This place was good, but I wasn't blown away. The main course (glazed fish of the day) was 5 stars for sure, but the wedge salad and fried okra was bit of a let down. Brought our kids, the staff was very nice to them, but wouldn't recommend or do that again. Will try this place again, on a date night! read more

Outstanding, fried chicken was amazing. Knowledgeable waiter, most enjoyable evening

I found Anson on a recent trip to Charleston and I am glad I did! The service was excellent and the food surpassed my expectations. The first course of pork belly was an excellent precursor to the main course. Overall a wonderful establishment with exceptional atmosphere. read more

Great meal , Great service and Great atmosphere... Cozy & nice bar. I had beef filet dinner which was done perfectly the way I ordered it and my daughter had the short ribs dinner which was so tender & delicious... don't pass up this place you won't be disappointed. I think I found another favorite place to dine!! read more

Went back here on a recent (December 2013) trip to Charleston because I remembered the incredible scored and grilled whole fish with apricot glaze a friend and I had about nine years ago. Surprisingly, it's still on the menu, but I learned from our hotel concierge that the place is famous for this dish. I can understand why. It's the most amazing preparation of whole fish I've had anywhere. The only negative to the night was the blah waitress, who had no personality whatsoever. read more

Anson's is known for the flounder, so that is definitely the recommended dish if you go here. Its about as good as you can get a scored flounder unless you catch it and cook it yourself for maximum freshness. Its a bit loud, and a bit dark, but overall a great Charleston restaurant. read more

This restaurant is a must if you are visiting Charleston. Amazing service on top of Wonderful food makes it a rare find. The fried shrimp with french fries was DELICIOUS!! read more

Great place. Had steamed mussels, salad and also tried the grits and loved them. Key lime pie for desert. The building is a neat old historic place. I would definitely come back. read more

Being from charleston I have eaten at Anson several times before - all before the big fire. I remember the food being so good. The decor and service were wonderful (hence 3 stars) but the food - sadly disappointing. At the waitress's rather aggressive push I ordered the whole flounder knowing I don't like bones. The taste was good (not great) and I ended up eating several bones. I also ordered the goat cheese mashed potatoes. There is no way there was even one crumble of goat cheese in there. I asked the waitress and she said oh it's very light. Um at that point you probably should offer to bring me some goat cheese - you keep whipped goat cheese on stock for the fried okra. But that was it and she left. Which brings me to the appetizer - fried okra with goat cheese and chili aioli. It used to be my favorite thing on the menu because they'd crumble goat cheese on top and you'd have this delicious aioli to dip it in. No more. Now they have 2 containers - one of whipped goat cheese and one of the aioli. Whipped goat cheese - not good. It was very disappointing. I just wish I had kept the goat cheese to stir into my potatoes. Sadly won't be coming back. read more

This is one of my favorite downtown Charleston restaurants. I have eaten here many times and enjoy the lamb quite often. It is alway very well prepared. They have some fresh stone ground grits that you have to try while you are there. Great place and a must visit if you are from out of town just don't take my table. read more

A great place! I was in town for business and a colleague recommended Anson's - we were not disappointed. The chicken liver pate was some of the best we've ever had. I had the appetizer of cheddar waffle with pork belly - fantastic! I also had the scallops - seared to perfection and perfectly cooked! read more

We had been looking forward to this restaurant reopening after the fire. Unfortunately the evening was a disappointment. Food was just fine but nothing special. Upstairs dining room was drafty. Overall our service was poor. Our waiter seemed to disappear for long periods of time. There was another waiter in our dining room who was very attentive to his guests. I learned more about the menu and specials from overhearing his presentation than I did from our waiter. Getting check and paying bill took about 20 mins. Hostess and greeters were very friendly. I think service staff is very uneven. Perhaps with different waiter we might have had a better experience. read more

The wait is over and Anson is open again! The crispy flounder is as wonderful as ever and the beautiful setting is elegant, yet welcoming. The service is fantastic as well. Thank you, Mike, Sam, and Ricki for a lovely evening. We will return soon! read more

Fabulous service, starting with the Oysters, fresh and delicious! Then the She Crab Soup was incredible! Creamy smooth and just the right balance of everything! Followed by the flounder, moist and flaky as it should be!! Highly recommended! read more

Waiter was iffy. Some of the food was COLD! The grits were spectacular and the fried quail yummy, but it seems to rest on its laurels and get easily flustered. Got to FIG instead read more

Service was terrific- best part. The she crab soup was so delicious- my first time trying it- the sherry topping made the soup! I enjoyed oysters on the half shell- tho my dad got sick ...and thinks it was his roasted oysters. The crispy flounder wasn't what I remembered (reminded me of general gao's chicken), but the duck confit was spectacular. My husband had fried green tomatoes (not my cup of tea) and also shrimp and grits- he was moderately pleased. read more

This was as delicious as we had hoped it would be. There weren't an incredible amount of options for a vegetarian like myself to delve into, but I knew the menu options before I chose to go here. Great food! Great atmosphere! read more

Mixed experience. Good service. Fried oysters were good. She crab soup was so fishy we couldn't eat it.

