The Dinghy

Was only here for a quick beverage but fantastic location near the beach with indoor and outdoor seating along with bar seating. The hosts and servers were fantastic and kind, fun and enjoyable beach vibes. Didn't get to try the food but looked and smelled delicious. Glad we stopped in and would be great if with a larger group!

If I could leave zero stars, I would. We had the most offensive experience here. We are traveling from out of state, and the officer stationed outside scanned our ids and ushered us through. When we got inside, the bartender insisted our ids were not valid and asked us to leave. On our way out, we talked to the officer and asked if he could see anything wrong with our ids, trying to understand the situation. He said that he has a scanner, and they did not inside. He was very kind, and went in to speak with them. He told us to go inside, that it should be all good. When we went back in, the bartender treated us terribly. I have never been treated so rudely at any business in my life. She said that she didn’t care if he scanned our ids. The officer even validated them in front of her. She said they made her “uncomfortable” and that it was her decision to refuse us service. I pulled up our states DMV site, and showed her that they matched our ids. We asked to speak to an owner or manager, and she said “that’s me.” She followed us out the door and continued to be nasty the entire time. It was clear this was an ego issue, and she didn’t want to admit that she was wrong in the situation. What’s incredibly ironic in the situation, is that 2 of the 3 people in our group were served here two days ago. I have never been treated so terribly in a business nor have I have I ever been told my id isn’t valid. BEWARE of the bartender circled in the photo. *EDIT* Address the owner’s reply to my review, the person who’s ID was accused of being “fake” according to the bartender, was served at the Dinghy with that same ID two days prior, no issue. We also watched the bartender the entire time our IDs were in her possession, and she did not use a black light, she used her phone flashlight. Again, this was a clear issue of someone with an oversized ego not to wanting to admit her mistake. Considering all of the owner’s unprofessional responses to the other reviews for this restaurant, I doubt anyone has received adequate customer service training.

So this was our second night here. We ate at Dinghy’s last night and loved it so we went back. We walked in and sat down like before and NEVER had anyone wait on us. In fact one of the girls walked down to the end where we were at, spoke with a regular, took his order and turned around and walked off. She didn’t even acknowledge us and she was standing right there. We were so disappointed that we walked out and came down the street to another spot to eat. Can’t even review the food because we never were waited on.

Food was good. Ordered a burger for myself and kids meals for kids. (Grab your table then order at bar with bartender). Burger was a good size but the fries were not what was expected for $15. Expected a larger portion compared to other restaurants. Food tasted great and came out quick granted it was a slow Tuesday late evening. Live music at the other end of the restaurant and sounded good. We had just left the beach and looking for a quick restaurant to get in AC and have a burger and if was perfect for that.

It was a great night even with rain dancing to The Shakin martini! The band was awesome, they went from one song to another and barely took 2 break on 3 hours!

This place is absolutely wonderful! The staff are attentive and very friendly. The beer selection is great. We had the blackened shrimp appetizer which was delivered very quickly and was SO GOOD. The shrimp were huge and beautifully seasoned. I had a Cuban sandwich and sweet potato fries. Delicious! And the fries were crispy which is rare. My husband had fish and chips and ate every bite. I highly recommend this yummy out-of-the-way place!

I rate places based on what they are. The Dinghy is a beach bar within walking distance of the sand. It has a dive feel on the inside, as it should. The staff was great. If you want a dive bar next to the beach with good food, good staff, friendly locals, music, and no drama, this is a 5 star. Felt safe the whole time and I would hang there again if I was in the area.

Great spot for a post-beach lunch! Recommend the Mahi sandwich or flounder sandwich. No live music was playing when we were there, it seemed like a great spot for live music. Perfect beachy lunch spot!

Great food, was able to use GrubHub and food was ready when I arrived to pick it up at the bar. Bar was busy and people seemed to be enjoying themselves. Will be back.

Well, I can tell you that the dinghy is a local favorite!! This is our go to place before we head to The Windjammer, and then after we get done at The Windjammer! You would never believe that the food is as good as it is! This is the epic Isle of Palms dive bar! You can expect to have a wonderful time, great service from some of the best barkeeps, and the area surrounding the dinghy is full of wonderful people watching. They typically will have live music, lots of locals, including lots of local dogs! They have a delicious drink that is reminiscent of Fresca, but with alcohol! My favorite every time because it's so refreshing!!! Do yourself a favor and give the dinghy a try next time you're on Isle of Palms!

Dive bar with limited menu. Seems Like a local place. Prices seem reasonable. Just stopped in for a drink.

No way around it, this is a dive bar as almost marketed. There is a covered dog friendly bar area on tbe right side so that's a plus! They have music often - we only had drinks during happy hourso can't comment on tbe food. Bar staff / waitress was fast and friendly.would come back for drinks but not with our kids.

