Charleston is home to stunning waterfront views, deep roots in American history, and classic Southern cooking. It’s also home to the College of Charleston in the heart of downtown, making many bars and restaurants a magnet for college students. While the nostalgia for your college days may be everlasting, your idea of a perfect night out has likely changed as you’ve navigated post-grad life.
These seven Charleston nightlife destinations are ideal for unwinding with a cold drink and an actual place to sit down.
Henry’s on the Market
Henry’s on the Market is a historical landmark as the oldest continuous restaurant in South Carolina. Start on the first floor for dinner with the rest of Charleston’s visiting tourists (the she-crab soup here is to die for), then head upstairs for the party.
If you make a left at the top of the stairs, you’ll find yourself immersed in a speakeasy-style ambiance with twinkling chandeliers, wooden banisters, and a bar that looks so old, it could be the original. A right will lead you outside to another bar that spills into a regularly-packed dance floor, expect lively music and an energetic crowd. Climbing one more set of stairs will bring you to the rooftop terrace with plenty of spots to take a seat and overlook the city.
Dispensary
Image: Dispensary Instagram
Dispensary has all of the classic elements of a buzzing bar scene, but with one leg up for those of you who have been around the block. The minimum age to enter is 23 rather than 21, and while that may not sound like a big difference, it skips over the college crowd in favor of young professionals ready to throw back a few drinks and mingle.
Dispensary has a full bar inside with TVs and live music, and it wouldn’t be a Charleston classic without an outdoor patio. If you close down the bar on Wednesday through Saturday nights, they’ll help you recover with their brunch service.
Bangkok Lounge
Image: Bangkok Lounge Instagram
It’s a perk of being in your 30s: you care significantly less about what other people think of you. And what better place to be unapologetically yourself than at a karaoke bar?! Bangkok Lounge is tucked away on King Street, born as the divey love child between a tiki bar and an amateur music venue.
The bar opens at 5 p.m. every night and the line forms fast–to secure your spot, get there as early as you can or prepare to wait for a one in, one out process. On the bright side, you can spend that time conjuring up the perfect crowd-pleaser to sing first.
Blind Tiger
Another historic gem in downtown Charleston is Blind Tiger, an homage to secret drinking establishments across the city during the “anti-alcohol” movement in the late 1800s. At this age, we know that a great night out starts with a great meal, and luckily Blind Tiger has a fantastic menu. Grab a bite on the back patio surrounded by twinkling lights and exposed brick before moving on to their signature seasonal cocktails.
You can typically find a crowd here that is a quintessential balance of laidback and energetic, a perfect recipe for millennials to settle in and have a good time.
The Windjammer
You’ll have to trek shortly outside of downtown for this one, but it’ll be worth it. The Windjammer on Isle of Palms lets you take a break from the bar scene and sink your toes in the sand while jamming out, cold beer in-hand. While the live music venue itself may be unassuming from the outside, you may be surprised to find a lineup of recognizable names rolling through here. Seeing that Spotify artist you’ve long adored or your favorite 90s jam band backdropped with the Atlantic Ocean promises a memorable evening.
Turn your night at the Windjammer into a whole event, starting with dinner at any of the restaurants nestled in the quintessential beachfront Main Street nearby, or capping your concert with a slice from IOPizza Co. on your way out. Parking can be tough, so arrive early to avoid missing any of the action.
Uncork
Image: Uncork CHS Instagram
Back downtown we go to one of Charleston’s best bars for a girls’ night. Uncork Charleston is a wine bar where you serve yourself…sort of. After checking in, you’ll need to secure an Uncork card that allows access to a row of vino vending machines (it’s classy, I promise).
Simply insert your card and make your selection, then watch as the machine completes a perfect pour. There’s a menu for cocktails and bar bites, too, just expect less fanfare.
Ghost Tour
Image: Bulldog Tours Instagram
Spooky vibes are all part of the Charleston allure. When you’re ready to take a break from the bustling bar scene, get up close and personal with all of the city’s secrets through a guided ghost tour. There’s no shortage of tour operators to choose from, but we recommend starting with Bulldog Tours.
From jails to ships and graveyards, there are countless nooks and crannies crawling with spirits in Charleston. While some ghost tours include a bar crawl, there are beloved bar staples along the way on most tour routes to create your own. A few that we love to frequent are Tommy Condon’s, The Griffon, and The Rooftop at the Vendue.
For more insider tips on Charleston, click here.
