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    The Improper Pig

    4.1 (17 reviews)
    Closed • 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

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    THE IMPROPER PIG ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

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    Piggy Poke-y bowl
    Kristina B.

    We popped in the other night narrowly escaping the rain and the crowd that came in after us. The restaurant has a nice outdoor area; the indoor seating area was small and since it was raining it got packed fast and was pretty loud. Our server Bree was so sweet and patient. She gave us plenty of time to decide and checked in on us periodically. She also helped me identify a delicious seed in my Poke Bowl. Speaking of.... The poke bowl was absolutely delicious. Served with edamame, kale salad, cucumbers, carrots, ahi tuna, and sushi rice. Everything was fresh and tasty. The sauce added a nice flavor and tang. The curry chicken rolls were hot and full of flavor. Really delicious with the dipping sauce. Fried rice was amazing. I really loved the flavor and the pork was tasty. Definitely a place worth visiting on repeat!

    Pulled pork plate with sweet potato fries & edamame salad
    Elizabeth D.

    So happy to have this Improper Pig location right in the heart of Plaza! We came and sat on the huge turf patio on an unseasonably warm March evening tonight and it couldn't have been more pleasant. Our waitress, Kelsey, was very friendly and attentive, and everything we ate was delicious (especially the pulled pork, edamame salad and french fries). Already can't wait to come back and try more of the Asian-inspired BBQ dishes -- such a gem for our neighborhood!

    Mike S.

    I must say I'm slightly ashamed of myself for never making the trip to the original Cotswold location. Sadly that location is gone, but Cotswold's loss is Plaza Midwood's gain as we now have the newest location located right in the middle of the neighborhood. The Improper Pig is a barbecue/asian fusion restaurant while I missed out on the original, I recently got to try their newest spot for dinner. While my girlfriend raves about the fried rice dish which really plays into the barbecue/asian theme, I decided to stick to the basics and ordered the pork sandwich. It comes with slaw which if you're like me you prefer on the side. From there it is up to you to sauce it up. They have six in house sauces each one a unique and delicious flavor from spicy to sweet to a little bit of both. I really enjoyed them all but my favorites were the eastern nc bbq vinegar, and the Tong's Thai. One of the least expected parts was how good their house made chips are! Usually the chips are kind of an afterthought but theirs were fresh, crunchy, and had a delicious vinegar salt flavoring on them. Overall I loved my meal and I can't wait to go back!

    The charcuterie
    Kelly M.

    Had a great meal at The Improper Pig last night. This is actually my 2nd time here. Tonight we had the Charcuterie: sausage, brisket, pulled pork, ribs, homemade salt & vinegar chips, pickled onions, hushpupies, slaw, and pimento cheese. I think that's everything. It says it's enough for two people, but probably 3 or 4 could eat off that tray! The sausage was probably my favorite. And it was fun to try all the different sause options. We had the strawbery cobbler for dessert- completely forgot to take a picture of that, but it was so good! Crust on the top and the bottom and the fruit filling wasn't too sweet.

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    Mac's Speed Shop

    Mac's Speed Shop

    3.9(738 reviews)
    3.2 mi•South End, Dilworth
    •$$

    Kendall was a great server. can't wait to come back and see her again. The food was fantastic and…read moream so happy we decided to come and eat. I am definitely going to tell everyone about it!

    I stopped in for a late dinner and ate at the bar. I started with a pint of the $4 Thursday special…read moreUncle Slams Lager. For dinner, I ordered the pulled pork combo and had my two usual sides when at a BBQ place: Mac n Cheese and BBQ baked beans. The large combo was just about $2 more than the regular sized one and was enough for 2 meals yet I managed to eat it all in one sitting. Hmm, imagine that. The pulled pork was plentiful and delicious and served with no sauce. This was perfect so one could choose how to have it. There's 4 sauces on the counter to try including Carolina specialties. It was was nice to try a variety. The BBQ baked beans were prepared with the North Carolina vinegar based sauce which is surprisingly tasty. I enjoyed this side. For the pork, I loved both of the Carolina sauces on it as well as plain. The Mac n Cheese was also good as the texture was just like I make in a casserole style and very tasty and complemented the rest of the meal very well. While at the bar I watched the Thursday Night Football game between the Steelers and the Browns (Browns won!) during my solo visit. I found there's a few of these Mac's Speed Shops around so it's nice to have location options when in Charlotte and it is a great value. If ever in this area, I'll look them up again.

