Cabana Burgers & Shakes — Restaurant in South Carolina

I first heard about Cabana Burger on the Johns Island Facebook page. However, it wasn’t until a post by DJ Scott Sain that I really took notice. Apparently, a car almost ran into everyone on the patio but was stopped by a lone palm tree. Obviously, I had to visit the scene of the crime and check out the food first thing when I returned to the island. Upon entering I was immediately greeted by the host and shown to a table where I was introduced to my server Justin who took my drink order and returned so fast I hadn’t had time to read the menu. This turned out to be a good thing because something was wrong with my drink. After clearing the line {I assume this means the hose the soda flows through} and adding a new syrup bag we were back in business. The soda tastes like soda and all is right with the world. I love the atmosphere here. Everyone is so happy, there is live music on the patio and although the palm tree that saved so many lives that night is now only a memory, heads are bobbing and feet are tapping. These are the times that remind me why I should move to the island full time, slow down and maybe cut back a little. Anyway, Justin is patiently waiting for my order and as per usual I couldn’t decide on which “burger” to order so I got the FRENCH ONION PATTY MELT: Double beef patties with Swiss cheese, caramelized onions, on rye sourdough sans house burger sauce and fries. $15 This burger is melt in your mouth delicious. What I like most about it is the bread does NOT fall apart while you’re eating it and the cheese still has that delicious aged swiss flavor that is sometimes lost when melted. I also ordered the THE COQ FIGHTER Buttermilk fried, ham, cheddar cheese and ranch dressing on the side and onion rings. $15 First the crust is amazing. It’s crunchy and delicious without being oily or greasy. There is a giant slab of ham and a thick slice of cheddar on top to add that cordon bleu flair. Justin also brought a side of lettuce and tomato but it didn’t need it. It was perfect all on its own. Now, I was raised in the south where chick-fil-a is king but the Coq Fighter could be his number 2. As things were winding down Justin came back to see if I wanted a shake for dessert. I couldn’t do it. I wanted to but maybe next time. Because you can mix things up and add a shot of your favorite booze to the shake menu is endless. I could easily visit 50 times and never have the same shake. Something to ponder. In and out in under 45 minutes and a delicious meal to boot. Definitely one of my new favorite spots on the island. Despite all of the ups and downs this year has wrought on the restaurant industry Chef and Owner Michael Petrillo and his team have weathered the storm and have a winner on their hands. Petrillo has kind and courteous staff, delicious food and beautiful décor. The Cabana Burger & Shakes has a...

So I will begin by saying that my family and I are not fans of the rampant development of John's Island, but we in the rural parts have realized our voices are the minority. Regardless, my wife discovered that there were milkshakes and our principles were quickly put on pause. So here we go:

We arrived with a medium sized party and we're seated easily at 7 on a Thursday. Our son needed a change and we quickly discovered that there was no support in the restrooms for diaper changing. We get it, kids aren't trending as they once did but come on, it's a burger and shake restaurant, not a mecca of gastronomy. I did note, however, that there were individual outlets for each bar patron. It quickly became apparent that there was a target clientele. Such is life. The atmosphere was calm, yet vibrant, and clean.

Our service was interesting, exuding the vibe that things were still being worked out and training was still in session, our orders were 85% accurate with the exception of a salad/burger mixup. We're really not hard to please and half the table was more focused on the prospect of dairy consumption than beef.

Which brings me to my next point: I must have missed the sudden spike in ground beef cost. A double-patty "smash burger" (which is really just a beef patty, full stop) with lettuce and pickles (served on the side, or pardon me, "deconstructed") is 9.50. From there the specialty burgers range from 11-16 dollars. People, it's a burger. And a not so remarkable one at that. Pile on top of that the fact that they are all cooked to medium (which is a rarity these days, pun intended) and quickly you come to realize that this is a fanciful tribute to the malt shop, without the accessibility and welcoming culture that once was. I can get a burger for the same price, without the facade, and get it cooked to order at more places than I can count.

Which brings me back to my social aspect. I'm logging two stars on this review because quite frankly, Cabana is a newcomer to this island. Similar to the people who will review with 4 and 5 stars because now they have a high priced burger shop they can get to without bearing the abominable traffic, which has been created by these very developments, to go downtown for (probably better) burgers. This island has been rural for generations. A burger with pickles and a bun is available somewhere else on this island and they even put it together for you, it's McDonald's. Hell, I bet they even have diaper changing stations in men's and women's bathrooms.

But, such is the changing face of John's island. For Cabana, and the rest that follow, just don't forget we live here too and we all sit in the...

Ok so on any other day i would give this place 5 stars HANDS DOWN. I recommend this place to everyone and come here at least once a week. However, I came here today (Sunday night around 6pm) and had to sit at the bar because everywhere else was full (that's no big deal, just noting it because I've never sat at the bar here before). The bartenders (2 females) immediately seemed like they were not happy with me and my boyfriend at all. They were rude to us and then immediately turned around and were nice and energetic to the other people at the bar (a big group of older guys, while me and my bf are just a female and male in our lower 20s). I see the bartenders flirting with that group of guys THE WHOLE TIME while practically ignoring us, to the point where they even took shots (of alcohol, while on the job) with this group of men who bought them a round to take with them I guess. No big deal I guess, but just annoying (I guess we're not a part of these particular ladies demographic). AN HOUR after ordering our burgers, which are usually the best burgers that I've ever eaten, our food comes out at the same time as one of these men's food that ordered 5 minutes before it came out (not sure if they forgot about us or what). Well they come out BURNT TO A CRISP. On their menu, it shows their options as "medium or medium well" and these were far past well done and had a thick layer of char all around. These are wagyu burgers that are typically juicy and flavorful, while tonight the burnt burgers were flavorless and dry and tasted nothing like wagyu (that is much more expensive). So I paid $60 for this meal and I've had better burgers at McDonalds. The bartenders saw me/heard me visibly upset talking to my boyfriend about the food and started whispering about us, which is the only time they started to be nice to us (probably to attempt to save their tip, which i still gave them unfortunately). It's sad because I love this place, but I was just too uncomfortable and angry to stand up for myself on this. I just know that these burgers were not up to their standards and I'm disappointed that we got treated like this while in there, but I guess I just didn't want to be seen as a complainer. Definitely was a waste of $60...