Food, service and ambience were outstanding! A dining experience to remember. Whenever we are in Baltimore, we will be back!

We went there for Thanksgiving dinner. There was ample staff, all cheerful and kind. Amazing food, great service. Can't wait to go back!

Amazing experience. Even if only go once this place is an experience of a lifetime. I highly recommend.

This is a dining experience. Small plates, great taste and filling. Well worth the expense.from the service to the entres. Excellent !!! read more

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Great service and great food! My wife and I dined here for our anniversary and we were not disappointed. We loved the fixed price by-course concept, we haven't seen that before. It allowed us to try a lot more menu items than just ordering appetizers, entrees, and desserts. Wine pairings were great as well. Our waitress, Jessica, was exceptional and provided a great dining experience for us on our special day! We will definitely return to try the other menu items we missed out on the first time! read more

Oh my goodness, this place is so good! We had a reunion of sorts in Baltimore and this was our predetermined "fancy dinner" of the weekend. I've heard only positive comments about this place, but part of me always wondered: "Why is the place named after a southern City?" I'm not sure I know the answer to that after the visit, but all I can tell you is, this is the best restaurant in Baltimore I've ever been to. For their dinner, below are the prices based on number of courses chosen and whether you want wine pairing. We opted for the 4 courses w/ wine pairing and it was definitively enough food. Although for the more ambitious/hungry, why not go for the 6? :P 3 courses $79 w/wine $135 4 courses $94 w/wine $160 5 courses $109 w/wine $187 6 courses $124 w/wine $212 Please refer to the pictures I posted w/ regards to some of the items we ordered. Overall a seafood-centric menu with French techniques, warm flavors (fancy comfort food comes to mind) and just spot-on execution. I'm sure many of us have had fois gras, scallops, seafood soup (in this case their lobster soup is a star on the menu) and other decadent items on occasions, but to have an entire meal of great ingredients mastered/respected with expert techniques is really what makes this place stand out. The price is the only prohibitive aspect of dining at this restaurant, but do note the service, in addition to the food/wine is amazing/attentive and that's what you're partially paying for as well. I highly recommend coming here for all celebratory occasions! read more

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Hubby surprised me with date night at Charleston. We'd been planning to go at some point while in Baltimore and I'm glad we've checked this off our food list. The place is gorgeous. It has this old-school fancy feel.They sat us close to the open kitchen, so we could see all the dishes as they were brought out. The chef even stopped by our table to check on our meal. Service was great but not overbearing. Water glasses and bread plates were never left empty (unless we wanted them to be). Onto the food: excellent. We each went with the 3-dish option that includes dessert ($79 each) and were stuffed by the end. The meal includes a small starter (biscuit and soup) as well as dessert. We loved the lobster soup and shrimp and grits, two of their staples. I was also impressed by the tuna tartar special, which was flown in fresh that day. My main nit pick is that I didn't love the flavor of the beef tenderloin. It was one of hubby's picks and he was impressed, so I won't dock points for that. I'm not usually a fan of dessert but since it was included we ordered the passionfruit creme brulee and walnut espresso cake, which were both good. Everyone also gets complimentary mini macarons and bonbons. All in all, we had a great experience. If you're in Baltimore and don't mind the price tag, give it a shot. read more

Charleston - New American Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Yes, it's worth the money, and personally I think the wine pairings was worth it as well. If you're like me and trying to figure out what you might order, here's my selections: 1. Lobster soup - super creamy and amazing, I was very satisfied with the amount and quality of the lobster. 2. Steak tartare - I'm adventurous so I had to try it and it was extremely flavorful and the texture didn't gross me out, but I'm also a sushi lover. The jalapeño oil made it somewhat spicy, so I wouldn't get it if you have no tolerance for spice. 3. Bison tenderloin - absolutely perfect. I love steak and this rocked my world. In general, the food and service was exceptional. I highly recommend. read more

Amazing good, presentation. Often you read about 5 star restaurants that are supposedly fabulous but they fail to meet that bar IRL. Not Charleston. Everything from appetizers to wine to entrees to desserts were fabulous. I had the scallops over a bed of cauliflower. Scallops were melt in your mouth perfection. Cauliflower was the best I've ever had. Butternut squash soup was velvety perfection. I went for my birthday celebration. They brought my dessert lit with a candle and accompanied by a plate of mini French cookies and chocolates. My companion had the duck. He said it was perfectly seasoned and cooked. The free glass of Madeira was a nice palate cleanser between cours read more

