50 Best Southern Restaurants in Charleston

“Charming southern fare in a beautiful Victorian setting! The shrimp dumplings are a standout—perfectly seasoned and bursting with flavor. The cozy, historic ambiance adds to the experience, making it a must-visit spot in Charleston. Great service and a menu that truly captures the essence of Southern cuisine. Highly recommend!“

“Jason was amazing! Fritters even better than Jason!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

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

“Amazing food with unique variations. Friendly professional staff in a Charleston casual atmosphere.“

“Love coming here for the Catfish Sandwich and frozen Cin and Tonic!“

“Delicious meal & friendly staff“

“Jenn was the best waitress I have ever had and I go to restaurants for fun. She was caring and was passionate! The buffalo Brussels sprouts were amazing and the shrimp Gnocchi was to die for!!! 10/10 would recommend and ask for Jenn!!!“

“Brunch was Fantastic! Had Scallop Benny & Shrimp & Grits. Outdoor & indoor seating. Great service & atmosphere!!“

“Yet another great experience at Charleston Grill. We try to come here whenever we visit Charleston. The service is always awesome and the food is great. You get what you pay for... it's not inexpensive. The Crab Cake is always a great appetizer. And the scallops are beautiful prepared. We'll be back!“

“Wow! This is by far the BEST fried chicken I've ever had! And let me tell you, I despise lemonaid but I tried theirs once and ordered a giant cup and loved it! Highly recommend coming here. The staff is very friendly and efficient. I'll definitely be returning next time I'm in town!“

“Our favorite meal of our 24 hour visit to Charleston (and we ate a LOT!). The atmosphere was great, service was stellar, and food was to DIE for. The pork agnolotti is a must-order, as is the Italian chopped salad. Our server was the bartender (Scott? Steve?) and he was beyond knowledgeable on every part of the food and drinks menu. It added so much to our experience having him share his insights about everything we consumed. My husband is a Negroni critic and loved the one he got here. We would highly highly recommend this place to anyone who is in town!“

“I can't say enough good things about my birthday dinner at 82 Queen. The cocktails were creative and delicious. The food, nothing short of amazing! I highly recommend the short ribs. Awesome appetizers and desserts. Wonderful service from our server which included a birthday card from the restaurant waiting on me at the table and a birthday drink from the server. 82 Queen will always be a favorite of mine! It is a Charleston classic that has stood the test of time.“

“Delicious shrimp and grits and the fish and chips were cooked to perfection. We went at lunch and our server was friendly and checked on us several times to see if we needed anything and our food came out pretty quickly and piping hot!! Highly recommend Ms Roses!!“

“Delicious biscuits! I had a sausage, egg, and cheese biscuit - it was flaky and flavorful. The lady at the counter was friendly, sweet, and kind; she even gave me a sticker, and a card to entice me to come back. I also bought some mixes, and a package of their sausage biscuits (for later). We even went to a nearby Publix store for their pimento cheese (they were out at the shop). Yum!“

“Great little place. I enjoyed my vegan sandwich. Garrett is very pleasant, made my day.“

“We stopped by for brunch as walk-ins and were told there’d be a 30-minute wait. True to their word, our table was ready right on time. We ordered a Bloody Mary with pepper vodka (cucumber vodka was also an option), the crab soup, and the brunch burger. The flavors were outstanding, and the portions were generous—so much so that we didn’t have room for dessert. The staff were friendly, the atmosphere was vibrant, and the turnover of tables kept the energy fresh. No complaints—just a fantastic brunch experience!“

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

“Amazing food and drinks with great service.“

“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..“

“Best meal, service, and atmosphere we've had in Charleston! All our food was delicious, but the shrimp and grits was out of this world! Best decision we made was to eat there.“

“just a great experience, food , wine and service.“

“Best bbq I’ve ever had. Brisket was perfect. Even the side dishes shined and were delicious in their own right. Coleslaw had some jalapeño kick to it. Lived up to the hype! Highly recommend.

Parking: Plenty of parking across the street in the shopping complex.“

“You order at the counter here which we didn’t realize. The girl working the counter was not super friendly. The food was actually very good - both of us got the retro plate with berry jam for the biscuit. It was phenomenal. Sadly both of our eggs were overcooked but other than that it was really good“

“Nice bartender. Good location and it was little uncomfortable early part but as it got darker it cooled off. I had flat bread but wish there are better choices to spend a full evening vs going to different place for real dinner. Overall, it is good experience.“

“Was very good and moist for smoked meats. The greens were delicious and perfect. Potato salad was good and a hint of spice. Turkey was great, although only 2 slices.

