Charleston Restaurant

This was by far one of the best dining experiences I have ever had. Everyone from the hostess to the maitre de was friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful. The food was amazing and my husband is still raving about the dessert. The evening was made even more perfect by Chef Wolf stopping by the table. It is pricey (as high end restaurants tend to be) but we’ll worth the price for a special occasion.

Went here last night with a few customers and their significant others and I was blown away. I really enjoyed the pace of the meal and there didn’t seem to be a single dish that disappointed. Structuring the meal as a number of courses rather than appetizers with a giant hunk of meat and then a few sides feels so much more civilized as well. That said my advice is to keep your # of courses to 4 or less as everyone in my group that had more regretted it. Also note this is a very posh restaurant and our group wasn’t quite prepared, the staff accommodated us and never remarked that we were underdressed but a few of us were definitely self-​conscious and hopefully none of the other well-​dressed diners minded. TLDR: magnificent course driven meal in highly civilized surroundings. Enjoy!

Food: had a delicious 3 course tasting menu: appetizer of cauliflower soup with a cheese biscuit (served in a tea cup), bread service between courses (baguette was unremarkable, but cornbread and sweet bread amazing), the cheese course (served from a massive cart of cheese sourced from Europe), and three main dishes: asparagus with goat cheese, scallops on cauliflower rice, and halibut with artichoke and olive relish. The scallops were probably my favorite course, and the most substantial, and the halibut was perfectly cooked… but know that you can order any three dishes from the menu for the same price ($ 89 for 3)– for example, three steaks would cost you the same as three arugula salads, although your attentive servers would definitely dissuade you from this. We skipped dessert, but they brought out trays with mini macaroons (rose and pistachio, unremarkable), caramel twists (interesting, pretty good), and chocolate truffles (very good).
Service: from personal attention by the part-​owner and his specialty guidance through the novel-​length wine list, to the specific servers to taste the wine, explain each dish as it arrived, provide bread service, describe the wine cart, and suggest desserts, you get the experience you are paying for.
Ambiance: perfect for a date night or a calm business meeting, it was also great for a family graduation night dinner. It is pretty quiet, and there is a nice bar to sit at if you are waiting for your party or hope to prolong your stay a little longer.

I dined here on April 27 with 3 friends, and we were all blown away! Hands down this is the best fine dining restaurant in Baltimore. The attention to detail is unparalleled. The quality and preparation of the food is masterful, and the service is flawless, yet unpretentious. If you are a foodie, or just appreciate the art and elegance of fine dining – you will not be disappointed. Thank you Chef Cindy and team. You never disappoint! Cheers!

By far the best dining experience I’ve had in Baltimore.

My husband took me, along with my brother and sister in law here for my birthday dinner. I was very disappointed with my main entrée. My fish had too many capers and the flavor was not balanced. Moreover, they billed us for the wrong wine bottle (a more expensive bottle). The other courses were just okay. The four of us have enjoyed stellar meals aboard and in other cities, so we know gourmet…

In one word… PERFECTION! Our group was there to celebrate a special occasion. I had made the reservation way in advance and Kara (I apologize if the spelling is wrong) took special attention with our larger group. From the moment we walked in the first class service began. Our server and his team worked together like a well-​oiled machine. Few words were exchanged between the server and his team, yet we never had to ask for a thing.
We all did the 6 course tasting menu. Each course was the perfect balance of flavors. As a «foodie» I love trying new items. Chef Cindy Wolf is a magician. She takes classic ingredients and pairs them with pops of new age flavor. Your tastebuds will be dancing for hours.
Perfect place for a special occasion or for a just because dinner. Fancy fare without feeling stuffy or old fashioned. Do yourself a favor and go. Now!
Even though every bite was amazing, my favorites were the sweet breads and shrimp & grits.

