Republic Garden & Lounge
462 King St, Charleston, SC, 29403
Republic Garden & Lounge Menu
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.
Visit below restaurant in Charleston for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Charleston for healthy meals suggestion.
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant cholesterol menu details.
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
-
Address :
462 King St
Charleston, SC, 29403 - Phone (843) 724-7400
- Website https://www.republicreign.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :4:30 pm - 2:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Garage, Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Trendy
Noise Level : Very Loud
Music : Live
Good For Dancing : Yes
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : Yes
Best Nights : Wed, Fri, Sat
Coat Check : Yes
Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online
Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.
Rebecca A.
We went here to celebrate my friends birthday for brunch at noon on Sunday. (YES, they're open on Sunday's even though according to Google, NO, Yelp, 5PM and their Facebook page 4:30). I checked out the menu before going, so I knew when they only had 5 brunch options, one a parfait and another beignets, it was not going to be a place to have that "stuff your face" meal. My friends on the other hand were disappointed with the prices and portion sizes. "It's tapas" I told them! They didn't care, they wanted more bang for their buck. (No complaints about the taste of the food though) The place has a great hip vibe, so if your looking for fun with friends, good drinks and music, and just the munchies; visit the Republic!
(3)Karen Mae B.
The outside brunch bartender just ignored me while waiting on a group that walked up after me. I am patient, and understanding, so I gave it a chance. He walked right past me (at a mostly empty bar - i was right in front of this guy's face) five times with no hello, no menu, no eye contact. I just got up and took my business elsewhere. Too many great and friendly options in Charleston so no need to help a place that has staff like that!
(1)Stephanie M.
I recently had a very unpleasant experience with the bartenders working the indoor bar. I was visiting from out of town and wanted to go somewhere in Charleston to dance and have a few drinks the day after by birthday. A friend suggested this place as an option. The bar was very busy for a Tuesday night and it was about 30 minutes until I was able to place my drink order. I was serviced by a young blonde haired gentleman with a skinny black tie. I ordered a water, diet coke and a captain and diet. He nodded and only acknowledged the captain and diet. When he returned with the drink he told me it was 7 dollars. I proceeded to ask for the water and diet coke for my two friends who were not drinking. He rolled his eyes an hastily filled a plastic cup with room temp water - no ice - and filled another cup halfway due to the soda suds. I hesitated but proceeded to pay for my drink. Once I took a sip I realized it was not captain and that it tasted a lot like tequila. I asked some of my other friends who were drinking if they thought it tasted right and they agreed it was not captain so I proceeded to try to get the bartenders attention. A male friend ended up stepping in to help. Once we flagged him down, the bartender tried to argue that I ordered rum and coke, which I never do. He showed us that he gave me Meyers rum, accused me of being drunk and pitched my full drink without offering a new one. At that point we asked to speak with the manager and he pointed to a gentleman in a striped shirt. It took another 20 minutes to flag him down as he was working the indoor bar as well. Once we got his attention, he went to the other end of the bar and poured me a captain and diet. Needless to say this was a heck of a lot to go through for one drink! My friends who opened a tab were also charged for drinks they never received. All I wanted was a fun night out to celebrate my birthday and spent half of my time at the bar. Therefore, I would not recommend going here unless all you are looking to do is dance. Managers and owners of this club should reevaluate the hiring/selection practices and the effectiveness of training of their bartenders.
(1)Lauren T.
This was the best lounge (by far) that I visited in Charleston. It's very stylish, chic and classy with lots of velvety couches and artistic touches. Living in Dallas, this reminds me of a hotspot that I would see smack dab in the middle of the city complete with attractive young professionals and yummy weekend drinks. :) Obviously I'm not from Charleston, but the vibe I got from this place is that it is a great lounge to go mix and mingle with the mid-twenties to late-thirties crowd on a Friday/Saturday night. They also have a nice patio that is very spacious and accommodating. Our cocktails were quite tasty, and the bartender from Wisconsin was super friendly! If I ever come back to Charleston, this will definitely be one of the places on my list to visit again.
(5)Nick G.
I was on vacation and came here for drinks and dinner before the Kentucky Derby. When I asked about other places in the area to go/see (as tourists), I was told (by two different people) that the Republic had everything I'd ever need. So we stayed for dinner, which was ok--nothing great, nothing awful. We came back several hours later to test the nightlife, which we assumed was the big draw. But we were turned away because my boat shoes violated dress code. I thought we were in SC. We had way more fun at other places on king street. Stay away from rebublic.
(1)John D.
yes yes yes try this place! awesome outside seating/bar. sushi is great. wednesday is half off enough said! live terrific music. such a comfortable place. i was extremely extremely happy with my visit
(5)Shannon M.
I like the outdoors seating but its not the greatest of places. The crab salad lettuce wraps are not worth the money. They are incredibly fishy tasting (more than they should be) and the lettuce itself seemed wilted and old. I also ordered the tacos and they were rather bland. Service is slow and they really take themselves too seriously. There's better places to hang out at if you're looking for a fun night out.
(2)Tiffany B.
Great outdoor space! We came on a Friday night and really enjoyed the live music. Arrive early if you want to snag an outdoor seat, they fill up fast!
(4)Catherine L.
Youngish hipster crowd. Staff is super friendly and attentive. Great food & excellent cocktails. Live music is great too.
(4)Frank G.
Very nice, good place to relax. Bar keep was great with allowing us to taste different wines. Had the cheese plate, good but only 2 cheeses.. If you want to just sit, have a drink, eat a bite, go here. If you want 4 star resturants go elsewhere. That is not a cut, just simply saying this place is great for what it is. FrankG
(4)Jenny L.
Came on a Wednesday night. Really chill lounge area with outdoor sofas and live music playing. Service was really good. Ordered the popcorn shrimp and it was not like what we expected. The shrimp was super small, soggy and cold. They swiftly took care of it and allowed us to change our order to the wings free of charge. Shows their commitment to customer service. The wings were much better. Very delicious, and steamy to the bone. Definitely recommended. but they should take the popcorn shrimp off the menu -- that thing should not be served.
(4)Dave C.
Republic is becoming one of my favorite places on Upper King...and in all of downtown Charleston for that matter. If you've never been, Republic is a huge lounge-style bar with plenty of seating inside as well as a very large outside patio/bar area as well. They have live music out on the patio pretty regularly and offer a pretty cool tapas menu with some interesting items (see: pork belly corn dogs!!!) and a solid drink menu with some very innovative cocktails. In addition to the nice decor, the thing that sets this place apart in my eyes is the service. I have been there on quiet nights, busy nights, with my classy friends, and with my drunkard friends and EVERY SINGLE TIME we have received excellent service. To me, that speaks volumes about the staff, management, and ensures that I always have an excellent experience and will be back. Republic, you deserve five stars and I can't wait to see you again.
(5)Cat P.
Fun if predictably crowded spot for dancing and/or drinking. The crowd was really nice, no creepy people to avoid. They close promptly at 2 a.m. From what I recall of my night at Republic, it was a sleek and beautiful spot. Would recommend this for nightlife/entertainment.
(4)Cristy Z.
I went to The Republic on a Monday night. The inside is set up like a lounge/club and the outside is a garden bar, which is where I went. A live band had just finished playing, heat lamps where out and the space was just full enough where you felt it was a cool place but not overcrowded. I was actually impressed by how many people where there. Wayne, the bartender served us (he was great and gave some recommendations for food and NYE places to go around town). Cool place to hang out and can only imagine it's better on a weekend! The ambiance is nice and decor is amazing with hanging lights over the bar and seats outside. P.S. Noticed there were heat lamps, fans and mosquito repellents...ready for all seasons!
(4)Tyler S.
It's about time I got around to writing a review on the Republic. This is one of my absolute favorite places to go for happy hour. "Why," you ask? Because their happy hour is KILLER! Appetizers that usually range from $10-$15 are $4 or $5, $2 domestic beers, half off spritzer drinks, and I have never had to wait on a table (granted it's always been during the week). The atmosphere is very nice as well. The main dining room, which could more appropriately be called a lounge, has booth seats lining the three walls, with mirrors on the two opposing walls, giving the place a very open feel. The tables are a little on the small side, which can get a little crowded if you order several plates, but that is a small flaw that can easily be overlooked. The main wall has a beautiful piece of art, adding a classy feel. The whole decor is very nice throughout the restaurant. There is also a nice covered outdoor patio with another full bar and couches to lounge in while listening to the live bands. I have yet to try an entree, but I have tried most of the appetizers. The mussels are especially good, and I cannot leave out the brie, my favorite cheese. My favorite appetizer would have to be the lettuce wraps. I have tried them with chicken and the duck confit. They are both delicious but I prefer the duck. It's a nice light dish, and I love the contrast of the cool crisp lettuce with warm savory meat, whichever you choose. As Joy S. noted, the stuffed potato skins are not what we expected, but they were still pretty good. I had a few samples of my friend's hummus and it was very good as well. I have yet to be disappointed by anything I have had, however I was a little sad that the milk served with the cookies was not spiked with some kind of alcohol. Regardless, those cookies were the bomb. Great service, great food, great drinks, great atmosphere. What's not to love? Just make sure you are dressed appropriately. I had a friend get turned away for wearing a t-shirt and flip flops.
(5)Nicole R.
We went on a slow Sunday night. Sat outside and listened to decent live music. Our bartender was AMAZING! He made my mom a good dirty martini with specialty olives. We ordered stuffed mushrooms...they were ok...kind of weird with meatballs on top. I'd go back for sure...heard that their music/entertainment is always good.
(4)Joy S.
Amazing happy hour! My friend and fellow Yelper, Tyler S. and I decided to check out Republic for their happy hour yesterday. And what a great happy hour it was. I'll walk you through a successful happy hour at Republic: First off, get one of their spritzer drinks. They're usually $20-25 but for happy hour they're half off. They come in a big carafe that got us about 3-4 drinks, which is a great deal! I don't remember what it's called but we had the last one listed on the menu that was $25 ($12.50 for HH). I believe it had gin, cucumbers, some kind of nectar and brut. It was excellent. Light, citrusy and very refreshing. Next, order a couple of tapas-style plates. They're all $4-5 which is basically half off the regular pricing as well. Here's what all we tried: the duck confit lettuce wraps, the brie, the mussels and the stuffed potato skins. Everything was pretty good, not amazing though. The mussels were probably my favorite. Great mussels, bread and sauce to dip it in. The stuffed potato skins were a little weird. They didn't look at all how I expected. Not the most appetizing-looking dish, but they didn't taste bad. Lastly, their desserts are also half off so why not, right? Between the sorbet and the milk & cookies, we went with the milk & cookies. It comes with chocolate milk that was kind of frothy and didn't really taste like real chocolate milk but when you dip a fresh, hot-out-of-the-oven cookie in it, who really cares? Perfect way to end a meal. And that my friends, is how you do happy hour.
(4)Dylan D.
I love this place! I have never been inside due to the bottle service, but the outside is amazing! Almost always has outside/covered bar open with seating and live music! The bands are great and brings in diverse crowd. They have a great bar with many great options from craft whiskey to craft (local) beers. Food is not their strongest suit, however the vide and drinks make up for that in my option. I'm rating the outside bar a 5 out of 5 because it is my favorite "drop in" spot where the drinks and music never disappoint! Come early! It gets busy around 10:30pm.
(5)Emilie A.
Started going here shortly after they opened their doors and it's still my favorite place to go on a Friday or Saturday night out. Incredible staff and great manager!
(5)Scotty C.
Even though bottle service and swanky patios aren't normally my thing, I appreciate that Republic is unique and are doing it the right way. I can't really think of anywhere else nearby that has the same atmosphere and vibe as whats going on here. I've been a few times now and you can always count on a party here late at night. Typically not a place I would think to come for Happy Hour because it's got more of a nightclub-ish spot but, after seeing other reviewers rave about the food, I need to give it a try. I love the patio outside and that there's so much seating. It can be kind of cramped inside with most of the place being designated for VIP so it's great to sneak out and relive the Chai's day - Disclaimer: the patio is 100 percent renovated from what it was when it was Chai's, in a good way. The bartenders I've encountered have been excellent and very friendly. The only thing that irked me was when I was there with a buddy having drinks, our first two came in glasses, then on the next round, they came in plastic cups. I believe it was some sort of rule for it being after a certain time in the night that they switch over to plastic. I can only assume it's to avoid broken glasses as people get tipsy late into the evening. For some reason it just bothers me to pay $8 or $9 for a Goose and soda to have it land in front of you in a plastic cup. Being that they're a high end place, I think the better idea would be to get the unbreakable plastic cups that look like glass. By no means a deal breaker being that we still had a great night.
(4)MaryBeth W.
Fun place to go out on the weekends, my favorite time to go is Sundays for some Sunday Fundaying!! Love sitting on the patio and listening to live music and eating delicious, fresh sushi!! If you haven't tried their sushi yet, you are totally missing out!!
(5)Cat C.
My favorite happy hour in Charleston! Half price on incredible wines up to $200. A great place to take cients and to celebrate. The patio is beautiful and heated at this time of year. The twinkle of the interior space is remarkable, a design masterpiece. The food is all easily consumed with a group and the cocktail bowls for a crowd are fun and delicious. A great spot for people watching on King and the best champagne list in town. Don't miss it.
(5)Jackie G.
Ok bar/lounge/club. They gave us " Free bottles " but it was water. Equivalent of a bridge and tunnel crowd if ur from nyc
(3)Michael M.
This review is strictly for happy hour and cocktails. Went there on Friday night for happy hour with a group of 3 friends. We were on "Spring Break" decided to drop the kids off at the in-laws and go out for a few drinks. Republic knocked it out of the park. The had discounted signature cocktails during happy hour. I opted for the "Smoke Show", which was a combination of tequila, jalapeno infused simple syrup, and a few other secret ingredients. The drink was to die for. All 4 of us got signature cocktails, and all of them were unbelievable. 5 out of 5, hands down.
(5)Theresa G.
The service is to notch. The atmosphere is upscale and nice. Trina and Josh are the best bartenders and the drinks are worth it. The outdoor heaters are a nice touch. What a great place!!!
(5)Nicholas R.
Republic is what passes for a club in these parts I suppose. It's a decent venue (live music outside, DJ inside, bar service on both) but I think it's overrated. The drinks were weak and expensive. Only upside is the place is popular.
(3)Andrew W.
About a week ago I decided to do a Mixology tour (a drink tour at some of the nicer bars on Upper King in which each bartender would make a specialty drink and explain to us what was in it and some about their restaurant) and our final stop on the three bar journey was Republic Reign...although I was informed that they prefer to be called Republic Garden and Lounge. Evan, the General Manager was also who came out to talk with our group and prepare his absolutely delicious drink. Through conversation we found out that Evan was the Iron Man Mixologist for Charleston this year and his drink did not disappoint...I apologize for forgetting the name but it was something 75 and had cucumber in it...AMAZING. After the tour ended, we decided we liked the vibe and outside patio so much that we would stick around and listen to their live band and eat some food. Chris and Wayne were quick to greet us at the bar and continued to whip out some incredibly tasty concoctions. As we were looking over the menu Wayne informed us that we MUST get their wings...now with all the fancier items on the menu I was kind of surprised that someone would be recommending chicken wings. When they came out I fully understood why he recommended them...they were the BEST chicken wings I've ever had anywhere in my life period. We will continue to visit Republic Reign any time we head downtown. PS the live band that night in particular was exceptionally good!
