From a simple can of PBR to the most expensive Gran Cru follow our guide to what whets your whistle and sets you mood for the skinny peninsula after dark.
Drink Up
AC’s Bar and Grill467 King St., Charleston, SC 29401
This old favorite has been around for 20+ years and draws a more hardcore crowd than back in the day.
39 Rue de Jean39 John St., Charleston, SC 29401
The 30-and-over clientele looks beautiful at this “French bistro,” evening-out staple where the bartenders remember what you drink, the atmosphere is festive, and a limited menu is served until closing.
Big John’s Tavern251 E. Bay St., Charleston, SC 29401
The least downtown feeling of all peninsular drink-easies, this old institution is really gritty, but the patrons (often Citadel cadets and grads) and graffiti are entertaining.
Blind Tiger38 Broad St., Charleston, SC 29401
This busy pub by night has re-opened its kitchen in the last year and now serves a great casual lunch and dinner.
Blind Tiger:38 Broad St. 577-0088. On weekdays, this old pub draws a mellow crowd of regulars who work in the area. On weekends, it is a free for all where twenty-fivish regulars, post-weddingites, seventy-somethings, and upwardly mobile down towners all gather for revelry. Voted Best Pick Up bar in Charleston.
Blossom:171 East Bay St. 722-9200. A seafood restaurant with a Northern Italian spin serving lunch, brunch, and dinner and featuring a softly lit bar, and a spacious dining room with views of the open kitchen. Gourmet pizzas and pasta are big sellers. Don’t miss the signature Bellini cocktail. Free, tended parking. M–Sa 11:30am–3pm; Su brunch [...]
Chai’s462 King St., Charleston, SC 29401
Serving up tapas, wine and jazz, this scene-thick, scenester-rich bar draws a 30-something crowd who come for the vibrant refreshment and refreshing vibes.
Charleston Grill & The Thoroughbred Club:Charleston Place Hotel, 205 Meeting St. 722-4900. The two hotel bars of Charleston Place both offer live music nightly in an elegant, quiet setting. Food is served until 11 in each, and the desserts and after-dinner drinks are also a draw. The Thoroughbred Club offers tea from 2 to 4. website
Club Habana:177 Meeting St. 853-5900. This staid cigar bar serves great martinis and other libations in a refreshingly unpretentious manner and is a great spot for a drink before or after dinner. The thoughtful owners have taken care of everything, including the air—a state-of-the-art cleaning system removes any annoying smoke effluvia. Altogether, the good feeling is [...]
Club Pantheon:28 Ann St. 577-2582. A raucous dance hall option that opens only on the tail end of the week (F–Su from 10pm until) and caters to folks who don’t mind long, beat-driven house music and lots of guy-on-guy dancing. website
Coast:39-D John St. 722-8838. Grilled seafood, fish tacos, and friendly service are among the treats available at this renovated warehouse with 40-ft. ceilings and coastal decor. The efficient bartenders, surf movies, and deeply discounted wine on Sunday until 8pm open often make this a nightlife hot spot as well. No worries— the dining area, while [...]
Coast:39-D John St. 722-8838. This renovated warehouse with 40-ft. ceilings, a comfortable little side porch, surf movies, and unfinished wood achieves a comfortable “coastal” mood, which is just right for a cold beer or a good glass of wine. Sunday night is all the rage when the deeply discounted wine and fish tacos draw droves [...]
Cypress:167 E. Bay St. 727-0111. The upstairs bar puts the literal high in high-profile business drinks. The lavish, airy setting, silken service, and luxurious glasses are sure to make you feel every bit as important as you are. A limited view of the harbor and a wide selection of wines. website
Dudley’s:42 Ann St. 577-6779. If you abide by the gods of libertine lifestyle and pray at the altar of the Alternative, you will dig the Adams and Steves who frequent this small but energetic scene. Its Wednesday night karaoke is one of the city’s finest and definitely the campiest.
