Elite Event: An Evening at Bubble

I was excited to be chosen to attend this event with my husband. We don’t go «Uptown» too often so this was a treat. We were one of the first to arrive, so my husband and I were lucky enough to get a booth with a high table top attached. Others in their review have written about the awkward eating situation with plates on laps etc.
Our waitress was very attentive, drinks were flowing and the champagne was delicious. We were lucky to score two small bottles to take home as well! My dinner was very good, Italian salad, Filet with fries and chocolate molten cake. The only thing I would change was the salad that came with the filet needed dressing or just have no salad at all.
My husband enjoyed his strawberry salad and Filet; however his crème brulee was a bit different.
The event was very organized, props to Nikki for a job well done. Donating school supplies was a great way to give, while we’re receiving.
Thanks to Bubble for hosting so many of us. It was great to see familiar Unilocalers and meet some new friends!

I have just now recovered from this awesome event at Bubble.
I had been to Bubble once before for a happy hour with appetizers & drinks — so the full dinner was new & exciting.
Bubble isn’t really set up to feed such a large group — I felt for the people who sat in the «bubbles» and tried to eat with a coffee table for their main table. Luckily I snagged a normal table and was able to eat my meal.
I had the house salad (meh), filet mignon & fries (delicious) and the chocolate raspberry desert (I think my expectations were sky-​high for this one, and it was good, but not AMAZING). The amazing part was the drinks, champagne, champagne and some delicious New Belgium beers.
I understand this is more of a champagne bar, but when someone asks what kind of New Belgium beers do you have, it may not be a good idea to answer with «champagne, Henricks gin, Three Olives vodka and New Belgium.» Yes, but what kind of New Belgium???
Overall, Bubble is a sweet lounge-​y place, great for happy hours or nights out, but I’m not sold on Bubble for dinner yet — especially with all the other nearby options.

I was torn on this event. Being my first elite event in Charlotte, it was hard not to compare it to my past elite events. I thought the location was great, being in the center city. The décor was quite interesting. The rounded booths are a great setup for drinks, which I am sure is the intended use, but for this event people ended up eating their meals from their laps. The food was good but the timing in the serving of each dish was awkward and left many watching others eat. A craft that I have found few restaurants are able to execute without delay. Almost expected when serving a 3-​course meal to such a large crowd. Please don’t stop trying! =)
The strawberry salad was really good. The salmon was good sitting on arugula with carrots on top of the salmon. I thought the portion of the salmon was perfect and presentation was very nice. The steak looked like the better option for the evening but needed some sort of olive oil or other dressing with the arugula salad. The fries and the dip for the fries was fantastic. The steak was very well prepared. No one at our table had the ribs, so I cannot comment aside from the fact that they looked amazing going by. The crème brûlée was ok, but the molten chocolate cake stole the show.
I love a sit down dinner event and find that it truly allows a restaurant to highlight their best dishes. I do wish I would have delayed finding a seat in order to meet more Elite members. We got there early and ended up getting a seat first thing. I wasn’t quite sure the flow of the event but next time I’ll be ready.
The champagne, beer, gin & vodka are always a plus. Very nice touch to a great event. The take home Cava was a great benefit for checking in. I love CAVA! We utilized the Über offer and got a ride, so we were able to enjoy our beverages without worry of driving home!
Thanks for organizing a great event and next time, I’ll be sure to meet my fellow elite Unilocalers first thing!

I love events when we go to places I have not been before, and everyone dresses up nice (or for some type of theme). Bubble had a pretty cool atmosphere, which was made even cooler when we were greeted with Hendrick’s Gin cocktails, and some Hershey Kisses.
The food and drink was awesome all night. Tons of good vodka, gin… which led to great martinis. The filet mignon entrée was amazing as well. Great filet and every single french fry was crispy… and ready to be devoured with some help from the ridiculously awesome aioli that came with it.
Mini-​highlight of the night came when we realized the Bubble Event was co-​hosted by Sara from the best season of Bachelor Pad I have ever seen, which had a legendary ending (look it up).
We managed to post-​up at the bar after 90% of the Elites had left, and the bartender had no problem slinging some more free drinks at us. Overall, another great Unilocal party.