(5)Matt N.
If you like bad music and expensive bottles of bad beer, you should come here. Won't be back that's fo shizzle....
(1)Mary Elizabeth J.
This is where you want to enjoy a nice cocktail after work. The interior is luxe and shimmery with an Old Hollywood vibe (I keep hearing NY, but that wasn't my impression), and the small plates are just right: comfort food in an elegant presentation. The chicken wings are the best I've had in Charleston. Bottle service is a relaxing little treat after a long day, and the servers are among the most attentive and pleasant in the city, Michaela in particular. The DJ booth suggests that Republic Reign likes to party hard after hours, but that's not my scene. In the early evening, it's perfect for enjoying a cocktail and a bite, and the atmosphere is relaxed in a way that does not involve flip-flops (which will surely irk some beach-going Charlestonians, bless their hearts). Wear something nice and come sip something delicious.
(4)A J.
Great place to hang out and chill with friends and family. I came here with my husband and we were seated promptly. The food was great, I ordered wings and roast chicken lettuce wraps. My husband loved the wings I(we) ordered. Everything was simply AMAZING, from the ambiance to the food and drinks! I will definitely be coming back to this place! :)
(4)Susan P.
Good place to chill and watch Monday night football. Live band outside isnt too bad. The doors block most of it out if live music isnt your thing. Trina our bartender for the night is super nice and poured me samples of the local brews on tap before I made my selection. Holy City was really good. Happy hour and Monday night football specials. Nice couches in the lounge.
(5)Mona N.
Amazing restaurant...great food and amazing at night...music and atmosphere couldn't be better!
(5)Michal W.
I used to come here for happy hour often since my office was nearby, and I enjoyed the outdoor patio. Small beer menu, but at least Holy City is on tap. Some type of musical act will start playing in the early evening, mixed drinks are decent enough. Unfortunately the mellow happy hours turn into amateur hour at night as far as customer service is concerned. The hostesses were a bit rude with regards to the cover charge process, so do yourself a favor and head across the street to Cocktail Club if you want value as a customer and better cocktails sans cover.
(2)Frank L.
Republic was AWESOME. We came down to Charleston for a bachelor party of 19 guys. We had set up table reservations at Republic for Saturday night only, but wound up going there all three nights since it was so great. Music was excellent, people were extremely good looking (and we are NYC picky), service was amazing and prices were not bad at all. Live music outside + high-energy dance music inside = perfect mix/everybody was happy. On Saturday, Evan hooked us up with the best table in the house and Jackie was our amazing personal server for the entire evening. We were debating heavily between Republic and other spots like Mynt. Though we never actually tried Mynt, I would advise any big group to check out Republic first. Thanks again Evan and Jackie.
(5)James H.
great food good prices modern. great service. only downside was no real tables only lounge like tables that u have to lean over.
(4)Ryan K.
Spent the evening here after dinner at somewhere else. Sat at the bar in the outside patio and heard live music. Definitely going back to this place out next visit to Charleston. It's the closest place to Vegas in Chucktown.
(5)Pam D.
Quickly becoming one of my favorite hang outs. Live music and wonderful outdoor area. Food is wonderful and not tons of drunk asses running around. Not too loud and nice fire going. Inside area too. Well with a stop in
(5)Sheila C.
Wonderful, relaxing and very nice garden bar! Sweet times.... Will return for the wonderful drinks and hopefully a meal next time.
(5)Ariella K.
My friend wanted to see someone playing here on Sunday, so we figured we'd grab some brunch as well. We got there at about 11:45 and were told they opened at 12. Not a problem. We walked around for a few minutes then circled back right before noon. I was hungry, so I looked up their menu. The website also said they opened at 12. When we tried to go in, we were somewhat rudely told that they opened at 12:30. That seems a bit late for brunch to me, but regardless of when you open, please 1) make sure your website reflects your current hours and 2) be polite to customers about it. I would have walked away and found someplace else right then especially having seen their menu, but my friend decided to just wait it out. When we were finally allowed in, we sat outside and ordered some drinks. I realize that a $4 bloody Mary special is cheap, but they decided to serve them in what looked like a maybe 5 or 7 oz plastic water cup. It looked like the type of cup my gym keeps by the water cooler. We ordered our entrees...eventually. There weren't many people there, but service took forever. I ordered Crab, Shrimp, and Grits mostly because it was the only thing that looked good to me. It was $14, which I wouldn't mind spending on a good brunch, but I was already wary of this place. My friend ordered Steak and Eggs and was told several minutes after ordering it that they were 86 steak. She ended up getting what I did, but it wasn't her first choice and with such a small brunch menu there weren't many other options. Our entrees arrived about 40 minutes after we ordered them. The crab on my entree was dry, rubbery, and could have been tofu for all of the flavor it had. The shrimp was slightly better, but not by much. The grits had no seasoning whatsoever. My friend who also ordered the shrimp and grits asked for Tabasco and was told that the only hot sauce they had was Sriracha. She asked for cocktail sauce and was told they didn't have any. We both took the Sriracha and tried to add a bit of flavor as well as heat to the dish. Another friend ordered biscuits and gravy that looked like a couple of small dinner rolls with vaguely white sausage on top. There was truly more grease than gravy on her dish. The only thing that looked halfway decent were the sliders, which just weren't the brunch I was looking for. Maybe this is a cool place to come at night (though I won't be), but they should really stop pretending to do brunch.
(1)Andrew M.
My opinion some of the best sushi in town. Definitely sit outside on the patio. Great happy hour deals and I believe it's 7 days a week. Turns cluby at night. Fun place to go pre or post dinner.
(4)Michelle G.
I'm so sad their menu changed! They had a great happy hour deal. I really enjoyed their sushi! They still have great drink specials, and I'm sure the new food menu will be good. Great location, and I love their outdoor seating. I'm not a fan of going at night. Gets a little bit too much for me!
(4)Sarah C.
I came to Charleston for my 31st birthday and was looking for a place for a drink and some music. Yelped this place, which got great reviews from others. When my sister and I walked in there was a guy playing guitar singing solo. He was alright. Nice ambiance, somewhat quiet for a bar/lounge, with a great bees knees drink. The bartender whose name I can't remember was nice. My review is also based on the fact that it was a Sunday. I did not try any food.
(3)K C.
A Must to check Out
(5)Brittany W.
Came here Friday night and fell in love with their drink called liquid sunshine. They have an awesome deal Monday through Friday for Half off crafts and punch bowls!!! Super cheap and oh so good. Definitely a place that I have to repeat again and again. Plus they have live music, often!
(5)Brittany M.
I went to republic on a Sunday night with 3 other friends. We were here from out of town and were just looking for a cocktail after dinner. It was only 930p at this point. The bartender never asked us if we wanted to keep our tabs open (we did not), so we stood there for about 10 minutes with our drinks before we realized he wasn't going to come back. We decided to sit down and enjoy our drinks inside to chat a bit. At about 10p, a worker (or DJ?) turned up the music to such a level that I couldn't even hear my friend speaking who was sitting right next to me...on a Sunday. We quickly finished our drinks as fast as we could to leave and after walking up to the bar, waited another 20 minutes to close our tab. The bartender walked past us making eye contact about 5 times and continued to chat with other patrons and serve everyone other than us. I was not impressed. Over priced drinks. Horrible service. Terrible music.
(1)Taryn C.
Went here at night for drinks, and it was definitely fun. The inside was like a club and the outside had a live band - so two different vibes. My only complaint is the amount of people crammed inside. You couldn't even walk through the crowd.
(4)Halen James F.
Would go a zero star if possible. Horrible bottle service wait time, terrible service. Terrible self aggrandized bouncers... I will most definitely take my patronage else-where in the future.
(1)Shannon R.
It's a nice "looking" place. But, a little too snooty for me. I enjoy a good classy bar. However, the crowd was cliquey and bordering on rude. The bartender acted like I was wasting his time when I asked what was on tap. A lot of stuck up rich kids just showing face. Not my scene.
(3)Annamarie A.
The atmosphere outside was great. The live band was awesome. Our server was also very friendly. Although they don't have traditional ketchup, their homemade blend was good. Overall the food was meh...They should edit their menu to indicate the fact that do not have traditional ketchup and that they put mayo on their burgers. The general manager was the main disappoint of the night. He handled a situation that happened with myself and my husband completely the wrong way. We were told at arrival that there was a reservation for 8-8:30 in the area where we wanted to sit. At 7:50 we were approached by a girl who was in the party who had the reservation. She said "we have this area reserved" and I said I know. We had already finished our meal and payed at this point and we were simply finishing our bottle of wine. She also approached the other customers around us and said the same thing, I presume. The manager, and ultimately the owners, should not let this happen. Ever, period. This is the first time in my life that I felt like I was treated unfairly, overtly, because of my race. What makes the matter worse is that the owners are evidently black and this place is known to be racist. Shame on these owners for letting that be the reputation of their restaurant!!!
(2)Alex G.
Awesome lounge on King Street. Great mix of hip hop and house music, great crowd, and there is a nice outdoor courtyard as well if you wanna keep it chill.
(5)James H.
great food good prices modern. great service. only downside was no real tables only lounge like tables that u have to lean over.
(4)Ryan K.
Spent the evening here after dinner at somewhere else. Sat at the bar in the outside patio and heard live music. Definitely going back to this place out next visit to Charleston. It's the closest place to Vegas in Chucktown.
(5)Andrew W.
About a week ago I decided to do a Mixology tour (a drink tour at some of the nicer bars on Upper King in which each bartender would make a specialty drink and explain to us what was in it and some about their restaurant) and our final stop on the three bar journey was Republic Reign...although I was informed that they prefer to be called Republic Garden and Lounge. Evan, the General Manager was also who came out to talk with our group and prepare his absolutely delicious drink. Through conversation we found out that Evan was the Iron Man Mixologist for Charleston this year and his drink did not disappoint...I apologize for forgetting the name but it was something 75 and had cucumber in it...AMAZING. After the tour ended, we decided we liked the vibe and outside patio so much that we would stick around and listen to their live band and eat some food. Chris and Wayne were quick to greet us at the bar and continued to whip out some incredibly tasty concoctions. As we were looking over the menu Wayne informed us that we MUST get their wings...now with all the fancier items on the menu I was kind of surprised that someone would be recommending chicken wings. When they came out I fully understood why he recommended them...they were the BEST chicken wings I've ever had anywhere in my life period. We will continue to visit Republic Reign any time we head downtown. PS the live band that night in particular was exceptionally good!
(5)A J.
Great place to hang out and chill with friends and family. I came here with my husband and we were seated promptly. The food was great, I ordered wings and roast chicken lettuce wraps. My husband loved the wings I(we) ordered. Everything was simply AMAZING, from the ambiance to the food and drinks! I will definitely be coming back to this place! :)
(4)Susan P.
Good place to chill and watch Monday night football. Live band outside isnt too bad. The doors block most of it out if live music isnt your thing. Trina our bartender for the night is super nice and poured me samples of the local brews on tap before I made my selection. Holy City was really good. Happy hour and Monday night football specials. Nice couches in the lounge.
(5)K C.
A Must to check Out
(5)Pam D.
Quickly becoming one of my favorite hang outs. Live music and wonderful outdoor area. Food is wonderful and not tons of drunk asses running around. Not too loud and nice fire going. Inside area too. Well with a stop in
(5)Sheila C.
Wonderful, relaxing and very nice garden bar! Sweet times.... Will return for the wonderful drinks and hopefully a meal next time.
(5)Alex G.
Awesome lounge on King Street. Great mix of hip hop and house music, great crowd, and there is a nice outdoor courtyard as well if you wanna keep it chill.
(5)Annamarie A.
The atmosphere outside was great. The live band was awesome. Our server was also very friendly. Although they don't have traditional ketchup, their homemade blend was good. Overall the food was meh...They should edit their menu to indicate the fact that do not have traditional ketchup and that they put mayo on their burgers. The general manager was the main disappoint of the night. He handled a situation that happened with myself and my husband completely the wrong way. We were told at arrival that there was a reservation for 8-8:30 in the area where we wanted to sit. At 7:50 we were approached by a girl who was in the party who had the reservation. She said "we have this area reserved" and I said I know. We had already finished our meal and payed at this point and we were simply finishing our bottle of wine. She also approached the other customers around us and said the same thing, I presume. The manager, and ultimately the owners, should not let this happen. Ever, period. This is the first time in my life that I felt like I was treated unfairly, overtly, because of my race. What makes the matter worse is that the owners are evidently black and this place is known to be racist. Shame on these owners for letting that be the reputation of their restaurant!!!
(2)Christopher C.
Great place to relax, drink, and eat in an adult setting! Service was great, food was great, It was a nice surprise.
(5)Whitney C.
Avoid, avoid, avoid!! I am signing up for Yelp for the sole purpose of writing this review. The customer service at Republic is DESPICABLE! We made a table reservation over a week in advance for bottle service and then were accused at the door of never having a reservation, despite confirming over the phone with 2 different people. The manager (Evan Powell) acted as though me not being able to recall the names of the women I spoke with meant I never had a reservation. There was never anything close to an apology coming out of his mouth, only accusations. And he was completely disrespectful to me and my girlfriends. It was disgusting. And all for trying to give business to the place! They clearly gave our reservation up and then tried to save face by accusing us of never making one. I am glad we didn't give them our business because there are a LOT of better establishments in Charleston to enjoy. The manager and bouncers at this "club" think they are hot shots in NYC. Wake up, you're in Charleston!
(1)Eddie V.
Let me just say phenomenal. Came here for their happy hour on sunday. The chicken wraps with ponzu sauce were delicious and then our waitress Michele blew our minds with amazing service and wings that were fit for royalty.
(5)Lauren B.
Didn't get anything to eat here, so can't comment on the food. Sat outside most of the night. Service was prompt and good. We had a good sized group and everyone had a good time. The only reason I gave this 3 stars is someone blew chow in the ladies room around midnight and as of past 1am, it had not been cleaned it. Pretty gross.
(3)Jenna M.
Beautiful place! Delicious lettuce wraps, wings, and Brie appetizers. Joe behind the bar is great!
(5)Virginia W.
The food was great, but the service was horrible. My friend and I went for happy hour and the bartender obviously paid a lot more attention to the gentleman next to us who was a wealthy businessman. We ordered multiple drinks and appetizers but he was snobbish and rude the entire time. When our bill came, we realized that he charged us regular menu prices for things we ordered and did not tell us that happy hour was over. We usually tip 30% but we couldn't bring ourselves to be that generous after this bartender treated us like shit. Even though the appetizers were good, I doubt we will be going back.
(1)John R.
I am visiting Charleston from Milan and I have traveled the world. I have eaten fine foods, drank fine wine and seen many beautiful women. My server Michaela was one of the most beautiful women I have ever come across. She was so pleasant as well that I am rather excited to visit quaint Charleston so I can have the chance of seeing her again! She was extremely knowledgeable of the menu and was able to tell me other places to go that only locals know about. The chef is very talented and I HIGHLY recommend trying their wings and a Manhattan on tap. At night it turns into a dance club where all the local models come to play. Great staff, excellent service, delicious food and a superb DJ. Republic Reign I truly wish you the best of luck! -John
(5)Kate O.
