Diners' Choice: Best Overall restaurants in Charleston

OpenTable

Updated October 05, 2024

Looking for the best overall restaurants in Charleston? 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!

Nick’s German Kitchen

4.9

4.9 (1310)

$31 to $50

Contemporary German

Mount Pleasant

About the restaurant

Featuring scratch-made German specialties like Schnitzel, Spaetzle and more, Nick’s German Kitchen offers an authentic German kitchen infused with a modern vibe. Flavorful, fresh and appealing, Nick’s German will make you rethink everything you think you know about German food! Guten Appetit!

Top review

Jeannine

Dined 4 days ago

Amazing as always! Food is absolutely incredible and you always feel like family when you are here.

Discover more

4.9

4.9 (1657)

$31 to $50

French

Downtown Charleston

About the restaurant

Maison is a French Bistro located in downtown Charleston, SC. Our concept is food forward with bright, balanced beverages to compliment. Maison's cuisine is inspired by classic French fare recreated with a breath of modernity and local influence. Tradition meets au courant innovation. The space is intimate and paralleled with energy.

Top review

Tylervip

Dined 4 days ago

One of our neighborhood favorites. We all started with a Parisian Negroni, a salad verte, Dauphine Ravioli, and salmon rillette. All were excellent. Second courses were the crispy flounder, monkfish almandine, and the diver scallops with a nice bottle of Vermentino. Everything was awesome as usual and Grace provided us with great service at our outside table. Highly recommended.

Discover more

Experience

Happy Hour at Maison

La Rustica

4.9

4.9 (61)

$30 and under

American

Summerville

About the restaurant

Coming Soon!

Top review

Anthony

Dined 4 days ago

Food it always excellant as is the service, everyone is extremely polite and helpful. My wife was on a scooter for her knee and they have a handicap elevator as well, great experiance.

Burwell's Stone Fire Grill

4.8

4.8 (3557)

$31 to $50

Steakhouse

Downtown Charleston

About the restaurant

Diners Choice Ten years running, aligned with extraordinary cocktail bar, make this 14 N Market Street stop a must for steak and seafood lovers. Burwell’s is a true leader in progressing hospitality, from use of the entire resource to local ingredients not harmful to our communities or environment. From shrimp to beef, you’ll only taste the best at Burwell’s. One of a kind, unlike any steakhouse back home, and one of the must visits in Charleston. Visit while in the historic Market Distirct.

You can expect a casual, thoughtful design features highlighting Charleston and its rich history throughout. Burwell’s takes great pride in being approachable to all, with high craft memorable food, ensuring guests a warm and welcoming Charleston visit. Don't miss the Wagyu!

Best place to dine in the low country - South Magazine
One of Charleston’s “local favorites” - bon appetit grub crawl

Walk-ins welcome, Burwell’s popular bar is available for full menu dining

Plenty of parking near by

Top review

Patrickvip

Dined 4 days ago

As always, great food, great service, a bit pricey but solid steakhouse

Discover more

Popular dish

8 oz Filet Mignon

Popular dish

Hummingbird Cheesecake

Popular dish

Creme Brulee

Anson

4.8

4.8 (4731)

$50 and over

Southern

Downtown Charleston

About the restaurant

Anson was named one of OpenTable's 50 Best Southern Restaurants in America for 2018 |

Top review

Everettvip

Dined 4 days ago

Anson’s is our favorite restaurant! Michael is an excellent restauranteur with a well trained staff! The food is excellent. We highly recommend it for a date night or with friends! Jane and Everett

Discover more

Popular dish

Whole Crispy Flounder

4.8

4.8 (2587)

$50 and over

Seafood

Downtown Charleston

About the restaurant

Everything at The Establishment begins with well-sourced ingredients from sea and field. Through developing relationships with local farmers and fishermen, our ingredients will be consistently seasonal, fresh, and pure. Chef Elliott Howells' menu will always reflect a clean, focused, and balanced approach, delivering a selection of thoughtful and refined cuisine.

Located in Charleston’s historic French Quarter a few blocks away from Rainbow Row, Charleston City Market, and Waterfront Park, The Establishment features an award-winning wine cellar, over 150 bourbon and whiskey offerings, and a lively bar scene complete with daily happy hour. We feature Live Music every Friday and Saturday starting at 8:00 PM, featuring multiple local artists performing an array of musical genres. Our private dining rooms are perfect for birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, or business meetings. We look forward to hosting you for a casual night out or an elevated dining experience.

