When are you going? It's been decades since I was last there, but I will be in Charleston Apr 8-14 and I'll be able to report on a few choices after that. We're spending most of our time in a vacation rental home out on Isle of Palms and then a few nights at Mills House in the historic district. Dinners at Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina (Mt Pleasant) most nights, but taking DW to dinner at Husk on our last night. I am sure we'll do a carriage ride while we're there too.
I'd welcome any local knowledge on our trip plan too.
I'm volunteering for Race Week btw, got roped into it by my old boss in the sailing business. I better get to see you!
It's funny about the local restaurants. Most of us frugal types never eat at the super fancy, much-hyped ones, but tend to go to the more moderate ones when we go out downtown at all. I've only eaten at a handful of the ritzier spots, so even I go for the Yelp reviews when trying to help others.
The only BBQ in downtown is Sticky Fingers, I think, and something called Jim and Nick's. Sticky Fingers is ok, and I've heard good stuff about Jim and Nick's, but BBQ is a singular thing, and I think my favorite local spot is HomeTeam. They have one on Sullivans Island and one in West Ashley (Charleston).
The nicest thing to do in Chucktown is just walk around. You get to peer into the pretty gardens, window shop random antique places, and admire the beautifully restored old houses.
Pro tip: Don't ask anyone about that idiotic reality show Southern Charm. We are uniformly mortified. And pick up a copy of the Charleston City Paper (or read it online). Good info there on stuff.
The funkier spots now are out of the historic district, up on North Morrison. If you want to see some hipper, non-tourist locales, that's where I go for drinks, music, and to see how unhip I really am.
You don't have to spend a mint on dinner to get a good meal in Charleston, that I do know. But the fine dining places will rarely disappoint. It is a very competitive town as far as the restaurant business goes, so if they are still open after a year, you can bet there's a good reason. With the exception of Hymans, lol.