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The Workman's Friend

4.3 (485 reviews)
Open • 3:00 pm - 2:00 am (Next day)

The Workman's Friend Photos

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THE WORKMAN'S FRIEND ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Good for kids
Good for groups

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Fish & Chips - beer battered Cod, green peas, hand cut chips, tartar sauce and slice of lemon. Server brought ketchup for the fries.
Candace R.

My husband and I visited The Workman's Friend for dinner, an Irish pub in Charlotte, for the first time at the end of August and had a fantastic experience. It was fairly busy, but we walked in without a reservation and were seated indoors right away. We ordered two Guinnesses, the Mussels appetizer (with garlic bread), and split the Fish & Chips plate. Everything was incredible. The cod was perfectly beer-battered, the hand-cut chips were crisp and hearty, and the green peas and tartar sauce rounded it out beautifully. The mussels and garlic bread were also delicious (even ordered a second garlic bread). I would 100% order both dishes again. Our server was also friendly, attentive, and gave honest, helpful recommendations. Prices felt fair for the quality, and the overall experience hit all the right notes. We've already recommended it to friends and will definitely be back. A cozy, welcoming spot for comfort food done right.

Burger with fries
Suzanne A.

Located in Plaza Midwood, it appears to be the place to be on a Saturday night. There are 2 sides. One side is a bar area whereas the other side is the restaurant. We sat in the back part of the restaurant. Drinks were flowing. Service was great. The waiter was very attentative to our entire group. The only negative comment was that it was very hot. There was no relief to the temperature where we were. I can understand the bar area being warm because its is open to the outside. A door separates the two side so I don't know why the restaurant side was so hot. No air being exchanged at all. Overall I really liked the vibe of The Workman's Friend. We will be back.

Grilled cheese and tomato soup
Hannah L.

Workmans is a household favorite of ours! Their tomato soup is amazing, and so is their Shepards Pie. Not to mention their drinks and vibes are always great. Will always be back to Workmans

Laurie I.

So we tried this restaurant after not being able to get into a different one because it was so crowded. The atmosphere is very underwhelming, and after sitting down and viewing the menu we almost considered leaving. But we wound up finding something we thought we'd like and it was surprisingly very tasty. We were both pleasantly surprised at our meals. I had a burger and fries, but it was no ordinary burger. And the fries were REAL fries. They were delicious. My husband enjoyed his fish and chips. Our waitress was very friendly and attentive. This restaurant could use a refresh, deep cleaning and some additions to the menu. If the environment was more appealing and the food choices more plentiful, this place would be amazing.

Honey badger drink
Emily S.

If sitting in an open air window seat on a sunny day with a refreshing beverage is your vibe, this is the spot for you. The Honey Badger is such a yummy, light cocktail and it was perfect for a warm Saturday afternoon. To add to the good vibes, there is sure to always be excellent people watching while peering out over Central Ave. This place has all the goodies!

Sausage Rolls (winner)
Christopher M.

Stopped in for dinner as an 8 before a comedy show. The area was lively with restaurants, bars and people all around. Pub atmosphere, with TV's galore, beer taps and full bar. Service was excellent. Plenty of Irish pub food choices. Fresh Guinness was a bonus. Dined on burgers, Shepard pie, sausage rolls. All hot delicious and plentiful. Enjoy!

Fried Pickled Okra
Dennis S.

Great staff, super attentive service. The sausage rolls did not disappoint! Good selection of taps and ambiance is exactly what you're looking for in a great local pub! Highly recommend the okra, they do it so well!

Rose G.

