Good hearty meals - but nothing out of the ordinary or surprising. But if you like your dishes the classic way , do try this southern place. It is a bit pricey but the food and service is top-notch read more

First and foremost, customer service was terrible. My party had to ask the waiter multiple times for water, bread, OR get up and refill our own glass. Management and staff seemed to be occupied by another table, instead of focusing on other guests in the restaurant. The establishment only had one bathroom. Quite disappointing for a place that touts the "best seafood in Charleston" and the price point. It appears as fine dining, but not quite as there is a tacky TV positioned by their bar. I ordered the Crispy Flounder with a side order of Brussel Sprouts. The portions are plentiful and tasty, as I couldn't finish my dish. BUT IT WAS NOT THE BEST SEAFOOD IN CHARLESTON. Overall, presentation and customer service are key- and this is why 3 stars are given. read more

Anson - Crispy Flounder & Brussel Sprouts - Seafood Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

I am waxing a bit nostalgic. You see, my family vacations outside of Charleston; and by vacation, I mean pretty much spends every spare possible moment at Wild Dunes. And this year, we won't be going for any part of Thanksgiving. Which means, among other things, we won't be dining at Anson. I am trying not to cry as I write this review. Starting with Phil, the most gracious of GM's out of all the restaurants I've ever visited in my 32-year-long dining out career, this is a top-notch place. First of all - it's lovely. Classy, elegant, beautifully appointed. As another reviewer noted- it just IS Charleston. And thanks to the city's personality, the historical presence of Johnston & Wales and the tourist economy, fine dining is an art that hums in this aristocratic coastal town. Anson is a jewel in its crown. The food is superb. There are so many delectable things that you will have a hard time going wrong, but let me guide you based on my years of dining there. Start with the calamari - the apricot sauce is lovely. If you like oysters, you will enjoy their "three way platter" - beautifully presented, it's an assortment of raw, fried, and roasted. For appetizers, get the she-crab soup, the crabcake or the Wedge salad if they're using beefsteak tomatoes (a personal preference of mine, vs the cherry or other smaller versions). The entree choices are just numerous enough and most anyone can find something for their tastes, whether fish, fowl or beef is on your list. If you're up for a "whole fish," go with the Crispy Flounder. It is delicious and quite the presentation. The cashew crusted grouper has been on the menu for years and is outstanding. Personally, I really enjoy their filet and my family and friends who love salmon are never disappointed with Anson's version. As for sides, they will change out any to get your order right. I simply adore their dinner grits- if you are at all a fan, you just have to try them! They typically have seasonal veggies, I love their green beans and their roasted or mashed potatoes are delicious as well. The desserts are all divine. The creme brulee is excellent if that's up your alley, though I prefer anything with chocolate or one of their ice creams in a benne basket. And . . . if you're going to be in Charleston for Thanksgiving, they have a very special Thanksgiving menu so make your reservations now! read more

