Business travel usually means conference coffee, banquet chicken, and meals scheduled with military precision. But one evening in downtown Charlotte, I had to fend for myself and "rough it" in search of dinner within walking distance of my hotel. Enter Ink N Ivy. From the moment I walked in, the place struck a nice balance -- lively without being chaotic, stylish without trying too hard. I was greeted warmly and promptly seated in a booth, exactly as requested. My server appeared almost instantly with a Diet Coke, plenty of ice, and the all-important lemon. A professional already. For dinner, I ordered the Brussels sprouts appetizer along with the salmon salad, making the only sensible culinary adjustment possible: swapping goat cheese for blue cheese. The food arrived quickly and, to my delight, was genuinely excellent. The Brussels sprouts were crispy, flavorful, and addictive -- though I couldn't help thinking a light balsamic drizzle might have elevated them from "very good" to "food critic dramatically closes notebook in approval" territory. But who am I to challenge what is clearly a guarded house formula? The salmon salad was enormous, fresh, and beautifully balanced, while the candied pecans deserved their own standing ovation. Sweet, crunchy, and dangerously snackable. Now, the service itself was terrific, but the true standout of the evening -- and something rarely mentioned in reviews -- was the busboy. Dining alone gives you time to observe the rhythm of a restaurant, and this young man was the heartbeat of the operation. The second a table opened up, he moved with urgency and purpose, clearing and cleaning everything meticulously while somehow remaining calm, polite, and professional. I spoke with him briefly, and he left a bigger impression on me than many managers I've encountered over the years. He clearly took immense pride in his work, and it showed. Given the opportunity, I have no doubt he could succeed in a much larger role someday. Every restaurant has staff members keeping the machine running behind the scenes -- this young man was "that guy." Glad I stopped in. Good food, great vibe, welcoming atmosphere, and one unforgettable member of the staff. read more

Very disappointed! We should have known this wasn't going to be a good experience since the place was practically empty on Saturday night and most restaurants in the area had long waits or stopped taking walk ins. We were seated right away but waited 20 mins to be recognized by a waitress. We ordered basic wings, shrimp and fries platters with side of okra. The shrimp platter was fine but the wings came out with the wrong sauce and had to be sent back and the okra was cold. As we seat there we observed a customer come from outside on the patio to pick up their own drink off the bar. We observed the bartender vaping behind the bar. Yuck!!! We had to request the manager and he did take the okra off the bill but really had no answer to what we observed. I don't believe I will be back anytime soon, there are just too many other restaurants in the Charlotte Uptown area more deserving of my money. read more

We attended a community outing here that was organized by our HOA, and overall it was a nice opportunity to connect with neighbors. I'm fairly new to Charlotte after moving from the West Coast, and I had driven past this place many times, so it was nice to finally stop in and experience it with the community. One thing I definitely want to mention is that there were special prices offered to residents in our building, which was a nice perk and very much appreciated. It made the evening feel welcoming and community-focused, and that was a real plus. The best part of the night, hands down, was the social aspect -- the conversations were fun, the drinks were strong, and it was great getting to know my neighbors. Another big advantage is the location. It's very walkable, which makes it easy to enjoy yourself without worrying about driving home. As for the food, it was just okay. It didn't quite live up to what I expected from a gastropub-style restaurant. The quality felt more like standard commercial fare -- the kind of food that tastes like it may have come from a large supplier, with a lot of fried items and not much distinction in flavor. Nothing was terrible, but nothing really stood out either. I really wish the food had been better. That said, the event itself was enjoyable, and I truly appreciate the HOA for putting together a community gathering that brought neighbors together. Sometimes the experience and the people make the night, even when the food is average. Two stars for the food, five stars for the HOA and the community experience. Nice resident pricing, great company, but hopefully better food next time. And as always -- If you haven't been thinking about what to eat, you should. Get out there, let your taste buds go wild, be curious, and eat well. read more

