The Daily Tavern Completes Its Comeback In Uptown

Even as the humidity hung heavy in the air and sweat beads formed on my mustache, reminding me that despite the official arrival of September, the dog days of summer were still in full effect. 

Though hungover with a social meter on E, there was something so peaceful about returning to what I call the front porch of The Daily Tavern.

Watching the rain gently fall on the usually bustling North Church Street during Labor Day weekend was calm in the middle of both the literal storm and the third day of my Virgo bestie’s birthday shenanigans. It felt like an all-around W in a spot I once feared would succumb to COVID-related closures.

In case you haven’t caught on yet, The Daily is back, baby! 

“Hindsight is 20/20” took on a whole new meaning in 2020 when many Queen City faves (and the world) were forced to press pause. The Daily opened in late 2017 in the former Stool Pigeons space, under the ownership of Best Bars Charlotte (Dandelion Market, Tyber Creek Pub, Workman’s Friend, Prohibition). 

It quickly became a regular change of pace for my crew while weekend bar hopping in Fourth Ward. But it wasn’t until we couldn’t pop in for one or two, that we realized how much the corner hangout had become a staple in our daily routine. You just don’t know what you got ‘til it’s gone (or temporarily closed). 

No more bubbly chicken pot pie topped with a fluffy cheddar biscuit on my lunch breaks. No more crab and bacon gnocchi that I never knew I needed as a nightcap after day drinking. No more “Let’s just go for one” devolving into five. 

As its sibling bars announced their respective reopenings, the doors of The Daily remained closed. We would peek through the overgrown greenery hiding the “smoker’s alcove,” trying to see if furniture moved to show signs of life returning to the corner. 

But for three years, the windows remained shuttered, convincing most of us that The Daily was yet another COVID casualty.

Then in fall 2023, The Daily announced on socials, “We’re thrilled to reintroduce ourselves as the exclusive new space in Uptown Charlotte for all things events and celebrations.”

It wasn’t the announcement we had hoped for, and the pivot didn’t feel particularly reassuring, especially after attending a Love Is Blind watch party where the drink menu couldn’t hold a candle to the unlimited possibilities I used to know. 

Fast forward to August 2024, and whispers of The Daily being back for real, for real, started to trickle down to my go-to watering hole. We checked Instagram, and sure enough, the first post, shared weeks prior, “WE ARE OPEN” in big, bold letters. It felt too good to be true. Where was the red carpet? Had we missed the welcome-back party? 

But alas, the first night we attempted to go for a hangout sesh, they were closed for a private event. 

In a twist of fate, just when I had accepted that the hair of the dog wasn’t going to fix my hangover, as the afternoon storm clouds threatened to blow the candles out on my girlfriend’s 35th, I heard the birthday girl tell the crew we were relocating the party to The Daily Tavern. 

My retreat to seclusion would have to wait. 

“Do I push or pull?” I asked, thinking muscle memory would’ve kicked in as I stood in the doorway. The lively interior and colorful pennant garlands danced across the ceiling, contrasting the gloomy weather outside. 

Familiar faces from other Fourth Ward crannies dotted the room, the bar was full, and the open-air sunroom lined with twinkling string lights promised a cozy backdrop for our 20-person party. This was The Daily I remember. 

Same vibes, only a few things have changed. Despite the name, it’s not open daily. Hours are Thursday & Friday, 3 p.m.-2 a.m., Saturday & Sunday 10 a.m.-2 a.m. Food is served until midnight. My chicken pot pie wasn’t on the menu this visit, but fingers crossed for the future.

There are two pool tables, one inside and another on the sundeck, plus a pinball machine! They are pay to play but no cash needed. 

I live for a good sequel. At a time when we’ve just said goodbye to one of The Daily’s siblings, Dandelion Market, and are awaiting Tyber Creek’s rebirth, can The Daily Tavern successfully bring that old thing back? 

It’s too early to call it, but I know I won’t miss this rare opportunity to revisit the good old days.