Wreck of the Richard & Charlene

Unser Abendessen hier war so schrecklich, dass es schon wieder lustig war. Wenn man das Restaurant zum ersten Mal sieht, glaubt man noch es sei vielleicht ein «Geheimtipp» mit rustikalem Charme… aber hier gibt es einfach nur unterdurchschnittliches Essen zu absolut unangebrachten Preisen. Die Krabbensuppe war noch in Ordnung, aber vom Fisch des Tages (zum beachtlichen «Market Price» wurden nur drei winzige Stückchen serviert, zusammen mit Beilagen auf Imbissbudenniveau. Das dazu bestellte «Gemüse» entpuppte sich als eine Portion versalzene Dosenbohnen und alle anderen Beilagen waren bis zur Unkenntlichkeit frittiert worden. Das Ganze wurde auf Papptellern und in Plastikbechern serviert. Leckeren, frischen Fisch gibt es hier nicht und sogar mit geringeren Erwartungen wird man noch enttäuscht sein. Ich kann nur empfehlen, einen großen Bogen um das «Wreck» zu machen.
PS: Andere Kommentare bezüglich der toten Käfer auf der Toilette können wir bestätigen.

Best seafood in Charleston!!! I come here all the time and never had bad food or service. How did this seafood place get 3 stars I do not know but come here and you will not regret it!!!

In the end, it’s the food that counts — and «The Wreck» couldn’t possibly improve on what they delivered on our inaugural night in South Carolina. We tried a wide range of eats, from hushpuppies to fried fish to «she clam soup», and I would struggle to name a place that does a single one of them better. The sampler platter (which also included fried shrimp, oysters, and scallops, among other sides) was flavorful and very well done. We also ordered Crab Cakes — which bested anything we tried in San Fran, Chicago, or NYC. The sweet tea and the key lime bread pudding also get very high marks.
Now, yes, this place really can not be described any other way than a «wreck», or at best, a «shack». If you’re looking for tuxedos and fine silver, this is not the place to go. On the approach to the door, we were wondering if we shouldn’t be carrying a can of mace or a baseball bat! What we found on the other side was extremely friendly staff ready to make us feel at home. If you want a further vote of confidence — the employees gather at the end of the night for a communal supper. If it wasn’t special, I’m sure they wouldn’t eat the same food, night in and night out.
This also isn’t the cheapest place in the world, either (I think it should be $$$, instead of $$), but sometimes, paying up is worth it, and this happens to be one of those instances. Keep up the good work — this is the first place we’ll stop at the next time we’re in Charleston.

Our family had a wonderful meal here! The service was outstanding! It’s rustic and fun.

Terrible! Just returned from a dinner here with 14 classmates. Beautiful location on the dock, but we were seated in a dark, dingy corner of the restaurant. Dive bar? Sure, I’ll give you that. Character? Not so much. What comes across as a run-​down eatery past its prime is just that: a hovel disguised as a restaurant with overpriced seafood and substandard service. Food was disgusting – burnt hush puppies, over-​salted beans, tasteless shrimp. Waitress completely ignored us, knowing she’ll get the automatic 20% gratuity. Drinks went unfilled, orders were wrong, did not bring our check timely, and sat down at the next table to chat with friends. All of this for plates more than $ 20 each. Plus, a $ 2 up charge for splitting! The owners should be appalled. Avoid!

This is one of the worst dining experiences that I have ever had.
Make up your own mind after reading this:
* Fine dining prices with all of the items on the menu over $ 20
* paper plates, plastic cups, flat drinks, menu’s on an 8×11 piece of paper that you had to circle the items that you want but they did not have several items on the menu. you did have metal forks!
* you did not have a choice of sides– all meals comes with the following sides: red rice, grit cake, one hush puppy & slaw.
* The Shrimp was great but the red rice was cold, not fresh and was most likely made the day before or early that morning.
* No air conditioning at all in the dining area
* I complained that I had a flat coke and the waitress said that I poured it too quick.
* We had a family of 8 people and the bill came up to $ 261. I asked the cashier to break it in half because two of us was going to pay for it and the cashier did not look up and handed me a ticket for the entire amount. When I asked him about it he cursed and said did you not see the 8×11 paper which stated «No tickets will be split». I paid the entire ticket and told him I would not return– he replied «ok»

Absolute best restaurant I’ve eaten at since I’ve been to charleston! Fantastic fresh seafood straight off the dock in the morning. Staff is mostly family and very friendly and attentive. No cell phones or smoking inside the restaurant. Cant split the checks, so if your with a group bring cash. Spectacular views off the dock from every table. No sign on the road, but you will be rewarded in your search!