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At Charleston, Foreman and Wolf showcase their passion for excellent food and wine, further evidenced by their elegant dining room and caring, attentive wait staff. Having a meal here needs to be on your bucket list! read more

Totally pleased with our first time experience at The Charleston. The service was fantastic ,ambiance was lovely and the food was fantastic. My personal favorite was the Bison, best piece of meat I have ever tasted hands down. The idea of the tasting menu is great to get a variety of options and includes dessert which was lovely. We cannot wait to go back, absolutely recommend this restaurant! read more

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Who says you can't enjoy fine dining with a Gluten allergy? If anyone tells you that you can't, tell them to shut up and go to Charleston's. This place was amazing!!! The food was amazing!! The service, ambiance and experience was all AMAZING. They did very well with social distancing and being COVID cautious. We signed Covid tracking waivers and they took our temperatures and everyone wore masks. It was very well done. The entire menu was pretty much Gluten Free. There were just a few items on it that were not. The menu contained a nice variety of items. For tonight's dinner I chose the 4 course meal. I don't get to dine at these types of restaurants often but when I do...I ENJOY MYSELF. I absolutely love she-she-fu-fu restaurants. read more

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The service was absolutely wonderful and everyone was knowledgeable, kind, and compassionate. The ambiance of the restaurant is great for intimate date night/ special occasion. The only reason I am giving it three stars was because the cooking of some of the dishes left something to be desired. Lobster Soup: the flavor of this was amazing. However, the butter poached lobster was under cooked. Cornmeal Fried Oyster: This was pretty tasty, and appreciated that the oysters were very fresh. The mayonnaise was really good. However, I don't know that I would get this dish again. Felt a little underwhelming, even though I was told it was one of the chef's specials. Sea Scallop: This was the best dish I had! The scallop was seared very nicely and while I don't usually like capers, they worked really well with all of the flavors on the plate! Fantastic! White Truffle Fettuccini: While truffle butter sauce was creamy and delicious. I loved the texture of the trumpet mushrooms as it contrasted with the silky noodles, and added more umami to the dish. Halibut: The halibut was over cooked and very dry. However, the lemon beurre blanc was really tasty. I ended up eating only a few bites of the fish and had the sauce only. Duck: The slices of duck were sliced very thin and when cut into, seemed very dry, especially because it was a little overdone (grey/brown band near the edge, very little pink in the middle). The peaches/nectarines on the plate had more of a cognac after taste than I prefer, as did the sauce. Not my favorite, although I did like the foie gras Lemon Panna Cotta: This dessert was pretty underwhelming as the lemon didn't really shine through the actual panna cotta. However, the strawberry reduction and the shortbread crumb was delicious. Overall, while the service was great, I don't know that the price point matches the food quality. Maybe it was just a one-off experience. read more

Golly, this was by far the most disappointing restaurant experience I've had in a very long time. I eat regularly at Kinship and The Dabney in DC (both Michelin starred), and was expecting something along those lines in terms of quality. The price-point, after all, of Charleston is at that level, if not slightly higher than these 2 Michelin-starred restaurants. By comparison, Charleston's food is exceedingly expensive and equally exceedingly non-descript. In short, the food is entirely devoid of taste. My palate was given absolutely nothing to experience. The food was on a par with Starbucks pastries: they look great, but they just have zero taste. How on earth is it possible to make white truffle fettucine (a favorite dish of mine, which I've eaten dozens of times across various cities and countries) so utterly devoid of any taste? What a shocking waste of and insult to white truffle! I wept, and so did my taste-buds. I also ordered the caramelized cauliflower. It wasn't caramelized at all. Oh my gosh, here was my favorite vegetable absolutely trashed, and my taste-buds shot to utter boredom. Even I can do better cauliflower than this - and I can't really cook. This dish was enough to turn the most hard-core vegetarian into a rabid carnivore. Please go eat a dish of vegetables at The Dabney or Kinship, for goodness sake, if you are going to charge their prices. At this stage, I was just bored of eating (something that rarely happens to me), so I decided to move onto dessert. No-one comes anywhere close to Maestra Anne at Kinship, but I was hoping for at least something that was at least half respectable. No such luck. Instead, I got a 2.5 inch in diameter chunk of (again) zero-taste meringue. I love meringue (it is so immensely versatile). I love vanilla (which has plenty of flavor when used correctly). But I just stopped eating it after 2 bites. There was just no point: it did not even merit the effort of chewing. And no thought at all had gone into presentation: this chunk of meringue was too big to eat in one mouthful, yet impossible to cut up into smaller sizes because it had the texture of a brick, and also impossible to up and eat as a cookie (because of the syrup in which it lay). Whoever was behind this dish clearly just couldn't be bothered (to put much thought into this piece), and so nor could I, the eater. Even the freebie petit fours were alarmingly poor the macaron was abominable. The 'holy trinity' of the macaron (a delicately crisp shell; a lightly textured, almost 'fluffy' interior; and a luscious, moist center) was nowhere in sight, and instead, someone left out a dried-up dog-biscuit. My server was very nice, but the service standard frankly abysmal. There is simply no excuse not to offer a diner water. I was not offered water at all, at any point. I waited patiently to see when they would notice, but they didn't. Finally, having already had some champagne and an amuse-bouche, then eaten my first course, and was midway through my second course, my thirst overcame me, and I was forced to ask for water. Are you serious? How can you take yourself seriously at this price point, for this basic service failing? Also, please do not ask a diner "how is it?" when you have just watched them put a fork of pasta into their mouth. I am eating, for goodness sake: I am not going to talk to you with my mouth full. In short, this was a great example of Emperor's New Clothes. Embarrassingly bad. I am shortly to move from DC to Baltimore, but I will prefer to drive down to DC and eat at Kinship and/or Dabney over staying local and giving Charleston another chance, hands down. To people considering dining options in Baltimore only, go elsewhere: when you are dropping this amount of greenbacks, you want to get your money's worth: but you don't, not even close. read more

