The Rooftop At The Vendue

Thanks to Unilocal for steering us to The Rooftop at The Vendue. The restaurant itself is beautiful, as is their downstairs bar area. The rooftop is HUGE! We were so surprised and it’s well done. We stopped in for a quick drink and were very pleased with the ambience. The ladies restaurant downstairs has a super cool wall in it made of viewfinder cameras. Very fun!
We’d go back in a heartbeat, during warmer weather.

Arriving in Charleston Sunday morning, my boyfriend and I walked around for an hour or so after brunching at Jestine’s and decided we needed a drink! A coworker had recommended we visit the Vendue rooftop, so we made our way over to the adorable hotel and got on the express rooftop elevator! The outdoor patio was about 70% full around 3pm when we were there, and it was actually unseasonably warm for the end of January, so people were really taking advantage of the weather! The place filled up by the time we were left, im sure a lot of people wanted to catch the sunset.
One bummer was that we sat on the main roof level where the bar is, and didnt even see a 2^nd level with superior views until we left. The service was really great, super nice waiter, handled all the tables really well.
I ordered the Hibiscus Gin Fizz (Gin, Hibiscus Syrup, Cava, Club Soda, Lemon Juice), which was so yummy and refreshing! I dont usually order Gin, so it was a nice departure. My date had two Nacho Libres (Zacapa Centenario Rum, Not Your Father’s Root Beer & lime), which were too sweet for my taste but he seemed happy (and tipsy!)
Drinks are about $ 10/​pop, which seems on par with Charleston prices, and the ambiance definitely makes it worth it!

The photos are misleading. To see the views posted you have to carry your drink upstairs to the top where there is no bar and no heaters. Not good in January. From the bar level on rooftop you can only see a sliver of the water. Drinks good, several TVs

This place is a toss-​up for me. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed my time there (which is why I’m giving it 4 stars), but I after leaving I realized this place is only really great for drinking and hanging out, not for trying to have a meal.
Was the food good? Sure – it was okay. But for the price we paid for it, I was a little disappointed. I was actually surprised, too because they offered some really amazing sounding meals on their menu. I will have to say that the only thing I was impressed with were the chips/​nachos. That’s a win.
The drinks are amazing here – go for the «it takes two to mango» if you like tequila. Very refreshing and tasty.
The bar is great – good location and staff, and a great view. Trying to get in here on a Saturday night is nearly impossible. We tried once and ended up turning around and finding a different spot to hang out. Great for a Saturday/​Sunday brunch.

First off, the hotel that this bar is attached to is great. But this bar is okay – I’m biased, coming from a city where the rooftop bars are in abundance… The view is alright. I think I might have a different impression of the place if I go back in the summer. Getting there in December was probably not the best time to get a fair idea of what it’s about. The space, however, just seemed cramped. Most of it was tented off for the winter, which is understandable, but they left a section open which cut off a lot of room to move around. The drinks were pretty standard. The bartender was good, and service was fine.

I will admit to being in a sour mood when we arrived here for a drink. I moved away from humid places years ago (namely the east Coast) and had spent most of the day walking around Charleston sweating from every pore imaginable and by the time we made it here I was dripping with sarcasm among other things.
For those who are visiting Charleston, there are two rooftop bars, the second floor (partially covered with no real view) and then the third floor (the one with the view). We enjoyed the covered portion of the second floor patio hoping to cool off (somewhat successful). I enjoyed a few overpriced beverages served in acrylic glasses. I was disappointed we did not receive real glasses; the only place faux glassware is acceptable is at a sporting event in my opinion.
The views from the third floor patio are spectacular and if it’s a cool enough day I would gladly sit up there and enjoy the Charleston views. Other than the views I would choose somewhere else for drinks in the area, there are many excellent choices available.

I am a total fan of the Vendue Rooftop. There are two floors, and the top one gets more crowded and seating is a bit more limited, but the lower floor normally has ample seating options. The view and the breeze are lovely, and the drinks aren’t bad! Not to mention that the Vendue Inn itself is fantastic!

I gave this place 5 stars for its awesome bar on the rooftop with its beautiful sunset view and its great service. The view of the bay, the buildings, the city and the sunset was awesome. The bar tenders were cool and my drink was great. We’ll come back here.
Fyi– we came in mid October and it was really cold and windy up there so bundle up! Drinks warmed us up fast :-)

We went up to the top for drinks and a view. I got a G&T and my fiancée got a pims cup. Both of the drinks were really well made. The view wasn’t as nice as I would have liked but was still pretty good. The service was attentive without being overbearing. I though the overall look of the place was classy. The main issue I have is from what I found is this place is accessed only by a small elevator. The elevator is very slow and the wait can be long especially if a number of people have to leave at the same time. Still overall this place is worth a stop for a drink or two.

We closed out a Friday evening on the town with a visit to this rooftop. There are two levels of rooftop, and the upper of the two levels features a stunning view of the bridge not to mention much of the rest of town.
It was a very pleasant way to close out the night, just quiet enough for conversation. Our later-30’s group was amongst the older ones in the venue, it looks to be a very popular spot for groups a few years younger (but not the college crowd).
I tried the caipirinha, and asked them to hold the berries. It arrived with the berries, but was still enjoyable. Service was reasonably prompt for an evening hotspot.

Our second visit here confirmed the first: order beer here during happy hour on a sunny day when it’s not too hot. Otherwise, skip this spot for other options in Charleston!
Brought a group of 15 adults and kids for dinner this past week. By and large, the food was average or worse but priced a bit high for the quality. The house cocktails were mostly a miss. Service was fast, so at least we were able to order drinks and food quickly.
I personally had the Old Fashioned, the turkey club sandwich, parts of the pizza (my daughter didn’t finish her kid meal), and the three-​spread platter (hummus, pita, etc). Wouldn’t get any of it again!
Rooftops are cool but given the high quality of food elsewhere, I will pass on coming back!

