Awesome and unique appetizer with an interesting olive oil like glaze. Comes with an over-easy duck egg on top of the tartine with mushrooms warm to perfection. Split this because you are going to want to save room for their other farm to table options! read more

FIG - New American Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

This place was highly recommended by a friend who visited Charleston and it did not disappoint. I had tried to get reservations a couple weeks before but they were booked up. When we gave it a shot anyway, and we're promptly seated at the bar. Excellent drink menu with a choice of complex cocktails. The Eggplant and Cottage cheese appetizer was out-of-this world. In a town with many excellent restaurants, this could be the best. read more

We dined for dinner. We didn't have a reservation but had no wait as a walk in maybe because we arrived as they were opening for the night. We ordered the Duck and the brick chicken. The meats were prepared perfectly. The appetizers ordered were the cornbread and gnocci, both were very good. The only thing I would change is that the collards were alittle overcooked as they were very soft. If you order a cocktail you'll need to be very specific and not assume. I ordered a greygoose martini but didn't expect the sweet vermouth. read more

Love Fig - especially sitting at the bar / - it felt like we were right at home with the owners of our rental and a couple of their friends - we all just coincidentally got there about the same time. We waited about 20 minutes at most for a spot at the bar & were very well cared for by a table server during our wait. Once at the bar, the bartenders took great care of us as well - at one point, I was served a beer in error (I rarely drink beer) but they asked if I wanted to keep it & so I tasted and it was so yummy that I kept it and drank it all. There may have been a second beer deliberately ordered but don't tell anyone. Hubs & I shared the 9 vegetable salad, which was an incredibly fresh and delicious toss of green beans, kale, mushrooms, baby potatoes, thin sliced radishes, tomatoes? Plus a sprinkling of sourdough croutons that were light and crunch yumminess and all I can say is it was veggie heaven. We also shared seasoned greens & a fish stew (very fresh scallops, shrimp $ mussels) and hope we didn't embarrass ATL when we spooned up all of the tomato based jus and ate it like soup - it was that good - no bread needed but the bread was also very good - crispy on the outside and just the right bit of tender on the inside. Despite my newfound appreciation of One Claw Pale Rye Ale (or 2), we started with cocktails - Yellow Bird for me (gin, lemon, mint and yellow chartreuse) he: Bloodshot Moon a bourbon based drink. Since we had more than our rightful share if drinks, we passed on dessert & trotted back through the quiet beautiful streets of the Ansonborough(?) neighborhood - did I mention how much I want to live here? read more

Went there for my 30th birthday (Nov. 16th). I didn't mention that it was my birthday to the server, but maybe I should have. We made reservations and got there pretty early. Apparently, there's a big foodie scene in Charleston, which seems to mean that one should familiarize him/herself with French culinary terms. I did not do so, and found myself Googling menu items on my iphone. (For instance, Grenobloise. Is this a term most people are familiar with? Am I babbling idiot?) Clearly, I'm not that committed to my culinary adventures. Additionally, I stopped eating meat! I asked the server which dishes she would recommend due to my dietary limitations, and she pointed out about 5 or 6 things rather quickly and it all ran together in my head. As far as the food goes, the Crudo of Snowy Grouper was amazing, as were the brussels sprouts. I also got a salad, which was good but not particularly memorable. Truthfully, the food was great, but the atmosphere was a bit too pretentious for my personality, and I felt as though I needed a translator -- or a chaperone. I also think that the server should have picked up on how lost we were and helped to translate the menu. Not all of us speak French or went to culinary school. Know thy terms before eating here. read more

Food Is Good and worth the hype. I met the owner a while back while he was dining in Atlanta and I made it a point to stop by his spot when in Charleston. I was impressed with everything from the technique to the flavor combinations. This chef just gets it.. Smart resourced ingredients that are executed perfectly. This is one of my top five restos in the South. The menu to me has an appeal that says" come back and try me...everything is good".. So that is why I say you must go and give any and every dish a shot. 4.4545 stars read more

