Me and my partner came during a quiet time and got bar seating. The place was clearly recently renovated and very classy. If you are looking for more of an upscale environment this is definitely it. Our bartender was very attentive but left us alone frequently which I definitely appreciate. We ordered the Meatballs and the corn dip; while both were delicious the Meatballs were the clear winner! I definitely recommend for catching up with old friends or a promotion drink and dinner. Can't wait to come back to try the Mac & Cheese. read more

My fiancé and I come here at least once a week. Constantly changing unique specials that are always delicious and fresh. The wait staff is even better than the food and that's saying something. Amanda is a fantastic server who is always friendly and attentive. You can tell she's a favorite of the regulars of this bar. Always recommend this place to friends and family! read more

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Remember that this is first and foremost, a Wine Bar and a Restaurant secondly so people with bad experiences because of small children, the fact that they do serve alcohol may have something to do with it. We've driven by this place many times over the past couple of months because we patronize Burton Farms in the next block for produce and some cuts of meat. Susan (my wife) had made the comment that she wanted to give them a try. I fell in the bedroom and cracked the base of a lamp beside the bed as well as damaging the shade. We've used Lamp & Home Outlet before and they do good work. We were going to drive over and pick up the lamp and Susan suggested that we go ahead and give City Cellar a try for lunch. Picked up the lamp and drove over to City Cellar and got there a few minutes before noon. Nice patio but with temperatures in the mid 90's and a heat index of over a 100, patio dining was not an option. Brunch is only available on the weekends, so we stuck with the lunch menu. We were immediately seated in a small section off to the side of the bar. Once you open the menu, you realize that this is predominately a wine bar and they have a very extensive offering on wines both by the bottle and by the glass. Susan suggested that I go ahead and have a glass of wine with lunch and our server narrowed down to a Chardonnay from California. There were two main choices and she asked if I preferred the more traditional Chardonnay which has an oaky finish to it and something a bit smoother. Ended up with a very smooth wine called Sisters Forever and it was very good. Susan ordered the Mini Beef Wellingtons (4) with Truffle Mac and Cheese. I went with the Bone in Pork Chops and grilled Snap Peas. Their claim to fame is their extensive wine offerings but the restaurant food items, while limited are excellent as well. My wife wants to go back and try the Scallops as well. They occasionally have live music which we may try sometime in the future. read more

Food was delicious, creamy and just the right amount of spice for the Cajun chicken pasta. We also shared a bottle of Son Roscoe Blanco. To top everything off.. the ambience was amazing! With love entertainment from the one and only Carrie Ann.. The service was quick and courteous. All around amazing! read more

City Cellar - Cajun chicken pasta.. So Creamy and good! - Wine Bars Near Me - Lincolnton, North Carolina

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Amazing little place. The food was great the ambiance was fantastic. And the staff was second to none. I went there because I had an interaction with the owners spouse. He has another business but mentioned that he was involved with the restaurant. I don't know how but we chose a live jazz night. I'm no great fan of jazz guitar but, let me just say it was refreshing to have live music, and still be able to carry on a conversation. Brilliant read more

Food, service and ambiance were ALL great!!! Live music outside made for a peaceful lunch .. food has great flavors and met all expectations!!! The atmosphere and decor is very welcoming!! Wine was recommended by the server, and is now a new favorite.. can't wait to go back and try more wine and food read more

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Visited after a couple of months away and the Kafta Kabobs (food) did not disappoint. The Italian Piantaferrro Montepulciano was delightful. After a few months home in FL, Amanda still knew me and Zach who I met for the first time, offered exceptional service. I love the quaint and relaxing ambiance of the place. Looking forward to my visit to the Black Velvet Lounge later this week. read more

City Cellar - Glass of Italian Piantaferrro Montepulciano - Wine Bars Near Me - Lincolnton, North Carolina

Great atmosphere and ambience. Love the food and service Glad they now have a NZ Saugvion Blanc by the glass.

