Two of my favorites are on the more casual side but are nonetheless worth seeking out: Obstinate Daughter and Leon’s.
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Thanks! Definitely going to go to Leon’s. We will be staying in Folly though so a trip to Obstinate Daughter is a bit of a haul.
Honeysuckle Rose looks interesting. I would be curious to try it in the future.
I was in Charleston about a month ago. Poes, 167 RAW twice, Azur, Zero George and Lewis BBQ for takeout were my dining choices. Zero George would be a similar tasting menu concept to HR and it was fantastic as always. Azur was OK. We went for Sunday brunch. The folks were great and the food was OK. It’s the same owners that’s been in that space for a long time. I think that it was a coffee shop previously and they owned the wine bar next door which is closed and only utilized for private events now. The desserts were delicious and I think the head chef has a pastry background…
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We were just in Charleston for a younger cousins wedding.
Da Toscana Porchetta was so good we went for lunch 2 days in a row. The whipped ricotta w/prosciutto was a surprise favorite. (Along with Porchetta and Italian)
Maybe not what you think of when going to the “low country” but I’d highly recommend.
I believe the owner also has a high end Osteria in town.
On other trips, I always made an effort to go by Rodney Scott’s. Heard great things about Lewis BBQ.
Leon’s Oyster shop was a great lunch (fries chicken & oysters) spot this last trip as well.
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Reporting back on Charleston trip from a couple weeks back. Charleston is an underrated food city and possibly best in the southeast.
Honeysuckle Rose - food was fantastic and wine pairings were solid. This place is special for the experience though. They do a great job of creating a dinner party atmosphere that is fun and engaging.
Chez Nous - Fantastic even on a night where the daily menu didn’t align with my palate preferences. Such a cool spot with an awesome wine list both by bottle and glass. Agree with all the recommendations here.
Southbound - Possibly our favorite all around meal. Same ownership as Honeysuckle Rose. Sat at the chef’s counter. Food, service, cocktails were all spot on.
Fig - Food was stellar. Favorite dish of the week was the Tomato Tarte here. The overall experience was a bit more traditional than the rest of the places we went.
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Bumping this as we are heading to Charleston in a few weeks. We already have a reservation at Chez Nous, a perennial favorite. We have an AirBnB in the neighborhood and want to really chill and stay local. We love the Ordinary and had a really good, really fun meal at Chubby Fish.
Curious about Honeysuckle Rose and Southbound and recent experiences. @TreyS what did you prefer about Southbound to Honeysuckle? Also, how is the wine list at Southbound? I don’t see it online.
Further afield, it looks like Sushi Wa is waitlist only and I’m not sure that I want to “waste” a spot on our trip with something that will never come through. Also, how is 167 Sushi? It looks like a fun menu, but maybe not as sushi focused (do they allow BYO?). We’re really lacking for top sushi where I live and would only want to use a slot if it is top notch since there are so many good options.
Thanks.
Honeysuckle Rose - While the food was spectacular, to me it was more about the experience and dinner party vibe that made it memorable. They do a great job of creating a unique atmosphere that’s just really fun.
Southbound - we did not order wine off the list but brought a bottle of Meo Camuzet VR so I unfortunately cannot help there. We ordered some cocktails that were fantastic though. I would say not to expect a wine list to the level of Chez Nous. The atmosphere at Southbound is also great. We enjoyed sitting at the upstairs bar for a minute before getting our spot at the chefs counter.
Honeysuckle is an elevated overall experience but understand it’s more of an event. If after more towards a traditional dining experience the menu and food at Southbound are fantastic.
Do you remember the corkage? Was red Burgundy the right call with the meal? The menu looks robust, but hasn’t been updated since the summer. If the chef’s counter is not available, is it still worth the visit? It sounds like yes, but just checking.
I wanna say $35 or $50.
Certainly could get away with something a bit bolder. The Carter Weitz we had the night before probably would have been a better choice.
And yeah I think Chef’s counter is the way to go there. Some of the other indoor seating is oddly placed - it’s an old home similar to Chez Nous in layout.
This thread is perfect timing for me. I will be there first week in April.
If any of the above are great for fish and vegetables specifically, please mention it.
One other request, can anyone recommend liquor stores with great selections? Specifically, I’d love to find any of the special Balvenie bottlings for my M-I-L. It can be on the way out of town as we’re driving back to NC on 95.
Bumping this question.
We grabbed a reservation at Southbound for the chef’s counter.
We will be in Charleston over New Year’s for a few days, Any comments on Magnolias?
Local friends took us to Magnolia’s. We originally had a lunch reservation, but ended up going for dinner. It’s really good and sort of NY priced. First time eating fried green tomatoes. This was delicious. My wife had, she says and I confirm, the tastiest salmon she’s ever eaten. I had to have the very southern and not greasy fried chicken. Talk about flavor. This was served over mashed and 2 cute little biscuits. I don’t know how they prepared the corn, but I could have ordered it as a full meal. The Brussel sprouts were made with the tastiest bacon I’ve ever had in this dish.
For lunch we enjoyed Fleet Landing Restaurant and Bar… on the water. My wife had the shrimp salad. I had the Tigger fish. It’s white, flakey, and sweet. The grits tasted the way grits should taste. Nice view of the harbor and cheap.
Do not go to Hyman’s. Very touristy and awful food.
Want to take dinner up a notch? Have dinner at Restaurant – Peninsula Grill
It’s $$$$ and worth every penny. Very classy and elegant. Reservations a must.
Dan
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Crap
It’s typical for me to discover a place, fall in love, watch other people fall in love, can’t get a reservation.
Now this.
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Jackrabbit Filly - Meh
King BBQ - 
Good for the chef on the TV show appearance. We met him at King a few weeks ago and he was really nice. Loved a good chat!
What would be the best 3 places for fish lovers (not fried).
I still love every fish dish I’ve had at FIG.
Would add Chubby Fish, and then would let someone who’s been to CHS a bit more often than I have add a third. But would consider Verns?
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Thanks!