Long John Silver's — Restaurant in Mauldin

“A Late-Night Craving for Connection” My husband and I had just left a store in Mauldin, South Carolina, when a craving for Long John Silver’s hit us out of nowhere. It was one of those silly, impulsive moments—nothing dramatic, just a spark of nostalgia wrapped in the smell of fried fish and hush puppies. At first, we both assumed we’d be out of luck. Ever since the pandemic lockdowns, late-night dining has become a rare luxury. Most places shut down by nine, and I was already preparing myself for disappointment. But then, I half-jokingly said, “Just Google it—what do we have to lose?” A few seconds later, his face lit up. “Heck yeah!” he laughed. “They’re open until 10 tonight!” Now, I know what you’re thinking: Who gets this excited over a fast-food place being open after nine on a weeknight? But for us, that small discovery felt like a win—a tiny return to spontaneity, to the way things used to feel before everything started closing early and life got too predictable. You see, I’ve always been a night owl. Even as a kid, I’d stay up until three or four in the morning, wide awake while the rest of the world slept. Some might call it insomnia, but I called it freedom—the quiet hum of late hours when ideas flutter and no one needs anything from you. But time changes everything. I grew up, built a career in sales, got married, had babies—two beautiful ones, 26 months apart. If you’re a parent, you know that life becomes a delicate act of sacrifice and reward. You pour yourself into everything—your kids, your job, your marriage—and before long, there’s barely a sliver of daylight left for yourself. Still, I gave it all everything I had. That’s who I am: All In, 1000%. But inside me, there’s always been this odd duality. I thrive around people—the energy, the conversation, the laughter—but then, without warning, I crash. It’s like hitting an invisible wall; suddenly, I need silence. I crave space. I need to breathe alone. Some have called that “bipolar.” Maybe they’re right. Maybe it’s just wiring—an overclocked brain that feels too much, loves too hard, and burns too bright. That night, standing in the parking lot admiring the last remnants of The SuperMoon, under the glow of a neon fish sign, I realized how something as simple as finding a restaurant open late could feel like redemption. A small victory for the night owl I used to be—and still am, beneath all the layers of responsibility. Because sometimes joy isn’t found in the big milestones. It’s in the greasy takeout bag that smells like childhood, in the laughter between partners on a quiet drive home, and in the reassurance that—just for a moment—you get to be yourself again.

Oh yeah, back to the review:

The food was EXCELLENT: piping hot, except for the cole slaw which was perfectly cool. Everything was fresh. They were extremely generous with the condiments we requested, even the napkins. The Drive-Through employee was charming, funny while still being professional and was a refreshing change from typical customer service employees who make you feel like you’re bothering them if you dare ask a question or require assistance with a product. I wish I had caught his name because he definitely deserves to be rewarded for doing an...

How this place stays in business is genuinely a mystery to me. Ordered online thirty minutes before we arrived and our food still wasn't ready. Waited another 15 minutes and when they finally brought our food we were missing an entire meal, two sides, and they also neglected to tell us they were out of the cheese bites we had ordered. They simply put on the ticket "no cheese bites" and didn't offer to replace it or do anything. Went back inside and told the person working about the missing food. She said it wasn't "missing" it was right here. She proceeded to hand me my meal that was now cold. Also, she said oh we did tell you we were out of cheese bites and then gestured toward where they wrote it on the ticket. I told her that's unacceptable and we need something to replace them or our money back. Once I got home I realized the meal they forgot was also wrong. The lady making the food hurried outside as soon as they gave us what was missing so she could smoke. They also said they were "short staffed" but three people were working and there was one other customer there in the 30 minutes this ordeal took. Also, after eating this nasty food myself and my lady have been sick all day. I'm sure the franchise owner will respond saying they'll handle it but there is absolutely nothing that would compel me to return to this place. Disgusting even by fast food standards. The best bet would be to lock up the place and throw...

The lady in the front was rude. I pay for a large drink. I ordered Sprite, but the syrup was out. I told her I said there’s no syrup. She just looked at me and walked away. I come back, got my ticket and took it up there told her I wanted a refund, she said there there’s other drinks over there you can drink. Didn’t bother to change the canister of the sprite for whatever reason but I said I do not do caffeine of any kind. She said well there’s water over there and it’s free. I Said, but I’ve paid for a soda. She said well the tea is caffeine free .I said really, she said yes, I got the tea, it’s pretty strong. I don’t know if it’s caffeine in it or not but I will know after while. I ask for tartar sauce also when I ordered my order . she brought my plate without it and when I went up and asked for it again she had a little basket and she shoved it at me and had a sour look on her face when I reached and got a handful. I didn’t dare go back up and asked for the malt vinegar lol I have always loved John Silvers, but there’s not one close to me. I’m at the one in Greenville off of Butler Road. But I must give thumbs up to the cook. The food was excellent. Cook just right. Corporate if you see this, maybe you can have a talk with the managers so they can have a talk with the...