10 Best Restaurants in Hilton Head and the Low Country, South Carolina

If you're looking for a fun, casual, kid-friendly seafood restaurant, this vibrant joint offers creamy crab bisque, oysters on the half shell, and a sampler platter that includes crab legs, shrimp, and oysters. Open daily for lunch and dinner, plus a Sunday brunch, Captain Woody's has indoor and outdoor seating. A second location in Bluffton features a rooftop deck.

Surrounded by Mardi Gras memorabilia, owner Kenny himself cooks up jambalaya, gumbo, and muffaletta sandwiches at this family-run, Cajun-inspired restaurant that has been serving locals and tourists since 1999. The extensive menu also features Southern staples such as crab cakes and shrimp and grits.

This outpost, with its rough-hewn tables facing the water, serves up Gullah-inspired fare with specialties such as Daufuskie deviled crab and chicken salad on buttery grilled rolls. Entrées include shrimp and local seafood, while the Lowcountry buffet features pulled pork, fried chicken, and sides like butter beans and potato salad.

This barbecue joint has an upbeat atmosphere, colorful walls, multiple flat-screen TVs, and an outdoor patio with a big brick fireplace. With baby back ribs, award-winning pulled pork sandwiches, great burgers, and a fun kids' menu, you should expect to bring your appetite to One Hot Mama's. There is a location on the south end of the island, and also one in Bluffton.

Soak up the salty atmosphere in this complex of dining areas where almost every table has a view of the water. Outside is a third dining area and a bar called the Marker 13 Buoy Bar, where Adirondack chairs invite you to sit back, listen to live music, and catch the sunset.

When a restaurant keeps its customers happy for decades, there's a reason, and in the case of Truffles, it's the consistently good service and excellent food. Popular entrées include grilled salmon with a mango-barbecue glaze and the chicken pot pie. Order meals to-go or enjoy the indoor and outdoor seating available. A second spot is located in Belfair Towne Village in Bluffton.