The Grocery

When going to Charleston, it’s tough to choose a restaurant because there are so many great ones. I’d say The Grocery could certainly be listed among the really good ones. We enjoyed our meal. The atmosphere was comfortable. The dining room was very tastefully done and attractive. The servers were attentive and helpful. And the food was very good.

I had a really nice dinner at the Grocery. The atmosphere is really nice, beautiful big warehouse. I showed up on a Wednesday and didn’t need a reservation. Most of the plates are small plates though most are a bit larger than traditional small plates. I started with «The Dirty Green Tomato» which was a super pleasant martini with pickled green tomato juice. It was smooth; I could have had a few of these! The complementary bread with salted butter was great, though I wish the bread was warm. I got the roasted broccoli which was my favorite dish — the green olive vinaigrette on top was awesome and the broccoli was perfectly charred. The twice cooked sunchokes came out next. These were the best sunchokes I’ve had but they were a little heavy especially after the lightness of the broccoli. I finished with the crab tagliatelle pasta — the pasta was really fresh tasting and delicious but I was mostly stuffed by the time it came out so couldn’t really enjoy it fully. Overall though, the meal was delicious! I would definitely go back.

Very nice ambiance with soft lighting and not too loud. The service was excellent and everyone seemed very accommodating. The waiter was very helpful and when I asked about some very specific wines and pairing he sent the sommelier over to help us. She was outstanding. very nice and helpful, a professional. The food was very good. I had the shrimp first course and the pigs skin pad Thai main course. Both were very good but not the best in the city. Overall, a lovely dining experience. Recommend.

My boyfriend and I decided to try this place for brunch. Everything was spectacular! As soon as we walked in, the friendliest manager greeted us and sat us immediately. It wasn’t at peak brunch time yet so it was still pretty quiet there. They were playing wonderful crooner music and fresh flowers on th table. The food was spectacular! I got the best french toast ever and my boyfriend got an open faced breakfast sandwich. Both were so flavorful and delicious we were super sad when they were all gone. King bean coffee went along with brunch and was perfectly brewed. Waiter was hilarious and super helpful. Definitely will be going back to try dinner.

Man I don’t give 5 stars easily but this place knocked me over.
Well staffed. Great décor. Check the safe out as you step in. Nice retro furniture and wall decorations.
Ordered myself an amazing rum and pear cocktail that was not cut with any ice water but sipped amazingly and set the night off right.
For appetizer we got fried oysters. Man! Perfect and tasty. Drizzled with tender tiny pickles and sitting on a sweet sauce. The whole thing worked perfectly.
We got the steak which was tender as fruit but not cheap at $ 33. It came with some broccoli sprouts seasoned in a sesame sauce and alongside a variation on couscous.
Along with all that was the scallops which sat atop a bed of spinach and minced apples.
The taste was phenomenal though I admit to being slightly disappointed with the scallop count: 4 is all.
But the entire dish was delicious and memorable so I looked the other way. you should too and eat at this place soon.

Excellent service. Our waitress was very friendly and gave us tips on many good places to eat. The food was excellent also. we had the piggy plate which is a plate of 5 different meats. I had the scallops and pork belly and my wife had fried oysters with arugala salad. EVERYTHING was cooked to perfection by chef and owner Kevin.

Wonderful food, shitty service… not worth it! Go elsewhere for the cash… plenty else to choose from.

Heres the short version: LOOOOVED IT! LOVED IT LOVED IT LOVED IT LOVED IT! AND LOVED IT SOME MORE!
Now for the details: I made a reservation for 2 on Open table for 8pm. I showed up at 7:15 with a party of 4 and, no problem, we were sat immediately. Our server Lauren and her follower «Aqua Ninja» were impeccable. They were all the things you think of when you think great table service.
I liked how the bar was on one end and the tables were on the other. It gives the bar patrons plenty of room to amble and be a little loud without effecting the dining tables.
The food: Hoooly Moley! The variety, flavors, plating, and creativity were all outstanding! We shared the Old MacDonald for openers which was 8 different house made meats with bread, pickled veggies, and really great mustard. Then came the Bone Marrow Brulee and Sweet Potato Tortellini. I would have liked to see more tortellini, but they were billed as «small plates». Both items were superb and super creative. Then we had a blue crab and pasta dish, roasted cauliflower dish, and a roasted beet dish. Our guests had the duck breast and the wagyu steak and we all shared. Every dish was a rock star on its own and together they were incredible. I was worried that the «small plates» might leave us hungry but by the end of it we were very full and very satisfied!
We were also there for a birthday and were presented with a Moscato dessert wine for a toast and complimentary ice cream for the birthday girl.
Considering we each had fancy cocktails, a table appetizer, 4 small plates, and the Moscato dessert wine on our check we stayed just under a hundred bucks which I thought was more than fair for the experience.
I hope to be back sometime soon as this was a great dining experience and shouldnt be reserved just for fancy nights out.

