Hank's Seafood Restaurant

Classic old haunt....place was packed. We finally got a spot at the bar and ate delicious food.....I had the oyster stew....yum. great cocktails and friendly staff. Go here!

Came to this classic Charleston restaurant on a Wednesday evening with a party of 3. There was a 15 minute because it was packed. Ordered the Seafood La Wando based on the recommendation of the waiter. Ambiance: 5/5 Gives such a classic Charleston restaurant feel Service: 5/5 Staff were helpful, polite, and prompt Food: 5/5 the La Wando did not disappoint! All the seafood was perfectly cooked and the flavors were well balanced and creamy! Price: 4.5/5 It is a pricey place akin to most classic seafood spots.

I have been wanting to try this place since moving here- everyone always says Hymans is the best which I personally don't agree with so I was excited to get some better quality seafood from a more reputable source. The atmosphere is stunning- dark and coastal themed with beautiful woodwork throughout the restaurant. Service was good, you can tell the staff has been here awhile which is a good sign. Food came out promptly and it was what I expected. Your classic fried seafood, but it tasted fresh. They also gave us a fun birthday dessert since we were celebrating my grandmother's 83rd birthday. She was so excited to come try Charleston seafood. Definitely will be back.

I can't believe I had never been here! We were back in town for the holidays and went with my parents. They start you off with a bread basket, which you don't see all that much these days. My husband had the fried shrimp, which he enjoyed. My mom had the seasonal salad and oyster stew, which she liked. I started with the she crab soup, I also got the charred romaine salad. The salad was more than delicious, it was definitely memorable. My dad got the seafood a la wando, and the two of us ended up splitting that a the salad. If you go, I really urge you to get the salad. The service was good. The atmosphere was upbeat. It was a great dinner, just remember to get that romaine salad.

We decided to try Hank's Seafood during our weekend trip to Charleston and oh my what a great decision! It was so good we went back the next day. The food and service are equally impeccable. The seafood is extremely fresh and full of flavor. Prepared to perfection. 10/10, highly recommend. Reservations are strongly encouraged as this is a very popular, well liked establishment. Don't miss out!

Very very enjoyable restaurant with full Charleston feel, whatever that means from someone from the Northeast Servers are professionals that know the menu and are quick to answer questions or make requested recommendations. The ceviche appetizer is delectable with lime and a hint of salt in a lively display of seafood and veggies. The signature shrimp and grits did not disappoint in a tomato broth and creamy grits with more than ample shrimp. Overall I LOVED the experience.

Hank's came as a recommendation from our hotel front desk for she crab soup and my friend was able to enjoy that (it had gluten so I was unable to try it). Instead, I got a creme brûlée that was delicious! Hank's does have a gluten free menu but I just got dessert when we were here this time. My friend said the soup was on the saltier side. We were able to join the community table at Hank's in order to get in for a quick bite. I recommend making a reservation if you would like your own table and are going on the weekend. There is a paid parking lot and street parking nearby the restaurant if you're driving.

My driver recommended Hank's as being the best seafood upscale restaurant in Charleston and GED didn't lie!! The location was perfect and the service was great! A nice restaurant for small or large parties. Great seafood options to pick from! I'm not a big seafood eater but figured if I'm in the south I'm going to eat what they're known for and it didn't disappoint. Started off with the "She Crab Soup" and it was so yummy and tangy. Then chose shrimp and grits as my main course and OMGeeeeee so amazing!!! I absolutely loved the flavors happening in my mouth! Of course they also gave me a basket of warm bread with butter . Definitely recommend Hank's if you want to experience fine seafood dining while in Charleston!!

As much as I love travel and as much as I hate all the security lines and changing and waiting and taking off your shoes and putting on your shoes and spilling out your water bottle and being frisked and yelled at for forgetting to empty all your pockets, I have willingly chosen to endure all of these hassles to see the world by flying to my destinations I decided to give myself a little break and try once again a Carnival Cruise out of Charleston. How did it feel to drive 4 and 1/2 hours versus traveling on a plane to Miami? It was heavenly! I can bring anything I might possibly want in my car and enjoy the beautiful afternoon taking some back roads through South Carolina. Before I knew it I was in Charleston! I'm sorry to hear that Carnival Cruise line will be closing that port because there really is something to just getting in your car and going without all of the BS Anyway, I went down a day early to enjoy an evening in Charleston and not have the pressure of having to get to the ship the day of departure. I asked a guy at the reception desk if he could recommend a decently priced but excellent seafood restaurant and he unequivocally recommended Hank's Seafood Restaurant. He said it's a staple in Charleston and a great place to eat and the prices were pretty good considering, so off to Hanks I went! There was a half hour wait for a table unless I wanted to sit at one of the community tables. I'm not a big fan of striking up conversations with strangers over my dinner but the community table was totally empty and I grabbed myself a very nice high bar seat at one end and had all the privacy I wanted and also got to enjoy taking in the whole restaurant. The place is charming, spacious and very well decorated. I was encouraged when I noticed how many people were there and everyone seemed to be enjoying their meal. That's a good sign! The waiter brought the menu and after I clutched my pearls at some of the prices, I had to remind myself I was in Charleston and on vacation and try to get over it! The reality was I was not too hungry since I had had a late lunch and so I was looking at the salads. My nice waiter recommended a special salad with shrimp and he mentioned to me three times that the portion is very large. I took his advice and ordered it and he brought me some nice warm bread while I waited and made sure my diet Coke glass stayed full. The restaurant itself is decorated with lots of Old world charm and dark wood and had a very rich feeling to it. I liked it. The waiters were dressed in white coats which reminded me of the old days in New York when my grandfather would take us to Jewish restaurants on the lower East side and all the waiters also wore these white waiter coats. Everything was great until the salad came. I almost laughed when he put this tiny little portion in front of me...the portion that he said was very large. For who? Not for me, that's for sure. What was more shocking was that it was almost $20. $20 for a few pieces of lettuce and six shrimp and some condiments thrown on top. I could have wolfed that thing down in about 2 minutes but decided to be cultured and slowly cut my way through these six shrimp. That still only took 10 minutes LOL At the end of the $20 snack when the waiter asked me the traditional, "How was everything?", I was dying to tell him that was the smallest large portion I have ever seen but decided to let It go. I left the place hungry and picked up some snacks on the way back to my hotel room. I don't know folks, but $20 for lettuce and six shrimp seems a lot to me. And if that's a large portion, I wonder what a small portion would look like. Actually, I don't! LOL After dinner I took a nice walk to the water and enjoyed looking at some of the beautiful buildings in downtown Charleston. I wish I had given myself more time because it is quite a beautiful city. I know Hank's Seafood Restaurant is a landmark in Charleston and maybe if I had been willing to spend $50 for a piece of fish that would have been a different experience, but this tiny salad did not quite cut it for me. The place is conveniently located, quite attractive, spacious, with lovely staff and a nice ambiance. Just not sure If I'm willing to pay those high prices or that the food food commanded it