The Best Burgers in South Carolina: Charleston and Beyond (2026)

The best burgers in South Carolina start in the Charleston area, where Husk, Little Jack's Tavern and Poe's Tavern on Sullivan's Island all have big reputations. Then head to Columbia for Pawleys Front Porch and The Kingsman, the Grand Strand for Hamburger Joe's, and the Upstate for classic chili cheeseburgers at the Beacon Drive-In and The Clock Drive-In.

Below is our roundup, grouped by region. Every spot appeared in a 2025 or 2026 roundup or state tourism guide when we wrote this. Hours change, especially at beach towns in the off-season, so check before you go.

What makes a South Carolina burger

Two toppings show up again and again across the state:

• Pimento cheese: the Southern spread of sharp cheddar, mayo and pimentos, melted onto a hot patty. Columbia restaurants in particular love it. Our best cheese for burgers guide covers why it works.
• Chili and slaw: in the Upstate, a chili cheeseburger with mustard and onions is the drive-in classic. For more ideas, see the best burger toppings.

You'll also see fried green tomatoes, jalapeños and plenty of bacon.

Charleston and the Lowcountry

• Husk: a Charleston restaurant whose burger has a national following. It's two chuck-and-bacon patties with American cheese, steamed white onion, bread-and-butter pickles and special sauce on a buttermilk sesame bun.
• Little Jack's Tavern: a Charleston tavern whose Double Tavern Burger uses two 4-ounce patties of half chuck, half brisket, with sunchoke relish, American cheese and special sauce. It's a modern take on a classic griddle double.
• Poe's Tavern: a laid-back spot on Sullivan's Island, a short drive from downtown. The burgers carry Poe-themed names, like the Pit & Pendulum with applewood-smoked bacon and cheddar. Islands picked it as South Carolina's burger spot worth visiting in 2026.

Want a Husk-style double at home? Our classic backyard cheeseburger is a good base. Add steamed onions and pickles.

Columbia

• Pawleys Front Porch: a Five Points favorite that grinds Angus chuck daily and hand-forms 8-ounce patties. The burgers are named after South Carolina places, like the Fripp Island with fried green tomatoes and the Sullivan's with grilled pineapple and guacamole. It landed on Yelp's list of the top 100 burgers in America.
• The Kingsman: uses ribeye ground in-house daily. The Palmetto, with house-made pimento cheese, fried jalapeños and bacon, is the one to order.

Columbia also has long-running local burger stops beyond these two, so if you have time, ask locals for their old-school favorite. Pimento cheese is on a lot of menus here, so look for it.

Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand

• Hamburger Joe's: a North Myrtle Beach fixture since 1989, with a second location in Surfside Beach. The burgers are simple and cooked how you like them, with toppings like house-made coleslaw and chili. Both The Takeout and Chowhound picked it as South Carolina's standout burger in 2025.

The Upstate: Greenville and Spartanburg

• The Clock Drive-In: a Greenville burger joint on Wade Hampton Boulevard that opened in 1954. The carhops are gone, but the chili cheeseburger and daily-made onion rings are still the order. In 2025, Cheapism named it South Carolina's best hole-in-the-wall burger joint.
• Beacon Drive-In: a Spartanburg landmark where the Chili-Cheese A-Plenty buries a chili cheeseburger under onion rings and fries.

Rock Hill and the Charlotte area

If you're near the North Carolina line, Burgers and Barley in Rock Hill is on the state tourism office's burger list, with the Daredevil (poblano cream sauce, jalapeño frites and chipotle mayo) as its signature. Charlotte is just up I-77, so see our Charlotte burger guide for more.

The state's tourism office keeps a longer list by region at Discover South Carolina.

How to make a South Carolina chili cheeseburger at home

The Upstate drive-in style is easy to copy in your own kitchen.

1. Make a quick burger chili. Brown ground beef with onion, then simmer it with chili powder, a little tomato and water until it's thick and spoonable. Burger chili should be fine-textured, with no beans.
2. Griddle thin patties. Press them flat on a hot pan for a good crust.
3. Layer it right. Cheese on the patty, then chili, then mustard and chopped raw onion.
4. Add slaw if you want. A tangy coleslaw on top cools things down and adds crunch.
5. Serve with onion rings. That's how the drive-ins do it.

How to plan a South Carolina burger trip

1. Start in Charleston. Husk and Little Jack's are both downtown, and Poe's pairs well with a beach afternoon.
2. Stop in Columbia on I-26. It's roughly halfway between Charleston and Greenville.
3. Finish in the Upstate. Hit The Clock in Greenville and the Beacon in Spartanburg on the same day.
4. Plan beach stops for summer. Grand Strand spots are busiest in peak season, and some trim hours in winter.

Prefer classic diners and drive-ins nationwide? See our list of the best classic burgers.

FAQ

What is the most famous burger in South Carolina?

The Husk burger in Charleston gets the most national attention, while Poe's Tavern and Hamburger Joe's top several best-in-state lists.

Where can I get a pimento cheeseburger in South Carolina?

The Kingsman's Palmetto in Columbia is a good place to start, and many Columbia burger spots offer pimento cheese as a topping.

What is a chili cheeseburger in the Upstate?

It's a griddled burger topped with chili, cheese, mustard and onions. The Beacon Drive-In and The Clock Drive-In are the classic places to try one.

How do I cook burgers safely at home?

The USDA recommends cooking ground beef to 160°F. Use an instant-read thermometer, and see our burger temperature and doneness guide.