Charleston Favorites Guidebook
Food scene
Excellent place to eat a good meal on the water. Beautiful ambiance and plenty of outdoor seating! Must visit!
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Tavern & Table
100 Church StExcellent place to eat a good meal on the water. Beautiful ambiance and plenty of outdoor seating! Must visit!
If you want a really good steak, you cannot go wrong with Burwell’s. It’s a personal favorite with excellent food and drinks. Love this place!
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Burwell's Stone Fire Grill - Prime Steak & Fresh Seafood
14 N Market StIf you want a really good steak, you cannot go wrong with Burwell’s. It’s a personal favorite with excellent food and drinks. Love this place!
This place is one of our very favorites in Charleston. If you like Lebanese/Mediterranean cuisine, you’ll love this place. Excellent service and food!!
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Leyla Fine Lebanese Cuisine
298 King StThis place is one of our very favorites in Charleston. If you like Lebanese/Mediterranean cuisine, you’ll love this place. Excellent service and food!!
Pick a Home Team, any Home Team! Some of the best BBQ in Charleston! My favorite locations are in West Ashley and Sullivan’s Island! Their painkillers are excellent!
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Home Team BBQ
2209 Middle StPick a Home Team, any Home Team! Some of the best BBQ in Charleston! My favorite locations are in West Ashley and Sullivan’s Island! Their painkillers are excellent!
Awesome place if you want to sit out on a rooftop and enjoy a couple late afternoon glasses of wine while watching the sun set over the city. This place is in a residential district so it shuts down early around 10.
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The Rooftop Bar at The Vendue
19 Vendue RangeAwesome place if you want to sit out on a rooftop and enjoy a couple late afternoon glasses of wine while watching the sun set over the city. This place is in a residential district so it shuts down early around 10.
Taco Boy
217 Huger StThe frozen screwdrivers are excellent!
This place has excellent dishes and the best whiskey/bourbon selection in Charleston!
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Grace & Grit
320 Wingo WayThis place has excellent dishes and the best whiskey/bourbon selection in Charleston!
Excellent dishes, large selection of oysters and the desserts are amazing! Love this place for a romantic date night. Great for foodies!
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NICO | Oysters + Seafood
201 Coleman BlvdExcellent dishes, large selection of oysters and the desserts are amazing! Love this place for a romantic date night. Great for foodies!
Excellent Italian and pizza place. Cocktails are uniquely crafted and ingredients made in house! Highly recommend!
Gale Restaurant
601 Meeting StreetExcellent Italian and pizza place. Cocktails are uniquely crafted and ingredients made in house! Highly recommend!
Great food and drinks! Definitely a spot to hit up if you are going out downtown!
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Mynt Charleston
565 King StGreat food and drinks! Definitely a spot to hit up if you are going out downtown!
Excellent coffee shop with a peaceful atmosphere! If you’re looking for another good coffee spot in Summerville, this place is it!
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Cuppa Manna
100 S Main StExcellent coffee shop with a peaceful atmosphere! If you’re looking for another good coffee spot in Summerville, this place is it!
Best nearby coffee and breakfast place! Their coffee is fantastic and you can take a couple of packs home with you if you really enjoy it!
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Coastal Coffee Roasters, Inc.
108 E 3rd N StBest nearby coffee and breakfast place! Their coffee is fantastic and you can take a couple of packs home with you if you really enjoy it!
Brand new to the Charleston food scene! Mexican, sushi, tequila and sake bar. You won’t regret it. Get your reservations ahead of time!
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MESU
570 King StreetBrand new to the Charleston food scene! Mexican, sushi, tequila and sake bar. You won’t regret it. Get your reservations ahead of time!
Pricey but worth it! Get a steak and the lobster Mac n’ cheese! Great cocktails and excellent service!
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Halls Chophouse
434 King StPricey but worth it! Get a steak and the lobster Mac n’ cheese! Great cocktails and excellent service!
Excellent southern dishes, a classic Charleston favorite! Sit out on the patio under the lights if you can. Very romantic.
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82 Queen
82 Queen StExcellent southern dishes, a classic Charleston favorite! Sit out on the patio under the lights if you can. Very romantic.
Excellent food and cocktails. A local favorite!!
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Langdon's Restaurant & Wine Bar
778 S Shelmore BlvdExcellent food and cocktails. A local favorite!!
The Jetty Lobster & Raw Bar
Excellent place to get a good lobster roll!!
Great oyster bar, excellent dishes and a laid back atmosphere!
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Rappahannock Oyster Bar
701 E Bay StGreat oyster bar, excellent dishes and a laid back atmosphere!
Excellent Italian food and well worth the drive! Make sure to make reservations!
