Soooo sorry that it took me sooo long to write this review. We live in Raleigh and frequent this area to service our property so are quite busy. Then when we "drift" back home, my review is pushed to the to-do's. But better late than never when exceptional service needs to be recognized ;) My family and I have been here quite a couple of times since their opening and have always had delicious meals with exceptional service. The managers always come over to say hello and enquire about your meal/service. My last meal here with my 3 sisters was no different. It was our first sisters getaway since our last parent died. And we were also celebrating 3 birthdays within the Sep/Oct months. So we followed up a luxurious relaxing massage with Happy Hour at Drift! True to pattern, GM Jennifer popped by and after learning about our triple birthdays did what she could to make it extra special. My sisters had traveled from Florida and Texas for this gathering and Jennifer's touch was the "cherry on top". We all felt special! While developers mold the setting, bartenders serve up tasty beverages, chefs create sumptuous dishes; it's the servers and managers that complete your dining experience. And this is how Drift identifies itself to me- a team working in harmony. A big shoutout to Jennifer and her team - Thank you ;) read more

Drift On Lake Wylie - Happy Hour menu choices. Too busy enjoying our time together to take pics ;) - Bars Near Me - Belmont, North Carolina

Went to Drift on Lake Wylie last night for a surprise date night with my boyfriend and I was so impressed! He made a reservation for dinner and the hostesses were all super friendly and even checked in on us midway through our meal. Our sever was fabulous as well! She was full of recommendations and even chatted with us for a bit to make the experience more personable which I appreciated. We started with drinks, the complimentary bread service, and the Korean Beef Tip appetizer. All were delish! I had the "nojito" which was fabulous take on a nonalcoholic beverage. My boyfriend had the blackberry mule and the berry mojito and said they were great! The koren beef tips were cool too because they came served on a fried wonton chip with krab! For our entrees, we both ordered the special of the night which was a ny strip steak served over garlic mashed potatoes and charred asparagus. We both requested them to be cooked medium rare and they were cooked to perfection! My boyfriend subbed the sides for their Mac and cheese and brussel sprouts and enjoyed both of those as well. I tried a few bites and would agree! Finally, for dessert we treated ourselves with the key lime cheesecake and the vanilla crème brûlée. Both were amazing!! The crust on the key lime cheesecake was thick and so frickin good!! Definitely want to come back now that I've tried this place!! Thanks Drift! read more

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Not the best experience here early on a Friday evening. D and I were looking forward to a nice evening out and had a reservation for 6p. We were seated inside at a two top with a nice view of the cove. I have been here 3 times before and always had a good experience. This evening was disappointing. We both ordered the seared mountain trout and enjoyed the calamari appetizer. We had a glass of Quill CabSav which was very good. When our order came, they forgot one of the trout entrees. She said she was sorry and would immediately put in another order and she had no idea how that happened. We decided to share the trout since it was a large portion and just forgo the second entree. When the bill came, we were charged for BOTH entrees! What's so crazy is that the last time I was here in February, the EXACT same thing happened. After our meal, we walked out on the deck and found a table facing the cove and sat down to enjoy the cool of the evening and the nice view of boats coming into the marina. Some of the Staff came out to apologize and offered us a dessert. read more

What a delightful dinner - enjoying the sunset on Lake Wylie - this really is in a beautiful spot. The food was all delicious - from the pan seared tuna to my husband's steak - everything was cooked perfectly. I'd highly recommend either dish. They also have a solid kid's menu with the typical kid friendly fair. It's a great spot for a date night or celebration for sure. There is no rush - to the point of where you might need to ask your server for a refill or the check. Our dinner for a family of 4 (of just entrees) was a 2 hour event - so plan accordingly. The entrees are a little pricey for the portions you get, and the sharable sides weren't really a bang for the buck, but again, it's good overall for an event/celebration/special night over a read more

Drift On Lake Wylie - Tuna - Bars Near Me - Belmont, North Carolina

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This is a beautiful restaurant with a nice view. The menu is full of many delicious dishes. The staff is very accommodating. The food is delicious. Plenty of parking. Outside seating is peaceful and quiet. Inside has large open windows. Come visit and see for yourself. I'll definitely return. I'd like to come for brunch in the next visit. read more

