The best dinner in Charleston, SC depends on the night: FIG for seasonal Lowcountry cooking with mains from $48, Chubby Fish for no-reservation seafood, Leon's Oyster Shop for fried chicken from $12, and Circa 1886 for a $135 tasting menu. All ten picks are in downtown Charleston. Charleston dinner changes more by night than by cuisine. FIG and Chubby Fish close Sunday and Monday, Circa 1886 closes Wednesday and Sunday, and The Ordinary closes Tuesday, so the right pick often depends on the day you are in town.

Prices run from $12 for fried chicken at Leon's Oyster Shop to $225 per person for Circa 1886's tasting menu with wine pairings, and Chubby Fish takes no reservations at all.

Quick Take

What	10 dinner restaurants in Charleston, SC, with hours, prices, and booking rules for each
Where	Downtown Charleston: Meeting St, Queen St, King St, Broad St, East Bay St, Wentworth St, Coming St, and Rutledge Ave
Price range	$12 for two pieces of dark-meat fried chicken at Leon's Oyster Shop, up to $225 per person for Circa 1886's tasting menu with wine pairings
Best pick for	Special occasion: Circa 1886. No reservation: Chubby Fish. Lowest bill: Leon's Oyster Shop. Seafood tower: The Ordinary. Latest hours: Halls Chophouse
Book or confirm	Most use Resy or OpenTable. Chubby Fish takes no reservations. Details in each entry

Table of Contents

• Quick Comparison of the 10 Best Dinner Restaurants in Charleston, SC
• FIG
• Husk
• Circa 1886
• Sorelle
• The Ordinary
• Chubby Fish
• Kultura
• Halls Chophouse
• Slightly North of Broad (S.N.O.B.)
• Leon's Oyster Shop
• Which nights is each restaurant closed?
• When should you book dinner in Charleston?
• Frequently Asked Questions

Quick Comparison of the 10 Best Dinner Restaurants in Charleston, SC

All ten are in the City of Charleston, SC, on the downtown peninsula.

Restaurant	Address	Dinner hours	Cost	Booking	Best for
FIG	232 Meeting St	Tue to Sat, 5 to 10:30 p.m.	Mains $48 to $50	Reservations page on site	Seasonal Lowcountry cooking
Husk	76 Queen St	5 to 10 p.m.	Mains $36 to $52	Resy	Modern Southern
Circa 1886	149 Wentworth St	Mon, Tue, Thu to Sat, 5 to 9 p.m.	Tasting menu $135	OpenTable	Special occasion
Sorelle	88 Broad St	5 to 10 p.m. (confirm nights)	Pastas $29 to $52	Form on site	Italian group dinner
The Ordinary	544 King St	Opens 4 p.m., closed Tue	Entrees $32 to $48	Resy	Raw bar, seafood towers
Chubby Fish	252 Coming St	Tue to Sat, 5 to 10 p.m.	Menu changes daily	None	Walk-in seafood
Kultura	267 Rutledge Ave Unit C	Opens 5 p.m., seven nights	Large plates $28 to $64	Resy	Shared Filipino dinner
Halls Chophouse	434 King St	Until 11 p.m. or midnight	Steaks $58 to $165	Resy	Steakhouse, late dinner
S.N.O.B.	192 East Bay St	11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily	Sample mains $35 to $68	Resy	Early or late dinner
Leon's Oyster Shop	698 King St	11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily	Fried chicken from $12	Resy (parties of 6 to 12)	Lowest bill

1. FIG: Top Choice for Seasonal Lowcountry Cooking

FIG is the pick for a dinner built on fresh seasonal food, without having to commit to a tasting menu. James Beard Award winners Mike Lata and Jason Stanhope lead the kitchen, and the menu changes nightly. Pastas cost $32 and $33 and mains cost $48 to $50, including grouper, snapper, and duck breast. 232 Meeting St. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 5 to 10:30 p.m.; closed Sunday and Monday, plus Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. A 3% fee is added to the bill. Phone (843) 805-5900.

FIG is closed two nights a week, and because the menu changes nightly, a dish you read about may be gone by your visit.

2. Husk: Best for Modern Southern Cooking

Husk is the pick for modern Southern cooking made with food from named local farms, including Keegan-Filion Farms in Walterboro and Storey Farms on Johns Island. Mains cost from $36 for chicken to $52 for brisket, plus a $115 22-ounce ribeye. Husk is a Michelin Selected restaurant. 76 Queen St. Dinner is 5 to 10 p.m. The Bar & Patio, in an old 1800s kitchen house, seats first come, first served, 4 to 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 4 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Reserve on Resy. Phone (843) 577-2500.

