The O takes a stab at what it thinks are the best sports bars in Charlotte.
Touching on their lists…
Overrated: Jock’s and Jill’s. Never really found anything appealing about this place and surprised the Tyvola location has even managed to stay in business.
Underrated: Fox and Hound (uptown location) IF you can get a seat in the VIP lounge downstairs. Can’t beat sitting on the leather couch with a good cigar and a glass of Grand Marnier while watching some pigskin or hoops. Eat elsewhere before you go though because the food isn’t that great other than a few of the appetizers.
[b]Picasso's (1301 East Blvd., 704-331-0133) Boasts the largest wide screen in the city. TV quantities are low compared to the others, but their perfect Dilworth location and quite possibly some of the best wings in the city merit attention. They bleed Tarheel blue on game days; you have been warned. The only true neighborhood feel of the bunch. Bar honcho and general manager Tim Arnette is one of the best bartenders in Charlotte. Seriously. [/b]
I thought that Picasso’s was a Niners Bar… what gives?
Perhaps Picasso’s is going for a bi-modal distribution of support, since that’s the East Blvd. location which I don’t frequent.
[b]Overrated: Jock's and Jill's. Never really found anything appealing about this place and surprised the Tyvola location has even managed to stay in business. [/b]
That’s what I though too before I started working over by Jock’s and Jill’s. There is no other real place to eat within a few miles of J&J’s. It does a good lunch business and with the airport and hotels near it does good business off that. The place is average though(food).
No bar will ever touch the 1st incarnation of “The Scoreboard.” The stadium seating, and ability to choose which game to listen to at your table made for no neck straining or twisting around in your chair. All of the seats/chairs were comfortable, and the talent was strong. The food was also excellent. Presently, I like Champions for the flat screens and projection TV’s, and Picasso’s will always be THE place to watch Niner road games. I was a fan of the ill-fated University Jocks and Jills also.
Worst Sports Bar Ever: Fox Sports Cafe at Concord Mills. Bad Food, Bad Service, Bad Everything. True Story: A group of us went there for dinner and to watch the World Series on a Friday night in 2002. After waiting forever for a waitress, a common occurence there, we ordered and asked if they were showing the game. Her reply, “What game?” Un-freaking-believeable!!
I could not agree more about any of the points, SK. Scoreboard was outstanding, especially on game days. J&J’s ultimately overrated … lost all respect for them when they turned it into a dance club at 10 pm.
Anyone know anything about Kristopher’s in Matthews? Heard that was good.
[i]Originally posted by HomeinHalton[/i]@Oct 28 2004, 02:35 PM [b] Anyone know anything about Kristopher's in Matthews? Heard that was good. [/b]Yeah, it's a cool place. Much better than some of those mentioned in the article (i.e. Jocks n Jills, Jillians). They have lots of TVs, good food, and decent beer specials. It is kind of small though and is usually crowded. I haven't been there for a Niners game yet, but I might give it a shot this year since I only live 5-10 minutes away.
[i]Originally posted by Smoothieking[/i]@Oct 28 2004, 01:11 PM [b] No bar will ever touch the 1st incarnation of "The Scoreboard." The stadium seating, and ability to choose which game to listen to at your table made for no neck straining or twisting around in your chair. All of the seats/chairs were comfortable, and the talent was strong. The food was also excellent.[/b]
No question. Before I even moved to Charlotte, we would drive over an hour down here sometimes just to go there on the weekend. I’ll never forget walking in there for the first time. Absolutely blew me away and there’s never been a sports bar in Charlotte to even come close in my opinion. A shame that it fell through and the following businesses to set up shop there were disasters. Wasn’t that long ago that someone was shot/shot at when it was that yellow-looking establishment. Banana-something or another. The original Scoreboard was the greatest.
[b]Worst Sports Bar Ever: Fox Sports Cafe at Concord Mills.[/b]
The ONLY purpose that bar serves is for getting a quick score update off a TV as you’re walking by.
Why did the Scoreboard go out of business? Everyone’s favorite restaurant sport … embezzlement?
[i]Originally posted by Smoothieking[/i]@Oct 28 2004, 01:11 PM [b] Worst Sports Bar Ever: Fox Sports Cafe at Concord Mills. [/b]That place finally went out of business, thank God. There was never anyone in there - it was just a major drag. I never went because I heard the same bad reviews you guys are giving now. Pathetic.
[i]Originally posted by HomeinHalton[/i]@Oct 28 2004, 03:21 PM [b] Why did the Scoreboard go out of business? Everyone's favorite restaurant sport ... embezzlement? [/b]I always wondered if it was because of my 3rd favorite reason to go there... they rarely ID'd anyone. I took a couple of dates there when I was 19. I figured I won the whole way around... hot girl at my table, hot waitress serving me drinks without carding me, and whatever game I wanted on the tube. It was nirvana. B)
I never got carded there either so maybe there’s something to that. I just wish I had all the Sports Illustrateds that they had plastered on all the walls/booths. Was a lot of nice stuff in there but the atmosphere and setup made it what it was. I think that’s the first place I ever had alligator tail. Love that stuff.
