At Culinary Dropout, raise your glass to friends coming together in Charlotte. A place where food and music are life. Join us at happy hour for ice cold beer and our famous soft pretzels with provolone fondue. At dinner, a signature cocktail and slow braised 36-hour pork ribs are a perfect pair. While you and your crew enjoy damn good food & drinks, a local band plays live for great vibes. Come hang out and stay a while.
Cool, British-style gastropub chain with quirky decor, serving inventive cocktails & comfort food.
Address and Contact Information
Address: 1120 S Tryon St #100, Charlotte, NC 28203
Phone: (980) 215-9005
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Order and Reservations
Reservations: opentable.com
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Charlotte, NC | Culinary Dropout
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An American restaurant in Charlotte (Ballantyne), NC with scratch kitchens, cold beer, live music, and the place to watch sports—only at Culinary Dropout.
Locations + Menus | Culinary Dropout
North Carolina. Charlotte (South End) · 1120 S. Tryon St., Suite 100, Charlotte, NC 28203 · (980) 215-9005. Catering & Group Dining Available. Menus Order …
Reviews
Table for two, please!
Culinary Dropout — The “I Came for the Vibes, Stayed Because My Food Wasn’t Ready Yet” Review
Culinary Dropout is basically the restaurant version of that friend who’s super fun at parties but absolutely cannot cook. The vibe is immaculate — loud music, big energy, people playing yard games like they’re auditioning for a beer commercial.
The food? Listen… it’s not bad, it’s just giving “group project where everyone did the bare minimum.” ♂️
You’ll eat it, you’ll survive, but you’re not waking up tomorrow thinking, “Man, that pretzel changed my life.” The menu plays it safer than a cardiologist on their first day in the cath lab.
Drinks? Solid. Atmosphere? A+ for chaos.
Food? A strong “yeah that’s fine.”
Overall? Perfect place if you want to hang out, laugh, and pretend calories don’t count when there’s live music.
If you’re going for the culinary experience, you might leave feeling like the restaurant’s name was a warning. But if you’re going for the vibes, you’ll have a great time and maybe even forget you ordered food at all.
… moreCulinary Dropout is basically the restaurant version of that friend who’s super fun at parties but absolutely cannot cook. The vibe is immaculate — loud music, big energy, people playing yard games like they’re auditioning for a beer commercial.
The food? Listen… it’s not bad, it’s just giving “group project where everyone did the bare minimum.” ♂️
You’ll eat it, you’ll survive, but you’re not waking up tomorrow thinking, “Man, that pretzel changed my life.” The menu plays it safer than a cardiologist on their first day in the cath lab.
Drinks? Solid. Atmosphere? A+ for chaos.
Food? A strong “yeah that’s fine.”
Overall? Perfect place if you want to hang out, laugh, and pretend calories don’t count when there’s live music.
If you’re going for the culinary experience, you might leave feeling like the restaurant’s name was a warning. But if you’re going for the vibes, you’ll have a great time and maybe even forget you ordered food at all.
Peggy Crane
I had been wanting to go here since they opened, but did not get there until this week. Our server, Isabel, was friendly, helpful, and always there when we needed her. We did not feel like we were in need of anything. Water was always filled and she kept us informed of timing and it was just easy. I love that it’s a scratch kitchen and they make everything there. The flavors were great and the choices were plentiful. We had a wonderful, leisurely lunch with really yummy drinks!
… moreJim Secker
I had dinner the Culinary Dropout to celebrate my son’s new job. This was my first time here and I liked the vibe. I started off with a Moscow Mule that was very refreshing. For the table, we shared the Spicy Shrimp Crispy Rice and Soft Pretzels with a provolone fondue. They were both a big hit. For dinner, I had the 36 hour Pork Ribs and it came with fries. It was fantastic. I enjoyed eating here and hope to come back to have a drink at their very cool bar.
… moreAlfred Gerhold
The atmosphere here is fantastic, with stylish decor that makes the space feel welcoming and comfortable. The staff were incredibly friendly and attentive, always ready to help with a smile. I stopped by for breakfast and enjoyed the burrito—it was flavorful, though a little warmer would have made it perfect. The highlight of the visit, however, was the live music. The acoustic guitar soloist added an amazing energy to the morning, creating a relaxed yet lively vibe that made the experience memorable. Between the inviting environment, helpful staff, and talented musician, this spot has everything I look for in a brunch destination. I’ll definitely be coming back, especially to enjoy more of the live performances.
… moreT Leavelle
We enjoyed an elagant double date to Culinary Dropout for Valentine’s day. When we arrived the staff were very helpful and dressed fancy for the occasion. The atmosphere was warm and inviting for couples to experience the lovely time together.
We ordered the Valentine’s day chocolate fondue. It came with cookies, donuts, apples, cherries, strawberries, and rice crispy treats to dip into the chocolate. For brunch we order the Southwest Breakfast bowl and the Fried Chiken and Buttermilk Biscuit. The Breakfast bowl did not look appetizing, but was really delicious. The fried chicken was well seasoned and tender. The Biscuit was very soft and delicious.
… moreWe ordered the Valentine’s day chocolate fondue. It came with cookies, donuts, apples, cherries, strawberries, and rice crispy treats to dip into the chocolate. For brunch we order the Southwest Breakfast bowl and the Fried Chiken and Buttermilk Biscuit. The Breakfast bowl did not look appetizing, but was really delicious. The fried chicken was well seasoned and tender. The Biscuit was very soft and delicious.
