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    Small Bar

    3.5 (45 reviews)
    InexpensiveBars
    Closed 3:00 pm - 12:00 am (Next day)

    Small Bar Photos

    SMALL BAR ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Recommended Reviews - Small Bar

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    View from the bar
    Jason C.

    Veteran bartender keeps you satisfied with quick drinks, friendly service, and even a trick or two if you pay attention. Cool place to unwind after a live performance after a show at the underground, the Fillmore, or comedy zone.

    The fridge of beer!
    Jordan C.

    While waiting for an event to start down the street, we stopped into the Small Bar. Truly, we had no idea what we were in for - it is genuinely a SMALL bar! The environment and the bartender are welcoming and the bar itself is cozy. There are several Buffalo Bills items around the bar, as well as some hidden treasures (like small stuff animals up in the rafters) which makes for a good laugh. Although it was a bitter cold night, the bar filled up pretty fast. It would be nice if there were some small games which could be played (perhaps board games/card games) at the tall tables, otherwise, large groups are left standing for a large majority of the time. The one thing which caught me off guard was having to sign my name into a notebook upon entering - I asked what for and was told it was for tracking purposes (to monitor foot traffic). Although I am sure nobody writes down their real name, there should be a better way to monitor this nightly (a clicker perhaps?).

    Cute!
    Lindsay W.

    Well it's definitely what they call it- a small bar, haha. My husband and I came by after a concert at the amphitheater. It was a nice place to sit and have a post show beer while watching all the other people stuck in traffic. No draft beer. Cans only. They do have liquor for well drinks as well. Bartender was kind and the music selection was awesome. Just a chill, basic, nice spot.

    Jennifer V.

    The Small Bar is exactly that, a very small bar. We popped in after a concert at The Fillmore for a quick drink. We didn't stay long because we were walking back to our hotel but this def. a bar I could see myself frequenting if I lived in the area.

    a vintage car painted on the wall
    Heather S.

    Perfect, small town style bar! If you're not into the main stream bars packed with underage college messes, definitely stop in here. It's got a good crowd and good prices!

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    14 years ago

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    11 years ago

    Had a ball last night with The Kevin Jones Experience. And the bartenders and fast and courteous!

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    8 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    13 years ago

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    Page 2 of 2

    Ask the Community - Small Bar

    Review Highlights - Small Bar

    d. Come as you are, enjoy a very low priced drink and soak up the scenery and sounds of the NC Music Factor

    Mentioned in 6 reviews

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    Sneak Clt

    Sneak Clt

    4.7
    (41 reviews)
    2.5 mi

    Wow what an experience! I'm in Charlotte for the weekend, and my good friend's colleague…read morerecommended we come here after dinner for drinks. There's outdoor seating, and initially we wanted to sit outside but we didn't have reservations. Luckily, they seated us at a small corner section near the back of the bar. It's very cozy and intimate inside. Just my type of vibe. The service was top tier. They were unable to validate our parking because of some sort of discrepancy with the signage outside and lack of having the proper equipment for validation. To make up for it, they offered us complimentary champagne to start. We were not expecting that, and pleasantly surprised! Their menu has an eclectic selection of cocktails, both full and mini. We opted to order from the mini cocktail menu, and we each ordered two drinks. I had the Creepy cucumber cocktail and it was refreshingly sweet and probably my favorite drink of the night. I also ordered the Don't Shy Away which was a sour and spicy rum concoction with carrot in it. It was definitely spicy and had a puréed texture. I really enjoyed it. And, then don't get me started on the music!!! The dj was masterful. He played all the types of music I love and he mixed them in such a refreshing way. I ended up asking him for his contact information before leaving, and whether he does weddings because my fiancé and I are currently looking for a DJ. He was just that good. This would definitely be my spot if I lived here in Charlotte. It was the perfect way for us to end the night.