Top review

Gregvip

Dined 3 days ago

Every dish was exceptional - Chef Abbott is a genius!!!

O-Ku

4.8

4.8 (2692)

$30 and under

Japanese

Downtown Charleston

About the restaurant

O-Ku, a Japanese restaurant in Charleston, South Carolina, is a triumph of execution and concept. The restaurant's menu is a modern take on traditional Japanese cuisine, and it features fresh, seasonal ingredients that are prepared with care. The dishes are beautifully presented, and the flavors are both complex and delicate. Focused on incorporating authentically Japanese flavors into the fare, O-Ku's menu is comprised of signature contemporary Japanese entrées and traditional sushi of the season reflecting the uniquely designed space. Guests can enjoy chef specialties including kurobuta pulled pork don-buri, braised short rib with shiso pesto, coconut curry, and hakozushi a box-style sushi. A wide variety of nigiri, sashimi and crudos are also available. The beverage program at O-Ku is a sophisticated blend of specialty cocktails, premium sake, bubbles, red and white wines and unique beer selections.

Top review

Zach

Dined 5 days ago

Like many places in Charleston, the food and vibe at O-Ku was great, however, the service was OUTSTANDING. Kristen (I hope I’m spelling her name right) was our server and it was one of the best experiences my girlfriend and I have had. Her recommendations were spot on, she was very attentive, and she made O-Ku a spot that we will definitely be back at more often. Highly recommend.

Discover more

4.8

4.8 (3735)

$30 and under

Italian

Downtown Charleston

About the restaurant

Located on Charleston's Upper King Street, Indaco (Italian for "indigo") serves rustic Italian cuisine. Wood-fired pizzas, hand-crafted pastas, housemade salami and cured sausages fill the restaurant's menu which can be enjoyed family-style or a la carte. With community tables, an open kitchen, and a comfortable atmosphere, Indaco can accommodate 100 guests for a casual night of food and drinks. The wine list is focused on affordable Italian varietals, the Negroni cocktail is on tap, and the fresh sodas are made in-house. The massive wooden doors on Upper King Street are your first indication that Indaco is different from the typical Charleston restaurant. Rustic details continue inside with butcherblock tables, lime-wash walls, and white brick. An open kitchen with nearby community tables lets interested diners keep an eye on the action inside the kitchen. Outside, a patio puts you streetside to watch Upper King Street's vibrant nightlife scene.

Top review

Cindy

Dined 5 days ago

Delicious food and great friendly service! We got 4 different pasta dishes and everyone was great. Friend oysters and meatballs for apps were good as well.

Discover more

Popular dish

Sausage

Galpao Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse - Charleston

4.7

4.7 (686)

$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 expertly grilled meats, 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.

> THANKSGIVING 2024 - 11:30 AM - 8 PM
Included in the rodizio (Thanksgiving Day only) we will also serve turkey and sweet potato casserole as part of the menu. No additional cost.

Top review

Maranda

Dined on Sep 2, 2024

The service, food and the atmosphere was impeccable!! I was astounded at the attentiveness of each of the servers, the quality and taste of the food and the decor of the restaurant itself. This experience was truly the best I have ever had. I went for my birthday and will definitely be back in the near future. Highly recommend!!

Camellias

4.6

4.6 (283)

$31 to $50

Afternoon Tea

Downtown Charleston

About the restaurant

Reservations are not accepted for Standard Service.
Reservations are required for Afternoon Tea and Special Experiences.

Discover an unparalleled Afternoon Tea experience at Camellias, where design and architecture intertwine to create a breathtaking wonder inspired by the renowned Fabergé jewels. Step into a realm of elegance and sophistication, where every detail, from the etched mirror ceiling to the dazzling crystal chandelier, exudes opulence and charm.

Located in the heart of Charleston, Camellias presents an Afternoon Tea seating that stands as an essential experience for any bucket list.

Adults | 65.00
Children’s Tea (ages under 12) | 42.00
Crown Tea | 78.00

Pricing reflects a per-person pricing based on seats reserved.

Cancellation Policy: Cancellations must be made no later than 24 hours prior to your reservation. Failure to cancel 24 hours before your reservation will result in a $25/per person fee.

Top review

Goldengirli

Dined on Oct 6, 2024

Lovey ambience but Tea Time was way overpriced. Food was basic and super small portions. And server forgot tea after sparkling rose until we were halfway done with our savory bites.

Explore Diners' Choice best of Charleston

Explore more Diners' Choice lists