Enjoyed this place and I've eaten there a few times now. Good vibe and atmosphere. Rather laid back. Good drinks too. Was it phonomenal? It was a great time. I'll be back but it won't be at the top of my list. read more

Culinary Dropout - Mongolian Short Rib* - New American Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

We've been to Culinary Dropout three times now, and this visit was a completely different experience from our first two. The first two visits were outstanding. The first time was in November 2025 and 2nd time March 2026 where the bartenders were professional, welcoming, knowledgeable, and made some of the best Bloody Marys we've had in Charlotte. The food was excellent, and we left both times excited to come back. Unfortunately, this Sunday's visit (around 2 p.m.) felt like a different restaurant. It was much busier, and service was noticeably lacking. We waited quite a while just to be acknowledged, our drinks weren't nearly the quality they had been before, and the Bloody Mary tasted like it came straight from a mix instead of being handcrafted like our previous visits. The food was also disappointing. It was much saltier than we remembered, and we never received the Caesar salad with steak we ordered. To the staff's credit, it wasn't on our bill, so we didn't mention it. Overall, no one was rude, but the attention to detail, professionalism, and overall experience that earned our previous five-star reviews just wasn't there this time. We're hoping this was simply an off day because we genuinely loved this place and would like to see it return to the high standard that made us regular customers. read more

Bad service and bad food. Took an hour to get our dinner and it was definitely not worth the wait. The only thing worse than our food was our waitress. She came by twice the entire time we were there. She hid in the kitchen or at the register with the other staff. Too bad. Great location. Bad service and bad food. Don't waste your time. read more

So I've been hearing about this establishment and decided to stop by. The place looks nice inside and the service was fast. Drinks were great and I decided to order brussels sprouts and they were delicious too. I was only coming in for a quick bite, but I will definitely be back for dinner or lunch for a full meal. Prices were definitely decent as well. read more

Culinary Dropout - Crispy Brussels Sprouts - New American Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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Very cool concept and location right on the edge of south-end and uptown. Totally walkable from the Wells Fargo end of town but it also has a huge parking deck attached, so no issue with parking. We came for brunch with a group of mom friends. None of us had been here and to be honest this was my chance to get these ladies out of the suburbs of SC. The vibe was better than the food but I would return. Drinks are pricey so do brunch to get deals. read more

Clearly the Culinary Dropout needs to go back to school. Pretty awful experience. Took over two hours. Really understaffed and you couldn't tell who was actually serving customers. Service was confused. Kitchen was really off. One of our party of 6 didn't get their meal until the others were done. Food was no big shakes. They took a bunch off the bill but it was a long and frustrating experience. Won't go back. read more

Ate at the bar here on a work trip. DJ gave an excellent recommendation and was very friendly. The steak was perfectly seasoned and cooked. The fries were perfectly cooked and went well with the aioli truffle sauce dip. The Brussels sprouts sauce did not taste amazing, but that was only 1 side. Outstanding food and service. Kind of busy for a Tuesday night but maybe that's the neighborhood. Excellent vibe inside. read more

Culinary Dropout - Steak Frites with fries and Brussels Sprouts. - New American Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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This was not a great experience for me. This dude was adamant that I ordered something other than my meal and charged me more for it even though I did not order said meal. No coming back here no sir. Singer was way too loud and played imagine dragons read more

Restaurant does not adhere to reservations on open table. We arrived early for our 8:30 reservation and they made us wait for 10 minutes still not being seated and unfortunately we're not seated and we had to leave and found service elsewhere without reservation read more

It was pretty good I would say the drinks are strong, and unless you are eating at the bar you need a reservation. Service was attentive and no real issues I would go back read more

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Fantastic! I read a review that had me skeptical about going here as they said it was loud, however they had live music and it wasn't loud at all. The space is super spacious plenty of seating and can handle any size party. The appetizers were amazing! We had the pretzel bites with foundue cheese as well as the spicy shrimp crispy rice. Both were good, however the crispy rice was the star! My table ordered 2 Peking duck and shrimp fried rice dinners and 2 Mongolian short rib dinners. The fried rice was eaten until the plate was clean! Fantastic! The short rib was drowning in sauce and was super salty. I definitely recommend less sauce if possible. Other than that we had a beautiful experience. Our waitress Hailey was very attentive. She took care of us and even brought a slice of cake for our birthday. We will definitely be back to try brunch! read more

