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The Watch Rooftop Kitchen & Spirits

3.5 (449 reviews)
Open • 11:00 am - 11:00 pm

The Watch Rooftop Kitchen & Spirits Photos

THE WATCH ROOFTOP KITCHEN & SPIRITS ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Trendy
Classy

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Shrimp tacos
Samantha P.

I've lived in Charleston for 10 years and have tried many of the roof top bars over the years. This one is my most frequented. The prices are great for downtown, all seats in the restaurant have a great view, and the food is delicious! I also had a mocktail and that was really good, and under $10. Most recently we came on a Saturday at lunch and there was no wait.

Chicken wings 7/10
Anh C.

It was a hot and windy day. The service was nice and it's a cute rooftop spot. The frozen cosmopolitan was refreshing and the espresso martini was legit. Food were good.

Mediterranean salad
Francie M.

We stopped here for a super late lunch as all the other rooftop bars were taken on a busy warm Saturday. We weren't able to sit outside but at least we could sit, with a glimpse of the bridge view! We ordered: - The Mediterranean salad with arugula, chickpeas, tomato, cucumber, and shrimp swapped with chicken. Nothing special but hit the spot - Strawberry goat cheese salad: ditto - Truffle parmesan fries: hard to go wrong - Housemade sweet black lavender tea: this was delicious and the perfect amount of floral without being medicinal There was an issue with the kitchen and a huge wait to get our food but the waitstaff were kind and accommodating Logistics: - Take the elevator from the hotel garden courtyard near the coffee shop - Indoor and outdoor seating - Limited street parking nearby - Vegetarian options - Mocktail options

Lemon Drop
Brandi F.

The Watch Rooftop Kitchen & Bar offers beautiful views overlooking the city and water, making it a great spot to relax and unwind. The dry-rubbed buffalo wings were crispy and packed with flavor, and the cheesy burger sliders were a crowd-pleaser. The truffle fries had great flavor, though they would have been even better if they were a bit crispier. The lemon drop struck the perfect balance of tart and sweet, but my favorite drink of the night was the peach amaretto sour--it was absolutely delicious!

Emma D.

If you're looking for cocktails with a view in Charleston, The Watch is where it's at. I came for the spritz flight and was not disappointed--four refreshing flavors (Aperol, Hugo, Lemon Strawberry, and Pomegranate) served ice cold and picture-perfect. Each one had its own personality, from classic and citrusy to sweet and fruity. I didn't eat but would be interested in coming back to try! The atmosphere was laid-back but still had that elevated rooftop vibe. There's indoor dining tables, a large bar and plenty of outdoor seating to enjoy the view. Service was super friendly.

My eggs screaming for the hot sauce I never got
Dan H.

The two stars are for the food and the location/view. The food was good and the view was cute, however the service was atrocious. We were on a bachelorette trip (we went after yoga so we were not all flashy but only 5 of us) but thank goodness we had the company of each other because this was the slowest, lackadaisical service I've ever witnessed. From the servers to the hosts to the bussers, zero pep in their step or care for any sort of urgency. While we were in no rush, we were still there for almost two + hours waiting 30 minutes in between every interaction with our server and staring at dirty tables being walked passed. And I wasn't about to ask her 3 different times for hot sauce. Plenty of other options in Charleston that care a bit more about the patron and the cleanliness of their dining room.

Fries
Emily B.

A cute spot with a great vibe for drinks and light bites with friends. That said, the food was pretty mediocre. I had the shrimp tacos (served in a flour tortilla that had hardened by the time it arrived), a side salad, truffle fries, a glass of chardonnay, and the strawberry lemon spritz. The most frustrating part was the misleading service--when I ordered, the server asked "what side would you like?" indicating the tacos came with with a side, even pointing out other entrees that also came with sides but the menu just didn't show it. I later found out I was charged extra for the salad I didn't even want. Drinks took over 25 minutes to arrive, despite it being a quiet Tuesday at 2 p.m. Overall, great atmosphere--but the food and service didn't live up to the setting.

Strawberry salad
Maria B.

Great place for happy hour and a sunset with a view. The spritz flight was pretty good. The truffle fries were amazing especially with the aoili!! A must get! The strawberry very refreshing and tasty.

Christmas dinner at the Watch rooftop restaurant and bar.
Michael B.

This restaurant is located on the seventh floor of the restoration Hotel downtown Charleston. Beautifully decorated for Christmas, special menu for Christmas dinner. May I mention the outstanding prime rib that I had! All the servers were the festive mood everybody's very happy to be there even though they're working on Christmas Day the food was great. The service was great. The view was great. I definitely recommend this place. Five stars all the way.

