We were craving some soul food when we were down visiting Charleston and we found this gem. This is far from the glitz and glamour of downtown Charleston but the food is worth it. It is a legit hole in the wall spot that is family owned and run. Don't let looks deceive you. We stopped in for Saturday lunch and there was already a line. The inside had a couple of tables downstairs and some upstairs. They don't have a typical menu as they have daily specials. We got fried chicken quarter with Mac and cheese, rice, and string beans and each meal comes with cornbread. The fried chicken was amazing with the flavorful breading and juicy meat. The Mac and cheese and string beans were on point as well. We definitely got some soul that day. Check this place out for some good Southern food! read more

We are out of towner, who stopped by on a whim. A steady stream of patrons let us know that we were in the right place. Food was genuinely good but portions were small. Hours of operation are 10-5 but at 2 pm they were out of certain main soul food cuisine , for example, greens. Can't go wrong by patronizing but just know that menu item availablity may fall short. However, I have no problem going back, when hungry. read more

We decided to try this place for lunch on a Monday. They open at 11 so we got here 5 min early and there was already a line of five people. They opened the restaurant at 11:08. We finally got our food after about fifteen minutes. The special was turkey and Lima beans for what looked like $4.95. We came here for the fried chicken. I got the fried chicken with brown rice, okra soup, and green beans, with a side of corn bread. Totaled $10 with water. The chicken was so hot and good. Nice and crispy with great flavor. The green beans were ok, nothing special. The okra soup was delicious I just had a few greens with tough stems to chew through. The rice was interesting because it had flavor like broth but not like red rice as I was expecting. There were pieces of what I assume chicken in it. The corn bread was nice and soft with a tiny bit of cornmeal texture. Overall, I really enjoyed the food. The ambiance could be improved and of course the wait time. But we will be back and definitely when they open. read more

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A trip to Bertha's kitchen is like a trip to Grama's house. From an aesthetic standpoint, this place is nothing to write home about, but it makes up for what it lacks in trendiness in delicous, flavorful home-made soulfood. You would probably never find this place on your own as a tourist, but if you hear it as a suggestion and you're unsure- GO! I found the staff to be pleasant, the prices were reasonable, the portions generous, and even though my friend and I unintentionally walked in 3 minutes before closing time, the staff was happy to serve us, and even offered to throw some stuff they were out of in the fryer for us. Very wonderful customer service! (We took our food to-go, however - we aren't total jerks!) read more

Happy 2019! Here's my first review of the year. Spent three months in Charleston, SC, on a work contract and discovered Bertha's Kitchen during the last week. Do you know how upset I was? I can't remember how we found it. I think one of my coworkers heard about Bertha's and we decided to go on a little trek. It took us forever to find it because it doesn't stand out! It looks like a house. I'm pretty sure I drove around in circles. When we finally found the parking lot and made our way in, we were greeted... by a line. But that's alright because long lines mean good food and I'm all about good food. The line was to the door, so it was about a 30-minute wait until we got to the front. It was pretty hot inside, too, but they had a fan running (thank goodness). There's plenty of history on the wall to look at while you wait. Pictures of the family, various local celebrities who have visited, and listed specials. The special for that day was two chicken leg quarters and two sides for $5.75. How can you beat that? Even with that good of a price, I had to get the pork chops. I was tempted to get the fried chicken they were dropping to order because nothing sounds or looks as good as a chicken wing being plopped into some extra hot oil! I got two fried pork chops with two sides and then a cup of stewed oxtails and some lemonade. Boy, I was extra fat that night. I told my coworkers I saved some for dinner the next day. A lie! I ate all of that. Every single bite. The oxtails were seasoned like how my father cooks. Same for the porkchops! The mac and cheese and green beans were great, too. I love soul food from someone who knows what they're doing. My food came to under $15. Two meals for $15? Can't beat it. Definitely check out Ms. Bertha in the area. You will not be let down! read more

Coming from out of town, we were looking for some good, Gullah inspired southern cooking and this place did not disappoint. There is a reason there's a line at the door - this place is incredible. There is so much soul in whatever you order, and you can tell it's cooked with good ingredients. Highly recommend to anyone who visits or lives in Charleston. read more

Bertha's Kitchen - Fried chicken meal with Mac and Cheese, green beans and red rice - Southern Near Me - North Charleston, South Carolina

