M5 Modern Mediterranean

What happened to this place? I heard there was a fire and the place would reopen, but then I heard from somewhere that the place looks permanently closed and I don’t even see M5 on Harper’s web site. Strange!

I did the chef’s tasting for lunch one day and it was great. The bisque was good and the salmon great. The risotto with my salmon was a little over seasoned though. The décor of the place is absolutely lovely I had a wonderful waitress too, I wish I caught her name so that I could see if she will be working when I plan a dinner there. Will update once more on my dinner experience here soon to come!

I’m giving this one a 3 because we didn’t actually eat an entrée which isn’t a complete experience of what the restaurant has to offer, but we didn’t choose an entrée because we were ready to leave when we saw the menu.
We got in around 7 on a weekday and were seated in front of a wall of wine and the atmosphere was kind of modern/​hip. i can see how this place could have nights on the weekend packed with people with techno/​jazz music playing and people ordering their 3^rd martini before they contemplate eating…
it was pretty dead though. it took a while before anyone came to the table and gave us the menu. we already had the wine menu at the table, which is as big as half the table, and then when we got the menu it came with the side book for ‘drinks’ and conveniently on the back of the menu (just incase we didn’t see it) was another wine list.
we would like two waters please.
this is where i look for the waiter/​ess to sigh or make some type of irritated or defeated sound. i’m not ordering water to be difficult or cheap, but we don’t drink soda, and we don’t necessarily drink a lot.
okay so the menu. the menu had some different appetizers and soups and salads, but the main entrees sounded like boringsville. i dont expect the cirque du soleil to serve me a rare endangered species of bluefin king rustic whale tendon, but seriously ‘grilled omaha fillet’ ‘rotisserie roasted half chicken’. yawn. maybe they expect you to be quite buzzed and unable to read the menu in the dark lighting once you are granted one.
so in an effort to try something without drinking the water, eating the bread and rolling we chose to have the ‘meze tasting’ appetizer which was alright as far as the olives and hummus and stuffed grape leaves go, but the spanakopita was well… you see i was raised by a greek mom, so when a place like this that doesnt have any yiayia’s in the kitchen hiding out tries to pass something as ‘spanakopita’ and not just ‘spinach pie’ i cant help but think: aww, thats cute. thanks for playing though, next…
the stuffed dates were stuffed with this odd pork mixture. it was kind of odd, i didnt know if i liked it or hated it. the menu doesnt say that its pork minced up in those dates so bear that in mind if you have someone who doesnt eat meat or more specifically swine.
so after our appetizer we left the place and the staff was friendly enough. so i cant say we had a bad experience at M5, but just disappointing. I think we should have went to the build a burger place next door, that place was hopping.
to finish the story we didn’t end up going to another place to eat that night we instead went to the polka dot bakery and had cupcakes@! but thats another Unilocal!^_^

When this place opened, it was our favorite in Charlotte, and we have eaten here many times. The food was once fresh, the menu interesting, and the staff attentive and knowledgeable.
We went back for a special occasion in late March, and all that had changed. My fish was tough, cold and smelly, the dishes relatively unimaginative, and the service less conscientious than it had been (just average — and this is too much of a high end place for just average service). I asked the waitress whether there had been a change in the kitchen, and was told that the former chef had moved over to The Liberty on South (which I have not yet tried), so perhaps that is the problem.
For a nicer restaurant, they would do well to improve the atmosphere by encouraging a better dress code. Typical Charlotte, patrons were sitting around eating their $ 30 entrees in sweat pants, or shorts and golf visors. Not sure how much the restaurant can do about that, but other comparable places seem to do a better job of subtly encouraging more appropriate attire.
I give it two stars, instead of one, because (1) it was once an amazing restaurant and (2) the manager was concerned and decent enough to take my disgusting entrée off the bill after the waitress told him we were unhappy. I do not think we will be likely to return, but I hope they get a better chef, focus on the freshness of their food, or do whatever they need to do to return to where they were a year or two ago.

