Tried some new tapas again this time…read more Brussel Sprouts (5/5): Well cooked brussels with a very tasty, sweet/tangy vinaigrette sauce. Bacon Wrapped Dates (4/5): These all pretty much taste the same but the blue cheese sauce/spread paired nicely with the sweetness of the dates. Gambas Al Ajillo (4/5): The shrimp was good and I liked how much garlic there was. Some sort of added sweetness would've been nice. Potato Tortilla (3/5): Kind of like an eggy potato quiche. I really liked the crust, but there was too much egg. RATING SYSTEM 5 - Great (Need to get this again) 4 - Good (Would get this again) 3 - Ok (Might give this another shot) 2 - Not Good (Won't get this again) 1 - Bad (Telling people to avoid this)

Stumbled in close to 11pm on a Friday after striking out finding wine elsewhere. Barcelona was the…read moreright call, mostly. The bar area was busy but we managed to snag two seats on the side without too much trouble -- seat yourself setup. Here's where it gets a little mixed. My partner stepped away to use the restroom and I sat there for a while while one of the bartenders walked back and forth past me, clearly focused on closing duties, without so much as a glance or a menu in my direction. Not the worst thing in the world but when you're sitting at a bar alone it's hard not to notice. Fortunately another bartender came over, clocked that I was just sitting there unattended, and immediately smiled and handed me a menu before taking both of our orders. She turned it around quickly and that kind of awareness goes a long way. Shoutout to her. I ordered a 3oz pour of Syrah -- pretty decent, did the job. We didn't order food so I can't speak to that. The overall vibe was chill and low key for a late Friday night, which was exactly what we needed. Would come back for a proper visit earlier in the evening and give the food menu a real shot.

I've been to Catalú a few times in the past, but only for dinner. I love the red sangria there!…read more This time was different in a few ways. I went on a walk with my partner on Sunday morning to grab brunch. It was sunny and beautiful outside, but our hearts were heavy with the loss of our sweet Shih Tzu, Harpo, the night before. I couldn't keep the tears away no matter how hard I tried, and entered the restaurant with Kim Kardashian-level cry face. The hostess and the restaurant director, Alex, immediately empathized with us and shared stories of their own furry friends. I was definitely interested in the $1 mimosas they have on Sundays and Alex made sure we had one in our hands before we had the chance to review the menu. As a starter, we ordered las croquetas-- great flavor and creamy on the inside. We ordered the steak & eggs and the Spanish omelette. Both were delicious! I can always count on Catalú to serve some delicious potatoes. The sauce had a little bit of spice, but nothing too crazy for me. The team went out of their way with their generosity and gifted us the French toast, banana split, and a celebration toast for our sweet boy. The banana split was my favorite! I loved the ice cream and the crispy, brûléed bananas were amazing. Everyone showed us so much kindness and warmth during such a sad day. I really felt like our decision to stop in that morning was the universe reminding us that there is so much compassion and love in the world to go around-- even without our sweet boy beside us. Thank you so much to the entire Catalú team for making us feel loved and seen. I really cannot thank you all enough.

Me and a friend dined here during a locally sponsored event and it did not disappoint. Upon walking…read morein, the decor is eye catching, feeling both luxurious and quaint. You could tell they were very busy, so it took a while for a host to come and seat us. Once seated, it then took a while for a server to come to the table. Natalee eventually dropped by with some water, and admittedly let us know they were short staffed for the night. However, after she greeted us, her service remained attentive throughout the course of our meal. Now for the food, everything came out quickly, but one by one as it was ready. The roasted beets came first, which I expected because it was the only item we ordered that didn't need to be cooked. The pistachio butter and goat cheese really complemented each other well. Then came the empanadas and croquetas. Both came out piping hot, so we had to let them sit before trying. The stuffing inside of the empanada was very flavorful, and the croquetas are some of the best I've had in the city. Lastly, the calamari, shrimp, and mussels came in succession. The aioli served with the calamari was delicious and the breading was perfect. My friend ordered the shrimp and mussels, which I didn't try, but both were sizzling upon arrival and she thought they tasted great. Our drinks came in between the food items and while they were good, my friend had to send hers back due to the lack of juniper berry. When Natalee returned with the corrected drink, my friend was able to taste the difference immediately and finally enjoy it. As for my drink, I'm not big on dry red wine, but with the added components, I could barely taste it. We both thoroughly enjoyed everything we ordered and we will be back! Additionally, this restaurant does validate parking if you park in the attached garage on the side with the ticketed entry. If you use the QR code to prepay, they will not be able to refund what you spent, so be wary.

