The Ordinary is my favorite restaurant in downtown Charleston. The oyster sliders are life changing. It's that "oh wow" bite every single time. The service and ambience are also so nice - we prefer the outdoor patio, perfect amount of quiet music and wonderful surroundings. Can't recommend the enough! read more

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A really great experience. Our server was great, friendly knowledgeable, she really made things easy. The Hawaiian roles were so good!! We tried all three types of oysters, i personally liked the dressed the best. The vinegary gardinera (sp) had just the right amount of tang. If there was a weak link it was the stone crab . Just not as sweet as I've had previously. Stop in for a cocktail, the mojito on tap was lovely but stop in. $$$ read more

Amazing place. My wife and I really, really loved it, and we've eaten at most of the better restaurants in Charleston. read more

Having stayed in Charleston frequently nearby I had the opportunity to try out the Ordinary several times. Built in a former bank The Ordinary has a tremendous amount of character. The high ceilings, the large bar, the thick heavy doors - The Ordinary is anything but ordinary. They even have a cute little outdoor dining area. Service is delightful once past the hostess station. I don't know what it was but every time I came in the hostesses would simply stare at me without saying a word and with solidly neutral expressions. I would then say I would sit at the bar and scurry over. The bar was always delightful. The service here is wonderful with everyone always being so friendly and helpful. The food was good. Great oysters for sure and the little crispy fried oyster slider was delightful. The smoked oysters were not my favorite, but I suspect that is a personal preference. I thought the crudo was very good. I'll admit, I liked the cocktails more than the food. The food was good, but the cocktails shined. read more

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Kian was our extraordinary server! So professional with great recommendations and very accommodating! There were 5 of us and we shared the apps! The crudo, larb, smoked fish plates were outstanding!!! Each tasted like something we've never had before! So unique and delicious!! The golden rice was so good! Gumbo was Devine! And grilled wahoo was light, flakey and so flavorful in a light tomatoe sauce not like what you are thinking! We did also order a pasta with clam sauce that was super salty. Kian kindly removed the item without any issues!! Drinks were fantastic as well!! One of the best meals I've ever had and I've had lots of Michelin star meals!! Highly recommend!! read more

The ambiance was lovely, the service was absolutely perfect, and the food was very good. I thought the entree selection was too limited and over priced for the portions. I don't expect huge portions and a place like this, but they were too small even for an upscale location. Otherwise, I have no complaint:). read more

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Lackluster. This was my birthday dinner and it quite honestly sucked. The fish chowder had a long bone in it and overly fishy flavor. The oysters were good. The crab pasta appetizer I had was ok. The service definitely turned sour after I gave my soup back which was very disappointing. Locals told me this place was great 6 years ago. Bummed that it was overhyped, loud and overpriced. read more

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Wow, we were impressed by the bartenders here. One of them remembered a lady's drink who visited ONE YEAR AGO (??!!!). The drinks were amazing. My husband thought the seafood quality was below expectations given the price (example... he said he's happy to pay $4 per oyster if they were amazing oysters but he felt they were pretty average). He also felt the "blue fin tuna" was either not cut correctly or not actually bluefin. I'm no connoisseur... I thought the food tasted great. Sure, is overpriced for the portion sizes, but the experience is excellent so... ‍ I enjoyed my meal and loved sitting at the bar. But seriously, those bartenders read more

In from Northern Virginia and went in on a whim because parking was nonexistent in the "popular" part of town. The food and cocktails were amazing. Very much worth the trip. Stafford was an amazing bartender. read more

Only reason I did t give it 5 stars was due to having only 4 entree choices. The atmosphere of the old bank is cool, service was outstanding and food was superb. Ok. I'm cha gong it To 5. Drinks were unique and very good on the menu, but they can make Anything. We had stone crab Claws as appetizers and side sauces were amazing. The Broccoli rabe was perfect, with just the right amount of garlic and zing. The Schnitzel swordfish with bacon was heavenly. The wreckfish was done perfectly. read more