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Came here for brunch via boat which is super fun since it's on the water! Theres a few nice/large outdoor seating areas and I think 2 levels of indoor seating as well. It was busy on a Sunday morning but we got seated quickly inside with a view of the lake. The food was good and reasonably priced. We tried the drift burger, which was a good burger, but I also feel like it's hard to mess that up. We also got the chicken and waffles which were really good as well. They had some type of caramelized peaches on top that were delicious. It was also very family friendly inside as we saw lots of kids at tables and had our baby and toddler with us too. read more

My girlfriend surprised me with an early Father's Day dinner at Drift on Lake Wylie, and what an incredible treat it was! She chose Drift for one very specific reason--they serve one of my all-time favorite dishes that's become increasingly difficult to find: Lobster Thermidor. Since it wasn't being offered on Father's Day itself, she planned ahead and took me the day before. It was a thoughtful surprise, and Drift absolutely delivered. The Lobster Thermidor was outstanding. The whole lobster was perfectly cooked and topped with a rich, creamy Cognac Mornay sauce and Gruyère cheese, served alongside charred asparagus and lemon. Every bite was packed with flavor without being overly heavy. If you're a lobster lover, this dish is worth the visit alone. Since I was fully committed to my lobster craving, I started with the Lobster Bisque, and it was just as impressive. Loaded with Maine lobster and finished with citrus crème fraîche and a touch of chili oil, it was velvety, flavorful, and one of the better bisques I've had. My girlfriend ordered the Confit Half Chicken, substituting asparagus for the baby carrots, and it looked fantastic. The chicken was juicy, tender, and complemented perfectly by the roasted garlic Yukon mashed potatoes and peach honey glaze. She also enjoyed The Wedge Salad, which was fresh, crisp, and generously topped with bleu cheese crumbles, heirloom tomatoes, egg, bacon, chives, and a delicious bleu cheese dressing. The service was attentive, the atmosphere overlooking Lake Wylie was beautiful, and the entire experience made for a memorable Father's Day celebration. It's not often you find a restaurant that combines excellent food, great service, and a stunning setting so well. We'll definitely be back. If you're looking for a special occasion restaurant--or if you simply appreciate a perfectly prepared lobster dish--Drift deserves a spot on your list. read more

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From start to finish it was a great experience. It was our first time and we got to sit outside on the patio and watch the boats and sunset. We had Ashton and Lindsey and they told us there was a big party and was up front with us. We started off with the Wagyu tartar and the caviar. Ashton even brought us a little champagne for the caviar. I then had the mountain trout and it was delicious. We also had the lobster thermidor and it didn't disappoint. The side of asparagus was 10/10 crispy and not soggy. The mashed potatoes were also delicious. We finished the night with to go Opera cake and it was delicious. We will be back and we will be bringing our fur puppy as well. read more

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Finally made it to Drift. Surprised at their overall score as my experience was excellent. They have a large private parking lot and the walk in is beautiful. Lake in the background, running water along the walkway, and cool lighting. We were greeted immediately upon entering with a friendly tone and seated quickly. Our server was training someone but that did not affect the service levels. Actually, it was like 2 for the price of one. Both were so gracious. Looking back, the one thing they absolutely nailed was spacing out the courses. Nothing was served on top of something else. And, it was timed perfectly. Beer list is a bit limited but we found a good choice - Red Oak Amber. We got the calamari, goat cheese and shrimp cocktail for appetizers. All were very good - the calamari was unique and some of the best I have ever had. I started with a Wedge Salad and asked for it to be chopped. They forgot to do that. But, the salad itself was great. Loved the blue cheese dressing. For my main, I got a Blue Cheese Crusted Ribeye. Medium Rare. It was cooked perfectly and the steak was excellent. The crust was much thicker than I was expecting so it was a bit overwhelming. We got street corn and Brussels sprouts for sides - sharing portions. Both were great. Highly recommend. read more

Drift On Lake Wylie - Blue Cheese crusted Ribeye - Bars Near Me - Belmont, North Carolina

