CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The fresher the fish comes from the water, the more it makes your mouth water.

The Waterman Fish Bar is serving the favorite staples of maritime dining, the way it’s supposed to be prepared

“Very, very fresh all the time. So we barely have a freezer in here,” co-owner Paul Manley said. “The Waterman is basically South End's neighborhood seafood joint.”

It’s a “kid cousin” to the Sea Level restaurant in Uptown. Same upscale dishes, but a more casual setting.

“We made it a point to not try to break any culinary boundaries with this restaurant. We wanted everything super approachable,” Manley said.

Pairing an approachable menu with a gorgeous rooftop view, and interior decked out in repurposed fixtures.

“Taking a good, responsible seafood program and inserting it into a real casual, roll-up-your-sleeves kind of atmosphere,” Manley said.

Specialty Dish: The Waterman’s Platter; cornmeal-crusted catfish, crispy oysters, fried shrimp, crawdaddy dippers, house cut fries, cole slaw, tartar, aji verde

Address: 2729 South Blvd; Charlotte, NC 28209

Hours:

Mon–Fri, 4 p.m. - 12 a.m.

Sat, 12 p.m  - 12 a.m.

Sun, 12 p.m. - 10 p.m.