THE RAW LAB VALUE PROPOSITION

WHO IS IT A GOOD FIT FOR AND WHAT IS THE VALUE PROPOSITION?

OVERVIEW IS IT FOR YOU A-TYPICAL POLICIES VALUE PROPOSITION PRICING DISCOVERY MISSION

RAW LAB IS NOT FOR EVERYONE OR EVERY OCCASION. IT IS, HOWEVER, A SINGULAR CULINARY EXPERIENCE AND, FOR THOSE FOR WHOM IT IS A FIT, IT CAN BE AN EXTRAORDINARILY REWARDING CULINARY EXPERIENCE. IT IS A FOOD & WINE OFFERING THAT IS HIGHLY REWARDING FOR THE INTERESTING & INTERESTED GOURMANDS & EPICUREANS WHO HAVE HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE TO DINE AT TOP RESTAURANTS ALL OVER THE WORLD AND WHO ARE INTERESTED IN DINING IN A VERY SOCIAL WAY.

RAW LAB IS A GREAT FIT FOR…

We've come to think of it as worthwhile to describe the attributes of the guests who appreciate and enjoy RAW LAB the most as, after 2 years of operations, we've come to see who it is best suited for and, therefore, who enjoys it the most. DETAILS HERE

Those that appreciate and enjoy RAW LAB the most are interesting & interested people who are often influential as well. They are typically more extroverted than introverted and looking to experience / discover something unprecedented with a group of other gourmands and epicureans. We've found that those who've dined at the highest levels around the world garner the most value from our unique service style, culinary ethic and overall offering. They may also be more "adventurous" in their culinary explorations, looking for something unique or unusual (in both food, bev and experience) but not necessarily "challenging" or "weird".

Our guests tend to love that we turn many "fine dining" principles upside down, apply the Omakase style of service to something other than sushi and eliminate the strict formalities typical in Omaskase sushi offerings. These guests enjoy what is often a surprise at our price point: It is as much FUN dining as it is FINE dining. With that being said, the quality of the product is ALWAYS the best of the best so those who understand and appreciate top-quality are always impressed. It is exciting to watch our guests be engaged and enchanted with the quality of the product, the presentation of it and the realization that, in the end, they've enjoyed a very filling, satisfying, fun, colorful and nutritious meal, not just an elaborate appetizer. 

Theater and education are cornerstones of the value proposition and our guests find value in our way of busting myths and becoming more informed without being made to feel like they are uninformed. They like hearing answers to the many questions posed to the chef who is present throughout. The result is a kind of Edu-Tainment that commonly surpases the value proposition of traditional dining experiences as our guests learn much about oysters, caviar and other seafoods. They'll garner a greater appreciation of the metrics of quality for each and be more able to understand and order them to suit their preferences as they dine elsewhere or source product for enjoyment at home. Through our intimate, detailed and meticulous model we are able to #RaiseTheRawBar which allows our guests to #SeasTheBay.

“DISCOVERY & LEARNING is the DELTA between EATING and DINING. We eat at the $100 price point. If we are not learning and finding a “wow” or three (or more) at $250, its not worth it.”

- Chef Kevin Joseph, Owner, Founder, Chef @ RAW LAB

OVERVIEW IS IT FOR YOU A-TYPICAL POLICIES VALUE PROPOSITION PRICING DISCOVERY MISSION

Often our guests are as interested in WHY we are serving what we do as what we are serving. They notice, ask about and are interested in our unique set of culinary ethics. There are two lanes we operate in and they are different from the typical "Farm to Table" or "local" or "French". Our structure is built around new culinary ethics that curious consumers are interested to learn more about. The first is Marine Cuisine. The second is Whole, Live, Raw & Bioavailable (WLRB). Marine Cuisine limits us to using species / product that is "vanguard best practices in aquaculture or fishing" which results in the safest, healthiest, most sustainable and most responsible ("smartest") choices.  WLRB means we strive to keep everything as full of beneficial bacteria as possible for maximum benefits from pro-biotics, anit-oxidants and optimal nutritional value and uptake. Many of our guests are well versed in wellness and bleeding edge nutritional principles. Others are keenly interested in learning more.