    Photos
    Mac's Speed Shop - Inside Mac's Speed Shop - South End

    Inside Mac's Speed Shop - South End

    Mac's Speed Shop - Hush puppies

    Hush puppies

    Mac's Speed Shop - Mule

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    Mule

    Sweet Lew’s BBQ

    Sweet Lew’s BBQ

    4.0(343 reviews)
    0.8 mi•Belmont
    •$$

    Sweet Lew's had been bookmarked on my Yelp list for a return visit after I saw it featured during…read moreTop Chef's time in Charlotte. I'd eaten here before and had good food memories, so after returning from Memphis with barbecue still on my mind, it seemed like the perfect time to go back. First, know what you're walking into--in the best possible way. Sweet Lew's is rustic, casual and charming. This is not fancy barbecue. They have their own private parking lot, which is a huge plus, but it's gravel. Ladies, leave the high heels at home unless you want to risk an ankle before you even get to the brisket! There's a screened-in porch/patio dining area and a small air-conditioned dining room inside, where you'll also find the restrooms. And when I say small, I mean small. It adds to the neighborhood barbecue-joint charm, but I can easily imagine this place getting packed during peak hours and weekends. I apparently hit the sweet spot because it wasn't crowded during my visit. The setup is equally casual. You line up, order and pay at the counter, grab your sauces and utensils, find a table and settle in. There's no wait staff. If you want a beverage, you'll head to the bar area and order that separately. Everyone I encountered was friendly, and service moved quickly. My usual order is the one-meat/two-side combo, which is $17 and includes hush puppies. This time I ventured away from the pork shoulder and ordered brisket with barbecue beans and potato salad. I also added the boiled potatoes as an extra side and a sausage link because I wanted to sample more of the menu. Unfortunately, the brisket didn't hit the same way the pork shoulder did on my previous visit. It was heavily peppered, not particularly moist, and had a thick fatty layer that peeled away from the meat. I was also missing that flavorful exterior bark I look forward to with brisket. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't memorable. I sampled several sauces trying to find the right match. The mustard-based sauce was far too mustard-forward for my taste, and one of the sweeter sauces had a thick texture I didn't care for. The spicy barbecue sauce remains the winner for me. I'd enjoyed it previously with the pork shoulder, and it was the one I kept coming back to. The boiled potatoes looked delicious on the line but were underwhelming once I tasted them. They'll need a little doctoring up at home. The sausage took a few extra minutes, which I didn't mind since it came out fresh. Then came my biggest surprise: the bill was almost $35. Once I looked at the menu again, the math made sense. The combo was $17, but an additional side is $5 and the sausage link is $10. Lesson learned! The combo plates are clearly the better value rather than building your meal à la carte. I still like Sweet Lew's. My first meal here was stronger than this one, and next time I'll go straight back to the pork shoulder, spicy barbecue sauce and a combo plate. One disappointing brisket isn't enough to erase those good food memories. If you're around Belmont just outside Uptown and craving some barbecue, head over to Sweet Lew's. Wear sensible shoes, grab a combo, find your favorite sauce and enjoy the rustic charm. Life is too short not to sleep well, travel well or eat well. So get out there and find your next meal.

    I was in need of some comfort food today and, after seeing all the high reviews for Sweet Lew's,…read moredecided to give it a try. The restaurant was easy to find, and there was plenty of parking. The sign on the front door saying "Open 11 till we run out" immediately made me optimistic. Maybe showing up around 3:15 on a Wednesday isn't the ideal time to experience this place, but based on all the positive reviews, I still feel like my experience is worth sharing. When I walked in, I actually really liked the atmosphere. The decor and overall aesthetic were exactly what I like to see in a small, local barbecue restaurant. Unfortunately, that was probably the highlight of the customer-service side of my visit. There were no other dining customers that I could see, aside from three people who appeared to be having a meeting. Several employees were around, but nobody greeted me when I came in. I followed the signs directing customers toward the ordering area. The person working the register wasn't particularly friendly, and the interaction felt more like I was interrupting something than being welcomed into a restaurant. I ordered a pulled pork plate, but I was having trouble seeing what sides were available. When I asked, I was basically told "up there" while she pointed toward a sign. I chose mac and cheese and fries and was told the fries would take about five minutes. That was pretty much the extent of the instructions. Nobody explained where to wait, whether the food would be brought out, or where I should sit. I added a sweet tea, and the total came to a little over $28 for one person. The payment screen immediately presented tip options, with 20% being the lowest suggested amount. I still tipped, but considering this is essentially counter service where I picked up my own meal and later cleared my own table, that felt excessive. Since it was a beautiful day, I went outside and took the only two-person spot I could find at the bar. The overall feeling I got was that they really weren't expecting anyone to show up at that time and weren't especially happy that someone had. The bartender appeared to be training based on the conversations I overheard, and for quite a while nobody said anything to me. Eventually, he did come over and ask how everything was, which I appreciated. As for the food, the pulled pork itself was really good. That was easily the best part of the meal. I was a little surprised by the preparation. The pork was pulled from what appeared to be a bag inside a warmer, weighed, sauced and chopped before being served. That doesn't necessarily mean anything was wrong with it--the pork still tasted very good--but it wasn't quite what I expected after seeing the reviews and pricing. The sauce selection was also a little confusing. There were several bottles for different meats and styles, but the labeling wasn't especially clear. One bottle labeled simply "Sweet Lew's Sauce" tasted to me very similar to a thin, vinegar-heavy hot sauce. The fries were disappointing. They were basic crinkle-cut fries that tasted like standard frozen fries. They weren't terrible, but they weren't crispy either--just somewhere in the middle and fairly bland. The mac and cheese was the biggest disappointment. It looked baked, but the noodles tasted dry and old, and the cheese on top had a dried-out texture. I tried to eat it, but eventually gave up because I just didn't enjoy it. When I finished, I carried my tray and trash to the trash can and cleaned up after myself. I passed employees on the way out, but nobody asked how the meal was, thanked me for coming in, said goodbye, or acknowledged me leaving. Overall, the pulled pork was genuinely good, but the rest of the experience didn't come close to matching the reputation or the price. Spending more than $28 for one person on counter-service barbecue, while receiving very little hospitality and having two disappointing sides, just wasn't worth it to me. I really enjoy supporting local restaurants, especially local barbecue joints, and I wanted to like Sweet Lew's. Unfortunately, based on this visit, I don't see myself going back.

    Photos
    Sweet Lew’s BBQ - Order counter

    Order counter

    Sweet Lew’s BBQ - Potato Salad Brisket Baked Beans Pork Ribs Hush puppies

    Potato Salad Brisket Baked Beans Pork Ribs Hush puppies

    Sweet Lew’s BBQ - Sweet Lew Sampler Combo Plates

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    Sweet Lew Sampler Combo Plates

    The Improper Pig - bbq - Updated October 2026

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