Charleston Gem: Halls Chophouse

2016-07-13-HallsEntrance

This weekend I was visiting Charleston for my brother’s white coat ceremony. For those not familiar with it, it is the induction ceremony to medical school, so definitely cause for celebration! After some poking around, we decided we would go with Halls Chophouse, as it had excellent reviews across various platforms and specifically identified dry-aged beef – a personal favorite.

Location

Halls Chophouse can be found in downtown Charleston at 434 King St, Charleston, SC 29403. Though there are many fine dining options available in Charleston, I think I have found my new favorite. Be sure to dress the part, though – it is an upscale joint!

Menu Selections

We started the evening with a nice glass of Syrah, as we were all planning on having steak for dinner. After inspecting the menu, we decided on sharing Oyster Rockefeller. We also agreed on Brussels Sprouts with roasted Pancetta in a light cream sauce for one side, with the second side for the table being Collard Greens cooked in Apple-Cider Vinegar with chunks of bacon. You can see the full menu here.

Delicious Syrah
Delicious Syrah
Oysters Rockefeller
Oysters Rockefeller

For my entree, I went with a 14 ounce, dry-aged New York Strip. It was cooked expertly at a warm rare.

Dry-Aged 14-oz NY Strip
Dry-Aged 14-oz NY Strip
Bacon with Sweet and Sour Collard Greens
Bacon with Sweet and Sour Collard Greens
Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta
Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta

Service

I cannot say enough good things about this aspect of the dining experience. Our waitress (Caitlin – ask for her!) and her coworkers never let our water levels fall below half, took care of our wine, and even served our sides to us. The most striking thing, however, was that when she asked if we were here for a special occasion, she communicated that to the member of the Halls family that was working that evening. I have never seen that done before, and it blew me away.

He then came by our table and told us how great it was to have us joining him for dinner. As we were getting ready to leave, our waitress let us know that they had given my brother a slice of chocolate cake as a congratulatory gift from the entire Halls family! More surprising still, after we had left the establishment, he followed us to the street and called us back to have complimentary shots of Fireball to mark the beginning of the next chapter of my brother’s life. I have never seen this level of attentiveness at a restaurant, and it really blew me away.

This is how you get repeat customers.

If you are headed to Charleston in the coming months, or even if you aren’t – make it a point to come to Halls Chophouse!