Our strongest advocates have always been those who easily spot and navigate around gimmicks. Our guests know that the opposite of gimmick is authenticity. Understanding how rare that is, they are keen to express their appreciation of the purpose and passion of the Chef, Owner & Master Mermmelier, Kevin Joseph. In the end our guests can see that descriptive terms like "world-class" and "top-shelf" can be applied to much more than just food, service and atmosphere and that RAW LAB's shine comes not from glitter but from gold.

VALUE PROPOSITION

  • EARTH’S ONLY OMAKASE-STYLE RAW BAR EXPERIENCE. Omakase is an ancient Japanese service style typically applied to Sushi or Kaiseki. It means “to entrust” and in this service style the guest trusts the chef to serve the best possible product available, at that time. The guest does not order, there is no published or printed menu and it is typically prixe fixe. We have applied this ancient service style to a New American Raw Bar offering. So, we are not an Omakase Sushi or Kaiseki offering. Michelin’s Definition of Omakase can be found here

  • A MASTER CLASS IN OYSTERS follows an amuse bouche. Here we experiment with various treatments, toppings and dressings on a single oyster variety. The oyster is the “control”. The experiment is “which accoutrement do you prefer”. We explore classic wine pairings with oysters and we discuss the proper way to eat ultra-premium oysters, elegantly dressed. Its a fun and unpretentious presentation and exploration of oysters not unlike what you’d experience and learn about wine from a Sommelier in an professional wine tasting experience.

  • A MASTER CLASS IN CAVIAR follows our oyster service. In it we enjoy caviar as professionals in the field have for 1000 years…with caviar bumps…that is, consumed off the back of your hand with ZERO accoutrement, EVER! We feature STERLING CAVIAR, farmed and crafted in California and this ultra-premiuim American Caviar is best enjoyed this way (like all fine caviar). You will be transformed and learn something you’ll benefit from forever. Our process is called “The Ride” and it allows us to take you on a guided 45 - 120 second roller-coaster ride of flavor and sensation that will transform how you think and feel about caviar forever. As an appreciation for fine caviar is similar to that of oysters or fine wine, similar processes are used. The result is often “mind-blowing”.

  • PRIVATE CHEF’S TABLE / TEST KITCHEN “DINNER”. Following the 60-90 minute …dinner beg ins after the 4 courses that make up the introduction. Another 5- 6 courses are now presented. You will dine with only 11 others.

  • Our room is private, discreet and seats only 12 guests in one seating. Every dish is made within 5’ of every seat. You see EVERYTHING as it is being made. Everything is made or plated a la minute.

  • DISCREET! Nobody can see in or out of the room. Nobody can enter the room during service other than the guests.

  • AN EXTRAORDINARY WINE PAIRING OPPORTUNITY. We pair each course with a different wine. Up to 14 wines are featured with each seating. We feature lesser known varieties which are becoming recognized as outstanding seafood wines. So, as you dine you learn about which seafood wines you prefer, all of which are available “to go”. Our strategy with wine is not to serve you a few full glasses of AMAZING wine, rather it is to serve you many small pours of good & great wine such that you might discover a new brand or varietal you love…and perhaps, take a bottle or two of it home with you so you dont have to go searching for it online or all over trown. Its a flight of 12 - 14 wines on offer. And you’ll be more informed for when you enjoy seafood elsewhere.

  • A CHANCE TO DINE WITH A MASTER MERMMELIER. A Mermmelier is “a master of seafood”. As a Sommelier is to wine, a Mermmelier is to oysters and seafood, especially raw bar. RAW LAB’s oyster service is a master class in “ostreology”. The caviar service is superb as well. In this hour or so any given guest (yes, even the best fed and well traveled gourmand and epicurean) has a real opportunity to see, taste, experience and discover several things for the first time.

