The Rarebit

Stopped in here at the bar with my friend one Sunday afternoon for a coffee, and ended up spending several hours here. They actually have a good local drip coffee they serve. The bar staff are quirky, fun, and conversationalists. They were knowledgeable about the unique variety of liquors they had in stock. I was impressed by the variety of different liquors they had. They introduced me to several I had never heard about. This was no typical bar. The creations the bartender whipped up for us were phenomenal. My friend and I enjoyed our time here. They have a couple of cocktails on tap, the Moscow mule seemed to be popular served up in a copper mug. Why get a tap cocktail, when you could experience a special creation served by one of their excellent bartenders! Their fries were also very good, house cut, and delicious. I love the eclectic ambiance of this place. The glassware is all antique and old. Feels like they raided several estate sales. Overall a fun environment. Would definitely come back for a cocktail here. There brunch looked delicious, I will definitely need to come back to try their breakfast food.

This is our favorite place to take the family, and our friends! It is what every hipster dreams of their living space/​kitchen looking like. The food is out of this world, and the service is incredible! Caitlen’s favorite is the chicken and waffles with a mimosa on the side. Matthew’s favorite is the huevous rancheros with the famous Moscow mule on the side. They are quite famous for the Moscow mule in Charleston and there is definitely a reason why! Its a little hidden with only a image of a rabbit marking the door, but it makes it that much hip!

The Rarebit is exactly what you would hope to find on King Street while strolling downtown Charleston. except there is a twist. The place is jamming busy at the bar with a cocktail creationist serving all with an amazing attitude and personality equal to his skills. I am referring to non other than Chef, as he introduced himself to me.
When I say the bar was jammed, people we also eating and the food is AWESOME! I had the country fried steak and it is a must if you are going to be in town for a short while and can not get this food back home.
The cocktail Chef made for me was a take on a classic Manhattan with Famous Grouse Blended Scotch Whisky, Averna (Italian Amaro), Benedictine, and Crème de Violet. It was balanced to the slightly dry side which was interesting all the ingredients individually would have a sweeter profile.
Lastly, the locals seem to love the place also as they were all having a great time.
This could have been because it was 2pm on a Friday, but regardless, if this is Southern living, I’m packing my bags. Thank you Rarebit and Chef!

We got into Charleston super late. We were starving and stumbled onto this place still open at 1230am but closing at 2am. They had a limited late night breakfast menu. Based on the bartender’s recommendation, we got the patty melt and the fried chicken/​waffle. Totally legit. Wasn’t disappointing at all. Thank you for being open late. The drinks were good too. Pretty refreshing Moscow mules.

The Rarebit is pretty good, but it rarely wows me. I do love their drinks – especially the mules! – but the food is mostly just okay. Nice place to go for drinks and maybe a snack.

We had a wonderful time at Rarebit. Beautiful bar, great bartenders, homemade ginger beer, terrific service and oh so delicious! Had wanted to try Chicken and Waffles and it didn’t disappoint, so delicious and light and salty/​sweet, wonderful. My partner had fish and chips which had a bit too much breading, but was very tasty. Really enjoyed it, friendly people and overall a really good time.

Did not eat here but had drinks and the bartender made his own Manhattan mix. Excellent job!
I would hang at this bar for a few anytime.

Stopped in today, Valentine’s Day, for brunch. They must have opened earlier than 11 because as soon as we set foot in the door it was packed! 45 minutes to a 1 hour wait packed! Luckily for us we found a spot at the very end of the bar in the back of the restaurant.
We were handed menus and waters right away from the bartender. We also ordered two coffees from King Bean Coffee Roasters right here in Charleston, Steak and Eggs, the French Toast with strawberries and bananas, and a side of egg whites.
As we waited for our food, we admired the charm and whimsy that this little restaurant has. From the choices of décor to the vintage uniform tops worn by the wait staff they definitely achieved a sense of nostalgia that we loved.
We took notice of the dishes coming out of the kitchen as well. A lot of Chicken and Waffles and Huevos Rancheros made there way out to the dinning area which made us think two things, that we already wanted to come back to try these two dishes and that we hoped our dishes were just as promising. And they were! Perfectly cooked French Toast and their breakfast potatoes alone would bring me back! My husbands steak was just slightly over cooked but the flavor was all there. I also appreciated the serving size of my side of egg whites. At other restaurants I have ordered this, I typically get a tiny portion but they made sure to make it worth the cost of a side dish.
Overall, from the food, to the service, to the décor, we will absolutely be back. Even if just to sit at the bar for a few drinks because these bartenders know how to hustle and did an amazing job at helping you to enjoy your meal there at the bar.
Just as an observation, I appreciated that the bartenders seemed to stay consistent with their drinks and even straw taste tested their drinks when finished to ensure they were made properly. That attention to detail is what makes a restaurant standout.