So I have heard everyone rave about this restaurant and so I visited last night. I have to say I was underwhelmed and/​or disappointed. I pride myself as a foodie and have eaten at some pretty amazing places here and abroad and Charleston does not even rank in the top 2 dozen. Now I am not trying to be overly picky in this review but I want to give full disclosure for some place that is $$$$ expensive and is showing almost 5 stars – I think i had a basis for high expectations. 1) we had reservations for 2 at 8:30pm and arrived about 15minutes late (we did call and let them know)-the restaurant was only about ¹⁄₃ full, yet we were seated at the most awkward and miserable table possible, it literally was an angled 4 top sitting directly in front of the open doorway server station complete with views of glassware, irons, salt & pepper shakers, etc and every server in the place walked in and out of this doorway behind this awkwardly placed table that should not be something that guests are sat at. talk about uncomfortable… have 10+ people constantly angling around your table and then messing with things behind you and then popping out from behind you all night long – advise to Charleston-​get rid of that table and put some sort of privacy screen up to shield patrons views of a work space. –anyway, we asked to move and they gladly did move us, no sweat so that was great. 2) We did the chefs 4 course tasting with wine selections-​we were told this was «one of the chefs favorite things to do» so we were pumped for an amazing experience. well, it was entirely unexciting and the portions are entirely too large and too saucy. I can’t imagine doing the 7 course, you would have to roll out of there. the menu – lobster bisque (super tasty but huge), beef tenderloin tartare – seasoned well but boring and too huge (like probably more than ¼ lb) monkfish/​curry dish was good but also too huge and super saucy, the last dish was a beef tenderloin-​which was cooked to perfection but sided with some unappetizing zucchini gratin dauphinoise that was IMO inedible. The presentations aside from dessert and the lobster bisque were «blah» at best 3) all but one of the wine selections I had were fair to poor and the last course Chilean red was almost undrinkable 4) and here is where I am going to sound a bit too much like Gloria Vanderbilt (please forgive) but a) the Sommelier spilled wine on the table pouring 2 different selections – no wipe away with a napkin, no «excuse me” – just sloppy pours. b) the wait staff slopped the fresh utensils on the table between course – crooked, awkwardly or ill placed, just really slapped down anywhere for you to have them and then obviously went and checked off a checksheet on the utensil cart (tacky…) c) We didn’t feel like we had a real «captain» server, there were a lot of runners etc but no one really felt like they were orchestrating the meal – we had one, make no mistake but he really just came by every once and a while and went «everything ok»? instead of being there when food was served and explaining each dish d) I think if you are going to have an open kitchen you should choose better headwear for the kitchen staff than red and blue bandanas – I know this is Baltimore but come on… and finally e) food should be delivered to the table by someone who has a clear and articulate mastery of the English language – I literally could not fully understand one description for any course as it was delivered by the wait staff and lets be clear I live with a foreign national and am better at «figuring things out» than most.
Bottom line everyone there was super nice, the restaurant is pretty but… I probably wont go back. I can find better places to spend $ 400 on dinner for 2 that probably are more «buttoned up», imaginiative and exciting.
As a side note, we finished dinner and left the restaurant about 11 went home and i was asleep by 1 – woke up at 3am feeling like I was going to die. I am going to chalk this up to the too large and too saucy dishes eaten too late – but worth mentioning.
Sorry Charlie…

So far the best restaurant I have had the chance to go to in the city in 3 years.
A friend told me recently that what makes a great dinner experience is not only the food but also the service and the place itself. I personnaly prefer what is in my plate and usually don’t care that much about anything else.
If you go to the Charleston restaurant you will have everything: the experience in a perfectly located restaurant, a nice décor cosy and classy, a perfect service, almost one waiter per table, an extraordinary food and alcool.
I took the chef menu (4 dishes and dessert), evrything was perfect. I had the best crab cake ever.

