Grand opening at AuraHiFi nightclub with friends was awesome this weekend! Cedric Gervais played…read more!!! Very high dollar French DJ that came from Aspen tonight to play here. This is a new nightclub in the university area, the interior is small but there is a dance floor in front of the Dj booth. Good sound system, expensive drinks (maybe this was because entry was free) and one of the bartenders did a fire breathing act. Service was on par tonight, cocktail girls with free shots were brought around to each of us in addition to a dessert at closing: chocolate jelly shots. We will return if they keep up the high dollar DJ names. Give 'em a try- there are different theme nights. It's a restaurant so might have good food. Gender specific restrooms and lot's of parking (beside the theatre.) BIG plus: you don't have to drive into downtown Charlotte.

We thought to give this location a try Juneteenth weekend and was immediately greeted by a nice…read moreyoung lady to the right. Then to the left there were two older women who advised if we weren't on the guest list it would be $15!? Respectfully no ma'am ! You never spoke and there was no indication that an event was taking place. North Charlotte do better

STATS Charlotte has a fun atmosphere from the moment you walk in. The décor is creative, there are…read moreTVs everywhere for sports fans, and the overall vibe is lively without feeling overwhelming. Everything we ordered came out hot and delicious, and the drinks were mixed perfectly. One thing I really appreciated was the option for nicotine-free hookah--it was a nice touch and something you don't see everywhere. Our server was friendly, attentive, and kept the experience enjoyable from start to finish.

STATS July 24, around midnight !…read more Friday experiences at Stats begin when we were informed that parking would cost $100. When we questioned the price in relation to the $40 cover charge and additional expected spending inside the venue, the parking fee was reduced to $50. We asked for clarification regarding the parking rate. Answer was :: it's my parking lot it's private own and I can charge whatever I want now pay or leave !! Staff stated that if we did not wish to pay, we could leave. We indicated that we were not willing to pay $100 or $50. for the parking fee, cover charge . Staff subsequently contacted the police, and we were asked to leave the property. Police arrived and advised that the location is private property and that the business has the right to set its pricing. We were informed that our options were to pay or leave. It blows my mind while people are willing to pay the price to get in when entrance charges change weekly, pay for drinks and bottles and tables to sit at inside still want to charge people outside to park asking price$100 open your mouth it dropped to $50. Open your mouth again they call the cops and not let you in !! We left the premises without entering the venue. The End!

Nice place for hanging out with friends. They have BYOB. Good service and very nice owners who take…read morecare of customers

I had one of the worst experiences I've ever had at this lounge last night. Without any real…read moreexplanation or attempt to de-escalate the situation, three security guards physically grabbed and dragged me out of the venue. It was completely unnecessary, aggressive, and honestly humiliating. During the incident one of the guards had his arm around my neck to the point where I couldn't breathe and my necklace was ripped off in the process. At no point did anyone try to calmly speak to me or explain what the issue was. Being handled by multiple security guards like that felt excessive and unprofessional, especially in a place that's supposed to be about having a good time. Instead of basic communication, the situation immediately escalated to physical force. I would strongly caution anyone thinking about going here. A night out shouldn't end with you being physically dragged out by security with no explanation. There are plenty of lounges in the city that treat their guests with far more respect.

So we would up at this venue bey accident. It was unplanned and just on a rain Sunday…read more The place was not full at all which is I hear is unusual for them. W All the ladies in my party enjoyed their food. I had the chicken and waffles and others who had it couldn't stop talking about how well seasoned the chicken was. Others had the lamb chops and shrimp and grits. Our waitress was nice knowledgeable and made could recommendations. She kept checking on us to make sure we were good . They do have hookah and while there was no one smoking hookah when we arrived, she made sure we were comfortable once someone ordered. Overall a good experience. Ambiance was good.

