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Hominy Grill
Categories: Restaurants Southern Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch Southern, Breakfast & Brunch [Edit]
207 Rutledge AveCharleston, SC 29403
(843) 937-0930
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 7:30 am - 9 pm
Sat 9 am - 9 pm
Sun 9 am - 3 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Breakfast, Brunch
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
272 reviews for Hominy Grill
Review Highlights
"And you must try the Shrimp and Grits."
(in 85 reviews)
"The fried green tomato BLT was awesome."
(in 15 reviews)
"And yes the chocolate pudding, awesomely decadent."
(in 24 reviews)
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271 reviews in English
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Review from Charlie T.
Hillsborough, NC
2/8/2012
My favorite breakfast spot anywhere. The big nasty biscuit is to die for.
Love that you can get a cocktail from the walk up window while you wait. -
Review from Alexandra R.
San Francisco, CA
2/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
YUM!
Went here to try the Man vs Food dish. REALLY good. I also ate fried green tomatoes for the first time here. YUM! Service was very nice. Atmosphere was casual and clean and friendly.
It gets busy here but you can order drinks from their bar staff while waiting. Definitely check this place out. -
Review from Elizabeth H.
Atlanta, GA
1/25/2012 5 photos
Hominy Grill is a cute restaurant tucked away in the residential part of Charleston. The BF and I came here for Sunday breakfast on our way out of town. We lucked out with parking up front and no wait for a table.
The style is modern electic. With french doors lining one wall that open up to the patio.
My breakfast was simple: coffee, chicken salad sandwich and potato salad. I got sunflower bread instead of what they normally use and it was terriffic!!! The potato salad perfectly complimented the whole meal. I also split a side of bacon with the BF. The pieces were thick and crispy!
The BF has the Big Nasty, which I was tempted to get. It's fried chicken on top of a buttered biscuit covered in sausage gravy. It's definitely a hearty meal, but it's what Hominy Grill is known for.
I will definitely return to Hominy Grill, hopefully to enjoy a mimosa on the patio :-) -
Review from Jim U.
We couldn't very well leave Charleston without a proper southern breakfast, so a trip to Hominy Grill was in order.
We called and verified that they open at 9am on Sundays, and off we went arriving a few minutes later. Every single space was taken in their parking lot, the entire restaurant was full, and the courtyard was overflowing with people. At this point, they had been open for less than 10 minutes. What? Apparently, many arrive before they open in anticipation of being in the first seating. Arriving at opening guaranteed us a spot in the "second" seating which meant that we had to wait around for 45 minutes in the cold for enough first-comers to depart. The staff tried to make the wait pretty manageable though by selling coffee and alcohol at an outside bar, and having heat lamps in the courtyard.
Eventually our party was called, and we proceeded into a country-style parlor room. It felt genuine, like visiting a southern relative and having dinner in their home. The padded seats on the wooden chairs, the ceiling fans, the wooden floors, the intricate ceilings, were all so charming. This was definitely a place you wanted to linger and have a good home-cooked meal.
Looking over the menu, I went traditional and had the shrimp and grits which, strangely, was the priciest option on the menu ($17) and opted for coffee to drink. The coffee was pretty disappointing, but the shrimp and grits were refined and tasty! The grits were allowed to set, and were dotted with several shrimp, mushrooms, green onions, and tasty pieces of double cut bacon. The bacon was intense and a joy to eat. The mushrooms really rounded out the dish nicely, and the grits were treated properly. The shrimp were somewhat disappointing though, not having much flavor and being cooked slightly more than I would have liked. That aside, it was still a solid dish.
Service was a complete miss with a scattered server who seemed in over her head. No friendly banter here, but we managed just the same.
Overall, 3.5 stars, but I will round up. Their food is pretty good, and they have a nice tradition, and I was happy to partake in it.Listed in: A Tourist's Guide to…
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Review from Lauren L.
1/11/2012
Depending on who you ask in our group, we were pretty undecided about what we ate at Hominy. My 'rents had the fried chicken, which took over 30 minutes to come out and they said it really wasn't worth the wait. Me, on the other hand, had the most fabulous grits and mac and cheese ever, my fried green tomatoes were outstanding, and the sweet tea was sweeter than sweet (just the way I like it). As a vegetarian I wish that a lot of their veggies didn't have bacon but I'm sure a lot of people would disagree with that.