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Attractive long, huge and elegant windows facade of the building, made us wander over to the other side of the street and enter in. Lovely dark grey and copper tone hues, set the mood. Raw bar, seafood tapa dishes, cocktails and wine selections here. A few celery slices in the burrata tomato heirloom pesto dish, made it have a wonderful pleasant light crunch to the whole dish. Beans were great and complimented the dish well. A bit overly salted with the pesto sauce. Fish cake reminded me of a crab cake but baked fish meat in a form of a cake. It was nice. I would definitely opt for their oysters and clams at the raw bar, smoked swordfish pate, steak tartare and many other dishes I can't have at the moment because I'm pregnant. Wonderful dining place, attentive service and would definitely recommend! read more

The Ordinary - Fish cake - Seafood Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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Ordinary does oysters right. Pricey but the quality and experience justifies the price tag. The smoked oysters were the star - they are actually raw with the smoke added via light heat. The old bay crackers and crème fresh add the perfect touch and flavor. For anyone who enjoys fried oysters, you won't find a better one that the monster one that sits in the oyster slider. That house made Hawaiian roll is just money. We also had the tuna ponzu which was tasty. Dalton was our bartender. He was friendly and helpful in navigating the menu. Even on a slow Sunday night, it was lively. Set inside an old bank, the towering ceilings and large fixtures created a memorable backdrop to the food. read more

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Allison is the reason to go to this restaurant. The food and drinks are amazing; however, we had the best night of our life thanks to our waitress. Allison was careful to review all of the food items related to our parties dietary restrictions, and she gave us recommendations for food that made dinner one of the best meals we have ever had. We were so happy all night, and it was all because of her. The Ordinary needs to make her their mascot, give her raise, or honestly both. 11/10. read more

Nothing Ordinary about this place, best meal on our long weekend visit. The environment is stately, nicely appointed, clean and welcoming although the ceiling soars and the space is large. Staff is very well trained, professional, friendly and attentive. We had a small, but not tight, table for two up in the rear mezzanine. There is a very lively hum of happy conversation all around but it's not noisy, just good energy. The fresh catch/local/special appetizer, Triggerfish carpaccio to start was outstanding. My husband sampled their signature fried oyster slider, also delicious. We weren't super hungry so we finished with bowl each of Okra & Tomato Gumbo and New England style Fish Chowder, both truly memorable. Of all our meals in Charleston, The Ordinary was our overall favorite, and will be a "must" for future visits. Highly recommend. read more

The Ordinary - Seafood themed decor, old world feel, highly professional service. - Seafood Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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Come here for the cocktails. Each specialty cocktail has been curated the same way the chef does with food. Unique ingredients and flavors will delight you. Oh and come for the food and service. Mike was low key and really knowledgeable. The food? As good as it gets. I had the red snapper. In each bite various textures and flavors combined and I am embarrassed to say I wolfed it down! Would love to return. read more

The Ordinary impressed me with their vegan / vegetarian options. As of July 2023 here were my favorites from their menu : Zucchini Carpaccio with basil mint, pinenuts and parmigiano-reggiano. Thinly sliced with lots of flavor ! Light , refreshing and delicious . Blistered Shishito Peppers with smoked tomato romesco and hazelnut. These peppers packed quite the flavor punch ! Lightly crunchy with a little kick to them . Blink and you will miss them because they will be eaten fast ! Burrata with heirloom tomato and field peas. A surprising combination that works ! All three dishes were absolutely delicious ! The service was excellent and the ambiance makes for a great date night! read more

The Ordinary - Burrata & heirloom tomato - Seafood Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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Two words; oyster sliders. GET THEM! They were by far one of the best dishes we had in Charleston. I would've ordered 10 more if we hadn't already ordered some other dishes. The high ceilings and interior decor gives the space a sophisticated feel. The service we received at the bar also contributed to the 5 star review. Both gentlemen were very friendly! Absolutely stop by if you're in Charleston. read more

