So as company puts us at the hotel that this place is, along with the generous discount we receive we tend to eat here. It's a cool little spot in the heart of Charleston. It's modern, fresh and the staff are nice. I give the entire place 4 stars because their food is good, I did try something I never had before that I would give a 3 star rating though. I decided to get the blueberry glazed chicken wings. The staff said that they were amazing and that the blueberry sauce was like a bbq sauce with a hint of blueberry. I thought why not. I love a good chicken wing. The chicken was cooked well, it was moist in the center but it was like the chicken was swimming in blueberry puree. There was little bbq sauce flavor and tasted like straight blueberries, what was more disappointing was the sauce was so drenched on it that the crisp of the wing was gone, it was soggy. No one likes a soggy chicken wing. If I ever got these again which I probably wouldn't, I would ask for the sauce on the side or light sauce. This place is worth going to if you're in the area, the food is good and staff are nice, but I would stay away from the wings in my opinion. read more

Lenoir - Blueberry wings - Southern Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Long awaited trip to Lenoir! I started with the Can't Never Could cocktail. Very tart and refreshing. Besides, I love the name! Next I had the Little Gem Salad with green goddess dressing and spicy fried chickpeas as a crunchy element. I finished with their famous tomato pie served in a cast iron skillet. My server was very helpful describing portions and how to attack the tomato pie. The restaurant itself is homage to southern home dinners where you feel always welcome. read more

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Went for Mother's Day Brunch with larger party. Meal was good not great. Had steak and eggs, steak was overcooked. Barely any eggs on plate. Service was ok, not very attentive. Others enjoyed the meal. Would give this 3.5 stars if being honest was just underwhelming. read more

The restaurant is in a hotel so it has a little bit of the hotel restaurant vibe even though the owner is a local/national star. If anything was a miss, that was it. The food was excellent. The food was fresh and remarkably deep in flavor. I'd highly recommend the tomato pie and the mozzarella appetizer. The app was large enough to be an entree and the flavors melded together magically. The tomato pie was epic and could easily be shared. Everyone at the table was happy with their selections; in addition to excellent service the cocktails were well made! read more

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We had an amazing dinner at Lenoir in Charleston! It is located on the ground floor of the Renaissance Hotel right in the heart of downtown on Wentworth Street. Our party of four left impressed -- everything from the food to the service exceeded expectations. The staff were not only super friendly but also efficient and attentive without being intrusive. The menu was thoughtful, concise & full of Southern-inspired creativity. Every dish we tried was flavorful, beautifully presented, and clearly made with care. The atmosphere strikes that perfect balance of upscale yet has a relaxed vibe -- great for a night out with friends or a special occasion. A huge bonus: they validate parking for the garage directly across the street, which made the whole experience even more convenient. As we all know parking can be a hassle in Charleston, this was a major perk. Lenoir has a great, wine selection. Considering the cost of eating out lately, Lenoir's prices are definitely doable. Definitely a restaurant to consider if looking for great food. read more

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We were downtown for Second Sunday and looking for lunch. Just off King down Wentworth we saw the sign - Lenoir. So we headed there and found a nice brunch place. We were welcomed by Chase, and he recommended the crab cake benedict and chicken & waffles. With out hesitation we went with his suggestion. The crab cakes were large, on delicious biscuits, with egg & hollandaise sauce. The chicken had a perfectly crisp texture, and oh so moist inside. Paired with 4 little waffles, vanilla whipped butter and syrup, this was a wonderful dish. There were other great brunch items, like a french omelet, shrimp & pimento cheese omelet, and french toast. We were pleasantly surprised by the brunch and glad we decided to stop by. We will definitely be back for a dinner visit. read more

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We had brunch here on Mother's Day. Overall it was pretty good, I enjoyed my entree and my sister liked her sandwich. My mom didn't love the shrimp and grits, the grits were good but the shrimp tasted a little off to her. I had the fried green tomato and country ham eggs benedict, which was delicious! the salad it came with was just okay, but that was fine. the service was pretty good and the dining room was cute. not a bad brunch overall, if 3.5 was an option I'd say that would be apt. read more

Lenoir - Fried Green Tomato and Country Ham Eggs Benedict - Southern Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Came in for brunch on a rainy Saturday. We were seated right away in a booth. We got the blueberry wings which I will definitely be coming back for!!! I also got the shrimp and grits which was super flavorful and a big portion. We had a great time! When the weather is better I'd love to come sit out on the patio! read more

