14 Charleston rooftop bars to visit Spring 2019

Can’t ya just feel the breeze now? It’s rooftop season, y’all, and even though heat rises, we can assure you that it’s always cooler on the tippity top of a building. From laid back breweries to more upscale spots, we’ve rounded up the best places to sip high in the sky on the peninsula.

Uptown Social (587 King St.)

Vibe: Sports bar.
When to go: Saturday day drinking.
Who to bring: This is the perfect time to get that big group of friends together for merry making and drink guzzling.
What to order: Uptown Social specializes in bar food. Order up one of their many pies; the wings are brined, smoked, cooled, and fried and come in orders of 6, 12, 24, and 50. And you have to get the frozen drinks on the rooftop. Try the High Noon Grapefruit frosé.

Pour Taproom (560 King St.)

Vibe: Serve yourself.
When to go: Weekday afternoon.
Who to bring: Your picky friend who doesn’t like standard brewery selections.
What to order: Pretty much anything your heart desires. Craft breweries from here and afar are represented on their massive tap wall, and they also have vino and cocktails, too — we’re talking 70 plus choices. This is also a bar food rooftop — order some duck tacos, chips and guac, or a cheese steak panini.

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The Rooftop Bar at Vendue (19 Vendue Range)

Vibe: Upscale, but not chi chi.
When to go: Saturday night or Sunday day.
Who to bring: Your ‘rents or visiting friends.
What to order: A Pimm’s cup — might as well put your pinky in the air with a proper British cocktail.
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Revelry Brewing Co. (10 Conroy St.)

Vibe: Chill AF.
When to go: You can’t beat an after work pint on this rooftop.
Who to bring: Your four-legged bestie — Revelry is notoriously fido friendly, and guaranteed there will be other pups you’ll run into for a boozy play date.
What to order: The sushi burrito from Tobo Sushi and a pint (or three) of the Never Sunny New England IPA.

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The Watch Rooftop (79 Wentworth St.)

Vibe: Upscale, trendy.
When to go: After shopping King St. or with your brunch squad.
Who to bring: Your sig o or bestie. Or ride solo — it’s OK to people watch alone.
What to order: The Starburst Pouch is fun as can be (looks like a grownup Capri Sun): made with vodka, pomegranate, blueberry, vanilla, and lime.

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Balao Seafood (16 North Market St.)

Vibe: Raw bar meets Market Street.
When to go: Weekday dinner — the fresh menu won’t leave you feeling bogged down.
Who to bring: Make it a date night.
What to order: Local oysters, of course.

Pavilion Bar (225 East Bay St.)

Vibe: Perpetual bachelorette party meets upscale oasis.
When to go: A sunny weekend, so you can perfect your tan with a drink in hand.
Who to bring: Your most fun friend or friends.
What to order: A martini — they offer nine iterations for god’s sake.

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Stars (495 King St.)

Vibe: Perpetual bachelor party meets regular weekend hangout.
When to go: A late afternoon or evening on the weekend — even though it gets crowded, it’s a great place to people watch while cooling off and checking out the skyline.
Who to bring: A friend or friends who won’t get roped into an unruly bachelor party.
What to order: When it’s busy your best bet is a beer or basic cocktail.

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The Cocktail Club (479 King St.)

Vibe: Chic spot for after work drinks, party haven for weekend bacchanalia.
When to go: Thursday night for pre or post dinner libations. It’s the classy way to ease into the weekend.
Who to bring: Out of town friends or (fun/adventurous) coworkers.
What to order: All their specialty cocktails are killer (hence the name). We’ve been loving the Gimme the Beet made with tequila, Campari, beet, ginger, and lemon.

Eleve at the Grand Bohemian (55 Wentworth St.)

Vibe: Eleve-ated garden party with a dash of Mad Men mod.
When to go: Weeknight dinner…treat yo self.
Who to bring: The rents. Or a date for a special occasion.
What to order: Lump crab cakes and the Bohemian Blend vino.

Mariott’s Aqua Terrace (170 Lockwood Blvd.)

Vibe: Laid back beach-y.
When to go: Before a RiverDogs baseball game down at the Joe.
Who to bring: The whole crew.
What to order: Stick to brews, they pair best with the hot dogs you’ll be feasting on. The bar has quite a selection of Carolina beers for six buckaroos.

Carolina Ale House (145 Calhoun St.)

Vibe: Sports bar
When to go: Hanging around King St., group happy hours
Who to bring: The new guy, groups with a bunch of different tastes
What to order: Get a local craft brew on draft or a bottle of good ol’ Bud Light. For those with even less discerning taste, they also have Bud Light Lime.

Fiat Lux at Hotel Bennett (404 King St.)

Vibe: Luxurious cabana (luxe is in the name!)
When to go: After the farmer’s market, special occasion
Who to bring: Your significant other, your parents, a tourist
What to order: Where else can you get a spiked snowball poolside? (No where.) Get the snowball of your choosing or go with one of their ultra fancy craft cocktails.

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Citrus Club at the Dewberry (334 Meeting St.)

Vibe: Intimate, classy Mad Men
When to go: Sunset, date night
Who to bring: Your bae, your gal pals. NOTE: You must have a reservation and parties are capped at six.
What to order: Sip on something tropical — what is more ‘grammable than the Polynesian pearl diver? (Not much.) They specialize in light fare, so try their calypso chips or one of their daily specials.