Palmetto Ale House is off to a good start

Palmetto Ale House on James Island's brochure reads "For over 200 years, Ale Houses were always an important part of the neighborhood.

"It was a place where the locals could meet up for an evening, eat, talk, make friends and wind down after a hard day's work."

Nectar Bar and Grille, which preceded the Palmetto Ale House in the same location, certainly fit this description, and was certainly a neighborhood favorite.

Palmetto seems more upscale, with a new dark wood interior, and although it remains casual dining, it seems more "grown-up," for lack of a better term, than Nectar.

Being an "Ale House," Palmetto certainly doesn't skimp on the beer, offering almost 30 bottle and tap brew selections.

Palmetto also offers a number of choice specialty and frozen drink concoctions, where everything from the "Ale House Slammer" (Trave Amaretto, Southern Comfort and sloe gin with orange juice and sour mix) and the "Frozen Charleston Margarita" (Sauza Giro Tequila, lime juice, triple sec, sour and a splash of Sprite and orange juice), are designed to please.

Palmetto also features a solid food menu, offering everything from steak to seafood, burgers and sandwiches.

Palmetto Ale House is not only a quality restaurant but perhaps many James Islander's new favorite neighborhood bar.