Hyman Seafood - Charleston, SC

Posted By Michael Stern on August 2, 2005 6:41 PM

Here is what we didn't eat one recent evening at Hyman Seafood: amberjack, cod, flounder, mahi, mako, monkfish, snapper, hokie, salmon, tilapia, trout, tuna, and black drum. Those were the fish of the day on the blackboard, and below them were grouper, stuffed wahoo, and fried lobster tails, which we didn't sample, either. Local oysters were coming in and available on the half-shell or fried, and we didn't even have appetite enough for them. The point is that Hyman has a big, big menu – mostly seafood, with a few token meats and pastas – and it's bound to be a little frustrating to pass up so many good things.

What we DID have was swell: she-crab soup that is ridiculously thick, rich as cream sauce itself and loaded with meat; a broad dish with thirty steamed spiced shrimp, and a house specialty, crispy flounder. The flounder is an amazing-looking plate of food: the whole fish, beheaded and dressed, scored and fried to crusty succulence so that the meat virtually pops off the bone when you poke it with a fork. It comes with a small ramekin of hot pepper jelly, plus hushpuppies and cole slaw. And the table is outfitted with tartar sauce and cocktail sauce for garnishes.

Hyman's is big, boisterous, and almost always crowded. Waits of a half hour or more are not uncommon on a busy evening. At the door you are greeted by a cadre of girls who look up at a closed-circut TV screen that scans the ground floor and upstairs dining rooms for empty tables. They direct you inside. Tables range from normal-level to several tall ones that require climbing up onto a chair similar to a barstool. Somehow, these perches provide a better sense of ambience, as you have a fuller view of the commotion in the dining room, the way a high vehicle gives you better perspective on traffic.

The dining room is ancient, featuring tin ceilings, pine floors, and old English bricks with oyster mortar; and while the restaurant itself dates back only to 1986, the Hyman family's ancestors have been running a business here since 1890, when they became one of the first distributors of Hanes underwear in the Southeast.

Overall Rating

Crispy Flounder

Shrimp & Grits

She Crab Soup

Steamed Shrimp

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Posted By John Nemetsky on February 4, 2012 6:12 PM

My family spends a week in Charleston every year and we have always heard locals bad-mouth Hymans as a tourist trap. Perhaps Hyman's is guilty of a lot of overpromotion, but that doesn't change the fact that this place is a better value than a lot of seafood restaurants in town. The staff is friendly and and attentive (considering the enormous volume they must do), and one of the owners has visited our table every time we've eaten there. The food is good and the prices are reasonable.

Overall Rating

Crispy Flounder

Steamed Shrimp

She Crab Soup

Shrimp & Grits

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Posted By Mitzi Cary on February 5, 2004 10:41 PM

Having dined at Hyman's several times while vacationing nearby, We enjoy Hyman's very much. It is a great place to run in and grab a delicious Bloody Mary or cold brew before heading to the Market for bargain hunting. My husband is happy to be left at the bar watching the oyster shucker serve him oysters on the half shell while sipping ice cold beer. Hyman's is versatile~ super sandwich, or appetizer on the fly joint and a enjoyable late leisurely dining restaurant. The seafood is the freshest! Service is fast and friendly. Every effort will be made to accomodate your special requests and/or needs. The menu is a long read but worth the time. The Shrimp Creole is a favorite; spicy and made with fresh ingredients. All of the fried seafood we've sampled has been excellently prepared-hot, crisp and not greasy. The broiled or blackened fish is equally well prepared. Pass on the boiled peanuts~cold & bland. Maybe that's why they are free?

Overall Rating

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