Lenoir - Blueberry wings - Southern Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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Enjoyed the service. The fried greens were wonderful! The shrimp and grits were a disappointment. I was surprised at the portion size; I did expect more than 5 small shrimp. Grits were pretty good. Will return but would order something different. read more

Lenoir - Shrimp and grits. - Southern Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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We have been Vivian Howard fans for years, we have visited one of her former restaurants in Kinston, NC, and I grew up near Deep Run, VIvian's hometown. Lenoir has been open for a while in Charleston and we were looking forward to our first visit for a birthday celebration. And, it was fine. The service was nice, it was fine. The food was fine, not bad, not exceptional. One person in our party had the burger, also fine, although a Guy Fieri burger on a Carnival cruise ship is better. (Taking a pause for those who are gasping at comparing this restaurant to a cruise burger). I am not sure we will return, I mean, we are not against it, it was fine, but...for the hype and the price, we might try a new spot. read more

Our favorite spot on our trip in Charleston! Came here for Valentines Day and it was amazing!! The ambiance was great. Food was all so delicious. Our waitress was the sweetest. They have free champagne for the special day and it's connected to a hotel where you could get free flowers as well. The heart shaped cake was everything and more read more

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Want to live at this place! We were lucky to get a table as a walk in on a busy holiday weekend Saturday night. Staff was so friendly. Very cool mid century chic vibe. Food was unbelievable. Beautiful presentation but the ingredients all tasted so fresh and distinct. The chicken was melt in your mouth juicy. Get the burrata app! Wish I would have taken pics of the food but I didn't want to put my fork down long enough... Will hopefully be back again! read more

Lenoir - Cute postcard as a souvenir - Southern Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Wonderful atmosphere and great service. This place is super cute just off kings street. Went with a group of friends and had such a good time. We order a couple of apps but the real star was my meal of trout- the cream sauce was soo flavorful and such large portions. Overall really get restaurant and strongly recommend read more

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Our server, Brenna, was efficient & correct. There were many exotic choices on the menu and every dish brought to our table looked phenomenal. The restaurant was beautiful with lots of natural light, and wasn't overly busy. read more

Excellent dinner celebrating my friend's upcoming wedding. Our group was hosted by Jancy aka Jay who was absolutely wonderful. He made good recommendations for entrees and made sure we tried the tomato pie which was great! He also kept us laughing through the entire meal with help from the bar & other staff. Lastly, the deserts blew us away! We had the cheesecake and strawberry shortcake. read more

I don't get the hype around this restaurant--it's just an overpriced diner with mediocre food. First, the entrée took forever to arrive. When it finally did, my mussels were cold, and some didn't even look fully cooked. The mixed greens were so overly acidic that they were practically inedible. Then came the bill. We were a party of 10--five couples--and asked to split the check accordingly. They told us they could only split it three ways. Fine, we said, just combine two couples per check. But they flat-out refused, insisting that their policy only allowed for an even three-way split. How does that even work with five couples? Even if we tried to combine checks, it wouldn't add up. Completely unaccommodating. We won't be back for any events again in the future. I've been all over the world and this is the only restaurant that has such a weird policy. read more

Lenoir - Cold mussels - Southern Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Lenoir was okay! We sat at the bar and both bartenders checked in on us consistently. The space felt very airy and clean. But the food was only so-so! We split blueberry BBQ wings, which were pretty good and unique! We also had the Caesar salad with fingering potatoes, which neither of us cared for. The potatoes didn't mesh well with the Caesar. read more

Lenoir - Loved the wet wipes - Southern Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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I just celebrated my birthday at this wonderful restaurant! My wife and I were fortunate to meet Jancy, the service he provided was right on point! He was very thorough and friendly, excellent all around experience. The food was delicious, I highly recommend this place. read more

I've stayed in the hotel, but only just tried the restaurant this week. I was incredibly impressed by the service, ambiance, and food! I will be back, especially given the great central location. Our waitress was knowledgeable and so personable, and knew how to accommodate gluten allergies. We ordered the deviled eggs to start, alongside a round of Lenoir's fantastic drinks. I ordered the trout, while others at my table ordered the tomato pie and the pork chops. For dessert, we got one of everything. Every dish had balanced flavors, perfect textures, and felt relatively healthy. Pricing was great for this area of town. The restaurant validates slips from the parking garage across the street. read more

Lenoir - Trout, wings, tomato pie - Southern Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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Very tasty Dinner at Lenoir, didn't have a reservation but we sat at the bar and it was a blast! Service was amazing from the drinks to the food. We got a little bit of everything. Steak was superb, cooked beautifully. Daily crudo was fresh and flavorful. Patê was probably my favorite with the delicious sweet/savory Jam. Fish needed a little bit more salt/seasoning but was moist and cooked well. Sausage was a little dry but good flavor. All around solid spot, very nice ambiance, upscale but not fancy. Good Dinner read more