Def my fave restaurant in Plaza Midwood! I'm a creature of habit, so I usually get the tomato soup and grilled cheese with a glass of sparkling wine. Food is def yummy . I've also gotten the Shepherd's pie and the burger which are both really good as well. Their sparkling wine is pretty good, though a bit more in price than other places I'll admit. I usually do make a reservation on open table if I plan to eat. Usually get seated near the back which has a great ambiance and isn't quite as loud as the bar area, though still loud. Service is nice when I have a reservation, and food comes out fairly fast. Whenever I just come in without a reservation, I usually just sit at the bar for some drinks with a friend. Bar service is usually nice and usually get a drink fairly fast with kind service. I also like sitting in the kinda outer bar part behind the bar. If you sit at the front when it's open, your dog can sit outside near you. Only part of the bar that's kinda dog friendly. But my fave time is just getting dinner here or drinks on a Thursday. As an introvert, this place gets way too busy on weekend evenings, though many probz love that! Overall, just really like the food, drinks, service, and ambiance on non-busy nights!

thank you Joe!
Daniel P.

first time in when I arrived waayyy too early for a death by tacos thing on tax-day eve '24. needed something to do for about 34 minutes and a passer-by suggested walking a block and a half to here... so I did. long bar stretches almost from the front door to the drinking hall in back. easy access to the side porch is through a door on the left and many people were in and out during my brief stay which hints at fun and games just beyond my reach. asked Joe for a brandy cocktail but they were fresh out (he actually went and looked!) so a smattering of B&B instead to produce a serviceable rendition. yea for me :-) hope to make it back when I have more time and see how many whirls we get on Peter's fun-o-meter.

Tomato bisque and grilled cheese
Maxine C.

The ambience of this place is great for any occasion. We've come here late night for drinks and early morning for brunch and the staff killed it both times. The cocktails are always amazing and the food is good. I got the tomato soup and grilled cheese for lunch, it was the perfect size. I especially love the outdoor patio and music--good for all ages and occasions!

Emanuel S.

This was my first time ever in a pub, and I can say it didn't disappoint! I decided to join my friends after we hosted an event, and they chose to go here. This was honestly the best decision of my life. The Workman's Burger was the best burger I've ever had, although I wish I had gotten bacon on it just due to my love of bacon. I can't even explain how amazing their mac and cheese was--it had a perfect amount of crunch and mix of cheese. The environment is also very welcoming, and the service is great. If I could give this place a 10/10, I would!

My wife & I ordered burger & fries - very good size & flavour and we enjoyed great service - by a South African bloke named Jordan. Very pleasant, efficient & professional. Loved his accent and humour. Well done, lad. PS. Amazing aioli sauce!

IPA
Reana K.

My mom was craving fish and chips and while visiting my brother in town, he told me about a neat place to check out with them. I'm really happy we came here. It was worth the drive leaving Uptown to go here. We love college football and it was a plus to get to catch some of the game while we grabbed IPAs and food. The fish and chips came in a decent portion that was shareable as an app. It worked out perfectly because we were bar hopping and didn't need too much to eat yet. For Harry Potter fans, this place and its atmosphere gives off Hogsmeade vibes. It's also family friendly as well. We sat at the bar but there were plenty of tables for families to sit at as well. There are two areas too, so if the inside bar is full, you can go sit outside at the other bar. Highly recommend this place!

Crazy rainy Saturday crowd!

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3 months ago

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29 days ago

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30 days ago

One of our favorite stops when we are in town, you never go wrong with the food, is really good and the staff is very friendly. Cool place

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1 year ago

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1 year ago

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11 months ago

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19 days ago

The workers at this bar are rude and aggressive towards women. Ruined a wedding after party even though the space was book and reserved

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9 months ago

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9 months ago

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2 years ago

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3 months ago

Maybe good for a lunch or dinner but late night cocktails would absolutely not recommend

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11 months ago

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11 months ago

Rating it 3 stars because I don't enjoy the food, but the ambiance and drinks are pretty strong.

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3 years ago

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2 years ago

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4 years ago

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2 years ago

Stopped in for a quick bite, nothing fancy or anything to speak of specifically but the service was good so that's to be appreciated

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The Workman's Friend - irish_pubs - Updated October 2026

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