Some of the ratings for «the Wreck» are just too funny! Obviously many go here who have no clue about the history… and are expecting white tablecloths or some fancy décor! This is a dive that grew out of the aftermath of a hurricane, & the need to earn a living when the shrimp trawler was sitting up on a mound of dirt instead of floating on Shem Creek. Fix the boat or cook seafood with whatever was on hand and survive. The dilapidated «dive,» Spartan seating, paper tablecloths, and paper plates are still «simple but sufficient»… just as in the days after the storm.
What IS OFFERED is some of the best fresh local seafood you will find anywhere! Charleston style seafood… fresh and letting the seafood star without being overpowered with fancy goop! Offered FRIED, grilled, or broiled! Not for everyone, but with a LARGE ENOUGH following of loyal locals that «The Wreck» needs no sign, no linen tablecloths, etc. And it is now into the second generation operating the family business.
Well, this dive has survived for many years without a sign of any sort announcing that you have found «The Wreck of R&C» located on the banks of Shem Creek. The boat yard was not there back when. Just the wholesale seafood companies on either side. This week I see that one at the very end of the street seems to have gone out of business. Amazingly, the Garmin now lists The Wreck in its data base… and for all detractors… this restaurant was featured AND LOVED by Giada de Laurentis on the Food Network in 2007!!!
I never seem to get around to eating all the cole slaw that comes with the meal… it is good and quite different from most cole slaw you will ever encounter. FRIED seafood at The Wreck does NOT MEAN heavily breaded & dripping grease/​oil! The shrimp, oysters, & scallops seem to have more of a tempura-​like light crispy breading. I cannot speak for the fried breaded fish since I seldom order fish here. THIS IS my shellfish mecca!
Boiled peanuts (complimentary appetizer here) are an acquired taste of the South. Don’t like them? Your LOSS. You will not find any better boiled peanuts than those in the paper bowl put on your table by your waitress when you are given menus and a sharpie to place your order. AND FYI… boiled peanuts freeze well and can be reconstituted by boiling them in hot water until thawed and hot ready-​to-​eat… worth experimenting/​sampling to get the timing right.
Red Rice… another strictly Southern side… done PERFECTLY at The Wreck. Anytime you take a notion to order red rice in the South… just hope it turns out as good as TW.
The FRIED shrimp… cooked to perfection every time: just dip in the cocktail sauce and enjoy.
FRIED scallops… succulent melt-​in-​your-​mouth tender. FRIED oysters… so fresh and juicy.
PERFECT hush puppies…
And «oh, that signature fried grit cake»… this grit cake is LOVE IT or HATE IT, even for South Carolinians. I have dear friends who hate it… BUT I won’t let them keep me FROM LOVING IT! It used to be a ¾th inch cube… just a teaser taste with a hint of bacon and jalapeño. It has evolved into an enlarged square still about ¾th inch thick… still a delicious signature item with every meal. Should you LOVE IT, you will probably leave wanting just a little more. I solved that feeling: order a side of 4 more. Finally, happiness achieved!
Upset about the no split checks? LOL… back in the beginning, Richard took cash, or CHECK if you looked OK. Otherwise you washed dishes (just kidding). It was not until the «next generation» that credit cards became acceptable forms of payment! But that is all the progress to expect for this century! DO NOT MESS UP a successful concept!
We will be back again and again… even in winter when cold winds blow. Detractors have not lived until they go to «TW in winter» and see the plastic stapled over the screens on the porches. Those little fireplaces and heaters ALMOST keep you warm on the worst days. THERE WAS NO HEAT in the good old days at the beginning!
It will be a very sad day IF The Wreck should ever close its doors!

If your looking for a no nonsense good seafood, on paper plates, this is the place for you. Good food and great service… I’ll be back! PS-​loved the boiled peanuts!

