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    The Ordinary

    4.3 (907 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 10:00 PM

    The Ordinary Photos

    Business Info

    THE ORDINARY ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Trendy
    Classy
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - The Ordinary

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    David P.

    The Ordinary is anything but. We chose the beautifully styled patio, while inside channels a grand old bank--soaring, elegant, and full of presence. Service was polished and intuitive, and the food delivered across the board. Accessibility stands out: clearly marked, barrier-free routes make navigating effortless. A seamless experience from start to finish--The Ordinary earns my highest recommendation.

    Oyster slider, a delicious bite!
    Michael M.

    We had another fantastic dinner at The Ordinary. We've been here at least four times before and returned tonight for my birthday. It's one we appreciate for all the good reasons - good atmosphere, good service, and really good food. I love the menu featuring various seafood options, to include raw oysters. There are different seating options to consider - downstairs tables, the oyster bar, outside patio, inside bar, or upstairs overlook. We enjoy upstairs usually, and request it for reservations. We immediately ordered cocktails and the oyster sliders. The oyster was perfectly fried, served on a Hawaiian roll with a yummy bite of cabbage and fresh mayo. Our dinner menu choices included smoked oysters, snapper tartare, smoked wahoo pate as starters. The winner were the smoked oysters, and I also liked the pate. We shared entrees of slow baked grouper and mustard crusted snapper. The winning taste was the snapper. We enjoyed everything, as all menu items were unique, flavorful and dimensional. We finished with espresso martinis and shared the apple tart. Both were great. Service was good, as Kaitlyn paced our items and checked on us regularly. The Ordinary is more than ordinary and is a great Charleston dining option.

    Interior
    Meg C.

    Came here for a birthday dinner and it was pretty good. Our group enjoyed a seafood tower, which had fresh raw bar offerings but nothing blew us away. The highlight was surprisingly the vegetable dishes - we really enjoyed the fried delicata squash with ponzu sauce and the romaine salad was like a very good elevated Caesar. We also like the wreck fish and crispy oyster slider apps. Perhaps it's because we're from New England, but we found a lot of the seafood to be somewhat, well...ordinary. Portions were quite small and pricey. But the cocktails were nicely mixed, the service was excellent, and the ambiance was classy (a touch loud). Glad we tried it but wouldn't go out of my way to return.

    Oust
    Mollie N.

    Hit the Ordinary last night for drinks and apps. The green thumb was the cocktail I ordered and it was fantastic! Very refreshing. We ordered the three layer seafood tower, beef tartar and the oyster sliders. The tower was amazing! It came with a tuna tartar that was probably the best I've had. The beef tartar was absolutely Incredible, it was so salty and briny, on a crusty piece of sourdough

    sautéed soft-shelled crab
    Scott C.

    This is are second visit to The Ordinary and, as before, it did not disappoint. At the bar, my wife had the Mojito Royale which she said was delicious and I had the Relay Trade which was a great but unusual drink. We had three appetizers at the bar - Jimmy Red Corn Hoecakes, Pickled White Shrimp, and Smoked Amberjack Pate - all three were unique and delicious. My wife had Hammer Dave's Little Neck Clams And I had Smoked Bird Island Cup Oyster which were both excellent - definitely try the Cup Oysters! The bartenders and our waitress were fun and very helpful. For our mains we both got the grilled swordfish which was done perfectly and delicious. We finished the dinner with an excellent glass of Sauternes which was perfect. Try The Ordinary while in Charleston, you will be happy you did!

    Swordfish
    Matthew H.

    I came here because this is a top restaurant in Charleston. I don't partake in oysters and instead chose to eat the selected fish. The swordfish was a good dish presented with a vegetable medley broth. The dishes here are smaller portion and this seemingly would be a great choice for someone who likes to nibble through the menu while adding a few oysters as they go. I prefer a fish dish with the ability to order a few side dishes, but nothing really sparked my interest to order on top of the swordfish. Other tables kept ordering away and seemingly loved the options, but I wasn't impressed.

    Dining area
    Jacob T.

