South Carolina’s adult nightlife is spread thin across a few clusters: the Grand Strand around Myrtle Beach, the port city of Charleston, the Upstate around Greenville, and single venues in Columbia and Florence. Our directory currently lists ten clubs in the state. Before you plan a night out, it helps to understand one thing that shapes almost every club here: the relationship between nudity and the liquor licence.
What the law actually says
You will find claims online that South Carolina has a standalone “Adult Entertainment Establishments” act banning alcohol at adult venues and forcing them to close at midnight. That is not what the current code shows.
- The often-cited statutes are not strip club law. § 16-15-395 defines first degree sexual exploitation of a minor, and § 16-15-375 is a definitions section for the obscenity and child-exploitation article. Neither is an adult-venue licensing regime.
- The midnight closing rule comes from a bill, not the code. The language about an adult business not remaining open between midnight and 6:00 a.m. traces to South Carolina House Bill 3679 (2007–2008 session). The current Title 16, Chapter 15 contains no such article. Treat a statewide midnight rule as unverified.
- The real statewide lever is the alcohol permit. Under § 61-4-580(A)(4), a holder of a beer or wine permit may not permit lewd, immoral or improper entertainment, conduct or practices, expressly including a person in a state of undress exposing the genitals, pubic area or buttocks cavity with less than a full opaque covering. Violations are grounds for suspension or revocation. From 1 January 2026, a first offence carries a $2,500 fine, a second within two years brings up to a 14-day suspension, and a third within three years brings revocation.
That is the mechanism behind the split you will see on the ground. Topless clubs keep the bar; fully nude clubs go BYOB. Derrieres in Myrtle Beach describes itself in its own listing as the only fully nude and BYOB club on the Grand Strand — a direct consequence of this trade-off.
On Sunday closures: there is no strip-club-specific Sunday ban. Ordinary South Carolina alcohol rules apply — on-premises beer and wine may be sold Sunday from midnight to 2:00 a.m. and from 10:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m., while liquor sales in that midnight-to-2 a.m. window require a Local Option Permit, which only exists where voters approved it by referendum.
Charleston
Charleston has three listed clubs, two of them clustered on Pittsburgh Avenue north of downtown. The Silver Slipper sits at 2015 Pittsburgh Ave, with GoodFellas Cabaret — founded in 1995 as Thee Southern Belle — essentially next door at 2028 Pittsburgh Ave. King Street Cabaret is at 1337 King Street. Note that Charleston requires a Late Night Establishment permit for any venue serving alcohol on premises that stays open past midnight, renewed annually.
Myrtle Beach
The Grand Strand is the state’s densest cluster, with three listings within a few blocks. Masters Club at 1901 Mr. Joe White Ave bills itself as a topless cabaret with full lunch and dinner menus. The Treasure Club at 716 Seaboard St offers a full liquor bar and VIP bottle service. Derrieres Gentlemens Club at 804 Seaboard St is the fully nude, BYOB option. Horry County maintains its own Adult Entertainment Establishments article, so county-level licensing and location rules apply on top of state law.
Greenville, Columbia and Florence
The Upstate has two listings: Lust Strip Club at 216 Transit Drive and Lady Godiva at 4725 Augusta Rd, both in Greenville. Columbia has a single listing, Bliss Ultra Lounge at 8605 Two Notch Rd, and Florence has The Trophy Club at 1617 W Lucas St.
What to check before you go
- Ask whether it is topless or fully nude — that tells you about the bar. Fully nude in South Carolina generally means no alcohol sold on site, so plan for BYOB rules or a dry night.
- Call ahead about hours. Statewide closing times for adult venues are not settled in the code, and local permits vary by city and county. The phone number on each listing is the fastest way to confirm.
- Check the address, not just the name. Several South Carolina clubs share brands or have changed names — GoodFellas was formerly Thee Southern Belle, and the Treasure Club and Trophy Club each operate multiple locations.