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    Virginia's On King

    3.6 (904 reviews)
    Open 8:00 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Virginia's On King Photos

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    VIRGINIA'S ON KING ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    VOK Slider Trio
    Bari T.

    As someone who has eaten my way through more than a few King Street spots, I'm always excited when a spontaneous decision turns into a great find -- and that's exactly what happened at Virginia's on King. Our parents were in town visiting, and after a full morning of walking and exploring Charleston, we were debating a few lunch options when we happened to pass Virginia's. We decided to take a chance and pop in. Lucky for us, they'd just had a cancellation and were able to seat us right away -- always a good sign when you snag a table on King without a wait. Olivia welcomed us with waters and walked us through the menus, which was a nice touch. We kicked things off with drinks -- beer, wine, and Bloody Marys -- because when you're on vacation (or hosting people who are), why not? Now let's talk food. The Meatloaf Sandwich was the undeniable showstopper. Comfort food done right -- hearty, flavorful, and exactly what you want after a long morning out and about. We also had the VOK Slider Trio, which offered a little variety and were all solid across the board. The Cheddar Bacon Omelette was massive and packed with flavor -- definitely a generous portion and worth it if you're leaning towards brunch. The Blackened Salmon Sandwich was cooked perfectly -- tender and flaky -- though it could have used a bit more seasoning to really make it pop. That said, the sandwich as a whole still delivered. Overall, Virginia's is a great, welcoming stop right in the heart of King Street. Friendly service, satisfying comfort food, and a relaxed atmosphere made it an easy win for a family lunch. Definitely worth giving it a try next time you're strolling through downtown Charleston.

    Tomato Pie
    Alexis B.

    I ate at Virginia's on King about 15 years ago, and it was a totally memorable meal. I tried tomato pie for the first time, and I liked it so much I asked them for the recipe. They gave it to me, and I made it several times over the course of the next few years. I returned to Virginia's on King this past Sunday for brunch with a large group, and I was so excited to have their tomato pie again. We were a large group, and we were sat in the upstairs room (there's no room in the main dining area downstairs for such a large party). The service was great; I can't imagine the service being any better for such a large party! Unfortunately, the food is just not what I remembered. The tomato pie was so bland, mushy, and without texture that I actually went back and looked at the recipe they'd give me years before (it's on my Google Drive). The recipe called for five layers of tomato slices and a chiffonade of fresh basil. The slice I had this past weekend had only one or two slices of tomato in the whole slice and way too much dried basil. It was flat and melted into a blob. It was edible but nothing like that slice I had 15 years ago that was good I asked them for the recipe! I also had some coffee, a cranberry mimosa, and tried a few appetizers we got to share for the table (the fried okra seemed to have been made from pickled okra but the breading didn't adhere very well). A few people seemed to enjoy their dishes quite a bit, but I noticed that some people's dishes had eggs that were just hammered (and they were really dark, like they'd been fried in oil that had shouldn't have been used anymore). I did try someone's side of onion casserole, which was the first time I've tried that, and it was my favorite bit of the meal. Good service in a classic spot, but the food really didn't measure up to my memory of it from years ago.

    Outside
    Carmen R.

    Virginia's on King is a historic spot on King St in downtown Charleston that offers a laid back and casual food fare. Although the portion of all items were quite generous, the food for me fell a bit short in execution. The slider trio platter was quite over seasoned and greasy and the collard greens (albeit their own southern recipe) was extremely sweet. The item I did like best was the she crab soup which was just to be right size (a cup). But what was special was the staff of this restaurant. They were extremely personalable, attentive and had that Southern hospitality in spades.

    Wings
    Ken A.

    Solid lunch while in town on business. 6 wings and a side of collards for under $15 and the greens were perfect. Would have given them four stars, but charging me extra for not paying cash is lame. If I'd known ahead of time, I wouldn't have eaten here.

    Chrystal G.

    First of all, we had the most convenient park for a Sunday during brunch hours!! We were greeted and thankfully our party made reservations previously, so we only had to wait a little while for our table to be cleaned before we were seated. We had the most down to earth server who was more than attentive to us. The restaurant itself was very cozy and quaint not too big nor too large. Nice bar seating. It reminded me of being my "big" grandma's house after Sunday service to eat the beautiful dinner she'd prepared. I'm not sure if this was happenstance or not but the booth we sat at had the most amazingly beautiful painting of a Black woman (all 5 of us at brunch are Black women; consisting of 2 mothers and 3 daughters). We LOVED that . It was my daughter and I first time so it took us a while to decide what we wanted but my friend and her two girls knew exactly what they wanted. Being a gluten-free girlie, I made sure to ask our server about my options. We all said that our food was delicious and we enjoyed much needed girl time celebrating my friend's daughter who had just graduated from the Naval basic training. There's noting quite like good food intertwined with good sistafriend time. We'll be back!

    Stuffed French Toast
    Clarissa O.

    A cute little restaurant right on King Street! Highly recommend grabbing a bite to eat before you start your day exploring King Street! The country Benedict was very good! It had a subtle sweet and sour flavor to it that was not expected which made it unique. The potatoes were very good and usually I eat them with ketchup but I didn't need to do that. The stuffed French toast was AMAZING! I had two bites of it and it was probably the best French toast I have ever had! The pecan cream cheese was delicious. My husband is still talking about it and how much he enjoyed it! Would strongly strongly recommend ordering it!

    Meatloaf sandwich was delicious Tim was our waiter and was fantastic Right next to a beautiful park, right downtown, we were pleasurably surprised at their fair prices

    "
    Carrie R.

    This was a perfect breakfast spot! It was hopping on a Saturday morning but we got some seats at the bar. The bartender/server was super friendly and fun. The place is nice and clean inside with cute decor and decorations. There are nice big windows to the street so it's also bright and cheery. Our food was GREAT! I just about licked the plate on the country Benedict!

    Ara A.

    Stopped by for a quick bite to eat for a late lunch. Had the burger, chicken wings, and fried green tomatoes. The crispy chicken wings were definitely the star of the show. The burger was goo and so was the fried green tomatoes.

    Old school wood bar
    Suzann B.

    12-01-2025 Breakfast Burrito Southern Benedict $16 for 2 Hour Parking Lot across the street 5 Stars - Service with Server Michelle 5 Stars - AM Dining Room Manager checked in The hollandaise was COLD. Ordered the poached eggs, medium, because runny whites, make me gag...they were poached hard; no running yolk goodness. Potatoes were extra greasy, and not the good kind of extra greasy...BLEH!!! Good thing I wasn't trying to "first aid" a hangover, because this was a HUGE MISS. Yes, you're right, I should have sent them back. I fear the cook, as it's a cook working today, and not a chef. My husband's burrito was excellent in his opinion, hence the 3 star rating. We were the only folks eating in the restaurant, so no excuse for this breakfast not to be 100% and perfectly executed. It's also owned by the Bennett Hotel/Restaurant Group, so shame on them for not having a chef to expedite, thermometer the sauce, and ensure the poached was properly cooked. Cheers!

    SC Bloody Mary
    Ray B.

    Excellent waitress, attentive friendly good recommendations. Crab cake sandwich was savory and large. Kinda noisy but conversation is possible.

    Deviled Eggs
    Jasmine L.

    Went here with a bachelorette party and had a great time! Large portion sizes and fresh ingredients. The aspect that made the experience exceptional, was service by Danny. She was an amazing server, very knowledgeable about the menu and went above and beyond to accommodate us. All the while, she was super personable and high energy. Highly recommend! She was by far my favorite server this weekend. Food: While not pictured, I got the fried green tomato Benedict and cheese grits. Personally, I thought the grits were the best out of everything I ate! The girls all loved the deviled eggs (keep in mind though they only give you 2 half's per order). I heard from my friends that the crab cakes were a bit salty fyi.

    Virginia's Fried Chicken
    Kelsey P.

    Great food and hospitality, but service is on the slow end. Came here with a large party for brunch and we were seated in the second floor dining room. Large selection of food, so order enough to share! The tomato pie, fried green tomatoes, and pimento cheese were my favorites out of the appetizers. I ordered the fried chicken for my entree with green beans and grits. The food was perfect--comforting, filling, and delicious. Service was friendly, but on the slow side. They're really popular for brunch, and I think being on the second floor made it harder for them to check up on us frequently (although we were a large party, so I understand!). Took a while to place and order and get food, but once the dishes started coming out, we were all set.

    Crab Cake Benedict

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    Great restaurant- easy to find I. King street. Food was delicious and prices were very good in comparison to other choices

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    2 months ago

    Crab Benedict was super fishy tasting, fruit was slimy. Hard pass the next time we're in Charleston.

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    3 months ago

    Good breakfast place right off a busy street. Good food with a wide variety and service was good. Prices were 15-20$.

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    Page 1 of 23

    Ask the Community - Virginia's On King

    Shane Whiddon, chef at Virginia's on King, dies after shooting at Charleston restaurant WCIV · 'Disgruntled' man kills former co-worker chef at busy Charleston restaurant,…

    Pretty much what the news said :(( Very sad event.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Before I visited SC, I said there were three kinds of food I wanted to try: Fresh seafood, BBQ and…read moreLowcountry cuisine. I'm glad I did some research and found Florence's. I ordered the 1/2 honey fried chicken w/ mac & cheese and collard greens. For dessert, we shared pecan pie. The chicken was moist & delicious from being brined and seasoning in the batter. The batter was crunchy, and perfectly applied so you didn't bite into a hunk of just batter. Likewise, the sides were some of the best I had during my trip to SC. Lastly, the pecan pie was really good also. However, I was expecting a bigger & taller slice. Regarding the ambiance, its smart casual here. The decor is fancier vs the down home cooking. Danielle took very good care of us. She was friendly & attentive. Florence's did the trick for us. We had eaten a lot of raw seafood and BBQ. This Lowcountry cuisine gave us a nice change of pace during our trip.

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    Husk is a beautiful restaurant located in downtown Charleston. It has two side by side locations,…read moreone with the full food menu and one that is only bar seating with a more concise menu. My husband and I went to the restaurant side which is a large, redesigned Victorian style house. We went in as in Walk -Ins but reservations are recommended. The service was fast and the food was phenomenal. The beef tartare was fresh, and easily shareable. Cocktails were brought out fast and both tasted delicious. The scallops and pork chop were some of the best we've had. The only slightly disappointing dish was the corn bread which was on the more dry side, however the collards more than made up for it. The only downside to this restaurant were the flies, I felt like I was battling both large and fruit flies my entire meal. There were so many. We were inside so I'm not sure where they were coming from. Would've been 5 stars had it not been for this.

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    SNOB was the first restaurant we ate at after arriving in Charleston, and it came highly…read morerecommended by our friends who live in the area. Since it's owned by the same Hall family behind Hall's Chophouse, we were excited to give it a try. We had reservations but asked if we could sit at the bar instead, which ended up being a great choice. Our bartender was incredibly sweet and helpful when it came to choosing what to order and made us feel welcome from the start. There was also live music that night, which my husband was especially excited about since they were playing 80s covers. The menu focuses on Lowcountry cuisine, and everything we ordered was delicious. We started with the clams and then shared the pork chop and BBQ tuna. Every dish was perfectly cooked and full of flavor. The cocktails were smooth, well made, and paired perfectly with the meal. To make the evening even more special, our bartender brought us two glasses of bubbles to celebrate my birthday, which was such a thoughtful gesture. Great food, great drinks, live music, and genuinely excellent service. It was the perfect way to kick off our Charleston trip. Also I forgot to mention that the shrimp and grits here are supposed to be the best in town!

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    A huge shout-out to The Peacock for once again taking such wonderful care of our friend and us on…read moreher 50th Birthday! The staff went above and beyond, and the entire evening went off without a hitch. The bartenders were fantastic -- attentive, friendly, and made sure everyone's glasses were never empty (water included!). We also ordered one of our favorite dishes, the Farmer's Salad with Chicken, and it was absolutely delicious -- so good, in fact, that we dove right in and forgot to take a photo first! The food at the surrounding tables looked equally incredible; I'd especially recommend the cheese plate and the tuna. As a bonus, there's a nightclub on the second floor that gets lively on weekends, so the fun doesn't have to stop after dinner. If you haven't been to The Peacock yet, do yourself a favor and stop by -- great food, great drinks, and a wonderful atmosphere. We'll definitely be back!

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    Leon's Fine Poultry and Oysters

    Leon's Fine Poultry and Oysters

    4.2
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    If you're looking for a Charleston spot that's worth the hype, make Leon's Oyster Shop your next…read morestop. I finally made it to Leon's, and it absolutely lived up to the experience. Famous for its oysters and fried chicken, this Charleston favorite has a vibrant green entrance you can't miss, with cozy indoor seating plus patios in both the front and back that give off relaxed, coastal vibes. We started with the smoked mahi dip, and I honestly couldn't stop eating it--it was my favorite dish of the day. We also ordered two rounds of the chargrilled oysters, and they disappeared almost instantly. For our entrées, we shared the famous fried chicken, and whenever I see a whole fish on the menu, I'm ordering it. The branzino was cooked perfectly--flavorful, tender, and definitely worth it. To cool off, we grabbed one of their frozen drinks, which was the perfect refreshing treat on a hot Charleston day. One tip: get there early because this place fills up fast. If Leon's isn't on your Charleston food list yet, it should be. I already can't wait to go back!

    Leon's makes a fantastic first impression. The atmosphere is exactly what you'd hope for from a…read moremodern Charleston restaurant--lively, beautiful, and effortlessly welcoming. The design is thoughtfully executed, the space feels comfortable even when it's busy, and the service is friendly, attentive, and impressively fast. I also appreciated a small but important detail: despite how popular the restaurant is, there are plenty of restrooms and no long lines. Little things like that genuinely improve the guest experience. Unfortunately, that's where most of my praise ends. I intentionally ordered many of the restaurant's signature dishes because I wanted to judge the restaurant as a whole rather than base my opinion on one successful plate. The food simply doesn't live up to the expectations created by the photos. Everything looks noticeably less refined and less appetizing once it reaches the table. The fried chicken was just ordinary chicken in a heavy, greasy breading. The oysters were fresh and enjoyable with no complaints there. The famous salad turned out to be mostly a large bowl of cabbage, while the avocado and mandarin seemed more decorative than meaningful. Most of the flavor came from mint and an overly acidic vinaigrette that dominated the dish. The fish sandwich was the biggest disappointment. The issue wasn't the fish itself but the composition of the sandwich. The dry, stale bun completely overpowered everything else, while the basic vegetables did nothing to complement or elevate the fish. Instead of highlighting the main ingredient, the sandwich buried it, which defeats the entire purpose of a great fish sandwich. The Korean smashed cucumber salad tasted primarily of vinegar and sesame oil with very little depth, while the hush puppies were dry and lacked the rich corn flavor that usually makes them memorable. Even the drinks reinforced the same impression. The beer was good, but charging $8 for what felt like half of a standard pour once again made the value feel questionable. This brings me to the biggest issue with Leon's. It feels like the restaurant invests far more in its atmosphere, interior design, and photogenic image than in its food. It's a place that looks incredible in pictures and is easy to recommend for the setting, but much harder to recommend for the cuisine itself. High prices are not a problem when they are backed by exceptional cooking. Here, however, it felt as though I was paying for the restaurant's reputation, constant stream of tourists, and social media appeal rather than for truly outstanding food. I would happily come back for a beer, enjoy the patio, and spend an evening with friends. But I wouldn't return specifically for the food. For a restaurant with such a strong reputation, that's the greatest disappointment of all.

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    Cool restrooms
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    Raw Oysters    varieties

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    4.1
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    0.7 mi
    $$

    We went in around 3:00pm and sat at the bar. We got fried tomato, crab cake, and crab soup. All of…read morethis was incredible and delicious, it was not heavy at all. Like most bar seating you kinda have to seat yourself cause the bartender was also the server. The ambiance is a vibe if you have a good conversation buddy or if you're going to work, free wifi. Also inrelated but our bartender was also cute so def a win

    We visited 82 Queen during our 35th anniversary trip to Charleston, SC, and it ended up being one…read moreof the highlights of our dining experience in the city. I started with the she-crab soup, a Charleston staple that 82 Queen advertises as an award-winning dish. During our five days in Charleston, it seemed like just about every restaurant had she-crab soup on the menu, but I waited until visiting 82 Queen to finally give it a try. I don't have any other she-crab soup to compare it to, but I can say it was absolutely delicious. Consider me a fan. After five days of enjoying Charleston's incredible food scene, we were looking for a lighter lunch since we were planning to splurge later that evening at Halls Chophouse. My wife and I split the southern tomato pie and the chicken salad wrap, and the combination was perfect. Both dishes were fresh, flavorful, and exactly what we were looking for at that point in our trip. We chose to sit inside because of the humidity, and from our table we had a wonderful view overlooking the courtyard. Surrounded by mature trees, brick pathways, and historic Charleston charm, it provided the perfect backdrop for a relaxed and enjoyable lunch. The food was excellent, the service was top-notch, and the ambiance was outstanding. Everything came together to create a memorable experience. 82 Queen delivered exactly the kind of classic Charleston lunch we were hoping for. If you're visiting Charleston, it's well worth a stop and was easily one of the standout dining experiences of our trip.

    Photos
    Upper dining room
    Upper dining room
    Barbeque Shrimp & Grits not sure where the BBQ was, but underwhelming.
    Barbeque Shrimp & Grits not sure where the BBQ was, but underwhelming.
    Shrimp and grits with bbq on the side

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    Shrimp and grits with bbq on the side

    Virginia's On King - southern - Updated August 2026

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