Magnolias in Charleston, SC, offers a refined take on traditional Southern cooking, bringing together classic flavors, polished service, and an inviting atmosphere that feels both memorable and welcoming.
Located at 185 E Bay St #200, this well-loved restaurant has earned a strong reputation for delivering an experience that balances comfort and sophistication, making it an appealing choice for everything from a leisurely brunch to an elegant dinner out.
With a rating of 4.70 out of 5 from 5,258 reviews, Magnolias has clearly become a standout destination for guests who value exceptional food, attentive table service, and a setting that captures the charm of Charleston.
What makes Magnolias especially compelling is the way it turns Southern dining into a full experience. Guests can enjoy breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, and dessert, with options that range from comfort food and small plates to healthy choices and local specialties.
The beverage program is equally impressive, featuring beer, cocktails, coffee, tea, wine, and alcohol selections that pair beautifully with the menu. Whether you are stopping in for a solo lunch, gathering with friends for cocktails, or planning a private dining experience, the restaurant offers flexible service options including dine-in, takeaway, delivery, and on-site services.
With highlights like fast service, a great beer selection, great cocktails, great coffee, great dessert, and a strong wine list, Magnolias gives customers plenty of reasons to return again and again.
The atmosphere adds even more to the appeal. Described as cozy, historic, romantic, trendy, and upmarket, the restaurant creates a setting that feels special without losing the warmth that makes Southern hospitality so beloved.
Accessibility is thoughtfully addressed as well, with wheelchair-accessible seating and an assistive hearing loop available to help make the experience more inclusive and comfortable for a wide range of guests. Planning ahead is recommended, especially for brunch, lunch, and dinner, and reservations are accepted to help make visits smoother.
With convenient payment options including credit cards and debit cards, Magnolias combines style, substance, and ease in a way that makes every visit feel well worth the wait.
Popular Items
Frequently ordered and highly recommended items at Magnolias
Our Story
Welcome to a place where great food meets warm hospitality. We believe dining is more than just a meal - it's an experience to be savored and shared.
Our kitchen is dedicated to creating dishes that bring people together, using recipes that honor tradition while embracing innovation.
Photos
A glimpse of our restaurant experience
Food & Drinks
Charleston flatbread
white cheddar & caramelized onion grits, country ham, tomato chutney, tomato butter
Johnny cakes, sautéed spinach, brandied apple bacon cream, balsamic reduction
onions, garlic, tomatoes, capers, white wine broth, chiffonade of basil, grilled sourdough
collard greens, chicken, tasso ham, red pepper purée, spicy mustard, peach chutney
Spanish paprika, dill pickle slice
spring green pea succotash, diced tomatoes, applewood smoked bacon, lemon-garlic aioli
crumbled blue cheese, scallions
caramelized onions, country ham, Madeira
tasso gravy, creamy white grits
golden raisins, candied pecans, bacon lardons, sweet chili glaze
tomatoes, carrots, feta cheese, lingonberry vinaigrette
cornbread croutons, Parmesa
arugula, carrots, grapefruit, feta cheese, candied walnuts, tomato vinaigrette
chives
chiffonade of basil
fried green tomatoes & melted pimiento cheese, whipped potatoes, sautéed green beans & spinach, warm asparagus, sweet corn & tomato salad, tomato butter
honey roasted carrots, blackened green tomatoes, crispy cauliflower, walnut pesto
sautéed shrimp, sea scallops, creamy white grits, lobster butter sauce, fried spinach
red rice with kielbasa, tasso ham & bacon, fried green tomatoes, habanero chutney, tomato butter
shrimp, scallops, mussels, seasonal fish, andouille sausage, potatoes, corn, okra, bell peppers, shellfish potlikker, grilled bread
creek shrimp & jasmine rice pirloo, warm asparagus, sweet corn & tomato salad, citrus beurre blanc
squash, zucchini, portobello mushrooms & grape tomatoes, creamy jasmine rice with basil chiffonade, roasted red pepper beurre blanc
sweet potato purée, sautéed broccolini, roasted cauliflower & mushrooms
mashed potatoes, collard greens, creamed corn, cracked pepper biscuit, sausage herb gravy
horseradish whipped potatoes, roasted rainbow carrots, mushrooms, red wine jus, crispy Brussels sprouts
melted pimiento cheese, herb potato cake, grilled Roma tomatoes, asparagus, Madeira sauce
truffle & Parmesan smashed fingerling potatoes, sautéed spinach, grape tomatoes, roasted mushrooms, demi-glace
with kielbasa, tasso ham & bacon
Hear from our valued guests
Magnolias is always a fabulous treat! This visit to Charleston and Magnolias did not disappoint! If you love fried green tomatoes, you must try these. Absolutely delicious! The lunch comfort food was enough for two. If you want their very best to take care of you while you're there, ask for Brandy. She's wonderful!! Reservations are a good idea but they do seat walk ins when they can. Lunchtime is busy!
