Frequently Asked Questions
Questions About Our Show
Our Repertoire – what do we know?
While we do not know every style and genre, we try to know thousands of songs for our customers' enjoyment. We focus almost entirely on upbeat, popular radio hits from the last 50+ years – songs that are fun for our entire audience to sing along to and have a great time with.
While many beautiful songs are written in sad and melancholy styles, we do not learn many of them for our show, because we are trying to create and maintain a *fun* atmosphere. We also do not perform Jazz standards, Classical masterpieces, or Broadway songs, because much of our audience is not able to sing along with these songs, as amazing as they may be.
Our Playlist – how fast will we play your song?
You, our audience, creates our playlist with your requests. We perform our songs in order of the generosity of tip that comes with the request. $5 requests will always be played ahead of $2 requests. $10 requests jump ahead of $5 requests, and so on. On a busy night, if there are fifteen $5 requests ahead of yours, and other people keep jumping the line with $10 and $20 requests, you may be waiting for several hours to hear your song. We can only play one song at a time, and it just works out that way. On slower nights, you’ll usually hear your song right away. There are songs out there that are extremely hard to perform and the entertainers won't attempt it until they get a certain amount of money (such as Bohemian Rhaposdy)
How do I make a song request / put something up on the mirrors / put up a shoutout on the big screens / get someone called up on stage?
It all starts with a request slip! You will be handed a request slip pack along with a pen upon entry to Off the Wagon, or your table might already have one. If you need more, they are located on the whiskey barrel at the host stand. Then, fill out the appropriate section and bring your request up with a tip and we will take care of it!
Money Back Guarantee
We do not EVER take your money and throw away your request, and ignore it. If you are tired of waiting to hear your request, come tell us what song it is and we’ll gladly hand you back your tip. Just be sure to ask the piano player not currently singing, as the one who is singing can’t talk and sing at the same time. Once an hour or so, we address all songs that we don’t know and ask people to come get their money back or exchange it for a different song. If we announce it, and you don’t hear us – you can still come take your tip back at any time. If we perform your song, and you don’t think it was up to your standards, you can come take your tip back. We ONLY want to take the tips of people who have heard their songs and are happy with our performance.
NOTE - We leave the tips with the song until after it is performed – only then do we drop the money into the tip jar. So, if you tell us you tipped us a $20 bill on your song, and it only has a $1 bill with it, we’re going to look at you a little funny, and we’ll most likely hand you back a $1 bill. We’re on stage in front of everybody, with mirrors behind us and security cameras recording, and we do not steal!
Everything Else You Want to Know
What are dueling pianos?
Dueling pianos is a unique format, with two piano players facing each other and taking turns singing. It's an all-request show, with no set list. Any of your favorite songs from the time when you first put the stylus on your favorite vinyl to the last time you cranked up the car stereo and sang at the top of your lungs. Whatever your favorite song is, just ask, and you might be amazed at what they can play.
Do you serve food?
If you love soup, you'll love our whiskey! However, we do not serve food as we do not have a kitchen. Please feel free to bring in food from any of the restaurants or pubs! You can also have something delivered! Sometimes our Google business page says we do not allow food but that is wrong. We change it to "outside food allowed," and then Google changes it back as it thinks it knows our business better than we do. If you attempt to bring in outside beverages with your outside food, be prepared to meet our security staff for a lovely interaction.
Are you a private bar?
Not anymore! The North Carolina Bar Owners Association, which we are one of the founding members of, pushed hard to do away with memberships. With North Carolina Senate Bill 470 and House Bill 768 signed into law on 7 July 2022, this legislation removed the requirement for us to be a membership-only bar. So we are just a bar and open to the public!
Since you are no longer a private bar, what do I do with my membership card?
Cherish it as a memory of days gone past. However, if you keep your card and present it at the door, we just might still honor the old "membership appreciation night," which is reduced cover.
What are the rules of the bar?
We modified the membership policy (back when we had to be a private establishment with membership rules) for it to become our bar rules and those rules of the bar can be viewed by clicking here.
Is there a cover charge?
We charge a cover on Friday and Saturday nights for entry into Off the Wagon. This cost goes to help cover the cost of our dueling pianist and any other acts we may bring in. There might be other nights where there is a cover. You can pay the cover with cash or with a credit/debit card. The cover guarantees you entry, not seating. For the best opportunity at seating, come early!