    The Ordinary somewhat lived up to its name. We got the triple seafood tower. Lots of oysters, and several other appetizers came included: tuna tartare, yellowfin, shrimp. We loved all the appetizers, every one of them were great. So we were very excited for the oysters too, which is why I can only give this place a 4 star. I was very disappointed in the quality of the oysters. The quality felt like I was at some run of the mill oyster restaurant that sold dollar oysters. Even their soy mignonette topped oysters, at $6 a pop, were a let down. As much as I loved the great servers, the beautiful atmosphere, and delicious appetizers, the main focus of the meal was just such a let down. I would not recommend the oysters, but if you're looking for good seafood outside of that, The Ordinary is still a solid choice.

    Interior of the restaurant
    Joyce W.

    First off, the service was incredible--attentive, thoughtful, and knowledgeable. The seafood was excellent and fresh. I had the gumbo and it had a rich flavorful broth. We all shared peel and eat shrimp, oysters in the half shell (it's been a month so I cannot recall which varieties were in season then but they were buttery), and ended the meal with a boudini that lives rent free in my brain. The only thing I can say as a negative was that...the dining seemed almost clunky with too many dishes that didn't need to be out. That's a really minor detail but when you order so much food and drink but there's limited realestate, you want to maximize the space to enjoy your meal. They were very accommodating to some food allergies though! We did have a dairy allergy as well and they immediately remade a meal when they realized they had added butter at the end. The Ordinary is located inside an old bank so the decor is opulent and feels historic. For a date or a night out with friends, this is a fantastic choice.l if you're not allergic to shellfish!

    Christine C.

    Came here with my parents and the food was really good. This was our first stop when we arrived in Charleston. The seafood was very fresh. Also, my mom is vegetarian and they were able to accommodate by giving her a small dish that she really enjoyed. I really enjoyed the seafood flight. Also, our waiter was sooo super friendly and really made our day by having good conversation. Also, the space is super cute- we sat outside and they had heating at night.

    Menu (June 27, 2025)
    Dan D.

    High-level food, but not as balanced or delicious as The Darling Oyster Bar's. Not everything missed the mark. Our salmon larb appetizer was crunchy, fresh, and punctuated with chili oil and raw salmon. 5/5. But everything else fell short of exemplary. My seafood chowder was lacking acid and the muddled flavors didn't have a chance to shine. My friend thought the char on the wahoo was outstanding, yet the temperature was medium well when the waiter said they were going for medium. Our cocktails were clean - indeed, the daiquiri was limey and bright - but missing a wow factor. At the prices we paid here, we deserved to be impressed.

    Lamb bolognese and mustard crusted snapper
    Nina C.

    One of the top experiences I've had in Charleston. Our server was friendly and helped answer a lot of questions that we had. We started off with a dozen oysters that may have been the most fresh and delicious I've had in town. We could've easily had a dozen each by ourselves. Loved their wine selections and had 3 throughout the courses we had. I've had bolognese and pappardelle so many times but man this one was absolutely perfect. The pasta was thin but cooked so well and held all the delicious meat and sauce in every bite. We got the snapper with mustard although I don't usually like mustard but our server said it's very mild in flavor. So glad we got it because it was amazing. Fish was crispy on the outside, flaky yet soft. And when you scooped it up with the corn and sauce, it was so satisfying. Towards the end we got to meet one of the managers that had been there for several years, and he told us about the history of the building and it being an old bank which I thought was super cool. The layout of the restaurant with multiple floors and just bustling with energy. We thoroughly enjoyed everything!

    Hayley W.

    Such amazing small plates! The rotating menu keeps things interesting but I miss the lump crab spaghetti! The servers are beyond knowledgable and recommend the perfect dishes for you and the perfect drink pairings

    Ruby E.

    Everything about this place is incredible - the food, the drinks, the service, and the ambiance! We sat at the bar and the bartenders were knowledgeable and attentive. When I wanted to order a second drink, but didn't see anything I wanted on the menu, the bartender was kind enough to make one up based on my flavor/alcohol preferences. I love when bartenders enjoy making off-menu drinks and being creative. For food, we ordered oysters, oyster sliders, and flounder tartar - all were fantastic!!! Highly recommend this place!!

    Steam black bass

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    From aesthetics to Service to history, southern charm, and by the way that I mention one of the best martinis shaken not stirred

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    2 days ago

    amazing service and ambiance however the beef tartar had way too much horseradish and overpowered the dish.

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    Ask the Community - The Ordinary

    Are children welcome?

    Maybe not answer if you've never been. Yes, children are welcome

    Is there a children's menu?

