Soul Gastrolounge

We were finally able to check out Soul 2.0 on a Saturday night, with a RSVP via Tock... Unlike the smaller original location, the new place is very lofty, with plenty of chairs (and a few swanky booths). Right away, I preferred this new Soul over the old...primarily because of the generous space (which may mean shorter wait list and easier RSVP's?), and easy parking. Not only spacious, the ambiance was posh, yet relaxing at the same time. Like the original location, the place was darkly lit, and had a clubby vibe. The sound system was superb, featuring this relaxing House-lounge type music. We tried the Ahi Tuna Skewers...and they were surprisingly good! Not only beautifully presented and delicious, these skewers were so plentiful. We nearly got full with just this one dish! We also enjoyed their tasty Brussels Sprouts as a side, and this sensational sushi roll (Midnight Tokyo?). Then of course, we both ordered their signature Pork Belly Tacos. Like anyone who's tried this, we're a fan of this fun fusion creation. I was even impressed with their cocktail, "Nick Cave Suit"...so rich, smooth and strong! My husband and I agreed that everything we tried was remarkably good...as in AMAZING. Even the service was on point. Our waiter was a pro...as he made everything seem effortless! In a way, not too surprising that this new Soul continues to be one of the best restaurants in Charlotte. THE only downside (for me) is that it's still located so far away from where we live. No matter, I'm sure we'll be returning. So glad this place is back...and hopefully here to stay!

What a great feeling to have Soul back! We made a reservation 2 weeks in advance, seats fill up quickly. Once we arrived I was impressed - huge building and big free parking lot. The entrance is a little bit hidden on the side. We don’t had a wait time and were able to choose between in and outside seating. We came with our one year old and unfortunately, no high chairs were available. The service was great, food came out fast and delicious! Must try - pork belly tacos, sushi & the flatbread was amazing. We visited the last time in 2022 and so glad to be able to go again and have the same atmosphere and great food!!

My wife and I were absolutely thrilled to see the doors of Soul open again. It's safe to say this spot was sorely missed! We were so happy to see that many of our beloved menu items made a triumphant return. We kicked things off with the Fried Goat Cheese and the Fried Meatballs, and let me tell you, both were mind-blowingly flavorful—the perfect warm-up. From there, we dove into a feast: tender Shrimp Dumplings, rich Veal Short Ribs, the addictive Soul Fries, and the unique Philly Roll. Seriously, every single plate was a winner (and yes, we managed to squeeze in some edamame, too!). A pro-tip for first-timers: Since it's tapas, order in waves. You're going to want to try everything, but trust me, you'll need the table space! Everything comes out fresh and hot when it's ready, so embrace the delicious chaos. The vibe was just as good as the food. The house music was pumping, the lights were perfectly dimmed, and everyone—from the patrons to the super-friendly staff—was genuinely vibing. The DJ kept the energy high all night. A huge shout-out to the manager who stopped by for a nice, organic chat, and especially to our amazing server, Bri (hope I spelled that right!). She was attentive, efficient, and played along perfectly with my special request: embarrassing my wife for her birthday! The look on her face when Bri brought out the decadent Chocolate Bread Pudding with Caramel Ice Cream (complete with a candle!) was priceless. We'll absolutely be back. So happy to have Soul back in our lives!

11/5/2025, if there was a 10 star option I would choose that. This place has the food and vibe!! I have been waiting for this place to open back up! It's been a long time waiting and of course it did not disappoint!!! Our server was awesome as well. I ordered a little bit of a lot! Truffle fries, avocado stack, shrimp ceveiche, pork belly tacos, and the Asian shortrib. Everything was delicious but I will say the short rib was not my favorite but wanted to try something new. For dessert I ordered The baklava ice cream and it was phenomenal!! I forgot to order the tuna tacos!! Next time I will try some of their sushi rolls! My bill total was $93 + $20 tip. I did not order any alcoholic drinks, just had the famous cucumber water. Soul Gastrolounge is a place I always recommend to locals and visitors! The food, service, and atmosphere are great!! I highly recommend stopping here for dinner!! It will be packed on the weekend! I will say I miss the old location off Central Ave but they did an awesome job replicating the vibe of the original location. Welcome back Soul Gastrolounge!! You definitely hit some souls with this food and vibe!!

I am so happy to have Soul back in our community. I celebrated my 48th birthday here with a wonderful dinner amongst friends. I simply love all of the vegan options available and their drinks are simply the best. This is my second trip in less than 2 weeks since I heard of their reopening and it won't be my last. Welcome back Soul Gastrolounge!