This place gets packed so don't come super hungry, but you can have a drink from their outside bar, which makes the wait seem less daunting. -
Review from Richard R.
Dacula, GA
CHARLESTON!!!!!! What are you doing to me??? I had such high hopes and wonderful dreams of how delicious everything was going to be!!! I've heard nothing but the best things about all of the places on my list of restaurants to try while visiting this charming city... but NOTHING has WOW'd me yet.
I read mixed reviews about Hominy Grill, but I really wanted to give them a shot considering Adam Richman from Man vs. Food thought the "Big Nasty" breakfast biscuit should be renamed the "Big Freakin' Awesome".
Episode link: http://video.search.ya...
After this experience, I officially believe neither he, nor Guy Fieri from Diners, Drive-in's & Dive's has a clue what good food really is. I have sampled many of the places recommended on their shows and most are average at best!!! Hominy Grill is no exception.
It was the day after Christmas and barely a creature was stirring, so our wait time was minimal. I can't begin to describe how excited I was to be moments away from eating a sandwich I've been drooling about since discovering it on TV about 8 months ago. We've wanted to come to Charleston for years, and after receiving our latest edition of Endless Vacation magazine, it was a done deal. The magazine featured restaurants from Savannah, Charleston & Hilton Head, so we decided to piggyback a visit onto our Hilton Head Christmas vacation.
I ordered the 'Big Nasty' without hesitation, even though our server insisted on going over the specials. I also ordered the home potatoes and a side of bacon... and about 15 minutes later, my moment had finally arrived. The sandwich of my dreams arrived looking oh so sexy on my plate!!! I greeted it with all the tenderness of a romance novel. I didn't mean to begin flirting with a sandwich in front of my wife, but I couldn't help it... my feelings were just too strong!!! I wanted the Big Nasty to know just how much it meant to me and whispered all the things I was about to do to it with my fork and knife.
But after getting a little taste, it was clear this blind date had been fluffed up to be something it wasn't. I politely finished it off as to not have it embarrassed by my lack of satisfaction, but if this sandwich had really been a date... I would hope it didn't expect a followup call. It was a good sandwich for the price, but I guess my expectations were tooooo great. I expected the heavens to open with rays of light shining down and angels singing, but it was not to be. Come on Charleston, are my ONLY OPTIONS for good food high priced restaurants???Listed in: Charleston, SC - The tourist…
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Review from Liana L.
I was a little dubious about Hominy Grill after reading some reviews about it being overrated, but when a local brought us here on friends' recommendations, I went along. I came here with a bunch of friends, including Alex S., so my review will be pretty similar ... especially since I also ordered the Big Nasty.
I actually shared the Big Nasty with a friend (after assuming that it would be big from the name), and it was enough food for us, though I wouldn't necessarily recommend doing that. I wasn't all that hungry to begin with. It wasn't too difficult to pick off the menu, either, because the only things that looked good (for the price, at least ... for me) were the Shrimp and Grits and the Big Nasty. The Shrimp & Grits, although heavily recommended by reviewers, was slightly more expensive enough for me to veer away from it.
I didn't regret the Big Nasty though :) The chicken was satisfyingly flavorful and crispy (but neither bursting with flavor nor extremely crispy) with the biscuit and gravy. This might sound really weird, but the homemade jam goes really well with this combination. Try it!
I tried a friend's grits and I thought they were yummingly subtle and well-prepared. :D Pretty much everyone else either ordered the Big Nasty or eggs, which I can't comment on. They looked alright, but I wouldn't personally order eggs at a restaurant :x
The Hominy Grill postcards were a fun surprise at the end =) Overall, I enjoyed the experience; the décor was casual & relaxed, and despite the slight wait time at the beginning, I didn't feel rushed at all by the waiters during our meal. Service was good. I wouldn't make a special trip to come here, but it's pretty good if you're in the area. -
Review from Alex S.
Durham, NC
12/22/2011
My friends and I were visiting Charleston, so this was my first time eating local, Southern breakfast food. We stopped in at 10:30AM on a weekday but the place was still pretty packed.
