Diners' Choice: Innovative restaurants in South Carolina

OpenTable

Updated September 05, 2024

Looking for the best restaurants that are fit for foodies in South Carolina? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Perrone's Restaurant and Bar

4.9

4.9 (202)

$50 and over

Steakhouse

Pawleys Island

About the restaurant

World Cuisine with a Mediterranean Focus - Complete Chophouse Menu with USDA Prime (In-House) Dry Aged Beef, Local Wagyu Beef, Complete with Compound Butters, Sauces, and Steakhouse Sides - Responsibly Sourced, Fresh Local Seafood - Craft Cocktail Bar - Extensive Award Winning Wine List - Upscale Dining in a Casual, Laid Back Atmosphere with Local Art Laden Walls, Low Lighting, and Relaxing Jazz Music (P.S. We are not an Italian Restaurant! )

Top review

Patrick

Dined 7 days ago

Great place! Our favorite place! Food is excellent, service is top notch. Can’t complain about anything.

MaKi Sushi Bar & Bistro

4.7

4.7 (196)

$30 and under

Japanese

Anderson

About the restaurant

Our menu features a selection of high quality sushi, appetizers, small plates and entrees with a Filipino flare.

Owner and Executive Chef R.J. Apozaga has spent the last 20 years perfecting his skills behind the sushi bar.
R.J. and wife Dana opened MaKi (named after their children while also meaning sushi roll in Japanese) in May of 2018.

With two floors of dining space, MaKi is perfect for large groups or a romantic evening at one of our desirable two top tables overlooking Main Street.

Join us to see why we have consistently been voted Best Sushi, along with Best Asian and Best Seafood in Anderson. MaKi Sushi Bar & Bistro makes dining a special experience.

Top review

Brent

Dined 6 days ago

Best sushi in Anderson. Highly recommended. Specials are also very good.

CAMP

4.7

4.7 (383)

$31 to $50

American

Greenville

About the restaurant

CAMP
/kamp/ verb: To relax, chill, unwind, savor, reflect, enjoy, breathe
Step through the doors of CAMP and you know you’re in good company. Here is a gathering place that captures the essence of downtown Greenville perfectly—cool, comfortable, lively—with food that is insanely delicious and flavorful.

The whimsical, comfort food menu with its touch of global flair is crafted using only the freshest, seasonal ingredients sourced directly from local farms. Refreshing cocktails, a curated wine list, and a selection of regional beers pair perfectly to ensure a remarkable dining experience. Come unwind, chill with friends, and savor the moment at CAMP.

Top review

Tomvip

Dined 2 days ago

The food and service were outstanding! We sat at the chefs counter which enhanced the experience even more. Their ability to special order variations of their menu items is like no other we have seen before.

Chef 21 Sushi Burger and Korean BBQ

4.7

4.7 (135)

$31 to $50

Sushi

Greenville

About the restaurant

Welcome to Chef 21, where culinary boundaries are shattered under one roof! Dive into the world of innovative Chef 21 Sushi Burgers, where traditional rolls meet handheld perfection. Craving Korean BBQ? Grill it yourself at your table, immersing in the sizzle and flavors of Seoul at Chef 21 Korean BBQ next door.
But that's not all – quench your thirst at our full bar boasting the biggest selection of Japanese whiskey and craft cocktails. Explore the world of soju and sake, elevating your dining experience to new heights. Chef 21: Two restaurants, one epic fusion feast!

Top review

Leahvip

Dined 6 days ago

A great place for sushi ... the Angry Bird roll was excellent. We also had the Bao buns and shared Tonkotsu ramen, which were equally delicious. Our server was friendly and made good suggestions.

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4.5

4.5 (211)

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

West Ashley

About the restaurant

Discover a culinary journey like no other in Avondale, where modern American flavors meet casual sophistication. Chef/Owner George Kovach has over 15 years of experience working in the service industry, including eight years working in Michelin-starred restaurants, he and his team are excited to provide a neighborhood gathering place in the heart of West Ashley. At Bearcat, every bite is an adventure. Your dining experience begins here, where exceptional food meets unforgettable memories.
**Please note that our menu does change frequently as we source food locally and seasonally.

- Please call if you are running later than 10 minutes after your reservation time.
- Last seating for reservations are 9:30pm for Main Dining.
- Our Menu is available until 10pm.
- Bar seating is available Tuesday-Thursday 10pm and Friday-Saturday 11pm.