Great event!
The location, Bubble, was a bit hard to find, but I hadn’t been to the epicenter a while, so that’s is probably why it took me a bit to find the entrance.
Once I saw the Unilocal banners, I knew I was in the right place.
I had a great time and really enjoyed the champagne and the apps and entrees. Nikki did such a great job setting this event up — I have been to quite a few of these Unilocal Elite gatherings in Long Beach and Los Angeles and it’s rare to have such a great offering at no cost for the Unilocal crew.
Working in the charity was a great idea as well and the raffle was great.
I liked the way the room was set up, we met some great people and had a good time. I loved the little Unilocal «chachkies» around the room too, playing cards, mints etc… I am a Unilocaler to the core.
Love it! Keep up the good work!

«Once, if my memory serves me well, my life was a banquet where every heart revealed itself, where every wine flowed.»
… and where every Hendrick’s and tonic never made it past me. I had a blast.
To start, I’m going to give the food a pass. Bubble isn’t traditionally known for their dinner, but they took on a herculean task to serve it up for over fifty of us in attendance. Dinner service was unintentionally staggered, and the dishes were good, not amazing. I’ll give them credit for the desserts though– by the time I was offering up a bite of my crème brûlée in exchange for a bite of molten chocolate cake, we didn’t have any left to barter — empty gestures evidenced by empty dessert plates!
The ambiance was sizzling and Bubble’s wait-​staff was hot. Or maybe I should blame it on the alcohol. Either way, this venue seems like a good place to keep in mind when you’re looking to entertain some out-​of-​towners. Trying to close that deal with a few stodgy businessmen? Take ‘em to Bubble, order a few drinks, loosen a few ties, soak in the scene, and business will take care of itself.
I appreciated the chance to sit with fellow Unilocal*peeps and get to know them beyond their check-in’s, reviews, and message board posts. Tonya was doing her paparazzi thang… in the dimly-​lit Bubble, the only way to spot her was when she was snapping photos and the flash would reveal her location, if only momentarily. And Nikki, the architect behind this event, may be on steroids — she’s knocked it out the park each and every time. I look forward to what March may bring.
dmo out.

I’ve had some great experiences with charlotte elite events, and this was definitely another. With my go-​to charlotte plus 1 of my mom (yeah, I be a mama’s boy, don’t make fun of me), I made my way to the EpiCenter. Greeting us was the charming new CM Nikki and a table full of champagne bottles as a welcoming gift for checking in. Big win already. I make my way to the bar and not being much of a liquor fan, partook in the New Belgium Snapshot, which was quite good. But three beers in, I needed some yummy food to sop it up. Just as I was about to go into a coma, it arrived.
First course, I really enjoyed my strawberry salad. Filet mignon came afterwards, and I’ll agree that it was kind of annoying how the entrees came out very staggered, but once I started eating I couldn’t complain. The steak was nice and juicy with a large melty pat of butter on top, and the accompanying aioli was super delicious and a perfect dip for the fries. Last but not least, the molten chocolate with ice cream, very satisfying for a chocolate lover like myself. I ate half of my mom’s too and I could’ve eaten a whole ‘nother.
At this point, the only thing left was to hear the raffles, and in my disappointment, I did not win. To ease the sadness, I took home 2 Unilocal shot glasses so it all turned out okay. I also got to meet some nice Unilocalers and their plus 1s. All in all, a great experience, with a fantastic meal from Bubble, excellent service, and a terrific event thrown by Nikki. Until next time Charlotte.

Champagne. I could drink it in a boat, with a goat, in a house, with a mouse… I would, I could in a tree… well you get the point. As you can probably tell this event was awesome in my book just due to the copious free-​flowing champagne!
I have never been to Bubble prior to this. and to be honest it is not a place I would normally associate with serving food. However, I really enjoyed many of the options including the obviously homemade hummus, cheesy flatbread, and the terrific steak (perfectly cooked!). The only options I wasn’t much of a fan of were the salad (the dressing/​cheese sort of made mine soggy by the time it was served), and the crème brûlée dessert had an odd flavor to me but my hubby happily gobbled it right up.
The service was excellent– and I would imagine any single-​guy would have loved the ambiance simply due to attractive wait-​staff. It would be a lovely choice for a ladies night out as well.
Since I am such a champagne fan I didn’t take advantae of the beer offerings but my husband really enjoyed the beer New Belgium.
Thank you to all of the AMAZING vendors: Bubble, Poprock Photography, New Belgium), RNDC, Three Olives, Hendrick’s, Bacardi, and of course our hard-​working Birthday Girl/​CM Nikki!
Also, champagne should be a Unilocal event staple… right Tonya P. ???

