Area offers new or revamped venues for dinner, drinks

Can't decide where to go out for dinner or where to get drinks?

Several new restaurants and bars have opened on James Island and Folly Beach this year, and one establishment has opened a new, tall outside deck.

New establishments on James Island include AJ's Sports Bar and Grill, The Daily Dose and McKraken's Irish Pub. Surf Bar on Folly Beach opened this year, and Snapper Jack's on Folly Beach has opened a third-floor deck with a view of the ocean.

--AJ's Sports Bar at 1291 Folly Road, in the shopping center at Folly and Fort Johnson roads, is as much a bar as it is a restaurant. The dining area is spacious, with an equally large patio on the side. Video games, pool tables, dart boards, a corn toss game (free to play) and 20 TVs make it a typical sports bar. However, the kitchen cooks up some fancy fare, including lobster bites, fried mozzarella ravioli, peel-and-eat shrimp and Angus beef burgers. AJ's has a wind-down Wednesday special, where bottles of wine are $3 off, or order two glasses of wine and get a free cheese plate. There are additional happy-hour specials throughout the week. AJ's offers 15 percent off everything during happy hour Monday through Thursday to people who have a valid Gold's Gym membership. The restaurant is open at 11 a.m. for lunch Friday, Saturday and Sunday and opens at 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Nonsmoking inside. The number is 762-5696.

--The Daily Dose is a new, funky restaurant off Folly Road at 1622 Highland Ave. (next to the Hair Du Jour salon) that opened last month. It serves vegetarian, vegan and mostly organic burritos, salads, sandwiches, pitas and wraps. Patrons can find turkey and mahi-mahi in addition to the vegetarian-friendly items. The restaurant is one large room, with wooden tables and bohemian touches. Specialty items include organic salsa, black bean hummus and organic ginger ice cream. There is a variety of organic and nonorganic beer, including high-gravity beer. Smoothies and fresh juices, such as strawberry lemonade, also are on the menu. The restaurant's slogan is "good mood food," served for lunch 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and dinner 6-10 p.m. Thursday-Friday. The restaurant is closed on Sunday and Monday. There is live music on Friday nights, and an open-air bar is set to open out back in the next two weeks. Nonsmoking. The number is 795-1010.

--McKraken's Irish Pub recently opened at 1006 Folly Road (beside the American Legion). It offers patrons a small, quaint place to get a beer or glass of wine (a liquor license is pending). The establishment, formerly Traveler's Restaurant, is set back from Folly Road and was most likely a house before it was converted to a pub, with tables lining one wall and even a few TVs. In addition to the music on the speakers, the pub has a karaoke machine that can be turned on by request, and the bar's relaxed atmosphere makes it easy for anyone to sing without fear of ridicule. The song list is extensive, from classic rock to soft ballads and Britney Spears. The bar is open Monday through Friday from 5 p.m. until 2 a.m.; Saturday from 5 p.m. until midnight. Food is served from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. and includes hamburgers, hot dogs, meatball subs and nachos. The menu will expand when a liquor license is granted. Karaoke nights are Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

It's new, but cozy and is small enough for a larger party to take it over as its own for a night. Smoking is allowed. The number is 406-4040.

--Surf Bar is Folly Beach's newest

restaurant, offering a variety of Costa Rican fare at 103 W. Cooper St. The Costa Rican items include fried plantains served with all dishes and the special, fruit-based Costa Rican spices the kitchen uses for its local fish plates. The restaurant offers fish, chicken and turkey sandwiches, pasta specials, daily specials, vegetarian items and hamburgers. The full-service bar offers a Costa Rican liquor, Guaro, which is distilled from sugar cane. Patrons can buy this in a punch or in a shot form. The wooden deck on the side of the restaurant allows for people-watching. Food is served 4:30-9:30 p.m. Monday, 11:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday and 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Both the bar and deck are nonsmoking.

--Snapper Jack's on Folly Beach, at 10 Center St., has added a new deck. It's not on the side, front or back of the bar, but on top of the bar. The wooden deck is really an open-air third floor with a view of the ocean and a nice breeze. There is no elevator; patrons must hike up additional flights of stairs to get there. There is a full-service bar on the deck, and plenty of picnic tables to sit and enjoy the breeze. The restaurant is open 11:30 a.m. until 2 a.m. seven days a week. The kitchen is open from 11:30 a.m. until 9 p.m. Smoking is allowed. The number is 588-2362.