Charleston’s Best Kept Secret: an intimate bar attached to the restaurant, a little over a block away. Enter from Smith Street. Seasonal happy-hour specials should be confirmed with the restaurant.
After dark
Charleston bars & rooftops
Find Charleston wine bars, cocktail rooms, neighborhood dives, and rooftops for an evening out. Use the descriptions and approximate walking times from 163 Queen Street to choose a stop, then check current details with the bar.
A tranquil European wine bar with a wonderful collection of people, excellent wines, and small bites.
A relaxed stop for a reasonably priced drink and a quick shrimp-and-grits appetizer.
High-end cocktails and local craft beer in the small brick house next to Husk. The full restaurant menu is available at the bar.
Excellent cocktails and a “boozy vacation on the Mediterranean coast” feeling. Dinner is possible, though the quality comes with matching prices.
A handsome European-style bar for wine, cocktails, and a refined late-afternoon or dinner drink.
A coastal Italian restaurant with a polished bar for spritzes, wine, and a few bites before dinner.
A historic pub with a famously good courtyard, local beer, and a reliably relaxed stop near Broad Street.
Multiple rooftop decks for everything from a lively crowd to a quiet view—the original guide’s go-to rooftop.
A polished, low-lit cocktail bar for a well-made drink and a more intentional night out.
A lively tropical bar at The Ryder, with frozen drinks, cocktails, and a more animated scene after dark.
A dive bar with signed dollar bills covering the walls, kind staff, and a satisfying, unfussy menu.
A hidden underground treasure in an old bank vault, with cocktails, wine, and interesting bites.
A polished, intimate cocktail room with a serious drinks program and plenty of atmosphere.
Salty Mikes
9 Lockwood Drive20 min walkA dive behind a gas station with some of Charleston’s best water views and surprisingly good-value drinks.
A cocktail-forward stop with easygoing staff and patrons—excellent for a premium pre-dinner drink.
Traditional service, cocktails, wine, and an art-deco-inspired lounge made for lingering.
The city’s highest rooftop bar, with citrus-forward cocktails, light bites, and sweeping skyline views.
A high-touch speakeasy feel with classic and modern cocktails.
Unexpected location, a wide cocktail list, and a good early-evening stop before it gets busy. The crowd tends to skew toward people in their 30s.
An approachable place to discover interesting wines and people alike.