Five star view. Two star everything else. And yes, if, like me, you love nothing more than to sip back a few while taking in a gorgeous view from atop a luxury hotel, do check out Pavilion Bar. Be prepared for not the kindest service, not the coldest Champagne and utterly meh food at a steep price. Enjoy all of this amongst a desperately hip (but failing to achieve this) crowd. I'm speaking more about the large groups of bachelorettes (or aspiring bachelorettes). Extra annoying when you consider the staff make a point to tell guys to remove their hats when they walk into the hotel downstairs. I'm sure that my friend's straw fedora would have detracted from the atmosphere of droves of squealing 25 year old scenesters prancing around the pool. I was compelled to leave, but I needed Champagne and a snack and a view. It had been a trying day of travel delays and missed connections, not to mention a hellish layover in Newark. Exploring the area on a Friday night was not going to be in the cards for Yours, Truly. We hovered briefly (hate doing that, but there's no hostess) as a table of three got up to leave. A somewhat sullen, brusque (but ultimately friendly, so I guess it was just her demeanor) waitress took our order. My friend had a glass of punch and I had Champagne. It was a hot night and that (plastic glass) of Champagne was not chilled enough. Under normal circumstances, I would have sent it back. I also ordered a vegetarian sandwich, minus the cheese and promptly emptied a salt shaker on top of it after trying in vain to get the humid salt to leave the shaker. Because I have all the grace of a bull in a China shop (did you mom used to say that to you, too?) I did enjoy most of my evening here, washing down the troubles of my travels and taking in the late night vista of Charleston's rooftops. It would have been nice if the waitress asked what was wrong with my sandwich. It would have been nice if after she took it away after I told her, no, I wouldn't be taking it home because there was a Tsunami of salt that had destroyed it, she had taken it off the bill. The prices here are steep. The service and quality of food/drink are more akin to a dive bar, I'm afraid. I'd probably give it another chance on a cooler night where I can just stick to red wine and the view. read more

I think there's a lot of missed opportunity and unrealized potential here. A rooftop bar in a great location with fun views should have better ratings. But, across the board things are just seen as 'okay.' Management, this is your clarion call to fix things. Or, not. I am sure you get enough organic traffic from the location and the bar being what it is to disregard the feedback. But, in case you feel like listening... Getting in to the bar needs to be a uniform process. When I arrived, I was stopped and instructed to take off my fedora. 1.) Fedoras are hot. 2.) They go well with the vibe of the bar but, your place your rules. 3.) If I had to take off my hat (not baseball cap or beanie), I'm expecting a super polished crowd. 4.) the cast of Party Down South was hee-hawing it up upon my arrival. Not acceptable. My stylish and classic hat was a concern, but Jethro and Ellie May have a stomp off while they hooted and hollered like they were in a Yosemite Sam contest was just fine? No. No, it's not. Get your process together. It smells bad as is. The view is what saves this rating. It's fantastic. Even on a muggy mid-summer night, sipping cocktails on a rooftop is never a bad way to spend an evening. I would suggest that the overall vibe of the space reflect the views. I know this is a hotel bar and, as such, the crowd is liable to be fairly disparate in taste and temperament. That said, creating a uniform experience from top to bottom would go a long way in achieving loyalty from locals and decrease the necessity of surviving off a tourist crowd. Lastly, the drinks. I was glad to see a punch on the menu. Tiki drinks, punches, swizzles, and all those fun drinks are back in style. Points for that. Points docked for the punch being a sugar juice bomb rather than an expertly-made drink that harkened back to the origins of said genus of beverages. My punch was less rum and much more grenadine and various juices. Just because a drink is fun doesn't mean that it should be served/created without the requisite care. Here's my feedback, PB. Feel free to take it or leave it. I hope you take it. You have potential. read more

The Pavilion Bar on the rooftop of the Market Pavilion Hotel in Charleston is a great place to have a drink and a snack or meal. The bar has one of the best views of any rooftop in Charleston as you get an almost 360 view of the city and can look out pretty far all the way to the river and bridge. I really like the vibe and atmosphere at this place as it is very laid back and relaxed and is a good place to wind down at the end of the day or have a business meeting at a cool place. The service here is awesome as the staff seems to be on top of everything and gets your order to you very fast and gets you everything that you need. Overall I have always had a great experience here and know it is available to have a good time. read more