pretty sure it's the beef tartare that gave me diarrhea for 36-48 hrs after. Definitely avoid that one. the octopus was the worst i've ever had. impossible to chew, like rubber - skip that one too. At a place where your bill is over $100, I feel like it should be impossible to choose wrong, but I definitely did. Great service but would never ever come back. read more

A friend and I walked into the Charleston for a quick drink and ended up staying longer than expected thanks to the awesome bartenders, Rel and Deena! They were great. Super friendly and great drinks. We expected the ambiance to be stuffy since it was such a fancy restaurant, but the vibes were good. read more

Wow wow wow. Can't say enough good things. Dined here for our anniversary and arrived in pouring rain. The valet person met us with an umbrella. We were greeted with "Happy Anniversary " from all the staff. There were so many staff members and every one was knowledgeable on every element of food and drink. One person showed us the cheese cart with a thorough description of each and a different person served it but could tell us every detail of each cheese. The food portions are small for an average/big person. For me, a petite person, the 3 course meal was more than enough. The quality of the food was incredible. Unique flavors with every bite. Perfectly cooked meats. The incredible part was the experience due to their attention to detail. My husband picked up the wine menu and a sommelier introduced himself and asked to give guidance on the selection. Another person served us complimentary desserts , like mini petit fours (cookies, macaron, Etc) and my husband took a mini half bite to save the other half for me. A server noticed and gave us a second complimentary serving! Love the diversity of the staff, both in age and racially. The owners are clearly very thoughtful in how they select and train their staff. We are making this our anniversary tradition now. Thank you Charleston! read more

Charleston is certainly an experience more than a dinner, but without the fussiness or hunger-after-an-hour that can sometimes come with a restaurant of this caliber. I visited for my birthday late last month, and was thrilled with the unwaveringly warm and impeccable service, from each and every member of the staff. I think the decor and atmosphere perfectly reflect the meal you're about to enjoy: understated but plush, thoughtfully designed with exquisite detail, but altogether unpretentious. We had four courses, which I'd highly recommend, and I opted for the wine pairings while my fiance enjoyed craft beers. I was so glad I did the pairings; they elevated the food perfectly, and gave me some choices I wouldn't have arrived at alone but will definitely revisit. Our absolute favorite dishes were a grilled octopus special, and the magret of duck. Just flawless, gorgeously cooked, food that makes you smile and not quickly forget it. I'd truly recommend every single other dish we got, including their signature lobster soup with curry, veal sweetbreads, and foie gras- we certainly indulged, but the decadence seems purposeful here! Maybe my biggest endorsement is that I do NOT enjoy sweets, but the dessert course is included gratis, so I accepted...and was astounded that this ended up being one of my favorite courses. In retrospect, I should not have been too surprised. The vanilla pavlova and chocolate torte, as well as another treat of some bite-size confections at the end, were as precisely balanced and extremely delicious as the rest of the meal. read more

Phenomenal experience, our go to anniversary dinner. Tremendous professional service and excellent food.

