50 Best American Restaurants in Charleston

“Tried and true for 20 years. Absolutely best restaurant in Charleston. Food always incredible, service always perfect.“

“Delicious meal & friendly staff“

“Best restaurant in Charleston! It really is a must!“

“Vern’s Restaurant in downtown Charleston truly exceeded our expectations and left us with an unforgettable dining experience. The food was exceptional—quite possibly the best meal we have ever had.“

“We had the most amazing night celebrating our 10th anniversary. The entire team went above and beyond and we left feeling so filled with joy—and OUTSTANDING food. Flavors that we never will forget and memories for a lifetime. WC team, thank you for making our first night in Charleston one we will never forget.“

“Great food; great service“

“Leon's is literally in my dreams! My boyfriend and I went there for the first time three years ago. It blew our minds! Affordable, delicious food, and such a fun atmosphere. We returned a couple of times on the same trip. We live in NJ... and set up a trip last year JUST to go to Leons. I am actually scared to post a review because I selfishly want to keep it a secret for my boyfriend and I. Man, if you like chicken and oysters... you cannot go wrong. Damn, now I need to set up another trip. :)“

“Edmund’s Original is one of our favorite restaurants in Charleston. It’s the perfect mix of quality and price, with a team that always makes us feel right at home. I can’t speak highly enough of this place. Whenever someone comes to visit from out of town, we bring them to EO so they can get a taste of what we’re fortunate to enjoy regularly. The food is phenomenal - from the fried chicken to the burger to the steak, and everything in between. The beer selection is top notch. In-house developed cocktails are creative, while the classics are on point if that’s more your speed. The chocolate cake and an espresso martini are the perfect touch to finish it all off! Oh, and don’t sleep on the special events they host! When the chef teams up with other chef’s from around the state, they always deliver a unique and delicious experience!“

“Fantastic atmosphere. Saturday brunch with Beth, server as pleasant as con be. Highly recommend Shrimp and grits with Bloody Mary. A must when visiting Savannah.“

“I would definitely recommend S.N.O.B. for the quality of their food only. My friends and I were there on March 24, 2025, during an unexpected cold snap. We're from Florida and the weather was cold, windy and brutal. The four of us were seated at a table that was almost smack dab in front of the entrance door. Thus, people were constantly coming in and out. The manager should have had enough forethought to not place a table there, let alone sit people there in low fifty degree weather and high winds. We just wanted to get our food and get out.“

“Me and my daughter had been traveling all night (and looked like we had been). We stopped here because we were starving and needed to kill time until we could check into our hotel. The staff was so friendly to us. I felt like we were under dressed (it was Easter) but no one seemed to judge us for it. As for the food - amazing!!!!! I got the fried artichoke sandwich and it was sooooo good. The fries were also very good. This place has such a good vibe. I wish we were in town longer so we could enjoy it again.“

“We LOVED our lunch visit a few weeks ago! great service, excellent food, loads of fun!“

“The staff was amazing. It was our anniversary and the GM personally came to our table and poured us a glass of Champaign to celebrate. They also gave us a free dessert. The hostess, wait staff, and GM all took time to wish us a happy anniversary. The food was amazing as well! Overall it was a great dining experience!“

“We had a lovely dinner at The James. I have a restricted diet and they wendy out if their way to make sure I was accommodated. There were 4 of us and everyone enjoyed our evening. Our server, Jessica was first class as were everyone we came in contact with. Would highly recommend The James.“

“Great music, happy hour, and staff!“

“Yummy vegan options!, great service, and cute decor.“

“Had brunch today. Food was good. The chicken and waffle was really tasty.“

“I recommend it but do not order Navhos🤢“

“I would give the harlow 6 out if 5 stars if I could! From the service to the menu, the multiple oyster choices, the happy hours, the many specials, quality of the drinks, the happy, personable culture of the staff, the many heat lamps keeping the little outdoor garden oasis toasty and cozy, and the staff has nearly no turnover, and lots of Charleston restaurants have stupendous food, but what makes the harlow stand alone as a best of the best, is an obvious comeraderie amongst them coupled with the tastiest crab Mac n cheese in the universe along with their other delicious fare!“

“An entertaining chef, creative and exceptionally well-executed cuisine, a pleasingly funky ambience, and the delight at watching a fine chef at work, which equals a terrific experience.“

“The food is wonderful. Perfect experience ❤️“

“I have no clue on who the owners are, but I can tell you that all of their food is made with Love ❤️. You can see it and you can taste it. Everything I have ever had has always been so delicious. This place is a Charleston Gem and I pray this little place continues to Thrive and Prosper. Charleston Loves You❤️❤️“

“Dinner was very good & everyone was so very nice. Had reservations & they seated us at 5. It was Mothers Day& graduation week so they were really busy BUT no one made us feel rushed. We will definitely come back..“

“This is the best burger I've had in Charleston. I rate them on the same standard....Meat, American cheese, and bun. Only additions allowed are grilled onions, jalapeños, ketchup and mustard if you partake. Heavys is great but this one wins out based on the burger and better fries (came out piping hot!).“

