The OrdinaryInteresting menu items, allInteresting menu items, all presented well. Big negative is a very limited and expensive wine list, particularly whites, surprising for a primarily seafood restaurant. The overall value, including wine, is poor relative to other restaurants in Charleston.5/15/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat experienceGreat food & great service. The drink menu was limited though.5/15/2013 12:00:00 AMOrdinary, not so OrdinaryWe had a great Birthday celebration at The Ordinary. Unique coctails, small, but great choices on wine list and the seafood was prepared and presented perfectly. The service was great and our waitress, Brittany, exciting and truly enjoyed her job.5/15/2013 12:00:00 AMNot Very OrdinaryThe Ordinary is not true to it's name. The food and menu are beyond description. Certainly not "Ordinary"5/15/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food...very noisy!Loved the food and service but the noise level was deafening.5/14/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat evening.Enjoyed dinner at The Ordinary immensely. Food was excellent and service was great. Food seemed healthy; not a whole lot of carbs! The phsyical environment was beautiful and available parking was an added bonus!5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMSeafoodThis was the finest seafood restaurant we have ever been to. We had a cold seafood stack with every shellfish you can name and a really nice bottle of wine. Delishous5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMFabulous food and service . . . butFood - especially the oysters - was very fresh and tasty. Our server was knowledgeable and energetic. We did not find the noise level to be a problem. Definitely reccommend upstairs, more space and less noise. The entree menu is very limited, as is the pricey wine list. A hot appetizer in combination with a plate of oysters was plenty of food for me.
Overall a great experience - the only reason I didn't give The Ordinary 5 stars is the pricing. I realize that delicious fresh seafood is not going to be cheap however at these prices it becomes very much a "special occasion" restaurant. Which given the plethora of great high-end restaurants in Charleston means visits will be few and far between.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMSpecial Occasion GemTook my wife here to celebrate Mother's Day after her reading a review that included a comment about lobster rolls. She went to school in Maine and loves lobster rolls. We both had them and were not disappointed. I found the Triggerfish Schnitzel to be outstanding and she had a salad that was also very good. I'll recommend this restaurant to my friends who also enjoy fine dining and plan to return soon.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMFantastic ExperienceThe Ordinary is just what this city needs to round out its culinary playground: an upscale oyster bar. Located in a beautiful, historic bank building with soaring ceilings in Charleston's hottest restaurant/bar arena at Upper King, The Ordinary is exploding with charm, Southern style, and good old-fashioned revelry. Service was stellar and ultra-friendly. A sampling of any of the oysters on the menu will not disappoint, and individually-chosen dipping sauces complemented each item to perfection. The lobster roll is a must, and I literally danced in my chair as I moaned and groaned through the oyster sliders. Absolutely anything but Ordinary.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMDelicious but PriceyWe went here for my wife's birthday. Had a drink and a bottle of wine, along with the lobster ceviche, pickled shrimp, and the single seafood tray. Lobster was great, but miniscule amounts of lobster. Shrimp was great. The seafood platter had 12 oysters, 6 littlenecks, about a 1/4 lb. of shrimp, and some crab louie. My suggestions: serve some bread - even a little - so that the sauces or pickling juices can be mopped up; cut out the louie - many people don't like mayonnaise. My suggestion would be, for the raw bar, to have one of each of the oysters and then get a dozen or whatever you want of the ones you like best, plus some apps. I don't think the platter is worth it.5/8/2013 12:00:00 AMEnjoyed my mealWe were just in town for the weekend but I was recommended this spot. We weren't particularly hungry so had a few dishes to share and the platter but no main courses. The platter was great, very fresh but my favorite dish was actually the vegetable crudités with crab remoulade to start. Delicious! Maybe a tiny bit salty. But very happy with our meal, and the venue is really interesting. We sat on the balcony where it was much quieter. I'd recommend this place for sure!5/4/2013 12:00:00 AM1ST visit to The OrdinaryI had read the reviews and was excited about my first visit to The Ordinary. You have done an outstanding job in laying out the restaurant and the service was 5 Star. I have a few criticisms though.
