50 Best Cocktail Bars near Johns Island

“the food is delicious and different from other restaurants. the staff is so friendly and the outdoor atmosphere is wonderful. I highly recommend this restaurant for dinner or a nice night out at the bar.“

“I have coined a phrase “I’m Loyal to Royal”. As a foodie, when it comes to quality food, fresh seafood , great ambiance and amazing staff they have no equal! In the past two years my mission was to try every item on the menu. Finally accomplished that feat and Royal Tern is still a 5 star rating. They also have non-menu specials that knock it out of the ballpark“

“The little hiding piece of perfection was awesome! Food, we had banners and corned beef, was delicious. Bartender was constantly making sure we were good. Servers was friendly and helpful.

Other than the perfect lighting, great selection and staff my only thought was some Irish music would have set a better tone.

Side note : save a little room for a small frozen yogurt next door. They staff was great too and their yogurt delicious!

Thank you for the experience.“

“I have been meaning to write a review for this place, we had such a great time there on Sunday, May 4th. Kiet and Claudia were very friendly and helpful. Kiet took us in the back and showed us around. We chatted about spirits and tinctures and everything else for quite some time, he was very knowledgeable! Please visit this spot if you want to learn more about and enjoy the craft. We loved it here!! (Bonus pts for a fun cocktail menu)“

“Love sitting outside and watching the boats come in and go out… ♥️“

“Spent several late afternoons/early evenings at Doar Bros. last week and had a great time! Jake and Stephen are artists in creating phenomenal craft cocktails! JD, one of the owners, very personable and welcoming! All great guys! If you're in to cocktailing, no trip to Charleston is complete without a stop at Doar Bros.! Cheers!“

“The food was excellentellent and the atmosphere was great. Was a great dining experience for our mother-daughter trip to Charleston“

“Had brunch today. Food was good. The chicken and waffle was really tasty.“

“My husband and I sat at the bar and were pleasantly surprised by the cocktail engineers helping us navigate our lunch. We started with drinks and an order of calamari; prices seemed high, but we are always willing to pay for superb experiences, after all, this is our first time in Charleston, thus our first time at Bar167. The place was packed; everyone was chatting with one another, along with the friendly staff. Between my husband and I, and the new friends we made, I think every cocktail on the specialty menu was made and sampled. The cocktail engineers were knowledgeable, attentive, and welcomed all the questions (no matter how dumb they were). We had the crab roll and the fish sandwich – did not disappoint! CAN I JUST TELL YOU, the damn Tzatziki Drink was unexpectedly amazballs.
This was a great place, if we are ever in the area again, we will be there“

“I found out about Southbound, through my job. I had to go do some work there, and found the owner and everyone there, super friendly. Most people at restaurants ignore working people while they are there. As my 42nd anniversary was quickly approaching, I decided to give this place a try. Some of my past picks, have not been the best. Southbound cleared EVERY hurdle I have about restaurants. From the moment we approached the restaurant, great service began! While coming thru the gate, the hostess yelled out, "HEY LARRY" and then said, "This must be your beautiful wife"! Like CHEERS, it felt great to go somewhere, "Where everybody knows your name" We were seated and got to view the open fire oven. I had dropped off 42 roses the week before for them to put on our table, for my wife. Tropical storm Debbie, and downtown flooding prevented us from going exactly on our anniversary. I was worried that store bought roses, would not last thru the weeklong delay, Joel assured me everything would be taken care of, and not to worry. As we were seated, there on the table, sat 42 roses. Fresh, and arranged with baby breath flowers included. I was told the young lady with the hostess had arranged them. They were gorgeous! They also had an anniversary card on the table from them, not something I had dropped off. The service was tremendous, the food indescribably outstanding! I have only had steak Tar Tar once before in my life, and was greatly afraid to try it again, as the first time was awful. It was superb! They take great pride in the presentation of their food products. I felt like I was in an episode of Master Chef. We had the steak, as well as the Sea bass, okra, corn, sweet potatoes, and the Caramel cake. Everything absolutely wonderful! This was a truly wonderful and memorable dining experience!! I would give 100 stars, and a Siskel and Ebert two thumbs up! There was only one thing I was disappointed about. No sweet tea! Were In Charleston SC, no sweet tea. Everything else totally made up for it though. The staff even had everyone present sign a menu, wishing us a happy anniversry1 I will most definatly go there again for a special occasion. Thanks to Andrew, Joel, and the entire staff, for making this night special!!“

“The Dewberry Charleston's rooftop Citrus Club is stunning, and I am totally obsessed with this place. I recently visited with my boyfriend + some friends of ours while in Charleston, SC and we had the absolute best experience!! Our waitress was so sweet - she was attentive, kind, and took excellent care of us during our visit. The atmosphere inside of the Citrus Club is so chic and luxurious, but their outdoor rooftop space is the reason you must visit. There are perfect views of Charleston's incredible architecture from every single angle of their rooftop (as pictured in this review). You are at the best spot in the house, regardless of where your table is located. For cocktails, I highly recommend their Spicy Margarita. Regarding their food menu, their Grilled Seasonal Vegetables and Hamachi Tataki are both excellent! :-) We will be back, Citrus Club - thanks for the hospitality!“

