GRÜV — Restaurant in Charleston

I went to Grov on Capitol Street looking for a new place to watch football and grab a burger. Honestly, I was fully prepared for the usual: sticky floors, wings drowned in mystery sauce, and people yelling at TVs like the players can actually hear them. What I found instead was a peaceful, partially open-air space with five giant screens and a menu that said, “We are NOT your average sports bar.” Forget mozzarella sticks—this place is serving pita with hummus, fried guacamole, and fried green tomatoes, a line up of delicious sandwiches, and top notch smash burgers. My husband ordered the dry rub wings and declared them the best in Charleston. Considering the man has eaten enough wings to legally be considered part poultry, that’s saying something. I went with the Steakhouse Smashburger, which lived up to the name—it was absolutely smashed out of the park. Instead of sad, frozen French fries, most entrees here come with homemade pork rinds. I got fancy and added parmesan truffle fries, which I’m still dreaming about. Dessert was cream cheese–stuffed churros with vanilla bean ice cream and chocolate drizzle. My jeans are currently filing a restraining order against me, but no regrets. Only downside? The bathrooms are downstairs. So if you plan on eating like I did, prepare for a cardio workout after dessert. Special shoutout to Nathan, our server. This man was bartending, waiting tables, delivering food, and bussing—all at once—and still managed to keep a smile. He gave perfect recommendations, didn’t miss a beat, and honestly deserves a cape. Even the owner jumped in to help the shortened staff in the kitchen, which tells you a lot about the team. After a brief conversation with him, he relates his success is due to his staff and patrons. He seems like a proud and humble man. Bottom line: Grov is not your average sports bar—it’s better food, better vibes, and still plenty of TVs for yelling at the refs. Charleston, you’ve got yourself a winner. I wish them...

My girlfriend and I visited this cool little spot downtown for lunch and I have to say, I was very pleased overall with everything. I ordered the "Say Cheese" smash burger. The presentation was really good, the flavor was clearly the result of careful preparation. I was a little unsure of the "sweet pepper jelly".

The description just sounded peculiar, but once I tried it, I was really taken with the combination of flavors. My first thought was "This is a really really good pub burger". Generous amount of ground beef patties, crisp toppings and the house twisted fries are fantastic. The side pickle was huge, snappy and just a dang good pickle. I kinda regret not trying the pork rinds.

My girlfriend had the bone in wings and I tried a couple. Meaty, and they weren't all gooey like a lot of places. The outside was dry, and the meat inside was tender, juicy and equally tasty. I do like a gooey over-sauced wing once in a while but I can definitely appreciate a dry rub just as much. The only thing I could point out as a possible improvement. Offer a frosted glass option for the beer. Plastic pub cups are fine and good for efficient cleanup, but an ice cold frosted glass option would be fitting for a place of this caliber of restaurant. Oh and I should mention the Oktoberfest brew I ordered. Great compliment to the burger. Not too dark, not too light. It had all the earmarks of a really enjoyable microbrew.

To top it all off, our server was prompt, very kind and did a great job. We'll be back to try another dish....

The food was delicious. The feta smashburger was mmmm! If you like pork rinds, I hear they are the best. The service was not all that attentive, but they were friendly. It's primarily a bar so the atmosphere is what you'd expect. The prices were a bit high, two of us ate a burger (actually two smashed burgers on one bun), a side, and a pop for $41. On the upside, my side was 8 pickle slices (the rounds like you put on a burger). Hot pickles, which were incredible! And then I got the bill and realized they cost $2.99. The $12.99 burger didn't come with a side. Disappointed in that. Would we go back? Probably not, but it's a 2-1/2 hour drive so we have an excuse. Do I recommend it? Well, if the price doesn't bother you, then absolutely! Gruv Grill in Charleston, WV fed us during our break from the road and was another in our shared life experiences. Happy Forty years together my Love! Consider the pork rinds my gift to you. 😉 I'll definitely be experimenting with hot...