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Came here with a group of 7 and had a wonderful time. The buffalo chicken fries were BOMB!!! We also got the California chicken sandwich which was great. The cheese felt a bit rubbery but overall it was a good sandwich. The mac and cheese was SO good!! It was shells which made it 10x better. Drinks were great as well and service was quick. Only thing I'd say is I am pretty sure the server added 20% tip since we were a party of 6+ and she didn't tell us. I guess next time we need to pay attention and ask but that info would've been nice. The vibe of the restaurant was so cool and beautiful inside. Definitely somewhere I'd want to go have brunch at with the girls. If I'm ever in Charlotte again will be returning! read more

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Pleasant and welcoming staff. I came here for a late dinner while out in Charlotte. I enjoyed a chicken Caesar salad. The chicken was cooked to perfection and the greens in the salad were fresh and crisp. The dirty Shirley cocktail was refreshing and I enjoyed it. My waiter was nice. I think the bar should be considerate by ensuring everyone is notified of the last call. It slipped up on my party and we couldn't get anymore cocktails. I enjoyed that they stayed open servicing cocktails until midnight on a weeknight. read more

Ink N Ivy - New American Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

The food was fantasticccc and so was the show! Ink n ivy is my new fav love love this place! read more

Ink N Ivy - The hangover helper was fantasticccc and so was the show. Love love love this place! - New American Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Place was not that busy. Food was good, outside seating was cool. Service was not so good

A group of four - three girls and myself. We had a blast! The drinks were a hit - the girls loved the classic margaritas and coconut margarita. I went with Maker's Whiskey paired with ginger beer and it was a great combo. We snacked on chicken nachos. Pretty hip and fun vibe in Uptown Charlotte, perfect for a group outing. They have a sick outdoor patio overlooking Romare Bearden Park. The decor is sleek and sexy with wood slab tables, high-ceiling chandeliers, and TVs tuned to all sports so you won't miss any big moments. They've got big screens making it ideal for watching games. The service was attentive, however when I commented that I'd hope a new can of ginger beer was opened for my 2nd drink, the 1st one felt a bit flat, I was given a whole can. I didn't order a can of ginger beer and was charged. I just minused it from the tip. That's fair. read more

Ink N Ivy - Makers Ginger - New American Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

It's conveniently located close to bank of America but that's really all it's got going for it. Food was horrible. I've had better food at McDonald's. Service was HORRIBLE. Just don't go there. read more

Ink & Ivy is a pretty cool restaurant. The service was great and fast. The atmosphere is super beautiful and unique. Definitely a place with personality. There are so many photo worthy spots if you love taking pictures. My food came out quickly and was absolutely delicious. I ordered the Cajun Cream Pasta, featuring linguine tossed with tri-colored peppers, sautéed onions, and a rich Cajun cream sauce, served with warm, buttery garlic bread. Everything was flavorful and satisfying. read more

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Food is fantastic, service is definitely 5stars, Anna is our go-to server absolutely the greatest!!

Big restaurant and bar. Ton of outdoor space. Very convenient location in uptown. Really good buffalo chicken wrap and crispy fries. Slow service but we were comfortable talking and keeping a slower pace. read more

Finally, I visited Ink N Ivy. On a weekend night, it was not as crowded as I expected. Service was efficient and frequent. We began with drinks. I had my usual, an old-fashioned. The appetizer was a basket of onion rings. They were hot, crisp, and delicious. The onion was cooked well enough to bite without eating the entire portion (5/5). For my entrée, I had the Sweet Chili Glazed Salmon. The meat was prepared as requested, and the dish was good overall. I was expecting more flavor from the sauce (e.g., sweet and spicy). It could have been omitted. Overall, I enjoyed my first visit. I look forward to the next. read more

Ink N Ivy - Sweet Chili Glazed Salmon - New American Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

I decided to visit this place this weekend. People have the option to be outside and eat, enjoy the music, and play bar type games or in the larger indoor area. I decided to eat inside where I could still hear the music but more so in the background. The bar service was very good and attentive and the food great! I got the Salmon wrap with a side of Brussels sprouts and was very glad I made the decision! All in all, great food, good vibes, I'll be back to try their brunch. read more

