Tag: Charleston

On the problem of popular restaurants not taking reservations


I get why popular restaurants don’t want to take reservations. Case in point, the very popular Chubby Fish restaurant in Charleston, S.C. According to this piece:

Chubby Fish doesn’t accept reservations because London (James London, Chubby Fish chef and co-owner) doesn’t want the restaurant to be exclusive. The goal is for people to be able to show up at 4 p.m. and be able to eat dinner the same night.

In some way that makes sense: you don’t have empty tables ever and the people who really want to go will line up.

Alas there is a problem:

Now that some people are paying extra for line waiters to arrive early and claim desirable dining times, others in line aren’t getting the same opportunity they once had. As a result, they’re having to arrive earlier and earlier, London said.

“We never wanted that for our guests. It’s not the hospitality we wanted to display,” he said.

Recently, London spoke with the line-waiting businesses…about limiting the number of reservations they’re allowed to procure at a time, he said. But he worries about what could happen if the businesses continue to grow.

“I don’t want to be forced into having to take reservations to eliminate the professional line-waiting services, but what does it look like three years down the road?” he said.

And how much are these line-waiting services charging?

Ella Ward, a senior at the College of Charleston, realized that made for a good business opportunity….Ward has turned waiting in line at Chubby Fish into a thriving side hustle. She charges $60 on weekdays and $80 on weekends to wait out the line and snag seating times on behalf of others. She recruited other CofC students to help her manage requests, and the team is booked through June.

This is just a form of line jumping and is not unlike someone slipping FOH some money to get a good table. And not for a small amount either. If everyone is paying $60 or more to get a seat in your restaurant, you are an exclusive restaurant, whether you like it or not.

No reservations (i.e., supply) is fine for restaurants that have roughly the same demand. But if demand vastly outstrips supply, you are going to have problems like line-waiting services. You are going to be transformed into an exclusive restaurant by the marketplace. In the era of social media and vast tourism where the marketplace is gigantic, this is going to become more of a problem for some restaurants like Chubby Fish.

 

Restaurants loved and lost: Libertine in New York City, Rodney Scott’s in Charleston

The minute I read this review by Pete Wells, I knew I had to go Libertine. I love a French bistro generally, and this one sounded especially good. On the night we went, everything about it was ideal. We snagged a lovely table near a window and had a waiter that bent over backwards to make sure we had a memorable evening. The food, from the appetizer (oeuf mayonnaise) to the mains (that sausage and potato dish) to the a dessert (a massive chocolate mousse), was delicious. As soon as we were home for the evening, I was already dreaming about when I could go again.

Sadly those dreams are done, for Libertine is closing this month. The same people own the space and plan to turn it into something else which will no doubt be great. But I would have liked another chance to eat at that fine New York City bistro.

Another place I had hoped to return to some day was Rodney Scott’s in Charleston. It too was a place that I heard of through someone famous (Anthony Bourdain) and I had a chance to dine there once at it’s location on King Street. I filled a plate with lots of food that Scott was known for, from the BBQ meats to the tasty sides. Alas there are almost too many great places to dine in Charleston and I never did go again, and now I never will.

I look forward to finding out what goes next in the space where Libertine was. And I hope Rodney Scott can make a comeback.

P.S. For more on Libertine closing, see this. For more on Rodney Scott’s closing, see this.

P.S.S. June 19, 2026: looks like Libertine is being reborn as Capitaine. Look forward to going some night!

Two great hotels that reflect two things I am a fan of

Anyone who knows me and my blog will know I have always been a fan of Philippe Starck. I am especially a fan of his hotels. So of course I was delighted to hear about this new place he is working on, the Maison Heler hotel (shown above) in Metz in the north of France. It’s fantastic and fantastical, as many of his hotels are / were.  It’s worthwhile to read this here and check out the lots more great photos.

While I am a fan of Starck, I aslo a fan of the city of Charleston. Which leads me to point out another great hotel, The Nickel, that has just opened up in that city.

Just as the Maison Heler is a reflection of Starck, the Nickel hotel is a reflection of Charleston. Other than that, they are both very different hotels. To see what I mean, check out this piece here. That piece too is filed with details on the hotel, not to mention great photos.

If you liked those two hotels, I recommend you head over to the website Design-Milk for many more great hotel stories.

P.S. For even more on hotels, specifically hotels next to railways, read this.

My Charleston Favorites, 2025 edition


Chubby fish interior

I was recently in Charleston, S.C., a city I love.

I’ve written about Charleston several times here, but I am sure some people might wonder, what do I recommend for anyone visiting Charleston? Here’s a short list for the start of 2025. It’s far from exhausting.

