New Uptown lounge QC Social to open this spring as a place to unwind with cocktails, small plates, performances and more

When you get to QC Social for its spring opening, the first thing you should do is flip through the comic-book-style cocktail menu featuring 32 cocktails. QC Social is a 6,000-square-foot lounge opening in the alley at 300 N. College St. in Uptown Charlotte, and the cocktail menu is meant to pay homage to our city’s history.

Four narratives, starting with the “Damned Hornets Nest” and the “Gold Rush,” guide the customer through time, and related cocktail selections.

“We grow so fast and we lose a little insight into where we came from,” said bar director Jade Finn, who hails from Charlotte.

One drink to try: The Captain of Industry, featuring ingredients like Rittenhouse Rye whiskey infused with clover, Benedictine B&B, Grand Marnier and black walnut bitters.

The minds behind QC Social — including co-owners Noi Vong and Tim Suv, and general manager Morgan Leitert — are designing the space as a true lounge, acting as the before-dinner hangout or the after-dinner hangout. It will be a place to unwind.

And that lends itself to small plates. While the menu is still being finalized, the small plates are deriving inspiration from local produce in the region as well as a focus on high-quality, beautiful food.

There will be desserts, beers and wines as well at the lounge, which will be a neighbor to The Imperial, Lucky’s Bar & Arcade, and the incoming Sabor Latin Street Grill.

“What I had in mind was to have a locals’ place,” Vong said.

There will be a stage for live performances ranging from jazz, to acoustic music, to comedy, plus a patio and two floors with a mezzanine included in the layout. Guests will be able to sink into couches and high wing chairs — the kind of “sexy decor that makes people want to come and stay, and hang out for a while,” Vong said. “…We’re a refreshing alternative.”

Photos: Courtesy of Kyo H Nam and QC Social

This story was originally published March 30, 2018 at 12:00 AM with the headline "New Uptown lounge QC Social to open this spring as a place to unwind with cocktails, small plates, performances and more."