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.
3 spots
Bert's motto is 'We May Doze, But We Never Close'. It is open 24 hours every day of the year and calls itself the only grocery store on Folly proper, serving the island for more than two decades. Inside are a deli called The Wooden Spoon, a grill, breakfast before 11, and a hot bar with 75 cent hot dogs. City Paper readers made it runner-up for Best Hot Dogs in 2026.
Open late. Go earlier if you want a calmer room.
A fresh seafood market on the bank of Shem Creek, run by the fourth generation of the same family and, by its own account, one of the oldest businesses in the Lowcountry at more than 80 years. It sells local catch over the counter and caters. The Post and Courier reported a structure fire there in 2024 and the family picking up afterwards.
A corner store with a griddle, on a residential corner away from the restaurant streets. The shop says it opened in 1922 and has been an apothecary, a full grocery and now a corner store making crepes, hot-pressed sandwiches and all-day breakfast with craft beer and wine. The Post and Courier's alphabet guide says children once walked to the corner of Queen and Logan streets for candy after school and neighbors came by in the evening to watch the news over a cold beer. The paper says it is owned by local actor Rob Bouton and that Bill Murray comes in for his namesake crepe.
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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Every Charleston spot here already has a free profile going, put together from what you publish publicly. If we have you filed wrong, or we are missing what you most want to be known for, tell us.
