CHARLESTON — A new restaurant from an established group of operators is coming to The Refinery.
Set to debut this spring, Lou Lou’s Tavern on the Tracks will join craft beer bar The Whale at the 1640 Meeting Street Road development, which is anchored by an open-air music venue. The bar and restaurant itself, described as a “modern, music-driven tavern,” will bridge the gap between dinner and nightlife, offering concertgoers a place to drink and eat before or after a show.
“From the beginning, our vision for The Refinery has been to create a place where food, music and culture intersect in a meaningful way,” Lindsay Nevin, founder and CEO of Flyway, which founded The Refinery, said in a press release. “Lou Lou’s is a natural extension of that vision and adds an exciting new layer to the experience we’re building here.”
Housed in the space previously occupied by Cleats, Lou Lou’s Tavern on the Tracks is owned by Dave and Chrissy Lorenz of Epic Hospitality. The couple is known locally for Isle of Palms waterfront destination Islander 71 and Mex 1 Coastal Cantina, a Mexican and Southern California-inspired eatery with locations in West Ashley and on Sullivan’s Island.
Named after Chrissy’s sister and the couple’s beloved hound dog, Lou Lou’s will complement The Refinery’s live music shows. Patrons with concert tickets will be able to book dinner tables for a few hours on end, allowing them to roam the venue and return to their seats at Lou Lou’s for a bite and a curated cocktail, glass of kegged wine or local craft beer.
“They just do a really great job putting events on,” Dave Lorenz told The Post and Courier. “We’re going to play into the concerts a lot.”
From a culinary perspective, the couple’s newest dining establishment will lean into a mix of comforting dishes and flavors that cater to exploration. It will be a small plate-focused menu with a mix of vegetables, seafood and land-based options, including burgers. The full dinner menu will be released closer to Lou Lou’s opening in the next four to six weeks.
On weekends, the restaurant will transition to a kid-friendly atmosphere centered around a brunch and lunch menu. Dinner and drinks in the evening throughout the week, however, will be the main focus, Lorenz said.
Additional details, including an opening date, will be announced in the coming weeks. For updates, follow the restaurant on Instagram @louloustavern or visit louloustavern.com.