Had dinner there last night with family. Found the service to be subpar for Ansons. Waited 15 min for water or anyone to even acknowledge us at our table. With six of us, dinner was not served together. Two had to wait. Food was just ok. For the same price there is much better in Charleston. read more

Excellent food, service, and ambiance. Was one of the high end restraunts during our charleston stay. The food was very good, the service was exceptional, and the ambiance was perfect. A must do in Charleston. A little expensive, but worth it. read more

Dinner was wonderful. My wife loved her mussels and my stuffed flounder was perfect. My only complaint? No vegetables, unless you order a separate side dish. Seriously? You charge me $30 for a piece of flounder and you can't throw in a couple of green beans? read more

I was really expecting a great dinner. We went with a group of 6. Some liked their meals, some did not, including me. The waiter said that he was a sommerlier. The wine he recommended was really not good, and when we agreed with his recommendation we did not realize that it was the cheapest on the menu. It took several requests to get basic items. My order was really messed up. It was very apparent that the waiter did not know the menu so well. When spending the kind of prices at such a restaurant, one expects a better server and a better meal. After a complaint to the manager, we received a new waitress, and a discount on the meal. I would rather have paid full price and had it right. On a positive note, others at the table loved the crispy whole fish (flounder) and the fried green tomatoes. That is consistent with the other reviews I see. read more

Went there with the family for dinner. Our server was fantastic - she was nice, funny, and very attentive. Had fried green tomatoes special for an appetizer and it was great, especially with the dollop of goat cheese on top. She crab soup, crab cake, and fried oysters/shrimp were all fantastic.....and I don't say that lightly! Family is Charleston natives and very picky when it comes to Southern food and seafood! read more

Excellent food and service. We went early (5:45) so wasn't crowded. Had steaks, salmon, pimento cheese toast, and grits. All fabulous! Homemade tonic was wonderful with gin of choice!!! A true gem in a city in love with food. read more

This place is as Charleston as it gets. Located down a little cobblestone street in the historic district near the horse stables, it's the ultimate romantic date night spot. Took my hubby here as a surprise for his bday and he loved it. I don't know what it looked like "before the fire" but they did a great job of maintaining the historic feel with some beautiful modern touches. The service was great, we told them we were in no rush and our server spread out our apps and entrees so that we could really enjoy and take our time. We were probably there for 2 hours, it was an experience! For starters, we had the fried calamari and a caesar salad, both excellent. I wanted to try the fried flounder, which they are well known for, but they were sold out due to the popularity :( I went with the scallops (minus the pork belly) and my husband had the duck confit pasta. My scallops were excellent. And although I don't eat meat, I had to try a little taste of the duck pasta as my husband's expression of ecstasy after the first bite had me curious! It was to die for. Highly recommend this place for visitors and locals. It's a bit of a splurge but an experience. read more

We LOVED Ansons!! Waitress was personable and friendly and service was quick. 4 in the family went and everything we ate was amazing. Fried Green Tomatoes, She-crab soup, calamari were all fantastic appetizers. The Shrimp and Grits can come in a dinner size portion and is so delicious. Creamy and flavorful. Doesn't get any better. The flavors of the grouper melded so wonderfully. We will definitely be coming back!! read more

It's impossible to me that Anson doesn't receive more accolades. Food, service and ambiance are all great. Why is there a wait to get into Fig or Husk with Anson available, I'll never understand read more

This is one of the most beautiful and romantic restaurants in Charleston and the food is consistently excellent.

Absolutely amazing food and the wait staff (jp) was fantastic and very patient with our larger than expected group. Hostesses, however, were very rude when we had to expand our table in an almost empty restaurant. Big turn off but worth it for the food. read more

For the money there are much better restaurants in Charleston. The poor, inattentive service was only the beginning. We gave our order as we ordered the wine right when we arrived; it didn't come until an hour and forty five minutes later. The 'pan seared scallops with okra, field green peas, etc.' didn't have okra. The 'Roasted Tomato and Basil' dish (on the kids' menu, ambiguously titled 'Small Plates') was incredibly bland, no basil flavor or real marinara sauce to speak of. As someone obviously NOT a child, I would have appreciated and "Are you sure ma'am?" from my server. While the 'She Crab Soup' appetizer was good, it should not have taken an hour+ to arrive at the table. And if you're going to serve a 'Barbecue Glazed Grilled Fish' for $28, it is reasonable to expect the barbecue sauce to bring something original to the table, not to have to wait for two hours while they go catch the mahi mahi. It would have helped if our server could have acknowledged the wait; even an "I'm sorry for the wait, the kitchen's backed up" would have been appreciated. Overall, an uninspiring meal served poorly. My advise, choose one of the myriad other amazing restaurants in Charleston. read more