“best drag show/brunch EVER! and our server Kahlil was amazing! 🤩“

“Lunch at the Charleston location on 17 was off the hook good! Go get some.“

“Big Shout Out to Tina our server today at Metro Diner ! She was Wonderful! She came right over with a beautiful smile and took our beverage order. We told her we knew what we wanted. She had no problem taking our food order. She even made a suggestion to my husband that saved him a few cents. She was a ray of Sunshine. She was very attentive. She checked on us several times. The food is great! The staff is great! Their cooks know what they are doing!! You can aee they all work as a team ! We have never had a bad meal there!!“

“Stopped in to wait for a friend who was staying at the hotel and man, their she-crab soup is better than I remember! Always a good idea to visit here for a quick drink or a bite. There was also a pianist playing that was very chill. Great vibes.“

“Great burgers and drinks. Staff is wonderful!“

“Food was excellent! Our server was excellent as well. We will be back!“

“Excellent service! The atmosphere was an amazing place to grab a drink and/or eat for the evening while socializing.“

“Excellent food and service.“

“Amazing food, cozy atmosphere and wonderful. friendly staff!! Highly recommend!!“

“Beautiful restaurant with Fabulous food and service! Look forward to our next visit.“

“My husband and I both tried the Classic. What a great chicken sandwich! It was delicious! We are going back tomorrow to try their smash burger 🍔“

“All of the food was good, to be honest it was my Mom’s favorite, and the service was unanimously good. I unfortunately once again to not remember the servers name, seems to be a personal problem. That being said, I thought the steak was not as good and a bit pricier than some of the other spots we tested in Charleston. I would go, but it wouldn’t necessarily be my first choice“

“Absolute hit! Every single sandwich was completely devoured.

e had an amazing lunch here. It’s a great, simple concept with a welcoming atmosphere and a super cool retro 80s and 90s vibe. You just seat yourself, order at the window, and they bring the food right out to you.
Our group tried a little bit of everything:
The Apple Butter Jeans sandwich was a huge hit.
Chipotle Chicken Pita absolutely crushed my expectations.
Pastrami Reuben was phenomenal (took a bite of my wife’s and man, it was delicious).
Cracker Barrel Club was excellent.
Sidewinder Fries were perfect—crisp, hot, and flawlessly seasoned.
Everything came out fresh, hot, and packed with great flavor. Service was incredibly polite and quick, too; we took our time and were still in and out in about 20 to 30 minutes. Serving sizes are great and the cost is very reasonable for the quality.
Highly recommend this spot. I honestly might return tomorrow just to try something else on the menu!“

“Hats off to Gaby! She was wonderful! Her energy and huge smile. We’d go back just to see her again! 🫶“

“Shout out to Candice and team for a great event. The planning was easy and the staff was really great. It is hard to manage 200 for luncheon. I did it for many years and there are always little additions or changes the day of and this team handled it all with speed and grace. Events here will not be disappointed. It’s a well oiled machine. Thanks to all! David, Renee, Candice - everyone.“

“Our server was great (Jayden!) and Kory was wonderful too! Quick service, great food, and servers that went out of their way! Five stars! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️“

“Always amazing!! Cooking class with Chef Tyler was so fun!! Zero George is our go to in Charleston!“

“The food and the service were great.“

“Share Our Suzy is incredibly grateful for Swig & Swine and their continued partnership in presenting our annual Denim & Diamonds event. Their commitment to supporting local breast cancer patients and giving back to the community means so much to our mission. Because of partners like Swig & Swine, we are able to provide real support to women in the Lowcountry during treatment. We are thankful for their generosity and for standing with us year after year.“

“Excellent service from start to finish! Our waiter- George Michael ☺ was incredibly friendly, attentive, and welcoming. He made sure we had everything we needed, checked on us regularly without being intrusive, and made the entire dining experience enjoyable. The food and drinks were great, and the outstanding customer service really stood out. Highly recommend, and we’ll definitely be back!

Shout out to Adam! Thanks for all the great Charleston tips!“

“Mike’s Charleston Historic Supper Club and the Colonial Tavern Table are the most unique food tours available in Charleston. Mike combines his love of history with delicious food. The historic venue is so unique, the way Mike ties the history of Charleston into the history of the food is so informative and fun. It was also really fun getting ti know the other guests. This is definitely one of the best food experiences offered in Charleston!!“

“Home team was a pleasure to work with! Great with responding and getting answers to me quickly, they arrived on time to cater a wedding I coordinated, set up on time, and the food was delicious! Extremely friendly and easy to work with staff who were very helpful! As a planner I appreciate a great catering team and they’ve got it! Highly recommend!“

“The food was amazing the crystal was an amazing server prompt attentive ever though the whole restaurant was slammed 10 out of 10 would ear here again“

“Great food, and even better service. Been going for years and the outstanding staff is why we continue to come back time after time.“

“The staff is very friendly. Food was delicious.“

“Outstanding service and an excellent dinner from start to finish. The blackened salmon gyro was absolutely delicious, and the cookie brownie sundae we shared was truly unforgettable. A fantastic experience all around.“