Islander 71 Celebrates First Anniversary
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Islander 71, an Isle of Palms fish house and deck bar, owned and operated by locals Dave and Chrissy Lorenz and Jon and Bridget Bushnell, is celebrating its one-year anniversary this May. The restaurant is nestled in the back beach of Isle of Palms and offers panoramic views of the Intracoastal Waterway, Morgan Creek and Goat Island.
The restaurant’s location, decor, atmosphere and wide variety of indoor and outdoor seating has offered guests an opportunity to slow down, step back in time and enjoy the easy life for the last 12 months.
“We wanted to bring this location and this restaurant back to simpler times,” said Dave Lorenz.
“[Our inspiration] was the 1970s, which influenced our simple, fresh, sharable and approachable menu. We wanted this to be a place where friends and family could come together to enjoy good food, cocktails and all of the things you want to have on the water.”
Islander 71’s menu features classic seafood options, including shrimp ‘n grits, seafood pasta and the daily catch along with salads, sandwiches, burgers and more. Since opening, the restaurant has expanded its menu to include a raw bar featuring oysters, clams, lobster claws and a variety of other traditional favorites.
When it comes to the menu, Lorenz has a few recommendations. For a starter, he suggests the she crab fries, an accidental and highly original creation.
“[The she crab fries] kind of came about like the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup,” said Lorenz. “It was like, who put their chocolate in my peanut butter? So we said ‘let’s put a little of the she crab soup on our fries’ and we decided that it was really good and then even more people tried it and were like, ‘that’s pretty good,’ so the creation stuck and was added to the menu.”
Moving on to main dishes, he praised the crab cakes, a recipe close to home for him; the Burger 71, stacked with a double patty; or the seared salmon, served with rainbow carrots, pilaf and salsa verde. The restaurant also includes a multitude of full-service bars with specialty cocktails and boat drinks, wine, cold beer and mocktails upon request.
With a quality menu and incredible views, it is no surprise that the biggest challenge Islander 71 has faced in its first year is the influx of customers.
“Our first year in business has been really great,” said Lorenz.
“The locals were super excited for us to open our doors. With COVID and supply chain issues, we faced some challenges, but once we opened, everyone was very excited to have a nice, refreshing new menu as well as more options for outdoor seating and incredible views.”
“It is such a beautiful location, so we have a lot of people coming,” Lorenz added.
“It’s a great problem to have, but we do not want to disappoint. We really want to do a good job, serve great food fast, have fun and provide people with an experience. We have a really great crew and have had time to rebound following last summer with more training, so we are really looking forward to this upcoming season.”
While the crowds have been the most challenging part of their first year in business, in true Charleston-hospitality form, Lorenz stated that his favorite aspect of the restaurant’s first year also has been the people.
“The most rewarding thing has been seeing our crew develop over the last year,” said Lorenz. “We hire many island kids and to watch them grow and take that experience with them is rewarding. Then, obviously, the customers and their feedback, as well as seeing and hearing from our regulars is gratifying.”
Lorenz, his partners and their waitstaff are eager for the summer season and excited to serve new and returning customers as the busy season on the island kicks off.
Arrive by boat, golf cart or vehicle for a night out alone, with a date or for a scheduled event to enjoy the unique Islander 71 experience. The bars are open Tuesdays through Fridays from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Dine in the restaurant on Tuesday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