The food and service were wonderful. Great tasting menu with lots of options. A great upscale ambiance for a special occasion.

Beautiful décor that takes you back in time and to Europe in place. And how many restaurants left in the U.S. have a cheese cart? Charleston does, they even have a Cognac/Armagnac cart. Service is impeccable and friendly too, you are waited on by several people. We each tried a four-course tasting menu which you can personally select from around 20 dishes. We opted for the wine pairings also, which were very well selected. Of the eight total dishes we ordered, three or four were very memorable and the duck was the best. All dishes were excellent. You do need to pay attention to your progression of dishes because I didn't and ended up with two dishes that had a polenta/potato base, so the two tastes were a little too similar. Another highlight was the lobster bisque, very full flavors with a good amount of lobster on top. Paired with a sherry, it was perfect. The duck had a slice of foie on top and the sauces were sublime. Four courses seemed about right but of course you can have five or six as well. read more

Our favorite restaurant for special occasions. They've done an exceptional job during the pandemic. It's remarkable how nimble and resilient they have been over the past year. The oysters are a must try and we love their caviar service. read more

This was our first time to visit Charleston but I don't think it will be the last. The service was exceptional, as was the food. We did 4 courses with wine pairing. I'm happy that was what we decided because I needed help from my husband to help me finish each course. We mostly ordered different things so we were able to try different things. First they brought an artichoke soup sample that was great! They also brought bread and they were all very good. For the first course my husband and I both ordered the lobster soup. It is wonderful. The second course I did the seared scallops and he did the squab. Both were excellent but we both liked the scallops a bit more. The third course I ordered the seared wild halibut and it was the best fish I have ever had. My husband ordered lamb and again both dishes were great but we both thought the halibut was to die for. The fourth course I ordered beef tenderloin and he ordered bison tenderloin. We loved both and both were cooked perfectly. I was so full my husband ended up getting to eat pretty much both tenderloins. He was not upset. Then you get dessert. I got pecan cake that was very good and my husband chose the cheese instead and loved it. We really enjoyed our visit to Charleston! read more

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Amazing!!! I definitely recommend giving this fine dining spot a try!! The waiter was familiar with many, if not all of the meal options which turned out to be very useful. read more

***Charleston's build-your-own tasting menu is reasonably priced and offers a wide variety of flavor combinations and ingredients; the quality of the cuisine though is a notch below SF's and Chciago's great fine dining restaurants*** Cindy Wolf's Charleston is a longstanding fine dining restaurant in Baltimore. High-end and well-respected fine dining restaurants are not often located in waterfront areas, but Charleston is (located right in the Inner Harbor with a waterfront view from the lounge). The main dining area is nice. It is warm with white tablecloth and elegant touches but not stuffy. There is also a modern and clean open kitchen at the center, which creates a lot of energy (Cindy Wolf is right there expediting orders). The menu is similar to Gary Danko. It features a reasonably priced build-your-own tasting menu of 3-6 courses as well as a seasonal tasting menu. Like Gary Danko, Charleston features a great variety of ingredients with lots of meats, seafood, vegetables, and fruits. The menu is a subtle mix of French and Southern cuisine. I opted for the build-your-own tasting menu and elected for 5 courses (the good thing is dessert does not count as a course; it is complimentary). The meal started with an amuse of artichoke soup and a gougere. The soup was fine. I liked the distinct crust and airiness of the gougere, but I wish it was warmer. The bread was warm though. There was a very good and lightly sweet cornbread as well as a nice roll with a good chew. I started with their shrimp and grits--an always on the menu item. The grits were good and creamy. There was a nice garnish of savory tasso ham. The shrimp was okay. It was nicely cooked, but it could have used more color. I think the dish needed more spiciness as well. http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=LGmnOu9FIc-OS0klvBeH7g&userid=w-w-k-QXosIKQ8HQVwU6IQ Next came a scallop with English peas, fava beans, chives, chervil, and a lemon beurre blanc. The garnishes were great. It was a nice spring dish with plump and very nicely cooked peas. I liked the fresh herbs and enjoyed the smooth beurre blanc, which had a refreshing lemon flavor and was not too rich. http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=64aWAMDZf8KuZ4UMH5L1OA&userid=w-w-k-QXosIKQ8HQVwU6IQ The scallop was just okay. It was tender, but I still would have preferred a more moist and softer center. My next course was the foie gras with French green lentils and salsa verde. The foie gras was interesting. It was like cold foie gras at the center (the kind you get with a torchon) and a seared and warm outside. The foie gras had a good flavor, but I think I would preferred if it was just seared or just served cold. I did not like the contrasting textures. http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=347nSfEoB5aZZnhMDddGgg&userid=w-w-k-QXosIKQ8HQVwU6IQ I did not like the garnishes either. They were fine by themselves, but I would have preferred something sweet to go with the foie gras. Next was a special--grilled veal sweetbreads with caramelized cauliflower, capers, walnuts, and brown butter sauce. Like the foie gras, it was an interesting preparation with the sweetbread flattened and grilled--kind of like a pork chop. The garnishes were okay, but like a lot of Charleston's food, I felt it could have used more flavor. My final savory course was the pan roasted duck with pear and rhubarb compote and Calvados sauce. The garnishes were good. The compote was sweet and slightly tart. The Calvados sauce was a thick but still very thin sauce that completely enveloped the meat without being too heavy or rich. The duck was just okay. It had a crispy skin, but it could have been juicier. It was quite dry around the edges. Dessert was good. I had a carrot and walnut cake with orange segments, a walnut tuile and a buttermilk orange panna cotta topped with a huckleberry compote. The cake was a little dense and dry, but the flavors of the carrot and walnut flavors really came across. The panna cotta was creamy and good and the compote was nicely sweet. http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=uIo1Flwe2IGVfz_AUqoqrA&userid=w-w-k-QXosIKQ8HQVwU6IQ Service was very good. The staff was pleasant, professional and polite. The food came out at a quick and even pace. I really liked the manager, who was friendly, professional and really on top of things. Prices were reasonable given the variety of proteins and ingredients you get to experience as well as the substantial portions. Charleston is a pleasant restaurant and the food is decent, but it just does not serve the flavorful, unique and high quality cuisine you find in SF or Chicago. It still seems to be a good and seasonal restaurant to celebrate a special occasion in Baltimore. There is a nearby parking structure as well as valet parking that services the restaurants in this area; I believe Charleston validates. read more