We visited Magnolias during our weekend trip, and it was a great experience. We had a reservation for lunch, because dinner was booked; however, the menu items were almost the same. We ordered fried tomatoes and it was the highlight of our lunch. One of the best appetizers I had. Our main dishes were great as well. Both portions were only half, and still very large. Dessert was a disappointment thought. It was coconut cake with ube cream or something similar. It tasted like a store-bought mediocre, overly sweet, and flavorless cake. I love coconut dessert and this was a disaster. Wish we got something else. Overall I would go back for the fried tomatoes any day!
We celebrated my 40th birthday at Magnolias in Charleston and it was an unforgettable experience. There were six of us and every single dish we ordered was absolutely delicious. Everyone at the table enjoyed every last bite. A special shoutout to our server, Pierre, who was exceptional. He was incredibly knowledgeable about both the menu and their extensive wine list and his recommendations were spot on. His attentive and friendly service truly elevated the entire evening. I highly recommend Magnolias for a special occasion or a memorable night out!
Beautiful restaurant with an amazing atmosphere and overall a really great experience. The appetizers were honestly the highlight for us—absolutely delicious and definitely the best part of the meal! In the pictures are the appetizers we ordered: the crab cakes, fried green tomatoes, and their blue crab soup, which is essentially their take on a classic she-crab soup—and all of them were outstanding. My wife and I both ordered the fried chicken, and while everything else on the plate was flavorful and well done, the chicken itself was a bit dry and didn’t have quite as much flavor as we expected. That said, everything else about the restaurant—from the service to the ambiance to the rest of the food—was fantastic. We’d definitely come back and try other dishes!
We got boiled peanut hummus, deviled eggs, crab cakes, market fish (halibut), salmon, vegan version of vegetarian plate, and the flounder. Absolutely delicious, excellent service, and fancier atmosphere but folks in a variety of dress styles here (some in nice clothes, some more casual- I might wear a bit nicer clothes but there are folks in t shirts). Large selection of wine. No draft beer. Fresh flowers on the table and real tablecloths. Everything was so tasty and it pleased a vegan, two pescatarians, and one meat eater. In terms of accessibility, there are some stairs for some seating, but it looks like they could move some chairs for seating on the floor. I didn’t note the entrance unfortunately but the restaurant does have a few steps around.
We had such a lovely meal and experience our first night in Charleston at Magnolias! Our waitress Kristie was amazing! So sweet and knowledgeable and made our dining experience so enjoyable! The bread and butter that came out first were a great start! Kristie recommended the fried green tomatoes which were crispy and so flavorful and delicious! She also recommended the flounder and the bouillabaisse for our entrees which we could not get enough of! We didn’t save room for dessert because we enjoyed our food so much but we would love to come back and try a dessert! Overall we enjoyed our experience at Magnolias and would recommend!!