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Perimenopause approved! Fun vibe , fun food , Fresh bathrooms ! A true hidden gem with validated parking !!! Close to the market ! Hello ! Park for freeeeeeee. The food and service did not disappoint . The portions are perfect if your on ozempic which we all are at point . We got two " share plates " and one entree . What a delight ! They are known for their tomato pie which had a crispy crust . My shrimp was on point . Dear lord was it delicious! My husband ordered something with peaches which seemed to be a theme at this place . There were quite a few other items I wanted to try so I will be sure to go back . Our waitress was Cary with one "R" . Or " the one R Cary " she answers to both . She was prec and funny and had a great attitude . Karen's here is your warning : Here is the deal on this place , if your looking for a quite date night to discuss private matters or all your secret hopes and dreams . Thats NOT the vibe ! At first I cringed when I saw the seating . I can NOT with these tables right next to each other . I spend the meal straining to not watch the strangers next to me eat and also trying NOT to hear them . Which both happened and had me on edge till Cary was cheerful and I adjusted my attitude . So just know , this is not a quiet date night spot . I had to let GO and LET GOD . And wow , so glad I did . There is a parking garage right across the street and they validate ! We walked one block over to the night market and Charleston Place . So if you are looking for a well rounded fun romp in downtown check this place out and ask for Cary with one R or the "one at Cary ." Adjust your attitude , enjoy the vibe , and if you took your O shot , share a small plate . Will certainly will go back ! read more

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We went for brunch without any kind of recommendation. The spot is nice, decent aesthetic and feel. I wouldn't say it was anything special but solid nonetheless. We had the blueberry wings and the tomato pie with a side of "crispy" potatoes. The wings were surprisingly good and so was the tomato pie. I didn't expect the blueberry to pop as much as it did. The tomato pie was served in a small iron skillet and was piping hot! The cheese was super melted and complimented the dish perfectly. The potatoes were very lackluster. Frozen, I would suspect and not crispy at all. The service was good. I feel like I would go back if it were brought up in conversation but not a spot I would bring up without someone else's initiation. read more

This was a really great dinner! We got the grilled peculiar pork chop, chef's coastal catch (trout), pimento cheese grits, smores and carrot cake. The pork chop was cooked to perfection and the cassoulet was so flavorful! The pimento cheese grits were smooth and had a great amount of seasoning and flavor as well. Carrot cake was my dessert & was rich but not overally sweet which I loved. Really beautiful interior and good service. read more

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We had a very disappointing experience at Lenoir last night during what was supposed to be a nice Thanksgiving dinner. The hostess was extremely rude from the moment we arrived. She insisted that our reservation was for outdoor seating--even though it was 32° outside--and tried to seat us there despite the fact that only one couple was outside and there was room for at least 30 more. There were plenty of open tables inside, but we still had to wait about 20 minutes before finally being seated indoors. Unfortunately, the food was just as disappointing as the service. The "turkey" they served wasn't real sliced turkey--it was clearly a processed turkey roll, with every piece identical in size and texture. It tasted synthetic and completely missed the mark for a Thanksgiving meal. The sides were no better: dried-out cornbread, dry stuffing, and bland string beans. Overall, the entire dinner was terrible, and the experience from start to finish was not worth the visit. read more

The bartender Tyler is FABULOUS! He was extremely friendly, welcoming, and made the experience so enjoyable. He is knowledgeable and honestly the best bartender I've ever encountered. I can't say enough great things about him. He made me an espresso martini, with actual espresso, as they should be made and it was delicious. He also made my friend a delicious cocktail and impressed my husband with his beer pouring technique. We got the blueberry bbq wings, which were such a unique and amazing flavor. I asked to buy a bottle of the sauce! The decor in Lenoir is great, I loved the floor tiles, colors, and windows. It's a very peaceful environment. It's great for date night happy hour. If you have the opportunity to visit Lenoir, be sure to come when Tyler is working and order those wings! Amazing!! read more

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Truly wonderful experience here. We've been following Chef Vivian Howard for a while, so it was great to finally eat at one of her restaurants. It's a very cozy setting that isn't too upscale and has a great vibe. The food was the best we've had anywhere in Charleston. Everything was a banger. The salad was fresh with vibrant flavors. The pork chop was one of the best I've had and was so fatty, it felt like pork belly. The sauce was sweet and tangy. The cornmeal dusted catfish was fried perfectly and paired well with the tomato and okra stew and sage pesto. Our favorite side was the peas & rice. It was so rich with all the flavors that it felt like eating a very high quality risotto. The limoncello sponge cake was a nice citrusy dessert to end the meal. They knocked it out the park with their food. Can't recommend this place enough. read more

