"Dining at Alexander Michael’s is a right of passage. Located in Charlotte’s historic Fourth Ward neighborhood, Al Mike’s — an enchanting little tavern restaurant situated in a house from the 1890s — has cemented itself into the city’s food culture for more than four decades. The menu includes it all: beef stroganoff, burgers, blackened catfish, and even a Creole-spiced burrito. The storied walls decked out in colored lights and vintage beer and sports memorabilia give this tavern a wildly nostalgic air. Even the waitlist is still an old-fashioned, penciled-in crowd. As visitors wait on the corner for their names to be called by the veteran host, it’s not uncommon to make friends or peek through the window to gawk at other people’s food. Al Mike’s feels especially warm and cozy on a chilly winter night." - Kayleigh Ruller