Sitting at a restaurant table and serving may not suit the atmosphere. Sometimes it’s necessary to sit in a dimly lit dive bar with TVs flashing and music playing while you chat with the bartender.
check out city paperList of dive bars with cozy no-frills dining:
AC’s Bar & Grill
467 King Street (Downtown) (843) 577-6742
Acsbar.com
AC’s is one of Charleston’s oldest and most famous dive bars. His AC’s, filled with pool tables and drinks, has many food and beverage industry insiders. And people in the industry know where the good places to eat are.
Big Gun Burger Shop & Bar
137 Calhoun Street (Downtown)
(843) 789-3821
Bigguncharleston.com
There’s a reason Big Gun has “hamburger” in its name. Enjoy unique burgers such as the Towering Inferno made with beef patties, pulled pork, barbecue sauce, queso fresco and habanero slaw, and the thin White Duke made with mushrooms, bacon, Swiss cheese, onions and horseradish. Big Gun also offers non-hamburger items such as hot dogs, nachos, and some vegetarian options. Come grab a burger and soak up the atmosphere.
Katy’s
227 St. Philip St. (Downtown)
(843) 724-4111
Instagram @cuttyselliotboroughbar
Cutty’s often hosts local pop-ups such as Weems Ramen and Nixtate. A place to find great drinks and try new food concepts in the off-the-beaten-path of King Street. Follow Cutty’s on Instagram to find out about upcoming pop-ups.
jeans haufbräu
817 Savannah Hwy (West Ashley)
(843) 225-4363
Gene’s Haufbrau turned 70 last month, and with good reason. Not only does it have one of the largest selections of quality canned beer in the area, but the food is also noteworthy. Try blue plate specials like pot roast. Eating pot roast at a dive bar sounds weird, but you won’t be disappointed.
Moe no Cross Town Tavern
714 Rutledge Ave. (Downtown)
(843) 641-0469
Moescrosstowntavern.com
Another staple of Charleston’s dive bars, hand-held food that’s perfect for drunken eating is served here. It’s rap. Moe’s offers delicious options for standard dive bar food such as chicken fingers, fries, and burgers, but a selection of wraps offers a wide variety of flavor combinations. Meanwhile, sip on a savory Bronco wrap with fried chicken, ham, bacon, ranch, cheddar and Monterey Jack while sipping on a cold beverage.
recovery room bar
685 King Street (Downtown)
(843) 727-0999
Recoveryroomtavern.com
The Recovery Room is one of the most popular drink locations in town. You’ve heard the name, especially if you’re a Pabst Blue Ribbon drinker. But while the Recovery Room is known for selling tons of his PBR, don’t miss the food, especially tater tachos. Potatoes are fried to a golden brown crisp and sprinkled with cheese, peppers, onions and jalapeños. Every bite is a flavor bomb.
royal american
970 Morrison Dr (Downtown)
(843) 817-6925
theroyalamerican.com
Royal American’s menu features fan favorites such as Magic Wings (flavored like Cool Ranch Doritos), Pharmacy Burger (double cheeseburger with onions, Frenchnaise and relish), and Chicken Cutlets (with sandwich or gravy). It’s full. Join the bartenders and weekend bands while you eat delicious food.
tin roof
1117 Magnolia Road. (West Ashley)
(843) 571-0775
Charlestontinroof.com
Along with the artistic atmosphere and music of the tin roof, there is also delicious food. Nashville’s Hot Chicken Sandwich shared menu space is lined with creative tacos, including Korean-style grouper, gochujang mayonnaise, and Locovez his tacos with cabbage.