Top review

Elizabeth

Dined on Sep 3, 2024

A true gem in Avondale. The food was flavor forward, inventive and beautifully plated. The chef and his staff went out of their way to make sure we had an exceptional dining experience. A new favorite!

The Whitman

4.5

4.5 (114)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Central

About the restaurant

For entry into the Pop-up, please join our complimentary Access Membership & Rewards program prior to your arrival. As an Access Member you will receive exclusive offerings, benefits, experiences, and more. Please note your reservation through Open Table does not serve as your enrollment into the Access program. Join Now: https://www.balharbourshopspopup.com/access/.
The Whitman–an all-new restaurant concept by Bal Harbour Shops, designed exclusively for the Bal Harbour Shops Access Pop-up. The Whitman name draws inspiration from The Whitman by The Sea– a luxury Miami Beach hotel owned by the Whitman family in the 1940s.
The Whitman brings the iconic dining experience of Bal Harbour Shops to life through its breezy indoor-outdoor space. Evoking a decadent lifestyle of leisure, the palm-framed courtyard retains the idyllic al fresco environment of the Shops. With a menu featuring Latin-inspired flavors and comforting classics, The Whitman will keep you coming back time a

Top review

Stephanie

Dined on Sep 3, 2024

Food was delicious!! The service was great!!!!!!!!!!

Coterie- Charleston

4.3

4.3 (384)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Downtown Charleston

About the restaurant

The word “coterie," in its essence, means a group of people who come together to share their ideas. Unique perspectives are what brings flavor to our conversations and our relationships, and they thrive in the right environment.

Our style is an edited mix of flavorful dishes and drinks served in an intimate setting. Flavors come to the forefront as easily as the conversations held by the people enjoying the food. At Coterie, everyone brings their own story to the table.

Top review

Lisa

Dined 7 days ago

What a treat. Delicious food and drinks and a cool little hidden gem.

Basil Thai Cuisine-Greenville, SC

4.3

4.3 (53)

$30 and under

Thai

Greenville

About the restaurant

We invite you to celebrate refined Thai cuisine and an invigorating dining experience in the heart of Charleston, Mt Pleasant and Columbia, SC and Charlotte, NC.

Basil is the realization of the lifelong dream of Henry and Chai Eang, brothers who immigrated to the United States from turbulent 1970s Cambodia. From speaking not a word of English, to creating award-winning dining experiences throughout the Carolinas, the duo has married hard work with passion to bring authentic Thai cuisine to their new home.

Since opening the first Basil in Charleston to rave reviews, several trendy locations have followed over the last dozen years. Basil’s infectious atmosphere centers around a dynamic kitchen as the sound of heat to metal, blade to board and liquid to flame resonate throughout the restaurant. Each space stylishly appointed to reflect the culture and energy of the noteworthy Southern cities they inhabit.

Top review

Julianvip

Dined on Aug 24, 2024

The food is always good and service and the outside seating was delightful .

Koi

4.3

4.3 (47)

$31 to $50

Sushi

Myrtle Beach

About the restaurant

Myrtle Beach’s newest upscale Japanese dining experience!

Top review

Jeremy

Dined 2 days ago

Fried Rice is a must. Caramel Dulce is absolutely bomb

The Press Room

4.1

4.1 (85)

$30 and under

Cocktail Bar

Greenville

About the restaurant

The Wizards' Chamber @ The Press Room - 2nd Floor of the AC Hotel Greenville (entry through Camperdown Plaza at Juniper entrance).

The Press Room, crafted in the tradition of speakeasies, is a bar and lounge tucked away inside the AC Hotel Greenville. The space has been transformed into The Wizards’ Chamber, a spellbinding pop-up bar experience.

Step into an unforgettable world where magic and fantasy are real. Discover magical bites, enchanting drinks, and possibly get up to a little bit of mischief.

You won’t want to miss our dizzying array of enchanting aesthetics of the famous wizarding world. Inside you’ll find a Wizards’ Chamber full of floating candles, house flags, and breathtaking views of Wizards Alley. Our resident Potions Master has prepared vials of mysterious elixirs and potent brews to relax you during your stay. We have also conjured up a mystical food menu, filled with bites and enchanted truffles to enjoy.

Top review

Tara

Dined on Sep 1, 2024

The atmosphere was fantastic but the area was very hot. Maybe too many people? The service was ok. They seemed a little disorganized and got our order wrong, however the drinks and food were outstanding and the theme on point!

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