BackStage Lounge at SouthBound

This was a fun place in the SouthEnd(touted as a Speakeasy)... wherein you find the password to get in on their Facebook page each week) to go for drinks before dinner or after a sporting event. Crowded, but worth the time for a short visit to experience the festive atmosphere at Christmas. Will have to make another visit after the New Year to see what is offered. No cash bar, only plastic accepted. Festive cocktails are offered and served in festive mugs or glasses during the holidays.

I’ve been looking for a chill spot since moving back here from Atlanta. The food was actually the first food I’ve like eating out since being back. My waitress was kind , and my drinks were tasty.

Such a cool spot! I went for their Christmas in July, and it was decked out beautifully. Had Christmas music and movies playing. The drinks definitely are not skimped on the liquor that’s for sure lol. Apparently they do different themes through out the year so I can’t wait to try them out again. I ate before I went so I didn’t try any food items, but the drinks I had were delish. If you go, make sure you check them out online to find out the password for the wk to get inside.

We went to Miracle the Christmas bar (12/9) they really went all out for Christmas!! Ambiance: amazing! So many Christmas decorations, they make it "snow" with dish soap from a machine. They play Christmas movies with the sound off and the dj is amazing!!!! He played solely Christmas music but they were rap remixes. Drinks: the drinks were expensive and honestly I didn't think they were all that good. But the mugs are so fun, they are also available for purchase. Seating: it was mostly standing room only. The bar is fairly small. We ended up getting a table but just because we were standing next to it when the group was leaving. The wait: we got there at 9:15 on a Saturday with the expectation of having to wait. We ended up waiting around 45 minutes. The wait really wasn't bad though because it was inside, there were fun decorations in the hall, you can clearly hear the music still, and you can order a drink from the southbound take out window to sip on while you wait. Once inside it was pretty crowded so we had to wait for drinks too but the bartenders were working hard and it moved fast. Definitely a super fun experience!!

I come here quite often for their different theme options for the holidays. I went for Valentines Day, and all of a sudden, things changed. You needed a reservation, over 2 hr wait, you couldn't even go to bar to get a drink. Everything was seated. Very dumb. We t last year this was not the problem. It was fun and social. First come, first serve. Smh

Loved this place! Came for the secret garden and it was so cute! Drinks were amazing, bartenders were friendly!

Had a great time until the end, the drinks were mostly just alcohol taste, and that's the only time at the beginning we got something from the waitress it was mostly the bartender that we interacted with and got our last drink from. Then the waitress at the end came and intimidated us asking why we didn't tip enough which makes us never want to come again. I had cash to tip at the end but I decided not to leave any based off the waitress attitude.

I normally never do reviews, but i feel this one is needed. We were super excited about coming here, had been looking forward to it for over a month of preplanning. The male waiter/bartender checked on us the most, the female didn’t check on us but for 3ish times. The drinks were SUPER strong, basically straight alcohol, at $15 a piece. We got 5 drinks for $80. We tipped $5 on card because 15% was around $15. We were going to tip the male in cash since he took care of us the most. The female came up to us shortly after we checked out with the male and asked if the service was good. We said it was fine/okay, to which she replied “Okay, so then why did you only tip 7%?” & before we could even process what was happening, she huffed & begrudgingly mumbled ‘have a goodnight’. We decided then and there that the unprofessional behavior did not warrant us to tip them in cash. I am extremely disappointed and do not plan on returning thanks to this encounter. ):

This is the 2nd time I have been here. Each month they show off a different theme that comes with different menu and catered drinks to that theme. I went this time because it's a spring and blossom theme.. You also must know the password to get on. Which if you follow them on Insta, you will see they posted it. James our bartender was great.. my drinks were perfectly made. Ambiance is more geared towards #girlsnightout or a first date. They do serve beers and have an extensive whiskey collection. This is a must stop in when you're in Charlotte.

Such a cool spot! I went for their Christmas in July, and it was decked out beautifully. Had Christmas music and movies playing. The drinks definitely are not skimped on the liquor that's for sure lol. Apparently they do different themes through out the year so I can't wait to try them out again. I ate before I went so I didn't try any food items, but the drinks I had were delish. If you go, make sure you check them out online to find out the password for the wk to get inside.

