Ritual Rooftop Restaurant & Lounge

So I’ve been to this particular spot to party but never to have a meal. We chose Ritual being that their menu was light but also had some larger entrees available and you can’t go wrong with the outdoor space to hang out in. Our reservation was set for 5:30 as our plan was to catch the improve comedy show just a couple blocks away at theater 99. The parking was a breeze as it was just behind the Walgreens on the corner (don’t forget to scan that barcode in the parking lot and pay up for that so you don’t get towed) I paid about $16 for 2 hrs) One thing I love about Ritual is that they have an elevator (thanks yall! My "non Megan knee" definitely appreciates that!) for those of you who love your stair stepper, you can take the stairs up to the top. The host was able to seat us right away and we were very quickly greeted by our server. We ordered both espresso martinis, (they have a vodka option and a tequila option) the tequila option was my favorite. When it came to the food, we went with some tapas. My partner ordered the guacamole and house made tortilla chips (so flavorful and bright with a slight kick & the chips were large and fresh). We got an order of the bang bang shrimp which had a light batter on them and the bang bang sauce was creamy and delicious. We also ordered the crispy brussel sprouts with carrot purée which were also very tasty and beautiful. The last dish we ordered was the charcuterie board and the saltine crackers and jam were a fantastic combination. Everything looked amazing and so fresh and tasted just as delicious. Once we finished up with the eats we headed to the other side and stepped out onto the rooftop terrace area that was poppin with a live DJ, chill but upbeat vibes and the bar tenders were definitely putting in work. We ordered a carafe of one of their signature drinks and it was sooo good! Not too sweet, not bitter, just perfect and very refreshing.

Solid spot for cocktails and has a nice view of some of Charleston. They do a lot of fun events. Lots of different places to sit (inside bar, outside bar, and the garden area) Restroom is clean and modern, and they actually have more than one stall.

Emily was INCREDIBLE! Super knowledgeable of the menu, super friendly, took extra precautions with one of our friends who has a gluten and dairy allergy, and overall made our experience a truly great one. Food was delicious and the rooftop was the perfect atmosphere. Definitely the perfect dinner experience!

Great atmosphere and location with city views. Food was not good and pricey. 2 of us had ceviche and it was not fresh- tasted off (I did not eat it). Fried shrimp seemed like frozen from a bag. Burger and brussels were drowning in over-seasoned sauce. The desserts were good - we had churros & chocolate peanut butter pie. Kid's chicken fingers were good. Service was OK but not great for $50/person - I would say sufficient but not attentive- we had to flag down someone quite a bit. We probably won't go back - plenty of other good rooftop places in Charleston!

Everything was so amazing!! The food, the staff, the drinks. I was so impressed. Likely one of the best meals I have ever had. I was visiting from out of state and since my visit I had suggested it to many friends and they all had the same experience. Exceptional!! Thanks for all you do to make an amazing dining experience.

We visited Ritual for a rooftop dinner with a group of 9! There were tons of bachelorette groups there, so it had a fun, lively vibe. We were seated out on the patio while the sun was still up, and although the rooftop has curtains/shades to block the sun, it ended up trapping a lot of heat since they were down. Once the sun went down and the curtains were raised, the breeze rolled in and it was so much more comfortable. The food was good overall. I ordered the empanadas, which were much saucier than I expected... not bad, just different. The chips and guac were absolutely amazing! The drinks were good, but because it was so hot up top, they melted super quickly and ended up pretty watered down. This isn't the restaurant’s fault, just something to be aware of. Pork tacos were good! Our server was kind but seemed a little overwhelmed with the large group. One of the main dishes was forgotten, and after waiting around 15 minutes while everyone else ate, we decided to cancel it. To be fair, the restaurant did mention it’s a tapas-style menu and recommends sharing small plates, so it may be better suited for more casual bites than full dinners. The atmosphere was fun and trendy, but definitely packed (we were there on a Saturday). On the way out, we overheard the bouncers chatting about how strict the dress code would be for the evening crowd mentioning they wouldn’t let people in with "butt cheeks out" or anyone looking "trashy." Two of our Uber drivers even told us they had previously been denied entry for not wearing collared shirts. They do make their dress code clear on the website when booking, so just make sure to plan for that! Overall, the vibe and energy were good, and it’s a cool rooftop setting but I don’t think I’d return for a full meal. I’d come back for drinks and the view but probably not for dinner again.

Food was fine, not bad, but not excellent. The open patio had a good breeze going with a pretty view. The whole area smelled like lighter fluid, which is odd. Burger was cooked perfectly but under seasoning made it bland. Fries were slightly undercooked but well seasoned. Chimchiri Hanger steak was cooked properly, but chimichirri tasted like straight vinegar and was watery.