Food was amazing. I was disappointed because I didn't realize they didn't have typical southern food like banana pudding and shrimp and grits. But that's my issue. We loved absolutely everything we ate. Random: bathrooms are individual, so in case.... you have privacy. They are dark so not possible to check your makeup. And there are several candles burning there so it smells so good. Also FYI its really loud. Although if you have a kid that makes it ok because you can't hear them crying! Only complaint: Talking Heads CD was playing. Lame to have a greatest hits of one group, rather than a shuffling of songs, and IT WAS ON REPEAT. After hearing the same song 3 times (we were there a long time chatting away) I wanted to die. The service was also amazing. Including being super nice about our stealing a table for an extra hour to chit chat. Would totally go again. But tell them to change the music :) read more

Best meal in Charleston. Maybe best meal of 2009. Not bad for the second dinner of the night (yes, it's true, but we couldn't leave town without trying it), at the bar no less. I can still remember everything about the trotters. Huzzah! read more

The only way I can describe Fig is beautiful. From the decor, to the food, to the staff, It was more than amazing. Being a restaurant manager from downtown Raleigh, I can attest this was one of the very best restaurants I have ever been to. Props to Robert for giving us an amazing experience! read more

FIG's hype is deserved. Didn't really strike me as a restaurant specializing in southern cuisine. Rather the focus here is on locally grown, fresh, seasonal ingredients that's all the rage these days (especially in California). While waiting for our table, we started off with some specialty cocktails. The Radler (Bluecoat gin, grapefruit, lime, sugar, Weihenstephaner Hefeweisen) was light and clean-tasting but the clear winner was the daily cocktail called the East of Tulum (Herradura Blanco tequila, quince, lime, rosemary, maraschino), which had a complex sweet and bitter flavor. Once seated, we decided to share everything as we weren't particularly hungry. Still, we ended up getting a decent amount ... goes to show you how much we enjoyed the dishes. The menu is seasonal and appears to have recently changed so a lot of recommended dishes on Yelp were not featured (i.e. tomato & onion tarte tatin). Started off with the crispy Caw Caw Creak pork trotters (with meat scooped out and served as a round disk with a fried egg on top and roasted red peppers on the side). Beautifully presented and quickly devoured. Then we moved onto the stone crab claws, which I had tried only once before at Joe's Stone Crab in Miami. Probably not as great as my first experience but I could probably just eat a bucket of these claws and be content. A side of radishes served as a palate cleanser. Next up was the chicken liver pate, which apparently is one of the few appetizers that have stuck around for the whole time FIG has been open. For good reason too. Served on airy toasted brioche, this may have been the best version I've tasted just the right balance of savory creaminess. The veggie sides added textual contrast. The only thing I wasn't too fond of was the side of mustard which I found overpowering (so I simply didn't dab much of it on). We split an entree: the herb roasted triggerfish with small piles of crab. The fish is a white, medium-dense fish that was delicately crunchy on the outside but tender inside. The triggerfish has a slight "fishy" smell but the sauce with the crab, fennel, olives and roasted tomatoes masked and neutralized it well. Finally, for dessert, we had the chocolate budino with sea salt and olive oil. Many restaurants have jumped on the bandwagon with this dish but this has to be one of the best (if not the best) versions I've ever had. Underneath the silky chocolate pudding is rich layer of sweet caramel that is balanced by the sea salt and buttery olive oil and crunchy mini brioche cubes. So many flavors and textures ... very rich but a perfect way to end the two-hour meal. Also have to commend our server who was extremely knowledgable about all the dishes and was able to describe them in great deal without seeming didactic (I could also tell the server at the next table over was equally educated yet professionally sociable). FIG definitely deserves all its accolades (you can see numerous local and national reviews framed in the restaurant). Outstanding service, some of the best versions of dishes I've tried, clearly popular. No one has to tell me that Food Is Good. But very rarely has it tasted this good. read more

Glad we had a reservation. The restaurant was full and most people were dressed business casual. Glad we were too! The Gazpacho & White Shrimp was amazing. The whole dish was full of flavor. The gnocchi was not what I expected, but it was very good. It seemed more of a stuffed cheese. Hard to explain, but not the typical ricotta gnocchi. The cobia was delicious. At this point we were full so we didn't try dessert. I would recommend this restaurant and make sure you have a reservation. read more

Honestly, I was expecting to be disappointed by Fig, but I wasn't. The service was amazing and the food was local, regional, perefectly executed and an incredible value. Now I didn't day cheap, BUT a great value...very well done and worth the praise. The wine list is unqiue and not as corporate as many and the seafood choices are truly remarkable. I prefer to sit at the bar, it is a more fun and energetic space. read more

