Went to Catalina with friends for a birthday brunch. The space is super cute, perfect for a Sunday…read moreFunday brunch. We started with the Crispy Brussel Sprouts - DELICIOUS. So good, in fact, that one of my friends got them as the side with her meal because she couldn't get enough of them haha. The birthday girl and I did the Mimosa Bottle Service, which comes with the choice of 3 juice flavors. We picked passion fruit puree, house strawberry and house lavender. Lavender was hands down our favorite! We also decided to split the Chicken & Waffles and Maine-Style Lobster & Shrimp Roll with fries. Our waiter told us that he could tell the kitchen and they'd pre-split the dishes for us, so that was fantastic and made things simpler for us! There were two small cons for me; the first was that my silverware had a little dried food on it, so I asked for plasticware. And the second being, when we asked for straws, the waiter brought them to us loose in his bare hand. I've never had this happen anywhere else, usually loose straws are brought to you in a napkin. Would be great if Catalina made that the standard moving forward. I thought about taking off one star for these two things but everything else was so wonderful, it didn't feel fair to do that. Our waiter was super nice and informative, the food and drinks were incredible, AND they gave the birthday girl a gift certificate to use towards her next visit, plus a complimentary birthday sundae! You really can't beat that. We will absolutely be back!

Sunday night and all reservations booked but we walked in and got a table outside…read more Met our great server who shared the 1/2 off bottle of wine promotion, so why not? My wife was craving the lobster/shrimp roll, overstuffed with fresh seafood. And I went with the chicken parmesan. It was the lightest, freshest, most delicious! (compared to a really great, but heavier version at Little Mama's). Just finished the leftovers for lunch - and it just hit! We'll be back for sure...

I had an enjoyable experience. I ordered the NYC falafel which, although it could be a bit larger,…read morewas very good. The default side was fries and I asked if there were any substitutions. One was a small side Caesar salad which I got. I was disappointed in the continuing practice for restaurants to charge for small changes like this within informing the customer. Waitress was very nice, however and attentive. What is also quite unique about the restaurant was that you could order small 4 oz beers, just for tasting at $2-3 each. The place is quite large and must get incredibly noisy at times with the hard surfaces and multiple TVs. There is an option to sit directly at the bar or at tables.

The Degenerate is a cool, industrially designed space featuring great bites and drinks. What I love…read moremost is that the menu puts a unique spin on a lot of traditional, classic items. If you are looking for recommendations, I highly suggest trying: The Meatballs: A fantastic twist on a classic, served in a delicious lemon dill sauce instead of a typical marinara. The Sliders: Perfect pulled pork paired with fried green tomatoes and a tangy horseradish sauce. They also feature a highly creative and unique cocktail menu. Two of my personal standouts are the Beetle Juice, which incorporates fresh beet juice, and The Fishbone, which brilliantly highlights their house-made aquavit. Overall, it's a wonderful spot for a great atmosphere and an inventive menu!

A local, lunchtime gem at Camp North End!…read more We came during a peak time on a Sunday, but the line to order moved quickly, and we were able to snag a table inside (in the A/C) to wait. There's also a restroom inside for customers. If the inside seating is full, there are also tables out front (and elsewhere around CNE) to enjoy your grub. We ordered the Honey Butta fried chicken sandwich and the Tyson's Corner burger, along with some seasoned fries with smack sauce. Everything was fire. The burger was especially good, juicy with caramelized onion and a soft, slightly sweet bun. The fries also hit the spot, came out hot and reminded me of childhood.

The fries are really good and they are enough for two people to share. They are seasoned and the…read morecoated fries that are nice and crunchy. The smashburger I had was good but on the salty side. Whoever prepared it was a little careless and put all the pickles on one side instead of evenly distributing them. The special sauce didn't have much flavor. My burger was also a little dry probably because it sat in the window for over five minutes while they were cooking the fries. Kitchen should work on timing the food to come out at the same time so everything is hot and fresh.

