Coleman Public House

A recent addition to the Mount Pleasant casual dining scene is the Coleman Public house on Coleman boulevard near Shem Creek. We went on a Sunday morning and that is when I usually crave a burger after having too much fun the night before. The beer selection is sure to please most with interesting draft choices of different strengths. One side of the establishment is the tap room if that gives you an idea of the amount thought put into the draft selections. The burger was good but perhaps a cooked a little much for my liking. However the fries were spot on and the bun was a soft roll that I enjoyed. On the whole experience was good.

Poes Tavern Sullivans Island

So most everyone that lives in Charleston knows Poes Tavern on Sullivan's Island. This regularly wins best burger in the City Paper readers choice awards and is often worthy of that title just because it is a great beach bar on our favourite beach and usually does not disappoint when I order a burger. On this day I went with an old buddy from college and we shared these two burgers. One was the crab cake burger - a Poes burger topped with a fried crab cake known as the Annabelle Lee ($11.75)and the other was the buffalo shrimp burger-" The Sleeper" a Poes burger topped with buffalo shrimp and blue cheese garlic sauce ($11.00). On that day Poes delivered and not long after my friend moved here for good. Could it have been the burgers? So lets talk about the burgers. I felt the crab cake was too much. The burgers them selves are so good and meaty the crab cake is unnecessary. The best one of these two was the buffalo shrimp one. I will probably order my standard bacon cheese burger next time as it is still the best one for me. I can't say this is my favourite burger in Charleston but it is good and the beach bar scene makes it worth the visit.

Triangle Char burger West Ashley

This Burger at Triangle Char and Bar in West Ashley was amazing. They use a local grass fed beef and on this day had my other favorite food group on top. Pork in the form a slab of pork belly. Notice the large slab on both halves of the bun. Wow two great tastes in one happy sandwich. The fries were crispy and just right. The bun was grilled and buttery. This was a decedent combination and the meat delivered for me. Medium rare and juicy with lots of beefy flavor. I started with a snack of chicken and beef skewers with a nice peanut dipping sauce. Who doesn't like meat on a stick? Paired with a Guinness draft this was happy hour nirvana for me.

Fast and French Chocolate Croissant

Last Saturday Stacy and I met some friends at Fast and French for a light breakfast. This place has the best specially blended house coffee - freshly french pressed. It's delicious just black. I ordered this chocolate croissant which really hit the spot. The croissant is huge, buttery, and toasted to a perfect level of crunchiness. The chocolate spread (love how they put it on both sides for extra chocolatiness) was nutella-ish but I don't think it was nutella. It was a cold, gray morning and this hot sweet treat was the perfect thing to warm me up for the day. I have also had the ham and cheese croissant several times which I recommend highly when you are in the mood for something savory. Fast and French is always on my go-to short list when I am in the mood for a good homemade meal and sitting inappropriately close to strangers.

Dixie Bakery Burger

Pictured here is the burger from Dixie Cafe and Bakery, a hidden gem located next to the Lil'Cricket on State Street. The best thing about this burger is that it can be had for breakfast. Yes, they'll serve it to you at 8 a.m. - this burger was ordered and consumed around 9:30 in the morning. The burger is house ground meat which I ordered medium rare. This is an 8 ounce patty for $6.99 served with lettuce, tomato, and onion. Bacon and cheese are an extra dollar a piece. This is not a gourmet burger, but this is your basic diner-style burger done well. This is served on a standard non-exciting white bun. When you order this for breakfast it eliminates the need for lunch. So it's not a bad value - a bacon cheeseburger is $8.99. Sunday brunch in Charleston for 9 bucks ain't bad. The homemade potato salad is just like grandma made and it also comes with a side of sliced pickles. So while there are better menu items such as the grits, biscuits, and tomato pie, this burger is worth the trip if you must have a burger before lunchtime. I don't of another place you can get a burger this good for breakfast.

Henry's burger at Happy Hour

Henry's on the market http://www.henryshousecharleston.com/ is not on my usual list of places to go when it comes to good burger craving. After eating there on a recent evening , I'm adding it to my list. The kitchen features food by Cru Cafe. You can not go wrong with Cru.

I ordered the classic bacon cheddar burger ($10.50) and was in cheeseburger heaven. The bacon was crisp and perfect. The cheddar was melted just the way it should be and the fries were crispy thin delights. The lightly toasted bun was right on target. It was served with lettuce, tomato, onion, and house made pickles. This burger paired perfectly with a $2.00 happy hour Yuengling. All domestics are $2.00 for happy hour and imports are $2.50. There are no food specials for happy hour but with a burger this good, full price is not a problem. Just enjoy a few cheap beers and leave happy.

Queen Anne's Revenge

Pictured here is the burger with pimento cheese, bacon, and fried green tomatoes from Queen Anne's Revenge (www.qarevenge.com) on Daniel Island. At $8.25 for a burger with cheese, this a great half pound burger made from beef ground fresh in house daily with a wide range of toppings. I ordered this medium and it was perfectly done, juicy but not greasy with the generous portion of cheese dripping over the entire patty. The fried green tomatoes were hot, crispy, and tangy and the two strips of bacon added up to one delicious burger. Overall this is a great topping combo. The fries when they are hot and fresh are also good with this burger. I wish they were homemade though.

I am also a big fan of their large salads at lunch. The steak salad ($12) with blue cheese crumbles over mixed greens with bacon tomato and crispy fried onions and blue cheese dressing is my personal favorite and my wife loves the Caribbean chicken Caesar($9). This has grilled chicken marinated in tequila, lime, and cilantro over romaine topped with fresh pico de gallo and crispy tortilla strips.

Aside from the great food, this place has lots of authentic pirate items from golden age of piracy. Muskets, swords, and treasure chests make it a great place for the family as kids are are sure to be entertained by the various museum quality memorabilia that serve as decor. This place is worth the trip out to Daniel Island for the quality food and unique experience. They also have an inviting outdoor patio with live music most weekends.