A great little diner with a pleasant atmosphere and friendly and efficient service. Daily specials are offered and desserts available~ just ask. As I was in the mood for an egg dish in the middle of the day and remembering that Early Bird has been "cracking eggs since 2008" they predictably hit the nail right on the head in my opinion. The menu consists of all the classic dishes for breakfast, big plates and sandwiches for brunch and lunch. They have a nice selection of sides too I might add...and for all you vegetarians out there they offer a vegetable plate and your choice of 4 - count 'em' - 4 sides!! Southern Harmony Iced Teas and King Bean coffee roasters are on tap to round out your meal. When do you see glass bottled root beer? Look no further, early Bird has it! Upon entering look up immediately at their chalkboards to see the daily specials. Have fun as Early Bird is a reliable and "down home" style place to sip, eat and enjoy. read more

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Go for the shrimp and grits. Everything else is just ok and a little overpriced, however I've done a shrimp and grits quest throughout Charleston and Early Bird is the winner. read more

What an amazing place , the pancakes are amazing, I had the country steak and eggs..great quality and flavor , our servers were great.. read more

Early Bird Diner - Diners Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Looked it up and 1200 reviews and 4.5 star rating, so as we were in the area decided to go down here. We also found out it had been featured on Triple D. Well considering its called the Early Bird Diner I didn't really see many breakfast staples on the menu. Even the specials on the board were about lunch not breakfast. I opted for the two egg breakfast with one side, now the kicker it was $11 which is quite a lot of money for 2 eggs and a side. Wife had the cheese omelette, it was just an omlette with a couple of pieces of flat cheese in it , no veggies nothing. That was $12. Coffee is extra and it tasted like diesel oil. Also visited the bathroom (just one in the place) and it needs some work. Hand dryer didn;t work and paper towel dispenser was empty and a big roll of paper sitting right by the sink getting soaked from splashes and wet hands picking it up to tear off a sheet to use. Would we go back - unlikely, there was nothing wrong with it really. It was just a lack luster breakfast and expensive as well. read more

Early Bird Diner - 2 egg breakfast for $11 - Diners Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

My husband and I both got the shrimp and grits and it was excellent. Along with a cup of strong coffee. Service was nice.

Ok, this place is awesome, really! If you love southern breakfast, this place is absolutely fantastic. The grits, the sausage (and grits), the gravy (plus grits), the eggs, (don't forget the grits!) and sliced tomatoes are all absolutely fantastic. I'm coming back tomorrow. Nothing needs salt though! The sausage!! Patty was grilled to perfection (good maillard reaction). Very good flavor, So good. It's made in-house using some secret awesome recipe difficult to find north of the NC-SC border, and absolutely unavailable north of Richmond, Virginia. (I won't get sausage when traveling there.) And the grits had to be made by a grandmother in the back, not measuring and cooking with love (and butter and cream). The wife got the special pancake - blueberries plus toasted oats. It was delicious. She's never had a better pancake and I wholeheartedly agree. No syrup needed. They are as big as dinner plates, so 1 was plenty. Erin, our wait staff, was absolutely superb! When we asked what her favorite was, she tricked us. She replied it depends on what she's in the mood for. Then, she told us about the grits and how she doesn't like anybody else's. She told us about the pancake (and how she was eating one backstage). EBD is a cute, down home and salt of the earth Diner. Most highly recommended. I'll take this place over anywhere else that has good sausage but so-so grits, or great biscuits but so-so pancakes. This place is the complete package for breakfast meal excellence! [Two disclaimers. First, the coffee is not great. Second, the biscuits are more like hoecake - If you know, you know. Still good. I almost gave this four stars because of this, but everything else was so good.] The pics we posted were not exemplary of our self-control. We started eating before we remembered to take a picture. It was so good. read more

Early Bird Diner - Yum!! Sorry - I started eating (soooo good) and forgot to stop and take a pic! Best grits and sausage I've had in years!!! - Diners Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