  1. Maison. Simply the best French food I’ve eaten anywhere in North America, save Le Bernardin. Sit at the bar: the bartenders are tremendous. Get them to make you a french negroni to start, and then have them recommend wine by the glass as you go. The salmon tartar is a great starter, as is the french onion croquet. Not sure about things? Get the steak frites. But it pay to try something a bit more adventurous. And if you want more French food, hit up
  2. Fast and French. If Maison is fine dining, this is fun dining. Go for lunch and rub elbows in their cozy downtown space. If it’s too cozy, you need to go to…
  3. The Ordinary. Make it easy and get a seafood tower. Get a table on the second floor if you can and look out over the place. But no where is a bad seat. It’s a big place.
  4. Renzo’s has delicious pizza and great wines, though it is not a big place, so you may have to wait. Speaking of that, you should try to go to…
  5. Chubbyfish (shown above) if you can ever get in, it’s superb. It may be easier to head over to…
  6. Santis for margueritas and TexMex food. It’s a super fun atmosphere too.
  7. Ted’s Butcher Block makes superb sandwiches every day of the week and on Saturdays, superb burgers. Grab some meat and cheese and wine to bring home for later. If you need options, then….
  8. Cow Sheep Cow also has excellent provisions, including cheese and wine. Need a corkscrew? They have great ones. Likewise,  go to…
  9. Monarch Wines for a bottle of something special. After that, go next door to…
  10. Harbinger and grab a coffee and a cookie. Or head over to…
  11. Sightsee, which also has amazing coffee. A beautiful space too. Then head downtown to wander along…
  12. King St. So much to see here, but make sure you pop into…
  13. Candlefish. It’s a great place for souvenirs and gifts. I recommend their library for a classic candle, though everything there is great. Speaking of great products…
  14. J Stark is loaded with them. You can’t go wrong with any of their bags or wallets. Even their key chains are wonderful. While you are in that part of Charleston, grab some food at…
  15. EVO or Odd Duck. Or if you are driving and hungry, go to…
  16. Cookout. Their hamburgers and chili fries can’t be beat. Love milkshakes? Then you definitely need to go.
  17. Munkle is just one of the great local brewers there. Stop by for a pint. If you are lucky…
  18. Doughboyz will be onsite selling their pizzas from their truck. Get the pepperoni. You’ll be glad you did. Did I forget…
  19. Rodney’s or Lewis’s for BBQ? I did not. Nor should you.
  20. Hampton Park is never a bad idea, either. Grab a coffee from Sightsee or Harbinger and then wander around or just snag a bench and relax.

A long list, and I could easily double it. Go to Charleston when you can.

 

Six cool things to start off your Monday

  1. This obit of Red Paden, the “Juke Joint ‘King’ Who Kept the Blues Alive” is great not just because of the man himself, but the culture and history his life embodied. Well worth a read. (Image above from that article by Rory Doyle.)
  2. For fans of David Byrne (like myself) who like to dance (not me), here’s how to dance like David using this easy to follow instructional video.
  3. For fans of Rubik cubes and those who want to solve them.
  4. Here’s a piece on the world’s smallest car which comes as a kit that you can build yourself. Amazing.
  5. I love Charleston and I love maps, so I really love these 7 amazing illustrated maps of that city. (Map by Lucy Davey from this article.)
  6. This was as good of a story on the month of January as I could imagine. From the Paris Review.

 

Cook Out is coming. Get ready!

If you have not heard of Cook Out, you a) likely have not been to the U.S. South b) have been missing out! Whenever I can get down there I try to make one visit for a burger and chili fries. It’s fantastic. I would eat there all the time if I could.

Well good news: I might be able to. According to Slate, the Cook Out fast-food chain is expanding! Hey if Chick-fil-A can get to Toronto, maybe Cook Out can too. The thought of it is thrilling!

If you do get a chance to go to a Cook Out, I highly recommend it. Until then, read the Slate piece to find out more about this fine fast food place.

P.S. No, the burgers do not come with googly eyes. Slate did that. 🙂

The New York Times whips down to Charleston, S.C. again for 36 hours

I love the the New York Times,  I love Charleston, and I love their 36 hours travel series, so I was keen to read this: 36 Hours in Charleston, South Carolina: Things to Do and See. I was also curious to see how it compare it their 2016 version: 36 Hours in Charleston, S.C. and their somewhat 2008 version, Visiting Charleston, S.C., on a Budget.

Overall it’s a good guide, but some of the restaurants they recommend are not necessarily the best of the city. While I don’t recommend you read the comments section, one person had good advice: “Go to FIG, go to 167 Raw, The Ordinary, Maison, Melfi, The Grocery, Doar Brothers for a cocktail, Sorelle, Verns, Edmunds Oast, Lewis BBQ, Rodneys BBQ….there are probably 30-40 restaurants in this town I would go to instead of Fleet. Sullivans has beautiful beaches and OD is good for brunch. But just good. Also, go see Folly Beach. Funky and boho. The Gaillard is our large concert hall but also look to see who’s playing at Music Hall or Music Farm. Go out to some of the Breweries on Upper Morrison and Spruill. ” Well said. I’d add Chubbyfish (if you can get in), and Santis. Butcher & Bee used to be good: now it’s gone. If you want some cool stuff to take home, head over to J. Stark: their bags are fantastic, and their store is beautiful.

Charleston is a great city, and I’m glad the Times is featuring it. But if you are looking for places to eat, either talk to a local or check out Eater for the Carolinas. You’ll be glad you did.