Your gals here at Taste of Reality did the thing.
We took a joint birthday trip to Charleston, South Carolina, to do a full tour of the hotspots seen on Southern Charm and Southern Hospitality.
From Thursday to Sunday night, we made our way through all the destinations seen on Bravo TV. We ate, we drank, we bought the merch.
Here’s a full rundown of our long weekend …
@tasteof__reality The perf trip for any #southernhospitality and #southerncharm fan! #bravotv #bravo #southerncharmbravo #charlestonsouthcarolina ♬ Ballad du Champs-Elysees – French Cafe 24 x 7
Leva Bonaparte’s Locations …
Lamar’s Sporting Club/Bourbon N’ Bubbles–
Imani and I went to Lamar’s and Bourbon ‘N Bubbles twice during our trip, and we barely scratched the surface of all these bars/restaurant/lounges have to offer.
The interior of both establishments feels upscale while remaining comfortable and non-pretentious. The dark woods throughout the spaces were moody and sexy.
My favorite part? There’s a secret passage to go back and forth between Bourbon N’ Bubbles and Lamar’s. Sorry for the spoiler, but you’ll have to find it for yourself.
Our first trip to Lamar’s/BNB was on our first night in town, and we enjoyed after-dinner drinks. I’m a sucker for a Specialty Cocktail, and these menus didn’t disappoint. The bartender heightened our experience by asking about our favorite spirits and which of their house offerings appealed to us the most. From there, he concocted couture cocktails for us. Iconique.
TJ Dinch from Southern Hospitality hosted a Sir Weiners event at Lamar’s on Saturday night that we didn’t want to miss. He and Bradley Carter were there for a while, hanging out with their friends and chatting with other Bravo fans visiting.
DJ Matt Busch created a vibe and was a highlight of the evening. I’m still thinking of his mix of ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’ and ‘Pink Pony Club.’ Put it on iTunes already!!!
For the record, these were my fav Bravo bars from our trip!
Zach’s Daiqs & Retail–
Walking into Zachary’s Daiquiris felt like stepping into millennial woman HQ.
Think: old-school soda shop charm meets Charleston whimsy — decked out in pastel pinks, fresh greens, and all the personality.
Right when you walk in, you’re greeted by a rainbow wall of frozen cocktails. As a loyal piña colada girlie, my eyes immediately locked onto The Sullivan — creamy, icy, and exactly what I came for.
Another standout? The King: a bold blend of Myer’s dark rum, Parrot Bay spiced rum, orange juice, coconut cream, pineapple juice, and a touch of grated nutmeg. (It’s giving tropical vacation… with a kick.)
Prices for drinks ranged from $8 to $17, depending on size. We didn’t try the food since we had just come from lunch, but when we saw it coming out of the kitchen, we 100% got FOMO. It looked surprisingly legit for a place that leans so heavily into the drink scene.
Venture to the back and you’ll find a cozy little retail nook filled with Charleston-style gifts, decor, and accessories. We couldn’t resist picking up matching pajama sets from Rebecca and Lu — who have a pop-up in the merchant space.
Click here to watch our haul!
If you’re planning a girls’ trip, bachelorette weekend, or just need a sugary-sweet sip to cool off this summer – Zach’s is a must.
But fair warning: the drinks are sweet. Like, sugar-rush sweet. You’ve been warned.
Republic–
@tasteof__reality Republic is the Queen of King Street! #republicgardenandlounge #republicreign #greenscreen #southernhospitality #southernhospitalitybravo #bravotv ♬ original sound – tasteof__reality
Republic Garden and Lounge is more than a nightclub; It’s a restaurant as well!
Diners can enjoy the ambiance without the nightclub, if that’s more your speed. Republic opens at noon Wed-Sun and 4 pm Monday and Tuesday. We had several SoHo sightings while we visited the club, but TJ Dinch worked a day shift at the restaurant during our stay!
If you’re interested in Republic Garden & Lounge‘s nightclub experience, here’s our full review.
Mesu–
Admittedly, I found Mesu very confusing at first. In fact, I noted I thought the space was having an identity crisis, but I take it back.
