This restaurant is a masterclass in balance. While the spice level is impressive, it never masks the deep umami and sweetness of the dishes. The ambiance is very charming, making it a great spot for a casual yet elevated dinner. The Drink: We tried the traditional infused Baijiu for the first time. It's a concentrated liquor that packs a serious punch! It's served in a vessel smaller than a shot glass and meant to be sipped. One of the staff members shared the history and craft behind it, which made the experience feel like a genuine cultural exchange The Food: The Hot and Sour Mushrooms are the unsung heroes of the menu. They were earthy, tangy, and the perfect palate cleanser between bites of the fiery Cumin Lamb Noodles. Can't wait to go back and try other menu items! read more

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Great hidden Chinese spot on James island for those who love a little (or a lot of) spice! Kewi Fei is a super charming gem with fantastic food and service. It's not huge inside so if you're sold on dinner here, get a reservation! The staff is excellent about explaining the menu and identifying choices that can dial up or down the spice. We ordered a variety of plates including the marinated cucumbers, lamb dumplings, crispy potatoes, green beans, and Dan Dan noodles. Everything was absolutely fantastic, but the lamb dumplings and noodles knocked it out of the park. Everything but the green beans had some level of spice, but nothing intolerable. The food comes out family style and many of the plates are on the smaller side so it's made for sharing. You can't go wrong with anything here, just prepare to drink lots of water while enjoying the amazing food!! read more

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Girlfriend and I had dinner here before a reggae concert at the Charleston Pour House (which is colocated with this restaurant). Everything was delicious and the bartender was super friendly / engaging & helpful. We started with some pork dumplings. They were served in a soy-based sauce that I think had sesame oil and some spices in it. Absolutely yummy! (Warning: a little bit spicy) We then had what I think were air fried green beans. Gotta say - might've been the best green beans I've ever had. Perfect amount of spice on them. We also got Dan Dan noodles and they were good...although they weren't the star of the meal. Will probably try a different entree next time. read more

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Had a great date night at Beautiful South by Kwei Fei. The atmosphere is perfect and the food is even better. It's a family-style setup, so you just order everything at once and let them handle the pacing. We tried the 1/2 Peking duck and it was incredible. Plus, the staff was super friendly and made sure we had everything we needed throughout the meal. read more

Kwei Fei - Chinese Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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The Dan Dan Mian (vegan - served with mushrooms) is my go to dish at Kwei Fei! It brings the heat and is a perfect blend of peanuts, mushrooms, chili flakes, scallions and wheat noodles. Packed with flavor and punch! An absolute favorite of mine! read more

Kwei Fei - Dan Dan Mian - Chinese Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

I must first shout out our amazing waitress Haley. She was amazing and very knowledgeable to be new. Thank you you were the highlight of my experience. We tried so much food so if I get it wrong I truly apologize. The space has two areas a main dining area and outside area. It everyone friendly. The food was absolutely delicious and I had my favorites. We had Sichuan Beef, Crispy Pork Noodles, Dry fried green beans, Yuenyeung Ice Cream, four rivers wings, and Crescent Dumplings. Everything was amazing and I highly recommended read more

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If you like spice matched with flavor this is the place to go! Be warned, this is not your run of the mill take out Chinese, this is a flavor explosion in your mouth! Not pictured, we also had crispy pork noodles from their seasonal menu that stole the show! Nestled in next to a cool music venue, Kwei Fei, has a great vibe and wonderful servers. read more

Kwei Fei - Green beans, and Sichuan beef - Chinese Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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Good, not great. They advertise themselves as a Sichuan restaurant but they are far from it. Every dish seemed a bit off. Too salty, overuse of vinegar, imbalance of soy sauce. Nothing we ordered was memorable. However we would be willing to give them another chance and explore more dishes. We sat outside and we felt comfortable and warm under the heaters. Our service was excellent! Drinks were also good read more

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I can usually handle spice, but the spice here is next level! We got both of the lamb and beef dumplings, which were delicious. I think that the sauce on the lamb dumpling is better than the beef since the cilantro cut the spice a little bit. We got the Szechuan beef and the Szechuan spice numbed my mouth for about an hour after eating. I couldn't even eat the entire dish since it was so spicy! The Dan Dan noodles were definitely the star for me. I added a little bit of the sauce from the dumplings since there wasn't any kick on this, but the flavors were delicious. The restaurant is attached to the pour house and has an indoor or outdoor seating options. Make sure to make reservations because they do fill up quickly. read more