We just went here for brunch while in town for the weekend. The garden is nice and there was nice live music. That's where the pros end. The food was mediocre, they only have cold pressed (read:iced) coffee and its $4, and the service was very slow. Back to the food: we ordered beignets and an heirloom tomato salad. The salad was pretty tasty, but was only 4 small bites and served on a ridiculously large platter. We almost laughed when it came out it looked so ridiculous. He beignets were just ok- and anything fried with sugar on top should be more than ok in my book. Don't waste time or money having brunch here when there are so many good spots in town.
(2)Alicia E.
Constance & Ray were absolutely fantastic! So hospitable and kind to my mom and I! Definitely coming back next time we're in town.
(5)Ross M.
As far as I can tell, THE only late night hot spot in charleston. enjoyable for a few drinks and quick atmosphere. Fashionable decor with a very cozy outside garden and bar that can be enjoyed on warm evenings. The space is smaller than it seems and once filled up, leaves little room for dancing, or bar access. The DJ was good on a saturday night, apart from a few little hic-ups, played a good selection of hits and blended beats to keep the mood going, if for a lack of dancing, not sure if it was because of lack of room (which we ended up making for ourselves to many strange looks) or that dancing is not the hot thing in SC. Visiting from Hawaii and the nightlife there I was hoping for some good late night dancing. A very good and wide bar selection to choose from too. Bar staff are limited to simple concoctions and a little slow on the speed for such a packed place but nothing to complain about too much. The VIP bottle service girls and bar backs could use some better imagination and spark. Spoiled in HI with some of the best in the business, observing the staff standing around and not paying attention to their patrons with top service was a downfall, and the "sexiness" factor of a hot night spot could be increased with better uniforms and lighting and what's on the TV. A fun place to say the least though, and a fun eclectic group out to party.
(3)Sandy S.
Haven't yet been there to eat but if you are looking for a great place for a girls night out bachelor gathering, birthday party, or bachelorette party this is the place to go. This is one of my favorite bars/lounges in Downtown Charleston. Great Staff rsvp for bottle service and private tables. Also a great patio used year round (heat lamps in the winter).
(4)Koko O.
I need to start this review by stating a very simple principle. If you offer VIP tables, the onus is on the establishment to make sure said tables are properly marked and separated from public areas. That said, I need to state how disappointed I was with my experience here TONIGHT. Yes, I came home and felt so strongly about my interaction that I had to come back to my old school community and let you know. I HATE writing negative reviews! If you are a bachelorette party of more than 4, I wouldn't recommend this place. We, a party of 9, waited in line and paid a cover for the privilege of hearing awful EDM, overpaying for rail drinks and getting told to GTFO from an area of the main floor. The DJ struggled a bit...he played a lot of classics rap music but he also moved away from songs with lyrics for long stints...leaving us boredly wiggling to untz untz untz untz. But whatever, maybe that's what the crowd wants. What the crowd doesn't want, and what my group didn't appreciate, was the lack of a dance floor that forced patrons to clog up the main floor. There's no room to dance alone together. You're constantly in a pathway. If you want exclusive space, you get a table--we definitely understand that. However, when you're venue is so packed that people naturally gravitate towards the low pressure / low flow areas, the response from the gentleman handling the table service should never be to, "Get the f*ck out!". Yet it was and it soured our night. I want to make it very clear that we were never behind a rope or drink filled tables or anywhere near sitting areas. We were just standing in a pathway. We never argued with the employee or resisted in anyway. His opening words to us were "Get the f*ck out!" The second I realized we were basically dancing in an unroped private area, I immediately apologized to the concerned patron, but the offensive employee was back to serving drinks and we were all just so stunned and embarrassed we left in silence. I found a security guard and asked to speak to a manager. Though he didn't actually get a manager (please always get a manager when someone asks, it's really annoying and patronizing when you don't and had I actually spoke to a manager in person I wouldn't be writing this review tonight), I will give him credit for acting truly concerned about our experience and noncommittally offering our bride-to-be a free drink. Our night was already so spoiled that I was already on my way out so the point felt moot. So this is really more for the management of the venue. I really hope you offer your staff better training on how to treat patrons. If my group had somehow conned our way into the exclusive table service area, I may have understood your employee's awful behavior. But we were literally just standing in an open pathway (it's the area where you're facing the bar and just left of the DJ booth). There was no rope or physical barrier that we had to cross. It was just an area that had a 30% less people dancing in it. But, whatever. You can't win them all. TLDR: bachelorette parties, no. Getting treated like trash: yes
(2)Jackie G.
Ok bar/lounge/club. They gave us " Free bottles " but it was water. Equivalent of a bridge and tunnel crowd if ur from nyc
(3)Frank L.
Republic was AWESOME. We came down to Charleston for a bachelor party of 19 guys. We had set up table reservations at Republic for Saturday night only, but wound up going there all three nights since it was so great. Music was excellent, people were extremely good looking (and we are NYC picky), service was amazing and prices were not bad at all. Live music outside + high-energy dance music inside = perfect mix/everybody was happy. On Saturday, Evan hooked us up with the best table in the house and Jackie was our amazing personal server for the entire evening. We were debating heavily between Republic and other spots like Mynt. Though we never actually tried Mynt, I would advise any big group to check out Republic first. Thanks again Evan and Jackie.
(5)Michal W.
I used to come here for happy hour often since my office was nearby, and I enjoyed the outdoor patio. Small beer menu, but at least Holy City is on tap. Some type of musical act will start playing in the early evening, mixed drinks are decent enough. Unfortunately the mellow happy hours turn into amateur hour at night as far as customer service is concerned. The hostesses were a bit rude with regards to the cover charge process, so do yourself a favor and head across the street to Cocktail Club if you want value as a customer and better cocktails sans cover.
(2)Clare L.
Republic was on my Charleston "bucket list" and it did not disappoint. The wait to get in was a little annoying but once inside, the girl working the door decided to give my friends and I free entry because it was my birthday. I was surprised they were making groups of girls pay the $5 cover charge, but hey, we didn't pay so can't complain about that. I was a little bit surprised at how small it was inside. We didn't want to be out on the patio since it was so hot, so the actual inside didn't leave much room for dancing in my opinion, once you accounted for the tables with bottle service. My friends and I ended up having to stand right by the bar, which worked out in our favor since we got a lot of drinks bought for us. We had a blast dancing for hours. I definitely will be coming back to Republic my next time in Charleston. Few bars that I look forward to going to live up to the hype, but this one definitely did.
(5)Beata K.
Came here after a light dinner for some drinks. We came on a Saturday night before it turned into a lounge so it wasn't very packed. We sat outside which is a seat yourself situation. It look a while for a waitress to come over but once she did it didn't take too long to get our drinks. There are lots of drink options but I didn't find that any of them were outstanding. We also go the stiracha wings which were disgusting...they were boiled and hard to eat. The only thing this place has going for it is the outdoor atmosphere and the live music.
(3)Keith H.
"Meh" really sums up my experience at Republic. I wanted it to be better - I wanted to like it, I really did - but not luck. Went there for brunch on a Sunday, and here is what went down. The service: A little below average, so a C minus.. It was very slow in there when we arrived for Sunday brunch, maybe 3 tables and a few people at the outdoor bar. So, it was a little bothersome that our server would disappear for 5 - 10 minutes at a time, especially at the beginning of the meal, when we were ready to order drinks, etc. The food: Below average. It was like I was at an Ihop or other large breakfast chain. They serve fried french toast sticks.... come on! I can get those at Ihop - I don't want them when I'm on King Street. The "yogurt and granola" menu item was the most affordable thing on the menu and was a solid B overall. I suspect it would have been a C or a D, but they had JUST made more granola so it came out warm and gooey. Yum! The drinks - bloody mary's and mimosa's were fine. Nothing to write home about. So probably a C minus. I would say that if they want brunch to be a money maker for the restaurant and something people seek out, they really need to step up their game, especially in this town. It really seems like brunch was an after thought for Republic. Why open up for Sunday brunch if you're not going to put in the effort?
(2)Mike N.
Overpriced drinks. Bartenders more interested in talking to women than waiting on other patrons. Could use some female bartenders to give some female equality. As a plus. The music on the patio is outstanding.
(2)Meg D.
This was a great spot for a recent baby shower brunch! Service was attentive, food was great. Good location.
(4)Amy H.
Wish I could give this place a higher rating but their customer service was abysmal. We went for their reggae brunch on a Sunday and while I really enjoyed the music, the bad service and so so food makes it hard for me to justify more than two stars. The poor service began before we even sat down. We arrived at the restaurant at noon and were very rudely told that they didn't open til 12:30. Never mind the fact that their website said twelve and that 12:30 is actually very late for brunch. My friend really wanted to see the band so we came back at 12:30 despite the rudeness. Things didn't get much better after we we're finally able to sit down and order. The menu was not extensive at all and when I ordered, I was told they were out if my first choice dish. This seemed odd as we had gotten there right at the start of brunch. I guess maybe restaurants don't receive food shipments on Sundays but still, being out of something that early tells me that they didn't adequately prepare for brunch. When your menu is tiny, you need to be particularly careful about making sure things are in stock. I went with my second choice even though it contained ingredients that I have (non life threatening) allergies to just because that was the only other thing on the menu that looked remotely appetizing. It took an unacceptably long time to get our food given that the restaurant wasn't crowded at all and that none of our dishes were complicated. When my shrimp and grits finally arrived, I asked for Tabasco to spice them up but they had none. Please note that this place sold bloody Marys. How do you have Bloody Marys and no Tabasco? Don't Bloody Marys basically require that? I guess that's why no one in my party was raving about the Bloody Marys. They also had no cocktail sauce. I settled with sriracha even though it doesn't go particularly well with shrimp and grits. The shrimp and grits were ok but nothing to write home about, especially considering that charleston is famous for shrimp and grits. Getting the check took excessively long as well. Basically the only reason I'm giving 2 stars instead of 1 is that the music really was good. However, I recommend you catch the band (Jah Creation) at another venue instead of at the reggae brunch. The fact that the restaurant wasn't crowded initially seemed like a plus but that probably should've been a huge red flag. Southerners love brunch and this place is right in the middle of downtown Charleston (and it's tourist season!). Thus, I'm going to conclude that other people don't like this place either.
(2)Lily H.
The happy hour deals here are on point! The patio is the place to be. The service has always been friendly when I've gone. The chicken sandwich sliders are the bomb dot com. I also tried the stuffed mushrooms and they were OK. The stuffing was a little dry and the cheese wasn't as melty as I wanted it to be. It was more waxy. I don't really stay here past happy hour as the bartenders get more busy and the drinks get more expensive. I don't recommend the inside bar. Even the few times I have come at night, the music has been too loud and there haven't really been enough people to fill the space.
(3)Cat P.
Fun if predictably crowded spot for dancing and/or drinking. The crowd was really nice, no creepy people to avoid. They close promptly at 2 a.m. From what I recall of my night at Republic, it was a sleek and beautiful spot. Would recommend this for nightlife/entertainment.
(4)Christy M.
Ah, in the past I've really liked this place but was very underwhelmed this time. I do not recommend the crab salad lettuce wraps at all. They were mediocre at best, wilted soft lettuce, a little kick, I really believe it was imitation crab out of can or something, it was fairly warm and really fishy smelling, so I left if for the hubs..Neither of us would ever order it again. We went with friends and sat together. We ordered separately, but maybe about 5 minutes different if that (and we only ordered the lettuce wraps and sushi, our friends ordered sushi). Our friends food came out about 20-25 minutes before ours, which was awkward, they were done by the time we got ours. Our bartender apologized, and I don't imagine it was his fault, but it wasn't a great experience. The drinks were just ok, we tried a handful, but nothing stood out. I got Mistress (which I liked before), and we tried the Ginger Fizz spritzer and the Liquid Sunshine. The Ginger Fizz was not bad, not great, the Liquid Sunshine tasted very watered down, I couldn't taste mango, lemongrass or citrus. The Mistress just didn't seem as flavorful as before. So disappointed here because previously I really liked their drinks! Why 3 stars? One for service, one for environment. Half a star for the ok food (not the crab lettuce wraps, yuck!), and half a star because the previous times I was here it was good. The service was friendly and the environment is very enjoyable, especially the patio. I'm really disappointed the food and drinks weren't better, I want to love this place. I really liked it before. Maybe we just hit an off night, but I'm honestly not sure I want to try again to test it. The competition is stiff in Charleston, and when I know for sure I can have a great time somewhere else for less $... eh, it's hard to want to come back.
(3)Katie S.
Oh. My. Goodness. I had so much fun dancing the night away at Republic! We were here for a bachlorette party this past Friday night and I had an absolute blast dancing to the most random mix of anything from 90s hip hop, to today's techno, to everything in between (even some Taylor Swift!)! The DJ was absolutely wonderful, the bartenders were quick and efficient, and the atmosphere was great! The place was packed with people looking to have a good time and that's exactly what was happening. The inside is small and narrow, so be prepared for that, but they have bottle service if a crowd isn't your style. They also have a huge outdoor patio with it's own bar, so there are lots of options here. My only complaint is the bathrooms got GROSS at the end of the night. They really need to have an attendant on staff to keep things orderly-or beefed up security to keep out the some of the sloppy drunks.
(4)Nicole D.
We were 12 girls coming here on a Saturday night for a bachelorette party. They charged $5/person for cover which I thought was lame because A) we are girls and B) it was a bachelorette party. But it is what it is. We didn't have to wait too long outside (though once we were in my friend left to go across the street to grab her credit card that she had left at the restaurant we had dinner at..and then it took her forever to be able to get back into Republic). Once inside there was a DJ that everyone was pretty into, and then they also had an outdoor patio area where they had a live band playing. I thought that was pretty cool, but it was just too muggy outside and was more comfortable inside with the AC on. We had a fun night here!
(4)Marqus R.
Really a great place to have a drink and socialize, but as a place for foodies, it's not. The food is innovative and unique, but basically of the "bar food" type. Maybe things like "Truffled Popcorn" may turn a few clocks but not those of anyone dining well. I've had their "Republic Caesar," OK, but at a mere $7.95 you can't expect much. The same goes with their lettuce wraps, grilled kebabs, sliders and wings though I must say I found their mussels and their turkey sandwich to be rather good. Their real specialty is, however, with various Asian like rolls but since this is not an Asian restaurant, unlike nearby Basil, don't expect too much in the way of Asian culinary arts. What I like about the place is that it is friendly, easy going and a nice place to meet with people and to socialize. It tends to be very popular, especially with the younger crowd who stand in line while their age ID cards are checked. I know I offered to prove my age, 70, with verification using my old age Medicare Card but since I had what the attendant door bouncer said was an "honest face" he let me in without proof of age. As for their drinks, I found them to be rather good, substantial without any cheap corners being cut.
(3)Autumn L.
We waited in line for 30 mins for them to tell us it would be $25 extra dollars because my BF was wearing converse. We told them we were wanting to get a bottle & VIP and they still said we would have to pay the $25....As the OWNER walks out wearing all black converse. This place is a JOKE. Not to mention all the people we were with work in the service industry and I myself have a BA degree in Tourism management. VERY poor way to treat high paying customers. Could have easily made over $500, but worried about your $25. HA! I would have left NO stars, but it wouldn't let me.