For the money there are much better restaurants in Charleston. The poor & inattentive service was only the beginning. We gave our order as we ordered the wine right when we arrived; it didn't come until an hour and forty five minutes later. The 'Roasted Tomato and Basil' dish (on the kids' menu, ambiguously titled 'Small Plates') was incredibly bland, no basil flavor or real marinara sauce to speak of. As someone obviously NOT a child, I would have appreciated and "Are you sure ma'am?" from my server. The 'pan seared scallops with okra, field green peas, etc.' didn't have okra. The 'Roasted Tomato and Basil' dish (on the kids' menu, ambiguously titled 'Small Plates') was incredibly bland, no basil flavor or real marinara sauce to speak of. As someone obviously NOT a child, I would have appreciated and "Are you sure ma'am?" from my server. While the 'She Crab Soup' appetizer was good, it should not have taken an hour+ to arrive at the table. And if you're going to serve a 'Barbecue Glazed Grilled Fish' for $28, it is reasonable to expect the barbecue sauce to bring something original to the table, not to have to wait for two hours while they go catch the mahi mahi. Overall, an uninspiring meal served poorly. My advise, choose one of the myriad other amazing restaurants in Charleston. read more

Dined at Ansons's last year, returned again today. Came 600 miles from Manhattan for the whole flounder. Just like I remembered it. Food was sublime, as well as very cool historic atmosphere. A must go! read more

Christmas dinner was spectacular, especially the appetizers (serrano ham, oyster's with tuna tartar, pumpkin ravoli). Entre's were not far behind....flounder, filet mignon, and grouper. Desserts were way above average but maybe not as spectacular as the foodie part. Decent and inexpensive wine list, attentive but not over bearing service and a great atmosphere. You can't go wrong here....I think the food and holiday menu's have improved from an already high standard from year's past. Good job by a Charleston iconic restaurant to stay on top. read more

My wife and I were visiting her sister's in Charleston and I wanted to take them out for dinner. I'm from Chicago and really enjoy fine dining. Having tried to reserve at Husk,they were full, , I reserved a table for 7 at Anson's for Dec.26th. The restaurant is very nice ,the food was less so. All our dishes came out at room temperatureor cooler The drinks were weak, The only items we had that were tasty were the raw oysters on the 1/2 shell. I wanted to take my wife's family out for a good meal. That didn't happen at Anson's. This was a MAJOR dissapointment read more

I have no idea where any of the bad reviews came from because I really thought Anson was as good as it gets! It was an unbelievable eating experience. The server was amazing, and I loved every single course. The deckle was especially fantastic and unique--not a meat you get too often, and one I would love to have again. It was an incredible dinner, and I would recommend it to anyone. read more

Easily the best meal I've had since Sam Choy's Restaurant in Hawaii ten years ago. Ate with a group of 35, and was served as if I were the only person in the restaurant. Drinks topped off, and waiters polite and attentive. She crab soup, arugula salad were great. Had the filet and fried lobster on mashed potatoes with green beans. It may sound like an everyday meal, but it could not have been better. The steak was a generous portion and was more tender than the soft bread they served. Outstanding. Can't wait to come back. read more

An unexpected new favorite. When visiting Charleston, we make our restaurant reservations before we book a place to stay. A reservation at Anson Restaurant was a last minute decision but one of the best of our trip! It was my favorite meal that of the trip (vs. Husk, FIG, High Cotton, Magnolias and more). We started with the Pork Belly and Waffles. The sweet and savory flavors with the crunch from the succotash=perfection. Next came the BBQ grilled fish served over collards and grits. The catch that day was Grouper and it was the most delicious, moist fish I have ever had! Finally, who could resist banana cream pie? We will definitely be returning to Anson! read more

Excellent dining experience. Wonderful, attentive staff. Great food. Must try the crispy flounder. Very nice table arrangement, with two tops along the wall so you aren't dining with other people seated a foot away. Very nice for a romantic dinner. read more

Was in Charleston for a girls weekend and ate here the first night. The atmosphere is wonderful and our food was amazing. Our waiter Jonathan was very attentive and also helped us make plans for rest of the evening. Absolutely my favorite restaurant during our stay, beating out Magnolia. read more

We found this restaurant on yelp, and went there this weekend to celebrate an engagement with a group of out of town friends. Our experience was wonderful. The waitress comped our bottle of champagne which was really nice. The pork belly and waffles appetizer, crab cakes, and she crab soup were awesome. All the main courses were great (BBQ Mahi Mahi, Cobia, Scallops), but the filet definitely took the prize as the best meal of the night. Will definitely go back and recommend it to all. read more