Wine Dine and Play: Hyman’s Seafood

Tourist Trap or Iconic Destination?

Charleston, South Carolina, USA

Dined in 2010

By Sean Overpeck (CFE)

The website says that they have been at the same location for over 120 years. Starting out as a Wholesale dry goods store then changing to a restaurant in 1987. They also advertise that: “attitude is everything.” I can agree, a good positive attitude will resonate with those you work with and the customers that come into your establishment. I’m talking about Hyman’s Seafood, and in 2010 on my first stay in Charleston since my daughter lived near by, it was recommended that we eat there. I knew nothing at the time about the Charleston food scene, so recommendations were the way to go. It was a unique experience, decent food, but defiantly a tourist catcher, and if it is your first time to Charleston should it be on your list, or something else? We shall see…

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Restaurant Owners:

Eli Hyman

Brad Gena

Main review:

Meeting Street extends from North Charleston near the Magnolia Cemetery where war veterans like the crew of H.L. Hunley are buried, plus many other prominent citizens, and goes through downtown ending at White Point Garden on the bay. Hyman’s is located near the downtown section of Meeting Street which was the wholesale district in the 1800s. Eli and Aaron’s great-grandfather, W.M. Karesh, a Jewish immigrant from eastern Europe, started Southern Wholesale in this location in 1890. This became one of our first distributors of Union & Hanes underwear in the Southeast. Wolf Maier Karesh’s son-in-law, Herman Hyman, took over the business in 1924, changing the name to Hyman’s Wholesale Company. He then passed the business down to the third generation, to Wolf Maier Hyman, who continued on with the wholesale dry goods business until 1986. At that time the Omni hotel was under construction and the City condemned the back 280 feet of these warehouses to make room for a parking garage. The building is situated in a perfect location for tourists as it is between the King Charles Inn and the Meeting Street Inn, both 19th century luxury hotels, making it possible for Hyman’s to cater to a wealthier crown to include politicians, actors, singers, and other businessman, as well as the common tourist and local.

The floors of the building are heart pine and the bricks are Old English, with the original Oyster mortar. The wrought iron stair case was built in Kenton, Ohio in 1887 and shipped to Charleston upon construction of the building. The two brothers of the Hyman 4th generation, Eli and Aaron Hyman, changed the name from Hyman’s Wholesale to Hyman’s Seafood and Aaron’s Deli in 1986. Brad, Aaron’s son-in-law (5th generation) is Eli’s operating partner today, and they employ 190 people.

They have been voted the Best Seafood Restaurant in the Southeast by Southern Living Magazine 9 years in a row. It's a family dining experience with simple house rules:

Rule #1 – The customer is always right. (That can be trouble) Secretly, I and others in the restaurant and food service industry know and use this now very abused term, but it is better to say it out loud, with the truthful answer being: “The customer thinks they are always right, and we cater to that thought as long as they pay for the right to think it.”

Rule #2 – When in doubt, refer back to Rule #1.

Menu:

Appetizers
Healthy Salads and Homemade Soups
Po-Boy’s and Tacos
Hyman’s Shrimp Dinners
Build Your Own Platter
Signature Platters
A La Carte
Entree’s
Farm Boys
Kosher Dinner
Sides
Desserts

As you walk in and dine on either the first or second floor it is a very inviting atmosphere, almost like an upscale TGI Friday’s with lots of photo’s and chat-ski’s on the walls. The restaurant caters to all groups with a casual dress code, and a menu for family of all ages, though who want’s a crying baby when you go out to eat, that is why we pay teenagers to be babysitters so adults can enjoy themselves away from home no matter their income level. Besides being focused on seafood, they cater to the roots of Low country cuisine and southern specialties like shrimp and grits, fried green tomatoes, Low country boil, and a hint of Louisiana creole with some crawfish dishes.

I would recommend their Charleston she-crab soup, with a tomato and brandy base, lightly seasoned, and filled with rich cream textures. The shrimp and grits is also a popular dish, and for religious purposes you can also have it without pork, but I would never do that!! Finally my daughter had the soft shell crab entree, deep fried to a golden brown, delivered with a tender crunch, not greasy or runny, and a hint of cajun seasoning and old bay in the batter mixture. For those that are not big on seafood, but are going because your significant other loves seafood, then they do have USDA choice selections of steaks, chicken alfredo, pork chops, and other dishes to satisfy your pallet.

The enjoyable part of the dining experience is sitting at your selected table, then possibly going around the other tables to view as well. Being that they are perfectly located to cater high end clients as I mentioned earlier, they advertise that success on the tables. If a famous person ate at that specific table, then they attach brass plaques with embroidered name of that person or group. As a result of this, Hyman’s has become more of a destination for the common person, to see where the stars ate. This has resulted in turning the restaurant into a semi tourist trap. Many local residents, even quote the phrase "tourist trap” and then proceed to get really nasty from there. When I took a food tour of the city, a person asked the guide what they thought of Hyman’s - it was not pretty, and I heard the same thing from several others over time.