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Great ambiance and great service from the bartender (Zach??) He was a gem to speak with and made such great suggestions for me and my friend who have never been. We ordered the basket case mocktails and shared marinated cucumbers, La Zi Ji, and the cumin lamb noodles. All were absolutely amazing and flavorful. Portions are great as well to share around. If you're not use to Szechuan peppercorns in your meal, you're in for a treat. I will definitely be back again and trying some of their other entrees!! read more

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Eclectic style! Service with a smile! And a background heat in many of their offerings. My visit was a last minute urge and available parking spot and a great spot at the bar. I'm a fan of their Sichuan Sundae which represents their style of cooking well. Creamy ice cream with crunchies on top with a little heat in each delicious bite. I followed it up with a Fatty's beer and a lesson on the Blackbird ‍ Ap. Good times. read more

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Holy hot!! But absolutely delicious. There are a couple items on the menu that are tame but for the most part, tastefully spicy Sichuan Cooking. We started with the crescent dumplings. Absolutely amazing. Not too spicy and very flavorful. Definitely a must try. For dinner I had the cumin lamb noodle. Also amazing but hold onto your socks cause it's spicy. For me, it was perfect. A side of crispy green beans and Yucatán potatoes rounded off the meal. Both very flavorful and delicious. We finished off sharing the yuenyeung ice cream. I'm normally not a desert person but I figured instead of coffee I'd try this ice cream. Absolutely a hit. Everything I had there was totally amazing. Flavorful and cooked perfect. Our server was a delightful young lady who explained our food with perfect detail and the atmosphere was very friendly. This place is a perfect 10. It's a must stop if you like high end Chinese Sichuan cooking read more

This place is all spice yet not much flavor. Wanted to like the food, but nothing stood out except the ice cream sundae for dessert which was vanilla ice cream topped with chili oil and peanuts (will be re-creating this easily at home) -food: spicy yet no flavor -drinks: good/average -service: excellent -ambience: cozy -parking: spots available right out front! read more

Kwei Fei - Sichuan Beef - Chinese Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Kwei Fei absolutely nails it. The food was incredible. Bold flavors, perfect spice level, and just downright delicious. It makes enjoying a succulent Chinese meal feel like a crime. The service was out of this world. Every staff member we interacted with was kind, attentive, and on top of it. We sat out on the patio, which was really well spaced out--something that's surprisingly rare these days. It was actually comfortable, not crammed in elbow-to-elbow like most places. There was this one couple who kept letting their dog on the patio even after being told multiple times not to. The staff handled it way more gracefully than I would've--they stayed polite and calm even though the couple just kept pushing it and acting like their dog being "well trained" made it okay. It didn't. Rules are rules. But major props to the team for keeping their cool and continuing to deliver great service. Kwei Fei is the real deal. We'll be back for sure. read more

Kwei Fei - I admired this suggestion poster in the bathroom - Chinese Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Was so excited to go as we have been talking about it for 2+ years Ambiance very cool Service fair at best Bartender needs lots of training Food ok but really not better Shocked and disappointed read more

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Consistently fantastic experience each and every time, this is truly a James island gem and compliments the uniqueness of the island. La Zi Ji is a favorite and the drinks are always great. Love sharing a bunch of plates here and feels like a great spot for small groups and trying new foods. read more

Kwei Fei - Chinese Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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Absolutely 10/10 Love eating here, love take out from here, love delivery from here! This place never disappoints! The ambiance is beautiful and charming. The service has always been kind. My staples: biang biang noodles, green beans, cucumbers, and their tofu curds Eat here solo, or with friends, it's always a good time Beautiful drink menu as well read more

"Inspired by" is adequate here. Not traditional at all as they're not actually using the seeds to flavor their food but an extract or oil. It will give you a similar flavor profile but not deliver the actual complexities when using the seeds. Their dry chili chicken is largely a mock up as they have the dried peppers rested on the plate but the chicken has not been immersed in the flavor so it kind of comes off like a chicken nugget. The dumplings are too thick so the meat is very overcooked. It's strange they shred the lamb but, again, not really traditional Chinese schezwan. It's not terrible there are just far better options out there for the price. read more

Food was delicious, service was exceptional and Gina was so gracious when I accidentally went to the wrong location. She was able to accommodate our party without hesitation. 100/10 recommend coming here! read more

This is a Sichuan restaurant but not operated by Chinese people. The restaurant is 贵妃 by Kwei Fei. Interesting meals, great presentations, and looks really authentic. The flavor is a bit fusion of Sichuan and others or a bit American. Worth to visit. It may be the most authentic Chinese in the Charleston and suburb area! The waitress was nice and very helpful read more

