What an amazing surprise to happen upon this incredibly beautiful restaurant on our second day in Charleston. With one of us being vegetarian, we couldn't imagine a more extraordinary menu of offerings. The staff were incredibly welcoming. One of our best experiences during our time in Charleston. read more

Had dinner here and it was amazing! Got the cornbread fritters, greens, and mashed potatoes. Pretty big portions for a nicer restaurant, great prices too. Will definitely be back! read more

had the pork chop and it was phenomenal. I visited for my birthday and it was a day I'll never forget staff is pretty great too ;)

Last night was my second time going to Lenoir...both times I've had a wonderful time and great food and drinks. However, I've had the same negative experience both times. Each time I've been an Lenior, I've sat at the bar and had been disappointed to find that the bartenders are the opposite of friendly. It was not busy last night and yet they interacted with us the bare minimum possible, never once smiled or engaged with us. Each time we needed their attention I felt bad like I was bothering them because their attitudes were both so nonchalant. If I was only a one-time customer I would brush this experience off as them both maybe being tired or having other things on their mind, but it was the same as last time. In my last visit, I couldn't decide on a cocktail so I asked if he wouldn't mind creating a hybrid between a few of the drinks for me. Again, I felt bad as he seemed bothered by my request and not in the least bit excited about creating something unique. The way he acted made me feel as though I was inconveniencing him rather than excited for the challenge as I believe a great bartender would be! Seeing as the bar is the focal point of this restaurant, as a business owner I would want the 'beating heart' of the room to be staffed by people who are friendly and seem to genuinely love what the do. This would certainly seem to match the cheerful interior and playful food more to me! Lenior is a great place, but because the vibe is such a bummer, I would no longer recommend it as a spot to go grab drinks with friends! read more

We had an assortment of apps/sides and liked everything we got! They even brought us out champagne on the house to celebrate our anniversary. read more

Lenoir - Fries, kale salad, veggie of the moment, mashed potatoes m - Southern Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Having just come off the road, Lenoir was a welcome discovery in the Lindy. Our selections were wonderful and the service was even better. Thank you for welcoming us to Charleston. read more

Honestly the most delicious, magical meal I've had. The ricotta dumplings and sausage were out of this world. The catfish was made perfectly. The best meal I've had in Charleston. The staff and the ambiance added to this experience. Would recommend 100 times over. Major shout out to Austin for giving us the best time!!! read more

Love the chicken wings, best we ever had! They're an appetizer but let me say that if they put these on the menu as an entree like chicken thighs with wings it would be so amazing. Drinks are super good and Michael is the BEST bartender. He made us some really good drinks and introduced us to a locally made gin that we thought was excellent. Thanks for a fun time. read more

Two of us had the opportunity to be at Lenor's opening night. What a lovely restaurant! The decor is so unique and interesting with tobacco sticks, wash pans, old family photos and such. The relaxed but upscale atmosphere led to friendly interactions with staff and diners. Then there was the food - delicious . From the blueberry BBQ wings to the patty melt and fries to the delicious deserts, everything was exceptional. The buttermilk sorbet with fresh strawberries was delicious and refreshing. Our waiter was so helpful and attentive and interesting. To top it off, Vivian Howard brought us our buttermilk rolls and she was so gracious. After being a fan of hers on PBS, it was quite a surprise. The whole experience was a wonderful! way to end our 4 days in Charleston. read more

Lenoir - Vivian Howard herself brought us our buttermilk rolls - Southern Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Bartender woman with glasses and dark hair was incredibly rude and unprofessional. Had a large party and she wanted to put us out in the cold rain! Ended up leaving! Went back later in the night and she continued the disrespect. Good to go when she isn't there! read more

Worst service I have ever received at a bar/restaurant. The heavily tattooed server with black hair was the meanest woman I have met in a long time. So passive aggressive and angry and slamming glasses and grabbed an orange from my daughter and slammed it in the trash. When confronted in a polite way all she kept saying was 'do you want to talk to my manager?!' In a mean way. Will never be back. Not a friendly place at all. read more

