Pinky’s Westside Grill eyes shuttered ‘honky tonk’ bar for its next restaurant
Pinky’s Westside Grill, the popular Charlotte eatery that has twice earned Guy Fieri’s stamp of approval, is looking to make Plaza Midwood its new home.
Owners Andy Cauble and Greg Auten are plotting the restaurant’s third location, with plans to purchase the property that once housed The Grinning Mule restaurant and bar on Morningside Drive, Auten confirmed to CharlotteFive.
The latter, a “honky tonk” saloon, closed in 2024 after the owner sold the business, the Charlotte Business Journal reported.
“This will be our third Pinky’s, but I like to think of it as our Funky Punk Rock little sister,” Auten said, adding that they hope to open by the summer.
Pinky’s also has a spot where Charlotte’s Ashley Park and Wesley Heights neighborhoods come together, which opened in 2010. Its second restaurant opened in Huntersville three years later.
Known for its eclectic, dive bar vibe, the restaurant offers classic American fare: think Buffalo wings, giant burgers, hot dogs and gourmet sandwiches. Its most popular item, the White Trash Burger, is made with a five-ounce burger topped with provolone, fried pickles, onion rings and spicy ranch dressing.
Pinky’s was already popular with locals and, in 2015, earned national fame after appearing on The Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” The Charlotte Observer reported. Years later, it was featured on spinoff show “Triple D Nation,” also hosted by Fieri.
Additional details about Pinky’s newest restaurant weren’t immediately available.
Pinky’s Westside Grill
Location: 1109 Morningside Dr, Charlotte, NC 28205 (opening summer 2026)
Location: 1600 W Morehead St, Charlotte, NC 28208
Location: 9818 Gilead Rd STE 101B, Huntersville, NC 28078
Cuisine: Burgers, fries, cocktails and more
Instagram: @pinkyswestsidegrill