If you're looking for a Charleston spot that's worth the hype, make Leon's Oyster Shop your next…read morestop. I finally made it to Leon's, and it absolutely lived up to the experience. Famous for its oysters and fried chicken, this Charleston favorite has a vibrant green entrance you can't miss, with cozy indoor seating plus patios in both the front and back that give off relaxed, coastal vibes. We started with the smoked mahi dip, and I honestly couldn't stop eating it--it was my favorite dish of the day. We also ordered two rounds of the chargrilled oysters, and they disappeared almost instantly. For our entrées, we shared the famous fried chicken, and whenever I see a whole fish on the menu, I'm ordering it. The branzino was cooked perfectly--flavorful, tender, and definitely worth it. To cool off, we grabbed one of their frozen drinks, which was the perfect refreshing treat on a hot Charleston day. One tip: get there early because this place fills up fast. If Leon's isn't on your Charleston food list yet, it should be. I already can't wait to go back!

Leon's makes a fantastic first impression. The atmosphere is exactly what you'd hope for from a…read moremodern Charleston restaurant--lively, beautiful, and effortlessly welcoming. The design is thoughtfully executed, the space feels comfortable even when it's busy, and the service is friendly, attentive, and impressively fast. I also appreciated a small but important detail: despite how popular the restaurant is, there are plenty of restrooms and no long lines. Little things like that genuinely improve the guest experience. Unfortunately, that's where most of my praise ends. I intentionally ordered many of the restaurant's signature dishes because I wanted to judge the restaurant as a whole rather than base my opinion on one successful plate. The food simply doesn't live up to the expectations created by the photos. Everything looks noticeably less refined and less appetizing once it reaches the table. The fried chicken was just ordinary chicken in a heavy, greasy breading. The oysters were fresh and enjoyable with no complaints there. The famous salad turned out to be mostly a large bowl of cabbage, while the avocado and mandarin seemed more decorative than meaningful. Most of the flavor came from mint and an overly acidic vinaigrette that dominated the dish. The fish sandwich was the biggest disappointment. The issue wasn't the fish itself but the composition of the sandwich. The dry, stale bun completely overpowered everything else, while the basic vegetables did nothing to complement or elevate the fish. Instead of highlighting the main ingredient, the sandwich buried it, which defeats the entire purpose of a great fish sandwich. The Korean smashed cucumber salad tasted primarily of vinegar and sesame oil with very little depth, while the hush puppies were dry and lacked the rich corn flavor that usually makes them memorable. Even the drinks reinforced the same impression. The beer was good, but charging $8 for what felt like half of a standard pour once again made the value feel questionable. This brings me to the biggest issue with Leon's. It feels like the restaurant invests far more in its atmosphere, interior design, and photogenic image than in its food. It's a place that looks incredible in pictures and is easy to recommend for the setting, but much harder to recommend for the cuisine itself. High prices are not a problem when they are backed by exceptional cooking. Here, however, it felt as though I was paying for the restaurant's reputation, constant stream of tourists, and social media appeal rather than for truly outstanding food. I would happily come back for a beer, enjoy the patio, and spend an evening with friends. But I wouldn't return specifically for the food. For a restaurant with such a strong reputation, that's the greatest disappointment of all.

This is a true southern kitchen. It looks like a house and when you enter, you are greeted by a…read morelovely lady and a row of delicious choices. I came for fried chicken but my son chose the ribs, which were so tender they literally were off the bone. The yams were Devine and the fried chicken so tasty. Bertha's chicken is recognized and I'm sure has numerous awards and comes up in all the searches. I personally love the family portraits on display.

Inside a vibrant blue building is Bertha's, a soul food establishment that is not to be missed if…read moreyou are in the Charleston area. Its small, and set up cafeteria style. You order, they plate it, you pay and either take it to go or to sit in the small dining area. Service is very quick and efficient, and you can tell there are a lot of regulars who come here because the staff joked and laughed with them as they waited in line. Speaking of the line, it moved fast but while we were there a woman came around with a tray and offered little cups of brightly colored something. I chose red and was delighted to see it was a frozen punch, red is cherry. My friend got orange and he said it was like a mango or peach flavor. I ordered the fried chicken, with cabbage and red rice. The cabbage was absolute fire, it was so tender and delicious. The red rice was good, but a bit on the dry side. I feel like had I been there when a fresh pan was brought out it would have been a lot better. The fried chicken was perfectly cooked and had a flaky crust but it needed salt and the tables did not provide any. I would come back, there are so many other things I would love to try and this place is busy for a reason.

Who doesn't love a good southern restaurant with vibes that make you think of Steel Magnolias!…read more While on my run when I was in Charleston I saw this restaurant and knew my sister and I had to try it. Upon entering the hostess were so sweet and got us sat immediately. We both knew walking in we wanted a steak. And the special that the chef had was steak skewers with Boursin mashed potatoes, black berries, corn and green beans. I was a little skeptical about the black berries with the savory items but to my surprise it was soooo amazing! I also tied the blue crab bisque! Talk about flavor! My hat is completely off to the chef. I thoroughly enjoyed my meal and the service received there. I will definitely be back!