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Procrastination at its finest - a writeup of a meal that we had exactly 364 days ago. We visited The Charleston and decided to do four savory courses each. I also got the wine pairings with mine, feeling like this is definitely a place where I can trust the sommelier. His courses: Local Heirloom Tomato & Fresh Buffalo Mozzarella Salad, fresh fava beans, saffron & lime vinaigrette Jumbo Lump Crabcake, roasted local sweet corn, fresh fava beans, whole grain mustard cream Grilled Gunpowder Farm Buffalo Tenderloin, creamy polenta, crispy shallots, oyster mushrooms Grilled Beef Tenderloin, local garlic & Yukon Gold potato purée, quail's egg, fried green tomato Peach shortcake, peach sorbet Her courses: Local Sweet Corn Chowder, roasted Eastern Shore sweet corn, bacon Andouille Big-Eye Tuna Tartare, cucumber, tiny capers, jalapeño oil Pan-Roasted Turbot, oyster & button mushroom fricassée, lemon beurre blanc Pan-Roasted Magret of Duck, local Methley plum & peach compote, cinnamon scented Beaumes-de-Venise reduction Panna Cotta, local berries & yellow peaches, wildflower honey And, sweets for the table (crumble cookie, macaron, meringue, caramel) Some notes on our meal: Service was excellent, very attentive and formal. We were there on a Monday night, and there were only a few other tables. Each dish is small and composed of many perfectly executed elements - perfectly balanced acidity, perfectly chopped vegetables, amazingly fresh fish, great sauces. This is one of those places that D will order seafood, and enjoys it - he loved the crab cake. This may actually have been the first Baltimore crab cake that he enjoyed - little to no filler, sweet and fresh meat with little extra added. My favorite was the turbot - a great sauce, perfectly cooked mushrooms and fish mixing well. D's favorite was the buffalo - tender and flavorful with great polenta. Definitely a great place for a special occasion - not an inexpensive meal, but when every single bite is fantastic, it can be worth it sometimes! read more