    Ugh, I so wanted to LOVE this place! It's in my friend's neighborhood and near some other spots we…read morelove. But it just hit me as average. It's a small intimate setting and I do love the dark aesthetic they did. Gives it a swanky vibe and makes a great date spot. But they were burning incense in the tiny space and it was overwhelming. The other bar guests sitting next to us agreed. *They did finally pick up on it and the staff moved it toward the kitchen door* Staff was friendly as well, though, it was busy and looked as if they had a trainee in tow, so attention was lacking just a bit. So why we came: The drinks were average to me. One was weird (Pineapple Fried Rice) and I just couldn't get it sit well on my palate - and I tried - sip after sip. But the mixologist saw my struggle and swapped it out for a different one. I did like the Don't Shy Away - it was an interesting take on a margarita with a strong carrot base. The Whispering Dove was a take on a Paloma and I couldn't find the lemongrass infusion on my palate. So I found it pretty basic, but pricey. So overall, decent. And I might stop buy if I was stuck in the area again.

    Photos
    Secret Bathroom with a gold toilet
    Secret Bathroom with a gold toilet
    Bar
    Bar
    Sneak Clt

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    Canopy Cocktail Bar & Garden

    Canopy Cocktail Bar & Garden

    4.1
    (54 reviews)
    1.9 mi

    Fun, lively place…read more My friends and I were in town and wanted to have one last drink before we jetted out the next morning, so we ended up in trendy South End. First thing we noticed was how HUGE this place is. I feel like everywhere we turned, each section had its own vibe and its own designated bar. With the loud music, it was more loungey than anything and the crowd was on the much younger side. Canopy seems to be the go-to place in the South End. We did not encounter this kind of lines or crowds anywhere else in the area. Ordered a grapefruity drink (Our Flowerchild) off the menu and it was pretty good. Price was alright - definitely cheaper than what I'd pay in NYC (which is already atrocious in itself).

    This is the cutest outdoor bar! The atmosphere is beautiful, unique, and the bartender was amazing…read more When we stopped by, they had JUST opened so we had the place to ourselves. I bet it gets packed here, though, as the surrounding area is quite busy. We parked at a lot down the street, It's behind the train track so parking could be a little difficult. There seem to be a couple of garages near by, though. For drinks, we had the Three Wiseman and Fizz The Season. Very booze forward but tasty and enjoyable. The bartender was extremely skilled at his art and carefully curated our cocktails. We also had a little photoshoot while here, and it's the perfect spot to do so! I'd love to come back here and try other drinks. Highly recommend!

    Photos
    Cocktail
    Cocktail
    Canopy Cocktail Bar & Garden
    Our Flowerchild

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    Our Flowerchild
    Blue Door

    Blue Door

    4.3
    (24 reviews)
    1.6 mi

    3.5/5 stars. Went back to Blue Door to give it another chance with the new menu... it's still my…read moreleast favorite cocktail bar in all of charlotte. The menu this time is theme park theme... again, a fun concept but not well executed. Pretty overwhelming, especially with the bartenders explaining the menu to us twice with the same spiel there is too much to look at it makes it difficult to pay attention to the drinks. I really did not love my drink (starbreaker?) you could only taste the lychee The bartenders not a vibe, it was not that comfortable to sit at the bar. They now serve food, hotdogs... which do NOT match the vibe at all, so that was interesting that their only food (other than the free popcorn) is not hot dogs..

    This place blue my mind…read more I was visiting my best friend while in town for a conference on amusement ride standards. We had a reservation for Blue Door for Saturday night, and it was amazing. Now while she was vaguely aware of their "spirited kingdom" menu, I had NO CLUE. It was the best surprise! They have such a cool menu with a full theme park map containing 4 lands with 4 cocktails each. The cocktails all match the type of ride they are, it's honestly such a cool idea, and it was so well done. I loved the art. I will say, I was skeptical that all of their drinks would actually work and worried that they'd be too caught up in the theme to make results but . . . Oh my goodness I was so impressed by the drinks here. I think a lot of bars these days can get so caught up in trying to be unique that their drinks become nearly undrinkable. This place definitely doesn't suffer there. They brought us an aperitif when we came in, but unfortunately I have a blueberry allergy so we skipped that. We had 4 drinks between the 2 of us and they were all awesome. I ordered the star breaker and the green dragon (what can I say, I love gin and a good coaster), and they were both balanced and tasty. My friend got the diablo and the neon shift, and they were both fantastic as well! The neon shift was served with a black light too which was super cute. The one drink I have to call out specifically is the green dragon. There was something about this drink that was so unique, I have genuinely never had anything like it but I would order it a thousand times over. It's so good. It keeps me up at night. It haunts my every bar order. I will be writing home about it. What else can I say about this place - the service was great, the atmosphere was fun, and the DJ was amazing. I thought "wow this guy really likes sax covers" only to look over and see him PLAYING HIS SAXOPHONE LIVE?? Iconic. This place was perfect and I wouldn't change a thing about it. The spirited kingdom menu will only be around for 6 months according to the waitress, so definitely catch it while it's there! If I'd heard about it sooner, I would've maybe descended upon them with 200+ theme park engineers in town for the conference (maybe it's a good thing I didn't know they were there until after it was over), but instead I will just say DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND MAKE YOUR RESERVATION NOW