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You know that scene in Animal House where the crew rolls in to see Otis and they know they are out of place before the door shuts behind them? Yep, that's how I felt here. Sure the view of the harbor and city is probably as good as it gets. Rooftop bar with pool, bar, chaise lounges and six top tables. Poor design. The pool area takes up most of the crowded rooftop. The tables were mostly half filled, but all taken. This led to that annoying hovering of vultures when we finally snagged one. It took a long time for our server to get us menus, then probably a half hour before we had our round. The vultures inched ever closer as our beers disappeared and just about had picked our bones clean when the server showed up with the bill that was actually ours. They may have been sitting at our table before we were done. Ridiculously overpriced too. Come for the views and unrivaled people watching. Debutantes, cougars, gold diggers, sugar daddys and Ken dolls with interchangeable polos, chinos and boat shoes. And I don't want you and I don't need you. Couldn't have put it better, MM. Outta here. read more

Worth 6 stars!!!! This is the BEST rooftop in downtown Charleston. We tried another one the first night we were there and this entirely overshadowed it. It's at the top of a hotel and it definitely has a posh and more laid back vibe (so super fast service). But the bar is stocked with all the best drink options and had fantastic food options. Not the place for children, as it's definitely one of the nicest bars in Charleston (6 different champagne options). The bar tenders moved fast and were definitely skilled. My boyfriend had a few different martinis and each one was more impressive than the first. All of this shadows in comparison to the view. You can see all of the harbor, the bridge, patriots point, downtown Charleston and most importantly it has the perfect sunset view (and vibe) we were able to find in the city. I highly recommend stopping here for a drink to enjoy the weather, view or your company. read more

Pavilion Bar - Bars Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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- Nice view - friendly staff - The heat works well on cold nights - drinks are on the expensive side read more

ordered the Asian salad.. worst salad ever. totally unimaginative. 21$ for tomatoes, iceberg, egg and sesame seed. your chef isnt doing a good job! here's a free lesson bro: add edamame, carrot, shredded red and green cabbage, and quinoa. and oh! ever hear of salt and pepper? read more

This is my favorite rooftop bar, so far, in the rooftop filled city of Charleston. Came up for a drink at my daughters suggestion and it was beautiful! The view was fantastic. All of the tables had huge umbrellas so you could be in the shade if you wanted. The pool (hotel guests only) and fountains made it feel refreshing. The drinks, priced at about what you would expect, were perfectly made. So disappointed that our last day here was marred by rain or I would have surely been back. Definitely on my list for the next Charleston trip. read more

I visited this bar while visiting the city for my family reunion. After the family meet and greet, a group of us decided to get together and explore the city. We took an Uber to Market St and when we looked up from the "Street Level" - we saw the lit rooftop that looked inviting. We decided to check it out. Upon arriving on the roof top - the music was good and the crowd was lively. After finding a table, we were able to take in the marvelous views of the city, it was beautiful!! Now, let's get to the good stuff: Service: Quite good considering the large crowd. Drinks: OK - not great Price: Terrible - especially when the drinks aren't top notch!! After speaking to locals, I see that this place is not frequented by residents with good sense because the drink range was around $14-$20. This place is good to end your evening after having reasonably priced drinks elsewhere - you can top off the evening with one last drink and end your night on a good note taking in the views - this is what it is all about anyway...right!! BTW - didn't have the food, but if the drinks are this pricey..I can only imagine the food prices. read more

Beware of the roof top bar. When we arrived on an 80 degree day we were told we could not sit at the only few tables that were in the shade. So we sat at a table in the sun and baked while we observed several parties of 4 or more walk away after they were told the same. Shortly after my wife and I finished our cocktails and walked to the shady area to make a phone call. Within minutes one of the servers came over and told us we could not stand there. I then asked for the manager as I thought someone in power should know that they are losing business. This guy (if I'm not mid-gendering) says to me with an attitude "are you trying to tell me how to do my job" I replied "NO" I just want you to know that you're losing business, but I see you don't care. So my advice is there are lots of roof top bars that are more accommodating I would go there instead. read more

Cool spot to see the city and have a drink. Down side to this place is how breezy it is. I imagine it to be quite cold outside of the summer months. Drank a Yuengling and took in the view. There were several tables full up there and a dozen birds bathing in the infinity pool. I can only imagine how the fireworks must look up here on the 4th of July. read more

Visited the pavilion bar on a Saturday night over the Christmas weekend. There is ample street parking which is metered. You just have to be lucky to find one though. The bar is located inside the hotel and you'll have to take the elevators inside which are located just past the front desk. It was very chilly and windy the night we visited but were glad to see covered rooftops and gas burners at every table. They have a huge selection of drinks and food to choose from. I just went for a Stella and my wife ordered a wine as we only came here for the view and the cold made it impossible to stay longer. Mind you, they serve drinks in plastic glasses as it's very close to the pool. read more