Excellent chicken and waffles and amazing grits and I am coming back asap!

My husband and I came to Charleston to celebrate his 30^th birthday, and when we got in late the first night we stopped into the Rarebit for dinner. The inside has a great moody feel and the bar seats are really comfortable. I ordered the shrimp po boy and my husband got the chicken and waffles. The po boy was huge and the shrimp were well fried but not too greasy. The bread was fresh and it had just the right amount of dressing on it. The chicken and waffles was perfect. The chicken was crispy on the outside, and juicy on the inside. The waffle was light and fluffy. We loved the vibe at the bar as well. They have a great drink menu and my husband particularly loved their moscow mule.
We liked the Rarebit so much that we came back a couple of nights later for an end of night drink and ordered the patty melt to take back to the hotel. The patty melt was the perfect nightcap after a long day of walking and drinking in Charleston. I’d never had one before and now I know what I was missing!
This was a great place to kick off our time in Charleston and the attentive staff made it all the more charming. We hope to visit Charleston again and will definitely come back to the Rarebit when we do.

Love this place. Have been here several times and the bartenders are super. And the comfort food is also great. I had heard they were one of the top bars to visit in the country, not just Charleston and had to give it a shot. The bartender was full of good stuff and I was amazed at how they actually make their own ginger beer and how much they actually serve in their famous Moscow Mules! If in Charleston do yourself a favor and go have one. Only if they have the copper mugs of course but they are delicious. A party in your mouth. Tingly, tasty, yumminess!!! The copper mug makes it even colder and I just can’t say enough. If local wait till happy hour when they are $ 5 and you will be delighted with your choice. I know they do other cool drinks and sure I would love them but really this is the Moscow Mule and their own ginger beer make me get that each time I come back.
The food is very good including their Chicken and Waffles which is to die for. So, this is not the most traditional place but you can get plenty of food and a great drink here. Will be back of course and maybe I try something else but doubt it. Too good to try something else.

I’ve been to The Rarebit twice, both times for a special waffle run. The Belgian Waffle is excellent. The honey butter and syrup are both especially delicious. The second time I went, I got strawberries with my waffle and I was honestly impressed by their freshness! I think if you are on the hut for a good waffle, this is the place to go. I’ve had a few other side items on my visits including macaroni and cheese, and eggs and bacon. They aren’t anything special (so not nearly as good as my Mom makes) but they’re good. I had the house salad (to balance my waffle, ha) which was surprisingly good, with delicious balsamic vinaigrette.
The atmosphere is loud, even mid-​afternoon when you might expect it to be quieter. That has made it difficult to carry on a conversation with my friends without shouting. The tables (at least near the door) seem uncomfortably close which makes the above conversational issue more awkward. I’ve also had the unfortunate experience of being seated by the door when the weather is chilly and it is incredibly drafty.
Overall, I’ve heard they have delicious drinks (haven’t tried them yet but I trust my sources) and I know for a fact they have good waffles. So if you’re just looking for some comfort food and drink, this is a good place to go.

This place was nice, service was alright. Cocktails were average in my opinion. When I went they only served breakfast food. It’s like an upscale diner which was pretty interestinf.

Awesome place! Ramone is the best bartender and he makes some great mimosas! The food is amazing and the atmosphere is even cooler.
Friendly staff and atmosphere. The music is awesome. Love this place.