    No, but there should be something that children would be interested in, like the fish cakes!

    View All 5 Questions

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    Kaminsky's Dessert Cafe

    Kaminsky's Dessert Cafe

    3.9(1.1k reviews)
    1.0 miFrench Quarter
    $$

    My husband, his parents, and I went to Kaminsky's at around 8:30ish on a weeknight for a sweet…read moretreat. It's a super small establishment with a few tables and some bar seating. Luckily, we were able to be seated immediately but it was very close quarters with surrounding tables. The menu is vast with different dessert options. If you want to know what cakes are available, you should check out the display stand right when you enter. Since we were there 2.5 hours before closing, there didn't seem to be a lot of cake options available, but my husband and I decided to share a slice of the s'mores cake with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream to make it à la mode. The s'mores cake was a chocolate cake with mini marshmallows, chocolate fudge, graham crackers, and more marshmallows. The cake was good and had everything I could ever want in it, but it was a little dry. I think this also had to do with it being the end of the night. The ice cream complemented the flavor well. It would have been better with a second scoop of ice cream though. Service was great! It took about 10 minutes from when we ordered to get our dessert. I would probably come back here again, but not so late at night so there would be fresher cake with more options available.

    We gave Kaminsky's Dessert Cafe a second try, but unfortunately they couldn't redeem themselves. On…read moreboth visits, service was lacking. We waited about 5 to 10 minutes to be acknowledged while two employees stood nearby. The two layer chocolate caramel pecan cake, which our waitress initially could not find, was dry and tasted stale. I would not order it again. The Tollhouse pie was a bit better, but the presentation and the whipped cream were the standouts, and the whipped cream wasn't even homemade! That's the best thing I could say about our experience. The food, pricing, service, and ambiance all fell below average. When you are located downtown with so many great dessert options around, you really need to step up your game. We will not be returning.

    Photos
    Kaminsky's Dessert Cafe - Chocolate Brownie

    Chocolate Brownie

    Kaminsky's Dessert Cafe - Butterfinger cheese cake

    Butterfinger cheese cake

    Kaminsky's Dessert Cafe

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    Chocolate Cake Charleston - Chocolate cake

    Chocolate Cake Charleston

    5.0(30 reviews)
    0.5 miRadcliffborough
    $$

    The chocolate cake is delicious! The frosting is so fudgy and chocolatey and just amazing. I got…read morethe 8 inch 2 layer cake (smallest option) and it was $55. I emailed with Christen to place the order and coordinate and it was very easy. Great option for a celebration or event.

    I had first head of them from going to a wedding where they did the cake. I forgot to get snacks…read morefor an event I was hosting and the Chocolate Cake really came through. I was looking for a place near the event to do a neighborhood tie in and they made me 7 dozen mini cupcakes. I sent an inquiry and we worked out the details over email. I initially was going to get a few dozen regular sized cupcakes, but Christen suggested the mini's for bite sized snacking in a mingling... setting which was perfect. We set a pickup time and I went to grab them just before my event. Christen had them ready and greeted me at the door. She actually does all the baking off site at a commercial kitchen and then offers pickup from her beautiful home downtown. I love this old school way of doing business and it adds a personal touch. Now for the cakes! Everyone was raving about them and asking where they came from... even people who said they don't even like chocolate cake (weirdos if you ask me). I lucked out because my guests had restraint and didn't devour every last mini cupcake so I took home about a dozen of them and enjoyed all of them with zero judgement from the party goers. I can't wait to try a whole cake from this place... it's gonna be amazing.

    Photos
    Chocolate Cake Charleston - Chocolate cake

    Chocolate cake

    Chocolate Cake Charleston - Chocolate cake

    Chocolate cake

    Chocolate Cake Charleston

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    Benne’s - Coconut cake and espresso martini. Chef's kiss

    Benne’s

    4.0(81 reviews)
    0.9 miFrench Quarter

    We stopped into Benne's right before closing and they were kind enough to still let us in, which we…read morereally appreciated. We were craving espresso martinis, and they quickly made a couple for us. Nice touch -- the glasses were chilled, which always makes a difference. That said, we do think the martinis may have been missing the classic foam "bubble" and espresso bean garnish. Honestly though, since they were closing and still accommodated us, we were just grateful they made them at all. If it had been mentioned that they'd be quick, simplified versions due to closing, we would've completely understood -- just something small for expectation-setting. Now let's talk about the coconut cake -- absolutely amazing. It's $17 for a slice, but the portion is HUGE. Easily shareable, and we still had to take some to-go. Super moist, flavorful, and worth every bite if you're a coconut fan. Also worth noting: the outdoor patio is pet-friendly, which is always a big plus for us. Great spot to stop with your pup while enjoying dessert or a cocktail. Overall, a positive experience -- especially thanks to the staff's hospitality at closing time. We'd definitely come back (earlier next time!) to enjoy the full experience.

