Upper King · $ · bar food, burgers

The Post and Courier's alphabet guide gives it the letter A and calls it one of the oldest of the city's dives, 37 years old when the guide ran. After a fire burned its original location it moved to 467 King Street in 2000, ahead of the redevelopment that became the Upper King nightlife district. The paper notes pool tables, affordable drinks, and that it is one of few downtown places serving food after midnight ... a dozen burgers, cheesesteaks, loaded fries and nachos.

Acme Lowcountry Kitchen

Isle of Palms · lowcountry, seafood, southern, breakfast

Acme describes itself as a no-frills beach grill with a full bar and deck serving Southern coastal cooking. City Paper readers voted it Best IOP Restaurant and Best IOP Brunch in 2026. A regular on r/Charleston says they always plug it for dinner and brunch that is not high-end.

Agaves Cantina

Daniel Island · mexican

A Mexican cantina on Island Park Drive on Daniel Island with a house cocktail list. The site's own structured data files it under Charleston, 29492.

Avondale Wine & Cheese

Avondale · cheese, charcuterie

Avondale Wine & Cheese has been pouring in the Avondale strip of West Ashley since 2006 and describes itself as female-owned. City Paper readers named it Best Wine Selection for 2026 and runner-up for Best Wine Bar.

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Estuary Beans & Barley

Johns Island · coffee, beer

Estuary roasts and sells its own coffee and pours beer under the same roof, open from 7am until 10 or 11 at night. It also runs workshops.

Tattooed Moose (Johns Island)

Johns Island · sandwiches, bar food, wings, pub food

Tattooed Moose is known for Mike's Famous Duck Club, which the site says was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, and for duck fat fries. City Paper readers voted it Best Fries in 2026. The kitchen runs late ... to midnight most nights and 1am on Friday and Saturday ... and the bar stays open to 2am.

The Speakeasy at Angel Oak Restaurant

Johns Island · southern, cocktails

A bar in a small building behind a roadside Southern restaurant, a few miles from the Ravenel line. The Post and Courier (16 April 2024) described it as a neighborhood hideout in a small structure behind Angel Oak Restaurant, with specialty cocktails, live music and most of the restaurant's food menu. Chef Jay Kees, a Culinary Institute of America graduate from Mississippi, opened the restaurant with his wife, Nicole, in 2012 and follows what the paper called a plow-to-plate philosophy using Johns Island farms. The restaurant's own site tells guests they can 'enjoy the speakeasy bar behind the restaurant'.

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Rooftops and Patios Can we sit outside? Live Music Where can I eat and hear a real band? Private Dining and Buyouts Can we take a room? Craft Cocktail Programs Who is taking the bar seriously? The Whole Family Table Will they be fine with a four-year-old? Late-Night Food What is still open? Seafood and Oysters Who is getting good product in? Vegan and Plant-Based Where can I eat with no asterisks?

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