Yay another CM (cutey mcdimpletons) Niki Unilocal event! Everyone was looking beautiful and I was looking like I just came from work. Oh wait I did come from work. As in tradition of getting off work its time to slam down some champagne. martinis, and some delicious new belgium brews. The DJ was spiinning some nice lounge music to keep the mood classy while I got trashied with sex kitten. The wait staff was not very talkative, nor understanding how to use the word excsue me as they barreled through you. The food was trash, but good news there was enough alcohol to bring on early on-​set cirrhosis

The Unilocal Elite faithful hit the uptown streets once again, this time looking to lounge, booze, schoomze and dine in the literal ‘epicenter’ of the entertainment district. Terrible puns aside, what a great way to wind down a work day.
Bubble is quite the space: with a couple bars, a mix of tables and large banquet seating encircled with LED lighting that won’t let you forget the primary shades of a rainbow, all with club music pumping at a moderate level throughout.
Glass of champagne?! Check. Gin & Tonic from Hendricks? Check. Three Olives dirty Vodka martini? Check. New Belgium brews? Check, check. Take your pick of potent potables and let the day slip away while catching up with the Unilocaliest folks in town. Bartenders and servers kept everyone’s drinks full from beginning to end!
Really hard to complain with a mix of passed appetizers that included flat breads and hummus, followed by individualized three-​course dinners that had good salads, a choice of steak, salmon, or ribs, and a mix of desserts that included chocolate molten lava cake. Plates were well presented and I liked that the entire staff pitched in to make sure everyone got a complete meal. Hadn’t thought to dine at Bubble before, but the kitchen clearly knows what its doing and is artful in its presentation.
Of course, Tonya from Poprock was on hand to capture the magic on (digital) film and mingle with the people while our CM Nikki pulled out the paper calendar to advise of more fun coming for March. Lots to look forward to here and our hosts provided a great setting and service to help take it all in. An overall nice evening to see what’s bubbling up in uptown! Thanks to all who made it happen.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again– the best kind of Unilocal events are the kind where you get greeted with champagne. I enjoyed meeting new friends and seeing some old ones at this dinner event at the EpiCentre’s newest lounge.
The food was great, but I wish my salmon had come with a side or a larger garnish. I couldn’t help looking over at my neighbor’s steak and fries with envy– the plate alone was twice the size! The molten lava cake was awesome though, and while it appears small, it packs a chocolate-​y punch and ended up being the perfect amount.
I am saving my tiny bottle of champagne for a tiny special occasion… like maybe a Thursday? Can’t wait for the next one!

Yay for the sit down dinner last night at Bubble! First off, I had heard a lot about the place but had never been… So it was a great excuse to try it out.
We did miss out on all the passed appetizers, but no worries since we knew dinner was being served!
And I was really pleased to see another dinner event because I find those to be a great way to truly try the venue’s offerings plus it allows for better interactions with my fellow elites and their plus 1s!
Many times at past Elite events, restaurants would serve up some sort of easy hors d’oeuvres to feed a lot of people that do not truly represent what is available on their menu. I think they are doing a dis-​service to themselves when they take this approach because the food is normally sub-​par and not compelling enough to go back for. Plus its sometimes difficult to even get any food to try. And if the events are too crowded, it is truly difficult to mingle & talk with everyone.
But, thankfully, that was not the case at Bubble last night. They started us with a choice of salad so our entire table went for the strawberry. Yum!
Then I had the salmon, which was tasty and not over-​cooked! (Bonus points for not overcooking the salmon!). Finally, our whole table had opted for the molten chocolate cake for dessert… yum!
This all went well with the bubbly (hey, in a place called Bubble, you just have to go with the bubbly!)
Our only complaint was that the music was too loud for reasonable conversation. Once someone at our table asked them to turn it down, things got better for awhile. However, they did crank back up the volume a bit later.
Once again, our super-​cool CM Nikki did an outstanding job putting this event together!!! Thank you so much for all your hard work! (and happy belated birthday!!)
And of course no review is complete without a shout-​out to all who contributed to making this event so fun like all the cool Elites who showed up, Bubble, New Belgium Brewery, Poprock Photography, etc.

