Here's where we've eaten in Charleston area that we've loved:
Umi Japanese - I'm crazy about Asian food, Monello is less enthusiastic but still game. I was dying for bibimbap, and also had a lobster volcano roll - amazing!!
Jack's Cosmic Dog - this is a stupid hot dog shack with super dogs and fries. It's eccentrically decorated with kitsch and junk - we only ate there once but if it were up to me we'd have taken every meal there.
Community House Pizza - ate here twice and the pizza is amazing. They had arancini for appetizer AND brussel sprouts. Supposedly the pizzas are singles, but they're actually doubles. Cheap eats and really good.
Henry's House - I love this place! We were wandering and shopping downtown and I saw that Henry's had a rooftop bar/dining. It's meandering and old school, with passages and nooks, and the roof dining is the coolest ever. I had grilled shrimp tacos and Monello had Mediterranean chicken sam.
Melvin's BBQ - we ate here twice too. Great BBQ and Monello's favorite, burnt ends. The sides are down home Paula Deen, but they have a pickle bar with giardiniera and peppers that are a major draw for me.
Liberty Tap Room - this is a boring bistro BUT they have a snackie plate that is the second best thing I've eaten since we became homeless. Homemade fresh pork rinds - really????
Page's Okra Grill - we had brunch here on New Year's Day and I don't even remember what I had except that it was good, but the STAR! is the Bloody Mary bar. I don't care about Bloody Marys, but the bar had garnishes so extensive that you'd get it just for the food.
We've been to a bunch of other restaurants - Hyman's, The Lot, Fleet Landing, etc - and they were good but didn't stand out hard. Charleston area is a restaurant paradise and we're fairly jaded by now so it really has to have something original and unique to make us care.
We ate at a place called Aya Cookhouse, which was Asian but all hipster and disappointing. We like a more authentic experience with our Asian dining, and this wasn't it, although the food was really good. It would have made this list above if not for the bistro decor and snark ass waiter who patronized me by explaining that their ramen wasn't like what you get at the grocery store.
I guess I looked like I just fell off the truck or something.
We also rolled into a #### bar called, I think, Richard's? We like our dive bars and this one had - ready? - deep fried asparagus as an alcohol absorber. I asked our bartender and she said that they don't make it there, they get it from the prefab food guy. That means every single bar and restaurant can get them as well. So why don't they??? That pissed me off for days - and still pisses me off when I think about it. That was the best bar snack I've ever had, hands down. Those need to be a thing.
I'm sure I'm forgetting some but Monello will come on and remind me.