Lou and Perry's in Charleston: Low Country Cooking and Cocktails on King Street
A casual spot for shrimp and grits, fried chicken, and strong drinks
Lou and Perry's sits on King Street in downtown Charleston and serves Low Country food in a relaxed, unpretentious setting. The menu centers on regional classics: shrimp and grits, fried chicken, she-crab soup, and seafood prepared simply. The bar makes cocktails with bourbon and rye, and the wine list leans toward bottles you can actually drink without ceremony. The space itself is narrow and loud—wood-paneled walls, dim lighting, the kind of place where conversations at neighboring tables bleed into yours. It feels like a neighborhood bar that happens to serve excellent food, which is partly the point.
The restaurant opened in the early 2000s and has remained deliberately unchanged. No renovation, no Instagram-ready plating, no tasting menu. The kitchen cooks the same dishes the same way year after year, which means regulars know exactly what they are walking into, and visitors get an honest picture of what Charleston food tastes like when nobody is performing.
Key Takeaways
- Lou and Perry's serves Low Country classics—shrimp and grits, fried chicken, she-crab soup—in a casual, wood-paneled dining room on King Street.
- The bar stocks bourbon, rye, and a straightforward wine list, and the cocktails are strong and uncomplicated.
- The restaurant does not take reservations, so expect a wait during peak dinner hours, especially on weekends.
- The space is intentionally unchanged since it opened, with dim lighting and close seating that creates a neighborhood-bar atmosphere.
- Lunch is quieter and faster than dinner, and the menu is the same at both seatings.
What to order and what to expect
The shrimp and grits is the signature dish—plump shrimp in a brown butter sauce over creamy stone-ground grits, finished with bacon. It arrives hot and tastes like the version that has been cooked in Charleston kitchens for decades. The fried chicken is a half bird, brined and fried until the skin cracks under the fork, served with collard greens and a biscuit. Both dishes are rich and straightforward, not trying to surprise you.
The she-crab soup is thick with roe and crab meat, served in a bread bowl or a cup. The oysters come raw or fried, depending on what the market has that day. Sides include mac and cheese, okra, and seasonal vegetables. Desserts are simple—chess pie, bread pudding, pecan pie—and arrive in generous portions. The kitchen does not do small plates or tasting portions; everything is built to satisfy.
Portions are large enough that many diners take food home. The pace is unhurried, which means dinner can stretch two hours if you linger over drinks. The bar staff know the regulars by name and will remember what you drank last time, but they treat first-time visitors with the same attention.
Hours, location, and how to get in
Lou and Perry's is located at 1314 King Street, in the heart of downtown Charleston's restaurant corridor. It is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week, though hours vary by season. Lunch typically runs 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and dinner from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. or later, depending on how busy the kitchen is.
The restaurant does not take reservations, so you arrive and wait your turn. During lunch on weekdays, the wait is usually short—fifteen to thirty minutes. On Friday and Saturday nights, expect forty-five minutes to an hour, sometimes longer. The bar has seating, and you can order drinks and appetizers while you wait. The staff will text you when your table is ready if you leave your number.
Parking on King Street is metered and competitive during the day and evening. A parking garage sits one block away on Wentworth Street. Public transportation via CARTA buses runs along King Street if you prefer not to drive.
The bar and what to drink
The cocktail menu is short and built around bourbon, rye, and gin. The Sazerac is made the New Orleans way—rye whiskey, absinthe rinse, Peychaud's bitters, lemon peel. The Old Fashioned uses bourbon and a single large ice cube. There are no house-made syrups or foam or garnishes that require tweezers. The bartenders pour generous measures and do not apologize for it.
The wine list runs to about thirty bottles, with a focus on bottles under fifty dollars. Most are from the Southeast or France, and many are natural wines—unfiltered, unpredictable, the kind that taste different from bottle to bottle. Beer is available on draft and in bottles, mostly regional and craft breweries. The bar also stocks standard spirits for mixed drinks, and the bartenders will make anything you ask for even if it is not on the menu.
Atmosphere and who eats here
The dining room is narrow, with a bar running the length of one wall and tables crammed close enough that you can hear the couple next to you order. The lighting is low—candles on tables, dim overhead fixtures. The walls are wood-paneled and decorated with old photographs and neon signs. Music plays but does not dominate; you can still have a conversation if you lean in.
The crowd is mixed: tourists and locals, business people at lunch, couples and groups at dinner. The restaurant does not cater to any particular demographic, which means you see families with children at 6 p.m. and late-night drinkers at 10 p.m. The staff treats everyone the same—friendly but not fussy, attentive but not hovering.
Price and what to budget
Entrees range from the mid-twenties to the mid-thirties. Appetizers and sides run eight to fifteen dollars. A cocktail costs twelve to fourteen dollars. A bottle of wine starts around thirty dollars and goes up from there. A meal for two—entrees, drinks, and dessert—typically costs between seventy and one hundred dollars before tax and tip.
The restaurant accepts cash and card. There is no service charge or automatic gratuity, so tipping is at your discretion. The staff does not pressure you about it, and the experience does not change based on how much you leave.
When to go and what season matters
Lou and Perry's is open year-round and the menu does not change dramatically with the seasons, though the kitchen uses what is available from local suppliers. Spring and fall are the most pleasant times to visit Charleston, with mild weather and fewer tourists than summer. Winter is quieter and the restaurant feels more like a neighborhood spot. Summer brings heat and humidity, and the dining room can feel warm even with the air conditioning running.
Lunch is a good option if you want to avoid crowds and experience the restaurant in a different mood. The same food arrives at the same quality, but the pace is faster and the noise level lower. Dinner is when the bar fills up and the energy shifts toward drinks and lingering.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a reservation?
No. Lou and Perry's operates on a first-come, first-served basis. You can call ahead to ask about the current wait, and the staff will text you when a table opens if you leave your number. During slow hours—weekday lunch, early evening—you may be seated immediately.
Is there a dress code?
No formal dress code exists. The restaurant is casual, and most diners wear everyday clothes. Shorts and sandals are fine. The atmosphere does not change based on what you wear.
Can I bring children?
Yes. Families with children eat at Lou and Perry's regularly, especially at earlier dinner hours. The menu includes simple options like fried chicken and mac and cheese that appeal to younger diners. The noise level is high enough that a fussy child will not stand out.
What if I have dietary restrictions?
The kitchen can accommodate some requests—vegetarian plates, modifications to dishes—but the menu is built around meat and seafood. Call ahead to discuss what you need, and the staff will tell you what is possible. The restaurant does not maintain separate preparation areas for allergens.
Is there outdoor seating?
No. All seating is inside the dining room or at the bar. The space is climate-controlled, which is a relief during Charleston's hot months but means you do not have the option of eating outside.