Great atmosphere that managed to appeal to a really wide range of demographics which I liked. The interior is brighter than I expect for a bar but suits the environment. The drinks were built to come out quickly and were good, but the snacks were even better. We had the kale & endive salad, fries, rolls, and carrot cake. Could talk about the carrot cake for a long time, regret agreeing to share. From sit down to leaving we were only there 40min and had 3 drinks and 4 dishes between us, so the service was really fast in spite of being busy. Would definitely go back! read more

Beautiful place. Great staff. Food is incredibly mediocre. Will not be back. Ordered almost every appetizer with a group of friends, and everything was just ok. Split the patty melt and the catfish for entrees and once again just mediocre. read more

Great drinks. Nice atmosphere. Not crazy overpriced. 100% have to get the fried collards; they were unbelievably good. Patty melt was fantastic. Service was great as well. Would definitely go back. read more

We had incredibly high hopes for this restaurant. The service was outstanding. The food however was mediocre at best. The blueberry wings were a highlight but mainly due to the smoke. The K Town patty melt was a huge miss. Very greasy without the goodness....very bland. The catfish looked like a grocery store version... mass produced. My brother ordered the snapper and it was very tasty and at a level we'd hoped for with choosing this restaurant. I know you can't bat a thousand all the time but this was far less than other Charleston restaurants in this price point. read more

Delicious food, relaxing atmosphere. We were seated outside, which was quieter than indoor dining. Every course was full of flavor and complemented the other shared dishes on the table. Service was friendly and responsive. I ordered a drink I didn't like and the server noticed, replaced it, and comped it. Perfect date night. read more

Vivian never disappoints. Great food, atmosphere, and drink list. Handy and hot next door (Vivian's breakfast & lunch) also good.

I'm going to start by saying this place is very pretty; bright and clean restaurant with the color scheme that most Charleston restaurants now use. I decided to visit since it's a new addition to the downtown area and because it's a 'celebrity chef' restaurant. But... it's not a southern restaurant. I understand doing fusion, but these ingredients just don't even go together. We had an asparagus dish that was so cold it hurt to bite, and some mashed potatoes that only tasted of salted butter; wings were ok, but tiny and the bread was good, but two rolls for the price was excessive. What deserves 5 stars is their Bar Staff. Not being really blown away with the cocktail menu, I asked for some classics, and boy, isn't it refreshing to have a bartender that knows what they are doing! Michael was an absolute gem and everyone in our party absolutely adored him. It made our night in downtowm chatleston without a doubt. read more

We do not normally go to Restaurants because of the chef but I am a big fan of Vivian Howard so when I heard she was opening in Charleston I couldn't wait to go. We were not disappointed. The restaurant is open, light, and welcoming with a circular bar in the middle and a lovely covered outside patio. We started with cocktails at the bar with delightful bartenders. At our table we had the fried collard greens. OMG these are to die for. They are seasoned to perfection and melt in your mouth. Dont get them if you don't like salt, we do. Also had the sausage which exceeded expectations. I had the catfish plated with green apples, tomatoes and peanuts. It was so yummy. My husband had steak which he enjoyed. Sides were fries and biscuits, all equally tasty!. We had Vivian's carrot cake for dessert as our waiter recommended and was not dissapointed. I brought most of that home. The service was great especially to our surprise being served by Vivian herself!. She is every bit as lovely and delightful in person as on the show. I was so thrilled to meet her and chat!. Everything made for a perfect evening out! I cant wait to go back read more

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Every dish was incredible and delicious. Some places go overboard and do something just to be unique or different. Here, they do something interesting but because it's delicious!! read more