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The food here is so good. I have loved everything I've eaten. They have great outdoor seating and it's conveniently located next to the poorhouse so it's a great place to grab a meal before a show. The lamb dumplings and sea glass noodles are some of my favorites but the asparagus didn't disappoint either. read more

Had a nice meal. Good tastes and good service. Not as many options in the Low Country compared to Rockville Maryland, but I can tell when quality ingredients are used. read more

First, second and third of all, this place easily deserves 5 stars for being one of the very few places open during the storm. What a quirky place. So, at first glance, it's giving hints of a noodle house. The 80s punk/alternative music disabuses you of that initial impression though...well, no it doesn't, but it Does gloriously delight your inner brooder. Boulavadier - does the job. Crescent dumplings - the sauce is out of this world, absolutely delicious. If only they served rice noodles with this exact sauce, I'd be in Heaven. Come check it out. Prices aren't cheap but the ambiance is pretty cool read more

Kwei Fei - Remnants of the Crescent dumping dish...and boulavadier - Chinese Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Bartender was nice. String beans were amazing. Drinks were delicious. Didn't like the pork belly said it was crispy and it wasn't. Asked to return it to get something else and they said they don't take anything back unless it's the kitchens fault which is unlike 99% of restaurants. Also only 3 options on the menu that are not spicy and the spicy ones are a level 8/10. Should be known that they don't take anything back unless it's their fault regardless if you don't like it or it's too spicy. Suggestion: add more mildly spicy options since they can't adjust spice level. Consider making you customers happy if they aren't happy with what they order. I appreciate they are a mom and pop shop but in restaurant business you need to accommodate people when they aren't happy and get them something else instead without charging for both dishes. read more

I love this restaurant so much! It's so good and spicy. I forgot to take pictures of everything we got but it was all delicious. The shots were fun! The waitress recommended the hong shao rou appetizer and it was incredible - the pork literally melted in your mouth. We also got the cucumbers and dry fried green beans, delicious! I got one of the new dishes on the fall menu, the sweet and sour pork with a side of rice. It was incredible and was so spicy! I ate every last bite. Highly recommend this place! read more

Kwei Fei - Ming river bailout - Chinese Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

After living in China and learning what real Chinese food tastes like... I was honestly impressed by the quality and close-to-authentic flavors of the dishes here at Kwei Fei! Tucked away next to Pour House can you find this Sichuan restaurant that will help fuel your energy to live it up next door. The décor is modern, retro, punk, yet unfussy. The service is friendly, responsive, and enthusiastic about their food. We ordered 3 dishes: 1. Hong Shao Rou - Red braised pork belly. The sauce was amazing, but the pork itself was a little tough in my opinion. Also for the price, I would have liked 4 pieces, vice 3. 2. Ji Si Liang Mian - Cold noodles with shredded chicken and sesame sauce. Loved the bouncy texture of the noodles. A perfect dish to be shared with 2 people. 3. Pork Belly Dry Pot - Wow this dish definitely brought me back to when I was in China. The numbing spice was there, and the pork belly to veggie ratio was perfect. I had to eat this with rice to tone down the spice but it was still delicious! read more

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Was so excited to try Szechuan food in Charleston and Kwei Fei... was goood enough We tried the Dan Dan Mian and La Zi Ji for our main dishes, and I have to say, both could have been spicier and more flavorful. For the Dan Dan Mian, the noodles overpowered the dish - it was heavy, soggy, and did not carry the spiciness or flavor I was hoping for. The La Zi Ji was mostly just salty, rather than anything else. Wishing the chicken was more present in the dish and that the mala aspect had been there. Overall, I'd say the dishes weren't bad but definitely overpriced and lacking in the flavor I'd expect from Szechuan cuisine. But I'd come back for solely for the Sichuan Sundae - candied peanuts and chili oil on vanilla ice cream, SO good. I remember this was a Tiktok trend back in 2020, so glad I finally got to try it. They also sell baijiu here - we got the flight, so it was bartender's choice from the 5 options they have on the menu. Will stay waiting for some authentic Szechuan food in Charleston read more

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Been wanting to try Kwei Fei but was in fear as I'm not a fan of spicy hot food. Glad to have made it as they will reduce the heat in most dishes! We got the spicy beef, rice and the asparagus. It was good and I'm glad to have finally tried it! read more

