Leon’s Fine Poultry and Oysters

This place has a cool atmosphere, with lots of original parts of the building showing through. From there, however, it got a little odd. For the basic beer drinker, your only option is their «tiny» can… My boyfriend’s father saw one and suggested that the server bring a handful at a time. Not sure the purpose behind that. Though they have your typical trendy micro-​brews on tap.
All the ladies at the table had their hopes set on some cocktails on the drive over, but we were disappointed to hear «we don’t have that» about 10 times before we settled on wine. Beware, they have what seems like a full bar, but offer no fruit juices or typical cocktail mixers, so anyone looking for a screwdriver, Cosmo, cranberry and _​_​_​_​, etc. you’re out of luck. However– I witnessed them zesting/​peeling citrus fruits at the bar, so I’m not sure why we couldn’t have the juice from said fruits…
The oysters were good– the whole point of the restaurant. And the avocado toast was truly amazing, with a nice Asian flair. For my boyfriend and his sister, who don’t eat seafood, there was only one option– fried chicken. Which wasn’t spectacular. I ended up getting a salad due to the very basic selection of entrees.
Overall a cool place, but disappointing menu. Seemed like they were more concerned with being trendy than satisfying customers.
Would come back for oysters, but that’s about it. Server seemed like she couldn’t wait to get out of there and go home, which is understandable, we all have those days… But it was only 6pm.

3 words — fried chix sandwich! Soooo so good. My hubby got the fried chicken entrée and it was one of the best he has had. We also got the grilled oysters and kale salad, both excellent. The space and ambiance is really cool. Feels like an old garage but lots of modern touches and décor that make it beautiful. Can’t wait to go back and sit outside on one of the patios!

I do love Leon’s food, but boy is it expensive ($ 12 for a chicken sandwich! Without sides!). Usually when I go it’s specifically for the Siam Salad, which is unique and fantastic, but I skip drinks and most other things for the sake of my budget. Nice sides, though, especially the hushpuppies and potatoes au gratin. Oh, and soft-​serve!

Absolutely the best fried chicken sandwich I’ve ever had! First time visiting, I was a little skeptical about ordering the sandwich because the description said it had cole slaw & pickles. I’m not a fan of pickles at all, but all of my coworkers said it was such a good sandwich. I ordered it, and was not disappointed. The combination of the chicken with mayo and slaw and pickles was amazing!!! Yes, I ate the pickles, so that should say something right there. And the cucumber salad that came on the side was unbelievable! If you’ve never tried this place, you have definitely got to give them a try. I will absolutely be back!

Food alone, this place gets 3 stars. But Leon’s more than makes up for our underwhelming food with adorable ambiance, décor, staff and quirkiness.
The food: We split the char grilled oyster appetizer. They were not the best grilled oysters ive ever had. Maybe too cheesy? We also got the hush puppies, and those were wonderful! My bf ordered the Fried Oyster Sandwich, which he loved (but, again, offered me not a bite to try!), and I got the shrimp roll. The buttered bun was delicious, but honestly the shrimp had zero flavor. There was a vinegary taste that overwhelmed the shrimp salad, and I just didnt love it booo!
We got a few glasses of the ‘cheap’ wine. The wine list is super cute, it lists cheap to fancy wine, in line with the whole casual, quirky vibe of the place. The décor looks like a secondhand shop like you’de fine on South Congress in Austin. And check out my photos of the PG-​13 rated bathroom walls!
Our server was super sweet. We were in super late on a Monday night, so it was pretty slow, but we enjoyed the whole experience!

I don’t think this review will matter much since Leon’s has gotten so much good press, but I feel like I just don’t get it. Everyone loves this place, but the 2 times I ate here I was underwhelmed.
The sandwiches I had were fine, but nothing special. The sides were ridiculously overpriced…$ 8 for a cob of corn! And the slaw that came with the seafood platter was just gross. On top of that, the service was super slow both times. Overall, not a great experience.

This was my first time at Leon’s and the food was really good! My friend and I split the fried chicken, fried brussel sprouts and grain salad. We also had the soft serve ice cream with rainbow sprinkles.
With that said, the one complaint I had, which is the reason for the 3 stars, are the hostesses. I’m not sure I’ve encountered such an unfriendly and unwelcoming group. When we walked in, one of the girls just stared at us. No «Hi, how are you?» or anything. We had to lead the conversation and tell her we were there for dinner and had 4 in our party. She looked around for a minute, then told us it would be a short wait time. We gave them our number and went to the bar to get a drink.
When they called to let us know our table was ready, we walked over to the other hostess, who seriously acted like we were annoying her by letting her know we were called for our table. When they took us to the table, they just put the menus down and walked away. No «enjoy your meal», etc.
Maybe I’m used to something different, but at every restaurant I’ve worked or eaten, the host/​hostess were extremely friendly and welcoming, considering they are basically the first impression of the business.