(2)Pamela M.
This is only my second time here, but I will say that I'm really digging this place. It's very trendy and cute. The inside is decorated very nice and the outside area is very spacious. The staff is very friendly and very attentive. The food is excellent and the cocktails are superb. I highly recommend this bar to all who are looking for a fun friendly upscale atmosphere to relax and have great time.
(5)Matt N.
If you like bad music and expensive bottles of bad beer, you should come here. Won't be back that's fo shizzle....
(1)Mary Elizabeth J.
This is where you want to enjoy a nice cocktail after work. The interior is luxe and shimmery with an Old Hollywood vibe (I keep hearing NY, but that wasn't my impression), and the small plates are just right: comfort food in an elegant presentation. The chicken wings are the best I've had in Charleston. Bottle service is a relaxing little treat after a long day, and the servers are among the most attentive and pleasant in the city, Michaela in particular. The DJ booth suggests that Republic Reign likes to party hard after hours, but that's not my scene. In the early evening, it's perfect for enjoying a cocktail and a bite, and the atmosphere is relaxed in a way that does not involve flip-flops (which will surely irk some beach-going Charlestonians, bless their hearts). Wear something nice and come sip something delicious.
(4)Brittany M.
I went to republic on a Sunday night with 3 other friends. We were here from out of town and were just looking for a cocktail after dinner. It was only 930p at this point. The bartender never asked us if we wanted to keep our tabs open (we did not), so we stood there for about 10 minutes with our drinks before we realized he wasn't going to come back. We decided to sit down and enjoy our drinks inside to chat a bit. At about 10p, a worker (or DJ?) turned up the music to such a level that I couldn't even hear my friend speaking who was sitting right next to me...on a Sunday. We quickly finished our drinks as fast as we could to leave and after walking up to the bar, waited another 20 minutes to close our tab. The bartender walked past us making eye contact about 5 times and continued to chat with other patrons and serve everyone other than us. I was not impressed. Over priced drinks. Horrible service. Terrible music.
(1)Brittany W.
Came here Friday night and fell in love with their drink called liquid sunshine. They have an awesome deal Monday through Friday for Half off crafts and punch bowls!!! Super cheap and oh so good. Definitely a place that I have to repeat again and again. Plus they have live music, often!
(5)Shannon R.
It's a nice "looking" place. But, a little too snooty for me. I enjoy a good classy bar. However, the crowd was cliquey and bordering on rude. The bartender acted like I was wasting his time when I asked what was on tap. A lot of stuck up rich kids just showing face. Not my scene.
(3)Halen James F.
Would go a zero star if possible. Horrible bottle service wait time, terrible service. Terrible self aggrandized bouncers... I will most definitely take my patronage else-where in the future.
(1)Shannon M.
I like the outdoors seating but its not the greatest of places. The crab salad lettuce wraps are not worth the money. They are incredibly fishy tasting (more than they should be) and the lettuce itself seemed wilted and old. I also ordered the tacos and they were rather bland. Service is slow and they really take themselves too seriously. There's better places to hang out at if you're looking for a fun night out.
(2)Tiffany B.
Great outdoor space! We came on a Friday night and really enjoyed the live music. Arrive early if you want to snag an outdoor seat, they fill up fast!
(4)Taryn C.
Went here at night for drinks, and it was definitely fun. The inside was like a club and the outside had a live band - so two different vibes. My only complaint is the amount of people crammed inside. You couldn't even walk through the crowd.
(4)Rebecca A.
We went here to celebrate my friends birthday for brunch at noon on Sunday. (YES, they're open on Sunday's even though according to Google, NO, Yelp, 5PM and their Facebook page 4:30). I checked out the menu before going, so I knew when they only had 5 brunch options, one a parfait and another beignets, it was not going to be a place to have that "stuff your face" meal. My friends on the other hand were disappointed with the prices and portion sizes. "It's tapas" I told them! They didn't care, they wanted more bang for their buck. (No complaints about the taste of the food though) The place has a great hip vibe, so if your looking for fun with friends, good drinks and music, and just the munchies; visit the Republic!
(3)Stephanie M.
I recently had a very unpleasant experience with the bartenders working the indoor bar. I was visiting from out of town and wanted to go somewhere in Charleston to dance and have a few drinks the day after by birthday. A friend suggested this place as an option. The bar was very busy for a Tuesday night and it was about 30 minutes until I was able to place my drink order. I was serviced by a young blonde haired gentleman with a skinny black tie. I ordered a water, diet coke and a captain and diet. He nodded and only acknowledged the captain and diet. When he returned with the drink he told me it was 7 dollars. I proceeded to ask for the water and diet coke for my two friends who were not drinking. He rolled his eyes an hastily filled a plastic cup with room temp water - no ice - and filled another cup halfway due to the soda suds. I hesitated but proceeded to pay for my drink. Once I took a sip I realized it was not captain and that it tasted a lot like tequila. I asked some of my other friends who were drinking if they thought it tasted right and they agreed it was not captain so I proceeded to try to get the bartenders attention. A male friend ended up stepping in to help. Once we flagged him down, the bartender tried to argue that I ordered rum and coke, which I never do. He showed us that he gave me Meyers rum, accused me of being drunk and pitched my full drink without offering a new one. At that point we asked to speak with the manager and he pointed to a gentleman in a striped shirt. It took another 20 minutes to flag him down as he was working the indoor bar as well. Once we got his attention, he went to the other end of the bar and poured me a captain and diet. Needless to say this was a heck of a lot to go through for one drink! My friends who opened a tab were also charged for drinks they never received. All I wanted was a fun night out to celebrate my birthday and spent half of my time at the bar. Therefore, I would not recommend going here unless all you are looking to do is dance. Managers and owners of this club should reevaluate the hiring/selection practices and the effectiveness of training of their bartenders.
(1)Karen Mae B.
The outside brunch bartender just ignored me while waiting on a group that walked up after me. I am patient, and understanding, so I gave it a chance. He walked right past me (at a mostly empty bar - i was right in front of this guy's face) five times with no hello, no menu, no eye contact. I just got up and took my business elsewhere. Too many great and friendly options in Charleston so no need to help a place that has staff like that!
(1)Catherine L.
Youngish hipster crowd. Staff is super friendly and attentive. Great food & excellent cocktails. Live music is great too.
(4)Cristy Z.
I went to The Republic on a Monday night. The inside is set up like a lounge/club and the outside is a garden bar, which is where I went. A live band had just finished playing, heat lamps where out and the space was just full enough where you felt it was a cool place but not overcrowded. I was actually impressed by how many people where there. Wayne, the bartender served us (he was great and gave some recommendations for food and NYE places to go around town). Cool place to hang out and can only imagine it's better on a weekend! The ambiance is nice and decor is amazing with hanging lights over the bar and seats outside. P.S. Noticed there were heat lamps, fans and mosquito repellents...ready for all seasons!
(4)Frank G.
Very nice, good place to relax. Bar keep was great with allowing us to taste different wines. Had the cheese plate, good but only 2 cheeses.. If you want to just sit, have a drink, eat a bite, go here. If you want 4 star resturants go elsewhere. That is not a cut, just simply saying this place is great for what it is. FrankG
(4)Lauren T.
This was the best lounge (by far) that I visited in Charleston. It's very stylish, chic and classy with lots of velvety couches and artistic touches. Living in Dallas, this reminds me of a hotspot that I would see smack dab in the middle of the city complete with attractive young professionals and yummy weekend drinks. :) Obviously I'm not from Charleston, but the vibe I got from this place is that it is a great lounge to go mix and mingle with the mid-twenties to late-thirties crowd on a Friday/Saturday night. They also have a nice patio that is very spacious and accommodating. Our cocktails were quite tasty, and the bartender from Wisconsin was super friendly! If I ever come back to Charleston, this will definitely be one of the places on my list to visit again.
(5)Nick G.
I was on vacation and came here for drinks and dinner before the Kentucky Derby. When I asked about other places in the area to go/see (as tourists), I was told (by two different people) that the Republic had everything I'd ever need. So we stayed for dinner, which was ok--nothing great, nothing awful. We came back several hours later to test the nightlife, which we assumed was the big draw. But we were turned away because my boat shoes violated dress code. I thought we were in SC. We had way more fun at other places on king street. Stay away from rebublic.
(1)Michelle G.
I'm so sad their menu changed! They had a great happy hour deal. I really enjoyed their sushi! They still have great drink specials, and I'm sure the new food menu will be good. Great location, and I love their outdoor seating. I'm not a fan of going at night. Gets a little bit too much for me!
(4)Sarah C.
I came to Charleston for my 31st birthday and was looking for a place for a drink and some music. Yelped this place, which got great reviews from others. When my sister and I walked in there was a guy playing guitar singing solo. He was alright. Nice ambiance, somewhat quiet for a bar/lounge, with a great bees knees drink. The bartender whose name I can't remember was nice. My review is also based on the fact that it was a Sunday. I did not try any food.
(3)Tyler S.
It's about time I got around to writing a review on the Republic. This is one of my absolute favorite places to go for happy hour. "Why," you ask? Because their happy hour is KILLER! Appetizers that usually range from $10-$15 are $4 or $5, $2 domestic beers, half off spritzer drinks, and I have never had to wait on a table (granted it's always been during the week). The atmosphere is very nice as well. The main dining room, which could more appropriately be called a lounge, has booth seats lining the three walls, with mirrors on the two opposing walls, giving the place a very open feel. The tables are a little on the small side, which can get a little crowded if you order several plates, but that is a small flaw that can easily be overlooked. The main wall has a beautiful piece of art, adding a classy feel. The whole decor is very nice throughout the restaurant. There is also a nice covered outdoor patio with another full bar and couches to lounge in while listening to the live bands. I have yet to try an entree, but I have tried most of the appetizers. The mussels are especially good, and I cannot leave out the brie, my favorite cheese. My favorite appetizer would have to be the lettuce wraps. I have tried them with chicken and the duck confit. They are both delicious but I prefer the duck. It's a nice light dish, and I love the contrast of the cool crisp lettuce with warm savory meat, whichever you choose. As Joy S. noted, the stuffed potato skins are not what we expected, but they were still pretty good. I had a few samples of my friend's hummus and it was very good as well. I have yet to be disappointed by anything I have had, however I was a little sad that the milk served with the cookies was not spiked with some kind of alcohol. Regardless, those cookies were the bomb. Great service, great food, great drinks, great atmosphere. What's not to love? Just make sure you are dressed appropriately. I had a friend get turned away for wearing a t-shirt and flip flops.
(5)John D.
yes yes yes try this place! awesome outside seating/bar. sushi is great. wednesday is half off enough said! live terrific music. such a comfortable place. i was extremely extremely happy with my visit
(5)Jenny L.
Came on a Wednesday night. Really chill lounge area with outdoor sofas and live music playing. Service was really good. Ordered the popcorn shrimp and it was not like what we expected. The shrimp was super small, soggy and cold. They swiftly took care of it and allowed us to change our order to the wings free of charge. Shows their commitment to customer service. The wings were much better. Very delicious, and steamy to the bone. Definitely recommended. but they should take the popcorn shrimp off the menu -- that thing should not be served.
(4)Theresa G.
The service is to notch. The atmosphere is upscale and nice. Trina and Josh are the best bartenders and the drinks are worth it. The outdoor heaters are a nice touch. What a great place!!!
(5)Nicholas R.
Republic is what passes for a club in these parts I suppose. It's a decent venue (live music outside, DJ inside, bar service on both) but I think it's overrated. The drinks were weak and expensive. Only upside is the place is popular.
(3)Joy S.
Amazing happy hour! My friend and fellow Yelper, Tyler S. and I decided to check out Republic for their happy hour yesterday. And what a great happy hour it was. I'll walk you through a successful happy hour at Republic: First off, get one of their spritzer drinks. They're usually $20-25 but for happy hour they're half off. They come in a big carafe that got us about 3-4 drinks, which is a great deal! I don't remember what it's called but we had the last one listed on the menu that was $25 ($12.50 for HH). I believe it had gin, cucumbers, some kind of nectar and brut. It was excellent. Light, citrusy and very refreshing. Next, order a couple of tapas-style plates. They're all $4-5 which is basically half off the regular pricing as well. Here's what all we tried: the duck confit lettuce wraps, the brie, the mussels and the stuffed potato skins. Everything was pretty good, not amazing though. The mussels were probably my favorite. Great mussels, bread and sauce to dip it in. The stuffed potato skins were a little weird. They didn't look at all how I expected. Not the most appetizing-looking dish, but they didn't taste bad. Lastly, their desserts are also half off so why not, right? Between the sorbet and the milk & cookies, we went with the milk & cookies. It comes with chocolate milk that was kind of frothy and didn't really taste like real chocolate milk but when you dip a fresh, hot-out-of-the-oven cookie in it, who really cares? Perfect way to end a meal. And that my friends, is how you do happy hour.
(4)Nicole R.
We went on a slow Sunday night. Sat outside and listened to decent live music. Our bartender was AMAZING! He made my mom a good dirty martini with specialty olives. We ordered stuffed mushrooms...they were ok...kind of weird with meatballs on top. I'd go back for sure...heard that their music/entertainment is always good.
(4)Dave C.
Republic is becoming one of my favorite places on Upper King...and in all of downtown Charleston for that matter. If you've never been, Republic is a huge lounge-style bar with plenty of seating inside as well as a very large outside patio/bar area as well. They have live music out on the patio pretty regularly and offer a pretty cool tapas menu with some interesting items (see: pork belly corn dogs!!!) and a solid drink menu with some very innovative cocktails. In addition to the nice decor, the thing that sets this place apart in my eyes is the service. I have been there on quiet nights, busy nights, with my classy friends, and with my drunkard friends and EVERY SINGLE TIME we have received excellent service. To me, that speaks volumes about the staff, management, and ensures that I always have an excellent experience and will be back. Republic, you deserve five stars and I can't wait to see you again.
(5)Mona N.
Amazing restaurant...great food and amazing at night...music and atmosphere couldn't be better!
(5)Scotty C.
Even though bottle service and swanky patios aren't normally my thing, I appreciate that Republic is unique and are doing it the right way. I can't really think of anywhere else nearby that has the same atmosphere and vibe as whats going on here. I've been a few times now and you can always count on a party here late at night. Typically not a place I would think to come for Happy Hour because it's got more of a nightclub-ish spot but, after seeing other reviewers rave about the food, I need to give it a try. I love the patio outside and that there's so much seating. It can be kind of cramped inside with most of the place being designated for VIP so it's great to sneak out and relive the Chai's day - Disclaimer: the patio is 100 percent renovated from what it was when it was Chai's, in a good way. The bartenders I've encountered have been excellent and very friendly. The only thing that irked me was when I was there with a buddy having drinks, our first two came in glasses, then on the next round, they came in plastic cups. I believe it was some sort of rule for it being after a certain time in the night that they switch over to plastic. I can only assume it's to avoid broken glasses as people get tipsy late into the evening. For some reason it just bothers me to pay $8 or $9 for a Goose and soda to have it land in front of you in a plastic cup. Being that they're a high end place, I think the better idea would be to get the unbreakable plastic cups that look like glass. By no means a deal breaker being that we still had a great night.
(4)Michael M.