Went to The Grocery for the first time… We enjoyed it greatly! The menu is based on the farm to table concept and includes sea to table selections; I’m told it changes with the seasons but being our first visit I haven’t experienced that yet.
For our visit, the menu had a good variety of choices. I started with the mixed lettuces salad which was very good but my main course topped it… I don’t usually order pork of any kind, except ribs of course but that’s an entirely different dinning experience, but I order the pork chop on a recommendation from our waiter John… So glad I did! It was outstanding, much more than I expected! The cut was about two inches thick and aside from it being lighter meat, it looked and tasted like a steak. It was served over charred cabbage and shaved fall roots.
My wife started with glazed beats for her salad and had the wagyu bistro steak… she really liked it and the little taste that I had I have t agree. We also had the charred brussel sprouts on the side. They were in line with the other choices we made from a taste perspective… very good! We enjoyed all of this alongside a nice Pinot Noir from Switzerland. I have to say, this was my first Swiss wine. It went well with our dinner choices and was a very good choice. to top it all off, we had a house made mint chip ice cream. All of our choices were excellent examples of farm to table… Fresh and cooked to perfection! We certainly will return!

amazing mix of flavors, laid back but elegant atmosphere, friendly staff,
a little pricy but worth your money!

Decent service, decent meal. Food was incredibly fresh, the veggies being the highlight. The service was adequate, not bad but not outstanding either.
If you haven’t been, it’s worth checking out. However, it’s not a MUST visit for me.

As you walk in you are greeted by friendly staff and a beautiful dining room. Pause and look around the whole room to take in all their décor has to offer. The kitchen is in the back center of the room framed by purple shelves of jars of food (assuming their in the process of pickling). The far left is the bar which has floating shelves of bottles. We were early so we grabbed adding at the bar while we waited for the rest of our party to arrive. The bar tender was super friendly, helpful, and attentive. The fist drink I had was a something something mature cosmopolitan (created by the bar tender) and it was a perfect first drink! Hubby had a Hendricks gin and tonic. Our friends arrived and we were immediately seated at a booth table. My second drink was the pushing up daisies and it was perfectly balanced!
The table started with the Old MacDonald Charcuterie plate. I enjoyed the fresh baked bread, pickles and mustard. The rest devoured the sampling of meats. For our meal we got the charred cauliflower and crispy chickpeas, scallops and the tile fish. The charred cauliflower and crispy chickpeas were so scrumptious! I wish I could have the recipe to make it at home! The scallops were good, but a little undercooked (like 1 more minute) in our opinion. They are the only reason I though of giving this place a 4, but I loved the rest so much I couldn’t knock their score down 1 while point! I would only know off .2 of a point as I believe I am a scallop connoisseur. The tile fish was superb and perfectly flaky with a good purée Brussel sprout leaves and something else. I totally would have liked more Brussel sprout leaves on the plate, but then I might not have tasted the fish as well so I get it.
I would totally would return and try more of their dishes as all my friends at the table loved their dishes too!!!

We had a really wonderful meal. The portion sizes are tricky, but our waiter warned us and helped us order. I loved that the owner is the chef. They also use all local produce, meats, etc. great atmosphere, it was not too loud so it was easy to have a conversation. Overall a great experience. My only complaint is pricey sides, and too many raw options that are unclearly marked on the menu. I accidentally ordered raw fish, but it was yummy-​happy accident.

Restaurant is nice upon entry, not too stuffy. We are greeted by our waitress, who was superbly pleasant, southern drawl and all. We are informed that a lot of the food changes daily which is awesome… And after asking about a fish we had never had, the waitress told us how it tasted (chef let them taste earlier) …so smart. Highlights where the crispy broccoli with mozzarella, and the churros with 3 dips (salted caramel was cleaned out of its dish!!) –best dessert I have had in a long time… And still thinking about it now 3 days later, which prompted this review.

Food came late. Waitresses super nice. Food portions aren’t small… they’re tiny. Got my food order wrong and then were slow about fixing it and didn’t listen to me asking to box it up. Most things tasted pretty good. Best thing was the tortellini.

