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1826 Bistro

4.6 (101 reviews)
ModerateNew American
Open • 4:30 pm - 8:30 PM
Updated over 3 months ago

1826 Bistro Photos

Business Info

1826 BISTRO ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Classy
Casual
Quiet
Outdoor seating

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Recommended Reviews - 1826 Bistro

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Reviews With Photos

Outside front of 1826
Jennifer C.

The chef has family in Aiken, so by the end of my appetizer, I was begging the waiter to get him to return to Aiken. This is fine dining in a restored historic building that had several past uses as a post office and as a meeting place for plantation owners. Go for the indoor or outdoor service, but leave satisfied with the food and drink. Great first date or special occasion place.

Cabbage steak with lima bean and smoked tomato chili
Paul B.

Came to the Clemson area for a conference at the university and my B&B owners recommended this restaurant for my first night. Thank goodness, because this was the only remotely satisfying meal I had out the entire weekend. And what a satisfying meal it was! The interior of the restaurant is cozy and warming, the staff are very friendly and attentive and seem to know many of the customers well. I was pleasantly surprised by the wine list, especially the variety of wines by the glass. I got a nice sparkling rose to start, followed by a Roero Arneis, and lastly, the star of the meal: the orange vermouth from Sicily, which paired perfectly with dessert. The menu changes regularly and the chef clearly exercised his creative muscles in coming up with some dishes (he came out several times to see customers' reactions). I honestly had a hard time choosing, because so many dishes looked wonderful. I realized that this chef had a lot of confidence in featuring vegetables prominently on the menu, so I decided to lean into that and go completely vegetarian for the evening, which is not typical for me. The appetizer was an oyster mushroom mousse toast. Oyster mushrooms are tricky, since they're one of the lightest flavored mushrooms and you can often overpower them with richer flavors, or drench them in a deep fry. Here, the chef worked a fine balancing act between the ingredients. The mousse was made from shitake and black garlic, which gave a rich earthiness but, wisely, this was paired with pickled daikon to brighten the dish and remind you of the lightness of the oyster mushrooms, which were only lightly sauteed. This was a highlight. For the main course, I had a grilled cabbage steak, served over a lima bean and smoked tomato chili. The cabbage had great caramelization and the fennel fronds went nicely with it. Instead of the pink cream sauce swished on top (a sauce that actually cheapens the dish, in my opinion, since I see it as a garnish everywhere), I think the cabbage would have gone beautifully with a nice, clean, cold dollop of sour cream on the side. The chili had a rich, smokey tomato taste and the beans were not overly soft. Both parts of this dish were executed very well, but the flavors didn't really link together or complement each other, since the chili was so strong, but the cabbage was lighter and sweeter. I ended up essentially eating them separately, which was fine, since it was like getting two courses in one. These are honestly very minor criticisms on a dish that had many strengths. For dessert, I had a brie-style cheese with honey and strawberries. This was very good, done classically and it was a satisfying end to the meal, especially with that vermouth. But I eyed some of the desserts at the other tables because they looked scrumptious. Again, a problem of having too many good options on the menu! I really wanted to come back to this restaurant a second night during my trip, but sadly the opportunity didn't present itself.

Hours
Nancy C.

This restaurant is quaint. About 10 tables in all. It's best to make reservations. The menu changes weekly if not daily. Food is all locally sourced. We had the crudite with large beats, radishes, bok Choy and Carrots with pimento cheese made with garlic. I had the scallops with a fennel salad and buttermilk dressing. My husband had the terrace major medium rare with wild mushrooms. Everything was cooked to perfection. For dessert we had strawberries with olive oil cake. My husband loved it, I on the other hand was not in love with it. It's upscale, but casual dress is fine. This restaurant serves different proteins daily. We went in for rabbit, but it was not on the menu. Call if you want to know what is on the menu for that day. For me I like to be surprised. Outdoor seating is available.

Beef Bourguignon
Laurel R.

Another fabulous dinner at the intimate and lovely 1826 Bistro! The menu has transitioned from the fall to the more heartier winter fare. Loved every bit!

Vegan spring risotto

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We love this restaurant! Love the location and the food. Always a treat to dine here. Has a quaint and romantic vibe

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8 years ago

Our server will was the best. Good service. Good food. Bomb. The salmon and the risotto are dank

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6 years ago

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7 years ago

What a wonderful place to have a fine yet casual meal! Justin is awesome and the service is as good as the food! Absolutely recommend!

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Rick Erwin's Clemson

Rick Erwin's Clemson

(287 reviews)

$$$

Great place. We sat at the bar for dinner and drinks and had an awesome experience. Our bartender…read moreElliot did a fantastic job even though he was extremely busy. Drinks were on point and the food was delicious. Well done. Dylan and Maia

One of the benefits that steakhouses have over other restaurants is that they need to execute one…read morething well. Steak - that's all. Unfortunately Rick Erwin's missed the mark on its primary assignment. The restaurant is nicely decorated in the style of a steakhouse. Dark wood paneling and shutters adorn the walls with pleasant dim lighting shining down from above. Service was strong with a team serving our table. We were greeted immediately and offered water and a drink. However, we were not offered bread, which is unusual for a steakhouse. Our appetizer of Buffalo Cauliflower was just ok. The breading had a subtle after-taste, which may have been from the batter being undercooked. And the buffalo sauce was not very prominent. So the dish was not as strong as I would have wanted. For our main course, we ordered the porterhouse for two--the signature dish at any steakhouse. Unfortunately, it fell short. When the steak arrived, it lacked the expected presentation; it had been grilled rather than broiled and was served without the usual butter or sizzling finish. That missing sizzle wasn't just visual--it showed in the flavor. A proper porterhouse should have a rich, salty, buttery finish, but this one was surprisingly bland. Just as disappointing, instead of being presented as the centerpiece of the table, the steak was served on a plate that we were apparently expected to eat directly from. It felt odd and took away from what should have been a standout experience. Overall, this was a below average experience for a steakhouse. We will try it again down the road since the choices near Clemson are limited. But Rick Erwin's should really revisit what it is trying to be and then decide how to be that.

1826 Bistro - newamerican - Updated May 2026

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