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On my recent visit to Charleston, I was all about hitting the spots serving local cuisine and I'm not just talking shrimp and grits. So we checked out Hannibal's Soul Food Kitchen, Martha Lou's Kitchen and Bertha's Kitchen. And at each one you really felt like you were guests in someone's home and the food was straight from some loving hands in the kitchen. We liked Bertha's best for the Charleston Red Rice, cornbread and value, Martha Lou's for the overall ambience, flavors and bread pudding and Hannibal's for the selection of local dishes and really warm staff. All are worth a visit. read more

Bertha's Kitchen - I'm all about the Red Rice. - Southern Near Me - North Charleston, South Carolina

Ok, I finally got back there. Wow! Pork chops as big as two hands, chicken to die for. Lima beans, rice, oh my. Folks, this is the best food ever. My wife and I ate for $18.00, and we were stuffed. Forget about the surroundings and the inside. Just order, get it, sit and eat. You won't be disappointed. A little hard to find but worth it. I'm sorry it was closed the fist time I was there, but I'm so glad I went back. You will be too. Frank G read more

Fried chicken - best in Charleston hands down. It stops there! Macaroni tasted like water - I don't even know how that's possible. Yams were incredibly sweet, and my tea and lemonade tasted like tea and Gatorade mixed together. Pretty disgusting. Nobody's grandma cooked like this, there's just no way! read more

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Best soul food in town for sure!!! Great food, service is excellent. Will come back! Get the fried chicken, you won't regret it read more

This is an old house that's been converted into a restaurant. Old school family feel with home cooking! I tried baked chicken, Lima beans and rice, candied yams, and Mac n cheese. The rice and beans were perfectly cooked. The cornbread was MOOOOIST. The baked chicken was falling off the bone! Loved it! The mac and cheese was a bit light on flavor. The sweet tea was extra sweet, but good in small doses. A ton of food for $13. Nice local spot to try out! read more

Bertha's Kitchen - You gon eat yo conebread? Consequences and repercussions... - Southern Near Me - North Charleston, South Carolina

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I was in Charleston 3 whole days when my family took me to this little house to eat. This is my new favorite place to eat but I can not go there often or I will definitely pack on the pounds and I don't want that. Once we got inside, there was a line snaking around the first floor dining area. I was thinking to myself this place must be good since they have 2 levels of seating. The staff was friend, attentive, kind, and very helpful. I noticed people from all walks of life, young, old, Government employees, men with safety vests on, nurses, and even active duty military people in uniform. I wasn't quite sure what to order and I didn't want to make a mistake and order something that I would not like so I stuck with the daily special. My Lunch: Lima beans with smoked turkey necks over white rice, corn bread, Baked chicken, and a Large Iced tea. All for under $6.00!!!! I have died and gone to HEAVEN....EXPRESS! I am a picky eater so I usually just rake and separate my food until I eat almost NOTHING but I ate every grain of rice and scooped every lima bean. The homemade iced tea was better than any iced tea sold commercially in stores. This is my new favorite but I just have to exercise self-control or I will need a bigger wardrobe. read more

Really good food at Bertha's Kitchen. I had the fried pork chop (best I've had), red rice (delicious), okra soup (with pork chunks, and string beans.....mmmm good) and mac & cheese. The mac & cheese was homemade, and good. But personally, I like the cheesy mac & cheese. This is more like fluffy scrambled eggs. The corn bread was sweet, almost like dessert. Tea was super sweet. I love sweet tea, but this was a little sweet for me. The lady that made our plates came over to us while we were eating and asked if everything was okay, and she gave me a menu. Friendly folks at Bertha's. This place is definitely worth the stop. read more

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Really good food in this hole in the wall, family run restaurant. When you choose quality food over ambiance... this is your place! Chicken is great and the sides are really, really good. The variety is impressive ... lots of meats and sides to chose from. The ice tea is great! read more

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Excellent soul food spot. Laid out cafeteria style and it's so hard to just choose one or two sides. Fried chicken was lip smacking.

