Putter’s Patio and Grill Reviews: What to Expect for Patio Dining

Putter's Patio and Grill in Winston-Salem is a solid neighborhood bar-and-grill with a covered, heated patio that works well for casual groups of two to four people. The food is honest American pub fare, the beer menu is extensive, and the vibe leans sports bar rather than quiet retreat. If you want wings, a cheesesteak sub, or a ribeye with a cold beer on a covered patio near Hanes Mall, this place consistently delivers. If you're after a romantic wine-bar atmosphere or a table for ten, you may want to weigh your options.

Patio bar or patio grill restaurant: figure out what you actually want first

Before you commit to any patio spot, it helps to be honest about what kind of outing you're planning. A patio bar prioritizes the drink experience: craft cocktails, happy-hour deals, a laid-back atmosphere, and food that's more of a side note. A patio grill restaurant flips that equation: the food is the reason you're there, the bar program supports it, and you expect table service and a proper meal. Putter's Patio and Grill sits firmly in the patio grill restaurant camp with a strong bar program attached, which means it works best when you want both a real meal and a few rounds of drinks.

The other thing worth deciding upfront is atmosphere. Some patios are quiet enough for a first date. Others are loud, TV-heavy, and game-day-ready. Putter's is the latter. It's a sports pub at heart, positioned near the Coliseum and Wake Forest game areas, so the energy on event days is high. For a laid-back weeknight dinner or a casual group outing, that energy is fun. For a date where you want to hear each other talk, it's worth knowing before you arrive. Other patio spots like those found at venues similar to the Revel Patio Grill or beachside patio grilles tend to skew quieter and more atmosphere-forward, so if mood matters more than menu, comparison-shopping patio options in your area is worth a few minutes.

What Putter's Patio and Grill is actually like

Putter's has been a Winston-Salem neighborhood fixture since 1995, with the Schultz family running it since 2003. That kind of longevity in a local market means something: the place has a regular crowd, a staff that knows the menu, and a concept that hasn't needed to reinvent itself every few years. The address is 3005 Bonhurst Dr, Winston-Salem, NC 27106, which puts it in a convenient, accessible part of the city near Hanes Mall.

The outdoor patio is the main draw, and it's a practical one. It's covered and heated, which means you can use it year-round rather than only in perfect weather. That's a genuine selling point that a lot of patio spots in the area can't match. Visit Winston-Salem has specifically called it out for keeping diners comfortable even in colder months, and local reviews back that up. The vibe is pub-style: casual seating, TVs visible from the patio, a relaxed dress code, and the kind of crowd that's there to eat well and hang out rather than be seen.

Think of it as your neighborhood spot that just happens to have a great patio setup. It's not trying to be trendy or upscale, and that's exactly what makes it reliable. What you see is what you get: good bar food, cold beer, sports on TV, and a comfortable outdoor space that doesn't shut down when the weather turns.

What to order: menu highlights, standouts, and what to skip on game day

The menu at Putter's is classic American bar-and-grill territory done with some care. There are clear winners worth knowing before you sit down.

Appetizers worth starting with

The nachos are described on the menu as a real attention-grabber, and based on reviews, they live up to it. The jalapeño nacho cheesesteak gets called out specifically by repeat visitors as a go-to order: one reviewer described it as "simple and delicious" and keeps coming back for it. The fried mushrooms have also drawn praise, with a couples reviewer calling them "big and juicy in the middle." The Cheese Fries (or Cheese Chips) are a "huge plate" covered in bacon bits with melted mozzarella and cheddar, which is exactly what you want to share over the first round of drinks. Just note that this one is dinner-only and not served on game days, so plan accordingly.

Best entrees

The cheeseburger sub and cheesesteak sub are consistently mentioned in positive reviews, with one diner calling them both "excellent." The house-made potato chips that come as a side are a standout on their own. The 14oz ribeye shows up in multiple reviews as a go-to for diners who want a proper steak night on the patio. Fish tacos and shrimp tacos are dinner-only options served with Mexican rice and black beans, and they're worth ordering if you want something lighter. The fajita platters include house-made guacamole and salsa and are also dinner-only. Buffalo Chicken Wings come in multiple sizes with heat levels from mild to "OUCH!" and are arguably the menu's signature item.

The game-day menu caveat

This is the most practical thing to know: several of the best items on the menu are not available on game days. Wings, calamari, cheese fries, cheese chips, quesadillas, fajitas, and seafood tacos all carry a "not available during game days" note. If you're coming specifically for a Wake Forest game or a Coliseum event, your menu options narrow significantly. Either order early before the game crowd hits, or go in knowing you'll be working from a shorter list. This isn't a dealbreaker, but it's genuinely useful to know before you show up expecting wings during a packed game night.

Drinks and the bar program

Putter's has a full bar with pricing that's reasonable for a sit-down patio experience. Cocktails run $9 to $12 (Dark and Stormy at $9, Manhattan at $11, Martini at $12, Caipirinha at $9), and beer is $8 to $12 per drink. Wine is available by the glass at $10 to $11 or by the bottle at $35 to $40, with options including Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The drink menu also notes to ask about wine pairings, which suggests the staff is reasonably knowledgeable about their selections.

