Circa 1886 is simply divine. I was celebrating a birthday and it's definitely a perfect spot for a special occasion. It's located in the historic district and is a truly romantic & refined dining experience. We were a party of four and were thrilled to be seated in a cozy booth. Two in our party ordered the tasting menu while 2 of us ordered a la carte. I kind of imagined a scene from The Bear when each dish arrived because of the artful presentation. Everything was excellent with only a couple of wobbles. The asparagus risotto was a bit sticky vs. creamy, and the timing of delivery was a bit off. We were assured they would align the a la carte dishes with the tasting menu but that didn't happen. The last course also took quite a while to arrive so we had a lengthy pause- enough so that we all noticed. I will add that many places insist everyone in the party either order the tasting menu or a la carte so I think of it as a benefit that Circa 1886 allows everyone to order as they like. I would imagine this makes timing a bit of a challenge. With ambience for days, outstanding food and great service, I can recommend Circa 1886 without hesitation.

This was the best place that we have eaten during out trip to Charleston. We planned to come here on a Monday night but didn't have a reservation so we showed up right at 5pm when they opened and we were able to get a seat in the bar area. I would definitely recommend reservations if you plan on showing up later than that. The service was amazing from the beginning. The door was opened for us, the waiter gave us his recommendations and they were very accommodating of my moms shellfish allergy (even bringing her out a different amuse bouche made with steak when the original one had crab). The portions were small but perfectly sized to get an appetizer, an entree and some dessert with room for a drink. The people complaining about the portion sizes clearly have not been to a fine dining establishment because I fear these are standard sizes. We ordered the caesar salad, the risotto and the carrot cake baked Alaska with a cappuccino to finish our meal. The ambiance inside was amazing, great lighting, minimal noise and no kids in sight. The service was incredible from start to finish and if we lived here this would be a regular spot for us.

Fine Dining at its best. Probably one of the best complete meals I have ever had. Every single thing we had was superb. Walking in the place feels like old Charleston money. Lots of older gentleman in coats. But don't let that deceive you, the wait staff treats everyone amazing. Everything is perfect. I have been going there for 16 years and wouldn't change a thing.

One of the best dining experiences we have ever had! The wait staff is the best there is. The food is amazing and unique. Wine selection is fantastic. We had a small group with a private room that was great for conversation and very cozy. Raving thumbs up from everyone!

This was my "splurge meal" while visiting Charleston. | Food | I enjoyed the Cooper tasting menu, which included an amuse-bouche and the following items: 4 stars - Foie Gras Torchon "Brûlée" with Peach Cider Curd, Toasted Pecans, Finger Lime, Basil Blue Crab Salad with Pineapple Sorbet, Cucumber, Radish, Romesco Sauce, Tequila Vinegar Gel, Cilantro, Tortilla Crisps 4 stars - Berkshare Pork with Gnocchi, Smoked Paprika Tomato Sauce, Manchego, Truffle Crema. The pork was delicious, however the gnocchi was a bit gummy. 5 stars - Wagyu Beef with Garlic Butter Whipped Potatoes, Petite Vegetables, Smoked Foie Gras Demiglace. The wagyu beef was so tasty and perfectly crusted. Amazing dish! 5 stars (And I'm not even a chocolate fan) - Chocolate & Pears with Chocolate Truffle Cake, Port Poached Pears, Grand Marnier Toffee Sauce, Vanilla Ice Cream, Blood Orange Gel | Atmosphere | The restaurant is on the grounds of the historic Wentworth mansion hotel, and is in the original carriage house. The front entrance walkway consists of a lovely seasonal garden. Inside feels very "old money" with a formal dining room and circular tables with white linens. | Service | The service is impeccable. Our server, Craig, was very professional and handled out group with aplomb (including seamlessly removing a place setting when one person was a no-show to ensure we had more space). We wanted for nothing throughout the entire meal. He was amazing with explaining the details of every course and also the wine pairings. Pro Tip: If you can enter the restaurant by way of the Wentworth mansion entrance and lobby for a peak inside the gorgeous mansion! (There is a cutoff time by which you can enter the mansion).

