The honest list of what's actually worth your time in the Holy City.
CharlestonRanked is an independent, community-driven guide to the best of Charleston, South Carolina. We rank restaurants, beaches, neighborhoods, coffee, bars, golf, and more — using real votes from real locals.
Every list starts with locals. We weight votes from verified Charleston-area residents more heavily than visitors so the rankings reflect real, lived experience — not tourist energy.
Placement on a list is never for sale. Sponsorships and ads are clearly labeled and live alongside the rankings, not inside them. If a place moves up, it's because the votes moved it.
Rankings recalculate as new votes come in. Closures, openings, and chef changes get reflected fast. If something looks stale, tell us and we'll dig in.
Find a spot we missed? Submit it. Every submission gets reviewed by a human before it goes live to keep spam and self-promotion off the lists.
Votes from locals, weighted, decayed, and audited.
Every place on the site has a score that combines an average rating with the volume of votes behind it. A spot with five 5-star reviews doesn't outrank one with two hundred 4.7s — sample size matters.
Older votes get gradually less weight than recent ones, so a restaurant that was great five years ago but has slipped will move down the list as new votes come in. We also flag and remove obvious vote brigading and self-promotion.
Want the full rundown? Read our Itineraries for the current rankings, or submit a place we're missing.
CharlestonRanked is supported by display advertising and the occasional clearly-labeled sponsorship. Advertisers never get to influence rankings, and we don't accept comped meals, hotel stays, or trips in exchange for coverage.
Questions about the project, corrections, or partnership inquiries can go to our contact page.