My fiancé and I popped by last night, it was our last night vacationing in Charleston, and we were hoping to have a nice meal to cap the end of our trip. I'm so glad we did! The food was perfectly portioned and deliciously prepared- we had the venison and octopus appetizers and shared the duck for dinner. The wines that were recommended to pair with the food was *chefs kiss* perfect, and the atmosphere outside on the side garden patio was lovely; when it cooled down, Shane even offered to bring me a blanket without being prompted. The waitstaff and hosts clearly take pride in their job and did everything they could to provide an excellent dining experience. Highly recommend for couples looking for a romantic dinner. Shout out to Bailey for being an utter delight of a waitress, we will definitely make sure to come by Southbound whenever we're in Charleston again! read more

Hands-down my favorite new restaurant in Charleston! From the service to the ambience (set in the cute Cannonborough area, away from the bachelorette parties on King St) to the amazing food cooked entirely in a live fire oven, amazing. The meal begins with a special cocktail menu before being presented with the dinner menu, great selection of craft cocktails and wine. On to dinner. The steak tartare was maybe the best ever and the foie gras appetizer is not to be missed! All entrees were delicious, we tried the elk chop and double cut Berkshire pork chop. Although we were stuffed, we tried all three desserts, which were quickly gobbled up. Can't wait to go back! read more

Beautiful venue . Went there for a birthday celebration. Was seated on time however on a very busy night a couple walked up without reservations and were seated before us and others who had reservations . Ordered a drink and food and then proceeded to wait an hour and 45 minutes before we saw our waiter again. We asked about the food order once we saw him and he said the kitchen was backed up then went down to the kitchen and brought up cold food. Steak was good , chicken was dry and cold. We didn't get the sides we ordered with our meal so ended up taking those home in a box. No desert as they were closing the restaurant and the waiter was nowhere to be found. We got up and went to look for our check. Never going back again. Save your money ! High prices and left there hungry. read more

My daughter and I visit Charleston every year and always try a new restaurant when we go. This was by far the best we've been to. The food, service and ambiance were fantastic. Southbound will definitely be on our list of places to eat every time we visit Charleston. read more

Found this gem on Social Media and it was the perfect place and setting for that much needed date night! The food was on point and packed with flavor! On top of everything being so great the service was top notch, with one of the most friendly and inviting staffs around. 10/10 plan this as your next dinner date and dress up make it fun. read more

Don't bother making a reservation... they will not honor it or let you know in advance that they do not plan to honor it.

Absolutely amazing service! Everyone was extremely welcoming and on top of service. The food was incredible and the atmosphere just ties the whole place together. Will be coming back! read more

This place is a hidden gem! There are multiple seating options- we sat on the outdoor patio. The whole place is beautiful, service was excellent (thanks Claire!), and the food was perfection. Got the steak tartare, wood fired venison, and duck breast. Outstanding. read more

What a great find right upon arrival at Charleston which happened to be a 5 minute walk away from our Airbnb place! We loved everything about the restaurant: from the heartfelt hospitality and professional demeanor of the staff to the intricate and sophisticated menu. The food was amazing! The warmth and cozy chic of the tasteful interior added to this pleasant experience of a dinner. Thank you! Hope to be back soon! read more

