The Palm - Charlotte — Restaurant in Charlotte

I have rarely done negative reviews of restaurants and normally vote with my credit card. Even so, I feel the need to express our disappointment with our last 3 experiences with the Palm. We are transplanted New Yorkers who enjoyed eating at The Palm and Palm 2 in Manhattan regularly. Our visits there were memorable and friends of ours ate there often enough that they had their pictures on the wall in both restaurants. When the Palm opened here in Charlotte we were excited to eat there and build new memories. We have tried most of the other prominent steakhouses in Charlotte but always felt that the Palm was the best and became our steakhouse of choice over the last 20+ years. We ate at the Palm in February, and even with a dining room reservation we were relegated to bar seating and our meals were so awful we had to send them back. We went there on our 50th Anniversary in May with our 2 daughters and their husbands as our guests. When I made a reservation, I noted that it was a special occasion. During that dinner there was no mention of our anniversary and the steaks were average. Our primary server paid little attention to us and was not what anyone would call friendly. Frankly, that was going to be our last try at your restaurant. Our best friends from NY, who we used to go to “the Palms” in NYC with, came to Charlotte to celebrate two of our 75th birthdays. When we arrived my friend joked with the Manager, Joey about having his pictures on the wall at the New York Palm and if he could he bring in some concrete with his picture on it so he could be on the wall in Charlotte. He was clearly joking but Joey, who is normally very happy and friendly, gave him a side eye and made a smart comment. Our waitress asked for our drink order and our friend ordered your signature “peachy” cocktail from the drink menu. She was told WE DON’T HAVE THAT and eventually settled on a dirty martini. Her husband ordered a diet coke, my wife ordered a dirty martini and I ordered a Stoli on the rocks. Our waitress came back 5 minutes later to tell me sorry we don’t have Stoli. Huh? I ended up ordering a Grey Goose. When I finally got it, the vodka was on a full rocks glass of crushed ice and was watered down. Not a great start to be sure. We ordered our steaks and sides. The two half and halves (potatoes and onions) we ordered seemed to be a much smaller portion than in the past and same with the creamed spinach. Our steaks came...my wife’s ribeye steak was in 2 pieces and my ribeye tasted good but was half grizzle and waste. Not the prime quality meat the Palm was known for in the past. We decided not to ruin our event and send anything back, or complain, as it truly was a special occasion for my wife and our guests. At the end of the meal the waitress brought out 2 deserts on a plate with candles which we appreciated and was very nice. Unfortunately, though, the overall experience was not a good one. Drink problems, Joey’s surly attitude with our guests, steak problems and a waitress, both this time and last, that were far less attentive and of luxury restaurant quality like in the past. Sadly it looks like we will need to find a new “go to” steakhouse...

🌟🌟🌟🌟 The Palm – SouthPark, Charlotte, NC Visited: Saturday, June 21, 2025 Guests of my dear friend & sharp-as-hell realtor Toni Karak from Better Homes & Gardens. 📍Located in the upscale SouthPark district

From the moment we arrived, The Palm lived up to the buzz—and then some. Nestled in the posh heart of SouthPark, this iconic upscale steakhouse exudes polished elegance and Manhattan-worthy charm. It’s giving classic New York Italian steakhouse, but dipped in Southern hospitality and luxury.

We kicked things off with a trio of apps that absolutely delivered: ✨ Crab Cakes – golden perfection on the outside, rich and moist inside with chunks of real crab—no filler nonsense here. ✨ House Meatball – tender, slow-simmered in a velvety marinara that tasted straight outta Nonna’s kitchen in Naples. ✨ Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail – chilled to the perfect bite, paired with a zesty cocktail sauce that had a clean horseradish snap.

🍽️ For mains, the flavors were straight fire: 🔥 Chicken Parm – a crispy cutlet blanketed in molten mozzarella and tangy sauce, no shortcuts, just layered, well-seasoned comfort on a plate. 🔥 12oz Cajun Filet Mignon (medium rare) – flawless sear, juicy center, and that kick of Cajun heat that lingers just right. This steak spoke. 🔥 Chilean Sea Bass – buttery, delicate, kissed with a glaze that balanced sweetness with umami. It practically melted on the fork.

🥃 The Old Fashioned Manhattan was a stunner. Strong but balanced, luxardo cherry floating like a crown jewel, stirred—not shaken—to slow perfection. The kind of cocktail that commands your attention and rewards your patience.

🎯 Service was top-tier. The staff? Polished, efficient, attentive—but never intrusive. Valet ran smoothly, and there’s clearly a rhythm to how this place operates. They know their clientele, and they deliver on every detail.

👠 Vibe check? Sophisticated, energetic, and full of that refined buzz you only find in restaurants where everyone knows they’re somewhere special. Smart casual to business casual attire, and trust me—you’ll want to dress the part.

The Palm is more than just a steakhouse—it’s an experience. And in a city like Charlotte, it’s the kind of place that leaves an impression long after dessert. Already looking forward to my next visit.

Response to Owner: Thank you for taking the time to read my review. This NYker will be back soon!

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Where do I begin? Last night was my very first visit to this establishment. Before deciding to make a reservation, I did my homework on this place. The reviews were excellent and it came highly recommended by a close friend. After a little digging online I was able to find a menu. Everything sounded delicious, not to mention the cocktail portion left me anxious for five o'clock. I felt The Palm would be a fantastic place to spend a much needed girls night out with a few of my closest. Boy was I wrong. Although there is a laundry list of disappointment that came throughout our evening, I will just point out a few. The food was terrible. We ordered several menu items to share amongst the table, as it was our first visit and we wanted to try a little of everything. Our calamari was extremely salty and came served atop a bed of iceberg lettuce. I expect more of a $20 appetizer, not to mention the "marinara" was cold. The seared tuna looked as if it had been seared three days prior and alongside the seaweed salad lay a huge glob of wasabi paste that looked like Playdough. Not impressed. Worst of all was the lobster mac and cheese. The mac and cheese portion was comparable to that of a Golden Corral. Large chunks of bacon overpowered the entire dish masking the fact that there were two very small pieces of lobster. Our service was great, but the best part about our dinner was the bottle of wine. Alcohol saves all. I spent $125 on my visit last evening and feel supremely robbed. The final straw of my (supposed to be amazing) girls night out was the gentleman restocking the bathroom. After a fantastic bottle of wine, the girls and I visit the restroom before wrapping up our evening. We approach the door and realize that someone may be cleaning. We knock on the propped open door and ask if anyone is in there. A man pops out with toilet rolls in hand and says yes. We inquire if we may enter and the man states "you can come in if you want to", as if to elude that he will continue cleaning while we use the facility. All of us stare at each other in silence deciding it best to let him finish. I mean, after all, who are we? The gentleman takes a few minutes to finish his checklist, exits the restroom and we enter. A few minutes pass and as we are washing hands and touching up our makeup, the gentleman opens the door and asks us if we are "done yet". I cannot even articulate into words how this made me feel. This was my first visit to The Palm and sadly...