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    Lupie's Cafe

    4.1 (336 reviews)
    InexpensiveAmerican
    Open 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
    Updated 1 week ago

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    LUPIE'S CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Divey
    Dogs allowed
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Lupie's Cafe

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    Menu 5/30/2025
    Evan D.

    Lupie's Café has been serving up homestyle comfort food for over 36 years, and it's easy to see why it's still going strong. From the outside, the building gives off pure dive diner energy with faded paint, a crooked sign, and the kind of place your dad probably grabbed lunch at in the '90s. Inside, the vibe is no-frills. Crinkled paper menus printed in black and white, booths that have seen better days, and a focus on food, not aesthetics. They're known for chili: Texas, Cincinnati, Southern, and Vegetarian...and yes, you can sample all four. The Cincinnati style had that Greek cinnamon-tomato flair (not my favorite). Southern was mellow. Texas brought the heat. I ended up mixing the Texas and Southern to balance things out. That combo got ladled over a massive bed of mac and cheese, then topped with a mountain of shredded cheddar and a scoop of sour cream. I skipped the raw onions and got a slice of cornbread on the side, which was a bit dry for me. Service was top-tier. Genuinely friendly and tag-teamed by servers who kept things moving. One of them looked like Jack Black, which he admitted he's heard before. The menu is affordable and portions are huge. Every table around me looked like Thanksgiving. This might not be a weekly stop for me, but I'm glad I finally made it. Lupie's is a nostalgic, no-BS staple that's earned its long-standing reputation.

    Mashed Potatoes
    Ally F.

    Aesthetic: Old school, kitschy restaurant with a menu full of comfort food, seasonal specials and desserts. Experience: Wow, this is the comfort food spot near Uptown! I was craving quiche, but I wasn't expecting some of the best I'd ever had. I ordered the chicken fajita quiche special (the quiche flavors rotate) with a side of mashed potatoes and pinto beans. The quiche was so flavorful and cheesy, I was in love. The pinto beans were perfectly seasoned and tender. The mashed potatoes were a little underwhelming and dry today, and they are only served on Mondays. My husband tried the burger with Texas chili and mac and cheese, and he devoured and loved everything. We want to try everything on the menu now, they had so much! Our waiter was attentive and came back to check in often. Conclusion: If you're looking for comfort food, this is it, I highly recommend trying the quiche!

    Menu page 2

    Excellent restaurant, service, and food. Inside is nothing special or glorious but it does the job.

    6 BBQ wings with Mac n cheese and potato salad
    Alex H.

    Lupie's it's the type of place you want to go when you want no frills comfort food. Part dive bar, part grandmas or your Auntie/Tia's kitchen, and filled with heirlooms and relics of Old Charlotte. The daily specials are just that, special. From the rickety ceiling fan, to the seating arrangements, you just get a sense of familiarity, most importantly, the food is made with love.

    Dining Room Lower Level
    Bill W.

    Great Neighborhood restaurant. First time at this restaurant although for years there was a sister Restaurant in Huntersville at the corner of Old Statesville Road and Gilead across the street from Discovery Place Kids. Went there many times and enjoyed it but they closed several years ago. This Lupie's is actually the Original and owned by the same family. We had been to the Southern Christmas Show at the Park Expo and after shopping, decided on a late lunch here. Very crowded so had to wait for a few minutes but no problem. The line moved quickly. Sat down and reviewed the menu and it's basically American Fare with a few Greek Dishes thrown in, My wife ordered Quiche which is one of her favorites. Been while since I've had it but seeing I lived in Ohio for a number of years, I ordered Cincinnati Chili served 5-way style. Server asked what that way and said "this ain't Cincinnatti." Explained it was Spaghetti with a Red Sauce Greek Style more like a Moussaka Sauce with Onions, Cheese and Beans. It was good but not quite as rich and depth of flavor was not there. Should have been a little richer with a hint of chocolate in the flavor profile. Nevertheless, it was still good and I would consider ordering it again. Service was good and our server very pleasant even if it ain't Cincinnatti.

    Daniel J.

    A welcoming and unpretentious place for a terrific meal. Peyton has done her momma proud as she takes this venerable restaurant to the next level.. food, service and atmosphere makes the place and EVERYBODY is welcome.