May I make a reservation?
Beginning 11 December 2020, we are first come, first serve. Get here early!
Can customers come in who are under 21?
No. We are a bar that serves alcohol to those of legal drinking age. There are no exceptions to this.
May I bring my infant to the bar?
See the above question and answer. If you really have to ask, we are disappointed that you reproduced. DO NOT sneak in your baby - yes this has happened...twice.
Is there a dress code?
We expect you to wear clothes and shoes.
Which side of the door do we enter and exit Off the Wagon?
The reason we even have to put this up here is proof enough that our education system has failed us horribly and our parenting skills as a nation is lacking. Due to social norms and cultural habits, in America we enter a building on our right as we are ingressing and then exit the building on our right as we are egressing. This provides a sense of order and helps to avoid collisions with other patrons. If you forget this, we even have signs indicating where to go. Please help us by doing this which will in turn, help you, as it will put our security staff in a good mood which will provide you a much more pleasurable experience here at Off the Wagon.
What are your hours?
Friday & Saturday: opening at 6pm
Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday: opening at 7pm
What time do your piano shows start?
They begin at 8pm on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. On Friday and Saturday, the show begins at 7pm. The show will last as long as the crowd is rocking or until the duelers lose their voices. Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday is a single piano show, which is a more intimate affair with a lot more personal interaction between the piano player and song requester from the audience. On Thursday through Saturday is our electrifying dueling piano show and just like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get!
I don't know how to order a liquor drink at Off the Wagon. Will you help?
We are ashamed we have to put this up here, but we are having problems with customers who don’t understand how to order a drink and then are confused by what they are getting. So, here is the official Off the Wagon drink ordering tutorial that is given in a simulated conversation with one of our bartenders or servers below:
Off the Wagon: What will you have?
Customer: Vodka soda.
Off the Wagon: (if a liquor isn’t given by request, we ask) What vodka would you like?
Customer: Tito’s.
Off the Wagon: Single or double?
Customer: Double
In the above example, the customer ordered a double Tito’s and soda and that is what we will make you, serve you, and charge you for. See below questions on what our pours are here at Off the Wagon.
If you don't know what type of liquor you want and haven't seen the liquor list and ask what we have, we will list off what we have. You will be poured and charged for what you choose.
What are your liquor pours?
Our standard pour of liquor is 1.5oz. Our shots are 1.5oz. We pour true doubles so if you request a double, it is 3oz of liquor at double the cost. A rocks pour is an additional 0.25oz of liquor for $2.00 more (please do not confuse this with "on the rocks," which is your choice of liquor over ice and ice is NOT an extra charge). A neat pour depends on what is being ordered (i.e. a Woodford Reserve, neat, will get another 0.25oz for a $2.00 upcharge but an Old Crow, neat, will be poured as a standard shot).
Why did you charge me for ice?
WE DIDN'T! See the above explanation for "rocks pour" vs "on the rocks." Let's go over this again, if we pour you a "rocks pour," you are getting an extra 0.25oz of alcohol for an additonal $2.00. If the drink is "on the rocks," then your drink is served over ice at no additional charge. We just love it when people can't understand this concept and leave us a negative review for "charging them for ice." Unfortunately, those same people probably reproduce and vote.
What are your draft / wine / champagne pours?
Draft = 16oz (pint)
Wine = 6oz
Champagne = 4oz
How much alcohol is actually in your half gallon fishbowls?
Depending on which one you order, each fishbowl will have between 6 to 8 ounces. That is the same as 4 to 5 ⅓ regular drinks per fishbowl.
What you pay for the fishbowl is for the cost of the drink only, so do not attempt to take the fishbowl home with you as that will result in a meeting with our security team. However, we will sell you a clean and unused fishbowl, upon request, to take home as souvenir!
Where do I order drinks from?
On the tables and on the bar are table top menus that have QR codes to scan to see our drink menu and liquor list.
Weekends
If you are seated at a table, a server will come to you and you will open a tab with that server. If you feel the server isn’t getting to you fast enough, you can also go up to the bar, but you will have to open a separate tab with the bar. Please remember to close out both tabs if you have two tabs going with us.
