Diners' Choice: Hot spot restaurants in South Carolina

OpenTable

Updated May 05, 2025

Looking for restaurants that are the best hot spots 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!

Galpao Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse - Charleston

4.8

4.8 (718)

$50 and over

Brazilian Steakhouse

Downtown Charleston

About the restaurant

Galpão Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse delivers an exquisite dining experience inspired by the rich Gaucho culture and culinary traditions of Southern Brazil. Galpão Gaucho’s rodizio experience offers an unparalleled dining experience, featuring 18 unlimited selections from the grill, including the new 24-karat Golden Steak™, paired with unlimited visits to an extensive 45-item gourmet salad bar.

Galpão Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse, an authentic Brazilian dining experience.

Top review

Sharniece

Dined 6 days ago

Amazing service! The staff was super friendly and attentive. The food was delicious, served hot and we enjoyed the variety.

Chayz Lounge

4.8

4.8 (41)

$31 to $50

American

Columbia

About the restaurant

Chayz Lounge is more than a venue—it’s a refined, welcoming destination where smooth jazz meets culinary artistry and your night feels like a special occasion. Located in the heart of West Columbia’s River District, we offer a curated escape that blends elevated dining, fine wines, and handcrafted cocktails in a warm, elegant setting.

Like the iconic spaces once curated by tastemaker B. Smith, Chayz Lounge is where culture, class, and community converge. It’s a space for discerning guests, music lovers, and those who appreciate the finer things to sip, savor, and socialize in style. From the elegant ambiance and curated playlists to performances by music legends and acclaimed national and regional artists, every detail is designed to make you feel embraced, inspired, and at home.

Chayz Lounge is not just a restaurant. Not just a music venue. More than a lounge. It’s an immersive, soulful experience—curated nightly by Chaye Alexander.

Top review

Shanell

Dined on Apr 25, 2025

Perfect experience so classy. And the food was excellent.

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Experience

Sip. Savor. Unwind: Your Evenings, Elevated

Experience

Lunch Break at Chayz Lounge

Experience

Sunday Jazz Brunch

House of Blues Restaurant & Bar - Myrtle Beach

4.6

4.6 (1815)

$30 and under

American

Myrtle Beach

About the restaurant

Discover authentic Southern-dining at House of Blues Restaurant and Bar located in Barefoot Landing. From our family style dishes and craft cocktails to the best in live music and folk art, our restaurants deliver an unforgettable experience. Enjoy signature menu items like our Voodoo Shrimp, Jambalaya or freshly smoked Barbecue alongside a full line up of craft beers and specialty cocktails. Whether it's before a show or just looking for a good time, House of Blues is the perfect place for a memorable dining experience.

Top review

AnneVIP

Dined 5 days ago

Sunday Gospel brunch was uplifting and fun. Thanks for a great Sunday morning!

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4.6

4.6 (406)

$31 to $50

Southern

Hilton Head Island

About the restaurant

The new Ruby Lee’s on Wild Horse!
The new Ruby Lee’s offers more of what patrons of Hilton Head Island have come to love and expect in the past: delicious southern cooking and a comfortable yet stimulating atmosphere that offers the perfect way to enjoy sports or outstanding blues, jazz and soul from local and regional artists. If you’re not familiar with Ruby Lee’s, it’s a locally owned restaurant, started by Tim Singleton (known to Low-country residents as an athlete and head coach). The restaurant is named for Singleton’s late grandmother who is the inspiration for the Southern-style menu. The new and revamped version of the original; yet it still captures the Southern feel-good themes that have an uncanny way of making you hungry for fried chicken, shrimp and grits, corn bread, and sweet tea the moment you walk in the door. If, for some reason, you’re not quite ready to eat after walking in the door of Ruby Lee’s, you’ll notice a pang of hunger once you look at the menu.

Top review

Doris

Dined on Apr 29, 2025

Patty, our waitress did an outstanding job. She was very friendly, helpful and professional. Really enjoyed the experience!!

The Hangout Myrtle Beach

4.5

4.5 (410)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Myrtle Beach

About the restaurant

The Hangout is the place for great food and family fun. Come enjoy live entertainment, relax, let the kids play, and share good times! The restaurant features full-service dining, and a courtyard with a ton-of-fun; sand pile, foam pit, games, retail shopping, stages for live music and more.

Join us for our Pirates and Princess Breakfast from June 15th- August 18th!
Two seating times are available: 9am and 10am.

