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The Swamp Fox Restaurant

4.3 (537 reviews)
ModerateSouthern, Bars
Closed • 7:00 am - 11:00 AM, 11:30 AM - 10:00 pm

The Swamp Fox Restaurant Photos

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THE SWAMP FOX RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Quiet
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - The Swamp Fox Restaurant

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Pan Braised Salmon*
Jim K.

Great place to eat here will staying at the Francis Marion Hotel. Service was excellent and did a great job explaining their menu to me. It was a quiet atmosphere but I did eat an early dinner. Salmon was great with their homemade seasoning.

Breakfast Menu
Marty S.

Experienced a super breakfast buffet (great value at $20 weekdays or $25 weekends which includes one free mimosa after 10am on weekends only). Enjoyed unlimited stuffed french toast, bagel, lox, cream cheese, apple bacon, scrambled eggs, danish, fresh sliced fruit, and homemade blueberry muffins washed down with a light blend of newly brewed coffee. Additionally, made-to-order Omelettes in any combination desired. Mine was ordered with american cheese, spinach, bacon and mushrooms. Ask for Sophie for your waitress service and enjoy her french training and accent to accentuate your experience within downtown Charleston.

Pamela S.

Enjoyed a wonderful buffet breakfast this weekend $25.00 which includes a mimosa after 10:00. Located in the Francis Marion hotel downtown Charleston. The breakfast is only $20 weekdays. Started with a delicious cup of coffee and a made to order omelet which was cooked to perfection. The buffet also included fresh fruit, eggs, bacon, sausage, cheesy grits, French toast, bagels and lox, danish and Greek yogurts. Our lovely waitress was from Paris and was so professional. She really added to the amazing meal. The ambiance was warm and inviting. Bathrooms were downstairs in the hotel and well maintained.

Part of the menu
Susan M.

I ate at the bar and Shelby, the bartender, was the best. She made the swamp martini and I ordered a cup of the cream of she-crab soup - nearly the best I've ever tasted! Loaded with crabmeat and just the right spice and thickness. I also ordered the corned beef Reuben minus the kraut (not a fan). Very good seasoned fries. Took half back to the hotel. The restaurant is in the Francis Marian Hotel, and the bar is first-come-first-seated. There was a nice crowd and the piano player was excellent!

Cheesecake
Allison B.

We went to dinner last night for a restaurant week, and I was truly impressed with the value that we received for the price. Many of the restaurant week offerings have gone up significantly in price over the years. This one was two courses for $30 or three courses for $40, and it was a tremendous value! (I almost hate writing that, as I don't want them to increase their prices, lol) Of all of the restaurants I researched, Swamp Fox had some of the best offerings and multiple choices of appetizers, entrées, and desserts. It was truly difficult to select which to try. I settled on the fried green tomatoes, shrimp and grits, and pecan pie. Hubby had she crab soup, short ribs with mashed potatoes and green beans, and cheesecake. Every single dish was amazing! And the serving sizes (with the exception of the desserts) were quite large. I literally had to take home the majority of my entrée and my dessert. This was partly due to the fact that I couldn't stop eating the bread, which was also an incredible, warm sourdough (my weakness). The ambience was OK, but there is a nice bar area to sit and have a drink, and there was a pianist playing music throughout dinner, which added a nice touch. We were seated in the middle of the restaurant which felt a bit like being in a fishbowl, but the window seats are nice for parties of two. They did seem to be a bit shortstaffed, although we really didn't have to wait too long for service. Their regular menu prices are on the high side, what you would expect in downtown Charleston, so we may wait until another restaurant week to return. However, we will definitely be back! Truly outstanding meals!

Avocado Toast*
Jennifer P.

Staying at the hotel attached to the restaurant and after seeing good reviews stopped in for breakfast. I had the avocado toast and it was tasty. My partner had the breakfast buffet and he was disappointed in it. Prices are good and reasonable. The inside is small but ample seating. Service is friendly and attentive

Julie W.

This was a memorable restaurant. Tucked inside the Marion Francis Hotel on the first floor, the decor is warm and inviting. The evening we ate there was a pianist, which added to the atmosphere. They offer a full bar with specialty cocktails. The food portions are large and the prices very moderate for the quality of food. Our server was amiable. We ordered a southern sampler to start with. It was delicious and had a wide variety of different types of appetizers. For main courses we had the southern vegetable plate and crab cakes. Both were delicious- and again very ample portion sizes. The crab cakes were full of lump crab. This is a great restaurant if you want to try some southern cuisine.

