The Workman’s Friend

Great food, service, atmosphere, and craft cocktails. Will definitely be back! Hostess and Allison our server were very welcoming and knowledgeable.

Wonderful atmosphere! Open faced turkey sandwich was delicious. Burgers were amazing… had the sausage board as well also very good! Service was very friendly. We will be back! Next time we will sit outside and enjoy the adorable patio area.

This place is really delicious. Usually pretty busy but worth the wait. I haven’t tried anything I didn’t like — my favorite is the fried pickles okra. And they make a darn good burger and fries. Intimate and special environment — perfect for a birthday dinner with friends — try to man a table in the back by the fireplace.

Went Saturday night to catch up with friends. Food was no longer being served so I can’t speak on that, but what a great atmosphere! We danced the night away and had a very friendly bartender. A great addition to Plaza Midwood, hopefully a sign of what is to come for that neighborhood! Can’t wait to come back and try the food we have heard great things about.

Omg this place is ADORABLE!!! Pics do no justice. Be sure to check out the outside patio too! We are here for drinks today but will return for food soon.

This is a bar with amazing food. They have a wide selection of beer which will definitely not disappoint. What makes this place special is the food. They have a well thought out menu with chef prepared dishes. They have a big garden on the back and have tvs out to watch the games with friends. Especially when the weather is nice, it would be a great place to sit back & relax, to enjoy a glass of quality beer while eating delicious food.

Excellent food and service, it didn’t hurt that there wasn’t a wait on a Saturday night with their abundant seating. Nice local beer selection and cocktail menu. I tried the lamb and salmon and both were delicious! Well cooked and spiced, a little pricey but not outrageously so. Highly recommend!

This place was AMAZING! It was recommended to us by a leasing consultant and I’m definitely hooked! There are a few vegetarian /​pescatarian options which is great.
We had the mussels, beets, and vegan curry. All five star. The mussels sauce was one of the best I’ve had. Mussels weren’t crunchy/​sandy. The beets fried goat cheese was flavorful and not too greasy, despite it being friends cheese! The flavors in the vegan curry were on point. Not too spicy but enough to give you a nice kick when you take a bite. Spices were mixed in well. It’s more of a curry medley than a creamy curry but I am not complaining.
Everything else on the menu sounds delicious (if only they had a veggie burger option!)
We came at 6pm on Saturday and had no wait time.

This is specifically reviewed for last night — St Patrick’s Day night.
I want to say they did a great job with selecting their entertainment (Mclean Avenue Band with a killer fiddler who looks like he isn’t old enough to be in a pub AND a full pipe band). My friend and I stumbled in at 8ish, and it was not too crazy packed (I heard it was a lot worse earlier in the day). We were able to sit at a dirty abandoned table, but servers cleaned it up soon after and we were able to order food and drink in a reasonable time frame. I ordered the Irish Breakfast ($ 12) and my friend had the shepherd pie ($ 15). They were both very tasty. Since the night was busy, I wasn’t about to ask for salt & pepper and was pleasantly surprised by how well tasting everything was, including my fried eggs!
Lastly — I want to give kiddos to the wait staff for being such good sports and put up with all the craziness (and drunks) with a general good attitude. They were blocked and bumped into constantly, I’m certain they were up-​to-​there with some but they still had a faint smile when dealing with patrons. Especially «Drake» — I didn’t get his name but that’s what on my check — he was even making small talks and provided good service given the chaos.
Well done my neighborhood spot. Thanks for a chill & fun & yummy St. Paddy’s night!

With it being that time of year, we decided to visit The Workman’s Friend for a pint (ish). On that front, there is no disappointment. The pour was perfect, and went down waaay too easily. In fact, I’m thinking it might be time for another already, but I suspect they will be a bit more crowded today so maybe I should wait.
As with many places in Charlotte, the theme is a bit more themed instead of authentic, which is disappointing, as the atmosphere is amazing — you can tell they put some thought into the décor, and the employees generally keep it going and appear genuinely interested that you are there.
What was perhaps strange is that the top menu suggestions were a burger and pickled okra. Not sure those are really Irish, but I was glad to know that they were at least being honest about their strengths.
It also shows that this is a bit above workman-​like fare, so a shepherds pie and salad, while sounding like a great meal, doesn’t arrive as much like a pie, but instead in something like a soufflé-​like dish (maybe this is a Charlotte thing, as the same idea has been seen elsewhere).
Any workman who came to the corner pub to try this would be a bit disappointed, because there was also unfortunately little flavor to be had.
A nice starter, however, was the bag o’ chips, which seemed to go on forever. Many of the chips were on the limp side, but if they had been crisped up, then combined with the excellent presentation (in an actual bag, on a slab of slate), this would have been a home run.
Keep those coming with the aforementioned pint of plain, and an excellent night could be had. Though served with a malt aioli (just tell me the workman knows how to spell aioli!) and ketchup, this was a good choice, as was the asparagus on the side of the chicken, though most workmen might need some overtime to be able to afford the dish — blue collar fare, this most definitely is not.
Still worth a stop, just make sure you know the right choices to make.

