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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8 spots

Commonhouse Aleworks

Park Circle · bbq

Commonhouse is the Park Circle neighborhood brewery, with an outdoor yard it calls CommonGround. Swig & Swine, the Charleston barbecue group, opened its fourth Lowcountry location inside the brewery as the food partner.

Firefly Distillery

Park Circle

Firefly runs its distillery and tasting room on Spruill Avenue in North Charleston with a concert lawn that hosts a seasonal series. The site lists a food menu and food trucks. City Paper readers named it Best Distillery for 2026.

Holy City Brewing

Park Circle · brewpub, raw bar, pub food, bar food, oysters

The Post and Courier calls it 'the mecca of family-friendly restaurants': covered outdoor seating, picnic tables, and beyond them a large area for children with a basketball net and full-size Jenga blocks, on a property that sits along Noisette Creek. The Walrus is the in-house raw bar. The venue lists four event spaces, live music on Fridays 5pm-8pm and team trivia on Wednesdays.

Madra Rua Irish Pub

Park Circle · irish

Madra Rua has been the Irish pub on East Montague Avenue in Park Circle since 2003, with Irish fare its site says is made from scratch daily. City Paper readers named it Best Authentic Pub for 2026. A second pub is in Summerville.

No Bull Burger Bar

Park Circle · burgers, american

No Bull opened in West Ashley in 2023 as a reworking of the Tex-Mex restaurant 3 Matadors, closed there without warning, and reopened in early 2026 in the former Southern Roots Smokehouse on East Montague. Owner Travis Glen runs it under the Lucky 17 Restaurant Group. The pitch is freshly ground burgers, hand-cut fries and hand-breaded chicken, with half-price burgers on Wednesdays and two-for-one on Tuesdays when The Post and Courier wrote it up.

Pinky & Clyde's Arcade Bar

Park Circle

Pinky & Clyde's is an arcade bar on East Montague Avenue with original arcade cabinets, signature cocktails and snacks. Kids are welcome on Saturdays from 12 to 2. City Paper readers named it Best Activity Bar and Best Arcade Bar for 2026.

Stems & Skins

Park Circle · mediterranean, tinned seafood, charcuterie

Stems & Skins opened in 2016 on East Montague Avenue in Park Circle and pours natural wine with Mediterranean-style plates, tinned seafood, charcuterie and cheese. Its site lists a 2026 James Beard Award semifinalist nod for Outstanding Wine Program, and Food & Wine called it one of America's most important natural wine bars.

The Tattooed Moose (Park Circle)

Park Circle · sandwiches, american, pub food, bar food

The Moose is known for the Duck Club ... duck confit, applewood smoked bacon, hickory smoked cheddar and garlic aioli on a Hawaiian roll ... and for a long craft beer list. Guy Fieri featured it, and the venue notes a 2024 return on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Its own site now lists two rooms, Park Circle and Johns Island, and the tourism office says it has been a local favorite since relocating to Park Circle.

What these spots are known for

The same bars spots, sorted by the reasons people actually pick them.

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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