167 Raw moved from a tiny room at 289 East Bay Street, now 167 Sushi Bar, to a long narrow 19th century building on King Street with original brick walls and a walnut bar. It takes no reservations. City Paper readers voted it Best Oysters and Best Raw Bar in 2026, and on r/Charleston the tuna burger is the dish people name.
167 Sushi Bar is the sushi and yakitori room from the 167 Raw group, in the East Bay Street storefront where 167 Raw itself began before moving to King Street.
39 Rue de Jean is a French cafe, brasserie and bar on John Street just off Upper King, with exposed brick, a patio and a private room upstairs. Explore Charleston reported in spring 2026 that it was marking its 25th anniversary with themed wine dinners and expanded lunch. It belongs to Holy City Hospitality, a Charleston group, and City Paper readers voted it Best French in 2026.
82 Queen is the Lowcountry restaurant on Queen Street that City Paper readers voted Best She-Crab Soup in 2026. The top answer in a r/Charleston she-crab soup thread agrees. Opinion on the rest is split: it is offered as the most Charleston restaurant in one thread, and in the same thread a commenter says it is not as good as its reputation.
BellyUp! Charleston / Over 50
Good places to eat and drink in Charleston, minus the nightclubs. When a spot gets loud later or draws a lot of kids, the card tells you.
2 spots
The newest room in the sector, open by late September 2026 on the roof of Storehouse Nine at Navy Yard Charleston, the redevelopment of the naval base that closed in 1996. It belongs to Charleston's Indigo Road Hospitality Group, the people behind Oak Steakhouse, Indaco and O-Ku. Executive chef Sean McMullen came from Luminosa in Asheville and cooks coastal Italian ... crudo, head-on shrimp, handmade pasta, whole fish, pizza ... with the Cooper River in view.
A speakeasy hidden inside Holy City Brewing, run by Johnny Caldwell, one half of the Charleston duo The Cocktail Bandits. The Post and Courier reported on 30 January 2026 that it sits behind the brewery bar, behind what looks like a wall of beer cans and taps ... give the wall a nudge and it opens into a small room with its own bar, a few tables and chairs, a record player and shelves of vinyl. A light above the wall is green when the room is open with space and red when it is closed or full. The menu is split into Classics, Signatures and Bites, and a raw bar is available on request.
The same over 50 spots, sorted by the reasons people actually pick them.
Recommendations from real Charlestonians, always attributed to whoever wrote them.
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