Lori and I rolled in around 1 pm on a unseasonably warm, late winter Saturday. Everybody was outside like a bunch of kids on recess at the school yard. We lucked out and parked out back. Our greeter invited us in and sat us at a table for two up front – perfect for people watching, too. Eric, our waiter, explained the menu guiding us to a decision. Great job, Eric.
Lori ordered the open-​faced turkey sandwich. It was very good and the notion of left over fries became the joke of the day. So good. I went traditional pub fare ordering the fish-​n-​chips. It was very good and an authentic rendition. I prefer haddock v. cod, but I knew I was getting cod, which was fresh and cooked perfectly.
Overall, a pleasant experience, especially since they were packed. The owner’s invest in other local places such as, Dandelion Market, Prohibition, etc, and their experience shows here, as well. Kudos and we’ll wander back.

Man so glad my tennis match was cancelled because of the rain… I got a few funny stares from some folks at Workman’s Friend, but honestly I’ve been trying to try this place for a while since it opened.
Plaza-​midwood area parking is always a challenge but we managed to find a spot in a gravel lot about a block away. Probably not the safest and well lit lots, so walk with friends if possible.
Upon entering, the first thought is: is this a «seat yourself» place? And then we see the Front Desk located past the bar and in the middle of the dining room. We were warmly greeted and told there was about a 15min wait. Just enough time for us to go to the bar and grab drinks.
Our booth was waiting for us after closing out at the bar so the timing was perfect. Everything on the menu seemed like a win-​win, but I eventually ended up going with the crispy skin salmon with parsnip purée and roasted Brussels sprouts. Pretty darn amazing. If you came back to our table after leaving me with this dish, you would come back to a sparkling clean dish (like nothing was ever on it to begin with). So yeah, I enjoyed/​INHALED it. Good thing I took a picture of it first. It paired well with my Bloody Jimmy: a bloody mary made with jamesons… genius (probably a meal in-​itself)
Overall, I’m a big fan of this place. Drinks, food, and a great place to hang out in… the low-​level lighting and ambiance makes you feel like you have been transported to a different era. Upon leaving, we saw signs for a beir garden… and checked out the outdoor space in the back… I know where I’m going to be come summer time.

Love, love this place. Hip neighborhood, check. Cozy, warm atmosphere, check. Great food, check.
The décor is «sophisticated pub» if that makes sense. There’s a fireplace in the back of the dining room and it adds a touch of home and comfort. The atmosphere at this gastropub is fantastic.
After we ate we checked out the patio and our immediate reaction was «We’ve got to come back when it’s nicer weather.» The outdoor area is just as nice as the indoors. There’s another fireplace, a covered bar, flat-​screen TVs, comfortable booths, and free-​standing and mounted outdoor heaters.
This place makes me want to move to Plaza Midwood.

My wife sent me a link to this joint when she was in Plaza Midwood a couple months ago. Ever since seeing the menu, I’ve been looking for an opportunity to give The Workingman’s Friend a try and finally made it this past weekend to meet a friend up from Florida.
It’s a nice, cozy space with dark wood and a fireplace at the end of the restaurant which was quite welcome on a 27 degree day. We went on a Sunday and they had both the regular daily menu and a small selection of brunch items. There is also a local/​seasonal craft beer menu to go along with a relatively extensive overall list.
The service was mostly very good. In terms of quickly checking with us to get drink and then food orders and overall «paying attention to» it was just fine. The downside was how long it took for the food to come out so, more a kitchen issue than anything else. It was almost 30 minutes between order and food and we watched others around us experiencing the same issue. End of the day, I’m there to catch up with a friend so no biggie on that front but 30 min. is pretty long wait.
The food itself was great flavor-​wise. I had the Working Man burger with bacon added. It came with chips (fries) that were small wedges of potato in a paper bag with both ketchup and a tasty malt vinegar aioli. They were hot and crispy and the aioli was a yummy dip. I asked for the burger to be medium and it came out beyond well done and as a result, was very dry. Again, nice flavor but nowhere close to the temp ordered. I had a Sunday dinner pork roast to get home to baste and since it initially took so long to get the food, I just let it slide vs. sending back.
I’ll definitely be going again since my wife was jealous that I was getting there before she did since she found the place. Look forward to trying some different food and more good beers. Based on most of the other Unilocaler eviews, I would expect the few negatives from this visit to be a one time only thing.

