BLT was toasted on the grill.. the bread was soaked with grease.. went to the counter to ask for…read morenew bread, the cook took it out of the bag with his bare hands and handed it to the girl at the front counter with her bare hands, who then handed it to me.. not a napkin, plate or anything.. just handed it to me.. nothing like having the entire Kitchen staff touch your food very dirty dinning room and restroom.. tater totes were deep fried and full of grease also...

Fun great little spot in the heart of downtown Lincolnton. We went for lunch and had a 1/2&1/2. Was…read morepretty good. Locally sourced ingredients make for delicious meals. Go here and support local

Norman's Cafe is old school. Food is great and feels and tastes like eating good home cooking…read more Everything was solid, food, prices, service and cleanliness were all top notch. Highly recommend the chicken pie.

This is a small town cafe with all the perks. Me and my friend came in for lunch after a long hike…read more We ordered cheeseburgers, onion rings, and mozzarella sticks. We devoured as much as we could fit! The service was kind and quick and the food was everything you'd expect from a small town cafe. Everyone knew the regulars and we still felt at home. If we hike out that way again we definitely will be back!

Went to Supperland for dinner and honestly had a great experience from start to finish. The space…read moreis beautiful -- classy but still comfortable -- and the bar area alone is worth checking out. It has that warm, lively feel that makes you want to hang out and enjoy your time instead of rushing through the meal. We did a wine flight to start, which was a fun way to try a few different pours, and everything paired really well with dinner. The highlight for me was the whole roasted fish. Crispy on the outside, super tender inside, and really clean, fresh flavor. Simple but done really well. Service was on point too -- friendly, attentive, and helpful without hovering. Definitely a spot I'd come back to and one I'd recommend if you're in Charlotte and want a solid dinner with great drinks and atmosphere.

O M G…read moreThis is the best brunch I've EVER had. The setting is an old church and they very much tried to preserve that vibe. It's a beautiful place. They even still have the 120 year old pews! If you ask your server, you are likely to hear the entire story of the place. It's pretty amazing. They recently received a Michelin recommendation and it's totally deserved. It's a buffet, but most of the hot food is actually served by a person which is something that I particularly appreciate. (I really don't like touching the handles of spoons that hundreds of people have touched.) Some of the stuff is self serve but not any of the hot dishes. Absolutely everything I tried was outstanding. Like everything. There are a few things that they consider "pass around" which means that they are brought over to you by a server at random intervals. For everything else, you just help yourself. I went with a friend of mine who has a deep appreciation for a southern food. He was absolutely amazed. Honestly, I can't think of a better place to have chosen to eat in a short time I had in Charlotte. I've attached a picture of the menu. I tried just about everything. I wasn't disappointed in a single thing, and I was completely wowed by many of them. The servers were wonderful. Very friendly and very willing to talk to us about the history and the food items that were there. Highest recommendation!

Best cheeseburger you will ever eat, only way to get it is all the way. Been eating here for years…read morealways good and always consistent. Haven't had much other menu items because the cheeseburgers are so good.

tried this for the first time yesterday had the cheeseburger it was fantastic... The service was…read moregreat. Food was great. I will definitely be back. I highly recommend this place.!!

The wings were OUTSTANDING. In addition to this, the service was also amazing. The owner was there…read moreand when we told him we just moved from out of town he gave us his personal contact and said to reach out if we ever needed recommendations or help with anything. The pot roast, Mac and cheese, and pulled pork was also out of this world. Everything is made from scratch and it's all his grandpas recipes.

Omg we loved McKoys!! We ordered the LTD - living the dream - split the meal w my bf and it was…read moredelish! The sauces were so good and the meal was huge! We picked collard greens and Mac and cheese as our sides. Loved that we could watch football from our table w all the big tvs. Our platter consisted of ribs, smoked bbq chicken, barbecue pork, and smoked pot roast. Def would eat here again if I was in the area.