My FAVORITE restaurant in Charleston. Hands down. From the service to the decor to the amazing dishes, this place is a must-go for foodies. We basically stumbled upon this place when we were stuck downtown near the aquarium, starving, with no reservations. We were seated after five minutes of waiting at the bar and this is how we chose to eat every subsequent time we dined here. It's pretty hard to get a table reservation during prime dinner hours, and it's completely understandable why! My husband and I love eating at the bar - I feel like you get so much attention since the bartender is only ever feet away. Our drinks were always quickly refilled and we made friends with everyone else at the bar. Now for the food....beginning with the best thing currently on the menu: gnocchi. Best I've ever tasted. Melts in your mouth and you will be sad when you finish it. The mashed cauliflower is my favorite side, but it is only seasonal unfortunately. That's the hardest part for me about the menu - it changes daily. My husband always gets the fish soup. It's the perfect winter dish...and it comes in a cute Cruset pot! You MUST visit this place if you are a foodie in Charleston. read more

The best meal we had this year was here. The expert expertise shows on his dishes. I had the swordfish and it was cooked to perfection. My wife had a second combination dish on a broth that we had to finish. It was tasty and just unforgettable. We finished with the cheese platter. Amazing. The cheese platter was explained to detail as of where each cheese came from,etc. The beet sauce that came with the platter was delicious too. It was our wedding anniversary and they mad it a memorable one. Almost forgot, service was outstanding. They make you feel special there. read more

This place was very hyped, and we had high expectations. Unfortunately, it didn't quite hit the mark. It's very possible we ordered incorrectly. We tried the ricotta gnocci, corn, and king mackerel + rice middlins. The rice middlins were solid but the other two dishes were a bit bland. read more

"SP wuz here 10/12/13" I feel that's about as much as I can add to the volume of superlatives that have already, justifiably, been heaped upon this place. Nonetheless, I will provide the following for my own culinary documentation. I started with one of the house cocktails, IN BETWEEN DREAMS. The mix of bourbon, Campari, and pineapple juice was a good balance of bitter and sweet flavors. For the table, we ordered a bubbly bottle of Falanghina, Cantina del Taburno, 'Folius', Extra Dry, Campania, Italy NV. This unusual sparkling wine displayed significant peach notes in both fragrance and flavor, while the dryness restrained the sweetness from interfering with our food. We all loved this wine. Our party of four shared two appetizers: the CHILLED WADMALAW LEGUMES with soft boiled farm egg and crispy shallot; and the RICOTTA GNOCCHI with BORDER SPRINGS FARM LAMB BOLOGNESE. Both so damn amazing, and just really perfect, in such opposite ways. The legumes plate was vibrant and light, yet earthy; the gnocchi so beyond the best I'd ever had before, I never could have imagined it being so good. In comparison to the appetizers, the entrees were very good, but mostly just shy of spectacular. That may also have been due to us selecting some of the more pedestrian options from the menu: GRILLED PUMPKIN SWORDFISH (named for the color of the flesh, not because there was any of the namesake gourd in the recipe -- although, that would have been interesting) with heirloom tomato vierge, mushroom conserva, and salsa verde; and PAINTED HILL HANGER STEAK with yukon gold purée, hen-of-the-woods (mushrooms), salad verte. However, the night's special -- BLUE CRAB with FRESH WHITE TRUFFLES, just arrived from Alba, Italy -- was a luxurious treat. We finished our meal with two fabulous dessert selections: LEMON PUDDING with North Carolina blackberry, saba, and a shortbread cookie; and STICKY SORGHUM CAKE with cinnamon ice cream. Both fairly simple, they were both incredible and highly recommended! read more

Excellent restaurant, highly recommended, I would give four and a half stars. We skipped the appetizers and only had entrees. My wife had the chicken, my son had the pork shoulder and I had the sweetbreads. Everything was superb. My son would not let us near the pork shoulder until he had cleaned his plate, including all of the vegetables. My wife's chicken was very good if a little salty. My sweetbreads were great. The side of pureed potatoes may contain more butter and cream than actual potato, how bad could that be? The wine list was great, lots of small vineyards that I have never heard of before, I really wanted to get a bottle but my wife was not drinking this night so I ordered off the by-the-glass list which was good also. The lemon tart was an excellent finish to the meal. read more

