New West Ashley hot spot All My Exes brings classic cocktail club vibes to Avondale
by Lorne Chambers | Editor
Ever since the closing of Caroline’s Aloha Bar (previously Voodoo Tiki Bar & Lounge), Avondale had been dealing with a bit of a void in the craft cocktail department. We pretty much had all the other bases covered — a neighborhood dive bar in Gene’s Haufbrau, an acclaimed brewery in Charles Towne Fermentory with an Asian Fusion restaurant in Bok Choy Boy inside, a wine bar in Avondale Wine & Cheese, a sports bar in The Roost Bar & Grille, a brunch-centric spot in Ruby Sunshine, and a fast-casual sushi and ramen spot in Poke Burri/Lifting Noodles. Across the street, there are restaurant-oriented, family-friendly options like Triangle Char & Bar and Mellow Mushroom, a proper coffee shop in Highfalutin Coffee Roasters, an oyster bar in Pearlz, and now, there’s even a high-end restaurant and bar with Bearcat. But up until last month, there was no cocktail-focused bar. Enter Jersey girl Stephanie Sievers, whose new cocktail lounge, All My Exes, is more than filling that void; it’s helping Avondale .
“I knew from hanging out in West Ashley that it was full of people who would appreciate a nice classic cocktail but would also appreciate the emphasis on community and warmth,” says Sievers. “Location-wise, I also like the idea that we can be the go-to for the surrounding neighborhoods but can also be the perfect last stop on the way home from a night downtown.”
When the Oak Barrel Tavern ended its nearly decade-and-a-half long run late last year, Sievers thought the small space, which is squeezed between the much larger The Roost Bar & Grill and F45 Fitness along Savannah Highway, was the perfect spot. Since All My Exes officially opened its doors last month, Sievers’s assessment has been proven to be spot on.
“It can be daunting to open up in a strip with iconic, quality establishments that have been here forever, but the reception has indicated that we were right in hoping we’d be welcomed as something new that is still complementary to the existing businesses,” says Sievers.
Before opening her first bar, Sievers worked in the restaurants and bars business for years in high school and college. But later, while living in New York City and working in the educational publishing industry, she realized how much she loved and desperately missed the Food & Beverage world.
“I love speaking to people and feeling as if you’re making someone’s night better or more memorable,” she says. “So I came down to Charleston, knowing it was the city of hospitality, to get back into it.”
It was here in the Holy City where Sievers really honed her skill and speed, gaining an education in cocktail creation and the ins and outs of running a bar. She worked in a wide variety of establishments in the Lowcountry, from golf courses to dive bars, from high-volume beach bars to high-end craft cocktail clubs. Taking a little inspiration from each place, Sievers took aim at opening her own place. She envisioned it as a bar with high-quality, artful cocktails that had the same welcoming and fun energy as the casual neighborhood hangouts she’d worked in and frequented as a customer. West Ashley’s popular Avondale Business District had the right vibe—hip but not pretentious.
“We’re so grateful for the incredibly positive reception from everyone in the area. There are people who walk over from their homes in the neighborhood behind us with their kids to treat themselves to a cocktail, and there are people who work Food & Bev downtown but live in the area who regularly enjoy our after-hours happy hour deals when they get off work,” she says. “I honestly think it’s the most fun and friendly clientele of any establishment I’ve worked, so thank you to the people of West Ashley for that!”
The inside of All My Exes is hardly recognizable from its beer bar predecessor. Its modern, sleek aesthetic includes an all-black bar top, black bar stools, black cocktail tables, and black and gold light fixtures. The large mural on the wall provides pops of neon pink and blue, giving the interior a fun and stylish vibe. The mural was painted by local artist Kylie Mason, who is also a bartender at All My Exes.
While the place looks vibrant and has a good energy, it’s the actual cocktails that are the star of the show. All My Exes extensive cocktail menu, spans from classics to inventive.
“Our beverage director Jen (Jackson) is the mind behind our cocktail program, and she’s a powerhouse,” says Sievers. “Early in the process, I’d say something like, ‘I’d love one that changes color,’ and she immediately cooked up what became one of our most popular cocktails, the Switch Hitter.” It doesn’t just change color, it possesses a beautiful ombre that mimics the gradient of colors in All My Exes’ original logo. And besides that, despite its deep colors, it manages to be light, refreshing, super herbal, and floral.
“All of our signature cocktails have been extremely popular, but I think the Queen in the North, our signature espresso martini using amaro and a caramel rim, has been the standout among guests so far,” says Sievers.
While impressive in its current state, Sievers says All My Exes’ cocktail program will never be set in stone. She plans to feature monthly specialty cocktails and advises to keep an eye out this month for “The Empress.” According to Sievers, the bar’s commitment to fresh ingredients means it’ll be changing its food and drink menus to incorporate what’s in season.
Speaking of food, All My Exes also boasts a small but mighty food menu, which includes a number of small snacky items, as well as heartier offerings, such as flatbreads, fresh bruschetta, and charcuterie boards.
“I’m incredibly proud of our food menu, considering we’re a cocktail bar,” says Sievers. “I lived in Spain for a while, and a typical Spanish establishment will always serve you snacks with your drink, so you’ll notice that inspiration in our offerings of chips, olives, Marcona almonds, and the fact that plain chips or jalapeno chips are free of charge during happy hour.”
Sievers is quick to point out that All My Exes has been a team effort from the very beginning and that she has relied on her talented staff not only to help make her vision a reality but to help inspire the vision in the first place.
“Our staff is small and has worked together for many years, so we all collaborated, but again it’s the case of me having vague ideas and my way more talented staff blowing my mind with what they create.”
All My Exes is located at 825 Savannah Hwy. Suite B. For more information,
call (854) 222-3836 or visit
www.allmyexeschs.com.
