Lowcountry Bistro

Stopped in for lunch and got three appetizers and a bowl of she crab soup between the two of us. Very very good. Shrimp and grits, crawfish hushpuppies, and a special involving pulled pork and grilled cornbread. Highly recommend them all. She crab soup came out a bit lukewarm but is forgiven for being so tasty.
Must train their servers very well. Our waitress was on her first day off of training and was extremely competent, not to mention friendly and accommodating. 5/​5, may go back for dinner.

We really enjoyed our dinner here. I had sangria to drink. It was good, perfect for the heat. I just think it was overpriced. We started with the chicken and waffles appetizer. Those bite size pieces were exactly how chicken and waffles should taste. You get 4 bites, but 6 would have been a more generous appetizer serving. Next time, we’ll order the dinner portion! For dinner, I had the seafood ciopinno. It was delicious and packed full on seafood. The broth was so good that I wanted to drink it from the bowl. My husband had the ribeye dinner special. I’m not much of a steak person, but I tried his sides. The bacon brussel sprouts were tender and flavorful. The smashed potatoes were creamy and I liked them… They just needed a dash of salt. We finished with the chess pie for dessert. It was a small serving but very good, full of chocolate. Overall, the meal was delicious. I just think the drinks were overpriced and the appetizer and dessert were too small. However, we will dine here again.
Props to our server Preston for staying late! He was there an hour after closing while we finished our meal. That was excellent service and we appreciate it.

Wow. Food and service was wonderful. Get the Shrimp and Grits. Just phenomenal. Get the Fried Chicken and Waffles (best I’ve ever had!) the bourbon syrup — amazing! And I swear the chicken had a touch of cinnamon in the breading — incredible.

Best shrimp and grits I have ever had!!! Comes with grits in the bottom, fried green tomato, and red stuff on top that I’m not sure what is called — but is tastey. Appetizer portion has 3 shrimp and dinner portion has 6 shrimp. Cuban sandwich has a unique twist of a honey-​Dijon-​like mayo that is tangy and goes well with the pork. Bread was very fresh on the sandwich. For dessert we had the chess pie and blueberry poke cake — a great finish.
Atmosphere is rustic and what you’d expect in historic old town of Charleston.

I am quite the foodie. I was a little afraid when the wait was only 20 minutes and it was so close to the market that it was gonna be touristy. But it was amazing!!! Every bite was so decadent, and perfectly thought out! The bloody was amazing, sadly no bacon though! I’ll be back!!!

This cute little restaurant in the heart of the French Quarter is a great place to stop for some Southern brunch. Our waitress was awesome and gave us suggestions on things to order and the types of drinks they had.
I ordered the chicken & waffle and it was good but I found the chicken to be pretty dry. The bourbon syrup was tasty though. My friend said her burger was good so maybe I just ordered the wrong thing?
All-​in-​all, I had a pretty average dining experience that I’d be willing to give another shot if I’m ever in the area again.

I just wanted a quick small bite to eat, so I ordered the Shrimp & Grits appetizer for $ 10. IT’S FABULOUS! I’d wished I’d ordered the full entrée size! Each layer is scrumptious with it’s own unique flavor!
At the bottom is grits, surrounded by spiced grilled shrimp, then on top is one fried green tomato, then some sort of chunky marinara sauce. Must try it!!! Nom nom nom!

The shrimp and grits rose to the level of food art, visually and on the palate. The fried green tomatoes layered in were a delightful surprise.
The bar has an admirable selection of local beer and mixed drinks. The wine list will do, it’s acceptable. Our server was experienced and she did not have to show that she was — it came through nicely in the way she served us.
We sat on the balcony and had great people watching on Market St below. The tourists were out in force. Ok I’m a tourist too, but I’m not wearing white socks and sandals.

We stayed about a block away at the Church Street Inn (nice little place, by the way).
This restaurant had some great local feedback and so we tried it at about 11:30 o a Saturday morning. The place was jumping, lots of people waiting but we had a reservation and sailed through to a table kind of between the bar and the door.
So the server was great. Very very friendly and attentive in what was a very packed place. The noise level was pretty high — mostly just talking patrons but some background music that wasn’t overly loud. It’s just that sound bounces all over the hard floor and brick walls.
We were seated rather close to other couples on either side but it still felt intimate and like we could have a conversation.
The food was good. My beloved had the biscuits, jam, and also sausage gravy with a side of bacon. She is VERY particular about sausage gravy and this made the cut so high marks for that.
I had the Frogmore stew and really enjoyed it. Being from NOLA, I wanted to try as much low country cuisine as I could. As a former chef, I’m always interested in how coastal ingredients from places with similar history evolve into a unique cuisine. There is some overlap between Creole, Cajun, and Low Country, but they are all very different.
The Frogmore Stew was more broth-​like than stew, and there’s quite a bit of corn which I didn’t expect but was good. It gave the dish a sweetness that I liked. The portion was very generous. The seafood in it tasted fresh and had a nice firm but not chewy texture so I’d say well done all around. Also, the ginormous baguette slice it came with was either house-​made or from some local shop that does nice breads.
Overall I’d say it’s about a 4.5 and will definitely go back when we get to go back to Charleston — which we will.