The Dinghy is a great beach dive bar located centrally in IOP. We have been here numerous times and enjoyed each moment. While the menu is limited for me, the rest of the family has enjoyed the wings, fries, fish and chips and sandwiches. I get the fish sandwich with a gluten free bun and a salad. The drinks are fantastic, heavy pour and low cost. They also offer paid parking so you don't have to fight the meter maids around the IOP area. Service is excellent and just overall a good time!

This place was recommended to us by locals, and they didn't steer us wrong. Cozy bar with friendly people and a great vibe. Clean restrooms, cold beer and delicious food. I got the veggie wrap and it came with a side of plantains that were outta this world. Yes it's a dive bar, and kids can't sit at the actual bar. But there are tables and we felt welcome. Definitely recommend!

A great place were the locals in tourist come together. One of the best places for drinks and live music. The bar tenders are amazing and the corner stone of this establishment!

Sophie and Austin fricking rock. They curate good vibes and are super attentive and fun. Had an absolute blast here. If you don't come here you'll regret it, best bar on the island! The Cajun fries and chicken tenders gave me life. Can't wait to come back and try the Cuban.

The customer service we received was extraordinary and very caring! I would highly recommend this place to come! Sophie, Natalie, and Stacey were amazing, so upbeat and great customer service! Probably spent more money than we planned on cause of those ladies!

If you like a dive bar, here's the place to go. They even have live music. It's pretty loud when your sitting inside with the music going but outside has a bit less noise. Parking is tough and depends on time of day. If you can't park in the lot, good luck finding a spot on the street during the summer. Off season it's much easier. Now, I'd try not to use the bathroom, not really great. However we did get food and the onion rings our the best I've had. They also have tv's if you can hear it over the noise. Always a crowd here.

I love the dingy. First of all for all you tourist or "locales of Charleston", this is a dive bar. Like a dive dive bar. Like look around the bar for a second. It's as divey as it gets. It's called the dingy for christ sake. They don't care that you "know the owner", they aren't gonna make you a mahanttan or a gin fizz or some cushy wushy cocktail. Take that nonsense to prohibition in downtown Charleston. They get busy and you've gotta wait for your drinks just like everyone else. I know daunting right? Have your ID ready and if you are out of state I STRONGLY recommend bringing a second form of id and no a piece of paper or a "photo of your id" is not gonna get you served. Let's use some common sense here people. (Also a concealed weapons permit is not a valid form of ID. Literally google it. I know we're from the south but come on.) The dingy has some of the best vibes in all of Charleston. It's laid back. They rotate through country, rap, and some old school tunes. A little something for everyone. They even got natty light. Sophie, Jake, Stacey , Sierra (I hope I spelled it right), and Martha are some of my favorite bartenders there. If they are working you know it's gonna be a good night. A great night even. This has easily become my favorite bar after a long days work. It's become a home away from home.

If a sea side dive bar is what you are looking for... look no further! All are welcome at The Dinghy! Bands and fun to be had! Def recommend! I am a vegetarian and didn't eat there but my husband has. He liked it! Expect fried food and open air... not exactly top cuisine... see dive bar.. duh.

This place is more of a dive bar is definitely a spot for drinks and a bite to eat if you're beachside. Order directly at the bar and you can sit wherever. The food here is very tasty and they have really good portions. Also, they do have live music outside on the patio. Service wise, I wouldn't recommend this place if you want to be waited on or if you plan to ask for modifications on your food. I asked for a side of ranch when the food came and got an annoyed face with a reluctant "sure" response and knew I was not going to get the ranch lol. Other than that, I would come back if I was looking for a quick bite to eat after spending time at the beach or just a chill place to grab a drink!

Had a great time at the dinghy on saturday night. Natalie, sophie and stacey are the best. They made us feel right at home. The food is awesome and the vibes were great. We will be coming back here ASAP to see these girls!!

Local dive bar. Small. Dark interior. Dingy outside entrance. Not what we had in mind after golfing beautiful Wild Dunes, but it was about the only thing OPEN on a Monday afternoon in late February. Good prices for canned & draft beer & fountain soda. Server mildly hospitable, one patron/couple at bar very friendly and could talk golf & another patron at bar (we asked to take a group photo) made an insensitive crude joke as he was taking photo that he "has palsy." . Why?! Just happens that one of the friends with us is experiencing tremors; people should drop the disability jokes. We were only there for one drink for about 30 min & left.

