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Best Restaurants in Charleston — Ranked by Locals · CharlestonRanked

Home/Restaurants

Charleston · Restaurants

Best restaurants in Charleston

The places locals actually book — from neighborhood lunch spots to tasting-menu nights.

Showing 23 of 590 · May 6, 2026

1
464 N Nassau St, CharlestonTrending
Lewis Barbecue
Texas-style brisket and hot guts in a big open-air pit yard on the upper peninsula.
4.715k ratingsbbq · brisket · outdoor
Open
2

BBQ25 Outdoor seating416 Brunch232 Cheap eats83 Late night8 Downtown240 West Ashley70 Mount Pleasant57 Seafood85 Takeout524 Pizza54 Reservations310

Filters

All filters5 active

AreaDowntown240 West Ashley70 Mount Pleasant57 North Charleston49 James Island39 Sullivan's Island29 Folly Beach23 Isle of Palms20 Hanahan17 Daniel Island14 Summerville9 Johns Island7 Kiawah Island6 Goose Creek4 Seabrook Island4 Wadmalaw Island2

CuisineItalian45 Sushi35 Mexican39 BBQ25 Seafood85 Steakhouse17 Vietnamese3 Thai8 Pizza54 Sandwich

Home Team BBQ

2209 Middle St, Sullivan's IslandTrending

Home Team BBQ

Bustling tavern serving generous portions of smoked meat & Southern sides, plus frequent live music.

4.7★·1.9k ratings

Open

Swig & Swine

1217 Savannah Hwy, CharlestonTrending

Swig & Swine

House-smoked meats & creative sides served in a funky BBQ spot with outdoor seating, beer & bourbon.

4.7★·3.8k ratings

Page's Okra Grill

302 Coleman Blvd, Mt PleasantTrending

Page's Okra Grill

Generous portions of casual Southern-focused home cooking are served all day at this lively eatery.

4.7★·12k ratings

Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint

1622 Highland Ave, CharlestonTrending

Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint

Tennessee whole-hog pit barbecue outfit on Highland Ave, with live music and cold beer to back it up.

4.6★·1.2k ratings

Palmira Barbecue

2366 Ashley River Rd Building 1, CharlestonTrending

Palmira Barbecue

Colombian-inflected barbecue from pitmaster Hector Gaitan on Ashley River Road, where smoked meats meet South American spice.

4.5★·1.4k ratings

Home Team BBQ

1205 Ashley River Rd, CharlestonTrending

Home Team BBQ

Bustling tavern serving generous portions of smoked meat & Southern sides, plus frequent live music.

4.5★·4.9k ratings

Hugh-Baby's BBQ & Burger Shop

1028 St Andrews Blvd, Charleston

Hugh-Baby's BBQ & Burger Shop

Counter-service burger and BBQ joint on St. Andrews Blvd, slinging smash burgers and smoked meats to West Ashley regulars.

4.6★·802 ratings

Rodney Scott's BBQ

1011 King St, Charleston

Rodney Scott's BBQ

Whole-hog pitmaster Rodney Scott's flagship. Wood-burned pork, white bread, hot sauce.

4.5★·7.9k ratings·bbq · casual · takeout

King BBQ

2029 Carver Ave, North Charleston

King BBQ

Chinese-run barbecue spot on Carver Avenue in North Charleston, pulling steady locals with smoked meat and a full bar.

4.5★·695 ratings

Dukes Barbecue

331 Folly Rd, Charleston

Dukes Barbecue

Casual restaurant dishing up Southern barbecue classics at a buffet or via a drive-thru.

4.5★·1.2k ratings

Easton Barbecue Co.

6270 SC-162, Hollywood

Easton Barbecue Co.

Roadside SC-162 pit stop in Hollywood slinging barbecue with beer and wine on the side.

4.6★·131 ratings

Swig & Swine Mount Pleasant

2379 SC-41, Mt Pleasant

Swig & Swine Mount Pleasant

Pit-smoked barbecue joint off SC-41 in Mount Pleasant, with beer, wine, and a loyal following of 873 reviewers.

4.4★·1k ratings

Poogan's Smokehouse

188 E Bay St, Charleston

Poogan's Smokehouse

Industrial-chic hot spot serving locally sourced, traditional Southern BBQ & stylish cocktails.

4.2★·7.1k ratings

Melvin's BBQ - James Island

538 Folly Rd, Charleston

Melvin's BBQ - James Island

Family-friendly BBQ eatery serving ribs & other Southern dishes in casual, woodsy surrounds.

4.6★·9.9k ratings

Swig & Swine

1990 Old Trolley Rd, Summerville

Swig & Swine

4.5★·3.2k ratings

Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q

4964 Centre Pointe Dr, North Charleston

Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q

Laid-back chain known for slow-cooked BBQ & cheese biscuits, plus burgers, salads & classic sides.

4.2★·4k ratings

Melvin's BBQ - Mt Pleasant

Patriots Plaza Shopping Center, 925 Houston Northcutt Blvd, Mt Pleasant

Melvin's BBQ - Mt Pleasant

Family-friendly BBQ eatery serving ribs & other Southern dishes in casual, woodsy surrounds.

4.2★·2.7k ratings

Southern Roots Smokehouse

2544 Savannah Hwy, Charleston

Southern Roots Smokehouse

Low-key outlet for smoked meats & classic sides served in a rustic BBQ spot with beers & cocktails.

4.1★·5.5k ratings

Saltwater Cowboys

130 Mill St, Mt Pleasant

Saltwater Cowboys

Smoked meats, local seafood & a robust drink menu in a sprawling locale directly on Shem Creek.

4.2★·5.3k ratings

Home Team BBQ

3563 US-17, Mt Pleasant

Home Team BBQ

4.4★·605 ratings

Cherrywood BBQ & Ale House

700 Governors Dr, Kiawah Island

Cherrywood BBQ & Ale House

Haute hub at Kiawah Island Golf Resort with Southern BBQ meals, local craft beers & outdoor seating.

4.1★·550 ratings

Bessinger's BBQ

1602 Savannah Hwy, Charleston

Bessinger's BBQ

Landmark no-frills barbecue joint with meat slow-cooked in a wood-fire pit, plus outdoor seating.

4.1★·3k ratings

25

VibeDate night25 Brunch232 Cheap eats83 Outdoor seating416 Late night8 Clear

AmenitiesReservations310 Takeout524 Delivery300