If you’re looking for the most amazing dining experience in Baltimore, look no further! From the moment you step foot in Charleston you’re treated like royalty and waited on by one of the most professional staffs I’ve ever seen.
I’m not sure how anyone could do more than 3 courses but they offer up to 5… I think. Maybe 6 but that’s just ludicrous. Everything from the amuse bouche to the desserts are amazing! After eating there twice I suggest the shrimp and grits, lamb carrpacio, magret of duck, foie gras, lobster curry soup and don’t skip the cheese cart! Like any good restaurant, the menu changes very frequently so be on the lookout for new fun and exciting selections. I could go on and on but you have to experience it for yourself.
You’ll spend between $ 120 — $ 175 per person but it’s well worth it. You can skip the wine pairing and just get a cheap bottle of wine ($ 40ish) or really go big with wines that are over $ 1,000 each. Beer is reasonable with a great selection.

I made a reso to this restaurant after reading reviews e
xpecting the food to be good. I was wrong. The food is incredible! My 15 years old had the 4 course menu, heavily influenced by French cuisine and loved it. Another plus– no music, so you can maintain conversation and not be annoyed by tunes you do not like. Great atmosphere, detail oriented service. Will be back!

This review is just for the bar. Overall a good date night option. The environment is dark and intimate and great for talking as there is either no music or it’s jazzy and not loud at all. The drinks are the best. Our bartender was an excellent mixologist and if you like inventive drinks this is a must place. Sure it isn’t pricey but it has that swanky upscale, grown and sexy feel that adults like!

This is definitely a place to go for the experience. My SO and I came here a few months back. There is valet service which is nice, as parking would be a hassle. There is staff to take your jackets at the door if you desire. The place is the definition of fine dining, as it seems very formal and professional with quiet chatter. My SO and I felt a little out of place, being the youngest ones in the restaurant by several decades. We noticed that it may have affected our service a bit; although the service was great in terms of having our water glasses constantly refilled, table cleared out between courses, etc., not once were we asked how everything tasted. We both opted for the four course menu each without wine pairing. The amuse bouche was a beet soup that we did not particularly care for, but felt was well executed.
I ordered the lobster curry soup based on reviews to start, which was rich, creamy and delicious. The chunks of lobster were extremely satisfying, but I felt the soup was too salty for my tastes. The beef tartare we ordered was delicious. In addition, some other items we had were foie gras, beef tenderloin and duck. Each time, the star of the dish (the protein) was spectacular, however, we felt that the other components did not necessarily work (the sauces, sides, etc. did not meet up to our expectations). I will say, however, I had the best beef tenderloins I have had in my life there. The pacing was great, with a nice lull in between each dish for us to enjoy the atmosphere. It felt like fine dining at its peak.
Our desserts were a bit disappointing, though the ice creams were well made. There was a complimentary small plate of macarons and assorted bites that my SO and I did not care for also. Without the wine pairings and after tax and tip, we had spent almost $ 300 here, so make sure its truly a special occasion to come. We left feeling full, but not overwhelmingly so, which is surprising seeing as we are both usually light eaters.
Overall, I would recommend the Charleston for the experience, but it did not meet my expectations when it comes down to price. The sides/​garnish/​sauce to every dish was disappointing, but I can see why it is a special place to go.

Hands down best restaurant in Baltimore, and one of my favorite restaurants in the country. The menu changes slightly every season, but the food is always delicious. Their lobster soup is amazing in every way and is something you must get!

Just went for a nightcap after eating at another establshment and this place was so perfect… sleek and sophisticated. Had a Basil and Hayden neat with a slice of lime and out came a waiter with a bowl of truffle oil potatoes chips with truffle cream on the top!
The chips wear crispy, not greasy and the truffle cream, though l am not a fan of mushrooms, was pretty decent. All in all the perfect place to go when you want to wind down in an environment that is laid back.

Amazing food and upscale experience. We got the 4 course and I ordered the tuna tartar, quail, veal sweetbreads, and the OMG fois gras.
The tuna tartar was picturesque and super fresh. Made for a nice picture too ;)
The veal was very tasty with the puff pastry in mushroom sauce. At first I though dang these portions are tiny, I could eat double that. But then the fois gras came out
The fois gras was so rich and the liver was so fatty and soft and melt in your mouth with an overall wintery taste in the sauce, I just wanted to curl up in a ball and hibernate afterwards. No seriously, we all started to feel sleepy after that dish which just shows you how pure fatty it was. Fois gras– once in your life. Do it.
The quail was good and tender too with rich polenta but honestly after the fois gras kicked my ass, I really couldn’t stomach any more food.
Desserts were not as great (I got the lemon tart) but the buttermilk ice cream thingy was really good (can’t remember the name).
I actually felt pretty juvenile and annoying trying to take pictures of my food while others were snooting it up, but whatevs…
Overall, Charleston is a must visit in Baltimore!