Ink N Ivy - Salmon Wrap and Brussel Sprouts - New American Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Popped in after looking at their website w/ the advertisement for $3 Taco Tuesday. It's Tuesday and I like tacos, let's go! Walking in, the atmosphere grabs your attention. Big open floor plan w/ lots of table, cool looking decor and lots of TVs scattered throughout. The bar holds center court. At the time of our arrival of 6pm, there was a large party and less than a handful of patrons seated. The hostess didn't really greet us. No smile, no welcoming feeling. Just blah. This would be foreshadowing for how our visit would go. Server greeted us with water. When asked about the $3 Taco Tuesday on the website, we were told they don't do that anymore. Sadly, false advertising. If we had known, we would've gone elsewhere as the $3 tacos are what pushed us to come here. If you choose to order tacos, you can't mix and match. Your choice of tacos is chicken, fish or two different types of shrimp. Luckily, they had other food options. Upon returning, our server began to take our food and drink order. My colleague ordered her beverage of choice and said I could order so she could have a minute. I ordered my drink and asked about the food items to buy my colleague a tad more time to figure out what she wanted. Finally deciding on fish & chips w/ a beer. He was ready to leave to put the order in without taking her order. We had to call him back as he was already two steps from leaving as he was half turned to walk away. Food came out before the drinks. What? The food runner dropped off the food and was ready to turn around quickly. This is even after he asked us if we needed anything else. He heard what my colleague said but before I could say what I needed, he too was halfway turned to walk away. The bar wasn't busy. Neither was the kitchen. The server even said that when bringing the drinks to the table. Not sure what the delay was. Fish & chips is (1) thin piece of fish, heavily greasy and not much fish but plenty of chips. I had to pat down the grease to remove it like you would with a slice of pizza. I wasn't a fan of the fish. Fries were good. Our server provided us with a device to pay and tip without him being there. Good but we got clicky and got out of the screen he gave us the device on. We figured it out and on our way. Cool vibe and atmosphere. Seems like a good place to grab a drink but I wouldn't recommend it for the food or customer service. read more

Love love love their food . Very popular place so can get packed on the weekend . So happy they're now on door dash ! Service isn't the greatest , the staff always seems like they have an attitude. read more

Haven't tried the food here and most likely won't. I walked in looking for a client who had reserved a table for his girlfriend bday and the host couldn't tell me where they were seated even though she knew they had a reservation, kinda like "go find him" not very helpful especially since i didn't know what this person looked like since he hired me online. Also was told they don't do anything special for birthdays after i asked if they had any candles for my client. Based on the pics I thought this place was more upscale but it's more of a sports bar vibe with bar food. Possibly a great place to catch a game and grab a drink. They were no help in trying to create a memorable experience for people paying to celebrate their special occasion there, so i wouldn't recommend it for that. If this was my establishment and staff just saw someone get proposed to, I'd be offering something to them just to simply thank them for choosing my establishment for a life changing moment and for people celebrating their birthday. read more

Ink N Ivy - New American Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

On the second day of December my boyfriend said to me "let's give Ink N Ivy another chance," so we did. The decor has always been eccentric, so seeing those poor starved looking frenchies on the lights wasn't too off putting but still crazy because why are the dogs ribs showing!!? I digress, it wasn't too bus as we went for lunch at 1pm on a Wednesday. One of the main reasons this is a retry for us is because we went shortly after I gave birth two years ago and got completely ignored. It's too big of a space for "seat yourself" especially if they don't have the actual wait staff for it. Our server was the bartender who did a fabulous job at serving the wine, but because she also had patrons at the bar , when she "gave us a minute" she was gone for almost 20mins and the déjà vu of not being tended too came back. She was very sweet but waiting and trying to signal for a server to just get us a water easy too pleasing. Now on to the food! I got the buffalo chicken fries and my boyfriend got the buffalo chicken sandwich with fries. Food came out fast which was very appreciated. Everything tasted fresh, which you know makes or breaks your experience no matter how good it looks. It was filling. I would like to see service and food quality on a busier day like a game day. We'll be back! read more

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I always enjoy coming here for the Brussel sprouts. They're so good! We also tried the tacos and nachos and they were pretty tasty as well. Food came out quick. Service was pretty decent as well. read more

