82 Queen

Really wish the food was better as it is very mediocre. The staff is super friendly and helpful. The garden is a beautiful place to sit. Would be wonderful if the flavor and quality of food improved. I had the Low Country Bowl with Shrimp, Andouille Sausage, Onions, Peppers, Stone Ground Grits, Sunny-​Side-​Up Egg, Cheddar Cheese, Crumbled Bacon. Seems really good yet kissed the mark on quality and flavor. Very oily and buttery and why would it be so bland with close to raw onions? Perhaps other items here are delicious? The biscuits are ok not as amazing as I had hoped for this well established restaurant. Perhaps other items are worth a try?

Best she crab soup in town!
This place is a hidden gem that we visit every time we come to charleston, which is often!
Full bar, great service and beautiful patio.

We were directed to go to 82 Queen by a friend who enthusiastically told us «They have the best shrimp and grits I’ve ever tasted!»
We came a little over an hour early for our 7:00 reservation, thinking we would have a cocktail and perhaps appetizer at the bar while we waited. The hostess said that was perfectly fine and that they would come get us at the time of our reservation.
Walking through the courtyard to the bar I immediately appreciated the beautiful ambience of the place, from the butterfly-​backed chairs tithe cobbled pathways and street signs directing you to different parts of the restaurant. I also couldn’t help noticing the number of empty tables and found it a little strange that the hostess didn’t at least offer to seat us early.
Service at the bar was average but not exceptional. I immediately saw that ordering an appetizer would be a mistake, as everything looked heavy and likely to rob us of our appetites for dinner, rather than stave our hunger for a little while. Still, we ordered the single crab cake to split. The crabcake was perfectly fine, but nothing to write home about.
The hostess never came to get us at the time of our reservation, so we went to them. Once again I’ll mention how many tables were open and that they did not seem exceptionally busy.
Dinner was… disappointing. I ordered the gumbo, which seemed to be more of a skillet dish than the stew I was anticipating. My mother had a Caesar salad topped with fried oysters. Both of us were greatly disappointed with the oysters, which were slightly chewy and fried in a much-​too-​heavy batter.
We also got an appetizer portion of the barbecue shrimp and grits, remembering what our friend had said. First, I can’t imagine how this is considered an appetizer. Grits are very filling and not so easily shared. Second, there wasn’t much barbecue flavor to the dish, except a slight sweetness to the shrimp, which were themselves very good shrimp. Third, the grits were dry as dirt and over-​cooked. I was horribly disappointed, given the expectations we’d built over this dish. Our friend who recommended them came here over a year ago, and I can’t help thinking there must be a different chef.
Our service during the meal was also unexceptional, and at wont point I actually poured some of my water in my mother’s glass, as the waiter had let it run completely dry, in spite of passing by us to go through the doorway every five minutes – without making eye contact.
Just disappointing, I’m afraid. With so much great food to be had in Charleston, I doubt we’ll be coming back here to give them a second chance on another visit.

My mother took me to 82 Queen this past February for my birthday dinner and I was not disappointed. She and my late step father frequented this restaurant for many years without disappointment. Everything is cooked to order and delicious. The ambiance was tranquil. The service is top notch. I look forward bringing friends here in the future.

82 Queen has been a Charleston staple for years. It’s become more of a tourist destination as of late, so it’s never been a go-​to for me. As an aside, the courtyard is lovely for dining when the weather is nice.
This is a place to order what you know and not to deviate from the standard. That includes the She Crab soup, which is arguably the best in Charleston, and the BBQ Shrimp and Grits.
We dined here for lunch today, and I was less than into my meal. I got the Crispy Oyster salad for $ 14. Oysters were small but good. The rest of the salad looked like a larger portion of what you would get as a side salad at Red Lobster. For an extra $ 1, I could have had the shrimp and grits. Awful ordering on my part. My bf got the burger that has bacon jam and caramelized onions. He was into it; me, not so much.
All that said: if you gave me 3 bowls of the She Crab soup, I would be a happy camper for a while.

We had brunch at 82 Queen with my son before he graduated from CofC on Saturday, May 7 and had a great experience. The food and service were both spot on. I had the fried chicken and biscuits which was perfectly comforting and delicious; my boyfriend had the BBQ Shrimp and grits which really had a unique sweet sauce on the shrimp that was worth the difference. My son’s friend had the salmon and my son opted for a wrap, all very good. We imbibed with several Pomegranate Mojitoes and they hit the spot.
Melissa, our server was very professional yet warm and friendly and very knowledgeable about the menu. She was available and conscientious, an asset to the establishment.
I highly recommend sitting on the patio, it is historic and lovely — though due to the authenticity maybe not great for the elderly or anyone with vision/​walking difficulties because of uneven bricks. Even with so many options in Charleston for good food, I would certainly recommend and return to 82 Queen — and ask for Melissa!

Best Bloody Mary!!! The Shrimp Hit The Spot Definitely Recommend for a Bloody Fan didn’t get to enjoy there food but I could tell you we will back especially since I loved the atmosphere and cleanliness of the hold building.

Great food and atmosphere. Setting reminds me of the Blue Bayou at Disneyland. The food is excellent — had the Jambalaya and it was spectacular. The filet was also great. Lots of southern charm and hospitality. Will definitely return. This is a must if you’re visiting Charleston!!!

Fried greed tomatos app: amazing
Salmon rice ad goat cheese with vegies: unbelivable
Chocolate cake: best I’ve everhad

Beautiful spot. Lovely waitstaff. My brunch wasn’t knock your socks off amazing, but my sisters Oyster salad was incredible.
I’ll be back.

