Entry No. 16 — the Charlotte file — filed under: speakeasy
Backstage Lounge at SouthBound
Hidden behind the SouthBound taco joint, this music-inspired speakeasy requires you to walk down a grooming lounge hallway and use a vintage phone booth to dial the weekly Instagram password.
The story
Tucked behind SouthBound—a taco restaurant on South Boulevard—Backstage Lounge hides behind a functioning operational facade. To reach the entrance, you walk around the backside of the restaurant and step into the interior hallway of Modern Classics Grooming Lounge. Past the barbershop chairs, a mural-lined corridor leads directly to a vintage, enclosed phone booth attached to a heavy door.
The interior operates as a quiet nod to Charlotte's lost music heritage, incorporating design touches that honor departed local venues like the Double Door Inn, which spent forty years hosting live blues before closing its doors. The dark, windowless room keeps the focus inside, serving music-inspired craft cocktails alongside small plates such as charcuterie, PEI mussels, and pork belly tacos.
Gaining entry requires following a ritual. Every week, the bar posts a new secret password or phrase on its social media pages. You step into the vintage phone booth, lift the receiver, and dial or speak the phrase into the phone before the door unlocks to let you in.
What it's like
Stepping out of the barbershop hallway into the dark, windowless space feels like slipping into an exclusive backstage green room. On weeknights, the mood is quiet, relaxed, and intimate, making it easy to talk to the bartenders about cocktail preferences or grab a leather booth without waiting. On Friday and Saturday nights—or during seasonal pop-up events like their autumn Black Lagoon takeover—the small room fills to capacity early. Pull up the weekly password on your phone before walking into the hallway so you aren't fumbling at the phone booth door.
The move: Check their Instagram for the weekly password, find the phone booth behind the restaurant, and dial in to gain entry for a night of classic cocktails and retro tunes.
- 📍 South End
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 2433 South Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28203
Hours: Added 2026-07-21 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- The Green Room at Lincoln Street — Pair your hidden lounge night with another concealed South End spot—a plant-filled, 450-square-foot pocket bar tucked inside Lincoln Street Kitchen & Cocktails.
- Nebel's Alley Night Market — Stroll the open-air market vendors under string lights in Nebel's Alley before walking down South Boulevard to slip behind the barbershop.
- Jeff's Bucket Shop — Trade Backstage's polished speakeasy vibe for late-night basement karaoke at Montford Park's subterranean dive bar institution.
Good to know
How do I find the hidden entrance?
Walk around to the back of the SouthBound restaurant building at 2433 South Boulevard and walk down the interior hallway past Modern Classics Grooming Lounge.
Where do I get the secret password?
Check Backstage Lounge's official Instagram or Facebook page before heading out, as they post a new entry password every week.
Do I need a membership to enter?
No, membership is not required, and there is no cover charge to enter.
What food and drink do they offer?
They serve music-themed craft cocktails alongside small plates like baked brie, charcuterie boards, PEI mussels, and tacos.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Axios · charlottesgotalot.com · Official site · charlotteonthecheap.com · Reddit
last checked: 2026-07-21