My first time visiting a speakeasy since living in Charleston, and the Annex absolutely blew me…read moreaway. From the moment I walked in, the vibe was intimate, beautiful, and the perfect setting for a relaxed Saturday night cap. What made the experience truly special was the bartender. There's no traditional menu, instead, he takes the time to learn what you like and crafts drinks based on your taste. I've never experienced anything like that before. The level of knowledge and creativity behind the bar was incredible. Every drink he made was stunning and tasted even better than it looked. I was honestly so impressed that I couldn't even remember all the ingredients he mentioned because I was too busy being amazed at how good everything was. It was one of those moments where you realize there are real levels to this craft. I walked in thinking I knew a thing or two about mixing drinks at home, and left with a whole new respect for the art of it. The atmosphere, the personal attention, and the quality of the cocktails made this place feel truly top tier. Huge shoutout to the bartender, easily a 15 out of 10. Cool, knowledgeable, and passionate about what he does. If you're looking for an intimate spot for date night or just want to experience thoughtfully crafted cocktails in a beautiful setting, the Annex is the place. I will absolutely be back as soon as possible.

My husband and I visited Last Saint for cocktails before a group dinner when we were in Charleston…read morelast weekend, and it was the perfect place for drinks before a dinner. (On occasion, I rant about how we need more cocktail bars and wine bars that don't serve food at all or just snacks like nuts - don't get me started.) Last Saint is a really cool dual concept cocktail bar. The front of Last Saint is more casual - small, cozy, allows walk-ins. But you can also make reservations (or try to get lucky walking in) at the Annex. The Annex is their weekends-only cocktail experience in the back of Last Saint. You walk to the back of the bar and press ring the bell by the yellow door. Someone answers and seats at one of six seats at the bar and three small (but private) tables. The Annex is a no-menu experience. The friendly and creative staff ask you questions about your preferences for drinks and then make you something that fits the bill. It was personal and fun, and we enjoyed all the drinks we had. A reservation at the Annex is good for a 1.5 hour time frame, which was perfect for us to have two drinks before closing out and heading to our dinner reservation. We sat at the bar, which I loved, because we got to chat with the staff and watch them make our and others' drinks while we enjoyed our creative cocktails. The staff have a wide knowledge of cocktails and an almost endless supply of ingredients to choose from when making your drinks. A truly fun experience. One I haven't had in any other city. I wish there were more bars like Last Saint!

If you're looking for a spot in Charleston that truly leans into the holiday spirit, Prohibition…read moregoes all out with its Christmas decorations from the moment you walk in. It sets the tone immediately, and the festive energy carries straight through the meal. We kicked things off with Bloody Marys and a Morning Fog -- simple, classic, and done right. For starters, we shared the Hula Hoisin Wings. They were definitely on the heavier side with the hoisin, but still absolutely delicious. The Mistletoe Mango Tuna Poke Tacos were a standout. They come as a small plate with three appetizer-sized tacos, and every bite was bright, fresh, and beautifully balanced. The Buddy the Elf Burger offers a choice of a single or double patty; ours was cooked perfectly. The smoky bacon really brought everything together and gave it that extra "wow" factor. We rounded things out with the O Come, All Ye Fried Rice with Hanger Steak, which was another winner -- perfectly cooked, flavorful, and incredibly satisfying. As if the meal wasn't great enough on its own, we happened to be there while Emily Curtis was performing. She's truly incredible and added such a fun, memorable vibe to the day. I'd be remiss not to mention Kevin our server. Go see him. He was great. The whole team works great together. Don't let the bar-like atmosphere fool you -- Prohibition is far from your typical bar food or bar scene. There's a great space in the back, and the elevated menu makes it absolutely worth the visit. A festive, flavorful, all-around fantastic experience.

Food and drinks were both good... not the best I've ever had but good…read more Lunch on a Friday... several ppl at the bar but we were the only seat customers. The waitress was indifferent and seemed as they we were bothering her ....which is fine, as I was equally "bothered" by her and her attitude. I liked the bar and restaurant and the menu was solid. Our service would have made this 5 stars but we have lots of other choices on King Street that will have staff more excited for our business.

We loved the name so we went inside. food was ok. Felt kind of sad. We had a bottle of wine and…read moresome appetizers. We did not stay for dinner. I didn't like the feel. Bartender was not very friendly or helpful. Just felt odd. I felt sorry for them. Food was ok though.

