Charleston Restaurants
 

Going to CHS in a few weeks. I have some restaurant ideas and would appreciate any reviews on them. My list includes:
Cintra
Cru Cafe
Fig
Il Cortile Del Re
SNOB
Tristan

We used to live in CHS, and are returning for a long weekend with some friends. We love 39 Rue De Jean and Fish. Looking for trendy atmosphere with great food/drinks. We like McCrady's bar, but find it too pretentious. We've been to Blossom, Magnolia, Poogans, 82 Queen. Appreciate any new ideas too.

On our recent visit, we enjoyed a great evening in Hank's. Good fish food

Are you talking about Charleston, SC? We go there all the time and have never heard of those places.

Yes, Charleston, SC.

I've always been partial to the Peninsula Grill in the Planters Inn, particularly for special occasions. I also like Carolina's & have never had a bad meal there.

I can only review Il Cortile de Re. It's good. Very nice food, very nice service, good wines by the glass, pleasant courtyard, they aim for "authentic" Italian. But it's not what I would call trendy.

I, too, liked Rue de Jean and Fish. Disliked Blossom immensely. Like McCradys alot too, I can ignore pretension ;-)

Sermet is very good, and not on the usual lists, but casual and again, not trendy. I have heard good things lately about Coast, owned by your 39 Rue friends, but have not yet been. Hanks has a great casual, yet upscale and almost boisterous feel to it, and the food is good...but not great.

MikenJen - I'm curious where you ate if you never heard of any of the places tamjam mentioned!

Cypress

Hi tamjam, I was at SNOB's recently and had a fantastic dinner. I ordered rack of lamb and it was cooked to perfection as was everything else. It is an attractive vibrant restaurant. Can't remember what my friend OWJ had but I know she loved her dinner also. They did keep us waiting about 10 minutes past our reservation time for a table but that was not a big deal and once we were seated the service was wonderful and we certain did not feel rushed. Haven't been to the others on your list. BTW, I really enjoyed the food at Poogans Porch but the service was certainly not as proffesional as it was at SNOB's although that did not take away from the enjoyment of the evening.

Charleston has such wonderful food as you know. Just thinking about that beautiful city makes me hungry. Enjoy!

South Carolina native now living in New Orleans- just returned from visit "home."

Restaurant recs will depend upon what you are looking for.

Breakfast: Poogan's Porch or St Johns Cafe

Best Burger and Bar: Vickery's

Best raw bar for oysters/shrimp/clams: A.W. Shucks--do not even think of ordering raw oysters elsewhere.....champion shucker on staff too!

Circa 1886 for romantic celebration---expensive----take a pedal can or carriage there....nice riding in under the arches and trellis

Mussmans for steak and prime rib

82 Queen

Cru

SNOB

Kaminsky's for dessert

Of the choices on your list, SNOB is the only one I have been to, but it definitely fits your criteria of trendy atmosphere with good food. The food and service there are excellent and not at all prententious. I will also second the recommendation of Peninsula Grill. We just had our anniversary dinner there last month and were blown away by the quality of both the food and service. I can't wait to go back there for another slice of coconut cake!

Everyone - Thank you very much for your suggestions. I will look into Hank's and some of the others. (Hank's looks similar to Henry's??) Circa 1886 looks lovely too.
I haven't been to Peninsula Grill. I see they have a champagne bar/menu. Can you just go into the bar for a glass of champ/appetizers? I always picture it as being a relatively smaller restaurant. That would be a good place to start. Also...please elaborate on the coconut cake...sounds yummy.

Peninsula Grill has a very large selection of Champagne's by the glass.
My wife and I were there several months ago and had a wonderful dining experience.

Although you might want to call the restaurant (Peninsula Grill) to double check, I got the impression that you could just come into the bar without eating at the restaurant. The coconut cake is simply divine...several very light layers of white cake with coconut cream filling between each layer, iced and then covered with toasted coconut...it's wonderful! There is a link just about the cake on the restaurant's website (www.peninsulagrill.com). Hank's is also very good and in fact, is owned by the same people who own the Peninsula Grill.

Returned from our CHS weekend. The weather was perfect but very, very hot. We had a great time. Our restaurant reviews/recommendations below:
Brunch - Hominy Grill. We liked it, but think it's a bit out of the way for tourists.
Lunch - We stopped at Zeus Grill (Mt Pleasant) on our way to the beach for take out. It was awesome. The same restaurant as Old Towne(Greek)in CHS. downtown. The chicken was fab!
Dinners -
Fig - Loved it. The food was fresh and perfect.
SNOB - Cool atmosphere and great food. Loved the watermelon mojito.
39 Rue Du Jean - Love the atmosphere. Sushi, frites and Pot Du Creme.
Cocktails -
Rooftop Bar @ Vendue Inn
Rooftop Bar @ Market Pavillion

Yes, it is stiflingly hot here right now. Heat index was 106 yesterday.

Love rooftop of both Market Pavillion and Vendue Inn for cocktails. Vendue Inn for live music.

Agree. They are both very fun. Caution about Market Pavillion...we went after dinner on Sat night. Hubby had on sandals and the doorman advised him next time be sure to wear closed toed shoes. Keep in mind the weather. We got a good chuckle out of that one, and will certainly remember for the next time :) Oh, I forgot..they didn't say anything about the woman doing belly shots. We still had a great time.

GoTravel - please pardon the stupid question, but....

I'm planning to come down Fri. Your weather forecast is 40% scatter t-storms. That's what ours has been all summer, but you can more or less count on a nice sunny, if hazy, day until late afternoon when the storms roll in. Do you have approx the same pattern lately? It suits me fine to cool off in the pm, but I don't want to come to all day off and on drizzle.

As you see, I have waited til the last min and will just take my chances on getting in Holiday Inn on a cancellation or just renting a house after I look at the weather one more time tomorrow. Thanks!

Litespeed, normally I would say that we get showers every afternoon and they pass quickly however, the past couple of weeks have been weird.

It has been overcast and rainy the past week it seems.

Especially with this tropical storm off the coast of Florida we make get the outer bands and lots of rain.

Usually 40% chance of rain means probably not but this time I'm going to tell you to bring your umbrella.

Keep in mind that even if it is raining inland, the weather on the beach may be gorgeous. It is not uncommon for it to be raining in my front yard and sunny in my back yard (the beach).

I think you'll be fine with the Holiday Inn.