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If I would have left Baltimore and not eaten here, the trip would have been a loss. It was recommended to me by a yelp friend and so glad she advised to make reservations. Every time I come to Baltimore, this has to be on my list and yours. You are greeted with professionalism and the highest standard of customer service when you dine here. The service, explanation of dishes, presentation, creativity, flavors, and execution is impeccable. The menu is setup in a tasting style and I chose the 5-taster route. So strap in for a longer but intriguing and tasty review. I started with the Rabbit Empanada Confit. The pastry was crunchy and flaky and the flavors were simply delicious. The Shrimp & Stone Ground Creamy Grits with tasso ham, andouille sausage, and fresh chives was out of this world. I could have had an enormous bowl of this. The shrimp were perfect, but this dish had four surprises. The creamy grits were not traditional in presentation, but smoother in texture. The sausage cubed in the dish were spectacular. It heightened the flavor and complimented the shrimp so well. The ham was crispy in tiny bits, hidden throughout, giving the surprise crunch. The broth I could have drank a gallon of it. I ended up eating more bread than I expected to soak everything up. The Burgundy Snails with buttery poached garlic & shallot, lardons, red wine reduction, in a puff pastry tray was light and flaky. I haven't had escargot that didn't have to be so salty. The reduction was a terrific pairing with the snails along with the lardons to give it the extra flavor and balance of heaviness. The Pan Roasted Washington State Halibut was the next serving with grilled eggplant, nicoise olives, roasted cippolini onions, and extra virgin olive. This easily could have been in Food and Wine Magazine. It looked and tasted perfect. It had an excellent sear on one side with a delicate browning on the other. The fish was flaky and light and when you combined it with the grilled eggplant, it was an excellent marriage for texture and flavor. The olives and onions provided a nice salty sweet contrast to make it an even better dish. There are two stars in the Grilled Buffalo Tenderloin with braised napa cabbage, lardons, and roasted pablano pepper cream. The first is the magnificently tender meat and the exquisite pablano sauce. The two together are in perfect harmony. They are paired so well, with it complimenting and balancing each other's heaviness. Dessert was ecstasy on a plate. The Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake with caramelized bourbon marshmallow, espresso cream, and graham cracker streuse was OH SO delicious. If I weren't so full, I would have another. This was rich and light, creamy and crunchy, sweet and bitter all at the same time. My compliments to all the chefs and front of the house staff for a fabulous meal and experience. read more

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This large restaurant downtown serves surprising good food. Everything was very good, including the filet, fish, appetizers and dessert. Service was excellent. The restaurant had a very good, but pricy wine list and a interesting cocktail list. The open kitchen was busy, but the meals arrived swiftly. An excellent dining choice. read more

The quiet, dark corner building occupied by Charlestown belies the dramatic food being prepared inside. As guests enter, they are warmly greeted. The bustle of the day is left outside as you are encouraged to relax and anticipate what is to come. The food here is remarkable. I tried the rich, rich lobster bisque with large chunk of butter poached lobster. It was perfectly spiced an just plain great. The Arugula Watermelon salad sounds simple but the devil here is in the details. Mix the tartness of the arugula with the sweetness of watermelon and cantaloupe. Finally, top the mix with an acidic tomato vinaigrette. The total was flawless. As an entrée I could not resist the quail. It was roasted to a flavorful perfection and placed atop a dense polenta swimming in a reduction jus. The lightest, most delicate fried onion rings rested like crowns on each half of the quail. Unforgettable. Of course, we need something sweet to end the experience. Peach "cobbler?" With vanilla ice cream and raspberries, two ways. All in all, this spot really excels in virtually every aspect. I cannot imagine a better evening. read more