It’s a great place for lunch and a better place to taste your first Moscow mule I’ve had three of them so far this is number one they have a breakfast lunch and dinner menu reasonably priced

Thank you Unilocal for helping me find this rare gem while taking a short trip to Charleston. We came for Sunday brunch and it wasn’t too busy so we where able to sit quickly. The décor is very hip and hipster at the same time. My date said upon walking in,“I can already tell you picked the right place.”
I got the Huevos Rancheros ($ 8) without the pork, so it came as is. Corn tortilla topped with marveliously seasoned black beans, fried eggs, roasted tomato salsa, avocado and a dollop of sour cream. I’ve had different versions of his Hispanic treat but this did not top the list. It was missing something and I can’t quite place it. I’ll just say that it was ok but not the best.
French toast ($ 6) with strawberries honey butter (oh god it was really good) and powdered sugar. This dish redeemed my Huevos experience. The bread was thick and fluffy and the butter was just superb. You’d think all butter is the same but they clearly add magic to theirs.
Patty melt ($ 6) Angus patty topped with american cheese, caramelized onions and rye bread. My boyfriend and I loved this. It’s all about the toast and it did not disappoint.
Mac and Cheese ($ 3.5) the dish do not come with a side but they filled us up so well we didn’t need more than 2 for both of us. The mac and cheese is as good as they say. It’s extra creamy, clearly they don’t slack off on the heavy whipping cream.
We washed everything down with their Bloody Mary’s. These are very good, they add extra A-​1 or Worcestershire sauce and I really liked that.
Overall I would love to come back and visit this place. Their brunch is amazing and they serve breakfast all day till close, whaaaaat? You heard me right! The prices aren’t too pricey for this part of town and the staff is sweet as southerners are famed to be.

Went for dinner on a saturday night. The place was crowded, however, we were seated quickly. The noise level made it difficult to have a conversation.
The service was good. The server was attentive and prompt
I ordered the Hot Chicken. The presentation was good. The spicy exterior of the chicken was great mixed with the honey served on the side. Unfortunately, the chicken was completely over cooked and tough. The geechee grits were creamy and good.
The Moscow mule is their signature cocktail for a reason. Served in a chilled copper mug, it was superb.

Could it be that I have found the best burger in Charleston? I’m not sure but darn was it good. I do not like burgers piled high with a bunch of crap to throw you off. I am a simple person who likes the perfect combination between the bun, meat, and typical condiments. I ordered the single patty and fries. Wow! The fries! Think hand cut shoe string. On to the burger…, they didn’t ask me (and I didn’t specify) how I wanted it cooked so it came out a little more well done than I would have preferred but it still tasted great. What’s up with the bun?! It was a cross between a brioche and those old school awesome cafeteria rolls from school! Perfect. The drinks were great and my wife loved the Moscow mule. I agree with the not kid friendly thing but we did bring our little one and she was fine.
Also, the staff was amazingly friendly. I’m not sure I was in downtown Charleston!

My girlfriend wanted to come here for brunch when our planned pool day got rained out during her bachelorette trip this weekend, and it made us almost forget that it was raining!
She had been dying to get a Moscow Mule here since having an inferior one from another local haunt and it did not disappoint.
I have to also give props to the amazing Mint Julep I had the pleasure of sipping with my chicken and waffles.
I seriously love everything about this place!!!
The staff, the décor, the food, the drinks.
*sigh*
If only Charleston wasn’t so far from Virginia, I would make popping in to the Rarebit a regular event!

This review is for our bar experience.
If you love Moscow mules, this is the place to be, especially during happy hour. They make their ginger beer in house and have Moscow mules on tap. ON TAP. They only cost $ 5 during happy hour and they are delicious, refreshing and DANGEROUS. They go down so smoothly. The Sazarac was apparently well made too. I did get hungry and ended up ordering the classic chicken and waffle combo. They nailed it. Perfectly fried chicken with tasteful batter and basically no grease. The waffle was light and fluffy — the perfect complement.
Fun touch — interesting, eclectic mix of «chochkis (sp?)» behind the bar that included a 1964 collection of Playboys!!!