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The 20 Best Rooftop Restaurants in Charleston, SC

BySabina Perry Posted on

trails life 1 hour

Charleston plays her role as South Carolina’s largest city pretty well.

She has everything from historical synagogues (hence the nickname, Holy City), a 60-mile coastline, vibrant beach towns, and in her metropolitan areas–trendy hangout joints to modern hotels with classy rooftop restaurants and bars.

We’ve compiled the 20 best rooftop restaurants Charleston, SC, to give you a taste.

Stars Restaurant

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1. Stars Restaurant

Want a taste of the 1930s? You should check out Stars Restaurant on King Street. Their menu is inspired by authentic Carolina cuisine from the 1930s and includes a variety of wood-grilled eats like the yummy wood-grilled shrimp.

The entire premise features stunning deep redwood detailing. It infuses a rustic vibe to the space and pays homage to the 1930s, a unique era of human civilization.

The rooftop has all-around views of Charleston, including busy King Street below, plus you get a shot at indulging in their rich rooftop drinks menu.

45 Waterside on Lockwood Restaurant

2. 45 Waterside on Lockwood Restaurant

Want to enjoy some waterside dining without too much of a crowd? Check out 45 Waterside on Lockwood.

This rooftop restaurant sits by the bank of the Ashley River, a blackwater river whose sight is as relaxing as its name, and the view from the rooftop area is equally as pleasing.

45 Waterside is far up the harbor, meaning it’s usually not as crowded as other rooftop restaurants by Charleston Harbor. And even if it were, that would be no problem because the rooftop alone can host up to 80 people.

The Watch Rooftop Kitchen & Spirits

3. The Watch Rooftop Kitchen & Spirits

Want a fancy rooftop experience but with all the ordinary bar fare you love? The Watch Rooftop restaurant is the place for you. They offer a superb range of drunk-persons favorites such as home fries, crispy chicken skins, and hushpuppies. If you’re looking to feed on something healthier, they also offer a fantastic food menu featuring seasonal dishes and delicacies made using locally-sourced ingredients. And to ensure an experience like no other for coffee lovers, they’ve partnered with Springbok Coffee Roasters to create a roast-coffee blend like no other.

The Rooftop at the Vendue

4. The Rooftop at the Vendue

Waterside dining is intertwined into Charleston’s culture, and you’ll find plenty of fantastic waterfront restaurants and rooftop spots. The Rooftop at the Vendue is among the most popular.

Voted the best rooftop bar in Charleston, this venue has two levels, each featuring covered and uncovered areas. The uncovered areas offer incredible water views.

The space is simple but features colorful art installations your Instagram followers will appreciate on their timelines. The Rooftop at the Vendue attracts a grown crowd on weekdays, but young, happy-go Charleston professionals like to set camp here on weekends.

Their menu is impressively diverse and includes various seafood options, such as deviled crab fritters. Beer and wine options run a wide gamut, from local to international, and their cocktails won’t disappoint.

The Pavilion Bar

5. The Pavilion Bar

Charleston’s market street is always bustling with activity thanks to the nearby historical Charleston market. The Pavilion Bar on the 4th floor of the Market Pavilion Hotel is the best spot to take in all the action from.

Besides market street, this rooftop venue also offers views of Charleston Harbor at a distance and Charleston’s bustling downtown area. It makes a perfect place to spend the day, especially on a hot summer day, thanks to its large cascading pool, sun loungers, and a martini-mojito-focused cocktail menu.

The Cocktail

6. The Cocktail

The Cocktail club has a strict dress code, but it’s one worth adhering to. It’s housed in an 1800s building and features a modern rooftop with a custom garden from where they source all cocktail garnishes. As the name implies, the Cocktail club takes cocktail crafting very seriously and is inarguably where to go when you want to try that unique cocktail you saw on your favorite reality show. They’re conveniently located on upper King Street.

The Boathouse

7. The Boathouse

Opened in 1997, the Boathouse at Breach Inlet remains one of the best spots for waterfront dining in Charleston despite the emergence of other trendier options.

The restaurant is just a few yards from Isle Palms, directly overlooking the Cooper River Bridge and a small marina.

