Jeff T.
Yelp
I first started eating here in 1982 when I was 10 years old and it was a family favorite every year through '85. So, as an adult, every time I visited Charleston, 82 Queen was on the itinerary.
Last night's visit brought back some great memories but also a little heartbreak. The ambiance looked the same when we arrived and our server, Sarah, was everything a server should be.
Unfortunately, the food was far from the good old days. We opted to try numerous selections on the appetizer menu to get a taste of many things. The she crab soup which is a favorite of mine in Charleston was awful. This soup was so thick it resembled cold gravy. Further, the crab meat was sparse and mere flecks, almost like it was from a can.
Next came the fried green tomatoes with some grits, pimento cheese and a bacon jam. Everything on the plate was delicious, except, the tomatoes. If I were told these came frozen in a bag, I wouldn't be shocked. The breading was thick and chewy and no flavor from the tomato. Another thing, the plating on all dishes was abysmal. No care was taken. It was like the food was plopped on and then some chives sprinkled on.
The Southern tomato pie was a surprise for me. I did not expect much but my wife wanted it and I was glad she did. A delicious mix of cheese, crust and tomato that all came together very well. I am not convinced that the cheese described on the menu wasn't substituted with pimento cheese, but it worked. The final round was the crab cake, the bbq shrimp and grits, the fried chicken livers and the collard greens.
The bbq shrimp was missing the bbq and had melted cheese on the shrimp. I was shocked. That just didn't work. It was sloppy and I would be embarrassed to serve this dish.
The crab cake, again, the crab looked and tasted like canned meat and a lot of breading. The chicken livers sounded so appealing but were ruined by a thick brown gravy that looked like it had sat out too long. The livers themselves were cooked nicely, they just got ruined by a sloppy gravy. Finally, the collard greens were very good. They had a delicious sweetness and saltiness. If anything, the salt was almost too much, but compared to everything things else, they were a highlight.
So, one of my favorite fine dining memories over the past 40 years has fallen from grace. It felt like no one in the kitchen even cared for what they were playing. It showed in every aspect. I would guess they make soup/sauces in advance and use them all night. That isn't fine dining, but diner dining.
The majority of the food probably doesn't warrant three stars, but the service and two dishes and maybe some sentimental memories pushed me for a third star. Unfortunately, I would not recommend this place as I have in the past, nor will I likely return any time soon. I don't even believe tourists can keep it open at this level. So many better options in Charleston these days.