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

The Establishment

4.8
4.8
2727 Reviews
$50 and over
Seafood

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 17 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • 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

    USD 160.00 per person

    Prepaid

    23 Apr 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 2,727 people are saying

The Establishment reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

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
  • 4.4Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • South Carolina

    Seafood

  • Charleston

    Best Overall

  • Charleston

    Best Food

  • Charleston

    Best Service

  • Charleston

    Best Ambience

  • 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.

2,727 Reviews
  1. N VIP

    Charleston30 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Wonderful restaurant, however, some of the prices are out of line. A seafood oriented restaurant should never charge $77 for the only steak on the menu. The best steakhouses in town don’t even charge $77 for their ribeyes. Wine prices are very high as well.

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  2. John

    Milwaukee1 review

    5.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had a really nice meal. The restaurant was in old Charleston, we had a great table, a wonderful waiter and all staff. The food and beverages were excellent.

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  3. Sarah VIP

    Nashville12 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had such an exceptional anniversary dinner. From incredible service by Tanner to amazing food from the kitchen. The starters were fantastic and the swordfish and scallops were exceptional. Two big thumbs up!

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  4. Nechol

    Western NC1 review

    4.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Second time eating at The Establishment. First time food was very good; this time food was not. The app was the best thing we had. The poached fish had no flavor. Bill was well over $300 for four and we had to order a pizza on the way home because we didn't have enough food. Wine was good; mixed drinks very good. Just too expensive for food quality and portion size.

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  5. Dina VIP

    Charleston8 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Absolutely fantastic as usual!!! This is our go to place when we have guest out of town. Food and service are always on point!

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  6. OpenTable Diner

    Charleston1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 8 March 2025

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

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  7. OpenTable Diner

    Key West3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 8 March 2025

    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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  8. OpenTable Diner

    Charleston1 review

    3.0

    Dined on 8 March 2025

    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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  9. Gayle

    Charleston1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 8 March 2025

    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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  10. Betsy

    Charleston1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 8 March 2025

    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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FAQs

The Establishment is rated 4.8 stars by 2727 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 17 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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