definitely can't wait to go back and try their normal menu. read more

Backstage Lounge - Speakeasies Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Once we got inside, we really loved this place! Drinks were super good and the vibes are GREAT! The music was on point too. The only I have to say.. make this your only plan for the night. We waited about an hour in line to get it and that was my only gripe but would say it was worth the wait overall. For how busy it was the bar was pretty quick and the bartenders are nice! read more

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Solid option if you're looking for a good drink with a theme. I visited for Christmas in July. Between my friends and I, we tried most of the speciality drinks and loved each one. Be sure to check the bar's social media for the password to enter! read more

Backstage Lounge - Speakeasies Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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We did not see any food. It is next to a Mexican food restaurant. That the food looked good. The service was very nice. Th Ambience was Excellent! I would go back! read more