It stays packed in the restaurant, the reviews on Trip Advisor and others are mostly positive, but for true Charleston culinary experience, this is not the place to visit. I’m not saying to bypass it entirely, as it is worth the visit to see once, but it is not a true representation of Low country, Charleston, or southern cuisine like Sean Brock’s Husk, or McCrady’s Tavern. Two blocks over from Hyman’s is Hank’s Seafood, which is another contender for one of the top places in the city to visit for authentic Low country seafood.

Other Noteworthy Seafood Favorites outside SC:

Two Oceans Restaurant in Cape Point, South Africa

Sea-Guini in Clearwater Beach, Florida

Moshulu in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Sea Salt in St. Petersburg, Florida

Perla’s Seafood and Oyster Bar in Austin, Texas

Cobalt upscale seafood with ocean views in Vero Beach, Florida

Final notes and observations:

What is a restaurant review? Is one better than the other? How is the rating system broken down? Most reviews you read online are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsibly, and respectfully written, upholding the truth and accurately conveying the experience. My job is to put you at the table next to me, and to try and be objective to the best of my ability. Being impeccable with my word, never taking anything that happens at the restaurant personally, being honest in the review, never make assumptions, and to always write to the best of my knowledge is the goal. My ratings are notated by the level of stars I award (from 0 to 5). The star rating is based on the calculation and point accumulation of six separate factors with nearly seventy questions broken down by my individual experience such as wine and other beverage selection, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, plus a bonus section called the wow factor. To see more details on how I do my ratings read this article:

What Is A Restaurant Review, And Am I Any Different?

Over all from this experience, and using my rating system linked above, I give Hyman’s Seafood a 1 out of 5 stars, meaning that they did not exceed any expectations and were only an average dining experience like most restaurants.

Review basics:

5 stars	An Extraordinary Experience	94 - 100 % (105% w/ full bonuses)
4 Stars	An Outstanding Experience	87 - 93%
3 Stars	Exceeded All My Expectations	80 - 86%
2 Stars	Above the Average Experience	72 - 79%
1 Star	An Average Dining Experience	66 - 71%
No Star Rating	The Restaurant is Basic, Poor, or Appalling	65% or below

Overall Star Rating:	1 of 5 Stars: 99% Rating with a 3 point “wow” bonus An Average Dining Experience
Corkage fee’s:	The Restaurant does not list any corkage fee’s however, most American restaurants charge $25.00 per bottle
Restaurant style:	Casual
Reservations:	Not Required, But Recommended Walk-Ins: Accepted, but not guaranteed
Dress code:	Casual attire
Child policy:	The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a child’s menu or cater to them; however for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended for children not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette. If not then Hire a Babysitter!
Cuisine style:	Contemporary, Seafood, American, Southern, and Vegetarian
Experiences:	Place for foodies, Trendy, Business parties, Hot spot, Good for special occasions, Rustic, Tourist grabber, and a Neighborhood gem.
Payments:	Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
Parking:	Public lot, or Street Parking
Wifi	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.
Noise level:	Medium to Loud
Smoking:	Nonsmoking restaurant
Patio:	No

Other Charleston restaurant reviews on Wine, Dine, and Play:

McCrady’s Tavern High Concept Farm-to-Table Dining A top 100 on Wine, Dine, and Play	Hank’s Seafood Bustling clubby fish house eatery & bar	Grill 225 Ornate Top 10 American Chophouse A top 100 on Wine, Dine, and Play
High Cotton Genteel eatery with Low Country fare	Oak Steakhouse Locally sourced beef & sustainable seafood	Muse Mediterranean dishes, wine bar, villa feel
	S.N.O.B Low Country Bistro with French fusion menu, local farm to table	Cypress Innovative, upscale, contemporary cuisine
Magnolia’s Refined upscale take on Southern dining	River Street Sweets Dessert shop with Southern treats, and praline	Halls Chophouse Elegant old school steakhouse with seafood

RESTAURANT NAME:

215 Meeting Street

Charleston, South Carolina

29401

Contact Information:

Restaurant website:	Hyman’s Seafood
Maître d or host:	+1 843-723-6000
Serving hours: Eastern Standard Time (GMT, Zulu, or UTC - 5:00)	Dinner: Fri-Sat 11:00 am - 10:00 pm Sun-Thur 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
Email or webpage contact:	Contact Hyman’s
Social Media & Accolades:	Facebook link
	Twitter @hymansseafood
	Pinterest
	Google+
	Instagram

The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list based on who is writing about them, and it changes on a regular basis. My list of best reviewed restaurants here on Wine, Dine, and Play is based on a rating number at 4 to 5 stars. From the 300 + published reviews as of summer 2017, less than 15% hold that prestigious ranking, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. I have dined at restaurants on five continents from cafés, chains, and fine dining to include some of best rated world Michelin locations. Here is my list, and it includes some mom and pops + holes in the wall.

