5/5 meal no complaints! The food was absolutely delicious and I will 100% be returning!…read more The brunch paella was so DELICIOUS! just bursting with flavors. The avocado toast from here may be the first avocado toast i've ever liked in my life!

Catalú has taken several pages from the modern "let's meat and maybe eat just a little" social…read morescene. Modern high ceilings keep the sound level high and white/black modernist decor gives the impression that patrons are more intent on talking than taking the time for serious eats. That said, the bar side seating is less noisy so pull up a table. The menu is smallish for tapas but that doesn't mean the kitchen is trying too hard. We had empanadas; good flavor but there was little sauce for the beef filling and the pastry was grey instead of golden. Shrimp are served in a red hot earthenware bowl with 6 simmering in an hot oil-heavy broth. The oil was spicy and surprisingly better with the big crusty bread hunk served alongside. Shrimp were a bit mealy and were likely thawed. Stuffed red peppers were very good with plenty of cheese filling and a tangy balsamic glaze. Drinks are fast from the nearby bar and there are occasional $1 mojitos that bring in nearby Southenders. Service is pleasant and fast; parking is in the adjacent deck across from the bank. We'll return to try some different things next time to see if the kitchen is upping their game and to try the paella, which takes time to make right and the menu reflects that 30-45 minute wait for that signature dish.

Mazi (pronounced ma-ZI, not MA-zi) is a newly opened gem in South End and after the amazing visit I…read morehad today, it deserves more love and attention than it received tonight. It's tucked away in a business park near Lincoln's Haberdashery but signage is good. There is parking in the lot of the u-shaped building, but may be all taken at busier hours if the day. Street parking is available on E. Bland. They have a huge bar and amazing bartenders. I enjoyed my drink. Pretty and tasty. There's lots of seating inside, at the bar, booth and tables. The menu has really good variety I enjoyed pretty much everything I tried. So fresh and so good. My fav were the dips. If you order the whipped feta or hummus you get an order of the amazing grilled bread. When I say it was good, I mean it. Plating was beautiful on every dish. I appreciate the effort that went into not only making the food taste good, but also making it look good. Our server was great - really patient and helpful. He gave great descriptions and recommendations of the menu. The chef came out to greet us, everyone really went out of their way to make it a great visit. What I appreciated most is that the prices are reasonable - Something that is becoming harder to find these days, but that allows you to really enjoy the meal and try various items. That's what I plan to come back and do. I hope they get more media attention because this place is really is amazing.

In my experience, it's not often that you try a new restaurant on Tuesday, then go on to crave it…read moreeach day that follows. Yet, Mazi will easily have you doing just that. Beautiful interior that visibly transports you to a tropical locale. Friendly, attentive, & knowledgeable service that starts at the front door and continues at all touch points throughout your visit. One of the BEST bartenders that I've had the pleasure of meeting & sampling libations from. A menu that will have the phrase "I'll have one of each" repeatedly flashing in your mind, lol. Thankfully, I was out with an excellent foodie friend--which means we came quite close to having one of each. We enjoyed a delightful lineup of scallops--not what I expected, but exponentially better!--lion's mane schwarma, hummus, shrimp, tuna kofta, lamb shank, and the IG-famous baklava sundae. With each dish seemingly more visually impressive, delightful to all the senses, & DELICIOUS--the layers of FLAVOR that Chef Whitney & her squad can fit into a dish never ceases to amaze me--it was hard to declare a clear favorite. All I can say is the shrimp, lamb shank, & baklava are must-haves for me. All of this plus a complimentary shot at the end of the night of a craft concoction featuring house-made orangecello?!!! I am already beyond ready for my next visit! Pro Tip: 1 round of bread will never be enough for your hummus--get extra for dipping...into everything. Cheers!

After a day of visiting breweries, we were hungry but not starving and I thought tapas would be a…read moreperfect solution. Quickly Yelping "tapas", Marina's stood out with good reviews and a fairly convenient location. We took the Blue Line to Parkwood, a short walk from Optimist Hall, the food hall where Marina's can be found. We were able to score seats at the counter and immediately began ordering. The tomato bread was great and I also loved the patatas bravas. Croquettes and garlic shrimp were also easy on the palette. The food was tasty, filling and hit the spot. Service was quick and friendly. I love tapas because I don't leave feeling overly stuffed and there's the opportunity to taste a variety of items so if you want well prepared tapas in a fun environment, Marina's is a place to go!

If you put a Spanish tapas spot in Optimist Hall, know that we be there on opening day. This place…read morewas so good we went back to order a second round before we finished the first!!! Ordered: croquetas, pan con tomate +manchego, gamba al ajillo, patatas bravas, pimientos del piquillo rellenos, and the calamares fritos. Everything was absolutely incredible. In no order: -sourdough on the shrimp and pan con tomato was a delight. -everything was super fresh. -calamari was a delightful balance of light golden fried -croquetas were so good we needed two orders -shrimp and the sauce was fireeeeeeeeee Service was quick and super friendly!!! He told me I'd be back for more . We sadly missed the meatballs, but will return to enjoy each other's presence at a later time.