Seating for 7 took only about 15 minutes. The waiter was really helpful. I ended up getting the Big Nasty Chicken biscuit, along with several of my friends, but we decided that the biscuit was neither big nor nasty. It was tasty though! The biscuit was fairly light colored; it was fully cooked, but just not as brown as I'm used to. The chicken and gravy were delicious. I tried some of my friend's grits, but I didn't see how they were different from other places's... maybe I just don't know grits well enough.
Anyways, the food was great, prices were decent, but portion size was a little on the smaller side. We also got a nice Hominy Grill postcard after we paid our bill.
Oh yeah, parking was impossible; the private lot is really small. -
Review from Natasha L.
Washington, DC
1/16/2012 1 photo
This is THE breakfast/brunch spot in Charleston. Proof is in arriving shortly after their opening time of 9:00 am on a Sunday morning. Like maybe 10 minutes after opening time, you get there and the seats are all filled inside! People are already lined up before opening time. We arrived and waited about 45 minutes outside in the cold (under sort of inadequate electric heating lamps) hoping for the best for a table. I was told it would be "a few minutes" which actually equates to nearly an hour wait lol I would say plan for this or arrive before they open to make sure you don't have to wait that long. We had to wait for at least the first and maybe even second seatings were done before my name was finally called.
Just a note: they sell coffee, hot chocolate and booze out of their window while you wait for your name to be called.
We finally got seated and immediately, I just loved the decor of the restaurant. You really feel like you are dining inside of someone's country home. It's really quite charming and cozy. The noise level is high, but it is to be expected in a restaurant as popular and busy as Hominy Grill. The staff is very young and probably represent the "hipster scene of Charleston". Anyway, our waitress seemed a bit overwhelmed and inexperienced. She was sloppy with service of my our coffee and tea and very abrupt in her order taking. She was in a hurry and needed to take a moment to count to 10 and remember to put a smile on her face. Her attitude wasn't horrible, it just didn't match the overall feel of the place. She tried but she needs more experience in a busy restaurant like this. She didn't explain the specials and didn't ask what kind of tea one of us wanted (you actually have a choice) and tried to sub decaf for regular coffee because it was the first pot she could find and thought we would not know the difference. Despite these service shortcomings, the food was pretty damn good.
I went with the traditional shrimp and grits. It was nothing short of SPECTACULAR! The bacon, the grits, the creaminess! This is the most expensive item on the menu at $17 but TOTALLY worth it! Delicious and savory Southern goodness and you cannot leave Charleston without having this dish at least once and Hominy Grill is as good a place as any to get it! They really do it right! The succulent, juicy shrimp is just cooked to perfection and just goes perfectly with the cheese grits. Amazing! Can't eat like this every day though :)
The bathroom here was surprisingly spotless! I couldn't believe it, especially with the amount of people coming in and out of here and they offer alcoholic beverages. Way to go on keeping the Ladies' Room clean.
All-in-all, a yummy spot to get your breakfast grub on. Was it worth the wait? I'd say yes, but there are ways to avoid that if you get there early. Delicious!Listed in: Charming Charleston, South…
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Review from Sara W.
1/16/2012 1 photo
I loved the atmosphere here - upscale but still homey. The food was good and there was a good variety of items. I tried the shrimp and grits, and while it wasn't as rich as other places, it was still good. Cornbread on the side was great too! Random sidenote: my companion had a hard time with the men's bathrooms because the doors are blurred glass that you can still kind of see through rather than actual solid doors :)
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Review from Akap K.
Jersey City, NJ
1/2/2012 3 photos
Visited Charleston over the holidays and read good things about Hominy Grill, and we were not disappointed! We were travelling with our french bulldog, and we were pleased that they are pet-friendly and allow dogs in their outdoor seating (front porch). They also had a heat lamp which felt nice.
FOOD:
these were all yummy:
- fried green tomatoes with ranch dressing
- southern fried chicken breast with country ham gravy (the breast was a bit dry though)
- shrimp & grits - sooo.... good! be prepared to savor every bite!!!
SERVICE:
- there was a bit of a wait. we came here on a friday (12/30) at around 2pm and there were a lot of people waiting. i assume this is reflective of their weekend crowd. we were told there would be a 30min wait and were seated in 25mins.
