82 Best Restaurants in Charleston, South Carolina

James Beard Award semifinalist Alex Lira and some of his industry buddies opened this chill hot-dogs-and-raw-oysters joint as a neighborhood hangout with killer cocktails. Locals gather here to sprawl out on the velvet couch with a tiki cocktail and challenge each other over pinball. Even more cross bridges just to pick up a half or whole Peruvian rotisserie chicken to go.  

The kitchen at this buzzy all-day hot spot balances guilt-free ingredients with tantalizing flavors, from tempura cauliflower wings to local fish with tabbouleh and mint yogurt. The vegan- and vegetarian-friendly bowls, burgers, and tacos are served in the bright and cheery dining room and a tucked-away garden out back.

On Folly Beach, this 24/7 quick stop for gourmet sandwiches, local ice cream, and 75-cent hot dogs has been a mainstay for decades.

One of Charleston's oldest speakeasies, the Blind Tiger can go toe-to-toe with any newcomer. Name the beer, name the backdrop, and the Tiger can deliver in spades, starting with two indoor bars and a historic, handsome outdoor patio. The kitchen also turns out solid bar food—the truffle duck sandwich and French onion soup make this a regular lunch spot for Broad Street attorneys.

Begin your meal here with a half-dozen raw oysters, then fill up with a platter of ribs, pulled pork, and brisket. That's the concept behind this raw-bar-meets-BBQ joint that sits directly on the water, above a water sport outfitter and within sight of shrimpboats. It’s so chill there’s a note on the menu allowing customers to buy the kitchen a round of beers ($10 for six; $20 for 12). The local spot is a sister concept by the chef/owner of nearby Ella & Ollie’s.   

Carmine’s serves fare that both draws locals and also compels I-95 travelers to go out of their way for dishes that even native-born Italians rave over. Fancy for Walterboro (think chandeliers, a baby grand piano, tablecloths), it’s got a casual-nice atmosphere that’s still quirky. Besides the kind staff, the real star is the food: The veal marsala with fresh mushrooms is a tender treat, the lasagna is divine, and the tiramisu is crave-worthy. 

This perennial favorite inside the Charleston Place hotel provides what many regard as the city's highest gastronomic experience. The dining room's pale wood floors, flowing drapes, and elegant Queen Anne chairs provide a soothing setting for entrées—including a Wagyu tenderloin and fish a la plancha—broken into "From Our Waters" and "From Our Fields" on the seasonal menu. A jazz ensemble adds a hip yet unobtrusive element to the experience.

Situated in a restored and windowed corner building, Chasing Sage sets the stage for just about any dish to look good, but the seasonal cooking here would probably taste just as good in the dark. (In fact, when the restaurant's opening was delayed for one year by the pandemic, its vibrant to-go program proved as much.) Order as many vegetable-forward small plates as you can.

Located at the Wentworth Mansion, this former residential home is full of hand-carved marble fireplaces and stained-glass windows. The Ashley and Cooper tasting menus lean on Lowcountry roots with gussied up flair, like a grilled pimento cheese sandwich with prosciutto and paddlefish caviar, and foie gras flan with pickled pearl onions. The low lighting and quiet comfort of Circa 1886 make it hard to top for an intimate, romantic meal.

Off a little alley in a restored indigo warehouse, Coast Bar & Grill has a stripped-down look with exposed brick walls and wood columns. Wood-fired seafood and heavy sauces are staples, but lighter dishes like fish tacos and ceviche make it a standout. Highlights include braised grouper served with tasty herbs, shiitake mushrooms, and decadent bacon-and-cheese grits, as well as the lobster and crab gratin, which comes complete with Parmesan mashed potatoes. The place can be noisy, but it's always fun. (It transforms into a boisterous bar in the later hours.) You can watch the cooks in the heat of the open kitchen in the front room or go in the back dining room where it is cooler. There are usually half-price wine specials, and there's live music on Sunday evening.

