Boy oh boy. This place is amazing. Of course we ordered the fish and chips. Had to get a second tartar sauce. Everything was so dang delicious. We didn't like it. We loved it. Irish chicken curry was good too, but you can't go wrong with the haddock. Best I've had in years. Our service was superb as well. Bartender was helpful and staff were great. Our booth was cozy for just the 2 of us but we could have fit 6 more at the table. The bar and ambiance made the whole experience top notch. Can't wait to come back. read more

See all

We went to Ri Ra's because some friends were in town. We were greeted right away and seated promptly. I did not catch our waitresses name, but she was amazing. She checked in on us a few times but didn't rush us, told us to put the ketchup nitrile on the table corner to let her know we are ready. I thought that was very considerate. I ordered a martini, but forgot ti make it dirty so she ended up brining me a shot of olive juice. Talk about service! We got the bangers in puff pastry and the cheese curds. Husband got the potato and leek soup. The bangers in the puff pastry was our favorite. The cheese curds were fine. Nothing to write home about. Husband liked the soup. I got the Guinness burger and added smoked bacon. The burger was supposed to be done medium but it was closer to well done, not a big deal. But I was disappointed on the flavor. I was expecting more Guinness flavor in the burger, if I hadn't gotten the smoked bacon the burger would have been pretty flavorless. I got the seasonal vegetables, it was green beans. They were well done, we prefer ours to have more of a crunch to it, but they were flavored well. My husband got the fish and chips. The fish was done very well, lots of flavor no complaints. All of the fries were soggy and limp. Not what I would expect for fries at all. Wouldn't recommend. The onion rings seemed to be in some sort of a beer batter and those were very good. My friend got the fish sandwich and it came with about a quarter size of tartar sauce which was not nearly enough, but the flavor was good. All in all, drinks were good and reasonably priced but we won't be eating there again, there's too many places in Charlotte to try. read more

See all

Had to stop here because we have one in Portland too! Long bar with lots of table seating and a large upstairs. It was pretty busy the time we stopped in but we got our drinks quick. Drinks were good, and service was friendly. Didn't get any food but cool vibes! read more

See all

A go to every time in Charlotte! Always great experience with the food, the staff and the beer! It's a yes!

I came in for dinner during a work conference all by my lonesome. I took a seat at the front bar and asked the staff to help me decide on a unique Irish whiskey, I wanted to expand my horizons. I wound up taking down two different chilled whiskeys before switching to half and half beer and a couple of Boddington's. Hey, not my usual routine, but it had been a stressful conference... For dinner, I ordered the fish and chips for $25. Not cheap, but great quality. They give you one huge filet, perfectly crispy and nicely seasoned. The fries were crispy as well, with just a little flavor on them. I also got a bottle of Irish malt vinegar for the fries, some tartar sauce and half of a grilled lemon. The fish and chips didn't come with haricot verts or any other vegetable so I ordered some Brussel sprouts. Maybe to feel slightly less guilty, I don't know. The sprouts blew my mind, they had been flash fried, so they came with a little crunch on them. They also had a little balsamic glaze for even more flavor. Well worth the $7 and maybe even more. I received friendly personable service from numerous bartenders. The restaurant plays a variety of music between Irish and American pop. Great downtown spot to unwind and enjoy some good pub grub and beverages. read more

The Irish chicken curry with half rice half fries hit the spot. This was my first time trying this meal in an Irish pub and it didn't disappoint. The flavor was on point and everything tasted well. Mondays special is $6 Jameson so I enjoyed two Jameson and Ginger ales also which were made very well. The service was cool and accommodating. The ambiance is great, not brightly lit setting in this environment. read more

Rí Rá - Irish Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

See all

Y'all. Let me start with the vibe. Super clean. Super friendly. And I watched staff hustling which was a stark contrast to what I have become accustomed to when eating out. But that's not the good news. I ordered the Fish n chips, some traditional Irish fare that separates the men from the boys when it comes to pubs. This. Hit. Hard! Easily the best I have had in over a decade. And while I didn't taste other plates I watched them all come out looking as amazing as mine was. I want to commend the staff, management, and especially the kitchen for making my experience truly memorable. Highly recommend if you are looking for good food. Great atmosphere. And service that cares. read more