We LOVE the Dinghy! Spoiler alert: this is a dive bar, like a real dive bar. And if you like this then this is the place for you. We were in town for a wedding and we ended up there to meet friends as soon as we got into town. And then ended up back there that evening, and the next day before the wedding had a few beers before we headed out. (It was closed when we got back from the wedding or we would have ended up there again I'm sure) decent prices on drinks and just a chill atmosphere. If you're in the area try it out, we had so much fun!

Fun little bar. Live music, great people, and decent drinks. Bartenders are attentive. If you just want a place listen to a bit of music, have a drink and hang out you are good. It's a bit loud for a chat but that is what you get in a bar.

Best bar in Charleston, period. Great bar food, great atmosphere, great staff. It is a dive bar, which means it's not pretentious at all. Everyone is friendly, and the vibe is top notch.

Perfect go to "no thrill" beach bar with bar food. You order everything from the bar, the food came out really fast and the prices are very reasonable. Got the chicken finger basket (not listed on menu for adults but it's available) with side of fries. Side of ranch and honey mustard. Perfect size. Also ordered the Philly cheesesteak. At first it looks like a lot of cheese and not a lot of meat, but I promise the meat is under the blanket of cheese. Side of sweet potato fries which were also delicious.

Still the most underrated place on the island - great bar food and unpretentious. Thank you universe. The fish and chips or flounder sandwich-- fried and breaded light -- flounder. Not cod or haddock or pollock. Flounder. Home made amazing tarter sauce. Fries delish - also hummus - also plantains - this fuel and company ROCKS honey

Gotta love this place. It has all you meed such as speedy/friendly service, live music, cold beer, and decent food. All in all a great wxperience.

What can you say? It's a bar. The fish sandwich was good, the cheeseburger was meh. Fries were mixed, some super soggy and others fine. Still a fun place, lively like you want a bar to be on a Saturday night. Service is at the bar, so don't go in expecting a white tablecloth and you won't be disappointed.

Went there for lunch and waited an hour for a burger and wings. The food was okay but not enough to bring me back. Wanted to give it a chance. Won't be going back. If you have time to kill and just want drinks this is your place. But if you're looking for a meal at IOP, hard pass.

The Dinghy on J C Long Boulevard on Isle of Palms is a great place to go for delicious food and drinks in a cool and relaxed atmosphere. I like the space and everything that they have available here. I have had a positive experience every time I have been here.

Solid food menu and great little local spot. It offers a lot more than you think, looks are definitely deceiving with this spot. Give it a shot the next time your on the Isle Of Palms.

This was a neat little bar. Not much too it really. But what lacks in size..makes up for in the staff and food. Staff: the staff knows their crowd and the crowd knows the staff. Its like the Cheers bar, every body knows your name. Food: they are NOTORIOUS for their wings. 2 words: bomb A**. And for 5 pairs of wings for $7...shoot! I got 2. Next time I uber around the area...ill definitely stop by again. PS if any manager is reading this..im glad I got to help celebrate Sierra's birthday.

good ole fashion dive bar!! my sals was great. the mozzarella sticks not so much! fun time watching football.

Great local place Atmosphere terrific Good food, music and service. Prices reasonable Liz the best. Friendliness and most attentive of all. Friday nights and Saturday. Mark C

Love the nightly live music!! Great local musicians. Fun crowd. Will definitely return when I am back through IOP again.

Great atmosphere but one of the bartenders was extremely rude referring to a military member as little as she was giving really bad energy for a bad, she proceeded to be disrespectful when I asked for a drink and scribbled on my tab. I'd go to this bar again but that lady needs to be reprimanded.

Amazing prices for bar food and so delicious! I love this dive bar so much! Always great people and locals around! Shout out to Sophie! We love her! We loved her high energy sweet self!

This bar is one of the best bars I have been too in South Carolina Sierra and Sophie were some of the the best. I plan to show up here again when we come to South Carolina....

Amazing! 10/10 love the patio renovation!!! The burger is to die for. Great draft beer selections and exceptional service! Golden Tee is an added plus!!!

November 22, 2019 Stopped in for an afternoon drink and snack. Ordered some of their clam strips. They came out quickly and perfectly fried. In other restaurants, they're usually over done to almost burnt. These.... perfect!!! Our third visit here. It's always fun. You can meet some wonderful people here. Lots of fun! Great food!!!

The Dinghy...it's a tiny little dive bar on Isle of Palms. It is definitely a spot where locals hang out. It's very small but a conveniently located place to get a beer and some bar food. We stopped in for a quick bite to eat. There are hand-written signs posted that you need to go to the bar and see a bartender for service. We ordered our drinks (they do not serve unsweetened ice tea and have a very limited craft beer menu) and our food and waited. When the food came out, it was not delivered to our table. Again--you have to get your food and drinks from the bartender. They will not bring it out to you even if the bar is not busy. The food was okay. Just your standard bar fare--I needed something on the healthier side so I got a salad with chicken. The chicken was fine--not overly dried out and the size was good for lunch. The BF got the Panini Pressed Cuban. He said it was average but liked the pasta salad that was the side. It was a decent, cheap lunch. We were there in the evening one night and they had live music. It's nothing impressive but it's something different to try.

