Hidden gem in Charlotte’s Oakhurst neighborhood where the menu is as creative as the food
May 13, 2026
Ginny’s Whiskey Bar brings a conversational approach to whiskey culture
Owners created a neighborhood bar where whiskey feels welcoming instead of technical
by Ebony L. Morman
At Ginny’s Whiskey Bar, introducing someone to whiskey starts with a conversation.
For Brian Lorusso, that approach comes from years spent working with guests. Before stepping away from hospitality, he worked across Charlotte’s restaurant scene, including opening Rare Roots Hospitality’s Dogwood Southern Table & Bar in SouthPark, where he built a reputation for connecting with regulars.
“You just have to talk to people and figure out where they are in their journey,” Lorusso says. “What have they had? Have they discovered what they like or don’t like?”
From there, he narrows in on what fits, whether that’s a certain style, proof, or flavor profile. It also depends on the person in front of him. For someone new to whiskey, that often means starting simple.
“We all start somewhere,” he says. “It shouldn’t be intimidating, it should be fun. So I usually start soft and low proof.”
Rather than overwhelming guests, Lorusso focuses on making whiskey feel approachable rather than technical, which often means starting with something “soft,” typically an 80 to 90 proof bourbon or a lighter Irish whiskey, before building toward more complex profiles.
Similar thinking carries into the space itself.
When co-owners Matt Lorusso (Brian’s brother) and John Ellison opened the whiskey bar in January, they set out to create a space that blends into the neighborhood while still drawing people in as they pass by.
“We didn’t want to take ourselves too seriously,” Matt Lorusso says. “We wanted to be that neighborhood place where you could come and have whiskey in comfortable chairs at a reasonable price.”
Brian Lorusso carries that idea through in how he thinks about the experience, whether someone stops in after happy hour, before dinner, or for a nightcap.
“We hope it’s a place they want to come back to and just have a good time, that the atmosphere was comfortable and that the service was great,” he says.
Great service starts with the menu.
The whiskey list continues to grow, with more than 50 selections so far, alongside a cocktail program designed to feel familiar but flexible. Some classics remain, while others take a more playful approach.
A Negroni section reworks the traditional one-to-one ratio with different spirits, while spritzes and lighter cocktails round out the menu, giving guests options without limiting the experience to whiskey alone.
That openness shows up in what people order.
“Anything from Buffalo Trace is going to fly off the shelves,” Brian says. “I was also surprised at how many requests we’ve had for Japanese whiskey.”
Demand has shifted in other ways, too. Tequila orders have been more common than expected, prompting the team to expand beyond a strictly whiskey-forward focus.
The adjustments happen in real time. Early on, even the layout changed based on how guests used the space. A skee-ball machine, a favorite of the brothers, didn’t last long. The team replaced it with a pool table once it became clear where people were spending their time.
Each decision follows the same idea: pay attention, then respond.
Not long ago, Lorusso stepped away from hospitality altogether.
When the pandemic exposed how fragile restaurant work could be, he went back to school for cybersecurity. Even then, he never completely shut the door on the industry. When his brother and Ellison began developing Ginny’s, the timing felt right to step back in, this time in a consulting role.
The brothers had spent years circling the same industry, and Ginny’s gave them a way to finally work together in a meaningful way.
For Brian Lorusso, the opportunity carried personal weight as much as professional appeal. Consulting on the bar let him help shape a whiskey-forward concept, train staff, and build out the cocktail program while working alongside family.
That dynamic shapes the experience at Ginny’s. Behind the menu and the growing whiskey list is a project built not just around spirits, but around conversation, familiarity, and the kind of hospitality Brian Lorusso has spent years refining, one that long resonated with regulars.
“Ginny’s is a fun place to try new things,” Matt Lorusso says. “And it’s a really fun place to do it with friends and family. Watching a group of friends and family run it shows you that in the best way.”
