Social Life Readers’ Pick Winners: Best in the Nest 2024

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. 2024 saw more than 30,000 ballots cast between the nomination and final rounds of voting.

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Winners: Download your award graphics here

TO DANCE

BEST CLUB DJ

Winner: DJ That Guy Smitty
Runner Up: DJ Spider

BEST DANCE CLUB

Winner: Snug Harbor
Runner Up: Trio Charlotte

BEST KARAOKE

Winner: Jeff’s Bucket Shop
Runner Up: Bone Snugs n Harmony at Snug Harbor

TO KICK IT

BEST ARCADE BAR

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

BEST BOWLING ALLEY

Winner: Bowlero 10 Park
Runner Up: Queen Park Social

BEST CIGAR BAR

Winner: Havana Smoke & Reserve
Runner Up: The Vintage Whiskey & Cigar Bar

BEST COCKTAIL BAR

Winner: Idlewild
Runner Up: Dot Dot Dot

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 Imperial

BEST INSTAGRAMMABLE SPOT

Winner: Camp North End
Runner Up: Aura Rooftop

BEST MUSIC BINGO NIGHT

Winner: Thursdays at Caswell Station
Runner Up: Mondays at Big Al’s Pub & Grubberia

BEST NEIGHBORHOOD BAR

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

BEST POOL HALL

Winner: Midwood Country Club
Runner Up: JukeBox Pub

BEST SPORTS BAR

Winner: Ed’s Tavern
Runner Up: Thomas Street Tavern

BEST STRIP CLUB

Winner: The Gentlemen’s Club
Runner Up: Chasers

BEST TRIVIA NIGHT

Winner: Mondays with Mindless Minutia Trivia at Birdsong Brewing Co.
Runner Up: Wednesdays with Mindless Minutia Trivia at Resident Culture Plaza Midwood

BEST WINE BAR

Winner: Rosie’s Coffee & Wine Garden
Runner Up: Foxcroft Wine Co.

TO PARTY

BEST ANNUAL PARTY

Winner: Charlotte Pride Festival & Parade
Runner Up: SHIPROCKED! Pride Party

BEST NEW NIGHTCLUB

Winner: Trio Charlotte
Runner Up: The Scorpio

BEST PLACE TO GRAB A QUICK DRINK

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

BEST SINGLES BAR

Winner: Aura Rooftop
Runner Up: Super Abari Game Bar

BEST WEEKLY NIGHTLIFE EVENT

Winner: Bone Snugs n Harmony at Snug Harbor
Runner Up: Wednesday Night Trivia at Resident Culture Plaza Midwood

FOR THE PEOPLE

BEST BAR TO MAKE A NEW FRIEND

Winner: Petra’s Bar
Runner Up: Super Abari Game Bar

BEST BAR TO PEOPLE-WATCH

Winner: Common Market
Runner Up: Snug Harbor

BEST BARTENDER

Winner: Chris Burns – Snug Harbor
Runner Up: Josh Brice – Two Buck Saloon

BEST KARAOKE HOST

Winner: DJ Magick Mike
Runner Up: Jonathan Moore

BEST LGBTQ-FRIENDLY BAR

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

BEST MIXOLOGIST

Winner: Jeremy Smith
Runner Up: Amanda Britton

BEST PLACE FOR A FIRST DATE

Winner: The Artisan’s Palate
Runner Up: Super Abari Game Bar

BEST TRIVIA HOST

Winner: Dave Chase
Runner Up: Splash Jordan

BY NEIGHBORHOOD BARS

BEST BALLANTYNE BAR

Winner: Bradshaw Social House
Runner Up: The Olde Mecklenburg Restaurant & Biergarten at Ballantyne

BEST BELMONT BAR

Winner: The Jailhouse Whiskey & Cigar Bar
Runner Up: The Bearded Buffalo Sports Bar

BEST EAST CHARLOTTE BAR

Winner: Smokey Joe’s Cafe
Runner Up: Tommy’s Pub

BEST MATTHEWS/MINT HILL BAR

Winner: Stooges Pub & Grub
Runner Up: Seaboard Brewing, Taproom & Wine Bar

BEST NODA BAR

Winner: JackBeagle’s
Runner Up: Salud Cerveceria

BEST NORTH MECKLENBURG BAR (HUNTERSVILLE, CORNELIUS, DAVIDSON)

Winner: Old Town Public House
Runner Up: Kindred

BEST PINEVILLE BAR

Winner: OpenTap
Runner Up: Middle James Brewing Company

BEST PLAZA MIDWOOD BAR

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

BEST SOUTH END BAR

Winner: Small Bar
Runner Up: VINYL

BEST SOUTHPARK BAR

Winner: Legion Brewing
Runner Up: BAR ONE Lounge

BEST STEELE CREEK BAR

Winner: The Casual Pint of Rivergate
Runner Up: OneSixty Cocktails & Kitchen Lounge

BEST UNIVERSITY CITY BAR

Winner: Flying Saucer Draught Emporium
Runner Up: Picasso’s Sports Café

BEST UPTOWN BAR

Winner: Connolly’s On Fifth
Runner Up: Rí Rá Irish Pub

BEST WEST CHARLOTTE BAR

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