Shrimp & Grits
Jason T.

So far, we've eaten dinner and breakfast. Both meals were excellent as well as the service. We will probably eat here a few more times during our stay in Charleston.

crab cake sandwich
Cindy S.

Enjoyed lunch at the hotel restaurant of the Francis Marion Hotel. The restaurant was clean and had a nice little waiting area. It was not a huge restaurant but the service was wonderful. The server was lovely and treatment was excellent. The food was great. We enjoyed everything. hushpuppies were delectable and the crab cake sandwich was tasty. The servings were appropriate for lunch. The bread with butter was VERY good too. I can't say all hotel restaurants are good but this one was good one.

Rachel N.

Got seated at the bar since I did not have a reservation. Bartender was so attentive and ready to serve. Live piano music was playing which was such a mood. Dim lighting but enough to where I could still read the menu. I asked the bartender to surprise me with a cocktail and I ordered the She crab soup. In the end, he recommended the warmer butter cake which was 100/10. Lavender crush with gin 7/10: mild taste, hints of sweetness, lowkey tastes like soap but I liked it?? She crab 7/10: The first bite was odd to me.. Almost like a weird aftertaste maybe. Lumps and shredded crab, not as creamy as I thought. pipping hot. Still liked it in the end! Warmed butter cake 100/10: If you can only get one thing from this place, let it be this! The cake was indeed warm. Little crunchy on the outsides. Ice cream on top really made the whole dessert that much better

Amanda W.

Stopped in during restaurant week. As many times as I have passed by this place, I had never stopped in. It's a fairly small restaurant, but it provided a nice atmosphere that was kept clean, with a gentleman playing the piano. Not their fault, but there was a large party nearby and a few of them were very loud, which was off-putting - again, nothing the restaurant can control. We made a reservation and were seated shortly after we arrived. It took a few minutes for our server to arrive, assuming because it was a full house, but she was very friendly and helpful with any menu questions. They started off with some fresh bread that was flaky, soft, and warm - always a nice touch. I ordered the spring salad, beef short rib, and butter cake. Salad was fresh, loaded with strawberries & blueberries, and because I'm not the biggest fan of blue cheese, they put it on the side for me, which I didn't even ask for - so I thought that was nice of them! The short rib was soft, came right apart with my fork, and the mashed potatoes were tasty. The green beans were seasoned well, but they were a tiny bit too crunchy for my specific taste. The butter cake was rich and paired well with the vanilla ice cream. Overall, a yummy meal and the server was very kind. It's worth a visit.

Shrimp and Shrimp & Grits
Maria M.

I had been wanting to try "shrimp and grits" while visiting South Carolina & Georgia and I finally got the chance at The Swamp Fox Restaurant. It was very good! The gravy was very savory, rich, and it could really taste the Tasso ham flavor. There were chunks of Tasso ham, and large shrimp. The grits were quite smooth but still had a little bit of grain to them. This was my first time trying shrimp and grits so I don't have anything to compare it to, but I can say this was a very flavorful delicious dish! We also we also tried the salad with blue cheese, pecans and cranberries which was also very good. We sat at the bar and listened to the live piano playing. The bar tender was friendly and efficient. Overall a very nice experience.

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28 days ago

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2 months ago

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4 months ago

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2 days ago

Perfect location for a great lunch. Efficient friendly service, shrimp and grits, she crab soup fresh and delicious.

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7 months ago

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7 months ago

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2 months ago

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5 months ago

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11 months ago

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14 days ago

Sylvia was fantastic and the food was very good. Highly rwcommend. The decor was southern and very comfortable.b

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2 months ago

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3 days ago

Sylvia, our server, was wonderfilly pleasant. The food was very good. Highly recommend this restaurant.

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8 months ago

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1 year ago

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9 months ago

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1 year ago

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20 days ago

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1 month ago

Wonderful buffet and terrific and cheerful service by Sylvie. Just what we needed to start the day.

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1 month ago

Great lunch. The low country sampler was so good! My husband had a squash soup which he also really liked. Service was also great.

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2 years ago

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2 months ago

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1 month ago

Sylvie was an amazing server, her personality was the only thing better than the meal!

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2 years ago

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1 year ago

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1 month ago

Chantel made a tough morning wonderful with her warm and comforting presence while delivering our breakfast to the room!

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4 months ago

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3 months ago

We stopped in for breakfast. Our server, Sylvia, absolutely made our day. Great service. Food was great!!