Tried Bourbon N' Bubbles for the first time on Mother's Day and overall had a really nice…read moreexperience. Surprisingly, it was pretty empty when we went, which honestly made for a more relaxed atmosphere. We had already eaten beforehand, so we mostly stopped in to try the caviar service and some drinks. The caviar presentation was really nice and everything tasted fresh and high quality. Definitely expensive, but also definitely very good if you're looking to try something different or a little more upscale. The cocktails were also good and the overall vibe inside is very pretty and classy without feeling overly formal. Even though we didn't do a full meal, I'd still come back to try more from the menu in the future.

Every time I find myself in Charleston I must stop here. Not your average bar at all. I like that…read morethey change up their menu so every time I visit there is something new to try. I have never had a bad drink here. I got the Batata Clarified Milk Punch (description in picture) which was fantastic. The toasted marshmallow garnish was a great touch for the season we were in. My mom got the Bourbon and Clyde and she said it was incredible. Description also in picture. The orange foam and pistachio crumble was a great addition. Another great drink for autumn. My second drink was the Smokin Indo which was probably my favorite. They performed the smoked glass technique with applewood which was not only cool to watch but added a unique flavor to the drink. We always make a point to get the assorted cheeses when we are here because they make a great charcuterie board. They switch up the cheeses just like they change their cocktail menu. Love to sit at the bar because it is truly an art to watch the bartenders make these drinks and really adds to the experience. Everyone who works here is super kind and knowledgeable on their craft. However, if you are able to be there when the two Doar brothers are working it makes it truly special. They give postcards with their check and there's a bowl of matchbooks sitting on the bar. One of the best cocktail bars in Charleston. Debated writing this because I selfishly want to keep it under the radar but it definitely deserves its accolades.

The last trip to Charleston, we made a reservation for Doar Bros to pop in for a cocktail after…read moredinner. I loved the atmosphere! It's super cozy, very chic, and pretty small. The service was on point and the bartender was killing it at the bar - multitasking making 3 drinks all at once. It was super impressive and I took a few videos of him. I'm giving 4 stars because the first cocktail I ordered was SO SWEET that I couldn't get it down. I tried to drink it but had to send it back. We asked when we ordered about the flavor profile and supposedly it wasn't sweet, but all 3 of us agreed it was way oversweet. My black manhattan was phenomenal and my husband had a mocktail moscow mule that was awesome. Overall, I'd come back again - just be mindful of the ingredients in the drink and modifying as needed for sweetness. Make a reservation if you can!

By The Way has been on our list to visit for quite sometime. After attending an event on King…read moreStreet, we walked and were sat at one of the high top tables run by the bar. I ordered an extra dirty gin martini and one of my friends ordered an extra dirty vodka martini. As you can see by the photos they weren't dirty at all. They were straight gin and vodka with a splash of olive juice. So there is one less star for that. We ordered fries, the duck confit deviled eggs with red pepper and the stuffed ravioli and they were great!! Everything had explosive flavoring (fries included) and I was pleasantly surprised. Prices are reasonable for Charleston and their overall menu looks great. I'm def looking forward to coming back for dinner and brunch. Once the place fills up (and it was packed when we went) it does get a bit loud. Could have also been the drinking crowd wandering off as well that was coming in (as people started to crowd around the bar when it became standing room only.)

Stopped by By The Way for drinks and just tried the espresso martinis. Overall they were pretty…read moregood and the actual drink itself was smooth, but whatever they used for the markings/design on top was honestly not good at all. It had a very sour taste that kind of threw off the drink. The space itself is really pretty inside and has a nice upscale vibe. The bartender we had was also very friendly and welcoming. One downside though -- my sister-in-law went to use the restroom and there was someone in the stall next to her getting sick, which obviously wasn't the best experience and definitely changed the vibe a little. Overall, cute spot for cocktails and the atmosphere was nice, but a couple little things kept it from being a standout experience for us.

Absolutely love this place! Such a good vibe to go get a few cocktails with friends, with plenty of…read moreseating and little areas to go to. Every cocktail on the menu that I've tried is amazing, and you are also able to say things like "I want something with tequila that is spicy" and the amazing bartender will create a custom drink that suits your taste buds! Highly recommend.