Im finding it very hard to rate this place! I have been for dinner a bunch of times and some of those times disappointed and then I came for Easter Brunch and it was REALLY disappointing! So I’ve liked it and I’ve hated it!
Dinner has been good with the exception of dishes that I’ve learned not to order again. While at the same time I’ve fallen in love with some other dishes! The Dreadful Easter Buffet was really a let down it had sooo much potential but it really made us sad! One thing I can say was they had good Deviled Eggs! They had gnocchi with a mushroom cream something… Gross, a Penne Bolognese… Grosser, it was so dried out and bland and horrendous looking. Paella was just not good! They had a carving station where the Prime rib was all fat and the Ham was dry.
Now I think my biggest let down was that it was Brunch and they didn’t have any Breakfast food out! You can’t call it Brunch with no Breakfast food! Please call it «UNCH» because there was no «BR» in sight! I will go back for there normal «Brunch» because the menu has Breakfast items on it and it looks good so we will see! Wish Me Luck!

I have been here a few times– some in the summer for an evening drink and apps on the patio (great people watching!) and now twice for dinner. I recommend any of their seafood and their three Mediterranean dips.
Last week my husband and I went for restaurant week. We were sat in a booth by the nice fireplace, which is a very romantic spot. We had the delicious scallops and gnocchi with a balsamic reduction– absolutely divine. I also had the fig prosciutto flatbread that would have been great if I liked the cheese on it but I’m not a fan of a lot of cheeses. The regular parmesan bread they served with dinner was fluffy and delicious! For dessert we had tiramisu and it was very light and not too sweet. We really enjoyed the wine flight that accompanied the meal. Service was great and very approachable and attentive.
It’s not priced for every day dining, but definitely great for date night or special occasions.

I’ve ate here on 2 – 3 times. If there is one thing I can say its that the food is ALWAYS consistent –meaning excellent.
I’ve had a different dish on each visit ranging from a traditional burger, to salad to steak. The steak and mashed potato’s were just amazing, and their figs were excellent, too. I felt their cheeseburger was pretty generic, nothing better than a traditional burger bar; however, the fries were insanely good! Their fries are like a potato wedge with a light seasoning which made them pretty interesting and unique.
Every time I’ve been here the service has been alright. I think their lunch service is a bit slow, however, probably not the slowest place I’ve ever been –we made it back to work in just over an hour.
If I had to choose somewhere to go for lunch, it might not be here, just because I felt their lunch menu was a bit pricey and the speed of the service. If either of those factors don’t matter for you much, and just want some good food, its certainly worth trying!

If you like Med food, this is great. Servings are small and tasteful and the bread is TDF. I really love the cheese, olives and Charcuterie…
YUM YUM and YUM! I really love this place. The décor is great. Interior designers dream. It has a gorgeous patio, and a great bar area.
If you are the kind of person who wants BIG portions for your money, this is not the place for you however. It is more like tapas and small tastes. a bit of Amuse Bouche’

Very pretty restaurant with super nice servers and staff.
We had the 3 greek dips… they were delightful! The fresh baked pita bread was incredible… be sure to order this appetizer with extra pita! They cook it to order, and it takes a loooooonnnngggg time to get more… they only bring 2 pieces, so you will definitely need more!
Spanokopita was also nice… but the servers do not know how to pronounce it! :) It comes with a baby green salad on top, which is nice, but the vinegar dressing does not belong and is not needed.
Shrimp risotto was very very nice… could have used a bit larger portion! and, when shrimp is served in a dish like this, I prefer the tails removed to facillitate easier eating. The risotto was thick and creamy and beautifully seasoned, with fresh firm peas. It was very lovely.
So…why only 2 stars? Flies. Flies… and more flies… tiny little fruit flies, and tons of them hovering constantly. Trying to get into the food… the wine… gosh, they were everywhere! I must say, I would probably not patronize this restaurant again, because of the fly problem.

I’ve been here several times for a variety of occasions. I went with a large group, with a group of 4, did wine and apps once and also just went for drinks/​dessert with my wife. I’ve enjoyed myself and my food every time.
For the apps, the dates with bleu cheese and chorizo are really fantastic. From the menu, I’ve tried the steak, the quail and the scallops. All were great. The wine list is extensive and interesting– lots of nice choices from a variety of regions and with a wide range of prices. Lots of good Spanish options (even in whites).
The atmosphere here is modern and inviting. Definitely more interesting than most places in Charlotte. You’ll see a mix of patrons too– from younger hipsters to older foodies, and everyone seems to be enjoying themselves.
Overall I think its a solid experience. The food, service and ambiance are all above average. I’ll be back (obviously– already been 4 times) and will continue to recommend it.