We were close to uptown and looking for an early evening dinner spot. Knowing that CD is going to…read morebe opening a location at the Bowl in Ballantyne (which is closer to us) we thought we'd give it a shot. Walked in and immediately loved the vibe. Big, open and airy. Lots of seating and a few party rooms too. Loved the outdoor seating too. If it had been a little cooler that would have been perfect. They have cornhole and ping pong and just a fun atmosphere out there. Our server was warm and attentive. We did not have to wait for refills and she was quick to answer any questions we had. We started with a few apps - the chips and onion dip and the pigs in a blanket. The chips were well salted and the onion dip was DELISH!!! The pigs were wrapped in homemade party dough and came with a honey mustard crème fraiche. They were so good!! For entrees we tried the fried chicken, prime rib dip, and the meatloaf. The chicken was crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and perfectly seasoned. The mashed potatoes were so good too. The only misstep on this dish was the biscuit. Way too dense and not very flavorful. The prime rib dip was tender and came on the most crispy bread. What a great combo! The only thing that wasn't great were the fries, just nothing too special. The meatloaf dish was flavorful and came with those yummy mashed potatoes so great pairing. We didn't have room for dresser on site but we did take the monkey bread to go and enjoyed it later. Good portion size and full of apple and caramel flavor. Did not regret taking that home!! Really looking forward to this spot opening closer to home. Highly recommended

Quite a disappointment. We arrived and were told we would have a 30 minute wait for a table but we…read morecould sit at the bar while on the list. There was lots of confusion at the hostess desk and I even had to ask if they needed our contact information. We checked our name on the list thirty minutes in and we were next in line. At forty minutes I checked again and the group that had been listed after us was now ahead of us and we were second in line. They needed a table for three and we were a table for two. I went and asked what was happening and the staff was dismissive and had no ability to discuss the situation. We saw multiple issues with food orders around us as well as incorrect billing which was concerning. This doesn't seem like an establishment ready to handle the volume of patrons it's built for. Some staff were great while others were far from professional or customer focused. Not a place I will return to.

We got on the walk-in list 30 minutes before arriving, but when we got there, the host told us it…read morewould still be about an hour wait. There were several "reserved" tables that remained empty until after we had finished eating, so I think the restaurant could benefit from a better reservation system with more accurate buffer times to accommodate walk-in guests. To avoid the wait, we decided to sit at the bar, and I'm glad we did because the food was amazing. The fried chicken and waffles were perfectly seasoned, and the waffle had a unique texture and flavor that reminded me of a combination of a traditional waffle and a soft pretzel. The cheesy potato cake was absolutely delicious. The fruit bowl was also good, but I wish they had been a little more generous with the blueberry pudding. The shrimp and grits came with large tomatoes, which may not be for everyone, and my friend felt the dish was lacking grits overall. She didn't feel like she got her money's worth. Would I go back? Absolutely. My meal was delicious, and I can't wait to return and try more of their homemade, fresh dishes. I also think it's great that they partner with local farmers to help curate their menu.

Great food!! Loved the fried chicken and biscuits the most. The fried green tomatoes were so good…read moreand it was my first time having them. I also tried the charred okra which was good. Mac & cheese was alright. Cocktails were great. We also tried their champagne tender and it was super crispy and had the taste of champagne. Service was decent. Only downside is if you make a reservation online, you will not be refunded the $3 per person fee and it is also not taken off your bill.

Elise was amazing she was the best server I've ever had. And she was so friendly! I'm only coming…read moreback to see her again

I hate when ppl hype tf out of restaurants. I was here for a layover after an extreme flight delay,…read morestarving, and really looking forward to some good food. Given all of the amazing reviews I decided to order a patty melt, a ripper with cheese, and a side of Jack Mac on Postmates. The food took over an hour and 30 minutes and arrived cold. The hot dog had good flavor, but barely any cheese which was congealed. The patty melt had barely any cheese, which was an extreme disappointment, on stale, barely grilled bread. The side of ranch was terrible and watery with no flavor. The jack Mac is just macaroni and cheese with buffalo sauce added, spicy for no reason with a curdled cheese sauce and weird aftertaste. Just a super sad ass meal lol. Extremely disappointed given how delicious the reviews made the food out to be. Would literally never order again so maybe go in person smh