I came here for dinner with some friends while on vacation in Charleston a couple of weeks ago and loved it! When we arrived, we were seated immediately. This place is CUTE. I love the décor. We were greeted by our server pretty quickly, and he stayed attentive and friendly throughout the meal. There were 3 of us, and since we couldn't decide what to try, we got several things and shared. To start, we had the gussied up and the just piddlin'. Both were great cocktails. For food, we tried: - Local crudo - it was a tuna crudo. I don't love crudo in general, but the flavors of this dish were great. My friends loved it. - Strawberries and stratiatella - this could have been an appetizer or a not-super-sweet dessert. so good! Fresh strawberries, soft creamy cheese, and crunchy spiced pecans on top. It was a big portion too. - Veggies of the moment - this was just ok. it was fresh veggies with a light vinaigrette on them. If I had to choose what not to get again, it would probably be this. - Blueberry BBQ wings - honestly, I probably wouldn't have picked this out on my own. However, I'm so glad we did. They were the star of the share plates! I'm still dreaming about that sauce. - Catfish - this was pretty good too! Catfish was crispy and well seasoned. I liked the sweet potato mash and peanuts with it. - Buttermilk rolls - these were really good, but didn't really seem like anything special. Just a solid dinner roll with solid butter. - Mess of greens in ham hock dashi - these were good! our greens were mostly collards and reminded me of how my grandmother used to make them, but with a touch more elegance. My only complaint here is that the rice was a little soft for my taste. - Fancy mash - man, these potatoes were so good! just good, tasty, mashed potatoes As I said, we got a lot of food. At the end of the meal we were definitely full, but not overly stuffed. It was more food than 3 people needed though, so next time I'd get maybe one or two less dishes, and probably try one of their desserts (the chess pie went by a few times and looked delicious). The only reason this isn't a 5-star review: As we were trying to order, the fire alarm went off when someone tried to use the emergency exit. This included not only that lovely beeping noise but also flashing lights. I understand these things happen, but it took a solid 10 minutes before it was turned off. It seemed like they had to wait for the fire dept to turn it off. I appreciated that the manager was walking around letting people know there wasn't a fire, but it definitely took away from the experience given how long the alarm went off. Either way, I'd definitely go back here the next time I'm in Charleston. The food was amazing! read more

Another excellent signature establishment by Vivian Howard! We visited the one in Kingston and the other in Wilmington after watching her PBS series. The cuisine is simple, inclined but not uniquely southern and served with detail to fresh, local ingredients and perfect preparation. Lenoir was consistent. Had the roasted beet salad, the pan-fried catfish, mashed potatoes and the corn bread. Delicious! For dessert we ordered the carrot cake and chocolate ganache. Both perfectly executed and presented. The atmosphere was a little noisier to ur liking but the decor and ambience more than compensated for it. Don't miss this gem of a gastronomic experience if in Charleston. read more

It is a fine place. With all these exceptional 5 star reviews perhaps I went in with my expectations too high. It was by no means the best meal I've had in my life. The cocktails are simply mixed drinks - nothing fancy going on there. Bread rolls were average - I was expecting something a little extra like hot honey butter. I had the melon & straccitella salad. The straccitella was very runny. Tried some of my husbands steak and fries. They were very standard. My daughter had chicken tenders honestly they were the best thing we had - super soft delicate chicken. Service was great but swift. The staff are friendly but it is not a place to slowly eat and hang out in. All in all I probably wouldn't go back. read more

Everything was great about our dining experience at Lenoir tonight. We were celebrating our 31st anniversary, and things couldn't have gone any better. The food was stellar. The starter which was seasonal peaches wrapped in country ham, with a blue cheese preparation--was unbelievable. For our main courses, my wife had heard great things about the pork chop. She wasn't disappointed and neither was I when I tried a few bites. Most times when I eat a pork chop, if it's seasoned correctly and cooked right, it's delicious but still a little chewy. Not Lenoir's version! It was actually tender and delicious! I had the fried catfish which came on a bed of "Carolina Caviar". First off, the catfish was fried perfectly, and was also seasoned well. The cherry on top was the Carolina Caviar, which was delicious black-eyed peas resting on some kind of creamy deliciousness. Something else, which added a bit of firm texture, was in there, too. And it was terrific. We had 2 sides, one of which was "Fancy Mash with EVOO". Who knew mashed potatoes could be this creamy and delicious? We also got the corn and butter bean succotash, another excellent choice. The REAL cherry on top, the dessert, was actually a blueberry cobbler. Served in a mini cast-iron pan, there is more than enough for two to share. O.M.G. The cobbler had a sugar cookie crisp and a scoop of buttermilk ice cream. It was sublime. Word to the wise, though: Our teeth were immediately stained with this goodness, so teeth-brushing right when we got home was required. A very small "price" to pay for such a delicious dessert. Prices were what you'd expect for a restaurant of this caliber, although they're not super-high. Lastly, and equally important, our server, Travis, was top-notch. Attentive without being overbearing, Travis knew the menu and wine list well and helped create a terrific dining experience. If you haven't been to Lenoir, what are you waiting for?! It took us too long to get there, but we'll be back. read more