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 celebrated my friend's birthday brunch here and had a fantastic time. She reserved a mimosa…read moretower, and our long table by the bar was perfect for our group of six. The service was attentive and smooth throughout. I ordered the patatas bravas, charuterie, and a kale Caesar salad, all were fresh and flavorful. Highights from the meal included the Motadito de Chistorra with Spanish sausage, piquilo confit, and Manchego, perfect for meat and cheese lovers. The Truffle Carbonara was rich and indulgent, and the Bulla Burger with caramelized onions and honey thyme glaze was a hit, especially paired with the saucy papas bravas. Great food, great service, I'm already looking forward to coming back.

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!

It's been awhile, but this place is still amazing and so good! Hoping it won't be almost 2 years…read moretil I come back. Monday night, half price wine by the glass or bottle, all of them on the list! Love when they do that without limitations. So we went with a glass of champagne! Because why not when it's half price! Service was excellent , and the food just awesome . So fresh and delicious. The menu here is so nice and varied with so many options. We started with the prosciutto carpaccio, paper thin prosciutto with olive oil, and fresh Parmesan and fresh greens, white balsamic and hazelnut. This was amazing, just yummy. The roasted mushrooms, come on a sliced yogurt, with verde hummus, and sumac onions. Again so flavorful and so many different things going on in this dish. Highly recommend this. The short rib bolognese. A fabulous small plate, but plenty for two . This sauce was so good with the fresh grilled bread they serve. The pasta was perfectly cooked, spinach flavored. Truffle ricotta, and crispy prosciutto on top, nice pieces of short rib too. This was an excellent dish. We were truly full so had to pass on dessert but we did get a after dinner espresso martini, called the Salud! A Spanish table toast, peppermint infused tequila, espresso, licor 43, coffee liquor and creme de cacao. Served frozen, this tasted like an Andes mint. Perfect after dinner drink. I hope this stays on the menu! So good. I'm so glad this place is still going strong and busy on a Monday night! I love everything about Chapter 6, such a great spot.

Chapter 6 is a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant with lots of small plate and drink options in…read moreSouthend. It can be hard to find if you are coming in from the main street as it is located inside a building that has other restaurants and stores inside. But it is rather spacious inside with lovely minimalistic and neutral vibes. The service was pretty great as we were given recommendations and our water was continuously refilled. My friends and I got the Crab Brik, Wagyu Burger, Shakshuka, and Avocado Toast. The Crab Brik came in little triangular wontons that were fried to perfection. I think real crab meat was used which is always nice. There was some aioli on the plate, but certainly not enough to dip with meal in. The Avocado Toast was recommended by our server and it was a top tier choice! It had chili dukka on it so everything from the eggs, sourdough bread, and avocados tasted very seasoned, despite the dish sounding a bit plain. They do not skimp out on the avocado here. My friend said the Wagyu Burger tasted good and I tried the Shakshuka (for the first time in my life) which tasted very tomato-y but still yummy with the bread! I think this is a cute place, especially for brunch. I would rate this place 4.5/5 stars if I could. I want to come back and try their dinner menu which has more food options.

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

This was such a lovely dinner experience! The restaurant/cellar is small but not too cramped, and…read moredimly lit but very lively. Perfect for a small group get together or a date night. The staff were extremely kind and friendly, and they even brought us free dessert for our anniversary! The food was nice, especially the shareables. The truffle fries and gyoza were both great, and the cocktails were delicious!! For mains, I had the scallops which were perfectly cooked and delicious (but portions were unfortunately small), and the NY Strip Steak was solid. I've heard that the burger is AMAZING so I will have to try it next time. Reservations are always filled up so you have to book them in advance, but definitely worth a visit.