We went to Miracle the Christmas bar (12/9) they really went all out for Christmas!! Ambiance: amazing! So many Christmas decorations, they make it "snow" with dish soap from a machine. They play Christmas movies with the sound off and the dj is amazing!!!! He played solely Christmas music but they were rap remixes. Drinks: the drinks were expensive and honestly I didn't think they were all that good. But the mugs are so fun, they are also available for purchase. Seating: it was mostly standing room only. The bar is fairly small. We ended up getting a table but just because we were standing next to it when the group was leaving. The wait: we got there at 9:15 on a Saturday with the expectation of having to wait. We ended up waiting around 45 minutes. The wait really wasn't bad though because it was inside, there were fun decorations in the hall, you can clearly hear the music still, and you can order a drink from the southbound take out window to sip on while you wait. Once inside it was pretty crowded so we had to wait for drinks too but the bartenders were working hard and it moved fast. Definitely a super fun experience!!

It's all decorated for Christmas ‍ It took FOREVER to get into here (12/2) because the line was so long but it was so fun and the DJ was great! He played a mix of christmas, pop, and edm! The mugs are so festive and you can actually buy them if you like them! It's a pretty small bar and honestly a lot of fun but very hard to get into. 7/10 experience

What a cute place perfect for date night or cocktails with your girlfriends. This speakeasy is a little hidden in the heart of southend and super cute. It has a more intimate feeling but you can also meet a group of friends there. Best of both worlds. They have themed cocktails depending on the decoration. We went during their pink valentines themed nights and the drinks did not disappoint. Come check this place out before your next girls night out or meet your next date here!

Sooooooo freaking cute! It was decorated all festive for the holidays and I loved it! Heard about this place from a friend and was finally able to go. It has a speakeasy vibe and who would have thought it would be behind southbound of all places. But it is great! The drinks were delicious, they had their holiday menu and we ordered the snowman old fashion and the Krampus. The tables were first come but we were able to get a table pretty quickly. Definitely can't wait to go back and try their normal menu.

No food only drinks. Christmas drinks in unique cups. Still a bit takin back by this holiday trendy place. Came here for friends bday following dinner in Uptown. There was a long line to get into this smaller place and it is quite decorated for the holiday complete with multiple fake snow contraptions mounted below the ceiling. This place was very crowded with a long line waiting to check it out. They offered drinks while we waited in the line that came from the main bar. My friend ordered a margarita and myself, my wife and the birthday girl ordered a mule to tied us over. Having drinks while waiting in line was a nice jester but they were poor mixed and tasted incredibly bad. The margarita that my friend ordered tasted like straight margarita mix with very little tequila. Most of the customers were 20 something's. I liked the unique drink glasses for their specialty drinks including a unicorn, goblin, and a few others. Prices of drinks were what we expected for a seasonal novelty bar. Once was enough for me. Not my crowd and I am not a crowd person. Give it a shot if you like waiting in line, poorly mixed drinks and a crowded spot with minimal seating. Cheers to ya! Enjoy and happy holidays.

Once we got inside, we really loved this place! Drinks were super good and the vibes are GREAT! The music was on point too. The only I have to say.. make this your only plan for the night. We waited about an hour in line to get it and that was my only gripe but would say it was worth the wait overall. For how busy it was the bar was pretty quick and the bartenders are nice!

Solid option if you're looking for a good drink with a theme. I visited for Christmas in July. Between my friends and I, we tried most of the speciality drinks and loved each one. Be sure to check the bar's social media for the password to enter!

James was very attentive and gave us an experience! He knows the menu well AND the drinks were amazing! He kept the conversation flowing and suggested great food options!! I will be back. Not to mention he was the only one working the entire night! Very impressive service under the circumstances.

Very cute concept with some unique custom cocktails. The night we went they were very understaffed so the bartender was stressed out but it was still fun. The cutest cocktail is the pink lady slippers.

I've now visited for both the Christmas pop-up and the Valentine's pop-up. Although both times the bar was well decorated for the occasion, I was unimpressed with the overall experience. Bartenders were rude at the Christmas pop-up which I thought might have been due to how busy the bar was, but unfortunately, I found them even more rude at the empty Valentines bar. Condescending comments were made to my friend whom I visited with and we were treated as if we were a burden. Drinks are festive, but simply just fine. Quality does not align with price.