This review is strictly for happy hour and cocktails. Went there on Friday night for happy hour with a group of 3 friends. We were on "Spring Break" decided to drop the kids off at the in-laws and go out for a few drinks. Republic knocked it out of the park. The had discounted signature cocktails during happy hour. I opted for the "Smoke Show", which was a combination of tequila, jalapeno infused simple syrup, and a few other secret ingredients. The drink was to die for. All 4 of us got signature cocktails, and all of them were unbelievable. 5 out of 5, hands down.
(5)Dylan D.
I love this place! I have never been inside due to the bottle service, but the outside is amazing! Almost always has outside/covered bar open with seating and live music! The bands are great and brings in diverse crowd. They have a great bar with many great options from craft whiskey to craft (local) beers. Food is not their strongest suit, however the vide and drinks make up for that in my option. I'm rating the outside bar a 5 out of 5 because it is my favorite "drop in" spot where the drinks and music never disappoint! Come early! It gets busy around 10:30pm.
(5)Emilie A.
Started going here shortly after they opened their doors and it's still my favorite place to go on a Friday or Saturday night out. Incredible staff and great manager!
(5)Andrew M.
My opinion some of the best sushi in town. Definitely sit outside on the patio. Great happy hour deals and I believe it's 7 days a week. Turns cluby at night. Fun place to go pre or post dinner.
(4)Ariella K.
My friend wanted to see someone playing here on Sunday, so we figured we'd grab some brunch as well. We got there at about 11:45 and were told they opened at 12. Not a problem. We walked around for a few minutes then circled back right before noon. I was hungry, so I looked up their menu. The website also said they opened at 12. When we tried to go in, we were somewhat rudely told that they opened at 12:30. That seems a bit late for brunch to me, but regardless of when you open, please 1) make sure your website reflects your current hours and 2) be polite to customers about it. I would have walked away and found someplace else right then especially having seen their menu, but my friend decided to just wait it out. When we were finally allowed in, we sat outside and ordered some drinks. I realize that a $4 bloody Mary special is cheap, but they decided to serve them in what looked like a maybe 5 or 7 oz plastic water cup. It looked like the type of cup my gym keeps by the water cooler. We ordered our entrees...eventually. There weren't many people there, but service took forever. I ordered Crab, Shrimp, and Grits mostly because it was the only thing that looked good to me. It was $14, which I wouldn't mind spending on a good brunch, but I was already wary of this place. My friend ordered Steak and Eggs and was told several minutes after ordering it that they were 86 steak. She ended up getting what I did, but it wasn't her first choice and with such a small brunch menu there weren't many other options. Our entrees arrived about 40 minutes after we ordered them. The crab on my entree was dry, rubbery, and could have been tofu for all of the flavor it had. The shrimp was slightly better, but not by much. The grits had no seasoning whatsoever. My friend who also ordered the shrimp and grits asked for Tabasco and was told that the only hot sauce they had was Sriracha. She asked for cocktail sauce and was told they didn't have any. We both took the Sriracha and tried to add a bit of flavor as well as heat to the dish. Another friend ordered biscuits and gravy that looked like a couple of small dinner rolls with vaguely white sausage on top. There was truly more grease than gravy on her dish. The only thing that looked halfway decent were the sliders, which just weren't the brunch I was looking for. Maybe this is a cool place to come at night (though I won't be), but they should really stop pretending to do brunch.
(1)MaryBeth W.
Fun place to go out on the weekends, my favorite time to go is Sundays for some Sunday Fundaying!! Love sitting on the patio and listening to live music and eating delicious, fresh sushi!! If you haven't tried their sushi yet, you are totally missing out!!
(5)Cat C.
My favorite happy hour in Charleston! Half price on incredible wines up to $200. A great place to take cients and to celebrate. The patio is beautiful and heated at this time of year. The twinkle of the interior space is remarkable, a design masterpiece. The food is all easily consumed with a group and the cocktail bowls for a crowd are fun and delicious. A great spot for people watching on King and the best champagne list in town. Don't miss it.
(5)Beata K.
Came here after a light dinner for some drinks. We came on a Saturday night before it turned into a lounge so it wasn't very packed. We sat outside which is a seat yourself situation. It look a while for a waitress to come over but once she did it didn't take too long to get our drinks. There are lots of drink options but I didn't find that any of them were outstanding. We also go the stiracha wings which were disgusting...they were boiled and hard to eat. The only thing this place has going for it is the outdoor atmosphere and the live music.
(3)Clare L.
Republic was on my Charleston "bucket list" and it did not disappoint. The wait to get in was a little annoying but once inside, the girl working the door decided to give my friends and I free entry because it was my birthday. I was surprised they were making groups of girls pay the $5 cover charge, but hey, we didn't pay so can't complain about that. I was a little bit surprised at how small it was inside. We didn't want to be out on the patio since it was so hot, so the actual inside didn't leave much room for dancing in my opinion, once you accounted for the tables with bottle service. My friends and I ended up having to stand right by the bar, which worked out in our favor since we got a lot of drinks bought for us. We had a blast dancing for hours. I definitely will be coming back to Republic my next time in Charleston. Few bars that I look forward to going to live up to the hype, but this one definitely did.
(5)Keith H.
"Meh" really sums up my experience at Republic. I wanted it to be better - I wanted to like it, I really did - but not luck. Went there for brunch on a Sunday, and here is what went down. The service: A little below average, so a C minus.. It was very slow in there when we arrived for Sunday brunch, maybe 3 tables and a few people at the outdoor bar. So, it was a little bothersome that our server would disappear for 5 - 10 minutes at a time, especially at the beginning of the meal, when we were ready to order drinks, etc. The food: Below average. It was like I was at an Ihop or other large breakfast chain. They serve fried french toast sticks.... come on! I can get those at Ihop - I don't want them when I'm on King Street. The "yogurt and granola" menu item was the most affordable thing on the menu and was a solid B overall. I suspect it would have been a C or a D, but they had JUST made more granola so it came out warm and gooey. Yum! The drinks - bloody mary's and mimosa's were fine. Nothing to write home about. So probably a C minus. I would say that if they want brunch to be a money maker for the restaurant and something people seek out, they really need to step up their game, especially in this town. It really seems like brunch was an after thought for Republic. Why open up for Sunday brunch if you're not going to put in the effort?
(2)Tyler S.
It's about time I got around to writing a review on the Republic. This is one of my absolute favorite places to go for happy hour. "Why," you ask? Because their happy hour is KILLER! Appetizers that usually range from $10-$15 are $4 or $5, $2 domestic beers, half off spritzer drinks, and I have never had to wait on a table (granted it's always been during the week). The atmosphere is very nice as well. The main dining room, which could more appropriately be called a lounge, has booth seats lining the three walls, with mirrors on the two opposing walls, giving the place a very open feel. The tables are a little on the small side, which can get a little crowded if you order several plates, but that is a small flaw that can easily be overlooked. The main wall has a beautiful piece of art, adding a classy feel. The whole decor is very nice throughout the restaurant. There is also a nice covered outdoor patio with another full bar and couches to lounge in while listening to the live bands. I have yet to try an entree, but I have tried most of the appetizers. The mussels are especially good, and I cannot leave out the brie, my favorite cheese. My favorite appetizer would have to be the lettuce wraps. I have tried them with chicken and the duck confit. They are both delicious but I prefer the duck. It's a nice light dish, and I love the contrast of the cool crisp lettuce with warm savory meat, whichever you choose. As Joy S. noted, the stuffed potato skins are not what we expected, but they were still pretty good. I had a few samples of my friend's hummus and it was very good as well. I have yet to be disappointed by anything I have had, however I was a little sad that the milk served with the cookies was not spiked with some kind of alcohol. Regardless, those cookies were the bomb. Great service, great food, great drinks, great atmosphere. What's not to love? Just make sure you are dressed appropriately. I had a friend get turned away for wearing a t-shirt and flip flops.
(5)John D.
yes yes yes try this place! awesome outside seating/bar. sushi is great. wednesday is half off enough said! live terrific music. such a comfortable place. i was extremely extremely happy with my visit
(5)Michael M.
This review is strictly for happy hour and cocktails. Went there on Friday night for happy hour with a group of 3 friends. We were on "Spring Break" decided to drop the kids off at the in-laws and go out for a few drinks. Republic knocked it out of the park. The had discounted signature cocktails during happy hour. I opted for the "Smoke Show", which was a combination of tequila, jalapeno infused simple syrup, and a few other secret ingredients. The drink was to die for. All 4 of us got signature cocktails, and all of them were unbelievable. 5 out of 5, hands down.
(5)Andrew M.
My opinion some of the best sushi in town. Definitely sit outside on the patio. Great happy hour deals and I believe it's 7 days a week. Turns cluby at night. Fun place to go pre or post dinner.
(4)Michelle G.
I'm so sad their menu changed! They had a great happy hour deal. I really enjoyed their sushi! They still have great drink specials, and I'm sure the new food menu will be good. Great location, and I love their outdoor seating. I'm not a fan of going at night. Gets a little bit too much for me!
(4)Ariella K.
My friend wanted to see someone playing here on Sunday, so we figured we'd grab some brunch as well. We got there at about 11:45 and were told they opened at 12. Not a problem. We walked around for a few minutes then circled back right before noon. I was hungry, so I looked up their menu. The website also said they opened at 12. When we tried to go in, we were somewhat rudely told that they opened at 12:30. That seems a bit late for brunch to me, but regardless of when you open, please 1) make sure your website reflects your current hours and 2) be polite to customers about it. I would have walked away and found someplace else right then especially having seen their menu, but my friend decided to just wait it out. When we were finally allowed in, we sat outside and ordered some drinks. I realize that a $4 bloody Mary special is cheap, but they decided to serve them in what looked like a maybe 5 or 7 oz plastic water cup. It looked like the type of cup my gym keeps by the water cooler. We ordered our entrees...eventually. There weren't many people there, but service took forever. I ordered Crab, Shrimp, and Grits mostly because it was the only thing that looked good to me. It was $14, which I wouldn't mind spending on a good brunch, but I was already wary of this place. My friend ordered Steak and Eggs and was told several minutes after ordering it that they were 86 steak. She ended up getting what I did, but it wasn't her first choice and with such a small brunch menu there weren't many other options. Our entrees arrived about 40 minutes after we ordered them. The crab on my entree was dry, rubbery, and could have been tofu for all of the flavor it had. The shrimp was slightly better, but not by much. The grits had no seasoning whatsoever. My friend who also ordered the shrimp and grits asked for Tabasco and was told that the only hot sauce they had was Sriracha. She asked for cocktail sauce and was told they didn't have any. We both took the Sriracha and tried to add a bit of flavor as well as heat to the dish. Another friend ordered biscuits and gravy that looked like a couple of small dinner rolls with vaguely white sausage on top. There was truly more grease than gravy on her dish. The only thing that looked halfway decent were the sliders, which just weren't the brunch I was looking for. Maybe this is a cool place to come at night (though I won't be), but they should really stop pretending to do brunch.
(1)MaryBeth W.
Fun place to go out on the weekends, my favorite time to go is Sundays for some Sunday Fundaying!! Love sitting on the patio and listening to live music and eating delicious, fresh sushi!! If you haven't tried their sushi yet, you are totally missing out!!
(5)Jenny L.
Came on a Wednesday night. Really chill lounge area with outdoor sofas and live music playing. Service was really good. Ordered the popcorn shrimp and it was not like what we expected. The shrimp was super small, soggy and cold. They swiftly took care of it and allowed us to change our order to the wings free of charge. Shows their commitment to customer service. The wings were much better. Very delicious, and steamy to the bone. Definitely recommended. but they should take the popcorn shrimp off the menu -- that thing should not be served.
(4)Sarah C.
I came to Charleston for my 31st birthday and was looking for a place for a drink and some music. Yelped this place, which got great reviews from others. When my sister and I walked in there was a guy playing guitar singing solo. He was alright. Nice ambiance, somewhat quiet for a bar/lounge, with a great bees knees drink. The bartender whose name I can't remember was nice. My review is also based on the fact that it was a Sunday. I did not try any food.
(3)Joy S.
Amazing happy hour! My friend and fellow Yelper, Tyler S. and I decided to check out Republic for their happy hour yesterday. And what a great happy hour it was. I'll walk you through a successful happy hour at Republic: First off, get one of their spritzer drinks. They're usually $20-25 but for happy hour they're half off. They come in a big carafe that got us about 3-4 drinks, which is a great deal! I don't remember what it's called but we had the last one listed on the menu that was $25 ($12.50 for HH). I believe it had gin, cucumbers, some kind of nectar and brut. It was excellent. Light, citrusy and very refreshing. Next, order a couple of tapas-style plates. They're all $4-5 which is basically half off the regular pricing as well. Here's what all we tried: the duck confit lettuce wraps, the brie, the mussels and the stuffed potato skins. Everything was pretty good, not amazing though. The mussels were probably my favorite. Great mussels, bread and sauce to dip it in. The stuffed potato skins were a little weird. They didn't look at all how I expected. Not the most appetizing-looking dish, but they didn't taste bad. Lastly, their desserts are also half off so why not, right? Between the sorbet and the milk & cookies, we went with the milk & cookies. It comes with chocolate milk that was kind of frothy and didn't really taste like real chocolate milk but when you dip a fresh, hot-out-of-the-oven cookie in it, who really cares? Perfect way to end a meal. And that my friends, is how you do happy hour.
(4)Scotty C.
Even though bottle service and swanky patios aren't normally my thing, I appreciate that Republic is unique and are doing it the right way. I can't really think of anywhere else nearby that has the same atmosphere and vibe as whats going on here. I've been a few times now and you can always count on a party here late at night. Typically not a place I would think to come for Happy Hour because it's got more of a nightclub-ish spot but, after seeing other reviewers rave about the food, I need to give it a try. I love the patio outside and that there's so much seating. It can be kind of cramped inside with most of the place being designated for VIP so it's great to sneak out and relive the Chai's day - Disclaimer: the patio is 100 percent renovated from what it was when it was Chai's, in a good way. The bartenders I've encountered have been excellent and very friendly. The only thing that irked me was when I was there with a buddy having drinks, our first two came in glasses, then on the next round, they came in plastic cups. I believe it was some sort of rule for it being after a certain time in the night that they switch over to plastic. I can only assume it's to avoid broken glasses as people get tipsy late into the evening. For some reason it just bothers me to pay $8 or $9 for a Goose and soda to have it land in front of you in a plastic cup. Being that they're a high end place, I think the better idea would be to get the unbreakable plastic cups that look like glass. By no means a deal breaker being that we still had a great night.
(4)Dylan D.
I love this place! I have never been inside due to the bottle service, but the outside is amazing! Almost always has outside/covered bar open with seating and live music! The bands are great and brings in diverse crowd. They have a great bar with many great options from craft whiskey to craft (local) beers. Food is not their strongest suit, however the vide and drinks make up for that in my option. I'm rating the outside bar a 5 out of 5 because it is my favorite "drop in" spot where the drinks and music never disappoint! Come early! It gets busy around 10:30pm.
(5)Emilie A.
Started going here shortly after they opened their doors and it's still my favorite place to go on a Friday or Saturday night out. Incredible staff and great manager!
(5)Cat C.
