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.“

“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!“

“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!!“

“There are legitimately not enough good words to say about how great this place is... Every meal here is like a holiday with the family or a warm blanket. The menu rotates, so there's always a reason to come back again. Seriously, if you're reading this, it's time to head to Bertha's 💯🔥“

“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!“

“I have mixed feelings. Our first visit was over a decade ago and it was wonderful. Our anniversary was yesterday and it was an ok experience. We sat in the courtyard AB’s was placed under the above heater. We started smelling gas and the heat never reached the table area. So we were freezing. The appetizers were wonderful. The couple got seated next to us ten minutes after us and received their food first. Was told about different and best food options and a dessert menu. We were not given either. Bbq in the shrimp and grits was over powering any other flavor. Husband got fish and grits and it was excellent. Not a 0 but I’m in no hurry to go back or recommend to anyone else. Ruined my anniversary to be honest….“

“Great meal and awesome waitress“

“amazing food amazing staff get the fried chicken“

“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.“

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

“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..“

“Amazing food and drinks with great service.“

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

“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.“

“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.“

“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“

“Taco Boy is a pretty lively atmosphere with bar-style Tex-Mex. While they may not serve the most authentic Mexican food you'll ever have, it hits the spot. It’s worth noting that it can get quite noisy which is not ideal for anyone looking for a quiet evening - however, it’s a great spot for a fun, casual night out.“

“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.“

“The ribs were tender but not extremely flavorful. The sauce isn't cooked on the meat, its in containers on the table. Corn bread was great. Pork belly app was good. Burger anfmd Turkey sandwich my friends had were good. Drinks were great. Seats in the booth were upholstered and had crumbs all over them.. that should be cleaned after each group leaves.“

“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“

“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!“

“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 !“

“I took my family on a daycation today. We stopped in and ate. The food was very delicious. The only problem was one of their workers would not stop staring at us to the point of it being creepy. Not ever going back there again. A family should be able to enjoy their meal without the gaulking.“

“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!“

“a fun new experience with good food.“

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

“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.“

“Absolutely beautiful place to wander around with some history lessons along the way. I was excited that I got to see a gator! The drive up there from Charleston is beautiful, as well (although I'm from the desert, so I'm easily impressed by greenery!)“

“Yesterday treated my parents to what they both said was the best restaurant meals they have enjoyed in the wider Charleston area - soft shell crab and grilled seafood trio in many attempts. Outside on the patio with an incredibly gracious and attentive server (Kathy Lynn? - a recent transfer from Phoenix) made the experience all the more remarkable. We’ll be back and as this review attests - will recommend to others. Thanks for your successful efforts.“

“Typische Südstaatenküche. Gute Qualität. Wir hätten etwas mehr Pep/Würze erwartet. Wir hatten sehr freundliches Personal. Leider aber auch zwei sehr laute Nebentische (die Amerikaner kommunizieren halt immer etwas lauter). Preis/Leistung passt.“

“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 !!“

“Duke’s has the best Southern food in Charleston! The BBQ, fried chicken and sides encompass what’s been served on tables throughout South Carolina for centuries. They have a great buffet and dining room as well as outdoor tables. The staff is very welcoming and friendly. This is where the locals eat. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“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!“

“Our group (30) had reservations for dinner today. The staff was waiting for us and immediately got us all seated and had our orders taken and into the kitchen for prepping. Service was quick and efficient, and WARM when brought to our tables. Salads were well prepared and on the tables as soon as we arrived. Jaden and her coworkers worked well together. The restaurant is clean and inviting...along with the staff. I highly recommend O'Charley's.“

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

“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!!“

“We were pleased to find this food hall when we needed lunch and so many restaurants nearby were overpriced and/or were busy. We all decided on Taco Art. Service was very friendly and efficient. Food was good. Easy to get cold water from the fountain machine. We weren’t crazy about the atmosphere to eat upstairs, but that isn’t the fault of this food stall in a food hall.“

“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.“

“this was our first time here everything was wonderful very delicious we are coming back“