  • EXPERIENCE 20 + POINTS OF DISCOVERY. Discovery is the quintessence of value in fine dining. You’ll see, feel, smell, taste and enjoy at least 15 products, processes, accoutrements and tools you never have before. Enchantment is guaranteed. You will NOT be lectured, you will be edu-tained. The service is a performance executed in a custom designed and built space and guests are encouraged to ask questions or make comments for the benefit of all present. You will experience Oysters & Caviar as you never have before, guaranteed, as the experience begins with a Masterclass in both. There are at least 10 points of discovery in that part of the event for most diners. We can honestly say now, after 2 years of operations, that the first 90 minutes of your time at RAW LAB will change your life for the better, forever.

  • SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT, adventurous, exciting, sexy, smart & cool. Dining here is dining at the bleeding edge of sustainable, healthy, responsible, creative and quality.

  • PROVEN, MATHEMATICALLY, TO BE A 5 STAR EXPERIENCE as per our rating on YELP, Open Table & RESY…and even Google, where people who have never been can (and have) posted negative reviews. The data since we opened in Feb 2022 clearly proves this point. As of March 23, 2023 we have done the numbers and the math and all of this is independently verifiable, by you.

    • 344 reviews on 4 platforms

    • 333 Five Star reviews

    • 11 reviews below 5 Star

    • 97% of reviews are 5 Star and 3% of reviews are 4 Star or less.

      • NOTE: As of Feb 25, 2024 we still maintain a 4.9 Star rating on RESY.

      • Typically the few who have given us less than 5 star were NOT in the right place for the right reasons. Clearly we do EVERYTHING we can to dissuade those people from coming because it is NOT for them. Sometimes the fail to get the message.

  • A ELITE & EPIC RAW BAR OFFERING not (just) an oyster bar. There simply is NOTHING like it on Earth. Nor has there ever been. We feature a lot more than just typical raw bar fare. We use rare & exotic products prepared and presented in inventive ways. Things like top quality caviar, crab, shrimp, salmon, scallops, lobster and more in fun, creative, colorful, delicious and healthy ways.

  • An EXPERIMENT IN MARINE CUISINE & DelicaSEAS. A healthy, delicious, colorful meal, that is safer, healthier and SMARTER than “Seafood”.

  • AN INCREDIBLE COLLECTION OF MEZCAL, TEQUILA & JAPANESE WHISKY. Perhaps the finest in Charleston.

  • ONLY ONE SEATING PER NIGHT, each Thurs, Fri & Sat nights. We start at 6:30pm. Service takes about 3.5 hours. Guests are NEVER rushed out because we need the seats for the next seating.

  • A SALON / COMMUNITY TABLE / BAR / CHEF’S TABLE where all guests sit together at one large U shaped bar. It creates a salon like atmosphere where interesting and interested foodies, gourmands and epicureans share with and learn from one another. In fact, we consider it to be a “Salon de Marine Cuisine” In fact, we are presenting a Salon in the oldest, truest sense of the term: SALON ON WIKIPEDIA

  • At RAW LAB, guests are (1) hosted by a master (2) a process of discovery is executed where all guests can engage with each other and each element of the experience together, in real time, a complex and rewarding topics are explored (Marine Cuisine, DelicaSEAS, best/vanguard practices in aquaculture / fishing…etc), (3) opinions are shared and (4) relationships are created.

  • AN EXPERIENCE, where whole, live, raw and bioavailable dishes are served, explained, enjoyed and discussed.

  • AN ESCAPE! The food, music, decor, lighting and service are all, purposely, “unfamiliar”, safe, comfortable and interesting.

    RAW LAB IS NOT…

  1. A “RESTAURANT”. It is a Raw Bar that is disrupting the restaurant industry. We have removed the raw bar from the restaurant in our model. And eliminated the restaurant, waiters, cooks and all the other staff that cost money…money that comes out of the budget for food & wine. So, for a few people at a time, we can be a MUCH better food & beverage experience. And we turned “RAW BAR” into a meal. We also improved it in every possible way. So now, instead of going to seafood restaurants that ALSO have a raw bar, and do an OK job with it, you can go to the best RAW BAR in the world. You cant be the best at something if you ALSO do it, you have to be singularly focused on it. We are singularly focused on delivering an elite raw bar product, service and experience.

