50 Best Cocktail Bars near North Charleston

“come in as a stranger and leave as a friend!“

“Awesome bar. Great staff! Pool tables, darts, jukebox, lots of t.v.’s , non smoking inside, great renovations cold drinks and the a.c. Works EXCEPTIONALLY WELL“

“Great food! You can tell the products are fresh and made with pride! Had the tuna eggroll special, best one I've had! Sat outside but fans were on and was a nice night. Service was good. Will go back when visiting SC again!“

“servicio y frescura en los productos,“

“Finally!! Finally found a place in the greater Charleston area that can make a great margarita and queso. Being from South Tejas, I’ve been very disappointed with the Mexican food and margs here, I want fresh, not junk mix and bad tequila.
Go sit at the bar with Diego, he has fantastic recommendations and he’s a great bartender, quite impressed with his knowledge. I was only in for apps and drinks, but now I have to go back to Diego and other recommendations. Decor was great, bathrooms were very clean. It looks fancy, they’ve put a lot of thought it the concept. Great place“

“Whether you're looking for a chill spot to hang with friends or grab a quick bite to eat, this spot has you covered. The food is casual with care. ( hella good fries ) Always interesting craft drinks to choose from and the staff? It's like they only hire models, I swear. So if you're looking for a casual bite and some well crafted spirits or just wanna watch attractive people sling drinks, Sissy's the spot for you.“

“Just moved here from Cincinnati, Ohio, and this was my first time checking the place out. Honestly, they do service the right way here. The bartenders and the owner have such great personalities, I felt comfortable right away. I tried the Negroni and wow—it was one of the most well-balanced ones I’ve ever had. Crazy thing is, it was on draft, but it tasted like it was made hand-to-hand. Easily the best Negroni I’ve ever had.

I didn’t eat food this time, but everything I saw coming out of the kitchen looked and smelled amazing. The chef clearly knows what he’s doing—pumping out beautiful dishes nonstop. Definitely feels like a safe space, and they sold me on the very first visit. Can’t wait to come back!“

“Me and my fiancé were taking engagement pictures around park circle and saw this bar, the owner waved us in bc we really wanted to get some pictures in there because of the atmosphere. He was the absolute sweetest!!! They were all so kind and accommodating for us. Very thoughtful and made it so much fun for us. We will for sure be back to just hangout and grab drinks for sure!!!!“

“Doar Bros. absolutely delivers on every level.
From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere felt warm, stylish, and inviting the kind of place where you instantly know you’re in for a great experience.

The drinks were exceptional. Beautifully presented, perfectly balanced, and clearly crafted with attention to detail. You can tell there’s real passion behind the bar. Every sip felt intentional.

Service was just as impressive friendly, attentive without being intrusive, and genuinely welcoming. The team made us feel taken care of from start to finish.
Food, service, atmosphere all five stars. Doar Bros. isn’t just a spot to grab a drink; it’s a place you want to linger and enjoy. Highly recommend and can’t wait to come back!“

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

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

“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.“

“Fabulous. And if you're impatient, the sro.. best service in the house!“

“Ordered the tennis anyone cocktail and ceviche tacos - both were fantastic. That said, I ordered the ceviche tacos for lunch - they were under the shareable section of the menu. I was thinking there would be 2 normal size tacos. When they arrived I nearly spit my drink across the table because I was laughing so hard. There were 3 teeny tiny tacos. Delicious tacos but think a heads up that they are baby tacos would have been useful. Left with my stomach empty but heart full thanks to the view and delicious cocktail.“

“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 atmosphere and aesthetic at The Living Room are simply impeccable — that perfect blend of mid-century modern and classic Charleston sophistication. It’s one of those spaces that just feels good to be in.

I’ve been here many times for cocktails, and they always knock it out of the park. Thoughtful, balanced drinks served with real skill — consistently excellent.

On my most recent visit, I stopped in for lunch and was genuinely surprised by how good the food was. I already have high expectations, and this exceeded them. The brunch we had would easily rival (and frankly outperform) many of the top dinner menus in Charleston. Beautifully prepared, flavorful, and refined without being fussy.

It’s rare to find a place that nails both ambiance and execution across the board, but The Living Room does exactly that. Highly recommended.