The restaurant sits on stilts and has three entertainment areas: a beautiful screened-in inlet bar, a large private dining waterfront deck with sweeping water, marsh and dock views, and an intimate area perfect for hosting private dinners. They have an impressive selection of seafood and plenty of Southern cuisine options. The premise is child-friendly, so your little ones can tag along too.

Charleston Harbor Fish House

8. Charleston Harbor Fish House

The Charleston Harbor Fish House has an almost similar setup as the Boathouse at Breach Inlet, but with even incredible views — the water, Charleston Harbor, USS Yorktown, and even part of Charleston’s downtown skyline. And these fascinating views can be enjoyed from every corner of the restaurant.

Their menu features seafood but also has a wide variety of land-based dishes. Their fried green tomatoes served with smoked corn is certainly to die for, and their rich drinks menu is worth sampling.

Eleve

9. Eleve

If you’ve just landed in Charleston, ask any random person about the best rooftop restaurants Charleston, and they’ll probably point you toward Eleve. It’s one of Charleston’s most popular rooftop spots. And for good reasons. It’s an upscale spot with an extensive list of wine and specialty cocktails, plus it often attracts the high rollers. This is, however, is no surprise as it’s nestled on the fourth floor of the acclaimed Grand Bohemian hotel. Eleve is divided into two parts: a dining room with an incredibly swanky interior and a rooftop garden with cozy sun loungers and turf carpeting.  You’ll want to reserve a spot, though, as it gets pretty packed.

Pour Taproom

10. Pour Taproom

There are two categories of drinkers in this world; those who stick to the same drink they ordered first all night and those who sample everything on the menu because life is short!

If you are in the second category, you are probably either young and can take a hangover like a champ, or you don’t care about hangovers. Either way, the Pour taproom is just the rooftop restaurant for you in Charleston. They offer beer, wine, and even cocktails by an ounce.

As if not impressive enough, they have over 70 beer brands and a rich array of wines in their selection. As a result, you are not only spoilt for choice, but you also get to sample that wine you’ve always wanted without committing to an entire bottle.

Pour Taproom is on the rooftop of Hyatt House on King Street.

Uptown Social

11. Uptown Social

If you are not after views but merely looking to relax in an upscale spot with a cool breeze and an active social life, Uptown Social sounds like the best rooftop restaurant in Charleston, your case.

The rooftop area is covered by wrap-around foliage, meaning there’s no view. However, there are massive TVs to enjoy gameday from, and while the main bar can get packed and raucous, especially on gameday, the rooftop is a little laidback. Plus, they offer some of the best pub grub in Charleston with options like pizza, sliders, and sandwiches, each offering a wide variety of choices.

Red’s Ice House

12. Red’s Ice House

Red’s Ice House is pretty popular with Charleston’s residents, so you might want to get there early. Otherwise, you’ll find it packed with locals.

And who can blame them?

After all, the restaurant is always brimming with life, with excellent country music playlists, a fulfilling variety of cold beer, a rich seafood menu, and sweeping views of Shem Creek from both the main area and the rooftop.

It’s no wonder they were voted the best waterfront bar and outdoor patio in Charleston multiple times by Charleston City Paper readers.

Citrus Club

13. Citrus Club

Some people prefer waterfront views, while others would kill for great cityscapes. And then there’s a special category of those who fancy both, and if you fall in it, the Citrus Club might be the best rooftop restaurant in Charleston for you.

The cozy rooftop venue sits on the 8th floor of the mid-century decorated Dewberry Hotel on King Street. As a result, you get clear views of the water and Charleston’s bustling downtown.

The indoor area of the rooftop lounge is tastefully furnished with chic velvet stools and has a bar area serving frozen drinks, wines, and cocktails. The outdoor area is where all the vibes are at. It has nice, intimate nooks separated by potted plants where guests can dine, converse, and enjoy the nice views.

Fleet landing

14. Fleet landing

There are plenty of fantastic waterfront seafood restaurants in Charleston. However, Fleet Landing is the best rooftop restaurant in Charleston for you if you’re specifically looking to feast on seafood and enjoy water views without leaving town.