The shellfish was good but not extraordinary. There are only a small number of entrees if you want something other than shellfish. One in our party ordered the spanish mackeral. Again it was ordinary and the portion was small. Personally, I ordered the stone crabs at at 6 PM the restaurant was out of stone crabs.
If only the food was as good as the service.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMEverything they said it wasRead about in Departures and of course had been to FIG, their sister restaurant. Everything was great...everything! We didn't have a chance to "order everything....even though we wanted too", but next time we go we are no doubt ordering the seafood tower! Impressive!5/1/2013 12:00:00 AMWASTE OF TIME AND MONEYRated the food a 3, because the menu is just way too limited. I knew it was limited, but The Ordinary has redefined "limited." The wine list is absolutely dreadful. If you find wine an integral part of your meal DO NOT DINE AT THE ORDINARY. Our server was by far the brightest part of the evening), 3)Nice ambiance (great redecorating job!) and 4)Wine (not a formal Open Table category, but certainly a category by which we rate restaurants, and we rate The Ordinary a zero). Charleston has far too many restaurants with an excellent balance among hype, menu, wine and lively atmosphere to waste any time going to The Ordinary.5/1/2013 12:00:00 AMOutstanding Seafood and ServiceOur party of four had a fine experience. We shared the Otter Island baked oysters and the lobster roll for appetizers. Both were excellent. Entrees for our table included the Grouper Schnitzel and sauteed soft shell crabs. The seafood was prepared and presented flawlessly. Our server, Jennifer, was outstanding: a perfect mix of knowledge, attentiveness, enthusiasm and friendliness.
The noise level is energetic, so don't go expecting a quiet romantic experience. The only smudge in an otherwise spotless experience was our wine, which at 3.33 times the online retail (not wholesale) bottle tag, had too high a price-to-quality ratio. Were it not for this, I would have given the food 5 stars.5/1/2013 12:00:00 AMDelicious food!The food here is superb! I would highly recommend this restaurant if you're looking for a wonderful meal. The ambience is lacking and the noise level is extremely high. The bar is not complete in my opinion. They specialize in rum drinks so if that's what you like they have many choices but otherwise you may be out of luck.I did not check the box fit for foodies because that usually means you leave hungry and that is not the case here. However, if you're looking for the best food in Charleston this is the place to go!4/30/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food and exceptional serviceWe had a few people and ordered a few different items to share. We LOVED the oyster sliders and the grouper schnitzel. The shrimp and soft shell crab were also good but did not compare to the oysters and grouper. Our server, Brittany was fantastic! I appreciate when a server is passionate about their job and is very knowledgeable about the menu. We were told by a few people that this restaurant was very noisy and they recommend you sit upstairs although it did not appear that noisy to us (we were told it was one of the slowest nights they have had since they opened....a Tues night and we still found every table was occupied). I would recommend this restaurant.4/30/2013 12:00:00 AMSuper quality seafood - wonderfulSuper quality seafood - wonderful local oysters and crab claws, excellent lobster roll and soft shell crab. Great cocktails too. Very good addition to CHS food scene.4/28/2013 12:00:00 AMExceptional food and impeccableExceptional food and impeccable service! Will return again on our next trip to Charleston.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMEverything great about thisEverything great about this restaurant except the noise level - there are no soft surfaces to absorb noise and it is explosive. If you don't sit side by side, you cannot hear. Loved the restaurant - sat at the bar so we could talk. Would not want to sit at a table.4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMThis was our third visit,This was our third visit, and definitely not our last. This time we had friends join us.
