20 Best Bars in Charlotte (Where to Drink Right Now)

Best Bars in Charlotte

Charlotte is the most populous city in North Carolina State. Charlotte has a lot to offer when it comes to the beer and cocktail scene. Whether you are looking for an upscale cocktail lounge, crowded beer pubs, fun dive bars or even fine wine shops, it is incredibly easy to grab a good drink here. We have rounded up 20 of the best bars in Charlotte. Cheers!

20 Best Charlotte Bars

Soul Gastrolounge

A glass of cocktail prepared by the bartender

📍 Address: 1500 B Central Ave, Charlotte, NC 28205 (Google Maps)
📞 Phone: (704) 348-1848
🕐 Hours: 5 pm – 12 am daily

Soul Gastrolounge is a tapas lounge and gastropub serving delicious cocktails and small plates to go with it. They have outdoor seating and the patio dining offers a great view of Uptown, Charlotte. Every night after 10, you can listen to the local DJs spinning everything from classic R&B and soul. 

The ambience is hipster, trendy and classy. The small plates are tapas-style ranging from sushi to Southern Asian street fare. The cucumber mule is a super popular libation. It is made with Absolut vodka, cucumber juice, fresh ginger, key lime juice and sugar. It is the perfect drink for a warm summer afternoon.

Haberdish

Two glasses of cocktail with lemon on it on a bar counter

📍 Address: 3106 N Davidson St, Charlotte, NC 28205 (Google Maps)
📞 Phone: (704) 817-1084
🕐 Hours: 5 pm – 10 pm Tue-Thurs, 5 pm – 11 pm Fri, 11:30 am – 11 pm Sat, 11:30 am – 10 pm Sun

Haberdish is a Southern Mill Town kitchen that specializes in craft cocktails and Southern comfort food. The service is inviting, attentive and responsive. The fried chicken is a must-try dish here; nice and juicy, it is consistently good.

The outdoor patio is a nice play to hang out in as you await your order. The restaurant decor is warm and homey and the ambience is hipster and trendy. It is a nice place for a date night.

Cowbell Burger & Whiskey

View of burgers with fries and a glass of whiskey

📍 Address: 201 N Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28202 (Google Maps)
📞 Phone: (980) 224-8674
🕐 Hours: 11 am – 12 am Sun-Thurs, 11 am – 2 am Fri & Sat

This is a Whiskey bar and there are over 100 varieties of whiskies to choose from. So if you need help choosing, don’t hesitate to ask the wait staff or bartenders for recommendations. They also serve over a dozen artisan cocktails along with an extensive beer selection.

The music videos on the walls are great, the food is delicious and the services fantastic. They have some of the best burgers in town and the tacos are delightful too. The decor is light and pleasant and the ambience is trendy and casual. It is kiddo-friendly too, so if you have kids let them tag along!

The Cellar at Duckworth’s

📍 Address: 330 N Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28202 (Google Maps)
📞 Phone: (980) 349-4078
🕐 Hours: 4 pm – 11 pm Sun-Wed, 4 pm – 12 am Thurs-Sat

This place serves delicious craft cocktails made to order by their talented and skilled mixologists. They have a tap list of specialty and rare beers. The building on which it is located dates way back to 1912. The speakeasy-prohibition-era-feel is only accentuated by the original brick walls and exposed ceiling joists. There are around several beer varieties and 15 signature cocktails. The wine list is robust too.

The ambience is intimate, romantic and classy and the wait staff is great too. Don’t forget to ask about the history of the establishment when you are here! Head straight to the cellars and go back in time to a different era and feel.

The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery

Two glasses of beer on top of a table on a outdoor dining area

📍 Address: 4150 Yancey Rd, Charlotte, NC 28217 (Google Maps)
📞 Phone: (704) 525-5644
🕐 Hours: 11 am – 10 pm Sun-Thurs, 11 am – 11 pm Fri & Sat

This is Charlotte’s largest beer garden and oldest craft brewery. Their German-style lagers and ales are award-winning. The beer garden is what you would expect of a beer garden. It is spacious and you get lots of fresh air. It is kiddo and dog-friendly. 

