Big John's Tavern
Bar · Charleston ·
Espresso martinis, smash burgers, craft brews, and bacon
Espresso martinis, smash burgers, craft brews, and bacon
"Walk into Big John’s Tavern and you’ll sense the sports lore, considering the founder was former NFL player John Cannady. Famously one of the city’s oldest bars circa 1955, this gastropub-meets-dive-bar flaunts vintage sports paraphernalia on its wall — the antithesis to swanky, clean-cut bars. Red bar stools and cozy booths welcome an industry crowd and longtime locals. Get the Tiger dog if you’re having a penchant for Southern fare (it comes with pimento cheese and yellow mustard). Then, follow it up with the Dancing Queen cocktail, a lively blend of lemon, Aperol, Astral Blanco and some bubbles." - Kayleigh Ruller
"Back in 1955, former NFL player John Cannady moved back to his hometown of Charleston and founded Big John’s, where, for decades, it was a true townie’s dive. Legend has it Cannady always sat at the head of the bar, reserved to this day with a big red stool staking his claim. Big John’s Tavern has taken on a more gastropub feel over the years, with TVs and homegrown charm — maybe it’s the vintage pictures covering the brick walls. It has become an industry spot, a post-shift watering hole with casual bites for service industry folks nearby, especially on Thursday evenings where hospitality crews enjoy half-off drinks. On the menu, the short rib grilled cheese and the beer pretzels with beer cheese, honey butter, and hot mustard are the holy grail, and the BJ’s margarita, with tequila and a blueberry and Tajín twist, is next level." - Kayleigh Ruller
"Looking for short rib nachos, a smash burger, or tons of craft beer for Christmas? Head to East Bay Street bar Big John’s Tavern for a dose of all three." - Erin Perkins
"A renovated former dive now presented as a more polished tavern featuring creative cocktails, crave-worthy food, an extensive selection of local beers, and decorative nods to the Citadel and the venue’s prior owner." - Erin Perkins
"After Cane Rhum Bar & Caribbean Kitchen closed in 2020, three Citadel alums—Christopher Houston, Scotty Sheriff, and Darren Bradley—purchased and spent a year and a half renovating the 251 East Bay Street building to revive Big John’s Tavern, evoking the original 1955 Citadel hangout while making it more sophisticated; the classic red leather stools return but the dusty posters and bras from the old dive did not. Rumor has it that original owner John Canady, aka “Big John,” would allow underage cadets a few beers if they didn’t cause trouble, which helped cement its Citadel reputation until its closure in 2015. A new addition is an intimate speakeasy, Scotty Doesn’t Know, in the former back pool room—a tribute to Please Don’t Tell and the ribald ballad from EuroTrip—accessible through a movable bookcase and slated to be reservation-only when it opens later this fall; patrons will be able to order wine, beer, and cocktails by pushing a button to signal bartenders in Big John’s, making it a quieter spot for a date or to escape rowdier crowds. The offerings have grown up as well: a dedicated cocktail menu includes theatrical drinks like the Smoke Show (served in a smoke-filled bottle) and a Four Roses Old Fashioned, most beers are local, and the wine list includes three sparkling wines by the glass plus varietals from around the globe. Executive chef William Sherrod, formerly of Fleet Landing, brings Southern-inspired plates beyond typical bar food, including steak Diane with gnocchi, local catch with savory bread pudding, a chicken cordon bleu sandwich, fried green tomato bruschetta with shrimp and pimento cheese, and Gullah hot chicken." - Erin Perkins