Lewis Barbecue
Texas-style brisket and hot guts in a big open-air pit yard on the upper peninsula.
The places locals actually book — from neighborhood lunch spots to tasting-menu nights.
Texas-style brisket and hot guts in a big open-air pit yard on the upper peninsula.
Neighborhood coffee shop and gathering spot on James Island's Harbor View Road, with live music and a dog-friendly patio.
Southern coastal cuisine is prepared at this bustling, no-frills beach grill with a full bar & deck.
Homey locale in a historic house serving seafood specialties & a raw bar, plus wine & cocktails.
Huge filets of fish ’n’ chips constitute the entire menu at this unassuming British specialist.
Spacious, refined eatery featuring Lowcountry fare cooked using ingredients from nearby farms.
Cajun- & Creole-style seafood doled out in hip digs with garage door windows, a full bar & patio.
Bustling tavern serving generous portions of smoked meat & Southern sides, plus frequent live music.
House-smoked meats & creative sides served in a funky BBQ spot with outdoor seating, beer & bourbon.
Generous portions of casual Southern-focused home cooking are served all day at this lively eatery.
This 1920s bank now houses an upscale seafood restaurant with high ceilings, large windows & a bar.
Taco and beer spot on Reynolds Ave in North Charleston with live music nights and a loyal neighborhood following.
Creatively flavored grits accompany the surf 'n' turf at this area-sourced Southern specialist.
Trendy spot with brunch doling out Mexican standards, plus desserts & cocktails.
Counter-service Mexican on Ashley Phosphate, built on a loyal North Charleston following and straightforward tacos that don't need explaining.
Down-home restaurant with porch dining, offering daily specials for lunch & dinner, plus happy hour.
Expansive, lively destination for oysters & hearty entrees, with a copper bar for cocktails & wine.
Tennessee whole-hog pit barbecue outfit on Highland Ave, with live music and cold beer to back it up.
Japanese-Mexican fusion restaurant on upper King Street, with sushi and tacos sharing a menu alongside cocktails and occasional live music.
Relaxed, light-filled eatery with outdoor seating serving classic seafood, raw bites & burgers.
Quaint bistro with full bar has a seafood-centric menu plus beef, chicken & handmade pasta options.
Family-run Cuban-Mexican kitchen on Chuck Dawley, known for made-from-scratch plates and a loyal Mount Pleasant following.
Housemade pasta & Italian seafood dishes served in a light-filled eatery with a patio & ocean views.
Customizable seafood boils & fried baskets in a roomy space with elaborate nautical decor & TVs.
Greek-owned coffee shop and café in a Mount Pleasant strip mall, pulling espresso alongside Mediterranean plates.
Cozy, rustic bar/eatery with a country vibe & seafood plates, plus happy hours & outdoor seating.
Colombian-inflected barbecue from pitmaster Hector Gaitan on Ashley River Road, where smoked meats meet South American spice.
Southern seafood staples like crab soup, oysters, and more served in a sleek spot, with a waterfront patio.
Visitors can eat indoors or on the terrace with countryside views at this casual seafood option.
Bustling tavern serving generous portions of smoked meat & Southern sides, plus frequent live music.
Casual beachside seafood counter on Folly Road serving fried fish and cold beer steps from the shore.
A swanky bar and intimate courtyard help make this refined Southern spot a special occasion favorite.
Compact Mediterranean seafood spot tucked on Fulton Street, drawing steady locals with a focused menu and a well-curated wine list.
Breezy Sullivan's Island cantina serving tacos, coastal seafood, and margaritas a block from the beach.
Nautical-themed Market Street spot serving seafood, brunch, and craft beer with live music in the heart of the tourist corridor.
Casual eatery with a convivial atmosphere, serving a crab-heavy menu of classic seafood.
Bustling spot for refined seafood dishes, served in clubby, brick-walled environs, with a bar.
Whole-hog pitmaster Rodney Scott's flagship. Wood-burned pork, white bread, hot sauce.