FIG:232 Meeting St. 805-5900. One of Charleston’s best restaurans offers a somewhat casual, unfailingly fulfilling (if subdued) bar scene. Try to grab a corner seat for people watching both in and outside of the bar, and remember to ask for the free apps. website
Fleet Landing:186 Concord St. 722–8100. This casual, fairly-priced standard with a varied menu of locally caught seafood, burgers, fish sandwiches, and daily specials may have the best view of any restaurant in the area. Located right on the water in a renovated 1940s Navy debarkation point, there is a bar inside and out, a huge porch, [...]
Fleet Landing:186 Concord St. 722-8100. The food at this casual, fairly-priced restaurant is tantalizing, but setting makes it a great spot for a drink as well. Located right on the water in a renovated 1940’s Navy debarkation point, there are bars inside and out, a huge porch, and views from everywhere inside. website
Fuel:211 Rutledge Ave. at the corner of Cannon. 737-5959. This former 50’s era filling station in Elliotborough was cleverly remodeled to retain its gas station infrastructure and vintage trappings. It is now equal parts Caribbean restaurant, bar, and bocce court. The retro modern character, wrap around bar and spacious ‘backyard’ make for the perfect hang-out. [...]
Henry’s:54 N. Market St. 723-4363. A Market Street fixture, big with the 30-something professionals for most weeknight happy hours. The weekend meat market is not as easily defined; the dress is still dandy, but the patrons are more UT than Vandy.
Il Cortile Del Re Wine Bar:193 King St. 853-1888. One of Charleston’s favorite hidden little restaurants now bows to Bacchus. The dark wood, somewhat rustic, inside bar is complemented by the sensuous, secluded outdoor patio. The scene vacillates between quiet to three rows thick to the bar for Friday’s happy hour.
King Street Grille:304 King St. 723-5463. Tuesday night’s live team trivia is just one of the big draws for this hub of the sports- and lower-back-tattoo-minded. With more stimuli than a Japanese cartoon, it tends to attract 21-somethings in the evening and a bit older professionals at lunch and happy hour. website
Mercato:102 N. Market St. 722-8393. The lure of a well-appointed glass facade in the Market brings you to Mercato, the expensive, expansive new-kid-on-the-fine-spirits/fine-dining block. Yep, a small fortune was spent to make this one of the best-looking bars in town. Now, the long, handsome bar counter, Venetian-plastered walls, velvety wines, and ultra lavish soft-lit environ [...]
Mistral:99 S. Market St. 722-5708. This treasured, if little-known, downtown nugget is actually a French restaurant (with a little bar off to the side) that spills live jazz, ragtime, and dixieland nightly. The highly-touted dixieland band brings patrons back in time and forward on the dance floor every weekend. website
Moe’s Crosstown Tavern:714 Rutldege Ave. 722-3287. If you are looking for a wings, burgers, and beer place that caters to an all-local crowd, this bar uptown in Wagoner Terrace is the spot. The favorite of many for its no-frills, neighborhood feeling.
Muse:82 Society St. 577-1102. Where there’s a muse, there’s a creative fire being stoked. While Muse as a restaurant has become the latest gustatory inspiration for the poetic of mind, the front bar is also worthy of many tipplers’ odes. Indeed, there is a breathe-easy, senses-awakening bar fitted with, well-measured bossa nova/acid-jazz music, windows and [...]
O’Hara & Flynn:225 Meeting Street. 534-1916. One of Charleston’s most respected wine shops now has a lovely little wine bar open until 10 Monday through Saturday. Aside from the delicious wines by the glass is the joyful fact that you can buy a bottle of wine from the store at the retail price and drink in the [...]
Oak Steakhouse:17 Broad St. 722-4220. Owner and local celebrity chef, Brett McKee’s penchant for taking things to the limit is a hundred percent evident in his sweeping, three-story Broad Street establishment. The venue is almost as dramatic as his food and always bustling with a well-heeled crowd. The restaurant specializes in huge steaks grilled over an [...]
O’Hara & Flynn:225 Meeting St. 534-1916. At the time of publication, A wine and cheese retailer. Be sure to check out the selection of European and American artisanal cheeses.
