Charlotte’s Newest Membership Bar: The Crunkleton

​Located in Charlotte’s Elizabeth neighborhood, The Crunkleton is a brand-new membership only bar. The yearly membership is $10 and you allowed one guest per visit. It is recommended to purchase a membership online, but you can buy them at the door. They serve beer, wine, and liquor and non-alcoholic beverages. However, the hand-crafted cocktails are the true stars of the drink menu. As for food, The Crunkleton currently offers a limited menu of different options. One neat feature of the bar the open-concept kitchen in the back. You can watch the kitchen team cook on the large open-flame grill or shuck a few fresh oysters. The hours of operation are 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. daily.

The backside of the bar

View from the bar seat

My wife and I took my brother to The Crunkleton a few weekends ago. We purchased a membership pass online about an hour beforehand. The hostess was able to see her information right away. We opted to sit at the end of the bar instead of a table. The bar was busy thanks to a televised NFL Playoff game. The bartender recommended a few of their specialty cocktails to us. My wife and brother ordered The French 75. This cocktail is a citrus blend of gin, cognac, orange liqueur, lemon, and champagne. The Penicillin made with whiskey, ginger, honey, and lemon interested me the most. We enjoyed watching the bartender make the drinks from scratch. The cocktails were full of flavor and aroma. We ordered a second round of drinks while we chatted and watched the football game. I tried the Post-Prohibition Old Fashioned while my brother and wife ordered wine. The Crunkleton's take on an Old Fashioned was a little different than what you would normally expect. The bartender told me they muddle the fruit into the drink as a throwback to Prohibition. He said that they used to muddle fruit as a way to hide the taste of awful alcohol during the Prohibition era. The Old Fashioned was more fruity than I normally order, but still a solid choice.

---

French 75 (on left) and Penicillin (on right)

Post-Prohibition Old Fashioned

We enjoyed the ambiance of The Crunkelton. The decor has a nice blend of modern and rustic features. The back bar is huge with a rolling step ladder to reach top shelf liquors. The bartenders climbed the ladder a number of times for various cocktail creations. We were told that they plan to offer more rare and high-end liquors in the near future. Our bartender made us feel welcomed and was very attentive. While we did not order food, the limited menu looked quite appetizing. We will definitely try some of the food options during our next visit. The Crunkelton is a fun and unique addition to the Elizabeth neighborhood of Charlotte, NC.  
​

Brother and I