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We are closer to moving to charlotte but we had some question on the wait time for restaurants on a Friday or Saturday night in south charlotte. We visited charlotte again a few weeks ago and we wanted to go to dinner at PF Changs in south charlotte but they told us it was a two + hour wait. So we decided to go to the south park mall and the restaurants there said it would be at least that if not more. Is this typical? Do some restaurants take reservations? Any suggestions on restaurants that are good with less wait?
Another point, it seems like to me that 85 and 77 are the main thoroughfares in charlotte. Is this true? How easy are the roads to learn the “short cuts”?
Sometimes the shortcuts can take the same amount of time as the main roads. The main reason- others know the shortcuts & use them as well. The best way to learn the shortcuts is to take a Sat. when there isn't a lot of traffic & drive around looking for shortcuts. Sometimes you just have to come across them. I know a route to get from Providence Rd. up to Kenilworth/East Blvd. that cuts through some residential areas & avoids some of the heavy traffic on Providence Rd & Queens Rd. The way I learned them was I had a friend who lived there when I was younger but it was also a cut through to get to my Elem. school.
Any from WT Harris to Uptown? Or either of these to Huntersville? Is it me or does south charlotte seems a little confusing to get around? That is my impression from the two times I have been down there. Also the drive from 85 to the mall is weird because of how long you drive in the suburbs and then it's like bam and you smack dab in traffic and busyness.
I have found when we go out to dinner on the weekends if we go around 5pm there is usually no or very little wait. When we go around 7-8pm we usually have a wait of at least 45 minutes. So when we decide to go out to eat we just try to go a little before the crowds.
We are closer to moving to charlotte but we had some question on the wait time for restaurants on a Friday or Saturday night in south charlotte. We visited charlotte again a few weeks ago and we wanted to go to dinner at PF Changs in south charlotte but they told us it was a two + hour wait. So we decided to go to the south park mall and the restaurants there said it would be at least that if not more. Is this typical? Do some restaurants take reservations? Any suggestions on restaurants that are good with less wait?
Another point, it seems like to me that 85 and 77 are the main thoroughfares in charlotte. Is this true? How easy are the roads to learn the “short cuts”?
Everyone has been really helpful on this forum
We have learned some tricks with the wait time. You either eat early or eat late. If you eat late, you're less apt to be able to get the specials or prime rib or stuff like that.
Or you go out to dinner on a weeknight with no problems and great service.
In FL, we learned some restaurants have "call ahead seating" but I haven't looked into it here. You give them a call, you put your name on the list, and they tell you when to come. It's nice to be able to sit in the comfort of your own home and have cocktails, and not have to wait in a busy crowded restaurant...
I forgot to add, it's pretty much the same anywhere in the South from what I've seen living outside of Winston-Salem, Asheville, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, and Charlotte...
Any from WT Harris to Uptown? Or either of these to Huntersville? Is it me or does south charlotte seems a little confusing to get around? That is my impression from the two times I have been down there. Also the drive from 85 to the mall is weird because of how long you drive in the suburbs and then it's like bam and you smack dab in traffic and busyness.
South Charlotte isn't confusing to me, but I've lived here for abt. 22yrs. I grew up around here. I remember when Piper Glen wasn't there. I remember when Hwy 51 was only 2 lanes. I really don't know the north end that well. Up there is confusing to me. I also don't go up there a lot. And when I do go up there, things have changed so much since I was last up there.
We are closer to moving to charlotte but we had some question on the wait time for restaurants on a Friday or Saturday night in south charlotte. We visited charlotte again a few weeks ago and we wanted to go to dinner at PF Changs in south charlotte but they told us it was a two + hour wait. So we decided to go to the south park mall and the restaurants there said it would be at least that if not more. Is this typical? Do some restaurants take reservations? Any suggestions on restaurants that are good with less wait?
Another point, it seems like to me that 85 and 77 are the main thoroughfares in charlotte. Is this true? How easy are the roads to learn the “short cuts”?
Everyone has been really helpful on this forum
Two + hours seems awfully long to me (especially for a place like PF Changs that doesn't traditionally take reservations). I can remember when the Cheesecake Factory first opened here, they had wait times that long, but that's because there was so much hype about it being here. I can only imagine that there must have been something going on when you where here. Like a big event in town, or perhaps that was the weekend before Valentines. Then that would make sense. My experience has been that a "long" wait time here is at most an hour; and then most of the time they "say" an hour, but you normally get seated before then. And I'm talking about at popular places. But at just your average old resturant, maybe 20 to 30 minutes. I'm no expert, but I do eat out a lot and that's been my experience.
PF Changs has had that kind of wait ever since they opened! I just plan to sit at the bar & have a cocktail while waiting. The patio will be open soon & that helps some.
There are lots of other fine dining options that you can choose from that won't have a wait if you don't make reservations (but I always do). TOWN, Carpe Diem, Bonterra, Volare & DOlce Italian. Don't pass up local favorites- Lang Van for Vietnamese, The Penguin for burgers & fried pickles, and Lupies for Chili Mac (sphegetti w.chili) and veg. plates with homemade mac & cheese.
South Park restaurants will always be packed-make a reservation the day before if you can.
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Wait time...
