🍽️ Where to Eat · Hilton Head Island Restaurants
Best Restaurants on Hilton Head Island
52 real, verified restaurants across fine dining, waterfront seafood, Lowcountry cooking, and Old Town Bluffton — organized by style, not a generic “best of” list.
🌊 Island to Bluffton
✅ Verified Direct Sources
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🚢 Waterfront
🦀 Seafood
🌚 Lowcountry
🌳 Bluffton
🍔 Casual
🍳 Breakfast
🍺 Bars
🍕 Pizza
🌎 International
🧁 Bakeries
FAQ
Hilton Head Island’s dining scene splits between resort waterfront restaurants (Broad Creek, Skull Creek, Shelter Cove), old-school seafood houses, and the growing Old Town Bluffton food scene across the bridge on the May River. We checked each restaurant against its own site where possible rather than pulling from a generic aggregator list.
Special-Occasion Restaurants
Charlie’s L’Etoile Verte
Long-running French-inspired fine-dining restaurant on Hilton Head Island.
Michael Anthony’s Cucina Italiana
Chef-owned upscale Italian restaurant in Sea Pines Center.
Old Fort Pub
Upscale Southern/American restaurant overlooking Skull Creek near Fort Mitchel.
CQ’s Restaurant
Upscale American dining in Harbour Town, Sea Pines.
Redfish
Upscale seafood-and-steak restaurant with an attached wine shop.
Alexander’s Restaurant and Wine Bar
Upscale seafood and steak restaurant with an extensive wine list near Folly Field.
Corks Neighborhood Bistro & Wine Bar
Upscale bistro and wine bar in Sea Pines Center.
Broad Creek, Skull Creek & May River
Old Oyster Factory
Seafood restaurant in a historic former oyster-processing building overlooking Broad Creek.
Skull Creek Boathouse
Waterfront seafood and steak restaurant with an in-house sushi bar on Skull Creek.
ELA’s Blu Water Grille
Waterfront seafood restaurant at Shelter Cove Marina.
Black Marlin Bayside Grille
Waterfront seafood and American restaurant at Palmetto Bay Marina.
Bluffton Oyster Company
Working oyster house and seafood market on the May River, known for seasonal oyster roasts.
Captain Woody’s
Casual seafood restaurant with waterfront locations on Hilton Head and in Old Town Bluffton.
Salty Dog Cafe
Iconic casual waterfront restaurant and bar at South Beach Marina in Sea Pines.
Harbourmaster’s
Upscale seafood and steak restaurant overlooking Shelter Cove Harbour.
Casual Seafood Houses
Hudson’s Seafood House on the Docks
Working-dock seafood house on Skull Creek.
The Crazy Crab
Casual seafood restaurant with locations at Harbour Town and Jarvis Creek.
Steamer Seafood Company
Casual steamer-style seafood restaurant near Coligny.
The Sea Shack
Small, casual local seafood shack known for fried and grilled seafood.
Regional Comfort Food
The Old Post Office Restaurant
Southern and Lowcountry restaurant housed in a former Bluffton post office building.
A Lowcountry Backyard Restaurant
Casual Southern and Lowcountry comfort-food restaurant.
Kenny B’s French Quarter Cafe
Cajun and Creole restaurant on Hilton Head Island.
The Mainland Dining Scene
Squat N Gobble Cafe
Casual breakfast and lunch diner in Old Town Bluffton.
FARM Bluffton
Farm-to-table Southern restaurant in Old Town Bluffton.
Southern Barrel Brewing Co.
Craft brewery and taproom serving pub food.
Cahill’s Chicken Kitchen
Casual farm restaurant known for fried chicken.
Old Town Dispensary
Gastropub known for burgers and bar fare in Old Town Bluffton.
Easygoing Everyday Spots
Poseidon Coastal Cuisine
Casual coastal-cuisine restaurant in Coligny Plaza.
Reilley’s Grill & Bar
Casual American sports-bar-style restaurant with two island locations.
Java Burrito Co.
Casual burrito and coffee shop with locations on the island and in Bluffton.
Coco’s on the Beach
Casual oceanfront restaurant and bar at Coligny Beach.
One Hot Mama’s All American Grill
Casual BBQ and wings restaurant with a bar and live music.
Morning Standbys
Skillets Cafe
Casual all-day breakfast, lunch, and dinner restaurant with multiple island locations.
Frosty Frog Cafe
Casual breakfast, lunch, and dinner cafe in Coligny Plaza.
Nightlife Dining
The Jazz Corner
Live jazz supper club with dinner and cocktails in the Village at Wexford.
Tiki Hut
Oceanfront tiki bar with live music at the Holiday Inn Oceanfront Resort.
Quarterdeck
Waterfront bar and restaurant with live music overlooking Harbour Town Yacht Basin.
Wild Wing Cafe
Casual chicken-wing and bar restaurant known for live music.
Pizza, Pasta & Trattorias
Giuseppi’s Pizza and Pasta
Casual pizza and pasta restaurant with multiple island locations.
Mellow Mushroom
Casual pizza chain restaurant location on Hilton Head Island.
Nunzio Italian Bistro
Italian trattoria near the Village at Wexford.
Mexican & Japanese
San Miguel’s Mexican Restaurant
Casual Mexican restaurant in Sea Pines Center.
Sakura of Japan
Japanese hibachi and sushi restaurant on Hilton Head Island.
Amigo’s Cafe y Cantina
Casual Mexican restaurant in Bluffton.
Cafes & Chocolatiers
The Cottage Cafe, Bakery & Tea Room
Southern-style bakery and tea room in Old Town Bluffton.
Corner Perk Cafe
Coffeehouse and light-fare cafe in Old Town Bluffton.
Downtown Deli & Donuts
Casual deli and donut shop in Old Town Bluffton.
Eclipse Chocolate Bar & Bistro
Chocolatier and dessert/wine bar in Bluffton.
Signe’s Heaven Bound Bakery & Cafe
Bakery-cafe known for baked goods and breakfast/lunch fare.
Dining Tips for This Area
- Book ahead during RBC Heritage week (April) and summer peak season. Waterfront restaurants fill up fast during these stretches.
- Old Town Bluffton is a real dining destination, not just a drive-through. It’s a short drive from the island with its own distinct, less resort-driven food scene.
- Many upscale restaurants sit inside Sea Pines Center or the Village at Wexford — worth pairing a dinner reservation with a stroll through the shops.
- Hours and menus change often at smaller, independent restaurants. Every listing here was checked where possible, but call ahead to confirm before a special trip.
What’s the best waterfront restaurant on Hilton Head Island?
Skull Creek Boathouse and Old Oyster Factory are two of the most established waterfront seafood restaurants, both overlooking Broad Creek/Skull Creek with sunset views.
Is Bluffton worth a dinner trip from Hilton Head?
Yes — Old Town Bluffton has its own distinct dining scene along the May River, including farm-to-table Southern food, a craft brewery, and long-running local spots like Squat N Gobble Cafe.
Where can I get fresh local seafood on Hilton Head?
Hudson’s Seafood House on the Docks and Bluffton Oyster Company both operate directly on working docks, sourcing seafood locally rather than through a distributor.
How does NME choose which restaurants to feature?
We verify each restaurant against its own official site where possible and exclude anything we can’t confirm firsthand — including several candidates flagged during research as unverifiable. Read more on our methodology page.
Know a Restaurant We Missed?
If you know a great restaurant on Hilton Head Island or in Bluffton we’re missing, email us and we’ll take a look.
Heading to Hilton Head Island?
See the full trip guide — where to stay and what to do, organized the same way, by area.
