Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    McNinch House Restaurant

    4.0 (125 reviews)
    Ultra High-EndFrench, New American, Southern
    Closed 5:30 pm - 11:00 PM

    McNinch House Restaurant Photos

    Business Info

    MCNINCH HOUSE RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Intimate
    Romantic
    Classy

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - McNinch House Restaurant

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Beautiful ambiance.  Happy Birthday to my wife!
    Ray C.

    I am officially calling it, this is the #1 restaurant in Charlotte. Yes Steak 48 may be the #1 steakhouse. But this restaurant history, ambiance and chef led menu is outstanding. Our experience started at 1:00 pm although our reservations were not until 6:30. At 1:00 the chef called me asking for our wine preferences, food allergies and food preferences . I dreaded tell him that we did not like mushrooms, but his friendly response of I have a 1000 other things to use other than mushrooms, told me this was going to be a wonderful meal. The courses we experienced were outstanding. Each introduced by the chef. Yes we selected the Chef Choice menu. It was my wife's birthday and I wanted to treat her to the best. We brought friends with us. My best friend constantly chides me for spending so much money on food. After being told that Christmas was the best time to come with the decorations in the house, my friend said he wanted to come back. When I told him he had to pay next time, he said no problem this was more than worth it. We will be back after the house is decorated for Christmas.

    Beef tartare
    Francesca D.

    Wonderful experience, great ambience is food is superb. Service is also great and they have thought of all details.

    Andrew W.

    Not yet had meal BUT doing so soon. Meanwhile, THANK YOU for your vital role and continued sponsorship of Friends of Fourth Ward including today's Secret Gardens tour. Great tour in and out of this historical cornerstone of neighborhood. Met owners and chef and staff in full period dress and history of house that took decades to renovate and was leader in revitalization yet preservation of Fourth Ward residential. A MUST SEE and appreciate.

    Allan K. C.

    Copied from my other account that I am closing out to consolidate all here. A truly wonder place for upscale special intimate dining in NC's Queen City. "A rather pricey experience but wonderful for romantic special occasion / dinning / date / celebrating. Two 4 course meals with wine came to $550. -- In home built by the Vanderbilts. Residence of Charlotte Mayor McNinch back in 1890s. His ancestors renovated the house and with it did it historically correct. Original glass in the windows, warbly. Authentic touches. Routinely rated amongst America's best restaurants. The kind of sweat one's. They remedied with Martini's much better matching our desire. Appetizers and palate cleansing treats in between. Some most food was stellar and some just good have had better. The Fillet was good but not especially seasoned or tender so have had better experience elsewhere. But for the price it should be best in class. Everything else was stellar especially the service. The sommelier was pleasant, explained much with enthusiasm and professionalism. Wines were perfectly paired. I would definitely consider returning to celebrate something special."

    Emily R.

    My husband and I went here for a special occasion. It was our first time dining here which we told our server. Note that the menu is not à la carte but rather served in courses and it is very pricey. The restaurant was empty when we arrived as we were the first reservation of the night. Service began to slow down as more people arrived, but the restaurant was not full by any means even by the end of the night. After we finished our appetizers, we waited a whole hour until entrées arrived. I did complain about the wait and they said they were shortstaffed and their dishwasher was causing issues. The staff did try to make up for it by discounting our bill and giving us a bottle of wine to take home. Overall, the food was mediocre so even if the service was better, I don't think it's worth the price point.

    Dining room
    Olga I.

    What an amazing place! We went for my hubby's birthday. Food was delicious and light. Presentation was pleasing and a manager / server was very knowledgeable and told us a lot about the history of this place. It's a perfect place for a special occasion or a very romantic place.

    Mark W.

    Superb. Went for a celebration dinner with family and we were not disappointed! I have been wanting to go here for years but just never found the time. Finally got it off my restaurant bucket list and it did not disappoint. This is a Queen City institution of culinary wonders! The sommelier is one of the most knowledgeable I have come across in a long time, I learned a few new things about wines historically. The service is impeccable and most importantly unobtrusive so that we never felt interrupted during our meal. Timing is everything and the staff have it down to a science. Also, we had the whole room to ourselves as there was a corporate party in the adjacent room but with the doors closed, it felt as if we were eating out at a friends house! Between the 3 of us we picked the rack of lamb (2), scallops, crab cakes, foix gras, she crab soup, and pork belly. Sorbet was a nice touch between courses and espresso was a perfect finale to give us the energy to rollout of the restaurant.

