Sneak peek: Charlotte's next swanky steakhouse

Alexandria Sands

A chic restaurant counter with speckled terrazzo and a glass divider to an open kitchen. Table settings include napkins, plates with text, wine and water glasses, and tan velvet chairs along bar. — The 10,224-square-foot space features a wine room with 750 bottles, multiple private dining rooms, a 2,000-square-foot outdoor terrace with city views, and gorgeous bathrooms (look for a disco ball in the women's!). Photo: Alexandria Sands/Axios

After months of anticipation, Guard & Grace opens Oct. 1 in South End's sleekest new tower. And it's already sold out for the first two nights.

Why it matters: The skyscraper steakhouse is the third location for chef Troy Guard's Michelin Guide-recommended restaurant, following Denver and Houston.

We checked out the space ahead of the opening. Here are five things to know before you go.

1. Expect to be blown away by the cocktails.

Close-up of a margarita-style cocktail with a salt-crusted rim in a crystal glass, a black straw and a mint sprig, held by a hand. Warm, blurred bar interior with yellow chairs. — Uptown Cabaret Margarita, a nod to the famous gentleman's club that used to exist on the site. Photo: Alexandria Sands/Axios

I tried two, and if it weren't 11am and I didn't have this deadline, I probably would've downed them.

The first standout is their play on a spicy margarita, the Uptown Cabaret ($19).

If you know … you know.

It incorporates the iconic North Carolina-born hot sauce in a Texas Pete agave syrup and a coconut Pop Rocks-lined rim. (Yes, the candy from your childhood.)

Martini glass with a large ice cube and a purple orchid garnish sits on a bar counter; a blurred bartender in a white shirt and maroon apron is in the background. — I like to think of the carafe as a free refill. Photo: Alexandria Sands/Axios

Or order their top seller in Denver: The tableside Cosmonaut ($26), with white cranberry, lime, elderflower liqueur and Icelandic vodka, served with an orchid and ice sphere.

2. The patio and its view are the big draw.

Gray, cloudy city skyline with a tall construction crane and orange scaffolding on the right; glass skyscrapers rise in the distance, and a rooftop terrace with glass railing sits in the foreground. — A little gloomy on this day, but you get the vision. Photo: Alexandria Sands/Axios

With Charlotte's fast-changing skyline, it's getting harder and harder to find an uninterrupted view. But most of this patio is (at least until the next tower comes along).

About a third of the patio will be a lounge area, with the rest used for dining in the warmer seasons.

3. Yes, it's a steakhouse. But that's not all that's on the menu.

Steaks only make up about 60% of Guard & Grace's sales, chef Guard tells me. The vegetarian and seafood dishes are also very popular.

Here's what we tried.

Plated beef steak with a long carrot garnish, drizzled with sauce and herbs, on a white plate; blurred background shows wine glasses and a gold-toned candle holder. — The oak-fired steaks are 4 or 8 ounces and are topped with their signature heirloom carrot. Photo: Alexandria Sands/Axios

Plate of grilled shrimp with lemon half, parsley, and red sauce on a dark wooden table. Nearby: a wine glass, a water glass, and a folded napkin with cutlery. — Oak-grilled shrimp cocktail ($6 each). Photo: Alexandria Sands/Axios

Close-up of a plated dish: grilled protein topped with greens on a bed of grains, with small orange sauce drops on a dark plate; blurred table, cutlery, glassware, and other dishes in the background. — Oak-fired octopus appetizer: white bean, celery, Spanish chorizo, sherry vinaigrette, spicy red pepper coulis ($27). Photo: Alexandria Sands/Axios

Dessert on a white plate: stacked cake with ice cream, caramel sauce, and a round caramel lace disk; blackberries with red sauce beside it, on a dark wooden table with a plant in the background. — Toffee pudding: sugar ice cream, raspberry coulis, toffee sauce ($14). Photo: Alexandria Sands/Axios

4. Their cookies are dangerously gooey.

Three golden-brown pastries with visible red berry filling and flaky tops sprinkled with sugar, resting on a dark napkin with white lettering. — Guard & Grace's famous triple-chocolate chip cookies. Photo: Alexandria Sands/Axios

With the check at lunch, Guard & Grace gives each diner a complimentary triple chocolate chip cookie.

But they're so addictive, diners usually order a batch to go.

In Denver and Houston, they sell around 600 a day.
The cookies are Guard's fancier spin on his mom's recipe.

5. Look around. This place is like an art gallery.

Being new to town, Guard designed the space uniquely for Charlotte, with hints of gold, pine and granite.

"We took a lot of what Charlotte was built on and the rich history," Guard says.

Some of the work even has plaques, such as a portrait of Queen Charlotte you see when you first walk in.

Gold-toned museum corridor featuring a large ornate frame with an 18th-century style portrait of a woman; warm lights illuminate beige walls and a pair of elevator doors labeled 10 F2 on the left. — Photo: Alexandria Sands/Axios

Artist Victor Lytvinenko created tapestry artwork and room dividers with vintage denim from Greensboro to recognize the state's textile industry.

Cozy modern lounge featuring a tall dark woven wall installation made of interlaced fabric strips, warm overhead lamp, wood-paneled walls, and a bright yellow sofa at the bottom. — By artist Victor Lytvinenko, co-founder of Raleigh Denim. Photo: Alexandria Sands/Axios

If you go: Reservations are on OpenTable. Complimentary valet is offered at the entrance off South Tryon Street.

📍 10th floor of the Vivian at Queensbridge Collective, 111 E. Carson Blvd., Suite 100

⏰ Monday-Thursday 4-10pm and Friday-Saturday 4-11pm to start, eventually adding lunch and brunch service over the next year.

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