Pavilion Bar:South Market and East Bay (at the top of the Market Pavilion Hotel). In another attempt to attain Olympian heights, the Market Pavilion offers a rooftop bar with a fiber-optically lit pool as a centerpiece for its ambrosia-swilling patrons. Some of these folks are as figuratively lofty as they are literally, so if the city’s [...]
Pearlz Oyster Bar:153 East Bay St (downtown) 577-5755. 9 Magnolia Road (West Ashley) 573-2277. What can we say? Locals love Pearlz. It’s loud, its casual, the beer is cold, the oysters are cheap and the seats are comfortable. The dozen oysters on the half shell for $9.95 are a hands down favorite, but the menu features Crab [...]
Peninsula Grill Bar:112 N. Market 723-0700 Features a high-end bar that is a great place to sidle up before and after a fine meal, or, for that matter, simply to spend mealtime. Indeed, the bar affords patrons not only a great vantage point for some stirring views but also sensory-uplifting sounds and aromas. It isn’t huge, but, [...]
Poe’s Tavern:2210 Middle St., Sullivan’s Island. 883-0083. The freshness of the nearby Atlantic Ocean engenders an overall feeling of good cheer at this breezy and festive little beach bar/restaurant. The popular outdoor porch attracts crowds ranging from family folks to all-day drinkers. Some claim their ground-on-the-premises burgers are the best in the area. website
Purple Tree Lounge:36 N. Market St. 722-4222. If this were New York City, Purple Tree would be a “bridge-and-tunnel bar” whose patrons primarily descend on it from out-of-town vistas. They are there to dance, chat up the opposite sex, muse upon the fabled second-floor tree, and show off their finery. website
Raval:453 King St. 853-8466. A low-lit moorish style tapas bar on Upper King serving delicious tapas. In the early part of the evening the scene is mellow but this venue is one of Charleston’s most happening nightclubs in the later hours. Su–Sa 5pm–11pm. tapas $4–$6. website
Raval:453 King St. 853-4866. A Spanish-gothic mood-lit wine venue with dark wood, an imposing iron votive-lit chandelier, and delicious tapas. All of this plus the soft ambient music makes the mood just…until around ten. when the crowd picks up and the mixer makes sure things are muy festive. At all hours the Spanish wines go [...]
Red Drum:803 Coleman Blvd., Mt. Pleasant 849-0313. An excellent stop for those east of the peninsula in Mt. Pleasant. The menu’s inventive southwestern flair is a rarity for an upscale resto in Charleston. There is a large bar separate from the dining area that draws a big crowd on Wednesday and weekends and is perfect for [...]
Rooftop Bar at Vendue:22 Vendue Range. 414-2341. A really good spot to have a drink and watch the sunset or to be out in the evening breeze. You’ll find a crowd of mixed ages on the third floor lording over the harbor, enjoying the dramatic views and friendly vibe. website
Salty Mike’s:17 Lockwood Dr. 937-0208. This breezily shabby bar on the water is part of City Marina life and lore and attracts an intriguing hodgepodge of med students, preppy locals, and hardened mariners; its crowds range from mellow and sparse on some weeknights to brisk and large on certain other others, particularly those of official party [...]
SHINE58 Line St., Charleston, SC 29401
One of Charleston’s most stylish restaurant interiors, this spot on Upper King draws a great happy hour crowd
Social Wine Bar and Restaurant:188 E. Bay St. 577-5665 Small walls of Charleston closing in? Paparazzi becoming a nuisance? Take refuge at Social, the lofty ceilings and urban feel are a departure from the intimacy of our local haunts. Sip a cool cocktail while you peruse the wine list…and it is all about the wine here. Portions by the [...]
Social Wine Bar:180 East Bay St. 577-5665 Sitting along a smart cool bar with a tasty mushroom pizza and a carefully selected glass of either beer or wine is more than social, its spiritual. Enjoy perusing the extensive wine list or gaze out the large windows onto well-traveled East Bay Street. Whether or not the bartenders are [...]