    Cheese Bread
    Jacqueline T.

    This would typically be out of our price range, but we decided to splurge for an early anniversary celebration. We did a 6pm reservation on a Friday night. There was only one other couple there the entire time we were there (we left shortly after 7). There's a few different options for ordering. We went with the smallest/cheapest which was the 4 course option for $105 each (2 appetizers, 1 entree, 1 dessert). Since we were celebrating our anniversary, they brought us a complementary glass of prosecco which was very nice. Prior to the first appetizer, they brought us a broccolini soup shooter which was very good. For our first appetizer, we both got the She Crab Soup. We wanted to try the Artichoke Soup, but they were out. We loved the She Crab Soup though. Prior to our second appetizer, the brought us a cheese bread with rosemary butter that was delicious. For our second appetizer we got the Jumbo Lump Crab Cake and the Pork Belly. The Crab Cake was the best I've ever had and one of the highlights of the meal. The Pork Belly was the only thing we were disappointed with. It was over cooked and not tender like pork belly should be. Prior to our entree, they brought us a salted caramel sorbet which was very good. For our entrees, we got the Rosemary & Dijon Crusted Rack of New Zealand Lamb and the Pan Seared Scallops. Both were excellent. The lamb was tender and the scallops cut like butter. During the course, they also brought us a biscuit with rosemary butter that was very good. For dessert, we got the Hazelnut Crème Brulee and the Caramel and Apple Cheesecake. The Crème Brulee was very good and done perfectly, but the cheesecake was the star of the show. It was light and fluffy with a caramel apple sauce. It was the best cheesecake I've ever had. Our top four dishes of the night were the crab cake, scallops, rack of lamb, and cheesecake. To end the evening, they brought me a rose! They do valet parking, but we found street parking easily. They typically have a Groupon which helps with the cost a little. The service was outstanding. I'd definitely recommend this for your next special occasion!

    Dessert

    This place is amazing from the Victorian home all the way to the staff. They left no stone unturned for my birthday dinner with my wife. She surprised me! The staff go above and beyond and are wonderful people. The food was out of this world! Words don't even begin to describe it. There is such love and thought put into it all. Thank you again for making my birthday one that I will never forget! Till next time!

    Filet
    Diana S.

    What an experience! Three of us went for an amazing dinner, selecting the four course meal with wine pairings. So we could try a bit of everything, we all chose different options for each course. People think soups are easy to make, but true culinary talent can shine with a good soup and all three here were so complex, rich and beautiful. It's actually hard to develop these flavors, my favorite being the lobster bisque. The lamb was my choice for the entree and it was above average but didn't stand up to the rest of the meal. The vegetables were slightly undercooked for my taste and I thought the lamb could have had a harder sear. Overall, it could have been seasoned a little more aggressively but the dish was still delicious. My favorite dessert was the crème brûlée. It's was Godiva white chocolate which sounds dense and rich but it was light, creamy and not overly sweet. I found it to be a perfect balance with the perfect proportion of brûlée to custard. The wine pairings for each course were expertly chosen and Wesley is extremely knowledgeable about wines from all over the world. They are also generous with the pours so the price is very affordable. The service is over the top phenomenal; professional, friendly, knowledgeable and attentive (but not overly so). Add in the elegant decor, they are checking off all the boxes for a top rated establishment in any large city.

    Outside
    Rusty J.