Good topic of discussion.
Picasso’s East Blvd. is the best. Rowdy crowds, not just for Niner games. NC State, Wake, etc. But I don’t judge on that alone. To be the best you have to have good food (IMHO). I like their wings though not the best I’ve had (Note: The University store’s wings though, from my past experience, are lower calibre …hope its changed). The pizza is always good. I was surprised at the chicken fingers I ordered for the little one, they were tasty too.
Kristopher’s also has good food (been a while since I visited so basing on past experience).
I found J&J’s food to be weak. As well as Champions downtown. Fox & Hound didn’t fare much better…and Stool Pidgeons was inconsistant.
For those out in S. Charlotte, try Matthew’s Township Grille - wings done by a guy from Buffalo.
[i]Originally posted by KissMyAxe[/i]@Oct 28 2004, 04:33 PM [b] Picasso's East Blvd. is the best. Rowdy crowds, not just for Niner games. NC State, Wake, etc. But I don't judge on that alone. To be the best you have to have good food (IMHO). I like their wings though not the best I've had (Note: The University store's wings though, from my past experience, are lower calibre ....hope its changed). The pizza is always good. I was surprised at the chicken fingers I ordered for the little one, they were tasty too.For those out in S. Charlotte, try Matthew’s Township Grille - wings done by a guy from Buffalo. [/b]
[b]Picasso's East Blvd. is the best. Rowdy crowds, not just for Niner games. NC State, Wake, etc. But I don't judge on that alone. To be the best you have to have good food (IMHO). I like their wings though not the best I've had (Note: The University store's wings though, from my past experience, are lower calibre ....hope its changed). The pizza is always good. I was surprised at the chicken fingers I ordered for the little one, they were tasty too.[/b]
They do have really good food. Try the nachos while you’re waiting on your wings/pizza, but don’t be surprised if you don’t have much room left. Outside of Niner events though, I only find myself going there for food and rarely for a non-Niner related game.
[b]For those out in S. Charlotte, try Matthew's Township Grille - wings done by a guy from Buffalo[/b]
Wings there are fantastic. Just wish I lived closer so I could justify eating there more often. Not the greatest place to watch a game unless you’re a Bills fan but if you’re looking for some great food in a sports atmosphere, try Tavern On The Tracks (by Jillians/Amos’). Excellent menu and a quality wait staff. Definitely not the place to watch a Niner’s road game but it’s a fun place to be/eat on a Sunday afternoon in the Fall.
Last night a me and a bunch of guys went to Picasso’s to watch the Virginia Tech and Ga. Tech game about 10:30 when the game began to get interesting they turned the sound off the games and started kareoke (or however you spell it) even though their wasnt many people in the bar anyways at the time. about 10 people left so that we could hear the game… I have never had a problem with Picasso’s but this was crazy last night… Oh yeah the waittress was a big Va. Tech fan and she was pissed hahhaaha
Samsons HOle will never be touched. The place had $1.50 beers and the NHL CENTER ICE Package!!!
Because of University PIcassos and the MLB package, I’ve watched more Red Sox games in the past two years than the first ten years I moved south.
Everyone should try going to Tipseys (old GRAD) since it has been remodeled. Lots of TVs for a game and really good SubDude menu.
[i]Originally posted by Hooligan[/i]@Oct 29 2004, 03:33 PM [b] Everyone should try going to Tipseys (old GRAD) since it has been remodeled. Lots of TVs for a game and really good SubDude menu. [/b]Ahhhh, Subdude. That is some good eatin'!
The original Scoreboard was sold to a new owner after the original owner passed away & the family couldnt come to an agreement. The new owner subsequently ran it into the ground by tripling the prices on everything while trying to get his investment back ASAP. He was later rumoured to be on the run from the law for burning down his pizza establishment in Monroe to collect the insurance.
The original Scoreboard was & will always be the best sports bar ever in Charlotte. I will never forget watching the 49ers vs UNC-Chapel Hill game there & warning a UNC-Chapel Hill student to watch Diego about 10 seconds before he hit “the shot”. The guy just looked at me with his jaw hitting the table after Diego’s bomb. Every time I saw him there after that game, he would just laugh about that shot.
Another good memory was during one of the NCAA tourneys. The 49ers game was being shown at the same time as the UNC-Chapel Hill game. I was a regular at the Scoreboard & friends with the owner & all the bartenders. You could tell the regulars by the ingraved beer mugs they kept behind the bar for them B) There was a suit & tie dentist sitting behind us decked out in all his UNC-Chapel Hill finery crowing about how much money he spent there & how they would put the UNC-Chapel Hill game on the big screens “just for him”. He was shocked & apalled when the 49ers game was on the main screen. After complaining loudly, he was informed that 1) if he spent so much money there, how come no one had ever seen him & 2) 49ers games take precedence because of us regulars & that he could watch the UNC-Chapel Hill game on the other screen. Not sure which was more priceless, the look on his face or the sh*t eating grin we kept flashing him the whole time.
Sorry for the rambling, but this thread brought back a lot of good memories.