Nothing screams “holiday season” like sipping boozy eggnog fireside, err, King Street side, surrounded by thousands of strands of Christmas lights and immersed in the sonic sound bath that is Mariah Carey. Four (yes four) holiday pop-up bars open around town in the next two weeks and we’ve got the scoop on what’s what, from the best spot for date night to the preferred location for a really, really boozy night out. Happy holidays, y’all.
Handcraft Kitchen & Cocktails’ Miracle Bar
Jolly, joyful and really, really bright
While all pop-up bars are good pop-up bars, the Miracle Bar is particularly special; the holiday concept has been popping up in bars and restaurants around the globe for nine years now. Former cuisine editor Mary Scott Hardaway wrote about the international phenomenon back in 2017, when it came to town via East Bay Street’s Gin Joint: “What started four years ago upon the advice of the sagacious mother of NYC restaurateur Greg Boehm has become a 21st century tradition — or simply a drunk Santa’s dream — popping up in more than 50 cities around the world, from Tucson to Quebec to Chicago.”
This is Miracle’s fifth year at Mount Pleasant’s Handcraft Kitchen & Cocktails, and as always, it brings the heat with excessive holiday decor and a lengthy themed cocktail menu (you can find the same menu at all participating Miracle pop-ups). Handcraft’s director of operations, Jason Freda, put it simply: “Miracle works, it has always worked.”
In addition to daily holiday fun, Handcraft also offers Breakfast with Santa events during the first two weekends of December; make your reservation at resy.com.
Hours: Starts Nov. 20. Open 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday. Open 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.
Vibes: Over-the-top cheer
Drink we’d be drinkin’: Christmapolitan, made with vodka, elderflower, dry vermouth, spiced cranberry sauce, lime, rosemary and absinthe mist. Oh, and a “naughty shot,” served in a tiny Santa mug, made with tequila, habanero, ginger and hibiscus.
Fun fact: Miracle will donate 10% of all proceeds from the sale of three signature glassware items to the Seva Foundation, “a global nonprofit eye care organization that works with local communities around the world.”
Prohibition’s Sippin’ Santa
Kitschy, tiki-infused fun
Prohibition recreates itself as Christmas bar Sippin’ Santa this season, decked out in self-proclaimed “over-the-top Christmas” decor. The “tropical companion” to Miracle, Sippin’ Santa is also an international pop-up franchise. Find the full drink menu online.
All the festive cocktails are served in special mugs and glassware — here’s lookin’ at you surfin’ Santa — and drinks include tiki classics as well as new cocktails crafted just for this year.
Prohibition executive chef Greg Garrison will be serving holiday-inspired dishes for lunch, brunch and dinner, including snacks like white hot wings and frosted pecans and almonds, as well as bigger plates like venison terrine, served with pistachio, cranberry, pork belly, whole grain mustard and red endive.
Hours: Open daily, Nov. 24 through Jan. 1. Open lunch and dinner, Monday through Friday and weekend brunch.
Vibes: Loud, bright and lots of fun
Drink we’d be drinkin’: Jingle Bird, made with bourbon, pineapple rum, campari, lime, pineapple and “jingle mix”
Fun fact: Sippin’ Santa partners with tiki connoisseur Jeff “Beachbum” Berry, described by Imbibe Magazine as one of the “25 most influential Cocktail Personalities of the Past Century,” to create the tropical, holiday-themed cocktails available at all Sippin’ Santa pop-ups.
Harold’s Cabin’s White Christmas
For that cozy ski-lodge feel
If you’re dreaming of a white Christmas, look no further than Harold’s Cabin and The Pickled Beat’s aptly named pop-up bar, which is now open through the beginning of January. The upstairs space already features an upside-down Christmas tree, which will be filled with snowflakes, tinsel and string lights, while the rest of the space is decked out in additional holiday decor.
In a press release, Harold’s Cabin owner John Schumacher summed up the essence of the pop-up: “When we started our annual holiday bars in 2022, it was our hope to cultivate an over-the-top space that our guests could escape to for an hour (or more!) during the holidays.”
Chefs Micah Pearson and Trey Keller have created special soups, stews and winter pastas to fit the theme of the pop-up, and bar manager Michael DeNicola serves up his “six-month Fermented Eggnog.”
Hours: Now open through the beginning of January. Open 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Vibes: Cozy, low-key, classic holiday
Drink we’d be drinkin’: That aforementioned ‘nog, of course. It’s made with Jamaican rum, cognac, bourbon, a dash of kosher salt and freshly grated nutmeg.
Fun fact: You can book a semi-private rooftop “cabin igloo” for up to eight guests by calling Harold’s Cabin directly, (843) 793-4440.
Little Palm bar’s Little Pine
European holiday markets meet poolside vacay
Head to The Ryder hotel’s Little Palm bar and restaurant for its holiday iteration, Little Pine, which hopes to recreate an “authentic apres ski experience without leaving Charleston.” Guests can rent out gondolas (named after ski lifts, these little structures remind us of Christmas markets in Europe), hang by the pool or just belly up the bar for seasonal sips. To reserve a gondola head to resy.com.
Hours: Opens Nov. 16. Open for lunch and dinner daily.
Vibes: Seaside French town … but with pink and white Christmas trees
Drink we’d be drinkin’: The Oaxacan toddy, made with Vidal mezcal, Italicus bergamot, lemon, honey and hibiscus tea is basically a health drink, so yes please.
Fun fact: The Ryder hotel recently expanded, adding a space called “The Backyard,” an extension of the Little Palm. The “island-inspired” bar and restaurant is open daily.
Bar Mash’s Bar Mashmas
Classic holiday cheer
Bar Mash’s annual holiday themed pop-up bar, appropriately named Bar Mashmas, returns this season with special food and drink menu items. Cheekily named food items include the Loaf Actually, a rosemary focaccia with garlic herb olive oil and Jingle Balls, shrimp risotto arancini made with peas and parmesan and served with red pepper pesto. This pop-up really hones in on the food offerings, so settle in for a festive night of boozy delights — hello, Espresso Express — as well as small bites and desserts. We’re here for The One Where Rachel Makes a Trifle, a gingerbread pound cake layered with eggnog custard and bourbon caramel.
Hours: Opens Nov. 27. Open 4 p.m. to 10 p.m Monday through Saturday.
Vibes: Food-focused fun
Drink we’d be drinkin’: The “Mean Mr. Grinch,” served with pearl vodka, midori, allspice dram, pineapple, lemon and cinnamon.Fun fact: Bar Mash has over 100 whiskeys to choose from.
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