Nightlife

Folks who lived in the Queen City a couple decades ago are usually shocked upon return. Their somewhat sleepy Southern city blossomed in a big way, and nowhere is that more apparent than the nightlife scene.

It wasn’t too long ago that the most popular bars, nightclubs, theaters, and music venues were scattered willy-nilly throughout the suburbs. The downtown area was a pristine business center that rolled up the sidewalks at 6 p.m. But those days are no more. Uptown has developed a critical mass of cultural and nightlife options, with more likely to spring up by the time you read this. Meanwhile, villages in the new urbanism style emerged in places like Ballantyne, Fort Mill, Ayresly, Birkdale, and Lake Norman to offer after-dark fun, suburban style.

If there is one holdover aspect from the sleepier times, it’s that Charlotte is not a happening place seven nights a week. Sun through Tues is particularly slow, while Wed nights are hit-or-miss. It seems our buttoned-down banker mentality and Protestant work ethic still keeps us subdued early in the week. However, we get more playful as the week progresses. To wit, Sat nights in Uptown are becoming legendary throughout the Carolinas.

An interesting facet of our nightlife involves liquor laws. Charlotte is located in the heart of the Bible Belt and many folks remember that not-so-distant time in the past when we didn’t have liquor by the drink. In September 1978, Queen City voters overwhelmingly approved a referendum on liquor by the drink, and two months later, 23-year-old waiter Hank Stoppelbein ordered the first legal cocktail in 70 years in the state of North Carolina. This took place at 8:04 a.m. in front of a crowd of people and media in the old Benedictine’s Restaurant on Fairview Road. Stopplebein enjoyed a bloody Mary, and, according to Time Magazine, proclaimed the occasion “history, right there along with George Washington crossing the Delaware.”

In the three decades since that historic drink, Charlotte and North Carolina have accumulated a confusing patchwork of alcohol laws. One law that sometimes comes into play is that a bar or nightclub must derive at least 30 percent of its sales from food to be able to serve liquor. Otherwise it has to become a “private” club. However, don’t be misled by the term “private.” Most “private” clubs will allow entrance for a nominal membership fee, usually about $10. And, if they restrict entrance to members only, hang around outside and find a member to sign you in as his or her guest. Other laws limit the time when bars must stop serving (2 a.m.) and when alcohol sales can resume on Sun (noon). Also, happy hours are illegal in North Carolina. If an establishment wants to offer a drink special, it must be available the whole day, not just during happy hour, although some bars have developed clever ways to sidestep this regulation. All of this is to say that sometimes a little patience is required to enjoy a night of revelry in the Queen City.

Below is an inside look at Charlotte nightlife. Nightspots are divided into several categories, such as: bars, pubs, and taverns; beach; comedy; cosmopolitan; country; dance clubs; jazz; music venues; sports bars; and wine bars.

At the end of the chapter you will find information on concerts, special events, and cinemas. Listings are located in Charlotte unless otherwise noted.