Tucked into a brick storefront in the heart of downtown Rock Hill, South Carolina, Elk Ave Tavern is the kind of neighborhood spot that locals talk about with a slightly proprietary pride. It began life as the Cibi Cibi food truck and graduated to a permanent address at 125 Elk Avenue, where owners Anthony Legatie and Hunter Newton trade in elevated tavern comfort food: thoughtfully built burgers, crispy Brussels sprouts, stout-braised beef, and a rotating roster of inventive cocktails. The concept lands somewhere between a cozy corner pub and a chef-driven kitchen, and the menu reflects exactly that ambition. Below is our editorial guide to what Elk Ave Tavern serves, the dishes regulars rave about, and the practical details you need before you go.
Menu Overview
Elk Ave Tavern keeps things focused: a tight, well-edited list of shareable starters, hearty sandwiches and burgers, a few bowls and entrees, and a bar program that genuinely competes with the kitchen for attention. The food leans into American tavern classics but reworks them with a little more polish than the genre usually demands. Think loaded fries finished with house-braised beef, a lamb burger dressed with feta and roasted red peppers, and a buttermilk fried chicken sandwich that gets named again and again in reviews. The menu evolves with the seasons and the kitchen’s mood, so what you find on any given visit may shift, and ordering is handled in-house through the Toast platform rather than a sprawling online ordering empire.
One thing worth flagging up front: the tavern keeps a deliberately low digital footprint. There is no traditional full website and, by several customer accounts, no public phone line for reservations. The best way to confirm current offerings is the restaurant’s Instagram and Facebook pages or a visit in person.
Menu Categories & Highlights
While the exact lineup rotates, the menu has consistently centered on a few clear categories drawn from the restaurant’s online ordering listings, review photos, and social posts.
Starters & Shareables
- Disco Fries — fries topped with stout-braised beef and mozzarella, a frequently cited standout.
- Crispy Brussels — roasted Brussels sprouts that reviewers repeatedly call “absolutely delicious.”
- Brussels Pork Belly Skewers — tender pork belly paired with Brussels sprouts.
- Buffalo Wings and smoked-and-grilled wings.
- French Onion Soup, beef nachos, chicken skins, jalapeño hummus, and baked mac and cheese have all appeared.
Burgers & Sandwiches
- Double Cheeseburger — a juicy, beefy double on a good bun with shredded lettuce.
- Lamb Burger — served with feta and roasted red peppers.
- Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich — a crowd favorite with a crisp exterior.
- Hot Chicken Sando, Braised Beef Sandwich, Cheesesteak (a holdover from the Cibi Cibi truck days), and a Pastrami Reuben.
Bowls, Entrees & Pizza
- Jasmine Rice Bowl
- Blackened Shrimp Quesadilla — with pickled red onions.
- Fish and Chips
- Hot Honey Pepperoni Pizza
- Breakfast Burrito (on applicable menus)
Salads & Sides
- Wedge Salad — singled out by multiple diners as a personal best.
- Caesar Salad
- Sides including Street Corn and fries served plain or loaded.
Bar & Cocktails
The drink list is part of the draw. Signature pours that turn up in reviews and social posts include the Banana Bread Old Fashioned and a Spicy Jalapeño Margarita, alongside a rotating local beer selection and a small wine list.
Featured / Signature Dishes
If you are visiting for the first time, a handful of dishes capture what Elk Ave Tavern does best. The Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich is the most consistently praised item on the menu, a textbook example of the kitchen’s elevated-comfort approach. The Lamb Burger, with its feta and roasted red peppers, is the dish locals point newcomers toward when they want something a notch more distinctive than a classic burger. The Disco Fries built on stout-braised beef and mozzarella are the table’s unofficial mascot, and the Crispy Brussels have become a near-mandatory side. On the bar side, the Banana Bread Old Fashioned is the cocktail people come back for.
Prices (note may change)
Elk Ave Tavern is generally categorized as a moderate, two-dollar-sign ($$) establishment on review platforms, putting it in the comfortable mid-range for downtown Rock Hill dining. However, the restaurant does not publish a standardized public price list, and verified per-item pricing was not available across the sources we consulted. Out of respect for accuracy, we are not assigning specific dollar figures to individual dishes here.
For current pricing, the most reliable route is the restaurant’s in-house Toast ordering page or a quick check of their Instagram, where menu updates are posted. As with any independent kitchen, menu items and prices may change over time, seasonally or at the chef’s discretion.
Restaurant Information (location, hours, contact)
Address: 125 Elk Avenue, Rock Hill, SC 29730 (downtown Rock Hill, in the space that formerly housed Sweet Tea Cafe).
Contact: The tavern keeps a light digital footprint. Multiple customer accounts note there is no public phone line and the restaurant does not take reservations; the most reliable contact is email at elkavetavern@gmail.com or a direct message via their social channels.
Hours (verify before visiting, as they may change):
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm |
| Wednesday | 11:30 am – 3:00 pm, 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm |
| Thursday | 11:30 am – 3:00 pm, 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm |
| Friday | 11:30 am – 3:00 pm, 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm |
| Saturday | 11:30 am – 3:00 pm, 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm |
| Sunday | 11:30 am – 3:00 pm |
Popular Customer Favorites
Across review platforms and social media, a clear set of crowd-pleasers emerges. These are the items diners mention most often:
- Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich — the most frequently celebrated dish.
- Lamb Burger — the signature alternative to the standard burger.
- Double Cheeseburger — praised by one writer as among the best in the Charlotte metro.
- Disco Fries with stout-braised beef and mozzarella.
- Crispy Brussels and the Wedge Salad.
- Blackened Shrimp Quesadilla with pickled red onions.
- Banana Bread Old Fashioned and the Spicy Jalapeño Margarita from the bar.
Looking for more spots like this? You can browse more menus, dig into our food guides, or explore our collection of Tavern Menus.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Elk Ave Tavern located?
Elk Ave Tavern is at 125 Elk Avenue in downtown Rock Hill, South Carolina, 29730, occupying a brick storefront that previously housed Sweet Tea Cafe.
Does Elk Ave Tavern take reservations or have a phone number?
According to multiple customer reports, the tavern does not maintain a public phone line and does not take reservations. The most reliable way to reach the restaurant is by email at elkavetavern@gmail.com or through its Instagram and Facebook pages.
What kind of food does Elk Ave Tavern serve?
It serves elevated American tavern fare: burgers, sandwiches, shareable starters, a few bowls and entrees, and a creative cocktail program. The kitchen grew out of the Cibi Cibi food truck, so several dishes carry over from those roots, including the cheesesteak.
What are Elk Ave Tavern’s signature dishes?
Standouts include the Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich, the Lamb Burger with feta and roasted red peppers, the Disco Fries built on stout-braised beef, and the Crispy Brussels. At the bar, the Banana Bread Old Fashioned is a signature pour.
How much does it cost to eat at Elk Ave Tavern?
The tavern is generally rated as a moderate, mid-range ($$) restaurant. Specific per-item prices are not published publicly, so we recommend checking the restaurant’s Toast ordering page or social channels for current figures, as menus and prices may change over time.
Last updated: June 2026.