If you are sitting at a high-top table near the front windows, that section is bar service, meaning you will need to go to the bar to order your drinks. This is done to help out the servers with their volume and to give the bar more opportunities to make sales.
If we are at "standing room only" or you just with to stand and enjoy the show from the bar area, start your tab and order through the bartender(s). If later you decide to sit at tables, you can start another tab with a server. Please remember to close out both tabs if you have to tabs going with us.
Weekdays
Please go up to the bar to order and receive your drinks as we normally only have bartenders working during the week.
Do you have High Noons?
Due to the high demand for them, yes. However, we do not put them on the menu. We charge $14 for High Noons due to the high cost they cost us coming from the state’s Alcohol Beverage Control system. We prefer our customers who want a vodka drink order their choice of vodka and the mixer they want as it is:
1) poured fresh from the bottle and not processed in a production facility with cheap vodka made in the Midwest (eww)
2) it is significantly cheaper as our highest priced vodka, Grey Goose, comes in about $5 cheaper than the cost of a High Noon and there is more alcohol content than a High Noon
Choose your drink wisely, but no matter what you order, we will gladly provide you with your order and charge you for it.
I called this morning to ask you a question and no one was there. Why?
Well, we are a bar and our intention is to have our customers fall off the wagon late into the night. We leave here very late and usually don't come back until the early evening. Your best bet is to call us between 6pm and 8pm, Wednesday-Saturday. If you leave us a message, we will return your message as soon as we get in. If you need anything, it will be faster to send us a message at info@offthewagonrocks.com
UPDATE: We are going to level with you here and now. Due to the enormous amount of spam calls, prank calls, and questions being asked that are addressed here; we really don't use the phone. That is the half-truth. The honest to goodness full truth is that our younger staff members don't know how to use it because it doesn't have a touch screen. So, please shoot us an email at the above address and we will get to your question ASAP!
I'm thinking about having an event at Off the Wagon. What is your floor plan?
Are you open on New Year's Eve?
ALWAYS! Even if a blizzard comes, a pandemic sweeps across the globe, a zombie apocalypse arises, or a nuclear holocaust occurs, we will be open! It is our biggest night of the year and our anniversary, and we look forward to this special evening every night of the year.
Are you military / first responder friendly?
As a veteran-owned business, you bet we are! All military (including reservists, guard, and retired) and first responders (police, firefighters, paramedics) who show their ID will get in free on weekends! We thank you for what you do!
Do you offer any discounts for poor college students?
College students with their ID will get in for $1 on Friday nights!
Are there other ways to receive free entry?
Take the Haunted Asheville tour and bring or show your email confirmation to receive free admission. Unofficially, If you happen to have a jar of Nutella and present that to the host staff, you might receive free admission!
What methods of payment do you take?
We take American Express, Mastercard, Visa, Discover, and cash. For private events, we will take checks. Effective 10 May 2017, we do NOT take gift cards due to people overspending what they have on the cards and walking out on their tabs, forcing us to eat the cost.
Do you pre-authorize cards?
Yes. This is done to verify the validity of the bank account while also checking for funds, and that charge will fall off within a few days.
May I use someone else's card to pay my tab?
No. Due to increased fraudulent disputes, your name (at least the last name) from your identification must match what is on the card used for payment.
Why is there a card processing fee?
Effective June 2022, with the rising cost of literally everything and the increase in the number of fraudulent disputes, we must now pass on the cost of card processing fees to you, the customer. You see, we get charged between $4 - $6k a month just so you can pay with a card. This surcharge is a flat fee of $2.00, and this is actually cheaper for you instead of us raising our prices across the board. Paying with cash will get rid of this surcharge.
Can you make change for large bills?
Unfortunately, we cannot. We can't make change for $50 and $100 bills because our cash drawers can't support it. However, if you have a tab and need to pay with a large bill, we can accommodate this if the tab is close enough to the $50 or $100 bill.
Is there a minimum tab amount if you're paying by card?
There is a $5 minimum amount, before tip.
If I leave the bar and come back, will my stamp hold my spot for your occupancy count?
So, you want to use up one of our spots that we can't make money off of? Absolutely not. If you are taking a smoke break or running next door to get a take-out order, this is usually not a problem. But there are times we are one in, one out.
Is there an auto gratuity added for groups?
