3 things to know before visiting Charlotte's new phone-free bar
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The new bar is a combined effort between Charlotte food and beverage veterans — Protagonist founders Mike and Kristin Salzarulo and The Crunkleton and Puerta alumni Phi Hoang and Madison Phillips are its co-founders. Photo: Laura Barrero/Axios
Antagonist is a new Charlotte cocktail bar that locks your phone away for two hours. It opens on Wednesday, March 4, in Dilworth.
Why it matters: "I want to build a place that kind of forces you to connect," co-owner Mike Salzarulo previously told Axios.
The vibe: The swanky, 1,100-square-foot space seats just under 50 people. A wraparound booth frames the room, with about 10 two-tops in the center, all facing a floor-to-ceiling bar that seats six.
- It's ideal for a date night, especially if you're looking for meaningful conversation.
Dig in: There are five classic cocktails, each named after famous antagonists — the Regina George is a margarita, and the Patrick Bateman is a Manhattan, for example. Eight seasonal cocktails follow the same theme.
- At the end of the evening, you're presented with the check and invited to write down your favorite antagonist in the checkbook. "We hope to use them as inspiration for future cocktail names," my server told me. I wrote down "Mojo Jojo," a nod to the Powerpuff Girls villain.
- There's a snack section on the menu, which includes ice cream, candy, chips, pizza rolls and Uncrustables.
If you go: You'll find Anatagonist on the ground floor of The Campbell apartments (2025 Cleveland Ave.).
- Reservations open at 5pm daily. It's closed on Tuesdays.
My thought bubble: No phones means no photos, zero texts, no scrolling to pass the time. I was able to truly disconnect from the world for two hours ... Or was it more? Honestly, I completely lost track of time. Salzarulo says they're adding a clock to help with that.
- I went to a preview event ahead of this week's opening — here are three things to know before you go.
What happens to your phone?
Upon entering Antagonist, you'll hand your phone to the host, who will lock it in a Yondr phone pouch.
- You keep the pouch with you at all times. The host unlocks it before you leave.
There are games to keep you entertained.
Classic board and card games are scattered on shelves throughout the space.
- Think: Chess, checkers, Scrabble, Connect 4, Guess Who, Yahtzee, etc.
Coffee coming soon
Eventually, the owners hope to expand hours and operate as an all-day cafe.
- They'll serve Giddy Goat coffee alongside some of their food staples.
- From 7am–3pm, guests will be able to use electronics. But once the sun sets, so do the phone screens.
