The Lodge: A Sportsman's Grill

Trivia night and not very inviting to “non regulars”! Overly loud trivia host and we even were playing and struggled to hear and understand.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 3

Service: 3

When me and my friend first arrived, we were seated right away but had to wait about 10 minutes before our waitress even came over. We ordered an appetizer (buffalo dip) that came out barely warm — closer to room temperature than hot. The Caesar salad was watered down and didn’t taste like a Caesar salad at all; I had to add salt and pepper just to give it some flavor.

I ordered a chicken Philly, and the chicken had absolutely no seasoning. I had to use ketchup just to make it edible. My friend ordered the teriyaki salmon — it was also bland, with only the teriyaki sauce adding any flavor. The broccoli was plain steamed with no seasoning, and the rice was just okay. Overall, the food had no taste and felt like no effort was put into preparing it.

When our waitress asked how everything was, we were honest and told her the food was bland. She said she’d speak with the kitchen. A few minutes later, a lady (never introduced herself but seemed like a manager) came out with a noticeable attitude. She told us we could either order something else or have everything comped. My friend politely said she’d just eat what she had. The lady repeated the same thing multiple times, then said if we ate the food, we wouldn’t get a discount — even though we never asked for a discount in the first place.

We were simply giving honest feedback when asked, yet were met with rudeness and attitude. I still paid for the drinks and even tipped 50% to show it wasn’t about money — it was about the experience. The food was bland, the service was slow, and the management was unprofessional. I definitely wouldn’t recommend this restaurant.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 1

Service: 1

A masterclass in how to ruin a Saturday night out.

My friend and I came in on a Saturday night for drinks and a bite. We waited about ten minutes before being greeted and ordered margaritas, buffalo chicken dip, a Philly, two Caesar salads, and the salmon with broccoli and rice.

The margaritas were strong and balanced — easily the best part of the night. Unfortunately, everything else went downhill from there. The buffalo dip came out cold and overloaded with bleu cheese. The Caesar salads were room temperature and so bland that we had to season them ourselves with salt and pepper.

The entrées were also cold and flavorless. The Philly lacked seasoning to the point that ketchup became the only fix, and the “glazed” teriyaki salmon was a dry, overcooked piece with a few streaks of sauce on top. The broccoli wasn’t seasoned at all.

When our waitress checked in, I politely said the food was bland. She said she’d let the kitchen know — no issue there. But a few minutes later, the manager, Kaitlyn, came over and turned a calm exchange into a spectacle.

Instead of listening, she immediately got defensive and began lecturing us about comping or replacing the food. I told her multiple times that I wasn’t asking for anything free — I just planned to eat what I had because I was hungry. She ignored me completely, continuing to talk over me with eye rolls, hand gestures, and attitude. It was unprofessional, uncomfortable, and embarrassing.

Eventually, I told her I’d rather have my hard earned money back than deal with more disrespect. She snatched the plates, shouted across the restaurant for the waitress to “comp everything but the drinks,” and walked off.

We paid, tipped 50% out of respect for the waitress (because I myself, am a server and my friend is a manager) and left to laugh about the ridiculous experience in the parking lot where we found better food and better energy elsewhere that same night.

It’s worth mentioning that my friend and I were the only Black customers in the restaurant at the time, and the manager’s dismissive, defensive tone didn’t go unnoticed. Whether it was bias or poor training, the interaction made us feel singled out in a way no paying customer should.

This wasn’t about free food — it was about respect, professionalism, and accountability. The entire encounter was unnecessary, unprofessional, and completely avoidable. There’s no redemption for an experience like that, and I’ll be sharing this with everyone I know.

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 1

Service: 1

Love the family neighborhood vibe in here. Really feels like a family restaurant. AMAZING patty melt and make sure to add mushrooms to it!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Good place for a not super fancy meal and beverage.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

We love The Lodge! We love them so much that we even scheduled our “wedding reception” here on a random beautiful Thursday in March, met up with a bunch of our friends on the patio, and the staff was so accommodating and amazing. Erick, Darrell, Ryan, and the entire staff are the best. Thanks for being a shining star in Charlotte! Would give 10 stars if that were an option ⭐️

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Great food and service. The Cuban is awesome.

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 5

Service: 4

My favorite local bar!! Best staff and great beer and food!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Food was good.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 4

Short staffed, but those working did a good job.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 4

Horrible service! They are more likely to cancel your to go order than make it... don't waste your time.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 3

Service: 1

This place is a hidden gem! It reminds me of that small town sports bar where they know you by name. At first I was skeptical but I’m glad I gave it a shot. The manager Eric was super knowledgeable and a team player. He jumped right in and help the staff. He also let me sample the collard greens which I will laughingly say are black folk accepted lol ( hopefully they’re always that way) Quality of food was great. I certainly will be going back especially for rib Thursdays!

The Lodge reminds you of a bar the locals know about cause it's hidden in a small strip mall. The tables are wooden with a couple of booths but mainly tables. There are also seats at the bar which is fully stocked. Also, there are TVs so you'll never have a bad seat if you are there to watch a game. There is a WFNZ sports radio sign over the door. The service was great! The waiter kept my glass full of water and checked to see if I needed anything. There are daily food specials for a very reasonable price. I had the Thursday special which is ribs and 2 sides. The ribs had black pepper, salt, and paprika dry rub topped with bbq sauce. The ribs were cooked perfectly! The meat fell right off the bone and tasted amazing 👏The sides were as delicious as the ribs. I have to give a special shout-out to the bartender. He greeted me at the door, seated me, and took my order. He talked to all the guests and even knew some of their orders because they were regulars. He made everyone feel at home at The Lodge. If you're passing by Colony Place stop in and pull up to the The Lodge. The food, the service, and the atmosphere are great!

Their use of herbs and spices is masterful.

Seriously the best service I’ve ever received and food was great. Best fries I’ve ever had, trust the waiter on the secret sauce.