Back Home Bar & Grill Serves Up Americana

There are lots of places to get southern food in Charleston, but Back Home Bar & Grill isn't one of them.

Owners Paul Kime and Mark Smith have drawn on their Chicago and New York roots and years in the food service industry to create a menu full of regional favorites from all over the rest of the United States. And they ship in ingredients from all over the country to make them.

"I picked my favorite menu items and designed the menu around what I feel are the best foods from outsie the South," Kime said. "And we do take suggestions from customers too."

"it's everywhere America," Smith said.

In addition to a fully stocked bar, Back Home also carries several regional microbrews to pair with the food.

Kime and Smith wanted to create a quintessentially American bar. With plenty of large flat screen TVs strewn around the bar patrons will be able to catch almost any game. A small stage plays host to live music five nights a week.

The bar has been open for almost two weeks now, and Kime said a loyal and growing group of transplants from the North and Midwest are already starting to become regulars.

"When football season rolls around we might have to divide the dining room up into teams," Kime joked.

Kime and Smith had been toying with the idea for the bar for a few years, and they definitely wanted to be in West Ashley, so they felt they had to jump on their new spot in Westwood Plaza when Twist closed earlier this year.

"There's 40,000 people living in this area," Kime said. "And going downtown is such a pain."

"We can fit about 120-140 people, and we have live music five nights a week," Smith said. "It's all classic American rock from the 60s to the 90s. We try to take in everything."

Back Home Bar & Grill at 1812 Sam Rittenberg Blvd. is open 11 a.m. - 2 a.m. Monday through Saturday and from noon - 2 a.m. Sundays, and the full menu is available open to close.