Cajun-style food is so delicious, it's a shame I don't eat it as much as I do. I've heard plenty of…read morethis place as a "hidden gem" so I figured I would give it a whirl. I stopped in here on a Friday afternoon to grab a quick bite. Upon entrance, I really liked the paintings and other decorations spread throughout the dining room. The kitchen is visible as well which makes for a more immersive dining experience. The menu seemed to have plenty of seafood but I figured I'd opt for their special, a Blackened Red Snapper with Bacon Jalapeño Cream Sauce. It came with two sides so I decided to try out their okra and collard greens, after a recommendation from my waiter. I typically don't order collard greens but he said they have pork and are delicious. The place wasn't too busy so food came out quickly, about 10 minutes after I ordered. The food looked decent upon first glance, but I wasn't sold just yet. After my first bite of fish, I was taken aback by the delicious flavor of their cream sauce paired with the blackened fish. It was a solid portion of fish and tasted of good quality, so it didn't stand much a chance. The sides were also just as delicious. It's hard to mess up fried okra so my expectations were met to a tee. The collard greens were actually so incredible as well. I don't really know what they're made of but I definitely will be trying it more in the future, if other places prepare it as good. They also had a house hot sauce with was more flavor than heat, but paired wonderfully with everything. The whole meal was so good so I understand why they seem to a have solid amount of regulars at this place. The staff were very kind and attentive throughout the entire meal. If you want a taste of Louisiana, this place is a solid option in Charlotte.

WOW, Wow, wow! This restaurant SCREAMS for a five-star rating, but as this was our first time…read morehere, I am reluctant to immediately give one of my precious five-stars based on only a one time shot. That said, Yard Dog is not a dog at all, but a superb little restaurant with a great menu and mouth-watering foods. Oh boy! Wife and I entered and were surprised at just how small their dining area was. Couple that with a not-so-pleasant noise level, you will have difficulty seating more than four and conversation will be tough, but not impossible. You came to eat. It is a very cozy, busy and fun place. In addition to the super menu there is a chalk board with specials. Check those out first. I spotted catch of the day, which was Red Snapper, a favorite of mine, which came with two sides ($26). When served, it was three fillets, so the whole eatable parts of the fish, topped with a Cajun spice mixture and a horseradish sauce. This is a to-die-for or last meal item. The fish was perfectly cooked and my side of collards were as mammy has done for eons: flavorful with pork and a perfect complement to my catch of the day. And the fried okra was great and I paid the $.50 for ranch dressing, as fried okra SHOULD be so complemented. Wife does not eat sea food, so she was, initially, confronted with the challenge of finding a dish without seafood in it. She did. There were a number of options, like pasta with Andouille sausage ($21) which is listed as with shrimp, but they omitted the shrimp for her. She also spied blackened meatloaf and some other items for the next visit. The place is busy and the wait staff is hustling as fast as the kitchen can get orders out. The kitchen looks so small, but they are a blur of motion cooking and plating. Kudos to the kitchen and servers. Our server was Sophie and she was excellent. There are beverages on a separate menu, mostly wine, beer and hard cider, with some non-alcohol items also available. We both had hard cider at $6 a can. Draft beer was available at $7 a glass. We will definitely return, even give lunch a try. I will most likely answer the siren call for five stars, which is certainly in the cards. See for yourselves.

Beautiful restaurant, view, atmosphere, staff and experience. First time eating here and I enjoyed…read moreit. Every staff member that talked to me was very welcoming and had a great attitude! Although the chicken tenders were more skin than meat, the food and drinks were good. I recommend going outside and seeing the turtles by the water fountain lol.

The food was delicious! I had the lobster Mac n cheese, fried Lobster tail and the donuts! I was…read morevisiting charlotte for work and let me tell you, this place is a must! What made this place even better was my server Jessica! Hands down one of the best customer service experiences I have ever had and she also gave me amazing recommendations on what to do and eat while I'm here! When you come here to eat ask for her and you won't be disappointed! Thank you for making my dinner experience even better Jessica!

Cute cozy breakfast place. Definitely gets busy quick and doesn't take reservations. I honestly…read morereally enjoy the food and portion sizes are massive - and I don't normally like breakfast but they have SO many options it's hard not to like. Staff isn't the most excited to talk or be present but I'm there to be with family/ friends anyways.