Went here around 9:30 PM after a meeting and enjoyed the shareable small-plates vibe. The sashimi tuna tacos were super good, and the Korean wings had a nice gochujang kick (for me it was perfect; friend found it a bit too spicy, so fair warning). The lighting and ambience were dark and mellow with warm yellow light - not harsh, which I liked. Our server was super attentive and the facilities were clean. If you’re looking for evening plates + good vibes, this is a solid choice.

Girls night out! Definitely will be coming back! Food was phenomenal!! Cocktails were excellent! Service was great! Everyone was super attentive! Please keep that up it just makes the dining experience that much worth it! Overall ambiance was aesthetically pleasing, beautiful seating areas, loved the lighting. The only thing negative I'd have to say was the music was a bit too loud they should adjust it according to the crowd. Overall excellent night, can't wait to go back !

What a great experience with the bar staff and dining team! I ordered the classic and OG dish, Pork belly watermelon tacos and it was just like it was years ago! Ahhmazing! Other menu items were ordered: Spider roll, I dont care for sushi, but I don't like SG's! Brussels, were prepared well. It wasnt dry and lots if flavor Fried meatballs, at first glance the presentation is blah, but its jammed psck w flavor. Fried goat cheese bruschetta, how can anyone go wrong w goat cheese!! It was very good and easy to share. Shrimp skewer Fried oysters Cocktails: BeesKnees - honey, lemon and gin! Very refreshing IDK- watermelon and tequila, it was tasty but not my fav Dirty martini - very tasty

This restaurant food was so delicious. This was the spot!! It was odd and different in the most perfect way. I had my first bone marrow here and you guys no other place has been able to compete. Unfortunately, I don't know what happened but they closed down and it made me so sad. I heard they were supposed to open back up and I hope so. If you ever visit Charlotte this is a must visit. I'd return for some food for sure. The service was fast even when busy. The only thing I did not like is they are small so the tables are very close to each other. If you are looking for intimacy and privacy not the place but if you looking to meet others eat and have a good time I'd recommend. I have a video on my TikTok ask well https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZPRKNBBhJ/

RIP soul. Please come back sooner rather than later. This is my favorite restaurant in Charlotte without a doubt. It's always packed with a wait for a good reason. The cocktail selection hits every time and they're so delicious. The ambiance and low lighting sets the perfect date night mood. The menu variety will have you coming back. We miss you soul!

This was the best place we ate at on a recent trip to Charlotte. From a completely unique, one of a kind menu to the overall vibe. We thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience at Soul Gastrolounge. We tried a multitude of different options as the menu is just so unique. I can't say that any particular dish was my "favorite," but they were all great! You'll likely see other reviews referencing the Asian Glazed Pork Belly Tacos. There's a reason...... Just freaking try them, they're wild, and crazy, and awesome! I'd definitely eat here again on our next visit!!!

The hostess was great, the vibe was great, the food was good and the drinks are tasty but extremely overpriced. Thursday night about an hour waitlist. No worries, we put our name down and went downstairs to sisters for something small. Right at the hour mark we were texted for our table so we headed upstairs. It was pretty loud inside but it was packed and there was a dj. We sat on the back wall so at the tables for 2 that are super close to each other. I'm a tequila drinker but they were out of 2/3 tequila drinks on the menu this evening. Bummer. Anyways, the waitress suggested we try a pineapple margarita. Yum! Y'all, it was good but it was $14! Please see my picture for the 100%, no lies told portion size. At first I was like oh she's so sweet she split it in 2 cups so we could share and see if we like it. When the bill came it said 2 pineapple margaritas $28. So upset. The food was good. We had the fries, they came out fast but weren't very warm. My bf liked them. I didn't eat many. Lemon chicken skewers were juicy and flavorful. My favorite of the night. Banana foster dessert...delicious. The dj was vibing and it was overall a cute date night but I'm still upset about my drink lol.

What an absolute culinary experience. I wanted to take a friend somewhere for their birthday dinner and multiple people suggested Soul. I love that there are so many tapas to choose from and we tried quite a few. I started off with the Hey Yo, April drink. I'm a huge fan of Mezcal and this drink was spot on. It provided the smoky taste of Mezcal but was mixed very well. Be advised, it's a pretty strong drink so you won't need a lot during a night out. The southern fried wings came out piping hot. They are paired with a pickled pepper buttermilk dressing and it tasted delicious. The dressing has a little kick to it and it really compliments the perfectly coated wings. They were a great starter and I want to return to try the Korean wings on the menu as well. The shrimp ceviche was also very good. They come with plantain chips that are perfect for scooping the shrimp up. If you're a fan on ceviche you will be very satisfied with this dish. "My Maine Lobsta roll".. WOW. Not only is it presented beautifully with the lobster tail shell on top but it was so good. I loved the crunch of the tempura lobster in the roll which made for a great texture. It didn't come out with soy sauce but honestly it wasn't even needed. This dish you could eat as finger food and still be happy. My absolute favorite dish of the night were the Asian Glazed Pork Belly Tacos. Pork belly is one of my all time favorite dishes and they did this dish right. The flavors of the watermelon blending with the pork belly was something incredible. I honestly could not wait to keep taking a bite of the taco. You can tell that the chef has put a lot of thought and effort into getting these tacos to come out perfectly. I could eat a whole meal of the pork belly tacos alone and leave satisfied. I highly suggest trying out Soul and really taking yourself on an incredible culinary journey!