I love this market/general store! The produce is always amazing. I wish they'd have their apple…read morecider slushie all year round. It's my favorite. And I love all the metal signs they carry too. My mom collects stuff like that so I always have to make sure I get one every now and then.

My favorite kind of place!…read more A nice selection of good looking produce, numerous plants/vegetables/herbs, yard art & bird houses are outside. Inside is full of specialty items including meats, cheeses, spreads, milk, candies, salsas, jams, butters, honey, t-shirts & more. They had gorgeous flower bouquets that would be a nice treat to oneself or gift for someone! The staff were very friendly and helpful. I highly recommend this place! It's a great place to stop by itself or while also shopping the other stores along the main strip!

It's been 9 year, NINE years since my last review so time for a re-fresh…read more It was a special occasion as Michelle got a job offer! We had a reservation for 5p on a Sunday. It was a bit chilly so we sat inside even though the outside patio was heated. It was a good choice because it was a little breezy. We shared the okra as an appetizer, it was as good as I remembered! They had a special which we both decided was good, surf & turf with NY strip and lobster tail. I also brought a bottle of Freixnet Cordon Negra which was so good! We were a bit disappointed that the steak we ordered as medium rare, came out rare on both our entrees. Overall it was a memorable evening and just what I had hoped for a special occasion!

We visited the Pump House for a Valentine's Day dinner and it made for a beautiful, romantic…read moreevening. We were seated on the 3rd floor (out of 5) overlooking the Catawba River. The setting alone makes this place special -- the river view is stunning and I can imagine it's even better at sunset. Our reservation was for 7:00 pm, so we missed the sunset, but the nighttime view was still great for a date night atmosphere. I started with the she-crab soup and I'm very glad I did -- it was absolutely delicious and a perfect way to start the meal. My girlfriend ordered the meatballs as her appetizer. They were good, but not a knock-out. After tasting them myself, I'd agree they didn't quite stand out compared to the rest of the meal. For our main course, we both chose the surf and turf and this is where everything really hit. The filet mignon was cooked perfectly and very flavorful, and the shrimp served over roasted garlic mashed potatoes were delicious. The shrimp were labeled "blackened" -- they may have been lightly blackened, but either way they tasted great. We both thoroughly enjoyed the entrée. We also ordered a shareable bowl of roasted garlic mashed potatoes, which ended up being a bit disappointing only because we didn't realize our main course already came with a generous portion of the same potatoes. Had we known, we would've ordered something different. That said, our waitress Lisa handled it perfectly -- she agreed she should've mentioned it and had management remove the extra order from the bill. That level of service was very much appreciated and says a lot about the staff and management. We finished the evening with the milk chocolate mousse, served in a decorative edible chocolate/white chocolate bowl -- a really nice presentation and a sweet ending to the night. We paired our meal with a Moscato d'Asti (Codero) which complemented the dinner nicely. Overall, a romantic setting, strong entrées, great service recovery, and a memorable Valentine's dinner. A couple minor misses on appetizers and communication about sides, but nothing that would keep us from coming back. The Pump House is definitely a great choice for a special occasion or date night.

We tried their food a few times as to go and recently ate inside the restaurant for the full…read moreexperience. I don't eat beef or pork so I was glad to see their chicken BBQ options. I ordered their pulled chicken sandwich on Texas Toast meal with Mac & Cheese and fries. My husband wanted to try more of the sides so he ended up getting their 3 side plate (fried okra, baked bean, and corn pudding). Their Special on Tuesdays is their bone in ribs. There was anything that we tried and didn't like. City BBQ is now our go to spot when we're in the area or if we can't decide what we want to eat.