It might sound corny, but "Awesome on Anson" is the only way that I can describe this restaurant. Many people have told me that this was a great place to eat, but I have to admit I was more than surprised at how good it was. Tucked away just shy of the Historical Market district Anson is one of Charleston's true hidden gems. We landed there without reservations on a rainy night and were quickly seated. The restaurant is casually elegant, welcoming and has a menu with a variety of both low country favorites and traditional fare. Our server was outstanding throughout our dining experience and quickly attended to our every need. A native Charlestonian she was very knowledgeable about the menu and the items that we asked about. She immediately brought us hot, sliced bread with soft, whipped butter. I was to find out that my husband's pet peeve is cold, hard butter served with fresh, warm bread. After all these years... who knew? Both were excellent. I did ask her, "Before we fall in love with an item on the menu, are there any specials?" She did mention one, but it didn't interest us. We then ordered our first course. The Crispy Risotto Cake with Serrano ham, a few grilled shrimp and a delicate cream sauce was something that I had never seen before, yet alone thought of cooking. We were to find that the Chef is not only talented, but very creative. The Crispy Risotto Cake had a tasty crisp shell but was light and airy inside, something that you wouldn't expect for a risotto, yet alone a fried one... to die for. My salad - The Fried Oysters & Bibb Lettuce was tossed with a subtle dressing and the oysters were lightly battered and served piping hot. This alone could have been dinner. As we ordered our dinner I decided for something on the lighter side. When I ordered the Pan Steamed Mussels our server said, "I think we're out of them, but I'll check." Back to the menu I went. Upon her return we found out that they did in fact have them that night. Yeah! My husband then ordered the Braised Beef Short Ribs, something that he'd decided upon after briefly scanning the menu. "We're out of those tonight," our server lamented. She mentioned that "because of Lent we sell out of those quickly on Thursday and Friday nights." This made me smile. As a kid, "Lent" to me was filled with Friday fish fry's, tuna, salmon and whatever fish dish my mom could create for what seemed to be an unending period of time. Maybe this season was treated differently in the south??? So after feeling like we were in a Seinfeld episode we asked her if there was anything else that they didn't have so we had a fighting chance to order dinner. She said that everything else was available. After a wait that seemed a tad lengthy, but in every way worth it, our entrees were delivered. I did land on the Pan Steamed Mussels that were served with crisp French fries. The mussels were tossed in a light broth of garlic, jalapenos, white wine and parsley. The French fries that accompanied them were crisp, hot and well seasoned. Although actually somewhat full from our appetizers it was a type of meal that you couldn't stop eating. The Double Cut Fried Pork Chop was all that and a bag of chips! It was nicely breaded and had a great flavor, but the stars of the plate were without question, the side dishes. There are many restaurants that are leaping on the Mac 'n Cheese train. Flavors are added, toppings too. But to me, Mac 'n Cheese takes me back to when my mom made it years ago. She was a tiny Polish woman who kept things simple and added four basic ingredients - shredded cheddar cheese, milk, butter and elbow macaroni. When I'm sick this is the dish that I ask for. It's sheer comfort food at its best and "smoked gouda", "lobster" and/or bacon is not needed. The Mac 'n Cheese served here mirrors my mom's and could be the best I've tasted since she made it so many years ago. Not to be out done, Mac 'n Cheese's companion was Collard Greens, but not just any collard greens. These had a nice bit of spice to them (red pepper flakes we were told) and were incredibly flavorful. I found myself trying to distract my husband so that I could steal some from him. As I wrote this I tried to think what restaurant in Charleston we liked more. It's right up there to us as one of the best of the best. I actually had to use my Roget's Thesaurus to find enough adjectives to describe our visit. In looking up the word "perfect", I saw many suggestions, but "flawless" fit the bill perfectly. read more

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Anson is the market area diamond in the rough! This wonderful establishment is the show stopper of resturants in this part of the city and we are so glad they re-opened so we could try it! Let me start by saying ths....last week we finally landed Husk reservations (after 2 months trying) while it was a good meal, the hype didnt live up to the Husk crush so many locals have. Anson on the other hand isnt the hip and new talk of the town but to me its more like that staple older shirt in the closet you keep going to...my wife even stated "this filet is better than Halls" She had a nice cut steak, cooked perfectly, paired with goat cheese mashed potatoes for a come back worthy dish. I went with the pork chop special and it featured pan seared cuts matched perfectly with a creamy mushroom and onion topping and amazing cream corn. Last week I had the pork chop at Husk and this was twices as good! Skip all the big name places and give this joint a try...they wont disappoint. read more

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Compliments to the Chef - The food is fabulous and I would have given this a solid 5 had not our waiter turned churlish towards the end of a wonderful meal! We had the Black Bass Entree, which was their market special and unusual for us West Coasters - and delicious! We also had the Fried Green Tomatoes appetizer and the Shrimp & Grits appetizer, which comes with bacon and tomatoes and was probably the best Shrimp and Grits we had in Charleston and that is saying something, since we had that dish numerous times and it was always good! I came here with a group of clients and we had a reservation for 15 and asked for multiple checks up front, but for whatever reason, our waiter held us up for nearly an hour after we finished eating to receive our checks and then tacked an mandatory 20% on to each. I had expected a mandatory 18% and would have tipped over 20 with such a wonderful meal. Too bad our waiter got a case of the grumps - it took the edge of delight off the experience. Don't miss this place for the food if you are a small party, but if you have a group - think again. read more