I love backstage lounge! It's such a cute date night or girls night spot. They have a drink menu that changes regularly and a appetizer menu in case you need a little bite to eat. They have such cute holiday pop up decor! Its a great place for a photo-op. They do Halloween, Christmas and Valentine's day! We went for the Valentine's day pop up, we didn't make a reservation but got a table just fine - there's was 3 of us! They have lots of parking but on the weekend but it may be difficult to snag a spot since they share it with Southbound.

This is a late review! I originally went during their Christmas themed bar night. Normally it is a speakeasy, you have to have a password and reservation to come. But it was open to the public for the christmas season, so I had to take advantage! I had the hot butter rum which was 5/5 . I don't think they're selling it anymore. Im not a huge old fashioned. I've had it before on their regular nights. The service isn't Bad. The hostess and bartenders are normally great. If you sit in the back the service could be better. They forget about you from time to time. But besides I had a great time! The ambiance and decorations are always nice too! More videos and reviews on my Tik Tok @SwaleEats

This was a fantastic little pop up bar, I came for the Miracle Pop Up during the holiday/Christmas event with some friends and what a great time! I'll start off with saying there was a long wait, so if you could get there early, it was the way to go! The decor was 10/10, lots of effort, ornaments everywhere, fake snow, stringed light, colorful bulbs, and lines of beads and Christmas trees. The drinks were very cool, the variety of crafted holiday cocktails were wide! I got the chrismapolitan, the Christmas cricket (a tequila drink), and also the naughty and nice shots! The atmosphere was great, lots of chatter and Christmas music with the movie Elf playing on the TVs scattered around the bar! Not too loud though! But just a lot of good energy! Service was decent, but of course it was a bit hectic with how many people were there! Great quality drinks, food was decent but also a bit overpriced for what it was, like the cheese plate and the éclairs, but they were a bit stale! lol the only other thing I wish, was that there was more food options! All in all, a very nice experience. I really loved this event and hope they will be doing it again next year.

We sat outside a few weeks ago and the heaters were not working very well on the patio. Our server was great and could tell she had a lot of experience. The food I ordered was 3 tacos with plantains. Let's just say the tacos need some work and we're not good I tried carne asada and pork belly and carnitas. The meat was hard and rubbery. I tried one drink of a smoke show - it was very light on the alcohol. I wish I could write a better review cuz the vibe here was awesome. I would say maybe better cooks. The most interesting part was the barber shop in the back by the bathrooms.

We did not see any food. It is next to a Mexican food restaurant. That the food looked good. The service was very nice. Th Ambience was Excellent! I would go back!

Had to see why the line was so long and definitely was worth the wait. The name's for the drink were very catchy and tasty just as good. My drink the Yippee Ki Yay Mother F****r had me feeling good. Staff were very nice and quick due to the the big crowd. Which was good based off the place we just left that took awhile. The decor was blast and brought a christmas adult edge.

First off, I have been here several times & it's always a hit ! They are a speakeasy and for the longest one of my honeycomb hideouts . But since the secrets out & they have decided to turn it into a Xmas pop up for the holidays I guess I'll share . The cocktails are super cute even when the Christmas pop up isn't going on . They make it super secret society by asking you for the secret password when you arrive . It's usually dark n gloomy inside which I low key like because it sets a certain mood . Be sure to check them out while the Xmas pop up is going on until Dec 31st .

Oh my goodness! What to say about this bar?? I visited on a Wednesday night during the Miracle Christmas popup. It was truly a magical winter wonderland! Plan ahead if you want to sit down at a table! When we arrived they were on a 90 minute wait for a table. We pretty easily found a spot at the bar and we were served in a reasonable amount of time based on the crowd. They had an excellent special menu of Christmas drinks and each drink had its own special glass and decor. They had three TV screens playing Christmas movies and Christmas music playing all evening. It was an absolutely magical evening and I cannot wait to visit again! Definitely go check it out!