Bertha's offers a soul food option not to be missed if you're going to travel to Charleston. In a very small unobtrusive old house converted into Charleston's famous soul food kitchen, locally owned and family operated, close enough to downtown to make it worth the trip on the way to or from the Airport. You cannot go wrong with a visit to Charleston's best soul food enterprise, I recommend that you bring your own silverware and some really good takeout or to go plates because you'll want to take this food with you on your trip. If you're looking for good food at a good price, filling and wholesome then this is definitely a place worth looking for. If you come during the day be prepared to wait because this place will be packed. I had okra and shrimp soup, shrimp and gravy over red rice with a liberal helping of Texas Pete red sauce, cabbage and ham hoc, and corn bread for just under 15$ on a seafood Saturday 2pm. read more

Bertha's Kitchen - Southern Near Me - North Charleston, South Carolina

I've read about Bertha's for quite some time, and finally decided it was time to try it. We got there right when it opened and a line was already starting to form. I got the fried fish with macaroni and cheese and corn. I got three pieces of fish, and ten minutes later one of the ladies showed up at the table with another huge piece of fish saying that she had dropped one of the original pieces on the floor and was replacing it. It was a huge amount of fish. The macaroni and cheese was awesome, it was canned corn, but at this kind of place I am perfectly fine with that. I also got cornbread, which I could usually care less about, but Bertha's is the best. My husband got the fried chicken, which he said was great. This place definitely lives up to it's reputation. read more

Bertha's Kitchen - fried chicken with corn and cornbread - Southern Near Me - North Charleston, South Carolina

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They are serving takeout with tables set up out side under a catering tent where you can sit and eat. The food is well seasoned. All of the fried foods are being fried fresh. We tried a variety and sampled from each others plate. No complaints. I lived in New Orleans for awhile and this is as good as the mom and pop spots there. read more

Well I've been wanting to try this place for quite a while and today I finally did. The food wa very good and the staff were extremely kind and helpful. I had the fried chicken, rice w/ lima beans, bbq pig's feet and corn bread; all of which were delicious. I recommend this place to all. read more

This place was amazing. Everyone was super nice, and the food was wonderful. It was some if the best fried chicken I have ever had. Plus they were very busy, but extremely efficient in getting everyone's order filled. read more

We got there around 10:45 and they opened around 11:15. There was some people waiting outside but not too many. We ordered fried chicken and turkey with mac and cheese, sweet potato casserole, beans and rice, cornbread, and sweet tea. The fried chicken was great! I am not sure if its the best I have ever had but definitely up there. I actually thought the stand out was the turkey! The mac and cheese was more solid-like which is not exactly my preferred way of eating mac and cheese, I prefer the creamy type of mac and cheese. The sweet potato casserole was a bit too sweet for me. The cornbread was AMAZING. It was probably the best cornbread of my life. Moist and slightly sweet. My boyfriend loved the beans and rice. Overall hit or miss with the sides but it might be just personal taste. The price was EXCELLENT. We got all that food for under $20. If I only had a weekend in Charleston, this probably wouldn't be at the top of my list since its difficult to get to without a car. Next time I am in Charleston, I would like to visit Martha Lou's to compare! I chose Bertha's because I had several locals recommend Bertha's over Martha Lou's. read more

Bertha's Kitchen - Fried chicken and turkey with mac and cheese, beans and rice, sweet potato casserole, and cornbread. - Southern Near Me - North Charleston, South Carolina

Delicious!! First time there today. Good home cooking with lots of flavor. Yams, Mac n cheese, baked chicken, cornbread... Mmmm, mmmm, good!!!! read more

Hands down the best soul food in the Holy city. We waited in line for about 20 minutes and I would have waited longer if need be. Our food was pipping hot and absolutely delicious. read more

Bertha's Kitchen - Southern Near Me - North Charleston, South Carolina

Just left here. Holy crap! It's amazing. The service was fast! We didn't even have to wait and the food...oh my god. The food! It's absolutely incredible. The fried chicken was flavored so well and the meat practically fell off the bone. Super moist. And the corn bread was seriously the best cornbread I've ever had in my life. Everyone needs to stop what they're doing and go to this place. Now! read more

Fried Chicken, Butter beans, Corn and Seafood Rice! This restaurant is a hidden gem!! Southern home cooking that warms your heart and reminded me of Sunday Supper. Thank you for the delicious meal and wonderful service. read more

DISAPPOINTED !!! We had great hopes as we waited in the small cafeteria line with warm, friendly locals. Beef tips were good but my portion of turkey wings and rice was miniscule compared to what the locals were served for the same price. The server passed over several nice big, meaty wings to select mine that had half a cup of real meat. So disappointed ! Not much flavor to the watery lima beans but cornbread was good. My suggestion is, if you're not a local, watch what is spooned up for you. My meal was POOR. read more

Food was very much with the time and money. Good ole mess is all I have to say. Kind of a run down place but it's what expected. Because of location will return very soon read more

