King BBQ sits in North Charleston as the barbecue-focused counterpart to chef Shuai Wang's Jackrabbit Filly. Wang grew up eating Chinese barbecue in Flushing, Queens, and opened King BBQ wanting more of that food in Charleston — the result blends Chinatown-style roasted and chopped meats with Southern smoke rather than picking one tradition over the other.
Service runs counter-style with first-come, first-served seating, keeping things casual. The menu has developed a reputation for flavor complexity across its Chinese-Southern fusion, and the fried chicken sandwich in particular has become a standout order.
The restaurant has drawn national attention since opening: Eater included it in the Eater 38, StarChefs named it to its 2024 Rising Stars class for Charleston-Savannah, and Bon Appétit named it to its Best New Restaurants list in 2024.
Service runs counter-style with first-come, first-served seating, keeping things casual. The menu has developed a reputation for flavor complexity across its Chinese-Southern fusion, and the fried chicken sandwich in particular has become a standout order.
The restaurant has drawn national attention since opening: Eater included it in the Eater 38, StarChefs named it to its 2024 Rising Stars class for Charleston-Savannah, and Bon Appétit named it to its Best New Restaurants list in 2024.