My favorite happy hour in Charleston! Half price on incredible wines up to $200. A great place to take cients and to celebrate. The patio is beautiful and heated at this time of year. The twinkle of the interior space is remarkable, a design masterpiece. The food is all easily consumed with a group and the cocktail bowls for a crowd are fun and delicious. A great spot for people watching on King and the best champagne list in town. Don't miss it.
(5)Jackie G.
Ok bar/lounge/club. They gave us " Free bottles " but it was water. Equivalent of a bridge and tunnel crowd if ur from nyc
(3)Theresa G.
The service is to notch. The atmosphere is upscale and nice. Trina and Josh are the best bartenders and the drinks are worth it. The outdoor heaters are a nice touch. What a great place!!!
(5)Nicholas R.
Republic is what passes for a club in these parts I suppose. It's a decent venue (live music outside, DJ inside, bar service on both) but I think it's overrated. The drinks were weak and expensive. Only upside is the place is popular.
(3)Mona N.
Amazing restaurant...great food and amazing at night...music and atmosphere couldn't be better!
(5)Frank L.
Republic was AWESOME. We came down to Charleston for a bachelor party of 19 guys. We had set up table reservations at Republic for Saturday night only, but wound up going there all three nights since it was so great. Music was excellent, people were extremely good looking (and we are NYC picky), service was amazing and prices were not bad at all. Live music outside + high-energy dance music inside = perfect mix/everybody was happy. On Saturday, Evan hooked us up with the best table in the house and Jackie was our amazing personal server for the entire evening. We were debating heavily between Republic and other spots like Mynt. Though we never actually tried Mynt, I would advise any big group to check out Republic first. Thanks again Evan and Jackie.
(5)Michal W.
I used to come here for happy hour often since my office was nearby, and I enjoyed the outdoor patio. Small beer menu, but at least Holy City is on tap. Some type of musical act will start playing in the early evening, mixed drinks are decent enough. Unfortunately the mellow happy hours turn into amateur hour at night as far as customer service is concerned. The hostesses were a bit rude with regards to the cover charge process, so do yourself a favor and head across the street to Cocktail Club if you want value as a customer and better cocktails sans cover.
(2)James H.
great food good prices modern. great service. only downside was no real tables only lounge like tables that u have to lean over.
(4)Amy H.
Wish I could give this place a higher rating but their customer service was abysmal. We went for their reggae brunch on a Sunday and while I really enjoyed the music, the bad service and so so food makes it hard for me to justify more than two stars. The poor service began before we even sat down. We arrived at the restaurant at noon and were very rudely told that they didn't open til 12:30. Never mind the fact that their website said twelve and that 12:30 is actually very late for brunch. My friend really wanted to see the band so we came back at 12:30 despite the rudeness. Things didn't get much better after we we're finally able to sit down and order. The menu was not extensive at all and when I ordered, I was told they were out if my first choice dish. This seemed odd as we had gotten there right at the start of brunch. I guess maybe restaurants don't receive food shipments on Sundays but still, being out of something that early tells me that they didn't adequately prepare for brunch. When your menu is tiny, you need to be particularly careful about making sure things are in stock. I went with my second choice even though it contained ingredients that I have (non life threatening) allergies to just because that was the only other thing on the menu that looked remotely appetizing. It took an unacceptably long time to get our food given that the restaurant wasn't crowded at all and that none of our dishes were complicated. When my shrimp and grits finally arrived, I asked for Tabasco to spice them up but they had none. Please note that this place sold bloody Marys. How do you have Bloody Marys and no Tabasco? Don't Bloody Marys basically require that? I guess that's why no one in my party was raving about the Bloody Marys. They also had no cocktail sauce. I settled with sriracha even though it doesn't go particularly well with shrimp and grits. The shrimp and grits were ok but nothing to write home about, especially considering that charleston is famous for shrimp and grits. Getting the check took excessively long as well. Basically the only reason I'm giving 2 stars instead of 1 is that the music really was good. However, I recommend you catch the band (Jah Creation) at another venue instead of at the reggae brunch. The fact that the restaurant wasn't crowded initially seemed like a plus but that probably should've been a huge red flag. Southerners love brunch and this place is right in the middle of downtown Charleston (and it's tourist season!). Thus, I'm going to conclude that other people don't like this place either.
(2)Lily H.
The happy hour deals here are on point! The patio is the place to be. The service has always been friendly when I've gone. The chicken sandwich sliders are the bomb dot com. I also tried the stuffed mushrooms and they were OK. The stuffing was a little dry and the cheese wasn't as melty as I wanted it to be. It was more waxy. I don't really stay here past happy hour as the bartenders get more busy and the drinks get more expensive. I don't recommend the inside bar. Even the few times I have come at night, the music has been too loud and there haven't really been enough people to fill the space.
(3)Christy M.
Ah, in the past I've really liked this place but was very underwhelmed this time. I do not recommend the crab salad lettuce wraps at all. They were mediocre at best, wilted soft lettuce, a little kick, I really believe it was imitation crab out of can or something, it was fairly warm and really fishy smelling, so I left if for the hubs..Neither of us would ever order it again. We went with friends and sat together. We ordered separately, but maybe about 5 minutes different if that (and we only ordered the lettuce wraps and sushi, our friends ordered sushi). Our friends food came out about 20-25 minutes before ours, which was awkward, they were done by the time we got ours. Our bartender apologized, and I don't imagine it was his fault, but it wasn't a great experience. The drinks were just ok, we tried a handful, but nothing stood out. I got Mistress (which I liked before), and we tried the Ginger Fizz spritzer and the Liquid Sunshine. The Ginger Fizz was not bad, not great, the Liquid Sunshine tasted very watered down, I couldn't taste mango, lemongrass or citrus. The Mistress just didn't seem as flavorful as before. So disappointed here because previously I really liked their drinks! Why 3 stars? One for service, one for environment. Half a star for the ok food (not the crab lettuce wraps, yuck!), and half a star because the previous times I was here it was good. The service was friendly and the environment is very enjoyable, especially the patio. I'm really disappointed the food and drinks weren't better, I want to love this place. I really liked it before. Maybe we just hit an off night, but I'm honestly not sure I want to try again to test it. The competition is stiff in Charleston, and when I know for sure I can have a great time somewhere else for less $... eh, it's hard to want to come back.
(3)Katie S.
Oh. My. Goodness. I had so much fun dancing the night away at Republic! We were here for a bachlorette party this past Friday night and I had an absolute blast dancing to the most random mix of anything from 90s hip hop, to today's techno, to everything in between (even some Taylor Swift!)! The DJ was absolutely wonderful, the bartenders were quick and efficient, and the atmosphere was great! The place was packed with people looking to have a good time and that's exactly what was happening. The inside is small and narrow, so be prepared for that, but they have bottle service if a crowd isn't your style. They also have a huge outdoor patio with it's own bar, so there are lots of options here. My only complaint is the bathrooms got GROSS at the end of the night. They really need to have an attendant on staff to keep things orderly-or beefed up security to keep out the some of the sloppy drunks.
(4)Nicole D.
We were 12 girls coming here on a Saturday night for a bachelorette party. They charged $5/person for cover which I thought was lame because A) we are girls and B) it was a bachelorette party. But it is what it is. We didn't have to wait too long outside (though once we were in my friend left to go across the street to grab her credit card that she had left at the restaurant we had dinner at..and then it took her forever to be able to get back into Republic). Once inside there was a DJ that everyone was pretty into, and then they also had an outdoor patio area where they had a live band playing. I thought that was pretty cool, but it was just too muggy outside and was more comfortable inside with the AC on. We had a fun night here!
(4)Mike N.
Overpriced drinks. Bartenders more interested in talking to women than waiting on other patrons. Could use some female bartenders to give some female equality. As a plus. The music on the patio is outstanding.
(2)Meg D.
This was a great spot for a recent baby shower brunch! Service was attentive, food was great. Good location.
(4)Marqus R.
Really a great place to have a drink and socialize, but as a place for foodies, it's not. The food is innovative and unique, but basically of the "bar food" type. Maybe things like "Truffled Popcorn" may turn a few clocks but not those of anyone dining well. I've had their "Republic Caesar," OK, but at a mere $7.95 you can't expect much. The same goes with their lettuce wraps, grilled kebabs, sliders and wings though I must say I found their mussels and their turkey sandwich to be rather good. Their real specialty is, however, with various Asian like rolls but since this is not an Asian restaurant, unlike nearby Basil, don't expect too much in the way of Asian culinary arts. What I like about the place is that it is friendly, easy going and a nice place to meet with people and to socialize. It tends to be very popular, especially with the younger crowd who stand in line while their age ID cards are checked. I know I offered to prove my age, 70, with verification using my old age Medicare Card but since I had what the attendant door bouncer said was an "honest face" he let me in without proof of age. As for their drinks, I found them to be rather good, substantial without any cheap corners being cut.
(3)Autumn L.
We waited in line for 30 mins for them to tell us it would be $25 extra dollars because my BF was wearing converse. We told them we were wanting to get a bottle & VIP and they still said we would have to pay the $25....As the OWNER walks out wearing all black converse. This place is a JOKE. Not to mention all the people we were with work in the service industry and I myself have a BA degree in Tourism management. VERY poor way to treat high paying customers. Could have easily made over $500, but worried about your $25. HA! I would have left NO stars, but it wouldn't let me.
(2)Pamela M.
This is only my second time here, but I will say that I'm really digging this place. It's very trendy and cute. The inside is decorated very nice and the outside area is very spacious. The staff is very friendly and very attentive. The food is excellent and the cocktails are superb. I highly recommend this bar to all who are looking for a fun friendly upscale atmosphere to relax and have great time.
(5)Brittany M.
I went to republic on a Sunday night with 3 other friends. We were here from out of town and were just looking for a cocktail after dinner. It was only 930p at this point. The bartender never asked us if we wanted to keep our tabs open (we did not), so we stood there for about 10 minutes with our drinks before we realized he wasn't going to come back. We decided to sit down and enjoy our drinks inside to chat a bit. At about 10p, a worker (or DJ?) turned up the music to such a level that I couldn't even hear my friend speaking who was sitting right next to me...on a Sunday. We quickly finished our drinks as fast as we could to leave and after walking up to the bar, waited another 20 minutes to close our tab. The bartender walked past us making eye contact about 5 times and continued to chat with other patrons and serve everyone other than us. I was not impressed. Over priced drinks. Horrible service. Terrible music.
(1)Brittany W.
Came here Friday night and fell in love with their drink called liquid sunshine. They have an awesome deal Monday through Friday for Half off crafts and punch bowls!!! Super cheap and oh so good. Definitely a place that I have to repeat again and again. Plus they have live music, often!
(5)Shannon R.
It's a nice "looking" place. But, a little too snooty for me. I enjoy a good classy bar. However, the crowd was cliquey and bordering on rude. The bartender acted like I was wasting his time when I asked what was on tap. A lot of stuck up rich kids just showing face. Not my scene.
(3)Halen James F.
Would go a zero star if possible. Horrible bottle service wait time, terrible service. Terrible self aggrandized bouncers... I will most definitely take my patronage else-where in the future.
(1)Tiffany B.
Great outdoor space! We came on a Friday night and really enjoyed the live music. Arrive early if you want to snag an outdoor seat, they fill up fast!
(4)Taryn C.
Went here at night for drinks, and it was definitely fun. The inside was like a club and the outside had a live band - so two different vibes. My only complaint is the amount of people crammed inside. You couldn't even walk through the crowd.
(4)Koko O.
I need to start this review by stating a very simple principle. If you offer VIP tables, the onus is on the establishment to make sure said tables are properly marked and separated from public areas. That said, I need to state how disappointed I was with my experience here TONIGHT. Yes, I came home and felt so strongly about my interaction that I had to come back to my old school community and let you know. I HATE writing negative reviews! If you are a bachelorette party of more than 4, I wouldn't recommend this place. We, a party of 9, waited in line and paid a cover for the privilege of hearing awful EDM, overpaying for rail drinks and getting told to GTFO from an area of the main floor. The DJ struggled a bit...he played a lot of classics rap music but he also moved away from songs with lyrics for long stints...leaving us boredly wiggling to untz untz untz untz. But whatever, maybe that's what the crowd wants. What the crowd doesn't want, and what my group didn't appreciate, was the lack of a dance floor that forced patrons to clog up the main floor. There's no room to dance alone together. You're constantly in a pathway. If you want exclusive space, you get a table--we definitely understand that. However, when you're venue is so packed that people naturally gravitate towards the low pressure / low flow areas, the response from the gentleman handling the table service should never be to, "Get the f*ck out!". Yet it was and it soured our night. I want to make it very clear that we were never behind a rope or drink filled tables or anywhere near sitting areas. We were just standing in a pathway. We never argued with the employee or resisted in anyway. His opening words to us were "Get the f*ck out!" The second I realized we were basically dancing in an unroped private area, I immediately apologized to the concerned patron, but the offensive employee was back to serving drinks and we were all just so stunned and embarrassed we left in silence. I found a security guard and asked to speak to a manager. Though he didn't actually get a manager (please always get a manager when someone asks, it's really annoying and patronizing when you don't and had I actually spoke to a manager in person I wouldn't be writing this review tonight), I will give him credit for acting truly concerned about our experience and noncommittally offering our bride-to-be a free drink. Our night was already so spoiled that I was already on my way out so the point felt moot. So this is really more for the management of the venue. I really hope you offer your staff better training on how to treat patrons. If my group had somehow conned our way into the exclusive table service area, I may have understood your employee's awful behavior. But we were literally just standing in an open pathway (it's the area where you're facing the bar and just left of the DJ booth). There was no rope or physical barrier that we had to cross. It was just an area that had a 30% less people dancing in it. But, whatever. You can't win them all. TLDR: bachelorette parties, no. Getting treated like trash: yes
(2)Shannon M.
I like the outdoors seating but its not the greatest of places. The crab salad lettuce wraps are not worth the money. They are incredibly fishy tasting (more than they should be) and the lettuce itself seemed wilted and old. I also ordered the tacos and they were rather bland. Service is slow and they really take themselves too seriously. There's better places to hang out at if you're looking for a fun night out.
(2)Rebecca A.
We went here to celebrate my friends birthday for brunch at noon on Sunday. (YES, they're open on Sunday's even though according to Google, NO, Yelp, 5PM and their Facebook page 4:30). I checked out the menu before going, so I knew when they only had 5 brunch options, one a parfait and another beignets, it was not going to be a place to have that "stuff your face" meal. My friends on the other hand were disappointed with the prices and portion sizes. "It's tapas" I told them! They didn't care, they wanted more bang for their buck. (No complaints about the taste of the food though) The place has a great hip vibe, so if your looking for fun with friends, good drinks and music, and just the munchies; visit the Republic!
(3)Stephanie M.