    My dinner at the McMinch House was a meal AND an experience. The food was exceptional. The service was superb. The setting was regal. The night was perfect. The house, itself, has an extensive history. Several presidents once dined there many decades ago. I know this(and more) because the wine specialist also shared stories and pictures of its historic past. It was a pleasant addition to the experience. The menu gives you the choice of how many courses you would like. You also select your entree, your sides, and dessert. You have an option for wine pairing with your meal. We arrived a few minutes early. We were both given a flute of champagne during our brief wait while they prepared our table. Our opening courses came out. The she crab soup was wonderful. My date ordered the lobster bisque. I tasted it and it was super. I also got a lump meat crab cake that paired well with my soup. My main entree was braised spare ribs. They were tender and flavorful. My date chose the filet mignon. It was good choice. The desserts were. notable. My date's lemon cake was good. The maple cheesecake that I selected was one of the best slices of cheesecake i've ever tasted! Everything was served with an elegant presentation. The table looked opulent when we arrived. The china, the stemware, and flatware just glistened on the candlelit table. The little extras between courses were nice touches. We also received a corn muffin, sorbet pallet cleanser, an angel biscuit, and a small topped wheat wafer. It was special. This restaurant is like no other around this area.

    Filet Mignon

    See all

    Photo of P D.
    0
    2
    0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    14 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 2
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Beautiful atmosphere, fabulous food, an experience not to be missed! We went before a show. They made sure we were out with time to spare!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Andrew W.
    25
    10
    12

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Emily R.
    273
    21
    24

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Olga I.
    7
    44
    13

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Bob K.
    29
    93
    8

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 60
    Thanks 0
    Love this 57
    Oh no 0
    Photo of H R.
    6
    215
    124

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 2
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of John H.
    14
    5
    15

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Buddy T.
    24
    39
    55

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Kate T.
    542
    877
    2148

    8 years ago

    Helpful 10
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Scott B.
    45
    62
    222

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of C J.
    0
    148
    7

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 4

    Ask the Community - McNinch House Restaurant

    What's the dress code for women? I don't think I've ever been to a place that served in courses lol and can only find that jackets are required for male dinners.

    I wore black pants and blouse. I think women have more flexibility.

    View All 2 Questions

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for French 4,471 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Coquette

    Coquette

    4.1
    (182 reviews)
    0.4 mi

    Coquette made my birthday dinner absolutely unforgettable…read more From the moment we arrived, the hosts made us feel genuinely welcome, and every interaction throughout the evening was warm, friendly, and attentive. Don't let the location fool you - despite being in the middle of bustling Uptown Charlotte, Coquette feels like a cozy, delicious escape. The atmosphere strikes the perfect balance between elegant and comfortable, making it the ideal place to celebrate a special occasion. Our server, Francesca, was phenomenal. She was knowledgeable, personable, and somehow always there exactly when we needed her without ever making us feel rushed. To help celebrate my birthday, she surprised us with a complimentary glass of champagne for a toast - a thoughtful touch that made an already special evening even more memorable. We started with the charcuterie board and the foie gras crostini, and both were incredible. The charcuterie was beautifully curated with delicious cheeses, prosciutto, olives, cornichons, and thoughtful accompaniments. The foie gras was rich, buttery, and perfectly paired with caramelized onions on crisp crostini. My Black Rose cocktail was one of the best cocktails I've had in a long time. The combination of gin, thyme, blackberry, and botanicals was perfectly balanced - complex, flavorful, and refreshingly not overly sweet. We also enjoyed a bottle of Bezel Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles by the Cakebread family, and wow... what a fantastic wine. It paired beautifully with dinner. For our entrées, Shane had the perfectly cooked duck confit, served over a pesto of summer squash and eggplant that complemented the duck beautifully. He also enjoyed a side of garlic butter mushrooms... all by himself, because mushrooms and I have a lifelong disagreement. I had the lamb frites with eggplant caviar and eggplant fries - absolutely phenomenal. Everything was cooked perfectly and packed with flavor. And yes... I actually ate a vegetable. Of course, we couldn't pass up dessert (we had to finish the wine, after all ). Shane ordered the apple tarte Tatin, which was absolutely fabulous. The apples were exactly what they should be - the star of the dish - and somehow made the buttery pastry feel almost guilt-free. I had the chocolate pot de crème... Magic. Rich, silky, decadent, and the perfect ending to an incredible birthday dinner. From the food and cocktails to the wine, service, and atmosphere, Coquette exceeded every expectation. Thank you, Francesca, and the entire Coquette team for making my birthday so special. We will absolutely be back.