See all

We were so excited to visit RI RA for Sunday brunch but unfortunately we were very disappointed. We tried to order two Irish breakfasts and an all American breakfast and my son wanted chicken and waffles. The waitress told us they had no pancake/waffle batter to make the order! I ordered the cottage pie which was mediocre at best and my husband had bangers and mash which looked like it had been under a heat lamp for a while. There was very little mash potato on the cottage pie and it was super runny, not what I expected at all. My son enjoyed his chicken sandwich and the one positive was the bag of Tayto crisps my daughter got with her burger. We had read so many positive reviews on this place but it just wasn't it. read more

Came into this spot before the the game! It's honestly the perfect location! Hostess told us it would be about 15 min wait without reservations but we only waited about 3. It's your typical pub. I found out afterwards that they have rooftop seating as well. Inside, it's very cramped though. The food was good. I got a Cobb salad. The bowl that it came in was weird & everything kept falling out. I actually wish they gave me more lettuce because I had wayyyy too much chicken and veggies left but no lettuce. "happy hour" is illegal in NC but this place does have daily specials. read more

See all

Best. Fish. Sandwich. Ever. Love that they used haddock for their fish. It was cooked perfectly and was so crispy. So much tartar sauce which was just so tasty. Bartender was so sweet and friendly. She was very attentive to all my needs. read more

Rí Rá - Irish Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

I've been to RiRa a few times but recently went for a Texas Longhorns football watch party. There are lots of TVs and tables in the upstairs bar, and also bathrooms! I tried the everything pretzel rods. The cheese sauce was really good and they give you a big amount for dipping. I didn't care for the everything seasoning so I scraped most of it off. The other menu items look really tasty! Parking in uptown can be tough if you don't get lucky and find a meter spot. read more

Rí Rá - Irish Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

See all

This place was great. Our bartender was a little aloof but he got us what we needed. This decor is really adorable and very on theme for an Irish pub. My fish and partners sandwich were great but both of our sides (fries for me and sweet potato fries for him) were gross. Mine were really under-seasoned and his were pretty much burnt to a crisp. This happens at all kinds of places so it isn't the type of thing that would make us not come back and give them another chance next time we're in town, but it definitely didn't leave the greatest impression that they would send out fries that were so over done. We're both hoping next time we're in Charlotte that our experience is better. Because we did genuinely like it overall. read more

food was spectacular and bar tenders were quick & friendly! would definitely come back. read more

Rí Rá - Fish & Chips - Irish Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

I've seen some not great reviews here, so I may be lucky that I had a great experience. The only issue was a pretty decent wait time for a server to get to our table, and it took a bit for our food to arrive. But I don't hold that against them, especially on a weekend night in downtown Charlotte. They have all of the favorite Irish pub menu items. I tried the pub Rachel and wow, it was amazing!! The mashed potatoes were also delicious! They have beer and a full bar, so there are drinks for everyone. Our server had an Irish accent, so I had to ask where she was from. She had just arrived here from Ireland two weeks ago. She told us that the company that owned the restaurant is based in Ireland and they expanded to Charlotte, so they offer employees to come here to work for periods of time. She wasn't the only employee that had traveled from Ireland to work in Charlotte, so it really made the vibe even more authentic. I thought that was the coolest thing ever! Parts of the bar were even brought over from Ireland to the Charlotte location. The vibe is totally that of an Irish pub! We had such a great dinner experience there that we went back the next night and took friends with us. read more

See all

My review is mainly on the service ! Claudia was super nice and attentive. Our drinks were really good too. I had a lemon drop Martini which is not on the menu and not always made good this one was bomb! The spinach dip was just ok i probably wouldn't get it again. The wing flavor was good though. I'd def go back for drinks :) read more

See all

Great drinks are easy to find. A bartender with a killer smile, a wild streak, and a personality that lights up the whole bar? That's rare. She made the night unforgettable without even trying. Funny, sharp, a little rebellious, and effortlessly cool. Came in for one drink and somehow stayed way longer than planned. She got me. read more

Great Irish pub in the middle of Uptown Charlotte. However, staff seemed tired. We were probably late on a Saturday night for dinner. Band was in full swing. Food was great, service was good, very incredible Irish bar theme, complete with ghosts--so I was told. read more

Rí Rá - Band - Irish Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Came in for a quick drink with friends and I am happy to see this pub is still going strong. Very friendly staff offered comfortable seats, cool drinks, and food. I love how they have hooks under the bar on the first level to hook your purse or backpack while you enjoy the bar. While my English friends might not be as fond of the sausage rolls, I didn't mind them and for the price, the portion and flavor was pretty good. read more