Street level lobby view
Kellie P.

A great place to grab pre-dinner drinks and see the sunset. Amazing indoor and outdoor seating. There's no bad view. The staff at the hotel were friendly and showed us where to go. Elevator in the back of the outdoor lobby takes you right up to the 7th floor where the bar is located. Very expensive drinks unfortunately. Be prepared to spend $20 on a cocktail. Annoying, so go for one drink and then go somewhere reasonable.

Dirty Martini
Anna K.

Views and drinks were amazing! Loved the atmosphere and our server was extremely attentive

Grilled Chicken Mediterranean Salad
Tilina A.

Great views and Spritz Flight. The Mediterranean salad was fine, and the truffle fries were delicious. Very friendly staff!

Dan V.

Nice rooftop bar, good drinks, fun spritz flight. Has limited seating with good views and can get crowded fast. The spritz flight was pretty unique with a couple standard spritzes mixed with a couple more novel ones.

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4 months ago

Great food! Wonderful server. It was too hot to sit outside after walking around all day, but the inside was great too. Would def recommend

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The Watch Rooftop Kitchen & Spirits Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - The Watch Rooftop Kitchen & Spirits

What is on the happy hour menu?

Is it accessible by elevator?

Yes! But there are a few steps to access the courtyard to get in, I would not consider it wheelchair accessible.

I see the rooftop. Is there an enclosed area? The wind can be a problem? But I want view?

Yes there is! 1/2 is inside

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Poogan's Porch - Pimiento Cheese Fritters

Poogan's Porch

4.1(5.1k reviews)
0.3 mi•French Quarter
•$$

For a restaurant specializing in southern food they have the worst biscuits I've ever eaten. Hard,…read moredry hockey pucks. Otherwise the food was good. Our waitress talked so fast we really couldn't understand a word she said. Don't park in the lot adjacent to the restaurant, it's ridiculously overpriced. You can only choose time in 2 hour increments and it was $27 and charge for two hours of parking.

It's been 11 years since I posted my last review for this place. I was concerned when I made the…read morereservation that maybe it had lost its luster since I was last here. Happily, I was wrong! Everything went extremely well from the check-in experience, to the food, and the service. Our reservation was for 6:30pm but we got there a full hour early. They gave us a table immediately, no problem. Our server was Maisie and she was wonderful. Patient. Attentive. Super friendly. We ordered drinks and the Pimento Cheese Fritters. They were incredible! We also tried the She Crab Bisque and it was over the top! Delicious and full of lump crab meat. When Maisie brought us our first plates, she asked us if we were considering the pork chop, which is exactly what we were interested in. She said there were only two left and held one for us. This is the kind of excellent service she provided throughout the meal. The pork chop was cooked to perfection, tender and juicy with a wonderful wood smoked flavor. The whipped potatoes and roasted heirloom baby carrots were the perfect accompaniment. Nothing has changed inside or out since my last visit. The vibe is Charleston laid back and comfortable. I'm so glad I came back.

Photos
Poogan's Porch - Hardwood floors and colonial decor

Hardwood floors and colonial decor

Poogan's Porch - Fried Green Tomatoes

Fried Green Tomatoes

Poogan's Porch - Barbecue pork slider, and collard greens

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Barbecue pork slider, and collard greens

Florence’s Lowcountry Kitchen - Menu!

Florence’s Lowcountry Kitchen

4.5(46 reviews)
4.8 mi

Before I visited SC, I said there were three kinds of food I wanted to try: Fresh seafood, BBQ and…read moreLowcountry cuisine. I'm glad I did some research and found Florence's. I ordered the 1/2 honey fried chicken w/ mac & cheese and collard greens. For dessert, we shared pecan pie. The chicken was moist & delicious from being brined and seasoning in the batter. The batter was crunchy, and perfectly applied so you didn't bite into a hunk of just batter. Likewise, the sides were some of the best I had during my trip to SC. Lastly, the pecan pie was really good also. However, I was expecting a bigger & taller slice. Regarding the ambiance, its smart casual here. The decor is fancier vs the down home cooking. Danielle took very good care of us. She was friendly & attentive. Florence's did the trick for us. We had eaten a lot of raw seafood and BBQ. This Lowcountry cuisine gave us a nice change of pace during our trip.

