The menu deals you need to taste for yourself

The semi-annual Charleston Restaurant Week officially kicks off today and our inner foodies are already drooling. The “week” actually extends for 12 full days (through Sept. 16) + this summer there are over 100 participating restaurants. From fine to casual dining, these eateries are featuring prix fixe menus, promotions, + discounts to help you eat your way through the Holy City.

Still hungry for more? Well, buckle up, chowhounds– because, for the first time ever, the Greater Charleston Restaurant Association (GCRA) is partnering up with Charleston Beer Week– offering $5 craft pints and/or supplemental beer pairings, on top of the already delicious deals.

WAIT. I know you’re excited– but there are a few things you should know before you jump over to Resy + OpenTable.

Food for thought:

🍴A prix fixe menu is a menu that offers an appetizer, entree, + dessert for one fixed price. While most restaurants will have a prix fixe menu specially designed for Charleston Restaurant Week, their usual menus are available as well. A.k.a. choose your own adventure.

🍴The secret to scoring a true deal is paying attention to the cost of the regular menu items. For example, if a restaurant advertises a three-course meal for $30, add up the cost of those same dishes if you were to order those menu items any other time. Unfortunately, some menus are more of a pairing + less of a deal. Diners beware.

🍴Some restaurants create menus specifically for restaurant week. Which means, if you fall in love with a dish– it may not be available the next time you go back. Certain chefs use this time to test new tastes + show what they’re capable of cooking up. Our recommendation: think outside the to-go box and try something different.

With only 12 days and so many options available, we’ve created a guide to some of the best deals that will have you calling for reservations ASAP.

See below to book your table. Your taste buds (and wallet) will thank you.

Brunch/Lunch

Downtown

82 Queen
📍 82 Queen St.
💰 $15 for two courses
Estimated savings: $5
🍺 Participating in Charleston Beer Week
Prix fixe menu here.

Lowcountry Bistro
📍 49 South Market St.
💰 $15 for two courses
Estimated savings: $3- $7
Deal: A starter + a sandwich with options that let you either go big or keep it light.
Prix fixe menu here.

Mt. Pleasant

Bistro Toulouse | Lunch Wed.-Fri.
📍 1220 Ben Sawyer Blvd., Ste. I
💰 $20 for three courses
Deal: An appetizer, an entree, and your choice of either dessert or wine. (We’ll probably order both.)
Prix fixe menu here.

West Ashley

Swig & Swine
📍 1217 Savannah Hwy.
💰 $20 for two courses
Deal: Two meats, two sides, + a dessert. (A two-meat plate is typically $19 by itself).
🍺 Participating in Charleston Beer Week
Prix fixe menu here.

North Charleston

Community Pizza House
📍 2400 Gap Rd.
💰 $20– six items for two people
Deal: Grab two wood-fired pizzas, two side salads, + two fountain drinks at $10/person.
Prix fixe menu here.

Dinner

Downtown

5Church
📍 32B, N Market St.
💰 $40 for three courses
Estimated savings: 23% off your typical bill
Prix fixe menu here.

82 Queen
📍 82 Queen St.
💰 $35 for three courses
Estimated savings: $13-19. (Normally, the average cost of an entree is $31).
🍺 Participating in Charleston Beer Week
Prix fixe menu here.

Blossom
📍 171 East Bay St.
💰 $30 for three courses
Estimated savings: $3- $19
Prix fixe menu here.

Circa 1886
📍 149 Wentworth St.
💰 $45 for three courses
Estimated savings: $11- $22
Prix fixe menu here.

CO
📍 340 King St.
💰 $20 for three courses; $25 for four courses
Estimated savings: $5- $14
Prix fixe menu here.

Halls Chophouse
📍 434 King St.
💰 $50 for three courses
Estimated savings: $4
Prix fixe menu here.

Hyman’s Seafood
📍 215 Meeting St.
💰 $25 for five courses
Estimated savings: $15- $19
Prix fixe menu here.

Ink N Ivy
📍 565 King St.
💰 $35 for four courses
Estimated savings: $2- $9.
🍺 Participating in Charleston Beer Week
Prix fixe menu here.

Lowcountry Bistro
📍 49 South Market St.
💰 $20 for two courses
Estimated savings: $10-$14
Deal: Most entrees are priced at just over $20– so consider this a two-for-one.
🍺 Participating in Charleston Beer Week
Prix fixe menu here.

Muse Restaurant & Wine Bar
📍 463 King St.
💰 $35 for three courses
Estimated savings: $4- $9
Pro tip: If you’re a vegetarian, you may not get the same bang for your buck– a.k.a. stick to the regular menu offerings.
Prix fixe menu here.

Revival | New to restaurant week
📍 162 East Bay St.
💰 $40 for three courses
Estimated savings: $7- $10
Prix fixe menu here.

The Watch
📍 75 Wentworth St.
💰 $30 for three courses
Pro tip: Compare the menu items... while some are a steal, others are less than a deal.
🍺 Participating in Charleston Beer Week
Prix fixe menu here.

Mt. Pleasant

Grace & Grit
📍 320 Wingo Way, Ste. 100, Mt. Pleasant
💰 $40 for three courses
Estimated savings: $7
Prix fixe menu here.
*Estimated savings can change dependent on items ordered

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Still need a little help deciding where to go for restaurant week? Here are the places the CHStoday team is looking forwarding to trying:

Justine: Revival | $40 for three courses: William Dea’s crab soup, then Lowcountry pirlou, and ending with a layered chocolate trifle.

Jen: CO | $25 for four courses: Spicy crab rangoon (my fave), then the garlic sesame tuna taco followed by the pad thai, + finishing with the strawberry spring rolls with Nutella dipping sauce.

Nicole: Balao | $30 for three courses: Crudo, then scallops, and finishing it out with the passion fruit + cream cheesecake.

What establishment are you excited to taste test this week? Let us know in the comments below.

– Justine