We stopped by Bulla Gastrobar on a recent layover the Charlotte. It's in a mall, so drop off and…read morepickup was easy. It's a nice Spanish-themed cuisine restaurant, lots of tapas and Mediterranean cuisine. It was good! Decent cocktail and wine menus as well. We dined on muchas tapas... patatas bravas, lentil soup, Spanish meatballs, potato tortilla, gazpacho, just to name a few. All were good. Service was OK too. Typical mall restaurant where ceiling fixtures are crooked, burned out lightbulbs in many fixtures, dirty ceiling tiles. Food gave it 4 stars, the space itself is mediocre!

Their food is delicious, the ambience elegant. It's nice for a slacks occasion or a nice lunch or…read moredinner date. It has an amazing menu and prices were great! Service is excellent very well treated and even got a gift card on my birthday which it sadly expired :( but the experience was eternal and the gesture unforgettable. Highly recommended.

Perfect place for a girl's night!!! We got a ton of menu items and not a single thing was bad - in…read morefact, they were absolutely delicious. I can't wait to come back here to try more of the menu. The service was fantastic, and our waitress gave up amazing suggestions.

This place was kind of hard to find. I went for a friends birthday brunch…read more We had a big party & I think the waiter did a great job accommodating everyone with the service provided. I got crab rangoons for my appetizers. They were good but a lot more breading than I would like. My meal was the chicken and waffles. Boneless chicken for chicken and waffles is always a negative for me because it's not my thing. They were also thighs too which I wasn't expecting. The waffle itself was good and came with a hot honey type of syrup. I had to get more syrup because it wasn't enough for the portion size in my opinion. The food was not bad by any means, but my expectations were higher.

Cool find while in town for a conference! A speakeasy feel down the stairs as you enter Duckworths…read morewith hundreds of vottles of spirits. Super talented bartenders mixed great cocktails and they have some nice selections of beer on tap and wine. The space is tight and, if I'm being honest, the seating wasn't extremely comfortable, but the vibe in this place more than makes up for it Service, from Madison, was excellent. She knew tge menu and had great insights. She was crazy busy but took excellent care of us. The food was quite nice. Candied Bacon is a must. I had a perfectly cooked filet, we had a delicious short rib, and the Cone Trio. The trio was really tasty but the kitchen somehow forgot to put the tuna in one cone and it was only guacamole. Odd, but Madison took care of it right away and it was great. Would recommend 100% and definitely return.

This was an amazing find…read more A cool atmosphere and great service. We ordered appetizers and drinks and just relaxed. I recommend the Lamb Chops and the Steak. One of my dinner companions and I shared. I was able to enjoy the lamb, no sauce needed and an amazing steak. Even the desserts did not disappoint. I would definitely eat here again

Came here with a group of friends for dinner and drinks. The cocktails were good. The food was fun…read moreand tasty. It was really easy to get to by train. Cool vibe. Would go back.

The Degenerate is a cool, industrially designed space featuring great bites and drinks. What I love…read moremost is that the menu puts a unique spin on a lot of traditional, classic items. If you are looking for recommendations, I highly suggest trying: The Meatballs: A fantastic twist on a classic, served in a delicious lemon dill sauce instead of a typical marinara. The Sliders: Perfect pulled pork paired with fried green tomatoes and a tangy horseradish sauce. They also feature a highly creative and unique cocktail menu. Two of my personal standouts are the Beetle Juice, which incorporates fresh beet juice, and The Fishbone, which brilliantly highlights their house-made aquavit. Overall, it's a wonderful spot for a great atmosphere and an inventive menu!

This is our fav restaurant in Clt. It's so inventive and delicious, reasonably priced and sexy…read morevibe. We had Jacinto as a server and he was so helpful and nice. Great recommendations We always order the gratin and will always be ordering Beef Anticucho. The maize and truffle was to die for- the sauce is over the top. The Crabocado Causa was good but it wouldn't be something I'd put on my "must order" list Again, this place is just so amazing and consistent. We love it

Yunta was really good! A bit pricey but great food, friendly service, and nice ambiance, especially…read morethe outdoor patio seating. Recs/what we tried: - Chicharron 4.5/5: the sweet potato was the highlight! The pork belly was pretty good, and the sauce complemented everything well. - Yunta ceviche 4.5/5: yummy calamari, flavorful and unique dish! - Lomo saltado 4/5: the beef was pretty good, but the dish overall was a bit too oily for my liking. Our server was helpful in giving recommendations. They were quite busy and the food came out pretty quickly. I would want to come back to try out their brunch menu!