This place is really cool. It’s a beautiful rooftop bar that serves food as well. The service is outstanding.
They have a decent menu. We only ordered the chips and guacamole. The chips were kind of soggy if you ask me. Very greasy, but edible. I liked the guac but the salsa had a weird consistency. I probably wouldn’t order them again.
They have an extensive drink menu, which is good. And the bartenders are good at making recommendations.
I bet the views here at night are beautiful. We came during a blistery summer day. I wouldn’t recommend doing this, because this roof is HOT. I was sweating profusely and had sweat stains all over my dress. It was really embarrassing. The fans don’t help. So wear black or any other color that doesn’t show sweat.
Clean bathrooms and beautiful décor. No ATM, just FYI.

We came here for drinks on a Friday night and had to take the elevator up in order to get to the top. There was a line for the elevator as they use a 1 in, 1 out system so you have to wait for people to leave first. According to the elevator attendant, this wait wasn’t even bad since we got there a little before 10 PM and it took us about 20 minutes or so. Once we got to the top, there are multiple levels with plenty of seating. The seating also has variety from high tops to couches to tables with chairs.
The view at the top gives you a nice overall scene of downtown Charleston but it is mainly consisting of other buildings. The drinks were fine and decently priced with nothing out of the ordinary. The one downside is that you have to get all your drinks at the bar and some of the seating is relatively fa

A truly awesome two level rooftop space. The bottom level has covered and uncovered seating if you want to avoid the sun. There are lots of coves and sectioned areas that break up the expansive seating area. I was there on Sunday and they had live entertainment. The food was good but I wasn’t blown away. There are plenty of street-​level offerings available in Charleston if you are just looking for a good meal. For me trading elevation for culinary wizardry was worth it.
The drinks I would classify as creative crowd pleasers. Not too bold however, interesting enough that you know they were thoughtfully executed.

Ok to be fair this is the first rooftop bar I’ve been to since leaving New York City. That said I’m a little confused by people talking about the type of glassware (plasticware) being used… it’s a roof… it’s windy, wind lends to things made from glass breaking, therefore plastic… why is this confusing? Is it more important that your martini start off in a glass with the correct stem that is going to shatter than just to enjoy the sunset and an awesome cocktail? For me the answer is simple.
We were the first people to the top deck bar and not only was the quality of drink great but the service was exemplary also. I highly recommend the rosemary drink (it’s the last one on the current drink menu), the berry drink was good but a little tart for my personal taste.
I would say that the cocktails we both had were as good or better than any rooftop I’ve been to in NYC and the price was not too bad. This isn’t a cheap dive bar and it’s not a 5 star menu, but for a great drink with great service with a great expansive view it’s really a great spot!

Cute spot near the waterfront with ample seating, cool breezes, great cocktail ax friendly waitstaff and somewhat decent food (hence the –1 star). The gallery downstairs was great to walk through while heading to the elevator and after a rather long elevator ride for a rather shirt building you are treated to lovely views of the waterfront. Definitely recommend for cocktails!

I visited the rooftop this past weekend and I have to say that I was very impressed. The views were fantastic!
They had a pretty decent drink selection. Especially when considering the fact that you’re on a roof.
Seating was a bit of a free-​for-​all but our group was able to snag a table. We did not receive any service at our table (which was a bit odd). However, with one of the best views in the city, I had zero complaints running to the bar for a refill.
The bartenders were friendly and helpful. I have no complaints. I’ll definitely be back.

The prices are not as outrageous as you might think, but the drink selection is pretty mediocre. It’s a cool space, for sure, but the view is just OK — not great.
The view is mostly of the sides of other buildings and a parking garage. You can barely see the very tops of the two main towers of the Ravenel/​Cooper River Bridge, but that’s about it.
The renovations were certainly worthwhile — connecting all the buildings and updating a number of features and is certainly noticeable inside the hotel, on the first floor.
Also, the service was pretty rough — but it was a Wednesday night. However, not seeing the server for 20+ minutes at a time is extreme.
It’s fine for a drink or two, anything more than that, I would take your money elsewhere. They definitely need to step up their game as far as drink selection and service — especially since there are so many other great places that go above and beyond. The Rooftop at the Vendue seems to be suffering from some complacency and will get passed by if they don’t STEP IT UP!

I’ve always been a fan of the rooftop at Vendue and since it’s renovation, it’s only gotten better. The major reno’ is downstairs where they’ve now connected all the buildings of the hotel so there’s no more going outside one building and into another to get to the lobby. They re-​did the look, updated the restaurant, and even added a coffee shop.
They almost tricked me into thinking they got rid of that scary-​ass elevator that takes you up to the roof. They did give it a facelift but, once that struggle-​box started moving I knew it was the same one as before. You know, that one that takes a solid 3 minutes to get from on floor to the next? I think there’s a mouse on a wheel somewhere that’s attached to a pulley system operating that thing. I’ve still never been fully aware of why you’re not allowed to use the stairs.
Came in recently with a small group that kept getting larger as more people joined. The staff were very accommodating and kept the drinks coming. It wasn’t too busy of a night so they just kept extending our table and then split up the check based on the groups that came in together. It’s the little things that count. The rooftop has the same layout as before bu has had a facelift as well. Overall they did a great job and I’ll continue coming back for that rooftop view.

Great little views of Charleston.
They have a great food menu. Ceviche is light and refreshing.
Service was A-​OK.
Overall, a perfect place for us tourists!