Ken Vedrinski's Italian homage to the sea on the Isle of Palms is worth the hike from downtown. The crudo (raw fish) with tangerines, wine vinegar, and pickled garlic makes an excellent starter before you dive into local blue crab with parsley, lemons, and bread crumbs or clams with preserved tomatoes and spicy peppers. If the chef is around, he'll be more than happy to make wine recommendations and provide some entertaining conversation. A bonus: this tiny restaurant has ocean views from its second-story patio.

A vestige of a past era in Cannonborough-Elliottborough, this stalwart soul food joint still boxes up fried shrimp, deviled crab, and juicy pork chops. The menu changes daily, and it's wise to follow the recommendations of the chef just behind the counter in the open kitchen. Most folks take their okra soup, turkey wings, and country ribs to-go, but there are a few barstools and a couple of simple tables just inside the door.

The signature oyster presentation at this upscale seafood spot in a historic single house includes caviar, chives, and champagne. This delectable mouthful sets the tone for further treats to come, including spicy tuna tartare and an impeccably fried flounder with malt vinegar fries. It's a few steps out of the way on Calhoun Street, but worth the walk—and a perfect reservation before a show at the Gaillard Center. 

If you're staying near I-95 or looking for a family-friendly bar to watch a game, this independent joint is a step above the fast-food and other chain restaurants in the vicinity. The menu of sandwiches, steaks, and seafood mixes with Southern comfort foods, and has a homemade look (and taste) about it. Prices are reasonable, and the patrons are mostly local.

The wood-fired oven is on full display at this Italian-leaning eatery that churns out decadent pizzas—including one dripping with taleggio and burnt honey—and shareable plates like blue crab fritters and a platter of rich pork and beef meatballs sizzling in a cast-iron skillet. Spacious, green-cushioned, round booths are the choice seating inside, but if weather allows, ask for a table in the lovely courtyard, a space shared with the Emeline Hotel.

This local favorite, also known as Fast & French, has been a fixture in the neighborhood for 40 years, thanks to the consistent food, the esprit de corps of the staff, and the family-style tables for sharing breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Its popular fondue grew from a once-a-week special to a daily affair, and you can also get your cheese fix with the wonderful Bucheron cheese salad. Nightly specials, such as bouillabaisse, are reasonably priced and come with a petite glass of wine. The subtly sweet chocolate mousse cake is the best way to end your meal.

The Southern roots of this eatery's chef-owners show in the classic eats like deviled eggs, meat loaf, fried catfish po'boys, and overstuffed pimento-cheese sandwiches, along with sweets like bread pudding with whiskey sauce. The Saturday brunch is a must, with its fluffy buttermilk biscuits with gravy and savory pork tamales. Meals are served on sheets of brown paper that drape over the restaurant's wooden tabletops, another clever touch.

The cuisine at this atmospheric establishment—combined with a staggering array of excellent wines and white-jacketed service—makes Grill 225 a popular special occasion spot. Take the opportunity to dress up; the elegant wood floors and red-velvet upholstery call for it. If you enjoy red meat, indulge in the wet-aged steaks; the filet with foie gras bathed in a fig demiglace is equally excellent. Expect hefty portions, but save room for the pastry chef's shining creations, which include a contemporized version of baked Alaska with a nutty crust, flambéed table-side.

A DIY spin on the South's signature grain, grits here can be topped with pimento cheese or butterbeans, among other options.

Thanks to its impressive 28-day-aged USDA steaks, Halls Chophouse is regarded as one of the top steak houses in town. The 28-ounce Tomahawk rib eye, the New York strip, and the slow-roasted prime rib are especially recommended. The bustling bar is a good place to rub shoulders with a variety of well-to-do locals. A heads-up: the service borders on excessive (or is it obsessive?); the staff takes uncommon heed of its guests, though the lavishly prepared steaks offer the restaurant's greatest source of hospitality.

