Date night in Charleston: dinner, theater, wine bars, late hours

Last checked Oct. 16, 2026. Hours, addresses and phone numbers come from each restaurant’s and venue’s own website, linked below. Book ahead on weekends, and check the link before you go. This is a guide, not a ranking, and no one paid to be listed.

Charleston does date night well on foot: dinner downtown, a show a few blocks away and a waterfront walk after. Here are restaurants, wine bars, stages and late openings, with hours as each one publishes them.

Who to call

• Charleston Gaillard Center tickets: 843-242-3099
• Charleston Music Hall box office: 843-853-2252
• Parking meters and city garages: 843-724-7375

Dinner

• FIG works the season’s produce into its menu nightly, the restaurant says. Closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
• Circa 1886 sits in the original 1886 carriage house of the Wentworth Mansion, with two six-course tasting menus and an a la carte menu. It also holds wine dinners and cocktail classes; see its events calendar.
• The Ordinary on Upper King opens at 4 p.m. every day but Tuesday and posts private-event closures on its website.

More restaurants that take reservations are in our brunch guide.

Wine and a view

• Bin 152, 152 King St., 843-577-7359. Calls itself Charleston’s oldest wine bar, with more than 40 cheeses and charcuterie to pair with the list. Open 2 p.m. to midnight Monday to Thursday and noon to midnight Friday to Sunday.
• The Rooftop at The Vendue, 19 Vendue Range. A rooftop bar on the art hotel in the French Quarter, near Waterfront Park. Check the website for hours.

A show

• Dock Street Theatre, 135 Church St. The city-owned theater calls itself the first building designed solely for theatrical performance. It hosts local companies, including Charleston Stage, and touring shows year round.
• Charleston Gaillard Center, 95 Calhoun St. Music, dance and theater from local, national and international artists. Ticket office 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and two hours before a show.
• Charleston Music Hall, 37 John St. A seated hall in an 1850 railroad depot. Box office Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

More venues are in our live music and nightlife guide.

Late openings

• The Commodore, 504 Meeting St. A vintage jazz club with live jazz and funk up to five nights a week, open until 1 a.m. Sunday to Wednesday and 2 a.m. Thursday to Saturday.
• Bin 152 pours until midnight every night.
• Aquarium Aglow. The South Carolina Aquarium holds Aquarium Aglow, its holiday lights event, on select nights in November and December. See our holiday lights and Christmas events page.

Free, after dinner

• The High Battery. The walk from Cheney Park, at Tradd Street and Murray Boulevard, to the end of the High Battery is 1.2 miles, the city says.
• Waterfront Park. The city’s park on the harbor has a long pier with wooden swings, lawns and the Pineapple Fountain, according to the city’s park directory.

More ideas in free things to do.

Parking

Street parking on King Street between Spring and John streets is banned from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday. City garages on King Street are at 211, 399 and 558 King St., and meters are free on Sundays, the city says. See our King Street guide.

What this means for you

• FIG is closed Sundays and Mondays and Circa 1886 is closed Wednesdays and Sundays; plan around them.
• For a late night, Bin 152 pours until midnight and The Commodore stays open until 2 a.m. Thursday to Saturday.
• Valentine’s Day plans are on our Valentine’s Day page.

Frequently asked questions

What are FIG’s hours in Charleston?

FIG, 232 Meeting St., serves dinner from 5 to 10:30 p.m. and is closed Sundays and Mondays. It is also closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Where is Circa 1886?

Circa 1886 is in the original carriage house of the Wentworth Mansion at 149 Wentworth St. It serves dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday to Saturday.

Which wine bar in Charleston is open late?

Bin 152, 152 King St., is open until midnight every day: from 2 p.m. Monday to Thursday and from noon Friday to Sunday.

Where can I see a play in Charleston?

The city-owned Dock Street Theatre, 135 Church St., hosts local companies and touring shows year round, and the Charleston Gaillard Center at 95 Calhoun St. presents music, dance and theater.