Dietary restrictions: They were educated on gluten contamination and foods to avoid in their facility.“

“We visited Taco Boy during our vacation in Charleston. Taco Boy was recommended to us by one of the vendors at the city market. Our food was insanely good. Their queso is amazing. I also recommend the birria tacos, I loved them! We had great service here and the look of the restaurant is spot on!“

“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“

“I highly recommend this place! We were on vacation and I googled seafood places and it popped up. We decided to give it a try and bring all 3 kids and we loved it! The tacos were amazing, the view was pretty and the atmosphere was laid back! We will definitely be back!“

“My favorite birthday cake is coconut. My daughter got me one of your 12 pound coconut cakes for my 70th birthday. Absolutely the best coconut cake I’ve ever had. Highly recommend !“

“WOW! Very pleasantly surprised! The food was amazing! Daniel was the perfect host, explaining all the different foods and we were never rushed! We were visiting our son, his family and we’re from Florida. We’ll be back! I wish I could give it 10 Stars!“

“This is a tradition for my family every time someone comes to visit my fiancé and I in Charleston. We love the food. We love being able to wander around the boat as we go along. It’s fun, it takes its time on a fantastic route through the harbor and the food is always great, specifically the she crab soup and the salmon!“

“Wonderful fine dining - great atmosphere and some of the best food ever.“

“a fun new experience with good food.“

“At at Toast All Day!! Teri was an awesome bartender and took care of all our needs. Great food and atmosphere.“

“Delicious brunch. Wonderful friendly staff. Warm atmosphere.“

“Outstanding meal from the drinks to the she crab soup to the delicious entrees. The key lime pie was a great ending to the meal. Sara was fantastic and made wonderful suggestions for food - she had perfect timing and had just the right amount of conversation with us. Truly a memorable meal and reasonably priced, especially for Charleston. Will be back next time we are in town.“

“The food was incredible and our server, Courtney B was outstanding!! Courtney helped us select the perfect items and she made it fun!! Awesome!“

“Stopped in for drinks and ended up coming back for dinner later! Staff were super nice, food was excellent! Highly recommend the Fried Green Tomatoes! Our server, Ms. Beatrice (MsB)was THE best!!!“

“We went to Middleton Place on a Sunday in October, and the crowds were very low, which was great. The parking lot was gravel and winded around mature trees, which was unusual. However, I appreciated that they didn't plow down all the trees to pave a parking lot like most places. It was also good because it kept our car in the shade all day!
This is the first plantation we have gone to, and it did not disappoint. It's absolutely beautiful! We loved that the herds of sheep are free range and walking all around the property. They were so fun to see and interact with. We especially loved one sheep named Mud. The barn staff was happy to tell us their names and personalities! We were able to get some amazing photos on the property! The views were stunning, and the buildings were beautiful. However, we did not take the time on this trip for any tour of the inside of the house. When we come back in the future, we will make sure to do so. When arriving back to the parking lot, we were hot and needed a drink. Luckily, they have a small open market that did have bottled water for purchase, which worked out perfectly. My only critique would be the employees in the market. They were both on their phones when we came in, and only one put it down while we were checking out. Neither seemed thrilled to be there. However, all the staff once entering the plantation were all friendly, outgoing and helpful!

It's a great place for a relaxing afternoon!“

“Omar and the chef were great. Wings are incredible! Service Top Notch !it has been a long time since we have been able to say that !!“

“We enjoyed our breakfast at Swamp Fox. The servers are so friendly and efficient. Coffee was delicious, and the eggs, toast were served hot and a ample serving of fresh fruit. Prices are reasonable. Pleasant experience, will return on my next visit.“

“We visited for the first time this evening. It was Absolutely Delicious! Best Ribs Ever! Mac and cheese balls were pretty awesome too! Husband said his Prime Rib sandwich was excellent also. We will Definitely be back!“

“Shout out to the staff. Always friendly and pleasant! The fried chicken and fried pork chops are the BEST! So yummy!!!“

“wonderful place to unwind and socialize. the cook has amazing specials“

“This is similar to Applebee's with that local bar and grill atmosphere. The selections on the menu aren't bad either. The prices are very much reasonable and right in line with a budget. The service was very nice and friendly. Parking is good.

Parking: Parking is very close to the restaurant.“

“Great place to dine with a large or small group. Delicious food with great service. We had a group of 34 and everything went smoothly. Highly recommended!!“

“Stopped in for drinks and ended up coming back for dinner later! Staff were super nice, food was excellent! Highly recommend the Fried Green Tomatoes! Our server, Ms. Beatrice (MsB)was THE best!!!“

“I've come here quite a few times for the fried chicken. They serve you half a chicken; leg, thigh, breast, wing. So that's quite plenty. I also get mashed potatoes and collards. Potatoes are perfect and the collards are a little sweeter than I prefer. I also finally came here for their breakfast buffet. Everything was yummy. And they had quite a variety and even a omelet station. The only complaint I have was some of the eggs had egg shells in it. One piece was so thick and hard it cut the inside of my mother's mouth. But it might have just been an off day. Either way I like this place and we'll continue dining here.“

“A little slow

Vegetarian options: The cook which I can't remember his name. Use that african american man probably in his forties But he was great And can cook like nobody's business add a very good time while waiting on the food

Dietary restrictions: Yes

Kid-friendliness: Yes

Wheelchair accessibility: Yes“