Lebowski’s Neighborhood Grill

📍 Address: 1524 East Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28203 (Google Maps)
📞 Phone: (704) 370-1177
🕐 Hours: 11 am – 10 pm Tue-Thurs & Sun, 11 am – 11 pm Fri & Sat, Closed on Mon

This place serves a small, select range of cocktails and wines. They have several beers on rotation and around half a dozen beers in bottles and cans ranging from cider, wheat, sour and stout to lager, ales and IPAs. In all, there are upward of 70 craft and import beers. The ambience here is casual and chill, so grab a table inside, on the outdoor patio or a stool at the bar.

The place is good for groups. It is a dog and kid-friendly establishment. Their wings are voted one of the best in Charlotte! The place definitely has a neighborhood feel with its inviting and warm atmosphere and friendly and personable service. Catch the game on TV with a beer in hand and some wings to go down with it!

JackBeagles

View of burgers with fries on a tray and a glass of cocktail

📍 Address: 3213 N Davidson St, Charlotte, NC 28205 (Google Maps)
📞 Phone: (704) 334-5140
🕐 Hours: 7 am – 12 am Mon-Thurs, 7 am – 2 am Fri, 9 am – 2 am Sat, 9 am – 12 am Sun

JackBeagles really ticks off both the food and drinks – they are top-notch. The portion sizes of the food are nice and generous. And absolutely delicious! They have a full bar with plenty of craft beers to choose from. They have a few cocktails as well if you are not a beer drinker.

It is a Divey bar with a hipster and casual ambience. They have a great outdoor space with live music as well. The bartenders are friendly. Their cheesesteaks are the bomb!

Eddie’s Place

📍 Address: 617 S Sharon Amity Rd, Charlotte, NC 28211 (Google Maps)
📞 Phone: (704) 442-0147
🕐 Hours: 8 am – 10 pm Sun-Tue, 8 am – 12 am Wed-Sat

This restaurant and bar is inspired by the owner’s trip to New Orleans in the mid ‘90s. The place is beautiful and quaint with a comforting and casual ambience. The food is what they specialize in and whether you go there for brunch, lunch or dinner, they pretty much nail it!

The ‘She Crab Soup” is a go-to dish here! The service is friendly and warm. There is outdoor seating as well and the place is kiddo-friendly, so it’s good for kids.

VBGB Beer Hall and Garden

View of a tower of jenga and glasses of beer on a table
(photo: Thanwan Singh Pannu / Shutterstock)

📍 Address: 920 Hamilton St, Charlotte, NC 28206 (Google Maps)
📞 Phone: (704) 333-4111
🕐 Hours: 5 pm – 10 pm Tue & Wed, 5 pm – 12 am Thurs & Fri, 12 pm – 12 am Sat, 12 pm – 8 pm Sun

They serve over 30 local and regions craft beers on tap along with a full bar of wine and liquor. So there are libations with enough variety for everyone to imbibe. They rotate their beers pretty frequently, so something new every time. They have the largest, most amazing beer garden to enjoy your drink. The patio is pet and kid-friendly. The food is amazing and affordable.

The menu is eclectic with German inspirations which make up one-third of their menu. One-third is traditional pub food and the remaining is healthy stuff for the fitness conscious. 

The ambience here is definitely casual and it is a cool spot to go hang out and chill with friends. They have an outdoor area, bar, and games areas like the volleyball areas in addition to regular tables and TVs.

Duckworth’s Grill & Taphouse

The Duckworth's Grill & Taphouse building from the outside
(photo: Nolichuckyjake / Shutterstock)

📍 Address: 14015 Conlan Cir, Charlotte, NC 28277 (Google Maps)
📞 Phone: (704) 752-7284
🕐 Hours: 11 am – 11 pm Sun-Wed, 11 am – 12 am Thurs-Sat

Duckworth’s is known for its outstanding craft beer selection. They serve some rare varieties that are hard to find elsewhere, so it’s a beer lover’s haven! They have all styles of beer from stouts, ciders and IPAs to Pale Ales, lagers and ambers.

It’s a sports bar, so you can catch your game as you chill in the casual and relaxed atmosphere. The cheesesteak is something everyone raves about and I gotta tell you, it lives up to all the hype! The service is prompt, helpful and friendly.