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I was pleasantly surprised how large the inside is, seating is plentiful including outdoors. Brunch was good. However, my burrito could've cooked a bit longer for my liking and less salt. The cheese and pretzels were delicious! We had a very friendly waitress who handled a large table by herself very well. 7/10 read more

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I'm not the biggest fan of chain restaurants but this one is pretty good. The validate parking when you park in the garage so don't let that scare you off. I've been here a few times and sometimes the service is good and sometimes not so good, the last time our server must have been super high because he had no idea what was going on. Drinks are pretty good. The ribs have the very best sauce, I wish they had the same sauce on chicken on something since I don't really like ribs but I will order them here just because of the sauce. The meatloaf is actually good as well. read more

Great atmosphere, sometimes live music, menu is diverse but not overwhelming, service was outstanding, drinks were flowing! I can recommend this place to anyone in town. This place is ran really well. Prices are medium, food was delicious and the decor was classy and modern. I would go back anytime! Located in the heart of southend and a great place for brunch, lunch and dinner. read more

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This is my second visit at this restaurant and my impression remains the same. Food is always delicious and service always on point. This time I tried the brunch menu starting with the soft pretzels and provolone fondue. Since I couldn't decide on my brunch item, I actually opted for two meals. I enjoyed the fried chicken and buttermilk biscuit and decided to take the smokehouse hash to go. My friend opted for something from the regular menu and decided on the steak frites. We also both enjoyed the summer tan sangria. Great establishment, great location, and great food. read more

Went for Father's Day and it was a great experience! Our waiter was new, but you wouldn't be able to tell. He was kind, attentive and very quick. Food is great - only con is the chefs board we got we thought was expensive for what we got. Not a ton of content. I would skip it next time and focus on the meals! read more

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I work in the area, and really enjoy this spot. I've been a couple times - with work groups for lunch, and on a date night. The atmosphere was really enjoyable -- the place had a fun, lively vibe and plenty of TVs, so it's perfect for catching a game or hanging out with friends. The patio is definitely a highlight, offering a nice spot to relax outdoors. The food was delicious -- the pretzel and fondue and the chopped chicken salad are my favorites! The menu offers a solid variety, and the portions were generous. However, the prices are a bit on the higher side. Overall, I had a great time and will definitely be back. read more

Culinary Dropout - New American Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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Came here while in town for a conference and found this online. We really enjoyed our dinner! Our server, Anderson, was so great! He made great recommendations, talked to us a little about the area and where he was from, and was super attentive! I ordered the Turkey Pastrami on a homemade pretzel bun with a side salad and a Sicilian Lemonade stand mocktail! I was so pleased with my choice! The pretzel bun was so fresh and soft, the meat was well flavored and I liked the dressing on the side as recommended by our server. The drink was good too, tasted crisp and refreshing, and looked pretty! Loved the vibe here, very hip and open! Would highly recommend! read more

Culinary Dropout - Turkey Pastrami Sandwich with side House Salad - New American Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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The menu sucks. The food is blah. Drinks...are not worth it. I think they measure their shots here. Yikes.

*First Timer* I was visiting Charlotte on business and decided to join my friends at this restaurant. It has a very interesting and eclectic menu. Very heavy on the pork side, but I was able to find some things that were appetizing. It's located downtown Charlotte in a pretty cool part of town. read more

