Midtown Sundries Grill & Bar

I was a huge fan of Midtown Sundries in Pineville before it closed a few years ago so I was thrilled when this one opened nearby.  The menu isn't identical to the one they used to have, but they definitely kept some fan favorites.  When it was in Pineville I was ADDICTED to the Big Island Salad, and I'm super happy they kept that one on the menu.  We've been 6 times in the 2 months that it's been open and our experience has been great each time from a food and service perspective.

This Midtown is located where Carolina Bistro used to be, and my understanding is that this location has a pretty loyal following.  Live music on Tuesdays, Bingo on Wednesdays and Karaoke on Thursdays.  I'm not sure about Fri or Sat because we avoid it at all costs.  I just don't think the restaurant has good acoustics because when there are people at the bar or anything else going on (karaoke, bingo, etc), it's just too loud.  I mean, so loud you can't hear yourself think.  We've been on a Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, and luckily the Wednesday we went Bingo was cancelled.  On the Thursday night we were sat near the bar which was just crazy loud due to 3 obnoxious patrons, and we managed to leave just as karaoke was getting fired up.  All Sunday experiences have been fantastic. ;-)

Overall, I love the food and the service has been great (btw - EVERYTHING is better with their blue cheese - best in CLT).  But I'd recommend going for lunch or avoiding their nightly activities if you're looking for a family atmosphere or any conversation.

I used to frequent the Midtown Sundries located on Pineville-Matthews Rd until they closed rather suddenly a few years ago. When I saw there was going to be another Midtown opening I was thrilled.

The restaurant is located in a shopping center and the space was formerly occupied by the constantly changing Carolina Bistro. Not much has changed on the interior since converting to Midtown except maybe some additional TV's.

We have been here six times in the two months since they opened. I am disappointed with the results. Now keep in mind we have been there SIX times. So it obviously doesn't suck or we wouldn't have gone back. The problem is inconsistency. On a good day, you are going to get excellent food. But sometimes they fall a little short. For instance, we went around 8pm on a weekday evening. I ordered mac & cheese as a side. It was terrible. They scraped it from the bottom of a pan and the noodles were tough and/or crunchy. How do I know it was scraped from the bottom of the pan? Because my wife had ordered it too but only one order came out. The guy then said it was the last bit and he likes it burnt like that. Well, you're in the minority slick. That shouldn't have been served.

Another time we went and everything was great except for one flaw. The hush puppies that came with the fish basket were tough. I guarantee they had made a bunch earlier and rather than throw them out, they just threw them back in the deep fryer to get them hot again. They were so hard that you literally could not chew them. We sent them back and fresh ones were brought out. And you know what? They were great. But it's unacceptable to serve old food like that. From those two experiences we really felt a pattern forming. I hope the owners read this and get their act together. If you have old food, then just let it go. Don't be cheap.

Also, the salads? Serve them in cold bowls so the lettuce doesn't wilt.

It sounds like a lot of complaining. But I would call it tough love. I really really want this place to succeed and be at their best at all times. There is no reason for poor service when the waitstaff is meandering about.

Now for the positives. Their food is excellent. The burgers get a thumbs up. The wings get a thumbs way up. I am hooked on the barbalo. The sides are all good. Seriously? This place deserves four stars. Hopefully they get the kinks worked out and I will re-review them as a 4-5 star establishment. Something tells me that this is going to be my spot to take in the NFL games this fall.