My father is British and I have lived in the UK a couple times so I’ve spent my share of time in pubs. When I first heard a new gastropub was going in at Thomas and Central I was dubious, even after friends raved about the menu (after all, people love Peculiar Rabbit). But one night hubs wanted to go to Intermezzo which isn’t my favorite but I had such a bad day he diverted and went to Workmans Friend to try it instead since I love trying new places. Luck of the Irish, the first spot was open in their private parking lot.
I was pleasantly surprised that the indoors really grabbed the essence of a good Irish/​British pub with the bar, dark interior and wooden tables. It’s what I want Big Ben’s to be. Beyond that the menu is traditional pub fare, elevated. They keep some key entrees like fish and chips, paired with peas (as well they should be) and execute really well.
But the sliders, yo! We got brisket sliders with Irish cheddar and a quail egg, which they will cook to temperature if you ask them. They are seriously the most delicious thing ever and rivals Reid’s for the best burger in Charlotte.
Also thinking we got 1 entrée and 1 app (sliders) we thought we’d be hungry so we also got a seasonal salad which was an autumn arugula salad with turkey. It was both a mistake and a windfall. It was sooo much food, which is good to know because that salad is delicious and stout. It was a great value and definitely enough food for a whole meal.
I almost missed the drinks — we tried a Workman’s Friend whiskey cocktail which is my new favorite drink. Their beer list is acceptable, though not huge.
Even though it was busy the food was prompt and service was good. The outdoor «garden» as they’d call it across the pond was lively and packed with singles and families with babies alike. There are plenty of TVs around so you won’t miss the game.
We’re building a house up the street so we are excited to have a new home base that we both really love. This is the real deal, or as my Irish friends say, «To be sure, to be sure.»
PS: Pair the peas with a mint vinegar sauce instead of butter! ;)

My husband and I had returned to Charlotte to work on getting our Plaza-​Midwood home ready for sale. We broke away from the hard work on Sunday for lunch and decided to try The Workman’s Friend.
It was a nice day, so we sat in the open covered area by the fireplace. The outdoor area is nicely done, with lovely, rustic old brick and sewing machine tables.
The menu is meat heavy, which I suppose is typical for an Irish style pub. But, they offered these lovely sides for $ 3.00 each. We both ordered the Brussels sprouts, Mac and cheese, and fried asparagus. All three were outstanding. The Brussels sprouts had a nice garlic flavor, the Mac and cheese was creamy, and the batter on the asparagus was light and crispy.
Makes me sad that we have left the neighborhood.

Looks can be deceiving. From the street, this place looks really small, closed off, and you can’t really tell what it is.
When you walk in the front doors, you are greeted by lots of rustic wood and an old world feel. You walk into the bar room first and then you realize just how big and spacious and long this place is. What seemed small and cramped from the outside was huge on the inside. I love the low lighting and the cozy fireplace. It felt like an authentic Irish Pub.
One thing I found odd was that we had to figure out where the hostess stand was. It was actually all the way through the bar on the other side… just before you enter the dining room.
The menu was somewhat limited, but the things they had on the menu covered all the basis of tastes. They had everything from a ground ribeye burger, to a shepherds pie, to fish and chips, to nice salads, to grilled cheese.
2 at my table got the fish and chips with little green peas. Although I don’t eat fish, If I did… I would have torn into the dish because it looked great. The peas were tender and green… almost like they were steamed and not boiled… almost al dente looking… which is the way I would want them. I was torn between the burger and the shepherds pie. Ended up getting the burger with some Brussels Sprouts. The burger was pretty dang good… not the best I have ever had… but it was good. The only thing I hate is how everyone is starting to serve food on slabs of wood. Just use plates. The Brussels Sprouts were delish! Perfectly seasoned, browned just right, and just oiled enough. This is the epitome of how I try to make mine at home.
While we were there, I went to the back patio to check it out. I was shocked at the size of the space! Huge bar… lots of seating for eating and drinking. Quite impressive.
All in all, the food was good and the atmosphere was even better. I think the most impressive thing about this place was the sheer size and décor of the place. It’s kinda like that olé movie «Field of Dreams»…“if you build it, they will come.” I think they did a great job developing a perfect space for the Plaza Midwood crowd. It’s a booming neighborhood… and this place can really handle the influx of being busy with a crowd.
No doubt, they will do well here. Cheers!