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My wife and I finally made a point of heading over to Drift for a date night dinner. It was a 6:15pm dinner mid-April so the sun was still shining as we were seated at an outdoor table overlooking Lake Wylie. The staff was exceptionally welcoming, engaging, and friendly, from the host at the desk to our food runner. Our waitress, Lyndsey, was fantastic. She answered our questions and gave feedback and recommendations on menu choices. She checked with us regularly throughout the meal and gave us some future night on the town recommendations as we are new to the area. Management stopped by the table to check on us mid-meal, which I find to typically be a sign of a well-run establishment. My wife had the Seared Ahi Tuna, and I had the Jumbo Lump Crab Bucatini. We shared a side of the Street Style Corn. All of the food was excellent. Well prepared and delicious. The bread brought to the table ahead of the meal was also fabulous though I don't know exactly what type it was. Overall, it was a great experience in terms of service, food quality, and ambience. We will definitely return and can't wait to check out their sister restaurant The Pump House! read more

I made reservations for Thanksgiving dinner and arrived for my 5pm booking. We were seated within about 10 minutes. The meal was a preset three-course dinner for $55. First Course: I chose the Korean BBQ ribs and ordered a Riesling to pair with it. The ribs were a bit tough--hard to cut with a regular knife. My partner had the tuna crudo, which was actually very good. Second Course: I went with the turkey: brined for 48 hours, served with cranberry, garlic mashed potatoes, stuffing, and green beans with tomatoes. As the server's assistant delivered my plate, she accidentally knocked over my Riesling, spilling it across the table and a little onto my clothes. It happens--no big deal. They replaced the glass. Unfortunately, the turkey was dry, the cranberry completely overpowered it, and the green beans were undercooked--basically semi-raw. I finished the mashed and stuffing but that was about it. Dessert: I ordered the pumpkin cheesecake; my partner got the pecan pie, and I added a decaf coffee. His steak was bland, and his decaf arrived cold. We sent it back and didn't bother asking for another. The manager did stop by to check in, but the place was packed. It didn't feel like the right moment to go into everything. It is Thanksgiving after all. Then the check arrived, and I noticed they charged me for the replacement Riesling. Technically correct, but after spending $200 on a very mediocre Thanksgiving dinner, it was frustrating. Overall, not the experience I hoped for or the way I want to spend that kind of money. read more

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My husband and I had an early dinner tonight to celebrate restaurant week. The food was fantastic but our server Liane put our experience over the top, She was so attentive and knowledgeable about the menu she really should be recognized for delivering on exceptional service! We came for the delicious food and we will return for the fabulous service. We will 100% request to sit in her section in the future. read more

This restaurant is amazing! The view of the lake is great and the restaurant is so pretty. The service was amazing and very attentive. I couldn't recommend this place more. The food was incredibly delicious as well. The truffle fries are the absolute best but it is a huge serving so I recommend sharing. 10/10 would go again! read more

Drift On Lake Wylie - Bars Near Me - Belmont, North Carolina

The restaurant is beautiful and service is friendly and attentive. The French fries and calamari are must try appetizers. read more

Drift On Lake Wylie - The restaurant is beautiful and service was friendly and attentive. The fries are a must try. - Bars Near Me - Belmont, North Carolina

This was our first time here, and came for our anniversary. We had looked at the menu online before coming, so we had a fair idea of what to expect. Posted pictures online gave us the impression of what we might want to order and try. First impressions: great location, wonderful ambiance. Bread was brought to the table once we sat down. All good impressions... We came during the week for dinner. Photos from other guests seemed to indicate that the steaks here come in one flavor: blackened and well done. With this in mind, we opted to change it up and try some side dishes in lieu of a traditional course dinner. With this in mind, this was our take-away: bar drinks - very good fried calamari - very good Brussels sprouts - undercooked/tough, on the bitter side chorizo oysters - mostly toppings, would pass on next time Korean style beef tips - unimpressive, tough/overcooked vanilla bean crème brûlée - very good exotic bomba sorbet - very good cappuccino - weak, seemed to lack any espresso Summary: ambiance - inviting, very good location - nice views, very good parking - plentiful, good service - attentive, excellent prices - too high for the portions received food - overcooked, fair Final impression: Overall, the location is a nice setting and peaceful. While the service was excellent, the food lacked flavor, often missing the 'mark'. You are mostly paying for the view and atmosphere. This would be a great spot for a drink with friends overlooking the lake. read more

Time to update. Today the food was exceptional. The service is still a little rough, forgotten sodas, serving soup without a spoon, but really the servers were wonderful, the ambiance sophisticated, and I loved my visit. We will be back. read more

Drift On Lake Wylie - Bars Near Me - Belmont, North Carolina

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Sky is nothing less than a 5 star waitress! She made my birthday unforgettable...we will definitely be back (and request her!)