11 years later, I have returned!!! Still love this place. There were lots of regulars, which is always a good sign. Service was very fast and friendly. Our server was named Daniel, and I really appreciated his calm energy. We ordered the shrimp and grits and the fried pork chop, which came with 2 sides. We chose Mac and cheese and corn cakes. Shrimp and grits were delicious, and this is coming from my husband and I, who don't typically like shrimp and grits. But when in Rome! The fried pork chop was delicious -- crispy and super flavorful. This is also not the type of thing we typically gravitate towards. The only reason we ordered it was because I apparently ordered it 11 years ago and loved it. Still love it. The red pepper jelly adds a nice freshness to the fried pork chop and lots of flavor. The only reason we're giving it 4 stars (and not 5) this time is that the sides were a little meh. The Mac and cheese needed more flavor and the corn cakes were just okay. Overall, highly recommend this diner if you're in the area! read more

Early Bird Diner - Fried pork chop with mac and cheese and corn cakes (on a separate plate) - Diners Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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How have I never reviewed this place before? Looks like a refurbished McDonald's style diner but walk inside and the walls are covered with local art for sale. Parking can be a chore but food makes it worth it! Best chicken & waffles I think I have ever had. Last few times I have gone I got the chicken and sides instead of the waffle just because I was in a more savory mood over sweet. The breading of the chicken is light and flavorful but the honey mustard sauce, which is heavy on the honey and uses spicy mustard, is the best honey mustard I have ever had. I love their collards, love the okra, love the fried pickles, love the mac & cheese. It is large portions, enough I have always had leftovers. read more

Love everybody that works here! They have the Best chicken and waffles in the Holy City!!

Early Bird Diner has been high on my list for quite some time, and last night I was finally able to try it, on a whim! The atmosphere was hip and funky, with art displayed on the walls. Staff was kind and welcoming. The menu was pretty extensive with American classics and Lowcountry favorites. I got the pecan fried chicken tenders - the bbq sauce was INCREDIBLE, and my friend got the country fried steak with collards. I liked the option to choose your side, and learned you can even mix and match with breakfast/lunch/dinner sides regardless of the entree you choose. I'll be back to try Guy Fieri's recommendation of the Chicken & Waffles! read more

Early Bird Diner - Country fried steak - Diners Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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Omg. Best grits we have ever eaten. Recommend the scramble with the sour dough toast. Service is excellent. Looks like a little hole in the wall but the are usually the best finds. Be early or you will def wait for a table. read more

While visiting the area we needed a breakfast spot and saw early bird diner was on our way. When we arrived, the parking my lot was pretty full but we had a table immediately. My husband and I split the scramble with fried green tomatoes as a side - and it was a terrific. My nephew got the pork schnitzel - it was also fantastic. Service was terrific too. Will Def recommend and will return next time on town. read more

Food tasted amazing. My 3 year old had the eggs with bacon and toast. The eggs were fluffy, but hearty!! Cooked perfectly. I got the daily special. Flavors were amazing, but the corn tortilla ended up soggy on the bottom. I still rate it 5 stars because the flavors were just that good! My side pancake was AMAZING!!! I will be back just to have some more of that! Service was fast and reliable. Atmosphere was cool! They have local art for sale on the wall and we enjoyed looking at it while eating! read more

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Definitely a different place for breakfast. The best grits i have ever had. Local artists have their paintings and photographs on display. Culture at its finest. Our server was definitely on top of his customer service, very nice young man. I really enjoyed the photos and painting hanging for sale. It makes perfect sense to me, if I lived in this area it would be my go to. read more

My wife and I finally visited the EBD one afternoon for an early dinner. Parking can be tricky if you get here when they're open. I wish people could read though and understood that one side is an entrance, and the other is an exit. Anyway. We didn't have long to wait outside before they came to get us and let us know that our table was ready. I ordered the chicken and waffles, and loved every bite of it. So amazingly good. Sweet, savory, full of flavor, and the honey mustard that came with it was great for dipping. I can't wait to come back again and try more from the menu. read more

Early Bird Diner - Waffles and Chicken - Diners Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Such a cute diner spot! I love the vibe here - great food and a relaxed atmosphere with artwork from local artists on the walls As for food - the chicken and waffles are a need! These are unreal! I've tried a lot of chicken and waffles in Charleston and this is by far the best! I also tried the country scramble which I liked however thought there were too many potatoes in the scramble. read more

Early Bird Diner - Country scramble - Diners Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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Comfort food at it's finest. We had a large party of 15 and were seated in less than half of the wait time quoted. The pancakes had some secret ingredient that had my family talking about them for the rest of our trip. Beyond sausage was a pleasant surprise on the menu, so I didn't have to load up on all carbs. Our server was kind and engaged with the kids. The only con was parking was challenging, but someone left after we drove around so it all worked out. read more

