Looking for Charleston, SC advice

Inside dining room is pretty fancy. Light colored fabric high back chairs. I would worry about my 2 year making a mess on the nice stuff. However the patio tables outside (or the courtyard) would be perfectly suitable to bring kids. When we did a guys night there, we sat on the patio and enjoyed it.

 

They do have a kids menu. We have been there with our friend's 5 y/o and it wasn't an issue. Worst case, you can just do the outdoor seating.

 

I've brought my 3 (ages 11, 9,9 ) to Edmund's Oast and they loved it. We all fought over the charcuterie board

 

My kids devoured that charcuterie board.
Very easy place with kids. I was worried that it was going to be quite inside, but it was loud and busy.
My kids had a blast even without Drinking some delicious beers.

 

Note OP, how quickly your thread on a bachelor party weekend turned into a discussion on kid friendly dining...
I enjoyed reading your follow up on what all you got to do and wishing I had read it a couple weeks earlier as I recently returned from a weekend visit. Started late but got to visit Westbrook, Freehouse and Holy City. Will have to go back for COAST and Oast. Beautiful town & people.

 

My Charleston question would be : What restaurant serves the best shrimp and grits? I lean to spicy. I try new places where I can. Places we've eaten: 19 Rue Du Jean/ 226 Grill for steaks/ Fleet Landing/ Poogans Porch/ 82 Queen. The beer stuff I can figure out, but I love the Gin Joint on E Bay St for drinks.

 

Olde Village Post House in Mt. P and Hank's downtown have s&gs. Also The Wreck in the Olde Village is a great dive.

 

I walked into Gin Joint once, they took my name and said it would be about 30min before we could get a table. I said ok, and starting walking to the bar with the obvious intention of buying a round. The lady said, "excuse me, I said it would be about 30min before you will have a table". I said, "yeah I know I'm just going to order us drinks at the bar while we wait". She then informed me that I could not order a drink unless I had a seat (mind you there was PLENTY of standing room, it wasn't even crowded). So I replied, "I can't order a drink at the bar", and she said "No". I subsequently chuckled to myself, left, and have had no desire to return since. Any bar in which you cannot order a drink at said bar, is not the kind of establishment that I want to frequent.

 

Ah, that's too bad. I think you should be able to order a drink while you wait, I would have shot the guys an email. I've never had a problem there, and they do make the best Mint juleps on earth. I wouldn't give up on them though it's worth the hassle.

 

Acme on IOP, but keep it on the DL.

 

I have had the worst experiences in my life at the Wreck. To the point I refuse to ever go back, unless someone else buys it. We are talking long long wait times for food, poor service, messed up orders, overcooked fried food, and cold food. After my 4th time being screwed over there, I was done. For the same price, you can get better fried shrimp, better service, and better drink choices at Acme or Bowen's Island.

 

Weird. Never had anything but good experiences there. Then again, we may be talkin semantics and different expectations. When describing the restaurant I used the oxymoron, "great dive". If you go expecting them to put a bib on ya, you might get your feelings hurt.

Those folks don't have professional food staff experience. Hell, the last time I was there they had empty propane tanks lying around and my first couple beers came out of an igloo cooler they had on the dock. My idea of a good time with friends.

To each his own.

 

Nope, not semantics. I love dives (see: my Bowen's Island recommendation). I have had to wait an hour there once, just to received the wrong order. On the second try to correct that order, they still got it wrong. I ended up eating quickly and getting the hell out of there. My first time there (this was way back in 2009), I did enjoy the food. However, since that visit, I have always found the food to be overcooked and bland. Trust me, I want to like this place. I live live 5 minutes away. I just got frustrated after so many bad visits. I do realize some people have good experiences there, which I contribute to timing or luck. I just refuse to encourage more business for them. If you haven't tried it, Bowen's Island has the same dive feel, with better food, better beer (12 local taps), and a better view. Acme has better food and service, but it is prob $1 to $2 more than the wreck. Worth it, if you are staying near IOP. Great for me, since I live right across the connector.