My only complaint is I ran out of room in my stomach and couldn't eat dessert! Drove over an hour just for dinner and it was worth every mile. My favorite dish was the peaches with county ham. The design of the space is beautiful. All the tables were full, but it didn't feel overcrowded or crammed. We got there early and had drinks at the bar. I come to Charleston a lot, and this is my new favorite restaurant! read more

Lenoir - Succotash Tomato pie Pork chop with braised watermelon Flounder with corn - Southern Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Recommended by a friend, I watched a couple episodes of A Chef's Life and made reservations for our 25th anniversary trip. We found the ambiance warm and the staff very warm, knowledgeable and happy with their jobs. The cocktails were very creative and tasty!! Love, love, loved the Grits and greens appetizer. Our server (Fawn) was cheerful, attentive and quite charming. Her recommendations were spot on! Our entrees were delicious. Our service was impeccable. We would highly recommend Lenoir to anyone who enjoys relaxed dining and quality food and service! We look forward to a return visit. read more

Managed to secure a reservation the second week after opening. Beautiful decor. The waitstaff were friendly and attentive. The three of us had several sides and a few cocktails. The food was wonderful. Hate to admit that I didn't share my carrot cake. Only have time for a cocktail and small bite at the bar? The blueberry bbq wings and a side bowl of greens, would be my suggestion. Make sure you order bread! Don't you dare leave a drop of pot liquor. read more

The worst dining experience I have ever had. Went for the fixed Sunday menu and it was like this restaurant has never served a patron before. Took 15 min to place our order. Another 20 min to get the appetizer biscuit and then an hour to get the entree. My entree was cold and not even the correct order that I put in. The restaurant was not busy so it is mind-blowing how this could happen. There were three options on the menu (fried chicken, tomato pie and hamburger) and 6 sides so how this could be difficult for the kitchen is just ridiculous. What really threw me off the edge was that they ran out of dessert! The only option on the menu is an apple cobbler type dish (that I was so looking forward to!) and after waiting over an hour and a half we were told there is one apple dessert left and we would have to have carrot cake or chocolate instead. This was just unacceptable. The manager came over to apologize but to be honest did not really seem to care and just stated that she didn't order enough apple cobblers. At that point we just asked for our bill and to forgo the dessert. I could not get out of there quick enough. There are so many good restaurants in Charleston that I am upset that I even wasted a night at this restaurant. I was soooo looking forward to it also. I never really write a bad review and am usually easy going with this kind of stuff but this was just beyond anyone's acceptable patience level. The patrons next to us had the same issue and were extremely upset as well. I am thinking of writing to the famous chef Vivian Howard because if I had my name on that restaurant, I would be embarrassed and want to know what is going on there. I truly hope others have a better experience there but ours was just terrible and made me extremely upset. read more

Kale, carrot cake, pork chop! So good. Love the new vibe and large bar area. It's great to find good fine dining that is not weeks & months out! read more

This is such a cute date night spot! I was so excited about checking this place out and having a nice dinner with my husband. It was so loud in there you couldn't hear each other talk. We had reservations but we were seated at a table directly beside two other sets of people. Where one side is a long booth and the other is chairs. I was a little frustrated by that but there was no where else to go. The food was good but wish the night we went they would have had more main course options. The place itself is trendy and I wanted to love it more. Maybe we will try it again... read more

Stopped in to meet family and have drinks before dinner. Lenoir has a lively upbeat atmosphere, and we enjoyed the drinks.