Atmosphere is great, old fashioned and the double standard is not good. Old fashion tastes like…read morewatery bitters and double standard was so spicy it couldn't be finished

People are always looking for a great date night place, and I would have to say that La Cave fits…read morethe bill. The interior is very elegant and bathed in low lighting with soft music playing while you dine. It's a little small so make sure you make those reservations! We started with cocktails, and I ordered the Jean De Florette with vodka, lillet rose, fig syrup, passion fruit, lime, crushed ice, and a fleur garnish. The fig syrup was the star providing a nice sweet and earthy flavor. My wife enjoyed the Harvest in Provence with charred corn mezcal, see the elephant amaro, bonal, lime, simple syrup, and a spiced corn garnish. This drink is so smokey but very refreshing. We were brought a complimentary hors derv which was a house made potato chip with tuna and spices. Really great for getting your palette ready for the coming meal. They only do this from 5pm to 6pm. We have had our eyes on the Raclette Burger Slider for some time. The burger was a good-sized slider, about the same size as a single cheeseburger with tons of ooey gooey raclette cheese smothering it. Of course, we had to order the Pommes Frites to go with the sliders and they arrived super crispy with a nice rosemary-lemon aioli for dipping. The grand finale was the Boeuf En Croute which was their play on a beef wellington. The filet was a nice medium rare with a flaky pastry crust and a delicious sauce bordelaise. A great way to finished. With its beautiful decor, great service and good food I would highly recommend this place for any date night!

my friend had the reservation for la cave for about two months now, it was for her birthday. The…read moreday before the reservation, she was called and said that the reservation was canceled. We thankfully got it fixed but when we showed up at the door, they asked for our IDs and we had to wait 10 minutes after our reservation to be seated. we were never informed that it was 21+, it doesn't even specify on the website. And result of this we had to be given wristbands before even entering the restaurant. when we finally entered the restaurant, we were happily guided to a beautiful table. the service was perfect. we got fries for the table and our food came out pretty fast. i got the salad which was okay, it had a interesting vinaigrette but i added lemon which really made it better. i tried my friends slider and it was delicious. the food and service saved this review. the place was gorgeous, i recommend!

Very cool vibes. Very good cocktails. Very reasonable prices. Very solid spot…read more We have been probably 4 or 5 times now, and it never disappoints. I really love the cocktails here and the service is awesome. Last trip it was a late night Saturday and we had to wait just a little bit to get a spot, but we perfectly timed it for four seats at the bar. Sometimes they play old-time movies on the screen, they have good music, really great atmosphere. Can't recommend it enough if you like cocktails or mocktails!

Favorite stop on the recent CHS trip. Intimate atmosphere. Great menu with something for everyone!…read moreI loved the charcuterie offering and we ate everything on the plate. Perfectly paired with my Hugo spritz and The Godfather playing on the projector. Our server was excellent and attentive - friendly vibe like he hoped we would return. We will!

Honestly this is one of my favorite places in Charleston && with the hype and line. The staff are…read morealways the best && I love sitting at the oyster bar and watching the guys chuck all the oysters while we're chatting and sipping champagne. The lobster rolls is delicious, the fires yummy, the seafood exceptional. Everything is fresh and you do not leave hungry. Inside is traditional coastal flare with beautiful tiles and decorations. There is a pay to park right behind the restaurant and usually where we park when coming here. We just love coming here!

Went for lunch one day. Wasn't in the mood for oysters that day (although I must say: others…read morearound me got them and they looked great). Asked the bartender what would be good and he suggested the Creole shrimp. That sounded good and I've learned that you generally can't go wrong going with bartenders' recommendations. Anyway, they came out and they were WAY overcooked. They were like rubber and the seasoning was NOT on point. Honestly, I make Creole / bbq shrimp at home and they're always MUCH better than what I got at The Darling. The service (with the exception of the lousy recommendation) was decent enough. If I ever go back, I'll probably stick with oysters on the half shell. (Sorry no pic. I actually took one that day, but subsequently deleted it because it was so bad.)

I was born in NJ and raised in Cleveland, OH. Some loud mouth from NJ was seated next to me at…read moreRecovery Room. I tried to make some conversation and be nice. He had some other big bozo with him and I didn't appreciate their aura. As the kids say "they didn't pass the vibe check." Next thing you know somebody pushed the NJ guy into my stool. I am too old for that mess so I settled up my tab and left. Enter Cutty Bar which is indeed in the cut. This was such a pleasant departure from the busy barroom I left at Recovery. As Kris Kristofferson said "friendly shadows." Cutty is a beautiful little bar to take a load off.

Had a negative experience here -bartender made a scene insisting my out of state ID was a fake,…read moretheir main reasoning was that the card was bendy. I tried to calmly explain that it is out of state, that this is not the case and showed them the holographic overlay (something a fake id would not replicate) but they ignored this, insisted it was too bendy to be real. I eventually convinced them to give it back and left. I wished they understood that this is a college town and that people will have IDs from other states made of different qualities of plastic, bending it is not a reliable way to prove an ID is fake