The Crunkleton
Cocktail bar · Elizabeth ·
Classic cocktails, hearth-cooked mains, and a deep whiskey selection
Classic cocktails, hearth-cooked mains, and a deep whiskey selection
"At the Crunkleton, service and steak are the standouts. This upscale spot has unparalleled class (and the comfiest, plushest bar seats in the city). Over at the bar, bartenders show off the specialty bourbons and indulge patrons in a little chit-chat while chopping ice from a gigantic ice block. It feels like a flex. Real ones know to reserve a table at the Crunk in advance, order an Old Fashioned, and pair it with the food-coma-inducing chorizo mussels and the chimichurri-drenched hanger steak. Conclude the evening with a nightcap stop next door at the moody back bar of Puerta, the Crunkleton’s sister restaurant." - Kayleigh Ruller
"Tuesdays in Charlotte are exponentially better thanks to The Crunkleton’s special, where a whopping 42-ounce tomahawk rib-eye steak is half-priced. Come here on a double date, order the steak, and get to work. The Crunkleton doesn’t stop at its steaks; it also has an impressive bar program, with drinks like Saturn, an amaro, gin, and passionfruit cocktail, or A Dusty Cactus, which combines tequila, habanero shrub, and mole bitters. Bartenders here know what they’re doing and will craft a next-level Old Fashioned using bourbon from the restaurant’s sweeping wall of whiskeys (some so rare that they’re locked up). The guests — young, old, local, or visiting — are generally dressed dapper and ready to feast." - Kayleigh Ruller
"I learned that Jordan Joseph got his start at the Crunkleton, a famed Chapel Hill spot." - Erin Perkins
"The Crunkleton adheres to a traditional brunch menu but adds a clever Crunkleton touch — creamy, cheesy hashbrowns, an omelet with Swiss chard and asparagus, a BLT with a basil pesto aioli. The price point, on the higher side, reflects the generous portions of fresh ingredients and polished service. Walk-ins can be tough to grab, but if possible, the bar seats are the comfiest in Charlotte, and the bartender’s attention to service is just as refined as the creamy espresso martini and loaded bloody mary." - Kayleigh Ruller
"For dinner, head to the Elizabeth neighborhood, with its Craftsman-style charm that dates to the 1920s. Start with a Gin Gin Mule—a mashup of a mojito and a Moscow mule—at The Crunkleton; it’s a private club, meaning you’ll need to secure a $10 annual membership when you make a reservation."