I wasn’t expecting all that much, and unfortunately this place delivered on that.
Pros: The location is nice, you are right on the water, and our table happened to be situated near the walkway out, so we were treated to a visit by the establishment’s cat several times throughout the course of the meal. Even though it was a fairly hot evening, the ample fans kept the eating area relatively cool.
Cons: One of the first things you see is a sign explaining that they cannot split tickets. Now, maybe I’m spoiled but I don’t recall the last place I ate at where you could not split tickets. We were a party of 5, and we somehow wound up spending over $ 120, all of which ended up being paid by one person as no one in the party had enough cash to cover their respective meal. Not a huge issue, but a mild inconvenience.
The menu is very simple, and if you don’t eat seafood, you may as well not come here. You order your particular seafood choice (shrimp, scallops, mahi, flounder, or grouper), the size you want, and whether you want it broiled or fried. There is also she crab soup, and a few miscellaneous sides you can order, in addition to the sides that come with every meal (red rice, coleslaw, a hush puppy, and a fried hominy cube).
The she crab soup was flavorful and not too crabby, which I appreciate as a person that doesn’t love love seafood. It came with a singular cracker, which was endearing. As for the entrees, the fish was cooked well (everyone ordered different seafood, so we were able to experience the full gamut of The Wreck’s offerings), but out of everyone in my party, only one person finished their plate, or even really ate their sides. It was nearly unanimous that the red rice and coleslaw were not all that appetizing, the hush puppy was well liked by everyone but me, and I alone personally really enjoyed the hominy square: it was hot, with a nice crunch and a little bit of a kick to the creamy filling. The breading on my shrimp was alright, not too oily, and the cocktail and tarter sauce paired well with it.
My partner is a very healthy person that has to maintain a low salt diet due to a medical condition, so he attempted to make his plate a little healthier by ordering the «side of vegetables», which turned out to be a bowl of butter beans that went largely untouched after his initial taste. He was also unable to substitute any of the sides that come with the meal that he knew he would not be able to eat due to the aforementioned issues, so we had to pay extra for that.
Overall, nothing really knocked my socks off, but nothing was so egregiously wrong that I could complain. Would not recommend this place to anyone wanting/​needing a healthy meal (though to be fair, you don’t come to a place like this expecting that!).

Comments from our dinner party:
«There was a hair in my hominy square. Then my boyfriend ate it. Gross.»
«No liquor. Stupid.»
«All the seafood was grainy and flavorless.»
There was a smashed cockroach in the bathroom.” «What?! Why didn’t you tell us?!»
«Can’t split checks.»
«Wayyyy too expensive.»
«Basically we paid for the photo op.»
It was fun circling your order in a red sharpie on the menu.

I have been here many times although it is not my favorite, my husband enjoys it for the laid back ambiance I suppose. The seafood is good, however it is a bit pricey. They do not allow substitutions on sides so red rice, hominy, coleslaw, and one hushpuppy is what you get. Period. It is not kid friendly, they do not have lids for their plastic cups or even straws and certainly no kids menu. I think everyone should at least give it a try once but it definitely doesn’t make my list for yearly trips.

Pros: Hospitable wait staff. She Crab Soup is a must try. Waterfront dining.
Cons: Preparation style ruins the fresh seafood. Difficult to locate. Limited parking.

We came by with some friends on a Wednesday night. I give this review with a huge caveat: I do not eat whole shellfish. Which ruled out more than half the menu for me. I also do not do well with fried food, which is the default preparation method here. I didn’t pick our venue for dinner, so I had to make the most of what was there.
Let me list for you the ways this establishment fell below the bar:
— Quality and value of the food is always first and foremost for me. After all, it is a restaurant — that’s literally their bread and butter! All I can say is the food was okay at best. My biggest complaint is definitely the value. My husband and I each got platters, which included a lot of sides. That’s only a good value if you eat all the sides. For $ 20+ per plate and only eating a quarter of what is served to you, that’s a pretty low return on investment. I could have gotten a better fried meal from a food truck for $ 10 for what I actually liked.
— 93 degrees inside. Granted, it’s meant to be an outdoor covered deck, and they did have fans going, so they were at least trying to make it comfortable for the temperature.
— The ambiance was definitely lacking. Plastic chairs, plastic cups, paper plates. Acceptable for a barbecue? Yes. A restaurant? Questionable. Especially at $ 20+ per plate? Unacceptable.
— It was really hard to find! I know the speakeasy culture has had a resurgence, but this is not a speakeasy. No fun fantastical cocktails? You should really have a sign.
There were a couple of good qualities:
— Our server was very attentive and made sure ice waters were filled at all times.
— Each plate came with a lot of food. Assuming you like all of it, it would be a filling dinner (I did not, although I did try everything).

