Makan

Restaurant · Charleston

Makan

Restaurant · Charleston

4

210 Rutledge Ave, Charleston, SC 29403

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Highlights

Makan brings vibrant Malaysian flavors to Charleston with chef James Wozniuk’s playful noodle and rice dishes, plus killer craft cocktails in a cozy setting.  

Featured in Eater
Featured in Afar

210 Rutledge Ave, Charleston, SC 29403 Get directions

makanchs.com
@makanchs

$30–50

Information

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210 Rutledge Ave, Charleston, SC 29403 Get directions

+1 843 737 5865
makanchs.com
@makanchs

$30–50

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Last updated

Jul 11, 2025

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@eater

"D.C.-based Malaysian restaurant Makan now has a second location in the Lowcountry. Chef James Wozniuk wanted the South Carolina location to feature local seafood. The ikan asam pedas, a Malaysian hot and sour fish curry, is a must-try if you like spice. There’s also rendand daging (dry beef curry), curry mee (noodle soup with chicken sausage), and kerabu mangga (mango salad)." - Erin Perkins

12 Hottest New Restaurants in Charleston, January 2025
View Postcard for Makan
@eater

"Stop into Malaysian restaurant Makan, Tuesday through Saturday, from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., for $5 spiced peanuts (lime leaf and Thai bird chili make these a great snack), $12 Chinese pork jerky, $15 chili mussels, and rotating chef’s specials. For drinks, $10 can get you various cocktails, wine, or a shot and a beer." - Erin Perkins

14 Extra-Affordable Charleston Happy Hours
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@afar

"James Wozniuk fell in love with hawker fare—rice dishes, noodles, red-hot sambal—on a layover in Kuala Lumpur, following a trip to Cambodia. “Everyone knows Thai food, but Malaysian cuisine is wildly underrepresented in the U.S.,” he says. The Dallas-born, South Carolina–raised chef, who worked at the acclaimed Washington, D.C. restaurants Maketto and Spoken English, would go on to study cookbooks and return for research trips, and he opened the first Makan in the nation’s capital in 2020. Seeking to be closer to his family, Wozniuk expanded to Charleston, opening a second Makan on Rutledge Avenue this past spring. He adheres tightly to traditional flavors, taking pains to source authentic ingredients—such as Malaysian anchovies from “a guy” in New York—and locals have responded by flocking to Makan for dishes like spicy hakka noodles, a savory blend of pork, wood ear mushrooms, and soft-cooked egg over wheat noodles mixed with chili crumble."

The Best New Restaurants in Charleston, South Carolina - AFAR
View Postcard for Makan
@eater

"The Malaysian restaurant opens on June 14 with a menu unique to Charleston. Chef James Wozniuk emphasized to Eater that he wants Makan’s South Carolina location to feature more local seafood. The ikan asam pedas, a Malaysian hot and sour fish curry, is a must-try if you like spice. There’s also rendand daging (dry beef curry), curry mee (noodle soup with chicken sausage), and kerabu mangga (mango salad)." - Erin Perkins

Every Restaurant Opening in Charleston, Spring 2024 - Eater Carolinas
View Postcard for Makan

Matt M

Google
Had a wonderful experience at Makan, and was very sad to hear they are closing their Charleston location this month. The food was excellent, and our server/bartender Hannah made us feel warm and welcome. We were new to malaysian cuisine, and found all of the flavors to be exciting and fresh. Best of luck to the chef, staff and owner!

Sean Isaacs

Google
I had an amazing incredible experience curated by Sarah at the bar. She prepared for me excellent cocktails to accompany my delightful meal. I started off with culinary experience with the char siu wings which were exceptionally delicious tender and flavorful. Sarah recommend what id most enjoy based on what id like. It was the curry me noodles extra hot and oh I appreciated the extra. Protip request extra napkins lol

Sharon Graci

Google
We were a group of seven. Everything was excellent. Cocktails were delicious, particularly the “Last Plane Out of Pandan” and “Halia & Serai.” As for food, we ordered one of each small plate. The Spiced Peanuts and Pineapple Pickle are both excellent. The Char Siu Wings and the Chicken and Paneer Satays with the peanut sauce are especially delicious! We ordered three mains and can recommend the Vegetable Curry, Spicy Hakka Noodles, and the Se Asian Toast Chicken. Spice level varies, so consult the serving staff for recommendations and thoughts, but over all, non of the dishes were prohibitively spicy. All in all, it’s a lovely experience. Make a reservation and join them. You’ll be glad you did.

