Address: 4249 Park Rd, Charlotte, NC 28209 (unknown)
Charlotte has finally gotten into the speakeasy scene, just now beginning to catch up to the fad that hit the rest of the country. Dot Dot Dot in Charlotte, NC is a nice addition to the city, being the first of its kind that I know of. Unless of course the others are so well hidden that I don’t realize they exist. The bar does a reasonably good job of keeping the prohibition style speakeasy vibe. Located in the back of the Park Road shopping center, you wouldn’t even know it existed. In fact, when I called the bar, whoever answered barely knew how to get me there. It was as if I wanted directions to Area 51. Then strangely, after closer examination a mystic apparition appears in the form of three employees standing outside the door. I will be the first to admit I am hard on a lot of places in Charlotte, but Dot Dot Dot in Charlotte NC brings a lot to the table…
The Good: Dot Dot Dot (writing this name is already getting annoying) does the most important thing right; serving top notch drinks. I started with a Manhattan, because it was talked up at our table by the many bourbon experts present. The drink lived up to its hype. A perfect ratio of bourbon and a high quality sweet vermouth it was almost worth the hefty $14 price tag, but they forgot the diamond ice cubes (ok there are no ice cubes in a Manhattan). I moved on to one of their house specialties the Truffle New York Sour. Sometimes it is amazing to me how someone can come up with a drink like this. I am not sure if the mixologist used a wand and cauldron to make this, but it was unique. My only problem with the drink was, after about 5 sips the truffle became a little overpowering. This is something to experience once and then move on. At $15 a drink that is probably for the best. Lastly, I tried their Old Fashion, once again I was not disappointed, one thing is certain, the mixologists working here are extremely talented.
On to the food, one surprising aspect of the menu was the octopus. I never expected to find good octopus at a speakeasy in Charlotte, but I never expected a prohibition style speakeasy in Charlotte, so I was wrong on both accounts. The char was great, a nice blackening on the outside, with a classic chewy texture. It was served with appeared to be a crispy chorizo sausage. It isn’t written up like that on the menu, but it was nice surprise. The mix of spice with a bite of the chewy octopus worked well.
Overall, I loved the design of the place, with a class gingerbread ceiling accompanied by copper inserts, a beautiful bar with walnut accents and a roomy, yet somewhat crowded enviroment that even Jay Gatsby could appreciate. It was strange to walk into such an exceptional place in the Park Road shopping center, but that is the idea of a prohibition style speakeasy.
The Bad: We ordered one other dish besides the octopus and that was the oysters on the half shell appetizer. Unfortunately, this was not as successful, it was six raw oysters for around $14, it was so underwhelming I wanted my hunger back… It was classic Charlotte style of less for more, as if it is a privilege to pay such high amount for such a small quality of food.
The noise level was also unpleasant to say the least. Dot Dot Dot in Charlotte was sold as a quaint upscale establishment, and the prices and quality of drinks certainly support that. The noise level on the other hand almost screams college bar. I went on a Thursday and I had difficulty talking to the person in front of me and the waitress. The noise led to my wife getting the wrong drink, since the waitress couldn’t hear her. I am fairly certain I was still charged for said drink.
The Ugly: Dot Dot Dot in Charlotte is somewhat perplexing to me. I understand, Charlotte has no other speakeasy, but the prices and terms are not necessary for the location. The bar is a great addition, but they are not as upscale as they think they are. It is like an arena league quarterback strutting around as if he is Peyton Manning. First, the location is an odd choice. I am used to going to a speakeasies in New York, where you can walk to them. Something about having to drive to the Park Road shopping that makes this place lose a bit of its luster I, on one hand, called for directions and the guy was a bit vague as to were it was located. On the other hand, there were three people outside checking ID’s to get into it. I wasn’t around during the 1920’s, but I am pretty sure that their speakeasies didn’t have hostesses waiting by the unmarked door.
I mentioned the expense several times in this post and that is mainly because I had an ever so slight heart attack when I looked at my bill. I did pay for three people, but this bill made my student loans look small. I left there not particularly drunk (which is not good, because I wasn’t driving) and not particularly full, but I was lighter in the wallet area. My main problem with this establishment is I am paying Ritz prices for a place located in a shopping center. Between the costs, membership, dress codes etc., its all a bit pretentious . They are a good bar, don’t get me wrong, but don’t expect to see royalty here.
The website points to this as well, when mentioning the membership. It states getting a membership doesn’t mean you won’t have to wait, just that you can’t get in without the exclusive $10 membership which anyone can buy online. Overall this is a really good bar, a new favorite in Charlotte, but they know it… Something tells me this isn’t the last speakeasy we will see in the city. Once one good thing comes here the fad flood gates open. First pho, breweries, exit strategies, trust me a glut of speakeasies isn’t far behind. I wish soup dumplings would jump on that fad train….
The Verdict 6.5 out of 10: Generous, maybe … (pun intended), but it is hard not to like this bar. The drinks are expensive, but they are also very well made and unique. The octopus was good, but the other dish I tried fell flat. Overall, I would recommend trying this spot out for yourself. Be sure to get dressed up, get mildly annoyed looking for it, and clear out your bank account. Is it as good as the places in New York? Maybe not, but it will do in a pinch and is definitely worth checking out…
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