Great menu and outdoor patio....but seemed to fall short on the outcome. We came on a Thur night around 7:00PM and unfortunately missed the last open table outside so waited an hour to get seated. Some of the seats have a decent view of the CLT skyline. If you are a beer person, the selection is light and absent of local options. We started with White Bean Dip ($8) and it was the highlight of our meal. For an additional starter, we selected the Lemon Chicken Skewers ($9) and they were simply chicken grilled with no real seasoning/flavor. My bride ordered the Salmon-O-Pita ($12) and we didn't really see or taste any salmon (they took it back to the kitchen and looked under a spotlight and validated salmon was present). Since so many people were ordering sushi, I decided to order the Soul Roll ($13). It was okay. Service was good.....staff were busting tail to keep up with the volume. Hats off to them!

I've been visiting Soul as an out of towner for several years since my best friend lives here in CLT. It was love at first bite when she first brought me here almost 10 years ago and now it's a priority to dine here every time I'm in town. I even introduced my then co-worker, now husband to Soul when we started traveling here for work so its got sentimental feels for me too. I'd go so far as to say this isn't just my favorite restaurant in Charlotte, but easily in my top 3 restaurants anywhere. This place is hip and perfect for a sexy date night or girls night out. Super trendy with the wait times to prove it. To be fair though, on this last visit we were told it would be over an hour wait but was barely 30 mins before we got called in so they're moving tables pretty quickly. Even if it was a 2 hour wait, it is worth waiting every minute for! As the name "Soul" would imply, I'd describe it as a modern spin on soul food with a heavy Asian and Mediterranean flair. Classic favorites like their Dirty South Nachos are super indulgent fried chicken skins with pimento cheese sauce. They are probably most famous for their asian pork belly tacos with watermelon though. They do sell out of these so it's always best to get there earlier than later and order the tacos asap when you get there. The menu is mostly tapas style small plates, but they also have sushi on the menu. It's such a diverse menu that I can't imagine anyone not finding something to their liking here. My favorites over the years are definitely the pork belly tacos, the dirty south nachos, the ahi tuna tacos, the chicken wings, and pretty much any of the cocktails. I will be back again and again, any time I'm in the beautiful Queen City.

Oh Soul Gastrolounge...how I love ya. After an amazing Yelp Elite event at Stroke Putt across the street, my coworkers/friends and I were starving and wanted some nearby grub. We walked over to Soul and ordered a feast... Sashimi tuna tacos Lobster grilled cheese Asian glazed pork belly tacos Fried Brussel sprouts Korean BBQ wings Before we get into how fantastic the food was, can I say: Soul is a vibe! Great jams playing in the back, low lighting, excellent service. It was all around the perfect way to end a long, hard day of work. We chatted and laughed and ordered a few items. They all came out at different times, which was perfect because we needed time to snag pics of course! I literally loved every single dish but some favorites were the special lobster grilled cheese. It had these insanely thick lobster pieces all throughout and they used different cheeses so the flavor was incredible! OMG the tuna tacos.....just.....I need a moment as I recall their refreshing deliciousness. We actually ordered another set of tuna tacos HAHA! I can't wait to go back. Perfect food for the perfect company (shout out to my loves Janet R. and Andi P.)!!!

First time coming to this place. This spot does not take any reservations - even though it says it does in Yelp details. The restaurant is on the 2nd level. There are stairs you can take up from the outside only. It is kind of hard to find it since we were only able to see part of the restaurant name ("Soul"). We didn't wait for too long (15-20 minutes) for a table. We were seated at a booth. Our server, Madison, was very attentive and checked up on us every few minutes. The food and drinks came out fast and warm. The Uber driver that we took to get here recommended we try the Sushi. The server also recommended Sushi along with the Goat Cheese ball, Vegetable Roll, Mini Burgers, Soul Rolls and mostly all of the drinks named after Stranger Things. They gave us water with cucumbers to start. For alcoholic drinks we ordered Vecna, Mind Flayer, Demogorgon, and D&D. All in all the food, place and drinks hit the spot and we would recommend it.

