After several days of mediocre conference food, a stroll took me past Big John's. Exactly the antidote I was looking for after lukewarm shrimp and soggy cracker appetizers. (entirely elsewhere, let me be clear!!) There I had a crisp cold local beer and a fantastic burger, just screamingly hot and fresh. The bartender was friendly, and there was Scooby Doo on the overhead tv along with the usual offering of sports. Bliss! read more

We came to big John's for happy hour, and I'm so glad that we did! I had the snafu sour, which is a seasonal sour that changes. Currently, it is a very delicious cherry flavor with a little tart factor but nothing too tart. I thought it was absolutely fantastic! Definitely top three favorite sour flavors so far!! my husband chose a cider and also enjoyed his beer! The bartenders were super friendly and inviting! There's also an adorable little dog who will come right up to you, so friendly and so cute! read more

Was in Charleston for business and stopped into Big John's Tavern looking for a quick bite and a drink... ended up finding a great local spot. Bartender was incredibly friendly, the locals made you feel welcome right away, and the food was excellent. Had that classic neighborhood tavern vibe where you instantly feel comfortable. Overall, highly recommend if you're in Charleston and want a laid back place with good people, good food, and good drinks. Will definitely be back next time I'm in town. read more

Guinness and drinks are great but the food is average. Nice staff working here last week . Charleston prices lol. read more

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This place is a great dive bar. Ideal location if you're downtown but don't want to be in the thick of King Steet. Bartenders are and servers are always top notch! I've never had a bad experience. Be sure to visit the ice cream shop next door for the espresso martini read more

The girl at the bar was incredibly rude and did not accept my ID (I am OVER 25 btw, AND have a horizontal real ID, lol there was zero reason to be skeptical)z After giving her about three other cards with my name on it she and her coworker were still standoffish. Was excited to try this place as I was staying in the area for a work trip. Get a scanner so you can avoid these situations in the future, or train your staff on what ID's look like. I guess it's a compliment but so so so annoying. Will 100% tell my friends to avoid this establishment. read more

I sure am glad this place seems to be getting back to it's roots. Good friendly bartenders that respect the history of the place and although it is nice inside, you still get a little "dive" culture which is a good thing. Quick service, cold beer, and a good time. I love the original place memorabilia I will be back! read more

We were big fans of the original Big John's. We stopped in to check the new owner's (Citidel graduate) new endeavor. Everything look great, the menu is nice and the staff is very accommodating. The fake panties and bras were silly but that's okay. We wish the best to the new Big John's. And we also will always miss the original. read more

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The atmosphere 5 stars. The staff 5 stars minus the evening manager (Feb 15, 2026). The food and cocktails 5 stars. The evening manager really screwed with the employees who were there before he arrived. Really disrupted their good work flow. Disrupting customer and staff interactions. Made us feel uncomfortable when he seemed to critique or criticize their work in front of all customers. This guy needs leadership and management classes. I would not work for him. Broke all management rules. His employees were doing fine. You could literally watch their attitude change as they worked with him. Everything was great until he showed up. Respect your employees, educate and criticize in the back of the house not in the front. You were a buzz kill for your bar customers. Your staff was doing a great job. Sad to watch your interactions with them. Shame on you manager. Take some classes on how to motivate your people and not disrupt their work flow. Would have been 5 stars without the manager present. But could only give 4 stars because of him. Rating the manager would get 1 star. read more

Big John's Tavern - Purple Rain cocktail served up. Delicious thank you Dek for your great service! - Dive Bars Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

This place is epic! The new owner Brendan O'Neil is awesome. Bringing a new vibe in the same place. Great food. Awesome happy hour deal. Highly recommend. read more

Everything a dive bar should be; or a tavern! Nice selection of drafts on the board when you enter. Beers were cold and served in a chilled glass. We had the blackened shrimp nachos and they were fantastic. A large mound of deliciousness! Even sharing, we couldn't finish them all. Lillian, the bartender was friendly, helpful and very bubbly! Pretty sure if we lived here, this would be our hangout! read more

Big John's Tavern - Blackened shrimp nachos. - Dive Bars Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

We didn't try the food, but the ambiance is chill. Great drinks! Lillian is an amazing bartender/server! Great jams! Espresso martinis were delicious and pickle back shot were fire! read more

Big John's Tavern - Espresso Martini - Dive Bars Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Decent vibes here I like how laid back it feels. The burgers were decent but wasn't amazing. I'd go for happy hour for the best prices.

