Carolina Ale House is a great sports pub that wants to make a difference
Amy Christian
In the two years since Carolina Ale House opened at the Robert C. Daniel Jr. Parkway shopping area, it has seen many would-be competitors spring up around it. That might worry some, but Carolina Ale House knows it has many unique qualities, qualities that keep customers coming back for more.
“We focus on food, sports and fun,” said Sullivan Management District Manager Mark Coleman, who oversees operations at the Augusta outpost of Carolina Ale House. “Those three things I think just define us and really set us apart from the possible pretenders who think they’re a great sports restaurant.”
The focus might be on fun, but there’s also another aspect of Carolina Ale House that makes a difference: community involvement. Almost immediately upon opening, the restaurant known for its draft and bottled beer selection and plethora of TVs on which to watch any sporting event that might be going on anywhere in the world also became known as the place that wanted to give back.
Carolina Ale House has sponsored the local Alzheimer’s walk, participated when “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” came to town, helps Fort Gordon and Harley Davidson with many events.
“Pretty much any time someone comes and asks us to donate for a cause we do, whether it’s a child in need, whether it’s a family in need,” Coleman explained. “Last year we fed five different families so they could have a Christmas dinner. We’re very philanthropic and want to do our fair share to give back to the community.”
Carolina Ale House is especially involved with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Department and the local motorcycle community, so it’s no surprise that they held many fundraisers after Deputy JD Paugh was killed on duty October 23, 2011. In fact, the restaurant recently commemorated the one-year anniversary of Paugh’s death by feeding, for free, any police officer who came in that day in uniform. More than 100 showed up, and Coleman said it was the least they felt they could do.
“You know, giving to people is a good thing,” he said. “I believe that it makes people aware that, hey, we’re not only here to make money, we’re also here to build relationships and really become a strong part of the community. Our owner is a fantastic man and our parent company does a tremendous amount of giving as well. It’s just something we believe in very strongly.”
One thing, Coleman explained, that helps Carolina Ale House stay involved with the community is the local staff they have running the restaurant.
“It’s like Cheers,” he said. “When people come in, Sharla Lamar, who is running the restaurant, she is from the area. She knows everyone and I think that’s a huge hit. And we listen to our customers; that’s a very important thing. Obviously, we’d like to do everything everybody asks us, but there are limitations. But we do listen to them and we do thank them.”
But what about the food? After all, that’s why many of Carolina Ale House’s patrons visit. Coleman says that it is in this area that the restaurant sets itself apart from other sports bars. Proteins, for example, are fresh not frozen, desserts and soups are made in house, and popular appetizers such as wings come baked, fried or grilled with a number of sauces and dry rubs.
“If you look at our menu, it’s extremely diverse,” he said. “Look at all the choices on our menu, from the appetizers to the salads to the soups that are homemade to the burgers that are 100 percent Angus, to the desserts that are made in house. Even our kids menu has a multitude of items, it’s not just the same one, two, three things.”
Along with popular menu items such as the Asian Sesame Grilled Chicken Salad, fried pickles, Philly cheese steak, the Pub Burger, grilled teriyaki salmon, a Meathead flatbread pizza and the Potato Chip Crusted Banana Split Sundae, Carolina Ale House serves up plenty of specials as well. From rotating drink specials and Tuesday nights, when kids eat for .99 to Thursdays, during which active military get 10 percent off, and Sunday-Wednesday food service industry specials.
It’s all part of the plan to make dining out at Carolina Ale House not only fun, but affordable.
“We all understand that times are tough, the things that are facing society today and things coming down the road,” he said. “And nothing is more important to us than providing value to our guests. When they come here, we want them to know that they’ll get a great meal at a great value with great service in a great environment.” Carolina Ale House
203 Robert C. Daniel Jr. Pkwy., Augusta
11 a.m.-2 a.m. daily
762-333-0019 | carolinaalehouse.comYou Might Also Like:
