Being new to Charleston, I can't say how this place measures up against other local pizza places, but in the wider scheme of things I can say without a doubt it was by far the best pizza I've had in years.
We ordered a Holy Shiitake Pie, and it was a really standout, memorable pizza. I would have eaten an entire half a pizza easily if we hadn't planned on dessert. It was that good. Â I also loved all the unique and original options on their menu, and as a vegetarian I noticed there was more than enough veggie options- AND interesting ones to boot.
Overall, I was very impressed with the menu and the pizza. This place is absolutely worth checking out- and is not your normal, standard fare pizza place! I would say it's worth going out of your way for- at least based on the pizza we got. The atmosphere was enjoyable and interesting as well. AND the server was quick to come out with some warm marinara sauce for dipping our crusts in upon request!
The ONLY reason it didn't get five stars was that the dessert cookie may have been a little too talked up on the menu. I almost feel bad mentioning it since the pizza was so phenomenal- but I would recommend people come to enjoy the pizza and perhaps not the cookies.
$2 beer of the month during happy hour? Yes please.
Service is always top notch, and I love the pizza, especially the crust. Best ever.
They also have really good hummus, spinach artichoke dip, and pretzels (get garlic parmesan with the beer cheese!)
My favorite pizza is a build-your-own: pepperoni with roma tomatoes and fresh mozzarella.
Of their specialty pies, I love the Gourmet White and the Kosmic Karma. So good!
The pizza was well made, it's obviously not a 'drunk food' pizza place. Â Unfortunately the crust especially was just not quite to our taste. Â It was a little on the soggy side and seemed like some kind of whole wheat type crust. Â I think this might be a delicious pizza for some.. Â I just don't think it was a good fit for us.
Review Source:Enlightened spinach salad is a must-try. I love it with grilled chicken added. Parmesan pretzels are delicious!! They do not taste like a traditional pretzel...they are made with pizza dough. Lots of room for dining. My husband and I tried to sit upstairs in the outdoor area. We were quick to move when we were surrounded by chain smokers. If you do not like smoke, do not sit outside here.
Review Source:looooove me some mellow mushroom. you cant go wrong with any of their pizzas and i also really like the esperanza salad dressing which i use on their greek salads but also to dip my pizza crust in.
they have great specialty pies but their basic cheese is also delish. good beer selection at this location and a nice back porch area to soak up some sun.
friendly bartenders and a relaxed vibe. wish these would come up north!
I joined a large group of friends here for dinner and was pleasantly surprised to see they have vegan cheese and lots of good veggie toppings. I ordered whatever the standard vegetarian pizza was and subbed vegan cheese, which they didn't charge extra for (awesome!). The pizza was good but I'm still snobby after a trip to Italy last year so I'm not really impressed with any pizza I've had since. :)
The staff was friendly and it was a great environment for a large group. Charleston isn't known for vegan food so I'd definitely stop back again.
Great service from Molly, and really good pizza. We were here visiting while on Vacation and felt like having a pizza. We had previously been in Savannah, and saw a family that was really disappointed that the Mellow Mushroom there was closed. We decided it must be good to have such a following.
We got the Mighty Meaty. The pepperoni and other toppings were quite tasty. I could have done without the crumbled hamburger/sausage that was on top- too crispy fired while cooking that I think it was sausage but wasn't really sure.
Would definitely come back here if in town.
This place is slightly overrated by most. The food is overpriced & not excellent. Their new thing is the glutton free which you can only get in a medium size for $20. That's 12inches. That's $1.66/inch! So if you just want do a gluten free pizza yourself in a small size your out of luck. Our last venture there we had horrible service. We were also told we could not sit upstairs but yet minutes after we sat down they sent several people up there. They didn't even tell us the specials for the night. If you want pizza or pizza pub type food go somewhere else. I believe I will try the Avondale location though, I've heard it was better.
Review Source:Ahhh, Mellow Mushroom, you have become the Hard Rock of pizza, yet with notably superior beer selections.
I like Mellow Mushroom. It's reliable and -- simply put, you know what the #$%* you are getting. Â Their pizza is delish - especially for a chain, and the atmosphere relaxed, as a solid pizza joint should be.
This location is convenient after a day of wandering on King Street and the service is just right. It is highly recommended for those times when the mid-day shopping carb craving hits you. It's a real thing.
I dunno... I'm not much of a pizza fan. I consider pizza a Ridder of Evil Hangovers at home in my bed -- not a justified supper. But I was hungry (and, ahem, a little tipsy from the last bar) and we came across Mellow Mushroom in our walk around downtown Charleston. Â We definitely prefered sitting upstairs in the bar area, sampling the many happy beers that I can't imbibe in back home.
This place made me love pizza.
This pizza, well, is just plain awesome -- and it was surprisingly difficult to decide on JUST ONE PIE. We opted to try two: the Kosmic Karma and the Buffalo Chicken. I also couldn't pass up the Enlightened Spinach Salad. Both pizzas had outstanding crusts and fresh toppings that commingled wonderfully. (I especially loved that pesto drizzle!) I almost ordered seconds of that salad too (go home, drunk).
Can't wait to return for our annual fall trip again to discover new pizza favorites.
I have been to other mellow mushrooms before but I went here for the first time during restaurant week. Â The only reason this place gets a high rating is because of the food. When we arrived the upstairs was bust becaise of a football game so we had to sit on the first floor. Well it took a very long time to recieve our food (the tables who ordered after us got their food way before us). And we rarely saw our waitress. Other than the long wait the food was delicious! I love Mellow Mushroom so everyone should try it but go to another location in Charleston.
Review Source:Went here with my husband at the suggestion of an old friend, an ex-Pat from New York who moved down to Charleston a few years ago. She had suggested it because of my husband and I needing gluten-free options. She and her boyfriend ordered some smaller pizzas while me and my husband ordered one of the gluten-free ones. We also ordered soups - he got a mushroom soup and I got the tortilla soup. The tortilla soup was a little spicy for me, but super delicious. He finished his entire bowl of mushroom soup without a complaint!
He's really picky when it comes to anything gluten-free, especially pizza, so he wasn't ridiculously enthused about the pizza we ate. I'm not as picky, so I thought it was really good! The crust had a different texture, but that's to be expected. We ate it later that night back at the hotel, and it was just as good the second time around and cold! It seemed a little expensive, hence the four stars. The atmosphere was funky and laid-back, and it was really crowded! Our waitress was also informative and attentive.
This place is FANTASTIC! I've never had a bad experience here. It is a very low key, chill, restaurant. The servers are fantastic always give you honest advice on what's on the menu. I especially had a good experience when I ordered delivery when it arrived he explained that they didn't have regular salad to go containers and had to put mine in two little ones but that he didn't rip me off. When I opened my order they had included paper plates, cutlery, and two cookies! (Which were SO delicious). I've ordered from them before and have never had that happen before! I hope they never have the right size salad containers!
Amazing place, definitely recommended it when your in Charleston on historical King St.
I had never been to this restaurant before as we do not go downtown much. We didn't have to wait for a table at all. Considering the location it definitely had the college atmosphere but that was to be expected. A half order of pretzels was a fantastic appetizer. Their pizza is very good also. I love the dough consistency as it is thicker with a bready consistency. Â Very filling! Â Definitely will go back! :-)
Review Source:While visiting family, we were in Charleston to celebrate our cousin graduating from CoC. Â
Our family ordered carry-out from Mellow Mushroom, and it was definitely one of the unique pies I ever ate! Â
I'm not to sure on what was ordered (we had close to 10 pies), I'm sure we at least had the Kosmic Karma. Â It was definitely my favorite of the night. Â
I hope on a return trip to the East Coast, we get the chance to eat there again! Â Hopefully, dine-in so that the pizza is piping hot. Â It was a little cold by the time it was brought back to the beach house.
Got the munches while roaming around Charleston. Looking for a cold beer and a snack. We ordered the Meatball Appetizer and a small pizza. I don't remember what the pizza was called, but it had yummy pesto and sundried tomatoes. Nom, Nom, Nom. The crust was delicious too.