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Amazing chicken and waffles sausage gravy and biscuits are super good also Server was awesome and love their King Bean coffee read more

This is possibly the best Diner in Charleston SC. The menu is incredible. If you want a good southern breakfast this is the place. Every single thing on the menu is fantastic. Anytime an item is described as a "big bowl of grits" you know you're in the right place. The wait staff is very attentive and will make recommendations freely. The inside is classic diner. Even the ice for the drinks is awesome. Don't miss the Early Bird. read more

Early Bird Diner - This is full on Diner - Diners Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Love this place for breakfast. The chicken fried steak snd eggs was great along with cheese grits. Corn cakes and eggs are great. We like their viener schnitzel for lunch. Can't go wrong with food and service in a local place. read more

Love this place! The chicken and waffles is my favorite! It's a small place which makes it feel very cozy.

It's a nice place for breakfast they have a lot of options for all tastes, food is good, and service too

This place was fun diner with all kinds of stickers and decor, great service, and good food. My wife and I are on our honeymoon and we heard great things and we were not disappointed. We ordered the chicken and waffles and shrimp and grits and the chicken was juicy and the grits was creamy and satisfying! Must try! read more

Early Bird Diner - Panko fried shrimp with cheesy grits and red pepper jelly sauce and chicken and waffles - Diners Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Went there based on a recommendation. Also, the reviews were very good about the place and the chicken and waffles, which is what we were looking for ... and ... got. The place is about 15-20 min from the historic district, so we got on the car and headed that way. Very unassuming front facade and entrance, but a nice colorful interior. The host/waiter was very nice and very friendly. We had our Chicken and Waffles and let me tell you we were disappointed. The chicken was bland and the breading was not crispy. The waffle was not hot nor crispy either.....kind of bland as well. I guess you can drench both of these on their sauces, but I am not a big "sauce" person. Overall it was good, but not what we were hoping nor expecting. read more

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Best shrimp and grits I've ever had! Super flavorful shrimp and creamy grits! I would not recommend the omelet. It was wayyy overpriced. $9 for a sad, flavorless cheese omelet. FYI, only 2 picnic tables outside so if you need to eat outside, I'd be prepared to find another location. read more

Early Bird Diner - Shrimp and grits ~$15 - Diners Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

As-seen-on-TV and as good as they say it is. The diner is small and the parking lot can get packed if trying to get there for brunch. If you're a tourist in town; a cab or ride-share is one way to get there. Or choose to car pool. I tried meeting up with family in two cars. They found one spot and then we waited almost fifteen minutes before giving up. I ended up at a BBQ joint a short throw away, which wasn't impressive. Meanwhile, my cousins got a table and were shooting me texts to "try and park", because the food "was all that." I asked them to get me a takeaway of the shrimp and grits. Look, shrimp & grits should be enjoyed at the time it is served but sometimes you gotta do what you can whilst on vacation. I took it back to my stay and enjoyed it later that day. Grits were cooked well and the sauce on that shrimp made every last bite, just right. read more

Man o man - the coffee (King Bean blend) is great. Eggs were perfect and the sausage patties and bacon were on point for taste and temp. Service is on point and proper. Highly recommend. read more

Old dinner feel with a full restaurant. They always have plenty of wait staff it's just a wait on busy days because they are so good

Went here yesterday for an early Friday evening dinner at 6:00pm. There were lots of tables available, and they social distance them too. The server were young gentlemen that were very courteous and quick with taking your order and delivering it. We ordered the chicken and waffles that was comprised of two breads chicken breasts, cinnamon waffle, honey mustard and syrup. I didn't care for the honey mustard, but the chicken and waffle with the syrup was outstanding. Cooked perfectly, crispy and hot. You can't go wrong with that dish. For dessert we had the banana pudding which was super rich and creamy. read more

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Both times I have been there, the staff has been friendly and efficient. I got the omelette both times I went. I recommend it if you like home style scrambled eggs. The French toast is delicious too. It's a simple family dinner with tasty food at a good price. Parking can be a little tricky though. read more

Just ate here for the first time - Sunday breakfast, hit the gap after early birds and before church crowd. Delicious food and good coffee is the general review. Tables were being turned over at a good rate, didn't have to wait, they handled their traffic really well, pleasant and efficient service from a waitress who had been with them for a decade. Wife had the chicken and waffles- legit. Chicken was juicy and crunchy and perfect. Honey mustard sauce two thumbs up as well as the waffle. I had banana pudding pancakes and OH MY GAWD. Also my side of scrambled eggs was cooked in enough real butter that I could taste it. In short, highly recommend looking for elevated diner in West Ashley. read more