They loved the unique ambience but found the noise level at times intrusive. The seafood
tower was a big hit; fresh and succulent. Fish chowder was worth the visit. The soft shelled crabs were truly worth the wait (seasonal). The wine list could be improved.4/24/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Food; Deafening AtmosphereWe enjoyed The Ordinary with another couple. Sheepshead Schnitzel is the best fish we have had anywhere. Snowy Grouper is excellent but below the Schnitzel. Oysters and sauces were excellent. Salads were satisfactory; house dressing was outstanding, as was gumbo. Wine list is quite limited; some wines (Chardonnay) were over-priced ($15/glass) and no better than what one can get for half this at other downtown restaurants. We wanted a few hearty red wines, such as Merlots or Cabs, on the list even if food snobbies don't think they should be paired with seafood. The only major down-side - noise level is very excessive requiring you to shout to be heard. Some sound baffling decor is essential if we are to return. Be forewarned.4/23/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent raw bar variety--veryExcellent raw bar variety--very fresh, but smallish large plate options. Nice dining room on upper level but this restaurant seriously needs an elevator to that level.4/23/2013 12:00:00 AMThis will now be among ourThis will now be among our top three in Charleston, but we won't go there if we want a quieter venue.4/23/2013 12:00:00 AMA mustMike Latta's foray into fresh local seafood is outstanding. The food wasn't overladen with sauces - you taste the subtleties of the fish. The atmosphere is lively - an old bank has been cleverly refitted so its up to date yet had a hint of retro (tiles on the back wall reminded me of the Oyster Bar in Grand Central). It has a long bar that was full up. The service was knowledgable, cheerful and very presentable (neat appearance). Not a huge wine list - but it was reasonable & well picked.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMFood and atmosphere were outstandinFood and atmosphere were outstanding. Especially loved the fish chowder as the broth is amazing, with plenty of chunks of fish and potatoes. Menu is heavy on appetizers with only a few entree options. Great place to go with a date or spouse to share several appetizer plates and skip the main dish entirely. Appetizers are heavy on shellfish selections. Will definitely return.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMI don't mind expensive whenI don't mind expensive when food is outstanding. This was just good. I would recommend going to the bar and having beers and oysters.4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMReally for oyster loversThis is a restaurant for oyster lovers which I am not so i cant comment on the oysters which I tried..lol. I do have to say that the Sheepshead fish entree that the waitress recommended was delish! That was my favorite dish of the night. My husband ordered the grouper which wasnt oo bad either. I would go again when I go back to Charleston.4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMThe manager, Brooks was awesome.The manager, Brooks was awesome. So was our server, Serena.4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMThis is the best new restaurantThis is the best new restaurant we been to in many years. They are at the cutting edge of new cuisine with their local produce and their amazing fish menu. The servers are so keyed in to the food and very helpful. We were amazed at the local fish selection of so many varied things not often seen on menus. Great kudos to these folks for trying something new and exciting. Place is beautiful if a bit noisy. Maybe that just adds to the buzz..4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMNot so OrdinaryWe decided to try The Ordinary at the behest of a couple of friends in other parts of the US who knew we were going to Charleston. The staff was very friendly and we immediately felt welcome. Very interesting mostly seafood menu; the Oysters Moscow (on the half shell with a dollop of creme fraiche and caviar) were briny and excellent. Cocktails were well-made and fish entrees were also very well done. The waitstaff were truly attentive and made the experience a good one. Two things, though - this place is open and very noisy. Also, there are very little choices for carbs and sides on the menu, so be prepared to be hungry soon after a wonderful meal here.4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMHad incredible seafood atHad incredible seafood at The Ordinary - You just have to know what to expect. It's basically an upscale raw bar. It's expensive, small wine list, full bar and exceptional seafood. Great place to start or end an evening just don't go looking for full dinner plates.4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMGood, butIntelligent, affable service, excellently prepared innovative food. However, the row of tables where we were seated were so close together that we had two wait-persons on either side of us - posteriors nearly hanging over our table - taking complicated, question filled orders while we were eating our main course. One waiter literally backed into a bottle of water on our table sending it splattering. Not a great view, nor atmosphere.4/16/2013 12:00:00 AMThe Ordinary is an ExperienceAtmosphere was excellent. Every detail of decor was obviously thought through. The service was great, energentic, very informative and excited to make sure The Ordinary experience was perfect for you. Each course was delicious and flavorful. The servers suggestions were extremely helpful. It is anything but "ordinary". We will definetly be going back the next time were are in Charleston.4/16/2013 12:00:00 AMI went with my husband forI went with my husband for our 18th anniversary. We heard so many wonderful things about it and I had read about it in Charleston magazine so, was looking forward to it. It was everything I expected. The food was absolutely divine. The service spectacular. Thanks for a memorable evening.4/14/2013 12:00:00 AMEverything was unbelievablyEverything was unbelievably wonderful!!! Lobster Ceviche was the best I have ever had! Wendy took great care of us and really explained the menu well, we tried things we normally would not have because of her recommendations and she was spot on!!! We will be back on our next visit to Charleston!!!4/11/2013 12:00:00 AMSuperbly prepared seafoodSuperbly prepared seafood with a flair worthy of a top restaurant. As good as the hype4/11/2013 12:00:00 AMExtra=Ordinary . . . one ofExtra=Ordinary . . . one of best - maybe THE best - dining experiences I have had in decades, in every possible category. rhb4/10/2013 12:00:00 AMOur waitress was abosolutelyOur waitress was abosolutely amazing. Her knowledge of the menu and the evening's preparations was outstanding. She advised one of our guests to change a choice that she had made based on the "strong taste" of the appetizer she was considering which she felt would over power the main dish. That decision made all the difference for our guest and she enjoyed her meal!
Our waitress was able to tell me where all of the seafood originated and when the chef received it, which I really appreciated.4/10/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat new addition to theGreat new addition to the Charleston scene. Excellent choice for seafood lovers. Fantastic selection of oysters. Very pricey.4/9/2013 12:00:00 AMFood and atmosphere were greatFood and atmosphere were great - loved the style of the menu, but may be limited for some people who want a specific cocktail and may not be as "go with the flow". The service was outstanding. Professional yet very warm and friendly. Pricey but is justifiable based on the food quality and innovative menu items.4/9/2013 12:00:00 AMStupendous!One of the very best Charleston has to offer! Very creative chef, attentive and friendly staff, fun bar scene, and beautiful interior. It is well worth venturing off the classic East Bay St restaurant row.4/9/2013 12:00:00 AMThis restaurant was extraordinaryThis restaurant was extraordinary - all except for the noise level. The food and service were outstanding. We would have liked a larger variety of oysters - maybe some west coast - but we knew going in that the restaurant was founded supporting the locals. The noise on the other hand could have ruined our experience. Saying the noise level is energetic is an understatement - near deafening should be a choice. As the restaurant was built in an old bank - it is cavernous. No effort was made to dampen the noise within the layout of the restaurant. Thank goodness we dined upstairs - if we had eaten downstairs, conversation would have been impossible - it was nearly that as it was. Worth the trip, but not sure we'd return.4/9/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat and friendly service.Great and friendly service. Oysters to die for. Fish perfectly cooked. Very nice ambience although chairs were a little hard as the night wore on. A very good experience overall and would definitely go back.4/7/2013 12:00:00 AMLoved the seafood tower! Also,Loved the seafood tower! Also, the fried oysters and beef tartare were amazing! I highly recommend The Ordinary (although it is a bit pricey!)4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMWe really enjoyed our visitWe really enjoyed our visit to Charleston, and dinner at the Ordinary was our favorite part. The restaurant is welcoming and servers and other wait staff were all very friendly and helpful, providing menu suggestions and setting a great tone for our evening. The oyster slider was absolutely delicious - we ordered a round and all agreed we could go back for more. The green goddess arugula salad was delicious as well. All of the seafood we tried - a dozen oysters, the barbeque shrimp, and fish for the main course - was cooked wonderfully. Thank you for a lovely dinner!4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMFabulous. Had heard the hypeFabulous. Had heard the hype but did not disappoint! Must like seafood.4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMSo far out of the ordinarySo far out of the ordinary dining experience. Absolutely spectacular flavors.4/3/2013 12:00:00 AMDon't miss the rice pudding.The restaurant itself is one large space, in a renovated bank - a nod to how seriously they take their food? The kitchen is in the vault, which opens out to a small raw bar. Food is wonderfully prepared; the prices are a little on the high side. Sides and bread not included. But you do get the freshest fish imaginable. Triggerfish schnitzel is a wonder - barely-there breading, seared crisp on the outside and moist and flaky inside. Green salad with green goddess dressing - amazing. Butter lettuce, shaved vegetables, fresh herbs. One of the best salads ever. BBQ shrimp is delicious, served with slices of charred crusty bread. Standout rice pudding, with ripe strawberries. It was like heaven. Yes. Heaven is rice pudding at The Ordinary.4/3/2013 12:00:00 AM