Link & Pin South End

Had the BEST brunch with hubs this past weekend here. We stopped in before starting a shopping trip cause this old lady needed some nutrients.

I chose this place based on their dinner menu so imagine my surprise when it was still brunch time. Oh well, we were already seated so we stayed.

Thank goodness we did! The food was so yummy. Like all of it was beyond yummy.

Hubs ordered eggs Benedict with a side Caesar. The eggs were poached just right and topped with a creamy sauce. I loved it, especially with a slightly crispy ham added. Be careful when ordering a Caesar cause they're authentic here. Meaning - you'll get whole anchovies on your salad. Fortunately our server was amazing and warned us in advance. The salad (even without anchovies) was so tasty. I love the slightly salty bite from the croutons and cheese. The best part of his plate? Definitely the potato casserole. Imagine Cracker Barrel's hashbrown casserole but amplify the flavors and quality by 100%. That's how it tasted. How do I know this when it's Hubs' meal? Cause wifey gets first dibs on everything, that's how!

Now for my meal, I chose Huevos Rancheros with a side of lobster bisque. Y'all, they ain't playing around with those eggs. Definitely the best huevos rancheros I've ever had. Unlike the Caesar, this wasn't very authentic to what you'd expect but by golly, it worked! Crispy fried tostada shell topped with perfectly fatty crispy salty chorizo bites and everything under the sun - I can't name all the ingredients- but the best topping by a long shot is the pickled red onions. I could eat a bowl of them as a snack. That's the perfect acidic bite to cut the fatty chorizo and rich fried egg. I'd go back for brunch just to get this again.
As for the lobster bisque, you get plenty of large lobster chunks in it. Dip some of the bread into the cream and enjoy. That's what I did!

Overall I loved all of the dishes. I know I'll be back but I can't decide if I want to try the dinner menu or just go for brunch again. Maybe both - on Hubs' dime tho.

So I was invited out to Dinner by a Friend. I told her to pick the Restaurant. She said how about meeting and having Dinner at Link & Pin at Arboretum . Sounded great to me I said ..

It was a Tuesday at around 5:30 PM. I arrived a little early and enjoyed the out door area and ambiance which was really nice.

She arrived and we got seated inside. Menu looked very pricey but I figured the Food Quality would be really good . I was Very very wrong. Per our servers suggestion, who was really nice, I ordered a Special House Burger with 'Pickled Tomatoes' and sweet Glazed Bacon. I was served a Grease SOAKED tasteless Burger , obviously a LEFTOVER REHEAT. The SweetBacon on the burger was hard like concrete and Do Extremely Sweet that I could not eat it . I was also recommended to order a special order of frazzled Fries that were to have Parmesan and other garnishments. I was served a Grease SOAKED obviously leftover reheated platter of fries . Absolutely AWFUL . My date ordered the Tuna Poke dish which she said was 'OK' but by her look I know she didn't like.
Ratings from 1-10 -

Ambiance. : 10
Service. : 9
Food Taste. : 0
Food Quality. : 0
Value. : -1
Overall. : 1

Stay away from this place unless you just want their VERY OVERPRICED DRINKS ($8 for a Beer)

My God ...

Highly recommend this place. Their wine list is very solid and they have great cocktails.
Parking wise they offer credit for up to I believe two hours of parking which is huge in South End where parking can get pricey.
The service at the bar is always top notch and the vibes are relaxed, but there is a dress code.
Their steaks were great! Cooked Pittsburgh style and cooked perfectly.
Only thing keeping this from being 5 stars is that some of their cocktails are on tap, which I have never been a fan of. All in all a great place!

Link & Pin is honestly hit or miss. I've dined here about 5-6 times total. The last two times were subpar. Ordered the fried oysters as an appetizer and the breading overpowered the oyster. It was like playing hide and seek to find the oyster in all the breading.

Ordered the pork chop entree. The pork chop was thick and dry. The sauce at the bottom saved the dish by giving the meat more juiciness.

However, the customer service is always on point. I can't complain there. Great ambiance. Overall rate it a 3.8.

Timely seating on a weekend reservation.

All food was good - definitely try the cauliflower appetizer!

The huevos rancheros were yummy.

They validate your parking after you're done for the garage which was a plus.

Giving a 3 because our hostess (a male, didn't catch his name) had a little bit of an attitude.

Our first time at Link & Pin did not disappoint. Date night out was perfection. Started with delicious cocktails and the tuna sushi plate. Lots of flavors to pair with the tuna and salmon between the slaw and sauces. My favorite was the mini ahi tuna tacos - the waitress nailed it when she said the flavors were incredible with each bite.