The Ordinary - Smoked Oysters Saltines , Hot Sauce - Seafood Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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I have no words on what to say. Me and my wife went here for our anniversary and it is the best seafood restaurant I've ever had hands-down 10/10. read more

We had the swordfish which was outstanding. The sweet potato purée was exceptional. Service at the bar was excellent. Limited menu but good. King street location is excellent. read more

Service was impeccable, and the seating outside was nice. They were very accommodating to two kids -- the children's menu was great and they brought out a little raw plate of fruit and veg for the kids as well while we waited. Everyone agreed the drinks were great and the food was good. Nothing to rave over but definitely tasty oysters, shrimp, chowder, crudo, and the like. Honestly if they had the grilled cheese as an adult entree I would order it next time -- my toddler discovered the joy of French fries and ignored a really solid sandwich. read more

- Wanted to like this place but unfortunately my partner and I got food poisoning - We went for dinner Saturday night and the next morning my partner woke up sick in the middle of the night and had to continue getting up to use the bathroom for hours - He had stomach cramps, chills, headache, and was extremely fatigued which put a wrench in our Sunday plans since we're only visiting Charleston for the weekend. We both experienced stomach aches and diarrhea - Ordered the Smoked Oysters, Smoked Fish Pate, and the Charcoal Grouper Hope no one else gets sick but wanted to share since that was our experience unfortunately! read more

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Amazing everything down to the plants at the table. Oysters were amazing. Caviar was amazing. Service was amazing. Allison was amazing and was a genuine pleasure! She knows everything. We had a cute lil date night and we felt considered every step of the way. Would give infinite stars. read more

The Ordinary - Panchetta (but it's not really called that). Dessert - Seafood Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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Catching up on my final review for my last trip to Charleston this spring. It was also the first place we went to for dinner on arrival. If you are into fresh seafood this is your stop. It's located in the busier side of King Street where they close the road to foot traffic in the evenings so if you take an uber here later in the weekends prepare to be dropped of a block away. Since it was St. Patrick's Day weekend it was very festive on the way. The building is an old bank and it is stunning inside. It's quite the destination restaurant for young and old so a pretty mixed crowd. Definitely have reservations which I think can be booked up to a month in advance. Oysters are king here. We got half a dozen of the raw oysters and about 4 of the dressed oysters which had a nice mignonette and were topped with trout roe. I also added some raw clams which I've never had before; the clams were interesting and I was surprised they still had the same texture as cooked clams just more of seawater taste. Another must are the oyster sliders. Only got a single portion but you can definitely down a couple or more orders of these as they are delish. We also got the flounder lab - which is a great dish if you are into chili. The flounder had a nice oily texture to it as well. Their cocktail menu pairs well with the seafood as well. The daiquiri is their signature cocktail and was very fresh with freshly squeezed lime juice and simple sugar. They also have an interesting dirty martini with soy brine - a must. This restaurant is run by the same group that runs FIG so you know the Food Is Good! read more

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My absolute favorite restaurant when I visit Charleston. The food is phenomenal. The restaurant is beautiful and in a great location. The staff are kind, personable, and invested in their guests' satisfaction. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to experience the best Charleston has to offer. read more

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Great service great food. Make sure to try the fried oyster sliders. My husband and I went for Valentine's Day and had a wonderful experience. Awesome atmosphere. A little on the pricey side. read more