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We decided to stop by here with my girlfriend after skating to have some cider and maybe grab something to eat. We waited about seven minutes for a server to come over. It was already late, and we realized that if we ordered food, we'd probably be waiting all night, so we decided to just get cider. In the end, the server brought the cider in cans. I asked for glasses, and it took him about five minutes to bring two glasses. During that time, I could clearly see that he wasn't doing anything -- it was 10:30 PM, and he was just sitting on his phone. I was literally watching him scroll while waiting for our glasses. Because of that, I didn't leave a tip, even though I always do. He walked away looking offended, as if I was expected to tip for two ciders, which weren't even served properly in the first place. Sitting on Instagram was clearly more interesting to him than his guests. The cider itself was good. 10:30pm January 1st. read more

I've you've ever attended a sporting event Uptown, or just found yourself bar hopping, then you've without out a doubt seen Ink N Ivy, and there a good chance you've been in there as well. The place is hard to describe, but those walls have seen many wild nights, and if you are looking for a party give, they definitely give that. The interior is actually very elegant and beautifully decorated. It feels almost like an Alice and Wonderland mansion . The food however is more like your typical bar food. Burgers, fries, tenders, and all kinds of apps. They have a lot of TVs as well so it is a solid place to catch sports. That's kind of what is confusing about this place. On one hand they have the decor of a fancy lounge or a sophisticated restaurant, but they typically have a DJ playing hip hop and you'll find them serving buckets of domestics, much more like a sports bar. I suppose they cater to a lot of whims. If you find yourself passing by you might be drawn in by the crowd or the rhythm of house/rap music coming from inside. Chances are you will have a good time. For me this place is quite all right. Their food isn't groundbreaking but it's passable for a drunken snack. The vibe is a little clubby for my older self, but back in the day I liked to come here and throw down. Still this place can hit right if you are in the mood, so it is certainly worth experiencing for yourself! read more

Ink N Ivy - New American Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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Amazing food and great service, I will definitely be going here again. Also a very pretty view. read more

Ink N Ivy - New American Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Amazing experience! Ashlyn and Jordan helped as at the bar outside and absolutely made the experience.

Good drinks, especially for the price. Unfortunately very slow service, sat for twenty minutes before having to get up and flag someone down. When the food was brought out we weren't given silverware, so had to get up to ask someone for service yet again. Server was very nice, but unfortunately won't be returning. read more

After the baseball game, we walked to Ink N Ivy. It's a cool looking bar and the atmosphere seem nice. We were seated immediately by the bar and the outside. It was great because we could watch TV and admire everything going on outside. I ordered the Spin dip appetizer. It was pretty good. Nothing spectacular. I ordered the chicken philly here, and it was DISGUSTING. So were the chips. I don't know if it was the seasoning they put on the chips, but it just tasted burnt. So did the chicken in the philly. I had a nasty taste in my mouth for a good 30 min after. I even felt sick like I wanted to throw up. I've been before, but can't remember what I ordered, but I do know it wasn't that bad. I would return, but I just know not to order those 2 things. read more

Sticky floors, decent food and drinks. Overall, it's an average spot, but it's a convenient choice for a quick bite after a night out in Uptown. read more

Ink N Ivy - Bar - New American Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Terrible customer service. Ignored at the bar for 10+ minutes when it was empty. They had the sound blasting for a game that had ended and just kept it loud on the after show and news. Multiple other games on but we had to listen to a man talking about the murder of a child. Asked them to turn it down or just switch the channel to a live game and the woman (not a bartender) was a major asshole. Said she didn't care what we wanted and wasn't the one to help us. she's quite possibly the worst person I've ever met working at a bar. Definitely shouldn't work in hospitality if you're going to treat people like that who are making pretty basic requests. Again it was empty not crowded so there wasn't a demand for anything from any patron or reason to be nasty. read more

Ink & Ivy is a pretty cool restaurant! One of the best things about it is that it's really convenient for anybody staying in Downtown Charlotte, as me and my friends were able to walk there in about 5 minutes after leaving a Panthers game. I would also like to shout out the entire staff, as the restaurant was absolutely packed with people who had just left the game, but they did an amazing job at handling the large crowd with ease, class, and efficiency. Never once did an employee look flustered, lose their temper, or act in any unprofessional manner whatsoever. It was one of the most impressive feats of customer service I've ever seen. The food was pretty good as well, though kind of hit-or-miss. The tenders were absolutely excellent, and some of the best I've ever had. However, the only negative aspect of my experience at Ivy & Ink is the fact that the fries were cold, and simply not very good. Had the fries been better, it would have been a 5/5/ experience. Nevertheless, Ink & Ivy is a great restaurant, which I would highly recommend! read more

