The setting of this restaurant is absolutely stunning! We did the six course tasting menu which was really fun. All the staff are great, the food is delicious and the wine pairing had very generous pours!
TOURtheWORLDMexPal
For those who are not familiar with high end fine dining experience and would like to experience one, especially for a special occasion, such as a fine romantic date, anniversary and birthday, circa 1886 is an excellent choice in Charleston SC. Food: Tasing menu… Two options: The food is excellent, in three major categories: Taste, quality and presentation. Each consists of 6 courses, and all are in very small portions…. Bites…. Hence, tasting menu. They are not substantial for dinner though, so plan accordingly. The price of $135 per person is fair for meeting the major categories. As for the wine pairing, I would like to compliment Anna the Sommelier, her knowledge of the wine she serves is excellent, she is very passionate about her mission. I am a level 2 Sommelier myself, I collect top wines of the world. I keep a 1000 bottles in my cellar at any time, so judging and evaluating Anna’s five selection of wine to pair with food are as follows: Five different wine, the winery selection are great as they are picked from different parts of the world and different grapes, so to experience varieties. The problem is the vintage they select, they are very entry level, but I guess to keep the price of $90 for the wine pairing t this very low price, you cannot provide higher rating wines. My suggestion is add an option for premier or better rated wine at higher price for those who are willing to pay and enjoy better selection. As for pairing, acceptable, not the best….. we enjoyed my pick of wine from the list before we started the wine selected for the pairing. The list is better option for wine enjoyment… but for the experience, I still recommend the low end wine pairing. Service: Good for entry level fine dinning. Ambience: Very nice elegant small place. It is considered fine dinning, so dress appropriately…. Value: fair for the experience Overall rating: 5 for food, 3 for wine, and 4 for experience (so average of 4) Recommendation/Final thought: excellent place for those to try a fine dining experience in not intimidating environment. It is casually fine dining…. Locals do not care about dress code. This place is not for us, we tried it to celebrate an occasion for a Quiet environment and check it off the list, we tried ALL FINE DINING in Charleston and almost all top restaurants for food…. This one rated in the middle.
russellg12534
What a wonderful dinner! Circa 1886 is definitely a place to celebrate special occasions. We were there to celebrate my birthday, albeit 5 days later. Bryan, our server, was fantastic and very helpful when making our selections. We followed the restaurant's advice and ordered one each of the two tasting menus. We didn't opt for the wine pairings and instead ordered a bottle of wine separately. The meal itself was perfect; portions were just right and the pace of the meal was spot on. Each course was described by the person presenting it and everything was beautifully plated. We actually swapped a couple of courses with each other which wasn't an issue. I was presented with a Happy Birthday chocolate with dessert, which was a thoughtful touch. Circa 1886 is definitely worth the splurge. Highly recommended.
jackhH8427ET
Circa 1886 is my favorite among Charleston's fine dining restaurants. The food is always outstanding, the service is impeccable and unobtrusive, and the layout is conducive to intimate conversation.
JustVadim
Our recent dinner at Circa 1886 was exceptional. We opted for a la carte menu, very limited but both dishes were superbly done: creative, not overwrought (a frequent occurrence at high-end restaurants) and quite subtle. The wine list is very well composed, our Anjou Blanc was very good. The service was also quite impressive.
N7221ODdianes
We stayed at the Wentworth Mansion and daily breakfast at Circa 1886 was included. Circa 1886 was outstanding! The food was absolutely delicious, the service was attentive & excellent and the place was very quaint! We enjoyed breakfast so much that we made dinner reservations and that also was terrific! We would HIGHLY recommend Circa 1886. It’s a treat!
