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Charleston's best seafood and fine cocktails. - The Establishment, Charleston, SC

The Establishment

4.8
4.8
2721 Reviews
$50 and over
Seafood

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 26 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Good for special occasions
  • Great for creative cocktails
  • Great for fine wines
Everything at The Establishment begins with well-sourced ingredients from sea and field. Through developing relationships with local farmers and fishermen, our ingredients will be consistently seasonal, fresh, and pure. Chef Elliott Howells' menu will always reflect a clean, focused, and balanced approach, delivering a selection of thoughtful and refined cuisine.

Located in Charleston’s historic French Quarter a few blocks away from Rainbow Row, Charleston City Market, and Waterfront Park, The Establishment features an award-winning wine cellar, over 150 bourbon and whiskey offerings, and a lively bar scene complete with daily happy hour. We feature Live Music every Friday and Saturday starting at 8:00 PM, featuring multiple local artists performing an array of musical genres. Our private dining rooms are perfect for birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, or business meetings. We look forward to hosting you for a casual night out or an elevated dining experience.
Private dining

Private dining

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Dining areas

Additional information

  • Phone number
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    Seafood, American, Contemporary American
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Tue–Thu 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Elliott Howells

Experiences

  • CHS Jazz "Dinner and a Show" at The Establishment

    $160.00 per person

    Prepaid

    Apr 23, 2025 only
    The Establishment has partnered with Charleston Jazz Orchestra to present an intimate dinner and performance by the Richard White Trio for a unique jazz dining experience. We will have a beautifully composed evening of music and cuisine. Executive Chef Elliott Howells has created a 3-course menu from local purveyors, paired with wine offerings and hand-crafted cocktails from our Bar Manager & Cocktail Artist, Ryan Wise. Richard White is one of the most dynamic pianists and composers in the Charleston area. He will be accompanied by Ron Wiltrout (Drums) and Jake Holwegner (Bass) for an immersive celebration of local Jazz culture. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to The Charleston Jazz Academy and Festival. This is an event that you don’t want to miss! Please note: Both 5:45 and 6:00 pm time slots are for the same event. Regardless of which arrival time you book, we encourage all guests to arrive between 5:45 - 6:00 pm.

What 2,721 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.9Service
  • 4.8Ambience
  • 4.5Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • South Carolina

    Seafood

  • Charleston

    Best Overall

  • Charleston

    Best Food

  • Charleston

    Best Service

  • Charleston

    Best Ambiance

  • Charleston

    Great for fine wines

  • Charleston

    Seafood

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Establishment in Charleston offers a memorable dining experience with "exceptional service," "fantastic food," and a "beautiful ambiance." Diners rave about the attentive staff and the "delicious gnudi." Live piano music enhances the atmosphere, making it ideal for special occasions. Although portions can be small, the quality and presentation consistently impress guests.

2,721 Reviews
  1. OpenTable Diner

    Charleston1 review

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Literally, everything was perfect about our experience!

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  2. OpenTable Diner

    Key West3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We recently had the pleasure of dining at The Establishment celebrate my husband's birthday, and I can confidently say it was a fantastic experience from start to finish. Upon arrival, we were warmly greeted by the host, and the atmosphere was inviting and vibrant, setting the perfect mood for a celebration. Our server, Nathan further elevated our experience with exceptional service. From the moment we sat down, they made us feel special, taking the time to ask about our celebration and accommodating our dietary needs with enthusiasm. As someone who follows a gluten-free diet, I often face challenges when dining out. However, our server went above and beyond to ensure I had a wonderful selection of options to choose from. They provided detailed information on the menu, highlighting which dishes were gluten-free and even made special recommendations. It was clear that they were knowledgeable and genuinely cared about making my meal as enjoyable as possible. I felt at ease knowing that my dietary restrictions were taken seriously. As for the food, everything we ordered was simply delicious! Each dish was beautifully presented and bursting with flavor. The crudo for the appetizer and my main dish was a fish was a standout, perfectly cooked and seasoned to perfection. My husband thoroughly enjoyed his meal as well, and we both appreciated the thoughtful touch of a complimentary dessert for his birthday, which was an unexpected and delightful surprise. Throughout the evening, Nathan checked in with us regularly to ensure we had everything we needed, but never felt intrusive. Their friendly demeanor and attentiveness made us feel genuinely cared for, which added to the overall warmth of the evening. In conclusion, our experience at the Establishment was nothing short of exceptional. The combination of outstanding food, thoughtful gluten-free accommodations, and exemplary service made my husband’s birthday celebration

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  3. OpenTable Diner

    Charleston1 review

    3.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    The hostess was far from welcoming. The food was lackluster. However the server was very good.

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  4. Gayle

    Charleston1 review

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great evening with friends after the Art Walk. Food and service were off the charts. Nathan, thanks to you for making our evening so fun!

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  5. Betsy

    Charleston1 review

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food was absolutely amazing and the best service by far.

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  6. OpenTable Diner VIP

    Charlotte9 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The Establishment is one of our Charleston destinations every trip. In a city of superlative cuisine standards they never disappoint. Food quality, service and the overall experience were top-notch. Our server, Mike, was outstanding, both my husband and I noted how attentive and personable he was, he was proud of his restaurant and what they do. Great experience.

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  7. JanR

    San Francisco2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent dinner as always. Great favorite restaurant, very well trained staff

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  8. Avidfoodie2004 VIP

    New York City31 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 2, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    This was our first time dining at The Establishment and we had a wonderful dining experience. We we able to enjoy the happy hour specials at the bar while waiting for our table. The bar was vibrant and the service was wonderful. We both enjoyed our taste course-I had the amazing Gnudi and my husband had the snapper crudo. Both were delicious and meticulously prepared. My husband enjoyed the butter poached grouper and I had the Hokkaido Scallops which were just delicious. I have found on many dessert menus in Charleston they do not include a standard chocolate offering. The sea salt caramel brownie was fudgy goodness that brought the meal to a very satisfying conclusion. The sound level was noisy-this is definitely not a quiet and romantic setting. However, it is a very memorable and wonderful dining experience in a city that known for its foodie scene.

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  9. OpenTable Diner

    Naples1 review

    5.0

    Dined on March 2, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great experience, service and food highly recommended

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  10. Karen

    Minneapolis1 review

    5.0

    Dined on March 1, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I live in AIken and this is my second visit to your restaurant. Both time the waiters were impressive and the food was outstanding! I hope to return on a future visit!

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FAQs

The Establishment is rated 4.8 stars by 2721 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 26 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for The Establishment

28 Broad St, Suite 100, Charleston, SC 29401-3004

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Phone number
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    Seafood, American, Contemporary American
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Tue–Thu 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Elliott Howells
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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