Spaghett — Restaurant in Charlotte

I’d love to be able to review the long-awaited Spaghett, including the curated wine collection, signature cocktails and affordable pasta dishes heralded by Axios. I cannot, however, because along with several other locals and active members of the Fourth Ward community, my companion and I were told with great relish that despite only a handful of tables being occupied, that there was no room for us and there wasn’t going to be, at the bar, on the patio or anywhere else, at all.

It didn’t come as a shock, since we’d just witnessed the treatment of the previous two parties. But being told we couldn’t come in because there were two of us and only one barstool without offering alternatives is a case of galactic stupidity. As a former regular of Poplar Tapas, the restaurant’s previous incarnation, I watched this beautiful, beloved business run itself into the ground for decisions far less damaging. Let’s break this down.

When we arrived on Thursday, there were only a handful of tables occupied because there were only a handful of tables—period—far fewer than the previous restaurant. Tables had been removed from the lounge and the back dining room, and neither the front patio, back patio OR upstairs were operational in any way. Obviously, this is untenable long-term, which I assume you, as a business owner, understand. Because of the unique layout, the conundrum here has always revolved around maximizing revenue when demand exists, because when the novelty wears off, there will be week nights when no such demand exists, and many months when the patio isn’t viable.

I understand that the lack of available seating is a function of being newly opened. The mistake here is the arrogant dismissal of the locals and community members who could be relied upon to support an Uptown business—as regulars AND ambassadors—when seats go empty. No one can STAND while having a cocktail or waiting for a table because the restaurant is too high traffic? As an operator, I can say with assurance that your restaurant is the opposite of high-traffic and seems determined to keep it that way. If the high-profile group in front of us had been willing to wait for a table, rather than being summarily turned away, why not have self-serve water or lemonade on the patio, or offer them a cocktail at the bar where, yes, someone might have to STAND for a bit? If they chose NOT to avail themselves of those options, why not offer them a free appetizer card, or equivalent, to use at a later date? That is hospitality. What is NOT hospitality is placing the most smug but least impressive person you can find at your entrance to smirk as she sends all your guests away, because this is the most authority she’s even been given in her life, and she’s going to use it.

There’s a difference between having pride in your establishment and having an attitude. There is a difference between being “fully committed” because you’re the best restaurant Charlotte has even seen, and being fully committed because you can only manage to open up a handful of tables without crashing and burning. FAR less than even Poplar had.

And where are your improvements? The restaurant appears diminished rather than enhanced compared to its former self, after all this time. If that’s the strategy, good luck to you! The self-destructive act of alienating your most valuable guests MAY pay off—it’s happened before. But it will still be wrong.

Suffice it to say, we will continue to spend our nights at nearby Alexander Michaels and other local businesses who never fail to do their best, even under stressful circumstances, to treat their guests with appreciation...

I don’t write reviews a lot but this was quite possibly one of my worst dining experiences so I feel compelled to do so. My husband and I enjoy dining out all over the city and country. When we also came to find the renowned Sam Hart whose food we had before was the chef behind Spagett, we couldn’t wait to try it. Dinner reservations were tough to come by as expected so when we saw Brunch reservations became available we jumped on them.

Outside of the cool feel of dining in an old house everything else was terrible. The server never explained much of anything on the menu upon arriving at our table which you’d expect at a new restaurant. The menu was poorly written. And the waiter couldn’t answer any of our questions such as if the cocktail I chose was sweet. He told me he didn’t think so and then tells me the first ingredient listed is what it would contain the most of…. Which is obvious.

My husband ordered the carbonara French toast. Nothing to write home about but the worst part was that it was cold. I ordered some egg dish with tomato sauce. The menu stated SC egg when it arrived it looked like pasta. Turns out it’s strips of omelette mixed into a sauce to resemble pasta. Would have been nice if the menu told you that the eggs was cooked like an omelette or the server did, it was just fine. Very bland.

Lastly and probably the biggest problem is that after the cocktail I ordered had fell short, I ordered a prosecco that wasn’t. I started drinking it and it was SUPER sweet. I tell my husband this tastes like moscato. When the server comes back I ask is this processo? Because it tastes like moscato. He tells me it’s a Moscato Prosecco LOL which is the first I’ve ever heard of that and is not a thing. Who serves someone something they didn’t order especially a moscato and tries to pass it off like a prosecco and then lies when asked. We had to ask him to take it off the bill. Terrible way of service. I should have been told the Italian establishment didn’t have prosecco and been given an option not have them choose one for me and hope I didn’t notice. I will say we got quite a laugh that we’ll carry with us forever on the newest wine “Prosecco-Moscato”.

The manager or someone who worked there that didn’t introduce themselves, came up and apologized about the moscato and by looking at the very little we ate, asked us how it was. He apologized and comped the French toast as well. We appreciated that but that’s what you should do.

But the entire experience was highly highly disappointing especially for how much we were looking forward to it.

Maybe it’s because it just opened or maybe we just had a really unlucky experience but I had to share because it’s been a long time since we’ve gone somewhere where everything across the board didn’t just fall short but was terrible. Normally, if it was decent I’d give a place that just opened another try but we will never be back here but do sincerely wish them the...

This restaurant has a great concept and beautiful ambiance, with the kind of potential that makes you want to love it. And while the cocktail program and service was truly 5-star — friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable — unfortunately, the food and overall execution left us disappointed. (Side note: based on the other reviews, this may have just been an “off night.”)

We started with the rabbit terrine, which had promise but fell flat. The texture wasn’t quite right, and while the fennel and onion jam were both flavorful, they weren’t enough to carry the dish. Another appetizer — a cheese plate served with mustard — was particularly disappointing. The cheeses were not introduced (a missed opportunity to educate or engage), and the mustard was jarringly unpleasant, overpowering everything else on the plate.

Our mains included the gnocchi Arrabbiata and the cacio e pepe. The gnocchi was burned and the sauce lacked freshness — oddly spiced with jalapeños, which clashed with the Calabrian chili and disrupted the intended flavor profile. The cacio e pepe featured pasta that didn’t appear to be homemade, lacked proper seasoning, and had an unexpected lemony note that didn’t belong in such a simple, classic dish.

The deconstructed tiramisu may have been the lowest point of the meal. The homemade ladyfingers were bland, and the components — unsweetened mascarpone, blackberry jelly, and a pour of espresso — simply didn’t come together in any meaningful or satisfying way.

We did appreciate that a manager stopped by, though his response to our feedback was odd. When we noted concerns about the food and wine service (specifically the misconception that a chilled red becomes a “white wine”), he simply removed the gnocchi from our bill rather than listening and engaging in conversation. He did offer to remake the dish, which we declined, but the gesture felt more transactional than thoughtful.

One final note: when booking the reservation, we noted that it was a birthday celebration, but there was no acknowledgment. While not a dealbreaker, if you ask guests whether they’re celebrating, it’s best to follow through — those small touches create return customers.

Also worth mentioning — the portion sizes were very small, especially for the price point. That wouldn’t have been an issue if the food had been exceptional, as we would’ve happily ordered more. But given the quality we experienced, it felt unbalanced.

I truly hope this feedback is received as constructive. It’s clear that a lot of thought and investment went into opening this space, and the right foundation is there. But on this visit, the food — which should be the star — simply didn’t shine. I would love to see this restaurant succeed and hope future experiences reflect the potential we saw...