I recently had a very unpleasant experience with the bartenders working the indoor bar. I was visiting from out of town and wanted to go somewhere in Charleston to dance and have a few drinks the day after by birthday. A friend suggested this place as an option. The bar was very busy for a Tuesday night and it was about 30 minutes until I was able to place my drink order. I was serviced by a young blonde haired gentleman with a skinny black tie. I ordered a water, diet coke and a captain and diet. He nodded and only acknowledged the captain and diet. When he returned with the drink he told me it was 7 dollars. I proceeded to ask for the water and diet coke for my two friends who were not drinking. He rolled his eyes an hastily filled a plastic cup with room temp water - no ice - and filled another cup halfway due to the soda suds. I hesitated but proceeded to pay for my drink. Once I took a sip I realized it was not captain and that it tasted a lot like tequila. I asked some of my other friends who were drinking if they thought it tasted right and they agreed it was not captain so I proceeded to try to get the bartenders attention. A male friend ended up stepping in to help. Once we flagged him down, the bartender tried to argue that I ordered rum and coke, which I never do. He showed us that he gave me Meyers rum, accused me of being drunk and pitched my full drink without offering a new one. At that point we asked to speak with the manager and he pointed to a gentleman in a striped shirt. It took another 20 minutes to flag him down as he was working the indoor bar as well. Once we got his attention, he went to the other end of the bar and poured me a captain and diet. Needless to say this was a heck of a lot to go through for one drink! My friends who opened a tab were also charged for drinks they never received. All I wanted was a fun night out to celebrate my birthday and spent half of my time at the bar. Therefore, I would not recommend going here unless all you are looking to do is dance. Managers and owners of this club should reevaluate the hiring/selection practices and the effectiveness of training of their bartenders.
(1)Karen Mae B.
The outside brunch bartender just ignored me while waiting on a group that walked up after me. I am patient, and understanding, so I gave it a chance. He walked right past me (at a mostly empty bar - i was right in front of this guy's face) five times with no hello, no menu, no eye contact. I just got up and took my business elsewhere. Too many great and friendly options in Charleston so no need to help a place that has staff like that!
(1)Catherine L.
Youngish hipster crowd. Staff is super friendly and attentive. Great food & excellent cocktails. Live music is great too.
(4)Cat P.
Fun if predictably crowded spot for dancing and/or drinking. The crowd was really nice, no creepy people to avoid. They close promptly at 2 a.m. From what I recall of my night at Republic, it was a sleek and beautiful spot. Would recommend this for nightlife/entertainment.
(4)Cristy Z.
I went to The Republic on a Monday night. The inside is set up like a lounge/club and the outside is a garden bar, which is where I went. A live band had just finished playing, heat lamps where out and the space was just full enough where you felt it was a cool place but not overcrowded. I was actually impressed by how many people where there. Wayne, the bartender served us (he was great and gave some recommendations for food and NYE places to go around town). Cool place to hang out and can only imagine it's better on a weekend! The ambiance is nice and decor is amazing with hanging lights over the bar and seats outside. P.S. Noticed there were heat lamps, fans and mosquito repellents...ready for all seasons!
(4)Frank G.
Very nice, good place to relax. Bar keep was great with allowing us to taste different wines. Had the cheese plate, good but only 2 cheeses.. If you want to just sit, have a drink, eat a bite, go here. If you want 4 star resturants go elsewhere. That is not a cut, just simply saying this place is great for what it is. FrankG
(4)Lauren T.
This was the best lounge (by far) that I visited in Charleston. It's very stylish, chic and classy with lots of velvety couches and artistic touches. Living in Dallas, this reminds me of a hotspot that I would see smack dab in the middle of the city complete with attractive young professionals and yummy weekend drinks. :) Obviously I'm not from Charleston, but the vibe I got from this place is that it is a great lounge to go mix and mingle with the mid-twenties to late-thirties crowd on a Friday/Saturday night. They also have a nice patio that is very spacious and accommodating. Our cocktails were quite tasty, and the bartender from Wisconsin was super friendly! If I ever come back to Charleston, this will definitely be one of the places on my list to visit again.
(5)Nick G.
I was on vacation and came here for drinks and dinner before the Kentucky Derby. When I asked about other places in the area to go/see (as tourists), I was told (by two different people) that the Republic had everything I'd ever need. So we stayed for dinner, which was ok--nothing great, nothing awful. We came back several hours later to test the nightlife, which we assumed was the big draw. But we were turned away because my boat shoes violated dress code. I thought we were in SC. We had way more fun at other places on king street. Stay away from rebublic.
(1)Nicole R.
We went on a slow Sunday night. Sat outside and listened to decent live music. Our bartender was AMAZING! He made my mom a good dirty martini with specialty olives. We ordered stuffed mushrooms...they were ok...kind of weird with meatballs on top. I'd go back for sure...heard that their music/entertainment is always good.
(4)Dave C.
Republic is becoming one of my favorite places on Upper King...and in all of downtown Charleston for that matter. If you've never been, Republic is a huge lounge-style bar with plenty of seating inside as well as a very large outside patio/bar area as well. They have live music out on the patio pretty regularly and offer a pretty cool tapas menu with some interesting items (see: pork belly corn dogs!!!) and a solid drink menu with some very innovative cocktails. In addition to the nice decor, the thing that sets this place apart in my eyes is the service. I have been there on quiet nights, busy nights, with my classy friends, and with my drunkard friends and EVERY SINGLE TIME we have received excellent service. To me, that speaks volumes about the staff, management, and ensures that I always have an excellent experience and will be back. Republic, you deserve five stars and I can't wait to see you again.
(5)Ryan K.
Spent the evening here after dinner at somewhere else. Sat at the bar in the outside patio and heard live music. Definitely going back to this place out next visit to Charleston. It's the closest place to Vegas in Chucktown.
(5)Pam D.
Quickly becoming one of my favorite hang outs. Live music and wonderful outdoor area. Food is wonderful and not tons of drunk asses running around. Not too loud and nice fire going. Inside area too. Well with a stop in
(5)Sheila C.
Wonderful, relaxing and very nice garden bar! Sweet times.... Will return for the wonderful drinks and hopefully a meal next time.
(5)Andrew W.
About a week ago I decided to do a Mixology tour (a drink tour at some of the nicer bars on Upper King in which each bartender would make a specialty drink and explain to us what was in it and some about their restaurant) and our final stop on the three bar journey was Republic Reign...although I was informed that they prefer to be called Republic Garden and Lounge. Evan, the General Manager was also who came out to talk with our group and prepare his absolutely delicious drink. Through conversation we found out that Evan was the Iron Man Mixologist for Charleston this year and his drink did not disappoint...I apologize for forgetting the name but it was something 75 and had cucumber in it...AMAZING. After the tour ended, we decided we liked the vibe and outside patio so much that we would stick around and listen to their live band and eat some food. Chris and Wayne were quick to greet us at the bar and continued to whip out some incredibly tasty concoctions. As we were looking over the menu Wayne informed us that we MUST get their wings...now with all the fancier items on the menu I was kind of surprised that someone would be recommending chicken wings. When they came out I fully understood why he recommended them...they were the BEST chicken wings I've ever had anywhere in my life period. We will continue to visit Republic Reign any time we head downtown. PS the live band that night in particular was exceptionally good!
(5)Matt N.
If you like bad music and expensive bottles of bad beer, you should come here. Won't be back that's fo shizzle....
(1)Mary Elizabeth J.
This is where you want to enjoy a nice cocktail after work. The interior is luxe and shimmery with an Old Hollywood vibe (I keep hearing NY, but that wasn't my impression), and the small plates are just right: comfort food in an elegant presentation. The chicken wings are the best I've had in Charleston. Bottle service is a relaxing little treat after a long day, and the servers are among the most attentive and pleasant in the city, Michaela in particular. The DJ booth suggests that Republic Reign likes to party hard after hours, but that's not my scene. In the early evening, it's perfect for enjoying a cocktail and a bite, and the atmosphere is relaxed in a way that does not involve flip-flops (which will surely irk some beach-going Charlestonians, bless their hearts). Wear something nice and come sip something delicious.
(4)A J.
Great place to hang out and chill with friends and family. I came here with my husband and we were seated promptly. The food was great, I ordered wings and roast chicken lettuce wraps. My husband loved the wings I(we) ordered. Everything was simply AMAZING, from the ambiance to the food and drinks! I will definitely be coming back to this place! :)
(4)Susan P.
Good place to chill and watch Monday night football. Live band outside isnt too bad. The doors block most of it out if live music isnt your thing. Trina our bartender for the night is super nice and poured me samples of the local brews on tap before I made my selection. Holy City was really good. Happy hour and Monday night football specials. Nice couches in the lounge.
(5)K C.
A Must to check Out
(5)Alex G.
Awesome lounge on King Street. Great mix of hip hop and house music, great crowd, and there is a nice outdoor courtyard as well if you wanna keep it chill.
(5)Annamarie A.
The atmosphere outside was great. The live band was awesome. Our server was also very friendly. Although they don't have traditional ketchup, their homemade blend was good. Overall the food was meh...They should edit their menu to indicate the fact that do not have traditional ketchup and that they put mayo on their burgers. The general manager was the main disappoint of the night. He handled a situation that happened with myself and my husband completely the wrong way. We were told at arrival that there was a reservation for 8-8:30 in the area where we wanted to sit. At 7:50 we were approached by a girl who was in the party who had the reservation. She said "we have this area reserved" and I said I know. We had already finished our meal and payed at this point and we were simply finishing our bottle of wine. She also approached the other customers around us and said the same thing, I presume. The manager, and ultimately the owners, should not let this happen. Ever, period. This is the first time in my life that I felt like I was treated unfairly, overtly, because of my race. What makes the matter worse is that the owners are evidently black and this place is known to be racist. Shame on these owners for letting that be the reputation of their restaurant!!!
(2)Kate O.
We just went here for brunch while in town for the weekend. The garden is nice and there was nice live music. That's where the pros end. The food was mediocre, they only have cold pressed (read:iced) coffee and its $4, and the service was very slow. Back to the food: we ordered beignets and an heirloom tomato salad. The salad was pretty tasty, but was only 4 small bites and served on a ridiculously large platter. We almost laughed when it came out it looked so ridiculous. He beignets were just ok- and anything fried with sugar on top should be more than ok in my book. Don't waste time or money having brunch here when there are so many good spots in town.
(2)Alicia E.
Constance & Ray were absolutely fantastic! So hospitable and kind to my mom and I! Definitely coming back next time we're in town.
(5)Lauren B.
Didn't get anything to eat here, so can't comment on the food. Sat outside most of the night. Service was prompt and good. We had a good sized group and everyone had a good time. The only reason I gave this 3 stars is someone blew chow in the ladies room around midnight and as of past 1am, it had not been cleaned it. Pretty gross.
(3)Jenna M.
Beautiful place! Delicious lettuce wraps, wings, and Brie appetizers. Joe behind the bar is great!
(5)Ross M.
As far as I can tell, THE only late night hot spot in charleston. enjoyable for a few drinks and quick atmosphere. Fashionable decor with a very cozy outside garden and bar that can be enjoyed on warm evenings. The space is smaller than it seems and once filled up, leaves little room for dancing, or bar access. The DJ was good on a saturday night, apart from a few little hic-ups, played a good selection of hits and blended beats to keep the mood going, if for a lack of dancing, not sure if it was because of lack of room (which we ended up making for ourselves to many strange looks) or that dancing is not the hot thing in SC. Visiting from Hawaii and the nightlife there I was hoping for some good late night dancing. A very good and wide bar selection to choose from too. Bar staff are limited to simple concoctions and a little slow on the speed for such a packed place but nothing to complain about too much. The VIP bottle service girls and bar backs could use some better imagination and spark. Spoiled in HI with some of the best in the business, observing the staff standing around and not paying attention to their patrons with top service was a downfall, and the "sexiness" factor of a hot night spot could be increased with better uniforms and lighting and what's on the TV. A fun place to say the least though, and a fun eclectic group out to party.
(3)Sandy S.
Haven't yet been there to eat but if you are looking for a great place for a girls night out bachelor gathering, birthday party, or bachelorette party this is the place to go. This is one of my favorite bars/lounges in Downtown Charleston. Great Staff rsvp for bottle service and private tables. Also a great patio used year round (heat lamps in the winter).
(4)Christopher C.
Great place to relax, drink, and eat in an adult setting! Service was great, food was great, It was a nice surprise.
(5)Whitney C.
Avoid, avoid, avoid!! I am signing up for Yelp for the sole purpose of writing this review. The customer service at Republic is DESPICABLE! We made a table reservation over a week in advance for bottle service and then were accused at the door of never having a reservation, despite confirming over the phone with 2 different people. The manager (Evan Powell) acted as though me not being able to recall the names of the women I spoke with meant I never had a reservation. There was never anything close to an apology coming out of his mouth, only accusations. And he was completely disrespectful to me and my girlfriends. It was disgusting. And all for trying to give business to the place! They clearly gave our reservation up and then tried to save face by accusing us of never making one. I am glad we didn't give them our business because there are a LOT of better establishments in Charleston to enjoy. The manager and bouncers at this "club" think they are hot shots in NYC. Wake up, you're in Charleston!
(1)Eddie V.
Let me just say phenomenal. Came here for their happy hour on sunday. The chicken wraps with ponzu sauce were delicious and then our waitress Michele blew our minds with amazing service and wings that were fit for royalty.
(5)Virginia W.
The food was great, but the service was horrible. My friend and I went for happy hour and the bartender obviously paid a lot more attention to the gentleman next to us who was a wealthy businessman. We ordered multiple drinks and appetizers but he was snobbish and rude the entire time. When our bill came, we realized that he charged us regular menu prices for things we ordered and did not tell us that happy hour was over. We usually tip 30% but we couldn't bring ourselves to be that generous after this bartender treated us like shit. Even though the appetizers were good, I doubt we will be going back.
(1)John R.
I am visiting Charleston from Milan and I have traveled the world. I have eaten fine foods, drank fine wine and seen many beautiful women. My server Michaela was one of the most beautiful women I have ever come across. She was so pleasant as well that I am rather excited to visit quaint Charleston so I can have the chance of seeing her again! She was extremely knowledgeable of the menu and was able to tell me other places to go that only locals know about. The chef is very talented and I HIGHLY recommend trying their wings and a Manhattan on tap. At night it turns into a dance club where all the local models come to play. Great staff, excellent service, delicious food and a superb DJ. Republic Reign I truly wish you the best of luck! -John
(5)Sandy S.
Haven't yet been there to eat but if you are looking for a great place for a girls night out bachelor gathering, birthday party, or bachelorette party this is the place to go. This is one of my favorite bars/lounges in Downtown Charleston. Great Staff rsvp for bottle service and private tables. Also a great patio used year round (heat lamps in the winter).
(4)Christopher C.
Great place to relax, drink, and eat in an adult setting! Service was great, food was great, It was a nice surprise.
(5)Kate O.
We just went here for brunch while in town for the weekend. The garden is nice and there was nice live music. That's where the pros end. The food was mediocre, they only have cold pressed (read:iced) coffee and its $4, and the service was very slow. Back to the food: we ordered beignets and an heirloom tomato salad. The salad was pretty tasty, but was only 4 small bites and served on a ridiculously large platter. We almost laughed when it came out it looked so ridiculous. He beignets were just ok- and anything fried with sugar on top should be more than ok in my book. Don't waste time or money having brunch here when there are so many good spots in town.
(2)Alicia E.
Constance & Ray were absolutely fantastic! So hospitable and kind to my mom and I! Definitely coming back next time we're in town.
(5)Ross M.
