Angel Oak Restaurant and Bar – A Hidden Gem in Charleston West Ashley

My Candid Review of Angel Oak Restaurant

While there are good dining options on Kiawah Island (Golf Course Dining) and surrounding John’s Island area (Freshfield’s market), it is sometimes necessary to take a trip into downtown Charleston or West Ashley area for eats which entails a thirty to forty five minute trek off the island to find a good place to grab dinner.

One hidden gem we have stumbled across the past few years is the Angel Oak Restaurant and Bar located on Savannah Highway in West Ashley. (Hyperlink) which is about a thirty minute drive from Kiawah. The drive can take potentially longer if going into dinner around rush hour during weekdays with traffic on and off the island being congested.

So, I have been visiting Kiawah Island for years and just discovered this place a few years ago. My original visit in 2020 and follow visits made this restaurant well worthy of a review.

Dining Environment

The restaurant is modest in size and very easy to drive past if you are not looking carefully as you proceed down a very fast Savannah highway. Restaurant is situated deep back on its property with palms and sign out front to flag you to turn off. The cozy and rustic dining room is open concept with primarily four tops and some booths. Ceiling is exposed which makes the room feel larger but also allows for sound and crowd noise to carry. There are additional tables al fresco out front as well as a bar out back. I have not seen the bar yet, but hope to try it out in my next visit.

The place settings use wares I would recall out of my grandmother’s thanksgiving table setting as the food is served on ornate patterned plates, cups and saucers. The water or iced tea beverages are served in mason jars. Again, keeping it southern!

 

The Food

So many things go right here. The menu and chef pride itself on keeping it locally sourced and I love that. The menu is for the most part, southern fare. The offerings include Shrimp and grits, Fried chicken, fried green tomatoes, macaroni and cheese, chicken and dumplings, pulled pork, pimento cheese appetizer, and a few seafood offerings. If southern fare is not your thing, you can go with steak, seafood, or even a burger. The dessert offerings are even better with the beignets, banana pudding, and dessert skillets.

I have only waded knee deep in this menu as I have tried the shrimp and grits and fried chicken on my last three visits. First the shrimp and grits. I have tried shrimp and grits and other downtown Charleston stops including the late Jestine’s Kitchen and the late Hominy Grill. Both of those locations had stellar shrimp and grits but I think Angel Oak’s version is as good is not better than those. The grits are so creamy and tasty and the shrimp is consistently cooked to perfection. This is my go-to when I do not get the fried chicken. Can’t go wrong with this one. The fried chicken is a two piece offering with sides (as I opt for the macaroni and cheese). The fried chicken comes out a beautiful brown with a drizzle of honey to give a sweet balance to savory chicken. Caution on this that you may need extra napkins as the chicken is so delicious but can be a mess to eat with the honey. Don’t let the stickiness stop you.

The cherry on the sundae of a meal at Angel Oak is ordering a dessert round of the hot beignets to finish off the meal. The beignets are brought to the table warm, borderline hot with a generous dusting of confectioners’ sugar and a side cup of hot chocolate sauce. I have never had New Orleans beignets before, but these treats are out of this world. Every visit to this restaurant is always accompanied by an order of these decadent treats. The chocolate sauce is a nice addition but these can easily fly solo without.

Service

The hostess and servers are some of the friendliest staff I have encountered in my dining out in the Charleston area. The servers are very attentive to bringing menus, food and drinks out in a timely fashion. They are very thorough in answering questions and providing recommendations, which is always appreciated when bringing children along. They sold me on the beignets when I didn’t have room for dessert, but glad I tried them.

 

If visiting the Charleston area and looking hard for that authentic southern fare, I would start with the Angel Oak Restaurant. Highly recommend reservations as this place will fill up quickly. If you cannot get a dinner reservation, then consider a lunch time visit.