Anson - Anson Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! The family and I did not want to do the traditional dinner, so we made reservations for the Anson, and it did not disappoint. We had the Calimari, Salmon and Flounder. I had the bone in Ribeye. It was OUTSTANDING! I ordered it medium and it was perfect, had it paired with a Pinot Noir. The Anson had an exquisite ambiance and you will like it a lot. read more

This is the second restaurant week in a row I went to Anson, and I was super impressed both times. This year I got the lamb ravioli, which was awesome. I also loved the fried pork cutlet. This is southern food done right. The chocolate oblivion torte was a little intense, but still good. read more

Anson quickly became one of our top Charleston restaurants. We took both sets of our parents on back to back weekends. it was that good. This restaurant absolutely blew my socks off. It is located just off Market Street in the heart of downtown Charleston. There is a little parking lot next door so it was extremely convenient. We started out with the Red Wine Poached Pear Salad (A+), the Pork Belly App (A+), Fried Oysters (A), and Calamari (B). We followed it with She Crab Soup (A), Sweet Potato Bisque (A), and Blue Cheese Wedge (A). Seeing a trend here? Yep. This was all high grade stuff. Main course was the Duck (B), Scallops (A), Flounder (A+). To finish, we had one of the best Pecan Pies (yep A) that I've ever had. The Chocolate Tart and Almond Bowl were also excellent. This was so great that we came back five days later with my brides parents. We came a bit late though so they were out of the Pork Belly. I wept inside. I did get to sample the amazing Country Pate. It was even better than the Pate I had at FIG two days prior. I should have ordered the Whole Flounder but for some reason went with the Surf and Turf. That would not normally be my order but after seeing everything else ordered I wanted to try something new. I would say that would be the only thing not to get. Just didn't work. Dessert again. Yep, you guessed it, Pecan Pie. Couldn't try something new this time, it was that good. Can't wait to get back to Anson. It'll be a 'go-to' from now on! read more

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We went here for dinner - the food was amazing, the service and the ambiance. I had the catfish, my husband had the fish of the day. Everything was spot on here especially Jackson our server! Skip Poogan's Porch and go here. Thanks Anson! read more

Anson - Basil Pesto Mussels were delicious! - Seafood Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

AMAZING grouper with champagne cream sauce. I will dream about this dish in my sleep. So so good and so much flavor. Service was awesome and we will definitely be back. read more

Excellent meal in an historic building in downtown Charleston. First time eating there; will go again next time we are in the Holy City.

Amazing food and fabulous service! The fried green tomatoes were fried perfectly and the scallops were perfectly cooked. The crème brûlée was the prefect end! read more

Fabulous!!! The best food in Charleston hands down. The service was impeccable! I was starting to think I would not experience what everyone has raved over in Charleston...the food. Anson's saved the visit. read more

Really enjoyed this restaurant. The she crab soup cup was good. The Shrimp De Johnge appetizer was excellent. We were fortunate to try a nightly special appetizer, Fried Calamari with a pepper sauce... delicious. We shared the entree Whole Crispy Flounder with apricot sauce. The fish was delicious, but the apricot sauce was a bit too plentiful making the fish overly sweet. We scrapped much of it off and we're very happy. The meal was excellent. The service was unusually quick. The ambiance is very relaxing. Recommended. read more

Service is amazing! Atmosphere is excellent. Food was ok. Appetizers leave a little more to be desired. Steak great! Fish was a 4 out of a 5. You won't find a culinary conquest here, but you will leave happy and satisfied. read more

Beyond hospitable, amazing food, very nice aesthetic. The best she crab soup I've had, and the truffle penne and lobster tagliatelle were very good. Highly recommend. read more

Amazing service and incredible food. Fresh baked bread starts you off, and the waiters make sure your water glass is never empty. I went during restaurant week, so I got to sample the oyster Rockefeller, fillet mignon, and chocolate creme brulee. All of the dishes and friendly service deserve 5 stars each! Ask about their ranking in USA Today to see why better critics than I agree with me. read more

5 stars for food! 5 stars for ambience! 5 stars for our server! I loved the whole flounder with apricot sauce! The mashed potatoes, street corn, okra and Brussels sprouts were amazing! Our service was very attentive and friendly. We came as a table of 4 and we left so full and happy read more

