The Royal Tern

“We went to the Royal Tern for our anniversary last year and it was so good that we went back again for our anniversary this year. Somehow it was even better. We arrived early and they were able to seat us early which was not expected but really nice. Our server Velvet was lovely. The staff is very well trained, they are friendly and attentive without being overbearing on the guest. Although it’s a seafood establishment, we get the steaks as they are delicious, perfectly cooked and large for the price. The scalloped potatoes are a must get, best scalloped potatoes I’ve ever had. We got the opera cake for desert even though we were stuffed and it was perfect. The cocktails were also good. My only tiny issue is that it’s priced as fine dining, the food quality and presentation are fine dining, and the service is fine dining. However there’s no dress code and since it’s Johns Island this is a normal weekday dinner spot for that crowd so while people are dressed expensively, it’s more the expensive casual vibe. So for a $200-300 dinner which is a special occasion for many of us, you may feel out of place if you want to get dolled up. But it is what it is haha. We will definitely be back. Expect to spend a couple hundred bucks but it will be the best meal you’ve had in a long time.”

“I came to celebrate my birthday! I’ve heard great things about this establishment, and I was hoping it’d be worth it since it was my first time going. We had a reservation for 5 p.m. It didn’t take long to realize that this was the perfect place to celebrate. Very open-concept—you could see into the kitchen. The high ceilings and dim, intimate lighting are a wonderful touch. service: kind and attentive, drinks stayed full. we were checked on regularly—not overdone, but enough for the courses to go smoothly { appetizers } PEI mussels: fantastic, the sauce was incredible!! the sourdough bread was great as well, and even better paired with the sauce. definitely a must-try Tuna and Salmon Tartare: a hit for nearly everyone. guac is perfect w seafood! i loved it Honey Butter Biscuits: i personally don’t care for biscuits, but everyone else said they were amazing! { entrees } Halibut: very tasty, everything went well together. nothing more to say really, it’s a great dish!! Scallops: the scallops themselves were super delicious. the rest of the mix was tasty, but very thick and heavy—which i personally didn’t care for. the mushrooms were a great touch. the other entrees were Grilled Shrimp and Fried Shrimp. i didn’t try them { desserts } Complimentary Funfetti Angel Cake: free bc it was my birthday! surprisingly, this was my favorite dessert! it was so delicious Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée: despite being such a large portion…there was nothing left of it to take home 🙈 ! we loved the vanilla flavor and how light it was. Chocolate Covered Pretzel Cheesecake: i didn’t care for the salty-sweet combo (wasn’t my decision to order it). though, out of four, only one of us liked it—the person who wanted to order it. the cheesecake itself was decent, but i still wish we had gone with something else.”

“A perfect treat. A friend who dines there regularly was eager to have us join him to understand why he likes it so much. He was right. We enjoyed every dish he recommended - the buratta salad, mussels, oysters, blackened shrimp, soup and cake. Lucky Johns Island!”

“Came in right at opening since we didn’t have a reservation. They were able to seat us on the screened patio which also had plastic sheeting so it didn’t really feel like we were actually outside. Brian was our server. He was very friendly and took great care of us. All of the food and drinks were great but the tuna and salmon tartare was our favorite dish of the night.”

“Everything that hit the table was amazing! Beautiful ambiance inside. We came for my birthday and everyone loved the meals, apps, and deserts! My whole flounder was the best I’ve ever had. Super fresh crab dip, calamari, shishito peppers, and steak. Top notch place for a special occasion or just a nice date night!”