The Ordinary - View overlooking the restaurant from our table upstairs. - Seafood Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Great establishment in a historic building right on King St. Our wait person was super knowledgeable about everything on the menu. We had a large group and she was able to serve all of us well. We started with a dozen oysters and our wait person described each one and where they were harvested and the level of brine. We also had the smoked amberjack pâté and the Baltimore fish cake. Gotta say... that food was dope! I was already getting full until my entire was brought out, slowed baked wreckfish. I had no idea what a wreckfish is or looks like so I looked it up. They are ugly big-eyed fish but it was super tasty. It's a thick meat like salmon but white and super light. It was an incredible entree served with pumpkin veloutè and chanterelle mushrooms. It's a costly restaurant, but it is one of those that switches the menu based on what's locally available and the chef takes great care to pair it all together leaving you with a full belly and a smile on your face. read more

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Super fresh seafood, chill ambience and great service. Nice wine selection. Loved the oysters, crudo and tartare. Top 5 in CHS for me.

My wife and I enjoyed dinner at The Ordinary our first evening in Charleston. Truth be told, we were heading to Chubby Fish but they were hosting a private event so we went to the Ordinary on their recommendation. The Ordinary is house in a former bank building and the high ceiling help with the sound. We sat at the bar and marveled at the bartenders scaling the huge wall of wine. The bartenders were incredibly helpful recommending different wines (we had a dry reisling, Alsace wine blend, and chenin blanc). They were equally helpful navigating the short but varied menu. We ended up plate sharing the Triggerfish tartar, crispy oyster slider, snowy grouper, and wreck fish skewers. All were amazing but the wreck fish skewers were the highlight! So 5 stars on this hip, wine bar, tapas restaurant - and I didn't even mention the awesome desert or that the raw bar is housed in the former vault! read more

I stopped by The Ordinary for some snacks and a nightcap on my trip Charleston. It was very close to my hotel, so was a very easy, convenient first night stop. I sat at the bar, and the bartenders were friendly and helpful. The oysters and shishito peppers were delicious. If it wasn't late (for me), I would have ordered more food. Next time I'm in Charleston, I plan on coming back for a full meal. The restaurant was beautiful with a great ambiance. read more

Had a light dinner here on my recent one day trip to Charleston, and everything was excellent. We stopped in on a whim, after reviewing the menu posted outside the restaurant for desserts, and the outcome was a delightful surprise. Btw, if the restaurant feels like it could be an old bank, that's because it's literally inside an old bank. One of the doors near the kitchen looks like the door of a vault. Anyway, we ordered the oyster sliders. If I had not consumed a gigantic lunch, I would have ordered two more of these. They were that good. We also got the dressed oysters, a few regular oysters, and snapper ponzu. For dessert, we ordered the panna cotta. No regrets on any of the items we ordered. I would definitely come back the next time I'm in town. read more

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This was the highlight of our weekend trip. The food, the service, the atmosphere, the drinks, everything was top of the line. Michael was our server and not only went through every item on the menu for what was dairy free or could be accommodated to dairy free, he was helpful, hysterical and made the dinner 12/10. Completely recommend visiting this restaurant. read more

TOURIST TRAP - AVOID was highly recommended, but at the end of the day, -- just average food -- with below average service, and zero ambiance. suggest don't waste your time on this one, and head around the corner and down the street to *** THE ORDINARY, for an insanely beautiful meal, served up by professional waiters. read more

Charleston certainly has a lot of food options downtown and The Ordinary is a true exception to the term "outstanding". I wish I could give them 10 stars, it was that good. From the happy smile at the hostess stand, to Eric, maybe the best server in Charleston, to the seafood to dessert- WOW!!!! Redone old bank on King Street, very nicely done, old town elegance with tables nicely spaces for allow for a private dining experience. Eric went over the menu, and we decided to enjoy "big" plates, rather than 3 or 4 "smalls". Excellent shake on the martini to start. Wine list is extensive - the white from the Wausau Valley was outstanding. Started with the Chicory salad, interesting flavors and large enough to share. She went with the snapper entree; I tried the Triggerfish. Awesome flavors, nice portions, served to perfection. Finished up with the Chocolate Budino for dessert - oh what a finish to a perfect meal. read more