I’m going to repeat what has already been said a hundred times already. The Charleston is the best restaurant in Baltimore. The price is exorbitant, but you get what you pay for.
My wife and I stopped by for our Anniversary this year. We were blown away. We ordered the 6 courses with wine pairings. Every dish was very likely the best preparation I’ve ever tried of that respective item. We ordered the Lobster Curry Soup, Smoked Salmon Salad, Shrimp & Grits, Turbot, Foie Gras, and Beef Filet. Each wine paired very well with its dish.

It takes leaving New York to realize how great and affordable a fancy dinner out can be. At the recommendation of our hotel, I came to the Charleston with two of my coworkers: we were not disappointed.
There were a few other full tables when we arrived, but the restaurant stayed fairly empty throughout the meal. It’s a fairly romantic restaurant with dim lights and little noise. Our waiter brought us just the wine menu first and took a while getting back to us. Afterwards, we got the dinner menu. It’s an amazing deal (3 courses for $ 79, and dessert is included!) where you just pick 3 items on the menu though I noticed there is a wine pairing option. May have been good to know before we ordered the wine. You can also do anywhere from 3 – 6 courses if you’re feeling hungry.
I started with the Cornmeal-​Fried Oysters, because it’s Baltimore and the oysters are supposed to be fresh from the harbor. I’m not a big fried food person, but the oysters were nice. I then followed with the Fresh Artichoke, which was a medley of fresh vegetables. Yum yum yum, I wanted more! Good thing I didn’t have more, because the Head on Shrimp was creamy, filling, and most importantly, delicious. Finally, as a frozen dessert person, I wasn’t drawn to any of the dessert options and asked the waiter for some of the ice cream/​sorbets. I had the Mango, Lemon, and Salted Caramel, all of which were delicious.
Service was friendly the whole time and they did a good job pacing out the courses. It’s a restaurant where you could stay for 3 hours and they would be happy to have you there. Great food and great concept: would love to come back.

Oh the decisions…
This place is definitely vintage classy and has the potential of getting more than your money’s worth.
What makes this place special is the pricing structure. You pay by the # of items on the menu. With that said you can pay $XXX amount for 4 soups or that same amount for 4 main courses.
I wouldn’t advise going with 4 main courses, but it is a way to definitely get more bang for the buck.
The server and wait staff all do an excellent job to make sure that your experience with the restaurant is top notch. I think what makes this place stand out from other restaurants is the wine selection and knowledgeable staff of said wines. Not only that, each item on the menu has its own «recommended» pairing. Had I had known this before ordering a bottle, I most likely would have done so… mistakes have been made.
The awkward is the timetable of this place for first timers. You are given the drinks menu without the actual food menu to start. From here you get your drink and your bread and are given the menu close to when your drink is finished. From here, you then order the food and proceed to the cheese cart (included with meal) and desert (included with meal).
My only gripe is the bathroom. Although it is clean, it feels a little cramped and small.

Get the whole menu with pairings if u can splurge a grand– totally worth it! I have been there with 3 more people on a weekend night and we have ordered everything (yes, every single thing on the menu with the wine pairings and desserts) and rotated them all night just like in a Bourdain show. Our server Chanel was incredible, impeccable service from the start to the very end. Every single thing I tried was amazing, according to my boyfriend the desserts were a little too usual (I don’t agree with him though, I have enjoyed them).
I don’t know why this restaurant don’t have a Michelin star because she really deserves it. I have had a few 3star experiences before in New York City and none of them was as impeccable as this one, yet simple ingredients with a creative combination. I was simply amazed!