Fig

We stopped in Friday night (7/21) without a reservation and sat at the "community table"! What a great experience! Of course the food was outstanding! I ordered the gnocchi with lamb bolognese sauce as an appetizer. I thought I had died and gone to Italian Heaven! So delicious, a cloud of happiness. My husband wishes he had ordered that. He had the burnt eggplant and cottage cheese with toast. It was different but fine. My entree was another appetizer, pasta with lemon butter garlic crab sauce. Another dish to die for. My husband had the amberjack with polenta which was extraordinary!! If you get the chance go there and sit at the community table if u don't have a reservation!!

We made a special trip to Charleston to dine here and it was well worth the effort. The food is delicious and the service is outstanding. We arrived at opening to get seats at the bar, otherwise, we understand that reservations can be tough to get. Order the blackened eggplant. Don't even think twice. I do not like eggplant and I could die happy on a diet of just this dish. Don't pass up the gnocchi. They are light and delicious in exactly the right amount of lamb tomato sauce. When we return to Charleston, it will be to eat in this restaurant again.

An amazing restaurant. I had a few wines (the glass list is really impressive), the schnitzel, and an espresso martini for dessert. Everything was perfect. The bar is first come, first serve and on a Wednesday night there were a few empty seats when I arrived at 6:30. Totally full at 8pm. Staff truly knew everything about the menu (Kristen was stellar). The owner/head chef chats with customers a few times a night and will suggest food/pairings. I could easily eat here every night of the week.

To cut to the chase; We’ve travelled to cities all over the country to eat good food, and it is no exaggeration to say that this meal was the most delicious meal we’ve ever had. A couple months before our meal here we decided on Charleston, SC for a trip because it’s a food destination, and immediately began trying to get a reservation to F.I.G. Our trip was around Thanksgiving so they were booked out, but I set up a notification system to let me know if something opened up, and thankfully a couple weeks before our trip a slot for a later dinner opened! From the moment you walk in the door you’re greeted by an exceptional front of house. There’s a tangible sense in the air that everyone is on their A-game and desiring to provide next level service. When we sat down our waiter walked us that days menu. It changes daily based on what ingredients are available, or even simply what was caught that day. Each menu is dated and signed, and when the waiter said, “we have no specials, because everything is special” he wasn’t joking. We also took the opportunity to ask the waiter for recommendations to other restaurants in town, two of which we tried and are also some of the greatest meals we’ve ever had. The food in Charleston is next level! We ordered the Lump Crab Spaghetti, Slow Baked Wreckfish, and Mustard Crusted Swordfish for our meal. We were debating on ordering the Yukon Gold Potato Puree, and with some encouragement from the waiter went for it. Overall what stood out the most was the greatest balance of Fat and Acid I ever consumed in a meal. Every single bite perfectly proportioned in flavor, texture, and creativity. This wasn’t the kind of meal that made you say “wow” after the first bite, it was the kind that made you say it after each bite, and on the way home, and the next day. Everything hit the palate just right. And the potatoes….just order them! We are still talking about this meal a month later, and it sits comfortably atop our list next to Michelin-Star Dim Sum from SF and every other life changing meal we’ve had. If you visit Charleston make sure you visit FIG, Make the reservation early, and build your expectations.

The menu changes nightly. That night I got the nine vegetable salad which was a perfect starter. To drink I had the summer dirty martini which was a savory cocktail faintly like a bloody Mary but lighter and more refreshing. For my entree I got the pan seared b-liner snapper with a side of the Yukon gold potato puree. The snapper was cooked perfectly and the potato puree was silky. For dessert I got the sticky sourgum pudding which was the best dessert I have ever had. All in all a great place to eat though a bit underwhelming. I would definitely like to try other menu items to give it a more honest review as it was only my first time. The service was top notch and the server was very informative.

One of the absolute classics of Charleston cuisine, FIG lives up to every bit of the hype. The OG when it comes to a rotating menu, the night we went featured lots of local flavors and ingredients and a couple solid “never leave the menu”s. We were there for a birthday so we ordered more than normal - 3 small plates, two entrees, one side, one dessert for two people. But honestly it felt like the right amount of food. Now, for the food. Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE recommends the gnocchi, so we had to get it. Sure, it’s pillowy, flavorful, whatever. It’s probably the best version of a gnocchi you’ll ever have, but it’s still..just a gnocchi. My girlfriend rated them number one, but the Steamboat Oysters with Paprika Butter (!!) were the real star for me. It’s pretty rare that one bite will just surprise you with an entirely new realm of flavor. They coke just 4 to an order, and it’s no wonder they try to get you to order a couple plates. The Lady Edison country ham salad was also a perfectly balanced whole earthy rounded mouthful. Shaved thin like prosciutto and covered in tangy cress, Gruyère-ish cheese and smooth pear, it tied the oysters for my favorite starter. The gnocchi, hot take, can probably be passed up for something else seasonal. Our entrees were phenomenal - bavette steak cooked perfectly with mushrooms, and a mustard crusted, caper coated swordfish that made me remember why I always order fish at nice restaurants…to remind me that it can be delicious. We had cocktails with our meal, and 2/4 were mind blowing (FIG filthy and Pray Tell)and 2/4 were fairly unremarkable (Bramblin Man and a requested New York Sour). Service the entire night was timely, welcoming, and friendly from the entire team from the front of house to the food runners. Mike Lata floats around occasionally, and the whole staff wants you to have a great experience. Atmosphere only gets a 4/5 because FIG’s building and interior is pretty unremarkable - not really a place that will ever make you look around and say wow. But we’re here for the food, and the food absolutely did wow. And the drinks wowed. And our experience was perfect. Great spot, make a late reservation.