Service was quick and friendly.
First experience with the Mellow Mushroom but we will return.
We hit Charleston on a Thursday evening after flying all day and were famished. Our cottage was about three blocks off King Street and as we were out strolling we stumbled onto some great pizza. Â We ate upstairs in the bar area and the college atmosphere took me back!
The House Special, 16 inch, was massive and excellent veggies, ham, bacon, sausage, the works. We were only able to finish half of this massive pizza, the rest is waiting for a midnight snack. Â Great Pizza, great service, great place.
We were walking and walking and walking and stumbled onto the Mellow Mushroom. Their pies are yummy and the beer was ice cold. It just so happens that we were seated upstairs and the breeze blowing through the windows and the basketball game on TV made for an enjoyable lunch. We had "the Boot" pizza with prosciutto, asiago, and mozzarella and "the Credible Hulk" with garlic, basil, cilantro, and avacado. Both were dynamite. Service was good, and we thought the beer flight was a great bargain. Loved the Harpoon Raspberry and the Golden Monkey beers. Stop in and enjoy.
Review Source:We stopped here to watch a basketball game while in Charleston. Â The bar upstairs had plenty of TVs, but we had to ask a couple of different times to get them to put on the game we wanted. Â The pepperoni pizza was very good. Â Not a huge fan of the Parmesan cheese they dusted on the crust.
We were there for over two hours and the staff was very friendly.
Went here with friends just last night; a Fridat at 7pm or so, and didn't have any wait time for a booth. When we first walked into the restaurant, that delicious crust smell just washed over us and settled in our chest, making us feel...mellow. It's a warm, happy place. Â We sat on the main floor (not upstairs) and I liked the trippy Star-Trek-on-acid decor. Â I had no idea this was even a chain until I came here to give a review. Â The noise level was tolerable, and the laid-back vibe fit the casual food. And I'm sure the guys appreciated all the cute waitresses in t-shirts and tiny shorts.
We ordered a pitcher of the summer ale they had on special, which satisfied everyone's varied beer preferences. Â We got the pizza bites as an appetizer, with the three different beer-based dipping sauces, and they were all good (although my husband didn't like the Porter-based one, I found them all tasty). Â A buddy ordered the spinach salad, which looked fresh, and I ordered the mixed salad, which was also fresh and very tasty (despite being just your basic salad). Â I didn't specify a dressing, and neither did my friend, but they each came out with a dressing that looked appropriate for what they were. Â Mine was some kind of creamy ranch, which was delicious and tasted homemade; his looked like it was a creamy thousand island or possibly a smokey bacon ranch (I forgot to ask him).
The service was prompt until I asked for a To Go box and we needed our check (what is it about Charleston that makes servers suddenly go slower at the end of a diner's experience? Are y'all weird about asking that your food and service actually be compensated?). Â That was the only glitch in the service, though.
We ordered one of the specials, I think it was called The Holy Mushroom, and it was delicious, with caramelized onions, mushrooms, and a spirited swirl of aioli sauce. Â The other pizza we ordered was the one with spinach, mushrooms, and jalapenos. Â I didn't like that one as much (the jalapenos seemed out-of-place to me) but the others liked it ok. However, Â both pizzas were outstanding in their crust, sauce, and cheese. Â I would definitely recommend this place to anyone who is looking for the gourmet pizza experience!
The only thing negative I ever have to say about this place is purely because of their success--and it's that you ALWAYS have to wait for a table. ALWAYS. But who doesn't love some Mellow Mushroom?
My all-time favorite is the Kosmic Karma. YUMMY. Pesto and tomato sauce swirled with sundried tomatoes and mixed veggies. So freaking delicious!
Also--so many beers to choose from--I never realized it when I was in college and ate at the Boone NC location all the time (because I only drank the cheap beer by the pitcher with a group haha)... they have  a HUGE selection! Make sure to ask for their beer list and their "special beers" which won't be on the list--they are seasonal or they got a single keg to try out. Worth asking!