We add 20% gratuity for groups of six or more. Our hard-working staff will take care of you and ensure you have a good time. They deserve it! However, if we made a mistake and put auto gratuity on your tab and you were not in a party of six or more, please let us know, and we will gladly take it off.
What if I leave my tab open at Off the Wagon?
We will close out your tab, and you will be subject to a 20% gratuity.
What if I leave something at Off the Wagon?
Call us to coordinate a time to pick it up, but keep in mind, we won't be back to the bar until the following evening. If you leave a debit/credit card, we will hold onto it for one week, and then it will be shredded. If you need something mailed to you, we will mail it after collecting payment for flat rate priority shipping, and we will NOT do CoD (collect on delivery). Items not claimed will be donated.
What is this about your quarter system when paying cash for drinks?
We round up or down to the nearest quarter because we only have quarters in our drawer.
As examples: if your drink costs $4.03, we will collect $4 and if your drink cost $7.21, we will collect $7.25.
Do you have an ATM?
Yes, we do. It is located beside a column close to the front of the building.
What are Wagon Bucks?
If you need cash to tip the piano players and don't want to pull from the ATM, or your card is already at the bar, you can pull out Wagon Bucks in increments of $5s to be used to tip the piano players only. Just like an ATM, there is a service charge for this.
What is your refund policy on song requests?
We refund any songs we don't know or can't play for any requests over $1. We will announce what song and ask the requester to come up and get their money or they will have credit and can request another song.
Why are your tables in long rows?
We utilize community tables to encourage interaction with the show, the piano players, as well as other customers, to maximize the opportunity for fun!
Why do you require all Jet Fuel shots to be taken only at the bar?
These shots are served in authentic 30mm shells fired from the mighty GAU-8 Avenger which is onboard the Air Force's A-10 Thunderbolt II, affectionately known as the "Warthog." These shells are not easy to come by and we want to make sure they stay in their rightful home at Off the Wagon.
Why did your occupancy begin at 700, then reduced to only 99, then raised to 160, and then increased to 236?
Well, it's a long story, and we will leave it at that. We are thrilled to be able to entertain more people!
What is meant by "off the wagon?"
The “wagon” in this expression refers to the water wagons used to sprinkle water on the streets to keep the dust down. During the times of Prohibition in the 19th century, men often climbed onto these wagons and took an oath they would give up alcohol and drink only water. This gave rise to the expression “to be on the water cart/wagon;” It was later shortened to “on the wagon.”
When these individuals broke their pledge and started hitting the bottle again, they were said to have “fallen off the wagon.”
We love it when our customers fall “off the wagon!”
Do you have parking?
Yes! The lots between the old Vincenzo's building and us are available to us after 5pm, daily. Make sure you get a parking pass from us on the weekends so you don't get towed! There is also street parking and nearby parking garages.
How come you don't serve free tap water?
We are a bar called "Off the Wagon." This is a drinking bar! We will sell you bottled water for $2 if you need water. If you have ever read the water report about our water here, you should be thanking us for this.
I'm the designated driver. What do I get for free?
Hey, good job on being a responsible adult! However, we are a for-profit business and we are not going to give you something for simply being a responsible adult. We have several non-alcoholic selections to choose from and we hope you make many song requests.
I'm pregnant, so what do I get for free?
Hey, good job on helping to continue the human species! But we didn't get you pregnant so why are we going to give you something for free? We are a for-profit business and we are not going to give you something for being pregnant. We have several non-alcoholic selections to choose from and we hope you make many song requests.
How come you don't have fruit anymore?
In this post COVID-19 world we are in and with our limited staff, we don't have the time or extra funds to give you fruit. It was either raise our prices or cut something out. We chose to cut out the fruit. We do have lemon and lime juice available upon request. If you really want fruit, we hope you are wearing Fruit of the Loom and that will suffice.
May we do karaoke with the entertainers?
That's not what we do here at Off the Wagon. We pay our entertainers to perform for you! You get to sit back with good company, drink, and sing along! The more you drink, the better they sound!
May we play your piano, guitar, or your drums?
Absolutely not. Would you go to a concert and come up on the stage and ask to play the band's instruments?
May we put our bags or feet on stage?
