Supperland — Restaurant in Charlotte

UPDATED REVIEW: My first review was based on the Speakeasy Experience, and it still holds as hopefully a deterrent from engaging in that. However, my entire perspective of this restaurant was changed when I went in for dinner in the main dining restaurant. We sat at the Chef's table, which was an incredible way to watch them cook over open flames and 100% worth the extra few dollars to reserve. Our server and everyone else there were very friendly and helpful and just seemed happy to be there. The atmosphere was AMAZING and oh so cozy. The food was also incredible and the cocktails were top notch. Though our Speakeasy Experience was 2 stars, our experience in the actual restaurant itself was easily 5 stars. We definitely plan to come back often to dine, just probably sticking with the main restaurant. ;)

Original Review:

This review is on the "Speakeasy Experience" only, so I'm not sure if I would rate things the same if I had tasted their usual cuisine and had their usual experience. That said, I hope that this helps other guests who are considering spending $250 per person on this extremely sub-par "experience" that is similar in price to what I normally spend for 2 people together at Del Frisco's or other similar top notch actual experiences, just to give you a comparison.

The "Speakeasy Experience" is advertised as a high-end “Spirit Experience... centered around cocktails paired with creative dishes from our kitchen team." We received 4 cocktails and 4 small tapas-style plates. On the night that we went, they served sashimi (very good), cauliflower that had been dyed blue (not so good but fine), a plate of bacon fat (not so great...at all), and a chocolate cake/torte that you could have found at Harris Teeter so fine but certainly not within expectations for the price. The two bartenders were very nice, so this is nothing against them at all (they were only doing their jobs) but they started reading a Star Wars script that was meant to be interactive but turned out to be a flop. The drinks were made WAY too sweet, and mostly dyed blue to match the theme they were going for, so out of the 4 that they served per person, I think on average 1.5 were consumed per person by our group as most of us couldn't stomach them, not only because of how sweet they were but also that they were just poor recipes, almost like they started with a theme and made something fit instead of starting with an amazing menu and cocktail recipes and weaving them into a theme. For something with cocktails that were actually pretty terrible (not just my opinion but all of our group who all have different tastes), there should have definitely been a menu with alternative options. The cocktails all seemed like an afterthought that went sour. Think drinking an appletini (this was not one of the specific cocktails but it would be something similar maybe with added half and half or something that didn't mix well - I don't remember all of the ingredients in the ones that they served) with a bunch of blue dye. Certainly not a high-end experience.

We ended up going upstairs and hanging out around the firepits for an hour, paying normal prices for a couple of cocktails, and having a 100% more enjoyable time with each other (the janitor's closet only has one table for 4 that can interact appropriately which was already seated - the rest of us were lined up single file at a bar so it was hard to communicate). The hour spent upstairs for $30-$40 was the highlight of my $250++ night.

We ended up going out for pizza afterwards because we were so hungry.

In conclusion, I feel like this was a complete money grab that used the hip popularity of this neighborhood to call it fancy and high end. Do NOT waste $250 on a tiny bit of food with drinks that will inevitably go down the drain inside a...

We went for my birthday and started with three Appetizers- the porridge bread with three seasonal butters, sausage gravy croquetts, and the wood-fried onion dip. The bread had a great crust on it and a nice chew to it. The roasted corn butter was our favorite, but the peach pepper was nice as well. It had a great subtle sweetness, and the pepper was a nice surprise and gave it a savory edge. Out of the three, the sausage gravy croquetts were by far our favorite. The panko crust gave it a nice crunch, and the inside was hearty and creamy; very nice balance. The wood-fried onion dip was warm and creamy, and the homemade chips were seasoned nicely.

For our entrees, we got the pork can can , spatchcock branzino and prime filet. The filet was nice and tender. The pork can can is great for sharing, especially with the pork belly and the tenderloin side. The brazino had lots of flavor. The salt gave the skin a nice crunch, added flavor, and it was very tender.

For our sides, we got the ambrosia salad, bone marrow broccoli, warm potatoe salad, and miso mac and cheese. The ambrosia salad could be a fun dessert. It had a nice tropical flare with the toasted coconut and charred pineapple. The brown sugar pecans also gave it a nice crunch and the brandied cherry is literally the cherry on the top- PERFECT! The bone marrow broccoli was cooked to perfection. My boyfriend loved the charred bits, and it had such great flavor. The warm potatoe salad was delicious and well balanced with the salty, smokey bits of bacon with the herbs was a great touch. The miso mac and cheese was so good. My boyfriend is a mac and cheese connoisseur, and the miso was a great addition to him. I love that even though it is a Japanese ingredient, it is made here.