Dined in the court yard for lunch, amazing service, delicious food. First time asking for hot sauce and it came in a tiny ramekin, so fancy! Their she-​crab soup was so silky, velvety, and full of flavor. I could eat a whole quart of this, alone, in my room, with a big baguette. Jambalaya is made dry and not wet, they do give you heads up on that. It was good nonetheless. Their BBQ shrimp and grits was quite interesting. The bacon makes that dish, Mmmmm… Everything was wonderful!

This was a splurge and a treat for us during a mother-​daughter weekend in CHS. DD requested shrimp and grits and a quick search of Google gave us a couple options close to King Street.
I’d love to return and dine outside in the courtyard but dining inside was still lovely. The service was outstanding; attentive without being annoying and perfectly timed.
We started with a crab cake (which DD was loathe to share once she tasted it’s crabby goodness) and a cup of she-​crab soup. I enjoyed an ice cold glass of prosecco with the meal, which might not be the done thing but it was a nice compliment to our festive meal.
Our entrees were the BBQ shrimp and grits and the fried oyster salad. Perfect dressing on the salad, and savory crispy oysters were a treat. We both cleaned our plates while groaning about how stuffed we were.
Delicious meal, charming old building and great service. If I’m ever in downtown Charleston again and looking for a special meal, this is where I’ll go.

I can’t tell you how enjoyable my first visit to 82 Queen was! While the menu was not as broad as I was expecting, the selections all seemed really yummy. I ended up getting the gumbo which was absolutely amazing. The portion size was huge, filled with veggies, sausage, and perfectly cooked rice in a divine broth. The wait staff was all lovely too, and extremely knowledgeable of the menu. A friend and I sat outside on a beautiful day under the heated patio, and it was a wonderfully elegant setup that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Parking in Charleston is sometimes annoying, but there is actually parking garage literally right across the street from the restaurant, so you don’t have to worry about trying to drive around and find an open spot.

The building is great. seems to be an old Charleston downtown row home now converted to restaurant. Love that. The menu is your typical low country southern food you’d expect, seafood, heavier sides, and lots of added bacon. The group picks for the better items were the crab cakes and she crab soup. Lows were the pecan pie with bacon… just didn’t work. Just not my favorite food in general. The room we sat in was FREEZING! Made the whole experience very uncomfortable.

Here is a restaurant that needs to get with the times. The menu is stale: lacks any seasonal focus, and looks to be firmly stuck in the 80s. The tomato pie was a disappointment: heavy hand of bacon on top of melted cheese on a biscuit with hardly any tomato in a dish which it should be the star. Additionally, a handful of crumbled bacon on top of arugula as a garnish. Bacon on bacon on cheese. What is this, the Lizards Thicket?! The ship is sinking.

After going to this restaurant in September I still remember the rudest bartender/​waitress I’ve ever had in my life. I’ve never had someone seem so discontent in serving me. My girlfriend and I were the only ones at the bar and she acted the whole time like we were keeping her from something! They weren’t closing for another hour even. The combination of dirty looks and having to sit there, call her out, and stare at her for a few minutes in order to get service was disappointing and completely uncalled for. She was standing a foot in front of me cleaning a glass the whole time, avoiding eye contact as though she wanted us to leave. When she finally did acknowledge our presence the look on her face was «What do you want from me?»
I also payed ~$ 30 for a plate of duck that sat on top of some of the mushiest overcooked risotto I’ve ever tasted. The duck tasted great though and was perfectly cooked, which somewhat redeemed the experience. I would have said something to the bartender if she wasn’t acting so enigmatic. At this point we were anxious to leave.
There are plenty of better options right down the street.

Came here for brunch last April. We sat outside on the patio.
Delicious appetizers and mimosas followed by an amazing crab cake & grits. Still dreaming about it today.

I’m sad we couldn’t sit outside, then again my hair was probably happy since humid and my hair do not mix, they hate each other! lol.
anyway I found this place on open table, it originally wasn’t on my list of places on our trip to eat… it was soon added after I saw not only shrimp & grits, but with bbq sauce! I guess maybe most people like a certain shrimp & grits with tons of other things like peppers, sausages, drowned in some sauce. I liked this version here! it was amazing, best ever. plus I hate all the other stuff and there was none of that. just deliciousness and bbq sauce lol. plus good grits. not drowned in some sauce. my hubs loved his food also.

The atmosphere is amazing. This place was perfect for a romantic evening, but I was somewhat surprised at the lack of clientele on a Friday at 6:45.
The service was outstanding. I wish I could remember our server’s name, but he did an excellent job, aside from the dishes recommended, but not sure if that can be placed on him.
The food was disappointing. BYO Old Bay.
Shrimp & Grits: The shrimp was a bit over cooked; the grits were a bit dry and lacking a bit of bitter and seasoning; the bacon in the dish was the best part with good texture and flavor.
Fried Green Tomatoes: again, no flavor. I prefer a lighter, flour breading. I couldn’t taste the actual tomato.
Crab Cakes: the server said 90−95% jumbo lump. I am still searching for a lump. It was very bread-​y, lacked seasoning, and the crab was all shredded up. I smelled crab, but never tasted it. Also, no lemon wedges are served with the dish. It isn’t required, but I needed it to add flavor…
We split the bill 3 ways with 2 apps, a bottle of wine and 2 slices of pecan pie. $ 55 plus tip.

While it’s still a classic choice among Charleston’s Southern fine dining restaurant scene, the food at 82 Queen just isn’t on the same level as some of its peers.
After a recent 5-​course meal (with beer and wine pairings) here, I enjoyed the service, the brick courtyard garden environment (!!) and the drinks. That’s not to say that the food is bad, in any way, but to say that the quality, freshness, and flavor of the food offered is less than exciting.
I would recommend 82 Queen for a romantic date night in the garden courtyard, when you plan to only order dessert or apps. Otherwise, there are alternative options close by — Poogans, Husk, etc — where you’ll be wowed more.