5 Best Bars in Charleston, South Carolina

This place doesn't seek attention—it won't even list its phone number. But with a soaring tin ceiling, exposed-brick walls, and a penchant for projecting black-and-white films onto the wall, the charisma comes naturally. An inventive cocktail menu served up by sharply dressed mixologists helps, too. Try their take on the spicy-sweet Brown Derby, a bourbon drink made with jalapeño-infused honey, or the Bells of Jalisco, featuring reposado tequila, more jalapeño honey, and lime juice. There's also a light menu of panini, charcuterie, and homemade Pop-Tarts.

This throwback speakeasy mixes signature craft cocktails and offers a respectable beer-and-wine selection to accompany Southern-inspired burgers, pork chops, and duck dishes. A ragtime jazz band plays in the early evening on weekends, then the tables are removed and a DJ transforms the dining room into a full-on dance club.

A tiny space belies big flavor at this classy cocktail bar that serves up custom drinks like the Bourbon & Clyde, melding Woodford and Old Forester with fernet, pistachio, and green chartreuse. The fancy amalgams are complemented by charcuterie and caviar, in an elegant, dimly lit room framed by wood and leather.

The cocktails here—frothy fizzes, slings, smashes, and juleps—are retro, some dating back to before Prohibition. The bartenders don bow ties and suspenders, but the atmosphere is utterly contemporary, with slick gray walls, butcher-block tabletops, and subtle lighting. The kitchen serves up small plates like oysters, arugula salad, and Coca-Cola--braised ham.

These cozy quarters on King Street, complete with communal tables surrounded by bar stools, bustle at happy hour and on weekend evenings. The bartenders here are among the city's best, equally skilled in classic cocktails and creative takes on new spirits.