“OMG, The food, service and overall experience was amazing. Dan and the guys behind the bar made sure it was an excellent experience. Will be going back every year on St. Patrick’s day.🍀“

“Stopped by on a whim. Excellent drinks, good food. Corn bread WONDERFUL surprise.“

“The atmosphere was nice the food was amazing and the drinks were delicious! Also the dessert was yummy! Nice place to relax eat good food and unwind!“

“We are staying in the hotel and have loved a relaxed afternoon in the lounge. Service is 10 star. All the team are amazing and go above and beyond. If your looking a welcoming place to relax then look no further

Parking: There is a hotel valet service and I think street parking

Kid-friendliness: The cookies are amazing and fresh baked. It is an adult space but children are very welcome.“

“Exceptional wine selections in self serve machines and an owner that is extremely knowledgeable about wines throughout the world! Great service and a wonderful positive vibe. I can't wait to go back!“

“Dalila's was stop number 2 on our DIY Cocktail Crawl. We were told it was somewhat of a dive bar and very small. Small but MIGHTY! 💪
The atmosphere was fun and unique and the bartenders were friendly.
We were only in for 1 drink, but easily could've stayed longer.
🍹I had the Pin Up from their Happy Hour Menu (Monday - Saturday 5-7pm). It was very reminiscent of a Pornstar Martini, just lacking the vanilla, but this was GOOD! So fresh and so full of real flavor, not just sugar. I'd 100% order again.
🍵 Hubby had The Cougar and also enjoyed it.
They had a Pizza Martini on special that I would've tried but I wasn't feeling savory. Maybe next time?
Definitely put on your list to hit up for happy hour!“

“Lowlands was a fantastic find! I chose it because it was within walking distance to an event, though it wasn’t initially recommended. I was pleasantly surprised by the ambiance, food, and exceptional service. We sat at the upstairs bar, where Avery took great care of us. Thank you, Avery, for making such a great first impression! We’ll definitely be back.“

“Wonderful ambiance and service. Fantastic drinks!“

“Unique cocktails; friendly knowledgeable waitstaff“

“I've only been there during the day and it was always really nice. Nice group nice crowd bartenders for amazing. Went on super bowl Sunday and they watch the game I just watched the puppy game and went home. Been there a long time now The owner had passed and his daughters are running it definitely visit them it's a great place. I did not order food so I don't know what they have. But I'm sure they have food cuz that's our kitchen. Very friendly

Parking: Plenty of parking behind the restaurant is where you find the bar

Wheelchair accessibility: It is a slab building I think so easy wheelchair slope to get in with wide doors. Outside smoking area very accessible. Nice place“

“Amazing food and awesome staff. Highly recommend.“

“Gorge was possibly the greatest host I’ve had At a bar. We mentioned it was our first time and he generously gifted us a shot that was absolutely wonderful. Each drink is so layered and personable that I feel like I’m tasting a story. Making this my weekly regular, even if just for Gorge’s superb company. What an incredible team and gem of a speakeasy. I understand what’s it’s like to really taste liquor instead of just consume. Amazing!!!“

“We enjoyed oysters, yellowfin tuna, clam chowder, steak and the fish basket plus some delicious drinks! Service was amazing as well as the entire experience. Highly recommend!“

“The staff was amazing. It was our anniversary and the GM personally came to our table and poured us a glass of Champaign to celebrate. They also gave us a free dessert. The hostess, wait staff, and GM all took time to wish us a happy anniversary. The food was amazing as well! Overall it was a great dining experience!“

“literally everything we had here tonight was fantastic. the calamari strips are some of the best calamari I have ever had. the drinks were wonderful. I had this seard fish with the succotash which was so good. my boyfriend had the pot roast melt and loved it. the owner was absolutely fantastic. we will definitely be back repeatedly!“

“Stepped out of our typical places to eat to try Azur and we were really impressed. Food, drinks, and service were all top tier. Pedro and Chris were great bartenders who made sure our experience was absolutely excellent.“

“This is a MUST!! It’s like a beautiful art museum as soon as you enter, beautiful exhibits!! It’s definitely a VIBE, mature crowd and the food was delicious!“

“Great places to eat and enjoy a good drink and people“

“Gin in my favorite libation…I’ll have to frequent this tiny bar more often.“

“Amazing food! My family and I went here yesterday during our trip to Myrtle Beach based on some recommendations I saw online...and this place exceeded all expectations!! All of us were beyond satisfied with our meals. Delicious flavors and good portion sizes too! We said we will come back to Myrtle Beach (from PA) just to come back here 😂. Great service, nice atmosphere, and the food is absolutely amazing! We wanted to get photos of our meals but we were so excited to dig in when it came out that we forgot all about photos! Go check this place out and see for yourself.“

“I have a long, productive day where I celebrating accepting a new job with CPI Security and hanging out with Dad today who lives adlund the corner on Society. Both my parents came here back in the 60's. It was phenomenal and very enjoyable! They staff killer - very friendly. Also, I'm a former craft cocktail bartender with a fairly refined palette and that Manhattan was fire! 🔥✌🏼“