A resounding 5 Stars for a vibey spot that serves delicious food, has sexy low lighting, and a killer soundtrack (shout-out whoever was manning the turntables when we were there!) I was with some coworkers after a nearby event, looking for a place to grab some food and perhaps a quick sip. Yelp led us to the highly-rated Soul Gastrolounge and once again, Yelp had my back! Not gonna lie, as I walked to the outside stairs you take to get into the lounge I passed some vomit on the sidewalk. It was not cute. And I wondered how divey this place might be. But as soon as I entered my fears melted away. What you encounter is a dimly-lit bar that looks oh so cool, some great music that makes you immediately start to sway, and the aroma of really great food. Lucky for us, there was a table ready right as we arrived. Our server hooked us up with drinks (don't miss the prosecco- it's served in a really cool cylinder flute) and we decided to go with shareable dishes across the board. Here's what we LOVED: Sashimi tuna tacos-- Y'all. Order this immediately. This dish comes with three crispy tacos that are filled with cubes of fresh tuna and drizzled with flavorful sauces. This had it all, from the creamy avo sauce to some acidic (maybe a vinegar) inside that absolutely SANG with the tuna. It was so good we ordered it again at the end of the meal. Lobster grilled cheese-- This was on special that night and let me tell you, they do not skimp on the lobster! There were huge, long chunks that paired so well with the perfectly toasted bread and decadent cheeses (multiple types of cheese). It was glorious. Fried Brussel sprouts-- What can you say except that salty, meets sweet, meets crunchy, meets bacon. It's a vegetable though, so it's healthy... jk but you won't mind the calories with this one! Korean BBQ wings-- These were too spicy for me, but the other gals at the table enjoyed them! Asian glazed pork belly tacos-- Probably my least favorite of the evening. Not because they didn't deliver on the flavor though. On the contrary, the flavor combo of the glazed pork belly and watermelon was unusual and worked perfectly! The truth is that I struggled to eat this taco, on a logistical level. If you look at the pics on Yelp, they are stacked high and virtually impossible to eat as-is as a taco. I ended up cutting the watermelon cubes and pork belly to make them fit better. So, all in all, definitely order this because it's WOW on the flavor, but be warned it may be challenging to eat. That's all! Definitely a place I'd visit again and a perfect date night spot for locals!

After a fun night at Yelp Charlotte's first Elite Event in over a year (!!!), at Stroke Putt, a couple of my coworkers (shout out Ashley F. and Andi P.!) and I were starving and decided to stop by Soul Gastrolounge for some dinner. It was only about a minute walk from the event venue which was super convenient. Ashley is the Charlotte resident of the group and I commend her for this great recommendation. My first impressions of this business were that this place was definitely a vibe. A grungy, dark, and loud vibe, that is. To some this might be a turn off, but we were into it! Definitely not the ideal place to sit down and have an important conversation (because it's so loud) but a great spot if you're just looking for great food and drinks. We were sat almost immediately which was a little shocking considering how busy they were. A first glance at the menu and I was enthralled. So. Many. Temping. Options. We all agreed so we decided to order several items off the menu and share. I also decided to order a drink and chose the Ron Cadillac, which is a Mezcal-based cocktail. Items we ordered: Asian glazed pork belly tacos - on flour tortillas with watermelon salsa Sashimi tuna tacos - marinated diced tuna in fried wonton tacos, with marinated cucumbers and sriracha mayo served with dollops of creamy avocado Fried Brussels sprouts - with brown butter, bacon and balsamic vinaigrette Korean BBQ wings - fried and tossed in a gochujang BBQ sauce, then grilled and served with scallions Lobster grilled cheese - butter basted lobster, scallion cream and a tri-cheese blend Everything was DELICIOUS. My favorite bites had to have been the sashimi tuna tacos, lobster grilled cheese, and surprisingly the fried Brussels sprouts. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone living in the area or visiting from out of town. I can't wait to come back again and try out more of their menu!

Another place that everyone but me loves. Outdoor upstairs patio was boring, too cramped, too hard to hear, and not the best service. Multiple people helped us so I am not even sure who our server actually was or who to ask questions to. Somebody would set down a dish and walk away. Since there were four of us and the majority of us first timers we didn't know what was what on a few dishes. I feel like most of the dishes sound more interesting then they really are. Overall the food was fine but the cocktails were better.

