Go Inside Craig Conover and Austen Kroll's "Dream" New Bar, By The Way (EXCLUSIVE)
Craig Conover and Austen Kroll have launched a new bar in Charleston, By the Way, that they say is unlike any other in the area.
Southern Charm fans know that Craig Conover and Austen Kroll are entering a new era in their lives — and they're making it official with a new bar in Charleston, South Carolina, called By the Way, which opened its doors to customers this week.
"It's always been a dream of ours to open up something in Charleston. What could be more fun than to open up something like this with one of your best friends?" Austen told The Daily Dish before the bar's opening for friends and family, which saw current and former Southern Charm castmates like Venita Aspen and Rodrigo Reyes visit the space. (See photos of the special event below.)
Craig agreed there's something particularly special about opening up a bar in the city that's home to Southern Charm, emphasizing it's also a way for fans to connect more with them, too.
"I wanted to invest more in our backyard. You know, Charleston is a great city and there's so many people visiting here and now that the show's been on for 12 years, 10 seasons, it will be our way of sharing a little bit more of our lives with people," Craig explained to The Daily Dish. "You know, we send everyone that visits Charleston and all the fans and viewers to everyone else's bars. Why not give them a space that we would enjoy hanging out at too?"
What is Craig Conover and Austen Kroll's bar like?
Craig and Austen teamed up with Charleston-based Uptown Hospitality Group to launch By the Way, located one block off Charleston's iconic King Street, which they say is a different kind of space than any other one in Charleston. The aim is for it to be a gathering spot that's fun and exciting, but also classy and elevated.
"Charleston is a very fun town, a very social town, but the bars are a little more geared towards partying. It's just a different energy and right now I started to find that, you know, after dinner there wasn't a place to take your partner or family in town, or like, after a business dinner, there wasn't anywhere to go except like going straight to a college bar. There's not really options if you wanted to go somewhere and your body to still move from the music, but you can hear each other talk. So we we basically built a bar because there wasn't a place like this in Charleston to go hang out," Craig explained.
Craig, Austen, and the rest of the team worked with Oliver Haslegrave of Brooklyn design firm HOME Studios to design the space. The interior of the bar has a cozy but elegant feel, boasting wood paneling and hand-painted murals of foxes and other forest life on the walls, as well as framed black-and-white photos evoking the history of the city and the space.
The menu boasts both appetizers and entrees, all "an elevated take on classic tavern fare," according to the bar's description. Items include steak frites, a burger, deviled eggs, fried oysters and caviar, and a brown butter crab crostini, which Austen noted "really knocked my mom's socks off," among other delicious dishes.
"The goal is so if you're here and you decide you're having such a good time that you decide to skip dinner, there is plenty on the menu for you to have a good meal, a great meal," Austen said.
As for the drinks, By the Way serves several incredible cocktails, including a large-format Old-Fashioned to share featuring Blade and Bow Bourbon, a quality Kentucky bourbon known for its "tasting notes highlight a bright aroma that peaks through the older liquid, including flavors of ripe pear, sweet grain, and dried apricot," and a finish with "notes of warm winter spices and charred oak," according to the brand. (And yes, we have tried and it is a must-buy at By the Way if you're an Old-Fashioned fan!).
Of course, Craig is also currently on a "moderation journey" when it comes to alcohol, and that did help inspire the bar menu.
"We have this great cocktail list that Austin really built using ideas from around the country, and with moderation, you know, you're cutting down your quantity so you want to up the quality and that's what you get with these drinks. I'm all about earning my drinks now, so if I'm going to drink, I want it to be made incredibly well with quality ingredients," Craig explained. "Of course, we will have a seasonal mocktail list that rotates throughout the year."
Will Bravo fans see Craig and Austen at their new bar By the Way?
Craig and Austen confirmed they will have a regular presence at their bar in Charleston, and that Bravo fans stopping through may very well see them at By the Way. In fact, they may even serve a drink or two.
"I mean, we're both bartenders in our past lives, so maybe Craig and I will make a guest bartending appearance for a few hours here and there," Austen mused.
And while the two certainly wouldn't mind ultimately expanding and having a restaurant empire like Lisa Vanderpump's, right now they're primarily focused on launching By the Way and ensuring it's a success, a bar that truly fulfills their vision.
"I'm really proud of it and I think it's going to be one of the coolest bars in the country," Craig said.
Then, who knows what's next?
"If it's a win, maybe we'll open a hotel next," Craig joked.
Where is Craig and Austen's bar By the Way?
By the Way is located at 45 1/2 Spring Street, in Charleston, South Carolina. It's open 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Friday, and 12 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
Catch up with Craig and Austen on the latest season of Southern Charm. New episodes air Thursdays at 9/8c on Bravo and stream next day on Peacock.
