The Ordinary

Looking back at this year The Ordinary was a special place. It raised the bar for what a restaurant could be for me. Fresh, flavorful seafood in every single course with service that was highly attentive and comfortable. The ambiance is one youll remember too. As everyone says get the oyster sliders.

Picked this restaurant from the essential restaurant list published for Charleston. At the hotel, they recommended the fried oyster sliders. They were definitely a win and we recommend them too. Raw bar oysters were delicious (but a bit pricey at $4 a piece). We debated a seafood tower, but opted for the stuffed squash (delicious), the burata (very good), and the gumbo. The gumbo was served with lump crab. I like crab, but the crab was overwhelmed by the gumbo. A house made Fresno sauce was provided with the gumbo and we applied a liberal sprinkling of the hot sauce. Let's just say the gumbo was not as good as the rest of the meal. Service was friendly and efficient. Definitely enjoyed our visit.

If FIG is for Friday night, then The Ordinary is for a Sunday afternoon. We got a spot at the bar as soon as they opened before we left town, and spent the next two hours or so working our way through their fish and seafood based small plates and unique drink menu. The Ordinary is impressive inside and out - huge windows, huge bar, huge flavor in both food and drink. Bartenders were kind and attentive, and service was flawless and timed well. We got bread, tuna carpaccio, smoked oysters, swordfish dip, one oyster slider, and beef tartare - all incredible. If I had to pare it down to two for a short meal, it would have to be the swordfish and the oyster service -- something about making your dish an experience of loading up a cracker. If you're staying away because you're hesitant about seafood, don't. This isn't Hyman's (absolutely no hate), this is seafood at its lightest and smallest and finest. We had a great meal for around $200 and were really glad we stopped by. If there's a seat at the bar, make sure you head on in.

My husband and I ate at The Ordinary. It is a restaurant that used to be a bank. It is so beautiful. Our waitress was great, she was very kind and gave us good suggestions on what to try. We are foodies and we love to try new dishes. My husband had 6 single lady oysters. He thought they were great. Then he had Dave's clams and grilled sourdough. I had the Baltimore Style Fish Cake, delicious! We had a great evening!

The Ordinary came recommended to us and was a perfect first stop after arriving in Charleston at night. We treated ourselves to some wine and cocktails, crispy oyster sliders, some zucchini carpaccio and rock shrimp larb and loved it all. Perfect for some light bites and sitting at the bar with a drink.

Sat at the bar three different days. Keith, Cody, and Dalton were outstanding in their knowledge of wine and cocktails. They were extremely attentive and provided service that is usually only provided in a very upscale restaurant. FANTASTIC! After going there one time Keith remembered our names the second time in. This is a MUST go-to! Sit at the bar!

I've frequented bars across various cities, and they range from the OK to the remarkable. The Ordinary, however, is anything but ordinary. Their team shows professionalism and warmth, and their culinary offerings are top-notch – especially the steak and Salmon tartare. Whiskey enthusiasts will be delighted with their vast bourbon collection. The highlight for me was the cathedral-like tall ceilings, creating a majestic ambiance. It's the perfect spot to relax with a premium bourbon after a taxing day – at least that was my experience.

Don't even know where to start with this amazing restaurant! First of all the restaurant is amazing and looks great. We got there as soon as it opened at 5pm. The table service was immaculate, There was always someone to ask us if we needed anything or to clean off our table. Yes the menu is a little pricey but believe me, it is worth it! We got the triple seafood tower, and that had all kinds of dishes on it in which they all had their own unique flavor such has the oysters, dressed oysters, clams, shrimp, an amazing fish pâté the list goes on. Every single dish was better than the last. I even tried the caviar, which was a first for me, I was not disappointed at all! One of "the" most delicious things I've ever eaten! Also, a new dish for me I tried was the steak tartare made from good wagyu steak and the flavor was incredible! I've never had so many great dishes laid out before me. The dessert 🍨 was to die for as well, the chocolate hazelnut budino it was called. I would looove to come back again when it's a special occasion and I'm in the area. Would love to try more on their menu.

Came here on a Saturday night without any reservations. They were very nice and able to seat us immediately at the oyster bar. This restaurant is an old bank converted into a restaurant. Also is a james beard award winning chef. The oysters are amazing as was the clam and sourdough. The latter has the most insane flavors, I could order it again in the same sitting! Their pineapple fountain drink is also very good. Easily one of the best spots in Charleston.