Review Mcninch House - Charlotte

This historic Charlotte home and all its decor have been painstakingly restored and cared for over many years. Beautifully decorated for the Christmas season! The service, staff, and especially the food and wine, are impeccable! We were lucky enough to meet the current owners midway through our meal and hear the backstory of this incredibly unique restaurant. This was our first visit to Charlotte and the McNinch House and we could not have picked a perfect place to dine. The perfect “welcome”to this charming town. We would absolutely be regulars if we lived here. Charlotte is very fortunate to have this historic establishment amidst the modern, towering office buildings and “trendy” chain restaurants. The McNinch House is a true, living love letter to Charlotte. We cannot wait to return!

This will be one of our most rememberable dinners - it’s not our normal style, type of night out, etc. This was the most romantic, authentic, and wholesome dinner we have experienced. The service was amazing. Wine pairings were so much fun, the food was absolutely delicious, and the ambiance was done well. The home was cute, clean, and setup well for dinner. It’s Michelin rated and we agree - you will enjoy the menu, the quality of the food and the service. We will go back for sure.

This has become our family tradition – coming to McNinch for Thanksgiving dinner. We are never disappointed. We adore the ambiance, the decorations, the relaxing music, and, of course, the outstanding food with a European flair. Moreover, the restaurant is located in a historic building in the heart of Charlotte. Without a doubt, it's the most unique place for fine dining in the city. Thank you, McNinch!

You are going here for an experience, and your expectation should be very high. The sommelier Wes is a national treasure, and we truly enjoyed our interactions. The service from entrance to exit was impeccable. The low rating is solely based on the preparation of the entrees. We asked for the temperature of the steak to be what the chef recommends and were told it would be medium rare. It came out overdone and that is a shame. It should never have left the kitchen at that temp. The lamb entree was cooked perfectly but the coating was a bit underwhelming. It would have been better without it. We can only recommend 3 (crab cake, she crab soup, lobster bisque) of the 4 (artichoke salad) starters we had, and they were tremendous. The desserts were good, nothing to complain about, but nothing to rave about. We did mention to Wes towards the end of service that the steak was overdone, but we never send plates back to the kitchen. This is a special occasion type of place and you will remember the experience. Unfortunately, for us, the entrees did not live up to the price point.

Hands down the best meal I've ever had. The most expensive too! Absolutely reserve your spot a month or more in advance. This is a historic home and the staff would be delighted to give you some of the history. The chefs choice pairing is the most expensive option with the least room for improvising, but is absolutely the only way to truly experience the 5course meal. If you're a picky eater this is not for you, this is a dining experience meant to be the way the chef planned it. I think everyone in Charlotte should come atleast once. There is parking down the driveway of the home.

This was an excellent choice for our anniversary. Was very romantic atmosphere, delicious food, and the owner is so nice. Certainly worth the price!

An experience for the senses during the holidays especially. Your expectations will be obliterated. The food, wine, ambience and the dessert... sorry, I just might cry. ENJOY!

This would typically be out of our price range, but we decided to splurge for an early anniversary celebration. We did a 6pm reservation on a Friday night. There was only one other couple there the entire time we were there (we left shortly after 7). There's a few different options for ordering. We went with the smallest/cheapest which was the 4 course option for $105 each (2 appetizers, 1 entree, 1 dessert). Since we were celebrating our anniversary, they brought us a complementary glass of prosecco which was very nice. Prior to the first appetizer, they brought us a broccolini soup shooter which was very good. For our first appetizer, we both got the She Crab Soup. We wanted to try the Artichoke Soup, but they were out. We loved the She Crab Soup though. Prior to our second appetizer, the brought us a cheese bread with rosemary butter that was delicious. For our second appetizer we got the Jumbo Lump Crab Cake and the Pork Belly. The Crab Cake was the best I've ever had and one of the highlights of the meal. The Pork Belly was the only thing we were disappointed with. It was over cooked and not tender like pork belly should be. Prior to our entree, they brought us a salted caramel sorbet which was very good. For our entrees, we got the Rosemary & Dijon Crusted Rack of New Zealand Lamb and the Pan Seared Scallops. Both were excellent. The lamb was tender and the scallops cut like butter. During the course, they also brought us a biscuit with rosemary butter that was very good. For dessert, we got the Hazelnut Crème Brulee and the Caramel and Apple Cheesecake. The Crème Brulee was very good and done perfectly, but the cheesecake was the star of the show. It was light and fluffy with a caramel apple sauce. It was the best cheesecake I've ever had. Our top four dishes of the night were the crab cake, scallops, rack of lamb, and cheesecake. To end the evening, they brought me a rose! They do valet parking, but we found street parking easily. They typically have a Groupon which helps with the cost a little. The service was outstanding. I'd definitely recommend this for your next special occasion!

If you are looking for a fine dining experience and elaborate ambience transporting you back in time.. McNinch House sets the benchmark. We were there to celebrate a birthday and we had the cognac room to ourselves. The meals served in finest silverware and ornate cutlery. Every dish was well presented with wines to pair and service to match. An evening could not have been spent better..

