On Sullivan’s Island, where Edgar Allan Poe was stationed as a US Army private at Fort Moultrie for thirteen months beginning in 1827, an experience that directly inspired “The Gold Bug” and two other stories, Poe’s Tavern is both a legitimately great beach bar and a literary pilgrimage site. Every burger is named after a Poe story: the Annabel Lee, the Gold Bug, the Black Cat. Poe’s writings are wallpapered on the restroom walls. A Poe mural dominates the fireplace. Cold craft beers, genuinely excellent burgers, fresh fish tacos, and the dog-friendly, open-air character of Sullivan’s Island’s best bar. The Gold Bug with marinated bacon and blue cheese coleslaw is the signature.
