Finally, work is over and there are still two-ish hours left to get cheap(er) drinks and snacks to take the edge off of your long work day. For this very reason, I have personally curated the seven best places in downtown Charleston to go to get your drink on during happy hour.
Uptown, as the locals call it, is filled with daily happy hour specials including a half-price bar menu and $2 sliders every weekday from 4PM-8PM. Uptown has more specific specials like Tuesday’s Endless Summer Buckets or Thursday’s $2 green tea shots. Honestly, their Frosé is enough to keep me coming back for more.
You haven’t lived until you’ve tried CO’s edamame gyoza, which is part of their weekday happy hour from 4PM-7PM. They also offer a discount on their fruit infused sake, giving you the option to end your day on a tart note (the green apple is my personal favorite). On Sundays, CO offers a special on their mimosas, $3 for a glass or a steal at $10 for a carafe!
Moe’s holds a special place in my heart because of the abundance of free parking and the $5 black bean dip during their weekday happy hour from 4PM-7PM. They also offer cheap drinks like PBR for $1.75 and $1.00 off their well liquors. You get that local feel from this one but be careful on Thursdays, that’s where the Citadel cadets like to spend their free time off campus.
People, let me tell you about my favorite dive bar in Charleston. Tucked away right off of King Street, Burn’s offers you two things: a wall full of fake I.D.’s to peruse as entertainment (mine included) and $2 domestics and house liquors on Thursdays. Their happy hour extends until 7:30, giving you the perfect excuse to walk down a semi-creepy alley for some good drink deals. Also, karaoke on Wednesdays.
Stars is great if you love wine, they have 87 something wines on draft (just kidding, it’s more like 20 something) and will keep coming with the samples all night long until you find your absolute fave. They also just completely revamped their weekday happy hour Monday-Thursday from 4PM-7PM by adding classic bar food like delicious chicken wings or spinach artichoke dip all for under $10. You’ll come for the appetizers but stay for the best prime ribeye and mac and cheese on upper King Street.
If there’s one thing you can count on at Republic, it’s that there is ALWAYS live music. I’m not kidding. As soon as they open, to closing time, there is someone filling upper King street with tunes. Republic’s weekday happy hour runs from 4PM-7PM and offers ½ price bottles of wine under $200 paired perfectly with cheap bar food. Also, helllllooooo charcuterie. Republic features a great outdoor seating area and a club-like scene on the inside.
$5 everything. Weekdays from 4PM-7PM, Warehouse offers $5 specials on your poison, whether it’s cocktails, beer, wine, or even their infamous ‘whiskey of the week’. Though you’re likely to see one of those Southern Proper snobs, this is still a great bar to go to for a low key atmosphere kind of happy hour. Pro tip: try their grilled “5” cheese sandwich with your Bloody Mary. You won’t be disappointed.