“Amazing food and drinks with great service.“

“Amazing birthday celebration dinner.“

“Very cool atmosphere! Very romantic! Live music, great food! Definitely 5 stars from me! ⭐️“

“We went to Peacock for my Birthday dinner and it was amazing! This was our first time here but we will definitely be back! Aaron was our server and was so attentive and gave us the best recommendations for food to try. He knew about everything! From the appetizer to the dessert, everything tasted great! We split the Steak Frites and got the Blistered Green Beans as well. Oh my goodness, they were both amazing! The flavor of the steak and green beans were so great. Finished up with lemon cheesecake with blueberry compote and it was so good! It was a fantastic birthday dinner!“

“Incredible food with wonderful southern charm. Server and hostess were incredibly courteous. Great service, we had Dillon. I loved the halibut and spouse had the prime rib. Both of us put this food toward the top of our experiences.“

“Not just a meal, but an experience. My taste buds are still craving everything at Wild Common. I would go back in a heartbeat. The food, wine som, creative cocktails, and atmosphere are 5 stars!“

“Thank you for having Charleston Society of Horror yesterday for our monthly meeting! We had a wonderful time. The food was great, service was even better and we will be back.“

“The food was incredible and our server, Courtney B was outstanding!! Courtney helped us select the perfect items and she made it fun!! Awesome!“

“Phenomenal food and atmosphere. Get the “dessert bread” appetizer if you come. Had the grouper on special and it was incredible“

“Loved it. Great staff & awesome late night options. Cocktails were incredible!!“

“DELICIOUS food and EXCEPTIONAL service!! Miley the assistant manger met us with a smile and wonderful conversation. Our server Kyle was fantastic also!! The food though, omgosh, mouth watering goodness! Steak, salad, sides, all of it!! 20/10 thanks for a wonderful dinner, if we're ever back in Charleston, we'll definitely be back!!“

“Reviews are all over the place. We walked past on day one of our trip and thought the decor was really cool. The gal at the door was so nice and that made us want to go back. We just wanted a light snack and cocktails so we sat at the bar. It too entirely too long to get a drink. I mean to tell you we almost got up and left. It was not well run or organized at all. The manger was useless and the 1-2 bartenders were really not that busy. It was disappointing. we did like the tacos and our cocktails were inventive. Although they did not have fresh cut cucumbers for my gin and tonic. They subbed in cucumber juice, which is just not the same. The ceiling artwork and other wall art is really worth a look.“

“We had a wonderful experience last night at Bearcat. We had a rare "date night" and chose to sit at the bar while electing for the chefs tasting menu. WOW. The food was incredible, the service top notch and attentive. The whole experience was refined - plating, presentation, and even little history lessons while being served - but it was never "poncy" or "snooty" - it felt like anyone could come in, have an INCREDIBLE meal, fun conversation, and become part of the Bearcat family. We'll definitely be back- the scallops dish and the pork belly dish will be menu items I dream of until we return! P S. don't sleep on the cocktails! Whether ordering from the thoughtfully designed menu or requesting something creative from the bar team's minds - you won't be disappointed!“

“We adored this place! We accidentally found the downtown Charleston location during our stay there at a close AirBNB! We visited 3 times in our 2.5 days there. Then, we passed by the John’s Island location on our way to Kiawah and decided to make the 25 min drive the next morning for our coffee and pop tart fix! Great coffee, service, pastries, toasts and local drink and food finds!“

“Bottom line up front: Amazing food and great atmosphere!

I’ve been fans of Kwei Fei since back in the days of their pop ups at The Daily. They’ve always brought the heat (literally) and have been eager to try this new venture, Beautiful South.

Stopped in for Sunday Brunch and it did not disappoint. The char siu fried rice had that familiar wok char and was on point! Also had the char siu bao, salt and pepper pork, and shumai. It brought back memories of dim sum in the Bay Area (big compliment) but without the old lady that gets mad when u don’t like what she has on her cart! ?

Wish I had taken pics, but honestly was too busy eating!“

“Really wasn't in the mood for Mexican... but because of being hungry and it was convenient... we came in thinking by the name it was a steakhouse... thank god we did this. This has got to be the best we have eaten!!! Nacho piled high best tasting chicken on the tacos... ADDED bonus if you like heat and spice, this is your place. The salsa and /or the cheese dip is 10 out of 10, even though I could only stand a small amount.“

“Bar Vaute is speakeasy that nails both atmosphere and execution. The cocktails are nothing short of exceptional, with a menu that balances classic elegance and inventive flair. The bartenders are a standout, especially Lara, who’s not only skilled but brings a warm, welcoming energy.

Even when it’s packed (which it often is), service remains impressively quick and attentive. Seating is limited, and the space can get loud due to the close quarters—but that’s part of the charm. If you’re looking for a unique, intimate spot with top-tier drinks and a speakeasy ambiance, Bar Vaute delivers. If you happen upon the French quarter while you’re in Charleston give this place a shot. 🍷“

“Always amazing!! Cooking class with Chef Tyler was so fun!! Zero George is our go to in Charleston!“