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Best Seafood Restaurants in Charleston, SC

With one of the most celebrated seafood scenes on the East Coast, Charleston demands excellence. These are the best seafood restaurants in Charleston, SC — ranked by freshness, technique, and reputation.

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Best Seafood Restaurants in Charleston, SC

94% Confidence
#1

The Ordinary

$$$$ Upper King Street
Why #1 Mike Lata's 10-year seafood hall masterpiece — the raw bar that set the standard

An oyster hall and seafood restaurant inside a restored 1927 bank on King Street, where James Beard Award–winning chef Mike Lata offers oyster sliders, smoked cobia, New Orleans-style shrimp, and rum punch in a cathedral-like setting.

James Beard Award (Mike Lata, Best Chef Southeast)Eater Carolinas best seafood listNew York Times Dining coverage
#2

167 Raw

$$$ Upper King Street
Why #2 Lobster rolls, tuna burgers, and New England bivalves on lower King

A no-reservations oyster bar and raw seafood counter that started as a tiny East Bay storefront and graduated to King Street, celebrated for its legendary lobster roll, perfectly shucked oysters, and always-packed party atmosphere.

Eater Carolinas best seafood listFood & Wine 'Best Restaurants' coverageCondé Nast Traveler top pick
#3

Chubby Fish

$$$ Wagener Terrace / Rutledge Avenue
Why #3 NYT Top 50 pick — daily-changing hyper-local fish, walk-in only

A neighborhood seafood counter from James Beard–nominated chef James London, serving a daily-changing market menu of oysters, a caviar sandwich, chili shrimp, and smoked wahoo curry with an intimate no-frills energy.

Michelin Guide Recommended (2025 American South)James Beard Award semifinalist nomination (chef James London)Eater Carolinas best seafood list
Full Ranking
#4
Husk $$$$ Chef Sean Brock's founding vision of all-South …
Michelin Guide Recommended (2025 American South)
↑ 3
#5
Leon's Oyster Shop $$ - $$$ A casually cool North Central oyster bar and fr…
Michelin Bib Gourmand (2025 American South) — only o…
New
#6
Delaney Oyster House $$ - $$$ From the Neighborhood Dining Group, this downto…
Eater Carolinas best seafood list
#7
The Darling Oyster Bar $$ - $$$ An energetic Upper King Street oyster bar with …
TripAdvisor #25 overall Charleston, 4.5 stars / 732 …
↓ 1
#8
The Obstinate Daughter $$ - $$$ Sullivan's Island's beloved Italian-Southern hy…
Michelin Guide Recommended (2025 American South)
↑ 1
#9
Amen Street Fish & Raw Bar $$ - $$$ A 15-year-old cornerstone on the corner of East…
TripAdvisor #16 overall Charleston, 4.5 stars / 3,33…
#10
Fleet Landing $$ - $$$ Charleston's most celebrated waterfront dining …
TripAdvisor #44 overall Charleston, 4.4 stars / 6,59…
↑ 2
#11
Rappahannock Oyster Bar $$ - $$$ A sophisticated outpost of the acclaimed Washin…
TripAdvisor #88 overall Charleston, 4.4 stars / 214 …
#12
Coda del Pesce $$$$ A coastal Italian seafood restaurant on the Isl…
TripAdvisor #4 of 31 Isle of Palms restaurants, 4.4 …
#13
Royal Tern $$$ A Johns Island neighborhood gem with an open ki…
TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice
↓ 1
#14
Sullivan's Fish Camp $$ - $$$ A vintage-nautical beachside seafood spot on Su…
Eater Carolinas best seafood list
New
#15
82 Queen $$$$ A 32-year cornerstone of Charleston Lowcountry …
TripAdvisor 4.6 stars / 6,364 reviews
New
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Top 3 Charleston Food Voices

The writers and creators shaping how Charleston thinks about food. Follow them for the deepest coverage of the local dining scene.

#1 Food Journalist

Hanna Raskin

@hanna_raskin

James Beard Award-winning food journalist and founder of The Food Section, an independent publication covering food and drink across the American South. Formerly the food editor and chief critic at The Post & Courier.

James Beard Award The Food Section Post & Courier
thefoodsection.com →
#2 Food Writer & Photographer

Jai Jones

@jaieats

Charleston-based food writer and photographer whose work appears in The Infatuation, Food & Wine, Conde Nast Traveler, Garden & Gun, Resy, and The Post & Courier. Creator of the Jai Eats platform covering Lowcountry dining.

The Infatuation Food & Wine Conde Nast Traveler Garden & Gun
jaieats.com →
#3 Food Content Creator

Tara Bannon

@charleston_foodie

The largest Charleston-focused food account on Instagram with 42,000+ followers. Covers restaurant openings, local favorites, and hidden gems across the Lowcountry with a focus on what's worth eating right now.

42K+ followers #charleston_foodie
@charleston_foodie on Instagram →