For dessert, we had the strawberry lemonade pie, pb and j cobbler, and the sunshine cake. The strawberry lemonade dessert was very refreshing. The crust was tender and buttery. The lemon gelee was a nice fine surprise on top. The sunshine cake had nice citrus and floral notes - sunshine in a bite. The pb and j cobbler was such a great comfort food. I had a bite from my boyfriend who is not a big dessert person. If we weren't so full, he would have eaten it all, and that is saying a lot for him. It reminded me a a fresh out of the oven peanut butter cookie my grandma used to make but to a hightened, gourmet level.

Everything was absolutely delicious, the atmosphere was great, and Nick C was such a great waiter. They added so much to our experience with telling us the history of the place, telling us events on the other side, and even offering us and sneak peek downstairs. I was a bit picky about the fish and they were very accommodating, we asked to talk to one of the waitresses about her tattoos which was a great experience. We didn't get her name but she had a great personality as well and was open to vsiuting us and talking for a bit. The manager came to check on us, our drinks were always topped off and they even gave us straws to know whether or not we had water or something else. Speaking of drinks; the giner ale was awesome. It was a nice sweet note and ended with some warmth from the ginger. We have nothing but great things to say. We have already told friends and family and looking to try other things off of the menu as well as enjoy the speakeasy, and I don't even drink. It's a great vibe. Everyone seems to really enjoy what they do. Keep up the good work and we'll be back.

P.S. They surprised me with mini cupcakes and a candle for my birthday dinner. What a great touch to the end of our meal. I am a HUGE "THE BEAR" fan, and that was such a moment in time that I appreciate. Thank you for making me and my loved ones...

Was in Charlotte for a work trip and wanted to treat myself to a nice dinner and on the recommendation of family who live in Charlotte I booked the Chef's Counter at Supperland and it was absolutely the best recommendation to follow!

Being from Boston, I had no idea what Southern Steakhouse meant and now I know! It means a warm inviting environment and decor with high end polish. From the dinnerware that reminds you of Sunday dinner at your grandparents in a very good way to the amazing custom open-fire kitchen that you have to see in person. The closest I've seen is at Fred (now called Royal Chef) in Aruba which they imported from France I believe. Wow does that wood fired open kitchen turn out perfectly cooked steaks. I mean perfectly cooked! My partner and I don't mind splurging on dinner, but we have found Steakhouses (Boston & beyond) recently to be just okay. I cook a better steak at home. But that was not the case at Supperland. My Wagyu NY strip paired with a glass of Cab was perfectly cooked medium rare to rare and not over seasoned letting the wagyu steak be the star it is. $120 for 16oz is an amazing price seeing as I'm paying $170-190 for 6oz in Boston! Honestly one of the best restaurant steaks I've had in years and top 3 all time for sure!

I started with the sausage gravy croquettes which were delicious, paired with their old fashioned - cheers to the mixologist there for mixing up cocktails in that tiny nook turned bar. The croquettes did not have too much gravy and they didn't skimp on the ground well seasoned sausage. This was one of those times you wished you had someone with you or not flying home the next day so you could try more of the appetizers like the collard greens which were a special that night or the coal fired beats.

For sides, I ordered the miso mac and cheese (recommended by family) which was good but I'm not a huge mac and cheese person so I wish I tried the bone marrow broccoli. The miso gave a nice umami flavor to the mac and cheese and I would have liked to see a dusting of bread crumbs to give it a crunch for added texture. A reason to go back and try additional sides to go with the pork can can which sounds very intriguing.

Dessert was the orange meringue pie with a port which paired very well together. Dessert was very good and I probably could have finished it but would have to be rolled out. I did also order cookies to go and shared one with my very happy Uber driver.

Kelly my server was great as was anyone I interacted with at the counter as well as the "bar". I loved learning more about that amazing giant open fire kitchen and the addition of the standalone wood stove which I mentioned would be great for pizzas. Great birthday purchase by the owners to go with that beautiful open fire kitchen. Even emailing with the restaurant to adjust my reservation was a pleasure and prompt.

I would highly recommend Supperland to anyone looking for a great dinner out from decor, to service, to the food. Next time I'm down to visit family in Charlotte you know we will be at Supperland. Bravo to Jeff Tonidandel and Jamie Brown, your labor of love most definitely paid off and I'm not easy to please. I found Providence in LA to be underwhelming in terms...