Sides are separate, at $10 to $16 each, so a table of four adds up quickly.

3. Circa 1886: Top Choice for a Tasting Menu in Charleston

Circa 1886 is the pick for a planned, wine-focused dinner in the carriage house of Wentworth Mansion. Two six-course tasting menus, Ashley and Cooper, cost $135 per person or $225 with wine pairings. Dishes ordered separately run $40 to $52. Executive Chef Marc Collins has led the kitchen since 2001. 149 Wentworth St. Open Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday to Saturday, 5 to 9 p.m. Reserve on OpenTable. A 20% service charge is added for parties of five or more. Phone (843) 853-7828. It has held a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence since 2004.

Tasting menus allow no changes for allergies or dietary needs, and the restaurant is closed Wednesday and Sunday.

4. Sorelle: Best Italian Dinner in Charleston

Sorelle is the pick for a big Italian dinner made with Lowcountry ingredients. Chef Nick Dugan's fall 2026 menu has pastas from $29 to $52, main dishes from $37 to $88, and a 40-ounce dry-aged porterhouse at $148. A shared Centro Tavola menu costs $124++ per person.

88 Broad St. Dinner is 5 to 10 p.m., with the bar open from 4:30 p.m. The days it is open are not clear, so call (843) 974-1575 to check your night. A free lot at 101 Broad St opens after 5 p.m., limited and not guaranteed. The King & Queen Parking Garage is at 85 Queen St. If you bring your own wine, the fee is $50 for each of the first two bottles.

Totals climb fast. A $33 pasta, a $48 main dish, and a $12 side already come to $93 before drinks.

5. The Ordinary: Best for a Seafood Tower

The Ordinary is the pick for raw-bar seafood in an oyster hall on King Street. Oysters cost $4 each, entrees run $32 to $48, and seafood towers cost $85, $150, or $225. The menu includes a $40 lobster roll and a $32 tagliatelle with white bolognese. 544 King St. Opens at 4 p.m. Monday and Wednesday to Sunday; closed Tuesdays. Half-priced oyster sliders run 4 to 5 p.m. Closed Friday, October 16, 2026 for a private event. A 3% fee is added. Reserve on Resy. Phone (843) 414-7060.

6. Chubby Fish: Fresh Seafood Without a Reservation

Chubby Fish is the pick for fresh seafood with no reservation. Chef James London has run it since 2018, the menu changes daily, and the restaurant takes no reservations, so arrival time decides your table. It has James Beard nominations for Best Chef: Southeast and Outstanding Restaurant. 252 Coming St. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 5 to 10 p.m.; closed Sunday and Monday. The restaurant says "NO RESERVATIONS." However, with no reservations you may wait for a table on a weekend.

7. Kultura: Filipino Dinner Worth Planning Around

Kultura is the pick for Filipino dinner served for the whole table, in the Cannonborough-Elliotborough neighborhood. Chef Nikko Cagalanan, a 2024 James Beard Award finalist for Emerging Chef, moved into a larger space at 267 Rutledge Ave in October 2025. Large plates cost $28 to $64. 267 Rutledge Ave Unit C. Dinner is served seven nights a week, opening at 5 p.m. Reserve on Resy; a few seats are saved for walk-ins. On Sundays, the Kamayan feast costs $65 per person plus 20% tip, eaten by hand from banana leaves, and every guest at the table must take part. Trays are limited and often sell out. Phone (843) 974-1674.

The closing time is not given, and the menu is made for sharing, so plan to order as a group.

8. Halls Chophouse: Where to Go for a Late Steakhouse Dinner

Halls Chophouse is the pick for a classic steakhouse dinner with the latest hours on this list. Dinner runs until 11 p.m. Monday to Thursday and Sunday, and until midnight Friday and Saturday. Steaks run $58 to $165, and the 34-ounce tomahawk costs $140. 434 King St. Dinner: Monday to Thursday 4 to 11 p.m.; Friday 4 p.m. to midnight; Saturday 4:30 p.m. to midnight; Sunday 4:30 to 11 p.m. The Hall family opened it in 2009. Reserve on Resy; for same-day tables call (843) 727-0090. Business casual is recommended, baseball caps are not allowed in dining rooms, and cut-off T-shirts are not allowed. Sides cost $15 each. Steak is priced alone. A 12-ounce filet at $75 plus one $15 side is $90 per person before a starter or a drink.