Pavilion Bar - Bars Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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We had the most amazing time on the pavilion bar! Our waiter Justin was AMAZING! So kind and so attentive to our needs and wants. Unfortunately I left my CC there, Justin was there again, he knew he turned it in, told me to talk to the bar manager, who was so rude to me that the women sitting at the bar cashed out and left. They followed us out, asked if I found my card, and told us they would not give any more of their money who was so rude! If you go, sit in Justin's station! Stay away from the bar manager!! read more

Don't understand the overall rating given that as a rooftop bar, this place exceeded all our expectations. Great setting, large enough to not fill packed and for guests to be able to seat if they want to. I can see how this place could become a bit rowdy with a bunch of bachelor(être) parties but our experience was a good balance of party and relaxing scene. I definitely recommend it and I'm going back tonight. read more

On a weekday happy hour, the bar is crowded, but plenty of seating made finding a table easy. There is a fairly substantial bar menu, table service, and smoking is allowed. The music was 80s pop (think Wham!) and the crowd was varied from people in jeans to dressed-up yuppies, with an wide age range. The facility also appear handicapped accessible and we saw a handful of individuals in wheelchairs. It was a fairly mellow scene (minus the music) and the views of the city and water were gorgeous. It's a good spot to spend an hour or so before dinner. The one downfall and the reason for 4 stars instead of 5 was the poor beer selection. If you want something other than the standard American 5 beers (e.g., Bud, Bud Lite) or anything more exotic than Corona (which was their only foreign/non-lager), you're out of luck. A real happy plus for me was the presence of power outlets at each table. They're for the umbrella lights, but it was day time and they weren't plugged in yet, so I got a chance to juice up my iPhone! read more

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Long wait, unfriendly service, and expensive food for a half empty beer and undercooked fries. read more

Pavilion Bar - Bars Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

If I could give this bar 0 stars I would. The servers were nice enough (Shout out to Justin for saving our day yesterday) Every bartender I've encountered at this property has an attitude of superiority. I've been staying on property, this our 3rd day. I haven't heard a good morning or good evening or even seen a smile from any of the bar staff. I said good morning to the bartender and he pulled his ear buds out and rolled his eyes. I'm sorry to be inconveniencing you with my husbands beer order. (Bar doesn't open by pool until noon is reason enough to never stay here) I certainly don't recommend this bar or hotel for that matter. When you're paying $650 a night and your staff is as uninviting as they have been, I don't foresee many repeat customers. read more

So dumb the 'velvet rope' crap out front. They make you stand outside to finally be let up to an EMPTY BAR!!! Come the F on. Let the servers and bartenders make the money they want to make!! You might be able to get the help you need if you stop prohibiting their tips. read more

Nice rooftop bar/restaurant. I didn't order food but the Mojitos I ordered were good. A little overpriced, but you're paying for the view so that's expected. Nice drink sizes, at least! read more

Pavilion Bar - Mojito ($15) - Bars Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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One afternoon during a long weekend in Charleston this summer, I was scouting areas of the city for subsequent sightseeing while my wife got a mid-afternoon nap. It was quite hot, and I'd seen good reviews for this place. I took a break (and a seat) and enjoyed a cold martini and great views of town and the harbor for a few minutes. The bar wraps around the pool area on the roof of the hotel. I entered the hotel lobby and just asked someone at the front desk about the bar. They were very helpful and immediately directed me to the elevators. Once on the roof-level, all I saw from the hallway outside the elevator was the pool, but once I exited to the outside, I immediately saw the tables for the bar. Service was prompt. I enjoyed a cool drink and the umbrella's shade as I reviewed a slew of photos I'd taken earlier in the day. I snapped a couple from my table also. The martini wasn't cheap (I think it was $15) but you're paying for the location and view. I can't speak to what this place is like later in the day / after dark, but would certainly be open to coming back. read more

This was a really solid rooftop that I recommend checking out in Charleston. Their food selection isn't the best, but we ordered a bunch of appetizers and split them and everyone was happy. The Pavilion Bar is less about the food though and more about the rooftop and drinks. It's a really cool place and brings in a pretty cool crowd. Note, the drinks are a little more pricey than other places but that's to be expected at a fancier rooftop so it was fine by us. Pavilion is all about the atmosphere and the location. Check it out! read more

