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    The Royal American

    4.2 (197 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 2:00 AM (Next day)

    Order The Royal American Takeout or Delivery

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    THE ROYAL AMERICAN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Divey
    Live music
    Dogs allowed

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    Heirloom tomato sandwich
    Autumn C.

    Royal was my first stop for the dukes hot tomato summer residency in Charleston! Tomato sandwiches are my thinnnggggg. And this one hit the spot. It was amazing! Perfect amount of mayo and salt and pepper, the tomato's were juicy and ripe. I was so happy eating it! I also love sitting outside here it felt so nice to eat a juicy tomato sandwich on a summer day while looking at the ravenel bridge. Royal never disappoints me with their food! They may be a bar but their food is quality. I will be back next week to try the tomato salad and tomato cupcakes!

    Gabriel M.

    This place is a pretty gritty dive bar and music venue. Could definitely use a bit of a cleanup and new furniture. Food is decent, pretty basic. Chicken cutlet sandwich was well cooked and tasty. Potato skins were burnt. Caesar salad was very normal. Definitely wouldn't come here for a gourmet dinner, but drink prices are very reasonable. Overall it's a fine place to come hang, but personally I feel like Charleston has so much better to offer!

    House made cinnamon whiskey w/ ginger ale
    Krystal G.

    Definitely an old dive type place. I'm a fan of the house made cinnamon whiskey. Pairing it with Ginger Ale was a good choice. Old decor to look at, inside & outside seating. Nice back area outside, seasonal dependent.

    Melissa F.

    Dive bar vibes with live music will always be a hit with me. First time at royal American to see our friends band and cannot wait to come back. Appreciated how much outdoor space there was (front and back). As someone who went to college in upstate NY, also felt so at home seeing a Genny sign and being able to order a Genesee. So much respect!

    No PBR on Premises
    Nick B.

    Grungy spot that seems to be a watering hole for many near downtown - went in for a beer Saturday evening and it was packed all the way around - food menu looks plentiful, although I did not eat. Good vibes & service is great - I recommend

    Nina C.

    Finally came to this spot not on a weekend and when it wasn't super crowded. We ordered from the bar and found a booth to sit at and enjoy our Guinness. We enjoyed the sweet potato fries, dry rub chicken wings and wedge salad. Definitely has that dive bar feel and chill place that has indoor and outdoor seating.

    Pharmacy burger

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    5 months ago

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    5 days ago

    Fun place, drinls priced decent. Tbey occasionally have a cover when tbey have a band

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    1 year ago

    Everything here is perfection. It's the best dive bar in all of Charleston. Great food. Love the specials. Staff is awesome.

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    4 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Great grunge bar. Beer is cold, staff is nice. Food is basic but good. Charleston has gotten Uber posh. Royal American is a nice break.

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    7 years ago

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    2 years ago

    I've eaten and had drinks here before going to shows downtown. Great service and good food.

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    A no-frills, old-reliable spot for some good food and drinks. Great music on weekends too.

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    Page 1 of 5

    Ask the Community - The Royal American

    Review Highlights - The Royal American

    The food is amazing with American classics done right (try the patty melt and you'll see).

    Mentioned in 8 reviews

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    Blind Tiger Pub - Four Cheese Bacon Mac

    Blind Tiger Pub

    3.9(1k reviews)
    2.2 miFrench Quarter
    $$

    Our first stop on this Charleston trip & it wasn't on my list but I'm so glad we stumbled upon it!…read moreWe sat outside in the outdoor area, where you order at the bar and the bartenders will bring your drinks, and food out. It was easy & we loved our lunches! I chose the double smash burger which was so delicious and filling! Loved it! Hubs chose the Cobb chicken salad and he loved it! Ate every bite & reports that the chicken was fried perfectly without too many clumps or batter lumps. We would absolutely come back for brunch items! Cool things: the bathroom wallpaper was epic, outside they have a water cooler with cups for self help access & a dog bowl for those who bring their pups. Loved that!

    Listen, it's a great bar. The courtyard is nice. There is an ample amount of options for drinks…read more But... What does that matter if you're ushered out before closing? A group of about 8 of us went out for drinks Saturday (5/2/26). We were having a great time (respectful, quiet, not causing a problem). Last call hit at 1:30 so we decided one more drink before we went our ways home. 10 mins later we're were asked to leave the courtyard and head inside - not a problem. We will finish our drinks inside. 5 minutes after that, we were asked to take our last sips and leave. 15 mins before the posted closing time. Again, we weren't causing a problem, weren't loud, weren't disruptive. This was a group of 8, most of us well into our 40s (or older). But they were telling all guests to leave at 1:45a?? Just after we bought drinks? The posted hours say they close at 2a. Not 1:45a. Most of us left half finished drinks. The large bouncer was nice enough, the tiny one in a hoodie with glasses was totally unprofessional. So beware. The Blind Tiger has what it takes to remain a Charleston institution. Their staff, might ruin that chance.

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    The Bangkok Lounge

    The Bangkok Lounge

    3.2(37 reviews)
    1.5 miKing Street

    Came here for my friend's bachelorette trip and I must say, NOT a good experience. I had called…read moreprior to to inquire about a private area to karaoke to thoroughly enjoy doing karaoke as a group. I'm beyond glad this option was available because I don't believe we would have had a good time had we just participated in a public setting trying to karaoke. What I will say is that $100 per hour to reserve this space is a joke. We booked this private area for $200. We were enclosed in by a curtain and had to compete with the music and noise from the bar and others singing karaoke. We were literally placed in a 4x4 space (a bit exaggerated, but not big AT ALL). The space contained 1 tv screen, a computer, 1 microphone, 4-5 broken bar stools, an inflatable guitar, an exit door, another door to storage space, and the smell of old spilt liquor and urine. Not the most pleasant setup to pay $200 for. BUT we made the most of it considering the amount had already been paid. We were interrupted multiple times by employees fetching things from the storage closet and random guests who wanted to peek through the curtains to see what was on the other side. I believe my expectations were high based off prior experiences of booking private karaoke rooms at other establishments and assuming this would meet the standards.

    Came here towards the very end of my night and wanted to pop in and see how it was. I signed up but…read morethere was a handful of people in front of me so I didn't know if I would get to sing. I'm sure the vibes change from day to day with the crowds but I'd say there was a variety of people there, older, college kids, bachelorette party, wedding party. It definitely gives dive bar energy and drinks are affordable which was nice. Everyone was quite friendly there and it's a great place to just be a spectator if you don't like to sing. lol I actually got called up to sing just before they shut down and everyone was really vibin! I'll need to come back because I didn't get to spend much time there but all in all it was a fun time even going solo.

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    The Royal American - tradamerican - Updated June 2026

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