I visited EXIT Lounge twice in January and overall had a very enjoyable experience, with one…read moreconcern that I believe is important to note for transparency. My first visit was on January 9th for a birthday celebration. I had the wings (which were excellent), hookah, and truly enjoyed the atmosphere. The environment was relaxed, the aesthetics were nice, and everything about that evening felt smooth and enjoyable. My ticket clearly reflected my purchases, I paid my tab, added a tip, and my bank statement matched exactly what I authorized. Because I enjoyed my first visit so much, I returned on January 18th with a friend. We both ordered hookah; I had food, and she had drinks. When I closed out my tab, everything appeared normal--I paid and tipped as usual. However, the following morning when I reviewed my bank statement, I noticed that gratuity had been added after the fact, which I did not see or authorize at the time I paid. I reached out to my friend, and she confirmed that gratuity was also added to her tab, though she did not realize it at the time. I returned to the lounge once they reopened and spoke directly with the owner. He explained that gratuity is sometimes added and that he leaves it up to the individual server to decide whether or not to apply it. I explained that gratuity had not been added during my visit on January 9th, and that this issue only occurred on January 18th. While the explanation suggested that gratuity should have been applied, the concern was that it appeared to be added after I had already paid my tab, without upfront notice. To his credit, the owner did address the issue and refunded the gratuity. That said, the lack of clarity around gratuity policies raised an eyebrow for me. As a patron, I believe it's important to be informed upfront whether gratuity is automatically added, applied selectively, or left to the discretion of the server--especially when payment is finalized electronically. Outside of this issue, the lounge itself is enjoyable. The food was good, the hookah was solid, the atmosphere was chill, and the overall vibe was welcoming. My only concern was the handling and communication around billing and gratuity. Clear, consistent policies would go a long way in making an already good experience even better.

Great place to hangout, watch sports, eat, drink! The food was great! But we can't stop talking…read moreabout how delicious the wings were! We got the honey chipotle and garlic Parmesan. The best wings we have ever had! We have never had such crispy perfect wings until eating here! Jayla our waitress was great! She had a positive attitude and engaged in a conversation with us!

Service was good and quick. Waitress was sweet as pie. Went off track and tried something…read moredifferent. Steak left me unimpressed. I think it was the cut itself. It was hot and nicely seasoned but without a wow factor. Sides were very good. Local spot easily accessible. Plenty of seating at the bar or at side tables. Not noisy but had a chill vibe. Plenty of tvs to catch a game or not. Will keep them on rotation.

I really wanted to like Lula Belle's, but unfortunately the food didn't live up to the price. The…read moredishes looked promising, but the flavors were very underwhelming. The Creole sauce tasted mostly like oil, and the grits were very watery with little flavor. Overall, the food felt very low-mid quality despite being on the expensive side. The one bright spot was the mimosas--they were actually really good and probably the highlight of the meal. Service itself was fine; the staff was polite and professional. However, everything took a very long time to come out, although I do believe the food was cooked fresh. As far as the ambiance, the live DJ music was definitely a vibe, and the restaurant itself was clean inside, which I appreciated. One thing to note is that gratuity is automatically added, so just be aware of that when you receive your bill. Another downside was the seating--the chairs were not very comfortable, which made the long wait times feel even longer. Overall, I left feeling disappointed given the prices and expectations. I hope they improve the flavor and consistency because the place has potential.

On Saturday, I was invited to a birthday brunch for a coworker at Lula Belle's. I parked in the…read moreback, not realizing that I would have to walk all the way around to get to the front door. When I arrived, the bouncer at the front was very nice and friendly. I walked in and my party was waiting on me to be sat. The decor in the restaurant is photo shoot worthy. Our waiter was Ray who had all the energy and vibes to ensure that your experience is everything that we needed to be plus more. I was satisfied with the drinks and the drink prices. The food was presented well and came out in a reasonable amount of time . I ordered the grits flights and my best friend ordered the red snapper and grits. Honestly, the food was good, but it wasn't over flavorful. Combined with the vibes and good company plus great customer service- I would definitely come back. Ray was the best part of the experience!

Yesterday we discovered a selfie museum bar & eatery called Paparazzi…read more Paparazzi passes the vibe check . In my personal opinion this place is good for drinks , photo ops & hookah if you're into that . Me personally I no longer do hookah but a few of my friends ordered one. The food was ok I would describe it as glorified bar food . We were all a little disappointed in the actual food . It's super cute inside & definitely a great place during the day to hang out with friends to take pics & grab drinks . Side note : If you go , arrive early between the times of 6-9pm , I purposely went around that time frame because I knew they stopped serving food at a certain time , & after 10 the crowd changes & it becomes more of a party scene & younger crowd . So with that being said I was in & out . Arrived at 7 left by 9 . Genius for bringing food & drinks in together with the selfie museum .