Celebrated my 35th birthday here and the customer service was amazing and the food was even better! The water is so calming and on a nice day, the patio is a whole vibe! I love a good steak and this was cooked to my temperature preference with perfectly! I had to go Oscar style and it just added more to the dish and since I went that far, I threw in a crab cake too! The Brussel sprouts were a great side and the calamari fries were delicious! We enjoyed such a great meal here and we plan on coming back! read more

So I have wanted to try this place for a long time. We had the calamari with the citrus aolli and it was super good. I had the ahi tuna and the only thing I was not a fan of is they left the ends on, not bad, just did not like the look of it. The side we had corn, Brussels sprouts and mushrooms were good. I think we also had a dip appetizer and that was good. We had an arrow cake and a creme brûlée and that was good. I thought the placed looked beautiful and nicer then it look from the road. It is a bit pricey but worth a special night out read more

Overall a good experience. There was a major issue during our meal and it was taken care of as it should have been by the managers without us even having to say anything. I love it when places make things right. It shows that they care and are doing business correctly. Mistakes happen and that's ok, it's all about how they handle it. Anyhow, service and drinks were good. Food was delicious. Only negatives are that the plastic and rails near the tables had tons of dead and alive bugs and it was hard to hear because voices carry. Totally understandable but for a nice place I wish they had better sound proofing barriers. read more

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Had my birthday dinner here and I will say it did not disappoint. The staff was kin and attentive and the food and drink were just what my friends and I needed. We sat by a window so we could Look out at the water while we ate. It was a lovely experience. The restaurant is large and would be good for various occasions, birthdays, dates, or just catching up with a group of friends. read more

We had a party of 6 but sat us a table suitable for 4. Service was average to slow. Two people ordered steaks and neither was prepared correctly.Honestly you can get a better steak at Long Horn. Good ambience. Prices were way too high for the quality of the food . read more

Nice, beautiful place to visit for a special occasion. The food was delicious but you do pay for the view and ambiance. We got Cesar salad, lobster bisque soup and French onion soup during lunch and it is as delicious. The portions are not very big but the quality was great. Pro tip: don't come if you are starving as you may leave a little hungry lol but service was great ! read more

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Not sure who greeted us last night but the charm & warmth started there! Our waiter was attentive & came prepared to offer seasonal favorites. My favorite was the warm bread & the complimentary butter! Husband ordered the half chicken & I ordered crab cakes & a shareable broccolini. Both were yummy. However, the bread by far was my fav! Would revisit again in the summertime! read more

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From the moment we drove into the parking lot I had high expectations. They didn't disappoint. The sea bass was superb and the little sweetness from the top jelly gave the meal the perfect combination of salty and sweet. We added a little lemon to the broccolini and it was absolutely delicious. I can no longer say that I don't like oysters. Usually the fishy taste is off putting but that wasn't my experience this time. The view of the water makes for the perfect location to enjoy my love ones. And the added bonus was my little own personal space heater to keep me warm during the very chilly evening. I could have not asked for a better staff that remained attentive and upbeat during our entire meal. read more

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I booked a reservation on OpenTable (super easy!) for Thanksgiving. I spent the holiday away from home because of my job and this looked like the perfect place to treat myself! The restaurant is right on the lake. The views are beautiful, especially with the fall colors. The space is large and I was seated at a table where I could see the water. Because of the holiday, Drift had a special menu. I started with the Wagyu tartare. It was delicious! For my entree, I tried the prime rib which was also excellent. For dessert, I had the pumpkin pie. All of this paired nicely with the delightfully crafted Modern Fashioned cocktail. Everyone was friendly from the hostess to the staff bringing out the plates. My server, Brittany, was top notch! I would love to come back here one day for their regular menu and to bring my family who would really love it. Thanks, Drift, for making a hard day very special! read more