We like the menu and the service was prompt and efficient. The food was just OK (my side salad was…read moredefinitely not fresh), and with so much competition no compelling reason to gotta go back. The lunch half sammie/half soup or salad was a fair deal at $8.75. Has my "Give 'em a Whirl" meter asleep in the corner. Sorry but not a do-over for me.

First off, this is my go to for lunch…read more There is plenty of parking here. I've never had an issue getting a table Even at lunchtime. I normally make reservations just to be on the safe side. I prefer a booth and I normally am able to get one. The staff meeting you at the door are always nice and friendly. They will seat you immediately. the waitstaff here are pretty awesome. The scene here is a little dark and moody and this is what I love about this restaurant... Very Dramatic! Now Food ‼ So, if this is your first time and you want to keep it light, I highly recommend the cob salad! This is the best salad because of the homemade croutons! The serving is pretty large and the dressings our house made and every single one of them are great. My favorite would be the Thai dressing, if I had to pick. I've also tried the burger and it is extremely HUGE and flavorful. You may not be able to eat it all in one setting. I've also had the blackened salmon with the pasta and it was perfectly cooked. I get mine at medium rare. TIMING~ The servants come out pretty fast. By the time you've had your first drink the food is already coming out. This is my honest review as I have been coming here for the past decade and I've never had an issue. You will be pleased. This is also the perfect spot for a first date, business meeting, anniversary and also a birthday.. P.S. Another reason why I am drawn to this particular location, is that 131 Main has maintained a clean place to eat. My number one pet peeve is a messy bathroom. I have yet to find any issues with this restaurant. The bathrooms are always clean Everything is fully stocked and servers are Super attentive, so I will continue to come back.

Nice ambiance. Service was good, it did take a minute for them to come to the table a few times but…read moreotherwise the waitresses were friendly. We ordered the cheeseburgers. They come with shoestring fries. The burger is big and all the toppings really come together to make a flavorful burger. It has mayo mustard lettuce onions pickles and tomato. We also had the cornbread skillet and it was sweet and moist. The honey was a great touch.

Karina was such a good server and we had a great wine night with the girls. The food was amazing…read moreand never fails to fill me up. I'm so glad I got to come back here.

Great food and and even better service. Korina was our server and went above and beyond. Will…read moredefinitely be coming back. Thanks K!

I had a blast at Mother's. ordered a chicken parm sandwich with garlic fries and the dip trio…read more Everything was great! The level of service was excellent. I will most certainly return to sample more of the menu.

I haven't ventured out for Sunday brunch in ages but after a trip to the peerless Park Road…read moreBookstore, I decided to give it a go. At noon on Sunday it was jammed, so I ambled in and sat at the bar with a bunch of strangers. They weren't strangers by the time I left. The ambiance is really, really welcoming. Things I loved about Mother's before I even took a bite: the friendly staff (the bartenders were affable despite the crowds!), the "get breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner anytime" menu, the extensive drinks menu and the flexibility of ordering. Example: the bartender worked with the gentleman to my left to cobble together his à la carte choices into the least expensive meal. So, so accommodating! I had trouble deciding what to order and ended up choosing something the lady to my right had ordered: Melissa's Steak Benny. I'd been craving eggs Benedict and it seemed like a solid choice. At the last moment, I swapped out the hash browns for grits, despite the hash browns looking crispy and delicious, as I'm more a grits girl. Best decision of the day. Best grits I have had in Charlotte. Hands down. Perfectly flavored with without a trace of residue from the butter or cheese it contained. So good I didn't even add my usual hot sauce! (And btw, they have an array of hot sauces available alongside the usual salt and pepper at the table.) As for the dish, I was a little dubious about the drizzle of A1 steak sauce atop the hollandaise, but boy, was I wrong. The smokiness of the steak sauce softened the richness of the hollandaise and was brilliant with the sautéed onions and mushrooms. The hanger steak was prepared (close to) medium rare as requested, and I highly recommend not going past medium because hanger steak is easy to overcook. (My neighbor's plate was delivered well done and had to be sent back, with lots of apologies from the staff; she said despite the sauce it was far too chewy.) I ended up being able to cut my steak with my fork, always a sign of the good stuff, and the English muffin was toasted enough that it didn't turn to mush at all, not even the last bite. I cleaned my plate. A note about brunch: on the weekends be patient because it's super busy, but if you show up in pajamas before noon, your meal is discounted 20%. Honestly, what more can you ask, getting rewarded by showing up in comfy clothes?!? Mother's immediately became my go-to brunch place; I don't drink much but the Bloody Mary there is calling my name. I can't wait to go back, perhaps for supper.