Industrial seafood fixture in a former warehouse with a raw bar, craft cocktails & an outdoor patio.
Relaxed, light-filled eatery with outdoor seating serving classic seafood, raw bites & burgers.
Upscale roadside seafood brasserie for oysters, cocktails & market-fresh, imaginative French fare.
Quaint eatery where generous portions of seafood & other casual fare come in a bustling setting.
Elegant destination offering seasonal, locally sourced seafood delicacies & a robust wine list.
Parisian-inspired cafe serving coffee during the day, with wine, tapas, poetry & music at night.
This restaurant presents French cooking without pretension in a homey, curtain-framed dining room.
Casual seafood and oyster bar on Folly Road, pulling in locals with raw bar staples and cold beer.
Chinese-run barbecue spot on Carver Avenue in North Charleston, pulling steady locals with smoked meat and a full bar.
Casual seafood counter steps from the Isle of Palms strand, serving fried platters and low country staples with live music on the back deck.
Traditional Mexican dishes offered in a casual space with a bar mixing margaritas.
Counter-service taqueria on Rivers Avenue serving North Charleston's working lunch crowd with straightforward Mexican plates.
Cash-only taqueria on Clements Ferry serving straightforward Mexican street food to the construction and warehouse crowd on the north peninsula.
Casual restaurant dishing up Southern barbecue classics at a buffet or via a drive-thru.
Lively eatery dishing out Mexican favorites, including tacos and tortas, in hip, casual environs.
Roadside SC-162 pit stop in Hollywood slinging barbecue with beer and wine on the side.
Traditional Mexican dishes offered in a casual space with a bar mixing margaritas.
Ford Fry's Tex-Mex outpost on upper King, slinging smoked meats, flour tortillas, and margaritas in a lively, wood-paneled room.
Cinderblock seafood shack on a salt marsh. Cluster oysters, fried fish, beer.
Ohio-based taco chain with build-your-own options and a full bar, planted in the Towne Centre shopping complex.
Tacos with innovative fillings & frozen cocktails in a funky, vibrant setting, plus outdoor seating.
Neighborhood Mexican cantina on Sam Rittenberg with margaritas, live music, and a reliable Cal-Mex menu.
Unfussy, wood-lined eatery offering Southern seafood specialties & sides plus beer & wine.
Neighborhood Mexican spot on Maybank Highway serving tacos and margaritas with beer on tap and a strip-mall patio.
Counter-service spot on W Montague dishing grits bowls, burgers, and seafood in no-frills North Charleston digs.
Waterfront restaurant with terraces offering seafood specialties amid stylish surroundings.
Unpretentious Coleman Boulevard neighborhood bar slinging burgers, seafood, and cold beer to Mount Pleasant regulars since the 1970s.
Pit-smoked barbecue joint off SC-41 in Mount Pleasant, with beer, wine, and a loyal following of 873 reviewers.
Family-run Oaxacan taqueria in a Mt. Pleasant strip mall, turning out tlayudas and mole alongside standard tacos.
Tacos, burritos & other Mexican staples offered in an informal venue with bright tropical decor.
Bright, modern eatery with coffee, bagels & Wi-Fi by day, cocktails & New American fare by night.
Cuban-Mexican kitchen on Market Street serving ropa vieja and tacos in a compact, dog-friendly dining room.
Southern seafood favorites served in a simple setting, with scenic views, a bar & outdoor seating.
Contemporary grill chain offering a seafood-centric menu, plus steaks & cocktails.
A collection of eclectic chandeliers light up the Mexican & Southwest food & frozen drinks.
Counter-service taco spot on upper Meeting Street pouring beer and wine alongside straightforward Mexican street food.
Guests look out on the ocean from the deck & rooftop bar, while dining on island-inspired dishes.
Counter-service Tex-Mex spot on Coleman Boulevard slinging loaded nachos and cheap beer since the '90s.
Bare-bones outfit with creek views draws locals with Lowcountry-style fried seafood; dinner only.
