Entry No. 13 — the Charleston file — filed under: speakeasy
Annex at Last Saint
Behind the main bar at Last Saint — itself a low-key Eastside cocktail bar away from the King Street crowds — is a plain, bright-yellow door with no sign. Ring the bell, and a guide leads you past a velvet curtain into a small, dimly lit back room with no printed menu; bartenders just build you something based on what you say you're in the mood for.
The story
While King Street draws the loud weekend crowds, Meeting Street on the Eastside keeps things quieter at Last Saint, a neighborhood bar opened by Joey Goetz with mixologists who cut their teeth at NYC's Attaboy. Walk straight past the main bar to the back, and you'll find a plain, bright-yellow door with no logo or sign. There’s a bell right beside it; press it, wait for a host to open up, and you'll be escorted past a heavy black velvet curtain into the Annex.
Inside, you won't find a printed menu, a chalkboard list, or a QR code. The entire back room runs on bespoke mixology across a space that fits just six barstools and three booths. Instead of ordering by name, you talk through your drink with the bartender: pick a base liquor—tequila, mezcal, gin, or bourbon—and name a couple of taste descriptors like smoky, herbal, spicy, or sour, and they'll whip up an off-menu custom drink on the spot.
What it's like
You are stepping into a tiny, dimly lit space where you sit close enough to hear the ice hit the shaker. Last Saint's main front bar is open seven days a week for casual walk-ins, but the back-room Annex only unlocks its yellow door Thursday through Saturday nights starting at 5:30 p.m. Because seating is capped at six barstools and three booth tables, walking up without a plan on a weekend usually leads to getting turned away. Lock in a reservation on Resy in advance, or try dropping by right when they open on a Thursday evening for a shot at walk-in seating.
The move: Start with a fixed-menu cocktail at Last Saint's front bar, then ask to be walked through the yellow door for an off-menu, tell-us-what-you-like round in the tiny back-room Annex.
- 📍 Eastside, Charleston
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 472 Meeting St, Charleston, SC 29403
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Coming Street Cemetery — Trade your custom back-room cocktail for a quiet walk past the walled, gated 1762 Jewish cemetery located just 0.4 miles away.
- The Charleston Museum — Early Days Gallery — Pair off-menu mixology with a 0.4-mile stroll to inspect the 19th-century cabinet-of-curiosities gallery inside America's oldest museum.
- Prohibition — Head 0.3 miles over to King Street to compare the Annex's minimalist no-menu setup against Prohibition's full 1920s speakeasy decor.
Good to know
How do I find and enter the Annex at Last Saint?
Walk to the back of Last Saint's main bar at 472 Meeting Street, locate the plain bright-yellow door, and press the bell next to it so a host can escort you past the velvet curtain.
How do you order drinks if there is no menu?
Tell your bartender what base spirit you prefer along with a few flavor adjectives (such as spicy, tropical, sour, or smoky), and they craft a custom cocktail based on your preferences.
Do I need a reservation for the Annex?
Reservations via Resy are strongly recommended because the Annex only holds six barstools and three booths, though walk-ins are accepted if space allows.
What are the hours for the Annex compared to Last Saint?
Last Saint's main front bar is open daily from 5:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m., while the hidden Annex operates Thursday through Saturday starting at 5:30 p.m.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: resy.com · gowanderly.com · Official site · postandcourier.com · discoversouthcarolina.com
last checked: 2026-07-20