Front of house service needs to communicate better. I want to start off by this is not the review I was looking to leave. My friends and I went to southbound last night for my birthday. Upon arrival, we were greeted with a long stem rose and a champagne cheers to celebrate. It was really special and it def set the bar for what we were expecting the night to be like. We were told our table would be a few more minutes so we're offered a spot at the bar until the table opened up. We went upstairs to grab another drink and the bartender Kate was absolutely amazing. The drinks were really the star of the night. Unfortunately, this is the end of our positive experience. After about 30 minutes of waiting, the front of house manager (not sure if that's his title but looked that way) came up to us and said the table we had reserved was still being occupied they were waiting for them to leave so they could sit us. We were feeling the drinks and enjoying our conversation so we didn't mind to wait a few more minutes. He had offered if we wanted to stay at the bar for dinner which seemed strange because at this point the table we were supposed to have had already paid they just weren't leaving.. why would we be the ones to have to stay at the bar when we had reserved that table? We declined and said we would wait a bit more.. Kate at the bar overheard this and had offered to put in appetizers for us, on them, as a gesture of guest service which we really appreciated it. 30 min later we were now less hungry but also less patient. We asked the hostess walking by what the status was? It was now 8pm and our reservation was for 7 and we still have not been sat. She said the table behind us was the table we had reserved but these two women weren't leaving and it was their policy that they couldn't ask people to leave. At this point.. that rule should absolutely not apply. It's been over an hour since they paid their bill.. the restaurant was aware we were there for a birthday, and on top of it.. while we were waiting we overheard one of the waiters say that the swordfish which one of my guests was going to order, had been 86d and is now switching to mahi mahi because they sold out. So now, we were frustrated. The hostess went back to talk to the FOH manager and this man seemed to avoid us for the rest of the night. He would come back around the area but never addressed us again.. never checked back in..same for the hostess. So after someone else finally went to tell these women they need to move, we sit down finally at 830. Our waiter was really nice and a good time. Great energy- we loved. The issue with the menu continued as the other menu option we wanted also got sold out within the time we were waiting so my two guests ordered the mahi mahi and I got the mushroom pasta. The fish came out cold and the pasta had actual burnt pieces of rigatoni.. burning pasta?? Seriously lol there was like no sauce in this pasta dish, it was mushrooms sautéed in pasta so in order to burn this you would have to just.. forget about it on a pan. We also ordered some sides, one being the charred cauliflower.. it was black. Beyond charred. It tasted completely like ash.. we couldn't eat it. So.. it was not going great. The FOH manager walked by again and said nothing to us.. but Kate again saw us and came by to check in. We showed her our food, and explained our frustration and she was really understanding and felt bad about the whole situation. Assuming she spoke to the FOH because we saw him again totally ignore us but walk back around behind the bar to talk. Our waiter came over and offered us a comp dessert since the meals were not great and the experience was really not going in our favor. In the end, half of our bill ended up being removed, which was really appreciated and reflective of the service. While we were prepared to spend the money anyway, and the ambiance is really beautiful.. this night just wasn't working for us. I'm grateful that Kate and our waiter went above and beyond to try and fix as much as possible - they really made the difference for us. I would try it again if I lived in the area, but we're only in town for the weekend. I hope they reevaluate their rule about not telling patrons to leave when they're holding their table for over 3.5 hours- there's a 2 hour limit listed and this was not observed, at our expense. read more

Small a la carte portions with huge prices. the pasta dish had a small handful of noodles and three cherry tomatoes. That's it. The drinks are very small as well. One entrée was dramatically under cooked and sent back. No apologies were given. Waitress Cleared two of our plates before the re-cooked entrée was sent back, awkward for the third person and very poor restaurant etiquette. it took an hour and a half to get our entrées. Ambience is nice and the pork chop was very good, but certainly not worth the price. We walked out hungry and feeling a little like we had been robbed. If you want to pay $200 per person and you are not very hungry then this is the place for you. read more

Wow! What an experience. Impeccable service, atmosphere, people, and food. My party got the steak tartare and crab dumplings to start, which were both delish. We then got the duck, tilefish, and poulet rouge paired with the Mexican street peppers and bok choy. For dessert with got the chocolate mousse cake. Phenomenal - all of it. Not even mentioning the cocktails we got were great. Not an experience you're going to get everywhere. read more

Our meal was perfect and our server was exquisite. Impeccable service and ambiance. A fairly expensive meal, but every course was well worth it. Group favorites included the beef tartare, and their fish. The cocktails were amazing as well.Would recommend read more

What a wonderful experience! Our server Hailey was personable and knowledgeable, the ambiance was unique and enjoyable and the food was SO yummy! They made our anniversary so special! Southbound was a highlight of our vacation. read more

Southbound is a must try! The atmosphere and service is top tier. The beef tartare was phenomenal! I cannot recommend this place enough, definitely recommend! read more

The restaurant is beautiful. But it needs to streamline its food service. We waited an hour and a half to get our main course. Everyone was disappointed in their food. The soft shell crab was like eating shrimp with the shell on, it wasn't soft. It couldn't be cut with a knife. The duck breast was not very tasty and the side was very paltry. The service was not great even though it looked like they had an abundance of employees. The person who filled the water glasses was very attentive. Overall, it was very disappointing. read more

Ribeye was cooked AND seasoned perfectly. The atmosphere and service were all wonderful and enjoyable. Will definitely be coming back.

My husband and I went for the first time Saturday night. I had the elk at the recommendation of the bartender, medium rare. My husband had the NY strip and we ordered mushrooms and the octopus for an app. The octopus was good but not awesome. My husbands' steak was great, my elk had little to no flavor and way to rare for my taste. I typically order my food medium to medium rare so I am familiar with the differences in temp. cooking. I was so disappointed because I really wanted to like this restaurant, it is so beautiful!!!! We live in Charleston and have access to so many wonderful choices for dinning and unfortunately, my first experience will likely be my last. read more

amazing drinks, staff and food menu ! beautiful inside and out. rotating menu highly recommend read more

Southbound - bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

This restaurant is a must try! With an exciting and changing menu, great staff, and a cozy feel it's a fabulous dinner spot! I can't wait to go back to try new dishes! read more

This review is in addition to my wife's review but we couldn't fit it all in one review. Too much goodness to mention! Food: We are no food critics but we definitely can appreciate fine dining and the ways food is done right. Let me tell you, this food is incredible tasting. All of the food is cooked in their wood fire grill, which you can opt to sit at if you find that of interest. We started with the dry aged steak tartare. As others have stated, the flavors were immaculate. The crunchy fingerling potato chips were nicely seasoned, the aioli was creamy and savory, the steak was so tender, and though I normally don't like cornichons, they were chopped very small and added the perfect tangy balance. I'm normally a fast eater and I forget to savor the flavors but I ate this so slowly without intention to do so because I've never wanted to savor something so much in my life (actually this whole meal I was able to enjoy slowly and truly savor). Our server also told us that the steak tartare has become such a hit, it's the only item on the menu that is permanent. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND the tartare. For our entree, we shared the dry aged NY strip and two sides, the Brussels sprouts and the sweet potato mash. The steak was cooked medium rare per our request and as recommended by our server and sliced grill side. The steak was hands down the best steak we've ever had in regards to being able to speak for itself. It did not need any garnishing or extra flavors but the olive tapenade and lemon arugula that came with it just pushed it over the edge of perfection. The outside of the steak was firm and had a charred, smoky flavor thanks to the wood fire and the dry aging really brought out the depth and richness of the meat. The inside was tender, naturally had a hint of sweetness, juicy, and oh so flavorful. The garnishes added just a splash of tangy contrast that really complimented the steak. The NY strip (for medium rare preference) and the ribeye (for medium preference) were both recommended by our server. We also would recommend. Our two sides were also amazing but I'll start with our favorite. The sweet potato mash was the most unique flavor profile I think I've ever eaten. At first bite it was so shocking my taste buds were confused and I didn't know what to think. But the more bites I had, the more amazing it tasted. The sweet potato is a local grown seasonal white sweet potato puréed which of course was predominantly a gentle sweetness. The layer of za'atar yogurt added a very very interesting savoriness and creaminess that was something special and really formed the flavor profile. And the thinly sliced almonds added a balancing texture to the mash and yogurt but they were a subtle touch not taking over the dish even for my husband who typically doesn't like nuts in food. If you are open to unique and adventurous flavors, I would highly recommend this side but I can see someone with a more traditional flavor preference not liking this dish. The second side was the fire roasted Brussels sprouts. These were very delicious and simpler flavor profile, certainly not as bold as the sweet potato mash. The Brussels had a char that crisped them up and the other ingredients like the apple and miso yogurt added a nice sweet and creamy taste to balance out the typical Brussels flavor. The guanciale (Italian cured pork jowl) added a nice crunch and savory profile similar to chicharrones. We would recommend this dish but it does rank the lowest out of the other dishes in our opinion. The best dishes for flavor were the steak tartare and the sweet potato mash. The portions seem to be conservative from pictures but we were surprisingly full from the one appetizer, one entree, and two sides between me and my wife. I think this is because their goal is not for you to walk out of their stuffed and feeling like you need rolled out of there but rather to enjoy your food mindfully and intentionally. When doing so, you inadvertently eat slower and really savor each bite and you fill up more than you'd even realize. I would say the appetizer would make for a comparable entree perhaps with a side if you're looking for a cheaper option than an entree and a side. read more

Had a fabulous dinner at this cool restaurant. Service was great, drinks were really creative and dinner was delicious. Highly recommend.

A beautiful restaurant, great staff, but on a busy night very slow service. The Brie appetizer tasted nothing like Brie and was very small, and the Ribeye was actually a NY Strip and not a great piece of meat and undercooked. The peppers side dish very tasty. The grouper nice but all in all very expensive and slow, will not repeat. read more

Great restaurant for a date night or special occasion! The restaurant has a great ambiance, the service is always great, and the menu is well curated and delicious. Love that the menu is always changing, but still know whatever is on it will be fantastic! Probably my favorite restaurant in Charleston. read more

Can't say enough good things about this restaurant! Upon arrival for our anniversary, we were greeted with friendly smiles, a champagne and rose. The appetizer (steak tartare) was to die for. The ribeyes were cooked to perfection right on a fire behind us! Dinner and a show for sure. The ambiance was gorgeous! We also had the Brussel sprouts and creamed sweet potato. So delicious. The service was wonderful and welcoming! We will definitely come back :) read more

terrible experience. do not eat your dinner upstairs. it sounds like your on a construction site, loud, slow, food took a very long time while listening to a jackhammer, no WiFi, overpriced drinks, desperate. not good. sorry. read more

We sat at the chef's table, which was an awesome experience. The steak grilled over an open fire was fantastic. In fact, everything is cooked on an open flame, adding to the flavor. One of the top places in Charleston for sure read more

Fortunately I don't take reviews seriously. I look mostly at the menu when deciding where to eat. Hard to do at Southbound as the menu changes daily. You go here for the ambiance, excellent service, and better than ordinary food preparation. I enjoyed my steak better here than Halls because of the way it was prepared. Can't wait to eat my leftovers. The steak tartare was the best I have had yet and scallops were perfecly cooked and seasoned. We are already planning our visit next month to try something new or may even drop by just for dessert. read more

We enjoyed a wonderful dinner here. The food was delicious! The staff came by many times to visit and check on us. Great customer service. The tiny details in this place are just beautiful! read more

Lovely ambiance, service was highly sales focused(suggesting we order 2 apps vs 1, 2 meals and 2 desserts for two older people). Unfortunately our meat selections were burned and we lost a lot of our meal to cutting those parts out. Dessert and drinks were delicious. We spent nearly $250 after tip. A bit pricey for the experience. read more

Menu changes daily or at least regulary. Service was good and it's a very cool atmosphere. But the main dishes were just OK. We ordered two sides and tried both but they were pretty bland and we didn't finish them. Our waiter was friendly and attentive. But here is the bottom line for us, $300 for a couple drinks, one Appetizer, two entrees and two sides was simply not worth it. I doubt we will return here. I would recommend for the atmosphere and hospitality. read more

Great atmosphere in an old home. Menu changes daily so what we had won't likely be what you get. But i had snapper that had a unique char flavor. My wife had the tenderloin and enjoyed it. Burrata came with charred tomatoes. Unique and excellent taste. Prices reasonable for fine dining. read more

We experienced this new restaurant Sunday evening with our out of town guests. We were greeted by Luka, with a champagne toast celebrating our friends' birthday. We were so surprised, and that was the beginning of a very memorable evening. We sat on their terrace surrounded by well-maintained, gorgeous flowers and succulents. The terrace offers great ambience which I would highly recommend. We were presented with a small booklet describing the history behind Southbound, and some of their many cocktails. Our entrees were delicious. We had their sheepshead fish surrounded by peppers which was delicious. From the beginning to the end where we were escorted out by Luka wishing us a lovely evening, this is a place you must try if you're looking for something special. The revitalization of Cannon Street offered a small look to beautiful downtown CHS read more

This is the most expensive plate of over salted, over cooked fish and potatoes I've ever eaten. Worst meal I've ever had anywhere. Our waitress was charming and professional. The restaurant itself is a beautiful, welcoming, cozy, space. We sat on the verandah which is intimate and quiet. All this restaurant needs now is a chef! read more

From the moment we arrived, I immediately felt welcome at south bound. We chose to Uber because parking on cannon isn't ideal. we we're sat very promptly, and cocktails and food started coming. our server was kind and efficient. The issue that I have if you're going to actually try and get full this isn't the restaurant for that. portion are small plates are expensive and the food was coming out mostly room temperature. we had the scallop starter luke warm at best. i ordered the rack of lamb two chops mostly red undercooked meet. and it just wasn't a great experience with the food. you're paying for style over substance read more

my husband and I drove two hours to eat here for our first anniversary and it was worth every minute. the staff was lovely and welcomed us with champagne and a rose and ended the night with a fried Oreo and a handwritten note with well wishes and a candle for us to blow out. the food was DELISH we both had the ribeye and it was cooked to perfection (only critique is it was a tad oversalted for our tastes but we still ate every bite!) we also had the grilled okra which was wonderful and so tasty. we finished with the light and airy key lime pie dessert. Cammie and Molly gave us a lovely experience and were accommodating with my husbands dietary restrictions as he is Muslim. the ambience was beautiful as well and our seat in the dining room had a direct view of the wood fire oven they were cooking on! it was worth every penny and we had the best anniversary ever here. we will be recommending it to everyone we know! read more

We went to Southbound for the first time last night. We loved the building and the decor. We had a drink in the upstairs bar. Very good cocktail menu. Bartender was very friendly and the drinks were good. As mentioned in another review, the price tags on the cocktails are a bit high. We ate dinner outside and it was beautiful. Our waitress Kari was exceptional- helpfull, thorough, attentive and a lot of fun. Now the food: I got the Beet and Burrata salad and it was very good. My husband got the steak and it was delicious, but was $67 and came with garlic spinach the amount that qualified as a garnich. Our table also got the tuna (good) and duck. Two suggestions (not complaints really): 1) for the prices being charged, it seemed that the entrees should come with some starch or vegetable. The meats looked lonely on the plate. and 2) NO BREAD! We asked for bread and was told that they have none. I was offered Toast Points, but declined. Again, for the price being charged, a nice basket of warm bread would have taken the meal up a star. In summary, wonderful ambiance, great service, extensive cocktail menu (dessert cocktails as well), limited menu though it changes daily (one salad option, Steak, lamb chops, pork chops, duck breast, venison and tuna. no chicken, the only one fish) We love the experience but found the food options less appealing than we had hoped. read more

I would give this place 0 stars if I could. We made a reservation months ago for our vacation and were texted less than 2 hours before the time of our reservation alerting us that it had been cancelled due to rain. Whatever you do, don't book a patio reservation or you might not get a meal. It is extremely disappointing that there is no compensation for cancelling our reservation at the last minute other than "trying to seat us at the bar if it's available". I understand that they cannot control the weather, but not offering any sort of accommodations for these cancellations is ridiculous. read more

Southbound is a phenomenal experience. From the moment you arrive and have Luca greet you with a glass of bubbly to being entertained by the chefs working their magic in front of an open fire you will be in for an amazing treat. Top notch food, atmosphere, and very attentive wait staff. Have been three times in just one month, and every time I have had an amazing meal. I have taken, friends, family, and out of town guests to enjoy the exciting food and cocktails. Definitely a one of a kind gem in our great city! read more

Way overpriced, too fancy, tiny portions of mediocre food. The restaurant is very pretty and the atmosphere is great but you couldn't pay me the $250 it cost for 2 people to dine there to eat there ever again. read more