On a recent date night, where we were going to see a show afterwards we stopped in for an early meal right at 5 o'clock. The restaurant was empty, which we were concerned about, but that is relatively early I know. We are old people in young bodies! Love an early meal with no wait! We started with the pretzel appetizer and it really was very tasty but way too much for two people, and because my wife is a sucker for this kind of thing, she tried the shrimp toast which she loved. She said that she would like to go back and just get that for her meal with a salad or something like that. For our meal, we had a pizza and the meatloaf. The meatloaf was actually just OK even though it was supposed to be brought back by popular demand, I don't think I would get it again. The pizza was OK, but it was all bread and not enough toppings. Good flavor, but the balance was just a little bit off. I like a thick crust pizza with good flavor, but you still have to have enough toppings so it's not just a dry piece of bread. Overall, the menu looked good and we would definitely come back. Service was excellent and the staff was friendly and the restaurant itself is well decorated and inviting. To those about to nosh, we salute you! read more

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Convenient location if you want to hit the bars after. Decent atmosphere. Servers and hostess were very friendly. Tasty cocktails. We got the pretzel bites as a starter, I felt they were dry and not flavorful. Decent burger and fries, not spectacular but still tasty. read more

Great food! I had the vegan curry bowl and it was fabulous. I wish they cut the veggies a little smaller. My husband got the bolognese. The one thing we both commented was that we wished the dishes came with bread. We ordered the bread separately. The service was under whelming. Maybe they were understaffed but our waiter was very hard to find. The kitchen was slow as well. The one huge drawback for us was the lack of uniforms & appearance standards. The staff we wearing outfits that could have been uncomfortable for families. No one had their hair up and the long fingernails was a no for me. They could benefit from standardizing staff outfits. read more

Culinary Dropout - New American Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Tried Culinary Droput for Sunday Dinner ....Meh. Decided to give this place a try for dinner on Sunday. It wasn't very crowded or hot, so we opted to sit outside a nice start. But things took a turn early on when I ordered the Shaved Prime Rib Dip and was told they were out... insert eye roll here. I pivoted and went with the Steak Frites, while my friend ordered the Korean Style Ribeye Cap. When our food finally arrived, mine was cold not lukewarm, not even warm just room temperature. I'm not someone who sends food back often, but this time I had to especially because I order my steak medium. A manager (or someone in that role) came over and explained that the likely issue was poor timing with our orders. He was polite, apologized, and brought me some fries while I waited for a fresh plate. By the time my food came, my friend had already finished eating... and I was mostly full from fries and sneaking bites of his meal. And honestly? It wasn't worth the wait. The presentation was nice, but the flavor was just okay. Not bad, not great just... basic. That applied to both dishes I tasted. There was no standout moment or wow factor, which was disappointing given the menu descriptions. I did see a few plates of chicken go by that looked pretty good, so maybe I'd try that if I ever go back. But right now, I'm not in a hurry to return. Too many other places get it right the first time... read more

Culinary Dropout - New American Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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I am practically a regular here and the food is always AMAZING! Service is always pretty good, this time our server forgot to put our order in and we wound up waiting a bit longer to eat but the manager was incredibly nice and took care of all our apps, drinks, and desserts. All the food is good (they make everything in house from scratch) but these items are my go tos: * pretzels and queso * sirloin French dip * house salad * charcuterie * deviled eggs (have some truffle in them and it's amazing) * katsu chicken sandwich The atmosphere is relaxed and modern- they typically have live music (someone playing acoustic guitar cover songs) and they have a great patio with ping pong and jenga! read more

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Pleasantly surprised tbh. In town for a work conference and need a quick lunch bite so I found this spot to give it a go. I walked in and it's a very straightforward restaurant with typical atmosphere. The bartender was very friendly and helpful. I order a vegan curry dish just to stay on the lighter side. I got back to my hotel room and it's a small portion that looked unassuming, but the curry sauce packs a punch of flavor and spice. Very surprised of how tasty it was. Would def recommend as an easy to go for lunch type of spot read more

Perfect dinner to end our trip. Great knowledgeable service & the food was delicious. The crispy chicken Katsu was one of the best meals I've had in a while. So flavorful. There is something for everyone. 10/10 Recommend. read more

