Exclusive: Look inside Charlotte’s newest neighborhood bar and restaurant in Ballantyne
The Club House, an upscale yet casual dining neighborhood bar, is making its debut in south Charlotte this week.
The Club House opens Tuesday at 16715 Orchard Stone Run in Ballantyne, following a soft opening last week.
“We wanted to bring an elevated neighborhood restaurant and bar with good cocktails, food, music and vibe,” The Club House General Manager Todd Pitcher told The Charlotte Observer on Friday.
The food menu will not be large, Pitcher said, but is full of scratch-made items. “It’s more than traditional bar food,” he said.
The Space
Renovation on the 4,800-square-foot former Buffalo Wings & Rings space began last April.
The remodel included a new bar and new bathrooms. The Club House as a couch area, low table and high top seating, plus a covered patio.
Hours are from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Tuesday through Sunday, “bringing back the fun” in Ballantyne’s nightlife since the pandemic, Pitcher said. After 9 p.m., The Club House is for ages 21 and older only.
Along with a curated music list of old-school pop and rock favorites, The Club House will have DJs in the evenings and live acoustic music on the patio.
The Club House will hire about 55 full- and part-time employees.
The food menu
The menu includes starters like cheesesteak eggrolls, zucchini sticks and ahi tuna nachos, salads, burgers and sliders, and main dishes of steak and salmon, pork chops and chicken pasta.
The chef is familiar to Charlotte. Since moving from San Diego, Bryant Parris has been working in the Charlotte area for six years. His menu favorite is the Korean meatballs, which he makes with bulgogi sauce.
Prices start at $9 to $42.
The drink menu
Alisan Ulucay from the Ritz-Carlton consulted on the creation of The Club House’s cocktail menu and helped train staff on making classics such as Old Fashioned and Negroni.
“In addition to the ever-popular Espresso Martini, we will have our twist of the Carajillo with tequila added to Licor 43 and espresso,” Pitcher said.
House cocktails include Purple Rain made with gin, St. Germain, lavender syrup and lemon juice, and Queen Spritz made with aperol, angostura bitters, peach bitters and prosecco.
Cocktail prices range from $10-$14.
The beer and wine selection includes 12 drafts on tap including local breweries.
Early reviews
“The Club House is a place you can be perfectly dressed for a night out but would also fit in with jeans or shorts and be casual,” said Katie McGee who runs Boozy Ballantyne Instagram page. “New local hangout for sure.”
The backstory
The Club House’s name was chosen because of its proximity to Firethorne, Longview, Providence and Ballantyne country clubs, Pitcher said, as well as neighborhoods.
“We want to be a place to gather for those who want a good vibe and menu during lunch, after-work drinks, dinner and late night,” said Pitcher, who previously worked at Cosmos Cafe and 131 Main in the Ballantyne area.
The Club House with tagline “Bites & Booze” is not associated with The Club House Kitchen and Cocktails in Plaza Midwood.
The Club House
Location: 16715 Orchard Stone Run, Ste 200, Charlotte, NC
Facebook: facebook.com/theclubhouseclt
Instagram @theclubhouseclt
