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A soft shell crab on top of peas and pickles.
FIG’s soft shell crab offering.
FIG

The Ultimate Guide to Finding Soft Shells in Charleston, 2023

An extensive list of every restaurant offering the seasonal softie

by Erin Perkins Updated
View as Map
FIG’s soft shell crab offering.
| FIG
by Erin Perkins Updated

Soft shell season is finally upon the Lowcountry. Charleston residents and visitors go absolutely mad for softies each year, whether they be fried, pan seared, or on a sandwich with bacon, lettuce, and tomato. As the short-season delicacy makes it to local restaurant menus, we’ll put them on this map, along with a description of the dish. These specials won’t last for very long, so double check with the eatery to see if they’ve sold out. Go forth and crunch into a few crabs around town — legs and all.

Serving softies? Send a note to carolinas@eater.com; Eater will periodically update this guide throughout the season.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process. If you buy something or book a reservation from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy.

The Royal Tern

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Johns Island seafood eatery Royal Tern has a fried softie with snow peas, shiitake mushrooms, garlic chili oil, and miso aioli.

3005 Maybank Hwy, Johns Island, SC 29455
(843) 718-3434
(843) 718-3434

Kwei Fei

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Schezuan spot Kwei Fei seasons its crabs with mala chili and sets them on top of garlic noodles.

1977 Maybank Hwy, Charleston, SC 29412

Also featured in:

Rebel Taqueria

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Rebel Taqueria puts its deep-fried sofites in a taco with a cheesy layer as you would see on a queso birria taco.

1809 Reynolds Ave, North Charleston, SC 29405
(843) 619-0104
(843) 619-0104

CudaCo. Seafood House

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Seafood shop CudaCo can sell you a softie sandwich.

765 Folly Rd, Charleston, SC 29412
(843) 789-3105
(843) 789-3105

Bohemian Bull

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Burger spot Bohemian Bull has a fried soft shell crab with tartar sauce, lettuce, and fried green tomato served on a toasted sesame bun.

1531 Folly Rd, James Island, SC 29412
(843) 225-1817
(843) 225-1817

Herd Provisions

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Try to skip the burger and go for a soft shell crab at Herd Provisions. This version comes with Santee gold rice, Creole sauce, pickled okra, and a spring onion salad 

106 Grove St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 637-4145
(843) 637-4145

Also featured in:

Edmund's Oast Brewing Co.

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Instead of beef patties, Edmund’s Oast Brewing Co. uses soft shell crabs in its ode to the McDonald’s Big Mac with special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun. 

1505 King St #115, Charleston, SC 29405
(843) 718-3224
(843) 718-3224

Also featured in:

Park & Grove

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Neighborhood restaurant Park & Grove serves softies in a fancy BLT sandwich.

730 Rutledge Ave, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 410-1070
(843) 410-1070

Also featured in:

Chasing Sage

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Perhaps the prettiest crab dish on this map, Chasing Sage offers a karaage softie with a cucumber and collard green flower sunomono.

267 Rutledge Ave, Charleston, SC 29403
(854) 444-3402
(854) 444-3402

Also featured in:

Xiao Bao Biscuit

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Asian comfort food spot Xiao Bao Biscuit plates up springtime softies on top of noodles.

224 Rutledge Ave, Charleston, SC 29403

Also featured in:

Maison

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French restaurant Maison gently cooks the soft shell crab in brown butter, dresses it with a caper vinaigrette, sits it on a bed of savoy cabbage mixed in a chunky tartar sauce, and sets it all over a socca so that it can be eaten like a taco.

708 King St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 990-9165
(843) 990-9165

Also featured in:

Bistronomy By Nico

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French/Asian restaurant Bistronomy has a blackened softie with miso corn milk, corn, asparagus, and cherry tomatoes.

64 Spring St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 410-6221
(843) 410-6221

Also featured in:

Pink Bellies

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Pink Bellies offers a soft shell bun mi served on a house-made milk bun, shrimp pate, tartar sauce, bread and butter pickles, and dill.

595 King St Suite 1, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 640-3132
(843) 640-3132

Also featured in:

The Grocery

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The Grocery is the king of soft shell preparation. There’s sandwiches (available between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. at the bar), plus the three-way set up that the restaurant is known for.