I travel to Charleston once a year or so, to see my sister. She is always excited to bring me to new restaurants and show off her city. This trip was a short one for me, so she had to narrow down the extensive list of options to one and one alone. She enthusiastically chose The Grocery and made a reservation for Saturday night.
Walking in, I almost felt like I was in New York City — one of the renovated factories or «up and coming» neighborhoods with that one exceptional restaurant. The Grocery could easily fit in there with the dim lighting, exposed ductwork in the ceiling, and trying-​hard-​to-​look-​casual, very hipster feel.
Our waitress was a grandmotherly type who touched our shoulders when speaking to us (it took me by surprise at first but then it just felt natural) and called us by name. She seemed genuinely happy to be working there and proud of the dishes we were served. It was adorable.
We started by ordering our drinks — a «Splittin’ Pears» for me and a «Cannonborough Old Fashioned» for my sister. We weren’t sure which was which when they arrived as they looked almost identical. The drinks were a little pricey, but upon first sip we realized why — I definitely had $ 13 worth of alcohol in my drink and it took me the entire visit to finish it (almost 2 hours). Both of our drinks were fantastic (my sister voted mine as the best of the two, and I agreed).
We decided to order two dishes each and share. We were first served the Roasted La Estrella Pumpkin and the grilled eggplant dish (it had little roasted cherry tomatoes and some sort of cheese dollops, maybe goat cheese?). I was very impressed with both dishes. Our second round was the Summer Squash and the Pig Skin Pad Thai. I ended up bringing home more than half of the Pad Thai since we were so full by then and had it for lunch the next day. It was… different than I expected, but good.
Other than our amazing waitress and the fantastic food, the highlight of my night was the couple at the table next to us. The tables in our section are meant to seat two people — one on the bench and one in a chair across the table. This couple, probably in their mid-​70s, squeezed together on the bench and spent the night cuddling, stealing glances, and whispering to each other. It was such a sweet show of affection and love that they gained many admirers. This was the perfect spot for them and we all enjoyed wondering if they’ve been together forever or if this was a recently discovered love.

We arrived on a Saturday night with reservations for 7. Three of those were kids. The staff was very accommodating. Matter of fact the service throughout the whole dinner was superb.
Drinks were first. Make sure you order cocktails. Amazing!
For appetizers we had the fried oysters and the roasted clams. Both were delish, but the clams shined. Dip your bread in the jus! You won’t regret!
Entrees all were great. Pork chop and short ribs on one side of the table… and on my side was the ribeye for «2+». It could’ve been for 4+! Ribeye was cooked to a perfect mid-​rare. So delicious.
We had dessert as well. We had ice cream and the churros… all I can say is I don’t know how I found the über guy because the food coma set in quickly.
Go here. Do hesitate. Go! Go now!
Enjoy!

Found this place on Unilocal,as I was looking for something interesting within walking distance of my hotel. Neat vibe as you walk-​in – somewhat of the «Grocery store» feel, hence the name. Almost hidden non-​descript sign on the exterior. Not very busy at 7 on a Tuesday. Opted per my usual to sit at the bar. Specialty drinks were described nicely on the menu and you could tell would be made with fresh ingredients by a mixologist. Love that this is becoming more common in locally owned places. Had a jalapeño infused tequila drink – spicy just like I like it. Ordered the fish collars and buffalokra for apps. Yes, the neck of fish and okra buffalo style. Both were great and recommended by the bartender. For dinner, I had the beer short rib — tender and yummy. For dessert, I had the icee box lemon pie, equally great. Definitely recommend this restaurant.

Celebrating a friend’s engagement, the girls and I all ventured down to the Grocery Friday night. I’d never been, so I was excited to finally give it a try. We meet at the bar and all ordered a cocktail waiting on the fifth member of our group. Ryan and Conner were great behind the bar and actually talked us into staying with them in the bar area instead of moving to our table. So we stayed in the bar to enjoy some food and more cocktails. Many of the produce and seafood smaller plate offerings sounded so good we went that route and shared.
I enjoyed both specialty cocktails in the gin option the Aviator, and the Watermelon margarita. For food, my favorite bites came from the tomato salad, stuffed squash blossoms, the roasted and fried okra, and the fried oysters. I definitely can see myself heading back down and hanging at the bar. :)

The food is very good but not «wow». The ambience is quite ok and the service is very friendly and helpful. You should definitely make reservstions in advanced because it’s very popular. Still I think it’s overrated.