Carolina Kitchen Confidential: Charleston Sports Pub

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by ERIN PARROTT

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As the South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA) carries out its routine restaurant inspections, this outlet is rolling out a new series – Carolina Kitchen Confidential – which pulls the curtain back on what’s really happening in the Palmetto State’s food service industry.

Kicking off the series is Charleston Sports Pub – long celebrated by its customers as “the best in South Carolina and best in Charleston for eight years running.” Despite these accolades, its West Ashley location was flagged this month after coming up short in a routine SCDA inspection.

According to the the agency’s Retail Food Establishment Inspection Report (.pdf), the pub received a “C” rating after more than ten regulations were considered “out of compliance” in several different categories.

Although the pub scored well in employee health standards, inspectors flagged multiple contamination issues – including uncovered stored food like raw meat and dirty food storage containers.

Inspectors also found the so called “quality” food didn’t meet date-marking rules – citing items held longer than seven days as well as undated meatballs, pasta and Alfredo sauce. Wings and pork roasts were also cooled in an “ineffective” manner, and food was stored on the floor of the walk-in cooler and freezer per the report.

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In addition to allegedly serving outdated floor food, inspectors said customer items like napkins and to-go boxes were stashed on the floor – exposed to splash, dust and “other contamination.” Making matters worse, inspectors reported cracked and melted food storage containers – along with soiled and corroded equipment, shelving, and dish machine racks.

Food storage containers at the location were “not clean to sight and touch,” the report alleged.

Notes in the report also list an “organic buildup” in the chemical dish machine, as well as an “accumulation” of grease and grime in the cook-line equipment – earning the pub a substandard grade for its routine inspection.

SCDA inspectors will be back to perform another inspection within ten days – giving Charleston Sports Pub a short window to scrub its kitchen back into compliance and pick up the dust-flavored food off the floor.

Charleston Sports Pub is just the opening act for Carolina Kitchen Confidential, so count on FITSNews to keep pulling inspection reports on the dirt, grime and nastiness lurking within Palmetto State kitchens.

Also stayed tuned for an update in the event this business is able to remedy the issues identified in this inspection…

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THE REPORT…

(SCDA)

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…

Erin Parrott is a Greenville, S.C. native who graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2025 with a bachelor degree in broadcast journalism. Got feedback or a tip for Erin? Email her here.

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