We absolutely loved our dining experience here! My dad loves Irish Pubs and my parents met at an Irish Pub so I came to visit them and wanted to treat them to dinner and found this place! I made a reservation and when we walked in, we were seated quickly! Our waiter was so friendly and attentive! He was really working hard as well. My dad got his favorite Guinness to drink and my mom and I got the cider sangria cocktail and it was amazing! We ordered the chicken bites with the Guinness barbecue sauce and they were tasty! For entrees we ordered the steakhouse paddy melt, pub reuben and a salad with falafel nuggies and they were all so delicious!!! The inside definitely has Irish pubs vibes and the bathrooms are clean! I cannot wait to bring my parents back here! read more

See all

Visited on Sat April 26th at about 7pm. Initial server contact was slow but the server was helpful and great the rest of the night. We tried the chicken, breakfast, cottage pie, and fish sandwich as well as Guinness and Red Spot Whiskey. The Guinness and the fish sandwich were excellent quality and price. The ambiance is very old irish however the televisions provide a less traditional atmosphere. read more

I want to start by saying the service and accommodation for us was wonderful. We were coming from out of town and the highway was closed and we had to detour and were an hour and a half (!!) late for our reservation. I was frazzled and apologetic and despite all that they found us a table! So thankful! The ambiance was awesome. Very cool laid back decor- with touches for Halloween which I loved. I got the bangers and mash and my friend got fish and chips. I didn't love mine, but I think it was my palate not the way the food was prepared. My friend loved hers. We went to a concert after we ate and came back for drinks after! It was crowded but the bar staff did a great job keeping up. I would come back here again when visiting Charlotte and recommend! read more

See all

Had a quick meal before a show at Belk Theater. Banger bites were tasty though I wish they had been hot - the mustard sauce served with them was phenomenal. Chicken cobb salad was delicious with their house vinaigrette but one complaint that it is served in a bowl that is difficult to navigate. Hard to move or mix any of the salad without knocking it out. Service was great and we made it to the show on time! read more

A phenomenal Irish pub in Uptown with great ambience. The staff are first class and professional. Love the food and drink options. read more

Rí Rá - Dining area - Irish Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Solid food in a busy downtown location! This Irish pub was packed to the brim on a weekend night, which is always a good sign. My group had a reservation and were seated promptly. We were offered menus and drinks, and service was friendly/speedy. I opted for the Jameson & Ginger Salmon, and really enjoyed it! My fish was cooked perfectly and the glaze was flavorful, but not overpowering. The brussel sprouts were a little heavier on the grease than I prefer, but the mashed potatoes more than made up for it. The portion was hearty and a second meal out of leftovers is definitely possible! The one drawback was that it was extremely loud in the space. I couldn't even hear the people sitting at my table speaking and had to sneak my concert earplugs in at dinner. In all fairness, we were seated in the bar area. So, I'd recommend being cognizant of asking for a quieter space if needed before being seated. Overall, this restaurant is an authentic Irish pub and I would definitely stop in again! read more

Rí Rá - Irish Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

See all

Great food, great drinks mixed with a little ghost stories. Love the old culture of the area and building. Staff is friendly. read more

See all

My second time pre-theatre at Ri Ra's and just delicious!! Nice Irish pub atmosphere. Had fish n'chips on first visit Rueben sandwich on second. Loved the crisp of the fish & chips; the corned beef was fresh & delicious. onion rings nicely crisp! Great place to grab dinner pre-show. Wait staff prompt & friendly attentive! Prices reasonable! read more

We went thinking going to have a couple "Irish" themed drinks & some lunch. Our mistake was sitting at the bar. Place was not busy since in between lunch & dinner. Bartender finally acknowledged our presents @ 10 minutes no menu or mention be with us shortly. Ordered our drinks & last we saw of her until we decided this was not an inviting place - especially since drinks were a little high. Got our bill & still waited to pay & waited more. Finally left cash & headed to Capital Grille for much better service & similar price. One & done don't recommend unless you have large loud group. Ambiance not stellar read more

We were early for our reservation and they were able to get us in before our time. When we sat down we were immediately attended to. Server was super attentive and our food came out quick. I had the Irish stew and it was delicious. My daughter had the barbecue chicken nachos and she said they were great. We split the green beans and they were probably our favorite thing we had. Sooo good. We would go back when we are in town for sure. read more

