Peninsula Grill — Restaurant in Charleston

A Five-Star Anniversary Celebration at Charleston’s Historic Peninsula Grill

My wife and I are seasoned steakhouse enthusiasts, having enjoyed many of the finest spots in Charlotte—places like Ruth’s Chris, Steak 48, Fleming’s, Morton’s, Chima, and Bentley’s. But our honeymoon brought us to Downtown Charleston for the first time, and Peninsula Grill gave us an experience we’ll never forget.

Established in 1997 and located in the courtyard of the storied Planters Inn, Peninsula Grill has built a reputation as a gem of Charleston’s renowned dining scene. Adored by critics and visitors alike, it’s no surprise that their signature “Ultimate Coconut Cake” has become a must-try dessert, cementing Peninsula Grill’s place among the city’s culinary greats.

Since it’s December 2024, most diners were inside, but we wanted to enjoy the festive atmosphere on the outdoor terrace—and we’re so glad we did. Twinkling string lights and seasonal garlands gave everything a warm, holiday feel, while well-placed heaters (and the gentle sound of courtyard fountains) created a cozy, romantic setting. It was perfect for capturing a few honeymoon photos afterward!

We were also blown away by the service. Our waiter Cory greeted us immediately with water and wine, detailed the specials, and saw to it that our food arrived quickly—within 30 minutes, which felt remarkably efficient for a restaurant of this caliber.

We began our meal with an appetizer topped with fresh mozzarella, accompanied by a delightful amuse-bouche of cheese, warm house bread, and salted butter. For the main course, I opted for an exquisitely cooked steak with tender asparagus. From the phenomenal quality of the meat (possibly sourced from a top-tier farm) to the peppercorn and béarnaise sauces, every bite was sublime. The béarnaise in particular stood out, though I do wish I’d sampled the house sauce as well!

The Legendary Coconut Cake😇

To wrap up our unforgettable evening, we indulged in the famed Coconut Cake ($17 a slice). This sweet masterpiece is every bit as legendary as people say—rich, moist, and gloriously satisfying. We took our slice to-go and enjoyed it later on our hotel balcony, soaking in the Charleston skyline. It was simply divine and absolutely worth the price.

If you’re looking for a top-tier dining experience in Charleston—especially for a special occasion like a honeymoon—Peninsula Grill is a standout choice. Expect to spend around $100 per person if you include wine and dessert, with entrées typically around $50. In our opinion, this is a small price to pay for world-class service, impeccable food, and an ambiance that will make any romantic night feel truly magical.

We can’t recommend Peninsula Grill enough; it’s the perfect combination of culinary excellence, Southern charm, and holiday enchantment—a memory we’ll...

05/04/2025 - Peninsula Grill - on Market Street - the crown jewel of the dining scene, the beguiling Four-Diamond and Four-Star restaurant hidden amidst a lush moonlit garden in the very heart of the Historic District.

Loved by locals and guests from around the world, Peninsula Grill offers a genuinely resplendent dining experience that pulls out all the stops—a spectacular setting, fresh and delicious cuisine, fantastic service that seamlessly anticipates a guest’s wants and needs, an award-winning wine list, a famous signature dessert, and one more ingredient… a bit of enchantment.

This one will be yet another of my favorites! EVERYTHING on the menu was one of my favorite dishes. It is a traditional elegant dining experience from the ambiance of the room, to the service, to the amazing cuisine. Superb.

Our server was Jessica, and she was fun and friendly and unpretentious. She added a fun informality to the formality of the room. The entire staff was top-notch and attentive.

I started with a shrimp cocktail with generously sized prawns. This was followed by a decadent foie gras served on endive, fennel, citrus, and ciabatta. Ron had at the same time the gem & endive Caesar with garlic breadcrumbs, white anchovy, crispy capers, and mimolette.

For the main course, Ron ordered the 18 oz Double Cut Pork Chop. It was TO DIE for!! So tender, juicy, and full of flavor. The portion was enough for two! We had to take some of it home and it made a great dinner the next night!! I had the 8 oz Center Cut Filet with Maine Lobster Tail. It was smothered in drawn butter and Classic Béarnaise sauce. YUM YUM YUM!!

Our side dishes were Confit Garlic Whipped Potatoes and Warm Smashed Potato Salad. Both side dishes were so good that we licked the serving plates (just kidding!).

The Peninsula Grill is known for its coconut cake, and we had a slice between the two of us. It was good but a little dry and bland. Honestly, it felt "store bought" but I think we had our expectations set too high since we had heard so much about the Coconut Cake.

Overall, the food was excellent. We would go back in a heartbeat. But this is a place for special occasions. It is very pricey. Our meal for two with cocktails was over $500, so plan accordingly. However, this was a very special occasion and worth it!

We will be back when we have our next...

Peninsula Grill. Breakfast server 5 star. Dinner service and food was extremely disappointing. The back story is, we live in Arizona, we chose Peninsula Grill as the restaurant we wanted to enjoy our 41st Honeymoon (Anniversary) together with friends this year. We do this every year and plan the trip around the restaurant we choose. After searching the internet we honed in on Peninsula Grill. Our waiter has been there over 15 years, according to him, however I've had better waiters at local cafes. It felt almost like WE should enjoy the experience instead of him MAKING the experience enjoyable. The place isn't big, but getting his attention was tough. That was the service part. The food part was the most surprising. While the ladies enjoyed their Scallops and fish dishes, the guys went for the meat. I had the Tomahawk Veal Chop and Lobster tail. Any Tomahawk I've ever ordered I've never had to fight to eat it. Far from tender, and pretty tasteless. The Lobster Tail was more like a Langostino. The real surprise was my friends Prime Ribeye. This must have been mismarked as beef as it cut like horse. Sorry to be so candied but that's what this review is for, so you can make good decisions. I watched him cut and Saw until he finally gave up. The waiter, did come over just after we received our food, however we hadn't even tried anything yet. I think he should have asked us to cut into the beef to see if it was to our liking before leaving the table. A great restaurant will do that just to hear the accolades. He literally may have had 2 or 3 bites of this steak and pushed it aside. The waiter finally returned after we had all eaten. He noticed my friend had hardly touched his steak and asked if he wanted another.. he declined as we were all done. He then came back and said the chef wanted to know what was wrong with it, all he had to do is try and cut it. Yes, it was removed from the bill but that was not the point, nor was it requested. We did try the Coconut Cake, which was good, however "you won't ask for the recipe" good... Would have loved to rave about Peninsula to friends but sorry. Hope next years 42nd honeymoon dinner is better wherever we end up in the world. Hope they can turn that around, it doesn't take long to ruin a good reputation. Lots of other choices in Charleston!...