Two Charleston, SC area restaurants stand out in customer excellence and loyalty

By Mark A. Leon

The two restaurants we will be featuring today are not typically on any foodie blog, not found on billboards at the international airport, nor on many Instagram reels, but stand out for high quality and intimate customer service resulting in high loyalty retention.

These two restaurants are Maya del Sol Kitchen (1813 Suite B, Reynolds Ave, North Charleston, SC 29405) and The Lowdown Oven and Bar (967 Folly Rd, Charleston, SC 29412). If you have not yet experienced either, add them to your culinary adventure wish list.

Maya del Sol

Local Chef Raul Sanchez (recently featured during opening night at the Charleston Wine & Food Festival), along with his colleague Tim brings an intimate global dining experience to their guests in a small family atmosphere that keeps you coming back week after week. The exceptional menu, which changes weekly, is small giving Raul an opportunity to put love into each and every dish that is prepared. Don’t worry, Raul and the team listen and respect the wishes of his guests, so if you have a favorite, they will find a way to ensure it remains.

This is where things get really special. Maya del Sol Kitchen offers a themed communal multi­-course dining experience created by Chef Raul Sanchez and guest chefs, highlighting a different nationality from Puerto Rican to Italian typically twice a month. These special reservation-only events pair exceptionally fresh food from traditional and unique recipes with drink pairings that make for a special night. Not only will you enjoy this one-of-a-kind dining experience, but may walk away with new friendships.

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Once you start coming back, you will see familiar faces and smiles and truly start to understand the importance of customer loyalty built around high-quality food and caring relationships.

The Lowdown Oven and Bar

I have been going to The Lowdown on and off for 7+ years and one thing remains, high-quality customer service, consistency, and quality. In fact, I left the area for almost 14 months to travel overseas and hike and when I returned, they asked where I had been for the last year. That is customer loyalty.

I want to talk a little about consistency and dedication to the customer. As prices began to rise in the Charleston community and sales dipped due to COVID, most restaurants had to raise their prices and/or drop their specials. Lowdown didn’t!

Since they opened you can still get the following:

• $1.75 Budweiser – All day every day
• Half-price cheesesteak sandwiches on Tuesday (Dine-in or Take-out) and $4.00 local drafts
• Half-price pizza and wine (glass or bottle) on Wednesday ((Dine-in or Take-out)
• Half-price burgers on Thursdays (Dine-in or Take-out)
• They are always dog-friendly
• Overall, prices have remained relatively unchanged with only a small increase to meet the rising cost of ingredients.

With outdoor seating, outdoor seating with an overhang, indoor booths and tables, a bar area, and community tables, Lowdown is a place where people come to meet, eat, drink, laugh, and spent time with community neighbors.

Over the years, we see groups of friends, clubs, dates, families, and neighbors fill the seats because they know they are welcome with open arms in a place where they know your name, the food is comforting, drinks are refreshing and the company is familiar and safe.

We are so thrilled to share these two restaurants that exemplify the Charleston way when it comes to Southern hospitality and customer care.