A Special French dining experience. Worth splurging for a significant other or just because. GET the wine pairing, definitely a VALUE !

AMAZINGLY quaint dining experience, think Downton Abbey! Lovely staff...& Lordy that chef comes straight from heavens gate! Crab Cakes = delish, Shrimp Tark = delish, Flank Steak = Sent from heaven, Shecrab soup = other worldly! Can't go wrong with anything you order!

Exquisite “Michelin star” like experience. We met the chef who was wonderful and has masterfully crafted each dish which we enjoyed. It was a pleasure!

Amazing experience. Beautiful historic building. From the moment we checked in we felt so special! I was celebrating a special occasion and they went above and beyond to make me feel celebrated. We did the chefs tasting menu, which I highly recommend. All the food was delicious and beautifully presented. Wesley is talented at pairing the perfect wines and was a pure pleasure to interact with.

We had a great time on a Saturday evening. She is European and I am not. I enjoyed the French take on our meal. She was a bit more critical, having spent years in Paris. The food was great. Service was great. Love the history of the home and intimate setting.

Another wonderful experience with our friends at the McNinch House! Always great food and service! Wesley is the man and always pairs our wines perfectly! Looking forward to next time!

This is my favorite place within 150 miles. Everything is always awesome. Pricey? Yeah, maybe. But it prices out the riff raff.

We have been to a lot of high end restaurants this year .. but this was the best of the best .. Here it's as much about the experience of the evening. The rooms are beautiful set , to the tables and chinaware everything is perfect the McNinch way. The staff are part of the experience they work as a well trained team to help you in your meal never hovering but always perfectly timed . Westley was outstanding answering any questions about your wines ..Jesse was spot on with our service.. The food was awesome experience duck breast perfect .. the lamp Chops the best around .. crab cakes by far the best in Charlotte wine list outstanding and the best part it's quite you can talk to each other .. the table is yours for the evening .. no hurry just enjoy the evening.. special occasion this is the place to come and we will be back for and another adventure..

Service was impeccable and the meal was fantastic. We chose the option with the 3 opening courses, main, sorbet, cheese and dessert, and decided on a bottle of Saint-Emilion to accompany. The wine list was impressive. The staff added on a delicious corn panacotta and a final glass of wine with dessert, which was perfect! My favorite dishes were the foie gras and the French onion soup, which was the soup of the day. Highly recommend this for a high-end date night!

My husband surprised me with a romantic dinner at McNinch House for our 9th wedding anniversary. It is, hands down the best dining experience I have had in the Queen City...in fact one of the best dining experiences I have had in ANY CITY. I am from NYC, and my father is French, I have eaten in very fine establishments and McNinch is up there with the very finest!!! The service was impeccable, the food exquisite and every course was a masterpiece of artwork on the plate, and in my mouth!! You MUST try McNinch House! You will not be disappointed!!!

It wasn't just dinner, it was an experience. We went here for our 5th wedding anniversary. We made reservations and they seated us at an intimate table in the very front of the house in the bay window. Great service, very knowledgeable sommelier, and good food. We ate a 4 course meal with a wine pairing. They also did a wonderful job accommodating my gluten restriction.

New chef and food has gone down ........ Farmed Shrimp from Hawai when our coast produces the best wild caught shrimp Wine pairing mediocre......... and so on....... Bad value for money ......... do not recommend.

The McNinch House was absolutely perfect! The food was phenomenal, and probably the best dinner I have had in Charlotte since we moved in 2010! Loved the unique menu, the place settings were beautiful and our waiter was awesome! We will return!

Celebrated our 5 yr anniversary here. It was a wonderful experience. The food was excellent and the service was wonderful. Definitely the spot for a special occasion. It's worth it.

A great experience. Food as outstanding and well paced through your dining experience. And Wesley the wine expert was outstanding. Highly recommend.

Always a great meal in a unique setting with excellent service. Mr. Wesley is always fun to talk to and never stears us wrong on the wine.

Great place for s special occasion...good food and romantic!!

Perfect place for your special day! Food was delicious. Everyone made you feel important.

By far our favorite restaurant in Charlotte! Awesome food and great service! Wesley is the man and knows his 🍷!

Celebrated Valentine's Day 2017 with my Hubby of 16 years. We were able to sit at the table near the main window. The service was excellent and the food was so good. Highly Recommended!

Excellent service and delicious food. One of a kind experience!

The ambience was excellent and the Wine Steward was amazing. The food however was not memorial.

Wonderful experience! Perfect for any special occasion, or just wanting something unique and different from the usual upscale dining.

Superb service, a great atmosphere and delicious food make for one of my favorite restaurants in CLT.

We enjoyed our first anniversary dinner here! The service was second to none! My husband is a meat and potatoes guy so he didn’t prefer some of the sides, but it was overall a good time. This was gifted to us and great, but I would not spend my own money here �