Darn those 4 star reviews!
That’s what convinced us to lunch there yesterday while tripping around the city. Service was spot on, but the food not so much. We both had the specials: clams with cherry tomatoes & smoked ham in broth & Duck pita sandwich. Unfortunately, the clam appetizer featured clams that were tough and chewy. The broth was good albeit a little on the salty side (Yea, I know it had ham lady!). The duck pita special was just ok and that really sucks when you’ve plunked down $ 14 smackers! The duck was on the fatty side, which I get, it’s duck! But it also was tough. Come on people. The side of potato salad that came with it was ok, but tasted like store bought. My apologies if I’m wrong. Just sayin’ though.
With so many places for tourists to spend their money, this establishment needs to get their game on.

After a long weekend of dining, exploring, and enjoying Charleston, my friend and I had one last night to enjoy a sit down meal in this beautiful city. Lowcountry bistro was our choice and it turned out to be a great last meal for our trip.
The menu is refined Southern and also includes an extensive drink selection as well. For dinner, I chose the Lowcountry Paella and split a Chicken and Waffles Bites (Appetizer Special for the night) with my friend. Since it was our last dinner before leaving Charleston, I asked our server if the bartender could possibly make a mint julep. My friend, who had a sore throat at the time, asked for something with honey to help sooth it. Our server was super helpful and despite not having either drink listed on the menu, got me my mint julep and my friend a hot toddy. Both were great — strong enough to put hair on your chest but not too much to make it undrinkable and unbalanced. When our food arrived, I was satisfied with my choice. First, the chicken and waffle appetizer was good — mini cornmeal waffles with a hot piece of fried chicken and a bourbon syrup. I wish the waffle was a little more crisp but the flavour was there and the balance of sweet, salty, crispy, and soft was good. My paella was nothing like any Spanish Paella — think more rice bowl and not the broad, flat pan of rice with toppings and a crispy bottom. That being said, the andouille, shrimp, pork belly, mussels, and rice combo was quite tasty. My only complaint was that it was a little too moist for my taste — there was some seafood broth or similar at the bottom of my bowl which made things a bit soggy for what they want to call paella.
What made the restaurant stand out for me was definitely the ambiance of the space. If the weather is right, ask and see if you can be seated outside on the second floor balcony. You overlook the market and enjoy a nice breeze in the sun. Definitely worth special requesting if possible. Service like I said earlier was definitely a highlight for the visit as well. Our server and the bartender were extremely helpful, attentive, but not overbearing. Finally, as for value, my Paella was $ 24 while my drink ran about $ 7 – 8. It isn’t cheap, but for the location, outdoor balcony seating, and great service, it was a satisfying last stop.

We came for the she crab soup which was very tasty, it was flavorful with a great velvet mouth feel.
We ordered a small plate of the duck wings which were absolutely amazing! The wing sections were tender and juicy, fried with a great crispness and the blue cheese was out of this world and the pickled celery sticks added a nice zing.
Finally we ordered the sweet potato corn bread and bacon waffles with fried chicken (chicken and waffles). This was a party in your mouth. Amazing flavors, juicy chicken with a bourbon reduction which was not too sweet. The right amount of sweet and savory!

Solid 3.5 stars but since there aren’t halves, I rounded up to 4.
This came highly recommended by a local Unilocaler. Glad we stopped in here after a city walking tour for lunch. We started with a bottle of prosecco because why not? The meal included crab cake as well as BLT with homemade chips. The crab cake was breaded and pan fried and served with a delightful remoulade. The cake wasn’t greasy and the appetizer portion left me wanting more. (For $ 10, I thought there’d be two cakes.) The BLT was standard; the fried green tomatoes were cooked perfectly but there were too many pieces of bacon on the sandwich. Overall the husband said it was fine. The fries were addictive, the highlight of the entire meal.
Our server was busy and tried her best to check on us often. We were seated outside on the upstairs porch and were devouring our prosecco with the sunny weather. The prices reflect the location. We were happy with a pleasant lunch in the heart of a city with tourist trap restaurants.

So it took my wife and I nearly a week in the South before we had some hardcore, authentic, Southern cuisine – but boy was it worth the wait. Lowcountry Bistro was phenomenal, with excellent service and amazing food. And while the restaurant isn’t much to look at, the food makes it all worthwhile.
We were greeted by the hostess, who was a touch on the unpleasant side, but she did her job well and got us seated quickly. Our waitress, however, was very nice, knowledgeable, and attentive. But enough about the staff. Let’s get to the real star of the show here – the food. This was our chance for some true lowcountry Southern food! Stunning takes on classic Southern comfort food, with a few twists here and there. Chicken and waffles. Shrimp and grits. Bread pudding. It’s all amazing. If you’re in Charleston, go here. I know we’ll be back next time we’re in town.

