Favorite Restaurants in Hilton Head
If you haven’t visited Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, you are missing an opportunity to experience one of the best seaside resort communities on the east coast. With its gorgeous surroundings, mild climate, relaxing atmosphere, and variety of outdoor activities, it’s easy to understand why many describe Hilton Head Island as their “Happy Place.”
We always enjoy trying out new restaurants while on vacation, and with more than 250 on Hilton Head Island, we guarantee some very delicious meals are in your future. Most of the restaurants are locally-owned, not “chains,” so you can expect the dishes and your dining experiences to be unique to the area. In fact, there are so many choices, it can be a bit overwhelming when deciding where to go, particularly if you’re looking for a specific type of cuisine, or if your time on the Island is limited. So, we asked the locals and frequent visitors what their favorite restaurants are, and then, of course, we had to do our own research. Although we’ve never had a bad experience, we do have our favorites. Here are some of our recommendations.
Our Top Restaurants
Bad Biscuit
A fun place to stop for breakfast or lunch, these biscuit meals are anything but Bad!.
Black Marlin Bayside Grill
For some of the best seafood “chowda” on the Island, check out Black Marlin – one of our can’t-miss restaurants.
Charlie’s L’Etoile Verte
We have to stop by every time we visit Hilton Head. The food is excellent.
Frankie Bones
With their huge menu offerings, Frankie Bones definitey has something for everyone. And, everthing is delicious. We’d recommend Salmon Oscar and Crab Stuffed Shrimp Scampi.
Holy Tequila
This has been voted the Island’s best Mexican restaurant, and we can see why. Their enchilada’s and chips and salsa are absolutely delicious, but anything you choose won’t disappoint.
Mellow Mushroom
Mellow Mushroom has a huge selection of craft beers and some interesting pizza combinations. We like Holy Shitake, but with so many choices, you’re sure to find your favorite. The pizza crust is delicious.
Old Oyster Factory
For good food and a great view, don’t miss checking out on this restaurant. Be sure to ask the hostess for a table with a sunset view.
Quarterdeck
Food is delicious and the views are fantastic. The lunch and dinner menu have a wide variety of meals from which to choose. The restaurant has been renovated, and although it was one of our favorites before, it is truly impressive now. Don’t miss a change to check this out.
Santa Fe
This restaurant offers a variety of Southwest dishes. We recommend reserving a table on the rooftop, and be sure to order the “Painted Desert” soup, a true work of art in a bowl!
Skillet Cafe
This is one of the first restaurants we have to visit when we get on the island. It has that “at home” vibe that always makes us feel comfortable. We always get a bowl of their clam chowder.
Truffles
This was one of the first restaurants we tried when we started visiting Hilton Head several years ago. Although we’ve added many restaurants to our list of “places to go,” this still remains at the top of our list. Everything is good here.
More Restaurants We Recommend
For additional information about the above restaurants, as well as others we recommend you try, click below for our guide to “Restaurants to Try First on Hilton Head Island.” We hope it helps you make that all important decision about “where to go to eat.” Because, after all, what’s a vacation without good food? Bon Appetit!
Note: Since restaurants frequently change their hours of operation, you should check their websites when planning your visit. Also, it is always a good idea to may reservations to assure a table is available at the time you prefer. Links are included on the below spreadsheet.
Here are some photos of dishes we enjoyed during our research. These dishes weren’t staged, so what you see if what you get. You can be assured that the food tastes as good as it looks.
If you have your own recommendations that are not on our list, let us know. We are always looking for our next favorite restaurant on Hilton Head Island.
For more about Hilton Head click here.
