15 Best Restaurants in Charleston, South Carolina

The menu may be nearly illegible, the space minuscule, and locating the tucked-away location like finding Waldo, but the food is almost always sublime. Each night only two appetizers, two entrées (like snapper with a vin jaune [type of white wine] sauce or gnocchi with chanterelles), and two desserts are offered. Sharing multiple dishes is a good option. Chef Jill Mathias writes down her menu daily, and her lovely calligraphy is often hard to read, but the attentive staff is happy to explain all the offerings. If the dining room feels too snug, head to the outdoor patio, perfect for dinner or brunch.

With an abundance of accolades, Husk serves an ambitious menu steeped in the South, and the South alone—everything is sourced regionally, barring exceptions like chocolate and coffee. A large chalkboard lists the ever-changing artisanal dishes available, as the menu sometimes varies twice daily. Supper favorites include seafood such as snapper, catfish, and flounder, frequently paired with heirloom vegetables. Try the fried-chicken skins or 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.

Affectionately known as S.N.O.B., this former warehouse with atmospheric brick-and-stucco walls has a chef's table that looks directly into the open kitchen. Many of the specialties, including wild game and other less common meats, are served as small plates that are perfect for sharing. The $14 daily lunch specials are often memorable, such as mussels with spinach, grape tomatoes, and smoked bacon, or a hearty chicken pot pie.

Executive chef and owner Kevin Johnson's outstanding restaurant sits in impressive quarters near the corner of Cannon and King Streets. The menu suggests a humble, considerate approach, as the dishes represent local flavors: the wood-roasted carrots come with feta, raisins, and pistachio crumble, while the wood-roasted whole fish is delivered with salsa verde. The high wainscoting and tall shelving filled with jams and jellies, pickled vegetables, and vintage kitchenware add to the earthy, unassuming presence.

Once the local darling among the Indigo Road properties, which also includes Oak Steakhouse and O-Ku, the Macintosh lost some of its luster over the years, but a string of new executive chefs put the one-time trendsetter on a path back to relevance. The menu is still rife with house classics, including gnudi, strip steak, and the Mac's ever-popular truffle fries.

This landmark mainstay continues to thrive as an atmospheric, fine-dining establishment. As always, the food has strong Southern leanings, with seafood highlights, including Charleston bouillabaisse; don't miss the creamy grits (perfection) or authentic fried green tomatoes. Indoor and garden dining make this a great place to linger, perhaps under a gazebo or in an elegant, art-rich (and air-conditioned) room inside the historic residence. Also notable is the genuinely caring service and extensive wine list featuring new varietal blends (no house wine here), which has earned it high and consistent praise.

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 bacon and blue burger and the fried pickles make this a regular lunch spot for Broad Street attorneys.

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 Charleston classic remains unchanged by time: 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.

The theme at this extremely popular—and worthy—tourist destination is evident in the vivid paintings of white magnolia blossoms that adorn the walls. The menu pays homage to classic dishes like fried green tomatoes with white cheddar grits, caramelized onions, and country ham. Lunch is a more affordable way to sample the best of Lowcountry cuisine.

Locals and visitors alike tend to (mistakenly) overlook this Mount Pleasant staple in favor of the more stylish picks downtown. Chef Ben Berryhill leans on his Texas roots to formulate a South-by-Southwest approach, cooking venison sausage, double-cut pork chops, and rib-eye steaks on a wood-burning grill he calls "The Beast." Also sample savory beef empanadas or large "fork-and-knife" tacos from the bar, and head out to the outdoor patio for a beer or beverage. The nightlife here is lively.

If it looks like a cross between a veterans' hall and a dive bar, that's because the Tattooed Moose is going for a decidedly unpretentious vibe. With 90-plus beers on the menu and a large moose head behind the counter, the place cuts a distinctive figure; homey eats like house-smoked barbecue brisket, chicken salad, jumbo chicken wings, and fried turkey breast are just some of the offerings. The bar's famous duck club is a menu showstopper—it relies on duck confit, apple-smoked bacon, garlic aioli, and ripened tomatoes bounded by sweet Hawaiian bread. If you find yourself on Johns Island, the Moose now has a larger satellite location that caters to families and the happy hour crowd.