There's nothing like a good old-fashioned brunch after a night out on the town. Therefore, we took…read moreour hungry tastes to Paparazzi. Fried Whiting and Grits $18 The grits were nice and creamy with the right amount of salt added. I could have used a little pepper but that's just me. The whiting was crispy but I felt as if they could have been thicker. It was almost as if I was biting into more of the fried breading versus the meat of the fish. Overall though, I love the pairing of the whiting and the grits. Scrambled Eggs $5 Eggs are eggs.... I mean you can't really mess up scrambled eggs. Don't really know what to say about scrambled eggs. The presentation was good. They wasn't dry, they wasn't runny, tastes like homemade scrambled eggs. Due to the previous night shenanigans, I opted out of trying any mimosas. The rest of my party loved them. They ordered about three towers. ($50 each) My only thing is I wish they would expand on their brunch menu. From the dish I had, I would try their brunch again, just another dish. #blackowned #PaparazziCLT  #explorepage  #foodie #foodporn #neweats #instafood #foodstagram #foodblogger #foodlover #Brunch #foodgasm #instagood #foodiesofinstagram #mimosas #foodpics #tasty #charlotte #charlottenc #clt  #queencity #charlottefoodscene #followforfollow #charlottesgotalot #clteats #GratuityAdded #fishandgrits #scrambledeggs #goodforgroups #outdoorseating

Time for the annual review of my home away from home and where I hang my Yelp crown as the…read moreever-reigning Duchess. So while my never-ending battle to get my beers counted in real-time still remains the bane of my ubiquitous existence here, at least the staff make it a little less maddening. To be fair sometimes it is tech issues where the app (which I have a neverending love/hate relationship with) will decide to do some new, weird, baffling yet enraging thing that mucks up my beer count, but I can always count on my Ladies in Charge Izz & Kels to work their magic. I also gotta give shoutouts to my girls Maddie & Stella & Katie for always taking care of me and finding ways to turn my frowns upside down! I have enjoyed the different styles and breweries they have recently been bringing into the mix (I thought I had died and gone to beer heaven when I saw they had 6 yes SIX 3 Floyds beers on tap & in cans!), but have noticed they haven't been adding as many local NC beers like they used to, which makes it hard for a regular, such as myself, on her 17th plate to come in for $5 NC Drafts on Sundays. I appreciate the new daily specials on Fridays/Saturdays and showing more appreciation for BeerKnurds that have been added (notably 1/2 lunch for BKs on Tues from 11am-3pm), but REALLY REALLY wish they would do more stuff (as in ANYTHING) for MOUs (BKs w/5+ plates). All that being said, you really can't beat their $5 off any draft on the wall or hard liquors + wine Mondays or their create your own pizzas (might I suggest my personal creation & fav the "Tickle My Pickle?); the food menu is just solid as their kitchen staff are some of the best (and nicest) in the biz! So, if you're looking for a spot where the staff make the experience just as much as the beer & food and that is the literal embodiment of Cheers once you've established yourself as a regular, then look no further! Come for the great beer shirts/hats + collectible glassware and stay for the beer/booze, food, and people...until next year!

A fun, character-filled beer spot, but the food didn't quite live up to the experience…read more I met up with family at The Flying Saucer in the University area. It's seat-yourself, so we had to pull a couple tables together to fit everyone. One thing to note: it was very warm inside, so I'd recommend sitting toward the back where it's more comfortable. My boys really enjoy this place, so I wanted to like it more, but the food was just okay and a bit pricey for what you get. Most items run about $14.99-$21.99, even appetizers are at entrée prices. I ordered the Carne Asada Fries appetizer ($15.99) after hearing they were "fire." The steak had good flavor, but the portion was light--fine for sharing, but not very filling. One entree, Big Dipper ($15.49), a roast beef seemed overcooked and there wasn't much meat on a large bun. Two people from the table ordered pizza. Neither ate more than 2 pieces. On the positive side, the beer selection is excellent, with plenty of options on tap and in bottles and cans--from Guinness to local IPAs. The atmosphere is also unique: plates cover the walls and ceiling from guests who've completed their beer challenge, which makes for a fun, quirky vibe you really have to see in person. Dart boards for those who want to be a bit more active. Overall, it's a great spot for beer and atmosphere, but the food and pricing didn't quite match the experience for me.