Casual surf-themed seafood spot on Sullivan's Island serving oysters, brunch, and cold beer steps from the beach.
Strip-mall Mexican in Mount Pleasant with margaritas, live music, and a loyal local following on Shoremeade Road.
Casual strip-mall taco spot in Summerville slinging Mexican staples with beer and a loyal local following.
Nothing-fancy, family-friendly spot combining Irish pub with Lowcountry seafood & live music.
Low-key Mexican kitchen producing a familiar menu of fajitas, quesadillas, tacos & margaritas.
Neighborhood Mexican spot on Foundation Street slinging tacos and an extensive tequila list in a casual, no-fuss setting.
Sophisticated eatery with wood grill, sleek bar & extensive wine list serves steak, seafood & sushi.
Relaxed eatery tucked in a former warehouse, with outdoor seating & a menu of locally sourced fish.
Casual eatery with a convivial atmosphere, serving a crab-heavy menu of classic seafood.
Neighborhood Mexican spot on Folly Road serving margaritas and Tex-Mex standards to James Island regulars.
Goose Creek strip-mall taqueria serving burritos, tacos, and Latin plates with live music on weekends.
Casual Mexican spot on East Bay slinging tacos and tequila to the downtown lunch and late-night crowd.
Laid-back waterfront fish house on Isle of Palms serving raw bar staples and fried seafood with cold beer and occasional live music.
Casual taco-and-tequila spot on Daniel Island serving Mexican standards with a full bar.
Industrial-chic hot spot serving locally sourced, traditional Southern BBQ & stylish cocktails.
Family-friendly BBQ eatery serving ribs & other Southern dishes in casual, woodsy surrounds.
Strip-mall taco and tequila spot in Hanahan with a loyal local following and a full bar.
Tavern serving updated American food in a wood dominated interior or on the riverside terrace.
Vintage rowboats adorn the ceiling of this Southern restaurant with a diverse local seafood menu.
Laid-back chain known for slow-cooked BBQ & cheese biscuits, plus burgers, salads & classic sides.
Shellfish can be eaten by the bucketful at this relaxed joint serving seafood with a Southern twist.
Relaxed restaurant & bar chain serving steak & seafood, plus signature nachos, sandwiches & pasta.
Family-friendly BBQ eatery serving ribs & other Southern dishes in casual, woodsy surrounds.
Low-key, unfussy Mexican eatery featuring classic standards plus patio seating, margaritas & beers.
Low-key outlet for smoked meats & classic sides served in a rustic BBQ spot with beers & cocktails.
Smoked meats, local seafood & a robust drink menu in a sprawling locale directly on Shem Creek.
Waterfront bar-and-grill on the Wando River serving fried seafood and cold beer with a dock and occasional live music.
Colorful eatery & sports bar for Mexican-inspired bites & drinks, plus live music & patio seating.
Easygoing restaurant offering handcut steaks, Southern-style rib platters & other classic dishes.
Neighborhood Mexican cantina on Coleman Boulevard serving margaritas and tacos in a casual, reservable dining room.
Family-friendly Japanese spot featuring sushi, hibachi cooking tables & a lengthy sake selection.
Tacos with innovative fillings & frozen cocktails in a funky, vibrant setting, plus outdoor seating.
Sophisticated operation serving freshly caught fish, with outdoor seating & a casual downstairs bar.
Haute hub at Kiawah Island Golf Resort with Southern BBQ meals, local craft beers & outdoor seating.
Neighborhood Mexican spot on Savannah Highway serving tacos and cold beer in a no-frills West Ashley setting.
Refined eatery at Wild Dunes Resort offering locavore seafood & drinks in a terrace-enhanced space.
Landmark no-frills barbecue joint with meat slow-cooked in a wood-fire pit, plus outdoor seating.
Beachside bar and grill on Folly serving fried seafood and cold drinks a block from the water.
Stylish area-sourced seafood spot in Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina, with a deck & rooftop bar.