Posted By
warren on
November 18, 2011 1:49 PM
I'm from the South and I always enjoy Southern cooking but I was very, very disappointed with Jestine's Kitchen. We spent $49 for two of us for a lunch we did not finish. The fried chicken was dry; the mac and cheese was tasteless; the greens were below average, and the iced tea tasted watered down. Serving sizes were small and the food presentation was just nasty. Please save your time and money and just eat at Boston Market for far less money.
Overall Rating
|
fried chicken
|
|
steamed shrimp
|
|
fried green tomatoes
|
|
okra gumbo
|
|
Collard Greens
|
|
Pickles
|
|
Macaroni & Cheese
|
|
collard greens
|
|
|
2 out of 2 people found the review helpful. Was it helpful to you?
No
Yes
Posted By
mike on
October 31, 2010 8:35 AM
Great fried chicken, the peanut oil it is fried in gives it a dark brown color and an incredible taste. Had the cobbler and ice cream, best ever. Warm blueberries and raspberries with granola and ice cream, delicious. Really made our day in charelston !! Felt like we were eating at an old friends home that cooks really well. Thanks mike and Linda Tucson, Az
Overall Rating
2 out of 2 people found the review helpful. Was it helpful to you?
No
Yes
Posted By
Andrews on
October 30, 2010 10:00 AM
I have lived in South Carolina my entire life; this is a tourist trap. The food is mediocre at best and it's overpriced for what you get. If you'd like to try real southern food you're better off eating at Cracker Barrel. The mashed potatoes had insufficient gravy and the gravy that was there was thin like water. The mac and cheese had zero seasoning and the ham I ate was dripping with grease. I grew up eating my grandmother's food and what I found here was most comparable to something a novice college student would cook. The presentation wasn't as flattering as the pictures depicted on this site, but I think that shouldn't matter. What really counts with southern cooking is taste, and Jestine's kitchen just doesn't stack up.
Overall Rating
2 out of 2 people found the review helpful. Was it helpful to you?
No
Yes
Well worth the wait on a beautiful sun-filled day in downtown Charleston. The service was excellent and the food was every bit as good as noted in the Roadfood review.
The corn fritters, served with a side of relish, tasted as fresh as if the corn had been picked that morning. The BLFGT sandwich (short for bacon, lettuce, fried green tomatoes) was divine, with warm and crisp bacon and perfectly cooked tomatoes. The moist Coca-Cola cake was served warm with whipped topping.
Overall Rating
7 out of 8 people found the review helpful. Was it helpful to you?
No
Yes
Posted By
Alex Bush on
October 11, 2010 10:09 PM
This is a tourist trap. To begin, there are approximately 12 tables inside this restaurant. When my friends and I arrived, we discovered that the business did not take names at the door, and instead expected customers to line the outside of the building and wait until someone came and got us (which I saw lead to a dispute between a couple people as to who arrived first). After being seated, our server, who seemed almost arrogantly dismissive about our presence, rattled off the daily specials and sort of made an off-handed comment when one of us ordered a drink different from the rest, as if it were too much of a challenge.
We each ordered a variation of fried chicken, which really was FANTASTIC. (At this point in the meal, the food had won me over.) However, the worst part came when we got to the payment portion of the meal. One of the customers at our table got the waitress' attention and asked for our check(s). She gave him a scowling look, to which he confusingly replied, "Is that alright?" She told him that the menu stated that if we wanted separate checks we would need to have asked for them at the beginning of the meal (not that she made any effort to ask us at the beginning), but that she would make an "exception" this time and ring it up as we pleased (this ASTOUNDED me!). She then threatened to put another patron's meal on this individuals ticket and, although she didn't do so, proceeded to bring his ticket before the others with the comment, "Here, since you're in such a hurry."
I suppose my point is that the food is wonderful, but the service is MISERABLE. There are a number of other great restaurants in Charleston that make the same style food, just as good, with exceptional service. Try Hominy Grill, for example... I think a lot of locals go there once a week! (No, really, it is awesome!) Enjoy your trip to Charleston, and avoid Jestine's.
Overall Rating
5 out of 7 people found the review helpful. Was it helpful to you?
No
Yes
Posted By
Goofydg1 on
June 18, 2010 2:33 PM
We ate there a couple months ago. Great food. The prices were dirt cheap. Go early, they fill up quick. The macaroni and cheese is just like you remember your grandmother making. So hot and cheesy. I also got the meatloaf and mashed potatoes and gravy. The portions were huge. We went back and got the same treatment. I'd definitely recommend Jestines.
Overall Rating
0 out of 1 people found the review helpful. Was it helpful to you?
No
Yes
This is pure Southern comfort food, from the cornbread served with butter and honey, to the okra, collards, ham, fried chicken and fish. Oh, and let's not forget the fried green tomatoes; I could make a meal out of those alone. The veggies are fresh and the entrees and not mass-prepared. Whatever you decide on will arrive hot and delish. You won't find dried out fried chicken or fish here. A typical meal is ham for my husband, shrimp and grits for me.
Jestine's is heaven. It's a comfy place; forget pompus dining. The service is friendly and quick. It's relaxed, not loud. When Charleston is filled with visitors (i.e., during Spoleto USA) allow time to be seated; Jestine's is not huge. We like to dine early to avoid the rush.
Jestine's reminds me of kitchen table dinners when I was growing up. It's good homestyle cooking, a refreshing change in the Holy City of Charleston.
Overall Rating
12 out of 14 people found the review helpful. Was it helpful to you?
No
Yes
I went to Charleston the week after Christmas, 2007. Charmed by all, we were downtown shopping and ventured into Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville shop. As I was checking out of the shop, I asked the lovely young lady who was checking me out where to eat "locally" that was good. She recommended Jestine's Kitchen. She said Jimmy eats there whenever he's in town. Rightfully so. There was a wait, but it was worth it. The service is top notch, the food excellent. Dana Berlin, the owner, greeted all with warmth and enthusiasm. Go if you are in Charleston; you will not regret it.
The fried chicken livers are perfect: crispy outside, tender inside. They are served on a bed of rice. I had sides of fried okra and hoppin' John. The cucumber pickles we started with are very good. The sweetened tea could not be better. My fellow diners had blackened chicken and pecan fried chicken breast. We split a pineapple bread pudding and a piece of coconut cream pie. All delicious.
I only wish I had been staying for several more days to try many of the other menu items. Delicious, welcoming, beautifully presented and artfully and politely served.
Overall Rating
7 out of 9 people found the review helpful. Was it helpful to you?
No
Yes
Upon moving to South Carolina seven years ago, we rapidly made the acquaintance of Charleston. Although I enjoy other restaurants in the area, a little write up in our bed-and-breakfast's food notebook turned us on to Jestine's. The relatively inexpensive home-cooked food is filling and delicious and it is far and away better than waiting in endless lines at the "tourist traps" in the area.
We usually eat early and avoid the crowds. We all love the cold cucumbers in vinegar that are served as an appetizer, and after that it is a free for all. My daughter and I love the fried pork chops and the Coca-Cola cake is fantastic. My son swears by the moist fried chicken.
One year we took my sister and her family there when they were visiting. My son took his usual fried chicken to go. My sister promptly swiped his chicken leaving a $5 bill in its place. That was four years ago and my son has yet to "forgive" his aunt even after the thank you card arrived. Even as a teenager he knew money could never replace food from Jestine's!
Overall Rating
5 out of 6 people found the review helpful. Was it helpful to you?
No
Yes
