Which one shall we do for a b-day dinner. All adults. I prefer to go where there are not kids in high chairs.

I don't want stuffy. But, I don't want Macaroni Grill style.

If we were in Pawley's we'd do Louis.
Or in DC Kinkaids. I hope those are good examples.

hi frenchtoile, I have only been in beautiful Charleston once which was April 2005. I am not familar with the restaurants you have mentioned but I can sure say that I absolutely loved SNOB in Charleston. Many other Fodorites have mentioned their pleasure about dining at SNOB also.

Magnolias or Pensinula are my favorites. You can find both menus and description on their websites.

I looked thru other posts. These are the ones most talked about.

Magnolia's
Peninsula
SNOB
Hank's
Charleston Grill
Robert's.

Robert's looks stuffy. Is it?

Magnolia, Peninsula and SNOB.....are they all very similar?

I saw in one post that Peninsula would be great for kids? Is this correct?

There are so many good restaurants in Charleston that it's hard to pick just one! If it were my birthday, I would choose to go to the Peninsula Grill. It is upscale, but warm and friendly, and I've never had anything but excellent service and great food there. Other favorites of mine where you aren't very likely to run into high chairs include SNOB, Magnolia's, and Hank's.

I do remember seeing children at the Peninsula Grill on one trip, but they weren't high chair age...more like 8 or 9. They were dressed-up and very well behaved. I am sure if you took children there the kitchen would be accomodating, but the menu is geared toward a more adult palate, which probably keeps the average age of the customer up.

We didn't find Roberts stuffy at all. Very friendly staff (mostly Robert's family). Great evening of fun if you like show tunes and great food.

is it cheesy show tunes? Do they come right up to your table and sing?

SNOB is a better choice for lunch. Very noisy but the food is good. My top choice would be Peninsula with Magnolias right behind it. Have a great time. It is a beautiful city.
By the way, if Charleston is new to you I suggest you read Mrs Whaley's Charleston Garden to get the flavor of the place.

We really liked Cortile Del Re for a wonderful evening in a trattoria atmosphere, with good service, and great food. I would love to have a birthday dinner with friends there. I don't think it's a place for kids, but it you were to dine later in the evening, you would probably solve that problem wherever you decide to celebrate.

Here's a link to some reviews:
http://tinyurl.com/h4tot

frenchtoile, the following is from my 3/06 Charleston trip review:

"Robert's is only open from Thur thru Sun but if you get the chance, go. Small romantic restaurant with maybe a dozen tables sitting pretty close to one another and a gourmet 5 course dinner: sea scallops mousse with a maine lobster sauce, roasted boneless breast of duckling with a ginger-garlic sauce, Cobb-style Napa Cabbage salad, either Chateaubrian or the fresh fish of the day, and a chocolate tart and almond praline with chantilly cream to finish off the meal. And lots of wonderful wine. (Yes, I saved the menu!) It's pricey but well worth it for special occasions. The key is Robert, who not only cooks but also provides the entertainment for the evening. Between courses, he sings one memorable show tune after another with his great baritone voice."

And, no, the show tunes weren't cheesy. If you check out the reviews on Trip Advisor, they will give you some more feedback. Hope this helps.

Magnolia's ... If I only ate out once in Charleston, it would be there!