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Husband and i stopped by here on a Saturday evening 8ish or so after dinner. We wanted someplace we could just relax at, have a drink, and vibe out. This is located right in front of romare Bear Park. Upon entry, we were greeted by plenty of hostesses. We opted to go out to their back patio where they have another bar and plenty of seating options. They also had a huge Connect four game as well as Jenga. Had a great time playing a few rounds. It was not busy at all. I'm not sure if they got busy later on during the night, but we had a blast either way playing games and listening to music. As always, parking is a hassle, but they do have a parking lot right beside them that you do have to pay for, though, if not side street parking. Didn't eat here, so I'm not sure about their food. read more

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11pm on May 20th. Terrible experience. Got seated at the bar and the bartender proceeded to ignore me and my wife for 30min. Then she bring us a menu and leaves for another 10min. When she comes back, my wife and I try to order, only to be told that we can't order anything off of the menu that she gave us because it's not the LATE NIGHT MENU. (Then why did you give us this menu we couldn't use?!?!?!?) After 45min at the bar with no water, no drinks and no ability to order food, we left. We'd never come back. read more

Ink and Ivy was the jam (when it first opened). It was one of the top places to head to for a night time bar session or a late morning brunch. The food was pretty solid and service could be nice and cordial (usually). Definitely a social vibe. read more

Ink N Ivy - Chicken & Waffles - New American Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Super busy with all of the concerts! Food was good. Service was good. Special shout out to Greg! Greg is a type of employee that thinks outside the box in order to facilitate customer service. Really impressed. read more

Cute patio with a great view, and a good deal on mimosas on the weekends! That being said, service here is consistently spotty and the food isn't great for the prices you pay. read more

Excellent lemon pepper wings, buffalo chicken sandwich and Brussels sprouts! Our server Greg was excellent and knew the menu like the back of his hand. Highly recommend him as your waiter- calm, efficient, knowledgeable, and gave great recommendations. We ate outside on the patio. read more

so classy and a great way to spend time uptown!! one of my favorite spots as a local here

This is a huge space uptown with plenty of seating and there's a small parking lot (paid parking). The wings were big and juicy and our server recommended combining buffalo and bbq sauce and wow, amazing! The lamb meatballs tasted just like lamb and the little salad under the meatballs was tasty with a nice Greek dressing. The Brussels sprouts were perfectly crispy and the added feta cheese was delicious. Our server Taylor was very friendly and attentive. It wasn't busy on the Wednesday night but nice to see they have daily specials. read more

Ink N Ivy - Jumbo Wings, Spicy Lamb Meatballs, Brussel Sprouts - New American Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

The food was good and came out quickly. I love the vibe of the place overall and the music was tasteful

Nice vibes, don't like that you have to pay for parking and they have their own lot but that is how uptown is! Heard a lot of good things so I'm excited to see for myself! All of the food was very good, hot and fresh, not a long wait for it, great serving sizes. Our server was amazing! She was full of information and very nice. read more

So I recently visited Ink N Ivy after probably a year since I last went. I use to frequently visit Ink N Ivy but their sanitation rate had dropped. This last time I went because it was the only place still serving food in the area. I want to start by saying they still need to work on their sanitation! Me and my friends all ordered margarita flights, one flight had a long piece of hair hanging from it, another flight had a fruit fly on it. At this point I was disgusted but we had already ordered food. The food came out decent. The server was apologetic about everything but I probably will not return. read more

Ink N Ivy - Buffalo Chicken Brioche - New American Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Service was excellent and efficient. He corrected a miscommunication error no questions asked. Steak salad was huge. Although the steak was overcooked, it was still flavorful / tender. Two in the party ordered fish ' n ' chips and were very disappointed. The outside coating was too crisp to eat and we ended up scraping the fish out of the crust. read more