Charleston.com Named The Reserve Tavern Mount Pleasant’s Hidden Gem

When Charleston.com entertainment writer Jeff Walker pulled up to 665 Johnnie Dodds Blvd and sat down to write a review, he landed on a single verdict: The Reserve Tavern is “easily Mount Pleasant’s hidden gem. ” That designation does not get handed to places with forgettable kitchens or generic pours. It goes to establishments that operate at a level their exterior does not advertise; places that reward the guest who walks past the obvious choice and opens a different door. This is that place.

We are not reprinting Jeff’s review. What we are doing is using every observation he made, every dish he called out, every detail he documented, to give you the complete picture of what The Reserve Tavern actually is. Because the story he told is our story, and it deserves to live here too.

THE EXTERIOR LIES. WHAT’S INSIDE DOES NOT.

Tens of thousands of cars pass the Hwy 17 location near Shelmore Blvd daily. Several thousand more pass within close range of the actual address at 665 Johnnie Dodds Blvd. And yet the rustic exterior leads many people to assume it is nothing more than another liquor store. Even regular customers of ABC (Alchemist Beverage Company) next door sometimes fail to recognize that a full dining establishment is operating right there.

That gap between perception and reality is exactly what the “hidden gem” label captures. The Reserve Tavern does not look like what it is. What it is: a restaurant, a craft cocktail and wine bar, and a curated specialty market operating simultaneously under one roof, with a kitchen producing food people drive across the Charleston metro to eat.

As owner Garrett Taylor puts it directly: “We think of The Reserve as a tavern, wine bar, and market, with the bigger focus on the food and beverage than people might expect.”

That framing is precise and intentional. This is not a bar that added a kitchen. It is a full hospitality concept built around the idea that Mount Pleasant deserves a place with genuine depth; depth in the glass, depth on the plate, and depth behind the bar.

THE EVOLUTION OF A PROPER TAVERN

The Reserve Tavern has evolved considerably over its relatively short existence. It grew from a relaxed spot to enjoy a glass of wine or a beer on tap into a full restaurant featuring charcuterie, lobster rolls, soups, salads, seafood, handhelds, pasta, and more.

The team curates the draft lineup with strict craft beer program standards to ensure peak quality, balancing crisp lagers against complex IBU and hop flavor profiles.

That trajectory is not accidental. It reflects the philosophy of a team that understands what a modern tavern should actually be: a place where the kitchen earns as much respect as the cellar, where the bar program is built around food compatibility rather than volume sales, and where every element of the room serves the same guest with the same level of care. Taylor and General Manager Kirk Bonnoitt serve coastal-influenced gourmet comfort food at prices that reflect the neighborhood, not the pretension.

THE KITCHEN: WHERE COMFORT MEETS CRAFT

The menu at The Reserve is built around a single principle: every dish should pair naturally with whatever is in the glass. That discipline creates coherence across a menu that spans raw bar, stone-baked pizza, charcuterie, and grilled proteins.

The Handhelds That Carry the Room

There are eight signature handhelds, starting with the Italian Stallion: four pork preparations (salami, capicola, mortadella, prosciutto) layered under provolone, arugula, pickled peppers, and red wine vinaigrette. The Short Rib Melt arrives with Gruyère and caramelized onions with au jus; a French dip crossed with a Philly cheesesteak. Friday through Sunday, the Lobster Roll becomes the marquee attraction: fresh poached lobster tail on a brioche bun with drawn butter. At $29, it is the dish Walker singled out, and the one reviewers keep returning to specifically.

Tavern Plates Worth Sitting Down For

The Bistro Steak and Braised Short Rib (drenched in au jus over mashed potatoes) anchor the entrée section. The Anelli and Meatballs, circular Sicilian pasta swirled in a creamy tomato basil sauce, represent the European thread running through the kitchen.

The Burger Program

Five smash burger variations include the Steakhouse Bleu: two beef patties under aged white cheddar and bleu cheese with bacon onion jam. The Reserve Double Cheeseburger at $14 with a side is the honest, well-executed version of the form.

Stone-Baked Pizza and Flatbreads

The Neapolitan-style pizza is made from house-made dough using Italian 00 flour, hand-tossed and fired at up to 700 degrees. That temperature is not a detail; it is the difference between a crust with char and blistered structure and one that is merely cooked through. Flatbread options include the Mushroom and Gruyere and Margarita; both are best with a glass of something dry and mineral.

Seafood: Raw, Chilled, and Coastal

The tuna tartare pairs with a slightly chilled chardonnay or a pinot noir; the Peel and Eat Shrimp plate with cocktail sauce calls for a crisp sparkling wine. The baked flounder involtini, stuffed with spinach and shrimp, appears in guest reviews with notable consistency. Bluepoint oyster specials run weekly and bring regulars back on a schedule.

THE CHARACUTERIE BOARD: A SERIOUS PROGRAM

The build-your-own charcuterie experience keeps appearing in independent reviews as a benchmark. Guests select their own meats and cheeses; the board arrives with fruits, jams, pickles, olives, honey, and warm bread as the foundation. One guest compared it to charcuterie encountered in Spain. Another called it the best in the greater Charleston wine and cheese scene, without qualification.