As the only waterside seafood restaurant downtown, Charleston Fleet Landing spoils guests for choice with its rich Southern seafood fare.  The drinks menu is equally as pleasing. It has a draft, canned to bottled beer, wines, cocktails & mocktails, and they offer a happy hour menu from Monday through Friday.

Aqua Terrace

15. Aqua Terrace

There are plenty of things to love about Aqua Terrace, but the restaurant’s rooftop view of the Ashley River and its marina take the cake. The restaurant sits only three floors up on the Marriott Hotel, but it offers some of the best Ashley River views in Charleston. The rooftop terrace features plenty of cozy, quality wicker chairs with heaters and firepits here and there to keep guests warm on chilly nights. Their cocktail menu features the classics, e.g., margarita, mai tai, and the like but with a twist. As for food, you’ll want your buddies tagging along because they offer some pretty amazing platters.

Henry’s on the Market

16. Henry’s on the Market

Henry’s House might be a little aged out (they’re allowed to age out, the place that opened its doors in the 1930s), but it’s undoubtedly one of the best spots to hang out if you’d like views of Market Street.

The restaurant is located right across Charleston City market allowing unhindered views of all the street craze typical of any market street. And to ensure every guest gets to see it, the rooftop terrace is divided into two patios. They offer three menus; a drinks menu featuring signature cocktails like a margarita, a food menu with homely delicacies like Mahi Mahi and southern shrimp tacos, and a bottle service menu.

The Mill Street Tavern

17. The Mill Street Tavern

Craving some baked mac & cheese? Head over to the Mill Street Tavern, and your cravings will be sorted.

Besides mac & cheese, they also offer delicious BBQ pork nachos, crispy oysters, and smoked chicken wings. They even have a dedicated sushi menu featuring some of your favorite roll combinations, such as the sweet potato roll.

Your thirst for some good cocktails will also be satiated by their awesome hand-crafted cocktails, including classics like mojitos and margaritas. As for views, this restaurant has two levels, the main indoor level on the lower floor and a rooftop overlooking the marsh and water on Shem Creek.

And because it’s some distance from downtown Charleston, the tavern attracts a relaxed crowd making it the ideal spot to spend a laidback Saturday or Sunday.

Fiat Lux

18. Fiat Lux

Looking to hit a fancy rooftop restaurant in Charleston in your recently bought, incredibly fly outfit? Head to Fiat Lux. It’s perched on the ninth floor of Hotel Bennet, one of Charleston’s grandest hotels. As a result, it’s as poshly decorated as the deluxe hotel and has some fancy and casual vibes.

Upon entering the lounge, you’re greeted by a beautiful dark purple palette and incredibly cozy brown leather chairs. There’s also a bar area serving an impressive variety of cocktails, locally-brewed beers, and a decent array of wines.  You’ll find plenty of seating on the terrace to take in Charleston’s downtown views from cabanas and a large, deep blue pool.

Snapper Jacks

19. Snapper Jacks

Turning up in Downtown Charleston is fun, but turning up at a beach is a whole pleasantly different experience. Never tried it before?  Add Snappers Jacks to your list of the best rooftop restaurants in Charleston.

They are a three-story beach restaurant on Folly beach, meaning pleasing water views are non-negotiable. Thanks to the restaurant’s location, revelers are always guaranteed some fresh seafood and even have a special sushi menu. But if you’re looking to dine on regulars, they also have a regular menu.  Even better, they’re kid-friendly and have a kid’s menu.

The Loutrel

20. The Loutrel

The Loutrel is one of newest rooftop restaurants Charleston. It’s one of the classiest boutique hotels in Charleston, but the rooftop terrace is undoubtedly the marquee feature.

Set on the hotel’s fourth floor so as not to interfere with Charleston’s historic area (Hotel Loutrel is adjacent to the historic district), the terrace features cushioned wicker seating, potted plants, and views of Charleston’s historic district. It has a casual but upscale ambiance, perfect for dining and imbibing.

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Sabina Perry

You could say I'm well cultured and well traveled. I love fine dining and upscale partying around the world. As such I enjoy writing about my experiences as well as researching some of the finest venues on the planet. Come join me!

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