Welcome to The Flying Saucer

Craft beer enthusiasts and foodies alike will enjoy this local spot:

The Flying Saucer is a beer lover’s delight and a great place to be surrounded by people who value craft beer and a good time. The Flying Saucer has been in Charlotte for over 13 years and counting with still growing success. The Flying Saucer offers 82 beers on tap, constantly switching them up and introducing new brands. General Manager Erik Hodgeman explained how each Flying Saucer location was unique because of the atmosphere and personalities of the customers, which makes it exciting to try visiting different locations. The bar is a great place to meet other beer lovers and have a great time playing darts or dominating trivia nights.

My first impression of the bar was comfortable. As I walked in, I already felt like I belonged and the atmosphere was so friendly. There were many unique aspects of the bar– such as their décor. The first thing everyone notices as they walk in is the abundance of saucers hanging on the walls and ceiling. They are packed in so tightly it looks like there are no open spaces.

The Flying Saucer’s unique name comes from its UFO Club membership. Signing up only costs $18 and members receive a T-shirt and a personal magnetic card to keep track of the beers they have tried. After a member tries 200 different beers on tap, they are put in the “Ring of Honor.” This basically means that you will now have a “flying saucer” on the wall with your name on it in honor of your achievement. The members’ names are permanently on the Flying Saucer’s wall and the color of the ring changes each time a member tries an additional 200 different beers.

Besides the saucers on the wall and ceiling, there are many other unique decorations in the bar. The entire wall that holds the beer taps is covered in shiny pennies, which gives off a really nice look and ties very well in with the saucers.

The Saucer Bratzel.

Not only does the Flying Saucer have a great beer selection, they are also famous for their great pub food. They have everything from salads to pizzas. I taste tested a couple of appetizers including the “Saucer Bratzel,” which is a freshly baked soft pretzel with melted swiss cheese, sliced beer bratwurst and green onions. The pretzel was perfectly soft and had amazing flavor. I really enjoyed the pretzel because it went well so well with all of the drinks and it is also a customer favorite.

The second appetizer I sampled was the “Loaded Rocket-Tots,” which are jalapeno potato tots topped with cheddar-jack, goat cheese, bacon, green onions and a fried egg. I was a bit hesitant on trying this plate because I did not think that goat cheese and bacon would go well together, but all of the ingredients incorporated together created such a great taste, and I now see why this is also a very popular dish at the Flying Saucer.

After I sampled the appetizers, I ordered their very popular, “Lauren’s Goat Cheese Salad,” which has spring mix greens, cranberries, goat cheese, tomatoes, walnuts, red onions and a balsamic vinaigrette. All of the components of the salad worked beautifully together to create a rich and flavorful plate. I loved how fresh all parts of the salad were and highly recommend the salad to anyone who has dietary restrictions or is a vegetarian. The Flying Saucer provides tons of variety and options in their menu so there are definitely options for everyone.

My overall experience at the Flying Saucer was phenomenal. It was so interesting to be in an environment that was so influenced by their customers and that gave off positive energy. I highly recommend trying out the Flying Saucer next time you want to try amazing food, meet really cool people and drink quality craft beers.