As a girl born in Texas, a really good chicken fried steak is practically part of my DNA. It's one…read moreof those comfort foods I don't eat often because it's so rich--but when I see it on a menu, it absolutely catches my attention. That's exactly what drew me to The Southern Pecan in SouthPark. Here in the South, they call it country fried steak, and I'm happy to report this one did not disappoint. I met a colleague there for lunch, and everything about the experience felt easy from the start. The restaurant is located in Phillips Place, a lovely little shopping area that feels a bit polished and upscale--with shops like Orvis, Tory Burch, and even a Restoration Hardware restaurant nearby. They do offer valet parking, which is a nice touch, though honestly parking is easy enough on your own. We had reservations through OpenTable and were seated on the patio, which was absolutely delightful for this time of year in Charlotte. The weather was perfect, the setting was relaxed, and the service started off warm and welcoming right away. Now, the food. The country fried steak was beautifully cooked--crispy on the outside, tender inside, and served with creamy mashed potatoes and gravy that hit all the nostalgic notes from my Texas upbringing. I paired it with a vegetable side (I believe it was broccoli or corn), and it was a classic Southern plate done right. We also enjoyed a couple of cocktails, and to finish, we split a praline bread pudding, which felt like the perfect Southern ending to the meal--sweet, comforting, and indulgent without being overwhelming. The staff was friendly and attentive, and one of the things I continue to appreciate about Charlotte is how easy it is to connect with people. We even chatted with diners at nearby tables, which added to that welcoming, community feel that makes dining out here so enjoyable--especially for someone coming from the Bay Area. Prices felt fair for the quality, the setting, and the portion sizes, and overall the experience left a great impression. Bottom line: If you're craving a solid Southern classic like country fried steak--or just want a relaxed patio lunch in a charming part of SouthPark--The Southern Pecan is definitely worth a visit. And as someone happily eating my way through Charlotte and the Southeast, this stop was another reminder that the journey has been a delicious one.

Great time at Southern Pecan. Promptly seated and order taken. Service was excellent to start. We…read morebegan with the Roasted Poblano Pimento Cheese. It was amazing. The bread was hot and soft. The cheese was delicious as well. Will definitely order this again. For the mains, we went with the Chicken and Dumplings and the Southern Fried Steak. The Chicken and Dumplings were amazing as well. I always worry about the balance of chicken vs dumplings but this was very well balanced and delicious. The dumplings were cooked well and the chicken was very flavorful. The Southern Fried Steak was fantastic and well. No complaints about this dish either. Every component was well made and delicious. The only complaint I had was the service really went down hill after we got our meal. Our server didn't check on us until she delivered the bill which was disappointing because initially the service started out so well. The Southern Pecan is a good spot. Stop in and grab a bite.

Took one of Yelp's suggestions for lunch in the area (Thanks, Yelp!) and ate at the Irish Pub…read morecalled Nora Mac's. Lots of dark wood, dark green upholstery, and Irish Knick-knacks/advertisements/decor, plus traditional Irish music playing. There is also rooftop seating. I ordered the Lavender Gin Spritz from the seasonal cocktail menu, along with a starter of Bread and Butter (homemade Irish Brown Bread with a selection of freshly made butters) and The Orchard Salad topped with grilled chicken. The salted butter was definitely my favorite with the bread but it was fun to try the sweet maple cinnamon butter and savory fresh herb butter. Our food arrived lightning fast. Unfortunately the kitchen was out of apples, which would have added a nice crunch and tang to the salad, but I just sipped my drink (which was not lavender forward) to get that "bite" instead. Service was friendly and fast.

I really wanted to like this place, but unless you are a local millionaire, you are not welcome. I…read morebarely got to eat food there the night before my c-section. There are bound to be better places with better service. Unless you are a millionaire and want to listen to the bartender multiple times tell you how she is a nanny and lose your changing pad. Ambiance is rich, entitled, underage drinking.