Paul Finelt
An exquisite dining experience in Charleston. If you have time for a special experience, don’t miss dinner here. It was a birthday celebration for my lady. We indulged in the both the offered tasting menus. If you can, enjoy the experience. I did not see the Michelin star that this chef and his staff deserve.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Tyler Glander
Highly recommend this restaurant if you don't mind spending a bit more. Sea bass is by far the best thing on the menu. You have 2 tasting options. I recommend buying both, 1 for yourself and the other for whomever you are dining with. Then you get to try everything which I recommend. Very quiet atmosphere which makes for a great late evening meal. Overall a great dining experience!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Toby Redding
Decor highlights historic charm with refined elegance
Brian Walsh CHS Realtor
Circa 1886 is one of the most special restaurants in Charleston the kind of place that turns a great night into a lasting memory.
My wife and I come here every year for our anniversary, and it never disappoints. From the moment you step inside, the service, atmosphere, and attention to detail are all exceptional. The setting inside the historic carriage house feels timeless, and the food is always outstanding — refined without being pretentious, with creative dishes that still celebrate Lowcountry flavors. Every visit feels personal and perfectly executed.
As someone who lives and works in 29401, I love that places like Circa 1886 continue to define Charleston’s reputation for world-class dining with Southern charm. Whether it’s a special occasion or just a night you want to remember, Circa 1886 is always a great choice.
Amazing experience! I ordered staters because I wanted the soufflé for dessert. The chef/staff made an alteration to one of the dishes because of my allergies. Dennis at the bar is fantastic!! Go out of your way to come here. Service and food are amazing! Also, the wine list is quite extensive.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Brian Bachand
Underwhelming tasting menu. Many plates came out cold and delayed. We had much better food at other restaurants during our visit to Charleston.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 3
David
I only had the breakfast as a guest of the mansion/hotel.
But oh my goodness... this place should have a Michelin star or two.
Phenomenal... absolutely Phenomenal.
I will stay at the mansion again just to eat breakfast here.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
M H
Was very excited to eat here but the food fell short. Monkfish was extremely salty. Salt is not something you shy on in the culinary world but this was just too much. The antelope is a lean cut of meat and if executed well, can be delicious. It was excessively dry. The pesto gnocchi w/ lemon and saffron, very lemon forward. There was no hints of basil or pine nuts. The server Bryan was amazing and very friendly. We really liked him.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
M O
Waitstaff was really kind! Amazing experience. Would recommend for a special night.
The setting of this restaurant is absolutely stunning! We did the six course tasting menu which was really fun. All the staff are great, the food is delicious and the wine pairing had very generous pours!
For those who are not familiar with high end fine dining experience and would like to experience one, especially for a special occasion, such as a fine romantic date, anniversary and birthday, circa 1886 is an excellent choice in Charleston SC. Food: Tasing menu… Two options: The food is excellent, in three major categories: Taste, quality and presentation. Each consists of 6 courses, and all are in very small portions…. Bites…. Hence, tasting menu. They are not substantial for dinner though, so plan accordingly. The price of $135 per person is fair for meeting the major categories. As for the wine pairing, I would like to compliment Anna the Sommelier, her knowledge of the wine she serves is excellent, she is very passionate about her mission. I am a level 2 Sommelier myself, I collect top wines of the world. I keep a 1000 bottles in my cellar at any time, so judging and evaluating Anna’s five selection of wine to pair with food are as follows: Five different wine, the winery selection are great as they are picked from different parts of the world and different grapes, so to experience varieties. The problem is the vintage they select, they are very entry level, but I guess to keep the price of $90 for the wine pairing t this very low price, you cannot provide higher rating wines. My suggestion is add an option for premier or better rated wine at higher price for those who are willing to pay and enjoy better selection. As for pairing, acceptable, not the best….. we enjoyed my pick of wine from the list before we started the wine selected for the pairing. The list is better option for wine enjoyment… but for the experience, I still recommend the low end wine pairing. Service: Good for entry level fine dinning. Ambience: Very nice elegant small place. It is considered fine dinning, so dress appropriately…. Value: fair for the experience Overall rating: 5 for food, 3 for wine, and 4 for experience (so average of 4) Recommendation/Final thought: excellent place for those to try a fine dining experience in not intimidating environment. It is casually fine dining…. Locals do not care about dress code. This place is not for us, we tried it to celebrate an occasion for a Quiet environment and check it off the list, we tried ALL FINE DINING in Charleston and almost all top restaurants for food…. This one rated in the middle.