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Wild Olive Restaurant
2867 Maybank HwyExcellent Italian food and well worth the drive! Make sure to make reservations!
Want to hang out by the water and drink afternoon cocktails while the boats float by? This is the place! Great outdoor bar!
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Saltwater Cowboys
130 Mill StWant to hang out by the water and drink afternoon cocktails while the boats float by? This is the place! Great outdoor bar!
Another beautiful rooftop bar with awesome food and cocktails!
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Eleve Rooftop Restaurant & Lounge
55 Wentworth StAnother beautiful rooftop bar with awesome food and cocktails!
Coast Bar and Grill
39D John StHave always loved this place for a good seafood meal!
If you like soul food, you’ll like this place. A local favorite!
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Anson Restaurant
12 Anson StIf you like soul food, you’ll like this place. A local favorite!
Muse Restaurant
82 Society StExcellent dishes and lovely spot for a romantic date night!!
Best sushi in Mt Pleasant! Excellent cocktails! Love Locals!
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Locals Mt Pleasant
1150 Queensborough BlvdBest sushi in Mt Pleasant! Excellent cocktails! Love Locals!
The Obstinate Daughter
2063 Middle StPoe's Tavern - Sullivans Island
2210 Middle StThis place has some excellent burgers!
If you want sushi before a night out on the town, this is it! Very popular spot on King.
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O-Ku
463 King StIf you want sushi before a night out on the town, this is it! Very popular spot on King.
Great food, great cocktails! Used to be an old church! Very unique atmosphere!
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5Church Charleston
32B N Market StGreat food, great cocktails! Used to be an old church! Very unique atmosphere!
It’s close by and the food and service are excellent! They have some very unique dishes!!
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843 Korean BBQ & Sushi House
6601 Rivers AveIt’s close by and the food and service are excellent! They have some very unique dishes!!
Tiki Taco
7089 Rivers AveHole in the wall with excellent tacos!! Also close to the house!
Sightseeing
Absolutely stunning piece of gorgeous Lowcountry landscape.
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Magnolia Plantation & Gardens
3550 Ashley River RdAbsolutely stunning piece of gorgeous Lowcountry landscape.
Patriots Point
40 Patriots Point RdThis is always a fun thing for the kids to do.
Gorgeous backdrop. Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds were married here. Popular photograph experience. Gardens are gorgeous.
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Boone Hall Plantation
1235 Long Point RoadGorgeous backdrop. Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds were married here. Popular photograph experience. Gardens are gorgeous.
Middleton Place
4300 Ashley River RdCome and take your Charleston group pics and family photos in front of the historic pineapple fountain!
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Famous Pineapple Fountain
1 Vendue RangeCome and take your Charleston group pics and family photos in front of the historic pineapple fountain!
A must visit, especially if it’s your first trip to Charleston! Love walking this park in the evenings!
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I-Battery
A must visit, especially if it’s your first trip to Charleston! Love walking this park in the evenings!
Love strolling around Riverfront Park on a spring or early summer day!
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Riverfront Park
1061 Everglades AveLove strolling around Riverfront Park on a spring or early summer day!
Beaches
The local beaches of Charleston are each unique and have their own feel. All of them have some great food choices to choose from also!
This beach is as laid back as it gets. Friendly locals and tourists fill the many bars and restaurants that can be found out at Folly. Awesome place to spend a beach day! Make sure you drive out to the lighthouse if you plan on going! Such a special little beach!
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Folly Beach
East Ashley AvenueThis beach is as laid back as it gets. Friendly locals and tourists fill the many bars and restaurants that can be found out at Folly. Awesome place to spend a beach day! Make sure you drive out to the lighthouse if you plan on going! Such a special little beach!
I love this beach for its beauty and the food choices! Excellent cuisine! And the Windjammer is the happening place for bands to keep the nightlife going! Love IOP!
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Isle of Palms
I love this beach for its beauty and the food choices! Excellent cuisine! And the Windjammer is the happening place for bands to keep the nightlife going! Love IOP!
Great beach and some cool sights to see! There are also several excellent restaurants to hit up here!
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Sullivan's Island
Great beach and some cool sights to see! There are also several excellent restaurants to hit up here!
It’s a bit of a drive to get out there but once you take that drive, there is a whole other beautiful place to explore! Love spending time with friends out on Kiawah!
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Kiawah Island
It’s a bit of a drive to get out there but once you take that drive, there is a whole other beautiful place to explore! Love spending time with friends out on Kiawah!
Seabrook Island
Connects with Kiawah
If you take a day trip out to Seabrook Island or Kiawah for golf or beaches/sight seeing, you’ll want to stop here for food! Lots of little shops to explore also!