- our server was great! very polite & attentive
- food was served within a good amount of time.
AMBIANCE:
- we sat outside, and enjoyed it. inside the restaurant was a nice & airy feel.
Overall, it was a highly satisfactory dining experience! We will be back the next time we are in Charleston! -
Review from Brian K.
11/17/2011
Hominy Grill is awesomely average. It's certainly possible that my experience was an isolated incident, but the cuisine at Hominy was certainly not of the caliber I was expecting from a restaurant with a James Beard Awardee at the helm.
Food: Hominy specializes in traditional Southern specialties, all of which are touted as being prepared from scratch with fresh, locally raised ingredients. They serve all three meals a day, but are perhaps best known for their weekend brunch. During my visit, I opted for the banana walnut pancakes, which was featured as one of the daily specials. Unfortunately, the banana flavor in each of the three pancakes was scarce and the walnuts were virtually nonexistent. I also ordered a side of bacon, which was overcooked and meager in portion. My dining partner opted for the famed "big nasty", which was a fried chicken breast sandwiched inside a biscuit and doused with sausage gravy. He enjoyed the dish, but didn't find it exceptional.
Service: Abysmal. We arrived shortly after 9AM on a Saturday and were fortunate enough to be seated at the last available table before they started a wait list. Sadly, that was the only fortuitous aspect of the entire meal. Our waiter was painfully inattentive, to the point were we had to ask for silverware and basic condiments such as butter and syrup for the pancakes. It appeared that the restaurant was adequately staffed, so the source of his incompetence was likely visceral.
Atmosphere: This restaurant is located in a charmingly renovated house in a regentrified area on the outskirts of downtown Charleston. The interior of the restaurant is partitioned into multiple rooms, which afforded a seemingly intimate dining experience. The restaurant also features an outdoor patio, but I'd be reluctant to dine there given that the hoards of people waiting to be seated typically set up camp in and around that area.
Cost: Overpriced for the quality of the food. The pancakes were $11 and the side of bacon (2 pieces) was $3.50. In the end, breakfast for two, including tip, exceeded $40. For that price, I would expect to receive far superior cuisine, which simply wasn't the case.
Other: As I alluded to earlier, you should expect significant wait times while dining at Hominy Grill, particularly on the weekend. There is a small parking lot directly adjacent to the restaurant with a limited number of spots; however, most patrons have to resort to parking on the side streets of the surrounding neighborhood. They also have a a take-out window on the exterior of the building for those that are so inclined. -
Review from Alexander H.
Silver Spring, MD
1/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
The shrimp and grits are worth walking cross country for. In a city where it seems every good restaurant is 35 bucks a pla
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Review from Rob N.
11/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
I wanted badly to really like Hominy Grill, but they ended up trying too hard. It's a homey, comfy looking place, with retro styling and buckets of country charm. Service is friendly and prompt, too, so what's the problem?
Well, the food just doesn't live up to the promise. Nothing was bad, at all, but almost everything had the potential to be that much better, but missed. The ubiquitous shrimp-and-grits were OK, but not a standout. I had a broiled fish dish that was overwhelmed by the herb butter used to dress it. Our shrimp and okra fritter appetizer should have just left out the shrimp, because you couldn't really detect them in the fritters.
It's not really within easy walking distance of downtown unless you want a good mile's walk back with a load of dinner. Parking is limited, as well.
Hominy Grill is worth a visit if you want gussied-up Southern comfort food, and their commitment to local produce is admirable. But set your expectations appropriately. -
Review from Advaitin s.
GA
Came here for breakfast/brunch just a day after brunch at Poogan's Porch. So, inevitably, my experience here will be framed in reference to my experience at Poogan's.
We had to stop at Hominy's just because of its reputation and favorable reviews-James Beard awards, TV show stops, yelp reviews etc.
We came here on a Monday morning (MLK day) and were seated almost immediately. At 9.30 am, the place was totally packed...which can only be a good sign.
We ordered the shrimp and grits, and biscuits with sausage gravy.
The portion size was definitely smaller than at Poogan's Porch (read my review here:http://www.yelp.com/bi...). But, the flavors were just right, and the shrimp perfectly cooked and seasoned.