As seen on the Food Network - DDD! Located over in West Ashley, out of the way for most tourists. You must go here for the chicken and waffles! I used to bring everyone who visited me here to experience it. It's a dive, but the food is ridiculous! I love that they use boneless chicken too. The parking can get a bit hairy, so watch out for that. Limited & very tight. read more

I didn't realize this was a place that was featured on the Food Network's Diners, Drive-ins and Dives until we were waiting for our breakfast to arrive. There's a caricature of Guy Fieri on the wall, so had to ask about it. I can't remember what I was told was featured on the show (some kind of pork dish I think). But I didn't find anything special about breakfast, and noticed the menu is very heavy on the meats. I did see large portions on the tables around us but our breakfast was very simple (sunny side up eggs), so nothing that stood out to me. It was pretty average. You can tell it's a popular place with locals, and we did have a short wait to get in. read more

Before we even got our meal my wife and I agreed that we would return during our 5 day stay and Charleston. Something about the place was very welcoming and the young man who waited on us was great. Seems like as much a locals place as anything else. NOTE to the wise; while they have smoke parking especially during this dream state called COVID 19 the parking lot is one-way-in/one-way-out which caught me by surprise especially located along such a busy street. We REALLY love the local artist presentation with most, if not all pieces for sale....some nice stuff; some captured in the pictures I attached to this review. They only have a single occupant restroom, which may have cost them the "minus one star review" I have posted.....we do expect to go back, so unless someone stops us we will update as I need/want/desire read more

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Excellent breakfasts! Haven't tried other meals. Always delicious basic breakfasts, with inventive specials that always please. I am very partial to their pancakes and my wife likes the very fresh omelettes. read more

Blown away - this breakfast was amazing. I had the country scramble with side of grits and corn cakes. The biscuits are big and delicious. Some of the best grits I've had. Service was friendly and despite it being busy we sat quick. Definitely will be back next time I'm in Charleston read more

Simply the best diner around!! Charleston is known for their shrimp and grits and Early Bird has THE BEST. The fried shrimp and grits with pepper jelly is flames. Their coffee is great and I have never ordered anything on the menu that I was disappointed in. Our server was really good too! This is my favorite breakfast spot in Charleston. read more

Early Bird Diner - Fried shrimp and grits with pepper jelly!!! - Diners Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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Breakfast was very tasty. I had eggs bacon a biscuit and a side pancake. All good. Friendly service

The Early Bird was truly a lucky find. We stumbled on it, leaving Charleston and looking for a quick breakfast. It's not much to look at on the outside. But, the sign that said, "Eat, Drink and Be Scary" caught our attention (it was just before Halloween). The place is cute, and we loved the walls filled with artwork by local artists. My husband had a Two Egg Breakfast ($7.00). It was two Eggs, One Side, and a Biscuit or Toast. It was just what he wanted, and it was gone before I could get a photo. I went for the Country Scramble ($12.00). Scrambles Eggs with house-made Sausage, Potatoes, and Cheddar Cheese smothered with creamy Pepper Gravy. It was served with one Side. I chose Fresh Fruit and a big ole' Biscuit. Ridiculously amazing, just the Southern Breakfast I needed to end our Southern Roadtrip! The only thing they missed the mark on was tooting their own horn! We got home and watched Diner's Drive-ins and Dives and saw them featured! WHO KNEW? If I owned the place, I'd put that everywhere! If the rest of the food is as good as breakfast, I'd be there all the time! read more

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Early Bird Diner -- Guy Fieri ate here! The Early Bird hits all the marks: great food, excellent service, comfortable place, fair prices. It's on a main road in the West Ashley section of Charleston -- you won't have to look hard to find it. Classic diner style, counter service and booths, with a dash of Lower East Side decor thrown in. Southern food. I went with the Corn Cake Eggs Benedict. Corn cakes (cornmeal pancakes) with bacon, poached eggs and a wonderful Hollandaise sauce. Fantastic. Side of grits, also very nice. And I never had to go looking for a refill on my coffee. I won't have to eat again until dinner. Recommended! Thanks, Early Bird. read more

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