T-Bonz Gill & Grill:80 N. Market St. 577-2511. Locals and tourists alike stop by T-Bonz on the Market for casual, dining and for their excellent signature beers (which are always nice and cold). American favorites like wings, burgers, super chill nachos, and bleu cheese potato chips are offered along with items with a Lowcountry flair… fried shrimp, she [...]
Taco Boy:15 Center St., Folly Beach. 588-9763. Moroccan light fixtures, a bar that spans the restaurant, and, of course, surf videos help create the festive atmosphere at this welcome addition to the Folly Beach restaurant scene. Reasonably priced, fresh Mexican-inspired food and great drinks do the rest. Begin with a 100% blue agave tequila, a top-shelf [...]
Taco Boy:15 Center St., Folly Beach 588-9763. The scene-sation for Folly Beach–bound hipsters and others speaks to the many dualities in life: This bar-restaurant is both a launching pad and final resting place for folks on the entertainment go; it is a Mexican-themed eatery but traffics in all things Americana; inside can be loud and crowded, [...]
The Griffon:18 Vendue Range. 723-1700. This Brit-style pub near the waterfront bristles with youthful occupants and glistens with rustic flavor; if there weren’t dart boards, the much-loved bar staff would surely become bull’s eyes for the many dedicated regulars. website
The Peninsula Grill:112 N. Market St. 723-0700. The list of national accolades celebrity chef Robert Carter has received goes on and on. Highly praised items include dishes from the champagne bar menu like the lobster “3-way,” seared fois gras and oysters on the half shell and, from the entree list, the benne-crusted rack of New Zealand lamb [...]
Torch Velvet Lounge:545 King St. 723-9333. Daring to wax South Beach while positioned on rumpled Upper King Street, this full-blown nightclub attracts beautiful locals who dig, or at least tolerate, the thump-thump music and the wrap-around bed in the dreamlike back room. The bar becomes particularly festive after 11. website
Trio Lounge:139 Calhoun St. 965-5333. Located at the epicenter of downtown, this establishment operates primarily as a dance club where crowds huddle and gyrate to live music; the upstairs bar offers a little more open space for those weary of the downstairs congestion. Open Th–Sa
Vickery’s:15 Beaufain St. & 1313 Shrimp Boat Lane at Shem Creek, Mt. Pleasant. 577-5300. The Sierra Nevada and many other brews flow freely at this coldest beer in town spot. One of Chucktowne’s greatest neighborhood bars with bartenders who are legends. Outdoor seating, and mountains of cheer. Favorites include burgers, fried calamari, oyster po’boys, and [...]
Vickery’s:15 Beaufain St. & 1313 Shrimp Boat Lane at Shem Creek, Mt. Pleasant 577-5300. The Sierra Nevada and many other brews flow freely at this coldest beer in town spot. One of Chucktowne’s greatest neighborhood bars with bartenders who are legends. Outdoor seating, food, and mountains of cheer. Favorites include burgers, fried calamari, oyster po’ [...]
Vickery’s:15 Beaufain St. & 1313 Shrimp
Boat Lane at Shem Creek, Mt. Pleasant 577-
5300. The Sierra Nevada and many other brews
fl ow freely at this coldest beer in town spot. One
of Chucktowne’s greatest neighborhood bars with
bartenders who are legends. Outdoor seating,
food, and mountains of cheer. Favorites include
burgers, fried calamari, oyster po’ boys, and
gigantic salads.
WXYZ bar at aloft hotel:4875 Tanger Outlet Blvd., North Charleston 566-730
If you are near the airport, or the Convention Center, you should swing by this hotel bar with a vibe. Everything from pints to Pinot Noirs including a list of quite tasty, not overly sweet drinks. Twilight everynight, and lots of special events. There is a pool table and [...]
WXYZ bar at aloft hotel:4875 Tanger Outlet Blvd., North Charleston 566-7300 If you are near the airport, or the Convention Center, you should defi nitely swing by this hotel bar with a vibe. Everything from pints to Pinot Noirs including a list of quite tasty, not overly sweet drinks. Twilight everynight, and lots of special events. There is a [...]
