These 9 Charlotte sports bars are your best bet for UNC vs. Duke game day catering
This Saturday, rivals Duke and UNC will play in the Final Four at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. The highly anticipated game, which will mark the first time the two teams meet in the NCAA tournament, will have sports fans in cheer-mode at bars and game day parties across the state.
For Charlotteans who will be watching from home, ensuring the kitchen and snack bar are both fully stocked with grub is paramount to the success of a game day party. Usually, that’s not much of a problem for party planners. However, the hype surrounding the upcoming game could lead to a shortage of options in your area.
These nine fan-favorite sports bars (the finest in Charlotte, according to our readers) are your best bet for game day catering:
WING KING CAFE
Location: 13209 Carowinds Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28273
Neighborhood: South Charlotte
Tip: You can place an order for bar eats from Wing King Cafe online. When placing your order, you can pick the day and time that works best for you. As far as ordering food on Saturday goes, the restaurant advises patrons to place their order as soon as possible (in advance if you can) and pick up earlier in the day to take advantage of availability.
MOOSEHEAD GRILL
Location: 1807 Montford Dr, Charlotte, NC 28209
Neighborhood: Montford
Tip: The staff at Moosehead Grill say that the time of day you pick up your advance order of grub does not matter as much as how far in advance you place the order. Therefore, party planners should place their orders now because there’s not much time left before Saturday’s game.
CHEX GRILL & WINGS
Locations: Multiple locations
Neighborhood: Davis Lake, Freedom Drive, Gastonia, Mount Holly, Pineville, The Plaza, Sardis Road, University City, Uptown
Tip: Because Chex Grill & Wings has multiple locations, your chances of being able to cater your party with this restaurant are higher than most other options. Because it’s a game day, Chex’s uptown location may be more busy – your best bet is their Freedom Drive location.
COALTRANE’S CHAR GRILL
Location: 1518 Central Ave., Charlotte, NC 28205
Neighborhood: Plaza Midwood
Tip: According to restaurant staff, things don’t usually get “too crazy” at Coltrane’s during game days – but since it’s an NC v. NC game it would be best to place your orders online as far ahead of time as possible (just in case).
D.D. PECKERS WING SHACK
Location: 10403 Park Rd., Charlotte, NC 28210
Neighborhood: South Charlotte
Tip: The staff at D.D. Peckers Wing Shack don’t expect to be sold out of wings or other game day eats this weekend, but they do warn that “... if you have the option to pre-order with us, you should do that.”
DUCKWORTH’S GRILL AND TAPHOUSE
Location: Multiple Locations
Neighborhoods: Ballantyne, Huntersville, Mooresville, Rea Farms, Uptown
Tip: At Duckworth’s, patrons can place orders for food in advance by calling. However, if you’ve waited until the last minute, call the restaurant early on Saturday morning to confirm the best time to pick up food based on availability.
FLIP-A-LO’S
Location: 7629 Pineville-Matthews Rd, Charlotte, NC 28226
Neighborhood: Carmel Commons Shopping Center in South Charlotte
Tip: Staff at Flip-a-Lo’s do expect the restaurant to be busier than usual, so your best bet is to place an order ahead of time and pick up at a time of day that is before rush hour.
JACKBEAGLE’S
Location: 125 S Main St, Mt Holly, NC 28120
Neighborhood: NoDa
Tip: Jackbeagle’s does not offer the ability to order catering in advance, but if you’re dead set on getting your hands on wings from this restaurant, you should call early in the morning for your best chance at getting your order in on Saturday.
KRISTOPHER’S SPORTS BAR & RESTAURANT
Location: 250 N. Trade St, Matthews, NC 28105
Neighborhood: Matthews
Tip: The manager at Kristopher’s says the restaurant will surely be “slammed” this weekend. Patrons should plan to place an order for food as far in advance as they can before Saturday.
This story was originally published March 31, 2022 at 5:42 PM.