I was really excited when I got the «you’re in!» Email about the Bubble event. Really, I get excited about every «you’re in» email, but I was extra stoked to get dressed up. I’ve never been to the epicenter, so this was all a brand new experience!
Everyone looked so classy In their «dress to impress» attire! When we walked in we were greeted by the lovely Nikki, and added our bags to the mountain of donations for Classroom Central. (Charity IS sexy!) Unfortunately, I was stuck in traffic with Lyndsay N, so we missed the appetizers, but arrived just in time to grab a glass of champagne before sitting down for dinner. We did not get the booth with the little tables that make eating a swanky dinner easier. I was in between putting my food on my lap, or on the very low table in front of me. I opted for the lap, and was good to go. I ordered the strawberry salad, steak, and molten chocolate cake. Everything I had was delicious. I was a little cautious about the salad, but it was such a great mix of flavors! The steak was melt in your mouth tender, and fries were crunchy. The molten chocolate cake was so pretty! It was warm and just about perfect. My +1, Chris, got the house salad, steak, and crème brûlée. He said that they were very good too. The vote at the booth seemed to be the Molton chocolate for the win. :)
I really enjoyed this event at the champagne bar! Chris is now Unilocal addicted, and we won a bottle of champagne in the raffle! I also was pretty psyched about the little bottle of champagne take home gift. Great event, Nikki!

I was totally unaware of Bubble’s presence in the Epicenter, but then again I hardly find myself at the Epicenter all that often anymore. Left the event, super impressed by Bubble, and their amazing servers and management team.
My +1 and I got there super early so we had our pick of the tables… there were so many options… the circular booths, regular tables, bar seating, but we decided on the large high-​top table in the center of the room and found a good spot. Some of the plush booths had small tables but would be pretty awkward trying to eat a sit-​down meal at, but I guess you sacrifice the table for a little comfort. I myself am a table and chair person (aka just a old man) that probably would spill my food all over my lap if presented the challenge.
Chad E. taught me about the fine art of Beer-​mosas and I got to meet some other fellow Elites (placing profile pictures with faces). Overall a great time.
The menu had me looking forward to the event all day. Started off with a great strawberry salad (goat cheese, walnuts, balsamic, and arugula). I chose the Salmon, which was cooked perfectly on a bed of arugula with some baby roma tomatoes and balsamic. For the finishing number, I went with the chocolate lava cake and was definitely impressed by the dessert’s presentation.
Hat’s off to Niki, putting together such a fun and great event. I hope the small donation of school supplies goes a long way. It was actually kinda fun going and shopping for them (since I haven’t had to get «school supplies» in a very long long time). Some of the kids now a days have such cool stuff!

I was really interested when given the opportunity to visit Bubble for the first time in Epicenter. I’ve always been intrigued about the latest addition, because who doesn’t love champagne? After seeing what the night would have to offer and that we could bring a +1 I was super excited.
We unfortunately got caught in a lot of traffic on our way up from South Charlotte, so we didn’t get to try any of the appetizers, but we were able to get a drink before we were invited to sit down. I of course, got a glass of the house champagne.
Our booth was a little odd for a dinner. It had a low table and 4 couples, which didn’t make for a tight squeeze sitting down, but when you’re trying to eat without a regular table things got a bit uncomfortable. I decided to order everything opposite of my husband so we could try out more of their menu. So between us we were able to try the House salad and strawberry salad, the steak frites and Asian ribs, and the molten cake and crème brûlée.
The standouts were the strawberry salad. I don’t eat salad really, but the components were very good, and my husband gladly finished what I did not. I thought my steak and fries were excellent and my husband loved the ribs so much he (forgot) to offer me any… And I would definitely pick the molten cake over the crème brûlée… less of a taste thing and more of a texture thing for me.
Overall it was a fantastic night, due to great people. Service was very good and they were nice. I know it cannot be easy to serve at a Unilocal event. Also I like that Nikki chose Classroom Central. I love that charity and they make such a difference. Any night with champagne in it is a win in my book and that coupled with good food, and a mini champagne bottle to take home? I was giddy all night (and not just from the champagne).

