Lewis Barbecue Charleston — Restaurant in Charleston

YOU MAY LOVE THE GREASY, FLAVORLESS BBQ, BUT THE SERVICE STINKS 👎🏽🤢🤮!!! Whom a restaurant chooses to represent them says a lot about the restaurant. About 1 yr ago I ordered takeout nachos. When I arrived I saw the nachos were packaged as one unit, sauce and all. I simply stated, not even asked, "Usually, the nachos come in separate containers because as a takeout order they would be soggy by the time you get home". The cashier then goes to speak with food servers and returns stating how to order by special request the next time and I say "ok" as he tells me my order will be remade. If he said it can't be remade I would have accepted it, come to the same conclusion myself and/ chose somewhere else to go next time. At this moment I presume we're settled, but before I can blink the manager comes up to me in the most hostile way as if I stole his birthright stating "So you want me to throw away this food and remake your order because you forgot to put in a special request!!". Never in my life did I believe such a nasty piece of work would be entitled "manager" nor that such flagrant tone & verbiage would be directed at me over 1 order of nachos. To not package the items separately is a disservice to takeout customer service, but regardless, I never insisted on a remake. My statement was to determine if this was an oversight or intentional. How the manager chose to respond to a regular paying customer was a shot in the foot for the restaurant that only escalated due to his behavior and intentions to exacerbate the situation with his repeated accusations and vile attitude. This resulted in me not even wanting the food and asking for a refund which switched this demented, sassy man into an unstable, perky cheerleader for losing a customer and losing money. I've never seen anything like it. I later wrote the GM laying out the entire incident and asked he do his due diligence on the incident, but I had no faith that the employees involved nor the "manager" would be honest about the interaction. I hoped no one would ever have to be subjected to a person who has no emotional capacity for people or mental capacity for leadership. The GM decided to give me a credit to win me back. I had no intention of using it. A friend of mine happens to enjoy their food and so I lent it to him 8 mos later. To my bewilderment, guess who was still front & center at the restaurant when I arrived for pickup. Sassy Mcnasty. Never again! If you don't take pride in your business,...

On Saturday, August 3rd, I went to lunch with my son and daughter at Lewis Barbecue (464 North Nassau Street in Charleston SC). As expected on a weekend, we encountered a line that stretched about 20 feet outside the door, leading to a 35-minute wait before we finally reached the counter to order. Given the 90-degree heat, the wait felt particularly long, but we stuck it out.

When we finally reached the counter, my daughter opted for the Central Texas-style brisket, a chopped beef brisket sandwich, and a side of mac and cheese. My son chose a pulled pork sandwich, nachos, and also the mac and cheese. I went with a pulled pork sandwich, potato salad, coleslaw, and fries. Everyone drank a Coke (self-serve, with free refills). No one ate dessert.

The brisket was tender and flavorful, and the mac and cheese was creamy. The pulled pork sandwiches were well-executed, with juicy, smoky meat that hit all the right notes. However, there were a few things that left me wanting.

To start, the absence of a mustard-based barbecue sauce (often called “Carolina Gold”) was surprising, especially considering we were dining in Charleston, South Carolina, where this style is a staple for many. While the other sauces were ok, this omission felt like a missed opportunity to cater to local tastes.

As for my sides, the potato salad was okay, though not exactly the “style” that I prefer. The coleslaw, while fresh, was not finely chopped, which is my personal preference. It was good but not outstanding in my opinion. The fries, while there was an attempt to be unique (they are called “beef tallow fried crispy sidewinders”), didn’t quite hit the mark for me. I would have preferred a more classic French fry or even a steak fry.

The number one complaint of the day was that it was excessively hot inside the restaurant, and in particular, there was absolutely no air movement. I don’t understand why there aren't at least several large ceiling fans inside the main eating area. We all decided that if we ever go back, it will definitely be in the winter.

In summary, Lewis Barbecue offers solid, flavorful barbecue with a few minor misses that could be easily overlooked depending on personal preferences. The atmosphere is nice, the service was great, and the food is overall satisfying, making it a worthwhile visit.

Total cost of lunch: $95...

We had a fantastic dinner at Lewis Barbecue today, and I can’t believe it took us so long to try it despite frequent visits to Charleston. Simply put—the food was insane. Hands down, this is some of the best barbecue I’ve ever had.

From the moment we walked up to the counter, we knew we were in for something special. Since it was our first visit, we were welcomed with a sample of hot, perfectly seasoned brisket. One bite was all it took—we immediately added a half pound to our order. Along with the brisket, we ordered a half pound of pulled pork, the special sandwich of the day (a prime rib beef ‘n’ cheddar stacked with green chili queso), mac and cheese, beef tallow fries, and a hot guts sausage link.

Everything was phenomenal. The brisket was smoky, tender, and rich with flavor. The pulled pork had just the right balance of smoke and tang, while the beef ‘n’ cheddar sandwich was over-the-top indulgent in the best way. The mac and cheese was creamy, decadent, and—dare I say—better than my family’s century-old recipe. The beef tallow fries were crisp, flavorful, and addictive. But one of the most memorable surprises? The house-made dill pickles and pickled onions, which added the perfect fresh bite to balance the richness of the meats.

I have to admit, I hesitated ordering the “Hot Guts” sausage by name, but it was absolutely worth it. Spicy, juicy, and packed with flavor, it was a standout on the tray.

Our total was $73 for the spread, including two fountain drinks—and it was worth every penny.

We loved it so much, we’re already planning to come back for lunch tomorrow.

Tip: get there early!! We got there at 5pm on a Friday and it was a 5-10 min wait. By the time we left, it was wrapped around the parking lot.

The seating is minimal inside. Lots of seating outside but it was raining on our visit.

Order: .5 lbs pulled pork, .5 lbs brisket(lean & fatty mix), beef sandwich, Mac ‘n’ cheese, fries, one hot guts link, white bread, pickles, &...