Mesu is a portmanteau for Mexican Sushi. I assumed it was a fusion of the cuisines. It isn’t.
Mesu is literally Mexican food and sushi offered in the same space. While I was disappointed for a moment, everything that came out of the kitchen was tasty AF, so we were pleased as punch.
Imani had the nachos, which were clearly made in-house. The seasoning on the chips tasted like Doritos, in the best way possible. I had a fish taco and a sushi roll, which is truly a combination I would only make at Mesu.
Mesu’s Mexican food was better than the Mexican restaurant our friends took us to, for the record.
The space was filled with colorful pop art, a big screen TV, and top 40 music. Very casual and family friendly.
Sewing Down South:
If you’re a Bravo fan in Charleston, you have to stop by Sewing Down South.
This King Street staple — Craig Conover’s pride and pillow-filled joy — is a must-see.
The vibe? Exactly what you’d expect: nautical, preppy, and unapologetically Craig.
His face is everywhere, and honestly, that’s half the fun. Bravo fans were packed in like it was Black Friday at Bloomingdale’s. Every time we passed the storefront, it was buzzing.
While my aesthetic doesn’t totally align with Craig’s decor style, I still grabbed a long sleeve tee — mostly for the experience (and the souvenir). No regrets though, it’s super soft.
What really stood out was the attention to detail. They gift-wrapped my simple tee like it was couture, and placed it in a branded reusable tote — a small touch that felt luxe.
Craig nailed the branding here. From the packaging to the store layout, it’s clear this was thoughtfully curated.
Whether you’re buying a pillow, a tee, or just soaking in the Bravoleb novelty, Sewing Down South is worth the visit.
P.S. Ashley purchased two pillows — and you can catch her review below.
@tasteof__reality These are sew on brand for my home! Thanks @Sewing Down South @Craig Conover #bravotvreviews #sewingdownsouth #craigconover #bravotv #southerncharm #southerncharmbravo #bravoholic ♬ original sound – tasteof__reality
By The Way:
@tasteof__reality By the Way was a vibe! Bravo to Austen and Craig! #bravotv #southerncharm #southerncharmbravo #austenkroll #craigconover #bytheway #bythewaychs @By The Way @Craig Conover @Bravo ♬ original sound – tasteof__reality
Just around the corner from 3 of Leva’s 5 restaurants, By The Way lived up to its name. It’s by the way, literally, and feels very chill and casual, like the saying.
This was Imani’s favorite location as far as what matched her “vibe” the most. Like Imani, who turned 30 on the trip, the bar was full of young millennials.
Since BTW is operated by Austen Kroll and Craig Conover‘s Uptown Hospitality Group, I felt compelled to try my first Trop Hop, a beer founded by Austen!
While I’ll never turn down a cold beer on a hot night, I really enjoyed Austen’s Trop Hop IPA ($8). I’d order Trop Hop again, though I wish it were offered on tap. Trop Hop’s Peachy Wheat Ale is also offered at By The Way!
Speaking of canned drinks, By The Way also offered Spritz Society, the canned spritz in which Craig invested. Both Spritz Society’s Lemon Iced Tea and Pink Lemonade are sold for $11 each.
By the way, no reference to the bar – that was a transition, we did a Spritz Society tasting of the Lemon Iced Tea and the Pink Lemonade while we were in Charleston. (It just felt right.) Here’s what we thought!
@tasteof__reality Did a #Loverboy vs. #spritzsociety taste test! Which do you prefer? #southerncharmbravo #southerncharm #summerhouse #summerhousebravo ♬ Ballad du Champs-Elysees – French Cafe 24 x 7
Charleston Final thoughts/Overall Review:
Charleston, for lack of a better word, is ✨CHARMING✨.
We’d highly recommend this trip for any fan of Bravo’s Southern Charm and Southern Hospitality. All of the locations we featured are within walking distance of each other, making it very tourist-friendly.
There’s truly something for everyone, even if there are non-Bravoholics in your party. They’ll be singing Ba-ba-doo, Ba-ba-de-ee before you know it!