Great googly moogly - fantastically welcoming, great drinks made by caring and friendly bartenders in a comfy room with plenty of different seating options to accommodate anyone. Good variety of beers and drinks, but not trying to be everything to all people - just aiming to be a great neighborhood bar and hitting that one out of the park. It's great. That said . . . the FOOD is actually better than that. The double cheeseburger with thinly sliced jalapeños was one of the best burgers I've had in years (and I have a lot of burgers). My wife liked her chili cheese dog, too, but - man, did I love that burger. I'll remember this place and I'll return next time we're in Chuck Town. Big John's Tavern is outstanding. read more

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Food is mediocre. I honestly am not sure what the appeal is for this place. Ambience is also sub par. Overrated and would not return.

Best Martinis in Charleston! Cant go there without getting the espresso martini regardless of the time of day.

Great local dive bar. Free parking after 6 pm on week days. Holy City PILS rocks. Zak is the best! Stop by the oldest bar in Charleston, SC. read more

Big John's Tavern - Big Johns Tavern. - Dive Bars Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

My experience here was truly dissapointing. The service and food output time was terrible. It took about an hour and a half to receive our food. During that time, our server Nicole stood at her tablet ignoring our table, we made eye conta multiple times. She admitted to giving us regular coke instead of diet coke, which could be dangerous for someone with dietary restriction. We also found a pork rind in our curly fries. It's hazardous towards people that have certain allergies. Overall it took over 2 hours for a party of four and only five dishes. read more

Big John's Tavern - Pork Rind in our food - Dive Bars Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

John was great and engaged with his customers. Food was outstanding, with very good variety of beer and creative cocktails. Great ambience that did not follow the tourist culture. read more

Things got weird when a random man came behind the bar to pour himself a drink. bar staff was inattentive and kept going to the bathroom. Typically I like this place but tonight was off putting. read more

Walked into Big John's, saw a dude in an "I love BJ's" shirt, and knew I was in the right place. The nachos? Unreal. Stacked high, dripping in cheese, and downright filthy in the best way. I didn't eat them--I survived them. read more

If you're visiting Charleston, make sure you stop in and experience Big John's!!! So my wife and I spent the weekend in Charleston (went to a concert Friday night)...spent Saturday and Sunday seeing the sites, taking museum tours, etc. went to City Market on Sunday AM and decided to stop at Big John's Tavern. What a great spot and we had a great time!!! Greeted very warmly by Eric and Katie, we spent a couple of hours chatting, drinking, laughing and generally having the best time. Both Eric and Katie are the kind of employees that keep people coming back!!! The bar has a great vibe, lots of big screen TVs for football on a Sunday. Amazing place, well worth the short walk and highly recommended!!! read more

Big John's Tavern - Draft taps with my fave toy!!!! - Dive Bars Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

The burger I got for takeout was fantastic. I will definitely be back. I was greeted by two smiling faces who helped me get my food and were great to talk to. Fun vibe, great food, great staff. read more

Hi yall, I was visiting from Birmingham Alabama and the bartenders lacked hospitality. I have never ate food so poor but minorly expected out of a bar. Although my beautiful wife ordered a French 75 and the put it in a wine glass with soda water. Almost looked like a Hugo spritz and was very poor. Saw a bunch of young kids running around so extremely concerning legally. Definitely don't go! read more

-This is a biased review because it became an impromptu Philadelphia Eagles bar wildcard weekend - Wandered into this bar because it was closer to our hotel then the other sports bar in walking distance on a visit to CHS. It's dive bar for sure, dark wood chalkboard beer menu. It's also a Citadel bar, with nameplates all around which adds to the history. Yep it's a dive bar for sure. It's high tops or bar seats only As we settle in and look over the menu the Rocky theme breaks out as it's an Eagles playoff game, great luck. The ambience was fun the entire night though loud. The bartenders tried but the mixed stuff lacked balance. Generally the food was fried, freshly but fried. The beer selection was good though not stellar. It's a 4 because it's way better then a 3 read more

This was such a fun bar! The building is super cool too! The old architecture is stunning! The bartenders were super cool and funny! They were also super considerate! I got a bunch of drinks but the strawberry bliss and strawberry burst (can) were definitely my favorites. We went two nights in a row because it was so enjoyable! Definitely recommend coming here! read more

