About Rí Rá

Rí Rá comes from "Rí Rá agus Ruaile Buaile", a phrase translating roughly as divilment, good fun or any sociable activity that improves with fine food, a nice pint of Guinness or a dram of Uisce Beatha (whiskey).

Book a Table Book a Party

About the Pub

Rí Rá opened its doors for the first time on March 14th, 1997. The pub survived a major fire in 2009 and celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2022. Meticulously restored in Ireland and shipped to the US, Rí Rá embodies everything that you would expect from a genuine Irish pub. The pub has been carefully restored from old Irish pubs and related salvaged artifacts including an original shop bar and a 19th century Victorian bar. The pub and fire restoration required a tremendous effort from a select group of master carpenters, glazers and painters. We are proud to showcase a unique and genuine Irish pub in Uptown Charlotte.

The Shop Bar

The first bar you encounter as you enter the pub is our Shop Bar. It is a fine example of a pub that is the focal point of community life in rural Ireland transported to Charlotte. The bar originated from the north of the country and includes a restored Guinness mirror and a collection of ledgers from Dublin Corporation dating from 1800 – 1840. These ledgers are available to all to peruse over a quite pint. Our shop bar is a perfect spot to escape the hustle and bustle of Tryon St. Sit, enjoy a pint, a bite to eat, a chat and you will be transported back in time to the quintessential Irish country pub you would visit while on a trip to Ireland.

The Victorian Bar

The Victorian bar in the middle of the pub was restored from the officers mess in the Phoenix Park barracks in Dublin. The original bar was removed in 1920 and it lay in storage in a garage close by in Castleknock for over 70 years. On the left side of the back bar you will see an enclosed cabinet from the night of the fire of 2009. The items in the cabinet are preserved as they were directly after that fire. The centrepiece of this bar is our statue of St. Patrick that dates from the mid 1800’s.

The Whiskey Room

The Whiskey Room upstairs at Rí Rá features an extensive range of whiskey, bottle conditioned cocktails, punches and craft beers in a warm, relaxing and fun environment. Our cocktail recipes have been developed in partnership with Jack McGarry. Jack is a partner in the Dead Rabbit which was awarded the “World’s Best Bar 2015” by Tales of the Cocktail – The Spirited Awards. There is plenty to learn about whiskey and even more to enjoy. The story of whiskey is long, fascinating and worth sharing with good company. The truth is, it’s a journey of a lifetime. So relax and enjoy. There’s no rush.

The Dining / Music Room

This room is a perfect space for larger occasions. It is a unique and beautiful space with wood paneling, button-down leather seating and rich wall finishes. This room can accommodate up to 90 people for a sit down dinner and 150 people for a reception-style event. The room includes a stage, large drop down screen, multiple TV screens and full sound and lighting system.

Rí Rá in the Community

Here at Rí Rá, we love to bring our sense of family to the community and enjoy being involved with local community groups such as the Charlotte Irish Connection, B.A.B.G and Alliance Francais to make our neighborhood a better place to live, work and socialize.

We are particularly proud of our outreach work with sports groups such as Queen City Gooners, Charlotte Barcelona and Florida Gators. We are also heavily involved with local charities and try to give back to the community that so graciously welcomed us to the neighborhood. We host an annual golf tournament in aid of Angels of the Abbey charity and also host an annual event in March for the Saint Baldrick’s Foundation for Childhood Cancer and have raised over $27,000 to date.

Promotions

Charlotte Restaurant Week July 2024

We're taking part in Charlotte's Restaurant Week again! Join us for an exclusive 3 course meal for only $35, every day from 5pm between …

Breast Cancer, Breast Cancer Awareness, charlotte

Pink Lady Cocktail

Drink Pink This October & Support Breast Cancer Awareness

St. Baldrick's Foundation

BE A HERO FOR KIDS WITH CANCER

Be a hero for kids with cancer! We have teamed up with St. Baldrick's Foundation and are braving the shave to help in the …

More Community News

Jobs and Training

Rí Rá is a busy and exciting place to work. We are always on the lookout for motivated Managers, Bartenders, Servers, Line Cooks and other hourly positions.

If you’re interested in working in a fun and highly rewarding atmosphere, with a great team, then email your resume to riracharlotte@rira.com. Current open positions can also be found here!

For International inquiries regarding J-1 training opportunities with Rí Rá in the USA, please send an email to careers@rira.com for more details.

KINDRED SPIRITS OLD & NEW

THE RED BRICK MYSTERY

Located in the second oldest original building in Uptown, Rí Rá is officially one of the most haunted buildings in Charlotte!