Wine, Dine, and Play’s Favorites

Brick and Mortar Rustic New American Fare Saint Petersburg, Florida USA	Tetsuya’s Eclectic French-Asian Tasting Menu Sydney, Australia	The Test Kitchen Modern Eclectic African Cuisine Woodstock, South Africa
Aubergine Innovative East Meets West Menu Cape Town, South Africa	Qui Restaurant Modern Upscale Global Plates (Now Called Kuneho by Paul Qui) Austin, Texas, USA	Restaurant Le Gabriel Classic French Gastronomique Bordeaux, France
Vue de Monde Elegant Fine Australian Dining Melbourne, Australia	Constantia Uitsig La Colombe Chic Country-Style Vineyard Restaurant Constantia, Cape Town, South Africa	Zuma Hip Asian-Fusion Dubai, UAE
Reflets par Pierre Gagnaire Posh French + A Culinary Experimentalism Festival City, Dubai, UAE	La TABLE de Joël Robuchon Haute French Cuisine Paris, France	Alinea American-Global Molecular Menu Chicago, Illinois, USA
Quay Quintessential Modern Australian Cuisine Sydney, Australia	Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud Impeccably Acclaimed French Cuisine Dublin, Ireland	The French Laundry French-American Fine Dining Yountville, Napa, California, USA
At.mosphere High Rise Fine Global Dining, Highest Restaurant In The World Dubai, UAE	The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Français Contemporary, African-Inspired Tasting Journey Franschhoek, South Africa	Commanders Palace Upscale Creole Fare New Orlean’s, Louisiana, USA
Attica Inventive Eclectic Tasting Menus Ripponlea, Melbourne, Australia	Leopard Hills Lodge Safari + Upscale African Cuisine Sabi Sand Game Reserve, South Africa	Rioja Creative Mediterranean Cuisine Denver, Colorado, USA
Mr. Todiwala’s Kitchen Vibrant Pan-Indian Cuisine Slough, United Kingdom	Cook'n' With Gas Bistro High-End New Zealand Fare & Bistro Christchurch, New Zealand

So many great wines in this world, here are a few boutiques, cult wines, and favorites:

Meerlust Wine Estate Rubicon A 1756 Estate Famed Rubicon Blend Stellenbosch, South Africa	Hoopes Vineyard Big, Bold, Cult Cabernets Oakville, California, USA
Jonata Winery Screaming Eagles Sister Santa Barbara, California, USA	Yarra Yering Agincourt, Waterloo, Salamanca Yarra Valley, Australia
Penner Ash Wine Cellars Boutique Producers of Pinot Noir Willamette, Oregon	La Motte Old Huguenot Style Shiraz & Cabernets Franschhoek, South Africa
Château Lanessan A Cru Bourgeois Supérieur Cussac-Fort-Médoc, Bordeaux, France	Bergström Wines World Class Oregon Pinot Noir Willamette, Oregon
Biltmore Estate Winery 20+ Blue Ridge Handcrafted Wines Asheville, North Carolina, USA	Domaine Bertagna 13th Century Cistercian -1er Cru Les Cras Vougeot, Burgundy, France
Ghost Block Vineyards Exceptional Cult Sauvignon Blanc & Cabernets Yountville, California	Eagles Nest Winery Not Kehlsteinhaus, Exceptional Shiraz Constantia, South Africa

Reviewed by:

Sean Overpeck (CFE)

Executive Chef

Father, Husband, Wine Drinker

Restaurant nut, History and

Star Trek lover

winedineandplayblog@gmail.com

Picture below was taken at McMurdo Station,

Antarctica in January 2015

About Sean:

I am based out of Florida working in food service for over twenty years, and am currently with the American Embassy as the Executive Chef. Formally I have worked with groups contracting in Afghanistan, and Antarctica, also working in restaurants in and around Atlanta, Georgia prior to the wars. I have also owned a catering company and served proudly in the United States Army Food Service Program. The idea for Wine, Dine, and Play started in late 2012 after a trip to Jordan, when I was asked by friends to write down my experiences from a few restaurants, wines I tasted, and unique locations such as Petra. Since that time, I have written over 300 articles, including fifteen from the worlds top 100 lists of San Pellegrino and the Elite Travelers Guide restaurants. I have articles on exotic world locations such as Victoria Falls, and South African Safari’s; food recipes & a Grand Food Dictionary; ethnic country cuisines such as Afghan, and Peruvian; tasting tours of world cities like Charleston, Cape Town, and Dubai; and of course wine from vineyards in California, Oregon, the Carolina’s, South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia, with much more to see and write.

Who is John Galt?

“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,

But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”

-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)