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.
4 spots
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.
Four barstools in an alley. The owner group, Charleston-born Holy City Hospitality, says the bar is nestled between 39 Rue de Jean and Coast Bar & Grill on Hutson Alley, with only 4 barstools inside and more seating outside on the alley. It pours canned cocktails, beer and wine plus two frozen drinks, a Bourbon Cheerwine Slushie and the house Hutson Alley Hooch, and small bites come over from Coast. The group pitches it as the stop before dinner or before a show next door at the Charleston Music Hall.
The Post and Courier's alphabet guide describes the approach better than the restaurant does: Maison is 'housed in an odd-looking blueish-purple building on King Street. Enter by walking through a quiet patio, guarded by a mural of the Eiffel Tour. Inside, a slim alleyway passes a bar on the left and booths to the right before the room opens up in the back.' Chef Vandy Vanderwarker runs the kitchen, and the paper ranks it alongside Chez Nous as the area's top French restaurants.
Prohibition is a bar and restaurant on Upper King with music most nights: bands on Thursdays, DJs on Fridays and brunch sets at the weekend. It has a large heated patio and a private room for up to 150.
Go early. It turns into a late-night spot later in the evening.
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