1st off let me start with saying that I really enjoy the guest Dj's that were live streamed on Facebook. Shout out to That Guy Smitty! If you have not seen these, please go to their Facebook page and support the Dj's with their cash app handle. This was not the 1st time I've been here and this won't be the last! We came here on our last stop of our date night tour. Food is always delicious. I tried a new soy sauce that was aged in whiskey barrels! I almost ordered more sushi just so I can continue eating the soy sauce. I didnt because my sushi took a long time to arrive. We were done with everything else and was just waiting on that. Seating was a little tight because my husband is 6'5" but we were happy just to get a spot. One more caveat was my hubby and I both ordered a hard cider, but the server only bought one can and 2 glasses. We didnt trip and just took it as a sign that we needed to share. Make sure you go online and get on the wait list to shorten your wait! Pics are a compilation of visits

We were in town for the night to see a show at the Bojangles Coliseum and found this place through Yelp. This was the best meal I've had in a long time! We ordered mostly from the tapas section of the menu so imagine how surprised we were when we received very large portions of everything we ordered. The lobster grilled cheese was overflowing with lobster meat, the cucumber mule was so fresh & the Escolar (white tuna) roll was the most flavorful sushi roll I've ever had. It was busy for a Thursday night but the service was great and our food arrived quickly. The music was amazing as well. One thing to note - we Uber'ed and it looks like parking is hard to find on busy nights. Also, the entrance to the restaurant is up the stairs on the corner - we had a hard time figuring out where to go.

This place was recommended to me by the bartender from The Cellar. I had the pork belly watermelon tacos and they were amazing!!! I also ordered the truffle fries and they were great!! Sarah was our waitress and she provided us with great service!! The only thing I didn't like about this place were the tables were too close together, and I wasn't a fan of the bread pudding.

Such a neat tapas spot! We sat around a table on couches, and it was a fun environment. This is definitely a place where you order a bunch of things to try for the table. We landed on: - pork belly watermelon tacos - so unique in the best way. The watermelon and pork paired so well together. - Truffle fries - DELICIOUS - Red dragon roll - not my favorite, but still a solid roll - supernova roll - hands down one of the best sushi rolls I have.... the crab on too was awesome, and the tempura was not too overwhelming - short ribs - great flavor. A little fatty, but still good!

Pictured: These Pearls Cocktail (7/10) Fries - (6/10) Pork Belly Tacos (10/10) Shells & Cheese (9.5/10) Chimichurry Beef Skewers (8.5/10) Spider Roll (8/10) Sticky Veal Shortribs (9.5/10) Fried Goat Cheese Bruschetta (8/10) Likes: I really can't believe the wide variety of the menu and just how well they can prepare all the dishes! Soul's signature, the Pork Belly Tacos, are probably the best tacos I've ever eaten! The Shells & Cheese are rich but absolutely fantastic! The Shortribs are melt in your mouth tender and dowsed in the best teriyaki-type sauce. Dislikes: The fries weren't very crunchy, but I was told they are usually better! Well, it's closing until they can find a new home but hoping for a soon relocation! I arrived at 5:15pm to get my name on the waitlist and was told the wait was going to be 2.5 hours, I then went back after the 2.5 hours were up and she said she had told me 3.5 hours, which wasn't true. We were seated around 10:00pm. I wouldn't even have been that angry about the long wait if I hadn't been lied to at the beginning of the experience. I still have no regrets for waiting this long to try this Charlotte staple and will definitely be back when they reopen. Overall Rating: 4.6

Went for dinner with some friends and we sat inside. The food comes out as soon as it's ready so you'll get them at different times. The waiter recommended the tacos or sushi, I recommend the sushi, we got the King crab sushi (special of the day) which was absolutely bomb. All the fish is fresh as of that day and you could taste the quality. The service was good too, waiter was very attentive and was good at refilling waters. Ambience was nice, lighting was darker and there was nice music playing. Overall recommend.

This place never disappoints and the food is worth the wait. Also love their cocktails on tap and you can't go wrong with grabbing a seat at the bar. Always recommend the pork belly tacos but their sushi, dips and other light bites are amazing as well. We've also been continually impressed with great service from their staff! Parking in the area is not always ideal, so recommend arriving early or being dropped off.

I was very excited for this place, and had high expectations based on the reviews, but was slightly disappointed. I ordered the rainbow sushi - one of the most expensive sushis on the menu - however what I got was a mixture of spicy tuna and salmon! And that was it! What a boring rainbow. We also had the fried goat cheese on bruschetta, vegetarian sushi and saganaki, which were ok.

If you've seen hundreds of pictures of the pork belly tacos topped with watermelon, there's a reason! These things are delectable! Each one is 2 big bites (or one if you're feeling really frisky). The watermelon was juicy, sweet, and flavorful. It perfectly balances the pork belly, which was equally as delicious, being meaty, tender and just savory enough. The addition of the watermelon makes the bite of an already tasty taco into a juicy explosion of amazing flavors and textures that I just wanted to keep experiencing. It really is brilliant. Also, the drinks were good, the service was great. The hosts are really good, i even saw one go back outside with a customer to help her with finding acceptable parking spaces. The atmosphere is really nice, although it is smaller inside than I thought & the tables are pretty close together in some sections. The bathroom was cute and clean.

This is my favorite restaurant in Charlotte! Great menu with a wide variety of options from mezas and tapas to sushi amd full course meals there is literally something for everyone The drinks are great too! Tip: start with the pork belly tacos!

