A flagship Glenwood South restaurant will close to make way for a ping pong bar
In a major shakeup on Glenwood South, a flagship sports bar is shutting down to make way for a shiny new concept.
Carolina Ale House announced Tuesday that its Glenwood Avenue location has closed, ending an eight-year run for the sports bar that towers over Raleigh’s busiest nightlife corridor.
Owned by LM Restaurants, Carolina Ale House is the company’s most prominent brand, with six locations still open in the Triangle and 23 total across five states.
“Carolina Ale House has been a beloved part of the downtown Raleigh scene, and we are incredibly grateful for the years of support from our loyal guests,” LM Restaurants president Amber Moshakos said in a news release. “Our other six Triangle locations are ready to welcome our sports fans.”
Carolina Ale House is often at the heart of Glenwood’s goings-on, hosting Carolina Hurricanes watch parties and packing in sports fans for big games.
In its place, LM Restaurants plans to launch a new sports bar called Smash, which it bills as a new ping pong bar and club.
“As we look to the future, we’re excited to introduce Smash, a bold and vibrant concept that will redefine social gaming and nightlife in the city,” Moshakos said.
LM Restaurants is North Carolina’s largest hospitality group, with 10 different concepts, including fine dining spots like Vidrio and Taverna Agora and its newest brand Birdie’s in downtown Raleigh.
Smash will open this summer in the former Carolina Ale House space.
In explaining the shift away from an established brand to something more experimental, LM said it believes diners are looking beyond just bar snacks and drinks for their experience.
“As a company, we watch the industry trends and develop concepts to match,” Moshakos said. “People want more than food when they dine out. We remain nimble and creative to respond to these trends, so we looked at our own portfolio of real estate to house Smash’s incubation. This brand is designed for an urban setting, so to make the decision to close a Carolina Ale House to convert it for a new brand is bittersweet.”
This story was originally published April 8, 2025 at 12:30 PM with the headline "A flagship Glenwood South restaurant will close to make way for a ping pong bar."
