Shoals Bar and Grill — Restaurant in North Carolina

Message sent from me to them (shoals), about their poorly, and corruptly run open mic:

"Thank you for having an open mic run by a liar, Billy Bonham, who decides he doesn't want someone to play because a couple happened to have left while I play. Your employees and Billy seemed to have conspired to get me to leave even though the liar told me I could play five or more songs, so I played three, people clapped for me, then he decides he wants me to stop because people happen to come and go. I played quieter and smoother songs like Mr. Bully said and recommended, yet Mr. Bonham decides for himself to interrupt and stop me. No one else was there, by the way, except his friend who he was letting play for an hour, and it's not a gig, it's an open mic. Maybe one of your bartenders doesn't like me for who knows what reason. Mr. Billy said the bartender knew the couple left because of me, sure they did. By the way, everyone there was clapping, which seems to contradict Mr. Butthole's claims that people didn't like the music played. Ten people probably left while Mr. Alan buddy was playing, apparently a friend of Mr. Bonham. I waited for fifty minutes to play, and got to play for seven minutes before he lets his butt buddy get back on and play more songs. The jerk decides to let the other jerk play for an hour, then jackass decides to get up and play three or four songs with jerk. I literally had to stop Mr. Bonham and his friend twice to ask them if I could play, they finally decided to let me play for a few minutes before kicking me off, then they start to play again. Your host Billy, brings in one person, Mr. Alan or whatever his name is, and when anyone else comes in to play, decides to dismiss them. Your other host for open mic, Tommy, is far better and should have him as a full time replacement, as opposed to every other week. I don't know, but as far as I know, he SEEMS better than Mr. Billy Bob running the open mic. I mean, Tommy let me play for more than ten minutes, wow! Maybe Mr. Bonham can follow some rules instead of making up his own and rationalizing them with lies. You should either fire Mr. Bonham, and have Tommy run it full time, or get a better alternative, because I can't and won't recommend your "private club" open mic. If you can't take that advice, any advice, or you just don't like the music and decide to kick people out, maybe you should just shut it down. I'll spread the word, go ahead, take it with a grain of salt, I go to plenty of open mics a week, 16 to be exact. We'll see who it is exactly causing people to leave, or maybe avoid all together. I'll be sure to let everyone know, thanks."

If you come here when mr. bonham is there, be prepared to wait, and to be dismissed, and completely...

Update...after having a conversation with the owner and making another trip into this restaurant/bar. I felt compelled to update my review. It isn't often that you write a review or talk to an owner and see change. I was impressed by the owner's ability to actually hear his customers and initiate change.

Just a few things I noticed were that drink prices were much more reasonable, there was more lighting at the bar, and the bar tender Lauren was friendly and outgoing.

I hear that the back room will be open on New Years Eve, and an amazing band will be playing. It should be a great night and a lot of fun.

It also sounds like there are more changes to come and look forward to seeing his plans for the back room.

I can't comment on the food because I didn't eat on my last visit but look forward to trying it.

Original review...Prices have sky rocketed, and the bar doesn't seem to have a cohesive theme. Are you an over priced restaraunt, are you a sports bar, a music venue??? No one knows.

Get drink prices under control. $8.00 for Aristrocrat is insane and then you slap a 3.5 percent fee if you use a credit/debit card. Those costs should have been included in food cost increases. No one wants to be nickel and dimed to death. Bottom line.... I can buy a 1.75 Aristocrat for $11 dollars, yet you want 8.00 for an ounce and a half of it. This is Mooresville, not New York City.

The back room should be open for live music. With room to dance. Maybe consider adding pool tables and/or dart boards. Have a pool league and dart league night. There are so many options, but that space is just locked away and useless.

This is an amazing location and has enormous potential but needs management and something to do while your guests are there. Something other than massively overpaying for well drinks.

You have access to the best band in Mooresville, and their fans won't come out because they are crammed in the front room with nowhere to dance. That place used to be 4 deep around the front bar with the back room and bar open. It's just a shame.

I truly hope you are able to get it together. The locals miss having a fun...

Absolutely appalled by the service from not only Management but by the Servers as well! Upon arrival it was “seat yourself” which is fine and I understand that having to wait longer than most is normal, however- having not one but two different servers say “sorry about the wait I’ll be right back to take your order@ and then to FINALLY be approached by a THIRD person after 20-30 minutes past the time we should have been approached. We forgive and forget moving on, everything was going great until we ordered their 1lb of crab legs, decent price I will say for this time of year and the type of restaurant Shoals is. Before it even lands the table the smell of fish is so strong it actually makes me gag. Being pregnant I tried to give the benefit of the doubt and again can understand it’s a gamble to order crab, but USUALLY service is able to fix or offer solutions to this. When brought attention instead we were told “it’s supposed to taste like fish” my family and I are from an ocean side town and anyone with common sense KNOWS that crab should NOT have a STRONG fish odor and taste!! Again being pregnant the fact that they tried to tell me this just so they didn’t have to take it off the bill was appalling!! I had to talk to THREE different people until FINALLY something was done about it!! Shoals obviously has no care for it’s customers or customers well being from being fed the food they serve! So happy that I was able to catch this instead of potentially putting not only my health but my unborn child’s...