Yeahhh...it's alright. I've been twice out of my 4 visits to Charleston, but really. It wasn't that good.
Service was slow, with only 6 other parties in the main dining area. Granted there was one party with about 15 people, but they arrived after my party of 3. Waters quickly were consumed (alongside one beer) and it took quite a while for our waitress to notice.
In fact, our waitress seemed a bit too out of it. Almost fitting, given the name of the restaurant (as noted by one member of our party of 3). Both boys I was with ordered the Hawaiian. I'm not a fan of fruit (other than tomato) on my pizzas, so I got my own.
I got the House Special pizza, which on the menu/website describes as a "Red sauce base pizza with Mozzarella, Pepperoni, Sausage, Ground Beef, Ham, Applewood Smoked Bacon, Mushrooms, Black Olives, Roma Tomatoes, Green Peppers, Onions and extra Cheese." I'm not a huge fan of olives and onions on my pizza, so I asked to sub them for extra mushrooms and jalepenos (yum!).
When the food finally came out, I was disappointed to see my individual 10 inch pizza to have one small slice of tomato per slice (it was sliced in quarters). I love tomatoes and didn't have the heart to ask for more because I was so hungry, it would've been embarrassing to send it back with only 2 slices left. I didn't realize there was bacon in the pizza either. Bummer!
The check took a while to come around, again lowering the quality of service. Overall, meh. The food wasn't bad and at least our waitress wasn't hovering. Solid 3 stars.
$2 well vodka extra strong cocktails + 2nd best gluten free pizza I've ever had + open patio terrace + hot waitress with killer quads = a super great meal.
It's not something available to me with the gluten free crust, but I love the concept of a build-your-own slice instead of just cheese or pepperoni.
The Mellow Mushroom is my favorite pizza place ever in life! I am from LA, and have visited Charleston several times.. Each time I go, a meal at Mellow Mushroom is a MUST!
The Philosopher's Pie is my weakness! Steak, mushrooms, artichokes, feta?! Mellow Mushroom knows how to please my taste buds, and my tummy!! ORDER THIS PIZZA!
The atmosphere is very lively, yet relaxed! A great place to go to just grab a beer and chill with friends, while enjoying a most delicious meal! :)
I am a big fan of the Mellow Mushroom chain and I think its because each one has its own flare. This is one of my favorite mellow mushrooms, and I think its because of the excellent service they have.
I not only got some of my favorite pizza, but the waiters are excellent. They are some of the most laid back people I have ever met, but they definitely get the job done. We were actually able to spend time talking to them about other things than just the delicious pizza we were going to eat.
The atmosphere is also excellent ranging from the menu to the decor in the building. They have set up a great environment to have a fun time while you enjoy pizza and drinks with your friends.
Wow - I just love this place. My husband and I were in Charleston on a road trip, and we had eaten at a couple of local restaurants. Â We had been out all day, sightseeing and exploring the area, and just wanted to pick up something tasty to eat back at our campsite. Â We decided to hit MM and order our pizza, and grab a couple of beers at the bar while we waited. Â Well, they absolutely did not disappoint. Â
We were greeted promptly, and the staff was super friendly. Â We ordered our pizza, decided to try some soft pretzels too, and the guy said he'd bring our order up to us at the bar. Â Nice! Â So we headed to the bar - tons of beers on tap, which was great. Â There were two seats at the bar, but they weren't next to each other. Â We stood there for a minute debating whether to try to move them and ask people to scoot a little bit, or just sit at a table, when an employee must have noticed our predicament and came right over and asked four guys seated at the bar if they could all slide down one seat, so we could sit together. Â WHAT?! Â I have never been in a place where an employee took such initiative to do something so awesome for the customers. Â I definitely wanted to sit there all night and drink beers, especially with the friendly and helpful bartender. Â
Our pizza came out about 15 minutes later, so we finished up and left. Â It must have been happy hour or something because our beers were $2-3 each, I am not from Charleston but I doubt if this is what they cost all the time. Â And the pizza and pretzels were DELICIOUS, even after the drive to the campsite and sitting there for a bit while we got ourselves situated. Â It was still good for breakfast the next morning. Â (All the comforts of home, including room temp pizza for breakfast!) Â I love the Mellow Mushroom and would go there everyday if they were anywhere near Manhattan.
