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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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The Griffon - Black bean burger

The Griffon

4.2(609 reviews)
0.5 mi•French Quarter
•$$

Holy fire hazard!! I think every major city has a dive bar like this where the walls are covered in…read moredollar bills. I've seen a few of them but none were like this with multiple layers of money. Wild. Anyways, I ordered the fish & chips. It was definitely some of the best fried fish I've had in the area! It had a light & flakey batter and was a good portion size for the price. I would come back here just to get the fish & chips again! I'd recommend checking this place out if you're looking for a casual, low-key spot in Charleston ;)

I stopped by The Griffon on Tuesday night for a few drinks with my friend, and we had a great time…read more The staff was very friendly and welcoming. I just had a vodka soda, so I can't really speak to the rest of the drink menu, but it was made perfectly every time. My friend was drinking Crown and water, and he enjoyed his drinks as well. The thing that really stood out to me, though, was the atmosphere. I've been to bars that have dollar bills on the ceiling or scattered on a few walls, but I've never seen anything like The Griffon. The place is absolutely covered from floor to ceiling in dollar bills. It was such a unique sight and made for a really fun experience. I didn't try any of the food, so my review is based solely on the drinks, service, and atmosphere. If you're looking for a fun bar with a great vibe, I'd definitely recommend stopping in. I'll absolutely be back the next time I'm in Charleston.

Photos
The Griffon
The Griffon - Chicken fingers, Ruben sandwich, fish and chips

Chicken fingers, Ruben sandwich, fish and chips

The Griffon - Beer at the bar. Cold. Good.

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Beer at the bar. Cold. Good.

The Rooftop at the Vendue

The Rooftop at the Vendue

3.5(802 reviews)
0.5 mi•French Quarter
•$$

I stopped by The Rooftop at The Vendue one night after being out, and I was starving. They were…read morejust about to close the kitchen, but the bartender was kind enough to squeeze in an order of chicken nuggets for me, and I'm so glad they did. I know it sounds funny to rave about chicken nuggets, but these were honestly some of the best I've ever had. They reminded me so much of McDonald's chicken nuggets in the best possible way. I stayed for a drink and ended up getting treated to an incredible thunder and lightning show over the city. It wasn't even raining, which made it even cooler to watch from the rooftop. Between the amazing views, the friendly bartender who saved me from going to bed hungry, and unexpectedly fantastic chicken nuggets, this ended up being one of my favorite stops in Charleston. I'll definitely be back for another drink...and another order of chicken nuggets.

This place has so much potential that it doesn't live up to. Starting off strong it's right beneath…read morea beautiful art gallery, which created an exciting aesthetic before going up to the rooftop. The roof top however gives off more of a college/dive bar vibe despite having a great view of the city. When we went on Monday only one bar, the downstairs one was open. Despite there being servers it didn't seem that anyone wanted to take tables so the solution was for guests to order drinks/food at the downstairs bar and bring it up to the deck themselves. While the bartender was nice, fast, and good at her job everyone else around her just didn't seem to care to provide service. The chips on the trio platter were beyond stale and since servers didn't care to serve the top deck tables were left unbussed and dirty. Not sure if this experience was a case of severe understaffing or just negligence on the management. I'd recommend going to literally any other rooftop bar for a more elevated experience where the staff actually wants to serve the guests.

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The Rooftop at the Vendue
The Rooftop at the Vendue
The Rooftop at the Vendue

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The Gin Joint - Another delicious cocktail

The Gin Joint

3.9(937 reviews)
0.5 mi•French Quarter
•$$

One of the most creative and memorable cocktail bars I have ever been to. If you are in Charleston,…read moreplease don't miss this place. Don't let the name deter you if you are not a gin person because they have many options with different types of liquors. One tip: sit at the bar if you can, the set up is stunning especially for taking photos! The cocktail menu was moderately extensive with two full pages of complex and simple cocktails. Honestly, it was so difficult to choose what drink to get because I wanted to get everything on the menu. The bartenders were so attentive and talented - their implementation of each cocktail was even better than the menu descriptions. Not only were the drinks delicious but also beautifully presented. They have some bar bites as well as quite a few small and large plates, we got the pretzels which to my absolute surprise were so good! If I ever go back to Charleston, I will definitely be hitting this place up.

The Gin Joint absolutely lived up to the hype. The cocktails were outstanding, creative without…read morebeing pretentious, and every drink felt thoughtfully crafted. You can tell the bartenders know exactly what they're doing. The surprise star of the night, though, was the grilled cheese. Calling it a grilled cheese almost feels unfair because this thing was next-level. Perfectly crisp on the outside, rich and gooey on the inside, and paired with the cocktails so well that we were talking about it long after we left. Sometimes the simplest thing on a menu ends up stealing the show. The atmosphere strikes that perfect Charleston balance of classy, cozy, and effortlessly cool. Great service, great drinks, and one of the most memorable grilled cheese sandwiches I've ever had. If you're in Charleston and appreciate a serious cocktail program, The Gin Joint is a must-visit. Come for the drinks, stay because the grilled cheese will ruin lesser grilled cheeses for the rest of your life

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The Gin Joint
The Gin Joint - Outside

Outside

The Gin Joint - Charcuterie

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Charcuterie

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

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

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