Best Place to Pregame Before a Concert at the N.C. Music Factory
VBGB Beer Hall & Garden
Staff Pick
Need to kill time? Play one of the games on the patio. Thirsty? There’s a wide variety of craft beer. Hungry? Potato latkes, pretzels with beer cheese, hot dogs and brats, wings, skewered kabobs and more. It’s all within stumbling distance of the Fillmore and Uptown Amphitheatre.
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After Dark
- All
- After Dark
- Best New Nightspot (Opened Since August 2013)
- Best Weekly Nightlife Event
- Best Annual Party
- Best Club DJ
- Best Dance Club
- Bar With Hottest Patrons
- Bar With Hottest Staff
- Best Cougar Bar
- Best College Night
- Best Bar to People-Watch
- Best Place to Wear an LBD
- Best Hookup Bar
- Best Place for a First Date
- Best Karaoke
- Best Wine Bar
- Best After-Work Spot
- Best Paint and Sip
- Best Bowling Alley
- Best Neighborhood Bar
- Best Downtown Bar
- Best Sports Bar
- Best Hookah Bar
- Best Gay/Lesbian Bar
- Best Place to Pregame
- Best Strip Club
- Best Bartender
- Best Beer Selection (Bar)
- Best Cocktail Selection (Bar)
- Best Drink Specials
- Best New Rooftop Bar for Shenanigans
- Best New Spot to Get a Fancy Drink
- Best DJ
- Best Lounge DJ
- Best Place to Watch Soccer Again in Four Years
- Best Party for No Reason
- Best MeetUp to Get You Out of the House
- Best Bar to Yell Out “Bingo!”
- Best Master of Trivia
- Best EpiCentre Dance Club Alternative
- Best Place to Dance on Everything
- Best Nightlife Nostalgia
- Best Place to Pregame Before a Night Out Dancing
- Best Concert Hack
- Best Reason to Get Wet
- Best Grown and Sexy But It’s Not That Serious, Tempo, Venue
- Best Place to Pregame Before a Concert at the N.C. Music Factory
- Best Bar for Meeting Your Future Ex
- Best Worst Bathroom
- Best “Did That Place Ever Open?”
- Best Novelty Drinks
- Best Bar for Brews and Brussels Sprouts
- Best Weird Party Theme That Some people Didn’t Know How to Dress For So They Just Came Naked
- Best Place to Turn Down
- Gone too Soon
Arts & Entertainment
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- Arts & Entertainment
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- Best Theater Show of Past 12 Months
- Best Movie Theater (Quality of Films)
- Best Movie Theater (Quality of Presentation)
- Best Charity Event
- Best Place to Hear Spoken Word
- Best Improv Group
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- Best Local Comedian
- Best Drag Show
- Best Drag Performer
- Best Fine Arts Photographer
- Best New Band, Formed In Past 12 Months
- Best Local Band (Originals)
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- Best Local Album of Past 12 Months
- Best Solo Music Performer
- Best Female Singer
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- Best Drummer
- Best Guitarist
- Best Rapper
- Best Local Songwriter
- Best Open Mic Night
- Best Concert Venue (Quality of Sound)
- Best Concert Venue (Quality of Performers)
- Best Concert of Past 12 Months
- Best Music Event of Past 12 Months
- Best Place to Hear Country Music
- Best Place to Hear Jazz
- Best Exhibition
- Best Showcase of Women Who Rock with Their Cameras
- Best Art/Community/Environment Partnership
- Best Use of Carpet Padding
- Best Comedy Specials
- Best Drama
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- Best New Theater Tradition
- Best Identity Crisis
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- Best Event for Hanging Out with Insatiable Nymphomaniacs, Zombie Cheerleaders and Michael Fassbender in a Giant Fake Head
- Best Reason to Revisit the 1980s
- Friendliest Celebrity
- Best Library
- Comedian Hostess with the Mostess
- Best Comic Book by a Charlottean
- Best Uptown Takeover
- Best Indie Label Debut
- Best Major Label Debut
- Best WTF Was That?
- Best Reason to Wait in Line for a Concert
- Best Reason to Wait in the Rain for a Concert
- Best New Fest
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- Best Booking
- Best Place to Stay a While
- Best On the Brink Act
- Best Export
Best Of Intro
City Life
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- City Life
- Local Hero
- Best Activist (Individual or Group)
- Best Member of Local Government
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- Coolest Team Mascot
- Best Place to Tailgate
- Best Festival
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- Best New Thing
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- Best Area to Live In Charlotte
- Best Apartment Community
- Best Church
- Best Place to Get Back to Nature
- Best Place to Go Walking/Hiking
- Best Place to Get Hitched
- Best Place to People-Watch
- Best Hotel
- Best Place to Take Your Republican Parents
- Best Place to Take Out-of-Town Visitors
- Best Golf Course
- Best Disc Golf Course
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- Best Weekend Getaway
- Best Taxi Company
- Best Co-working Space
- Best Local Charity
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- Best Place to Volunteer
- Best Radio Personality
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- Best Local News Story of 2014 (So far)
- Local Issue That Needs More Attention
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- Best Local Blog
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- Best Use of Tax Money
- Worst Use of Tax Money
- Local Hero
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- Best Multitasker
- Best Way to Get Out of a Murder Charge
- Best Modern Incarnation of Jesse Helms and Strom Thurmond
- Most Audacious Ask
- Best Reason to Start Saving Quarters
- Best Bible Autograph, Next to Jesus’
- Best Reason to Go Back 100 years and Kick Some Old-Timey Ass
- Local Issue That Needs More Attention
- Best Reason to Dig Through Your Parents’ Closet
- Best Reason to Spend $60 Watching Triple A Baseball
- Best Local Crowd-funded Project
- Best Way to Get Introspective
- Best Reason to Let a Hornets Player Blow in Your Ear
- Best Local Instagram
- Best Way to Learn WFAE Charlotte Talks Host Mike Collins’ Opinion
- Best Way to Piss Off Even the Most Tepid Charlotteans
- Best Reason to be Scared of Sending Your Kids to Public Schools
- Best Anticlimactic Moment
- Best Reason to Take a Break from NoDa
- Best Reason to Invest in Hardcore Snow Equipment
- Best Non-Hipster Reason to Grow a Beard
- Best Venue Conversion
Consumer Culture
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- Consumer Culture
- Best New Store
- Best New Store (Opened in Last 12 Months)
- Best Local Clothing Store
- Best Local Consignment Shop
- Best Place to Buy Vintage
- Best Gift Shop
- Best Shoe Store
- Best Jewelry Store
- Best New Independent Boutique
- Best Independent Men’s Retail
- Shoe Shop That Makes Us Salivate
- Best Revived Vintage Clothing
- Best Resale Therapy
- Best Thrift Store
- Best Resale for a Cause
- Best Pop-Up Retail Event
- Grandest Opening That Maybe Could’ve Marinated A Little Longer
- Best Used Bookstore
- Best Indie Bookstore
- Best Bookstore That’s Not Really a Bookstore
- Best Comic Book Shop
- Best Gaming Shop
- Best African American Hair Salon
- Best Natural Hair Salon
- Disneyworld of Salons
- Best Charlotte-Centric Retail
- Best Tattoo Shop
- Best Gift Shop for your BFF
- Best Gift Shop for your Mom
- Best Place for a Nontraditional Engagement Ring
- Best Zumba Teacher
- Best Way to Sweat It Out
- Best Local Fashion Designer
- Best Home Accessories Store
- Best Furniture Store
- Best Adult Ed