Phillis CHS

Google
The most flavorful food to come to Charleston in Ages!!! I am a HUGE Southeast Asian fan and this restaurant hit all the right spots on my palatte. Sweet,Sour,Salty,Umami and spicy. I honestly can't wait to return. The Satay Ajam with that perfect peanut sauce goodness. The hakka noodles were life changing. The chew on the noodles was perfect texture and that soft egg made it so creamy. The desserts were incredible. Going back this weekend for sure. I can't focus until I enjoy the rest of the menu. Staff was amazing and happy to be there. It shows in the smiles and Hussle of a busy Friday night.

Colleen McGregor

Google
I can't wait to go back! The chicken wings were fall off the bone and had the perfect little char. I could fill up just in the roasted potatoes w yogurt sauce. The noodle dish was enough for two meals and delicious! You might not think about ordering the burger but you'd be missing out. And the cocktails were tiny but mighty. Mine had the perfect balance of lemongrass and ginger

Angela

Google
Great food and cocktails! The portions are generous so if you want to try multiple dishes bring a crowd with you. We had the spicy peanuts, Hakka noodles, and beef curry which were all fantastic.

Rachel Carey

Google
Wow! I moved to CHS from the SF Bay Area a few years ago & I love Asian food… Thank you Makan - we’ve been waiting for you! The wonderful flavors & spices in the red curry are amazing. The fresh ginger in the Malaysian gimlet is everything . Love it and so happy this restaurant is here! Hannah is a very talented bartender.

Laura Dell'Aiera

Google
This was our first experience with Malaysian food. It was mild and would easily please a group of varied eaters. We enjoyed everything we ate! I came here though to rave about the service. We had the nicest experience with Lexi as our waitress. She had great recommendations, friendly conversation, and attentive service. We left feeling like we’d made a friend.

Melissa G.

Yelp
Matan is one of the new spots to open in the neighborhood and specializes in Malaysian food, which is underrepresented in the Charleston food scene. The menu is on the smaller size and, but very diverse with options for all preferences and styles. I had the famous Spiced Bird, which is a half chicken seasoned with 15 spices and comes with a super flavorful sauce , rice and vegetables. For our appetizer we shared the chili mussels which were also phenomenal and a combination of flavors that I have never experienced before. The service was good but the food did come out at different times for me and my partners which is usually a bit odd, but the delay was not too long.

Emma P.

Yelp
I cannot say enough good things about the red curry. If you get nothing else, get that. It was so incredibly well done and a good sized portion. The chicken was perfectly tender, the sauce had just the right amount of spice... and it went very will with the street noodles. The service here is also also very good, we were seated right away and never needed to ask for the servers attention. She was always very attentive. The inside is dark and sexy. It's a perfect date night environment.

Dani P.

Yelp
Makan was high on our list to go to! The staff was so friendly and attentive, helped with the menu and organizing the dishes! Best to order several plates and share. There is bar seating and dining room, better for small groups but I think they can accommodate a larger with notice. It's small but perfect atmosphere for a date night. We had delicious mocktails, Penang Street Noodles, Red Curry and Fried Potatoes! Sago for dessert! Noodles were our favorite but everything was delicious. A great amount of spice and flavor! The restaurant is very GF friendly and everything on the menu is marked, let them know about cross contamination but our serve was so helpful! We had a perfect dinner! Would highly recommend and return ourselves!

Harold N.

Yelp
This place makes one feel adventurous. Daniel was our server but there were people walking by filling our glasses with water. It's loud in here. Very loud. Didn't let it interrupt our dinner though. It felt lively. Got two drinks an appetizer and two meals with order of Sabal Delek added up to be over $111 for two people. Highly recommend and be open to new things and enjoy the experience.

Shamila P.

Yelp
Really excited for this Malaysian restaurant! As a Malaysian, I've been waiting for ages for a place like this. This will definitely be my go-to spot when I need the comfort of some authentic Malaysian cuisine. I love the family-style serving. We had the Curry Mee and Asam Pedas Fish, and both dishes were fantastic. We also had Sago GUla Melaka and Roti Kaya. Staff was amazing and we came in pretty late and they still took our order and serve us :) I can't wait to come back and try out the rest of the menu!

Andrew J.

Yelp
Sat at the bar and had excellent service from the very knowledgeable bar staff who made some excellent recommendations and tasty cocktails. There are a lot of things on this menu I want to try, so I will be back. The space is basic and has a temporary feel to it like the place is a pop-up, but I hope they stick around.

Tanner M.

Yelp
We visited Makan for a date night after it was recommended by the guys at R Kitchen next door, which we love. We arrived around 7:15 and were surprised to find the restaurant strangely slow, with only two other tables the entire time we were there. Despite the quiet atmosphere, our waitress was very nice and attentive. For drinks, I had the mezcal cocktail, and my girlfriend ordered the sparkling vodka/prosecco drink--both were great! For an appetizer, we tried the chicken satay. Surprisingly, I really liked it, especially the peanut sauce, although my girlfriend wasn't as impressed. My expectations for chicken satay are usually low, but this one hit the mark for me. For entrees, we went with the special spare ribs, the spicy noodle dish, and the beef curry. Unfortunately, the ribs were just okay--flavor-wise, they weren't as exciting as we hoped, and the meat didn't quite have the "fall off the bone" tenderness we were looking for. The real letdown was the spicy noodle dish, which was so overly salted that we had to send it back. Even my girlfriend, who loves salty food, found it inedible. I'd love to try it again with far less salt. On a brighter note, the beef curry was the highlight of the meal--delicious, flavorful, and with perfectly tender meat. Portions here are very generous, so for two people, one appetizer and one entrée are probably enough unless you're really hungry. Overall, the experience was a bit disappointing, but we understand they're new and probably still working out some kinks. We'll give them another try down the road, perhaps sitting at the bar next time!

Chuck A.

Yelp
Popped in on a win since my folks used to like in Malasaysia. Had the Char Quay Teow and it was great. Reminded me of Kuala Lumpur. Very friendly staff. I'll be sure to stop in next time I'm in Charleston.

Virginia T.

Yelp
A culinary masterpiece!! We cannot believe Charleston is losing this gem after only 6 months. The service and food were absolutely 10/10 and we will miss this spot so much! We can only dream they will open again

Kathy D.

Yelp
The food was sooo good! I love family style dinners! We got four main dishes and one appetizer that was perfect for 4 people. Two noodle dishes and two rice dishes. Our absolute favorite was the braised beef!

Pat S.

Yelp
Excellent dining experience. The waitstaff was very helpful assisting us in navigating the various choices. A wonderful blend of a variety of flavors and the food is served family style, enabling all in our party to enjoy a variety of dishes. I highly recommend you take advantage of this hidden Charleston gem.

Anna J.

Yelp
We loved Lana when it was at this location under chef John Ono and went there often. Come are a couple who has traveled and worked around the world and love SE Asian food. So excited to dine there for my husband's birthday. First, the server was a dear, but the acoustics were horrible. The food was far below our expectations. We were truly disappointed and will not return. Do not expect this restaurant to last long. Please come back, Chef John Ono.

Aaron H.

Yelp
It was very good! We came here and got the beef curry dish and the soy noodles. Everything was great!

Lisa S.

Yelp
Delicious and flavorful! We went for dinner yesterday evening. Love this addition to the Charleston food scene. I'd never had Malaysian food before so it was a bit challenging to order but the waiter was very patient. It's also difficult if you have nut allergies but we found some great options. We ended up getting the chicken wings, mango salad and spicy Hakka noodles. I ordered the noodles with the spice on the side and I thought it was perfect without the spice. The AC does not work great so wear something cool.

Andrew H.

Yelp
Spectacular. Run, don't walk. Everything was absolutely delicious. Green mango salad, sambal with anchovies, noodle dish with pork, curry fish, satay...amazing. Impeccable service and such a comfortable vibe. Will be back soon as I'm still craving the noodles a week later.

Mabu ..

Yelp
The food is okay, we were excited beforehand but ended up being underwhelmed. Not worth the price.