Red Bone Alley

Good food, slow service, okay prices.
We sat outside which was a really nice setting, but the service was veryy slow. When we finally got our food it was very delicious, though. And they were super accommodating to special requests. Friends loved their food.
Shrimp and grits — CREAMY grits like nothing else. Buttery, cheesy goodness. Shrimp are breaded and deep fried so got a little soggy in the grits, and they were way saltier than necessary, but this is a tasty dish and I would definitely recommend the grits!
Worth a visit.

We were heading back down south to Florida and looking for a new place to stop along I-​95. Came up on Florence, South Carolina and Red Bone Alley. Let me tell you… the Shrimp and Grits are the best I have ever tasted, including my own recipe (hard to admit). The shrimp were lightly fried, slightly crunchy and seasoned well and the grits were off the chain, creamy and rich.
I ate the entire portion, which was generous, and I will be sleeping all the rest of the way home. One of my companions had the BBQ Brisket Sandwich with french fries which was more tomato-​y than BBQ-​y. Unfortunately they were just ok. The other person had the Chicken Pasta Leo and he did like that dish as well and pleased with the portion. We all agreed though that the shrimp and grits were the star meal. Service was friendly but a little slow even though we were there before the dinner rush. The décor was unique, capturing the ambiance of downtown Charleston. If you are local or just driving past, take a short detour and pay them a visit. I am taking a look at my empty plate…

They have a really nice atmosphere and great service. The food is wonderful. This is the perfect place for a romantic date or a family dinner. My personal favorite meal is the shrimp and grits with a house salad. The only downside is they are usually very busy and have a long wait time. Sometimes they have live music which is pretty neat. They have a little play area with toys for kids, which you can be seated near if you wish. They also have an ice cream truck inside with packaged ice cream that comes free with a kid’s meal.

This was my first time in SC/​Florence. The food was great. Our server Channing was friendly and great with everything.

What a neat spot. From the outside, it looks like anything else. But inside? Completely different with multiple levels and stairs and lots of interesting spots with tables. A super cool place for a date.
The caesar salad was great with lots of garlic and the croutons were perfect. Loved it.
For main, I chose the lunch portion of the Mosaic Alfredo. It was tasty and very creamy with plenty of chicken and shrimp. Yum. A big portion, even for lunch!
Service was very good. I would totally return to Red Bone and if I bring my wife to Florence, I’ll bring her here for dinner!

The food is amazing, the atmosphere is unique, and the beer is cold and delicious. The staff is also friendly and helpful. I got the burger and decided to get chips instead of fries and that turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life. Great place for a date or hanging out with some buddies!

Red Bone Alley has never disappointed me. The food and the service are both exceptional. I love the décor and the atmosphere. Such a neat way to turn a blah building into a welcoming and nice restaurant. I’ve had the fried green tomatoes and blackened shrimp appetizer is very good. Every time I visit I get the same thing. The pimento cheese burger. Wonderful restaurant.

Stopped here for lunch while on a business trip & had the BBQ Brisket sandwich. Very good food with a cool atmosphere! Well worth the stop if you’re in the area.

Mixed feelings about this restaurant. I went on a business lunch here and my client really enjoyed his food. He ordered one of the items off of the lunch meno which had sausage and chicken over grits which he thought was delicious. It came with a small salad and he thought the thousand island dressing was very good also.
I ordered off of the regular menu which came with steak, shrimp, chicken with rice and snap peas. I substituted the snap peas for the garlic mashed potatoes. I ordered the steak to be prepared medium rare and it came out medium well or well done. Basically we are talking dried shoe leather which went perfect with the dry chicken. The shrimp was great and the garlic potatoes were fairly good.
I asked the waiter if he wrote down medium rare or medium well. He told me that he had turned the order in as medical rare. I showed him the steak and asked how he thought it was prepared and he agreed that it was closer to well done. He did offer to have it made for me again but we didn’t have the extra time.
He informed us that he would send the manager over to speak with us and I told him that would be fine. We waited for 15 minutes and the manager never came by and we didn’t have more time so we just paid and left.
My entrée was $ 22 which wouldn’t be a problem if the food was decent. I found this to be a very enlightening experience because up to this point I had no idea the cost of dried shoe leather.
I wouldn’t discourage people from frequenting this restaurant due to my experience but would tell them to get steak at place where they know how to prepare it properly and they won’t overcook the chicken as well.
I have no idea if the manager was told about our problem but either the server or manager really demonstrated a lack of professionalism.

This is my FAVORITE place to eat! Whether it’s a family gathering, work meeting, or just lunch with a friend, Red Bone Alley is always my first choice.
Sitting at the bar with a local brewed beer or glass of wine and appetizer is a weekend must. I can meet my friends who have children here and we enjoy adult conversation and the occasional drink while the kids play in the Kids Area and enjoy free ice cream from their full-​sized ice cream truck!
Really, the food is always amazing and drool-​worthy. I couldn’t possibly name a favorite! Sometimes I’ll meet someone here just to eat one of their huge, homemade desserts! It’s an absolutely fabulous place to eat whether you’re leaving a softball game and dirty or on a hot date. I’ve never had a bad experience here!

We’ve been coming here for three years. This was our first bad experience. I don’t know which Shrimp & Grits the other reviewers had but it certainly wasn’t mine. Mushy & tasteless! All over cooked! Atmosphere was Loud & cold. Restroom had the faucet falling off the sink. Too bad. Wife’s burger was good so l guess it’s now a burger joint. Nice bar and good happy hour. Time to look elsewhere.

Will was the best waiter ever! I had the shrimp and grits, awesome!
PS I had a side of cornbread… delicious!

What is «risotto»??? DELICIOUS!
Really cool place with an extensive menu. Everything we tried was good. Make your own Bloody Mary? Sure, why not. And for $ 3, best drink special in town.
Get here and enjoy.

Interesting ambiance. Very open and decorated to be like Charleston. Sitting on the first floor is like being surrounded by Rainbow Row. The food and service were pretty good. It was absolutely frigid during my visit, and I had to put on a heavy coat!
I liked that the ambiance was different from what I’m used to, and they have a nice variety of menu items from salads to sandwiches to «main dishes.»

Great food and family oriented place! I would recommend the strip steak with brabant potatoes! I have yet to be dissatisfied with this purchase. Shrimp and grits are really great as well and don’t worry they don’t skimp on the shrimp. As far as deserts go I would just say they’re always on point!

Try their Pizza Dip, Shrimp and Grits, and Margaritas :)
I’ve been here on several occasions and have always been a fan of their food. This is a local place and the menu consist of a variety of foods that can satisfy any group. I’ve gone with friends and sat in the bar area and I’ve gone with family and sat in the kids area. There is a ice cream truck that kids can get free ice cream and there is a play area for kids to play while they wait on their food. Wait staff can be hit or miss depending on the day and were you sit but I’ve never had anyone who was rude or ignored us (just some are better than others).
I usually get the meal size Shrimp and Grits and save have for lunch the next day.

Work brought me to Florence for the first time in ages and remembered this place was originally started here. They had a location in Columbia years ago and it was a favorite so I went to check it out again.
Definitely NOT disappointed. Great lunch value with small salad and small chicken pontalba for $ 9. Grits were fluffy, chicken was crisp, and sausage was hearty. Excellent atmosphere, looks like eating on the streets of Charleston. Great place.

Walked in, not welcomed. Love the atmosphere, not the service. Received my lunch salad, crisp. The dressing, however, was supposed to be hot bacon. It was so not hot that it was in a gelled clump in a small dish. I could not pour it onto the salad! My entrée was adequate for a lunch special. Chicken and shrimp linguini.
This will not be our first choice when passing through again. For dog lovers, the two outdoor tables are nice, and the bartender did give our dog fresh water. That changes my review from 2 to 3 stars.

On a road trip back to Florida, we opted to try some local flavor instead of hitting up a big-​chain restaurant on the way home. We came on Sunday around lunch time, and luckily didn’t have to wait for a table for two.
I have nothing bad to say about the food, but we both agreed that we weren’t blown away by our lunches. I ordered a lunch portion of the Red Bone salad, which was decent and did the job of feeding me. My lunch partner ordered the lunch combo with a salad and the shrimp and grits. What’s interesting about the shrimp in the grits is that no where on the menu is it stated that the shrimp is battered and deep fried. Since we tend to not eat a lot of fried shrimp, and typically Shrimp and Grits are not fried, we were a little disappointed that there wasn’t a better description in the menu.
During our visit, both of the women’s restrooms were clogged, leaving us to cross our legs until someone was able to come fix only one of the problem toilets.
While the food here is decent, I don’t believe we’ll be going out of our way to come back here in the future.

I dined here on two occasions in the past 4 days last week as my family has been visiting our precious niece in the hospital not far from here. Each time was def. a great meal and accommodating staff.
Reservations for 8 or more only — first night we had just enough with 8 in our party.
The outside isn’t much to look at, few outdoor seating spots off of the bar area — banked that for next time I’m in the area.
Entering to the right for the dining area (bar to the left), welcomed with a friendly smile and greeting — the ambiance on the inside doesn’t match the outside. Inside, as you can see from others pictures, def sets you in San Antonio River Walk, New Orleans, a bit Atlantic city-​esque — pleasant surprise. Friday live music and a long wait — thankfully we had reservations.
We were seated promptly (upstairs, had to walk up 2 flights of stairs) and greeted by our server, MATTHEW. (tall kid with surfer blond hair)
Matthew was an AMAZING server. Friendly, attentive, our glasses never half full, cleared off appetizer plates when empty, and all around just really great at his job. He knew the menu and was able to answer questions and make suggestions. We had the mexican pizza dip, app combo platter, aged steaks, Alfredo, spinach salads, salmon salad, grilled chicken, and a burger. The margarita was okay on the rocks, and the whiskey business was good (for not top shelf). No room left for dessert. Request Matthew, he was really on his game and deserved the good tip.
The type of plates they use were these interesting colorful santa fe like plates — I honestly didn’t like them and didn’t think they fit the décor. Weird to nit pick that, but for some reason I kept looking at the plates thinking they did NOT match the restaurant. Weird, I know.
Second time dining was on a quieter Sunday early evening. No reservation, as we were down to 5 in our party and it was early enough to get a table. We tried to request Matthew, but he was cut for the day — he came over to personally say hello and thank us for coming back and requesting him. TRIPP was our server for this round, and he did just as good a job as Matthew! Again we had the mexican pizza dip, app sampler — and then aged steak, mac n cheese, shrimp and grits, sliders, and chicken puffs. All just as delicious and service on point.
In short, the food was great, the drinks were okay, the ambiance nice — if this Jersey girl finds herself back in the Florence area, i will def make a point to have my meal here!