Do not EVER rely on City Barbecue for an online order!…read more My recent experience with City Barbecue left me genuinely shocked. I placed an order for what was supposed to be a special New Year's Eve dinner, only to find out that when we went to pick up the food at 7:45 pm, they had run out of food, and the manager, Kendall, could not have cared less. I had an order number and confirmation text, and to quote the manager, Kendall, 'Sorry for the inconvenience'. Really? That is the extent of your apology? It was much more than an 'inconvenience' to find out at 7:45 that we were not going to have any food for our guests. When I asked why we weren't notified earlier, Kendall blamed the online order system that he said didn't work properly. That didn't make sense because I ordered it from their website. When I said if they had notified us, we could have planned something else, he said they didn't have time to look at the online orders, even though I placed the order TWO HOURS PREVIOUSLY. So, if you plan on ordering from them, you now know they aren't checking the orders, and if they run out, you won't be notified. Kendall did offer to substitute pulled chicken, but I would have to pay for it. It seems like some offer of a discount would have made sense. But in keeping with the entire experience he didn't care enough to bother. I was informed that David Steiger is the Regional Director. He should be aware of the customer service provided by his manager. Don't make the mistake I made and EVER rely on City Barbecue for an important occasion.

What a great place this was. Best food hall I've ever been to. This was definitely a foodie…read moreexperience. I went to Botiwalla. I wrote a separate review for that one, which was out of your mind amazing, and when I come back, there are so many other places I have to try. There's an Italian place that makes noodles from scratch every day, so that's my goal for the next visit. My husband had a Cuban sandwich, and he said that was the best he's ever had. Everywhere there was great, comfortable seating with beautiful hanging boho plants that just gave a nice natural and calm touch to the environment.

Review for Optimist Hall…read more As a foodie who relocated to Charlotte from the San Francisco Bay Area, I naturally compare food halls to the iconic Ferry Building Marketplace. Optimist Hall reminds me of it -- it definitely aspires to that kind of destination experience -- but it's not quite in the same league. That said, it's still one of Charlotte's most vibrant and enjoyable places to gather and eat. This is an upscale food hall with a wide variety of options -- beer, wine, cocktails, global cuisines, retail, and plenty of energy. I've tried many of the stalls, and the diversity is impressive. There's truly something for everyone, which makes it a great place to visit with friends or family. Parking is generally easy, and the space is clean, modern, and aesthetically pleasing. The bathrooms are well-maintained, which always matters. One challenge is seating -- there never quite seems to be enough, especially during peak times. Like many food halls, there can also be turnover among vendors, which is a bit unfortunate when you find a favorite. The setup here reflects what you often see in the Southeast: surface parking rather than garages or robust public transportation. It works, but it's different from West Coast infrastructure where you might hop on BART or a streetcar and arrive right at the door. Where Optimist Hall really shines is as a social destination. It's perfect for a group outing -- almost like a modern food truck rally. One person claims a table while everyone else explores, then you come back together, share dishes, and break bread. That communal experience is what makes this place special. It's a big wide world out there. Be curious -- and bon appétit.

Tasty, crunchy yet juicy, spicy. This is the best fried chicken I've ever had. Excellent southern…read moresides, as well. I recommend the chicken, macaroni balls, tender plate or the leg plate. Zippy ranch, too I don't think I can recommend the hottest they have (burns like the dickens), but nice and spicy. The chicken is beautifully red when you get it spicy.

We stopped here this past week for lunch and glad we did...however, if/when we're back in NC, I…read morewould order a different selection. We ordered the Pimento Cheese Chicken BLT Sandwich (+ Sweet Potato Casserole) and the Rocky's Royale w/ Cheese Sandwich (+ Pickles). The "sandwich" aspect of both meals took away from the shining star - which was the chicken. The pieces of bread just got in the way and made it harder to eat - not to mention that the bread was cold - not toasted. We both ordered "hot" - which when you ate the chicken itself - had such a nice kick. Next time - skip the sandwich aspect and just get the hot chicken + side of pickles. The sweet potato casserole was fine - but it's the chicken you want to write home about. Staff-wise / ordering / atmosphere was great. Everyone was very helpful and had it not been raining - we would have sat on the large outdoor patio.