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Bohicket Marina & Market
1880 Andell Bluff BlvdIf you take a day trip out to Seabrook Island or Kiawah for golf or beaches/sight seeing, you’ll want to stop here for food! Lots of little shops to explore also!
Nightlife
This is one of the hippest places in town. Excellent drinks and food! This place turns up around 10:30/11!
Go early if you’re visiting on a weekend night. There is typically a line on the weekends. There is also a cover after a certain time so take cash.
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Republic Garden & Lounge
462 King StGo early if you’re visiting on a weekend night. There is typically a line on the weekends. There is also a cover after a certain time so take cash.
If you want to go dancing and have a few cocktails, Mynt is one of the hot spots! Their mojitos are excellent! Make sure to take cash as most bars have cover charges.
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Mynt
135 Calhoun StIf you want to go dancing and have a few cocktails, Mynt is one of the hot spots! Their mojitos are excellent! Make sure to take cash as most bars have cover charges.
Have a nice meal and then mosey upstairs to the rooftop to enjoy a few cocktails while you watch the sun set! One of my all-time favorite rooftop bars.
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Stars Rooftop & Grill Room
495 King StreetHave a nice meal and then mosey upstairs to the rooftop to enjoy a few cocktails while you watch the sun set! One of my all-time favorite rooftop bars.
Excellent place to stop by for some after dinner cocktails and music!!
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Uptown Social
587 King StExcellent place to stop by for some after dinner cocktails and music!!
If you like comedy and improv, this place is it! I’ve never had a time I wasn’t hysterically laughing the entire time! Get your tickets early because the shows sell out fast! Especially on the weekends!
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Theatre 99
280 Meeting StIf you like comedy and improv, this place is it! I’ve never had a time I wasn’t hysterically laughing the entire time! Get your tickets early because the shows sell out fast! Especially on the weekends!
Fun, laid back atmosphere where you can frequently find local live music and events going on!
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Container Bar
2130 Mt Pleasant StFun, laid back atmosphere where you can frequently find local live music and events going on!
Excellent rooftop bar and nightlife. Have dinner downstairs and then walk up to the roof for some after dinner cocktails! Great atmosphere!
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Stars Rooftop & Grill Room
495 King StreetExcellent rooftop bar and nightlife. Have dinner downstairs and then walk up to the roof for some after dinner cocktails! Great atmosphere!
Love hearing local music out at the windjammer! Great place if you’re looking for a laid back beach bar!
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The Windjammer
1008 Ocean BlvdLove hearing local music out at the windjammer! Great place if you’re looking for a laid back beach bar!
If your looking for a fancy cocktail and a fancy space, this place is it! Very cool vibe and atmosphere.
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Bourbon N' Bubbles
570 King StIf your looking for a fancy cocktail and a fancy space, this place is it! Very cool vibe and atmosphere.
Small plates and specialty cocktails are their thing! Love this place!
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The Gin Joint
182 E Bay StSmall plates and specialty cocktails are their thing! Love this place!
Cool, laid back nightlight with a very large selection of beers on tap.
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Bay Street Biergarten
549 East Bay StreetCool, laid back nightlight with a very large selection of beers on tap.
Vintage Lounge
545 King StExcellent wine bar!!
Activities
Charleston has some excellent fishing. This is just one of many charters that can take you offshore for the day!
Sea Breeze Charters
66 9th St WCharleston has some excellent fishing. This is just one of many charters that can take you offshore for the day!
Award winning food and beverages, fun for the whole family!!
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Charleston RiverDogs
360 Fishburne StAward winning food and beverages, fun for the whole family!!
Saltwater Cycle
8 Ashley Point DrIt’s like a bicycle booze tour, only on a boat!
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Ungaphuthelwa
The Historic Charleston City Market
The market is open daily from 9:30-5:30 and on Friday and Saturday evenings from 6:30-10:30. The weekends are typically packed so if you don’t want to fight the large crowds it’s better to go at night or on a weekday. This is one of my favorite places to find Charleston’s best artisanal and locally crafted foods, jewelry, coffee, spices, artistry, and misc. goods.
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Booking reservations for restaurants or boating events.
If you are traveling in the summer and especially on the weekends, it is good to make restaurant reservations a few weeks in advance. It is very difficult to find openings if you wait until the last minute. These places are in high demand right now and Charleston is a popular spring, summer, and fall destination.
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Summer packing
Charleston is hot and humid in the summer. Bring cool, comfy clothes and shoes that you’ll want to walk around in. Also be sure to bring a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen. And don’t forget your swimsuits, beach towels, and beach shade. We provide a few beach chairs if you decide to hit up the beaches.