The biscuits with sausage gravy were divine. The biscuits here were much better than the ones at Poogan's.
Service was fast, and efficient, and the waiters, friendly.
Would def. recommend a visit to the Hominy Grill. -
Review from Adam A.
Boston, MA
11/16/2011
Definitely stop here for Breakfast one day. They have some great morning drinks (mimosa, mexican coffee, etc) that they aren't stingy with. The prices are very fair for excellent southern cuisine. I tried the Big Nasty Biscuit which is pretty much a small biscuit with a massive piece of fried chicken covered in sausage gravy (which was the best gravy I have ever had). The grits were also top notch.
Expect a wait -
Review from Samantha S.
Goose Creek, SC
10/31/2011
We went to Hominy Grill for Sunday brunch, and I was definitely pleased. I've been rather spoiled by some awesome breakfast spots in San Diego (I don't know what it is about that city, but they have so many freakin' awesome breakfast restaurants...easily the best of the six states I've lived in).
The thing that I always look for in a good brunch establishment is something at least somewhat unique on the menu...offerings outside of the typical eggs any way with a side of breakfast meat and toast and a stack of buttermilk pancakes. I found that in the cinnamon french toast with apple maple syrup and pecan butter. Combined with the cooler weather outside, this dish tasted like autumn on a plate. I also got an order of the pumpkin ginger bread, which I highly recommend, especially to accompany your morning coffee while you wait for your meals to come out.
The one thing that turned me off a little bit was some of the pricing. I realize that Hominy Grill is a restaurant that has received a lot of attention from various epicurean publications, as well as television programs on the Travel Channel, but I was flabbergasted to find that a single egg à la carte costs $2.25. A dozen eggs at the grocery store easily costs less than that! -
Review from Andra J.
Richmond, VA
1/2/2012 1 photo
Best pancakes in the world.
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Review from Tanya L.
Virginia Beach, VA
11/3/2011 4 photos
3.5 stars.
We came on a drizzly Sunday wanting to grab some brunch before we continued our roadtrip from FL to VA. We had hoped the 25 minute wait in the rain would be worth it...and it was! The best, obviously the Shrimp & Grits. Everything was pretty good but not stellar (save for the shrimp and grits). The she crab soup was a bit too generous with the salt. The fried oysters probably could've used a lighter hand with the batter but were good. The omelet (spinach, mushroom, onion, & swiss) was good and ordered with a biscuit to replace the toast. The biscuit was lovely. My sister's fried green tomato BLT was good. Salmon potato cakes were good too. Still, the stand out being the shrimp & grits. The Big Nasty passed our table frequently and look redunkulous. The Huevos Rancheros also looked great. -
Review from Don F.
Cape Canaveral, FL
12/28/2011
FANTASTIC food. Loved the place, loved the menu. Will eat here again in the future.
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Review from Deb S.
Washington, DC
12/23/2011
A friend recommended Hominy, and Yelp helped to solidify the choice to go. Wow this place is great! Husband ordered the Big Nasty Biscuit and I ordered the Pinto bean patties--both considered small plates, and we shared the 3 sides/cornbread. It was smartly portioned--enough to satisfy but not overfill. The grits were the best I have ever had--this statement from a Northerner...
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Review from Hugh H.
Fort Worth, TX
12/30/2011
Food was pleasant. This is really not how I grew up with Charleston, SC food. But the atmosphere is nice and the food is good. I did not try the breakfast just lunch. I had the brunswick stew with corn bread. We also had a picnic appetizer. The stew was not as hot as I like and the bowl was a small one but all in all it was a fun place to visit. My wife got the founder with red rice and turnip greens and she liked hers. The picnic appetizer was fun and good.
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Review from Sandra M.
11/30/2011
Waited in line for over an hour on a sunday....well worth it! The shrimp and grits was awesome. Not a very large portion tho...i could have had two orders easily...and I'm only 120 lbs...just kidding, I'm not.
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Review from Steve L.
Arlington, VA
10/28/2011
We made the drive from DC to Charleston for three places: Hominy Grill, Bowens Island, and Jestine's Kitchen.
