Hidden gem in Charlotte’s Oakhurst neighborhood where the menu is as creative as the food
July 1, 2026
Uncle’s closes at Burial Beer Co.
Chef Michael Le shares details about the closure and what’s next
by Kristen Wile
Uncle’s, the Southeast Asian concept run out of a food trailer behind Burial Beer Co. in Plaza Midwood, has closed its doors. Owner Michael Le made the decision to shut down the concept in mid-June, citing sales that were too low to make remaining open feasible.
“It was a huge decline from the third month, and I just can’t sustain it anymore,” Le says of recent numbers. “I had to call it quits because it was just tapping into my savings and [remaining open] would obliterate me.”
Uncle’s had a financially difficult start, with permitting issues causing significant opening delays. The restaurant had limited visibility — as well as limited parking — due to its location in the fenced-in back area of the brewery, Le says, and didn’t draw the foot traffic he’d anticipated. His lease deal included a percentage of sales, and despite several renegotiations, Uncle’s wasn’t making enough money to stay open.
The trailer served dishes such as khao man gai (a Thai chicken and rice dish), grilled cabbage, fried tofu, and shrimp fritters. It was his take on Southeast Asian flavors that earned Le the 2025 Unpretentious Palate UPPY award for Non-restaurant Chef of the Year.
Following the closure of Uncle’s, Le says he plans to focus on private dining experiences to help regain capital to eventually open a fine dining concept. His ideal restaurant would feature an open kitchen and izakaya-style experience.
“I want to actually build something that’s like truly what I actually want instead of a side project,” he says. “I want to build more focus on providing what Hello Uncle actually is, and I think that’s a stronger message than what Uncle’s was.”
Fans of Uncle’s can expect upcoming pop-ups from Hello Uncle in the next few weeks.