Being New Yorkers, my husband and I had low expectations when his brother brought us here for dinner last night. he told us it was goo, but we figured that meant good for Charlotte. You don’t realize what a snob you are till you say it out loud.
Anyway, it was delicious! Every sip of my drink, every bite of each dish, just perfect. We had the short rib gnocchi appetizer — i wish it was a meal and i could drown myself in it. we also had the duck confit risotto, which was tasty but kind of placed in comparison to its competition. the fig and prosciutto flat bread was pretty tasty too.
i didn’t expect unique ingredients and pairings, but the quinoa risotto served with my lamb sure did surprise me.
i wish we had room for dessert, everything was so tasty. the service was great too.

Tried M5 Modern Mediterranean because of the reviews. Got to say, the food is good. We had wine and appetizers so I can’t reflect on the dinner menu. I had the octopus and wasn’t disappointed.
The outdoor patio is nice. It’s on the east side of the building so there’s no sun in the afternoon. That’s great on a warm day, probably not so great on a cooler evening.
The wait staff is very attentive but not obnoxious. The menu looks great.
I would definitely eat here again.

Tres bon!
A very nice dining experience. Nice atmosphere. Attentive staff. Great food.
The french onion soup, grape leaves, parfait, Mediterranean salad, polenta, lamb, and scallops were all excellent.
Hard to say which is better, M5 or Zambra in Asheville, but M5 will definitely get my business again.

My first experience at M5 was during Charlotte Restaurant Week. I was a little disappointed already because I wanted to go somewhere else but it was completely full. The restaurant itself is really unique. It would be a really fun place to go for drinks after work. The atmosphere is awesome and its in a good location. I was instantly impressed with the cool and modern look of the restaurant.
For my first course, I had a scallop dish with fava beans. It was delicious, the scallops were plump and the fava beans were cooked just right. My second course was pork tenderloin with polenta and peppers. The tenderloin was well cooked but somewhat of a disappointment, there was too much polenta on the plate, and the pepper stew was good. For my dessert, I opted for the cheese plate. It was average and I probably could have made better at home. The cheese selections were not very good. Overall, my experience was decent and I was glad I only paid $ 30 for it. I might like to sample the rest of the menu but would be skeptical considering the prices. I enjoy Mediterranean food but was simply not impressed with M5.

We went to M5 for the first time during Restaurant Week, and made reservations for 8:30 on a Saturday night. We sat at the bar and waited for our table, and had several cocktails. I enjoyed the Berries and Bubbles that I had – I really like drinks with a splash of Chambord, for some reason. My husband had the Grape Crush something, which wasn’t that great. The bartender was very nice – she was super attentive despite being busy. We finally got our table around 9:20 – yikes!
I had the butternut squash soup, the pork tenderloin, and the chocolate cake. M5 got an extra star just for the soup. I am a fan of butternut squash soup, and this one was extremely delicious. The pork was totally average and nothing special. The chocolate cake was pretty good too, I enjoyed it.
My husband had the gnocchi, steak, and the cheese plate. He was not as lucky as I was in our dining venture. The gnocchi was not good, the steak was average, and the cheese plate was alright. His evening tragically ended in terrible indigestion and near vomiting (his ability to «poop it out» saved him). This lost a star for M5.
Our waiter was very friendly and nice, and it was a fairly pleasant evening, albeit a bit inconsistent.

I booked a reservation online for our first visit to M5. It was very easy to do through Open Table. We arrived on time and were seated right away. The first thing we noticed was the incredible décor inside. It was very early 1960s retro. I expected to spot Don Draper from «Mad Men» sitting in one of the booths trying to woo another client.
Our server Kristopher greeted us right away and brought us a drink menu upon request (they normally just bring a wine list to start). We started with the French Pear Martini made with Grey Goose pear vodka and amaretto. Mmmm… At our server’s recommendation, we tried the octopus appetizer. I know I’ve had calamari (squid) dozens of times, but I couldn’t recall ever trying octopus. It was good and sliced in strips instead of rings like calamari. It was good (a little fishy), but I’d probably just get the French onion soup next time (our 2^nd appetizer). It was hands-​down one of THE best French onion soups I’ve ever had. There was a lot of flavor in each spoonful, and I could have eaten a few bowls more. They also brought us bread (that they normally bring to tables) that was seemingly slices of focaccia, but with more moistness and sweetness to them. It, too, was delicious. Thankfully, we hadn’t eaten much all day, so we were pretty hungry.
Our entrees came beautifully presented soon afterward. I ordered the swordfish with a side of broccoli rabe and my partner ordered the gnocchi with a side of winter squash. Everything was delicious, and my broccoli rabe wasn’t bitter like it is when I make it at home.
All in all, we had a fantastic meal experience. Both of us commented that it was one of the best we’ve had in the city of Charlotte. The food was delicious, the service was superb, and everyone was so nice that we came into contact with, from the hostesses to our server to other servers who brought our dishes or cleared them to the manager who stopped by our table. Not a single person made us feel like this was a snooty establishment (see review for Blue Restaurant & Bar). Although the décor may indicate otherwise, we didn’t detect an ounce of pretension. Everyone was treated as equally valued. The prices were reasonable, too, even though everything was a la carte pricing. You can mix and match your own meal combinations to create your own pricing. We definitely can’t wait to return to M5. In the meantime, we’ll be sure to tell everyone how great it is.