Anson - Seafood Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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We eat here regularly on business, and it is always great. Again, we were here with a big group on a limited menu...but it was fantastic. We had shrimp and grits, shecrab soup, filet mignon and some type of chocolate mousse. It was all wonderful, and the servers were fantastic. I've been here several times, and always had a great meal. I love the atmosphere in the upstairs room too. Yes, I am a fan! read more

In town for a wedding and was happy to find out we would be here for restaurant week. After looking at the menus we decided to give Anson a try and it was delicious! I started out with the lamb ravioli, braised chuck roast and chocolate torte for dessert. My husband had the ham, fried pork cutlet and banana cream pie. A friend came along and she also had the ham, shrimp and grits and creme brûlée. Everything was really good! read more

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We've eaten at Anson's some time back and once again, it did not disappoint. Exceptional food, exceptional service and was a wonderful dining experience. Fried Green tomatoes were amazing. Signature Crispy Flounder was phenomenal and cooked perfectly. We will definitely visit here again when we are back in Charleston. read more

Amazing food and service! I would recommend to get the specials! Delicious and thoughtful flavor profiles! Great wine menu. Will definitely be back! read more

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So so good! Eat here. I had the flounder and my sister had the shrimp and grits. Service was impeccable. I will definitely return on my next trip to Charleston! read more

Food was great Prices were reasonable for a really nice dinner I had pasta with wild mushrooms read more

Anson - Seafood Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

This place is unreal. Ambiance is stunning. Waitstaff is so kind. Food is INCREDIBLE. No matter what you order you won't go wrong. Had the Caesar salad, grouper and crème brûlée. Outstanding!!! read more

Beautiful building! Great atmosphere. Delicious food and wonderful service! There are so many options for dinner from local seafood to steaks to chicken. They had a bunch of Gluten Free options as well. I would not take my children here but it was great for date night. There were a lot of couples and what looked to be a few business-like dinners with smaller groups as well. read more

Anson - Crab & Brie Fondue so very delicious! - Seafood Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Thank you Anson for a superb meal of oysters and the best salad. Mike at the front desk is so incredibly personable and works with you if your plans change. Such a wonderful treat to dine at Anson! read more

Service was amazing, and everything my table was served was some of the tastiest versions of those things that we have ever tried. I had the venison meal for the NYE event. The other people with me had lobster, and steaks. I enjoyed the drinks, too. They were nicely mixed, and strong. It feels like we got what we paid for, although it was quite the penny, and I recommend going for a classy, and intimate meal. read more

Positively the BEST meal we had in Charleston--and we were here for a week. We relied on DARNELL, an excellent server, for suggestions and tried the fried green tomatoes, catfish and filet entrees, and topped it off with the almond basket. Service was impeccable, decor upscale without being pretentious and food excellent. A must for anyone visiting Charleston! Ask for Darnell! read more

Anson - Edible almond bowl with vanilla ice cream topped with fresh berries and chocolate drizzle. YUM! - Seafood Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Found Anson on open table randomly and we are so glad we did! This is a must for dinner in Charleston. We had the best experience and the best food. The whole fried flounder is incredible, as are the fried okra and chicken pot pie. We are definitely adding this restaurant to our Charleston favorites list! read more

Terrible service, terrible food. We waited thirty minutes before our server even greeted us. The appetizers were decent but not of the quality you'd expect from a restaurant like this. The main courses, which we hoped would redeem our experience, were laughable. My duck confit leg and thigh, which the server had assured me was"amazing", was one of the saltiest, most overcooked, and most pathetic meals I have ever had the displeasure of trying to swallow. In terms of the food presentation - um, what presentation? I couldn't help but to laugh when she put the plate in front of me. (Click here for a good laugh: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/anson-restaurant-charleston?select=9wD-8PaBOLuhBRDLYgHpmw#9wD-8PaBOLuhBRDLYgHpmw) The other entrees were not any better in terms of quality or presentation. When we got our bill, there were charges for drinks that we had not ordered. MAKE SURE YOU CHECK YOUR BILL. In summary, Anson was a HUGE disappointment and does not come anywhere close to living up to its sister restaurant, The Olde Pink House in Savannah. Do not waste your time or money; there are SO many other restaurants in Charleston that are amazing and a true dining experience like Magnolia or Husk. Go to those instead. read more