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cesar salad with ZERO protein and truffle fries took over 50 minutes food may be good but the customer service is awful will not be back

Adam and Brenden the bartenders were very nice and welcoming. Made us feel like friends. Invited us to stay for karaoke. The burger and fries were awesome. From your Pittsburgh new friends. Ricky and Saunny read more

Big John's Tavern - Burger and fries - Dive Bars Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Very good service and wonderful drinks! I am not sure what it is but Bar drinks hit differently. Like they add something that makes you instantly tipsy. At any rate the bartender was was super helpful and was happy to answer any questions we had. We were there pretty early! It was s a great time! I thought the look of the bar was cool! It was definitely giving old tavern read more

Big John's Tavern - Smoked Old fashion - Dive Bars Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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Best espresso martini EVER! Service was a little slow, but other than that good drinks and good food read more

Big John's Tavern - Dive Bars Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

This Place Fucks! Will totally be back. Food is great and the vibes are spot on. Hand a few cold beers and a burger that was to die for.

Service!! Went in to watch the Cincinnati Bengals game since I looked and it said they have the Sunday NFL ticket. They only have 4 TVs to begin with and not all of those TVs have the nfl ticket, according to the very rude "bro" working there. The first bartender was very nice and was trying to get the Bengals game on when the "bro" bartender came and took the remote from him and said he couldn't put the Bengals game on because 2 of the TVs had to be on the Eagles game! He said they promote the eagle, in South Carolina, and out of the 6 people who were there they were watching both TVs. We were a party of four that would have bought several drinks and food! He then went to mocking me behind my back. I sure hope the owner sees this and has a talk with this young, 20 something, kid about how businesses are run and that he just ushered out paying customers at a dead bar!! Will absolutely never be back and would recommend not going until they can get some better employees! I don't want to give them even one star with how bad this employee was! read more

5-25-23 8pm Came here for a quick drink before going on our Ghost Tour nearby. Thought to get an espresso martini with that little bit of caffeine for a jolt. To my surprise the bar tender was making the drink on front of me and I noticed the raw egg. Truthfully wished she told me first as I would have passed. So she continued with the drink and said it adds to the froth on top. Listen I will try anything once and next time I definitely would not get. I could smell egg with every sip on the glass. It felt like I was doing Penance for something I did wrong. Hubby had his gin and tonic and the. We ran off to our tour. Cute little hidden place so it was nice and not too crowded as we got two seats at the bar. Definitely would come back next visit to Charleston but probably I would just get a beer. read more

Big John's Tavern - Dive Bars Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Although I miss Cain's which was in this spot previously the vibe is fun here. A bit loud since it was hard to talk with the person next to you. Cool place for a few drinks. Try the purple haze. Lots of craft beers offered. Great service. read more

Big John's Tavern - Bar - Dive Bars Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

OKAAAYYYY I am so tempted to not leave this review because I want to selfishly keep this spot a hidden gem!! But I know that would be wrong of me, haha. I came here a couple weeks ago for a Yelp event but decided to come back last night with my friend who invited me along and W O W. First of all, this is my new favorite spot for both dirty (gin) martinis anddd espresso martinis (legit one of the best espresso martinis I've ever had). Secondly, THE FOOD. They have a new chef with a new menu and you wouldn't expect this kind of food to be served in this kind of bar but that's what makes it all so cool -- it's the oldest bar in Charleston, it's soo cute, they do karaoke on Tuesdays, and even have a speakeasy next door in the vape shop but shh, I didn't tell you that. Check out the pics to see the amazing food we got! I can't wait to bring all my visitors to this epic spot. read more

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Couldn't go wrong with a Hamburger and pimento cheese and fries. Service was great and ambience was okay. Seemed like a local favorite ! Met some nice people and would likely go again for the Wednesday 1/2 price beer specials. read more

Big John's Tavern - Dive Bars Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