M5 is super swanky, and with good reason: the food here is awesome. If you like Greek, and a modern take on Greek at that, then you’ll love this place. Great flatbreads, hummus platter, olive appetizers – that sort of thing. At a price, though. This isn’t cheap.
They have great fish here, so try one of their options if that’s your thing. I tried one of their chicken dishes – not as good as all the fish dishes we tried.
The restaurant itself is super nice – really cool, modern, hip décor, so it’s definitely a great place to impress – good for a fun business dinner or for a first date. There’s a great – and pretty crowded – bar scene, too, so you can definitely just stop by here for (pricy) cocktails.

Im biased. I declare it, I do not hide from it. Chef Tom is the best in Charlotte. He proved that to me a while ago. If you think over all of the concepts he touches, you have to realize how talented he is.
Décor just rocks. It is sexy.
The open kitchen with the seats at the window are just great and well worth the cost to sit there.
Food is dead on. It is perfect. It basically is stealing business from another Chef Tom product… UpStream.

A upscale, urban chic restaurant, M5 has a unique interior & very good food. I don’t know if I’ve ever been to a restaurant quite like this before, considering the atmosphere & ambiance. It really does have a modern feel like the name implies.
Overall, the food is very good, I had the salmon & my girlfriend had the Mahi Mahi…& if I were to go back I would def get the Mahi. It’s probably one of the better fish dishes I’ve had in my entire life. Our appetizer & sides were very good as well, but I would give 1 suggestion and that is to not order a salad. Maybe I should have known better, but an $ 8 salad (not included with your meal) just isn’t worth it to me. You get enough food with an appetizer & your entrée so don’t get the salad.
M5 is a nice place, with very good food, but if you’re like me & on a budget, only make this a date night restaurant every so often.

We walked into M5 and expected a long wait given the amount of people inside, but luckily it was only 15 – 30 mins for a table for 2. The inside is dim, very chic, and cozy — the candles lit and the friendly staff make you want to get comfortable. As far as décor goes, we felt like if you picked M5 up and dropped it in Manhattan, you wouldn’t know the difference.
We walked over to the bar area and ordered a couple of drinks. I will say this: be prepared to spend here. One glass of wine and 2 Chimays set us back $ 30, which we felt was a bit high. But hey, they were Chimays. Once our buzzer went off we were led to our table by a cheerful hostess.
An interesting note about the dining room: you can grab a seat at a «bar» in the middle of it and watch the cooks prepare the food. We thought this was a cool feature but appreciated a private table nonetheless. Where we sat was nice because we were facing a glass fireplace, and through it we had a great view of the cooks in action.
Now for the food: M5 labels themselves as «modern mediterranian», and with this we strongly agree — it’s mediterranean with a loose interpretation. And (surprise surprise!) it’s yet another restaurant owned by the Harpers group. For apps, we got the mussels which were excellent, and the spanikopita which we devoured — it was delicious. For our entrees, my fiancée got the special which was so good I (again) had some serious food envy once I tasted his dish. It was the mahi mahi, over a bed of spinach with some almond sauce on top. AMAZING. I ordered the prawns, which came with a spanish risotto. It was good, but not great — the prawns were not as big as I’d expected and there were only three of them, and the risotto was just okay.
Overall it was a great dining experience and we will definitely be back here! I would make a reservation next time though, just to be sure.