I was excited to try this new spot. The updated decor and inviting atmosphere looked great…read more We started off with the fried green tomatoes and tomato pie. My friend said the tomato pie was really good but it's all cheese and tomatoes. The fried green tomatoes were crispy but needed seasoning. They were incredibly bland. For the main dish she ordered the smash burger and I ordered the fish and grits. She took one bite of the smash burger and sent it back saying it tasted like a frozen burger you'd get at Walmart. The fish and grits were ok. They too were bland and needed salt. A LOT of salt or any other seasoning. The okra, Lima beans and corn that come in this dish also tasted like it came out of a frozen bag. There is no seasoning in this dish whatsoever. Unfortunately this place was a miss and we won't be returning. Also the bathrooms look like a porta potty. You know the cheap plastic that porta potties are made out of? Yeah that's what the stalls are made out of. It looks so cheap and a big contrast from the rest of the restaurant. The staff was nice but they also look like they hate working here.

Photos
Florence’s Lowcountry Kitchen - Inside

Inside

Florence’s Lowcountry Kitchen - Yummy southern apps and She Crab soup

Yummy southern apps and She Crab soup

Florence’s Lowcountry Kitchen - Florence's Lowcountry Kitchen logo

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Florence's Lowcountry Kitchen logo

Husk - Fried Chicken

Husk

4.0(3.6k reviews)
0.3 mi•French Quarter
•$$$

One of my top spots to go to whenever I'm in Charleston! They only had a 9:15pm reservation…read moreavailable this time, but I HAD to squeeze it in before leaving Honestly, there was no way I was leaving Charleston without eating here LOL. The service was great from the moment we walked in. The hostess and servers were all so friendly, and we were seated right away. For drinks, we got the Field & Flower and the Sunburn Season. Our waitress was super helpful and recommended a drink based on what we liked, and she nailed it! We also got my favorite, the pimento cheese board. UGH. A mini charcuterie board with pimento cheese?! Say less We ate the entire thing. For dinner, we went with the Rigatoni, Seared Diver Scallops, and Joyce Farms Chicken because we wanted a little bit of everything. Everything was delicious, and we definitely left with very full stomachs! I usually come here for brunch, but it was so cute at night too. The dim lighting made the whole place feel extra cozy and cute. Absolutely one of my favorite Charleston spots. I'll be back every time I'm in town!

I ended up paying for public parking but it wasn't too awful. I think I paid around $6 for a…read moreparking lot a few buildings down. I believe it was an off night since it wasn't too crowded. The staff was friendly and the restaurant itself was pretty busy even on a Sunday evening. The time it took to refill waters were a bit longer due to the amount of patrons I believe. The tabling I feel is kind of maximized for efficiency. Even though we had space it still felt a little cramped. Of course the building itself is small so you might run into a staff by accident if you turn a corner too fast. Food wise the ribs starter was delicious. For entries we had the pork chop and fish with corn bread as our side. The fish was delicious although a little more dry but the sauce they had made it perfect for me. The corn bread was also a bit more dry than normal but it might be intentional since it was cooked on a cast iron pan. The pork chop however we did not like at all. It was more like pork belly but kind of had a steamed texture since the meat itself was lacking flavor and the sauce it was paired with just tasted off. The pork meat itself was tough and chewy. I'm not sure if we possibly ordered the wrong thing. I would have to say I honestly would only go here if friends wanted to go but I would probably not choose to go here myself again. The price for the food did not add up to the experience or the taste especially since you have to go out of your way to get here. I also feel like it's more for the tourists who are visiting from out of town and are staying in downtown.

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Husk - Main Floor Dining area!!

Main Floor Dining area!!

Husk - Deviled Eggs

Deviled Eggs

Husk - Drinks: Bloody Mary, Mimosa

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Drinks: Bloody Mary, Mimosa

The Peacock - Fried Chicken Sandwich

The Peacock

4.5(235 reviews)
0.4 mi•French Quarter
•$$$

Previously I would have given this restaurant 5 stars and it was one of our favorite place to eat…read morein Charleston. The location is great, the staff is friendly, and the food was great. But last night we went back and we started with the Crab dip. The crab dip had so much spice that the spice overwhelmed the delicate flavor of the crab meet. The kettle chips would have been good but they to had too much spice. Then we ordered the Boom Boom Shrimp. The shrimp was over cooked and to salty. The waitress was kind enough to have the kitchen remake the dish. The second time it came out it was still over cooked, rubbery, and still to salty. We asked and found out that they had recently changed chefs. As a foodie when changing chefs it is a good idea to change the menu to keep people from noticing the change. It is possible this new chef would excel if the menu was designed to accentuate his or her style.