Taylor
We had a girl’s night here and we had a blast! Great service from the moment you walked in the door to when you sit down to when you leave. I felt so welcomed! Our waitress was great. She was very attentive, knowledgeable, and friendly.
To start, I ordered The Hass mocktail. Don’t be put off by the avocado in it. It tastes just like a Moscow mule because of the lime and ginger. Very refreshing, would be a great summertime drink.
For my meal, I got the chicken katsu sandwich. It was probably one of my favorite sandwiches I’ve ever ordered. The chicken is really crispy. There is a slightly sweet sauce that goes well with the red cabbage slaw. But I will have to say my favorite part of the sandwich was the bread. They use a Japanese milk bread, which is really thick and soft. Then they toast it with butter, so you get that crispiness of toasting with the fat of the butter with the softness of the bread with the crunch of the chicken with the brightness of the slaw… I could go on and on. It’s just a really good flavor and textural experience. I got the side salad and their ranch also blew my mind. Definitely home made, thick, very flavorful, I ended up dipping my sandwich in it.
We parked in the parking garage right next to it. They do validate parking, which is always a bonus!
I thoroughly enjoyed my whole experience. I will be recommending this restaurant to my friends!
… moreTo start, I ordered The Hass mocktail. Don’t be put off by the avocado in it. It tastes just like a Moscow mule because of the lime and ginger. Very refreshing, would be a great summertime drink.
For my meal, I got the chicken katsu sandwich. It was probably one of my favorite sandwiches I’ve ever ordered. The chicken is really crispy. There is a slightly sweet sauce that goes well with the red cabbage slaw. But I will have to say my favorite part of the sandwich was the bread. They use a Japanese milk bread, which is really thick and soft. Then they toast it with butter, so you get that crispiness of toasting with the fat of the butter with the softness of the bread with the crunch of the chicken with the brightness of the slaw… I could go on and on. It’s just a really good flavor and textural experience. I got the side salad and their ranch also blew my mind. Definitely home made, thick, very flavorful, I ended up dipping my sandwich in it.
We parked in the parking garage right next to it. They do validate parking, which is always a bonus!
I thoroughly enjoyed my whole experience. I will be recommending this restaurant to my friends!
Patrick Stilwell
On a recent date night, where we were going to see a show afterwards we stopped in for an early meal right at 5 o’clock. The restaurant was empty, which we were concerned about, but that is relatively early I know. We are old people in young bodies! Love an early meal with no wait! We started with the pretzel appetizer and it really was very tasty but way too much for two people, and because my wife is a sucker for this kind of thing, she tried the shrimp toast which she loved. She said that she would like to go back and just get that for her meal with a salad or something like that. For our meal, we had a pizza and the meatloaf. The meatloaf was actually just OK even though it was supposed to be brought back by popular demand, I don’t think I would get it again. The pizza was OK, but it was all bread and not enough toppings. Good flavor, but the balance was just a little bit off. I like a thick crust pizza with good flavor, but you still have to have enough toppings so it’s not just a dry piece of bread. Overall, the menu looked good and we would definitely come back. Service was excellent and the staff was friendly and the restaurant itself is well decorated and inviting.
To those about to nosh, we salute you!
… moreTo those about to nosh, we salute you!
Leah
I don’t ever write reviews but this place was too good to not share. My boyfriend and I went on a date to the Mint Museum and decided to try Culinary Dropout after seeing it on google and oh boy, it didn’t disappoint. We got the Brussels sprouts to start and they were insanely good, the sauce was a little heavy but that is just personal preference. My bf got the MAC burger which was AMAZING and the Two To Mango cocktail which was well worth the price (unfortunately didn’t get a pic of either). I got the Spicy Rigatoni which was delicious. We got the monkey bread and the mud pie for dessert, they did take 20 minutes to come out but it was so worth it, I think I’ll have dreams of the mud pie. Our server Jensen (please forgive me if I spelled it wrong) was fantastic and she helped so much with the recommendations. The place was decorated beautifully and the ambiance was spectacular. We cannot wait to come back and try it again
… moreBianca Chapman
Our waiter was exceptional! Love his tattoo especially the one that says peace of mind. We were visiting from Dallas and loved coming here! The short ribs were amazing! The highlight was the shrimp and fried crispy rice! It was so good we ordered two! Great vibes! Great place! Great customer service!
… moreTony Eats Pizza
We came in for the pretzel bites and Detroit style pizza! I really liked the little fondue pot of cheese, and the fact that it had plenty of cheese for the pretzel bites. There are not a lot of Detroit Style pizza places in Charlotte (Salud, Emmy squared and Jets are the only ones I know of) so was really happy that they offered it! The frico crust on the DSP was very tasty!
There is a good amount of indoor and outdoor seating. This place is bigger than I thought it would be. It is also on the higher end of the casual dining scale. The staff were all super nice.
If you are trying it out for the first time, you can sign up for their eBites club and get $10 off your first $20 purchase. Pretty good deal if you are wanting to check them out.
… moreThere is a good amount of indoor and outdoor seating. This place is bigger than I thought it would be. It is also on the higher end of the casual dining scale. The staff were all super nice.
If you are trying it out for the first time, you can sign up for their eBites club and get $10 off your first $20 purchase. Pretty good deal if you are wanting to check them out.