4 Cannon St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 302-8825
(843) 302-8825

Also featured in:

Felix Cocktails et Cuisine

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French restaurant Félix currently offers a softie salad with pimento Caesar dressing, mixed greens, watermelon radish, cherry tomatoes, and roasted red peppers.

550 King St #100, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 203-6297
(843) 203-6297

Also featured in:

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The Ordinary

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Oyster emporium the Ordinary serves a New Orleans-style barbecue softie.

544 King St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 414-7060
(843) 414-7060

Also featured in:

Prohibition

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Speakeasy Prohibition serves its softies tempura-style in lettuce wraps and finished with a spicy peanut sauce.

547 King St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 793-2964
(843) 793-2964

Also featured in:

Indaco

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Italian eatery Indaco serves a crispy softie with charred green beans, sugar snap peas, tonnato, fingerling potatoes, and pickled peppers.

526 King St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 727-1228
(843) 727-1228

Also featured in:

Halls Chophouse

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You can add a crisp soft shell to your steak at fancy steakhouse Halls.

434 King St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 727-0090
(843) 727-0090

Also featured in:

Delaney Oyster House

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High-end fish house Delaney has its supply of soft shell crabs and serves them with coleslaw and tartar sauce.

 

115 Calhoun St, Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 594-0099
(843) 594-0099

Also featured in:

Husk

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Southern spot Husk offers a chicken-fried soft shell crab etouffee with dirty rice and limited soft shell sandwiches with nuoc cham slaw at the bar.

76 Queen St, Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 577-2500
(843) 577-2500

Also featured in:

Élevé Rooftop Restaurant & Lounge

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At rooftop restaurant Élevé, crabs are tempura-fried and served with Napa cabbage in a yuzu vinaigrette. Softies are also served over Sea Island blue grits with snap peas and tarragon.

Rooftop of The Grand Bohemian Hotel, 55 Wentworth St, Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 724-4144
(843) 724-4144
Soft shell crab on purple grits.
Élevé has softies.
Élevé

FIG

Copy Link

At fine dining restaurant FIG, soft shell crabs are sautéed and served over a warm tartar sauce with spring vegetables and trout roe.

232 Meeting St, Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 805-5900
(843) 805-5900

Also featured in:

Cru Cafe

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Southern restaurant Cru Cafe features buttermilk-fried soft shells with Asian broccolini and a farro salad over a sweet sesame carrot puree.

18 Pinckney St, Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 534-2434
(843) 534-2434

Also featured in:

Slightly North of Broad Restaurant

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Longstanding Slightly North of Broad serves soft shell crabs with rice middlings, broccoli pesto, and tomato jam.

192 E Bay St, Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 723-3424
(843) 723-3424

Fleet Landing Restaurant & Bar

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The softie BLT is back at Fleet Landing. There’s views of the water and a crunchy crab here.

186 Concord St, Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 722-8100
(843) 722-8100

Also featured in:

The Kingstide

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The cornmeal-tempura soft shell at the Kingstide is served as a sandwich with remoulade, shredded lettuce, tomato, and crispy onions.

32 River Landing Dr, Daniel Island, SC 29492
(843) 216-3832
(843) 216-3832

Also featured in:

Nico | Oysters + Seafood

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Of course Mount Pleasant seafood restaurant Nico has soft shell crabs. These guys are served with Cajun rice, corn, bell pepper, jalapeno, peas, and finished with harissa butter

201 Coleman Blvd, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464
(843) 352-7969
(843) 352-7969

Also featured in:

Kanpai Japanese Restaurant

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Sushi restaurant Kanpai has its shipment of soft shells.

1035 Johnnie Dodds Blvd suite b-9, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464
(843) 388-8001
(843) 388-8001

Also featured in:

Savi Cucina + Wine Bar

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Italian eater Savi Cucina + Wine Bar has its supply of soft shell crabs.

1324 Theater Dr, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464
(843) 606-1856
(843) 606-1856
Savi Cucina + Wine Bar/Facebook

Also featured in:

Pier 41

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At Pier 41, chef Brannon Florie serves the soft shell crab with shiitakes, bok choy, and sauce meunière.

1039 SC-41, Mt Pleasant, SC 29466
(843) 388-4229
(843) 388-4229

Also featured in:

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The Royal Tern

3005 Maybank Hwy, Johns Island, SC 29455

Johns Island seafood eatery Royal Tern has a fried softie with snow peas, shiitake mushrooms, garlic chili oil, and miso aioli.

3005 Maybank Hwy, Johns Island, SC 29455
(843) 718-3434
(843) 718-3434

Kwei Fei

1977 Maybank Hwy, Charleston, SC 29412

Schezuan spot Kwei Fei seasons its crabs with mala chili and sets them on top of garlic noodles.

1977 Maybank Hwy, Charleston, SC 29412

Rebel Taqueria

1809 Reynolds Ave, North Charleston, SC 29405

Rebel Taqueria puts its deep-fried sofites in a taco with a cheesy layer as you would see on a queso birria taco.

1809 Reynolds Ave, North Charleston, SC 29405
(843) 619-0104
(843) 619-0104

CudaCo. Seafood House

765 Folly Rd, Charleston, SC 29412

Seafood shop CudaCo can sell you a softie sandwich.

765 Folly Rd, Charleston, SC 29412
(843) 789-3105
(843) 789-3105

Bohemian Bull

1531 Folly Rd, James Island, SC 29412

Burger spot Bohemian Bull has a fried soft shell crab with tartar sauce, lettuce, and fried green tomato served on a toasted sesame bun.

1531 Folly Rd, James Island, SC 29412
(843) 225-1817
(843) 225-1817

Herd Provisions

106 Grove St, Charleston, SC 29403

Try to skip the burger and go for a soft shell crab at Herd Provisions. This version comes with Santee gold rice, Creole sauce, pickled okra, and a spring onion salad 

106 Grove St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 637-4145
(843) 637-4145

Edmund's Oast Brewing Co.

1505 King St #115, Charleston, SC 29405

Instead of beef patties, Edmund’s Oast Brewing Co. uses soft shell crabs in its ode to the McDonald’s Big Mac with special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun. 

1505 King St #115, Charleston, SC 29405
(843) 718-3224
(843) 718-3224

Park & Grove

730 Rutledge Ave, Charleston, SC 29403

Neighborhood restaurant Park & Grove serves softies in a fancy BLT sandwich.

730 Rutledge Ave, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 410-1070
(843) 410-1070

Chasing Sage

267 Rutledge Ave, Charleston, SC 29403

Perhaps the prettiest crab dish on this map, Chasing Sage offers a karaage softie with a cucumber and collard green flower sunomono.

267 Rutledge Ave, Charleston, SC 29403
(854) 444-3402
(854) 444-3402

Xiao Bao Biscuit

224 Rutledge Ave, Charleston, SC 29403

Asian comfort food spot Xiao Bao Biscuit plates up springtime softies on top of noodles.

224 Rutledge Ave, Charleston, SC 29403

Maison

708 King St, Charleston, SC 29403

French restaurant Maison gently cooks the soft shell crab in brown butter, dresses it with a caper vinaigrette, sits it on a bed of savoy cabbage mixed in a chunky tartar sauce, and sets it all over a socca so that it can be eaten like a taco.

708 King St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 990-9165
(843) 990-9165

Bistronomy By Nico

64 Spring St, Charleston, SC 29403

French/Asian restaurant Bistronomy has a blackened softie with miso corn milk, corn, asparagus, and cherry tomatoes.

64 Spring St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 410-6221
(843) 410-6221

Pink Bellies

595 King St Suite 1, Charleston, SC 29403

Pink Bellies offers a soft shell bun mi served on a house-made milk bun, shrimp pate, tartar sauce, bread and butter pickles, and dill.

595 King St Suite 1, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 640-3132
(843) 640-3132

The Grocery

4 Cannon St, Charleston, SC 29403

The Grocery is the king of soft shell preparation. There’s sandwiches (available between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. at the bar), plus the three-way set up that the restaurant is known for.

4 Cannon St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 302-8825
(843) 302-8825

Felix Cocktails et Cuisine

550 King St #100, Charleston, SC 29403

French restaurant Félix currently offers a softie salad with pimento Caesar dressing, mixed greens, watermelon radish, cherry tomatoes, and roasted red peppers.

550 King St #100, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 203-6297
(843) 203-6297

Related Maps

The Ordinary

544 King St, Charleston, SC 29403

Oyster emporium the Ordinary serves a New Orleans-style barbecue softie.

544 King St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 414-7060
(843) 414-7060

Prohibition

547 King St, Charleston, SC 29403

Speakeasy Prohibition serves its softies tempura-style in lettuce wraps and finished with a spicy peanut sauce.

547 King St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 793-2964
(843) 793-2964

Indaco

526 King St, Charleston, SC 29403

Italian eatery Indaco serves a crispy softie with charred green beans, sugar snap peas, tonnato, fingerling potatoes, and pickled peppers.

526 King St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 727-1228
(843) 727-1228

Halls Chophouse

434 King St, Charleston, SC 29403

You can add a crisp soft shell to your steak at fancy steakhouse Halls.

434 King St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 727-0090
(843) 727-0090

Delaney Oyster House

115 Calhoun St, Charleston, SC 29401

High-end fish house Delaney has its supply of soft shell crabs and serves them with coleslaw and tartar sauce.

 

115 Calhoun St, Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 594-0099
(843) 594-0099

Husk

76 Queen St, Charleston, SC 29401

Southern spot Husk offers a chicken-fried soft shell crab etouffee with dirty rice and limited soft shell sandwiches with nuoc cham slaw at the bar.

76 Queen St, Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 577-2500
(843) 577-2500

Élevé Rooftop Restaurant & Lounge

Rooftop of The Grand Bohemian Hotel, 55 Wentworth St, Charleston, SC 29401

At rooftop restaurant Élevé, crabs are tempura-fried and served with Napa cabbage in a yuzu vinaigrette. Softies are also served over Sea Island blue grits with snap peas and tarragon.

Rooftop of The Grand Bohemian Hotel, 55 Wentworth St, Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 724-4144
(843) 724-4144
Soft shell crab on purple grits.
Élevé has softies.
Élevé

FIG

232 Meeting St, Charleston, SC 29401

At fine dining restaurant FIG, soft shell crabs are sautéed and served over a warm tartar sauce with spring vegetables and trout roe.

232 Meeting St, Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 805-5900
(843) 805-5900

Cru Cafe

18 Pinckney St, Charleston, SC 29401

Southern restaurant Cru Cafe features buttermilk-fried soft shells with Asian broccolini and a farro salad over a sweet sesame carrot puree.

18 Pinckney St, Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 534-2434
(843) 534-2434

Slightly North of Broad Restaurant

192 E Bay St, Charleston, SC 29401

Longstanding Slightly North of Broad serves soft shell crabs with rice middlings, broccoli pesto, and tomato jam.

192 E Bay St, Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 723-3424
(843) 723-3424

Fleet Landing Restaurant & Bar

186 Concord St, Charleston, SC 29401

The softie BLT is back at Fleet Landing. There’s views of the water and a crunchy crab here.

186 Concord St, Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 722-8100
(843) 722-8100

The Kingstide

32 River Landing Dr, Daniel Island, SC 29492

The cornmeal-tempura soft shell at the Kingstide is served as a sandwich with remoulade, shredded lettuce, tomato, and crispy onions.

32 River Landing Dr, Daniel Island, SC 29492
(843) 216-3832
(843) 216-3832

Nico | Oysters + Seafood

201 Coleman Blvd, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464

Of course Mount Pleasant seafood restaurant Nico has soft shell crabs. These guys are served with Cajun rice, corn, bell pepper, jalapeno, peas, and finished with harissa butter

201 Coleman Blvd, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464
(843) 352-7969
(843) 352-7969

Kanpai Japanese Restaurant

1035 Johnnie Dodds Blvd suite b-9, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464

Sushi restaurant Kanpai has its shipment of soft shells.

1035 Johnnie Dodds Blvd suite b-9, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464
(843) 388-8001
(843) 388-8001

Savi Cucina + Wine Bar

1324 Theater Dr, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464

Italian eater Savi Cucina + Wine Bar has its supply of soft shell crabs.

1324 Theater Dr, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464
(843) 606-1856
(843) 606-1856
Savi Cucina + Wine Bar/Facebook

Pier 41

1039 SC-41, Mt Pleasant, SC 29466

At Pier 41, chef Brannon Florie serves the soft shell crab with shiitakes, bok choy, and sauce meunière.

1039 SC-41, Mt Pleasant, SC 29466
(843) 388-4229
(843) 388-4229

Related Maps