Best of Charleston
The best seafood in Charleston
Start with Leon's Oyster Shop in Upper King for raw and roasted oysters, Bowens Island Restaurant in James Island for steamed oyster clusters and The Ordinary in Upper King for smoked oysters, the seafood tower. Here are all 4, with what to get at each.
- Bowens Island RestaurantJames Island · Lowcountry oysters
Get: Steamed oyster clusters
Shoveled onto the table since 1946.
- The OrdinaryUpper King · Lowcountry oysters
Get: Smoked oysters, the seafood tower
An old bank turned oyster hall.
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Ask Chef for morePlan my Charleston food tripPlan it with your groupThe best seafood in Charleston: questions people ask
Where is the best seafood in Charleston?
Chef Amazing’s picks start with Leon's Oyster Shop (Upper King), Bowens Island Restaurant (James Island) and The Ordinary (Upper King). All 4 places are on this page with what to get, where they are and a map.
What should I order?
At Leon's Oyster Shop, get raw and roasted oysters. At Bowens Island Restaurant, get steamed oyster clusters. At The Ordinary, get smoked oysters, the seafood tower. At Hyman's Seafood, get she-crab soup with sherry.
Which neighborhood is best for seafood in Charleston?
Most of these are in Upper King. The map on this page shows every one, numbered like the list.
How does Chef Amazing pick these?
From Chef Amazing’s city guide and lists for Charleston: the places critics, chefs and locals keep recommending, checked and kept current, with what to order at each. Nobody pays to be on them.
More in Charleston
Seafood in other cities
Places change: check hours before you go. Pins come from addresses and OpenStreetMap and can be a little off. Updated November 7, 2026.