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10 months ago

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Poogan's Porch - Pimiento Cheese Fritters

Poogan's Porch

4.1(5.1k reviews)
0.6 mi•French Quarter
•$$

For a restaurant specializing in southern food they have the worst biscuits I've ever eaten. Hard,…read moredry hockey pucks. Otherwise the food was good. Our waitress talked so fast we really couldn't understand a word she said. Don't park in the lot adjacent to the restaurant, it's ridiculously overpriced. You can only choose time in 2 hour increments and it was $27 and charge for two hours of parking.

It's been 11 years since I posted my last review for this place. I was concerned when I made the…read morereservation that maybe it had lost its luster since I was last here. Happily, I was wrong! Everything went extremely well from the check-in experience, to the food, and the service. Our reservation was for 6:30pm but we got there a full hour early. They gave us a table immediately, no problem. Our server was Maisie and she was wonderful. Patient. Attentive. Super friendly. We ordered drinks and the Pimento Cheese Fritters. They were incredible! We also tried the She Crab Bisque and it was over the top! Delicious and full of lump crab meat. When Maisie brought us our first plates, she asked us if we were considering the pork chop, which is exactly what we were interested in. She said there were only two left and held one for us. This is the kind of excellent service she provided throughout the meal. The pork chop was cooked to perfection, tender and juicy with a wonderful wood smoked flavor. The whipped potatoes and roasted heirloom baby carrots were the perfect accompaniment. Nothing has changed inside or out since my last visit. The vibe is Charleston laid back and comfortable. I'm so glad I came back.

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Poogan's Porch - Hardwood floors and colonial decor

Hardwood floors and colonial decor

Poogan's Porch - Fried Green Tomatoes

Fried Green Tomatoes

Poogan's Porch - Barbecue pork slider, and collard greens

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Barbecue pork slider, and collard greens

Florence’s Lowcountry Kitchen - Menu!

Florence’s Lowcountry Kitchen

4.5(46 reviews)
5.0 mi

Before I visited SC, I said there were three kinds of food I wanted to try: Fresh seafood, BBQ and…read moreLowcountry cuisine. I'm glad I did some research and found Florence's. I ordered the 1/2 honey fried chicken w/ mac & cheese and collard greens. For dessert, we shared pecan pie. The chicken was moist & delicious from being brined and seasoning in the batter. The batter was crunchy, and perfectly applied so you didn't bite into a hunk of just batter. Likewise, the sides were some of the best I had during my trip to SC. Lastly, the pecan pie was really good also. However, I was expecting a bigger & taller slice. Regarding the ambiance, its smart casual here. The decor is fancier vs the down home cooking. Danielle took very good care of us. She was friendly & attentive. Florence's did the trick for us. We had eaten a lot of raw seafood and BBQ. This Lowcountry cuisine gave us a nice change of pace during our trip.

I was excited to try this new spot. The updated decor and inviting atmosphere looked great…read more We started off with the fried green tomatoes and tomato pie. My friend said the tomato pie was really good but it's all cheese and tomatoes. The fried green tomatoes were crispy but needed seasoning. They were incredibly bland. For the main dish she ordered the smash burger and I ordered the fish and grits. She took one bite of the smash burger and sent it back saying it tasted like a frozen burger you'd get at Walmart. The fish and grits were ok. They too were bland and needed salt. A LOT of salt or any other seasoning. The okra, Lima beans and corn that come in this dish also tasted like it came out of a frozen bag. There is no seasoning in this dish whatsoever. Unfortunately this place was a miss and we won't be returning. Also the bathrooms look like a porta potty. You know the cheap plastic that porta potties are made out of? Yeah that's what the stalls are made out of. It looks so cheap and a big contrast from the rest of the restaurant. The staff was nice but they also look like they hate working here.

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Florence’s Lowcountry Kitchen - Inside

Inside

Florence’s Lowcountry Kitchen - Yummy southern apps and She Crab soup

Yummy southern apps and She Crab soup

Florence’s Lowcountry Kitchen - Florence's Lowcountry Kitchen logo

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Florence's Lowcountry Kitchen logo

Husk - Fried Chicken

Husk

4.0(3.6k reviews)
0.6 mi•French Quarter
•$$$

Wow so tasty!!!! We had a 5:15 reservation and it was bright and airy in there. We got placed at…read moretable 25, which is right next to the fireplace (unlit), but we had the perk of the mantel to leave a menu for more. Garden Party cocktail -- yum!!! Not spicy, but good flavor. Scallop dumplings -- if I was at home, I'd bring the bowl to my mouth and drink the remaining sauce. Pastrami -- fell apart in your mouth. So good! Tilefish -- wow. The corn mash and miso sauce paired with it 11/10. Potatoes were candied and had a great popcorn rice to top it off. Soo good!! While we had a fabulous experience at FIG last night, I know there is a lot out there highlighting both. If you're torn between the two, hopefully this helps... think of FIG as more dark, moody, white table cloths, fine dining, a lot of seafood options. Husk is more bright, more casual while still remaining nice, more meat options here. Both fabulous, just depends what you're looking for! Bathroom was clean and well kept, which I think says a lot about a restaurant.

