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Binky’s Seaside Oyster and Liquor Bar on Isle of Palms is almost open. Located beneath Coda Del Pesce at 1130 Ocean Blvd., Binky’s will be open Wed., Thurs., and Sun. from 3 p.m. ‘until’ and Fri. and Sat. 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Owner Ken Vedrinski, the chef and restaurateur behind local Italian restaurants Trattoria Lucca and Coda, says Binky’s will be a “fun, loud place” with “really cool food,” TVs aplenty, and no “mixologists” to speak of.
When we chatted with Vedrinski this spring, he didn’t have many menu details to share except that the food would be simple, locally sourced, and creative. Since then, he’s narrowed things down a bit, and posted a “prototype” menu on Binky’s Facebook last month, requesting feedback from future guests.
“The structure of the menu is pretty much … it’s an oyster bar but not like The Ordinary or Darling Oyster Bar,” says Vedrinski. “It’s more of a bar, we’re on the beach, we’ll always have four kinds of oysters, but I have a seafood restaurant [Coda] right above, I don’t want to cannibalize my business.”
That doesn’t mean you’ll be able to find the cheaper version of Coda downstairs, though — more like Coda’s fun uncle. “We have to make sure we are two totally different ideas, conceptually,” says Vedrinski.
Some of the prototype menu items Vedrinski has been playing around with include a spaghetti sandwich, deviled eggs with fried flounder, grouper “Salisbury,” and a chicken picatta sandwich. “We’ll have big giant ballpark pretzel and we will do crab and mustard seed dip for it, it’ll be quirky, cheffy things,” says Vedrinski. “We aren’t taking ourselves too seriously,” he urges. Binky’s has already posted a photo of their “Rules and Info” sandwich board on Facebook, with most commenters having a laugh, but a couple seemingly irked by the tongue-in-cheek list: “Chef Ken sounds like he doesn’t want business. How long before it closes? All these rules = no guest. Good luck.”
Some may be peeved by “no reservations” and “no menu substitutions,” they may be interested in one of the off-the-wall specials Vedrinski plans to offer. “If you want to get a bottle of Dom [Perignon] around here it’ll cost you at least $250,” says Vedrinski. “We’re going to do a Dom special — we’ll sell it just above cost.” The catch? “First you have to eat pickled pigs feet.”
If starring in the next episode of your own personal Fear Factor doesn’t sound appealing, they’ll have good old fashioned canned beer and wine (no pigs feet), plus liquor. “If someone wants a mixed something we’ll put it together somehow,” says Vedrinski.
The Binky’s space was occupied by Banana Cabana for nearly three decades until December 2018, when Vedrinksi took over the lease. Since then, Vedrinski says they haven’t had to gut the place, but a remodel was in order. The exterior has a fresh coat of paint, new light fixtures and wooden panels; the interior features modern design details, plus a new, expansive outdoor deck raised up to offer premium ocean views.
Vedrinski says they plan to be open by the first week of November Follow along on Facebook for updates.
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