Upstream

This was my 3^rd time visiting Upstream. The first time was awesome. 2^nd time was during Restaurant week and it was mediocre. The 3^rd time was back to awesome.
I had the Red Snapper and it was crisped to perfection.
Was with my team from work and everyone enjoyed their meal.
Must visit again.

Very fresh seafood. The best crab cakes I’ve had! Not overdone with saucey mixtures, just pure crab meat. I wasn’t impressed with their signature bass entrée. It was a bit too soupy for me compared to others I’ve had. Desserts were ok. I think overall, the appetizers were the best. My colleagues loved the lobster. Maybe I’ll try that next time.

2016 is a great year to host women brunch celebrations. The highlight of my month long birthday celebration was brunch at upstream.
THE good: on the list of top Charlotte brunch experiences, upstream holds the number one spot for me. They allowed my friends to make me feel amazing. Known as an oyster bar– their excellent buffet food (Sunday before 4) bar is accompanied by amazing staff and beautiful décor. I was delighted by the small plates and feeling great after 2 mimosas. My favorite were the oysters and crab cakes.
My eggs even can sunny side up (win).
The other good: this Charlotte favorite isn’t a secret-​upstream is for a mature audience and it was also the choice location for a retirement party in a private room.
Despite the large crowd of important people in other parties — our dedicated waitress showed us amazing customer service.
Can’t wait to take my mom for Mother’s Day.

Great food, Great Ambiance, we couldnt have asked for more.
The wife and I went for date night and it was great. We ordered 2 apps, the spicy shrimp lettuce wrap with pineapple and mango’s which was phenomenal, in addition to the we got the mussel pot as well. The mussel pot was a nice size pot, with good portions.
I ordered the Wood oven duck, which was made 3 ways that blew me away. My wife ordered the Sea Bass in which she ate every drop. The restaurant is a bit pricey, but you get what you pay for. We plan on going back.
I also noticed that all the employees were asking «how we were enjoying the food, or how are we feeling», not just our server which was kind of nice. Even the bus boys cleaning off the tables were friendly. Great Job Upstream!

First visit was Easter Brunch, and it was Fabulous!
They had more food then I can name the service was Great too!

Not a BIG fan maybe it was the Queens Fest Week menu and experience but needless to say it was underwhelming. My husband and I take Datenight seriously as we have 2 teenage daughters & a toddler son so anytime alone away from home is very appreciated to just catch up with each other outside of our busy family schedule and work.
We were excited to try Upstream during Queen Fest Week (Restaurant Week) and the service was subpar to be frank. We were not treated as we expected in such an establishment. We were dressed to that nines and excited to be out. I even made the reservations on OpenTable as I always do when the restaurant is on opentabel and added notes about it being Datenight for my hubby and I. I’m use to restaurants reading notes to take into consideration any special request or to just see if they could get some info on the patrons coming into the establishment and acknowledging them accordingly.
This was not the case for us and even after sharing with our server while asking about bottles of wine he still acted unenthused (lol) don’t get me wrong I’m not looking for a parade or streamers for being on Datenight I just thought it would make the server smile or chop up some small talk (it ALWAYS does at various restaurant with really good service).
The cost to eat at this place to me warrants some type of happiness in the service as they are there in a position to service customer which is customer service and they should be a little bit appreciative for having work as so many don’t.
The food was not very good to my husband and I. Maybe we had a bad taste in our mouth already. We both vowed to try this place again to give them a fair go.
Once we do I will update my review (Addendum) accordingly.

I normally do not give bad reviews, however I feel I need to share this so no one else will be disappointed. The Sunday brunch buffet is overpriced for the selection served and the shrimp and grits have barely any shrimp.

Upstream is typically on the pricier side but I was fortunate enough to get a taste of their highly recommended seafood during Charlotte’s Restaurant Week. My friends and I ordered an assortment of dishes that came out in sophisticated presentations. The fried octopus was quite a treat! However what stole the show for me was their sea bass. It was cooked to tender perfection and would just melt in my mouth. It had a sweet soy glaze that reminded me of Asian-​style sauces.
Overall, it was a great experience with delicious food. A bit pricey for a typical night out but would be suitable for a special occasion and worth trying at least once.