Went recently with a large group and was underwhelmed. I've been here a number of times over the last 8+ years with groups of all sizes and I've never been especially impressed, but this last visit was by far the worst. The place was empty because basically the whole town had evacuated for hurricane Irma. The views are great. They have large plexiglas which goes up around October or November thru the early part of the summer. It was especially great views when not a tourist was in sight. We ordered a variety of drinks and all were fine. Price tag is extra hefty here. Our waitress seemed bored or unhappy to be working. She made no conversation and simply wanted to get in and get out. We've all have bad days and maybe I'd be upset to be working a slow shift, too, but hello you've got a big tab about to be racked up. When you're at an upscale bar such as this one that has a dress code and the average drink runs $13, I expect the same level of attention and care. We were not told that the checks could only be split four ways until we tried to pay. Our server also had to come back over 3-4 times to confirm who ordered what which was 3-4 times too many. One in our party paid for an extra drink but just let it go because it got to be so absurd. Also, they have a group gratuity which, IMHO, is ridiculously small (I believe it is assessed with a group of 4+ people). And honestly, when you have a group of locals with perhaps a total of 6 other people in the bar, you could 86 the grat. But maybe that's why she didn't care to provide proper service. What was ironic is that we had just come from The Spectator which had one girl running the whole show (where we all ordered multiple craft cocktails) and the service and atmosphere was far superior. What a bummer to have left that for Pavilion. read more

This was a great find. The view is just beautiful! Waitstaff are all very friendly. Bartender mixes some great cocktails and the food here is very good. I doubt you'll be disappointed. read more

Beautiful view & good cocktails. Terrible salsa - it tastes as if they opened a can of diced tomatoes and poured it into a bowl...no spices, no seasoning, very disappointing. read more

Pavilion Bar - Bars Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

I have loved this beautiful rooftop bar for many years and today was shocked to see what's become of it. First of all, the front doors of the hotel were locked on a Friday at 11:54 am. Two guests that were leaving let us in the door. We were stopped by a very curt and snippy front desk employee who told us the rooftop opened at 12:00 and we should wait "out there". She said they don't want people getting up there early and staring at the staff and expecting service. No problem. We went up at 11:59 and were told by an unfriendly bartender that we were early and would have to wait. No problem we said again. Besides the strange fact of the locked hotel and the rude and condescending staff, all the tables are enclosed in 6-7ft plexiglass walls on 3 sides with the umbrella on top. It was absolutely scorching hot in each little cubicle with no air moving at all. After all the fun and games of being 1-2 minutes early, we left. Went to the Bennett and it was fabulous and friendly. read more

"Complete Discrimination" My husband and I were just turned away from going to the roof top bar- because he had opened toed shoes- it's mid July in Charleston and he had white pants and nice button down shirt on. We have been here before but will never go again- I called and the girl said there is no dress code/ apparently the memo needs to get to the guy working the sidewalk read more

Absolutely terrible! Overcharged for a drink and the server was so rude! So unhappy! Will not bring friends from out of town here! read more

Pavilion Bar - Chocolate martini - Bars Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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While walking to the market, we notice a sign for a roof top bar. We stopped to read the sign and had a brief conversation with the nice security guard. We continue our journey to the market. Afterwards, we decided to get a small bite to eat and a drink.....just to hold us until our dinner reservations. We stopped at another bar, but we couldn't get service. We decided to go here. Great decision!! The same security guard quickly greeted us and welcomed us to the building. After our Covid screening, he gave us directions to the elevator. Our service was good. The flatbread pizza was great. I ordered the drink special, a Pavilion Punch. It was very good, close to a traditional Mahi Thai. read more

A wonderful place to eat! The waitress was very friendly and the food was delicious. I got iced tea with mango syrup in it plus the chips and salsa. The drink was the best mango tea I have ever had and the salsa tasted like they made it there. The seating was up on a roof top and you had a perfect view of the city skyline. It was lit up with Christmas lights under umbrellas and was a great place for friends to hangout. The atmosphere was classier but also kind of casual. I will be going back here very soon! read more

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Beautiful view beautiful location slow service. Our server was nice once he showed up. Definitely a must if you love a view. Really want to try the restaurant downstairs next time. Gorgeous read more

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Would you pay $15 for this mojito? NO. For a roof top bar with a nice view, I figured the drinks would be on the same level as the atmosphere. The bartender was MISERABLE. He would hop on his phone in the middle of making drinks. The mojito I got is a something comparable to a cheap dive bar, but 3x the price. Not only was it poorly made, but it tasted like lemon water. Do NOT come here. After that first drink, I left & went to a club a few streets down with drinks half the price & made well. There's other roof top bars with the same atmosphere & wayyyy better drinks with employees who actually want to be there. This was around 11pm on a Friday (Jan 24) btw if management is concerned. read more

