The Ugly
Bar · NoDa ·
Casual bar with craft cocktails, beer, and oysters
Casual bar with craft cocktails, beer, and oysters
"It’s daring to call this NoDa spot a dive, because the Ugly is quite a newbie compared to long-time Charlotte dives. It’s also relatively trendy — not in the way of its design or vibe — but in the way that Charlotteans are already fans of owner Vince Chirico’s cocktails at much fancier Idlewild next door. At its core, however, The Ugly was clearly shaped to capture the essence of a dive — it’s a casual, cheap, dark, beer-and—shot bar with a limited pared-back cocktail menu, like an Old Fashioned or bourbon ginger, and lots of Miller High Life." - Kayleigh Ruller
"Opening Wednesday, November 15 in NoDa, I would describe the Ugly (424 E 36th Street) as deliberately ‘just a bar’: no reservations or waitlists, a peg board behind the bar with plastic letters listing only six batch-made cocktails, canned beer (not just IPAs), a photo booth, and a bright red neon sign inviting passersby to embrace “The Good, The Bad, The Ugly,” which are also three weekly drink specials. I get the sense it leans toward an accessible, slightly dive-y vibe without pretension—bartenders are permitted to tell patrons seeking more complex drinks like a margarita to go next door to Idlewild, and the focus is explicitly not on top-shelf liquors or cocktail-lounge comforts. The food is quirky and low-effort—bags of chips, bar nuts, Hot Pockets straight from the grocery aisle, and possibly Jimmy Dean croissant breakfast sandwiches until 2 a.m.—while the decor and soundtrack are eclectic (reclaimed road signs, random Japanese art, and playlists ranging from Madonna and Tupac to banjo-laced folk), all meant to create a loose, everyone-welcome atmosphere (“as long as you’re not hurting anybody”) underscored by a framed “Better late than ugly” drawing inside the door." - Timothy DePeugh
"The sleek couches, dim lighting, and high ceilings at Fairweather set a chic, sensual tone for a date night. Half of Fairweather’s menu is a dozen or so classic cocktails, but the other half is the bartender’s innovative twist on those classic drinks. A simple margarita becomes a smoky, bell pepper sipper, and a piña colada becomes an earthy matcha blend, priced $16 across the board. The dim lighting, coupled with small plates highlighting seafood, lends itself to intimate conversations. For an insider tip, make Monday the new date night with Fairweather’s $1 oysters, or pop over next door to its sister joint Idlewild." - Kayleigh Ruller
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