- Best Bicycle Shop
- Best Hair Salon
- Best Natural Hair Salon
- Best Comeback Shop
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- Best Adult Novelty Shop
- Best Makeup Artist
- Best Barber Shop
- Best Underwear
- Best Nail Salon
- Best Massage Therapy
- Best Tattoo Shop
- Best Piercing Studio
- Best Dry Cleaner
- Best Shoe Repair
- Best Alterations
- Best Realtor
- Best Bank (Specify location)
- Best Auto Dealer
- Best North Carolina Product
- Best Car Wash (Specify location)
- Best Vet
- Best Pet Store
- Best Doggie Daycare
- Best Fitness Studio
- Best Yoga Studio
- Best Bookstore (New or Used)
- Best In-Store Pet (TIE)
- Best Record Store
- Best In-Store Pet (TIE)
- Best Vape Shop (TIE)
- Best Head Shop
- Best Sex Paraphernalia Store
- Best Dentist
- Best Plumber
- Best Car Mechanic
- Best Heating & Air Repair
Food & Drink
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- Food & Drink
- Best New Restaurant (Opened in Last 12 Months) AND Best Farm-to-Fork Restaurant
- Best Breakfast
- Best New Restaurant
- Best Splurge Restaurant
- Best Cheap Restaurant
- Best Late-Night Eatery
- Best Kid-Friendly Restaurant
- Best Hangover-Friendly Restaurant
- Best Farm-To-Table Restaurant
- Best Restaurant in Lake Norman Area
- Best Restaurant in NoDa
- Best Restaurant in Plaza Midwood
- Best Restaurant in SouthPark
- Best Restaurant in Uptown
- Best Waitstaff/Service
- Best Restaurant Patio
- Best Breakfast
- Best Lunch
- Best Brunch
- Best Appetizers
- Best Barbecue
- Best Soul Food
- Best Steak House
- Best Seafood Restaurant
- Best Selection of Oysters
- Best Vegetarian-Friendly
- Best Vegan-Friendly
- Best Pizzeria
- Best Sandwich
- Best Burger
- Best French Fries
- Best Hot Dog
- Best Wings
- Best Chinese
- Best Vietnamese
- Best Japanese
- Best Thai
- Best Korean
- Best Sushi
- Best French
- Best Italian
- Best Mexican
- Best Middle Eastern
- Best Indian
- Best Caribbean
- Best Bakery
- Best Place To Get Dessert (Restaurant)
- Best Place To Get Dessert (Retail)
- Best Gourmet/Specialty Food Store
- Best Health Food Section
- Best Place To Buy International Items
- Best Chef
- Best Mixologist
- Best Farmers Market
- Best Caterer
- Best Local Coffee Shop (tie)
- Best Wine Selection (Restaurant)
- Best Wine Selection (Retail)
- Best Local Brewery
- Best Bottle Shop
- Best Place To Get A Bloody Mary
- Best Place To Get A Martini
- Best Place To Get A Margarita
- Best Charlotte Beer
- Best North Carolina Beer
- Best Frozen Treat
- Best Food Truck
- Best Domestic Beer
- Best Import Beer
- Best Local Spirit
- Best Vodka
- Best Tequila
- Best Whiskey
- Best Scotch
- Best Barbecue
- Best Japanese
- Best Vietnamese
- Best Central American/Latin American
- Best Middle Eastern
- Best Indian
- Best Place to Get Dessert (Retail)
- Best Frozen Treat
- Best Rise from the Ashes
- Best Person to Pack Your Lunch
- Best Al Pastor Taco
- Best Uni
- Best Use of North Carolina Sweet Potato Leaves
- Best Cheap Dinner Date
- Best Sunday Brunch for the Fam
- Best Gourmet/Specialty Food Store
- Best Farmers Market
- Best New Artisan
- Best Makeover
- Best Place to Get Your Snack On
- Best One-Stop Shop for Spices
- Best Place for a Crafty Coffee
- Best Wine Selection (Restaurant)
- Best Retail Shop to Get a Bottle of Wine at Any Price
- Best Year-Round Charlotte Beer
- Best Local Brewery
- Best Quality of Beer Selection
- Best New Charlotte Brewery
- Most Impressive Taproom
- Can’t-Miss Beer Festival
- Best Overall Bottle Shop
- Most Inventive Cocktail List
- Best Cocktail List
- Best Cocktail
- Best Place for a Twilight Drink
- Best Neighborhood Patio to Have a Cocktail
- Best Response to a CL Food Article