Lunch will be available at 11am every day.

Top review

Kayla

Dined 3 days ago

Such a fun experience with my family! it’s definitely kid friendly my 9 year old had a blast! Food was excellent as well as service!!

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Experience

Pirates and Princesses Breakfast

Hard Rock Cafe - Myrtle Beach

4.4

4.4 (1280)

$30 and under

American

Myrtle Beach

About the restaurant

Hard Rock Cafe is a global phenomenon with 185 cafes that are visited by nearly 80 million guests each year. The first Hard Rock Cafe opened on June 14, 1971, in London, England, and from there the brand has expanded to major cities and exotic locations around the world.

Top review

Michelle

Dined 3 days ago

Love Hard Rock! The salmon entree was delicious. Great waiter Michael!

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Port of Call - Food & Brew

4.4

4.4 (28)

$31 to $50

American

Downtown Charleston

About the restaurant

Port of Call in Charleston offers a fusion of coastal charm and culinary innovation. With a menu celebrating Southern classics with a modern twist, impeccable service, and an inviting ambiance, it's a culinary gem for locals and visitors alike. Come savor the essence of Southern hospitality and excellence at Port of Call.

Top review

tomboysuze

Dined on Apr 20, 2025

It was a perfect low key Easter brunch for out of towners after mass.

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Experience

Port of Call Happy Hour

Boku- Columbia

4.3

4.3 (293)

$30 and under

Asian

Columbia

About the restaurant

At Boku Kitchen and Saloon, you can be sure you are receiving only the highest-quality meals with the freshest ingredients possible. We pride ourselves on not serving our customer's pre-made food. We make everything from scratch, including our noodles, salads, crab rangoon, calamari, soups, cocktails, and more! All our food is made-to-order. You won’t be able to find quality like this elsewhere!

We want to make your time at our restaurant as enjoyable as possible. Therefore, at Boku Kitchen and Saloon, you can trust that we will provide you with a made-from-scratch meal paired with the best cocktails, sake, wine, and craft beer you will find in Columbia, SC.

Our team is excited to serve you, your family, and your friends' delicious meals and beverages. See you soon!

Top review

Dawn

Dined on Apr 12, 2025

Always a wonderful experience. Love the drinks, food and service.

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Lamar's Sporting Club

4.2

4.2 (21)

$31 to $50

Lounge

Downtown Charleston

About the restaurant

Sophisticated lounge offering excellent craft cocktails, upscale bar bites, and weekly top shelf happy hours in a comfortable setting and home of Sir Wieners Hot Dogs (as seen on Bravo Tv).

Enjoy College & NFL games with 10+ HD TVs. Lunch & Brunch are available on the weekends during football season.

Lamar's was designed for like-minded individuals who value nightlife experiences, sports, and exclusivity. The establishment features an intimate lounge with a classic and upscale ambiance. With rich, dark wood paneling, subdued lighting, and plush leather banquettes, sofas, and cocktail tables, the venue provides both comfort and luxury seating. The sporting club lifestyle is reflected in the carefully curated decor, which includes antique-inspired elements such as modern-vintage artwork, chandeliers, eclectic bookshelves and wildlife on display.

Located on the corner of King & Spring, Lamar's is the ultimate way to elevate your sports viewings & evening experiences in Charleston.

Top review

Traevon

Dined on Apr 26, 2025

Great environment, Waitress was fantastic and very accommodating. Food was very well prepared and portioned. Would come back again.

Clearwater Oyster Bar & Grill

3.9

3.9 (85)

$30 and under

Seafood

Myrtle Beach

About the restaurant

At Clearwater Oyster Bar & Grill we believe that exceptional seafood should be savored amidst extraordinary surroundings. Come join us for a culinary journey where the flavors of the sea are complemented by the best views in town. It's not just a meal; it's a feast for the senses. Whether you're a seafood connoisseur or a casual diner seeking an exceptional meal, we invite you to savor the ocean's bounty in every bite. Let's embark on a journey of taste with our carefully curated selection of oysters sourced from pristine waters, in a maritime-inspired ambiance that seamlessly blends coastal elegance with a relaxed, inviting atmosphere.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined on Apr 22, 2025

From the front of the building you would never know what a gem this place is. Great food and service. Sitting outside by the water with the upbeat atmosphere from karaoke at the bar was so much fun.

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Experience

Happy hour

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