Almost all of my friends who have visit FIG have told me how incredible it was, so last night for dinner I finally set out to experience it myself. We started with the Ricotta Gnocchi, which was heavenly. They were quite large and there were at least 8 of them in the bowl, which made for a great size starter. I ordered the Mustard Crusted Snapper (with carrot, red wine, and bone marrow salsa verde) and my husband ordered the Pork Confit. I totally won dinner! Every bite of my meal was perfect. I love it when a dish is so well put together that you have to have a bite of everything on the plate to experience a perfect flavor combination. I am not even sure how to express how delicious my meal was with words. You're just going to have to trust me. My husband's Pork Confit didnt really impress me, but I have a feeling it was because my mind was too busy being blown by my own dish. The flavor was great, but I think we both just imagined it differently - maybe more saucy with a more southern style (as the pork was mashed into cube shapes over rice). The service was outstanding, the environment was calm and peaceful, and parking was a breeze. There is a lot behind it that you can pay to park in, a garage about 2 blocks away on Wentworth, or you can try your luck at parking in the residential area (but you could get a ticket). Just as a note they offer you several different types of bread at dinner, but they had it out one by one so feel free to flag them down and ask for another! I didnt learn this until my coworker mentioned it to me...not that I didnt eat enough! FIG gets 5 stars from me and deserves every one of them. I hope you enjoy your meal! read more

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All 5 stars and no photos because this place is a memory I'll keep for years to come. If you're looking for a real dining experience look no further. This place has it all: great music, cool ambiance, NOT pretentious, knowledgeable servers, friendly staff and plenty of good wine and great food. Our waiter was the bomb.com. He was nice enough to offer to do a wine pairing since we were going to be trying so many dishes and didn't want to settle on just one bottle. He was kind enough to go through any questions we had on the menu in really good detail and we really felt like he was taking care of us. I was there for my birthday dinner with my husband and it did not disappoint. I'd go back even to just sit at the bar! With a menu that changes daily you might not get to enjoy our exact meal but we were made aware that the ricotta gnocchi is a house fave that won't be going anywhere. The soft pillows of fluff aren't dense and the sauce isn't heavy, it must be magic. Normally we skip dessert but since it was my birthday we ordered two, a sorghum cake with amaretto ice cream and a strawberry something or other that I couldn't get enough of. I wish I would have stole the menu so I could more adequately describe my dishes but I was too in the moment to care. I just wanted to be sure I told you readers that it's not to be missed! Reservations can be made 1 month to the day you want to dine and go fast. read more

We read soooo much about Fig. We were hoping for a riveting dinner experience. The Yelp buzz is heavy. I usually trust the Yelp buzz. It was supposed to be amazing, like it could hang with the best of Charleston's restaurants. The food was solid but not exceptional, and the service was meh. In fact, as out of towners we felt we were a little out of the club... it just wasn't that welcoming. read more

Went here on a Wednesday night without a reservation and my colleague and I were able to get a table without a wait so we were off to a good start. Tried several items on the menu, nothing blew me away, but the food was very good and I'd definitely try to come here if I visit Charleston again. For drinks, we focused on their Negroni's. Tried several different versions during the meal. All were good and it was fun to try something new instead of having beer or wine with dinner. read more

Yes definitely Food Is Good here! Menu changes everyday (nice touch of date stamped on menu) so there's always something amazing coming out of the kitchen! Elevated comfort food always seasonally inspired. Very nice and upscale interiors, balanced flavors in their southern dining classics and very well trained service crew. Reservations recommended. read more

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I had a lovely meal here. The food was simple and well done with gentle flourishes of brilliance. Simple, very well done cocktails. Mainly slight twists to classics, all delicous and balanced. Order a drink here. read more

We had to eat at FIG and we are glad we did. Suzanne at the Marriott recommended Fig to us and she was right about how great it would be. I'm a for sure foodie so I want to be fair here. We all very much enjoyed our meal. (was not our fave). Service is a tad slow but if you don't mind, then no worries. Love that the menu changes almost daily to accommodate for the freshest local ingredients. Great job with creativity! I will recommend FIG to friends. read more

