Rada

This place has potential, but I think they are being a bit pretentious at the moment. Everything is a touch overpriced for what you get. $19 for a cocktail, but served in a chipped glass that I almost cut my lip on. Trendy vibe and decor inside, but no sound dampening efforts have been made to a very small space, so it's super loud. $24 for a plate of 10 tiny clams - that's right, 10. They were delicious, but I can't even get a baker's dozen? Then comes the server's opening dialogue when you sit down - I am growing tired of them. "Have you dined with us before?" No, you've only been open a few months. Then proceeds to explain how it's a sharing menu and you need to order 2-3 snacks, 2-3 small plates, and 1-2 large plates - for 2 people mind you. I've dined at fancy restaurants around the world, I get this isn't The Cheesecake Factory. And I looked at your menu and pictures before booking the impossible reservation that only is available for 2 weeks out at a time, so spare me the condescending PSA please - I'm pretty sure I know how to order! The menu supposedly changes daily, but 75% of what we saw on it this weekend was listed online from when they opened. This isn't Manhattan, guys - you might fool a few wealthy Charlotteans that yearn for more 'it-spots' in our growing city, but you won't fool any Michelin inspectors that will be reviewing the Southeast for their upcoming guide. Please get over yourselves, rethink some of your approaches and reel it in a bit, and then call me!

Tucked into a cozy space in Charlotte, Rada makes a strong first impression with its candlelit tables, white linens, and intimate, energetic atmosphere. The interior feels chic without being pretentious—stylish, slightly packed, but warm and buzzing with conversation. It’s the kind of spot that feels both celebratory and casually cool. We kicked off with cocktails—I ordered a martini, which was crisp and well-balanced, served ice cold with a bay leaf for a subtle aromatic twist. The drink menu is creative and clearly well thought out. For wine, we shared a bottle of 2021 Antoine Sanzay “Les Poyeux” Saumur Champigny—a smooth, expressive Cabernet Franc that paired beautifully with the rest of the meal. The appetizers were where the night really started to shine. The clams in broth were an absolute standout—briny, buttery, and layered with delicate green aromatics that gave it real depth. Another hit: the potato side. These came out golden and perfectly crisp, seasoned just right and hard not to keep reaching for. We shared the 32 oz steak as our main—a hearty cut that was juicy and flavorful, dressed in a savory pan sauce. The pork rib was another highlight, expertly cooked and generously portioned. The flavors throughout the meal felt thoughtful and bold, without trying too hard to impress. For dessert, we split a slice of chocolate cake—intensely rich but not overly sweet, finished with whipped cream and dark cherries. A satisfying close that didn’t overwhelm the palate. Service was friendly and attentive, striking a great balance between casual and professional. Rada feels like a neighborhood spot that’s been elevated just enough to make a night out feel special.

Absolutely delicious, would highly recommend! Carrie was an amazing server! Patient and explained everything amazingly well. The food was delicious and the portions were more than reasonable. Not cheap but you definitely get the quality you're paying for.

This restaurant is spectacular for Charlotte. Having lived in Boston, LA, DC, and Paris, with extensive travel to other major cities - THIS is what Charlotte needed. It gives West Village, neighborhood bistro vibes. It is something sophisticated, yet versatile. You can go on a Wednesday night for a casual dinner with your partner, or dress up and use it to celebrate a special occasion. Both are equally appropriate. The food is interesting, and while they don’t reinvent the wheel, it’s all done well. And I love that it rotates. Some favorites I’ve hard - Strip loin with au poivre sauce. Absolute perfection. Seems expensive at face value, until you realize it’s 2 pounds! Priced on par, by weight, with a porterhouse at a steakhouse. And yet it’s better than what I’ve had at any steakhouse in Charlotte. The meatball skewers were loaded with flavor, and a nice heat from the harissa. The Gildas are a MUST. So good. I’ll eat 3 every time I go. Not normally a huge anchovy person, but these have such a wonderful flavor. The veal tonne is so flavorful and delicious. Classic with a modern presentation. The celery salad is awesome! Needed a quick mix at the table so you’d get the sauce/dressing with every bite, but awesome. The hazelnut gave it a really nice depth. Agnolotti - just say yes. And if they have the veal Milanese, give it a try. With brown butter and breadcrumbs that they make from their house-made bread, it’s quite nice. As for drinks, the wine list is very much a IYKYK style, with bottles that offer a great value. The cocktails are some of my favorite in town too - if you like a dirty martini, there’s no better martini in CLT than the San Sebastian. Made with a basque pepper brine instead of olive juice, such a fantastic riff. And then there’s the service. Incredibly attentive and professional. Even when they know your name and the answer, they’re going to ask your party if everyone has dined there before - they don’t want to assume you’ve given the rundown to other members in your party, and want to offer an overview. The staff knows the menu inside out, and will get as nerdy and technical as you want about flavors and preparation of dishes, or they’ll keep it high level with “I like X from each section of the menu”. It’s quickly become one of my favorite places and I wish we had more places like this in CLT - rather than the mediocre, “me to”, hugely commercial spots that all make the same thing. Rada is a breathe of fresh air to this city.

Since it opened earlier this year, Rada quickly became our favorite restaurant in Charlotte. The food and atmosphere is incredible and unique, plus they have hands down the best martinis and clams in Charlotte. Coming from Brooklyn this is exactly what this city needed!