So good we had to come back twice! We came in Saturday thinking they had brunch but it’s sundays only. I’m glad we stayed for lunch! Our server Lorena was amazing. She was knowledgeable about the menu and recommended the fried green tomatoes which were fantastic. I had the Simmons sandwich and my husband had the burger. Both were outstanding. We really wanted brunch though so came back on Sunday morning. Our server Alia was vibrant and energetic. We had the banana French toast and the crab Benedict that Lorena also recommended. A++ we are from Maryland and loved the crab cakes. Mostly meat and no filler. The drinks were also great and everything was reasonably priced. If we ever come back to Charleston we will make sure to stop back by for brunch and sit in the window seat. Thank you to all the staff that made me and my husband’s 2nd wedding anniversary so special.
Absolutely a wonderful experience. The food, the service, our waiter. I can’t imagine better. My wife had the flounder and I had the low country bouillabaisse. Both were absolutely spectacular. I highly recommend the fried green tomatoes as an appetizer. Richie our server was wonderful his suggestions and his knowledge and humor. He made the whole meal a great experience. I definitely want to return here again.
Very happy with our experience at Magnolias. We arrived at about 7:30pm and were able to find a table top in the bar section. Our waiter was nice but also very busy. We started our evening with the Seared Scallops appetizer, the dish came with 3 scallops total and were delicious. Its the only dish not pictured because we ate it too fast lol. We then ordered the Parmesan Crusted Flounder with a side of Mac n' Cheese, and the Fried Chicken Breast. All the food was cooked perfectly, and all tasted so good. We ended the night with Chocolate Mousse with Coffee Ice Cream and the Brownie with Cherry Compote and Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. Again, both desserts were great. We left full and satisfied.
We had dinner at Magnolias last night and overall had a very good experience. The restaurant itself has a great atmosphere, and the service was outstanding from start to finish. Fiona, our server, was attentive, knowledgeable about the menu, and genuinely happy to answer questions and offer recommendations. We started with several appetizers including the Tuna Tartare, Traditional Deviled Eggs, and Scallops. The Tuna Tartare was easily the standout appetizer of the night. The sauce paired with it elevated the dish and brought everything together perfectly. The Deviled Eggs were good and well prepared, although fairly traditional without much of a twist. The Scallops were cooked very well, and the brandied apple bacon cream sauce was rich, flavorful, and absolutely worth ordering again. For entrées, we had the evening special, Mahi-Mahi, along with the BBQ Pork Chop. Both dishes had great flavor, but unfortunately both were slightly overcooked and just a little dry. The sides accompanying each entrée were very good and balanced the plates nicely. To finish, we ordered the crème brûlée and a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. Both desserts were simple, well executed, and a great ending to the meal. Overall, the service and appetizers really stood out, and despite a couple minor issues with the entrées, we would definitely return.
Common questions about Magnolias
Magnolias is located at 185 E Bay St #200, Charleston, SC 29401, United States, Charleston, SC, United States.
You can reach Magnolias by calling +1 843-577-7771.
Magnolias has a rating of 4.7 out of 5 based on 5258 customer reviews.
Magnolias features the following accessibility: Wheelchair-accessible seating, Assistive hearing loop.
Magnolias features the following service options: Takeaway, Dine-in, Delivery, On-site services.
Magnolias features the following highlights: Fast service, Great beer selection, Great cocktails, Great coffee, Great dessert, Great tea selection, Great wine list, Serves local specialty.
Magnolias features the following popular for: Lunch, Dinner, Solo dining.
Magnolias features the following offerings: Alcohol, Beer, Cocktails, Coffee, Comfort food, Healthy options, Private dining room, Small plates, Spirits, Vegan options, Vegetarian options, Wine.
Magnolias features the following dining options: Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, Dinner, Dessert, Seating, Table service.
Magnolias features the following amenities: Bar on site, Restroom.
Magnolias features the following atmosphere: Cozy, Historic, Romantic, Trendy, Upmarket.
Magnolias features the following crowd: Groups, Tourists.
Magnolias features the following planning: Brunch reservations recommended, Lunch reservations recommended, Dinner reservations recommended, Accepts reservations, Usually a wait.
Magnolias features the following payments: Credit cards, Debit cards.
Magnolias features the following children: High chairs, Kids' menu.
Magnolias features the following parking: Free street parking, Paid parking lot, Paid street parking.
Business Features
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