The first time we went we had a great meal. Last week, we went for the second time to celebrate our anniversary and it was the worst restaurant meal I've ever had. I ordered the Peculiar Pig, specifically medium, and the pork chop arrived very well done. On pointing it out, the waiter readily insisted on replacing it. The second one didn't come until after my husband had finished his meal, so I took it home. I was going to eat it for lunch the next day but it was inedible. The pork chop was almost 100% fat & gristle and very, very salty, as were the side orders. The restaurant seems to be slipping, either due to inattention or to the lack of qualified staff. Unfortunately, we won't be planning another visit any time soon or ever. read more

Lenoir - Peculiar Pig - Southern Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

We celebrated our 17 wedding anniversary by having dinner at Lenoir. The experience was beyond expectations. Chef Vivian Howard came out to personally congratulate us and spent a few moments in conversation with us. She is as authentic and delightful as you expect. The food was exceptional, the service was top notch, and the atmosphere was lively and welcoming. I could not recommend Lenoir any higher. read more

Lenoir - A delicious appetizer. - Southern Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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Lovely decor and atmosphere. The blueberry wings were delicious. I had the grouper and my wife had cornmeal dusted catfish. Everything was cooked perfectly and had wonderful flavors. The fried collard greens were interesting almost a chip like effect. Would definitely recommend checking it out. read more

Everything was just delicious. Service was also amazing. Craft cocktails good too. Gotta try it out!

Vivian is off to a smart start in CHS. She is slowly expanding hours and the menu is safe like an 'intro where I've been' kind of thing - and by the way I don't have much to work with right now.' But of course it all tastes wonderful and authentic. There are only 4 mains and they were out of the one fish - catfish- with no back up. But we intended to order all or most of the starters and sides anyway and its a nice journey. Warm towels for chicken wing fingers is a detail appreciated. As one of the mains, they made it a point to cook the seriously sized pork chop as requested -pink- and the 'al dente' sweet potato mostarda was a nice top to it. We are looking forward to the arrival of the 'tomato man' at the D'town farmer's market, when watermelon and other summer stuff starts showing up and she begins really having fun. We will be watching the menu for signs as the 'wintery' ingredients move to the background. She found some great and experienced staff and they are working hard and enjoying being there it seems. There is going to be a cool outdoor space when they open it. The bar area looked pretty fun and the whole restaurant is a nice size - not too big or impersonal. They are connecting with their customers with easy conversation and that's nice since they just opened and the pressure's on. We wanted to do something fun for our anniversary and this was. They acknowledged, paid attention to the reservation and did a glass of champagne to start us thing. The air dried sausage and fried collards are the current best - delivered by Vivian which was a nice surprise - who pointed the sausage out as one of her favorites. The mocha carrot cake 6 to eight perfectly spaced thin layers with the cream and very good. Chocolate chess pie (not on menu) was excellent and glad it was suggested. The wine list and cocktails are well put together. By the look I would say someone had fun touring our local breweries and picked what they liked instead of the flagships which is great judgement and makes us locals feel at home. There was also a nod to her support back home with a choice from Tarboro NC. All in all a thoughtful launch! read more

This place is incredible. The vibe, the service, the food, the drinks...all exceptional. It highlights the food of the rural south in a way no other establishment I've been to anywhere has. They really snapped. Simply...iconic. read more

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Lenoir's "Fancy" menu only offers a small amount of what anyone would actually want to order. Strawberries & Stratiatella are just way overpriced strawberries. The Stratiatella is cream and not enough of it to even taste, so basically just some strawberries for $14. Veggie of the Moment - terrible, don't even bother. Cornbread is flat and the only flavor that comes through is oil. Server and then manager came over to ask why we hadn't eaten the Veggie of Moment and then didn't offer anything else as a replacement so why bother asking. read more

Amazing food and staff, typically you leave a restaurant liking 1-2 things, but every dish we had was outstanding! The staff is so nice and helpful too. The environment is very fun! A must go!!! read more

Every single thing was terrific. By far the best meal we have had in - I don't know how long. The design of the restaurant is beautiful and just feels like fun. The staff is excellent and on point. It's the kind of place where everybody is eyeing everybody else's plate and people you don't know want to tell you how good what they are eating is. Here is what we had: Started with a Six toed cat cocktail (plantation pineapple rum, grapefruit, lime, pineapple, coconut water ice cube) -delicious! Share plates: Fried Collards - ridiculous - who would have thought collards could be as addictive as fresh popped popcorn. The strawberries & stratiatella - best strawberry salad you ever had - by a mile. Blueberry bbq chicken wings - delicious - could have never imagined that combo. Farro piccolo -za'atar butter, dates, mint, marinated feta - excellent. Bone-in pork chop - seriously contemplated eating the bones. To top it all off seeing Vivian serving was a real treat. Truly a memorable night. read more