    We had a nice dinner at Coquette and tried a little bit of everything, oysters, branzino, lamb, egg…read moreplant fries, mashed potatoes, and the Potato Croquettes. All solid, but the Brussels sprout salad was easily the star of the night. It was flavorful, and perfectly balanced, it was the one dish that really stood out and the reason I'd come back. If you go, make sure that salad is on your table.

    Photos
    A view
    A view
    Tuna Crudo  : @andrewloves_
    Tuna Crudo : @andrewloves_
    Gougère aux Truffe   : @andrewloves_

    See all

    Gougère aux Truffe : @andrewloves_
    La Belle Helene

    La Belle Helene

    3.9
    (634 reviews)
    0.6 mi
    $$$

    Came to La Belle Helene for a birthday dinner with some friends, and we had such a great…read moreexperience! The restaurant is so beautiful and elegant, and the hospitality was amazing. They were so patient with our table of 8, and even let us take pictures before and during dinner, which we really appreciated! I would definitely recommend the duck entrées and rotisserie chicken. Both were so flavorful and tender! The potatoes that came with the duck were sooo good and had the perfect little touch of saltiness. And the french green beans ?? So good! Everything we had was honestly a 10/10. It's a really beautiful place for a birthday, date night, or really any special occasion. We had a great time and would definitely come back!

    Had a lovely solo night out at La Belle Helene! Had reservations in advance and was waited on…read morequickly and very attentively. I ordered the arugula salad which was incredibly delicious. Flavorful, with both very savory and yet light ingredients which made it perfect for an entree. Not too dense but also filling enough for the wait until dinner. Then the salmon a la plancha. The salmon was cooked to perfection and not overdone, which is unfortunately often the case. The perfect portion along with the tomatoes and kale to keep it rich, but still somehow light. Ended the night with their signature (and recommended) le citron lemon dessert which was to die for. The waitress also brought me some madelines with an adorable little personalized message to complement my little mom's solo night out. 10 out of 10 and certainly can't wait to come again!

    Photos
    Lovely! Felt good walking in
    Lovely! Felt good walking in
    Perfectly cooked mussels
    Perfectly cooked mussels
    L'erreur de Persephone (back) and Supernova (front)

    See all

    L'erreur de Persephone (back) and Supernova (front)
    The Fig Tree Restaurant

    The Fig Tree Restaurant

    4.5
    (671 reviews)
    1.4 mi
    $$$

    We had another conference in Charlotte this yeat and were excited at the chance to come back to…read morethis gem. They didn't disappoint!! Everything was stellar, from ambiance, to service, to the food. We had some favorites from our first visit and tried a couple of specials for the night and there wasn't a single miss. Porkbelly & Fried Oysters, Tuna Tartare Canolli, Foie Gras, and Lobster Cakes were all delicious, as was the special Civiche. I had a Red Snapper Special served over a delicios Seafood Risotto and we also had a perfect steak. So good. Banana Cream Cheesecake was awesome! Good cocktails, and an excellent wine menu rounded out the visit. While we haven't tried many places in Charlotte, I feel confident it saying this is the best restaurant in the city.

    Honestly the atmosphere in here was amazing my partner and I came here for our anniversary and…read morewe're absolutely loving our time here For appetizers we ordered the tuna tartare and burrata both were fantastic For entrees we ordered the veal chops and sea bass again both great but honestly appetizers stole the show! Only thing keeping me from leaving this as a 5 star review is our server was a bit much like wouldn't stop talking wouldn't give us a second to get a word in or ask questions like he's running on just four cups of espresso and another huge thing was it's actually a bit hot inside the restaurant itself I started to feel nauseous and I thought it was something with the food and then I realized I'm actively dripping sweat and I had to go outside before I threw up I asked my partner and he felt the same way appetizers were star of the show, our server was strange, and it was way too warm inside I'd come back to eat outside after sunset hours if I were to come back here again

    Photos
    Dining room
    Dining room
    Veal Chop
    Veal Chop
    Baby Spinach salad

    See all

    Baby Spinach salad

    McNinch House Restaurant - french - Updated August 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...