What a wonderful dinner! Circa 1886 is definitely a place to celebrate special occasions. We were there to celebrate my birthday, albeit 5 days later. Bryan, our server, was fantastic and very helpful when making our selections. We followed the restaurant's advice and ordered one each of the two tasting menus. We didn't opt for the wine pairings and instead ordered a bottle of wine separately. The meal itself was perfect; portions were just right and the pace of the meal was spot on. Each course was described by the person presenting it and everything was beautifully plated. We actually swapped a couple of courses with each other which wasn't an issue. I was presented with a Happy Birthday chocolate with dessert, which was a thoughtful touch. Circa 1886 is definitely worth the splurge. Highly recommended.
Circa 1886 is my favorite among Charleston's fine dining restaurants. The food is always outstanding, the service is impeccable and unobtrusive, and the layout is conducive to intimate conversation.
Our recent dinner at Circa 1886 was exceptional. We opted for a la carte menu, very limited but both dishes were superbly done: creative, not overwrought (a frequent occurrence at high-end restaurants) and quite subtle. The wine list is very well composed, our Anjou Blanc was very good. The service was also quite impressive.
We stayed at the Wentworth Mansion and daily breakfast at Circa 1886 was included. Circa 1886 was outstanding! The food was absolutely delicious, the service was attentive & excellent and the place was very quaint! We enjoyed breakfast so much that we made dinner reservations and that also was terrific! We would HIGHLY recommend Circa 1886. It’s a treat!
An exquisite dining experience in Charleston. If you have time for a special experience, don’t miss dinner here. It was a birthday celebration for my lady. We indulged in the both the offered tasting menus. If you can, enjoy the experience. I did not see the Michelin star that this chef and his staff deserve.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Highly recommend this restaurant if you don't mind spending a bit more. Sea bass is by far the best thing on the menu. You have 2 tasting options. I recommend buying both, 1 for yourself and the other for whomever you are dining with. Then you get to try everything which I recommend. Very quiet atmosphere which makes for a great late evening meal. Overall a great dining experience!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Decor highlights historic charm with refined elegance
Circa 1886 is one of the most special restaurants in Charleston the kind of place that turns a great night into a lasting memory.
My wife and I come here every year for our anniversary, and it never disappoints. From the moment you step inside, the service, atmosphere, and attention to detail are all exceptional.
The setting inside the historic carriage house feels timeless, and the food is always outstanding — refined without being pretentious, with creative dishes that still celebrate Lowcountry flavors. Every visit feels personal and perfectly executed.
As someone who lives and works in 29401, I love that places like Circa 1886 continue to define Charleston’s reputation for world-class dining with Southern charm. Whether it’s a special occasion or just a night you want to remember, Circa 1886 is always a great choice.
– Brian Walsh | Downtown Charleston Realtor
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Amazing experience!
I ordered staters because I wanted the soufflé for dessert.
The chef/staff made an alteration to one of the dishes because of my allergies.
Dennis at the bar is fantastic!!
Go out of your way to come here.
Service and food are amazing!
Also, the wine list is quite extensive.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Underwhelming tasting menu. Many plates came out cold and delayed. We had much better food at other restaurants during our visit to Charleston.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 3
I only had the breakfast as a guest of the mansion/hotel.
But oh my goodness... this place should have a Michelin star or two.
Phenomenal... absolutely Phenomenal.
I will stay at the mansion again just to eat breakfast here.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Was very excited to eat here but the food fell short. Monkfish was extremely salty. Salt is not something you shy on in the culinary world but this was just too much. The antelope is a lean cut of meat and if executed well, can be delicious. It was excessively dry. The pesto gnocchi w/ lemon and saffron, very lemon forward. There was no hints of basil or pine nuts. The server Bryan was amazing and very friendly. We really liked him.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Waitstaff was really kind! Amazing experience. Would recommend for a special night.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
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