My husband and I were in Charlotte for the evening and we took a chance on walking in to The…read moreDegenerate. It was a Friday night two weeks before Christmas, but it was only 5:45pm so I feel like we got lucky. We were able to walk in and be seated right away. We ordered cocktails and embraced the tapas menu, ordering too many things to sample and share. We sadly had to leave some of it behind. Our waitress was a sweetheart and though the restaurant space was big and open, the warm wood and exposed brick inside made it feel welcoming and cozy. There was enough room between tables that we didn't feel crammed in and the table was big enough to hold all the delicious goodness. I felt like two top tables can sometimes barely hold your water glass and bread plate. We head to Charlotte pretty regularly for various things, and I would like to bring our teenage boys back sometime. I think they would really like the menu and style of the restaurant. Nice enough for a quick date night before and event, but casual enough that I feel like we could bring the teens and not have to "dress up".

This is me and my lady's favorite date spot. Great small plates, great cocktails, rotating menu…read more Service is always quick, too. I do think the interior sometimes feels a bit too "open-concept," if you know what I mean... ...but who cares?! The food is great! Of the stuff that stays on the menu, I really like: the chicken sandwich, the tandoori carrots, the mussels, and the pierogis. As for the current menu: I really like the watermelon caprese salad, scallops, and curry chicken tacos.

We didn't make a reservation and just walked in, but if you're planning to get a booth or table, I…read moredefinitely recommend reserving ahead of time. We arrived around 5:30-6:00 PM and were told the next available table wouldn't be until 8:30, so we ended up sitting at the bar instead. Luckily, the barstools were comfortable, so I didn't mind at all. The service was great--fast, attentive, and the bartenders were really friendly. The drinks were also really good. I had a lychee martini that was strong but delicious. We also tried a few of their shots--they had a unique, acquired taste. The only one I didn't enjoy was the Hierba shot because the aftertaste reminded me of licorice, which I'm not a fan of. But if you like licorice, you'd probably enjoy it. As for the food, everything was amazing. The yuca balls were a 10/10. We also had the "Pulpo Anticuchero", which was a Spanish style octopus that came with roasted potatoes that were cooked perfectly--crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, very fresh and flavorful. I ordered the arroz con mariscos (seafood rice), which included calamari, octopus, squid, and more. It was really good, and the portion size was huge--definitely enough to feed 3-4 people, so keep that in mind when ordering. The ambiance was really nice as well. The music was good and not too loud, which made it easy to enjoy the overall vibe. Overall, I'd give this place a 10/10.

An afternoon of volunteering followed by an amazing date night here. Food was more than delicious,…read moreflavors were on point. It was our first time and my hubby isn't into raw fish but I loved the maki and shrimp croquettes. Great ambiance and service as well. Definitely make a reservation in advance, bar was cool but not super comfy. Our waitress Jonathan gave great recommendations. Next time will definitely try the tiger milk ceviche.

Puerto is probably one of my favorite restaurants in Charlotte! I don't know why I always forget to…read moreadd a review. Anyway, this time I split the Mesita platter with my friend. The steak was perfectly cooked, the papa's were delicious. We got the plantains as an appetizer and those were great as well. My favorite drink there is the Yucatan, but this time I went with one of the specials, the Rosalita. It was also fantastic! You really can't go wrong at Puerta.

Went here for my bestie birthday brunch and 10/10!! It was so good that we were sitting there…read moreeating planning our next visit!!! I love how inclusive our waiter was nice friendly, asked about allergies and restrictions. she also advised us when we order something that conflicted with those restrictions! She was so knowledgeable about the menu. Guacamole and chip were so good guacamole was fresh and flavorful! I love that I was still kinda chunky and all the flavors really came together! Chips were also seasoned! Papas braves were potatoes in a red sauce with pickle red onions. I really don't think I would like it but it was very good! The tacos were amazing! I don't do dairy so I didn't get cheese on my tacos but they were still so good!!! Chicken was flavorful and moist! Shrimp was the perfect size and season to perfection! Steak was probably my favorite the butter they cook the steak in was so good! They weren't stingy with the meat at all! They also let me add pickle onions on all my tacos! I literally could only each half of each taco and half the potatoes! The Sunday we went they were also having a convo de mayo patio party so they had a local artist inside doing sketches! She was so night and sweet and her entire set up was so cute! It was just like the picture machine where you picked your frame, take 3 poses, she draws them and they come out just like it's out the machine! It was so cute! The experience here was so nice! The parking was hectic and parking lot was small but they do validate your parking and the inside experience made up for all of that!! Again 10/10 experience can't wait to go back!!