A 19th Century Chophouse
Charleston, South Carolina USA
Cuisine Style: American Steakhouse, Chophouse
Average Price: $$$
Overall Rating: 4/5
Dined in: April 2014
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
**A full article and index glossary of restaurants, wines, recipes and travel for
Wine Dine and Play are in the pages section above, or by following these links:
Executive Chef:
Jeremiah Bacon
Chef de Cuisine:
Tyler Stevenson
Pastry Chef:
Kelly Kleisner
The Oak Steakhouse makes me remember back to the good old days (for people over the age of thirty) when you drove around and had to rely on old-fashioned maps from an AAA book, read street signs, and actually look at building numbers to find where you were going? Well, in the city of Charleston, most of the restaurants and other stores have old fashioned signs attached to the brick facade, dangling about ten feet up so you knew when you were driving or walking by what the business was. So, to people addiction to GPS devices, you will be in trouble looking for this restaurant, because it will send you on a wild goose chase. My daughter was with me in the car and yes I had the GPS on. The Restaurant did not have one of the signs I mentioned earlier. Their logo was on the window, and the sun was setting so it was so bright, I couldn’t see the window signs, as they were reflecting the sun’s rays. The GPS said the famous words: “You have arrived," well, no I didn’t because I was still in the 70-80 house block of Broad Street and the restaurant address was 17. After circling several times, going down a cool old brick road, I said the heck with it and parked. I figured I’d get out and walk around to see the building numbers. Funny enough, I had parked right in front of the restaurant, where the complimentary valet was also offered.
The restaurant is built inside a historic bank building that dates back to 1848 and features three floors with five distinct dining areas. The arched windows, 20-foot ceilings, fireplaces and 150-year-old pine floors, offers you a glimpse back not only to the past but an experience of luxury. With 200 bottles of wine, and an extensive menu and now three other locations outside of Charleston in Atlanta, Charlotte, and Nashville. At the time of my original visit, they had just opened the Atlanta location.
Menu:
- Appetizers
- Salads
- Oak Specialties
- Classic Steaks
- Additions
- Family Style Sides
- Desserts
We were escorted to the second floor near a balcony that looked over the entrance and the mezzanine first floor. From their wine list, I chose a German Riesling, St.Urbans-Hof Weingut 2012, from Mosel. According to the winemakers tasting notes it was a brilliant fruit forward wine with Mosel-slate mineral flavors, lively acidity, and ripe floral aromas. Robert Parker rated the wine at 87/100.
As we continued to read the menu, I was seeing a pattern from other Charleston restaurants that I enjoyed, and that was their passion for supporting local farmers and fishermen and Oak Steakhouse was no different, as their menu featured the locals (listed below) plus others like Abundant Seafood and Clammer Dave. My daughter and I settled on two courses for the evening, as it was still early, and we had a late lunch. She ordered the soup of the day, a puree of potato, very rich and thick, with excellent flavors and texture.
Local Farms:
Kennerty Farms
Burden Creek Farm
PARTNERS:
I had the butcher’s plate assortment of charcuterie, with traditional accompaniments and artisanal cheeses. The Charcuterie consisted of the house pate, soppressata, Speck Ham, calabrese salami, garlic pepperoni, Napoli salami, and duck prosciutto. The cheese selection offered were three cow’s milk cheeses; a Cantal from France, an Italian cheese, and a Cashel blue from Ireland. The accompaniments consisted of mustard, assorted pickles, jalapeños, and crackers, it was a wonderful starter. Other starters that the restaurant offered were Hudson Valley foie gras, oysters, and steak tartare to name a few.
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| Butcher’s plate assortment |
After the appetizer, we split the caesar salad and I ordered some coffee. What I loved about the coffee presentation, was that while expecting a cup, I got a French Press, equaling four cups, for a nice fresh, strong coffee. For the entrees, my daughter had the whole fried lobster severed in a bowl with fine herb whipped potato, and a citrus-ginger beurre blanc. I loved the presentation, and it was my daughters first time trying lobster. She loved crab legs, crab cakes, and certain other fish, so she added lobster to the love category after this meal. But then what is not to love about anything fried as it is an American comfort food.
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| Fried lobster |
All the sides were served à la carte and we had a smokey bacon macaroni and cheese, with large chunks of bacon perfectly and succulently infused with the rich and thick layers of cheese inside the noodles, perfectly seasoned, and a perfect piece of heaven. Now, of course, being a steakhouse, even though we had eaten at Grill 225 a few nights before, I decided to have another one here at the Oak by ordering their certified Angus beef New York strip steak, (medium-rare of course). I ordered a side of hollandaise with the steak, and my family style side was a truffled pomme frites with traditional shaved parmesan and parsley garnish. No exaggeration when the side came out it could have fed an army, and was larger than my entree. For those not interested in steak and lobster, they had free-Range Carolina roasted chicken breast, braised Niman Ranch short ribs, and Colorado rack of lamb entrees just to name a few.
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| New York strip steak |
Dessert:
Neither of us had room for dessert, but for those that do, they have a chocolate peanut butter pie, house-made sorbets, apple crisp, carrot cake, and a cheese plate that all looked very appetizing when planning for a return trip.