How have I gone so long without indulging in the perfection that is Upstream?
Where do I begin?
I made reservations for a friend and I for restaurant week. I did so because the entire menu looked fabulous, and actually had desserts that I could eat despite my egg allergy. I did not expect to be blown away.
Three courses was all it took to make me a believer. Actually, it only took one, but I insisted on continuing to eat.
The starter that left me speechless was the curried cauliflower soup. I contemplated asking for a gallon to take home, but didn’t want to take their entire stock. It was that good!!! There were scallops, perfectly creamy cauliflower, and fried onions on top. My goodness, I’m craving it now.
My main course was a beautiful braised short rib dish with creamy squash and grilled boy choy. The portion was spot on, but I made sure it lasted so that I could savor each flavor. The short rib was tender, so tender that it fell off the bone, and the squash was a welcome accompaniment. The bok choy however, superb! How could a vegetable stand up to the protein on the plate? I don’t know, but it did!
The third course was an apple strudel, alas it wasn’t what I asked for, but when they put it on my table… I didn’t complain. It smelled divine and tasted like heaven.
Gosh. I need to go back ASAP. Highly recommended!

What I love most about this place is the customer service. The live is alive and well in the South here. I had the steak and potatoe (had fancier name) it was good but it wasn’t memorable. The servers and cook came over 4 or 5 times to check in on us and the food.

Upstream. First time here. Came for brunch. Met my friends. Friends are awesome. We sat in the lounge. Our server may have also been the bartender. She had great difficulty keeping coffee cups replenished. Don’t you hate that at brunch?
The brunch buffet/​set up looked nice. The large peel and eat shrimp were delish. I am not Rachel Ray. The sushi was decent. The prime rib was tough. Some of the oysters were slimy. The Bloody Mary’s are small and average. The breakfast basics were good. You can order things from the Tapas menu that are included. The crab cake benedict was good. I am using short sentences in this review. Can you order tapas more than once? I don’t know. Our waitress only asked once. Tapas selection looked better than buffet. We still tipped generously. Why? Because we are cool people. We appreciate the service of others even though it may be lacking at times.
In summary. Okay. Not great. Not terrible. Average brunch. Average Charlotte price. Our server — not so hot. Brunch at Georges Brasserie is wayyyy better. No I am not an employee there.
The end.

Very good. had a Corporate Board dinner here in a private room. The appetizer towers were excellent (especially the calamari and the mussels). I had what we were told they were known for, the sea bass. Excellent! Sea bass soaked in sake with a sweet broth (sorry chef, I’m getting the nomenclature all mixed up) with lobster dumplings. Everyone should try this at least once.

Since the closing of LaVecchia’s Seafood Grille, my thirst for upscale seafood in the Queen City has gone largely unquenched. That is, until now, when I had the chance to go to Upstream this past Thursday evening for dinner with my dad.
Food: In case it hasn’t dawned on you yet, this is mostly a seafood spot. Therefore you should probably at least have a taste for good, fresh, seafood before dining at Upstream. To begin with, we ordered a trio of appetizers — the Sweet and Sour Calamari, Lump Crab Cakes, and the Black Iron Mussel Pot. All of the appetizers were different than similar renditions I’ve had of these popular seafood dishes. The calamari was not your traditional fried and breaded calamari. Instead, the calamari was pan seared, not breaded at all, and served tossed in a thick sweet and sour sauce — very tasty! I loved the MUSSELS! The tomato-​garlic sauce the mussels are served in suited me perfectly. The crab cakes were probably my least favorite of the apps — they were good, just not great.
We split the salmon for our main course. The salmon was, in a word, flawless. It was super tender, succulent and bursting with flavor! The pearl pasta and scallops it was served on top of, was the perfect compliment.
Ambiance: As we were able to be seated right away, we really did not have a chance to tour the restaurant that much. But from what we were exposed to, I certainly have no complaints. Quiet, classy, upscale, friendly, chic, are all adjectives that come to mind when I think of the ambiance at Upstream.
Service: Let me just say, our server, Brooke, was super friendly and was one of the most professional, knowledgeable servers I’ve ever encountered. She was knew the menu from front to back. She was willing to accommodate any request we might have. The only thing that topped the delicious food was the unforgettable service.
I think my seafood crusade can finally come to a rest — I’ve finally found in Upstream, what I’ve been so desperate for over all these years — great service, upscale ambiance, and fresh, quality seafood.