  2. A “SUSHI” EXPERIENCE. There is no rice used in any dish. This is not sashimi or nigiri. We do not aim to emulate sushi or izakaya menus or the omakase style often used in those cuisines. We offer riffs on Classic American Raw Bar offerings and apply the ancient omakase style to the food & wine pairings. On top of that we #RaiseTheRawBar with a host of whole, live, raw & bioavailable products and presentations.

  3. RUSHING YOU OUT THE DOOR. Your seating is the ONLY seating. We are not trying to turn the table. You are never rushed because there is not second seating. This is your semi-private or private dining experience with the chef / owner in your lap, for 4 hours.

  4. CHEAP OR QUICK. We charge $250 per person plus tax and tip. It takes 3-4 hours.

  5. A SMALL MEAL YOU LEAVE HUNGRY FROM. We fill your belly and moreover, we nurture it with whole, live, raw and bioavailable dishes that are healthy and delicious. You’ll feel great when you leave and great the next morning too.

  6. A LA CARTE. A this time, guests CAN NOT pop in and grab a seat, even if some of our 12 seats are open. Book in advance to secure your seat please. \\

  7. A KITCHEN WITH AN OVEN OR A GRILL or many other things typical to a “restaurant”. This is a RAW BAR. We prep and serve everything from an astonishingly small and tight 50 square foot area. There is are very few hot or cooked items. There is no such thing as dessert here.

    TRYING TO COMPETE IN THE “MIDDLE OF THE MARKET” We are creating an new ‘top of market” category and winning at the top of the market consumers who see us achieving our goal to deliver the coolest combination of product, preparation and presentation paired with aweseome atmosphere, vibe and discovery. Not for you? Yer not alone. Its not for most. Go to Husk, Halls or any of Charlestons most popular restaurants.

RAW LAB IS NOT A FIT FOR….

  1. Anyone under 21.

  2. Guests coming in 3 drinks deep. PLEASE DO NOT DRINK before you come to RAW LAB. Hydrate instead. Please! We will be opening many great wines. To drink before this is to force us to limit your consumption in the moment (something we do not want to do). Too many times we’ve seen guests fade and leave early, become inappropriate or lost their appetites. It SLOWS THE SERVICE DOWN, AND CAN KILL THE VIBE. We are getting a little more adamant now about pointing out what we have observed over 15 months of operations. If you are under 110 lbs, over 65 year s of age or have a low tolerance for alcohol WE WELCOME YOU TO RAW LAB BUT WE IMPLORE YOU NOT TO DRINK beforehand. These are the demographics have observed to have the hardest time getting to the end of the experience.

BEFORE YOU COME, PLEASE BE SURE YOU WONT BE / ENGAGE IN ANY “VIBE KILLERS”

  • Intoxication - Falling down or falling asleep in RAW LAB means you are going to be given your check and you will be required to leave. We expect you to do so graciously. Without exception or discussion, those who challenge this policy will not be invited back.

  • Phone Abuse - Flash photography is not allowed. Neither is taking or making calls or watching videos on your phone during service. If your face is glued to your phone we will point it out and remind you of our polices once. If it continues you’ll be presented with a check and required to leave.

  • Attention Hogs & Braggards - Everyone must share the oxygen in the room with up to 12 other guests and the chef. Meaning, we all gotta share the space, energy and vibe. Guests have to share the attention of the Chef who, in the end, is making up to 12 courses for as many as 12 guests while pairing 12 wines and managing a host of soundtracks for several of those courses. Those making others uncomfortable with relentless boasting, interrogations or outlandish comments / behavior will be presented a with a check and asked to leave. Those who hog the attention of others or create any uncomfortable feelings in the room, will be presented a with a check and asked to leave.

  • RAGERS: RAW LAB is fun. But it’s NOT a Bachelorette Party, Karaoke or a keg-er. It can be very high energy, but it’s NOT a “Rager”: Yelling is discouraged at all times.