Loved Rada in Charlotte, North Carolina. The space is small, but very quaint. Beautiful color scheme and very clean looking. They had about an eight person bar. Not sure if it’s first come, first serve. They had a very solid cocktail and drink menu. I ended up getting a straight up dirty martini, but then also got a glass of white wine recommended by our server. I loved that the wine menu wasn’t . The food menu had something for everybody and had a lot of interesting dishes. We ended up getting the veal Tino, the celery salad and the tuna. We also had to go for the $163 striploin. I was hoping they still had the au poivre sauce, but they had a red wine sauce, which was out of this world. Even the celery salad was delicious. It had amazing texture and flavor. My only negative was one of our friends was 20 minutes late. I definitely don’t agree with that, but our server kept pressuring us to order. I guess they have to turn the tables around, but we were literally getting an ultimatum when my friend walked in. But yes, my friend shouldn’t have been late…. I would recommend Rada for a special occasion. It was really expensive but worth every dollar. Would definitely go back for a birthday or anniversary.

Frequently rotating seasonal menu. Flavors range from light and delicate (celery salad) to pleasantly herbaceous (celeriac ravioli and agnolotti) to bold and rich (veal milanesa). Be sure to get the strawberry and cream dessert.

Beautiful quaint place with excellent service! The food wasn't my favorite but the service made up for it. We tried the veal, meatballs, clams, and halibut. The martini and meatballs were by far the best part!

All around an excellent experience. Here's what we ordered! - cheese & honey along with coppa (coppa is a MUST it was delish) - meatballs (have a harissa kick!) - tuna carpaccio (so fresh - a must) - lamb bolognese (another MUST) - potato pavè (a very yummy classic) - striploin (blew my mind) - chocolate torta (loved the tartness of the cherries) - Tokyo martini (delish.) I loved everything about our experience at Rada. The food is devine and the staff was exceptional. Everyone working there was so kind to guests, happy :), and I could tell they were helpful to one another. So excited to come back

So rad that Rada is now open! This is the kind of restaurant that I'm so happy to see in Charlotte. It's high quality, with a unique, curated menu. Inside, the space is on the smaller side with a bar and maybe 20 small tables. It feels intimate. The service is very helpful. Our server did a great job explaining the dishes and advising us on how much food to order. After getting seated, we were given complimentary glasses of sparkling wine since we were celebrating our anniversary. Such a nice touch! We ordered the Selwyn Spritz and Orange Mule to drink, which were both refreshing and prepared well. The cocktail/mocktail options on the menu are not too sweet. They also have a good variety of wines by the glass and bottle, including an orange wine from Slovenia. To eat, we started with 2 gildas and 2 meatballs with harissa. Then came the veal tonne and the lamb bolognese with bread. I loved the variety of flavors, textures, and preparations. The menu has a Spanish/Mediterranean bend, with dishes I haven't seen elsewhere. We ended our meal with the pannacotta served with olive oil, honey comb, and sea salt. Again, not overly sweet, with unique flavors and textures. We agreed that this dessert felt very "adult" - in a good way. Highly recommend Rada for an intimate outing or celebration if you're looking to try something new and have a nice time doing it!

Service was A++++++++. Carlos was informative, helpful, and fast. The food was delicious! One complaint and it's silly but the walls are barren. Sad and empty. Like we landed on a new planet and there was nothing. Emptiness. Still, I highly recommend.

Rumor has it that this place just opened a couple weeks ago. The vibe is fancy, you can come here with your better half, for girl's night out, or like me a new hire welcome dinner. I arrived to the restaurant, we had reservations and were immediately seated. TJ was so nice and made me a mocktail, super delicious. I asked for something sweet and he delivered a tasty ginger orange mocktail. We ordered multiple items from the snacks & skewers, small plates, and large plates menu - croquetta, meatball harissa, tuna carpaccio, chorizo, lamb bolognese , sea bass and bavette. Hands down my favorite was lamb bolognese, the ricotta was a perfect add to the dish. I can't forget we ended the night with the most perfect and unique panacotta - drizzled with a honey olive oil, three dollops of honeycomb crunch, and lastly sprinkled with sea salt. This place is definitely worth a try, if you are looking for an upscale evening. Note the menu items changes daily. Loved the all gender bathrooms that were stocked with Aesop soap and lotion products. The restaurant has very dim lighting (please excuse my photo quality) and is a quite loud restaurant.

Rada was overall a great experience! I loved the restaurants charm from the small cozy atmosphere and the curated menu with some unique dishes, the beef tartare was a great starter and the chicken with swish chard, jus was so tender and had a great flavor. Lastly, the service was above and beyond many restaurants I've been to

This restaurant is definitely not allergen friendly. Not only did we call head to confirm that they could accommodate celiac, we also confirmed with the waiter twice when ordering. One of our dishes came out with obvious gluten on it and the server who brought it out (not our waiter) was dismissive to the point of rude when we asked about it. I can only assume that one of our other three dishes had gluten in it, because after eating at this restaurant I had one of the worst gluten flareups I've had at any restaurant here in Charlotte. Very disappointing, but if you have allergies, there are many wonderful restaurants here in the area that take them very seriously - go try one of those instead!!