As spoiled Organic foodies from SF we were excited to take a break from BBQ and Fried Chicken and enjoy a proper meal. FIG delivered the goods. Far from the Slow Food movement, it's more Bradley Ogden, less Alice Waters but great none the less. Lots of complex seasonings, relying heavily on the power of the individual flavors of seasonal produce...but those were lost in a few executions. It's clear it's a man running this kitchen as things are big and bold, and thus could benefit from a bit more subtle touches. But that might just be me. Room nice enough, art i bit too safe.....but the staff is top notch. Knowledgeable, passionate and we were lucky to be served by Kelly who spent time on the Pastry line as well so her direction towards the Panna Cotta was spot on. My choice of the Poached Pear was a poor one as it was overly sweet and just so-so. Cheese plate generous and nice to try Artisans not from California. Pig Trotters to die for. White bean salad was a perfect compliment. Pate spot on....clearly french influences abound. Great homemade mustard. Pork Shoulder was perfectly cooked, beets roasted to perfection, green a touch salty. Sweet breads pretty solid but the rest of the plate was uninspired. Te mushrooms were lost. Wine list is acceptable but sad they have no organic or local pairings. Kunin Rhone blend was a highlight. All in all I will return eagerly.....but suggest slightly smaller portions, some sustainable wines, and step towards simplicity in the flavor dept. Let the produce speak for itself. read more

I am happy that I saw FIG on our carriage ride around the city. I quickly checked Yelp and was impressed with the reviews and set us up for a reservation. My wife and I truly enjoy fresh, unique drinks. FIG did not disappoint. As for the food, I ordered the pork and my wife had the Caw Caw Creek Suckling Pig Confit, my wife had the swordfish. Both were very good. The pig was delightful, perfectly cooked. Fish was great as well. Very nice, trendy restaurant in Charleston. Would go back for sure! read more

Apps and drinks were excellent. Entrees were great as well. Another good farm to table restaurant. However, it was a bit overpriced. Entrees that were $30 could have easily gone for $23 in Brooklyn. Overall, I think $200 for drinks and dinner for 2 was a bit much for what we got. read more

I ate at FIG (Food Is Good) about 1.5 years ago and considered why I had not been back as I am in Charleston 4-5 times a year. ? Back then I thought the food was good even though they made us wait 30 minutes for our reserved table, I forgave that but as good as the meal was I was feeling left out as regulars were getting their behinds kissed and mine was left dry. I always thought that whoever is paying should be the kissee not the kisser and that did not happen, it was more of an attitude that I was lucky to be there so I never went back. I was coming down again meeting several friends here and there for dinner etc and thought I'd give it a try as I had just seen the chef's name on the James Beard list of nominees for "Best Chef South" or something like that, the next night he won and I was sort of glad I had a reservation coming into Spoletto week here in Charleston where even a res at the worst places is tough to get. THE FOOD WAS DELICIOSIOUS! MOLTO BENE! BUONO! They have an expansive beer list of international "small breweries and craft production", more buzz words we have to learn. My friends ordered 2 dif beers that were quite good, I preferred the English Flag Porter to the Allagash White from Maine, I had warned everyone I'd be tasting everything. I brought a bottle of UNTI Vinyards (Sonoma) Barbera, there is a $15 corkage at this restaurant. UNTI I have known for soem time and now that you can have wine shipped to Virginia my cupboards are bulging at the seams with wines from in and around Healdsburg, CA. I had an Old Fashion which was pretty good but not perfect, served in an also imperfect glass but at least not a small rocks glass. Considering they bemoan their "Classic Cocktail" List one might think they had put some thought into their glassware-NOT. There were four of us for dinner, I had reserved a table three weeks ago and when another friend told me he and his wife were coming down I tried to add them to our res but they told me that it was very busy and not possible. They were nice, I was nicer. Who was paying? The Menu/ what we had APPETIZERS Wadamalaw lettuces salad-very good very tasty leaves and thinly sliced radishes, the flavors of the greens stood out, the dressing was missingone thing, flavor, the ricotta salata was very nice. $8 Keegan-Filion Farms Chicken liver pate-soft delicate, smooth delicious very niocely served Windy Knoll Farms Spicey lamb Bolognese gnocchi-delicious, could have eaten 3 bowls, full of flavor and fresh lamb from the USA not that New Zealand game mutton. The top appetizer. Kobe-style wagu beef tartar- tasty with a hint of fennel and parsely salad, delicious toast and corsly ground as it should be not pulverized. very very good. Isn't it funny how so many restaurants now feel compelled to put the names of farms and all this crap about sustainable seafood and hormone free meat and happy pigs and some bs about the environment? Why does this not happen in italy or France where the food is the best in the world and no one even knows the chef's name or their political agenda, are we going to dinner or a war rally? ENTREES Scamp Grouper-wrapped in pancetta was very good, dog food wrapped in pancetta is likely delicious, the fish seemed a bit mushy to me but not awful. $28 Fish Stew en Cocotte_ Ihad this one and it was fabulous, a flavorful and delicious choice with a great broth with a slight hint of tarragon and beautiful tender fish, mussels and squid. I wanted to pour this stew on my head it was sooooooo good! I wanna go back and get some for breakfast! $25 Windy Knoll Farms Lamb Shoulder- Same farm different body part, very delicious a little more lamb taste but succulent and sweet, definately lamb, tender and delicious. $27 WaguBistro Steak-reportedly delicious, I did not try it , looked very good, by the way it is from Strube Ranch. Imagine the traffic jams with all these farmers bringing in meats and produce? Does Rita Denza at La Gallura in Olbia, Sardinia have these troubles? SIDES Roasted beets,sweet but over cooked, maybe they planned it that way but I like them less soft. ( I wonder what farm these came from?) Sauteed young greens- also from an unknown farm, very very good though and perfectly prepared, yummy. DESSERTS Meyer Lemon Tart, Blueberry Tarcompote- Is Meyer a Farm or type of lemon? This was incredible! Oneof my friends ate the decal off the plate scraping for more! Panna Cotta of Greek Yogurt- From Greece? Greek Farm? delicious, pefectly smooth, balanced flavor mildly tart, fabulous with rhubarb consumee and local strawberries (pick your own?) THis was one of the best meals I have had in Charleston, delicious and memorable, normal food not some concoction of foam and dust or deconstructed crapola (does crapola have one L or 2?) Sefvice was good but not superior, our waiter was pleasant and quick and easy and just friendly enough. The hostesses were HORRIBLE coed read more