No, no, no, no, no. Just no! In March of 2023, we had an entertainer who almost got severely injured by a customer who refused to move her feet and bags off the stage, and as he was running around the pianos from the mirrors to his piano, he took quite the face plant after tripping over her feet and bag. If you do this, prepare to meet our security staff for an unforgettable interaction.
If I'm easily offended, will I enjoy Off the Wagon?
We are unapologetically politically incorrect, so probably not. We are not a "safe space." We poke fun at everyone and everything. We do have one caveat being we try to steer away from politics and religion.
I closed out my tab and signed the receipt, but then the next day, I decided it was too much and I didn't want to pay for those drinks I ordered or my friends ordered on my tab. Will you refund me?
Go fuck yourself.
I don’t want to pay for my tab because I overspent. May I file a dispute for fraudulent charges with my bank?
See above answer then return and read the next sentence. The entire building is under video surveillance and every keystroke on our point-of-sale system is logged with a timestamp and in our 10+ years of being in business, have never lost a dispute. You should be ashamed of yourself for trying to steal from a small business.
Some of your review responses are savage! Do you think that is okay?
Thank you. Yes. It's all part of the show!
What happens if I do something bad at Off the Wagon?
Boisterous or indecent conduct will not be allowed in Off the Wagon or on Off the Wagon's property. If your boisterous or indecent conduct leads to making a mess unbecoming of a lady or gentleman, you will be subject to a $25 fine that will be added to your tab. If you break something, you will be charged to replace or fix what has been broken.
May I ask for a spit cup?
We are in the South so, yes you may. We will give you a cup with a napkin in it. Then we will charge you $10 because spit cups are often left and get knocked over and then we have to clean up your spit. Gross!
Do you have any specials throughout the week?
We sure do! Each night of the week is a different drink special. On Thursday nights, we have two drink specials, and on Sunday nights, we have five drink specials! Check one of our social media sites to stay up to date! We are the best place to visit for Nightlife in Asheville, NC.
What do you think of Taylor Swift?
She's a national treasure! You just wait until you hear a room full of folks singing "Love Story" at the top of their lungs here! We can't wait until we get a request to play the entire Eras Tour! Bring it, Swifties!
Is Off the Wagon a chain or a franchise?
No. Off the Wagon was born in Asheville and is being raised right here in the "Land of the Sky!"
We loved our experience at Off the Wagon! Do you sell merchandise?
You bet we do! Check out our online store, or come into the Wagon for a visit. We would love to get you in some Off the Wagon swag!
Your heritage wall is awesome! Where did you find all those pictures?
We spent hours of research in the North Carolina Collection at Pack Library and Special Collections and the University Archives in the D.H. Ramsey Library at the University of North Carolina Asheville to show off some of Asheville's proud past. It was worth it!
Why does your North Wall, aka the Heritage Wall, have "Tire Co." written on it?
We discovered this historic advertisement when restoring the wall. We brought it back to life, and our research uncovered that in 1919, on the other side, was the MacArthur Tire Company. They became the WNC-East Tennessee Distributor for Goodyear tires. We honor their contribution to the great city of Asheville!
Your building is very old. Is it haunted?
Our building was built in the early 1920s and was the original Asheville Chamber of Commerce. Getting back to your question, yes, we do have a friendly ghost that we have affectionately named, Frank. We even made a drink to honor his presence, the Fearsome Frank.
On 5 March 2019, a ten-hour ghost investigation was conducted at Off the Wagon led by M & D Paranormal and Cryptid Research, LLC along with CreepGeeks. The investigation confirmed our place is haunted by numerous entities. Ask us about our experiences!
In 2021, we were featured on the show, "Fright Club" starring Jack Osbourne and the Ghost Brothers during the first episode of season one! Find the episode online and learn more about our friendly inhabitants!
Do you host private and corporate parties?
Yes, and we would love to provide this for you. For more information on this, please send your request to info@offthewagonrocks.com.
Do you have bachelor / bachelorette party packages?
Even though we transitioned to first-come, first-serve, if you want to ensure entry (not reserved tables) into the bar on a weekend night, it never hurts to reach out. We will do our best to accommodate your group. Just don't expect a response if you ask for something like reserved seating for a group of ten at 10pm...
May we hire your entertainers for off-site functions?
You most certainly may! Please send your request to info@offthewagonrocks.com.