After watching No Reservations and Man Vs. Food, I had to try this place to see if the Shrimp & Grits would live up to the hype. We ended up making Hominy Grill the first and last meals in town. In those two days, I tried the She-crab Soup, Shrimp & Grits, Chicken and Andouille Sausage Gumbo, the Big Nasty, Buttermilk Pie, and Chocolate Pudding.
Even if I hadn't been starving after the long drive, the Shrimp & Grits would have been worth twice the price. The perfectly cooked shrimp, combined with the saltiness of the bacon, worked insanely well with the creamy grits. The thing is....by itself, the shrimp sauteed with garlic, mushrooms, and bacon would have just been alright....same with the cheese grits by itself. But the two parts add up to a transcendental eating experience. I've had supposedly the best (and overrated) Shrimp & Grits in DC (Vidalia) and that version doesn't even come close to Hominy's.
As for the other dishes:
The She-crab soup had a good amount of crab roe and was not too thick or heavy. I wasn't so hot about the gumbo, which was way too thin. Perhaps it's me, but isn't gumbo supposed to have roux?
One of the other dishes they are known for is The Big Nasty, which is essentially a biscuit topped with a fried chicken breast and drenched with sausage gravy. I expected The Big Nasty to knock me the heck out, but surprisingly, it was not that heavy. Instead of that real thick country gravy, The Big Nasty is covered with a lighter, thinner chicken-based (think of the soup from chicken and dumplings) gravy. Very satisfying.
The chocolate pudding is only a pudding in name only. When I think of chocolate pudding, I think of those 50 cent snack packs from the grocery store. This is more of a hybrid chocolate ganache-pudding that's not overly sweet or rich. I've always preferred bittersweet dark chocolates versus the traditional Hershey's milk chocolate, which is probably why I was blown away by it. They need to give this dessert a better name...... "Chocolate Pudding" just doesn't do it justice.
And the Buttermilk Pie was one of the best desserts I've ever had. I won't describe it here. Just try it.
I give Hominy Grill 5 stars based on the strength of its Shrimp & Grits and the desserts. -
Review from Elyse L.
West Palm Beach, FL
10/6/2011
How much did I like the Hominy Grill? So much so that on my two day vacation I ate breakfast there both days!
The first morning the waitress told us about their specials: banana pancakes with sugar cane butter and nachos with a light cheese served with scrambled eggs and refried black beans.
What did we order? Both! My friend and I ordered the specials and then shared. OMG, words cannot express the happiness I felt sampling our delicious breakfasts. The banana pancakes were crisp on the outside and so incredibly moist on the inside. And, the sugar cane butter was out of this world good. We did not even touch the syrup. The loaded nacho breakfast made my mouth say, "Buenos Dias Charleston"!
The waitress was really cool and the restaurant was really nice inside and out.
Day two was equally as good. I was very impressed with this joint. I liked the staff, the food, and the restaurant. I would like to thank my friend Rhett for introducing me to the Hominy Grill! I will be back!! -
Review from J K.
Virginia Beach, VA
11/6/2011
It was good; nothing spectacular. Probably not worth the huge line out the door.
Had the biscuits and gravy. The biscuits tasted good, but were a bit dry. The gravy had great flavor (it had roasted red pepper in it), but the sausage was very dry, and there wasn't quite enough for the amount of biscuits.
Also, had the banana bread - not a fan. It was very dry.
They do not have apple juice, which seemed odd. -
Review from Nick H.
Pittsford, NY
10/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
Stopped in for breakfast on a Tuesday. No wait at 10am. Shrimp and grits. Amazing. Unreal. Homemade sausage was also very good.
I don't like when people try to fancy up breakfast. Hominy doesn't. $14 for a breakfast dish (shrimp and grits) is a little more than I would usually like to pay. It was definitely worth it, but I don't think I could afford it on a regular basis. -
Review from Bill F.
Venice, FL
1/26/2012
They gladly prepare some gluten free items. Buy the cookbook.
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Review from Laurie V.
