The 10 Best Seafood Restaurants in Charleston, SC
If you’re a seafood lover and you’re planning a trip to Charleston, South Carolina, or if you’re new to the area then you could probably use a few good tips about the best places to eat. There are hundreds of local eateries, but there are differences in menu offerings, wine lists, atmosphere, and service. The trial and error method can be expensive and disappointing so we’ve put together a guide of Charleston’s top-rated seafood restaurants for your consideration.
10. Fleet Landing Restaurant & Bar
186 Concord Street, Charleston, SC
The Fleet Landing Restaurant and Bar offers fine waterfront dining serving southern seafood staples in your choice of outdoor dining on a patio overlooking the water, inside the light-filled cozy interior. Lunch is served daily from 11 a – 3:30 pm, Dinner from 5p -10; and Brunch is offered Saturday and Sunday 11a-3p. Reservations are recommended and can be made by visiting the restaurant’s official website. The restaurant features special events and happy hour with reasonably priced meals and beverages.
9. Pearlz Oyster Bar
9 Magnolia Road, Charleston, SC
Pearlz is known for its eclectic atmosphere and raw-bare fare with seafood entrees. It’s known for its bar scene within a classy but casual bistro type layout. The restaurant opens at 4 pm for drinks and dinner with moderate pricing for menu items which get high ratings, along with savory cocktails and personable service. The restaurant also offers house liquor & wine and specialty dishes unique to the establishment.
8. The Darling Oyster Bar
513 King Street, Charleston, SC
The Darling Oyster Bar is set in a stylish location with a vintage atmosphere for relaxed dining. The restaurant opens at 4 pm for drinks and evening meals and specializes in creative seafood dishes along with raw oysters and fry baskets. The atmosphere is a huge draw in a cozy 115-year-old storefront property that has been restored to its time period. Booths and stools at the bar are provided for guests. The menu offers a wide range of seafood dishes, wines, beers and cocktails.
7. Amen Street Fish and Raw Bar
205 East Bay Street, Charleston, SC
The Amen Street Fish and Raw Bar feature a clubby atmosphere in a brick-walled environment with a restaurant portion and attached bar. This highly-rated restaurant is busy most of the time so reservations for dinner are recommended. The restaurant is open until 11 pm for late-night dining and drinks at the bar. The menu is filled with refined seafood dishes, desserts and a generous wine list.
6. Anson Restaurant
12 Anson Street, Charleston, SC
The Anson Restaurant is a stylish establishment with a coastal theme. Teh menu items are prepared from carefully sourced ingredients to ensure freshness and quality with a full range of southern themed seafood dishes. There is also a full bar and wine list. The restaurant is moderately priced and opens at 5 pm for drinks and late-night dining.
5. Rappahannock Oyster Bar
701 East Bay Street No 110, Charleston, SC
The Rappahannock Oyster Bar is situated in downtown Charleston in an old 19th-century cigar factory along the Cooper River on East Bay Street. Chef Kevin Kelly prepares the means for guests with a wide range of southern classic seafood menu offerings including classic seafood dishes, vegan items, pork, chicken and beef. Guests may dine outside or at the 40 seat copper bar which is an attraction in Charleston. The ambiance is magnificent. The restaurant offers a rich selection of wines, and after the meal, you have access to the attached seafood market with dry rubs, seafood, sauce mixes and more. The restaurant is open until 11 pm nightly.
4. Hank’s Seafood Restaurant
10 Hayne Street, Charleston, SC
Hank’s Seafood Restaurant is open until 11 pm in the evening for dinner through late-night dining with raw bar items and other traditional seafood menu items, and a bar. The setting features classic elegant surroundings with casual to formal attire acceptable. Hank’s is one of the city’s most upscale seafood restaurants, but you’ll feel at home whether you’re dressed in jeans or more formal attire.
3. 167 Raw
289 East Bay Street, Charleston, SC
167 Raw is a comfortable and cozy yet contemporary seafood eatery that is small in size but it’s laid out with a long bar and stools with a few booths available and patio dining as an option. The cost is a little on the spendy side but the food is spectacular. They offer fresh seafood and specialize in a raw bar and crudos, Po’ Boys, desserts and soft drinks. The restaurant is closed on Sundays and open from 11 am to 10 pm on Mondays through Saturdays.
2. The Ordinary
544 King Street, Charleston, SC
The Ordinary was established in the 1920s as a bank that has been converted into an upscale seafood restaurant. The environment is elegant and classy with large windows, high ceilings, and a bar. The restaurant gets $$$ with the price moderately high, but worth every penny. Specialties include an oyster bar and their signature shellfish towers with selections of hot and cold menu items. The restaurant is open from 5 pm through the late evening for dinners and cocktails.
1. The Establishment
28 Broad Street, Charleston, SC
The Establishment is a casual seafood restaurant and one of the top-rated in the city of Charleston. The menu items are beautifully plated with a minimalist style and classic southern treatment. You may dress casually but the atmosphere is upscale. This venue opens at 5 pm for evening dining and specialty cocktails, beer, and bourbons. It’s highly recommended that you call well in advance to secure your reservations because there is always a crowd at The Establishment. It’s known for serving the freshest seafood possible and preparing each meal to perfection. The food is good and the drinks are wonderful also.