Stopped by The Horseshoe with a friend of mine to enjoy their $.75 wing special and it was a nice…read morechill time. I ordered a few different flavors and enjoyed them. The staff was friendly and service was quick. We went on a random weekday so it was pretty empty inside. There's plenty of seating but limited parking. But that's always expected in South End. I luckily got a parking spot right in their lot but it is a tiny lot. I would come back here for wings again for sure. It seems like a fun place to go and watch football games or just go drinking. It's kind of tucked away so it's easy to miss. But I enjoyed my time here!

The Horseshoe is a sports bar that supports the Buffalo Bills NFL team. I happened to stop in…read moreduring a Sunday game and had a great time! The workers and patrons were so nice and welcoming. They had great drink specials with plenty of food options. If I'm ever in the area again I would definitely return!

We are so grateful that Pinky's never lets us down ! Always a great option true and true …read more I've been going here for years and honestly have no notes or complaints . Affordable and savory no matter what you get . Best bartenders in Charlotte, you could close your eyes and pick anything off the menu and enjoy it .No matter how long the wait is it's worth every minute . I tried the Flounder special for the first time . Amazing . Pinky's always offers something you can't quite get anywhere else . For the flounder , it was the fresh dill in the batter, it gave it a certain tang that just sets it apart . Hearty portions ! Trust you won't leave still hungry . Pinky's please don't change !

When you start walking to a table you can feel the vibe in there! It's an awesome environment!…read more I enjoyed two yummy cocktails. We started with buffalo wings which were good. We both got the white trash burger, can't complain about a burger with fried pickles on it! Service was great! The ladies in there were amazing! They work as a team and help one another.

I came here for the first time last weekend and had a great meal. We arrived around 8pm, theres not…read morea lot of parking but it was late enough that we didn't have trouble finding a spot. We requested to be seated outside since it was nice out. The inside is spacious though, with a lot of regular seating as well as a large bar in the middle. We decided to get the combo platter of cheddar jalapeno sausage, brisket, pulled pork and 1/2 rack of ribs with mac and cheese and homemade potato salad. We washed it down with some ice cold Red Oak and white wine. My favorite was definitely the brisket- it was perfectly tender, juicy and flavorful on its own. I think the jalapeno sausage and ribs were tied for second. You know it's done well when the meats don't *need* any extra sauces, although we tried a few and they were quite flavorful. There was plenty of food (we had leftovers), our server was friendly, and the price was right! @azfitfoodfun

Excellent BBQ. We had the well fed combo plate with chopped pork, beef brisket, pork ribs and…read morejalapeño cheddar sausage. Ribs were tender and fall off the bone. Brisket was moist with beautiful smoke ring. The restaurant was clean and the staff was very friendly and attentive. I would definitely come back when I am in the neighborhood

McHale's Pub is a welcome addition to NoDa! The spacious patio is great, and the wooden interior…read moregives off a truly authentic pub vibe. Our service was solid, and the food came out pretty fast. The Reuben and the Fish & Chips were both excellent choices. My only critique is on the drinks--the cocktail menu is a bit limited (both for listed drinks and off-menu requests), though they have a decent beer list. I'd love to see a more expansive bar selection in the future! I also visited on St. Patty's Day and it was packed as you would imagine, but had a great vibe and quick service.

Date night landed us in NoDa. McHales Pub is in the heart of…read moreNoDa. The staff was friendly, we sat in the bar area on a salvaged church pew and stool. The signs, the hints of Irish detail are adorable. The highlight of this visit were the Leprechaun Balls. Crispy balls of Irish cheddar, cream cheese, and jalapeño, I really didn't even need the ranch that came with them. Not too spicy, just the right amount of jalapeno flavor. Yes the pub burger was good. The fries were delicious!!! My husband enjoyed the fish sandwich (which he did not let me get a bite of, lol) But again the show stopper for me were the Leprechaun Balls and I literally ordered them because the name was cute but they were mouth watering.