I'm a gastronomic whore who has dined at French Laundry and a lot of West Coast's culinary destinations so it was curious that I found myself with several "firsts" at Fig: 1) Service is unbelievable. Hostesses were polite and cared that you were seated timely. We sat at the bar and holy crap, the bartender was THE MOST knowledgeable bartender we've ever met. He knew everything about, well, EVERYTHING!! He was a walking, talking, cocktail mixing wikipedia incarnate 2) The menu is nearly unrecognizable as if the chef busted out his Food Thesaurus for kicks and giggles. I thought I'd seen and tasted everything and actually stopped going to high end restaurants for the past year because all the menus seem to offer the same (i.e. foie gras, tartare....) but I didn't recognize half of the menu here and turned to the bartender for guidance whose descriptions of the dishes rendered it impossible to resist ordering the items which brings me, alas to... 3) Unfortunately, the descriptions were better than some of the dishes and we felt as if our trusty bartender over-sold the dishes: Escabeche (i.e. shrimp ceviche) while innovative and tasty was a lil too oily and vinegar-y Baked Egg would be custard perfection if it weren't so so so buttery Suckling Pig Confit was basically salty pulled pork Sweetbreads were just okay For dessert, we had their caramel "budino" which I wish he had just described as "pot de creme" which is essentially chocolate pudding with some crushed hazelnuts on top. Flavor was tasty but had I known it was high end chocolate pudding, I would have ordered something else. read more

Wow. This was, hands down, one of the best dining experiences ever. We were unable to get reservations but decided to try our luck at a walk-in table. We were placed on the list, given a spot at the side bar, and promptly orders drinks from our bar server. Fantastic! There was no fighting to get to the bar, accidentally interrupting another diner's meal, and having to pay for each round. No, our drinks were brought to us and our check followed us when seated. Just. Plain. Brilliant. We enjoyed a couple of expertly crafted cocktails, chatted with others also waiting for tables, and then were seated at the bar. We were delighted! The bartenders were friendly, helpful with menu selections and even double checked on allergy concerns. We couldn't have asked for better service!!! The food....Wow. Where do I start? We ordered the pâté with head cheese, the beef tartar, and the steak with fresh greens, beautiful mushrooms, and Yukon gold puréed potatoes. (Extremely carnivorous, I know.) Every dish was outstanding! We relished each bite and had there been more people in our party, we would have tasted more dishes. My recommendation...go here. Eat, drink, chat, enjoy the experience. I only wish this restaurant were in my neighborhood. read more