New York, NY
9/17/2011
I LOVED IT!!!!!!! ENOUGH TO MAKE ME TYPE IN ALL CAPS AND USE AN OBSCENE AMOUNT OF EXCLAMATION POINTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So anyhow, this place defines awesome southern cuisine. We decided to walk there from the historic district- it was one long-ass walk, but well worth the culinary delight we were rewarded with when we arrived. We had the "picnic platter" appetizer with house-cured meets and potato salad and pickled okra and pimiento cheese and other deliciousness. We shared the southern fried chicken biscuit and gravy and also the brisket. I loved every mouth-watering bite. In fact, I have to finish this review, because I am too starved right now to type anymore. -
Review from Michael S.
Dallas, TX
12/19/2011
We were visiting Charleston and stopped by for Brunch. The food was good, bloody mary's were good and the desert was fantastic. We had a large table and ordered most of the deserts offered and sampled each. The chocolate pudding was quite good. Overall the food is good but not great. The atmosphere and service is great.
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Review from Mihae C.
Rockville, MD
8/7/2011
My bf and I are in Charleston and I planned to eat here due to all the great reviews. We waited for about 30 minutes before getting seated. We ordered the big nasty and shrimp and grits. Thinking about it, I had been so excited to eat here for about a week in advance, and really thought the food would be delicious. Instead, I found a piece of blonde brown hair while trying a chunk of my bfs big nasty, which I had placed into the plate of my shrimp and grits and cut into. Who knew the dish would match its name so well? It definitely was a big nasty surprise! I politely told the waitress about my find and she offered another big nasty in replacement or to take it off the bill. Honestly, I lost my appetite after that piece of hair. I should probably also mention that this is the first time I have found hair in food.
Furthermore, the shrimp and grits were not delicious to me at all, as other reviewers opined . I took a couple bites of my grits before trying my bfs nasty dish and finding the hair, and I was really disappointed. The shrimp and grits were definitely not to my liking.
Digging further into the aspect of food, I had initially planned on trying the chocolate pudding when planning to eat at Hominy Grill. Lo and behold, I overhear the server tell the table next to us that they are out of chocolate pudding. I had seen this mentioned in a prior yelp review and can't help but have the same sentiment as that reviewer, especially as an out of towner. How can a place be out something that they are famous for in attracting customers? It was also a Sunday, in which their brunch hours are from 11 AM to 3 PM. That's a total of 4 hours of being open... I would think that the restaurant would stock up on ingredients on their most popular dessert... at least to last 4 hours. This causes me to speculate that they are often out of this famous chocolate pudding, as it was only about 1:30 PM when we were there.
Also we just left the restaurant and paid 18 bucks and change for shrimp and grits we took about 5 bites from - the plate was nearly full. As a customer I am a little disappointed in the entire experience. This may be an out of the ordinary experience but my experience was definitely a most negative one. My bf and I are now driving and still hungry. I would not recommend hominy grill to anyone from out of town as this was a very disappointing first stop to eat at in Charleston.
I should probably mention that the server and hostesses were friendly. However, this really does not make up for hair in food and mediocre food in general. I also did not feel that this restaurant did much to rectify the situation. Offering to take the nasty off the bill is an obvious. However nothing else was done to try to make things better besides a sorry and the dish taken off the bill. To me, this does not constitute exceeding or even meeting customer service and satisfaction.
Truly a disappointing first stop in Charleston and a disappointing experience, in general. -
Review from Pam G.
11/7/2011
"It was friendly, it was funky and the food was unbelievable" as said by my DH. He had the shrimp and grits which he said was spectacular! We made the long trek from the French Quarter to Hominy Grill for brunch on Saturday and it was worth the long walk. We arrived around 2:30 on Saturday and were seated immediately. Our server was friendly and warm and we our drink orders were taken and filled promptly.
We started with fried green tomatoes and these were the best of the 3 places that we tried, the other 2 being Jestine's kitchen and Poogan's porch. I did prefer the remoulade that they are served with at Poogan's, but the ranch dressing was not so bad. The tomatoes were very crispy with a light batter and nice and hot. We devoured them!
I had the She-Crab soup with a biscuit and they were both quite good, but the rating is based mainly on the fried green tomatoes and the shrimp and grits which were outstanding. The best meal we had in Charleston was at Cypress, but for the price and keeping the category in mind, Hominy Grill is definitely not to be missed.
They also have a the cutest little take out window on the way in, so they get extra credit for that! -
Review from Carmen M.
