This is an off the beaten path seafood resturant but worth the short drive from Folly to eat there. The building looks a little run down, but don’t let that stop you - it’s part of the charm and the views of the marsh are amazing. A little pricy, but we’ll worth it.
We took a boat out with Charleston Outdoor Adventures and we had heard about Bowens Island Restaurant so thought we'd stop by for a quick drink just to check it out. Funny thing is that we decided to get a "little" snack with our drink so we ordered the Frogmore Stew. We can't be the first people to make this mistake by assuming it would be like a small cup of soup. Boy, were we wrong! Lol. It was massive and Oh! soooo delicious! My sister and her husband got the cucumbers and the boiled peanuts. We also got an order of fried shrimp. So much for a light snack. It was all delicious!! The icing on the cake along with our mid day snack was our bartender Tyler. He was awesome and so great to chat with! We are in Charleston for 5 weeks and have started a favorites list and Bowen's is on it - for the food, for Tyler and for the view. It's definitely a dive bar which we love but if that's not your thing than it might not be your spot.
This was probably our fifth or sixth visit to Bowen’s and they never disappoint. Their seafood is simply the BEST! If you are looking for a fancy atmosphere, this isn’t the place, but if you want a truly rustic southern seafood experience, Bowen’s is it! In addition to a wide variety of seafood dishes, they have an array of craft beers. Go early, as the line gets long pretty quickly. And be sure to go hungry! I promise you won’t leave that way!! Bowen’s is our favorite seafood in the area!
Over priced fish camp. Great view but dirty atmosphere, hot tartar sauce, over salted frog more stew, workers needed showers, haircuts & clean shirts to wear, was pretty much a stinky hippie commune.
Tasty food, but watch out for the people handling your check - they will rip you off! This is basically cafeteria-style ordering, not your regular sit down/wait staff setup. We left a decent tip, but apparently that wasn't sufficient, because they entered a tip that was 60% higher than what we had given! Be careful of your tabs, folks, and make sure you keep your copy of the receipt for proof. And when you try to call them to let them know there's a problem? You are immediately directed to a full voicemail box with no ability to leave a message. Very shady, very uncool. You can find good food elsewhere in a more trustworthy setting.
Have been trying to get here for a while now and finally made it. Was NOT disappointed. We only got raw oysters, hush puppies, and beers, but wow. The oysters were absolutely amazing, and they had a decent selection of craft beers. It was a bit pricey, but that’s the world we live in now and, and the oysters were worth it. All of the staff was super friendly and helpful.
Yes it is a hole in the wall. Yes it looks like your teenage brothers built a treehouse in some backwater. SO WHAT!It is a fantastic find! Climb up the ramps or take the stairs to the top. Order food on the far left of the bar. We shared a seafood platter. Fish, fried shrimp,crab cake fries and hush puppies. Ample amount for two. We sat outside overlooking the waters and sweet grasses. Got to see dolphins swimming in the waters right off the pier. Walked around the pier area saw a beautiful sunset.Best meal around for $50.
This place is a must visit if you are in Charleston. OMG, what a cool experience. A no frills, order at the counter seafood shack. Seriously, don’t be expecting fine dining here, just solid food, supper friendly staff and spectacular views of the sunset if your lucky. We were there for about two hours and watched what must have been over 500 happy dinners eat more seafood than I think I have ever seen. We did try it but, they are known for their steamed oyster. There were literally mountains of oyster shells everywhere from years of happy customers. Really, don’t miss this place!
Yup. It's a little hole in the wall, so if you're looking for a nice, sit down and be served restaurant, this isn't your kinda place, but if you're looking for a laid back place to have some shrimp or crab cakes and/or a beer, this is it! You order at the counter and they bring your order out to you. A thunder storm came up when we were there, so we got to enjoy that. The service.... Well, there were some issues. They tried to bring us someone else's tacos because apparently my name was on that order. I also ordered a crab cake ($10.00), but when I looked at my receipt, I was charged for a crab cake slider ($18.00). When I questioned it, apparently crab cakes are only available for dinner. I also overheard others with issues, but there could have been a new employee. We will still go back any time we're in the Charleston/Folly Beach area.
Great way to start our trip in Charleston! Got there around 1:30 and there were only a few other people leisurely enjoying seafood and the view. Good food and great view!