Quite the experience. This was our splurge dinner while visiting Charleston. My girlfriend and I opted for the tasting menus. With wine pairings these ran $220 each. Rather spendy, yes, but also very good. She had the ASHLEY TASTING MENU, consisting of: SOUP & SANDWICH--Open Face Brioche Lobster "Roll", Chives, Lobster Bisque / ARCTIC CHAR--English Peas, Poached Garlic Bechamel, Fingerling Potato Chips, Meyer Lemon / FRIED POULET ROUGE--Caviar, Gold Leaf, Preserved Roma Tomato, Pickle Buttermilk Dressing / LAMB CHOPS French Onion Potato Napoleon, Asparagus, Black Garlic Demiglace, Butterless Hollandaise / APPLE COBBLER SOUFFLÉ--Cinnamon Soufflé, Caramel Apple Ice Cream, Vanilla Anglaise. I opted for the COOPER TASTING MENU, which included: FOIE GRAS TORCHON "BRULEE"--Peach Cider Curd, Toasted Pecans, Finger Lime, Basil / BLUE CRAB SALAD--Pineapple Sorbet, Cucumber, Radish, Romesco Sauce, Tequila Vinegar Gel, Cilantro, Tortilla Crisps / BERKSHIRE PORK Gnocchi, Smoked Paprika Tomato Sauce, Manchego, Truffle Crema / WAGYU BEEF Garlic Butter Whipped Potatoes, Petite Vegetables, Smoked Foie Gras Demiglace / CHOCOLATE & PEARS--Chocolate Truffle Cake, Port Poached Pears, Grand Marnier Toffee Sauce, Vanilla Ice Cream, Blood Orange Gel. Everything we had was artfully prepared and presented. The "journey of taste" we went on was one of wonder. We shared and mixed and matched between our two menus. The wine pairings were exquisitely done. Perhaps somewhat ironically, I very much enjoyed the wine pairings from the Ashley with the foods from the Cooper. At the end of the night, with tip, we dropped almost $600 for the two of us. Was it worth it? Probably. Service was excellent. We had a great time. And it was quite memorable. I wish I had taken some pictures of the meal.

Best wine pairing dinner I have ever had! This place is definitely spendy. The tasting menu with wine pairings will run you over $200 per person. But, it's a very cool experience and worth the splurge. All of the dishes were unique. They have 2 different tasting menus, so going with a partner and ordering one of each so you can try both is a great idea. The wine pairings were really well thought out and really did compliment each dish. The server came out and introduced each wine and explained why it was selected to go with the dish. I have been to a lot of wine dinners and this was by far the best pairing I have experienced. FYI: No substitutions on the tasting menus. If you have allergies/preferences, you'll want to order other a la carte dishes.

We were in town for the weekend, and my husband was nice enough to make a reservation at this restaurant. It is contained in a former mansion in town. The ambiance was excellent. They have two different tasting menus as well as a regular menu. We opted for the regular menu and were very happy with it. We started with the pork belly appetizer, which was good. For my entree, I had the beef tenderloin. It came with a delicious demi glaze, mashed potatoes, and several vegetables. My husband had the scallops entree and really liked it. For dessert, we shared the special soufflé. It had apples and apple pie ice cream with it and was fabulous. A true dining pleasure.

Tucked away in the original carriage house of the Wentworth Mansion, replete with its original pine floors and enchanting architectural accoutrements, Circa 1886, as their website so understatedly notes, "evokes the romance and Old-World charm of historic downtown Charleston." An understatement, indeed, considering that in 2020 the restaurant was cited as one of "The Most Romantic Restaurants in the World" by Architectural Digest. But Circa 1886 offers diners infinitely more than alluring ambience, as the restaurant is consistently ranked as one of the finest the city of Charleston has to offer. For over a decade, Executive Chef Marc Collins has worked with local farmers and fishermen to create an innovative seasonal & local menu that has taken Lowcountry cuisine to new culinary heights... In 2019, he launched a unique four-part menu that takes diners on an historical journey through South Carolina's fascinating foodways - Tastes of Native Tribes... Flavors Brought from Africa... Influences from Europe - and how these elements have been fused into a decidedly modern take on Lowcountry cuisine... South Carolina Today. Needless to say, the menu presented so many intriguing possibilities that it was extremely difficult knowing what to choose. Somehow or other - undoubtedly by pure chance - my dining partner and I managed to put a dent in all four categories. I began with the Foie Gras (from Europe), which, when I happen to spy it on a menu is almost impossible to resist. Mr. Collins version was particularly avant garde, bewitching the palate with such delicious traveling companions as cassava pudding, pomegranate strawberry jam, lime basil oil, and smattering of hazelnuts. My dining companion's Shrimp n' Rice Grits (from Africa; pictured) was equally au courant, incorporating smoked ham hock gravy, Burden Creek Dairy goat cheese, and tiara of cabbage leaves. It was a rather warm evening in Charleston, so we decided to take the piscatorial route. I opted for the Paprika Grouper (from Europe). Pillowed on a seabed of leeks n' kale, it was accompanied by crispy fingerling potatoes and garnished with Manchego cheese and an intriguing preserved tomato & caper crudo... A captivating combo of flavors and textures to say the least. My dining partner's Rainbow Trout (Native Tribes; pictured), however, was even more thought-provoking. The filet was enveloped in an ethereal sunflower sumac crust and kissed by an enticing corn sauce, with a wild rice porridge, arugula, and cranberry paint in strong supporting roles. Other interesting items that are definitely worth a try... Butternut Squash & Peanut Soup: grilled scallion lacquer, dried mango; Southern Grilled Cheese: pimento cheese mousse, grilled brioche, Surryano ham, paddlefish caviar, cured yolk powder; Chicken Fried Duck Breast: Hoppin' John, turnips & tops, orange & grapefruit salad, buttered biscuit gravy; Peri-Peri Pork Belly: coconut red rice, collard greens, red onion piccalilli, guave purée; Sea Scallops: blue corn grits, copper carrots, Brussels sprouts, vanilla bean vinaigrette. Desserts continued the kitchen's winning ways with one representative from each of the menu's above-mentioned four culinary categories: Sweet Corn and Huckleberry (Native Tribes): sweet corn Bavarian, Johnny cakes, huckleberry sorbet, puffed hominy; Coconut Sombi (from Africa): Carolina gold rice pudding, fresh mango, coconut sorbet, benne seed tuile; Mousse au chocolat (from Europe): dark chocolate mousse, caramel crèmeux, pecan profiterole, chocolate sauce. Our denouement of choice, however, was the Strawberry Shortcake Soufflé (South Carolina Today; pictured): beautifully textured buttermilk soufflé, rich, decadent Grand Marnier ice cream, and sweet fresh strawberries... Incomparable. One final note. Circa 1886 also has a fabulous wine list... including a Bucket List Wines by the Ounce, with one, three, and five ounce pours of some extraordinary vintages. And their innovative specialty cocktails are certain to raise a few eyebrows as well as spirits... Like Spring on Wentworth: Vodka, Limoncello, Lemon, Basil; Ladies Man: Glenmorangie, Cocchi Americano, Orange Bitters; or Little Bird Told Me: Spiced Rum, Campari, Pineapple. If you are visiting the Charleston area, Circa 1886 is certainly worth a visit. Check that... a journey.

My husband and I did the tasting menu for our anniversary dinner. The location is a bit off the main drag and close to the college. Upon arrival you walk through a historic house that has been turned into a bed and breakfast. The restaurant is in the back, which was the old carriage house. The food was flavorful paired with the wines, however, we were one of the last seatings that night and felt rushed. The food came out quickly and there was not much time between our courses. If your looking for a tasting menu in a cool location, this is a great place. Unfortunately overall I won't be back again and will looks elsewhere next time.