Anson - My duck confit leg and thigh entree...hilarious presentation in that there WAS no presentation. - Seafood Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Beautiful restaurant with many options for seating. A long bar is the center of activity in the lower portion of the restaurant. The service was great - attentive and helpful. Water glasses were continually refilled. The menu gave a good selection of meat and seafood options. The meals were prepared nicely but were a little too sauced so that the taste of the meat was overpowered. The portions were hearty and filling. The flounder was amazing as you can see from my pictures ! I will be back ! read more

Lovely experience! We were sat upstairs (recommend if looking for ambiance) and our room was exquisite. Our food was absolutely delicious, even our sides were great. Our server was the sweetest, kindest, most polite woman I've ever encountered. She even gave my husband a hands on tutorial on the easiest way to cut into his whole flounder. Between the food, service and gorgeous atmosphere I highly recommend! read more

I went this weekend to Anson. It was Restaurant Week and they offered a 3 course meal for $45. I had the She Crab soup, Shrimp pasta, and Duck Fat Apple Strudel. Everything was delicious. The wait staff was friendly & knowledgeable. I will visit again! read more

This place has great food. Went for the first time and was not disappointed. There were 6 of us and everyone enjoyed. Calamari appetizer was excellent but the Shrimp with bread crumbs and garlic was better. I had a cheeseburger that I thoroughly enjoyed. Wife had a steak that was delicious. All of the food was very good and the service was better. This is a very good restaurant and we'll be back soon. read more

Southern charm at its best! There are so many charming, historical buildings that restaurants occupy in Charleston, and this is no exception. Anson is a very nice, upscale seafood dining spot located in a historical building that makes you feel like Southern Belle when you walk in. You are greeted warmly and seated promptly. The waiters are so pleasant and dressed to the nines with their silk ties tucked in to the button opening of their dress shirts. The ma'am's and sirs flow freely here as a kind reminder that you are definitely in the south. We had the pimento cheese with toast points and the crab cake to start. You simply cannot go to Charleston and NOT get the pimento cheese! It was delicious and there was plenty to share. The crab cake was great, but small, so make sure you get one per diner because you're not going to want to share this, lol. For an entree I had the barbeque fish of the day, which was atlantic salmon. I've never considered barbeque sauce/seasoning on fish before, but it worked very well with the salmon. Along with it were perfectly cooked greens and grits. The grits were A-mazing! My colleagues got one of their small plates - homemade pasta with homemade mozarella cheese with veggies. Perfect small portion and so incredible. The best part was dessert - I had the key lime pie. It was the best I've ever had. It was authentic - not that bright green stuff. It wasn't too sweet and not too tarte, just right. It was on a homemade pecan crust. My colleagues got the pecan pie and the creme brulee. I did not try the creme brulee, but heard it was delicious. The pecan pie was great - it's house made, but incredibly sweet - too sweet for my taste. Their wine list by the glass is the only 'slightly' negative I have. They do have 5-6 whites and reds by the glass, but was not impressed by the choices - they seemed rather 'run of the mill' to me but I'm always that person looking for something unique, rare, and new. read more

Anson - Seafood Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

I came here for a work dinner and had an amazing experience. Had the steak with potatoes and green beans - everything perfect. Steak melted in my mouth, green beans perfectly cooked and seasoned. Great ambiance as well - quiet and intimate. read more

It was excellent. Our waiter Bruce was very attentive. The crab cake was flavorful, full with crab not fillers. The shrimp and grits was tasty. Very filling. The steak was cooked perfectly. It had nice char. Perfectly pink center. The bread was fresh and warm. They no longer had the mile high apple pie. I hope they bring it back soon. Service , food and ambiance were great. read more

We had a fabulous meal at Anson Dec 25! John was our waiter and did a great job reviewing the menu! Our food was delicious! Everything was perfect. Mike the manager came by and just added to our evening. Drinks, Food, Service was excellent! You need to make plans to dine at Anson! read more

Anson - Seafood Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina