Not really impressed overall... Waitstaff was super friendly, but it didn't make up for the food...we ordered the Hummus Plate as an appetizer- tasted ok, nothing amazing, but most definitely NOT worth $9! We had the Fettuiccini somthing-or-other, and the Spinach, Artichoke, and Portabello Ravioli. Both tasted good, but again, nothing amazing at all and not worth the price of $13 each with a small-medium sized portion. I think the best part of the meal was the side of sauteed portabello mushroom and the herbed bread that comes with the meal. For $40, I would have been better off buying some groceries to make a much better home-cooked meal to last me a week.
(2)
Julie B.
I want to like Mustard Seed but I am often disappointed. I have been to The Mustard Seed several times and it is okay. My last experience was very lackluster so I doubt I will go back for a while. The service was horrible and the food was just okay. For $20 surf and turf I expect more than a tiny portion of steak and a tasteless crawfish cake... also the server did not know the specials at all. She explained the dish all wrong hence my disappointment.... Anyways I think in Charleston for the price there is better. Also, the atmosphere is a little too dark for me and the tables are awkardly close together.
(3)
Brandon S.
Fresh and delicious, I have gotten lunch at this location at least 20 times! Although almost every lunch has come from their salad portion of the menu, and they have been for takeout and not dine-in, I'm sure that the remainder of their cuisine is equally as fulfilling. The best thus far has been their asparagus salad (to which I added grilled chicken). Since I used to work right across the street, I would order lunch from them every week and each time included great customer service and happy employees. I would give them five stars, but it is a little pricey for the size of the dishes ($10-13 for medium-sized salads). Overall: healthy, fresh, and wonderful cuisine!
(4)
Andrew J.
Wow. This was bad. First the ambiance reminds me of a dreary VFW. It took 15 minutes before the waitress said word one to us. The muscles were half closed and the edible ones were sour tasting. The garlic sauce tastes good on the cheesy bread though. I had the stringy chicken enchilada that tastes of water while my friend opted for the curry soup special which he described as "greasy" Just an overall bad experience
(1)
Tim S.
Hard to believe anyone has come away from here with anything less than a stellar experience, at least food wise. Yes, I've experienced some less than stellar service and shame on me for not speaking up but for the price and the quality of ingredients, I find The Mustard Seed hard to beat. We've dined there several times and will always go back.
(4)
Holly H.
I have dreams about their coconut cake. I haven't stopped telling people about it since I was there. In fact, this was probably the best overall meal I had while visiting Charleston. Their shrimp and scallop risotto was fantastic. The wine was nice. The cake was unforgettable. Get there. Pre-order the cake. And save room for it.
(5)
Michael H.
The sweet potato stuffed ravioli and shrimp and chicken pad Thai were amazing. End it all with some cocoanut cake and you will not be disappointed.
(5)
Christi T.
Good food but my risotto and mahi were a tad dry.
(3)
Candyce V.
I can't believe I'm just making my way here after all of these years. Perhaps my taste buds needed to grow up, so that I could appreciate what's served here. My mom and I came here for lunch, at her suggestion. I knew we were in for fresh food and great, unique options. And I was right. My only "complaint" is that my panini didn't really look like a pressed sandwich to me. But the ingredients were good. My mom ordered a seared Ahi Tuna salad, which I sampled. It was very delicious. I knew I should've ordered it! The service was excellent from the time we walked in. My more sophisticated palate enjoyed a nice outing.
(4)
Electra J.
The most important part of a restaurant experience is the food. The food here was FANTASTIC. Fresh and delicious. Nothing I could replicate if I tried. Beautiful. What turned me off is the building (so old and run down) and the service. We were not shown the specials. Server appeared bored and annoyed with only 2 other tables occupied aside from ours. Our table for 2 was uncomfortably small. The chairs are comically stiff. The decor is less kitchy, more icky. I may be a snob about this stuff, but everything was smelly and uncomfortable aside from the fabulous food. Too bad. Doubt I'd return.
(3)
Patrick K.
I love the mustard seed! I have to admit I haven't had that much of their menu but their chicken, feta and caramelized pear salad is phenomenal! I order this salad at least once a week! The restaurant may not look like much from the outside, but the food is delicious and the staff is great! Lunch or dinner here are both great! Definitely recommend!
(5)
Danielle B.
Always delicious every time I go. I have tried the fried green tomato and salmon BLT, as well as the sweet potato Gorgonzola ravioli, and the shrimp and bacon mac n' cheese. I've never had something I wasn't satisfied with. They have mastered the art of creating the perfect portion size - just enough food to where you are content, but not sick-to-your-stomach full. Also, since you will have just the perfect amount of room left in your tummy, try the coconut cake - it is out of this world. High marks for the service, as well. Only one star off because the gourmet food doesn't seem to match the "ma and pa" atmosphere. However, bravo, Mustard Seed; we will be back soon.
(4)
Seth R.
My family has been going to the summerville location for years so naturally when it closed down I had to find the closest one. I always take people from out of town here because I feel like it's just one of those authentic one of a kind places. This time I had the fortune of taking my boyfriend who is Italian and he thoroughly enjoyed it. I always get the risotto so of course that didn't change :) The service was great, never had to wait on bread or refills, the ambiance was perfect. The prices are expected, and I will definitely return. The only downside is that they closed their summerville location so now I have to drive an hour, but it is still well worth the drive! Keep it up!
(5)
Nicole W.
Delicious pork loin and potatoes. I've had better home made chicken and rice soup. Pricing is decent and great customer service!
(4)
Kerri W.
Always one of my favorite spots for lunch or dinner! Unique eclectic menu, just my style!! Went for lunch the other day and got the Open-faced Salon Quesadilla special! Awesome!! I took a picture and wrote down the ingredients so I hope to recreate at home!! I could also make a meal out if the delicious focaccia bread and olive oil they serve when seated! Definitely try it! Having lived in Mt Pleasant for 8 years but now in Charlotte, I was saddened to hear that their sister restaurants Sette and Uno Mas closed!
(5)
Michael B.
The food quality here has really decreased. Tonight we ordered the flat iron steak and pecan crusted chicken for dinner; we have had both before, so we were expecting the same quality food. The steak was smaller and not as tasty. The pecan chicken breast was chicken fingers topped with pecan pieces, certainly not a breast.
(3)
Susan S.
My favorite place in the area! Everything on the menu is yummy. Great lunch - SWEET POTATO, GORGONZOLA, WALNUT & PARSLEY RAVIOLI. Leave room for desert - I promise that they'll have something you'll love! Came back again this year - try not to eat all the bread with olive oil that they bring out. Super tasty Caesar salad & tomato bisque soup. Sweet service too!
(5)
Marianne D.
Went there for a birthday celebration. The place is nice and pretty and ambience is great.we ordered wine before our dinner and the waitress was very attentive with our meal we ordered and did not take long to come out. The place is good for kids as well as a romantic dinner. Will definitely go back
(5)
Theresa D.
This is a something-for-everyone place. It's rare to find a place that has good pasta and good chicken enchilada (random, but yes please!) There's always a ton of great specials too, so be sure to check the board when you sit down! The ingredients are fresh and the entrees have some unique touches to add a little southern charm. The service definitely adds to the atmosphere; everyone is so nice, there is that "neighborhood joint" feeling...like you'll see someone you know at the next table. One day I will allow myself to try the sky-high red velvet cake.
(4)
Cindy W.
Our most recent visit was to the location on John's Island. We were rather disappointed with both of our meals. In fact, we both compared it to being on par with Applebee's. We had tried the Mt Pleasant location a while ago and we're not pleased at that time also. I am wondering if Sal has spread himself too thin between all of his restaurants and the attention to greatness has been lost.
(1)
Meghan C.
This was an amazing meal on Friday! We had heard excellent things about this restaurant so thought we'd give it a shot. First, only beer and wine. Did not know that. Second, we had the mussels - GOOD LORD - these mussels were the size of my fist! So delicious! Third, we both got the pan roasted asparagus salad with salmon. This is quite possibly the most delicious salad I have ever had in my entire life. The vinaigrette, the Gorgonzola, the walnuts - it was perfection. Two minor, minor complaints. The ambiance is a little lacking - just a bunch of tables in a room, no music...the food is good enough that you really won't care, just kind of felt eh...like a bunch of tables in a room LOL. Other issue - I found the food very, very salty. Even the table next to us commented on their meal's saltiness. As I have said before, salt is my favorite food group, so if I'm mentioning this, definitely think twice before a-salting your food prior to tasting it. I didn't salt my salmon and still couldn't finish it because the salt was overwhelming. Highly recommend, though!
(4)
Jaimie L.
My mother was in town and I wanted to try the mustard seed! I was so excited when reading the menu and so disappointed when we left. We ordered the mussels as an appetizer... Amazing I wish I ordered it as my meal. Dinner is where they lost us. I ordered a pasta dish wish was described as having fresh Roma tomatoes, herbs, tossed in olive oil and Parmesan cheese... I added scallops to the dish. It came out looking okay- however it was cold.. All of it. The cheese was store bought shredded and clumped on it, tomatoes seemed to be like stewed or canned the olive oil it was tossed in was non existent. I was so disappointed, my mom ordered the crab cakes which were a special that night- again cold, crab cakes- barley wanted to mention them... The mashed potatoes were the only thing either of us enjoyed out of our meals. Our sever was busy as it was cofc graduation. He got a large table and was consumed with them for the most part. The restaurant itself was uninviting to say the least- we left after dinner without finishing our bottle of wine.
(2)
Gary G.
What a delightful find! The service was great. The food was really good. I had the black bean cakes and they were delicious. I tasted the pad thai and it was wonderful. I will be back.
(4)
Caitlyn S.
Good location, good service. My only complaint regarding the atmosphere is that it gets incredibly loud! Probably not ideal for larger groups. The complimentary bread served was delicious. I ordered the sweet potato ravioli, but they didn't have any...so I ordered the noodle bowl, which was pretty good. Most garnishes were served on the side, which was nice. Overall, pretty good restaurant!
(4)
Travelwriter_Tom J.
Unimpressive to look at on the outside and inside. The name is appropriate. Food is OK, generally, with aspects of some dishes were very good. Let's put it this way, we won't go back when we visit Charleston again. My wife would give this place a 3.5 - 4. I'd say a 3. Service is superb. People are terrific. I had the Prince Edward Island mussels appetizer. They present steamed in a bowl of broth with tomato chunks and spinach. The broth was excellent. The mussels were not quite cooked. I also had the shrimp and scallops on a bed of risotto. This = two scallops, 3-4 shrimp and a bunch of rosotto in a tomato baste. Not very good and not much value for the cost. My wife had the black and bleu salad. In some respects it was quite good, but, she remarked it was lacking in other respects. The pre-meal bread was fresh and tasty. Key lime pie for dessert was very good, In all, an OK experience.
(3)
Sandy S.
Mustard Seed has always been a great place to eat...Very fresh, unique dishes. They have a menu for all taste's. Comfortable and Casual during the day an a bit more cozy and "dressed up" after dark....You will surely enjoy The Mustard Seed !!
(5)
Ally A.
after a lovely day on the beach, at which time my friends and i were filmed in the background of what i would later discover is the new show "heat seekers" while on the beach at sullivan's island. i was cranky, as i thought i had recognized the people filming us only to discover later that i HAD recognized aaron sanchez! i wish i had been gutsy enough to go say hi. anyway, sandy, salty and sunburned, we hit up the mustard seed with high hopes, despite my friends not being foodies. i started with the green tomato and crab cake neapolitan, which was lovely, with thick tomatoes, a lovely sauce and delicious crab, but really should be shared or eaten as an entree. following it with the super amazing sweet potato, walnut, parsley and gorgonzola ravioli. i have been having a love affair with gorgonzola since returning from berlin a few years ago after visiting my husband's cheese obsessed opa, and that love affair was intensified after this DELICIOUS pasta dish. srsly, srsly amazing. if you have the chance to eat here and you really enjoy stinky cheese, this dish is right up your alley. overall: a lovely, lovely place with super great food and decent service. i would stop in again in a heartbeat.
(4)
Sonja B.
Once again, we thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the Mustard Seed. My hubby and I shared an appetizer and soup and got one entree (off the specials board). The mushroom bisque was very earthy and had a great, creamy texture. We both enjoyed it. Our appetizer was the Fried Green Tomato & Crab Cake Napoleon. Nothing to compain about here! My husband asked me if I thought anyone would notice if he happened to lick the plate.... The entree was good (Salmon), but the brussel sprouts that they served with it could make a grown man cry from happiness. Yes, I'll admit it...I probably ate more than my half of those brussel sprouts! Super YUMMY! All in all: Highly Recommend (again and again). PS - The bread they offer is amazing, too. My BIL ate a whole basket by himself!
(5)
Sarah S.
Went in for a late dinner around 8:45 (service ends at 9:30). Started with watermelon gazpacho and shared lemon-oregano chicken and sweet potato ravioli. Service and food were great!
(4)
Kimberly N.
Met some friends here last night on their suggestion. The food was tasty, and the service was prompt and friendly. They do have a decent selection of vegetarian options, and they all sounded tasty. I had a hard time choosing. I finally decided on the Sweet Potato Ravioli, and it was an explosion of delicious flavor in each bite. The husband ordered the Portobello Risotto, and thought it was very tasty as well. The next day we both felt a little...weird...a slight upset stomach. I'm not sure if this is related directly to the food (maybe they use margarine instead of butter or something?) but it's worth mentioning, since another reviewer gave them a low rating based on how they felt after the fact. Someone else mentioned the meager alcohol selection, and it's true. I'd expect some local favorites on tap, but apparently not. Our friend snagged the last Sam Adams summer ale, and had to choose something else when he wanted a second bottle. I ordered the house Chardonnay, and it was pretty good (but I'm no wine connoisseur, so take that with a grain of salt). The ambiance is kind of a family-friendly down-home, no-fuss kind of place, and there are open tables everywhere (no booths). The place is busy, and the open plan definitely affected the noise level. In this case, it works because you're not as likely to overhear the conversations going on at the other tables, and the buzz stayed at a tolerable hum. We could still carry on conversation with our friends and our waitress with no problems. But this is not the place to go if you want an intimate dinner--it's great for groups or families with kids, though.
(4)
B.J. K.
Awesome place to get some god local Low Country food
(4)
Kevin H.
I will start by saying that the food was decent but service was horrible. More specifically the manager that we spoke with. My wife and I had dinner with a friend on a Friday evening and proceeded to get very sick when we came home. We were seated right away and the waitress was attentive to drinks and orders. We all started with a soup (corn soup and the special pineapple-mint gazpacho - it was better than it sounds). Our entrees came out and they were OK but definitely not worth the raves we had heard about for this restaurant. Now comes the awful part, as mentioned all three of us got extremely sick following our meals. It was horrible (without too many details). When I called in the morning to discuss this and let them know I was asked for my information and told that a manager would be calling back. They did call back but to my surprise, they were very dismissive and claimed that based on his knowledge and our timing that it could not have been the food from their restaurant. This was ridiculous to me - this person, to my knowledge, was not a doctor, but was telling me that in no way would they be responsible for us getting sick. I was appalled that someone in the restaurant business was not more considerate. No offer to try them again with even a small discount. Just a non-beleivable sorry. After mentioning this to several friends, many of them had a similar story about how they felt after eating here. I will be very cautious if I ever decided to try one of their other restaurants. I know this group has many restaurants in the Charleston area and I can only hope that at least one of them can change my mind that they are better than this.
(1)
Quincy S.
Nothing but consistency here, had another great meal at the Mustard Seed the other night. Between 3 of us we had the spiced crab bisque and field of greens followed by the herb encrusted pork, black bean cakes and spicy chicken pasta. All were delicious (esp the bisque) and the only regret was that we didnt have any of the deserts (only recently found out they are supplied by The Village Bakery). Weak point was the service, which while attentive was pretty disinterested.
(4)
John B.
Great food and service. Good place for a date or just and tasty lunch. Would recommend to anyone.
(4)
Matthew O.
I dined alone tonight. I think the waitress felt sorry for me. So she put a big chalk board with all the specials on the chair across the table from me. It made me feel welcome. Also, it made me feel odd. The beer list isn't very good. My waitress shared that with me; I appreciate that kind of honesty. I agreed with her after she finished rattling off the list. So I ordered a glass of the merlot; a Steele Shooting Star. I forget what year, but it was rather bland. I've been eating like crap on this business trip so I ordered their house salad. They call it Field of Greens. I get it. It's because it's an actual field of greens. Usually salads come on, whatcheecallem, salad plates. This came on a dinner plate. It tasted pretty good. Simple greens with an herb vinaigrette which got a little more cloying the closer to the bottom of the field I got. I ate about 1/3 of it before I started to feel a bit full. For my entree, I ordered the Sweet Potato Ravioli. Naturally they didn't have it. I want to know that information _before_ I order. Maybe put it on the Specials board. Speaking of which, I felt bad for not ordering for both of us. So, I got the Portabello Risotto instead. Which was very good. The only drawback was, once again, the amount of food. I think what could have made this dish much better is something to compliment/contrast it. As it was, it was plated (or bowled) with nothing more than a bit of shredded Parmesan on top. I just don't want to eat that much of the same flavor in one sitting, even if it is good. I'd recommend trying it. I'd go back if I lived here. I wish the Sweet Potato Ravioli was available. And because I know you need closure, my waitress didn't think I clicked with the Specials board and she took it to another table. Side note: there was an in-house ad for Foursquare on the table and I was @'ed on Twitter by @DineWithSal after I mentioned eating here to a friend. Nice to see them engaging people.
(3)
Kristen J.
We had a great dinner here. The appetizer we got was awesome--it was a black bean and zucchini quesadilla that was amazing! They also give you free awesome herb foccacia to munch on before dinner too... For our meals, my vegetarian sister got butternut squash ravioli and I got a cup of corn chowder with a crab cake inside of it and a chicken, blue cheese and pear salad. The food was perfect across the board. Loved it. Highly recommend. And I think they have two locations--bonus!
(5)
Kathy L.
We came here later in the evening with a group of 10. Even our pickiest eater cleaned his plate (had the herb crusted porkloin with garlic mashed potatoes and asparagus). About half of us order off the menu and the other half ordered from the specials. We tried two soups, an asparagus and cauliflower bisque (amazing-it was a special) and a roasted corn with a crab cake garish. Our table also split two tomato, mozzarella and basil salads. The tomatoes were ridiculously huge and everyone loved it. From the dinner menu, either of the crusted chicken dishes are delicious and recommended. Three at our table had fresh snapper, two had salmon (both specials) and the last had the shrimp mac and cheese. We ended up getting three types of cake to go, chocolate, red velvet and coconut, and when you see the size of them, you'll understand how that was plenty for our group of 10. We were very impressed with our server Sally, and talked to Robb the manager for a bit about how fantastic our meal was and which of the cakes we should try for desert. We are definitely interested in checking out the Village Bakery and the Long Point Grill while we are in the area, based on our wonderful experience here.
(4)
Annie R.
This place used to be amazing like 8 years ago, it has kind of gone downhill. It is still a good price/decent food, but it is nothing amazing anymore. Essentially since they expanded and moved it lost something. They have a decent vegetarian selection, which is worth noting.
(3)
Amanda E.
I really wanted to like this place- it's comfortable, cute, and their lunch menu was varied and had many great sounding options. Although our waitress was very helpful and nice, I have to give them the lowest rating possible due to getting horrible food poisoning after eating the Pad Thai with Chicken and Shrimp. I know it was from eating here because I had not had anything to eat before lunch and felt too sick to eat anything after, so basically it's all I had that day. Not long after lunch I started getting sharp stomach pains and felt off, almost like I was coming down with a cold. By later that afternoon I was vomiting non stop and had a fever. Miserable. Up all night. I would not wish that on anyone, sorry Mustard Seed.
(1)
Nicol S.
Have you ever known someone who so desperately wanted to be liked and would try anything to get you to like them... Mustard Seed is that person in restuarant form. The menu is a hodgpodge of cuisines mashed together like a bad musical medley from your local theater. For example who thought adding gorgonzola and hot portabello would make a caesar salad better? The result is just horrible. I have been here maybe once a year for an engagement with friends and the place is always packed. I can only guess that everyone has been seduced en masse or brainwashed. This place is not-so-good for food, but okay for company.
(2)
Brad B.
Always solid. Went back for the first time in several months over the weekend. Hasn't changed a bit - still the same quality we've come to expect over the years. They have a good sized menu with many different options, including several vegetarian choices. There are always several additions too. Make sure you leave room for one of the delicious cakes they get from The Village Bakery.
(4)
Karen K.
Excellent choice for vegetarians. Our server offered to check the makeup of the soup stock before we even asked. We had roasted corn chowder, flavorful, lots of corn, peppers, with a cheesy flavor and a spicy kick. The bread is fabulous, light and topped with a sprinkle of what tasted like Asiago cheese, served with a plate of freshly poured olive oil. We had black bean cakes, 2 good sized patties of smooth beans with crunch peppers, drizzled with sour cream and served on crispy flour tortillas with a side of green tomato salsa and a yummy warm vegetable salad of peppers, zucchini and broccoli - all cooked perfectly to a brightly colored crunch, lightly dressed. We had pecan chocolate mocha torte for dessert - very yummy. We both agreed we would return for more - and we can - there are several more vegetarian options on the menu.
(5)
Kyle E.
A-OK pretty much sums it up for me. I had heard raves about this place by several people so I decided to check it out. If you have been to Boulevard Diner you have pretty much been here as well, just with less grease. If you like fish this place may be better for you. A lot of the specials were fish related. I ordered a chicken enchilada with black beans and rice. My wife ordered pork chop with garlic mashed potatoes. Mine was okay but I could have had the same thing at Los Arcos or La Hacienda. Her pork and potatoes was good. The service here was above A-OK, our waitress was very attentive and took care of us. I wasnt too fond of the atmosphere, I felt kinda like I was at a cafeteria, the kind that senior citizens frequent. All in all I wasnt disappointed nor was I really impressed. I dont really think I will make my way back for some time, just too much food to try to return to an average place. Thats my opinion anyway.
(3)
Derek J.
After living in Charleston for 3 years, and eating at a LOT of places, this restaurant is my favorite, hands-down! There are definitely fancier (and pricier!) places in Charleston, but overall, considering the friendly service, great value, amazing flavors, beautiful presentation, and the DESSERTS, this is the must-go restaurant in Charleston for me and my out-of-town guests. The only downside is that it is not downtown--this just means you have to drive across the beautiful Ravenel Bridge and see this Charleston landmark up-close!
(5)
Aaron L.
This has long been one of my favorite places for healthy eating. My recommendation is the terrific glazed pear salad. Also, the bread they serve before the meal is terrific.
(4)
L L.
I ate here on vacation after reading reviews on Yelp. Once again, the yelpers were right on track. This place was awesome! It is not really fancy, it has almost like a nicely decorated diner look. But the service was outstanding (thanks Chris), the food was delicious and the prices were great. Good wine list too. The best pad thai I have ever had, and the portion was so big that I was able to take half home and eat it the next day at the hotel. I highly recommend it and wish I lived closer so I could eat here more often.
(5)
Toby M.
I was very impressed with the menu. They had a lot of items on the menu I haven't seen before. I love this. I mean who wants to eat the same thing all the time. I started with the red curry and sweet potato soup...yum! Then Atlantic salmon with a dijon crusted honey mustard sauce. It was great.
(4)
T J.
the menu had a wide variety and everything was really good. daily special were outstanding especially the blackened tilapia over grits. i thought the pasta primevera was great and a nice change from seafood. don't miss the chocolate , peanut butter and oreo cake! reasonably priced. don't miss this gem.
(4)
Katie M.
Food fine, ambiance not so fine. Busy, open seating area. Great if you have a party of 6+ as they'll move tables around to accommodate, but otherwise, you're dining in the middle of other's conversation. I second some of the other reviews suggesting to go for one of the specials. They put them on a handwritten white board at your table so you have a bit more time to decide what to order...instead of the server rattling off what he/she remembers for the evening. I had a macadamia encrusted tilapia over apricot puree and sweet potato mash, and it was great. We also had the chicken lettuce wraps as a dinner (although it was an appetizer), and they were just as good. Overall, I'm a little skeptical of menus that are a'la cheesecake factory with too many different genres (i.e. chinese next to thai, some italian thrown in, and mexican as well), but this one proved to be a-ok. (The owners do have other resturants of different types of food, so this seems to be the one that incorporates all tastes). Good wine list and prices to match as well.
(3)
Morgan S.
This was tough. Three or four, three or four... I finally decided on three stars. I really like The Mustard Seed but the food hasn't been consistent for me. It's either on point or slightly underwhelming. Most people love their pad thai but I'm not a huge fan. Personal taste I suppose. Their specials are usually what I go for and they are almost always spot on and always are creative. The last meal I had was from the special board and was great except the garlic mashed potatoes were way too garlicky. Oh well - better than bland. Overall - wine menu is good, atmosphere is good, service is good (if not great!), bread is WONDERFUL and my experience is always enjoyable. One final note, an additional reason I gave The Mustard See three stars instead of four, is that I would almost always choose Long Point Grill or Sette (owned by the same people) over The Mustard Seed.
(3)
Suzanne M.
Mustard Seed in Mt. Pleasant was the first of Sal Parco's restaurants. It started off as a tiny place near the barber shop and has now moved across the way to its own building. The food is consistently good and the service is always friendly. It's also an easy place to go if you're dining alone. My only problem is the noise. When my friends and I go for lunch we always try to get there early before it gets too crowded.
(4)
M E.
Great fresh food choices. Creative and fresh menu ideas. Service is very friendly! Your food is delivered by one of the chefs. Desserts are very generous. The specials are presented to you on a board and sat at your table. Very nice!!!!! Definitely would go back and hit up the other locations. Parking can be a little iffy.
(4)
April B.
Not impressed. I used to live across the street in the Meadows, so my roommates and I eventually wandered over to the Mustard Seed for dinner. We were seriously too lazy to go anywhere else. I was expecting good things, as one of my roomies had enjoyed it before. As far as I can tell, it's commercial italian/american. The sauces were way too creamy and thick. The salads were not tasty. The pasta was good, but it was just another pasta dish. Nothing special. I think we had some sort of asparagus thing which was ok. All in all, it was way overpriced for what we had even though we left with boxes and I felt like I needed to be rolled across the street back to the apartment. I hate feeling "that kind" of full. I didn't even eat that much. I won't be back.
(2)
John L.
Ate there with the family and a couple of friends that were down for the Cooper River Bridge run. This was our first trip but not our last. They were able to accommodate the 6 of us, by pulling up some chairs to a 4 top, it was cozy for us, but we still mostly had room. The wine list is okay, and the beer list isn't all that, but you can still get a good glass of Shiraz or Chardonnay. Our server was great and brought out bread and the specials board. She was super friendly and got our drink order right away. My wife ordered the Salmon with grilled asparagus, one of my daughters ordered the flat iron steak (I asked that the sides be put on a separate plate), my other daughter ordered the mussels as a started and the shrimp mac and cheese. Our friends ordered the noodle bowl (sort of like Pho) and the pork chops off the special board. I ordered the Maryland Crab Cakes off the special board as well. Our food came promply and everything was just great. My friends noodle bowl came with a side of sauces, and vegetables. My daughters flat iron was cooked perfectly and the sides were on another plate as asked. My crabcakes were mostly crab and had great flavor. I wish I had ordered the Mussels that might daughter got, they looked really good. We finished with a piece of humming bird cake (my wife picked it) and our friends got some key lime pie to go. The only downside is that the place really gets loud once it gets full. It reminds me of a roadside diner, but it really is good food. Will go again sometime soon.
(4)
Tommy V.
So much selection, so much flavor. This little restaurant has a lot to offer. I didn't even look at the menu when I was there because there were about fifteen specials. Thai cuisine seems to be the most common influence across the menu but it is accompanied by an eclectic blend of other flavors too. I had a pork chop with green tomato butter. I didn't even know that you could make butter out of tomatoes, and I don't think that I've ever tasted anything like it. The decor is pretty cool too, I definitely checking this place out.
(4)
Reggie F.
The Mustard Seed gets it. It hits the sweet spot: good food at a fair price. The service is friend too. If you're looking Charleston's best, then expect to pay more elsewhere. If you're looking for a good meal with friends, then The Mustard Seed is a great choice.
(5)
Andi E.
Menu is great, lots of different options so if you're in a big group you don't all have to decide on ONE genre of food. They serve a fabulous bread before the food and their corn chowder with a crabcake is worth going there for. Both time I've been were impeccable but when I went to the other location on Maybank I was severely disappointed. Their desserts at both locations fell more than flat for me, but I did love the food.
(5)
brian b.
Love this place...Have been a few times, honestly mostly at Lunch and as far as that goes My wife and I have never had a Bad meal. We both LOVE their gazpacho..It always taste so fresh and so clean. It was even better today after coming straight off the beach. Like others have said their menu is creative and lots of fresh local ingredients I love..Chris was our waiter he was very attentive and gave us great service.. He must have thought we hadn't had anything to drink all day..like I said we came straight from the beach and he must have refilled our drinks like 4-5 times each..The specials are mostly what I go for but today I tried the artichoke,spinach Ravioli in a tom. Basil sauce, which was awesome..it was nice and light just what I had hoped for..My wife of course had the Alfredo Carbonara, which I wasn't shocked by, she has had before and we both like, my only complaint about that dish is I wish they would use Pancetta instead of bacon..I know that I am nitpicking here folks,but I am Italian and was born in Jersey so its really all I know,but besides that its a solid dish..I would recommend it to someone who has never been..
(4)
Al L.
I liked the food. My wife thought the food was just okay. She also got sick a few hours after we ate. Mustard Seed was one of only two restaurants my wife got sick in the 5 weeks of continuous eating out due to our living in a hotel for 2 months. The service was fantastic. Our waitress was attentive and friendly. We may try the Mustard Seed again, but not the one in Mt. P.
(3)
Heather G.
This a great little local spot that can get quite crowded on the weekends. The menu is very eclectic, with Italian, Asian and southern influences. The specials are all always excellent with several seafood, poultry, meat and vegetarian dishes. The Mustard Seed is our old stand-by. When you live in South Carolina, its difficult to find vegetarian food and The Mustard Seed, while not a vegetarian restaurant has something for everyone.
(4)
Cassy B.
While on vacation, this place had been suggested to us by our dear friend who used to live in Charleston. We were cheerfully greeted at the door by the managers of the restaurant and immediately found the restaurant warm and friendly. They sat us at a nice table and we were waited on by Ashley. She was very knowledgeable and friendly. She immediately greeted us with a warm fresh basket of parmesan Foccacia...YUMO! They bring the chalkboard with the specials on it right to your table. Very ingenious! My husband and I split the "Black and Bleu Steak salad" Great to split between 2. If you don't split it, make sure you have it as an entree as it is huge! We ordered the steak medium rare and it was absolutely delicious and the salad came with a gorgonzola that was a 10 out of 10 on the creamiest scale!! My husband had the sweet potato, walnut, and gorgonzola ravioli. 10 out of 10, I had the fettucini Carbonara ....just to be bad :o) it was very good and not too rich which sometimes it can be but this was perfect. Food was nice and hot. They have 50% off on bottles of wine Tuesday, Wed, and Thurs between 5 and 8 so we ordered the Calloway Chardonnay from CA which was a real deal! Hummingbird cake with 2 forks please as we thought "Oh we'll split a piece of cake and have a few bites each" We took over 1/2 of it back to the hotel along with our dinner. You will not go hungry here! It was so awesome. We might go back tomorrow again as it is our last day of vacation....it was THAT GOOD! I will never forget this restaurant and we will yearn for it till we can visit again!
(5)
Carol P.
To be honest I've visited this place twice and I have mixed reviews. The food is fresh, and it's cute that they write their specials on dry erase boards daily. The first time I went there was 6 months ago. I ordered the halibut and it was fantastic, perfectly cooked and seasoned. I go there 2 weeks ago and ordered the rib eye. I specifically asked if the goat cheese and salsa were very strong flavors, because I only like a subtle flavor of goat cheese. I dig into my plate, which had wonderful presentation, I get my hopes up, and I'm let down. The rib eye is poorly seasoned, way tooo much salt and I'm a salt person, the salsa is too spicy, and the goat cheese overwhelmed the dish. I couldn't taste the meat, which was also overdone (I asked for medium, and they gave me well done, with just a bite of medium well) Both times the dessert was "eh, I had better." The first time we had the red velvet. It was served cold and not quite room temperature. I've had better. The next time I had key lime pie...don't get it! Frozen key lime pies taste better! The reason for 3 stars...I averaged out my first visit 4 stars with my last visit 2 stars. I'd go back again just for 1 more try.
(3)
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Address :1036 Chuck Dawley Blvd
Mount Pleasant, SC, 29464
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Loud Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Sonja K.
Not really impressed overall... Waitstaff was super friendly, but it didn't make up for the food...we ordered the Hummus Plate as an appetizer- tasted ok, nothing amazing, but most definitely NOT worth $9! We had the Fettuiccini somthing-or-other, and the Spinach, Artichoke, and Portabello Ravioli. Both tasted good, but again, nothing amazing at all and not worth the price of $13 each with a small-medium sized portion. I think the best part of the meal was the side of sauteed portabello mushroom and the herbed bread that comes with the meal. For $40, I would have been better off buying some groceries to make a much better home-cooked meal to last me a week.
(2)Julie B.
I want to like Mustard Seed but I am often disappointed. I have been to The Mustard Seed several times and it is okay. My last experience was very lackluster so I doubt I will go back for a while. The service was horrible and the food was just okay. For $20 surf and turf I expect more than a tiny portion of steak and a tasteless crawfish cake... also the server did not know the specials at all. She explained the dish all wrong hence my disappointment.... Anyways I think in Charleston for the price there is better. Also, the atmosphere is a little too dark for me and the tables are awkardly close together.
(3)Brandon S.
Fresh and delicious, I have gotten lunch at this location at least 20 times! Although almost every lunch has come from their salad portion of the menu, and they have been for takeout and not dine-in, I'm sure that the remainder of their cuisine is equally as fulfilling. The best thus far has been their asparagus salad (to which I added grilled chicken). Since I used to work right across the street, I would order lunch from them every week and each time included great customer service and happy employees. I would give them five stars, but it is a little pricey for the size of the dishes ($10-13 for medium-sized salads). Overall: healthy, fresh, and wonderful cuisine!
(4)Andrew J.
Wow. This was bad. First the ambiance reminds me of a dreary VFW. It took 15 minutes before the waitress said word one to us. The muscles were half closed and the edible ones were sour tasting. The garlic sauce tastes good on the cheesy bread though. I had the stringy chicken enchilada that tastes of water while my friend opted for the curry soup special which he described as "greasy" Just an overall bad experience
(1)Tim S.
Hard to believe anyone has come away from here with anything less than a stellar experience, at least food wise. Yes, I've experienced some less than stellar service and shame on me for not speaking up but for the price and the quality of ingredients, I find The Mustard Seed hard to beat. We've dined there several times and will always go back.
(4)Holly H.
I have dreams about their coconut cake. I haven't stopped telling people about it since I was there. In fact, this was probably the best overall meal I had while visiting Charleston. Their shrimp and scallop risotto was fantastic. The wine was nice. The cake was unforgettable. Get there. Pre-order the cake. And save room for it.
(5)Michael H.
The sweet potato stuffed ravioli and shrimp and chicken pad Thai were amazing. End it all with some cocoanut cake and you will not be disappointed.
(5)Christi T.
Good food but my risotto and mahi were a tad dry.
(3)Candyce V.
I can't believe I'm just making my way here after all of these years. Perhaps my taste buds needed to grow up, so that I could appreciate what's served here. My mom and I came here for lunch, at her suggestion. I knew we were in for fresh food and great, unique options. And I was right. My only "complaint" is that my panini didn't really look like a pressed sandwich to me. But the ingredients were good. My mom ordered a seared Ahi Tuna salad, which I sampled. It was very delicious. I knew I should've ordered it! The service was excellent from the time we walked in. My more sophisticated palate enjoyed a nice outing.
(4)Electra J.
The most important part of a restaurant experience is the food. The food here was FANTASTIC. Fresh and delicious. Nothing I could replicate if I tried. Beautiful. What turned me off is the building (so old and run down) and the service. We were not shown the specials. Server appeared bored and annoyed with only 2 other tables occupied aside from ours. Our table for 2 was uncomfortably small. The chairs are comically stiff. The decor is less kitchy, more icky. I may be a snob about this stuff, but everything was smelly and uncomfortable aside from the fabulous food. Too bad. Doubt I'd return.
(3)Patrick K.
I love the mustard seed! I have to admit I haven't had that much of their menu but their chicken, feta and caramelized pear salad is phenomenal! I order this salad at least once a week! The restaurant may not look like much from the outside, but the food is delicious and the staff is great! Lunch or dinner here are both great! Definitely recommend!
(5)Danielle B.
Always delicious every time I go. I have tried the fried green tomato and salmon BLT, as well as the sweet potato Gorgonzola ravioli, and the shrimp and bacon mac n' cheese. I've never had something I wasn't satisfied with. They have mastered the art of creating the perfect portion size - just enough food to where you are content, but not sick-to-your-stomach full. Also, since you will have just the perfect amount of room left in your tummy, try the coconut cake - it is out of this world. High marks for the service, as well. Only one star off because the gourmet food doesn't seem to match the "ma and pa" atmosphere. However, bravo, Mustard Seed; we will be back soon.
(4)Seth R.
My family has been going to the summerville location for years so naturally when it closed down I had to find the closest one. I always take people from out of town here because I feel like it's just one of those authentic one of a kind places. This time I had the fortune of taking my boyfriend who is Italian and he thoroughly enjoyed it. I always get the risotto so of course that didn't change :) The service was great, never had to wait on bread or refills, the ambiance was perfect. The prices are expected, and I will definitely return. The only downside is that they closed their summerville location so now I have to drive an hour, but it is still well worth the drive! Keep it up!
(5)Nicole W.
Delicious pork loin and potatoes. I've had better home made chicken and rice soup. Pricing is decent and great customer service!
(4)Kerri W.
Always one of my favorite spots for lunch or dinner! Unique eclectic menu, just my style!! Went for lunch the other day and got the Open-faced Salon Quesadilla special! Awesome!! I took a picture and wrote down the ingredients so I hope to recreate at home!! I could also make a meal out if the delicious focaccia bread and olive oil they serve when seated! Definitely try it! Having lived in Mt Pleasant for 8 years but now in Charlotte, I was saddened to hear that their sister restaurants Sette and Uno Mas closed!
(5)Michael B.
The food quality here has really decreased. Tonight we ordered the flat iron steak and pecan crusted chicken for dinner; we have had both before, so we were expecting the same quality food. The steak was smaller and not as tasty. The pecan chicken breast was chicken fingers topped with pecan pieces, certainly not a breast.
(3)Susan S.
My favorite place in the area! Everything on the menu is yummy. Great lunch - SWEET POTATO, GORGONZOLA, WALNUT & PARSLEY RAVIOLI. Leave room for desert - I promise that they'll have something you'll love! Came back again this year - try not to eat all the bread with olive oil that they bring out. Super tasty Caesar salad & tomato bisque soup. Sweet service too!
(5)Marianne D.
Went there for a birthday celebration. The place is nice and pretty and ambience is great.we ordered wine before our dinner and the waitress was very attentive with our meal we ordered and did not take long to come out. The place is good for kids as well as a romantic dinner. Will definitely go back
(5)Theresa D.
This is a something-for-everyone place. It's rare to find a place that has good pasta and good chicken enchilada (random, but yes please!) There's always a ton of great specials too, so be sure to check the board when you sit down! The ingredients are fresh and the entrees have some unique touches to add a little southern charm. The service definitely adds to the atmosphere; everyone is so nice, there is that "neighborhood joint" feeling...like you'll see someone you know at the next table. One day I will allow myself to try the sky-high red velvet cake.
(4)Cindy W.
Our most recent visit was to the location on John's Island. We were rather disappointed with both of our meals. In fact, we both compared it to being on par with Applebee's. We had tried the Mt Pleasant location a while ago and we're not pleased at that time also. I am wondering if Sal has spread himself too thin between all of his restaurants and the attention to greatness has been lost.
(1)Meghan C.
This was an amazing meal on Friday! We had heard excellent things about this restaurant so thought we'd give it a shot. First, only beer and wine. Did not know that. Second, we had the mussels - GOOD LORD - these mussels were the size of my fist! So delicious! Third, we both got the pan roasted asparagus salad with salmon. This is quite possibly the most delicious salad I have ever had in my entire life. The vinaigrette, the Gorgonzola, the walnuts - it was perfection. Two minor, minor complaints. The ambiance is a little lacking - just a bunch of tables in a room, no music...the food is good enough that you really won't care, just kind of felt eh...like a bunch of tables in a room LOL. Other issue - I found the food very, very salty. Even the table next to us commented on their meal's saltiness. As I have said before, salt is my favorite food group, so if I'm mentioning this, definitely think twice before a-salting your food prior to tasting it. I didn't salt my salmon and still couldn't finish it because the salt was overwhelming. Highly recommend, though!
(4)Jaimie L.
My mother was in town and I wanted to try the mustard seed! I was so excited when reading the menu and so disappointed when we left. We ordered the mussels as an appetizer... Amazing I wish I ordered it as my meal. Dinner is where they lost us. I ordered a pasta dish wish was described as having fresh Roma tomatoes, herbs, tossed in olive oil and Parmesan cheese... I added scallops to the dish. It came out looking okay- however it was cold.. All of it. The cheese was store bought shredded and clumped on it, tomatoes seemed to be like stewed or canned the olive oil it was tossed in was non existent. I was so disappointed, my mom ordered the crab cakes which were a special that night- again cold, crab cakes- barley wanted to mention them... The mashed potatoes were the only thing either of us enjoyed out of our meals. Our sever was busy as it was cofc graduation. He got a large table and was consumed with them for the most part. The restaurant itself was uninviting to say the least- we left after dinner without finishing our bottle of wine.
(2)Gary G.
What a delightful find! The service was great. The food was really good. I had the black bean cakes and they were delicious. I tasted the pad thai and it was wonderful. I will be back.
(4)Caitlyn S.
Good location, good service. My only complaint regarding the atmosphere is that it gets incredibly loud! Probably not ideal for larger groups. The complimentary bread served was delicious. I ordered the sweet potato ravioli, but they didn't have any...so I ordered the noodle bowl, which was pretty good. Most garnishes were served on the side, which was nice. Overall, pretty good restaurant!
(4)Travelwriter_Tom J.
Unimpressive to look at on the outside and inside. The name is appropriate. Food is OK, generally, with aspects of some dishes were very good. Let's put it this way, we won't go back when we visit Charleston again. My wife would give this place a 3.5 - 4. I'd say a 3. Service is superb. People are terrific. I had the Prince Edward Island mussels appetizer. They present steamed in a bowl of broth with tomato chunks and spinach. The broth was excellent. The mussels were not quite cooked. I also had the shrimp and scallops on a bed of risotto. This = two scallops, 3-4 shrimp and a bunch of rosotto in a tomato baste. Not very good and not much value for the cost. My wife had the black and bleu salad. In some respects it was quite good, but, she remarked it was lacking in other respects. The pre-meal bread was fresh and tasty. Key lime pie for dessert was very good, In all, an OK experience.
(3)Sandy S.
Mustard Seed has always been a great place to eat...Very fresh, unique dishes. They have a menu for all taste's. Comfortable and Casual during the day an a bit more cozy and "dressed up" after dark....You will surely enjoy The Mustard Seed !!
(5)Ally A.
after a lovely day on the beach, at which time my friends and i were filmed in the background of what i would later discover is the new show "heat seekers" while on the beach at sullivan's island. i was cranky, as i thought i had recognized the people filming us only to discover later that i HAD recognized aaron sanchez! i wish i had been gutsy enough to go say hi. anyway, sandy, salty and sunburned, we hit up the mustard seed with high hopes, despite my friends not being foodies. i started with the green tomato and crab cake neapolitan, which was lovely, with thick tomatoes, a lovely sauce and delicious crab, but really should be shared or eaten as an entree. following it with the super amazing sweet potato, walnut, parsley and gorgonzola ravioli. i have been having a love affair with gorgonzola since returning from berlin a few years ago after visiting my husband's cheese obsessed opa, and that love affair was intensified after this DELICIOUS pasta dish. srsly, srsly amazing. if you have the chance to eat here and you really enjoy stinky cheese, this dish is right up your alley. overall: a lovely, lovely place with super great food and decent service. i would stop in again in a heartbeat.
(4)Sonja B.
Once again, we thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the Mustard Seed. My hubby and I shared an appetizer and soup and got one entree (off the specials board). The mushroom bisque was very earthy and had a great, creamy texture. We both enjoyed it. Our appetizer was the Fried Green Tomato & Crab Cake Napoleon. Nothing to compain about here! My husband asked me if I thought anyone would notice if he happened to lick the plate.... The entree was good (Salmon), but the brussel sprouts that they served with it could make a grown man cry from happiness. Yes, I'll admit it...I probably ate more than my half of those brussel sprouts! Super YUMMY! All in all: Highly Recommend (again and again). PS - The bread they offer is amazing, too. My BIL ate a whole basket by himself!
(5)Sarah S.
Went in for a late dinner around 8:45 (service ends at 9:30). Started with watermelon gazpacho and shared lemon-oregano chicken and sweet potato ravioli. Service and food were great!
(4)Kimberly N.
Met some friends here last night on their suggestion. The food was tasty, and the service was prompt and friendly. They do have a decent selection of vegetarian options, and they all sounded tasty. I had a hard time choosing. I finally decided on the Sweet Potato Ravioli, and it was an explosion of delicious flavor in each bite. The husband ordered the Portobello Risotto, and thought it was very tasty as well. The next day we both felt a little...weird...a slight upset stomach. I'm not sure if this is related directly to the food (maybe they use margarine instead of butter or something?) but it's worth mentioning, since another reviewer gave them a low rating based on how they felt after the fact. Someone else mentioned the meager alcohol selection, and it's true. I'd expect some local favorites on tap, but apparently not. Our friend snagged the last Sam Adams summer ale, and had to choose something else when he wanted a second bottle. I ordered the house Chardonnay, and it was pretty good (but I'm no wine connoisseur, so take that with a grain of salt). The ambiance is kind of a family-friendly down-home, no-fuss kind of place, and there are open tables everywhere (no booths). The place is busy, and the open plan definitely affected the noise level. In this case, it works because you're not as likely to overhear the conversations going on at the other tables, and the buzz stayed at a tolerable hum. We could still carry on conversation with our friends and our waitress with no problems. But this is not the place to go if you want an intimate dinner--it's great for groups or families with kids, though.
(4)B.J. K.
Awesome place to get some god local Low Country food
(4)Kevin H.
I will start by saying that the food was decent but service was horrible. More specifically the manager that we spoke with. My wife and I had dinner with a friend on a Friday evening and proceeded to get very sick when we came home. We were seated right away and the waitress was attentive to drinks and orders. We all started with a soup (corn soup and the special pineapple-mint gazpacho - it was better than it sounds). Our entrees came out and they were OK but definitely not worth the raves we had heard about for this restaurant. Now comes the awful part, as mentioned all three of us got extremely sick following our meals. It was horrible (without too many details). When I called in the morning to discuss this and let them know I was asked for my information and told that a manager would be calling back. They did call back but to my surprise, they were very dismissive and claimed that based on his knowledge and our timing that it could not have been the food from their restaurant. This was ridiculous to me - this person, to my knowledge, was not a doctor, but was telling me that in no way would they be responsible for us getting sick. I was appalled that someone in the restaurant business was not more considerate. No offer to try them again with even a small discount. Just a non-beleivable sorry. After mentioning this to several friends, many of them had a similar story about how they felt after eating here. I will be very cautious if I ever decided to try one of their other restaurants. I know this group has many restaurants in the Charleston area and I can only hope that at least one of them can change my mind that they are better than this.
(1)Quincy S.
Nothing but consistency here, had another great meal at the Mustard Seed the other night. Between 3 of us we had the spiced crab bisque and field of greens followed by the herb encrusted pork, black bean cakes and spicy chicken pasta. All were delicious (esp the bisque) and the only regret was that we didnt have any of the deserts (only recently found out they are supplied by The Village Bakery). Weak point was the service, which while attentive was pretty disinterested.
(4)John B.
Great food and service. Good place for a date or just and tasty lunch. Would recommend to anyone.
(4)Matthew O.
I dined alone tonight. I think the waitress felt sorry for me. So she put a big chalk board with all the specials on the chair across the table from me. It made me feel welcome. Also, it made me feel odd. The beer list isn't very good. My waitress shared that with me; I appreciate that kind of honesty. I agreed with her after she finished rattling off the list. So I ordered a glass of the merlot; a Steele Shooting Star. I forget what year, but it was rather bland. I've been eating like crap on this business trip so I ordered their house salad. They call it Field of Greens. I get it. It's because it's an actual field of greens. Usually salads come on, whatcheecallem, salad plates. This came on a dinner plate. It tasted pretty good. Simple greens with an herb vinaigrette which got a little more cloying the closer to the bottom of the field I got. I ate about 1/3 of it before I started to feel a bit full. For my entree, I ordered the Sweet Potato Ravioli. Naturally they didn't have it. I want to know that information _before_ I order. Maybe put it on the Specials board. Speaking of which, I felt bad for not ordering for both of us. So, I got the Portabello Risotto instead. Which was very good. The only drawback was, once again, the amount of food. I think what could have made this dish much better is something to compliment/contrast it. As it was, it was plated (or bowled) with nothing more than a bit of shredded Parmesan on top. I just don't want to eat that much of the same flavor in one sitting, even if it is good. I'd recommend trying it. I'd go back if I lived here. I wish the Sweet Potato Ravioli was available. And because I know you need closure, my waitress didn't think I clicked with the Specials board and she took it to another table. Side note: there was an in-house ad for Foursquare on the table and I was @'ed on Twitter by @DineWithSal after I mentioned eating here to a friend. Nice to see them engaging people.
(3)Kristen J.
We had a great dinner here. The appetizer we got was awesome--it was a black bean and zucchini quesadilla that was amazing! They also give you free awesome herb foccacia to munch on before dinner too... For our meals, my vegetarian sister got butternut squash ravioli and I got a cup of corn chowder with a crab cake inside of it and a chicken, blue cheese and pear salad. The food was perfect across the board. Loved it. Highly recommend. And I think they have two locations--bonus!
(5)Kathy L.
We came here later in the evening with a group of 10. Even our pickiest eater cleaned his plate (had the herb crusted porkloin with garlic mashed potatoes and asparagus). About half of us order off the menu and the other half ordered from the specials. We tried two soups, an asparagus and cauliflower bisque (amazing-it was a special) and a roasted corn with a crab cake garish. Our table also split two tomato, mozzarella and basil salads. The tomatoes were ridiculously huge and everyone loved it. From the dinner menu, either of the crusted chicken dishes are delicious and recommended. Three at our table had fresh snapper, two had salmon (both specials) and the last had the shrimp mac and cheese. We ended up getting three types of cake to go, chocolate, red velvet and coconut, and when you see the size of them, you'll understand how that was plenty for our group of 10. We were very impressed with our server Sally, and talked to Robb the manager for a bit about how fantastic our meal was and which of the cakes we should try for desert. We are definitely interested in checking out the Village Bakery and the Long Point Grill while we are in the area, based on our wonderful experience here.
(4)Annie R.
This place used to be amazing like 8 years ago, it has kind of gone downhill. It is still a good price/decent food, but it is nothing amazing anymore. Essentially since they expanded and moved it lost something. They have a decent vegetarian selection, which is worth noting.
(3)Amanda E.
I really wanted to like this place- it's comfortable, cute, and their lunch menu was varied and had many great sounding options. Although our waitress was very helpful and nice, I have to give them the lowest rating possible due to getting horrible food poisoning after eating the Pad Thai with Chicken and Shrimp. I know it was from eating here because I had not had anything to eat before lunch and felt too sick to eat anything after, so basically it's all I had that day. Not long after lunch I started getting sharp stomach pains and felt off, almost like I was coming down with a cold. By later that afternoon I was vomiting non stop and had a fever. Miserable. Up all night. I would not wish that on anyone, sorry Mustard Seed.
(1)Nicol S.
Have you ever known someone who so desperately wanted to be liked and would try anything to get you to like them... Mustard Seed is that person in restuarant form. The menu is a hodgpodge of cuisines mashed together like a bad musical medley from your local theater. For example who thought adding gorgonzola and hot portabello would make a caesar salad better? The result is just horrible. I have been here maybe once a year for an engagement with friends and the place is always packed. I can only guess that everyone has been seduced en masse or brainwashed. This place is not-so-good for food, but okay for company.
(2)Brad B.
Always solid. Went back for the first time in several months over the weekend. Hasn't changed a bit - still the same quality we've come to expect over the years. They have a good sized menu with many different options, including several vegetarian choices. There are always several additions too. Make sure you leave room for one of the delicious cakes they get from The Village Bakery.
(4)Karen K.
Excellent choice for vegetarians. Our server offered to check the makeup of the soup stock before we even asked. We had roasted corn chowder, flavorful, lots of corn, peppers, with a cheesy flavor and a spicy kick. The bread is fabulous, light and topped with a sprinkle of what tasted like Asiago cheese, served with a plate of freshly poured olive oil. We had black bean cakes, 2 good sized patties of smooth beans with crunch peppers, drizzled with sour cream and served on crispy flour tortillas with a side of green tomato salsa and a yummy warm vegetable salad of peppers, zucchini and broccoli - all cooked perfectly to a brightly colored crunch, lightly dressed. We had pecan chocolate mocha torte for dessert - very yummy. We both agreed we would return for more - and we can - there are several more vegetarian options on the menu.
(5)Kyle E.
A-OK pretty much sums it up for me. I had heard raves about this place by several people so I decided to check it out. If you have been to Boulevard Diner you have pretty much been here as well, just with less grease. If you like fish this place may be better for you. A lot of the specials were fish related. I ordered a chicken enchilada with black beans and rice. My wife ordered pork chop with garlic mashed potatoes. Mine was okay but I could have had the same thing at Los Arcos or La Hacienda. Her pork and potatoes was good. The service here was above A-OK, our waitress was very attentive and took care of us. I wasnt too fond of the atmosphere, I felt kinda like I was at a cafeteria, the kind that senior citizens frequent. All in all I wasnt disappointed nor was I really impressed. I dont really think I will make my way back for some time, just too much food to try to return to an average place. Thats my opinion anyway.
(3)Derek J.
After living in Charleston for 3 years, and eating at a LOT of places, this restaurant is my favorite, hands-down! There are definitely fancier (and pricier!) places in Charleston, but overall, considering the friendly service, great value, amazing flavors, beautiful presentation, and the DESSERTS, this is the must-go restaurant in Charleston for me and my out-of-town guests. The only downside is that it is not downtown--this just means you have to drive across the beautiful Ravenel Bridge and see this Charleston landmark up-close!
(5)Aaron L.
This has long been one of my favorite places for healthy eating. My recommendation is the terrific glazed pear salad. Also, the bread they serve before the meal is terrific.
(4)L L.
I ate here on vacation after reading reviews on Yelp. Once again, the yelpers were right on track. This place was awesome! It is not really fancy, it has almost like a nicely decorated diner look. But the service was outstanding (thanks Chris), the food was delicious and the prices were great. Good wine list too. The best pad thai I have ever had, and the portion was so big that I was able to take half home and eat it the next day at the hotel. I highly recommend it and wish I lived closer so I could eat here more often.
(5)Toby M.
I was very impressed with the menu. They had a lot of items on the menu I haven't seen before. I love this. I mean who wants to eat the same thing all the time. I started with the red curry and sweet potato soup...yum! Then Atlantic salmon with a dijon crusted honey mustard sauce. It was great.
(4)T J.
the menu had a wide variety and everything was really good. daily special were outstanding especially the blackened tilapia over grits. i thought the pasta primevera was great and a nice change from seafood. don't miss the chocolate , peanut butter and oreo cake! reasonably priced. don't miss this gem.
(4)Katie M.
Food fine, ambiance not so fine. Busy, open seating area. Great if you have a party of 6+ as they'll move tables around to accommodate, but otherwise, you're dining in the middle of other's conversation. I second some of the other reviews suggesting to go for one of the specials. They put them on a handwritten white board at your table so you have a bit more time to decide what to order...instead of the server rattling off what he/she remembers for the evening. I had a macadamia encrusted tilapia over apricot puree and sweet potato mash, and it was great. We also had the chicken lettuce wraps as a dinner (although it was an appetizer), and they were just as good. Overall, I'm a little skeptical of menus that are a'la cheesecake factory with too many different genres (i.e. chinese next to thai, some italian thrown in, and mexican as well), but this one proved to be a-ok. (The owners do have other resturants of different types of food, so this seems to be the one that incorporates all tastes). Good wine list and prices to match as well.
(3)Morgan S.
This was tough. Three or four, three or four... I finally decided on three stars. I really like The Mustard Seed but the food hasn't been consistent for me. It's either on point or slightly underwhelming. Most people love their pad thai but I'm not a huge fan. Personal taste I suppose. Their specials are usually what I go for and they are almost always spot on and always are creative. The last meal I had was from the special board and was great except the garlic mashed potatoes were way too garlicky. Oh well - better than bland. Overall - wine menu is good, atmosphere is good, service is good (if not great!), bread is WONDERFUL and my experience is always enjoyable. One final note, an additional reason I gave The Mustard See three stars instead of four, is that I would almost always choose Long Point Grill or Sette (owned by the same people) over The Mustard Seed.
(3)Suzanne M.
Mustard Seed in Mt. Pleasant was the first of Sal Parco's restaurants. It started off as a tiny place near the barber shop and has now moved across the way to its own building. The food is consistently good and the service is always friendly. It's also an easy place to go if you're dining alone. My only problem is the noise. When my friends and I go for lunch we always try to get there early before it gets too crowded.
(4)M E.
Great fresh food choices. Creative and fresh menu ideas. Service is very friendly! Your food is delivered by one of the chefs. Desserts are very generous. The specials are presented to you on a board and sat at your table. Very nice!!!!! Definitely would go back and hit up the other locations. Parking can be a little iffy.
(4)April B.
Not impressed. I used to live across the street in the Meadows, so my roommates and I eventually wandered over to the Mustard Seed for dinner. We were seriously too lazy to go anywhere else. I was expecting good things, as one of my roomies had enjoyed it before. As far as I can tell, it's commercial italian/american. The sauces were way too creamy and thick. The salads were not tasty. The pasta was good, but it was just another pasta dish. Nothing special. I think we had some sort of asparagus thing which was ok. All in all, it was way overpriced for what we had even though we left with boxes and I felt like I needed to be rolled across the street back to the apartment. I hate feeling "that kind" of full. I didn't even eat that much. I won't be back.
(2)John L.
Ate there with the family and a couple of friends that were down for the Cooper River Bridge run. This was our first trip but not our last. They were able to accommodate the 6 of us, by pulling up some chairs to a 4 top, it was cozy for us, but we still mostly had room. The wine list is okay, and the beer list isn't all that, but you can still get a good glass of Shiraz or Chardonnay. Our server was great and brought out bread and the specials board. She was super friendly and got our drink order right away. My wife ordered the Salmon with grilled asparagus, one of my daughters ordered the flat iron steak (I asked that the sides be put on a separate plate), my other daughter ordered the mussels as a started and the shrimp mac and cheese. Our friends ordered the noodle bowl (sort of like Pho) and the pork chops off the special board. I ordered the Maryland Crab Cakes off the special board as well. Our food came promply and everything was just great. My friends noodle bowl came with a side of sauces, and vegetables. My daughters flat iron was cooked perfectly and the sides were on another plate as asked. My crabcakes were mostly crab and had great flavor. I wish I had ordered the Mussels that might daughter got, they looked really good. We finished with a piece of humming bird cake (my wife picked it) and our friends got some key lime pie to go. The only downside is that the place really gets loud once it gets full. It reminds me of a roadside diner, but it really is good food. Will go again sometime soon.
(4)Tommy V.
So much selection, so much flavor. This little restaurant has a lot to offer. I didn't even look at the menu when I was there because there were about fifteen specials. Thai cuisine seems to be the most common influence across the menu but it is accompanied by an eclectic blend of other flavors too. I had a pork chop with green tomato butter. I didn't even know that you could make butter out of tomatoes, and I don't think that I've ever tasted anything like it. The decor is pretty cool too, I definitely checking this place out.
(4)Reggie F.
The Mustard Seed gets it. It hits the sweet spot: good food at a fair price. The service is friend too. If you're looking Charleston's best, then expect to pay more elsewhere. If you're looking for a good meal with friends, then The Mustard Seed is a great choice.
(5)Andi E.
Menu is great, lots of different options so if you're in a big group you don't all have to decide on ONE genre of food. They serve a fabulous bread before the food and their corn chowder with a crabcake is worth going there for. Both time I've been were impeccable but when I went to the other location on Maybank I was severely disappointed. Their desserts at both locations fell more than flat for me, but I did love the food.
(5)brian b.
Love this place...Have been a few times, honestly mostly at Lunch and as far as that goes My wife and I have never had a Bad meal. We both LOVE their gazpacho..It always taste so fresh and so clean. It was even better today after coming straight off the beach. Like others have said their menu is creative and lots of fresh local ingredients I love..Chris was our waiter he was very attentive and gave us great service.. He must have thought we hadn't had anything to drink all day..like I said we came straight from the beach and he must have refilled our drinks like 4-5 times each..The specials are mostly what I go for but today I tried the artichoke,spinach Ravioli in a tom. Basil sauce, which was awesome..it was nice and light just what I had hoped for..My wife of course had the Alfredo Carbonara, which I wasn't shocked by, she has had before and we both like, my only complaint about that dish is I wish they would use Pancetta instead of bacon..I know that I am nitpicking here folks,but I am Italian and was born in Jersey so its really all I know,but besides that its a solid dish..I would recommend it to someone who has never been..
(4)Al L.
I liked the food. My wife thought the food was just okay. She also got sick a few hours after we ate. Mustard Seed was one of only two restaurants my wife got sick in the 5 weeks of continuous eating out due to our living in a hotel for 2 months. The service was fantastic. Our waitress was attentive and friendly. We may try the Mustard Seed again, but not the one in Mt. P.
(3)Heather G.
This a great little local spot that can get quite crowded on the weekends. The menu is very eclectic, with Italian, Asian and southern influences. The specials are all always excellent with several seafood, poultry, meat and vegetarian dishes. The Mustard Seed is our old stand-by. When you live in South Carolina, its difficult to find vegetarian food and The Mustard Seed, while not a vegetarian restaurant has something for everyone.
(4)Cassy B.
While on vacation, this place had been suggested to us by our dear friend who used to live in Charleston. We were cheerfully greeted at the door by the managers of the restaurant and immediately found the restaurant warm and friendly. They sat us at a nice table and we were waited on by Ashley. She was very knowledgeable and friendly. She immediately greeted us with a warm fresh basket of parmesan Foccacia...YUMO! They bring the chalkboard with the specials on it right to your table. Very ingenious! My husband and I split the "Black and Bleu Steak salad" Great to split between 2. If you don't split it, make sure you have it as an entree as it is huge! We ordered the steak medium rare and it was absolutely delicious and the salad came with a gorgonzola that was a 10 out of 10 on the creamiest scale!! My husband had the sweet potato, walnut, and gorgonzola ravioli. 10 out of 10, I had the fettucini Carbonara ....just to be bad :o) it was very good and not too rich which sometimes it can be but this was perfect. Food was nice and hot. They have 50% off on bottles of wine Tuesday, Wed, and Thurs between 5 and 8 so we ordered the Calloway Chardonnay from CA which was a real deal! Hummingbird cake with 2 forks please as we thought "Oh we'll split a piece of cake and have a few bites each" We took over 1/2 of it back to the hotel along with our dinner. You will not go hungry here! It was so awesome. We might go back tomorrow again as it is our last day of vacation....it was THAT GOOD! I will never forget this restaurant and we will yearn for it till we can visit again!
(5)Carol P.
To be honest I've visited this place twice and I have mixed reviews. The food is fresh, and it's cute that they write their specials on dry erase boards daily. The first time I went there was 6 months ago. I ordered the halibut and it was fantastic, perfectly cooked and seasoned. I go there 2 weeks ago and ordered the rib eye. I specifically asked if the goat cheese and salsa were very strong flavors, because I only like a subtle flavor of goat cheese. I dig into my plate, which had wonderful presentation, I get my hopes up, and I'm let down. The rib eye is poorly seasoned, way tooo much salt and I'm a salt person, the salsa is too spicy, and the goat cheese overwhelmed the dish. I couldn't taste the meat, which was also overdone (I asked for medium, and they gave me well done, with just a bite of medium well) Both times the dessert was "eh, I had better." The first time we had the red velvet. It was served cold and not quite room temperature. I've had better. The next time I had key lime pie...don't get it! Frozen key lime pies taste better! The reason for 3 stars...I averaged out my first visit 4 stars with my last visit 2 stars. I'd go back again just for 1 more try.
(3)