it seems obvious these owners are fairly new at this, so I'm not ready to give a 1-star yet. Some food options are a little overpriced for what they give you; some are reasonable. Even given this isn't a "real" restaurant per se, the menu is still sparse. It would probably be better if they didn't offer sandwiches at all, but expanded the tapas items. The lamb lollipops were not rare and the preparation killed the delicate lamb flavor. This may be a learning curve, but at $24 it was disappointing. The wine - some cool options! The more pedestrian examples are a bit overpriced for the most part, but I have little to compare price for the more unique wines. For the above I'd say a solid 3 stars, mostly for the fact they are new and trying an idea that is unique here. It seems they are trying to run an upscale-style venue in a town where such offerings are rare. Cudos there. But the attitude of staff and owners are going to kill the place. There is an air of snobbery that would be out of place even in uptown Charlotte - let alone this small town. I sense the owners have no desire whatsoever to really understand how to apply their cool idea to the location. There are some folks - longtime locals and newcomers alike - who may not be turned off by the attitude, but many folks who were once excited about the opening have no desire to return or even make their first visit (word travels quickly in small towns). What is interesting is how they are doubling down on the attitudes. Their own Facebook page thumbs their nose at would-be and recent patrons with snark that is poor-form for a well-established business; and suicidal for a new business in a small town. They have even taken to putting out an unattractive hand-made sign (so much for upscale) on their patio with some snark about kids being unwelcome. I don't mind the sentiment as much as the continued snobbery - ironically broadcast via a scrawled lemonade stand sign. I may try again sometime if they chill out, but as it currently is operated I'd rather spend my money at similar options down in Charlotte. At least there patrons and potential patrons are treated with respect. read more

What a sweet place here in "L" town. We enjoyed a wonderful brunch today ...hubs enjoyed breakfast brunch ....variety of tiny quiches, bacon and pancakes, and I had their very good flatbread pizza...and we plan on coming back on Friday night for live music and a yummy prime rib dinner. The service was excellent. read more

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Tried to take my mother, aunt, and wife out for live music, drinks, and dinner. As soon as we sat down we were told that we had to leave, because we were with my 5 month old who was asleep in their stroller. I will never go back, and after reading their other reviews I hope this place goes out of business. read more

Local jewel. Friday Night Social brings all the fun people to our place. Looking forward to opening the "other side" and patio. Love our customers. read more

City Cellar - a view of the wine cellar - Wine Bars Near Me - Lincolnton, North Carolina

We have been here twice. Once for lunch and once for brunch. Everything we have ordered has been delicious. The service has been great and they seem to go above and beyond to make their guests comfortable. We will definitely be back. read more

We love everything about this place!! The staff, the drinks, the food, and the atmosphere are all 10/10 read more

City Cellar - Strawberry Margarita - Wine Bars Near Me - Lincolnton, North Carolina

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I've become a "regular" and plan to stay one. I eat here at least once a week and sometimes more. The staff is great, the folks I've met are great, at least so far and I started coming here when they were barely open. It gets better all the time. If you haven't visited you're missing out. Also, they do "wine dinners" periodically. They fix really good food in small portions and pair a specific wine with each food. It's all I want to eat and it is so educational about what to drink with what you eat. I HIGHLY recommend you try it. You may see me in there too. The next wine dinner is April 4th. read more

Before you visit please read... I'm an avid foodie and believe in supporting local business. I also believe as a customer you should be treated with respect. The food here is subpar and the owner is even worse. The wait staff was friendly but, the owner had an issue with my table and proceeded to talk about it with our waiter right in front of us. (It may have something to do with the fact she was had 2-3 glasses of wine at the bar while attempting to work the kitchen.) When I asked to speak with the owner and I asked several employees the answer was shes too busy to speak with you. As a business owner this is not acceptable. I don't care how busy you are and they weren't to say the least maybe 50% capacity the customer should always come first! Please goto Local roots ,Court street grill, or even Chick-fil-A around the corner the food is 10xs better and you will not be subject to dealing with an owner who clearly doesn't care about there customers. read more

