The Stanley in Charlotte, NC is a place I always meant to try. Hell, I have been meaning to try it for 4 years, and even though it is six minutes down the road I seemed to never end up there. Finally, I was inspired to visit because once again I was going to find the “best burger in Charlotte”. In one of my previous posts, I mentioned getting the burger at the Stanley is like figuring out a Rubiks cube blindfolded. We were determined and so the trials began. Of course, man cannot live on burgers alone, on this outing, there was more than that to be had.
To cut to the chase, did I enjoy the Stanley in Charlotte? Surprisingly yes, given how disgruntled I have become about the Charlotte restaurant scene. Not every dish was a home run or even a single, but overall, I really enjoyed the experience. My review of the Stanley in Charlotte is a positive one; it is a beautiful restaurant, with overall good food and great staff. Let me dig a little deeper into my time at this eatery.
My Experience at The Stanley in Charlotte
It started a month earlier, when we had to cancel since my first reservation was not at the bar. The bar being the only place you can order the elusive burger. This forced me to go to the Good Year House. You can read how that train wreck turned out at the link. One of our party members called the Stanley to find out the situation about how to get the burger. To begin with it is not on the menu. Not sure if this is to create a buzz, but it kind of worked so kudos to them. Secondly, as mentioned you must be at the bar to eat it. Not outside, not at a table, fuck not even in the bathroom… the bar. The owner was adamant about this on the phone.
We walk in and the place is empty, which is fine, it was a Wednesday after all. The restaurant was nicely decorated, and the bar was comfortable. That might be due to the fact there were no crowds, but still, a welcome change from most overhyped Charlotte restaurants these days.
The Menu
Looking at the menu, there was some interesting cocktails and dishes. One thing that stood out was that it was the most beet forward restaurant I visited in a long time. Well ever actually. We figure if you can’t BEET them, join them, so we order two beet dishes (a soup and another raw beet dish) along with a beet cocktail. It should be noted that the menu at the Stanley in Charlotte changes, looking at their website many of the items ordered aren’t there currently. Seasonality is a good thing.
In addition, we get the burgers (obviously), a Tartar and a cornbread. If nothing else the menu is unique, not the same overpriced items that so many of these clone restaurant groups serve in this region. In addition to the main courses that were ordered we bought a number of desserts. I probably shouldn’t review those due to how much alcohol I consumed (but I will anyway). Good thing I can walk to this place or there would have been an issue that night.
The Food (and drinks) at The Stanley in Charlotte
So how was the food at The Stanley? Overall good. First the drinks. I started off with the Stanleyville which is their version of an Old Fashion, that was excellent. The beet cocktail was also interesting in a good way. Some of the dishes could have done with a little help, the cold beet soup was kind of a miss for all of us. The cornbread was somewhat under whelming also. One of the highlights was the Kobe Tartar. it was tasty with an egg that added a nice texture, this is something I will order again.
Three out of four of us agreed the real star and (the reason we came) was the burger. It is a travesty that somehow The Good Year House ranks higher than the Stanley on Axios Charlotte. Or maybe not a travesty, something planned given the paper seems to rank places on the size of the “donations” they receive.
The burger at the Stanley was fresh, the bun was perfectly toasted with a unique flavor. It felt like there was something to it, like it had substance. I got the special on a Wednesday, one shot of bourbon, one beer and a burger. A bit much at $50 for all three, still the burger is on my top ten list of best burgers in Charlotte. No need for a special sauce or any other shenanigans, just a solid burger. Of course, you need an empty bar to enjoy it, but maybe that is part of the charm?
The Desserts
If I am going to do this review of the Stanley correct, I should at least mention the desserts. There were three if I can remember through the wine. No, it is coming back to me, we definitely order three of them, which is apparently a theme when dining out for me. One thing about all their food was it was beautiful to look at. The first item was a Swiss Roll, a chocolate dish, which I enjoyed immensely. The best part was the tart ice cream that came with the dessert. I think ours was a mango, but the flavor varies. The carrot cake was solid. We also went after a cheesecake. Being one of those Snobby particular New Yorkers, I judge cheesecake harshly. Theirs was fine. The desserts were not mind blowing, but solid and worth getting.
The Service
I thought the servers did a great job. We sat at the bar, so it was a little easier on the staff, but there were no complaints. The bar at the Stanley was well designed, and the bartender made an excellent cocktail. He was very personable as was everyone in the place.
The owner who was weirdly particular about where you ate the burger, was a great guy. Yes, we only spoke to him for a couple of minutes. It is nice to see an actual owner/chef in the place I am eating. That is becoming rarer these days. Instead, most eateries have a restaurant manager from some corporate group that is slowly growing into an Outback Steakhouse. The Stanley in Charlotte is how I believe restaurants should be, owned by the chef. I do not know much about the ins and outs of a restaurant (I should really bus tables or something to learn). I do know that the further an owner gets from his spot the more boring and generic a place becomes.
Conclusion: The Stanley in Charlotte
It is nice to write a positive review for a change. Some say I lean toward the negative, possibly because I usually hate everything. This is a place I plan on returning. The dining area was very nice but enjoyed the vibe of the bar as well. I live close enough to add it to my rotation and with an ever-changing menu I will find a reason to go back.