When you arrive, get the RESTAURANT GUIDE near the front desk (not the small booklet, but the regular printer-paper sized magazine, about half inch thick). It will have most of the restaurants with their menus, but not all.
Also make sure to check that link above to also view some menus.....you may eliminate a few due to lack of things you're in the mood for. I like the restaurant guide because you can take it to your condo and review it over and over, and don't have to get online every time you want to peruse it.....Also has maps.
some of the better restaurants don't advertise in there, so for those, find menus on their websites. Just google the names.
You will also LOVE Alexander's in Palmetto Dunes.....a place we have recently revisited after being absent a while (for no particular reason) , and it's wonderful....quite romantic. I'd suggest long pants, tho, but not mandatory. It's casual, but slightly more dressy casual, as would be Charlie's L'Etoile Verte, Old Fort Pub, Crane's Tavern, Sunset Grille, Santa Fe, The Studio, Redfish, etc. Reservations HIGHLY recommended at all of those. For a chain, Bonefish is nice.
also see this old thread on TUG
http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=69854&highlight=hilton+head+restaurants
Wanted to add to my own previous post above in "restaurant" category. Currently at HH again. I know we beat like a dead horse the "HH restaurant" issue, but I feel obligated to add stuff whenever it's relevant.
Couple things: Many have said Santa Fe has "gone downhill" in recent years, but after about 8 or 9 visits this summer alone, it remains consistently outstanding to me. And we've been dining there often for many years, even in the "good old days". Food is still fantastic----nothing beats the Cowboy Cut Rib Chop (bone-in ribeye) and the grouper (their still-amazing signature dish). My steak this week was as good as any
i've ever had.
Despite some others' perceptions, Santa Fe stays packed, and joyously so. I see no one complaining or having anything but a wonderful time. There are surely exceptions, I'm sure, but it's 99.9% great. Even the finest restaurants in New York or Paris have their moments. So many variables in that business, and that includes the patrons. As for Santa Fe, I even heard Grande Ocean's Pool Bar Jim today recommend Santa Fe to a guy and wife sitting there oceanside---his exact words were "You'll love it"---- and Jim's a local.)
What really prompted my comments here, tho, was a post saying the Boathouse restaurant was not good, and I beg to differ. We visited it FOR THE FIRST TIME tonight , and we were totally taken aback at how wonderful it was. Don't know exactly what i was expecting, but it wasn't a rave .....Nevertheless, we were "just trying it", since it just re-opened in February. Previously it was The Boathouse, then Boathouse II, now it's called Skull Creek Boathouse....managed by SERG Restaurant Group (Frankie Bones, Black Marlin, etc). To my total surprise, food was extremely good and perfectly prepared, service was outstanding (and I watched others closely), and the view was better than any other restaurant on the island, EXCEPT on par with my two favorite views of Sunset Grille and Old Fort Pub.......so, it was just as nice).
Menu, contrary to a previous poster, was amazing (if she didn't like the menu, then which one would she EVER like?) -----as large as, or the largest selection on the island, and that's a true statement. Frankie Bones has a huge menu selection, but this one is larger. Nice selection of fresh fish, option of grilled, broiled, or fried-----plus option of sauce, topping, etc, if desired). 3 kinds of crab legs (King, Dungeness, Snow), shrimp (5 ways), scallops, oysters (plus oysters Rockefeller apps), clam strips, mussels, etc.....all have option of how prepared. And two seafood platters. Good steak and beef selections available too, plus combinations. 15 or more awesome appetizers, many salads & sandwiches, etc.
Took a while to decide, which is unusual for me. I ordered the Blackened Swordfish, which was huge, with side of grits, and Broiled Lobster Tail added ( 'cause I've been a good boy). Wife had petite portion of salmon, and had to ask when served "if that was the petite one?".....yes, that was the petite one. It looked like it should have been the large one.
Service was great.....had experienced wait staff, which was very noticeable, and everything was done right. Each was responsible for only a small area (good management), and was then able to take great care of their tables----I watched!!! Can't wait to go back, frankly. Want to take my kids and our friends. We are very picky.
Everyone's food we saw was delivered promptly, was steaming hot (makes for great swordfish and lobster), and we just had a blast discovering a very good seafood restaurant. Immediately it's our favorite SEAFOOD restaurant.
Fun place too....has several areas to dine inside-----one like a diner with booths, one like a high-top table area with big-screen TV's, one like a bar, and one traditional "by window". Has large outdoor deck with water view, and another bar area. It was absolutely slam-packed. We were told "45 minute wait" but were seated in 20....also, valet parking was a big help (tip only).
So, I hope it's going to stay consistently great, but from all we can tell from our initial visit, it's definitely on our short list to return every time we're at HH. It's not a fine dining white tablecloth restaurant (we like those too) ----but it's not meant to be------but it is quite close to that in food quality and service, except for the casual and fun atmosphere. It's a happy place. I'm going to go out on a limb and put in on my favorites list for HH, and wanted everyone else (whoever listens) to at least know my/our opinion. Anyone else who previously "didn't like the menu and didn't like the food" was maybe ....well.....who knows.
We also tried the next door newly-opened Chart House, and it was also very good. We will go back, but think it'll take a few visits to give it a fair opinion----was hard to tell because it's more of a fine dining place, and we wish to try more of their specialty items. What we had was good, tho. Great view also, and beautiful interior decor. Great service, too. You can tell they are serious about your liking everything----they were really trying. Outside dining also available....same gorgeous view as Boathouse. Old Chart House of 30 years ago not related except in name.....but moved, now in location of old Charlie's Crab.
Trying more new stuff all this week. Stay tuned. Always a couple new places here each year. We didn't venture out back in June when we were here for 3 weeks, but now it's just wife and me, and we can experiment.....(ahem....) Beach remains the same, and all the pelicans still know me, so I'm happy. jme