Favorite restaurant in Charlotte, hands down. The food is absolutely delicious and the service is always awesome and quick. Plus their cocktails are amazing too! My favorite dishes are the pork belly tacos and tuna nachos!

I believe this was my first Gastrolounge experience 5+ years ago, and to me, it's still the best. There's something about the menu that's more unique than other places labeling themselves as a Gastrolounge. Of course, that's my definition and I'm not sure if it's even a real word with a real meaning. It's much more than a bar that serves food. Cassie was a rockstar and took great care of our two parties of 4! Excellent job! Here's a summary of the food: Asian Glazed Pork Belly Tacos - Our party of 4 had 4 orders of these. That's 8 Pork Belly Tacos. This was the reason I had to come back to this place. Watermelon on Pork Belly? Hell YES! Even kids were eating these up. Even if you go here just for these, it's worth it. Pan con Tomate - In English, it's Bread with Tomatoes. I got it more for the chorizo and whipped manchego. The bread was thick and the tomatoes were somewhere in between raw and a sauce. Delicious. Dirty South Nachos - Instead of Nacho Chips, they use fried chicken skins. Yes, they bread and fry chicken skins, and ladle pimento cheese and sprinkle with pickled okra. You're sorry you didn't think of that! Sashimi Tuna Tacos - Three small won-ton tacos with diced raw tuna, cucumbers, and sriracha mayo. Kinda like poke with no forke needed. Shells and Cheese - These sounded and looked better than they were. Only one person at the table of 8 liked them. I think the pork belly was ground a little fine or something, but it just didn't work. Fried Brussel Sprouts - These were crispy and yummy. This is what a fried veggie is supposed to be like. Salmanakopita - I think I spelled that right! It was basically salmon, cream cheese, and other stuff packed into a triangle phyllo roll. These were temperature hot and so creamy and crispy. Southern Fried Wings - These wings were huge and crispy. It's just like eating breaded fried chicken in the south, because you are in the south. Korean BBQ Wings - These wings were a tad smaller and unbreaded with a tangy sauce made with gochujang. They had a bit of a fermented flavor and were gone before we left! Well, everything was. Would I go back? I would go to Charlotte again just to eat here. If I had some advice, check their hours and get there when they open. It fills up fast for a reason!

I've been making my way around the food scene in Charlotte and so far I haven't been disappointed. My family and friends had dinner here and upon walking in you can feel the vibes. Just as the name suggests...it's somewhat of a lounge with its sofa area but they also have booth seating as well as seating at the bar. The staff is very friendly and helpful. The menu has a variety of items from sushi to sliders and the cocktail menu is even more interesting. Everything we ordered was delicious, including the desserts. The only mishap we had was an order of the fried chicken which was a bit over cooked so the waiter took it off the bill. It's a cool spot to hang out with friends to enjoy great drinks and food.

I was really excited about trying Soul Gastrolounge after reading great reviews online. Our experience was a little lackluster. We made a reservation in advance (which required a $25 deposit). The hostess was busy chatting with friends when we arrived and then stepped inside to take a call before even greeting us. When we told her our name and that we had a reservation, she pointed to a table outside and said, "y'all can sit at that one." She came back over after we ordered drinks to ask us if we actually had a reservation. Very odd and started the night off on the wrong foot. Aside from the first missteps, the server was friendly and the food was good. I will say the food is pretty expensive considering the portion sizes. We shared the feta dip, pork belly tacos, and the dancing tuna roll. The feta dip was super strong on the feta cheese, but overall pretty tasty. The pork belly tacos were yummy, but you get two very small tacos with hunks of watermelon on top for $13. The sushi was the star of the show for us, and I'd definitely like to try more of their specialty rolls in the future. I would give Soul Gastrolounge another shot and hope we just came on a weird night. I would sit inside next time for a different vibe- the outside looks over a pretty busy street with lots of noise, so I think inside would be more intimate. The drinks and sushi were great and I'd like to try some of their other tapas next time.

Soul will always be my favorite restaurant in CLT. I always bring newbies to the city here and it never disappoints. Love the variety of the menu and the quality of the food. Great vibe in the restaurant but can be very loud so be prepared. If you don't show up early be prepared to wait. This visit wasnt the best but still great. My complaint was the the sushi was warmer than it should've been in our opinion.

This place never misses!! Food always top tier! Drinks are impeccable !! A must try!! Staff are always friendly and vibe is very chill! Great place for friends to get together!

Great vibe, good food and good service! Highly recommend getting the Asian Glazed Pork Belly Tacos and the Sushi. The flat bread was unfortunately underwhelming! Cocktails were also delicious!