If you want deep South country soul food, this is your place! Deep fried and made with . Bertha's is a long time Charleston staple and they don't deviate from what made them popular. They know their regulars, but visit once and you'll be family too! From the fried chicken to the cornbread, it's all made fresh daily and while you may have to wait, it's worth every second! The sweet tea causes cavities from the first sip, but it's worth every tooth pain! read more

Bertha's Kitchen - Southern Near Me - North Charleston, South Carolina

We got the fried chicken which was delicious, everything else was just okay. A bit overhyped in my opinion and cornbread was mediocre

Best meal we had while visiting Charleston. The fried fish, Lima beans and fried chicken was delicious. The ladies at the counter were friendly and helpful. Plenty of seating in the restaurant! read more

If you want classic, no frills, delicious SOUL FOOD, come here!!! My boyfriend and I wanted to get one last good meal in, before leaving the Charleston area and heading back home to Va Beach. We found this place via Yelp of course and saw all the awesome reviews! This place seems to have been around for a while and I'm sure through many generations. It was neat to see all the family pics/paintings inside. (See my picture.) But the food - the food was amazing and oh-so-affordable! I had the fried pork chop and Mac n cheese (some of the best I've ever had), and corn bread. Delicious! My boyfriend had fried chicken, greens, and corn bread also. I had sweet tea and BF had half and half (lemonade/tea) to drink. Guess what our total was - it was right under $13! No wonder the line grew and grew as we sat there eating. Everything was amazing. I only dock one star because they were out of knives!! I had to go old school style and pretty much just hold my pork chop with my hand and eat it. Lol. At least there was a fork for my Mac N Cheese! Definitely check this place out for some awesome, affordable soul food! read more

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Skip the Mac and cheese and get the fried chicken and Lima beans. Tea and lemonade was overly sweetened. Rice was great.

That chicken was the real deal. This place reminds me of my grandma's house on a holiday. I had the chicken and green beans. My husband had chicken, cabbage, macaroni and lima beans. Too bad we cannot eat like this too often. read more

Bertha's Kitchen - Southern Near Me - North Charleston, South Carolina

Went here for late lunch. Staff were friendly and helpful. Food was delicious. Cornbread baked perfectly. Fish was perfectly fried. read more

Bertha's Kitchen - Southern Near Me - North Charleston, South Carolina

Food was delicious. We tried almost everything on the menu. The chicken is HUGE and delicious. Loved the cornbread, mac n cheese, cabbage, greens, sweet potatoes and the sweet tea. read more

Looking for great soul food? Look no further- Amazing food prepared by a generational family. Had the fried chicken, candy yams, white rice with Lima beans and turkey gravy, all for $4.75. Food is sublime and hearty- thank you for filling our souls at unbeatable prices. Bertha is one of the rare lasting establishments feeding the community with great food. read more

Best soul food for a great price. The cost for a meal and drink is around $7. Service is always quick and I have no complaints. Another bonus is that it's black owned! read more

I give Bertha's 5 stars for service (the food is grub too). I showed up after closing as I had just arrived at the local truck stop and there isn't much around for dinner. They made a fat plate of BBQ chicken (baked like mom used to make), collard greens, rice and an extra big helping of bread pudding (a personal favorite). The food was delicious and I really appreciated them taking care of me after hours. I'm definitely stopping by if I deliver to the area again. read more

Not very appealing to the eye but food will more than make up for that. Good portions, reasonable prices & friendly staff. Have been there several times only to be surprised by how consistently good the food is. Fried or baked chicken, fried fish, pork chops. Nothing bad here.. read more

Do not be fooled by the exterior of this restaurant. Bertha's is definitely a hole in the wall that should be discovered by everyone. Upon entering, the space feels very welcoming. I was with a group of about 30 and within 20 minutes we all had our food. I ordered the beef stew, white rice, and string beans. This beef stew almost gave my own grandmother, a formerly successful restaurant owner, a run for her money. The beef was so tender and juicy. The rice wasn't overcooked. The string beans, in my opinion, were lightly seasoned with potatoes and pork bits in them. Cornbread came with the meal, but if you're like me and enjoy sweeter cornbread you may be a little disappointed. The lemonade was also extremely sweet to the point where I had to dilute it with water. Aside from the cornbread and lemonade, Bertha's is a great establishment and you should definitely not be afraid to go. My group ordered many different food items and no one had any complaints at all. Check them out because in doing so you're supporting a black business read more

Bertha's Kitchen - Beef stew, white rice, string beans, and cornbread - Southern Near Me - North Charleston, South Carolina