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Brewers at 4001 Yancey

📍 Address: 4001-A Yancey Rd, Charlotte, NC 28217 (Google Maps)
📞 Phone: (704) 452-4001
🕐 Hours: 11 am – 10 pm Mon-Sat, 11 am – 8 pm Sun

This brewery features 35 to 40 rotating beers and ciders from Victory, Southern Tier, Sixpoint and Bold Rock. There is also plenty of locally-inspired beer brewed in-house. This is a nice place to take your family to and they are kiddo friendly too.

The ambience is hipster, trendy and casual and the outside seating is good for groups. If you get hunger pangs, their food menu has snacks as well as full-sized meals.

Harry’s Grille & Tavern

Closed up view of a cocktail

📍 Address: 2127 Ayrsley Town Blvd #103, Charlotte, NC 28273 (Google Maps)
📞 Phone: (704) 499-9494
🕐 Hours: 11 am – 10 pm Mon-Thurs, 11 am – 11 pm Fri, 10 am – 11 pm Sat, 10 am – 8 pm Sun

Located in the Steele Creek Town of Ayrsley, Harry’s has an upscale and classy ambience with good food and drinks. The wait staff is pleasant and efficient. The bar area features plenty of televisions, so if you want to catch the game at a pretty great place, it should be here!

The selection of beers on rotation and the themed, signature cocktails are worth exploring. There are a dozen of those. Their drink menu also offers a small selection of wines. The burgers and steaks are unbelievably good, so leave some room for the food!

Flying Saucer Draught Emporium

📍 Address: 9605 N Tryon St A, Charlotte, NC 28262 (Google Maps)
📞 Phone: (704) 717-8179
🕐 Hours: 11 am – 11 pm daily

This is a place for great beer and good food. The service is incredible and prompt. The rotation of beers on drafts is massive. So beer lovers, rejoice! 

There is an outside seating area to enjoy a beer with your friends. There are flying saucers covering the ceilings and walls where patrons of this place display the number of beers they have consumed. This runs into well over hundreds and in some cases, over a thousand. Woah! That’s a lot of beer! 

There are televisions tuned to sports channels. As well as a projector and big screen. If you get a bit bored of hanging around the bar, you can try your hand at darts. Occasionally, they play live music for your enjoyment. They are dog-friendly too!

The Workman’s Friend

A hand holding a glass of beer on a table

📍 Address: 1531 Central Ave, Charlotte, NC 28205 (Google Maps)
📞 Phone: (980) 224-8234
🕐 Hours: 3 pm – 2 am Mon-Thurs, 11 am – 2 am Fri, 10 am – 2 am Sat & Sun

Their drink menu features several local beers on tap and in cans, the whiskey selection is massive and well crafted and their cocktails are delicious!

The ambience at the Workman’s is classy and casual. The patio is spacious and offers a great view of the streets where you can watch people when the conversation at your table wanes a bit! 

The fish and chips and the grilled cheese and tomato soup are incredibly delicious. It is an Irish Pub, so you get the authentic pub feel. The service is friendly and attentive.

Wooden Robot Brewery

The Wooden Robot Brewery sign on the outside
(photo: Bruce VanLoon / Shutterstock)

📍 Address: 1440 S Tryon St UNIT 110, Charlotte, NC 28203 (Google Maps)
📞 Phone: (980) 819-7875
🕐 Hours: 4 pm – 10 pm Tue & Wed, 2 pm – 10 pm Thurs, 2 pm – 12 am Fri, 12 pm – 12 am Sat, 12 pm – 9 pm Sun, Closed on Mon

Located in Charlotte’s South End, this is an urban farmhouse craft brewery that specializes in hoppy American Ales and Belgian Saisons. The quality of the beer, food and service is top-notch.

They have both indoor and outdoor seating and the patio is dog-friendly. They have loads of TV as well to watch the game. Being a brewery, their beer selection is massive, but they offer wines for the non-beer drinkers.