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
Wine regulatory’s for the tastings in this article:
European Union:
Germany:
Other Noteworthy Steakhouse/Chophouse Articles and Restaurants:
5A5 Steak Lounge Modern Japanese steakhouse with chic design in San Francisco, California
Council Oak Steakhouse Upscale eatery with butchery at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa, Florida
Fleming’s Steakhouse High-end steakhouse chain (65+) with aged prime cuts, reviewed in Akron, Ohio
Fogo de Chão Upscale Brazilian chain with 49 locations. Review based in Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia
Frevo Restaurant Authentic churrascaria-style dining at the Fairmont on Palm Island, Dubai, UAE
Grill 225 Top 10 American fine-dining ornate chophouse, Market Pavilion Hotel in Charleston, South Carolina
Halls Chophouse Esteemed old-school steakhouse with gospel brunch in Charleston, South Carolina
Laurent Tourondel / BLT Swanky French-American Steakhouse chain with 14 restaurants
Stonewood Grill and Tavern Stylish chophouse chain with surf ’n’ turf; reviewed in Brandon, Florida
Sunset Terrace A classic outdoor American chophouse at Omni Grove Park Inn, in Asheville, North Carolina
Waterfront Restaurant Steakhouse restaurant on inlet offering Gulf views in Sarasota Florida
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
Other Charleston restaurants and articles on Wine Dine and Play:
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Acclaimed high-concept inspired Farm to Table tavern
A top 20 on Wine Dine and Play
Charleston, South Carolina, USA
|
A classy southern seafood eatery house
Charleston, South Carolina, USA
|
A refined upscale take on traditional southern cooking
Charleston, South Carolina, USA
|
|
Refined eatery with Lowcountry fare and Southern Brunch
Charleston, South Carolina, USA
|
Bistro w/Southern & Lowcountry cuisine
Charleston, South Carolina, USA
|
Classic Mediterranean dishes and wine bar
Charleston, South Carolina, USA
|
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary by country”
Final notes, review basics, observations and more pictures:
Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsible, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience to the best of the writer's knowledge, even if it includes metaphors the restaurant may not like to read about. My ratings are by the stars I award (from 0 to 5). The rating is calculated on a point accumulation of six separate factors based on individual experience. They include wine and other beverage selections, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, and wow factor. To see more details of this rating list, read this article:
Overall from this experience, and the score factors outlined in the ‘about page’ section, based on my individual experience and rating, I give Oak Steakhouse a 4 out of 5 stars, meaning that they not only exceeded my expectations and were far above the average dining experience of most restaurants, but they were just outstanding.
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings
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Max Points Possible:
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Total Points Awarded:
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Total Points deducted:
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Ambiance
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9.5
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9
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0.5
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Food quality
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10
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8
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2
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Plate presentation
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8.5
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7.5
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1
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Customer service
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8
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7.5
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0.5
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Alcohol and other beverages
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9
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8
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1
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Total regular points awarded
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45
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40
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5
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Total percentage — less the Bonus
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0.888888888888889
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“Wow” factor BONUS
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5
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1
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0
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Total bonus percentage
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0.0222222222222222
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Total percentage and bonus for a final star rating
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0.911111111111111
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Stars Awarded (see chart below)
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0 - 5
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4
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**A full break down and explanation of the observations and point disbursement is available in the linked article above. To receive a detailed copy of your score, feel free to contact me at any time and I will provide it to you.**
***
Overall Star Rating:
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4 of 5 Stars:
91% Rating with a 1 point “wow” bonus
An Outstanding Dining Experience
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Wine List:
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Wine rating:
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7 of 10
Old World selections:
France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria
New World selections:
Argentina, New Zealand, California, Oregon, Washington State
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Corkage fee’s:
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This Restaurant does not list any corkage fee’s however, most American restaurants charge
$25.00 per bottle
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Restaurant style:
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Conservative dining
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Cuisine Style:
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American, Seafood, Southern American, Steakhouse,
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Farm to Fork, Grass Fed, Local, Organic, Pescatarian, Sustainable, Vegan Options, Vegetarian
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Reservations:
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Not Required, But Recommended
Walk-Ins:
Accepted, but not guaranteed
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Dress code:
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Conservative attire
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Child policy:
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The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a kids menu or cater to them; however, for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended that kids not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette.
If not then:
Hire a Babysitter!
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Experiences:
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Place for foodies, Contemporary, Trendy, Business parties, Great bar, Good for special occasions, Beautiful décor, Classy, Upscale, and a Neighborhood Gem.
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Payments:
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Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
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Parking:
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Valet, or Street meter parking
Complimentary valet with dinner
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Wifi
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The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
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Noise level:
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Low to Medium
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Smoking:
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Nonsmoking restaurant
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Patio or terrace:
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No
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Food Prices
(excludes, alcohol, taxes & 20% gratuity’s)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricey)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major travelers, restaurant, or wine connoisseur’s**
Currency:
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Price
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United States Dollar (USD)
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$$$
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Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
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££
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Canadian Dollar (CAN)
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$$$
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Chinese Yuan (CNY)
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¥¥¥¥¥
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European Union (EUR)
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€€€
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Oak Steakhouse:
17 Broad Street
Charleston, South Carolina
29401
Neighborhood:
Financial district
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
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Maître d or host:
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+1 843 722-4220
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Online Reservations
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Email Contact:
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Serving hours:
Eastern Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - 5:00)
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Dinner:
Sun-Thur
5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Fri-Sat
5:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Happy Hour:
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
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Social Media
&
Accolades:
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****
The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list of who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine Dine and Play best experiences are based on my highest rated stared restaurants, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, to fine dining including a few Michelin spots. Visit the Top 100 page to see the entire list.
A few to tease you with…
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Refined and elegant creole fare since 1880
New Orlean’s, Louisiana, USA
|
Old-world classic Italian & Mediterranean
New Smyrna Beach, Florida, USA
|
Country-style local ingredients w/French flair
Constantia, South Africa
|
Other Pictures:
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| Picture courtesy of Oak Steakhouse |
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| Picture courtesy of Oak Steakhouse |
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| Picture courtesy of Oak Steakhouse |
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| Mezzanine from the second floor |
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| Bread starter |
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| Puree of potato soup |
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| Bacon Mac and Cheese |
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| Pomme Frites |
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