The rilll dilll. This place is a super dive, with some of the best fried seafood I’ve ever had. To get there, you drive to the end of Haddrell. That’s about it. If you find yourself confused because you’re in a dusty parking lot between what looks like a driftwood shack and stacks of boats, you’re in the right place.
If you get offended easily or are looking white tablecloth dining, go elsewhere. If you are ok with a restaurant staff that knows they’re badass, hush puppies that induce salivary cascades, cruncy and perfect fried shrimp, beautiful sunsets on the water, and copious amounts of Palmetto Brewing’s IPA, then I’d say you’ve found yourself a little slice of heaven.
Bonus: you can draw on the brown paper «table cloths.»

Don’t do this! Worst ever in Mount Pleasant. Over-priced…small…tiny portions, no view

Simultaneously the best and most expensive seafood I’ve had served on a paper plate, as another Unilocaler suggested. Note that that is not the same thing as saying that it was the best seafood I’ve ever had.
We had the grilled scallops and the fried shrimp, and the shrimp in particular were very good but still overpriced. The scallops were pretty good and also overpriced.

I was organizing dinner for a large crowd in the Charleston area at the last minute and this restaurant while a bit disorganized on the phone was willing to accommodate us and the Unilocal reviews were good enough I was excited.
The food did not disappoint, people were all pretty happy with their meals, even if it was on the expensive side for the décor and fried/​grilled seafood.
They do not split checks, this is written on the menu and at the cash register. However, members of my party asked before we ordered if they could pay separately and the waitress said we could split it at the cash register.
When it came time to pay we walked to the cash register and they would not split the check and the waitress said she was never asked despite three people in our party hearing the conversation. The entire interaction ruined the evening, the staff was rude and there was little effort at providing high-​quality customer service until we spoke with the owner.

I love everything about The Wreck. This place has such a history with our family. We have been eating here when we come to Charleston since ’98. Most of what you are getting here is a great seafood meal smothered with a heavy gravy of nostalgia. It is the best of every place your dad searched for when you were 9 and had to entertain yourself for the trip and wait on the one night out at the beach.
We had the crab claws that come with a pipe as your crab cracker. It was almost as fun to watch my 12 year old get embarrassed from my cracking her crab as hearing much she enjoyed it. The fried shrimp, scallops and fish were all very well prepared. The sides were as good as the entrees. And, how can you not love a place that welcomes you with a big basket of boiled peanuts?
One note, the parking lot is dirt and pot holed. Wear boots if it’s raining.

Overall, I thought this place was very good.
Know that it does not have A/​C. I came expecting good views/​food and came away very satisfied.
My wife and I were seated and our waitress took our drink order. However, she for whatever reason fell off after that. Eventually another person in the dining area realized we hadn’t been taken care of and pretty much took over. Later in the meal our original waitress starting helping us out again. I’m assuming she was overwhelmed and had too many tables.
On to the food… my wife and I both had the She Crab Soup — it was loaded with black pepper but I absolutely loved it.
We decided to share a seafood platter and here’s the run down:
Oysters — Very Good
Scallops — Very Good
Shrimp — Some of the best I’ve had
Fish (Flounder) — Good
Rice & Beans — Very Good
Cole Slaw — Different but Very Good
Hominy Cake — Amazing!
Hush Puppie — Very Good
We also ordered the crab cake over fried green tomato. The crab cake needed work. My wife and I both love crab, especially blue crab. We both agreed that it was just okay.
Anyhow, well worth your time if you want a million dollar view and some solid seafood.

Returning on a date weekend, I knew that I had to bring Mrs. K for what I think is one of the best seafood restaurants in Charleston. We arrived well after the dinner rush, so we were brought right to a table. Scallops and shrimp for Mrs, Scallops and shrimp and oysters for me. Grilled, not fried (though the oysters were fried). Absolutely excellent food and great service.
As for the «cold day», they put up a double layer of weather-​proof plastic. And they have fires. It was TOASTY.
It was just as good the second time as it was the first. Five stars!