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We just had our anniversary dinner at Drift and the food was fabulous as it's always been when we've dined here but I just had to say Raven, our waitress, was by far the best waitress we've ever had. She walked us through the menu and just made the experience absolutely perfect! Thank you Raven! read more

Took my wife to drift on Lake Wylie for Valentine's Day and it was everything. Needless to say one big brownie points. The two bottles of sweet wine were terrific. We ordered multiple appetizers to go along with our meal fabulous evening overlooking the water. We will return. read more

We recently moved back to the area after a failed work experiment in Minnesota. We picked the Lake Wylie area and this is where we went out for our first dinner back at home. Our server Ashton was amazing, we sampled almost every app and they were all great, as were the oysters. See you soon for dinner! read more

I visited Drift On The Lake for what I hoped would be a beautiful night out, and I will say--the atmosphere was absolutely gorgeous overlooking the lake. I had high expectations since this restaurant came highly recommended. Unfortunately, the experience didn't quite match. The crab cake was very large, but the bottom was burnt. We sent it back and didn't receive the replacement until after we had already finished our dinner. On top of that, our appetizer was initially forgotten altogether. We also ordered oysters--they were fresh and flavorful, but there were quite a few shell fragments, which took away from the experience. Overall, the service was slow, and that was disappointing. I do want to acknowledge that the manager handled the situation professionally by apologizing and providing the crab cake appetizer to go at no charge. While I truly enjoyed the ambiance, the service and food inconsistencies made this visit fall short for me. I was really looking forward to this place, but it's not somewhere I feel the need to return to. read more

Everything was amazing!! We visited for my birthday brunch and the service and food was top notch. The ambiance was great - clean, quiet, with beautiful views! Our server was Haley, and she was fabulous. There was never a moment where we went without - our water was always topped off, she gave great food/drinks, and was very pleasant and attentive. We will be back - especially for dinner!! read more

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Amazing food and service well worth the drive. The atmosphere and staff makes this a perfect dinner experience.

We have found our new tradition for Easter dinner at Drift. Super accommodating for our low mobility family members. Service was over the top courteous and knowledgeable. Never waited for a refill of anything. The food did not disappoint. Lamb shank and double bone pork chop were a favorite at our table. Don't miss the Wagu tartar. Homemade carrot cake was light and fresh. Looking forward to returning soon. read more

Excellent fine dining experience! I had the rib eye and the short rib wontons were awesome as well! Service, food, atmosphere were all spot on! Will DEFINITELY be returning! read more

Everyone's food was great. It took a little while for the entrees to come was the only set back. I'm GF and they modified the scallops to be GF which I appreciated! The service- all the waiters and waitress were great! read more

Drift On Lake Wylie - Scallops - Bars Near Me - Belmont, North Carolina

Fantastic food, fantastic service. Surprised at the lower scores on this site. Highly recommended.

The serving was GARBAGE! My husband and I went for our first anniversary and we were very disappointed. It took a while for our food to come out which wasn't even worth the wait. Then we got to the end of our dinner and we were asked if we wanted dessert after they knew it was our anniversary, we declined. A few minutes later, our waitress comes back with dessert saying "I know yall said yall didn't room for dessert but here is some" We never said that, she just wanted us to pay for it before she offered it to us for our anniversary. Will never go back and was a waste of money. read more

The food is fabulous. Great service by Hayley. The view is Lake Wylie is just beautiful.

Loved the views! This was a popular place for brunch! I started with a cocktail. my old Fashioned was so so.... my server steered me wrong. The pour was tasty but extremely small. My steak was more well instead of medium. Fries were tasty. Server was kind enough to bring me a birthday cake. It was a bit warm on the inside of the building but comfortable. I'll be back for dinner! read more

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I'll be the first to say, I came here when Drift first opened and was not impressed at all. However, I finally gave them another chance and I'm so glad I did! Brunch was delicious!! We had a few orders of oysters, french toast, salmon caesar salad, and lobster benedict. Everything was cooked to perfection and the service was outstanding. Shoutout to Bill and his trainee, they worked so well together to make sure we had a great experience and you could tell they took a lot of pride in the service they gave. 10/10 all around. Will definitely be back! read more

Drift On Lake Wylie - Dark Chocolate Mousse - Bars Near Me - Belmont, North Carolina

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