A few friends and I ate at Kwei Fei recently. Honestly, it's not bad at all. We found the lamb dumplings to be really tasty along with the la zi ji. However our friends complained about the pork belly clay pots. It seemed like there was too much going on, along with a funky taste (maybe a canned bamboo or something?). One of them didn't finish the dish. As much as we love the chilis we found the ratio to chicken a bit much, so we ended up boxing up the chili's to maybe stir fry something of our own later. Outdoor area is awesome and well lit with the ambient lights, and the fans are so nice due to the heat of the food. We didn't find the heat too bad because a lot of people in our group are used to spice and the Sichuan cuisine (my SO being Cantonese). Service wise, it does take a little bit. The family style of the restaurant has them bringing out the food when it's freshly cooked which is great but it does take a while. The drinks seem great (I only got one) so there's something to sip while waiting. In a city starved for authentic Chinese, kwei fei tries to fill that void, but it's a hard one to work with. Authentic Chinese in many cities are very affordable and quick, weather it's takeout style or sit down, family style Sichuan cuisine. I personally will recommend this place to friends for the Sichuan influence, but I think there is more to be desired especially with the price point and service. read more

Kwei Fei - La Zi Ji - Chinese Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

I ate Kwei Fei for dinner. The. I ate Kwei Fei leftovers for breakfast. Then I ate Kwei Fei leftovers for snack that evening, and I had the rest of them as condiments for my leftover Feast of the Seven Fishes lobster as my last dinner in Charleston and I felt perfect everyday! Sichuan and Northern style Chinese food in the southern part of the USA? Color me slightly skeptical but sign me right up! I spotted Kwei Fei during my first visit but couldn't make it, but bookmarked it for the next, and I'm so glad I did. I was told to look over the menu and send in my order, so I screenshot it and nearly circled every dish! I'm not sure how my wife inevitably decided on this group of dishes, but she did an excellent job. Hong Zhao Rho - Red Braised Pork Cheeks that tender and delicious. Sweetwater Noodles - Deliciously chewy and sweet. Great compliment to the spicy food. La Zha Ji Big Plate Chicken - American style with chicken off the bone, wok fried in an immense amount of dried chilis! Super fragrant and flavorful. These chilis ended up in a lot of what I ate the next few days, from eggs to sandwiches! Spicy Eggplant - Slightly sweet with that signature No ing spice. Marinated cucumbers- served cold, sour, and spicy! A great addition to the meal. I also got to try the lamb and veggie dumplings. Decent but there wasn't quite enough filling to fill out the pocket and the skin was a little thick for my preference. I also tasted the cumin lamb noodles, which was a decent version of this dish but not my favorite. This meal was an unexpected surprise in Charleston and I love seeing the support from the community at large. It takes an adventurous palate to fall in love with these flavors, and it's clear they've found a following. I need to get a shirt next time I'm there because you can certainly count me as a fan! read more

Some of the strangest customer service I've received at a "good restaurant ". - [ ] Upon arriving at the restaurant we stood in line, along with another couple while busing and wait staff glanced at us but made no effort to seat us. A man in a baseball hat eventually came and asked us if we had reservations despite the dining room being absolutely empty and would stay empty for another hour. We were seated on the patio because we had no reservations. A tactful way, would be just to state the dining room is reserved for reservations only and welcome us to the patio. The waitress eventually arrived and seemed to have little understanding of the food or drink menu. She did make it clear that appetizers had to ordered with the food because it all comes together "family style". The food came appetizers first then the entres just Like any other restaurant. The food was good, we ordered lamb dumplings, drumsticks, Sichuan beef spicy hot, Yibin style noodles. Each dish was good and tasty but definitely not Sichuan. If true Sichuan is too hot for this area do what Thai restaurants do and allow patrons to select their desired level of heat. Sichuan food that is mild can't truly be exceptional because the spice level is there to compliment flavor. Good food that could be great if it was true Sichuan. read more

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We were in town visiting friends and they recommended this place for dinner one night. The four of us got takeout and shared everything. We tried the Dan Dan Mian, Xi'an Style Beef Noodle, Pork Belly Dry Pot, Veggie Dumplings, Lamb Dumplings, and Dry Fried Shiitakes. Everything was outstanding. The most surprising dish was the Dry Fried Shiitakes. These are a must order in my opinion. The sauce was so good. I also loved the dumplings and both noodle dishes. The pork belly dry pot was probably my least favorite dish. The pork belly was really good, but there wasn't much of it. It was mostly cabbage. If the takeout was this good, I can only imagine how good dining in would be! read more