As far as I can tell, THE only late night hot spot in charleston. enjoyable for a few drinks and quick atmosphere. Fashionable decor with a very cozy outside garden and bar that can be enjoyed on warm evenings. The space is smaller than it seems and once filled up, leaves little room for dancing, or bar access. The DJ was good on a saturday night, apart from a few little hic-ups, played a good selection of hits and blended beats to keep the mood going, if for a lack of dancing, not sure if it was because of lack of room (which we ended up making for ourselves to many strange looks) or that dancing is not the hot thing in SC. Visiting from Hawaii and the nightlife there I was hoping for some good late night dancing. A very good and wide bar selection to choose from too. Bar staff are limited to simple concoctions and a little slow on the speed for such a packed place but nothing to complain about too much. The VIP bottle service girls and bar backs could use some better imagination and spark. Spoiled in HI with some of the best in the business, observing the staff standing around and not paying attention to their patrons with top service was a downfall, and the "sexiness" factor of a hot night spot could be increased with better uniforms and lighting and what's on the TV. A fun place to say the least though, and a fun eclectic group out to party.
(3)Whitney C.
Avoid, avoid, avoid!! I am signing up for Yelp for the sole purpose of writing this review. The customer service at Republic is DESPICABLE! We made a table reservation over a week in advance for bottle service and then were accused at the door of never having a reservation, despite confirming over the phone with 2 different people. The manager (Evan Powell) acted as though me not being able to recall the names of the women I spoke with meant I never had a reservation. There was never anything close to an apology coming out of his mouth, only accusations. And he was completely disrespectful to me and my girlfriends. It was disgusting. And all for trying to give business to the place! They clearly gave our reservation up and then tried to save face by accusing us of never making one. I am glad we didn't give them our business because there are a LOT of better establishments in Charleston to enjoy. The manager and bouncers at this "club" think they are hot shots in NYC. Wake up, you're in Charleston!
(1)Eddie V.
Let me just say phenomenal. Came here for their happy hour on sunday. The chicken wraps with ponzu sauce were delicious and then our waitress Michele blew our minds with amazing service and wings that were fit for royalty.
(5)Lauren B.
Didn't get anything to eat here, so can't comment on the food. Sat outside most of the night. Service was prompt and good. We had a good sized group and everyone had a good time. The only reason I gave this 3 stars is someone blew chow in the ladies room around midnight and as of past 1am, it had not been cleaned it. Pretty gross.
(3)Jenna M.
Beautiful place! Delicious lettuce wraps, wings, and Brie appetizers. Joe behind the bar is great!
(5)Virginia W.
The food was great, but the service was horrible. My friend and I went for happy hour and the bartender obviously paid a lot more attention to the gentleman next to us who was a wealthy businessman. We ordered multiple drinks and appetizers but he was snobbish and rude the entire time. When our bill came, we realized that he charged us regular menu prices for things we ordered and did not tell us that happy hour was over. We usually tip 30% but we couldn't bring ourselves to be that generous after this bartender treated us like shit. Even though the appetizers were good, I doubt we will be going back.
(1)John R.
I am visiting Charleston from Milan and I have traveled the world. I have eaten fine foods, drank fine wine and seen many beautiful women. My server Michaela was one of the most beautiful women I have ever come across. She was so pleasant as well that I am rather excited to visit quaint Charleston so I can have the chance of seeing her again! She was extremely knowledgeable of the menu and was able to tell me other places to go that only locals know about. The chef is very talented and I HIGHLY recommend trying their wings and a Manhattan on tap. At night it turns into a dance club where all the local models come to play. Great staff, excellent service, delicious food and a superb DJ. Republic Reign I truly wish you the best of luck! -John
(5)Clare L.
Republic was on my Charleston "bucket list" and it did not disappoint. The wait to get in was a little annoying but once inside, the girl working the door decided to give my friends and I free entry because it was my birthday. I was surprised they were making groups of girls pay the $5 cover charge, but hey, we didn't pay so can't complain about that. I was a little bit surprised at how small it was inside. We didn't want to be out on the patio since it was so hot, so the actual inside didn't leave much room for dancing in my opinion, once you accounted for the tables with bottle service. My friends and I ended up having to stand right by the bar, which worked out in our favor since we got a lot of drinks bought for us. We had a blast dancing for hours. I definitely will be coming back to Republic my next time in Charleston. Few bars that I look forward to going to live up to the hype, but this one definitely did.
(5)Beata K.
Came here after a light dinner for some drinks. We came on a Saturday night before it turned into a lounge so it wasn't very packed. We sat outside which is a seat yourself situation. It look a while for a waitress to come over but once she did it didn't take too long to get our drinks. There are lots of drink options but I didn't find that any of them were outstanding. We also go the stiracha wings which were disgusting...they were boiled and hard to eat. The only thing this place has going for it is the outdoor atmosphere and the live music.
(3)Keith H.
"Meh" really sums up my experience at Republic. I wanted it to be better - I wanted to like it, I really did - but not luck. Went there for brunch on a Sunday, and here is what went down. The service: A little below average, so a C minus.. It was very slow in there when we arrived for Sunday brunch, maybe 3 tables and a few people at the outdoor bar. So, it was a little bothersome that our server would disappear for 5 - 10 minutes at a time, especially at the beginning of the meal, when we were ready to order drinks, etc. The food: Below average. It was like I was at an Ihop or other large breakfast chain. They serve fried french toast sticks.... come on! I can get those at Ihop - I don't want them when I'm on King Street. The "yogurt and granola" menu item was the most affordable thing on the menu and was a solid B overall. I suspect it would have been a C or a D, but they had JUST made more granola so it came out warm and gooey. Yum! The drinks - bloody mary's and mimosa's were fine. Nothing to write home about. So probably a C minus. I would say that if they want brunch to be a money maker for the restaurant and something people seek out, they really need to step up their game, especially in this town. It really seems like brunch was an after thought for Republic. Why open up for Sunday brunch if you're not going to put in the effort?
(2)Amy H.
Wish I could give this place a higher rating but their customer service was abysmal. We went for their reggae brunch on a Sunday and while I really enjoyed the music, the bad service and so so food makes it hard for me to justify more than two stars. The poor service began before we even sat down. We arrived at the restaurant at noon and were very rudely told that they didn't open til 12:30. Never mind the fact that their website said twelve and that 12:30 is actually very late for brunch. My friend really wanted to see the band so we came back at 12:30 despite the rudeness. Things didn't get much better after we we're finally able to sit down and order. The menu was not extensive at all and when I ordered, I was told they were out if my first choice dish. This seemed odd as we had gotten there right at the start of brunch. I guess maybe restaurants don't receive food shipments on Sundays but still, being out of something that early tells me that they didn't adequately prepare for brunch. When your menu is tiny, you need to be particularly careful about making sure things are in stock. I went with my second choice even though it contained ingredients that I have (non life threatening) allergies to just because that was the only other thing on the menu that looked remotely appetizing. It took an unacceptably long time to get our food given that the restaurant wasn't crowded at all and that none of our dishes were complicated. When my shrimp and grits finally arrived, I asked for Tabasco to spice them up but they had none. Please note that this place sold bloody Marys. How do you have Bloody Marys and no Tabasco? Don't Bloody Marys basically require that? I guess that's why no one in my party was raving about the Bloody Marys. They also had no cocktail sauce. I settled with sriracha even though it doesn't go particularly well with shrimp and grits. The shrimp and grits were ok but nothing to write home about, especially considering that charleston is famous for shrimp and grits. Getting the check took excessively long as well. Basically the only reason I'm giving 2 stars instead of 1 is that the music really was good. However, I recommend you catch the band (Jah Creation) at another venue instead of at the reggae brunch. The fact that the restaurant wasn't crowded initially seemed like a plus but that probably should've been a huge red flag. Southerners love brunch and this place is right in the middle of downtown Charleston (and it's tourist season!). Thus, I'm going to conclude that other people don't like this place either.
(2)Lily H.
The happy hour deals here are on point! The patio is the place to be. The service has always been friendly when I've gone. The chicken sandwich sliders are the bomb dot com. I also tried the stuffed mushrooms and they were OK. The stuffing was a little dry and the cheese wasn't as melty as I wanted it to be. It was more waxy. I don't really stay here past happy hour as the bartenders get more busy and the drinks get more expensive. I don't recommend the inside bar. Even the few times I have come at night, the music has been too loud and there haven't really been enough people to fill the space.
(3)Christy M.
Ah, in the past I've really liked this place but was very underwhelmed this time. I do not recommend the crab salad lettuce wraps at all. They were mediocre at best, wilted soft lettuce, a little kick, I really believe it was imitation crab out of can or something, it was fairly warm and really fishy smelling, so I left if for the hubs..Neither of us would ever order it again. We went with friends and sat together. We ordered separately, but maybe about 5 minutes different if that (and we only ordered the lettuce wraps and sushi, our friends ordered sushi). Our friends food came out about 20-25 minutes before ours, which was awkward, they were done by the time we got ours. Our bartender apologized, and I don't imagine it was his fault, but it wasn't a great experience. The drinks were just ok, we tried a handful, but nothing stood out. I got Mistress (which I liked before), and we tried the Ginger Fizz spritzer and the Liquid Sunshine. The Ginger Fizz was not bad, not great, the Liquid Sunshine tasted very watered down, I couldn't taste mango, lemongrass or citrus. The Mistress just didn't seem as flavorful as before. So disappointed here because previously I really liked their drinks! Why 3 stars? One for service, one for environment. Half a star for the ok food (not the crab lettuce wraps, yuck!), and half a star because the previous times I was here it was good. The service was friendly and the environment is very enjoyable, especially the patio. I'm really disappointed the food and drinks weren't better, I want to love this place. I really liked it before. Maybe we just hit an off night, but I'm honestly not sure I want to try again to test it. The competition is stiff in Charleston, and when I know for sure I can have a great time somewhere else for less $... eh, it's hard to want to come back.
(3)Katie S.
Oh. My. Goodness. I had so much fun dancing the night away at Republic! We were here for a bachlorette party this past Friday night and I had an absolute blast dancing to the most random mix of anything from 90s hip hop, to today's techno, to everything in between (even some Taylor Swift!)! The DJ was absolutely wonderful, the bartenders were quick and efficient, and the atmosphere was great! The place was packed with people looking to have a good time and that's exactly what was happening. The inside is small and narrow, so be prepared for that, but they have bottle service if a crowd isn't your style. They also have a huge outdoor patio with it's own bar, so there are lots of options here. My only complaint is the bathrooms got GROSS at the end of the night. They really need to have an attendant on staff to keep things orderly-or beefed up security to keep out the some of the sloppy drunks.
(4)Mike N.
Overpriced drinks. Bartenders more interested in talking to women than waiting on other patrons. Could use some female bartenders to give some female equality. As a plus. The music on the patio is outstanding.
(2)Meg D.
This was a great spot for a recent baby shower brunch! Service was attentive, food was great. Good location.
(4)Nicole D.
We were 12 girls coming here on a Saturday night for a bachelorette party. They charged $5/person for cover which I thought was lame because A) we are girls and B) it was a bachelorette party. But it is what it is. We didn't have to wait too long outside (though once we were in my friend left to go across the street to grab her credit card that she had left at the restaurant we had dinner at..and then it took her forever to be able to get back into Republic). Once inside there was a DJ that everyone was pretty into, and then they also had an outdoor patio area where they had a live band playing. I thought that was pretty cool, but it was just too muggy outside and was more comfortable inside with the AC on. We had a fun night here!
(4)Autumn L.
We waited in line for 30 mins for them to tell us it would be $25 extra dollars because my BF was wearing converse. We told them we were wanting to get a bottle & VIP and they still said we would have to pay the $25....As the OWNER walks out wearing all black converse. This place is a JOKE. Not to mention all the people we were with work in the service industry and I myself have a BA degree in Tourism management. VERY poor way to treat high paying customers. Could have easily made over $500, but worried about your $25. HA! I would have left NO stars, but it wouldn't let me.
(2)Marqus R.
Really a great place to have a drink and socialize, but as a place for foodies, it's not. The food is innovative and unique, but basically of the "bar food" type. Maybe things like "Truffled Popcorn" may turn a few clocks but not those of anyone dining well. I've had their "Republic Caesar," OK, but at a mere $7.95 you can't expect much. The same goes with their lettuce wraps, grilled kebabs, sliders and wings though I must say I found their mussels and their turkey sandwich to be rather good. Their real specialty is, however, with various Asian like rolls but since this is not an Asian restaurant, unlike nearby Basil, don't expect too much in the way of Asian culinary arts. What I like about the place is that it is friendly, easy going and a nice place to meet with people and to socialize. It tends to be very popular, especially with the younger crowd who stand in line while their age ID cards are checked. I know I offered to prove my age, 70, with verification using my old age Medicare Card but since I had what the attendant door bouncer said was an "honest face" he let me in without proof of age. As for their drinks, I found them to be rather good, substantial without any cheap corners being cut.
(3)Pamela M.
This is only my second time here, but I will say that I'm really digging this place. It's very trendy and cute. The inside is decorated very nice and the outside area is very spacious. The staff is very friendly and very attentive. The food is excellent and the cocktails are superb. I highly recommend this bar to all who are looking for a fun friendly upscale atmosphere to relax and have great time.
(5)Koko O.
I need to start this review by stating a very simple principle. If you offer VIP tables, the onus is on the establishment to make sure said tables are properly marked and separated from public areas. That said, I need to state how disappointed I was with my experience here TONIGHT. Yes, I came home and felt so strongly about my interaction that I had to come back to my old school community and let you know. I HATE writing negative reviews! If you are a bachelorette party of more than 4, I wouldn't recommend this place. We, a party of 9, waited in line and paid a cover for the privilege of hearing awful EDM, overpaying for rail drinks and getting told to GTFO from an area of the main floor. The DJ struggled a bit...he played a lot of classics rap music but he also moved away from songs with lyrics for long stints...leaving us boredly wiggling to untz untz untz untz. But whatever, maybe that's what the crowd wants. What the crowd doesn't want, and what my group didn't appreciate, was the lack of a dance floor that forced patrons to clog up the main floor. There's no room to dance alone together. You're constantly in a pathway. If you want exclusive space, you get a table--we definitely understand that. However, when you're venue is so packed that people naturally gravitate towards the low pressure / low flow areas, the response from the gentleman handling the table service should never be to, "Get the f*ck out!". Yet it was and it soured our night. I want to make it very clear that we were never behind a rope or drink filled tables or anywhere near sitting areas. We were just standing in a pathway. We never argued with the employee or resisted in anyway. His opening words to us were "Get the f*ck out!" The second I realized we were basically dancing in an unroped private area, I immediately apologized to the concerned patron, but the offensive employee was back to serving drinks and we were all just so stunned and embarrassed we left in silence. I found a security guard and asked to speak to a manager. Though he didn't actually get a manager (please always get a manager when someone asks, it's really annoying and patronizing when you don't and had I actually spoke to a manager in person I wouldn't be writing this review tonight), I will give him credit for acting truly concerned about our experience and noncommittally offering our bride-to-be a free drink. Our night was already so spoiled that I was already on my way out so the point felt moot. So this is really more for the management of the venue. I really hope you offer your staff better training on how to treat patrons. If my group had somehow conned our way into the exclusive table service area, I may have understood your employee's awful behavior. But we were literally just standing in an open pathway (it's the area where you're facing the bar and just left of the DJ booth). There was no rope or physical barrier that we had to cross. It was just an area that had a 30% less people dancing in it. But, whatever. You can't win them all. TLDR: bachelorette parties, no. Getting treated like trash: yes
(2)