Bit of an older crowd. This placed was swamped after Hurricane Ian (with people not rain). Bartenders were very slow and had no control over the crowd. Security was called in twice to remove some disorderly people. It took 1hr and 5 minutes from start to table just to get 6 mozzarella sticks and by the time we got them they were cold! Took us about 15 minutes to order beers each time so we eventually just left. Live music was actually really good I wish I would have gotten the name of the performers. Very limited seating but the crowd is usually friendly so its not uncommon to see 2 different parties doubled up at a bench. Sharing is caring.

Sweet little place. Don't roll in expecting fancy or to be waited on hand and foot. On the patio it's order at the bar yourself. No beer menu, so you have to ask what they have if you don't know what you want. Coconut shrimp was huge and served piping hot, as were fries and alligator bites. Lots of locals. Dogs in attendance served water and freshly made dog biscuits. Lots of TVs. Great, very casual place to hang out!

Great bar, service, drinks and live music. Came here 2 nights in a row during our vacation for evening drinks... had a great time! Bartenders were great!

Dive bar essentials...plastic cups and classic rock blaring through the speakers... and cheap. The Dinghy is a delightfully crappy place...

If you're looking for a fun (and noisy) bar hang-out spot, this place is for you! But if you are hungry and need something edible to eat, do not go here! Either they fry their fried to death or they haven't changed the oil in a couple months. The clams and oysters were HORRIBLE, but the cocktail sauce was really great. The best thing anyone got was the steak and cheese sub; it was actually really good.

Atmosphere is laid back, casual. One block off the beach. Food is just okay, not as good as it used to be. We could tell it must have sat a while because among everything we ordered even the wings were not warm. They have you order everything at the bar which is fine but the male bartender acted like he could care less, was rude to everyone we saw order ahead of us plus us. Bathrooms not kept up, filled with small flies There are better options on the street with better hospitality.

The bartender took 15 mins to acknowledge we were there to simply say the kitchen is closed

Fun place to hang out! Lots of tvs for watching football. Huge outdoor seating area. Really friendly staff.

A great chill spot for a cold beer n a hot day after the beach. They had live music which was good. We love the Dinghy it's just a hole in the wall place but so awesome.,

atmosphere was fine. food was absolutely awful. came out cold after waiting forever and wouldn't be surprised if we get food poisoning. there was one girl running the whole store.

One of the best little holes in the sand in all of the Isle of Palms! Tonight was so cool. The band was amazing. Playing funky bluegrass Cover songs of various hits from all over musical history. When all of a sudden the American flag flew down in the sand from the wind. As I got up to go fix the flag everyone started heading towards the flag. At the moment we were all connected. America Strong!

Every time I go to the IOP for vacation I always go. It's like the locals bar. Great entertainment and the best bar staff.

This is unfortunate that I have to give this place a ONE STAR review and I didn't even get to eat here. When my wife and friends came here to eat on a week day lunch at 1:00pm we were directed by the much confused, over controlling parking attendant that was way too rude for my taste but we weren't going to allow this to stop us. When we mentioned we were eating at the Dinghy and we needed additional space for someone recovering from hip surgery he responded" I don't care where your eating but you need to park you car close to the other cars". We were parking in their parking lot. His response was unwarranted but we obliged him. When we informed the bar tender about the behavior of the car attendant her attitude was unresponsive and in the matter of " not my problem". With four older women, one handicapped and another post hip surgery, i would have enjoyed a bit more consideration for the situation instead of a disrespectful attendant and a non responsive bar tender before we even sit down to eat. What a shame, I was looking forward to some good food but if the food or continued service was anything like the first 10 minutes I would wasted my money on this place. So instead we went a bit down the street to Acme Low country Kitchen it was outstanding.

I really dont know what my boyfriend and i did to upset the bartender, but the customer service left much to be desired to say the least. No warm greeting, was ignored untill my boyfriend had to grab the attention of the bartender for a second round. No thank you when the check was brought, just sat it in front of us and walked away. She clearly enjoyed the people in the bar and was not busy, but she gave me a very dismissive attitude. Myself and my boyfriend have been in the bar industry for over 10 years. We never get vacation time. This was our 1st stop when we got down here and the negative energy did not kick our trip off to a good start. We are staying right by here and would have loved to have made this our go to late night spot while we are here. Sadly i highly doubt well be back. Do better please.