This is a very cool spot that me and my cousin found out while moving to Charlotte 3 years ago, been always a coming back spot because we love It here. Their cocktails are great, their foods are great, there atmosphere is great, everything is uncomplainable. Their menu is fantastic and the price is reasonable. Love the ambience! This time visit, are sold to this Shrimp Ceviche, Korean BBQ wings and French Fries. Music is always good, please do not ever change. Sometimes, I have to Shazam the whole night just because the DJ keeps playing beautiful songs!! The vibe here is so important ToT. 5 stars of course! Thank you Chefs, thank you Bartenter, thank you DJs, Thank you beautiful servers, thank you whoever open this place.

Can't wait for them to reopen - loved the food and ambience when they were in Plaza Midwood - so unique

So sad this place is closing, hope they reopen quickly! If we lived nearby this would be our go to date night location. Lots of different food options, everything we tried was good. I like the relaxed, intimate vibe.

This was my second trip to Soul Gastrolounge and I must admit I had a much better experience this time than the first. The first time I came here it was way too loud, service was mediocre, and the drinks we got were disappointing. I'm glad I decided to come back for a second round. I'm not sure if it was just an off night the first time, if things have actually improved, or if it was the time of day we went, but I thoroughly enjoyed myself on a Friday evening trip around 7 PM. FIRST of all, we were using the No Wait app and showed up about 5 minutes after our deadline to be pushed to the back of the line. The hostess was gracious enough to let it slide for us and we only had to wait another 10 minutes to get our table. Huge relief. Shoutout to the hostess for making our night better right off the bat. I'm also happy to report that the drinks we ordered from the bar were cold, refreshing, and even though the bar was crowded, delivered in a timely manner! To the food - We got the pan con tomate like the first time and again it delivered. We got the Queen Charlotte roll to share and again, it was just as amazing as the last time. Same goes for the pork belly tacos. The new things we tried were the stuffed shells and the hoisin short ribs. The stuffed shells were SUPER rich and heavy and ended up being "OK." The hoisin short ribs were my bite of the night. Exceptional. The only thing I would suggest to the restaurant is to please for the love of God turn down the music just a tad. Other than that, very happy I decided to come back to Soul Gastrolounge! Will be back again.

The skinny: speak easy vibes, great craft cocktails and unique Asian fusion food. Atmosphere: came for an early dinner during the weekday, beat the rush and sat at the bar but it can get quite packed. Cozy spot with cool speak easy vibes. Food/drinks: all the cocktails we had were delicious and a good variety of options. For food we had the much hyped watermelon pork belly tacos ( great combination or flavors and would recommend - though some pieces were a little on the dry side - still worth the taste though! ) tuna tacos and truffle fries were also delicious. Tapas shareable style meal. Service: fast, friendly, and very informative. Our waiter was attentive and have great recommendations for drinks based on our preferences. Price/value: $$$ like most small bites restaurants they can be a little on the pricey side to get full but also a great way to have a variety of food. Would I come back: if I was ever in the area, it's a great spot for a drink and some small bites

Perfect date night spot. My husband and I came here to celebrate our marriage and everything was so good. Food was amazing, service was amazing, drinks were amazing, atmosphere was amazing. Definitely will be back!

This place was great! Mainly because of the food. The service hostess was not good, when we walked in the greeter was VERY rude and acted as if we had done something and made us wait extra 30 mins to clean off the table. The food made up for it, the options were great hard to choose from. Everything tasted fresh, yummy, and very filling. Reasonably priced with a perfect view of uptown if you sit outside. I'll definitely be back.

RUN DONT WALK. This is my favorite spot in Charlotte (when you can get a table). It's hard to reserve a table as it's always popping and busy, but it's SO worth it. You MUST get the pork belly tacos- I literally dream of these. From the dips, to the skewers, to the lamb pops and goat cheese balls, you won't find something you don't like.

This place is where it is at. My friend and I went here on a Friday night at 5:30 and were able to walk in and be seated. They do not take reservations so recommend coming at an off time or being prepared to wait! We were seated at the bar and promptly ordered the cocktail spin off of a cherry coke float and it was delicious. We were slightly worried it'd be overly sweet but it was surprisingly mild and fun all at the same time. The menu is vast and truly has something for everyone. The food comes out tapas style which is great for groups and allows you to get a taste of a variety of menu items. We decided on the grilled Caesar salad, pork belly tacos, goat cheese bruschetta and the flat bread all of which were incredible. The goat cheese bruschetta was hands down both of our favorite. Can't say enough good things about this restaurant. Definitely worth the visit!

Oh my deliciousness! We ordered SO MANY things and every single thing was AMAZING. We had the falafel, the watermelon taco, lots of sushi! Environment inside was really nice and comfortable. Staff was super attentive as well. The sushi is some of the best sushi I have ever had. The watermelon taco is such a unique food item but it's really delicious. So sad to see this place close right now. Can't wait for it to re open in the future. It needs to reopen asap because we went when it was closing and the wait time was four hours so clearly this place is going to be missed !!!!

