Harbor Inn puts focus on good family dining
Restaurant offers varied menu at affordable prices

By John Rehkop

Judging from the tide of new restaurants opening here in recent years, it looks like most restaurant owners couldn’t wait to have a place in our fast-growing community.

Well, not everyone.

Harbor Inn Seafood owners Irene and Chris Fotinos opened six successful locations before dropping anchor in University City in March.

“They have always wanted a restaurant in Charlotte and have been looking at the area for years,” said the Fotinos’ son-in-law, Mark Mingo.

“But they have always been kind of intimidated because this is such a tough market to (enter). There are a
lot of seafood restaurants and other competition.”

Now Mingo and his wife, Maria, operate the newest Harbor Inn restaurant — in the University East business park on W.T. Harris Boulevard just south of Old Concord Road. Much like other Harbor Inns across the Carolinas and Georgia, the newest Harbor Inn is casual family dining all the way.

The 6,500-square-foot restaurant is tidy and unpretentious. Nautical knickknacks adorn the walls.

Diners get their utensils wrapped in cellophane.

Quality food and value define Harbor Inn.

And the family vows to keep it that way.

“We have had more requests for beer and wine at this location than any other,” said Mingo. “But at this point, we aren’t going to serve alcohol. We really want to keep that family atmosphere.”

Plenty of choices
The house specialty is the Fried Seafood Platter ($10.45) of flounder, deviled crab, baby shrimp, oysters, stuffed clams and scallops.

But Harbor Inn doesn’t limit itself to seafood. Menu items include appetizers, salads, cold plates, broiled and fried seafood platters, chicken, steaks, daily specials, a children’s menu and reduced-portion offerings.

Seafood arrives on ice about three times a week, resulting in a level of freshness and quality not often found in the higher-volume restaurants.

“We change our cooking oils every night, which a lot restaurants don’t do,” adds Mingo. “That not only (enhances) the quality but also the healthiness.”

Food items are also cooked in separate oils to ensure that the flavors aren’t blended and the items’ integrity compromised.

Lunch is a busy time for the Harbor Inn. Weekday customers come from the emerging office park on Harris, plus nearby UNC Charlotte and businesses in University Research Park.

Harbor Inn offers different lunch specials each week. But the specials generally include a seafood item such as shrimp, perch or Alaska white fish, with potatoes, hush puppies and coleslaw for only $2.99.

Evening guests on Tuesdays through Thursdays can try a dinner special that ranges from $3.95 to $6.95.

All meals come with good service, Mingo says.

“You will always see my wife and I walking around checking on the customers,” he says. “We don’t just sit back in our office. In this day and age, if you can’t provide great service you’re not going to make it.”

Fast Facts
Harbor Inn Seafood
8805 University East Drive
Charlotte, NC 28213

Telephone: (704) 494-8901

Hours of Operation:
Sunday: 11a.m.-9 p.m.,
Monday: Closed
Tuesday–Thursday: 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
Friday-Saturday: 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

Appetizers
New England Clam Chowder $2.25
Oyster Stew $3.25

Salads and Cold Plates
Tuna Salad Cold Plate $4.50
Shrimp Salad Cold Plate $4.95

Broiled Seafood Platters
Swordfish Steak $9.50
Flounder and Sea Scallops $9.75
Snapper $8.50
Salmon Steak $8.50

Fried Seafood Platters
Fillet of Perch $5.25
Jumbo Shrimp $8.95
Clam Strips $5.25
Stuffed Deviled Crabs $4.75