Where To Watch The Game And Eat Good Grub In Charleston
It's officially football season and if you are not watching it and living in the South, then people might think something is wrong with you. For foodies, it is a hard time. You want to watch a game, but you also want to enjoy good food and beverages. Well there's no reason to slum it, as some of Charleston's best places to eat and drink also offer the best place to watch the game. Here are a few of our favorite picks of the season:
Fish
One of the city's best kept secrets, the bar at Fish provides not only a great place to watch your favorite sporting event, it also has a delicious offering of bar snacks. Their dim sum menu in particular is great for sharing and allows patrons to select four options such as frog leg spring rolls, a lobster roll, duck confit steam buns and duck hash. They also offer an extensive wine and cocktail list which pairs well with the food.
Hall's Chophouse
The Hall's family is one of the city's most hospitable and it's what makes a night at Hall's Chophouse even more special than the norm. The bar which has nearby community and tucked away banquettes is a hot spot for downtown. Mostly comprised of business professionals in their upper 30s to 50s, you will see a variety of people some of which are on the hunt for Mr. Right. The bar menu from Chef Matthew Niessner offers two types of steaks, ribs, salmon, deviled eggs and more. And if you stay around long enough, the front piano will host a musician playing some popular jazz tunes as the night goes on.
Red Drum
Good for those in Mt. Pleasant, Red Drum offers it all—great people watching, hot bartenders, an outside courtyard with fire pits, great food from Chef Ben Berryhill and interesting wines and cocktails. The bar has several TVs in viewing range from inside areas and is sure to cater to the hot game of the week, whether it's NCAA and NFL. The outside makes the perfect social spot for half time and after game festivities.
Rutledge Cab Company
With a spacious bar and a large outside patio, Rutledge Cab Company makes for a great place to watch your favorite team. They open at 10am daily (perfect for watching College Game Day) and serve food late night. Best of all, you can order breakfast all day and night. Besides breakfast, you can choose from a half dozen burgers, chargrilled wings, a variety of kabobs and a fondue dish at the table. There is beer, wine and spirits and plenty of good cheer.
The Macintosh
Chef Jeremiah Bacon has been on the long list for the James Beard Foundation: Best Chef Southeast and his menu changes seasonally with what's fresh and available. Managing Partner Steve Palmer pops in and out throughout the night to greet and treat guests as if they are longtime friends. Best of all, the bar has a television which dinners can see at almost any spot. If you score a front row bar or banquette seat, you hit the jackpot.
Tristan
You think you might be going into a night club with the chic, almost nautical decor of the space but as you wind past the main dining area, you find a tucked away bar that host a television sporting games or newsworthy stations. Mostly on mute so it does not interfere with the dining room, the bartender is known to accommodate whoever is in the place for what channel to watch. Chef Nate Whiting's bar menu offer items like ace basin organic chicken liver parfait, artisanal olli salumi, grilled pate campagnola and a grilled cheese burger, all of which pairs nicely with the cocktail, beer and wine menu available.
So head on over and root on your favorite team at some of these Charleston hot spots. Let the games begin!