I've seen some not great reviews here, so I may be lucky that I had a great experience. The only issue was a pretty decent wait time for a server to get to our table, and it took a bit for our food to arrive. But I don't hold that against them, especially on a weekend night in downtown Charlotte. They have all of the favorite Irish pub menu items. I tried the pub Rachel and wow, it was amazing!! The mashed potatoes were also delicious! They have beer and a full bar, so there are drinks for everyone. Our server had an Irish accent, so I had to ask where she was from. She had just arrived here from Ireland two weeks ago. She told us that the company that owned the restaurant is based in Ireland and they expanded to Charlotte, so they offer employees to come here to work for periods of time. She wasn't the only employee that had traveled from Ireland to work in Charlotte, so it really made the vibe even more authentic. I thought that was the coolest thing ever! Parts of the bar were even brought over from Ireland to the Charlotte location. The vibe is totally that of an Irish pub! We had such a great dinner experience there that we went back the next night and took friends with us.
Great 10/10. Honeysuckle, Watermelon Margarita, Irish Espresso Martini & the Everything Pretzel Rods were absolutely perfect. Bartender was fast & efficient in both greeting & serving us both the food & drinks. Atmosphere was warm & not too loud.
Erica went above and beyond with service, timely drinks and great info about the neighborhood! We loved our experience because of her.
Solid food in a busy downtown location! This Irish pub was packed to the brim on a weekend night, which is always a good sign. My group had a reservation and were seated promptly. We were offered menus and drinks, and service was friendly/speedy. I opted for the Jameson & Ginger Salmon, and really enjoyed it! My fish was cooked perfectly and the glaze was flavorful, but not overpowering. The brussel sprouts were a little heavier on the grease than I prefer, but the mashed potatoes more than made up for it. The portion was hearty and a second meal out of leftovers is definitely possible! The one drawback was that it was extremely loud in the space. I couldn't even hear the people sitting at my table speaking and had to sneak my concert earplugs in at dinner. In all fairness, we were seated in the bar area. So, I'd recommend being cognizant of asking for a quieter space if needed before being seated. Overall, this restaurant is an authentic Irish pub and I would definitely stop in again!
This is a really cool place. My friends and I ate here while in Charlotte for a concert. I love a good Irish pub and it was super close to our hotel in downtown Charlotte. The food was amazing! I ordered the fish and chips and that was one huge piece of fish. It was battered and fried to perfection and the fries were seasoned well. Our waitress was amazing. I cannot remember her name but she had only been in the US for a couple of weeks from Ireland. My only issue with this place was the noise. I mean it was extremely noisy and it wasn't that busy when we were there. The table behind us was SO loud and the TV's were loud and broadcasting multiple sporting events at once. I couldn't really converse with my friends because I couldn't hear them. Would definitely try them again and see if the noise level is more tolerable.
Ri Ra will always trigger my nostalgia, as it reminds me of my early days in Charlotte when I was new to the city and my friends and I would bar hop around Uptown until closing time. Having been to many pubs in Ireland I can confirm that it certainly has the ambience down. The first floor is your traditional cozy Irish pub and a great place for a Guinness or two, with some solid food as well including traditional Irish dishes and more American fare. At one time they also had a sandwich cafe around back that used to be one of my favorite lunch spots but unfortunately as far as I know this has since closed. Upstairs is where things get wild late at night. The stools are removed and the DJ comes on. My dancing days are few and far between at my age but it used to be a really fun late night spot to hang out. Ri Ra's will always hold a special place in my heart for all the fun time I had in my younger years, and I am glad to see that it is still going strong. I like to pop in every now and then for a nice cold beer after work and reminisce.
Great Irish pub in the middle of Uptown Charlotte. However, staff seemed tired. We were probably late on a Saturday night for dinner. Band was in full swing. Food was great, service was good, very incredible Irish bar theme, complete with ghosts--so I was told.
Great food, great drinks mixed with a little ghost stories. Love the old culture of the area and building. Staff is friendly.
We absolutely loved our dining experience here! My dad loves Irish Pubs and my parents met at an Irish Pub so I came to visit them and wanted to treat them to dinner and found this place! I made a reservation and when we walked in, we were seated quickly! Our waiter was so friendly and attentive! He was really working hard as well. My dad got his favorite Guinness to drink and my mom and I got the cider sangria cocktail and it was amazing! We ordered the chicken bites with the Guinness barbecue sauce and they were tasty! For entrees we ordered the steakhouse paddy melt, pub reuben and a salad with falafel nuggies and they were all so delicious!!! The inside definitely has Irish pubs vibes and the bathrooms are clean! I cannot wait to bring my parents back here!