This upscale fish house serves such Southern adaptations as Lowcountry bouillabaisse and seafood platters that come with sweet-potato fries and coleslaw. With a community table flanked by paper-topped private tables, the lively spot harks back to an earlier time in Charleston's culinary history. The atmosphere retains an authentic vibe, with waiters in long white aprons buzzing about.

This Charleston classic remains unchanged by time: picture lazily spinning paddle fans, lush palm trees, and exposed brick walls. The kitchen serves up regional classics like a Lowcountry boil and bacon-wrapped stuffed rabbit loin. If you want a traditional dinner, there are thick cuts of steaks and chops with your choice of sauce and side dishes like fried Brussels sprouts and creamy white corn grits. For dessert, the pecan pie baked with bourbon brown sugar caramel and the high-rising peanut butter pie are like rich Southern blessings.

This bar and restaurant swiftly earned the endorsement of even the old-school barbecue set (the restaurant's newfangled pork tacos notwithstanding), and Home Team has done so with time-honored adherence to the oft-preferred technique of low-and-slow grilling, producing St. Louis–style ribs and traditional smoked pork and chicken. Side offerings are a good measuring stick for any barbecue joint, and they deliver with mashed potatoes, collard greens, red rice, baked beans, poppy-seed slaw, and potato salad. West Ashley's location is the original, but Home Team has grown—there's also a downtown location on Williman Street, an outpost on Sullivan's Island, and a satellite operation in Aspen, Colorado.

Husk's strict devotion to regional sourcing helped set a new standard for restaurants across the South. Supper favorites on the daily-changing menu include seafood such as snapper, catfish, and flounder, frequently paired with heirloom vegetables. Try the fried chicken skins or a skillet of smoky bacon cornbread—both are terrifically popular. The building itself, balcony intact, dates to the late 19th century, and the freestanding bar beside the restaurant is lined with 100-year-old exposed brick and several Kentucky bourbons and whiskeys. If you can't score a reservation, Husk Bar next door is arguably just as good for intimate drinks and a burger.

Creative Southern fare keeps this place bustling—it feels like the center of the small town action on weekend evenings. Opt for daily specials like Cajun crawfish pot pie or the sausage-stuffed pork tenderloin. Seating is inside the spacious brick former ice warehouse or on the inviting patio, where a playground (lorded over by a life-size Sasquatch) lets parents eat while the kids get their energy out.

For sophisticated Italian fare in a vibrant (and sometimes boisterous) setting, this hip spot on Upper King is the place. A modern aesthetic of exposed wood and an open kitchen may drive the design, but the food isn't putting on airs. Start with the burrata cheese served with crisp flatbread, then dive into one of the many unique salads. Don't miss the black-pepper tagliatelle crowned with a soft-boiled egg yolk.

The Galactic, Krypto, Orbit City, and Blue Galactic hot dog varieties at Jack's Cosmic are otherworldly excellent, with blue-cheese slaw, spicy mustard, sauerkraut, zippy onion relish, and Jack's own sweet-potato mustard, all swaddled in Pepperidge Farms split-top buns. Akin to a diner, Jack's serves milkshakes and sundaes, real custard soft-serve ice cream, draft root beer, and hand-cut fries. This place is a favorite among kids.

The fragrance of beef, lamb, and chicken shawarma wafts from the glass front doors of this Lebanese restaurant, bringing the authentic flavors of the Middle East to Charleston. Adventurous eaters can find beef tongue and frogs' legs on the huge menu, or skip straight to sweet treats with meghli rice flour pudding bedecked in cloves, coconut, and cinnamon. Generous portions make up for slightly high prices, and the service is friendly and informative.

You couldn't be blamed for thinking that this burger joint has been here for nearly a century—it's designed to look that way, and the effect works. Leather booths, checkered tablecloths, and plenty of black-and-white imagery create the perfect scene in which to sip a martini before chowing down on a sandwich. Proprietor Brooks Reitz is also the brains behind Melfi's and Leon's (as well as his nationally available Jack Rudy tonic syrup), and his talent for blending aesthetic good taste and flavorful style ensures that Little Jack's stays busy with regulars.