Loved how hidden this spot was! This is a super cute and very well hidden speakeasy type spot and I'm here for it. I grabbed a parking spot at Southbound and just happened to park right in front of the entrance area. Which was great because I wasn't really sure where I was going. I was meeting some friends and they gave me great instructions. Once inside you pick up the cool old school phone and someone answers, they simply ask you the password and you tell them. I believe it's on their IG so make sure to double check that. It's super dark and dim light inside, which is cool. I didn't order anything because I was full from another event. It the vibes were high. My only complaint was the loud upbeat music on a Saturday night. I just feel like a speakeasy should be more chill and lowkey and calm, in regards to the music. If the music was more chill I would've loved it. Perhaps some R&B, something easygoing cool. That would've really set the mood for me personally. But I'm an old lady. I'd definitely come back though! It's a great experience and even though I didn't order anything the service was quick and attentive. Great spot!

Visited Xmas Eve for the holiday pop up and loved it. I saw a post about this place from one of my followers and knew I had to visit. When you arrive I would suggest parking in the backside of Southbound and entering through the back door since it's kind of hard to find. Also, check the IG for the password to gain access into the speakeasy. My friends and I had the Backstage Sliders and the Fingerling Potatoes which were all amazing. The sliders were my fav, juicy and flavorful. The Elfing Around was my favorite of the cocktails that I tried. Service was friendly and attentive.

After having a blast at the Mistletoe pop up, a group of girls and I came back for round two for galentines day! The experience was definitely elevated and the drinks were to die for. The up all night to get lucky was my favorite. With pink feathers hanging from the ceiling lights and a BSL Valentine's Day themed photo wall, this place is very instagrammable!

When: Friday 9:30pm party of 7 Drinks: 4/5 - I ordered the yippie ki yay mother f'er. It was a cool color but i was hoping to like it more. It was okay.. didnt expect it to be so sour. Others in my group loved the snowball old fashioned. We tried several other drinks too but I cannot remember the names. This place was cheaper than the royal tot which was good and Oh and the glassware/ceramic ware the drinks come in are so fun and cute. Service: 3.7/5 - Host was great, server was decent. Was kind of attentive but not as much as we hoped. Told us at the beginning we had a time limit for our large party which was understandable. But at the end told us we had to pay and leave and there were plenty of other empty booths near us. I get it- you have reservations in line but maybe kick us out when the reservations actually show up and the other booths are filled up first? Plenty of times reservations are no shows and you may have been able to get more business/drinks out of my group. Vibes: 4.8/5 - they had their Christmas themed pop up which was fun. Decorations were wonderful and themed drinks were cool. Packed and loud but that was the vibe we were going for. Nice "speakeasy" and would come again for the vibes. Other: parking lot on the side that could be filled. If so, find street parking nearby. This place is behind southbound on the left side. Go into the door that says barber/BSL and go to the BSL chalkboard. To your right there is a phone which you are supposed to pick up and say the password so they let you in. However, when we went they said the phone wasn't working and it was there as a prop.

We came at 7:00 pm on a Friday night and the place was packed! We were hoping to have dinner and drinks and experience a cool vibe for the Halloween pop-up. After about 15 min of waiting we were able to get drinks, but there was barely any room to stand, let alone sit. There were no stools at the bar, or the bar table tops. The decorations were on point and I wish we could have stayed, but it was very loud and crowded. I have no idea how we would have even been able to get food, even if we wanted to. We had one drink and left.

What an amazing night! We had a great time thanks to Scottie... the drinks were amazing, the ambiance super scary and lovely, according to this time of the year... ! points!!!

Love this little spot.... It's my new favorite place! The vibe was vibing and we had a great time. I NEED to know what scent and how they are pumping it in the air!

Took my fiancé there for a date night. We had a nice time. The Moscow Mule easily top 5 off all time

I'll be honest I wasn't blown away by this speakeasy. Let's start with the good... cool little entrance through a barber shop where you pick up a phone and say the password to enter. My group had reservations and we were early but they were able to seat us right away which was nice! The staff was super friendly and attentive, although the service was all around slow. There was live music along with some great 90s R&B tunes... not sure if that's the regular vibes or more it being Saturday and/or Valentine's Day -- either way I'm not complaining as I enjoyed the atmosphere. However, on the flip side, the service was TERRIBLY slow. We ordered our first round of drinks and they didn't come until almost 40 mins later. Not to mention it wasn't until 15 mins after we ordered that two of our bourbons weren't available and then were offered additional options that they were also out of. At that point they just went straight for recommending the most expensive instead of staying with our price point. Overall my point here is... the drinks should not take that long to get and if you're a contrail bar, you should probably plan accordingly to stock your bar so you're not out of everything as that is very frustrating and takes away from the experience. The drinks overall were very good (and we all had a couple), which is why I gave them 3 stars instead of 2. There are other speakeasies in the area that are far superior with service and ambiance that I will be going back to before this one.