08/07/2026 My family was walking around downtown Charleston,…read morechecking out the night market and the sights. Then it was dinner time, and we needed to find a place that could seat 13 without a reservation. That was really difficult. I used Yelp to find nearby restaurants. Peacock was one of them. It had two levels indoor plus balcony seating. The hostess couldn't seat us on the first floor, but said the bar upstairs and the balcony are first come first serve. It was too humid for the balcony. Fortunately we found a couch area in the bar. We added chairs, all squeezed in there, and made it work! The bartender came over to take our drink and food orders. We ate most things family style. All of the food was great. My favorites were the bang bang shrimp, crab dip, and truffle fries. My family also enjoyed the crispy chicken sandwich, poke bowl, and lamb lollipops. Bathrooms were conveniently located on the same floor. Not sure if they had one on the first floor too. Overall we had such a great time and would definitely go back!

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The Peacock - Downstairs bar

Downstairs bar

The Peacock - Truffle Fries

Truffle Fries

The Peacock - Upstairs bar

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Upstairs bar

Leon's Fine Poultry and Oysters

Leon's Fine Poultry and Oysters

4.2(1.5k reviews)
1.3 mi
•$$

If you're looking for a Charleston spot that's worth the hype, make Leon's Oyster Shop your next…read morestop. I finally made it to Leon's, and it absolutely lived up to the experience. Famous for its oysters and fried chicken, this Charleston favorite has a vibrant green entrance you can't miss, with cozy indoor seating plus patios in both the front and back that give off relaxed, coastal vibes. We started with the smoked mahi dip, and I honestly couldn't stop eating it--it was my favorite dish of the day. We also ordered two rounds of the chargrilled oysters, and they disappeared almost instantly. For our entrées, we shared the famous fried chicken, and whenever I see a whole fish on the menu, I'm ordering it. The branzino was cooked perfectly--flavorful, tender, and definitely worth it. To cool off, we grabbed one of their frozen drinks, which was the perfect refreshing treat on a hot Charleston day. One tip: get there early because this place fills up fast. If Leon's isn't on your Charleston food list yet, it should be. I already can't wait to go back!

Leon's makes a fantastic first impression. The atmosphere is exactly what you'd hope for from a…read moremodern Charleston restaurant--lively, beautiful, and effortlessly welcoming. The design is thoughtfully executed, the space feels comfortable even when it's busy, and the service is friendly, attentive, and impressively fast. I also appreciated a small but important detail: despite how popular the restaurant is, there are plenty of restrooms and no long lines. Little things like that genuinely improve the guest experience. Unfortunately, that's where most of my praise ends. I intentionally ordered many of the restaurant's signature dishes because I wanted to judge the restaurant as a whole rather than base my opinion on one successful plate. The food simply doesn't live up to the expectations created by the photos. Everything looks noticeably less refined and less appetizing once it reaches the table. The fried chicken was just ordinary chicken in a heavy, greasy breading. The oysters were fresh and enjoyable with no complaints there. The famous salad turned out to be mostly a large bowl of cabbage, while the avocado and mandarin seemed more decorative than meaningful. Most of the flavor came from mint and an overly acidic vinaigrette that dominated the dish. The fish sandwich was the biggest disappointment. The issue wasn't the fish itself but the composition of the sandwich. The dry, stale bun completely overpowered everything else, while the basic vegetables did nothing to complement or elevate the fish. Instead of highlighting the main ingredient, the sandwich buried it, which defeats the entire purpose of a great fish sandwich. The Korean smashed cucumber salad tasted primarily of vinegar and sesame oil with very little depth, while the hush puppies were dry and lacked the rich corn flavor that usually makes them memorable. Even the drinks reinforced the same impression. The beer was good, but charging $8 for what felt like half of a standard pour once again made the value feel questionable. This brings me to the biggest issue with Leon's. It feels like the restaurant invests far more in its atmosphere, interior design, and photogenic image than in its food. It's a place that looks incredible in pictures and is easy to recommend for the setting, but much harder to recommend for the cuisine itself. High prices are not a problem when they are backed by exceptional cooking. Here, however, it felt as though I was paying for the restaurant's reputation, constant stream of tourists, and social media appeal rather than for truly outstanding food. I would happily come back for a beer, enjoy the patio, and spend an evening with friends. But I wouldn't return specifically for the food. For a restaurant with such a strong reputation, that's the greatest disappointment of all.

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Leon's Fine Poultry and Oysters - Cool restrooms

Cool restrooms

Leon's Fine Poultry and Oysters - Smoked Mahi Dip

Smoked Mahi Dip

Leon's Fine Poultry and Oysters - Raw Oysters    varieties

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Raw Oysters varieties

The Watch Rooftop Kitchen & Spirits - newamerican - Updated October 2026

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