Went there after a show for some drinks. Bartender made someone in the group a white Russian. Was literally cream and vodka. Pure white. When we complained she got very defensive and reluctantly put the smallest amount of Kahlua in it. She was very rude about it. She should know how to make a simple drink. Do better. Other staff was very friendly. read more

Ri Ra is a great place to grab a bite to eat downtown! Service was great. We ate upstairs and our server was very attentive, got our drinks and orders quickly. Food took a little while but we were not in a hurry. We ordered the pretzel rods for an appetizers. They are delicious and the beer cheese dip is amazing!! I had the reuben it was good. Fries were a bit salty. The fish and chips is a huge serving of fish. Shrimp po boy was tasty but hard to eat as served. Served almost like an open faced sandwich. read more

See all

An Irish pub is a place to seek food, drink, and new friends, and Ri Ra in Charlotte delivers on all accounts. The pub is long and narrow with a real Irish pub vibe. It's a port on a stormy night. The food was traditional pub fare, but with an Indian influence: fish and chips, steak and Guinness pie, cottage pie, Reuben, among other options. We enjoyed the steak pie and fish and chips--absolutely terrific fries!! Great location near both businesses, arena, and convention center. read more

Rí Rá - Fish and Chips - Irish Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

See all

Great Irish atmosphere!! Delicious Irish curry!! And a nice Guinness!! Thank you Daniella great service!!

Looking for somewhere to eat in Uptown during the day-check out Ri Ra! Great atmosphere for casual pub dining which is a nice change from the fast food and fancy restaurants Uptown. Long bar with stools and a decent amount of high top tables and booths in the space downstairs. Every worker was nice, but wasn't spectacular service, seeming they were short staffed at the time. I would recommend sitting at the bar if you want quicker service. I came here with family on the Friday after Christmas for lunch. We split a pub burger and the Rachel sandwich. We also got a side caesar salad and mushroom soup. The burger was classic and the sandwich was not everyone's style, but I liked the veggies on top and enjoyed the buttery bread! The real winner was the onion rings! The mushroom soup was a broth base soup and was a little bitter, but nice and warm on the cold day. read more

We were here after Billy Joel concert for a late night snack. Also friends noticed this eatery walking by area earlier in the morning. Couple of tips for late night dining here. Bring your ID for they will proof you. My friend left ID at hotel after changing. So they had to go back and bring them. While we were waiting for them we placed our names on waitlist for a table. The bar area was very busy and all tables were occupied except for the table in the front which they said it was reserved. Reality is they were short staffed. They sat us at the same empty table in the front after we waited for a long time. Ri Ra has a separated menu for late night and only provided one menu. We asked for another menu so we can share. They said they not able to print up another menu. Both the fish and chip as well as the pretzel bites were good. The waitress was overwhelmed. Left menu and took a while for her to come back to take our orders. Staff brought food to table and we asked for sauce and they did not come back. Nice ambiance and atmosphere. Will come back for lunch but not for late night. One of our buddies had a wee bit of heartburn. read more

Rí Rá - Late Night Menu - Irish Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

See all

Visited Charlotte over the weekend and a Segway Tour Guide said this was a very authentic Irish Pub. The interior was completely brought over from Ireland and they had good Fish and Chips. I recently found the best Fish and Chips I've ever had over in Lexington, SC at another Irish Pub (they served a very large beer battered Haddock Filet). When I saw that Ri' Ra' also had Haddock I decided to try it. My wife and I went to dinner around 6PM Saturday night. Immediately seated. The atmosphere is very nice and unique...looks like something that would've been over in Ireland. We were seated quickly had a hight table and our waitress took our order. I was really surprised to read all the Yelp reviews on this place. Seems like every single review raved over the Fish and Chips, so of course we had to try it. We also had to try the fresh pretzel with beer cheese as an appetizer. I ordered an Amber Beer and my wife had a Chardonnay. (The Lexington, SC pub also had fresh pretzels and beer cheese). The pretzels were small pretzel bites and come with a cheese spread ( but you can get the beer cheese for $2 extra). We got a bowl of pretzel bites (actually quite a few), but the beer cheese came in a very small little bowl that really didn't have enough cheese to go with all the pretzels. We were a bit disappointed that for $2 you hardly got enough cheese for all the pretzels. The beer cheese was very good. Pretzels were good, but not nearly as good as the SC place. The fish came out and it was very impressive. We split the meal, as the fish filet was quite large. The chips were good and the waitress brought malt vinegar along with ketchup to the table. Tarter sauce also came with the fish. The fish was good, but we both thought that it needed salt. When you cut the fish to take a bite, the batter would not really stay on the fish most of the time. We liked it, but both agreed it didn't compare to the Lexington Irish Pub. Looked exactly the same as far as size, but sure didn't taste as good. Batter wasn't as good. Nice place, good atmosphere, service...we were just a bit disappointed with the Fish and Chips based on all the good reviews. I think we were spoiled by the other pub we'd recently found. I'd go back if I were in Charlotte, but may try another entree next time. read more