    These are the real hours

    Yeah, I'm being generous I'm afraid. Like most others, I want to like this place. It's been here forever and is a Charlotte mainstay for generations, but a lot has happened since the "heyday". Let's face it, anyone can cook a decent chili. It's a reasonably thoughtless event. Even if you are a bad cook, you probably have chili, soup, and burgers in your repertoire. So if you are going to make the "main event" of your restaurant be chili, you really need to own it- have a few GREAT examples of the genre that are significantly different from each other, and they'd better all be really bloody good, again, because EVERYONE when asked says "oh yeah, I make a really good chili". I remember going here years ago and being blown away by each style of chili. Things have definitely changed. There's nothing really special or particularly "southern" about it, I guess except for the nostalgia vote, which, if I'm being honest, squeezed an extra 2 stars out of me. I met the manager person, I think. Very nice fella. And the cook brought out chili to the table, and was probably my favourite person of the meal. Very genuine, and just out there doing his best. I feel like he needs some support- budget or otherwise- to take this food to the next level. My wife got the vegetarian chili on nachos. It was very big, which is often a positive, but it was as "eh" as my chili-mac. I hope they see better times, and up their game, but with those sort of hours and the cutbacks I'm certain they have experienced since COVID, I'm sad to say I don't see it happening. Honestly, maybe they made the decision to keep the prices low. Mission accomplished. Very cheap meal- these are waffle house prices. But I would personally prefer to pay an extra 5 or 10 bucks a plate and get back the thing that used to really distinguish this place - flavour.

    Corn Green Peas Chicken Casserole
    Darius C.

    My Three As: Awesome: The setting. It has a very humble, honest and rustic look that feels real welcoming and comfortable. The wooden interior and wall decor flaunts that they've been here forever. Appreciate: The chili options. Though I didn't have any, my coworkers had no complaints. Areas to consider: Great novelty setting, but maybe not a date night. Absolutely a family night though; kids would love this place.

    Normal plate compared to the Throw Down Nachos With Chili
    Stef L.

    I don't know how many years Lupie's has been around but it's definitely been a constant staple in our house. We have visited this cute little restaurant many times and never been disappointed. We have tried all their chili, chili with pasta or nachos, we also had their banana pudding. It's a great place to try out some vegetarian chili as well. During our last visit we had the nachos with veggie chili and let me tell you, while people complain that portions are getting smaller in other places, I feel like at Lupies the portion getting bigger every time we visit! So please put this business on your list for your next dinner and you won't regret it!

    Veggie Plate

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    7 months ago

    Chilimac and Cincinnati chili are divine. Service is always good. Have not tried much else on the menu.

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    8 months ago

    Always good ! Native Charlottean been eating here forever! Great food incredible atmosphere!

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    Old school character and charm. A native Charlottean recommended this place. The food great, portions are large.

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    The Degenerate - Chicken Sandwich

    The Degenerate

    4.3(243 reviews)
    2.4 miVilla Heights, NoDa
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    I had an enjoyable experience. I ordered the NYC falafel which, although it could be a bit larger,…read morewas very good. The default side was fries and I asked if there were any substitutions. One was a small side Caesar salad which I got. I was disappointed in the continuing practice for restaurants to charge for small changes like this within informing the customer. Waitress was very nice, however and attentive. What is also quite unique about the restaurant was that you could order small 4 oz beers, just for tasting at $2-3 each. The place is quite large and must get incredibly noisy at times with the hard surfaces and multiple TVs. There is an option to sit directly at the bar or at tables.

    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!

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    Inside The Degenerate. Good vibes

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    Ever Andalo

    Ever Andalo

    4.5(280 reviews)
    2.9 miNoDa
    $$$

    One of the best meals I have had in a long time. We were a large party of 10+. It is a relatively…read moresmall and quaint place but making reservations ahead of time was well worth it. The appetizer spread we ordered was lights out. We loved the burrata with focaccia bread. The fried artichokes were like nothing I ever had before. My entree itself was out of this world. I had the braised short rib and for side the fingerling potatoes. The potatoes were cooked to perfection with crisp and just an amazing punch of rosemary. The beef was out of this world. My only constructive feedback was my dessert was very petit. I ordered a scoop of the cookies and cream ice cream. It was delish and full of cookie taste but the size made me chuckle.