    Finally tried the famous Ultimate Coconut Cake by Peninsula and it absolutely lived up to the hype…read moreand deserves 5 stars on its own. The cake is moist, perfectly sweet, and layered with fluffy coconut frosting. If you've been wanting to try it but don't feel like committing to a full fine-dining experience at Peninsula Grill, this is such a great, more casual way to enjoy it. I paired it with an espresso martini, which paired well with the dessert. I was disappointed that it wasn't served with their famous smoke bubble. The overall experience was just okay. Sitting at the bar was convenient, but the service felt pretty standard and the interior didn't really stand out or add much to the vibe. It's definitely more about the cake than the atmosphere here.

    Photos
    Benne’s - Bar Area

    Bar Area

    Benne’s - Coconut cake

    Coconut cake

    Benne’s - -Coconut Cake

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    -Coconut Cake

    AZUR - Nice crepes with Nutella. The whipped cream was superb!

    AZUR

    4.7(121 reviews)
    0.9 miKing Street

    We had the pleasure of dining here 2 separate times over an extended weekend trip…read more Host very welcoming and nurturing. Finds your table, if you arrive early for a reservation we had luck with them seating us and he says a kind goodbye as we left each time. Nice list of 3 mocktails so even if not consuming alcohol one can look to play the part at the table and enjoy the flavor notes of a well made cocktail. The first meal we had was a bit of a work/get together meal. We ordered an assortment of items off of the menu and created a more tapas menu. The charcuterie board we picked the cheeses for and it was lovely. All as expected and quite surprised to find a cheddar I enjoyed. Came with some grapes, figs, nuts, honey and I think mustard. Glazed carrots were phenomenal. Heartily enjoyed the beet salad and thought the presentation was quite pretty. Lamb lettuce wraps are alright. Not my favorite of all the dishes served but delivered as promised, nicely cooked and presented. Spouse really liked the lamb wraps and were a stand out dish to them. Meatballs are excellent truly great texture and flavor. Escargot was a fun take on a classic dish. Finished with a unique strudel in its presentation it was quite pleasant. Spouse liked the peanut butter chocolate dessert. For brunch, I had the carrot ginger soup. Which I must say was a total delight. The soup had the hallmark texture and base flavor of the carrot ginger but it had a beautiful breath of savory and some heat seasoning wise to it. It was quite an elevated soup and heartily enjoyed! I followed the carrot soup with a French toast. I am all for softly scrambled eggs but the French toast was a touch undercooked. (I did not let the restaurant know or give them the chance to make right. I regularly eat soft boiled eggs and soft scrambled so I felt comfortable with consuming them.) Strawberries were ripe and tasty. The whipped cream was gorgeous in thickness and flavor. One in law had the caesar salad with croutons and grilled chicken. Their bowl was left clean so while they are not the talkative of sorts they did seem to enjoy it. Ordered a baguette with butter. Unfortunately the butter never made it to the table but the baguette was enjoyed. Spouse had the Azur burger with the side of tapas style potatoes. All was cooked properly to temperature and texture. Flavor and taste as promised. Wasn't their favorite dish at Azur as we had tried so many lovely dishes a few evenings before. But it did deliver on what was represented in the menu. Other in law had the quiche and a side salad. They liked the quiche and would order it again.

    Wow! What a beautiful restaurant! I love the cozy atmosphere and the decor. There isn't a lot of…read moreseating so you need to make reservations. Our server was very sweet and helpful! Everything we ordered was delicious - I don't know that you could go wrong in anything here!

    Photos
    AZUR - Atmosphere, view from a window seat

    Atmosphere, view from a window seat

    AZUR - Ratatouille: delicious

    Ratatouille: delicious

    AZUR - Mocktail

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    Mocktail

    The Ordinary - seafood - Updated May 2026

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