Then we both went for burgers. The House Burger and Backyard burger were both incredible. It's hard to find a place that will actually do a good rare burger these days that isn't over cooked, but they nailed it. Paired with truffle fries, it was the perfect combination.

The ambiance was lovely as well. Beautifully decorated and the staff were very friendly and attentive. Will certainly be returning again!

Food is fresh, thoughtfully prepared, beautifully presented, and delicious. Try the General Tso cauliflower appetizer - unique and loved by everyone at the table. The kale salad is fresh and delicious. Definitely recommend the non-alcoholic mocktails, especially the pineapple thyme mule. Our server De'NarIus was a perfect combination of personal and professional, and he provided outstanding service and excellent recommendations for our first time to Link & Pin. The dining room and patio have a nice vibe, and the fire pit by the front entrance is a fun spot for photos. Looking forward to visiting again!

Great food, great service, great ambiance! The house burger is easily the BEST dish on the brunch menu. I don't usually indulge in pork bacon, but the jalapeño candied bacon was a 10/10! Affordable prices and decent portions.. RUN, don't walk, to this establishment.

Happy Hours has to be one of the best in Charlotte!! Can't review the restaurant as a whole as we only went to the bar for the happy hour but WOW! Monday through Thursday 4-6 pm 5$ menu is legit. We ordered the humus, ahi tuna tacos, and the truffle fries. Tuna is fresh and the tacos were fantastic. Truffle fries were huge, truffle is just right not over powering and the dipping sauce is addictive. Humus plate is also large. Ambiance is very high end and the place looks like a steakhouse. Service for the two very busy bartenders was outstanding. There was a smoked rye old fashioned and a margarita available for 10$ we had both and loved the drinks! We saw a huge burger get delivered and many other items to others at the bar...We will be back for sure. Amazing value for the price!!

So I've been to Link & Pin South End for brunch many times and always loved it. However, I'd never joined them for happy hour....until today. Well, better late than never because I've been missing out! Their $5 happy hour menu is SOLID. You heard me....$5!! if you leave here broke and hungry, baby, you did it wrong.

The $5 menu (daily 4:00-6:00pm) includes hearty offerings such as Candied Jalapeño Bacon, Brussels Sprouts, Crispy Oysters, Hummus Trio, Mini Ahi Tuna Tacos, Truffle-Garlic Fries, and House Burger.

The candied jalapeño bacon is just that--candy! Sweet, sticky, smokey, salty--it's the perfect little snack before diving into something more substantial. It comes vertically bundled inside a mason jar and is large enough to share if you're feeling generous. The breading on the oysters I could eat by itself. A squeeze of lime on the ahi tuna tacos really brought them to life.

For all my international noshing, my favorite food on the planet is surprisingly simple--french fries. So, ordering the truffle garlic fries was going to happen. They arrived crispy and hot which I love because I like my hot food to be hawt (!) and can't stand a soggy fry. They were addictive. Truffle can be overpowering but there was just enough used to make the point and the garlic flavor was appreciable punchy. A sprinkle of parsley finished the dish and they were served with horseradish aioli. Although I still opted for some good ol' ketchup on the side, the aioli was deliciously pungent. Really nice accompaniment. *still drooling*

Do NOT leave there without trying the Brussels sprouts. These ain't your grandmama's! They were perfectly cooked (so as to avoid their sulfuric nature) in a rich orange caramel glaze. The red onions provided a nice sharpness and toasted almonds gave an added crunch. Ordered them twice. Lol. The General Tso's cauliflower featured nice big chunks of vegetable and remained tangy & crispy even under the pile of slaw.

Not to be left out, all day on Mondays and Thursdays (I went on a Thursday), there are $10 featured cocktail deals which include the Link & Pin Margarita & the Fireside Chat. Since I'm not altogether a margarita drinker, I tried the Fireside Chat. It contains a spirit, Rittenhouse Rye, and a herbal liqueur, Becherovka Czech Amaro, with which I wasn't terribly familiar but they worked so well with the rest of the ingredients--sugar maple smoke, a darker Amari, and mole bitters. Very balanced and smooth. A total bargain at just $10!

As always, I appreciate the maze-like layout of this space. A convenient patio; a dining room with semi- sectioned off areas; and don't miss the chic lounge just past the bar and down the ramp toward the back--perfect place to wait on your table or enjoy an after-meal libation. Service was outstanding as well. The food came out almost as if it was choreographed, and we never waited too long for any requests we made.

Now, be on notice, there is a posted dress code, but it's not overly constricting or unreasonable for a nice upper mid-level spot. So, please throw on some nice clothes!