I just can't imagine anyone would say they love Jestine's. I found it terrible. Bland, soggy, the poorest excuse for southern down home cooking I've ever seen. what a disappointment!

I agree completely about Jestine's, although I didn't get any recommendations from locals, which should have told me something. I thought it was the worst home cooked southern food I've ever eaten. Maybe to someone who didn't grow up with the real thing might think this is it... what a shame. It was terrible! What a shame it is that people line up outside this place to eat here. If they only knew!!!!

Jestine's Kitchen served me the WORST meal I've ever eaten. Skip it!! It's all hype!

I completely HATED Jestine's Kitchen. It was the WORST meal I ate in Charleston, or anywhere for that matter!!!!

Some tourists will tell you to eat at HYMAN'S but NO locals will ever tell you to go there. We ate at Jestine's Kitchen and it was the WORST meal we have ever had. My husband wouldn't even finish his and for him that is unheard of!! We were more than disappointed. We felt the need to drive down the street along those poor folks standing in line to eat there and warn them how much they were wasting their time. The service was even more terrible than the food and that's saying alot! No southern charm.
We went to a little place over in Mt. Pleasant called the Blvd. Diner and it was fabulous. We also ate at their sister restaurant called the MUSTARD SEED and it was even better. There are several Mustard Seeds but we at at the one closest to Folly Beach. It's just in a little house and you'd nver believe it to be as great as it is, but definately give it a shot. We tried Cru Cafe. It was pretty good for lunch. We ate at Blossom Cafe for dinner. The two of us dropped $100 but it was great. The grilled mahi mahi over cheddar grits were amazing as well as the creme brulee. A local told of us a place called Joshua's but it was our last day and we didn't get to try it.
We will next time! Oh, and we ate at Poogan's Porch for lunch and the ONLY good thing about it was the biscuits. The rest was crap.

Wow! Thanks for all the great suggestions! You've given me quite a list to consider. I'm sure we'll find many places that will be fabulous for us! I truly appreciate it. I'll let everyone know what we like the best.

Great. Will do the same. Are you visiting Folly and other surrounding areas or strictly staying in Chas? I have heard some really bad reviews for 82 Queen. It's been called a touristy place, so we are skipping it. Were told to skip Hyman's too. I have read many many wonderful reviews of the Boulevard Diner in Mt. Pleasant. Also Mustard Seed on James Island. Jestine's seems to have mixed reviews. From most locals it's had negative reviews so we'll skip it too.
One I am considering is Five Loaves in Chas. Sounds like it could be a kid-friendly place.
Most of our dining will be on Folly and James Island so those "dives" are the ones I'd really like to get some comments on. There seems to be plenty of "mom and pop" restaurants, but with only six days to eat I don't want to waste a meal on bad food. Any info you can gather would be great!

I was disappointed in Nance's. Everything fried. If you don't like fried seafood, you're out of luck. My daugther did have the most huge hamburger there! Bigger than her head I swear. The atmosphere is cold and ugly. Food is mediocre at best.
I like Dunken Jacks in Murrell's inlet. They have wonderful steaks and brick oven pizza too. Skip Nances. You can get the same flavor at the Shoney's Friday night seafood buffet.

Murrell's inlet has a couple of great places. Flo's place is a little hole in the wall but has GREAT food. My daughter ate her first crawfish there. It's right on the inlet and you can eat outside. The Hot Hot Fish Club has divine food. If you eat early the prices are very reasonable. You can have it your way- eat outside and have a lovely view of the inlet, or you can dine inside with a much more fancy flair. The crab cakes were my favorite. We choose to dine outside, where the outdoor bar is and wear our shorts and sandals. We go there everytime we are in town. Recommeded it to our neighbors and they thought it was to die for. We noticed a lot of locals dining outside with us. That says a lot for it.

I am heading to Folly Beach in Aug. with my family (children ages 5 and 8) and my parents. We are looking for inexpensive, casual, fun, kid-friendly restaurants with food that won't make us wish we'd paid more or waited longer. I've read lots of reviews for Charleston and intend to avoid all the "tourist traps". We'd like to drive into Charleston to have at least a couple of early dinners. The oldest daughter wants to try Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Any info on that? Any info. on the "hole in the wall" looking joints on Folly Beach? I've always heard those places usually have the best food. We aren't interested in wine lists or dressing up for dinner. We'd like to enjoy what the locals have.