The beer menu is where Putter's really shines for drink-focused visitors. Multiple reviewers mention the "huge beer menu" as a standout, and the menu itself includes a range of named and rotating beers from IPAs to darker styles like Schwarzbier and their own house offerings. If you're a beer person, this is the kind of place where you'll find something interesting rather than just the usual macro lager options.

The bar is open Monday through Saturday starting at 11am, with the venue closed on Sundays. Hours run until closing, with Fri and Sat staying open later than the Mon-Thu window (which closes around 8pm). There's no hard-advertised happy hour noted in current menu materials, but the base pricing on drinks is accessible enough that you won't feel gouged even at regular prices.

Service, value, and how it handles groups

Service at Putter's gets generally positive marks across recent reviews. The words "friendly" and "fresh" come up repeatedly in 2025 and early 2026 Yelp review excerpts, with diners noting that food comes out hot and service is warm. That said, there are occasional reported issues with pacing: a few reviews mention longer waits and at least one complaint about meat cooked incorrectly, plus a noted automatic 20% gratuity added to certain checks. It's worth confirming the tipping policy when you're seated to avoid any billing surprises.

On value: drink prices are fair for a full bar, the food portions are on the generous side (the cheese fries plate alone is described as "huge"), and entree pricing is in line with what you'd expect from a mid-range neighborhood grill. You won't leave feeling like you got ripped off. The 14oz ribeye and seafood dinner options push the check higher, but the sandwich and app side of the menu is genuinely affordable.

For groups, Putter's works well up to about four people. One reviewer specifically flagged that it's better suited to groups of four rather than larger parties, citing limited space for big table setups. If you're planning a birthday dinner or outing for eight or more, this probably isn't the right venue unless you call ahead and confirm they can accommodate you. For couples and small groups, the patio setup is comfortable and easy to navigate.

Patio experience: seating, noise, weather cover, and accessibility

The covered, heated patio is the single biggest practical advantage Putter's has over a lot of competitors. Year-round usability matters in North Carolina where spring and fall evenings can be unpredictable, and the coverage here is legitimate rather than just a small overhang. When the weather is great, the open-air patio feel is exactly what you'd want. When it gets cold or starts raining, you're not scrambling to move inside.

Noise level is sports-bar moderate to high. TVs are part of the experience, and on game days it gets loud. Seating is casual and comfortable rather than fine-dining, which fits the neighborhood pub feel. Accessibility is reasonable given the suburban location with parking nearby, though the venue's exact accessibility features (ramp, restroom setup, etc.) are worth confirming directly if that's a specific concern. The Hanes Mall area location makes it easy to find and easy to park.

What diners consistently say, and how Putter's stacks up

Across TripAdvisor, Yelp, and other review aggregators, Putter's sits at a 3.9 out of 5 from 135 TripAdvisor reviews, which is a solid score for a neighborhood sports bar rather than a destination restaurant. The consistent positives are fresh, hot food; a genuinely large beer selection; a welcoming neighborhood atmosphere; and menu items like the cheesesteak sub, nachos, ribeye, and wings that reviewers return for specifically. The repeat-visitor pattern is notable: this is a place people come back to, not just stumble upon once.

The recurring complaints center on a few specific areas: pacing can lag when it's busy, meat occasionally comes out at the wrong temperature, and the game-day menu limitations catch some diners off guard. The automatic gratuity policy has also surprised a few guests. These aren't dealbreakers, but they're consistent enough to be worth knowing before you go.

If you're comparing Putter's to other patio grill options in the region, the key distinction is its sports-bar-forward identity. Venues like onset beach patios or lakeside patio grills tend to offer a more atmospheric, environment-forward outdoor experience where the setting is the draw. Putter's trades on familiarity, consistency, and solid pub food rather than a unique or scenic backdrop. For a date where atmosphere carries the evening, those other types of patio spots may edge it out. For a comfortable, reliable weeknight dinner or a sports-night outing, Putter's is hard to beat on its own terms.

When to go, how to plan, and how to decide fast

The best time to visit Putter's is a weeknight dinner, Tuesday through Thursday, when the crowd is lighter, the full menu is available, and service has more bandwidth. Friday and Saturday evenings are busier, and if there's a game at the Coliseum or a Wake Forest event, expect a compressed menu and a louder room. Sunday is closed entirely, so don't plan around it.

Reservations: current listings don't highlight a formal reservation system, so calling ahead for larger groups (even your group of four) is a smart move rather than walking in and hoping. The patio seating is finite, and on a popular night you could wait. A quick call also lets you confirm menu availability, game-day status, and the tipping policy so there are no surprises.

For a first visit, here's a practical order to anchor your meal: start with the nachos or cheese fries (dinner only), get the cheesesteak sub or jalapeño nacho cheesesteak as your main, and grab whatever looks interesting on the beer menu since the selection is genuinely broad. If you're going for dinner, the ribeye or fish tacos are worth the upgrade.

How to decide quickly: if you want a casual, covered patio with solid pub food, a great beer list, and sports bar energy in Winston-Salem, Putter's is the right call. If you want a quiet, scenic, or upscale outdoor dining experience, this isn't your spot and you'd do better looking at patio venues with a more atmosphere-forward identity. Putter's knows what it is, does it well, and has been doing it for over 30 years. That consistency is worth a lot when you just want a reliable night out.