Keep a few places just for Charleston residents.

I would really love it if we in the Charleston area could keep a few restaurants to ourselves. I work in the hospitality industry, so I love our visitors. That does not mean I want to see them every second of my day. I would like to keep some of my favorites from getting overran. I still want these restaurants to make lots and lots of money so they stay open, but I would hate for my favorite places to turn into a place like ';Hyman%26#39;s';, no offense. So, please tell people about these restaurants, but don%26#39;t tell every visitor you meet to go these ';locals'; restaurants.

Keep a few places just for Charleston residents.

This is a difficult thread to reply to.

I guess if I find a %26#39;local%26#39; place that I really enjoy, I%26#39;m going to tell folks about it. If I really like it, then it stands to reason that I want it to be prosperous and not go out of business. Remember Amberjack%26#39;s, the little restaurant on St. Andrew%26#39;s Blvd? It was a fabulous place, with great food and really nice staff; well, just like so many other upstart restaurants in Charleston, Jimmy lasted I guess a year and a half, and then closed. What a shame. So I don%26#39;t care if it%26#39;s my brother-in-law, or the fine folks on this board, but I%26#39;m going to spread the word!

Besides, just how many residents of Charleston are really Charlestonians? This wonderful city has more transplants than Johns Hopkins.

Keep a few places just for Charleston residents.

Thank you Floski!

I think you misunderstood what I was saying. For one I never said Charlestonian I said residents of Charleston. Secondly, I said ';please tell people about these restaurants...';, I would just hate to see the atmosphere and charm of a restaurant or night spot to die because of too many one timers who don%26#39;t truely appreciate Charleston%26#39;s charm. There are a few places that rely on just locals and have done so for many years and will continue to do so hopefully. Please don%26#39;t misunderstand me, I have worked in the hospitality industry for nearly a decade and I am just worried that Charleston will lose all of its great ';off the beaten path'; establishments that add so much of the charm for the city.

noctorious I can understand what you are saying but dont agree with it 100 per cent . I have been to Charleston 3 times now

Flying from England the charm and beautiful area and the locals have brought me back . I try to search out these resturants that you mention , reason I like to mix and talk with the locals thats what makes a great vacation . But for a resturant to depend on only locals for bussiness 7 days a week 356 days a year will eventually call it to close down . I hear what you say about some of the charm may be lost but better to have some charm lost than the whole resturant due to lack of customers .

By the way if it was at all possible I would move to South Carolina tomorrow

I reckon we%26#39;ll have to agree to disagree. I am thinking like Harley but I didn%26#39;t put it as succinctly as he did.

I mean, I see what you%26#39;re saying (kinda) but if you look around, even the locals aren%26#39;t locals.

So do we not tell visitors about The Wreck, or Rio Grande, or Bowen%26#39;s Island? I bet if you ask the owners if they%26#39;d prefer money-spending visitors to go to California Dreaming or A.W. Shucks, they%26#39;d pretty much think you were crazy (which I do not).

I%26#39;m actually leaning the other way - I%26#39;d rather the local haunts make lots of money because the owners have a vested interest in Charleston and we all benefit from that.

I appreciate your views, though. See you at Madra Rua!

Hmm... I am assuming you are on TRIPadvisor.com because you are planning a trip in the near future? Where could you possibly be going that isn%26#39;t %26#39;invading%26#39; another person%26#39;s hometown? Siberia? Mars? Oh wait, you will STILL be invading and corrupting an environment that isn%26#39;t your own. Unless you have never been and will never be on vacation to another area other than Charleston, your views are hypocritical. That is, unless the next time you visit the NC mountains, you want me only to tell you about the chain hotels %26amp; restaurants -- and not divulge any of our secrets? Sheesh.

Well I don%26#39;t actually meet too many visitors so you don%26#39;t have to worry about that, but if someone is taking the time to come to this site and seek out information about a good local restaurant, then I think they have every right to get some decent information from the locals. I%26#39;m not going to suggest a mediocre restaurant to a tourist because the locals want to keep the good ones for themselves. That%26#39;s the whole point of this site, getting the inside scoop. Making someones visit here rememberable. Which is why people keep coming back to Charleston.

Tourists are not the only ones seeking information here either, I come here to learn new places and find out about restaurants I%26#39;m curious about. Without it, this ';local'; would not have visited many of these same restaurants. You would not only be denying the visitors, but the locals as well. :)

Hi,

I mentioned in another post that I have known and loved Charleston since ';we'; met in 1981.

I don%26#39;t live there now....had a place at Wild Dunes for 7 years.....late husband sold my soul when he sold it. But....that%26#39;s another story.

Charleston has changed very much since 1981. In fact, I wish ';they'; would keep architecture appropriate and not intrusive: i.e.....the new Clemson building being much discussed. The aquarium etc. Condos on the harbor etc.

My son was on the waitstaff of a fun restaraunt in Charleston. I still Miss La Madelaine! It is currently Bocci%26#39;s.

The best way to ';find'; the Charleston of personal dreams: walk it south of the Market area. Walk it it anytime. But a balmy evening in spring, with the Confederate Jasmine in full-perfume is heaven

Look at the restaraunts from the outside. Some should have menus posted.

recommendations never really work...as they are purely subjective.

So.....I hear ya:-)!

Charleston in my heart....

Scarlet2

Gonboyz@aol.com

Okay, I think I understand what you are trying to say no matter how contradictory. The Hospitality business is about being friendly and sharing. How much and where can depend on you. If the Owners of these locales that you speak of share your sentiments, then their businesses are probably not in the mainstream of being known about. Money is Money. One time or Lifetime. Some visitors become friends and are made to feel like family. And there is nothing more home like or welcoming than a good time in a place that was reccommended by someone you trusted--someone who knows their way around. So...I am sure the businesses that you do tell them about appreciate it! Oh...the last time I passed Hymans the line was waiting down the street. Tell or Don%26#39;t tell. It%26#39;s really up to you, because I noticed you said every visitor.

As a visitor who will be coming to the Charleston area for the first time at the end of Jan. As one who has lived in a tourist city (Washington, DC) for 35 years I understand that tourists are a PIA but, as a tourist to your town, I would prefer to hear what restaurants people recommend for good food, atmosphere, etc. I also know in the DC area some of the restaurants outside the city are even better for good food. We will be looking for the best breakfast places that isn%26#39;t an IHOP style. We love good service and are excellent tippers so don%26#39;t keep everything a secret from us ';outsiders';. If you can advise of places that don%26#39;t have any or many kids that would be great.