9. Slightly North of Broad (S.N.O.B.): Farm-to-Table Cooking That Starts at 11 a.m.

S.N.O.B. is the pick for farm-to-table Lowcountry cooking that starts at 11 a.m., so it works for an early dinner. The kitchen has worked with local growers for over 30 years. Sample mains cost from $35 for shrimp and grits to $68 for a 16-ounce ribeye. 192 East Bay St. Open Monday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Menus change daily. Reserve on Resy. Phone (843) 723-3424. It is run by the same group as Halls Chophouse.

The prices above are samples, and the real menu changes daily.

10. Leon's Oyster Shop: The Cheapest Good Dinner in Charleston

Leon's Oyster Shop is the lowest-cost dinner on this list and serves its full menu 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Two pieces of fried chicken cost $12 to $14, a half chicken costs $24, and six char-grilled oysters cost $23. 698 King St, at King and I streets. Free parking in marked spaces at 19 Race St, across from the Greek Orthodox Church; do not park on I Street. Reservations for parties of 6 to 12 on Resy or by phone. Walk-ins are welcome, but none over 8. A 3% fee is added. Leon's has a Michelin Bib Gourmand badge. Phone (843) 531-6500. 

Good to Know: Fees change your total. FIG, The Ordinary, and Leon's each add a 3% fee. Circa 1886 adds a 20% service charge for parties of five or more. Sorelle's shared menu is $124++ per person, so tax and service come on top.

Which nights is each restaurant closed?

Four of the ten restaurants have closed nights: FIG and Chubby Fish close Sunday and Monday, Circa 1886 closes Wednesday and Sunday, and The Ordinary closes Tuesday. Sorelle's open days are not clear. For a Sunday dinner, use Halls Chophouse, S.N.O.B., Leon's, Kultura, or The Ordinary.

Restaurant	Closed nights
FIG	Sunday, Monday
Chubby Fish	Sunday, Monday
Circa 1886	Wednesday, Sunday
The Ordinary	Tuesday
Husk, Kultura, Halls Chophouse, S.N.O.B., Leon's	None
Sorelle	Not clear; call (843) 974-1575

When should you book dinner in Charleston?

Book Circa 1886, Kultura on Sundays, and any group of six or more first, because each has a limit: tasting-menu seating, limited Kamayan trays, and Leon's party-of-six reservations. Chubby Fish and the Husk Bar & Patio work for walk-ins, and Halls Chophouse takes same-day calls.

Good to Know: Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, so it is still in effect in October. Check the National Weather Service Charleston forecast and call the restaurant before you go if a storm is forecast.

Related Guides

• Best brunch in Charleston, SC
• Best seafood restaurants in Charleston

About the Author

Robert Smith is the owner of Charleston.com and the founder of The Chart Group, a Johns Island media company that has spent years producing photography, video, and web work for Lowcountry businesses. He writes from first-hand experience: the restaurants he has eaten at, the shows he has seen, and the trips he has actually taken. He has walked the Lighthouse Inlet path at dawn more times than is reasonable for a man who does not surf.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you need reservations for dinner in Charleston?

Most places on this list take them. Husk, The Ordinary, Kultura, Halls Chophouse, S.N.O.B., and Leon's use Resy, and Circa 1886 uses OpenTable. Chubby Fish takes none, and Leon's books only parties of 6 to 12. For same-day tables at Halls Chophouse, call (843) 727-0090.

Which Charleston restaurants take walk-ins?

Chubby Fish takes no reservations at all. Leon's has many walk-in tables but turns away walk-in parties over 8. The Husk Bar & Patio seats first come, first served, Halls Chophouse sets aside walk-in tables in its bar areas, and Kultura saves a few seats for walk-ins.

What is the cheapest dinner on this list?

Leon's Oyster Shop is the cheapest. Two pieces of dark-meat fried chicken cost $12 and a half chicken costs $24. The Ordinary sells oysters at $4 each, but its entrees run $32 to $48, so a full dinner costs more.

Which Charleston restaurants serve dinner latest?

Halls Chophouse has the latest hours: until 11 p.m. Monday to Thursday and Sunday, and until midnight Friday and Saturday. FIG serves until 10:30 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday. Circa 1886 has the earliest closing time on this list, at 9 p.m.

Is there a dress code?

Only Hall's Chophouse has a dress code. It recommends business casual, does not allow baseball caps in the dining rooms, and does not allow cut-off T-shirts. Walk-in tables in its bar areas are set aside for guests who are casually dressed. Call any other restaurant before a dressier night.

Do these restaurants add service fees?

FIG, The Ordinary, and Leon's add a 3% fee to cover card and technology costs. Circa 1886 adds a 20% service charge for parties of five or more. Kultura's Sunday Kamayan feast is $65 per person plus 20% tip, and Sorelle's Centro Tavola is $124++ per person.