HOLY COW BIG JOHNS - I came here for a Yelp event a few weeks ago and honestly was not super impressed, but when I learned they had a new chef, decided to give it a new try. Honestly, this meal was mind blowing! Started with an espresso martini and this recipe with the chocolate + egg whites is amazing! I would order this as a dessert. I also had a dirty martini which was tasty but not my favorite. THE APPETIZERS were life changing! GET THE CURRIED STEAK TARTARE - flavors are bold and complex, steak is fresh and buttery, and crostinis are perfectly crispy and a delectable ratio to the tartare! The soft pretzels will forever live in my memory, portion was generous to share and having the choice of mustard, beer cheese, and cinnamon honey butter made my heart sing. The cinnamon honey butter paired with the pretzel reminded me of a gourmet Auntie Anne's cinnamon sugar pretzel - to die for. For entrees we got the Shrimp Linguini and Alabama Duck. The Shrimp Linguini was light and flavorful and shrimp was plentiful and well seasoned. The Alabama Duck was an unexpected WOW! The portion was huge, pairing with the pearled couscous and veggies were perfect. We had enough to bring each item home for leftovers and I want to give major props to the chef - she is a culinary genius! A little about the atmosphere, this is the oldest tavern in Charleston so it is cozy and casual and has the old time tavern vibe. They have karaoke Tuesday nights and bartenders are super cool and interesting to talk to, you can tell how passionate they are in what they do. Harry is awesome! Don't tell them I told you, but the vape shop next door is actually a speakeasy - I can't wait to check that out! read more

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A nice way to cap off our day. Both of us had yummy chili dogs and a couple local beers. They have happy hours and some specials through the week. Handy to the Market. read more

Staff is the best in the biz! Hanley and Adam are surely the standout studs in the place!

Don't stop here if you don't want to be met with undeserved rudeness!! While some bartenders are professionals, that cannot be stated for the entire staff!! My girlfriend and I have been on a tour of the Southeastern U.S.. We're from Fort Lauderdale and started with a few cities in our home state Florida, before moving on to Savannah, Georgia, where we had a brilliant time (highly recommend it; we're coming back for a full week with our closest friends). Being a History buff this particular stop made sense. But so does Charleston, South Carolina. We so like to have a good time, and in each one of the cities we visited, we scheduled several night time stops. To get to the point. Out night in Charleston started at The Rooftop, an awesome bar In Downton Charleston limited by its hours of operation (they close at 10pm). So we ventured out for the closest place that would be open longer. That turned out to be Big John's Tavern, which closed at 2am. At first we were having a good time. There was live music, the atmosphere of locals seemed to gel properly, and we were doing something that in my opinion was quite responsible, which was keeping hydrated while drinking water our alcoholic drinks - personally I had asked for a Sweet Tea Bourbon and my girlfriend asked for a typical drink Gin and tonic or some derivative. This should have been the first sign of trouble. Instead of the Sweet Tea and Bourbon, which is supposed to be the signature drink of South Carolina, the bartender, who was drunk off his behind, brought us a Baileys and Bourbon, hoping, I guess, we wouldn't tell the difference in our Inebriated state. That was not all. As we proceeded to be responsible drinkers by hydrating between rounds of drinks, we stepped outside to have a conversation with the bouncer/doorman and the singer who had previously been singing live at the venue (she was quite good), and when we tried to return, the bartender barred us from returning inside and literally ordered the same man we had been talking to, the bouncer/doorman to not let us back into the bar because, according to him, we were not buying drinks. The bouncer/doorman was extremely apologetic. He was a really great guy. The bartender, in his hasty judgment, had forgotten we had not closed our tab. So, as opposed to his desire, we had to return inside to close the tab. At that point, I, personally, didn't not want an explanation, and he wasn't willing to offer one. His rudeness, and greed, had overwritten any desire and venture for a good time. He tried, unsuccessfully, I may add, to end the joy with which we had marched in through his doors. We walked out without making a fuss, and continued on our marry way. There are better places in Charleston where our money and yours can be spent better. At the end of the day, we all should support local businesses, but we should support local businesses that focus on caring about their customers, instead of just MONEY, and care also about providing a good and professional service. In the case of a bar, a good time. He, the bartender, literally, in his haste, drunkenness, or whatever it was only charged us $8 for what could have really been a $40 tab. In doing what he did, not only did he try, again, unsuccessfully, to ruin our night, but also shot his greedy self on the foot and the bar for which he works/owns/or helps at! If you're an owner or operator of this place, you should know exactly who I'm talking about as his picture, taken at a time of celebration - is included in review! If you're a customer - beware - this could also happen to you! read more

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