Burns Alley Tavern on King is the back-alley dive opened in 2006, hidden through La Hacienda or down Burns Lane, with wall-to-wall stickers, pool, jukebox, karaoke and PBR until 19:00 for $4.
Tip: Open noon to 02:00 seven days. Two entrances: one off the alley, one through the back of La Hacienda. Cash bar runs faster than card on weekends.
Address: 354 B King Street, Charleston, SC 29401
A.C.'s Bar & Grill on King has been Up All Night since 1987, the College of Charleston dive with pool tables, a kitchen running until 01:30 and PBR at $2 a can. King Street's oldest dive.
Tip: Bar open 11:00 to 02:00 daily; kitchen Monday to Saturday until 01:30, Sunday from 16:00. Order the Death Burger or loaded fries.
Tattooed Moose at Park Circle is the second Charleston location of the Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives anchor, a huge bar room with a craft beer list and Mike's Famous Duck Club sandwich on the menu.
Tip: Open 11:30 to 02:00 daily; kitchen until midnight Sunday to Thursday, 01:00 Friday and Saturday. Drag Bingo nights with Ava Clear on the calendar.
Bar Mash in the restored Cigar Factory on East Bay runs a domestic whiskey, beer and craft cocktail bar with a bocce court, shuffleboard, Golden Tee and a 1970s jukebox keeping the room loose.
Tip: Open Monday to Saturday from 16:00 with happy hour 16:00 to 18:00 daily. Late-night menu and food trucks on weekends; cash and card.
Trio Club at 139 Calhoun in Charleston is the city's longstanding electronic dance club, a Friday and Saturday room running rotating touring DJs across a downstairs band stage and an upstairs DJ floor.
Tip: Friday and Saturday 21:00 to 02:00 only. Tickets via the venue calendar for headliner nights; cover at the door for most weekends, 21+.
Republic Garden & Lounge on Upper King runs an indoor lounge paired with an outdoor garden, with DJ programming nightly and a smashburger plus shareable plates kitchen open afternoons.
Tip: Open daily from afternoon to 02:00. Kitchen runs 12:00 to 18:00 Wednesday to Sunday; the DJ floor and bottle service take over after dark.
The Refinery on Meeting Street Road runs an indoor and outdoor concert complex on the upper peninsula, with the city's only outdoor music amphitheatre, the Railcar and the Limbo cocktail room.
Tip: Buy concert tickets via the venue calendar; the amphitheatre runs Memorial Day weekend through autumn with national touring acts. Free parking on-site.