Char House Social opened Nov. 6 in the former Smoky Oak Taproom space at 1234 Camp Road, bringing a Texas- and Southwestern-inspired steak menu and live-music performance areas to James Island, according to Charleston City Paper. The restaurant is a new project from the team behind The Harlow, the neighborhood burger-and-oyster spot.
The restaurant comes from The Harlow owners Josh and Kate Drewry, identified by Charleston City Paper as Josh and Kate Drewry; the Post and Courier has referred to the co-owner as Katie Drewry. Josh Drewry said the team saw an opportunity to bring the former taproom site back into use as a neighborhood gathering place, according to the City Paper.
The Drewrys and chef Brett Riley opened The Harlow three years ago at 1015 Harbor View Road, where the restaurant specializes in burgers and oysters, according to the Post and Courier. Katie Drewry told the paper that the response to The Harlow informed the team’s view that James Island residents value local restaurants with a neighborhood feel.
Steak Takes Center Stage, Minus the Formality
Char House Social takes inspiration from Texas steakhouses and Southwestern cuisine, but its approach is deliberately casual, according to the City Paper. Steak choices include sirloin, New York strip and ribeye, each served with two sides. The larger Old 49'er sirloin comes with four sides; options include mashed potatoes and Mexican rice.
The opening menu also spans beyond steak. The Post and Courier reported before the opening that the restaurant planned to serve ribeyes, filets, strips and other well-sourced cuts, as well as a burger. The City Paper’s opening-day account describes a Caesar salad and Texas drunken chili, made with beef, black beans and Shiner Bock beer, along with starters such as chile con queso and cast-iron cornbread with poblano pepper.
The steakhouse burger uses a chuck, brisket and short-rib blend. The El Paso Burger is served over fries with a beef patty, drunken chili, queso sauce and pickled jalapeños, according to the City Paper. Culinary director Brett Riley oversees the kitchens at Char House and The Harlow. His background includes work with Indigo Road Hospitality Group and Delaney Oyster House, as well as cooking in Mexican and Latin American cuisines in New York.
Aaron Lemieux and Kyle Jones Lead the Kitchens
Aaron Lemieux is executive chef at Char House, while Kyle Jones leads the kitchen at The Harlow, with Riley overseeing both as culinary director, according to the City Paper. Char House’s bar focuses on whiskey, bourbon and mezcal, alongside wine and local beer. Josh Drewry described it as a place for visitors stopping in for a drink as well as those dining, the outlet reported.
Riley said the team wants pricing to make Char House a place guests can return to regularly, rather than reserve only for special occasions, according to the City Paper.
A Stage Built Into the Design
Live music is part of the restaurant’s design: Char House Social has an indoor stage and a second performance area outdoors, in a space the team calls the Yard. Its leaders plan to feature local musicians regularly, according to the opening-day report. The Drewrys have described the restaurant as serving multiple kinds of visits, from dinner and drinks to watching a game or hearing live music.
The Site’s Past and James Island’s Music Scene
The property’s previous tenant, Smoky Oak Taproom, closed after 13 years on James Island, with its last day of business on Sunday, June 6th, Holy City Sinner reported. Separately, South Carolina Department of Transportation 2023 data estimates average daily traffic of 50,900 on SC 171 between Camp Road and the James Island Expressway. Restaurant performances are one part of the island’s live-music landscape. ABC News 4 reported that Charleston County Parks’ Reggae Nights series at James Island County Park scheduled its first 2026 concert for May 29. The county-park concert series is a separate setting from Char House Social’s restaurant performances.
The concept combines a steakhouse menu with space for drinks, gatherings and performances. The Drewrys’ experience at The Harlow helped shape their aim of making Char House Social another neighborhood destination on the island.