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well, we need some more stars to select because this restaurant was outstanding in all areas. When we first got there, they had no open seating and they mentioned they were only on reservations. Well lucky for us. We did make a reservation earlier, but we did not make it on time, but they still honored it and offered us a table. we had requested a reservation for outdoor seating as we had our two dogs with us. our waitress was a sweet young lady. Brought the dogs out a nice cold bowl of water. We started off having a whipped feta and tahini dipped on grilled ciabatta bread appetizer which was amazing. we ordered fish and chips and shaved prime rib sandwiches and both were so lightly made seasoned too perfection and they even grilled us a piece of chicken for our dogs to eat, which was gobbled down instantly. for dessert, we had a lemon, meringue, strawberry torte. We took it to go and needless to say it did not disappoint. Flavors were outstanding.. The restaurant is very clean outside. They had a couple umbrellas, but the breeze was perfect and you can even play cornhole and table top tennis outside, which is great if you have kids, we love the whole experience if you're in the area make sure you put this restaurant on your list. read more

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Was here with some friends and had a great time for Brunch. We had a reservation so were able to get seated quickly. Out waitress was beyond nice and so attentive in following up throughout our time. They also had a good music playlist so we were on good vibes. The french toast and popcorn shrimp were so good so I will definitely be back again! read more

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My boys and I checked out this restaurant over the weekend, and here's the deal. I loved the spacious layout of the restaurant...and their patio area was really nice, with an amazing view of Charlotte skyline. Once inside, the place itself was a bit disappointing for me in that it had more of a "pub" ambiance. For some reason, I expected this to be a nicer restaurant with a swankier vibe...not so much of a sports bar. The music overhead was just muffled, along with the noise of all the sports TV screens and people yapping. ANYWAY, the menu was appealing to me...in that it had some fusion foods, in addition to standard American hand-helds. We started by sharing this Soft Pretzel w/ Provolone Fondue...which was good, but a bit underwhelming in taste (very bland). For the entree, I chose their Bolognese Pasta, my husband got the Katsu Sando and my son got the Fish 'n Chips. I thought the pasta was good, but nothing extraordinary. My husband and son did not seem too thrilled about their plates. My son's Fish plate looked surprisingly bad (see pic!). As for my husband's Katsu Sando, I tried it, and liked it more than he did. I may return to try that next time? For dessert, we shared this Banana Bar...which was unique, and probably the best part of our meal. For some reason, I expected more from their foods...not just taste, but in presentation. I thought the presentation was somewhat sloppy...especially the hand-helds that my boys ordered. Service was friendly and courteous...although a bit spotty at times. It seemed to us that the restaurant probably could have used another waiter or two. The thing I was the most impressed with was this cocktail, Tijuana Spa Water. Not only beautifully colorific, the taste was so exhilarating...especially with this unexpected touch of spiciness. YOWZA!! Overall, we felt a tad disappointed with the dining experience. For me, I just didn't love the loud, muffled, sporty ambiance....though surprisingly, I enjoyed the foods here a tad more than my boys did. I think my cocktail made up for some of the disappointments though. Guess I liked the restaurant enough to return...so hopefully I can vamp up the ratings on a future visit? read more

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So very pleasantly surprised at the food quality, service and vibe. Great atmosphere with a scratch kitchen fully visible to customers through classy glass windows. I had the Shaved Prime Rib Dip. Honestly, BEST FRENCH DIP EVER! My hubby ordered Ma... The Meatloaf and raved about it. Healthy portions for fair pricing. Eric and Devon were awesome servers! read more

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Very cool place, busy for a Thursday night. Our server Andrea was very friendly and did a great job. We ordered the pretzel fondue app which was quite large, very filling for 3 people. For entrees we had a salad, burger and steak frites. We were all happy with our choices. Being from the west coast we were happy to see a beer from central Oregon on the menu. We will definitely return to other locations when able. read more

Culinary Dropout - Steak Frites* - New American Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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Always a great time at Culinary Dropout, but their new Summer Menu is 10/10! A must try in South End this summer! read more

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Went on a Monday night so it was relatively slow. Street parking was easy to find. However, be aware of your time limit. The inside has a nice ambiance. Date night vibes. Especially, first date. Cozy but open. Restrooms were clean. Private intimate gathering area. Large bar. Friendly staff. Ordered the crusty garlic bread. It was a tad salty. Staff alerted the chef for on the spot corrections. The duck and shrimp fried rice and Korean ribeye cap were unexpectedly spicy however still delicious. Definitely recommend. read more