This is, hands down, the best meal either of us has ever had. And this will be a long review... I'd read the Yelp reviews and knew there was a good waitress mentioned a couple of times, but I couldn't remember the name! Got home, re-checked... oh yeah, we had Leslie too! She was wonderful - beyond knowledgeable, friendly but not bubbly, and there whenever you needed her (but not hanging over your shoulder all the time). We had an 8pm reservation Saturday 09/11. Arrived 10 minutes early and were seated in the bar to wait. Cushy bar, and an excellent dirty martini. One of the servers brought over truffled potato chips with truffled creme fraiche to go with our drinks (we saw other tables in the bar also receive this treat... but hello, truffled stuff goooooood!). Promptly at 8pm we were taken to our table, a roomy two-top in a back room, with 5-6 other tables and wide windows that overlooked the quiet street and water. Very pleased with this setup because the larger main room was brighter and louder. Leslie explained how the menu worked (3 to 6 small 'tasting' courses, with or without wine pairings) and said 4 courses would work for the normal appetite. We ordered 5, me with wine and Ken without. Amuse Bouche: Vichyssoise (cold potato and leek soup) - 4.5 1st Course: Jumbo Lump Crabcake, sweet corn and haricot verts (aka green beans) salad, mustard cream + Pouilly-Fuisse (me) and Lobster Soup with curry (Ken) - 3.5 and 4 2nd Course: Steak Tartare, jalapeno oil + Brut Rose (me) and Heirloom Tomato, Baby Lettuce, Goat Cheese Medallion salad (Ken) - 3 and 5 3rd Course: Fresh Baby Artichoke Risotto, Morel mushrooms, local butter beans + Soave Classico (me) and pan-roasted Halibut, mushroom fricassee, lemon beurre blanc (Ken) - 4.5 and 5 4th Course: Turbot, mushroom fricassee, lemon beurre blanc - special + Chardonnay (me) and Grilled gunpowder buffalo tenderloin, creamy polenta, oyster mushrooms, crispy shallots (Ken) - 4.5 and 4 5th Course: pan-seared Foie Gras, local Gala apples, Calvados pan sauce + Chateau Lahonade-Peyraguey (me) and grilled Lamb Rack chop, pomegranate, saffron rice, eggplant caviar (Ken) - 5 and 3 Cheese: we chose 3 with the assistance of the smart and funny 'cheese guy' - I wish we'd gotten his name to include it because he was, seriously, a cheese whisperer! 'Cheese guy' slid me some wine too. Dessert (included): I saw 'salted caramel' in one's description and said yes, yes, yes. It ended up being a bit too much chocolate for me, but still a nice end to the meal. Ken chose more wisely with the panna cotta, fresh fruit and fresh raspberry sorbet. My favorites of the evening were the foie gras (melted in your mouth like the most delicious butter ever) and Ken's halibut (something magical about that whole dish). Ken's favorites were... he just named off everything he ate when I asked him! (when I forced him to name a couple he said his fish, any of the mushrooms and the Heirloom tomatoes) $320 + tip. OMG expensive but how often will we have the chance to dine in one of the best restaurants in the entire country? Charleston exceeded our extremely high expectations. read more

My words will not do justice to the magnificent evening we enjoyed celebrating our 25th anniversary at Baltimore's crown gem of restaurants. Every course we had - between us was lobster, octopus, quail, duck, bison, beef, and lamb - were exquisite. From the venue, to the service, to the meal, the execution was flawless. It was truly a perfect restaurant experience. read more

Warm, personal and informative service - relaxed formal setting - amazing wine pairings and innovative dishes. Truffle Fettucine and foie gras were exceptional. Highly recommend - the complete package. read more

Arugula oil galore! Great service, ambience and overall experience. Good food without WOW factor. Celebrated birthday. Great and knowledgeable staff. Upclass decor. Overall a great experience and 'feel'. Food was good but lacked wow factor. Everything was cooked well and ingredients tasted fresh and high quality. But flavors were one note and lacked depth. Beautifully plated. But not enough to make up for the uninspired flavor profile. Please stop using so much arugula oil in everything... Left the birthday dinner feeling 'meh' about the place. read more

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This is absolutely the best restaurant I've ever eaten at. The food will expand your mind. It is worth every penny. For the absolute best experience you should do the wine pairing. Comparing every day eating to a meal here is like speaking 2 different languages--they are not the same thing. read more

Charleston - Fois gras - New American Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

My boss and I were in town for a business conference and were invited to a dinner party here hosted by one of the vendors. It was truly an all around incredible experience. Upon walking into Charleston it was incredibly welcoming and cozy. The interior design was simple, yet homey, creating a very comfortable ambiance. Because we were a private party, we took about 3-4 tables in the wine cellar/room located towards the back of the restaurant. Prior to our meal, the staff came around with hors d'oeuvres (salmon tartare, empanadas, and fried oysters - all delicious) and wine while everyone mingled. All of the wait staff was top notch. My additional 3 courses included an artichoke soup, grilled rock-fish, and the heavenly salty caramel ice cream. The soup was ok, I'm more of a tomato soup lover, but it was still very good. The grilled rock-fish was deliciously cooked and topped with button mushrooms. I can easily say the mushrooms here were the most delicious mushrooms I've ever had. And all of it was topped with lemon buerre blanc, which to me was just a fancy phrase for deliciousness. Despite being stuffed from all of the wonderful food, I had to make room for dessert. It was a scrumptious plate of sweet and salty - a combination my taste buds always enjoy, and this dessert did not disappoint. It included a chocolate and coffee napoleon with a side of salted caramel ice cream. I'm a pretty picky ice cream lover but this was the bees knees in ice cream. A week after my trip and I'm still craving this stuff. To finish we were offered coffee but our table couldn't resist a waiter's inquiry regarding dessert wines. I'm not entirely sure which brand was ordered, but it was an Armagnac - I was told it was a 1984 vintage. We all took sips from a glass that could've been mistaken for a fish bowl on a stem - it was quite big. The aroma of the Armagnac was very strong and could be smelled from across the table. I've tried ports and other fortified wines before but have found many of them to be too sweet. Just a tiny sip and I was surprised at how balanced and smooth the flavor was, however it was syrupy (thickness). It may have changed my mind next time I'm offered a dessert wine. Bottom line: This restaurant is fantastic. Although I didn't pay, the service and quality of food is well worth the price regardless of whether you opt for the 3 or 6 course meal. I would highly recommend Charleston to anyone visiting the city looking for a delicious meal and a comfortable, yet upscale atmosphere. read more