    Photos
    Lounge seating.
    Lounge seating.
    Blue Door
    Doctor strange tasted like prune juice

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    Doctor strange tasted like prune juice
    Idlewild

    Idlewild

    4.3
    (220 reviews)
    2.3 mi
    $$

    Cozy, cool ambience and delicious cocktails. The bartenders…read morehave a wealth of knowledge in their craft and can make something for even the pickiest of drinkers. Make a reservation or enjoy the standing bar space, as walk-in seating is limited, especially on the weekends.

    Honestly some of the most rude, negligent service I've experienced in a while…read more Context: Bar was at 25% capacity I pride myself on being a genial, accommodating person Attempted multiple times to thoughtfully engage staff From the moment we entered, our service staff was either dismissive, condescending, or negligent. Could not leave fast enough. The overall decor and vibe was great, just our assigned person was lackluster in every regard. EDIT (5/27/28): When we entered and sat down, to the bartenders credit, he swiftly asked us what we wanted. As we were describing the general vibe of the drinks we wanted, the attitude of the bartender manifested as very condescending and lacking in general back-and-forth discourse. Despite the dismissive attitude, but after the drinks were made, we attempted to thank the bartender, but his only response was a derisive chortle before walking off. For the remainder of our stay, he was flirting with some female patrons at the other end of the bar. Sharing pictures, conversation, and general good service while we were ignored until we asked for the check to pay and leave as quickly as possible.

    Photos
    Her's
    Her's
    Idlewild
    Idlewild

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    Dom's Dive Bar

    Dom's Dive Bar

    4.4
    (13 reviews)
    3.6 mi

    Popped into Dom's the other night thanks to Offline--because without it, I honestly don't think I…read morewould've known this place even existed. It's tucked away in a strip mall off South Boulevard next to Goldie's (a spot I know well), but Dom's definitely flies under the radar. We stopped in for drinks and apps and were pleasantly surprised. Solid happy hour specials, reasonably priced food, and exactly the kind of bar food you want late at night--no frills, satisfying, and hits the spot. The drink selection was decent, and with it being the holidays, they even had some festive cocktails. The one I ordered was actually really good. We didn't stay long since this was more of a pre-dinner pit stop, but it left a good impression. Casual, affordable, and easygoing--definitely a spot I'll be back to when I'm in the mood for a low-key neighborhood bar vibe.

    I came across "Dom's Dive Bar" because they have great reviews on Yelp. Trust me it DID NOT…read moreDISAPPOINT. We sat at the bar and were greeted by Brittany! She was AWESOME! She was extremely attentive and truly went above and beyond with her outstanding service and personality. We had some questions about the menu and Carlos came to talk to us. He was also AWESOME! I can't say enough wonderful things about them both. The atmosphere is comfortable and has a very "hometown bar feel". I hate I don't live in Charlotte anymore. They would have to ban me because I would be in there so much! We ordered the duck fat pretzel bites with the queso and they were drool worthy. Not pictured we also got a flatbread as well. Great experience and we will definitely be back!!

    Photos
    Bar
    Bar
    Dom's Dive Bar
    Dom's Dive Bar

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    Small Bar - bars - Updated June 2026

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