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Culinary Dropout is amazing. Even though I only had the Shrimp & Avocado Louie Salad, it was light, fresh, and perfectly balanced. We also tried the chicken tacos, which were excellent. The atmosphere is great, with good music and a large screen where you can casually keep an eye on the playoffs while enjoying your meal. Our server, Akaylah, was awesome--knowledgeable about the menu, pleasant, and very easy to talk to. Her friendly service made the experience even better. I've been wanting to try this spot since it opened, and it definitely did not disappoint. read more

We've wanted to Try culinary dropout for months now and finally had the opportunity. First I'll say it's really spacious on the inside with TV's near the bar. The service was absolutely superb. Shay was our server and she was Awesome! The fish and chips were very good, the wife got the fried chicken and it was juicy and very well seasoned. The deviled eggs are worth a try as well. Will definitely bring friends from outta town here!!! read more

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Came here for dinner and had a lovely time! It's a very warm and bright large space and of course, love the name of the restaurant! Our server, I think his name was Trice, was exceptional from beginning to end! Started with the Two to Mango, which was lovely and comes with a full can of White Claw. I would only advise it'd be great to have coasters as the drinks left a lot of water on the table. For appetizers our party shared the crispy brussels sprouts, crispy popcorn shrimp, and the whipped feta and tahini dip. Everything was so tasty and very flavorful and different. I ordered the chicken cacio e pepe, and never had this pasta with chicken before. It was really good, pasta cooked perfectly and really delicious. For dessert we had the monkey bread and the caramelized banana bar. Both were scrumptious but really loved the banana bar with the cornflake peanut butter crunch on the bottom. Would absolutely come here again in the future! read more

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Flavorful and Fun Experience! From the moment we walked in, the hospitality was top-tier. We were greeted warmly, and our waitress was absolutely INCREDIBLE--attentive, friendly, and really made our experience shine. We sat outdoors, and the vibe was just right--warm, welcoming, and perfect for conversation. There were four of us, and we ordered family-style to try a bit of everything. Best decision ever! The 36-hour slow-smoked ribs? Fall-off-the-bone perfection. The shrimp appetizers were fresh and flavorful, and those chicken wings with the radishes--unexpectedly divine. Every dish brought something special to the table. Culinary Dropout nailed it on all fronts--ambiance, service, and food. 10/10 -- we'll definitely be back! read more

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In Charlotte for a conference and when I found that there was a Culinary Dropout nearby, it was on my definite dinner list. I went to the restaurant in Dallas and it was delicious; and this one also was great. From the front door, the hostess was welcoming and got us seated quickly. The waiter was very nice. And we enjoyed a great dinner & drinks. I had the Little Mez Daisy (its a mezcal cocktail, but not as smoky as some) and the marcona almonds (b/c these things are so yummy) to start. Had the roasted salmon and brussel sprouts as my meal. Both were more than enough (I was greedy and ate all my salmon b/c I couldn't take it with me, but if I was home, some definitely would've gone home with me.) The brussel sprouts is cooked with gochujang, so they have a spicy kick and now I have to cook my brussel sprouts this way. My friend had the vegan curry and said it was also very good. Its a modern cool restaurant, and really big. There was a mini-stage, I think they have live music, so that seems like it would be fun. And we walked there and I was so hungry, so no pics! LOL (I know - big Yelp review faux pas!) Yes - definitely on my must-stop restaurants if I get to any other cities where they are. read more

I've come here several times wanting to like it due to a great location and atmosphere, but every time, the same issues occur. First, the service is slow. Each time I've went it hasn't been exceptionally busy but it took 15+ minutes to get water and soft drinks to the table. I'm totally understanding in a rush to expect a wait, but this was not the case during any of my visits. Second, they have been out of pizza every time that I've been there. This last time I was told they were out of pizza and proceeded to watch 6 pizzas be walked past my table. I asked my server what I need to do for pizza to be available and she said to "come when it's not busy". read more