Mac's Speed Shop

Mac’s Speed Shop has a simple and short motto. “Beer, Bikes, BBQ.” That’s about as much information many people will need in order to try out the iconic establishment, but Mac’s offers a cool environment with some of the best food and drinks Charlotte has to offer.

The original Mac’s Speed Shop opened up in a retrofitted auto mechanic shop at 2511 South Boulevard as a biker bar that serves up heaping portions of classic barbecue. Since then Mac’s has opened up two more locations — 19601 Liverpool Parkway in Cornelius and 2414 Sandy Porter Road in Steele Creek — but hasn’t changed the concept behind the restaurant and bar.

Although the two newer locations have less bikers and more families, Mac’s Speed Shop still gets crowded with a very diverse crowd and still sees a large number of Hog and “Crotch Rocket” owners. 

The highlight of the menu — which is stocked with gigantic burgers with unlimited toppings (yes, you read that right), Carnita-style tacos and two-handed sandwiches — are the BBQ options. Hand pulled pork BBQ, St. Louis Style Ribs, and their Texas Beef Brisket routinely win regional and national barbecue awards. BBQ platters with two “Side Cars” run $9 to $16, or you can try the menu items named “A Little Bit of it All” for $16 or “A Whole Lot of it All” for $26 which include a sampling of all their BBQ options.

Although the highlight is in fact the barbecue, the runner-up section on the menu is their “Side Car Vegetables” — which is Southern for fried or cheese-covered items that go next to your main meat. These “Side Cars” — which three of them can be made into a meal in themselves for $6 — include large servings of Mac n’ Cheese, Onion Rings, Cheddar Grits, Chili with “The Whole Shebang,” Green Bean Casserole, or Collard Greens.

Mac’s also has an impressive beer list, with more than 150 different types in bottle or on tap. They also serve more than 30 “High Octane” beers, which are named this because of their high alcohol contents ranging from 7-percent to 11-percent.  

HelloCharlotte Tip: Mac’s Speed Shop has a half-priced appetizer menu during the week from 4 pm to 6 pm and a Late Night Menu from 10 pm to midnight. They also serve half-priced drafts on Monday nights and half-priced wines on Tuesday night at all locations.

- by Mike D'Avria, Charlotte Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)

Mike D'Avria

Mike D'Avria graduated with a Journalism Degree from Indiana University in 2003.

He worked for the daily newspaper, The Athens Banner-Herald in Athens, Ga. before turning to freelance writing and video production.

Mike is the Executive Editor of CampLeadership.org, and has lived in Charlotte for four years.