The Xmas in July was so neat. The code to get in with the phone and the inside was put down to the max. The drinks were delicious and funny themed names. Recommend this speakeasy bar for a night night out

So I love this place , yesterday was my second time going . I went for the Christmas Pop Up but they Out did themselves with the Cupid Pop up . From the staff to drinks to the ambience, everything was perfect . I highly suggest the wine pairing it was on point . This by far was one of the best date night experiences I have had in Charlotte

Talk about a true speakeasy! Even after reading how to get in I had trouble figuring it out lol!! You have to go through the back and then it's super easy. The phone to get in is a super cute idea and sets the mood. The lounge is small but beautiful! It has both a old school and a hip modern feel. The decor and atmosphere is just my style and made me feel very comfortable and at home. Service is great and the food and drinks are fantastic. I love all the special themes and decor they do for the holidays but any time is a good time to visit.

Love me some speakeasy vibes, add the holiday season to it...unbeatable experience! Backstage is one of my favorite speakeasies here in Charlotte because of their cocktails, food, and friendly staff. This time around we went for The Miracle pop up have a variety of drinks to choose from...my favorite being the Christmapolitan (as pictured) because of how refreshing and flavorful it is and let's not pass on that beautiful color! We ordered the fingerling potatoes (smothered in cheese and bacon) and the sliders (2 seemed to be equivalent to one full burger) so we were pretty full after those two items. Everything around us looked delicious such as the charcuterie board and shrimp! We were very happy with our experience here and I can't wait to be back in Charlotte for a date night or with a group to settle into Backstage Lounge for a great time!

Really cool speakeasy in the heart of South end! To get in, you have to dial a telephone and say the password, very old school and the perfect way to get into a speakeasy. The inside is just as great, larger than you think with booth seating as well as regular seating. When we came on a Friday night, the wait for the 5 of us was about 10 minutes. There was also a DJ which was nice but a bit loud. Drinks were good but on the pricier side which we expected. I got the violet femmes which was good but strong! They even pour in the lemon juice in front of you which changes the color of the drink from dark blue to purple. friends got the mule and cucumber drink which they all liked so other good options. Overall a cool place to go out to!

Came here with few girlfriends during the holiday X-mas pop-up and we absolutely loved it! The exact location was bit confusing because it's tucked in the corner of the Southbound location but we were able to find it. Once entering, we felt like we were transported to a Winter Wonderland experience - make sure to check their Instagram page for the password to enter. The drinks were very festive and came in adorable mugs available for purchase. We all agreed we will definitely be returning! I highly recommend checking them out if you get the chance.

Great service ! I went once on a Sunday with no wait and on a Monday and had to wait about 10 mins! Had a crowd but with a small time standing, a bar seat soon came available.

A fun atmosphere during the holidays! They had a special drink menu with holiday flavors. Highly recommend if you are looking for something to do!

Drinks were nasty, we tried 4 different ones and none were good. Inside was super cute though and worth the stop! Maybe get a simple drink not from their cocktail menu

Painkiller was delicious I could taste every flavor as I took my sips and the nutmeg garnish added to the experience Great atmosphere for date night

We've been living in Charlotte for little under 3 years now, and this has become our favorite place to go for drinks and appetizers to date, and coming from two ppl who go to a new place every week, that's definitely saying a lot. The drinks were amazing. The appetizers were amazing. The service was AMAZING.

Drinks for the Christmas themed event were on point. We were there on the second to last day of the event and there were out of some things but the selection was still very good. Nice spot to hang out for to have a drink and they have some food options we didn't partake in but looked good from what we seen. Will be back for a cocktail or 2.

Me and my friend went to experience the Valentines theme and it was beautiful and nice. The drink menu was amazing and it matched the theme. We did not try the food however we went to the front part and the food was amazing. You do need a password to get in. The service was great and we found this place on Tik Tok !