    Failed Expectations: A Brunch That Looked Better Than It Tasted…read more We were genuinely so excited for this brunch! It had been sitting on my Charlotte bucket list for ages, and we finally locked in reservations during my visit. First things first -- the space itself is adorable. Every detail feels intentional, from the spotless dining room to the perfectly set tables to the lighting that ties it all together. You could tell immediately that this place takes real pride in its presentation. It was warm and inviting from the second we walked through the door. The drinks were excellent, too. I especially loved the garnish spread for the water -- citrus of every variety, mint, cucumber -- such a small, thoughtful touch that instantly elevated the experience. Unfortunately, the food just didn't live up to the rest of the experience. We started with the roasted oysters, which came so heavily breaded that the actual oyster flavor got completely lost underneath. In hindsight, I should've just ordered them raw. The Eggs Inferno was next, and it fell flat across the board -- it needed salt, it needed acid, it needed some kind of richness to bring it to life. I wouldn't order it again. My friend's seasonal focaccia toast was equally underwhelming and forgettable. But then -- the fingerling potatoes. Honestly, I wish we'd just ordered three plates of those and called it a meal. Fluffy on the inside, perfectly crispy on the outside, and packed with flavor in every single bite. Hands down the highlight of brunch, and genuinely one of the best sides I've had in a while. Maybe dinner would tell a different story, but for brunch, I walked in expecting so much more than what we got.

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    Ever Andalo - Interior

    Interior

    Ever Andalo - Pickled vegetables

    Pickled vegetables

    Ever Andalo - Tiramisu trifle

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    Tiramisu trifle

    Haberdish - @rondaexplores

    Haberdish

    4.3(1.8k reviews)
    2.9 miNoDa
    $$

    We got on the walk-in list 30 minutes before arriving, but when we got there, the host told us it…read morewould still be about an hour wait. There were several "reserved" tables that remained empty until after we had finished eating, so I think the restaurant could benefit from a better reservation system with more accurate buffer times to accommodate walk-in guests. To avoid the wait, we decided to sit at the bar, and I'm glad we did because the food was amazing. The fried chicken and waffles were perfectly seasoned, and the waffle had a unique texture and flavor that reminded me of a combination of a traditional waffle and a soft pretzel. The cheesy potato cake was absolutely delicious. The fruit bowl was also good, but I wish they had been a little more generous with the blueberry pudding. The shrimp and grits came with large tomatoes, which may not be for everyone, and my friend felt the dish was lacking grits overall. She didn't feel like she got her money's worth. Would I go back? Absolutely. My meal was delicious, and I can't wait to return and try more of their homemade, fresh dishes. I also think it's great that they partner with local farmers to help curate their menu.

    I was very excited to come dine here but was left feeling very conflicted…read more On one hand, I had the best chicken and waffles ever. The chicken tenders were soft and tender, with a crispy and well seasoned fried skin. Not too strong, but just enough to really appreciate the chicken. The waffles had this really nice bouncy chew to it, similar to a mochi donut. Really enhanced further by the syrup and amazing texture difference when you get any of the crispy chicken over the waffle. But on the other hand, everything else we ordered and the service while we were there were lacking. We had a reservation for lunch on a Sunday, and were seated very quickly. But then it took a very long time for a waiter to come to us. Once the waiter did arrive, we weren't greeted or introduced, simply just a "know what you want?". On top of that, when asking what was in the quiche of the day and the market rate we got a "idk maybe 14 or 15" and then what we were told was in the quiche was just not true haha. We were told there would be some vegetables and cheese, but ended up with no cheese and a lot of potatoes inside our quiche. The food did come very fast after we ordered so that was a plus. I think the main reason this experience left a bad feeling was because the table next to us had the same waiter and got a completely different experience. The waiter walked them through the menu, told them about the history of the restaurant, and told them a completely different (but this time accurate?) price and contents of the quiche of the day! I'm glad the chicken and waffles were fantastic, but it is sort of hard to enjoy your meal when you see completely different service from your waiter just one table next to you :(

    Photos
    Haberdish - Inside

    Inside

    Haberdish - Fried Chicken (Whole)

    Fried Chicken (Whole)

    Haberdish - Leafy Greens Salad and Prosecco

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    Leafy Greens Salad and Prosecco

    Lupie's Cafe - tradamerican - Updated September 2026

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