Charlotte’s Unilocal Elite brought sexy back at the February Elite Event: An Evening at Bubble. It was quite the fête! Elites were dressed to the nines, sipping on champagne and cutting into filets. Real high class y’all :)
The staff at Bubble kept the bubbly (and other beverages) flowing smoothly all evening. I let the bartender (didn’t catch his name) have creative license over the drinks he served me and oh man! did he deliver. I especially enjoyed the one that tasted like gummy bears!
While I’m not totally sold on Bubble being a dinner spot for me (too lounge/​club-​y) I could definitely see myself coming back for a classy night in Uptown.
Thanks, Nikki for putting this incredible event together! And of course, a big thanks to the staff at Bubble and all the sponsors! And an extra big thanks to all you amazing Elites that brought donations for Classroom Central. I volunteer there and they are doing amazing work but they couldn’t do it without donations like yours. Thanks for supporting them!

Uptown Charlotte was on the verge of firing up parties for the CIAA, so why not let the Charlotte Unilocal Elite crew in on the fun? After working out most of the kinks with Bubble and New Belgium, it was on!
The interior of Bubble is pretty amazing, from pictures of Barbies (yes, the doll) to some incredible lighting, to varied, interesting seating all around. Between serving drinks and courses (salads, entrée and dessert), the staff seemed generally happy to see the crowd — but it did keep them hopping all night, which did make for a bit of a challenge getting everything out at times.
Even with that in mind, the portions were good, filled everyone up, and allowed for plenty of time to mingle both with your table and everyone across the room. The only downside was that both the room itself and the sound system made the talking a bit of a challenge, so if I am any indicator, many people may be a bit hoarse this morning!
Another unexpected advantage is that during the downtime, we experimented with drinks, resulting in the return of the beermosa. Viva la beermosa, and thanks to Bubble for supplying plenty of OJ to go with the New Belgium beer and make it happen. Also thanks to our girl Nikki for making this work during her big birthday week!

Another great evening with the Unilocal Community and our lovely community manager.
Anytime there is a sit down meal, it is a good time. You get to know some of the other Elites and their guests a lot better. Not that mingling isn’t fun but I enjoy getting to converse.
Bubble was a really great venue. I had never been before but found it stylish and loved the LED light displays.
The food was awesome as dish after dish came out. Each time someone at my table would look at what someone else had and wish they had opted for that choice. And yet, everyone was also very content with what they had.
Loved to see the community bringing in items for Classroom Central too. Always a great partnership when booze and food spur on charity.

I enjoyed this event lots. It was classy and spacious with a fancy atmosphere for a Tuesday night, plus a glass of champagne when you walk in AND a check in gift if a mini bottle to take home! That keeps the party going.
Nikki is good at setting up a variety of events to please all. This one was great because lots of Elites were able to attend do I saw some old faces and met plenty if new ones too which was great.
There were some drink specials set up but mostly, lots of gratis bevs which I’ll take. Pair that with a full 3 course meal and that’s a fun night.
Nikki collected supplies for Classroom Central which I appreciate and the staff at Bubble were fantastic.
Thanks Bubble, Sponsors and Nikki!

Hooray for my first CM Nikki event. Bubble was a neatly orchestrated three course dinner event.
Pros
Great beer from New Belgium
Champagne
Gin and cocktails
Good location in Epicentre.
Awesome champagne giveaway and a raffle!
Steak was the right choice for main.
Crème Brulee was creamy, Lava Cake was chocolaty with crème anglaise. Both yum!
Servers were attentive and busy refilling (free) drinks.
Cons
Food came out in dribs and drabs so those with salmon (bland, no sides) had food first. A bit later the steaks (nicely cooked, fries with garlic mayo were great, the arugula salad desperately needed a dressing) and lastly the ribs (best fries, great portion. nice and tangy). Hey, it’s probably not easy to coordinate this many meals all at once, so no worries.
Loud music made it hard to talk.
I don’t know that Bubble is my scene. Epicentre is pretty crowded with watering holes already. A club feel with club music. I wish them well.
#3333.