A little more than three years ago, in the summer of 2023, What Now reported on the planned opening of The Harlow, a new restaurant bringing burgers, oysters, and more to James Island.
“The Harlow was our first love letter to James Island, for what it gave to us,” Josh Drewry, who owns The Harlow together with Katie Drewry, told What Now on Tuesday. The Drewrys operate The Harlow with chef and partner Brett Riley. “It’s the kind of place where people really circle the wagons and help each other.”
Now, the Drewrys are partnering with Riley again for their next James Island restaurant: Char House Social, a second love letter to James Island, opening at 1234 Camp Road. It will take over the space that previously housed the Smoky Oak Taproom, which closed in 2021 and was followed by several other restaurants that never quite took.
“I’d been going to Smoky Oak for ten years,” said Drewry. “We got an opportunity with the owner, who called and said they liked The Harlow. We thought, We don’t have an actual steakhouse on the island. A place everybody can afford, where everybody is welcome.”
Char House Social is working toward an October opening in the Camp Road location. There it will serve a menu featuring appetizers like Chef Brett Riley’s Tumbleweed Onion—to name one dish that has been revealed so far.
“It’s a pretty simple menu,” Drewry says. “Several different steaks, and all the favorites. Grilled Chicken, grilled Fish, Texas-style chili and queso, and some sides.”
“Extensive renovations will help promote an atmosphere that’s a haven for sports lovers and live music fans alike, with multiple televisions at the bar and a permanent stage situated nearby,” says recent coverage by the Post and Courier, describing changes to the space. “Outside, guests will find multiple patio areas. A second stage is being installed in an area the couple is calling The Yard at Char House, which is intended to be a gathering place for those waiting for a table or socializing over cold beverages.”
Once finished, Char House Social will be “a great place to come see the football game,” says Drewry. “A place to see live music and have a cold beer or a sweet tea. We want it to be welcoming, casual, comfortable: somewhere everybody feels at home.”
You can keep up with the opening by following @charhousesocial on Instagram.