Rí Rá - Fish and Chips - Irish Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

We brought a group of 35 here with very little notice on a Sunday night after a convention. We had planned to go to an alternate site, but after several of us had visited there during the week with no so great experiences, we decided we needed to go someplace else. One of our group suggested Rí Rá, we called, and they said sure, come on over. Not only did they accommodate us graciously, they gave us a whole room, and a couple excellent servers, one of whom they called in especially to handle our group. They basically salvaged our evening for us, and the food was delicious. We all ordered off the menu, a variety of different things, and everyone said their meals were excellent. Service was prompt and friendly. The next time I'm in Charlotte, this is where I'm headed first! read more

Rí Rá - Our group was from Sweden, Australia, the UK, and all over the US. Everybody loved Rí Rá. - Irish Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Great Irish pub in the middle of uptown Charlotte. Excellent choices of drinks and beers. I or odered the soup of the day (broccoli cheddar) and the boneless chicken bites with BBQ, and it was pretty good. My boss was not as lucky with his first order as I was. He got the grilled chicken salad, and the chicken was undercooked. The server was very professional and apologetic and brought another one with fully cooked chicken, which ended up being on the house. That was nice! Also, parking in downtown is a bit of a challenge and pricey, so take that into consideration. Overall, not bad for an Irish pub with a great downtown vibe. read more

See all

This is a really cool place. My friends and I ate here while in Charlotte for a concert. I love a good Irish pub and it was super close to our hotel in downtown Charlotte. The food was amazing! I ordered the fish and chips and that was one huge piece of fish. It was battered and fried to perfection and the fries were seasoned well. Our waitress was amazing. I cannot remember her name but she had only been in the US for a couple of weeks from Ireland. My only issue with this place was the noise. I mean it was extremely noisy and it wasn't that busy when we were there. The table behind us was SO loud and the TV's were loud and broadcasting multiple sporting events at once. I couldn't really converse with my friends because I couldn't hear them. Would definitely try them again and see if the noise level is more tolerable. read more

Ri Ra will always trigger my nostalgia, as it reminds me of my early days in Charlotte when I was new to the city and my friends and I would bar hop around Uptown until closing time. Having been to many pubs in Ireland I can confirm that it certainly has the ambience down. The first floor is your traditional cozy Irish pub and a great place for a Guinness or two, with some solid food as well including traditional Irish dishes and more American fare. At one time they also had a sandwich cafe around back that used to be one of my favorite lunch spots but unfortunately as far as I know this has since closed. Upstairs is where things get wild late at night. The stools are removed and the DJ comes on. My dancing days are few and far between at my age but it used to be a really fun late night spot to hang out. Ri Ra's will always hold a special place in my heart for all the fun time I had in my younger years, and I am glad to see that it is still going strong. I like to pop in every now and then for a nice cold beer after work and reminisce. read more

Rí Rá - St. Patrick himself. - Irish Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

This place is amazing. We were in town for a wedding and stopped by here on two occasions. One occasion was for dinner on a Friday night. It was not very busy and we were instantly sat down. The staff was very friendly and helpful helped navigate the menu. I am a big craft beer drinker and love trying new beers when I am in new areas. The server helped me pick a few out and I was highly impressed. The food was delicious and came out quickly. The second occasion was on a Saturday night. We had a large after wedding party come through and we all went upstairs. The bartenders (Rachel and Nick I believe) were both great and very attentive. DJ SKID was there and AMAZING. Great selection of music and very interactive with the crowd. We were even able to order food (fries and chicken bites), which is huge. Go here for a delicious meal with the family or to dance for hours while cold drinks are poured plentifully. read more

Rí Rá - Irish Chicken Curry - Irish Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina