Dining in Charleston, SC - Need recommendation

Anyone know any good places to eat in Charleston? I'll be there with my parents for a few days and want to take them to a really good restaurant. I'm not looking for anything trendy or "chi chi boo boo." They would not appreciate it. Just looking for really well-prepared, fresh/regional food, in a lively (but not necessarily noisy) place.
Thanks in advance!

RB's Seafood at Shem Creek in Mt. Pleasant. It was so good we ate there two nights in a row. Not exactly in Charleston, but was recommended by locals at the hotel.

We also ate at the Crab Shack on Center Street in Folly Beach. Both were excellent!

Magnolia's, Blossom's, McCrady's, Cypress, all should fit the task...Hyman's for lunch, either love it or what?, all in all, plenty of places, the Shem Creek suggestion is a good one, used to be a place called the Wreck of the?, don't know if it still exists or not, hope this helps, wish I was there...Dave, (also hear that Bowen's Island has rebuilt and is back on track.)

As mentioned above, Hyman's is a place your folks will love. It's true Charleston and is right in the heart of things and easy to walk to from anywhere in the historic district.

When we were last there, they served a small bowl of boiled peanuts on the table ... a South Carolina specialty. You'll order your food off a blackboard which list the day's specials.

I wouldn't say Hyman's is noisy but I wouldn't say it's quiet either. But it's friendly, the food is fresh, regional, and well prepared.

Thanks Linda, David and Jim. They all sound like great suggestions. I will report back (end of June) and let you know where we end up. In the meantime, I'll do a little more research on these places to narrow it down. I think it will definitely be Hyman's for lunch one day.
Thanks again!!

[Jenise]

Thanks Linda, David and Jim. They all sound like great suggestions. I will report back (end of June) and let you know where we end up. In the meantime, I'll do a little more research on these places to narrow it down. I think it will definitely be Hyman's for lunch one day.
Thanks again!!

Carrie, I spent a few days there a few years ago, and though I'm sure there are new spots to consider, Magnolia's was splendid. Chic enough for you to enjoy, but with enough straight forward dishes that your parents won't be confused or leave hungry. We ate well every meal in Charleston, but the Shrimp and grits with fried green tomatoes I had at Magnolia's was the standout dish of that entire trip.

Magnolia's was "the" place and it lived up to all of my (and my parent's) expectations. We only had one day to spend in Charleston because we were at Wild Dunes where I was attending a conference, and had to be back for a banquet that night.
The ambience was wonderful and we had a nice leisurely lunch there starting with blue crab bisque. Divine.
I had shrimp and sausage over grits. Mom had seafood (lobster, scallops, shrimp) over grits. These two dishes were vastly different. Mine was sort of a creole-style, rich brown sauce. Mom's was more of a Newburg sauce with a hint of Sherry. They were both amazing. I couldn't decide which I liked more.
Dad, who is mostly carnivore had an open faced meatloaf sandwich with mashed potatoes. It was delicious--the slabs of meatloaf were grilled, giving a nice crust to the whole dish. Yum.
We finished with Magnolia's cream cheese brownie with caramel and chocolate sauces. Take a look below.
After lunch we took a 90 minute tour of the city via small tour bus. It was great. Our driver was funny and extremely informative. What a beautiful city. Can't wait to go back when I have more time to spend there. Thanks again for steering us in the right direction for good food.

Dessert.jpg

Wow, now I'm hungry. Is it lunchtime yet?

[Jenise]

It's cool that you reported back. Glad to hear Magnolia's is still on form.

[James Roscoe]

For anyone going to Charleston, just GO!!! What a great food town. Pearlz on East Bay was great seafood with a nice little wine list (I had the muscadet) and Cru Cafe on Pinkney is "the bomb diggitty"!!! Also there is a place the locals call "Fast and French" on Broad Street. It's a combination French bistro and American diner. The food was great and the wine list was excellent and reasonable. The place is jammed all the time but they will find a nook for you to sit in. Wine at lunch seems very civilized.