The most amazing bar I have been to! Excellent customer service and knowledge beyond a millennium.
This place masked the best drinks and the food looked very unique. I feel bad for showing up after the place was closed… The bar was open and man, was it impressive: an exclusive mixologist made my drinks… He asked what decade old fashioned I wanted, and asked if there was any other way to make a whiskey sour when I asked if they use egg whites!!! Wow, impressed, professional, no holds barred the best bar I have been to.

LOVE the Sunday brunch!!! I haven’t been in quite awhile, but I’m anxious to go back again. The food is delicious. The service here could definitely be better and more personable. Prices are high! Go during brunch to ensure more bang for your buck!

For Sunday brunch, I had 18 oz of prime rib, crab cake Eggs Benedict, pulled pork, smoked salmon, poached salmon, river trout, a selection of sushi, a cheese plate, and all manner of pastries, french toast, belgian waffles, fruits and vegetables. All for $ 27.50. Which is a pretty great deal, given the prime rib and sides alone would have cost about that much most places.
Looking forward for trying Upstream for other meals. If the food is as good there as it was for brunch, it’ll be great.

I love Upstream! By far my favorite restaurant in the South Park area of Charlotte. They receive fresh seafood every day directly from fishermen not from distributors. They update their menu frequently so the restaurant never gets old. Last night I ordered black grouper, my entrée included a very generous piece of grouper with bok choy and peppers. The grouper was cooked to perfection. Being from Florida, I am very critical about grouper. This was definitely real grouper and it was a very fresh piece of fish. If you have the opportunity to go to dinner at a nice restaurant in the South Park area, I highly recommend upstream.

I have been going to Upstream for the past 15 years and cannot believe I have not written a review yet. Years ago this was my go to spot for Seafood. However, over the last few years I have tried so many of the newer places I haven’t gotten back here in a while, and that was my bad. A few months ago I met up for drinks and appetizers with a Meetup Group and enjoyed the updated bar and offerings. Although I have seen better Happy Hour prices, the food and drinks were great! I enjoyed the Shrimp Tempura, it was cooked to perfection. A light batter with an amazing sauce. The sushi was great as well, and the others I was with enjoyed their choices as well.
After being impressed with the food I have since been back for dinner and just this past weekend enjoyed Easter Brunch. Let me say Upstream offers a great brunch. Not only do they have a spread, and I mean an entire room, of salads, shellfish, carving stations, hot meals and desserts, they also offer a la carte entrees that can be served individually and brought to your table hot from the kitchen. Some of those items included a trout/​crab cake benedict, shrimp and grtis, veggie frittata, and a few more.
The food was all delicous and the service was spot on. It seemed Upstream was very organized for this day and I will look forward to getting back again soon.

Went to Upstream after finding it listed on an OpenTable Valentine’s Day restaurant list. Decided to take my girlfriend there on 15 FEB (avoid the rush) as she loves seafood. Should have probably read the Unilocal reviews before, but hey…
Anyway, we arrived at 19:35, five minutes after our reservation time. Hostess sat us within ten minutes of arrival at a booth. We ordered oysters and wine to start things off. The half-​dozen oysters (Chef’s Selection) was good — the New York oysters were our favorites. Wine is definitely overpriced at this plate, especially considering how little they give you! We were very happy our visit coincided with half-​price wine night, as that made the prices fall back to the «reasonable but still high» range.
For dinner, we tried the pecan crusted trout and the lobster special. The wait was long, but the pecan crusted trout was well worth it — good meat with a good crust! The lobster was a disappointment as it was overcooked. We called the waiter over, and he promised to bring us a new one quickly. Within ten minutes, we had a new lobster that was cooked more reasonably.
As compensation for the overcooked lobster, the manager comp’ed us a dessert. We tried the passion fruit crème brûlée which was quite nice. Total bill came to $ 105 (dessert was comp’ed).
I would say that this restaurant is overrated for what it is. While I like seafood, I think I can find it more reasonably priced elsewhere in Charlotte. Ambiance was nice, but not worth the extra cost.

My family was in North Carolina for my brothers’ graduation from UNC Charlotte which happened to fall on the same weekend as Mother’s Day.
I was able to make reservations through
for our large group. The manager, Kevin, was quite accommodating. Service was attentive and friendly.
The Mother’s day brunch ($ 34.95) had a great selection of quality brunch items: tender braised short ribs, omelet bar, shrimp & grits, sushi, raw bar, dessert bar. Beautiful outdoor seating. Blood Mary left much to be desired in terms of garnish and flavor. It was quite bland.