I just had dinner at Halls for the first time recently and I admit, I was a bit weary after reading some negative reviews concerning the food and the overly-friendly atmosphere. I went to dinner with as much of an open mind as possible though, and I'm happy to say that I was very pleasantly surprised. I was half expecting the fake, intrusive and unnecessary niceties described in previous reviews, but nothing was over-the-top. Yes, the owner was very friendly, but certainly not to the point where it was weird. We had a wonderful meal--the service was great, the food was excellent, and the atmosphere was warm. I would definitely go there again. And with food that good, they can welcome me as if we're long-lost relatives, I won't care!
Neil's serves stellar steak dishes and the service is terrific. The wine list is appropriately varied and reasonably priced. Every time I've dined there, the bar area is lively - looks like a great gathering place for locals in the 17 North area. It's also really nice that Neil himself usually stops in at your table and checks on your meal.
What a memorable night. We arrived just a bit early for our reservations and waited about 15 minutes in the bar. As we waited Brett Mckee introduced himself and two gentlemen uprooted from their seats for my wife and my friends wife. Wow that hasn't happened much in the last 40 years. I must say the food was great and cooked to perfection. The service was outstanding. Valet parking was great since it was raining. The restaurant is really a different flare and I personally would recommend eating at the Oaks for anyone visiting town. Best of luck to you Brett. Thanks for the memories.
I went to Neil Jordan's for their Sunday brunch, and thoroughly enjoyed myself. The servers were timely and considerate, the food was delicious and presented well, and the atmosphere was pleasant. Although they can be a little pricey, Neil Jordan's offers a range of food and beverage choices that span from inexpensive to fine dining quality prices. I recommend this restaurant to anybody visiting or living in Charleston. The owners work hard to appease their customers, and are willing to take recommendations and critiques to improve their service.
I am truly a fan of Grill 225. My wife and I have been several times. We always have great service and the food is always on point. We love the tomato pie and steak foie gras. The dining room is quiet and romantic, the perfect place for date night. While I do admit the prices are a little too high for some place to go often, we find going here to be a little treat that we save up for and the food is worth the price.
We had a wonderful dinner at Halls Chophouse. The atmosphere was pleasant, the food was great, and the staff was very attentive. I disagree with other postings regarding the staff. We found it refreshing to have a host and waiter that cared about making sure we had a good dining experience. We were visiting Charleston from out of town and stumbled upon this beautifully renovated restaurant. We had a great meal and will be back the next time we are in town.
Re: “Halls Chophouse”
I was honestly worried about eating here after reading the reviews. The Hall's friendliness is a matter of taste. We went on a fairly quiet Sunday night, and I found the host to be very hospitable and very helpful. I would ask this of the extreme negative folks, would you rather your hosts at a restaurant be overly helpful or non-existent. I thought the server did extremely well with our group, he did a fine job of explaining the specials and explaining preparations of dishes (such as the "bacon steak"). The food was very good. Not great, but not good either. We had to send one steak back because it was underdone for one in the parties liking, but my steak was fine. The prices are on par with upper tier restaurants in this area, which in my opinion is overpriced anyway. Then again, I ask myself, how much business would they draw if they lowered prices by 5 dollars a plate, or 10 for the upper regions? Probably not much at all. It is a very nice place for a special night, one of the best in Charleston. I couldn't afford to eat there more than twice a year, but I wouldn't turn the place down. I'd have to eat at Oak now that Jeremiah Bacon is running the show in order to judge, I was not a fan when Brett McKee was over there. Hall's is very good, and I would eat there again.