Village Tavern

📍 Address: 4201 Congress St #190, Charlotte, NC 28209 (Google Maps)
📞 Phone: (704) 552-9983
🕐 Hours: 4 pm – 9 pm Mon-Thurs, 11 am – 10 pm Fri & Sat, 10 am – 9 pm Sun

The village tavern has a full bar with a well thought out and huge wine list. They have plenty of delicious cocktails, whiskeys and other liquors and spirits. The food menu is flavorful and delicious, with plenty of seafood and vegetarian options.

They have a wonderful patio that is spacious and large. The ambience is upscale and classy. The place is kiddo friendly with a menu specially tailored for kids. The wait staff is personable and responsive. We highly recommend the crab dip and bacon-wrapped scallop!

Growlers Pourhouse

View of beer tap on a bar

📍 Address: 3120 N Davidson St, Charlotte, NC 28205 (Google Maps)
📞 Phone: (704) 910-6566
🕐 Hours: 5 pm – 12 am Tue-Thurs, 5 pm – 2 am Fri, 11:30 am – 2 am Sat, 11:30 am – 12 am Sun, Closed on Mon

At Growlers they serve All American craft beer and delicious beer food to accompany it. Tacos, oysters, sausages, sandwiches, chips/dips – you’ll find pretty much everything here to go with your beer. There are 14 beers on tap, giving you selective and variety. Every selection is refreshing, flavorful and delicious! They also serve wine and mixed drinks.

The place is rather small and cozy, with a great classy, casual ambience. You will love the vintage and rustic feel of the old-fashioned, Medieval door.

37 SOL Southwest Kitchen and Tequila Bar

📍 Address: 8724 Outlets Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28278 (Google Maps)
📞 Phone: (704) 588-4305
🕐 Hours: 11 am – 10 pm Mon-Thurs, 11 am – 11 pm Fri & Sat, 10:30 am – 10 pm Sun

This is predominantly a Tequila bar with upward of 60 premium tequilas on offer. They serve fresh, Southwest food to go with the drinks. From handcrafted cocktails to sauce and salsas, everything is made fresh and to order. All tequilas are 100% agave and the citrus fruits are juiced daily, to give you fresh, delicious and invigorating liquors.

If tequila is not your thing, they have 16 beers on tap and a small, but select list of wonderful wines. The ambience is classy, casual and the place is kiddo and pet-friendly. They have a nice patio outdoors with fire pits, which is a nice touch! The service is impressive and spot-on.

Dilworth Tasting Room

A bartender preparing a cocktail on a bar

📍 Address: 300 E Tremont Ave, Charlotte, NC 28203 (Google Maps)
📞 Phone: (704) 595-3337
🕐 Hours: 4 pm – 10 pm Mon-Thurs, 4 pm – 11 pm Fri, 1 pm – 11 pm Sat, Closed on Sun

Dilworth Tasting Room is housed in a historic and old building dating back to 1940. The atmosphere and decors are reminiscent of the European wine bars. There is both indoor and outdoor seating. You can enjoy the open-air patio which is under the canopy of trees and opens out to the skies. It is lovely and picturesque. If the weather is pleasant, you will have a grand time!

The ambience is trendy, classy and intimate with luxurious seating. They serve craft cocktails, some local beer and unique wine selections from Sommelier owner Jaffer Kovic and Chad Whittington, the libations Master.

If you are looking for a place to take to impress your first date or just to make the whole night memorable, this is the place to head to! Grab a wine, order the Charcuterie cheese board and enjoy in this quaint and wonderful ambience. This is truly a hidden gem in Charlotte!

Link & Pin

📍 Address: 155 New Bern St, Charlotte, NC 28203 (Google Maps)
📞 Phone: (980) 939-1188
🕐 Hours: 11:30 am – 11 pm Mon-Wed, 11:30 am – 12 am Thurs & Fri, 10 am – 12 am Sat, 10 am – 11 pm Sun

They serve two dozen cocktails with classic ones like Moscow Mule, Sangria, Manhattan, Mimosa, Bloody Mary and Vieux Carre. The ambience is inviting and rustic yet elegant. They have around 90 varieties of wine! The food is delectable with plenty of options.

The ambience is cosy and comfortable with leather bar seats and simple, yet lovely decors. It is kid-friendly and good for groups. The service is prompt and engaging. You will definitely be back for a return visit. Or two!

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