I wanted to give this place 3 stars but I'm going to bump it up to 4 b/c I can tell that there is a lot of culinary skills in the kitchen. First off, had to make a reservation 30 days in advance. 28 days prior to arrival I called and all I could get was a 5:45 for 4 ppl. So I automatically think, wow, this place must be over the top to be so booked 28 days out - mind you we were there on a Thursday night. Thursday comes around and we wanted to add a 5th person to our group (the groom of the wedding we were attending). Called and pleaded with them and no dice. We get there and there was plenty of room at the table AND they must have also had some no-shows b/c there were tables empty the entire time we were there. Naturally I was disappointed by this. All of the apps and entrees were very unique and delicious. Complex sauces and preparations. I have a culinary degree so I know this took some skill. No doubt that the food is excellent however - the price is on the high side. I don't mind paying $25 - $30 for an entree but I think this place was just a little too high for the end result. Clearly their pricing doesn't hold them back tho - booked solid 30 days out. Guess it's just me... Wine is a big part of a meal for me. Wine was VERY expensive. $65 for their least expensive syrah. Eeeks! No inexpensive options. Lastly - service was flawless. Excellent menu knowledge - sensitive to food allergies and provided suggestions without being a sales person. Glad I went b/c I can say I got in at FIG. I wouldn't go again though. There are some great restaurants downtown that I'd try next time. read more

Absolutely food porn. We were in Charleston for only a day, but FIG was recommended by so many people that we couldn't pass it up. We started with a ceasar salad. Light, yet very flavorful. Then we shared the gnocchi with bolognaise sauce, and the Trigger fish dish. Everything was amazingly delicious. Worth the wait to sit at the bar. Highly recommend. read more

First time in Charleston and I was lucky to get a table. I'd heard this was the best spot in town and Fig delivered. We shared mackerel crudo, chicken liver pate, cornbread and ricotta gnocchi. Each dish delivered on flavor, texture and effort. Our desserts topped off an incredible experience enhanced by fantastic service. This will be our place on every Charleston visit. read more

FIG is by far the best restaurant I have ever been to in Charleston! Hands down. Everything was lovely. The food is created with a combination of tastes that is sure to excite your palate! FOOD IS GOOD! This place makes you feel like you are so special. Our waitress, Janelle, was well informed about all aspects of the food as well as the beverage menus. Do not, do not pass up on desserts. Devine! Ashley was at the hostess area to kindly great us upon arriving and graciously bid us adieu. We will be back. If only they had a tasting menu...you will want one of everything. Bon appetit! read more

Best dinner in Charleston hands down. Everything is so fresh, homemade and thoughtful. You can taste the chef's care and enthusiasm about his food. read more

Five star food in a three star setting: Sometimes a restaurant's decor can elevate the experience, making an otherwise average dish seem its best self, like getting drinks on the veranda in that tux you rented for your friends wedding. And, sometimes, even a rusted, greasy exterior can add texture to surprisingly good food---the hip hole-in-the-wall hiding in plain sight. On other occasions, unfortunately, the setting can lessen the experience. Having dined at FIG twice, most recently enjoying the Bealiner Snapper and tomato tarte tatine, the food is consistently otherworldly. The tomato tarte tatine presents as if it were beef tar tar, in perfectly formed strips of decadence molded together under a light balsamic glaze. Surprisingly rich. The Snapper, like other fish dishes at FIG, is absolutely perfect: well cooked and sufficiently seasoned to have full flavor without overpowering the freshness of the fish. Dining at FIG, you will have some of the best food Charleston has to offer, and, although on the pricier end of the spectrum, it is worth every cent. However, the venue leaves much to be desired. It is as if Wolfgang Puck moved into a Macaroni Grill and started pumping out world-class food. Hardly any natural light, low ceilings, generic commercial sconces and molding.... ugly inside and out. Charleston is a city with so many outstanding venues that naturally elevate the experience with haint blue porch ceilings, exposed interior brick, elaborate wood and iron works, and that unique riff on Victorian/Georgian/Colonial architecture that you can only find in Charleston and Savanah. Instead, at FIG, you find yourself standing before a displaced strip mall facade with tinted windows. If there was any justice in commercial leasing, FIG would be given a prime spot on East Bay, Market, or King street. Alas, for the time being, patrons will have to brave the run-down, bleak, brick exterior and blindly trust that the Food Is, indeed, Good. read more