Pavilion Bar - Bars Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Gorgeous views!! Great atmosphere! Was worried to try the food because I couldn't find any pictures on yelp. We had the duck confit nachos and they were tasty. Food and drinks are pricy but I think you are paying for the ambiance more than anything. Can't be best on a warm summer day! More upscale vibe than the rooftop on the Vendue (although that one has more views of the water and a little lower price points). I'd recommend checking them both out. read more

Beautiful rooftop view and great setting with tables and umbrellas. Terrible service and drinks. The mojito was big but all syrup and I think zero alcohol. Couldn't even drink a quarter of it as it was so sickly sweet They only had a couple of people attending tables but if you went to get your own drink at the bar watch out cause they do not care to wait on you. The manager that was helping tend bar was rude and I guess they were short on staff but they weren't even that busy yet as later in the evening. An expensive mistake but really nice setting so could have been great. read more

If you want to take in a great Charleston sunset overlooking the city, this is the place to do it. Some of the drink prices are a bit pricey, but the view is fantastic! The pricey drinks keep me from giving a full 5 stars. read more

Sorry Pavilion bar but you were a disappointment.. a big one. I took our out of town guests to the bar on a sunny afternoon to show off our ever expanding rooftop bar scene. As we looked for a table, we moved past the beautiful people sunning themselves in neat rows around the pool. We headed around our the corner to our table divided by plexiglass on the sides. This was a nice feature for privacy. It took a very long time to get our waiters attention so perhaps they are understaffed. I ordered a Refreshtini which was a total fail. In hindsight I should have sent it back but one of my guests had one as well so that would have just made matters worse. Our $16 drink was luke-warm. As it had gin and cucumber infused lemonade, it was cloudy with small chunks of cucumber. My friend said it looked and tasted like pool water! The guys got beers in a bottle which you can't really mess that up. We were going to order food but it took so long to get served initially we decided to skip the food and move on. Would I recommend Pavilion bar? Maybe in a different situation. If you are in the area and want to enjoy the setting after a dress up event, it might be the perfect spot. But considering the prices, service and quality need to be improved. read more

Beautiful luxe hotel rooftop bar, complete with pool and fountains, but over priced drinks. No real vibe here (i.e.: trendy, hipster, upscale), just more of a destination, but no fantastic views either. At $14 per cocktail, this place put itself in a League with cocktails in NYC or Chicago rooftops. Not to mention, the atmosphere and prices do not match the clientele. A lot of regular-Joe's just hanging out and smoking is allowed (surprising to me as both a past-time New Yorker and Chicagoan). I went during the day in December, but I bet it is awesome during summer or nighttime. Definitely get the mojito or sweet tea martini! read more

Saw sunset and Caroline was our waitress!! She was very friendly and informed us with lots of information!!! Would highly recommend this location!! read more

Pavilion Bar - Bars Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

This wasn't my first weekend spent up on the rooftop of Market Pavilion Hotel, but it was the first time my hubby and I spent the whole weekend at the hotel... We spent the afternoon hanging out and enjoying the view on Friday AND Saturday (Dec 1 & 2)... The Refreshtini and the Dirty Bird are my two favorites up there. Great drinks, a little on the pricey side, but absolutely worth it for the atmosphere and view. This is a very relaxing place to hangout. They have a part of the rooftop reserved specifically for cigar smokers (my hubby), and it was nice to be able to sit and play cards and enjoy a drink while he was able to happily enjoy his cigar without anyone objecting... to be honest a few smokers (irony) did object... but they were told in no uncertain terms that this was the cigar area, and they quickly relocated themselves... which was nice... because we had more space to ourselves! In short... great views, great drinks, a tad on the pricey side, and you may have to trot over to the bar for faster service if the wait staff is overwhelmed... but this is a great spot, and one that I intend to return to whenever I'm in Charleston! read more

Honestly gorgeous views but the service could have been better. The drinks were watered down and overpriced. I had higher expectations. I was super excited to experience Charleston to the fullest and enjoy the views but the definitely not the place to do it. read more

So, as a tourist myself I did enjoy the great view and ambiance of this bar. You have almost a 360 view of downtown Charleston and the water. The service was OK but not great. The beers are from a can, poured into a glass and are still $5. My "Refreshtini" was $15, but STRONG, so I guess it was worth the price. For some reason the entire back half of the patio was roped off, closing off about 10 tables for people and making it a little difficult to find a seat. My husband and I found the only free table, which we were thankful for but felt bad for some bigger parties that came in and couldn't find a seat. If you want a nice view, then this is definitely a good spot for that, but just know that's pretty much all that you are paying for. read more