New York, NY
9/5/2011
This place was so good that during 3 days in Charleston, I went there twice!
The first time I went for dinner, and opted for the $17 shrimp and grits. They were phenomenal. The service that came along with that was fast and personal (they speak in a Southern accent when appropriate, but communicated to me in perfect English).
The second time I went for lunch and had the Fried Green Tomato BLT with collard greens. I first got the mayo on the side because I'm not a huge fan, but ended up using half of it because it's so good. Very satisfying food, especially with their famous chocolate pudding for dessert, which should really be called dark chocolate pudding and is plenty for four people.
What I probably liked most about the place though was the atmosphere - it's a very friendly ambiance with lots of sunlight during the day and yellow/ sunny colors in their decoration.
I would also recommend their sweet tea vodka with soda - a great drink. -
Review from Jose L.
Fulton, MD
10/20/2011
Great little place. Went here with some co-workers, started out with some good local beers and apps, got the spicy beignets and of course the Fried Green Tomatoes. Most of us had to also get the Shrimp and Grits which was funny since many times during our conversation, someone would stop and say "hmm", or "man, this is good stuff".
To top it off, we got the Hummingbird Cake and a few Chocolate Puddings. The puddings were killer. Would definitely go back here again, and then also hit the bar called Fuel that is right across the street.
I need to come back here for breakfast though, that seems to be more of what they are know for. -
Review from Wesley M.
New York, NY
9/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
Hominy Grill was wonderful and worth the wait. I guess they have an hour brunch wait on Saturdays for a reason.
While waiting, they have an outdoor bar and courtyard area to enjoy a few drinks and conversation.
The food was really great as well. Their She-Crab soup was a bit salty, but still good. I also had the huevos rancheros and the eggs were cooked to perfection. My girlfriend had the fried green tomato BLT, which was also great.
Really nice, low country, hospitable restaurant. I'd go again if I was in the area. -
Review from Angela S.
Monroe, GA
1/14/2012
Signature dish shrimp and grits was absolutely delicious. Cannot go wrong here. Much improved from last visit 5 years ago..,highly recommend .
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Review from Kaitlin S.
San Diego, CA
6/17/2011
After we ate here, my boyfriend spent the following week raving about the breakfast he got here. Mine was just as good. Our only regret was when we saw the lunch menu, because then we wanted to eat that too.
He ordered the Big Nasty-- fried chicken on a biscuit with gravy and cheese. He periodically tries to recreate this dish by asking for gravy with his chicken biscuit at Bojangles, though obviously it doesn't really compare.
I'm always conflicted at brunch/breakfast on whether I want pancakes or a heartier eggs and sausage combo. In the end I was lured in by the sweet potato pecan pancakes. I was worried that I'd be hungry later, but with the sweet potatoes the pancakes were enough to keep me full for awhile. Also, they were SO GOOD. I also ordered a side of cheese grits, which were good too.
I would definitely recommend eating here if you're stopping through Charleston. We walked from Meeting St, which was a bit of a hike, but it was nice because we got to see College of Charleston along the way, and some of the more residential areas. -
Review from Blake A.
Summerville, SC
11/15/2011
I'm a fan. Get the big-nasty. Or shrimp and grits. You won't be disappointed.
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Review from Matt C.
Mattapoisett, MA
12/3/2011
Awesome. Get the chocolate pudding.
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Review from Matt R.
Troy, MI
6/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
After reading about this place in magazines and hearing about it on TV, I was eagerly waiting until my next business trip to Charleston. We had a large group (~8) and thankfully they took reservations. I knew a week prior to stepping in the restaurant what i was going to order: their famous Shrimp & Grits (recently awarded one of America's Top 10 Food by Food Network). I was not disappointed. The shrimp were plump, excellently cooked and delicious. The bacon, mushrooms, and lightly cheesy grits were a great complement. I ate it slowly, savouring every bite. On another trip I had eaten the shrimp and grits from Hyman's Seafood, which have a cheese sauce on top (also delicious), but Hominy's were unique in their own.
Also had the Blueberry and Gingersnap rice pudding for dessert...fabulous. I really wanted to coconut creme pie, but they weren't serving it that day.
Great atmosphere inside, charming decorations and Southern feel.
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