Amazing dinner at fig! Food and ambiance were both outstanding. Due to some dietary restrictions they made me a special dish that was outstanding. Waitress was great, it was crowded and we had a 9PM reservation. Normal for us NYers but didnt expect that in Charleston. They were seating people until well past 10PM. Creative drinks, very brooklyn feel to the whole style of the wait staff and decor. Thanks for a great evening FIG! read more

After I heard Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds' wedding was catered by FIG's chef I knew that I had to go. If it's good enough for our favorite lady of the upper east side, then it's surely good enough for me. The ambiance is great. The lights are dim (for real they are saving a lot of money on electricity) and there are beautiful paintings on the walls. But the one thing I will say is that their menu descriptions aren't very good. I wasn't very excited about any of the menu items until my fabulous waiter told me all about his favorite dishes and what was in them. He should rewrite the menu because he made me finally crave the food. He was also very knowledgable about their wine list and helped us both pick wines that were to our liking. (If you like a fruitier wine with some depth to it, their reisling is delicious). We started with the marinated cranberry beans and the flounder crudo. I loved the flounder. It wasn't a particularly moving presentation but damn was it good. You don't really think about flounder when thinking of raw fish preparations but it was meaty enough to stand up to the simple preparation with salt, olive oil, capers, and a bit of pepper. The cranberry beans were delicious as well, but if you don't like cumin don't get this dish. I hate cumin but I could still appreciate the flavors of the dish and see why it works, but my boyfriend who loves cumin was all about this dish. If you get a bye with the Parmesan cheese, it really helps tone down the aggressiveness of the cumin seed. The beans are served with carrots and celery and a bit of parsley in an escabeche marinade. It's like a very well dressed bean salad. If you do get this, save some of your sourdough bread for dipping. For our main meal, I got the suckling pig rice bowl and my boyfriend got the pancetta wrapped amberjack. I had the pork at Husk the night before I thought this pork blew Husk's out of the water (though my boyfriend preferred the spicy kick of Husk's pork better). You don't even need a fork for this pork, it just falls apart and it is so beautifully paired with rice, black eyed peas, charred peppers, and lima beans and topped with sesame (benne) seeds. It was comparable to the texture of a really great short rib. I was full halfway through and I couldn't bring myself to stop eating it because it was just that good. The amberjack was good too. This was my first time having amberjack and I just don't really like the texture of it. It's sort of like a cross between a scallop and swordfish. It was wrapped in pancetta (think bacon wrapped scallops but meatier) and served with couscous with almonds, mint, grapes and peppers. It is a very Mediterranean inspired dish and the combination of the couscous with the grapes, almonds and mints was fantastic. My boyfriend wiped the plate clean. For dessert we shared the chocolate hazelnut budino. It's like a really thick, rich chocolate pudding with a layer of salted caramel on the bottom and topped with crushed hazelnuts and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. By this point we were both so full and the dessert was so rich that we could both only take a few bites. But it was a very good dessert. And to top the night off we got our menu signed by the chef! It will be a perfect addition to our scrapbook of an already great vacation. read more

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This is one of my favorite restaurants. I was introduced to it before I even knew about locovore principles - and loved the flavor combos even then! One of my favorite restaurants in America for the past 6+ years. I'm never disappointed. read more

First time to Charleston. This was the first place we ate based completely on internet research. We arrived pretty early, but were treated well and sat at the bar for a quick cocktail before dinner. We were seated about 15 minutes before our reservation time. The menu is pretty compact, but the selection was just what we were looking for - fresh and local. I had the grouper, which was olive oil poached and served over a tomato coulis. Very subtle preparation. Could have used a touch of salt to bring the dish home, imo. The tomato sauce did little for me. But overall the dish was very good. My fiance (!!!) had the flounder, which was stellar. Lightly breaded with panko and delicious. The star of the main course was actually the side dish. We ordered the roasted beets, and they were amazing. Simply perfect. We didn't go all out for this meal, as I was feeling under the weather, and so the price tag wasn't too outrageous. However, I could see how you might spend quite a lot here. Would I recommend it? Yes. Would I go back? Not for awhile. There are simply too many great restaurants in Charleston. Great service. Lively and a foodie atmosphere. read more