Let me tell you, I am highly impressed with the quality of food, service and beverage! I had a sweet and spicy blackberry margarita! Fantastic! The ahi tuna.... OMGOSH.... delicious!!! Last but not least, the Peruvian chicken skewers were juicy and flavorful! I loved my experience here and they have gained a forever customer. Also, the waitress, jaylen was a gem!!! read more

We enjoyed the outdoor seating and the atmosphere. The service was top notch and extremely friendly and competent. Food was very good. We were impressed with the quality and preparation of the food. The indoor bar is well stocked and nicely decorated. This place get 5 stars as we were impressed and the staff made a very positive impact on service. read more

Very disappointing! Saw sign regarding no one under 16yrs., and was confused with that logic as families are comprised of all ages. We had an infant and spent a bit of time trying to determine where to sit on the patio during the entertainment -only to be told after we sat.down we had to leave the premises due to the infant. We are from out of town and intended to have some drinks and dinner ($$$). It's a shame to see a small biz shoot themselves in the foot for no apparent reason. If you don't want families maybe you should move to Charlotte. read more

You can bring your dog, but god forbid you bring your infant. I'm not sure I've ever heard of a restaurant (bars I understand) that will not serve you if you have a child with you, outside of some fine dining in large cities. This place is not that. Pretentious, maybe, but not fine dining. When I told them I had my wife, infant, and dog with me, they told me the dog was fine, but they don't allow children. Our daughter was sound asleep in her car seat, and we would have been out on the patio, but they refused to allow it. They told us you can be 16 or up on the patio, so its not about having underage children at this place. And the teenagers who were out on the patio that day, definitely not 16. The dog in someone else's lap that was licking the table, they're fine with, but children are the thing they have an issue with? The brief experience was astonishing, and completely skewed our view not only of the restaurant, but of Lincolnton as a whole. We'll never know if the food or wine is any good, as we'll never be back even without the baby. read more

What an absolutely amazing atmosphere right in the heart of Lincolnton. The patio is absolutely one of those places that just calls to you. The patio is a great place to hangout with friends and family while sharing some great vino or beer. The service is impeccable, and that City burger is off the charts delicious! read more

This place is a joke! Visiting Lincolnton today with family. Found a nice table on the patio, live music playing... after about 10 minutes a server appeared to inform us that we were not welcome because we had with us a 5 month old in a stroller. Seriously?... good luck staying in business. It seems that everything else in our country is tolerated. Makes no sense. read more

I visited for the first time recently and was really impressed. Only a few weeks ago they opened a large new expansion that is very well done. There is ample seating room inside and also a large outdoor patio facing Main St. The staff was super friendly and helpful. The atmosphere was fun but not too loud. The wine selection was diverse with wines from all over the world at very fair prices. I understand they will start serving food in the near future and I look forward to returning to try it. read more

Friendly Service, Good Music and Great Drinks. Sunday Funday - Success

Started out nice enough, smallish place. we wanted to order some food, drinks. Turns out they don't have any real food only some snacky stuff. Asked for shot of tequila since people are drinking margaritas. was told we don't have shots available. what? ok, how about a small glass of sake, since they have sake drinks on the menu. nope - can't do that either. What? Guess since this place caters to a elderly crowd they think only rowdys order shots lol. good place to go only if you like a limited bar or wine only or fruity mixed drinks. for anything else - dont. read more

Very overpriced for the quality of food and beverages offered, and uncomfortable seating. Understaffed and struggling with even a smallish crowd. Music was an improvement over last time we were here but not enough to have us coming back. Seems to cater to local peeps who overlook how the owner/manager treats her staff, which was the deal breaker for us. If you want to find people to work for your business you need to learn how to communicate. read more