CurrentBurger Opens at The Cooper, Bringing Smash Burgers and Milkshakes to Charleston’s Waterfront
Charleston’s waterfront dining scene just added something a little more casual.
CurrentBurger officially opened Monday, August 17, at The Cooper, the luxury waterfront hotel at 176 Concord Street in downtown Charleston. The new concept sits near Waterfront Park and brings a retro soda-shop-inspired burger experience to one of the peninsula’s most prominent new developments.
Unlike the more upscale dining experiences elsewhere inside The Cooper, CurrentBurger is built around the classics: smash burgers, fries, fountain drinks and hand-spun milkshakes in a casual setting designed for both hotel guests and locals.
A Burger Spot Beside Waterfront Park
Location may be one of CurrentBurger’s biggest advantages.
The restaurant is positioned near Joe Riley Waterfront Park, and guests can either eat inside or order from a takeout window bordering the park. That gives downtown visitors another quick-service food option without requiring the full sit-down restaurant experience.
The Cooper describes CurrentBurger as being inspired by traditional soda shops, combining that nostalgic idea with a more polished waterfront setting.
Current regular hours listed by The Cooper are:
Tuesday – Sunday: 11 AM – 8 PM
What’s on the Menu?
CurrentBurger is centered around elevated versions of familiar comfort foods.
The concept features smash burgers and hand-spun milkshakes, while previously announced menu details also include crinkle-cut fries and fountain sodas.
That makes CurrentBurger considerably more casual than The Crossing, The Cooper’s signature restaurant, which focuses on coastal Mediterranean cuisine with locally sourced seafood and produce.
For families walking Waterfront Park, tourists exploring downtown or locals simply looking for burgers and shakes with a waterfront backdrop, CurrentBurger fills a different lane.
The Cooper Continues Building Out Its Dining Lineup
CurrentBurger is part of a much larger food-and-beverage strategy at The Cooper.
The waterfront hotel features four dining experiences: CurrentBurger, signature restaurant The Crossing, Cooper Coffee & Wine, and rooftop venue Bar Marti.
The Cooper itself opened earlier this year at 176 Concord Street. The 191-room property sits along Charleston Harbor beside Waterfront Park and includes a marina, spa, infinity pool and extensive indoor and outdoor event space.
With CurrentBurger now operating, the property is becoming more than a hotel destination. It is increasingly functioning as its own small waterfront dining district.
A visitor could grab coffee along the marina, have a sit-down meal at The Crossing or now stop for a burger and milkshake while walking through Waterfront Park.
Another New Option for Downtown Charleston
Charleston certainly isn’t short on burger restaurants.
But a retro-inspired burger and milkshake shop directly beside Waterfront Park gives CurrentBurger a location and experience that separates it from many of the city’s existing options.
And with The Cooper continuing to build out its restaurant and hospitality offerings, this stretch of Charleston’s waterfront is becoming an increasingly important piece of downtown’s food-and-drink scene.
📍 CurrentBurger
The Cooper
176 Concord Street
Charleston, SC 29401
⏰ Regular Hours: Tuesday–Sunday, 11 AM–8 PM
Charleston, are you trying CurrentBurger? And what makes or breaks a good smash burger for you?
