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Charleston loves a good party, and the city boasts an ever-growing array of choices for a night on the town. The more mature crowd goes to the sophisticated spots, and there are many wine bars, clubs featuring jazz groups, and trendy lounges with craft cocktail menus. Rooftop bars are a particular Charleston tradition, and the city has several good ones. Many restaurants offer live entertainment on at least one weekend night, catering to crowds of all ages. The Upper King area has grown exponentially in recent years, overtaking the Market area in terms of popularity and variety of bars and lounges. A city ordinance mandates that bars must close by 2 am, so last call is usually 1:30.
Order a pomegranate, juiced on the spot and spiked with the liquor of your choice, at this casual but stylish hangout for wine, cocktails, and tapas. It's a coffee shop by day and a bar at night, but both iterations are distinguished by excellent service and impressive extras to go with your drinks.
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 establishment characterizes the craft cocktail movement with its "farm-to-shaker" seasonal selection of creative concoctions. The bar showcases exposed brick walls and wooden beams inside its lounge areas, though warm evenings are best spent outside on the rooftop patio. Inside, some of Charleston's best bartenders muddle and shake clever mixtures like the Dad Bod (Demerara rum, rye whiskey, Falernum, grenadine, and lime) and the Double Standard (a blend of serrano pepper--infused gin and cucumber vodka).
Two of Charleston's most respected sommeliers co-own this wine shop and oenophile haven that spins classic records and hosts live bands on weekends. The walls are lined with carefully curated bottles that can be taken to go or popped and enjoyed on the spot.
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.
An oceanfront bar with well-known rock bands performing on the raised stage, the Windjammer attracts a mix of young people just out of college, salty locals, and visiting tourists. Expect to pay $10--$25 admission when there's a live band, but if you sit on the back deck there's generally no cover charge.