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Out Standing Service! What a great place. Sat at the bar......Taylor and Lauren are spot on with service....quick to suggest cocktails to your likings. This bar/restaurant is part of the Lindy Renaissance Hotel in downtown Charleston's historic district. I would come back here for the service and the atmosphere ....it's a quaint Hotel Drink bar/restaurant . read more

Lenoir - Bar - Southern Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Party of two. If I could do two and half I would but there are no options for that. The place had a really cool bar. I didn't realize the restaurant was part of a hotel. Our waitress was great, the cocktails we had were inventive and delicious. We ordered the collard greens appetizer that was recommended. . It was quite interesting. It was a huge bowl of them. They were super crunchy almost like collard chips. They were in a lot of oil. My dining partner and I looked at each other and we both had these collards stuck all over our teeth. Glad we weren't on a date. On to dinner. My friend had the tomato pie. It seemed soupy. Think it was a crust base, soggy bottomed, with lots of tomato pieces heated up w the sauce and oil, lots of cheese and a piece of basil on top. It looked unappealing in its texture but I didn't try it and am going off what my friend said and how it looked. I had the trout. It was super thin, a breaded fried oily crust served over five small potato slices, in a bed of butter and oil w capers and some green olives. It wasn't good. It was about 160 total. I think the idea of the restaurant /concept is great but they aren't executing so everything felt messy and inauthentic. My friend found the restaurant in southern living so all seemed super cool and glossy until we had the food. Sadly it didn't deliver. We did like our waitress! read more

Service here comes with a scowl. I would highly NOT recommend this restaurant/bar where they are less than kind and truly want to make you feel unwelcome...breakfast staff is bearable... the staff after 10 PM is completely rude and would rather pretend to mop the counters than tend to three patrons. Embarrassing. And then after mopping said counters--- don't wash their hands before making your cocktail. read more

I wanted an upscale experience. What I got was a restaurant/bar blaring " disco" music with a steady boom boom. Staying at hotel so I ordered take out after having a glass of wine at bar. Bucatini was good but they should have asked if I wanted Parmesan cheese for it. I assumed it was already packed in bag. And the lights were like a cafeteria... no ambience whatsoever..The next morning I walked by- very quiet and had Tommy as my server. Breakfast was excellent and he is an excellent server. That's why 2stars! read more

Delicious four-course Christmas menu. The service (Colin) was also excellent. Each of us enjoyed every bite of every course. Nice wine list. The food menu was interesting and had very good gluten free options. The decor was fun. Nice quality flatware and dinnerware. Parking across the street was convenient, but expensive. This was our first visit to Lenoir, but not our last. read more

Excellent food, service and ambiance! Sat on cute, breezy porch. Everything was delicious. Server very knowledgeable and attentive.

Was very underwhelmed by this restaurant. Stopped in this place for some wine and appetizers. Did not receive the best service and the appetizers were ehh. Won't be going back. read more

Stopped in after shopping downtown and were pleasantly surprised by our great service and delicious menu items. The flash fried collards are something everyone should try! Enough for 4-6 people to share! Fresh ingredients and superb flavors werr served at our table! So good! read more

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My party of five had made reservations for 8 pm on a Friday night. The first member of our group arrived promptly at 8 pm, and the host told him that it would be a few minutes before they had the table ready. In the meanwhile, she invited him to grab a drink at the bar. When the rest of us arrived, we made our way over to join our friend. Assuming we would have the table soon, we opted to wait on ordering drinks until we were seated. The bartender was quite displeased to hear this, rolled her eyes, and grabbed the drink menu back from us. The rest of the staff was quite fussy trying to navigate around us, but there was nowhere else for us to stand till our table was ready. It took the staff 15 to 20 minutes to finally seat us. After that, we ordered drinks (I'll admit, the Spittin' Image was quite pleasant), and put in for food. It then took the team half an hour to bring out our table's singular appetizer -- which was dip and bread. And it wasn't until another half hour after that when the entrees finally came. It's too bad the actual food failed to make up for the delayed service we were receiving. I ordered the cornmeal dusted catfish. The portions were meager (just two fish cakes), and they tasted indistinguishable from Captain D's. Why spend over $30 on a plate when you could go to Costco and buy three dozen fish fingers that taste the same? We skipped out on dessert. The highlight of my evening was using the attached Renaissance Hotel bathrooms and snagging a few complimentary Dum-Dums lollipops from the hallway for guests. At the very least, it helped curb the hunger between apps and entrees. Why was the staff so delayed in seating us, and then unhappy with us? What took so long to bring out a presumably pre-made dip and bread? Why was I left so hungry after paying a typical downtown Charleston, upscale restaurant meal price? I don't know, but one thing is certain: I will not be returning. read more

