Dot Dot Dot — Restaurant in Charlotte

Before I go into detail regarding my latest experience at this establishment, I'd like to say that I really went back and forth with myself about whether or not I should write this review. As a business owner myself, I realize how sometimes even one negative review can gravely affect a business so if there is ever an issue I typically like to give the business an opportunity to resolve the issue in house first. While the bartender who waited on me was super apologetic for my experience and definitely tried to go above and beyond to rectify the situation, the manger is the reason I decided to move forward with posting this review.

I became a member of this establishment a few years ago but because I don't live in the area I haven't frequented it as much as I'd like. However circumstances have since changed and I have been in the Charlotte area more often now so I figured I'd start visiting more regularly. If you have never been here the place is super cute, its a very nice vibe and the drinks are really good. I actually attended a few months ago when they did a 5 course dinner and tequila tasting. It was amazing and a great experience. This past Saturday I decided to pop by with a friend, we got there around 10 and was told that there would be about an hour wait as we did not have a reservation. No problem, we were happy to wait! Once we arrived back around 11, we were sat at the bar. I only had a glass of red wine, while my friend order a meal and a wine as well. It's a pretty dim establishment, so its a little hard to see your food and drinks etc especially when you've ordered something dark such as red wine. After drinking nearly my entire glass of wine I noticed something floating in my glass. I took a straw and fished it out, and at first was unsure what it was. I looked again and saw more "particles" in my glass so I fished out some more, that's when I realized it was fruit flies. I turned my flashlight from my phone on and realized that there were about 10 more flies floating near the bottom of my glass!!! I was disgusted! I showed it to the bartender Norman who was super apologetic and obviously quite embarrassed. He immediately took my glass and offered to open a brand new bottle for me and fix me a new glass- I of course declined the offer. It was then that the manager came over (I never caught her name, but she wore glasses and had very bright pink hair) and apologized as well and then offered me a new glass of wine. I declined again. She then proceeded to make a tacky joke about the situation and said "well at least you got your dose of protein in for the day". How unprofessional and classless to say something like that to a person who just practically consumed a full glass of wine filled with bugs. There is no telling how many flies I actually swallowed before even realizing they were there and for her to make such a poor joke during a situation like that left me speechless. I felt embarrassed, and immediately sick to my stomach. That experience definitely cut our night short and we opted to leave minutes later. Two days later and I am still flabbergasted at how a "manager" would think it's okay to behave that way.

Norman, thank you for your concern and for doing everything you could to try to rectify the situation. You were amazing! To the manager, in the future I hope that you will do a better job of choosing your words if you are ever presented with a situation like that. People are typically not fond of having insects in their food and it is nothing...

So let me start by saying we have eaten here many times and had great experiences. It is our go to place to bring people visiting from out of town. It is one of our favorite places to eat.

So it was Friday 7/14/23 and we had a 7PM reservation. We arrived promptly and waited 20 minutes to be seated. It was one of the hottest days of the year. I was shocked they has us wait 20 minutes in the blazing heat. I get that is how their normal process works but perhaps on one of the hottest nights in the summer you may want to utilize the hallway entrance to get people out of the heat. It seemed like a simple solution but it was a miss.

We sat down and the server came over immediately and brought us water. We then wait 10 minutes for him to come back and take our drink order. After another 15 minutes we had to flag him down to place our appetizer order. He tells us to wait as he needs a pen and paper to write down our order. This happened every time we ordered the rest of the night. Maybe you should keep a pen and paper with you if you need it to take an order. Just a thought,

So after we had completed our first round of drinks and we waited another 10+ minutes he took our second drink order. At this point we tell him we would like to order dinner. He says great and I will be right back to get your order. 10 minutes later he comes back and takes our order. There were four of us dining that night.

All 3 main courses come out but not the 4th. After 15 minutes the 4th main course comes out after we are all done eating. The food was delicious as always. The food is always delicious here.

About 5 minutes after the 4th main course arrived our server tells us our "2 hour tour is coming to an end and he will bring the check". This while our friend is finishing her dinner that arrived 15 minutes after our main courses. To the server's credit he did remove the charge from the bill. Perhaps he could have told us we have 15 or 30 minutes left. We were all shocked and did not know what to say.

We were never asked if we would like dessert and our friend asked if he could have one more drink before we went. We were told the table was needed immediatley.

So on a night we spent over 30+ minutes waiting on our server and a main course that arrived 15 minutes late. We were told we must go.

So as we departed I counted at 9:11PM 4 open tables and when we left there was no line or people being checked in. Our friends and my wife went to another place while I made a quick call outside the restaurant. In the 12 minutes I was on the phone not one person entered the restaurant.

Again, we really do love this place but this was a terrible experience. We were embarrassed. We talked this place up and this was our experience.

We will certainly go back and hope this was a one off experience. But WOW! What a disappointment for how we were treated.

11/21/23 - was checking my review to see if there was a response from the management team. I guess if you voice an experience that is not poitive they pretend it...

This Speakeasy bar, or cocktail lounge, promises a delightful experience with its top-notch food, drinks, and ambiance. On our first visit, it certainly delivered a unique and memorable experience. It's important to note that this establishment operates on a membership basis, requiring an annual fee of $10. Additionally, a business-casual dress code is advised, adding to the allure of the experience. Fortunately, prior to our visit, I had scoped out the location on Google Maps as there are no visible signs indicating its presence. Tucked away next to the hardware store, it's easy to miss if you're not paying attention. Keep an eye out for a round wall plate adorned with three dots, marking the entrance.

Arriving on a bustling Saturday night, we found parking to be a bit of a challenge due to the crowded lot surrounding nearby restaurants. After a few loops, we secured a spot close to the entrance, identifiable by the distinctive wall plate.

Upon entering, we were warmly greeted by the attendant at the booth who promptly escorted us inside. Within moments, we were welcomed by the hostess and led to our reserved table. I had made the reservation through Resy for 7:30 pm, and I overheard the attendant informing walk-in guests that the next available seating was at 10:30 pm.

We decided to start our evening by sharing a cheese plate, which featured local cheeses accompanied by four crisp crostinis. For drinks, I opted for the Thai Pepper Paloma, a bold tequila-based concoction with a spicy kick. It was a unique blend that I thoroughly enjoyed. Meanwhile, my wife indulged in the Old Cuban, which she found equally delightful.

Our evening stretched to just over an hour, during which we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. This establishment proved to be a perfect choice for a date night, and I wholeheartedly recommend it, particularly for its outstanding...