I ended up paying for public parking but it wasn't too awful. I think I paid around $6 for a…read moreparking lot a few buildings down. I believe it was an off night since it wasn't too crowded. The staff was friendly and the restaurant itself was pretty busy even on a Sunday evening. The time it took to refill waters were a bit longer due to the amount of patrons I believe. The tabling I feel is kind of maximized for efficiency. Even though we had space it still felt a little cramped. Of course the building itself is small so you might run into a staff by accident if you turn a corner too fast. Food wise the ribs starter was delicious. For entries we had the pork chop and fish with corn bread as our side. The fish was delicious although a little more dry but the sauce they had made it perfect for me. The corn bread was also a bit more dry than normal but it might be intentional since it was cooked on a cast iron pan. The pork chop however we did not like at all. It was more like pork belly but kind of had a steamed texture since the meat itself was lacking flavor and the sauce it was paired with just tasted off. The pork meat itself was tough and chewy. I'm not sure if we possibly ordered the wrong thing. I would have to say I honestly would only go here if friends wanted to go but I would probably not choose to go here myself again. The price for the food did not add up to the experience or the taste especially since you have to go out of your way to get here. I also feel like it's more for the tourists who are visiting from out of town and are staying in downtown.

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Husk - Main Floor Dining area!!

Main Floor Dining area!!

Husk - Deviled Eggs

Deviled Eggs

Husk - Drinks: Bloody Mary, Mimosa

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Drinks: Bloody Mary, Mimosa

The Peacock - Fried Chicken Sandwich

The Peacock

4.5(233 reviews)
0.7 mi•French Quarter
•$$$

Previously I would have given this restaurant 5 stars and it was one of our favorite place to eat…read morein Charleston. The location is great, the staff is friendly, and the food was great. But last night we went back and we started with the Crab dip. The crab dip had so much spice that the spice overwhelmed the delicate flavor of the crab meet. The kettle chips would have been good but they to had too much spice. Then we ordered the Boom Boom Shrimp. The shrimp was over cooked and to salty. The waitress was kind enough to have the kitchen remake the dish. The second time it came out it was still over cooked, rubbery, and still to salty. We asked and found out that they had recently changed chefs. As a foodie when changing chefs it is a good idea to change the menu to keep people from noticing the change. It is possible this new chef would excel if the menu was designed to accentuate his or her style.

Excellent food. Killer cocktails. And an awesome staff that is always courteous, attentive, and…read morefun. If you're getting food, definitely try the blistered green beans, poutine, and the farmer's salad (which is like a Cobb salad/bowl, it's amazing) *but* my all-time fave is the fried chicken sandwich - it's honestly one of the best l've ever had in Charleston. Also, this place is huge so they were able to accommodate my friend's post-wedding party (about 20 people) at the last minute and we had a blast. Everywhere else we tried to go either didn't have the space for us or were closing so it totally made our night! We just made sure to call ahead to check and they were more than happy to have us - the bride was happy so you know it was good :) Bottom line, the Peacock is a local gem hidden in plain sight on East Bay and, as a local, it's become one of my top go-to's in Charleston. You can't beat the prices (seriously), ambience, quality, and awesome staff. They also have live music every week so they know how to keep it classy and lively at the same time. I highly recommend checking it out!

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The Peacock - Downstairs bar

Downstairs bar

The Peacock - Truffle Fries

Truffle Fries

The Peacock - Upstairs bar

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Upstairs bar

Leon's Fine Poultry and Oysters

Leon's Fine Poultry and Oysters

4.2(1.5k reviews)
1.0 mi
•$$

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.

Photos
Leon's Fine Poultry and Oysters - Cool restrooms

Cool restrooms

Leon's Fine Poultry and Oysters - Smoked Mahi Dip

Smoked Mahi Dip

Leon's Fine Poultry and Oysters - Raw Oysters    varieties

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Raw Oysters varieties

The Swamp Fox Restaurant - southern - Updated October 2026

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