Lenoir - Spittin' image - Southern Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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We had heard of Lenoir from friends in NC who said it takes months to get in to this chef's restaurant up there. We made reservations for our date night and it did not disappoint. The environment is beautiful, relaxing, somewhere I could hang out a while. We tried a handful of options. We started with the air-dried pork sausage and grits and greens (which is on the sides menu but makes a great starter!). Both were excellent! The sausage had great flavor and was done perfectly, the chow chow perfectly compliments it! The girts and greens is such a fun southern play on chips and salsa or maybe you see it more as pita with spinach and artichoke dip, but it's the same kind of feel... perfectly crispy and light pork rinds with a cast iron little pan of delightful grits. When we ran out of pork rinds we absolutely finished off those grits with our forks... For our main dishes we got the catfish and the pork chop. I personally liked the catfish better, it was crispy, light, not greasy at all. The hubs liked the pork chop better (and to be fair, I'm not a big pork chop person). It is a BIG pork chop. We shared a side of dirty farro, which looks super unimpressive (I mean, gray slop), but the flavors in this... oh my goodness, so many great flavors. We finished it off sharing chess pie and buttermilk panna cotta. Both were really good, the chess pie had a bit more intensity of flavor, which is what I would expect... the panna cotta was light, but also very yummy. The intensity of the chocolate on the chess pie was so satisfying. Enjoy, this was a great experience! read more

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My sister and I celebrated my birthday with dinner at Lenoir. We had both been looking forward to this for months and our experience did not disappoint. Our waiter, Chris, walked through the menu with us and was patient as we debated which sides to share. We eventually ended up with the roasted red beets (with pistachio pesto), cornbread (smothered in brown butter), and the carrots (smothered with chimichurri and smoked walnuts). While waiting on our food, we each ordered a drink - I had the "Spittin' Image" and my sister had the "Bless Your Heart". Sidenote: the names of the drinks are hilarious and made me want to order drinks I never would have tried. The beets were good but pretty much standard fare. The cornbread was crispy and crunchy and each bite was even better with the melted butter. The carrots were the star, though. The chimichurri was a unique topping and the carrots were cooked to perfection. You'll fight with your dinner guests over who gets the last bite. We finished up with dessert (of course). There were three options: the chocolate chess pie, which my sister ordered, a carrot cake, and a buttermilk panna cotta. I could not decide between the carrot cake and the panna cotta, so I asked Chris to choose and surprise me. Unbeknownst to me, my best friend had called in and paid for our desserts as a birthday present, so Chris brought both out! I ate the panna cotta there (yummmm pear and ginger compote on top!) and brought the carrot cake with its mocha icing and almonds home for dessert the next night. read more

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We tried this place on a whim one Wednesday evening in October. Love the design and vibe of the space. The small patio is well done and faces side street so no view but quiet. (Only complaint on patio - everything is high top tables). Our server was friendly and professional and attentive. My partner had the scallop dish which she loved. I had the smash burger. It sounded interesting with multiple creative toppings - but then it ended up being kind of bland and a bit dry. Good drink selection. They validated parking at the garage across the street that their hotel also uses. read more

Walked in for dinner on a holiday weekend. It was a 40 min wait for a table, but my boyfriend and I got a drink at the bar first, so it was no big deal. I tried: + Six toed cat cocktail - perfect + L'Swanee cocktail + Spittin' image cocktail + Local crudo - awesome + Ricotta dumplings and smoked peach - awesome + Sweet corn & succotash - sleeper hit, definitely get this + Swordfish + Carrot cake - perfect One of our best meals in Charleston. Definitely recommend! read more

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We arrived about fifteen minutes early for our Friday evening, July 4th weekend reservation and were promptly seated. Our server Tanya was FANTASTIC! Her attention to detail was top notch. She did a great job explaining the menu, replacing our utensils and plates between courses, seeing our drinks were always topped off. And the kitchen staff had everything prepared as expected. We traveled from New Bern, NC to try Vivian's latest restaurant. This one did not disappoint! read more

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