Where to get burgers in Charleston: King Street, Folly Road and more

Last checked Oct. 16, 2026. Refreshed every three months.

Burgers in Charleston are a bar and tavern staple on the peninsula, where six of the 10 places on this list are, three of them on King Street. Folly Road on James Island has three, including two drive-thru chains, and Kickin’ Chicken has a second restaurant on Sam Rittenberg Boulevard in West Ashley.

How we made this list. The places come from OpenStreetMap records inside Charleston, the same data behind our local directory, checked against each place’s own website on Oct. 16, 2026. We added Charleston Beer Works, Kickin’ Chicken, Little Jack’s Tavern and Uptown Social because their own menus list burgers at Charleston addresses. We left out Sesame Burgers & Beer, whose site lists its Citadel Mall restaurant as temporarily closed; Rudy Royale, which describes itself as a chicken and cocktails restaurant; and Burger King on International Boulevard, Sonic on Shelby Ray Court and a tavern on Dorchester Road, which are in North Charleston or outside the city. The list is alphabetical. It is not a ranking or a recommendation, and nobody paid to be on it. Run one of these places? Write to us to correct your entry.

The list

The places

Big Gun Burger Shop & Bar on Calhoun Street is a burger bar with a happy hour and a late kitchen. Its menu can be downloaded from its site, and it takes online orders.

Charleston Beer Works on upper King Street is a sports bar with more than 48 beers on tap. Its food menu has a section of signature griddle burgers, including a classic drive-in burger with its own burger sauce.

Fam’s Brewing Co. is a craft brewery and taproom on Folly Road that runs a burger of the month alongside pizza, wings and salads.

Kickin’ Chicken is a Charleston-born sports bar chain with restaurants on Romney Street downtown and Sam Rittenberg Boulevard in West Ashley. Its menu lists an All American Burger and a Drive In Burger with American cheese, and a veggie burger.

Little Jack’s Tavern on upper King Street calls itself an old-fashioned American tavern serving burgers, comfort food, salads and cocktails, with all-day service. It takes reservations through Resy, and its site says it does not take to-go orders at the busiest lunch and dinner hours on weekdays.

McDonald’s on Folly Road on James Island is the fast food chain’s James Island restaurant.

Smash City Burgers on Cooper Street on the upper peninsula makes smash burgers for dine-in every day and delivers until midnight.

Uptown Social on upper King Street is a bar and entertainment venue. Its menu lists a US Smash Burger, single or double, and The Smoke Show, two smashed beef patties.

Wendy’s on Folly Road is the chain’s James Island restaurant, with a drive-thru that keeps its own hours.

More food lists

• Where to get wings, pizza and barbecue
• Patios and outdoor dining
• All our where-to-eat lists
• Restaurant inspection scores
• Local business directory

Frequently asked questions

Where can I get a burger in Charleston?

This list has 10 places, including Big Gun Burger Shop, Charleston Beer Works, Little Jack’s Tavern, Smash City Burgers and Uptown Social downtown, Kickin’ Chicken downtown and in West Ashley, and Fam’s Brewing Co., McDonald’s and Wendy’s on Folly Road.

Which Charleston burger places are open late?

Big Gun Burger Shop on Calhoun Street is open to 2 a.m. daily with the kitchen open to 11 p.m. or 1 a.m., Uptown Social is open to 2 a.m., and Wendy’s on Folly Road lists hours to 2 a.m., or 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

Where can I get a burger on James Island?

Fam’s Brewing Co. at 1291 Folly Road runs a burger of the month, and McDonald’s and Wendy’s are at 333 and 343 Folly Road.

Is there a smash burger in Charleston?

Smash City Burgers is at 47 Cooper St., open for dine-in 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, and Uptown Social on King Street lists a US Smash Burger on its menu.