My first trip to The Workman’s Friend was very successful. The the Plaza Midwood neighborhood is perfect for this Irish pub. Inside, inviting, somewhat simple, not quite cozy due to the layout but certainly comfortable. The menu is limited, which to me is a good thing as they can focus well on what they have chosen to offer. Menu items range from shepherd’s pie and hamburgers to fried pickled okra and interesting salads. On this first visit, I had a glass of their house cabernet — pretty good actually — then took out shepherd’s pie. Don’t know how they could have browned the mashed potatoes for the take out but I kind of missed that part of the shepherd’s pie.
The best part of the evening was the great, friendly service. I’ll definitely go back — maybe today and get a nice Guinness.

We came here for the first time this past weekend for a friends birthday celebration. The décor was really nice, very cozy, and I loved the brick! We sat in the back near the fireplace which I thought was a cool addition to the restaurant, something I haven’t really seen before.
We had a big group of people and the service was really fast for how many people we had and how busy it was so we were pleased with that. The food was definitely something to note. My boyfriend and I shared an appetizer and a salad. The brisket sliders were amazing, my favorite part was the little egg they put on the top! So tasty! The poached pear salad had a great mix of tastes-​sweet, tangy, and cheesy! I would definitely get this combo again! The only thing that caught my eye were the portions/​prices. The portions were really small for the price. The sliders came with 2 small sliders and the salad seemed like a side salad you might add to a bigger entrée. But regardless, the food was still good!
The cocktail list is normal as far as prices go and they look delicious. I didn’t try any this time around, I stuck with wine but next time I’ll definitely stray away from the wine and try some cocktails. I’m looking forward to coming here again and trying out some different menu items, cocktails, and sitting out on the patio!

I’ve enjoyed The Workman’s Friend both times I’ve been. The staff are very friendly and helpful.
In visiting restaurants I usually sit at the bar to eat, but their inside bar seems to stay lively so cheers to a lively bar and I sat at a table.
I had the Chicken the first visit. I can’t remember exactly what they call it, but it came with Mac n Cheese and I’m a fan. There was another restaurant I loved that had a similarly cooked chicken with a molasses gastrique that was taken off the menu so I’m thrilled to find this one. It doesn’t have the molasses gastrique for that tart/​sweet bite, but it is delicious and well-​made and I will get it again. The Mac n Cheese was creamy and cheesy and delicious.
At my second visit I sat outside on their enclosed patio! I like that they have enclosed it completely (open to the sky though) to shut out noise and bypassers and parking and I’m sure the neighbors appreciate that as well. It’s simple, but has a finished looked to it with flowers and some simple decoration and delineation between table areas and I enjoyed sitting there.
There is a bar out there, but it wasn’t open when I was there on a Wed evening, so I guess it’s for when it’s busier or weekends/​special events.
The seating is mostly trestle tables that you may or may not end up sharing with other people. You are served separately from any table mates and it actually works out quite well. People tend to be a little more quiet which is an interesting effect and one I appreciated.
At my second visit I had the Crispy Salmon with Brussel Sprout Chips, Parsnip Purée and a fair drizzle of Basil Oil. Yum. Whoever the cook/​chef was on this piece of fish deserves high praise.
It was cooked perfectly. I say that because the crisp on the skin was to the perfect degree (for me — deeply caramelized/​smoky without tasting burned) The salmon was so hot internally (Ah cahnt tahk so haht) but not the least bit overcooked with that smooth creaminess of texture that melts in your mouth — so wow — Thank you Chef.
The Parsnip Purée was just enough to give that extra taste without becoming overwhelming in that licorice taste… was it parsnip purée or fennel? Now I’m not sure, but oh, so good. The Basil Oil was subtle but gave a depth that was appreciated with the Brussel Sprout Chips.
The Brussel Sprout Chips were my only slight detraction. I thought I was getting some little roasted brussel sprouts (which I would prefer), so getting the little, crispy flakes was slightly underwhelming, but they were really good, not too charred and enough of them that I still got the brussel sprout flavor I enjoy and they added a nice texture.
So, yes… I recommend it. I like the location and I like the space, staff and food. I’ll be back!