I heard the vibe was speakeasy before I actually went , and thought , " Hmm, ok. This is different, hopefully in a good way," and it definitely was. Somehow you receive a passcode to give at the door ( a little dramatic , but cute ). Inside is quaint , and I believe most of the time there is live music. On this night, the vibe was very romantic. I enjoyed GREAT music ( pop, R&B, jazz , remixed live saxophone cover) and ambiance. To top it all off there was an interesting list of mixed drinks, but I chose a nice white wine and the raspberry cheesecake which was very fresh, soft . The almond flour crust wasn't bad either .

Great little South End speakeasy with a cool vibe. This is my new favorite bar in Charlotte! Came on a Friday night around 9pm. They first seated us at a high top table underneath a speaker and it was really hard to hear our conversation. So we decided to grab seats at the bar instead. We ordered drinks and a charcuterie board. Lots of drinks. They were mostly good, but not all were winners. There was a DJ spinning tunes until midnight. The bathrooms are in a hallway and there is a chalkboard with the code to get back in written on it.

We used to love this place. They closed to remodel and revamp the cocktails. Well the seating is nice but the cocktails are terrible. As we were entering a couple told us not to bother that the place is not worth it anymore but we decided to give it a try. Yeah, not worth it. The cocktails were not good. The place we dead...that should have told us everything we needed to know.

So I was completely unaware of this spot until a couple of weeks ago. The entire concept of having to have the password the entire a Speakeasy was not new to me. For this reason after visiting an awesome spot with this concept in ATL, I was very skeptical. After entering and being seated my skepticism was proven wrong. The vibe is super laid back but upbeat, dimly lit but not too sexy/romantic. It was a cool after dinner spot. My wife and I split the pumpkin cookie skillet and it was delicious once it was placed on the table. Nice and warm with the perfect(I could have taken another scoop lol) amount of ice cream to cool it. The taste just warmed taste buds. The drink ordered, I can not remember the name if it(please see pictures) was on point. I usually hate ordering mixed drinks bc I like to drink and they never taste how I prefer. This drink was spot on. The cinnamon sticks were smoking when they arrived which added to everything about the drink and location! Overall, I would definitely recommend as well as return to Backstage.

Wonderful little speakeasy beside Southbound. The entrance is kind of hidden, so we only recently discovered this place. You enter like you're going into the barber shop, but you'll see a little corridor off to the left where you enter and pick up a phone to provide the password. (Follow Backstage on IG to get it). They've got a small cocktail list or you can order whatever you like from their well-stocked bar. We each had a cocktail from the menu and then had a bartender's choice - all of the drinks were top-notch. Great service and great vibes. Food looked good too, but we weren't eating that night. We'll have to stop back in and try that next time.

I have to edit my review. I had not been to BackStage Lounge in 2 years. I loved this place, but unfortunately the ambience is no longer there. The new management brought in a new business model which does not fit the style or vibe of the bar. The staff was completely nonengaging. The charcuterie plate was completely disappointing and we had to wait almost 25 minutes to have it arrive. The only way to get the bar staff attention was to call them out to get service. Keep in mind, when we were there I counted 18 customers so it was not like they were overwhelmed with orders. Unfortunately I do not think I will return.

the bar itself was a super cute vibe. loved the decorations and the idea. but the drink prices were crazy! I got 3 liquor drinks with soda water and it was close to $55. meanwhile you can go down the road and get the same thing for $24. it was a cute place to maybe to hangout but probably won't be back due to pricing and service.

As a cocktail fanatic, I was really excited to check this place out but unfortunately, I found it to be a bit of a flop. I love the idea of a speakeasy and the secret entrance next to the barber shop and pay phone to enter is really fun. It is a bit bare on the inside, but that could be due to Covid. It felt kind of like a frat party between the lights, music, overall atmosphere but I can see that appealing to a lot of people in CLT. Next, drinks. We ordered the Grateful dead and along the watch tower. The watch tower was okay.. as a rye lover I was really excited about this one but none of the flavors were very pronounced and it was SUPER sweet. The Grateful Dead was horrible. Waaaay too much going on and honestly tasted like beer, cheap tequila and an ash tray. Our server was really nice and allowed us to take our time with drinks without bothering us. Another plus is that they have their own parking lot, which is hard to come by in south end. If you are looking for a fantastic drink, there are many other places in Charlotte I would recommend over Backstage lounge. However, for a fun one off date night it is still something new and different to check out!