The Tattooed Moose — Restaurant in North Charleston

Overall a pretty solid place, but a few missteps could be remedied to make it a true knockout.

When first seated, I checked the ketchup bottle on the table, and was very disappointed to find that it was generic (US Foods) ketchup, which comes in a bottle cleverly designed to be mistaken for a Heinz bottle, with just enough difference to avoid a copyright violation. Strike One.

Next, I ordered unsweetened tea and asked for artificial sweetener. It was brought, but the only sweetener on-hand was a generic version of Sweet-n-Low. Understandably cheaper than the blue or yellow products, but of course it doesn’t taste good. A selection could have been offered. Strike Two- luckily the final strike.

We shared an order of the Duck Fat Fries. The flavor was great, but the fries were limp. I asked the server if the fries were double cooked (blanched then crisped) and she said they were not. What could have been amazing was just good.

The chili was delicious- but personally I don’t think it should be called chili. It was a truly delicious Spicy Beef and Bean soup.

Finally, I had the Lucky #1 Sub- it was so close to being a great sandwich. The first bite was pure bland, nothing but bread and pork fat. Working through the middle of the sandwich was excellent, with much meatier parts of the pork belly making their appearance, along with the rest of the ingredients coming into play. The last bite was the opposite of the first- nothing but Serrano. If the sandwich had been assembled uniformly, it would have been awesome.

All in all, not bad and nothing to put the Tattooed Moose on the Do Not Dine list, but nothing to make it worth going out of one’s way for. A couple of minor tweaks would have made a huge difference. Restaurants should respect their customers and not try to pass off cheap generic products such as the ketchup in place of the good stuff. I know it affects the cost a little bit, but insisting on quality brings customers back!

Update October 23 2024

Returned due to meeting with colleagues, and found it had gone downhill.

Knowing to avoid my past order mistakes, I opted for the "Buffalo Wings". The wings were breaded, always a fatal flaw in Buffalo wings, and the entire coating, including the skin, was gooey, soggy, and overall just disgusting after being soaked in some kind of sauce. Not 100% sure, but my bet would be on Sysco frozen breaded (possibly pre-cooked) wings with some Sysco version of Buffalo sauce.

The service was tepid at best. As for the atmosphere, what may have once been cool and quirky (letting customers graffiti the walls) seems to have devolved onto a penis drawing contest. Perhaps that is their target market.

If you like Buffalo Wings, in the name of all that is Holy- AVOID THE WINGS HERE. If you're willing to settle for Sysco food reheated and served by disinterested wait staff, this is the...

This is basically a taxidermy decorated dive bar that has WAY ABOVE AVERAGE bar food! Don't expect anything fancy. We're talking grafitti decorated walls and tables and sharpies are provided if you'd like leave your mark! Decor aside, the food is incredible. We had the triple D featured "Mike's Famous Duck Club". (And yes guys, you are still getting customer visits because of that segment!) This is a triple decker sandwich with duck confit, bacon, cheddar, lettuce, tomato, and red onion served on Hawaiian bread slathered in garlic aioli. Basically heaven on earth that will melt in your mouth! Served with cajun pork rinds and house made pickles that are to die for! We're talking sweet heat pickled green tomatoes and garlicky dills! Awesome! Next time, I'll pick up a pint to take home. We also added a basket of the hand cut duck fat fries, a must in my opinion. However, next time I will order the bowl of gravy to go with the fries. I don't know how I missed that option on the menu this time. The fries were served with a garlic aioli dipping sauce by default, so they were still great even without the gravy. Overall, everything excelled and being featured on triple D was well deserved in my opinion. I'm not local but visit the area a few times a year and Tattooed Moose, to quote Arnold, .... "I'll be back!"

EDIT: 5/29/2021 I finally made it back to The Moose! Once again I elected to choose the Famous Duck Club. It's just too good to pass up! My wife chose the Thanksgiving Sammy and we decided to split our sandwiches in order to try both. She was a bit unsure about the duck at first, but before our meal was finished she agreed that it was best. Don't get me wrong, the Thanksgiving Sammy IS a great sandwich. It's basically Thanksgiving dinner between 2 slices of bread. Roasted turkey, cornbread stuffing, cranberry sauce, mayo, and crispy fried onions on toasted wheat bread. They even bring gravy on the side for dipping! But as good as it is, it can't touch the duck club. Mike's Famous Duck Club is going to be hard to beat! Think I'll add The Lucky #1 to the competition next time to see which comes out on top. Edit: May 2022 The Moose has moved to Park Circle and is now bigger and better! I had The Lucky #1 this time and it too, is awesome! Still not better than the duck club though. I think Mike's Famous Duck Club...

My son and I visited the Tattooed Moose in Park Circle (4845 Chateau Ave, North Charleston, SC) yesterday. Overall, the quality of the food was commendable. However, several aspects of the experience, particularly the pricing, left much to be desired.

I ordered the Tattooed Moose Burger, which was well-prepared, and fully loaded. Unfortunately, the price for adding two small pieces of bacon (not even one strip total) added an additional charge of $2.25. While the burger itself was priced at $14.50, it came with no sides, no chips or fries. To order fries, you must order them as a side item for an added cost of $3.25. While no one expects a restaurant to operate at a loss, a $14.50 hamburger should include at least a basic side to justify the price point.

My son ordered the blue cheese and garlic fries, which he described as “one of the best things he’s ever eaten.” That said, he was disappointed in the portion size, especially given the $13.50 price. For that amount, the serving should have been at least twice what was provided (once again it’s just fries). He also had a cup of baked beans, which, while flavorful, was underwhelming in size considering the price of $3.50. Additionally, he ordered Duck Club, which cost $22.00 and which he described as very good.

I’ve been a supporter of the Tattooed Moose since its original opening in downtown Charleston back in 2010. Sometimes traveling 10 miles or more just to eat there versus the many other establishments we passed on the way. When the restaurant relocated to North Charleston, I continued to be a frequent visitor. However, based on the current pricing, portions, and atmosphere (it was hot inside), I can’t honestly say if I will ever return again.

Summary: The Tattooed Moose offers undeniably good food, but the value proposition is questionable. Menu items are undermined by small portions, excessive upcharges for basic additions. While I can recommend the food based on taste alone, diners should be prepared for a noticeably...