Room Service Is a Shining Light in a Camp North End That Has Come of Age

If you’d asked me seven years ago whether Camp North End could turn into what it’s becoming, I would’ve rolled my eyes. Back then, I was perched on abandoned factory parts at a Sofar Sounds show, sipping BYOBs in the middle of warehouses that looked like they may be home to a zombie or two.

At the time, the idea of rejuvenating the 76-acre site felt like yet another overly ambitious project — a graveyard of “bandos” foreshadowing the idea that developers maybe had bitten off more than they could chew.

But every return visit chipped away at that doubt. First, it was returning to the familiar water tower corridor known as The Boileryard to buy cacti from an Airstream and realizing a few displaced city favorites had found new homes. Then it was celebrating QC Nerve Editor-in-Chief Ryan Pitkin’s engagement party at NoDa Company Store’s little sister, Canteen.

Later, I placed an order at Gravity Sourdough Pizza Co. for their Friday pizza flights (RIP to the three-mini-pie special, on pause since August).

But my most recent visit sealed the deal: Room Service, the sleek cocktail bar and restaurant that opened in late 2023, proves Camp North End isn’t just a destination — here, it’s a daycation in the Queen City.

From a distance, the overgrown greenery and open-air steel trusses almost disguise Room Service’s updated patio, as if the factory bones want to conceal their secrets just a bit longer.

Step closer and the courtyard reveals itself — airy, vibrant and buzzing with the kind of energy you don’t expect from a once-forgotten nook. Inside, the vibe is boutique hotel chic; leather barstools line the bar, stacked shelves create a curated backdrop of liquid courage, and walls are dressed with just-so artsy clutter. Above, a constellation of disco balls catch the light just right.

It’s undeniably stylish — the kind of space that makes you want to linger — but still, there’s a whisper of side-eye. As someone who tends to get the ick from spaces that feel too curated, especially when paired with the promise of “your favorite hotel bar right in your neighborhood,” I couldn’t help but wonder: Is Room Service serving up substance or just lip service wrapped in factory grit made fashionable?

But we listen and don’t judge, these days, right? I mused as I asked to sit outside, because lips might sell you the story, but the first taste always tells the truth.

The boo and I chose the side patio that runs along the now-unused railroad tracks, slicing through the development, where flowers bloom and native plants grow wild and free as if time had forgotten them.

Our eyes followed the overgrown path to one of the most humble yet beautiful views of the city skyline — equal parts whimsical backdrop for an engagement shoot and eerie stage set, still waiting for the zombies I feared seven years ago to meander through.

My gaze shifted to signs of life. Staring at the viral Eggroll Company stall, the present-day vitality of Camp North End was hard to ignore. Shipping container cantinas splashed color against the factory’s industrial frame, breathing new energy into its bones. Once hollow warehouses now pulse with flavor and character, every mural and hustler pushing his brand, a reminder that this space is no longer forgotten.

A golf tournament murmured from a patron’s phone behind me, mingling with the laughter of young roller skaters gliding past. Next door, the low thrum of an event at The Revelry flowed into the background. And over it all, a parked car insisted on revving its engine while blasting 2000s R&B — because what’s a summer afternoon without a little uninvited soundtrack?

All of it became a beautiful distraction on that surprisingly breezy late-summer afternoon, pulling me out of the anxiety over whether I’d made a day date mistake. Clearly, the patio itself was already doing some of the talking.

As a dirty martini girly who can’t resist a blue cheese olive, I went straight for the “Backwater” ($15) — dirty vodka, brine, Graza, marinated olive and, of course, a dream team of blue cheese olives.

Papi, meanwhile, discreetly indulged my lifelong Jurassic Park obsession by ordering the “Jeff Goldblum Drinks for Free” ($15) — Lunazul tequila, mezcal, blood orange, hibiscus, lime and orange bitters. We threw in two apple pie moonshine shooters for good measure, though the antique cupettes they came in weren’t going to fool me — I swore I wouldn’t be swayed.

Our lips tingled with surprise as the shock of balance settled in, each sip hitting a mark we didn’t expect. The first creamy bite of the most perfect blue cheese olive was the closer for me, in its own right.

Surely, the smash burger and fries would disappoint after that high? Nope. The potato bun was beautifully crisped, the “party” sauce-to-topping ratio was chef’s kiss and the fries carried the perfect crunch and seasoning. We left only crumbs.

Room Service didn’t just pass the test — it earned a return trip. With cocktails that hit the right notes, food that refuses to play second fiddle and a patio that knows its role, it’s a solid pick for the coveted “what should we do?” rotation.

Camp North End has plenty of players, but this one proves it’s here to do more than take up space or cash in. As an extension of Black Moth Bars — already a trusted name in the development — why wouldn’t it hold its own? In the end, Room Service delivers a little escape in plain sight, right where the city’s past and present meet.