BOTTOM LINES

If you are a little (or a lot) like Larry David…please don’t come to RAW LAB. Dont drink before you come. Dont hog the energy in the room….share it and contribute to it. Govern yourself with regards to alcohol consumption during the service. If you cant handle about 1 bottle of wine with a full meal over about 4 hours then skip some wines or ask for smaller pours. This is an ACTIVE experience. YOU ARE A BIG PART OF IT. The best way to enjoy it and to contribute to it being enjoyable is to match the energy of the room. FYI: Wednesdays are more low key. Saturdays are more rowdy. If you are very very interested asking questions, learning from others or…learning about Marine Cuisine, the wines, the music.…etc…then come on Wed & Thurs. Less so? Come on Friday & Saturday.

OUR GOAL

Everyone is present, pleasant & pleased.

HOW IT WORKS & THE NITTY GRITTY DETAILS

We operate up to 4 nights a week + Wed, Thurs, Fri & Sat + One seating + Seating up to 12 guests + Service lasts 3-4 hours + Prix Fixe @ $250 ++ per guest + We have a VERY Clear & Fair No Show & Cancellation Policy (see below) + Valid credit card required to secure booking on RESY + Guests do not pre pay, guests are presented a final bill at the end of the meal and pay and tip at that time. The Host / Owner relies on the tips to make a living, not a killing. Food costs are very, very high due to the larger than typical portions of rare and exotic products we feature so if this were a traditional restaurant it would be out of business very quickly. Tips therefore make up the difference in this business model for the Owner / Host. Tipping minimum is 20%. This is of equivalent value to front row seats at a major concert, a broadway show or symphony performance and there is no “cancelling” those plans and receiving a refund. Those kinds of experiences in major markets like Atlanta, New York, London & Tokyo…etc start at $300. We believe this to be a great value at $250 + tax + tip which ends up being about $310 per person. Guests often tip 40% and our gratuity average is 25%. Why? people LOVE IT and they express that in the gratuity.

BOOK THE ROOM PRIVATELY

This can be done two ways: Book all 12 seats for $250++ each or 14 seats for $5,000++. This includes food & bev for 1-12 guests.

If there is a night you want to book it privately but there are not enough seats, for your group, call us. Maybe we can move existing bookings on that night to another night so you can have the room all to yourself. If you are group of 8, you can have the room privately if you book all 12 seats which, in the end will need to be paid for + tax + tip.

POLICIES FOR OUR UNUSUAL BUSINESS MODEL & EXPERIENCE

Our policies and business model can (and likely should be) reviewed carefully here BEFORE BOOKING. FIND THEM HERE

PLEASE SHARE THE WEB SITE & OUR POLICIES WITH ANYONE YOU PLAN TO DINE WITH as we will all benefit from confirming that the experience, policies, product and service are a fit for those we intend to share it with.

CANCELLATION POLICIES

NO SHOW POLICY

  • $250 per guest will be charged to the card provided. No exceptions.

CANCELLATION POLICY

  • > 9 days notice: No charge to your card.

  • < 9 days notice: $250 charge, per seat, IF, IF, IF we cannot fill your seats. WE DO NOT always charge and we do everything we can to fill those seats so we do not have to charge you.

  • No Show: $250 per seat

LARGE GROUPS

  • Defined as 5 or more guests must pre-pay to reserve seats and confirm reservation.

HOW WE TRY TO HELP YOU AVOID THESE FEES IF YOU HAVE AN EMERGENCY WHICH KEEPS THEM FROM COMING

  1. We post about open seats to our Instagram as often as 4 times a week.

  2. We ping those on our waitlist and notify list.

  3. We reach out to a network of hotel concierges.

  4. We allow you to sell or transfer the seats to anyone over 21.

NOTE: These fees are non-refundable. However, if you cant make it, you can certainly send friends in your place. Seats are always transferable.

IN THE FUTURE

As we develop a wait list we will hopefully be able to relax or eliminate our cancellation & no show policies. We can only do this if we can continue to operate. To continue to operate, we MUST have these policies in place…for now.