I’m going to give these guys a pass. I could use a bit less hipster attitude in my service but whatever, it’s ‘cool and in’ right now I know. The place was very nice, I love when a re-​purposed building keeps as many elements of its former life and they have done that very well.
The menu selections were what you expected with a good mix of regional specialties and their own versions. This was a way-​stop to get a quick snack so we ordered a salad and some oysters. The dill dressing and the panko crumbs as croutons made a very enjoyable salad. When I hear salad wedge I hear blue cheese so at first I was taken back but ended up thoroughly enjoying it. It would have even been better with shrimp! The server might point out that its typically served that way for us ‘out of towners’.
I would definitely recommend Leon’s when in Charleston.

Very prompt with the food, kept us happy. Oysters were, as one would dearly hope given the name, phenomenal. That grilled flavor really puts them over.
I had heard rave reviews on the fried chicken and ordered it skeptically, as I’ve rarely had a fried chicken people praise that was substantially different than any other rendition of it. This one comes as advertised, what I expected to be the «who cares» item on the final bill may have stolen the show. Would highly recommend it and the place serving it.

First, let me put this out there: oysters (and anything still sitting in a shell i.e. steamed clams) are the ONLY kind of seafood I don’t like. I think it’s the slimyness or rawness. I love fried clams as well as things I need to break out of shells myself like shrimp and crab, but oysters? Not so much. HOWEVER, even if you don’t like oysters, Leon’s is definitely still the place for you. Luckily, it’s right near where I have board meetings, so we’ve been known to migrate over there after a meeting for a couple beers and some snacks. Their fried chicken is amazing as are appetizers like shrimp toast, hush puppies, and avocado on sourdough! Did I mention you can get «cheap beer» in tiny 6 packs? Yup, this girl’s «expensive» tastes are sold!

There is a lot to like about Leon’s. I absolutely love the environment. It has a vintage, chill vibe while still feeling a little upscale.
I ordered the Siam salad (the larger one) and an order of the charbroiled oysters. The hubs ordered the chicken sandwich. Everything was very tasty. The oysters have a bit of lemon-​y kick and I would definitely order them again. The Siam salad was HUGE and to be honest I had trouble finishing all of it. The flavors in the salad are very pronounced, it’s definitely not a bland boring salad. I also tried a bite of the hubs chicken sandwich. It’s lighter than you would expect for a fried chicken sandwich, which I prefer over the feeling that you could squeeze grease out of me after some chicken sandwiches.
My one downside to Leon’s is I think they are a little overpriced. Did I think it was so good that I would pay what they are asking again… hmmm, I’m not sure… the hubs thought they were a bit overpriced for what it was too…
Good food, good environment, if they brought their prices down a little bit I would probably become a regular here.

I’m ashamed to say that I live just a few blocks away and had not had the pleasure of dining here until recently. I knew the décor would be cute and hip. But i was surprised at how good the food was.
I started with a cocktail which was really great. Then we had the corn bread, which was also very good. The scalloped potatoes and fried chicken sandwich have my mouth watering just thinking about it again. Really basic but really good. I also really enjoyed the unique Siam salad with shrimp (I think that’s what it’s called…) really unique combination that was really tasty.
Love this place. Good food, cocktails, and service. Prices were pretty reasonable too. Will be back again and again.

Love the atmosphere, swing and jazz pouring out all the open windows and patio, a warm fall breeze carries the aroma of seasoned poultry and oysters throughout the joint, as saxophones slightly drown the clanging plates heard in any restaurant.
The Oysters Casino with poquillo peppers, lemon and chive was perfectly accompanied by the Whole Grain spoon salad of tomato, currants, and pecans… sightly dashed with parmesan. A respectable selection of craft beers from local microbreweries and a few nearby states… asc well as a mélange of wines and other cocktails.
All priced reasonably… and well worth the visit.
The entire visit felt like a scene from and indie film… adorned with aromas and flavors.

Hipster vibe to the 9! Love the feel and open window of this place. Hands down, best fried chicken I’ve had. I have been living under a shell to not have had this chicken before! Say good bye to KFC and Publix fried chicken and all the in between. If I had a southern grandma, this would be a recipe I’d expect my her to have.
The chicken isn’t overly breaded. The chicken is crispy and flavorful on the outside and deliciously tender in the inside. My mouth is watering as I have withdrawals of this goodness! Love the fried garlic oysters as well. If you aren’t a oyster fan, give them another shot and this place and you won’t be disappointed. LOVE this place and I shall return and demolish this meal once again!

I have arrived! Absolutely foodie nervana! From the ouster, grilled corn, and lettuce wrap clam wraps, this place is off the chart! The staff was sincerely having fun and working hard to please. The menu will leave you both laughing and wanting to try more than you can eat. Even the bathrooms are a throwback yet hipster experience.
DO NOT COME TO CHARLESTON AND SKIP THIS PLACE!
I’ll be back…

After several other visits I feel its time to post a follow up review. According to the national food media Leon’s can do no wrong, but I beg to differ. I will completely endorse the food here. I love the chargrilled oysters, and the fried chicken is simply amazing. I still don’t think the sandwiches are worth your time, but everything else on that menu brings serious flavor. I can’t seem to get over what I do not like about Leon’s: the service. In all my visits I have never once experienced quality service be it at the bar or at a table. Staff has been unfriendly, does not engage, and never there when you need them. Great food, but not a good place to sit down and eat it. Tables are small and you feel crammed in there, and the music piped in from overheard is nauseating. I really like the food though. It’s too bad the passion in the kitchen hasn’t made it to the front of the house.

Always nice to visit home and see what spots have popped up. Everything at Leons’ was on point — it’s funny how the new spots manage to do the Southern classics better than some of the Peninsula’s institutions!
Grilled oysters, raw oysters, fried fish sandwich, fried shrimp and some damn good hush-​puppies. The food was all great, but the cocktails were phenomenal. I loved their Pimm’s drink and ended up ordering two!
OH! The cucumber sesame salad they serve as a side was out of this world.

What’s not to love about Leon’s? The atmosphere is fun, laid back, and unpretentious. The menu is basic southern poultry and fish. The staff are friendly, and the bartenders mix up some mean craft cocktails. The food is fresh and delicious at an affordable and reasonable price point. There was nothing our group ordered that wasn’t mouth watering, and even the Brussels sprouts and lettuce wraps were surprising. The highlight though were the hushpuppies. I have never been a fan of hushpuppies, but these were not like any I have had before. They were moist, melted in my mouth, and when combined with the honey butter equaled perfection.
Leon’s is definitely a hit with many as the place was packed even on a weekday evening, I am glad we made reservations in advance. The only downside is the parking, their website provides good information for several parking spots in the neighborhood.

What can I say? I’m in love.
This place exceeded my expectations in every way.
I had heard a lot of the hype surrounding Leon’s but hadn’t fully bought in… until now that is!
We started off with the fried clam lettuce wraps. Pretty great concept; however, I did find them to be a bit on the salty side. THIS is my one and only critique for the entire meal.
Onward. I had the fried chicken sandwich with a side of scalloped potatoes while my wife had the fish fry with a spoon salad. Everything was off the charts good!
My sandwich was honestly one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever had. The ratios were on point and the bun was amazing!
The place has a hipster vibe and that is fine by me. Looking forward to many more visits to Leon’s!

Probably my favorite restaurant we visited while in Charleston for a long weekend. I wish I had been hungrier so I could have tried and eaten more! We took the walk down King St. to reach Leon’s and found it kind of enjoyable, given that the weather was perfect. When we approached the restaurant, I was an immediate fan of their outdoor patio. Luckily they had a few patio tables available at 3:30ish on a Sunday afternoon.
I ordered a drink, the daytripper, which had a great blend of flavors, but ended up being a little too sweet for my liking. I watered it down a little bit and liked it much better that way. As a disclaimer, I’ll add that even the slightest bit of sugar turns me off so this is just a personal preference. We then split a half dozen char grilled oysters, which were delicious and I loved dipping the toasted bread they came with in the leftovers of the shell. We also got a half dozen fresh South Carolina oysters. These were pretty average, but a decent size. Our server, who was helpful and friendly, recommended using the Red Clay hot sauce and I’m so glad she did. We loved it! I actually ordered some online when we got home because it was that good. (You can buy it at the restaurant or down the street at The Daily, but neither of us was checking a bag.)
The next day we were in the neighborhood again and stopped back in for some of their soft serve ice cream.
Though we walked, I did notice a lot of street parking available and they also had a lot nearby.