Good solid southern food. While I wasn’t blown away by any of the dishes here, everything was fairly solid, and pretty good for the most part.
The prices are reasonable, the portions for large, and the service was attentive. Don’t forget to make reservations, because this place does fill up
Some of the dishes, like the pulled pork, was a tad bit on the overly sweet side (even the collard greens was sugary), but the shrimp and grits were pretty good, and they make a decent she crab soup. I will give this place a 3.5 stars, rounded up to four.
Overall, it was a good dinner experience, although I may consider checking out some of the other options next time.
Hungry Kat, approved.

I attended a free Wine & Canvas painting event (sponsored by Firefly Distillery) at Lowcountry Bistro last week. The event was held upstairs and they had a special menu for the event (you could still order off their normal menu too). My waiter was Alex… he was AWESOME! Great customer service and always a smile on his face.
I ordered the Chicken & Waffle (honey bourbon pecan glaze, sweet potato bacon cornbread wafflette and Coleman Farms crispy chicken confit) off the event menu. I stopped just sort of licking my plate… it was that good. I definitely want to go back and try the larger version on their regular menu.
I ordered one of the drink specials too — Redneck Bellini — which was champagne and one of the Firefly products (maybe a peach one?!). It was so strong but tasty.
Great experience. The staff at Lowcountry was amazing! :)

I heard of place through my fellow Unilocalers checkins and i was suprised that there were local Unilocalers eating in a place on Market St. Knowing their good taste, I venture out there for lunch.
The atmosphere inside is very much like most restaurants in Charleston. Very homey and cosy. No need to dress up.
They do a market street lunch special which included half a sandwich and a soup. Some sandwiches are restricted on this deal which means you only have like 4 options. I want for a crab cake sandwich and the soup of the day which was a beef chili soup.
The soup came out first and was full of flavor. Nice portion especially before the sandwich. The sandwich was open faced with a crav cake and a deep fried green tomato. Perfect in size and taste.
The whole thing was «only $ 15» which is a decent deal if you are in the tourist area getting well cooked food

After a long morning, we were dying for a good meal. Found low country bistro with Unilocal and we both ordered the ½ soup and sandwich combo.
Bf loved the beef chili. It was a bit thin compared to other chilis we have had but he loved the nice spice. I tried the she — soup, which was my first time and I wasn’t sure what to expect as compared with a Baltimore style cream of crab. This was definitely thick with small amount of crab. It was good but a bit heavy.
Next came the sandwiches. Bf ordered reuben with potato slaw. He liked both. I ordered the homemade fresh cut turkey sandwich with housemade chips. The potato chips were excellent. The sandwich was inedible. …absolutely disgusting. I was almost ill. There were about 7 – 8 chunks of only dark meat with fat, skin and even a huge piece of bone on one piece.
After hesitating I showed the waitress who took it back. She too appeared horrified. It took about 10 minutes to finally get my turkey sandwich redo. I was a little nervous to eat it because I am always worried about someone doing something to the food when you send it back. It was very good.
Overall, service was great. Food experience not so much. They charged us full price for our meals $ 14 each, but did offer us free dessert which we didn’t want. Not what I would have done, but whatever. We’re never going back.

We stopped at the Lowcountry Bistro for brunch just after getting into town. The restaurant is so charming — wide plank wood floors, a taverny feel, and great outdoor patio seating on the second floor.
We shared the crawfish hushpuppies with brown butter honey — DELICIOUS. I wanted something on the lighter side, so I got the mixed green salad with a crab cake. Yum — and it was light and healthy, which is what I wanted after the hushpuppies.
A charming bistro — with great food, beer, drinks, and service — I would definitely go back next time I’m in Charleston!

Came to Low-​country bistro completely unplanned. This place is conveniently located by City Market so if you are looking for a good lunch place near City Market, I would recommend this. Service was very attentive and the food was pretty good.
We started off with the crawfish hush puppies appetizer. Although beautifully fried with a great crunch on the outside and huge in relation to portion, I do wish that the crawfish was more evident in the dish. I didn’t really taste anything related to crawfish but it was still good if you want something fried.
For entrees, we shared the fried flounder sandwich with homemade potato chips. The fried flounder was really yummy. Well fried, plenty of fish and it tasted quite fresh. We also shared the crab cake sandwich. Good amount of crab cake there as well and the potato salad had a good balance between mayo and mustard.
Overall, good lunch experience for last-​minute planning.

sehr gutes Essen. Atmosphäre eher schlicht. das gute Essen überrascht deshalb um so mehr.