Highest-rated Restaurants in Charleston, South Carolina by Diners

Photo Illustration by Stacker // Canva

Highest-rated restaurants in Charleston, South Carolina by diners

Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we've seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans said they rarely, if ever, try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, and 5% say they never do, according to a survey of more than 2,600 diners from TouchBistro.

But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—56% of Gen Zers and 47% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on online reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google or from social media. The TouchBistro survey found that 71% of Gen Zers and 72% of millennials have opted to try a new restaurant solely because of favorable reviews online.

Some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established spots that customers have been visiting for decades, but some may be brand new. More than 10,000 new restaurants opened in 2023, up 5.7% from 2022, according to a report from BentoBox. The states that saw the most new restaurants open up in 2023 were Florida, Texas, California, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, but new locales are popping up all over the U.S.

To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Charleston, according to Yelp reviews from diners as of January 2024. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.

Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily reflect each restaurant listed.

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#28. 167 Raw Oyster Bar - Charleston

- Rating: 4.5/5 (2908 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 193 King St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

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#27. Vern's

- Rating: 4.5/5 (90 reviews)
- Address: 41 Bogard St. Ste A Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp

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#26. El Molino Supermarket

- Rating: 4.5/5 (121 reviews)
- Address: 1610 Sam Rittenberg Blvd. Ste 301 Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: International Grocery, Desserts, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#25. Lewis Barbecue

- Rating: 4.5/5 (1902 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 464 North Nassau St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Barbeque, Caterers, Venues & Event Spaces
- Read more on Yelp

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#24. AZUR

- Rating: 4.5/5 (34 reviews)
- Address: 159 Market St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Tapas/Small Plates, Desserts, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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#23. Heavy's Barburger

- Rating: 4.5/5 (110 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1137 Morrison Drive Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

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#22. Taco Kitchen

- Rating: 4.5/5 (97 reviews)
- Address: 2065 Savannah Hwy Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Tacos
- Read more on Yelp

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#21. Charlie's Grocery

- Rating: 4.5/5 (43 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1 Jasper St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Convenience Stores, Delis, Falafel
- Read more on Yelp

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#20. Gale

- Rating: 4.5/5 (108 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 601 Meeting St. Ste 140 Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Wine Bars, Italian
- Read more on Yelp

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#19. Halls Chophouse

- Rating: 4.5/5 (2817 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 434 King St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Steakhouses, Seafood, Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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#18. The Harbinger Cafe and Bakery

- Rating: 4.5/5 (192 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1107 King St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Bakeries
- Read more on Yelp

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#17. Workmen's Cafe

- Rating: 5.0/5 (32 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1837 North Grimball Road Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Soul Food
- Read more on Yelp

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#16. The Habit

- Rating: 5.0/5 (61 reviews)
- Address: 213 East Bay St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Cocktail Bars, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

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#15. Gogibop Fusion Grill

- Rating: 5.0/5 (31 reviews)
- Address: 221 Spring St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp

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#14. Second State Coffee

- Rating: 5.0/5 (24 reviews)
- Address: 1630 Ashley Hall Road Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Waffles, Coffee Roasteries
- Read more on Yelp

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#13. Cafecito

- Rating: 5.0/5 (64 reviews)
- Address: 471 King St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Cuban, Cafes, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp

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#12. Maine Line Seafood

- Rating: 5.0/5 (31 reviews)
- Address: Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Food Stands, Seafood, American
- Read more on Yelp

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#11. Juan Luis

- Rating: 5.0/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: 464 North Nassau St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Food Trucks, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#10. Kultura Charleston

- Rating: 5.0/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: 73 Spring St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Filipino, Comfort Food
- Read more on Yelp

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#9. Dalila's

- Rating: 5.0/5 (37 reviews)
- Address: 441 Meeting St. Ste F Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, Caribbean
- Read more on Yelp

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#8. Island Provisions Charleston

- Rating: 5.0/5 (32 reviews)
- Address: 221 St. Philip St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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#7. Bintu Atelier African Inspired Cuisine

- Rating: 5.0/5 (20 reviews)
- Address: 8D Line St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: African
- Read more on Yelp

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#6. Bistro A Vin

- Rating: 5.0/5 (75 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 40 Archdale St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Wine Bars, French
- Read more on Yelp

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#5. Bangin' Vegan Eats

- Rating: 5.0/5 (41 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Food Trucks, Vegan
- Read more on Yelp

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#4. Legend Deli

- Rating: 5.0/5 (38 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 41 George St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Sandwiches, Delis
- Read more on Yelp

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#3. Timbo's Peanuts

- Rating: 5.0/5 (30 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2484 Ashley River Road Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Street Vendors, Cajun/Creole
- Read more on Yelp