Photos: Salmon Avocado Salad, Local Vegetable Galette, Creme Brulee Frech Toast“

“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!“

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

“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.🍀“

“We were kid free and decided to hit this little pub up for dinner. The atmosphere is amazing! It's hard to believe this place exists in the strip that it's in! There were booths as well as high top tables and bar seating. Very eclectic but kinda felt like we were in a pub in Ireland! There were games available as well as a patio. We could've easily spent all evening here!
My husband had a Guinness and he says it was perfect. I had a house mule and the inhouse ginger beer was top notch! A little sweeter than expected, though maybe it was the simple syrup.
The food was a bit disappointing though. The croquettes that were on happy hour (4-5:30pm) were good!
I had the Reuben with Tots and it was decent, but the sauce it came with was spicy. I half wonder if I got the wrong sauce. The tots were pretty good, nice and crispy and the seasoning was good!
My husband had the fish n chips. The breading was crisp on the outside but soggy on the inside and slid right off the fish. The fish was very dry. The fries were the best part of this meal.“

“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!“

“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.“

“Inventive twists on classic cocktails. We decided to check this place out as it was around the corner from our hotel and we were not disappointed. We tried several drinks between us and my favorite was the dream girl, which was a savory flavored daiquiri that sounds weird but works so well it had me wanting more! Duffy the bartender was great at explaining all the flavors and gave us some great local Charleston tips too!“

“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!“

“Unique cocktails; friendly knowledgeable waitstaff“

“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!“

“This is the best rooftop bar in Charleston. It’s so put together and feels like you’re in Architectural Digest. A beautifully executed interior is matched by the service and drinks. As a Charlotte native, I won’t skip this place on my trips down. Just incredible.“

“Food was amazing! Had the crab cake stuffed grouper. Hush puppies were awesome. Clifton our waiter was the best!“

“Absolutely love this spot. Jorge makes some of my favorite cocktails in Charleston. I genuinely tell my friends I hope he’s working every time we come! Dive feel with fantastic service, dim ambiance, great for a date night or cocktails with friends. Oh also happy hour deals slap and I love the $5 surprise cocktail.“

“Wonderful ambiance and service. Fantastic drinks!“

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

“Had a fish sandwich. Collard greens, slaw, fried oysters, and calamari. Outstanding. Collards off the chart. Service even better. 15/10 recommend.“

“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.“

“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!“

“Amazing birthday celebration dinner.“

“Natalie was amazing. Great food recommendations! Nice conversation and vibe. Enjoyed the experience.“

“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!“

“We had the most amazing night celebrating our 10th anniversary. The entire team went above and beyond and we left feeling so filled with joy—and OUTSTANDING food. Flavors that we never will forget and memories for a lifetime. WC team, thank you for making our first night in Charleston one we will never forget.“

“Excellent food and service!“

“Best seafood ever and I don’t particularly like seafood, but this was exceptional“

“Our waiter, Michael, recommended that we come here! He was our waiter at another restaurant and was so lovely we followed him here. The food was absolutely fantastic, also. My family split appetizers and sides and truly enjoyed every single bite. Michael gave us fantastic service as usual. I highly recommend him and this restaurant!“

“We recently visited Charleston and forgot to make dinner reservations, that’s when we happed on to The Royal Tern. Despite no reservations, they gladly seated us at a great table. The food was exquisite, everything from the Raw Bar, the fried shrimp, to the halibut. The halibut was prepared perfectly and was so unique; the ingredients worked together in delicious synergy. My cocktail was on-point, too. As a home cook, being able to watch the chefs prepare the meals was fascinating. Mad respect for their craft. Met one of the owners as he was making his rounds in the dining room, and he was a lovely person. He even printed a map w/shortcuts for us since traffic is so bad in the Charleston area. Highly recommend, will definitely be back next time we’re in town.“

“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.“

“My first time and will definitely not be my last! It was hard to decide what to order but I went with the Black Pepper Steak and it was amazing. I will say that you really need to love black pepper like I do as it is very peppery. Lovely atmosphere and pleasant staff!“

“The food was pretty good.“

“Great music, happy hour, and staff!“

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

“Our bartender Dave was absolutely fantastic. We were visiting Charleston for the weekend for Valentine’s Day and heard through word of mouth how good The Peacock was. We arrived and Dave immediately stood out — warm, funny, & attentive, to the point where we left for dinner and came back for a night cap. The Peacock is lucky to have him.“

“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! 🔥✌🏼“

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