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A bit hidden at Charleston Pour House and tucked amongst the murals and the plants, we finally found our way to the front door. The host welcomed us and had our table outside on the covered patio ready for our reservation. The ambiance is very casual, laid back and chill. Wooden tables, some long to accommodate large groups. They play some great music which is def part of the theme. 80's/90's punk and new wave. The words Loud, Hot & Vibes apply to it, and also to the menu. Take no prisoners! We started with the "Loud" lamb dumplings, swimming in a pool of black vinegar/soy based sauce and I am so glad they were. That sauce!I We could have eaten a bowl of it. Oh Wait...we did! We ordered 2 "Hots" and a "Vibe" with some rice on the side.we had the Dry Fried Beef which was delicious. The flank steak was plump and tender and it was chock full of Sichuan peppers. Maybe a tad heavy-handed for my taste (but still yummy,) in lieu of too many hot chilies. It wasn't really "hot" spicy, but more like "numbing" spicy. We also ordered the Cumin Lamb Dry Pot which was mixed with thinly sliced lotus root, shiitakes and bamboo shoots. The first few bites were really interesting and unusual with the lamb cooked to a perfect tender. But after about 3 bites, it became very cloying. The cumin and Sichuan peppers were even more intense in this dish, and combined with additional aromatics, was more like a strong paste that coated the lamb, than a sauce. Again, not really "spicy" in the hot chili sense, but heavily coated which, in my view, completely overpowered the lamb. After a while, we couldn't tell the difference between the dishes because of the Sichuan peppers. They literally numbed the front of our tongues to that point. If they could just cut back a little on the SPs and maybe balance them with a little bit more of hot chilies I think the flavor balance would be better. The Dry Fried Green Beans were excellent with garlic, ginger and black beans. Cooked to a blister perfection. Our server, Libby was great. She was efficient and knew the menu well. And she really looked happy to be there! All in all it was a great experience and we had a fun time. These were simply some suggestions to make it even better! read more

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Best restaurant in Charleston. Every meal there is a unique and beautiful experience. Even if you're spice averse, give it a shot. You'll survive and crying feels good. They clearly have a great team doing great things. Awesome vegetarian options and substitutions too if that's your thing. read more

Such a cool spot with a relaxed atmosphere, flavorful food and great drinks! Here's what we got Appetizer - crescent dumplings Main - General Tso's chicken and wonton noodles Drinks -Papa don't leech, pretty bird and psycho killer The dumplings were delicious! The General Tsos chicken is an absolute must to order - I loved every bite. Would definitely recommend ordering a side of rice with it! The wonton noodles were good but my least favorite food dish out of the three For cocktails I thought all were unique and not too sweet. My favorite was the papa don't lychee! read more

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I've heard about kwei fei since I moved to JI but hadn't been able to make it over there until this past weekend. My partner and I left feeling like we just had a full on dining experience. The staff was so knowledgeable and helpful and chill and cool. We ordered so much and took half home which cooked up well in our air fryer and on the stove. We ordered Veggie Dumplings to start, Mapo Tofu and Crispy Lamb Noodles for entrees, with green beans and rice as sides. The lamb had my partner sweating for his life - IYKYK. The others dishes had a good kick but nothing to the heat of that one. We loved every minute including the baijiu flight, panda psycho killer and born on the baijiu cocktails. We can't wait to go back. read more

Kwei Fei - Chinese Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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Everything ordered was sooo goooooooo. My personal favorite was the guaiwei tofu. I literally could not stop eating it. Every dish had a perfect balance of flavors. I'm a sucker for anywhere that serves family style solely for the opportunity to try a little bit of everything and that's exactly what we did here. It's also super cool that this incredible restaurant is attached to a concert venue Our server was wonderful and took great care of us. read more

My son's wife took us here. she's vegetarian as well as Eastern Indian. this was her at home restaurant. the food is Sichuan and can be pretty spicy. Actually hot as Hell but I stayed away from anything called Phall Curry. What I did try was all very delicious. It's a far cry from your standard Chinese food restaurant. I really enjoyed myself. read more

Kwei Fei - La Zi Li - Chinese Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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This is the best restaurant in Charleston. Hands down. You may sweat more while eating than you would while running a half marathon but it's worth every bead. The food is flavorful and delicious. The service is great and the whole restaurant is just a vibe. If you haven't been. Drop everything and go! read more

I have been wanting to try this place out for such a long time. If you don't like spicy food this place is not for you! It's connected to the Pour House so it's a little hard to find if you are not familiar with the area. It's a cool little place! We made reservations and we're seated as soon as we arrived! Our waitress was super nice and walked is through the menu since it was our first time there. Gosh! Everything we had was different and delicious! The pork belly hot pot was the spiciest dish we ordered for sure. I loved the hot and sour mushroom dish. The drumsticks were delish! Everything was go good! They have a variety of cool drinks as well on the menu that are a must try. We noticed a cute outdoor area as well. I wouldn't mind checking that out next time. We had a good time and cannot wait to go back! read more

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