Nightlife Readers’ Pick Winners: Best in the Nest 2023

Best in the Nest Readers’ Picks were chosen exclusively by readers through a one-month nomination process followed by a one-month voting process. The nominations were not tampered with by Queen City Nerve staff at all — save for removing ourselves from a few categories to proactively dispel any notions of favoritism. In other words, if you disagree with these ones, that’s on your fellow reader, not us. 2023 saw more than 25,000 ballots cast between the nomination and final rounds of voting.

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Winners: Download your award graphics here

TO KICK IT

BEST ARCADE BAR

Winner: Super Abari Game Bar
Runner Up: Pins Mechanical Co

BEST BOWLING ALLEY

Winner: Pins Mechanical Co
Runner Up: Queen Park Social

BEST CIGAR BAR

Winner: The Vintage Whiskey & Cigar Bar
Runner Up: Tinder Box

BEST COCKTAIL BAR

Winner: Idlewild
Runner Up: The Artisan’s Palate

BEST DIVE BAR

Winner: Thirsty Beaver Saloon
Runner Up: Hattie’s Tap & Tavern

BEST DOG BAR

Winner: Skiptown
Runner Up: The Dog Bar

BEST HOOKAH BAR

Winner: Crave Dessert Bar
Runner Up: The Peace Pipe

BEST MUSIC BINGO NIGHT

Winner: Mindless Minutia Trivia
Runner Up: Music Bingo with Chris Neal at Kilted Buffalo Plaza Midwood

BEST NEIGHBORHOOD BAR

Winner: Hattie’s Tap & Tavern
Runner Up: Snug Harbor

BEST POOL HALL

Winner: Midwood Country Club
Runner Up: Hattie’s Tap & Tavern

BEST SPORTS BAR

Winner: Ed’s Tavern
Runner Up: QC Pour House

BEST STRIP CLUB

Winner: Leather & Lace
Runner Up: The Gentlemen’s Club

BEST WINE BAR

Winner: Rosie’s Coffee & Wine Garden
Runner Up: Barcelona Wine Bar

BEST TRIVIA NIGHT

Winner: Mindless Minutia Trivia
Runner Up: Wednesday Night Trivia at Resident Culture

TO PARTY

BEST ANNUAL PARTY

Winner: Shiprocked! Pride Party at Snug Harbor
Runner Up: Super Abari Game Bar’s Block Party

BEST INSTAGRAMMABLE SPOT

Winner: Camp North End
Runner Up: Skiptown

BEST NEW NIGHTCLUB

Winner: RSVP South End
Runner Up: Broken Promises

BEST PLACE TO GRAB A QUICK DRINK

Winner: The Workman’s Friend
Runner Up: Tommy’s Pub

BEST SINGLES BAR

Winner: Hattie’s Tap & Tavern
Runner Up: Billy Sunday

BEST WEEKLY NIGHTLIFE EVENT

Winner: Mindless Minutia Trivia
Runner Up: Wednesday Night Trivia at Resident Culture

FOR THE PEOPLE

BEST BAR TO MAKE A NEW FRIEND

Winner: Thirsty Beaver Saloon
Runner Up: Skiptown

BEST BAR TO PEOPLE-WATCH

Winner: Thirsty Beaver Saloon
Runner Up: Snug Harbor

BEST BARTENDER

Winner: Josh Brice, Skiptown
Runner Up: Stacey Badger, Tommy’s Pub

BEST KARAOKE HOST

Winner: Mike Earle, Petra’s
Runner Up: DJ Velvetine, Tommy’s Pub

BEST LGBTQ-FRIENDLY BAR

Winner: Petra’s
Runner Up: Hattie’s Tap & Tavern

BEST MIXOLOGIST

Winner: Jeremy Smith, Uncle Jerry’s Tiki Bar Sunday’s at Tommy’s Pub
Runner Up: Grayson Nauta, The Artisan’s Palate

BEST TRIVIA HOST

Winner: Jacob Gresham, Mindless Minutia Trivia
Runner Up: David Chase, Mindless Minutia Trivia

BEST PLACE FOR A FIRST DATE

Winner: Camp North End
Runner Up: Super Abari Game Bar

NEIGHBORHOOD BARS

BEST BALLANTYNE BAR

Winner: Blackfinn Ameripub Ballantyne
Runner Up: DB’s Tavern

BEST BELMONT BAR

Winner: Sammy’s Neighborhood Pub
Runner Up: Nellie’s Southern Kitchen

BEST EAST CHARLOTTE BAR

Winner: Hattie’s Tap & Tavern
Runner Up: Tommy’s Pub

BEST MATTHEWS/MINT HILL BAR

Winner: Carolina Beer Temple
Runner Up: Seaboard Brewing, Taproom, & Wine Bar

BEST NODA BAR

Winner: JackBeagle’s
Runner Up: The Artisan’s Palate

BEST NORTH CHARLOTTE BAR

Winner: Petty Thieves Brewing Co
Runner Up: NoDa Company Canteen

BEST NORTH MECKLENBURG BAR (HUNTERSVILLE, CORNELIUS, DAVIDSON)

Winner: Crafty Beer Guys Taproom & Bottle Shop
Runner Up: Kindred

BEST PINEVILLE BAR

Winner: Middle James Brewing Company
Runner Up: d.d. Peckers

BEST PLAZA MIDWOOD BAR

Winner: The Workman’s Friend
Runner Up: Snug Harbor

BEST SOUTH END BAR

Winner: VINYL
Runner Up: Skiptown

BEST SOUTHPARK BAR

Winner: Lucky Lou’s Tavern
Runner Up: Bulla Gastrobar

BEST STEELE CREEK BAR

Winner: Piedmont Social House
Runner Up: Lucky Dog Bark & Brew

BEST UNIVERSITY CITY BAR

Winner: Flying Saucer Draught Emporium
Runner Up: Armored Cow Brewing Co.

BEST UPTOWN BAR

Winner: Connolly’s On Fifth
Runner Up: Belfast Mill Irish Pub

BEST WEST CHARLOTTE BAR

Winner: Pinky’s Westside Grill
Runner Up: The Milestone Club

TO DANCE

BEST CLUB DJ

Winner: DJ Spider
Runner Up: DJ Ghost

BEST DANCE CLUB

Winner: Coyote Joe’s
Runner Up: Bar Argon

BEST KARAOKE

Winner: Noda 101
Runner Up: Jeff’s Bucket Shop