Not sure how I've never written a review for Soul seeing as it's my husband's favorite restaurant in all of Charlotte! We just went on a Friday night. They're known to have a long wait, but it is so worth it every single time! This time we waited for roughly an hour. Almost every time I've been we have sat outside on the patio which is really nice in all seasons. They do have heaters and walls that pull down, but you also get a beautiful view of uptown when it's nice out and they have the walls up. For food we have regular items we always get and then mix in a few we haven't had before. Everything is tapas style and shareable so it comes out when it's ready which is one of our favorite ways to eat. Our regular items are the pork belly tacos (sweet and salty but oh so yummy), the shells and cheese (beware they are always temperature hot, but the cheese and the bbq stuffing is drool worthy),and the dirty south nachos (crispy with yummy cheese sauce and okra). We usually mix in 2-3 more dishes and have typically liked everything. The ramen bowl is a little difficult to share and the bone marrow isn't for me, but my husband loves it. Highly recommend visiting, especially if you're in a small group!

This place is great for dates! I've been with friends , significant others and family. I highly recommend trying everything on their menu. The cocktails are especially good. They're "Stranger Things" themed cocktails were delicious. I was sad to hear they are relocating because their balcony/patio area was super cute.

Had dinner on a Sunday night service was spot on. Had the pork belly tacos, short ribs, tuna tacos and tuna skewers. All were excellent and came out of the kitchen very quickly maintaining the temperature and quality. Will definitely return!

The food was phenomenal and the service was top tier. The drinks were great also. We absolutely loved this place. So sad it's gone.

This place is getting 5 stars from me for 3 reasons. #1 the food #2 the music #3 the hours serving food until midnight Soooo, we have been dragging our feet to come here (what the F were we waiting for)!!! We work late hours and after eating here I am so happy that I don't have to wait the ridiculous long wait on weekends. Food was amazing, service was good, seating kinda sucked because I had to sit on the crack of 2 cushions and I'm tiny. We ordered 4 items and were full. nachos, short ribs, goat cheese bruschetta and pork belly taco. Ohhhhh myyyyyy goooooodnessssss

I don't know if we came on a bad night or what but everything with the exception of their version of truffle fries was not up to par. First, they gave us someone else's order and then realized it after sitting it in front of us and instead of them taking it back, they went and gave it to the right person. In the world of COVID right now, I found that to be unsanitary. I ordered the Veal Short Ribs and they were just extremely too fatty for me. The taste of them were just okay but something I wouldn't get again. My fiancé ordered the ramen bowl and was not pleased with his meal as well. He thought of it as not being authentic and I find him to be a ramen connoisseur especially spending two years in Japan. The only reason I'm giving it 3 stars is because the wait was super short and the music/vibes in there was on point. Maybe I'll try something else and update my review then but until then.. nah.

Came for date night and it was a hit. Ambiance is lovely and drinks were great. Love the tapas style food abs the sushi was some of the freshest I have had not being in a sushi restaurant. Will be back for sure.

Walk with me up a long staircase to the 2nd floor to opens up to a covered deck lined with tables that are packed then turn left and walk the restaurant that is also packed...this alone let's you know you are in THE popular place. If you come alone like I did they will tell you that the tables are for couples or groups but the bar is first come first serve which you will wait over 20mins to sit down if not longer. While I am waiting I see the bartenders making craft cocktails like the mixologists that i love going to bars to see. But the first drink I order came out of a premix tap which was disappointing as it tastes like a margarita over ice. I told the bartender I would like something different and they gladly made me a drink that tasted like a Negroni and Sazerac had a baby and it was lovely. Then later I had a Cucumber Mule off of premix tab and it was really. Now let's eat... I had the pork belly watermelon tacos and the lobster grilled cheese sandwich which was so yummy that I am going back for that alone. I wanna try other things on the menu like the bone marrow. I really enjoyed it...the only down side was trying to find a place to park and the people that keep insisting on ordering drinks over me and my food without a single excuse me.

These pork belly tacos are the most incredible piece of artwork I've put in my mouth. I'd order these every day if I could. They perfectly mixed the sweet watermelon flavors with the pork belly and the glaze and that itself is enlighten to keep me coming back here forever.

I'm so sad, this place closes on the 16th this month. I'd give this place a 10 star if I could. The ambiance (great music ), the bar tenders are divine and let's not forget the food, absolutely delicious. I think I'm going to come every night until they close. So apparently the people that own the building has raised the rent 140% so this place has to clothes down. It is definitely a treasure in the Queen City and I am so great full that I was able to make it. Hopefully they find a new location soon.