Sitting down at this restaurant made me realize that the people of Charleston always dress nicely!…read moreNoted for next time! We ordered the watermelon caprese salad, parmesan crusted halibut, and an item on the special menu that I cannot recall at the moment. Complimentary bread and butter- delicious. no notes. who doesn't love bread and butter? Watermelon caprese salad- refreshing, high quality ingredients, harmonious. the mint pesto paired with heirloom tomatoes and mozz was simply to die for. I don't enjoy fruit in salads but my boyfriend said the watermelon was essential and that this dish was amazing overall! Parmesan crusted halibut- wow. if there is one thing you should order on this menu, it's this. I don't think I spoke once during this meal. every bite-I anticipated the next. the various flavors coming from the halibut, tomato, shrimp, rice, and corn...topped with the citrus beurre blanc was sensational. I would come back for this meal. my boyfriend wholeheartedly agrees. sangria- strong. blood orange margarita spritz- strong. delicious. Overall, we'd definitely come back. Our waiter was friendly. The food was sensational. The ambiance was warm. The drinks were strong. Our moods were changed for the better after leaving so I'd say this was a 10/10.

Friendly staff, kind, welcomed us as first timers with a sample of their delicious frozen lemonade…read more Food was all amazing!! We had the charred edamame, gyoza, and tantanmen mazemen noodles. Upon leaving we were handed 2 free coupons for a full sized frozen lemonade next visit. We'll be back (again & again!)

I go here at least once a week because it is just that good. The food is amazing and the vibe is…read moreperfect. I've never had a bad experience, it's a great place to go alone or with friends.

The food was amazing and sylvie was an amazing server.highly recommend coming here. the shea crab…read moresoup was delicious and the swamp fox burger

my husband and I had a great meal at the swampy inside the Francis Marion in Charleston. Our…read morewaiter Eric was so great in telling us about the cocktails and beer and helping us make a selection of our food. And Geordie and Diego were the chefs that prepared it and everything was so good. It was actually one of the best meals we've had in Charleston so far. We enjoyed the atmosphere. It was very relaxed and a change from a lot of the very loud restaurants we've been in. A great experience!

1/10 (Service) - 10 1/10 (Food) - 6, based on two meals I…read morehad 1/10 (Ambiance) Down- Home Breakfast - very basic, If one is used to flavored food, this dish wasn't it especially not for the price! Farmhouse Burrata - Now this was flavorful and more on the sweet side because of the pickled peaches, Although I did switch out the Arugula for the Spring Mix which personally if you don't like Arugula than the switch is definitely necessary! Overall, I definitely be open to coming back to try different dishes to give a proper food review.

Make a reservation first. This will very much improve your experience…read more Poogan's is a staple when it comes to downtown Charleston dining for us. One of the oldest in Charleston and super cute from the outside in. I also love that they named the place after their loyal pupper dog. For my taste, Poogan's makes one of the best shrimp and grits I've ever had. They also have phenomenal she crab soup, pimento cheese fritters with bacon jam, and collards. My friends got the fried chicken which I hadn't had before and the fry was literally perfect. Not too thick but a major crunch. We will continue to bring our friends and family here when showing them downtown.

A review posted in honor of the experience one of my friends had this past week -…read more My husband and I came to Charleston specifically for the food, and out of all the amazing meals we had, Miller's All Day was hands down our favorite. We came for breakfast and started with the banana bread with Nutella cream cheese -- absolutely incredible. We also split the cornmeal pancakes, which were so good we came back the next morning just to have them again. I ordered the B.E.C. with the home fries, and I can honestly say they may have been the best potatoes I've ever had in any form. Perfectly crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and they practically melted in my mouth. My husband had the turkey club and said it was fantastic as well. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and memorable. We loved it so much we went back the very next day. 10/10 -- highly recommend if you're visiting Charleston!

Very cute spot, bright, clean and lots of space to not feel crowded…read more Server was great, was on top of it but didn't rush us. He also had a meal removed from the bill - it was brought out Luke warm unfortunately. Overall food was good everyone was happy with their choices. Burger didn't come with fries but was big enough to fill up an 18 year old boy. Salad had a great sauce, was a little thrown off with the cold waffle but it's supposed to come like that server said. The avocado toast was so good but eggs were cold unfortunately. It didn't ruin the taste so still recommend. Visited on vacation but I would go back and try other plates.

My wife chose this restaurant due to them offering lunch or brunch menu. We arrived around 12:30…read moreand they were pretty full. We were actually asked if we would be willing to sit at a table with others. We did not mind. Unfortunately they were out of shrimp and catfish and my wife was wanting shrimp and grits. Our son ordered the Hog Dog, (hot dog with pulled pork) my wife ordered the Fat Boy burger, and I ordered the country fried steak. Their order came with fries and I ordered mashed potatoes and coleslaw with my dinner. Hush puppies and a corn muffin came with my meal. It took about 25-30 minutes for our meal to arrive. My dinner was delicious. Country fried steak was tender and crispy. Mashed potatoes had chunks which I like, the coleslaw was creamy with great taste, hush puppies were fantastic, and the only disappointment was the corn muffin was not warm. My wife loved her burger. Our son enjoyed the hog dog. Service was adequate. For me considering that the food was cooked to,order, I was quite satisfied with the service and the food.

Excellent southern comfort cooking. Come hungry! Grand selection of entrees and a variety of…read moresides. Country fried steak is outstanding pair it with mashed potatoes and gravy plus butter beans. You'll end up taking pie home for later since you will be stuffed. Fried chicken is cooked as ordered and great. Service is fine and friendly. Atmosphere is comfortable. Sit awhile and enjoy a grand meal. You will come back!