Pretty good times at this pizza joint. Good pizza considering in was in downtown Charleston close to the college. We all had 10 inch pizzas and we all ordered all different. I had the Philosopher's pizza and and small order of the Rocket salad. Both were great. Nice restaurant with some off the wall psychodelic paintings. Hope those weren't MAGIC MUSHROOMS in the pizza (it was PORTOBELLO).
I'd give it a 5 stars, but the waiter and wait-staff seem to mimic the "MELLOW or MAGIC" mushroom style. Uhhhh? What was that your ordered? Ohh yeah...that one...
Good times and good food for a pretty decent price. Lots of college folks here too...nice!
Got tired of mess hall food so we decided to hit the town for some real food! We came across the Mellow Mushroom .Very mushroom inspired restaurant lol!! There were 4 of us and we all wanted to try different pizzas so we got 2 pizzas with and split each with a different type. We picked Mighty Meat, Kosmic Karma, Funky Q Chicken, and the Philosopher. All were excellent. Each one very flavorful! The crust was great and it wasn't greasy.
The interior is very open and mushroom inspired. Cool place to hangout and eat pizza. They have a large selection of beers as well!!.
This was my first visit and I don't have one where I live, so I'm just going to have to review based on the first impression. The menu was extensive, the quality of food was solid, and the quantity helped justifty the prices a bit. The decor is cliche but cute.
My family shared a 14" House Special pizza. It had everything but the kitchen sink, was really tasty and made me want to try less busy varieties so I could appreciate the ingredients fully. Everyone agreed the crust was great - definitely not a throwaway (I never throw crust away, but sometimes they can be too dry or crunchy). I would consider it a good bet for families and groups who need a diverse menu (within the pizza genre).
What a pleasant surprise for a national chain! On a Friday night it was crowded but we were seated immediately. The selection of beer was pretty impressive and the service was quick and friendly.
We had a Caprese salad that was excellent. Our pizza was really good as well - they have a huge selection of toppings as well as pre-configured specialty pies. We had the "Kosmic Karma" which was loaded with pesto goodness. The price was a little high for chain pizza, but I felt it was well worth it.
The only cons are that it is on King Street, so you will most likely have to park in a garage or lot, and it does serve a college crowd so there are a lot of young adults (not a problem for me, but I can see how it might be a turn-off to some).
I have been to Mellow Mushrooms in other cities and this one seems to be a more upscale one compared to the others that I have been to. Â I ordered the jerk chicken pizza, and while it was a little spicier than I am normally used to, it was still very good. Â
The drink specials were pretty good as well. I believe I had four drinks while I was there, and combining those with my food order, the bill came out to $25, which is reasonable.
This place definitely deserves four stars.
I've eaten at the Charleston location off and on since it opened a few years ago. Â Most recently, a large group of out-of-town friends and I met there since we figured it would be vegetarian friendly. Â It didn't let us down.
Some of our group had a fresh pizza, which they raved about. Â I had a sandwich which was fine, but the pasta salad was incredible. Â The pretzels are also well worth a try.
The only negatives are the noise levels and crowds. Â Just don't try and sit upstairs in the bar if you want to hear anyone at your table.
Here to ruin the party...
I am not a regular at Mellow Mushroom, so maybe my lackluster experiences are the result of bad luck? I have received abominable service EVERY time that I've gone to Mellow Mushroom. And, I can usually deal with slow service, but the acoustics make it impossible to carry on a conversation in the meantime.
And the decor? Hippie out of a can? I know that Mellow Mushroom started out as a funky hip establishment, but each franchise spawned has a little less character than the previous.
However, I cannot argue with the extent of the menu. If you are picky about your toppings, or beer, Mellow Mushroom has what you need.
Bad news for vegans: I've heard that some dairy-free ingredients at the Asheville location are not dairy-free in Charleston.
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