It takes leaving New York to realize how great and affordable a fancy dinner out can be. At the recommendation of our hotel, I came to the Charleston with two of my coworkers: we were not disappointed. There were a few other full tables when we arrived, but the restaurant stayed fairly empty throughout the meal. It's a fairly romantic restaurant with dim lights and little noise. Our waiter brought us just the wine menu first and took a while getting back to us. Afterwards, we got the dinner menu. It's an amazing deal (3 courses for $79, and dessert is included!) where you just pick 3 items on the menu though I noticed there is a wine pairing option. May have been good to know before we ordered the wine. You can also do anywhere from 3-6 courses if you're feeling hungry. I started with the Cornmeal-Fried Oysters, because it's Baltimore and the oysters are supposed to be fresh from the harbor. I'm not a big fried food person, but the oysters were nice. I then followed with the Fresh Artichoke, which was a medley of fresh vegetables. Yum yum yum, I wanted more! Good thing I didn't have more, because the Head on Shrimp was creamy, filling, and most importantly, delicious. Finally, as a frozen dessert person, I wasn't drawn to any of the dessert options and asked the waiter for some of the ice cream/sorbets. I had the Mango, Lemon, and Salted Caramel, all of which were delicious. Service was friendly the whole time and they did a good job pacing out the courses. It's a restaurant where you could stay for 3 hours and they would be happy to have you there. Great food and great concept: would love to come back. read more

Wonderful, perfect for special occasion. Beautiful ambiance and perfect service. Chef Cindy popped over to say hello, which we loved.

This is definitely a place to go for the experience. My SO and I came here a few months back. There is valet service which is nice, as parking would be a hassle. There is staff to take your jackets at the door if you desire. The place is the definition of fine dining, as it seems very formal and professional with quiet chatter. My SO and I felt a little out of place, being the youngest ones in the restaurant by several decades. We noticed that it may have affected our service a bit; although the service was great in terms of having our water glasses constantly refilled, table cleared out between courses, etc., not once were we asked how everything tasted. We both opted for the four course menu each without wine pairing. The amuse bouche was a beet soup that we did not particularly care for, but felt was well executed. I ordered the lobster curry soup based on reviews to start, which was rich, creamy and delicious. The chunks of lobster were extremely satisfying, but I felt the soup was too salty for my tastes. The beef tartare we ordered was delicious. In addition, some other items we had were foie gras, beef tenderloin and duck. Each time, the star of the dish (the protein) was spectacular, however, we felt that the other components did not necessarily work (the sauces, sides, etc. did not meet up to our expectations). I will say, however, I had the best beef tenderloins I have had in my life there. The pacing was great, with a nice lull in between each dish for us to enjoy the atmosphere. It felt like fine dining at its peak. Our desserts were a bit disappointing, though the ice creams were well made. There was a complimentary small plate of macarons and assorted bites that my SO and I did not care for also. Without the wine pairings and after tax and tip, we had spent almost $300 here, so make sure its truly a special occasion to come. We left feeling full, but not overwhelmingly so, which is surprising seeing as we are both usually light eaters. Overall, I would recommend the Charleston for the experience, but it did not meet my expectations when it comes down to price. The sides/garnish/sauce to every dish was disappointing, but I can see why it is a special place to go. read more

The Icecream n service we received was great, we plan on going again n taking our grandchildren next time. Only a couple at a time. We have all together 15 between us. read more

Good food, not great. A bit steep in the pricing for what you get. I liked it and it was fun, but I probably won't go back to much. Nice ambience though. read more