Outstanding. In fact, outrageously delicious. Tonight was day three of Charleston culinary adventure and both my wife and I felt The Ordinary was the most creative of our top-notch choices. We shared seven small plates and a dessert. None disappointed. The flounder larb and the smoked oysters were among my favorites. We both loved the smoked wahoo pâté. The simple salads were also delicious. Our chocolate hazelnut budino was gorgeous, and we each enjoyed the Ordinary daiquiri #8. Service was excellent. We adored Dana. read more

Great service. Great food. Great ambience. We had the oyster sliders, white shrimp with Carolina gold rice and slow baked snowy grouper. All we're excellent. Panna cotta for dessert was delicious! Outstanding service. Highly recommend. read more

Stopped in to the ordinary with a group for dinner - overall it was a good meal, food was solid but nothing really stood out (minus desserts). We started with the triple seafood tower. the smoked fish pate and trout roe was the favorite, and one of the favorite savory bites of the night. the ponzu tuna and shrimp were also nice. oysters both raw and "dressed" were ok, the stone crab had a smoky flavor which I didn't love, and no one at the table wanted to eat the clams. For other food, the crispy oyster slider was great. not sure I'd call the rock shrimp "larb", it was chopped into smaller pieces but none of the flavors of a traditional larb, just chili crisp and served with lettuce cups (and too small a portion to get much into each lettuce cup). Zucchini carpaccio was a very simple dish, fresh, but needed a bit more oil it was essentially raw zucchini sliced very thin. Chicory salad was nice, bitter, lightly dressed and the goat cheese brought in a lot of flavor and creaminess. The tartare was pretty good but also a very small portion. The clams and sourdough was the favorite of the main dishes. Triggerfish was decent (loved the crispy okra), the wagyu sirloin was not memorable especially at $50. The desserts were great - loved the buttermilk panna cotta. For drinks, we started with a fantastic bottle of champagne, moved to an Italian white which was very drinkable, and then to glasses/cocktails. The sauternes at the end was beautiful as well. read more

Honestly a stunning restaurant, very open yet cozy at the same time. It was quite loud but you could also have a conversation without yelling. I personally dressed up a little bit I think jeans and a nice top would be okay as well. The peel and eat shrimp was cooked and seasoned perfectly. The steak tartare was okay, I wasn't a huge fan. The Burrata salad was delicious, highly recommend. A beautiful medley of taste and texture. The Wagyu sirloin was also a tasty treat but I am not a huge fan of peppers so did not eat them. My companion had the Tile Fish which he enjoyed. Lastly the Buttermilk Panna Cotta was divine, I'd rather have that than the Chicolate/Hazelnut Budino, again personal taste preference. Absolutely try this restaurant if is top notch and tasty. read more

Perfect date night spot! Started with the seafood tower and the single was beyond plenty for two of us. Oysters and crudo were fantastic. The zucchini carpaccio was sneaky delicious, very thinly sliced with pine nuts, basil, very refreshing. Steak tartare was wonderful! Beautiful decor and ambiance. 5/5! read more

The Ordinary - Seafood tower. - Seafood Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

I had been wanting to try the Ordinary for awhile and snagged a reservation through a Resy notification for a Thursday night around 8:30 PM. We were seated right away. We ordered a crudo appetizer and the blistered shishito peppers to start. I wish the cocktail menu was a little more expansive, I didn't find anything I loved, so I tried the cocktail with bitters and pineapple juice. It was refreshing but a little pricey for what it was. It probably could have been made better with at least a garnish. The crudo was fresh and delicious. For my dinner I got fish (I now forget exactly which type) with summer tomatoes and a potato purée. It was absolutely delicious! We did have to wait awhile though for our food. The place itself has a lot of atmosphere, I believe it is located in an old bank. It is fairly pricey as well, but I felt it was worth it for the most part. read more

Amazing food and service and drinks! Top tier Charleston. The best seafood place in town. Make an event out of it. read more