Diners' Choice: Lively restaurants in Hilton Head

OpenTable

Updated December 05, 2024

Looking for restaurants that have the most vibrant bar scenes in Hilton Head? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Ruby Lee's

4.8

4.8 (360)

$31 to $50

Southern

Hilton Head Island

About the restaurant

The new Ruby Lee’s on Wild Horse!
The new Ruby Lee’s offers more of what patrons of Hilton Head Island have come to love and expect in the past: delicious southern cooking and a comfortable yet stimulating atmosphere that offers the perfect way to enjoy sports or outstanding blues, jazz and soul from local and regional artists. If you’re not familiar with Ruby Lee’s, it’s a locally owned restaurant, started by Tim Singleton (known to Low-country residents as an athlete and head coach). The restaurant is named for Singleton’s late grandmother who is the inspiration for the Southern-style menu. The new and revamped version of the original; yet it still captures the Southern feel-good themes that have an uncanny way of making you hungry for fried chicken, shrimp and grits, corn bread, and sweet tea the moment you walk in the door. If, for some reason, you’re not quite ready to eat after walking in the door of Ruby Lee’s, you’ll notice a pang of hunger once you look at the menu.

Top review

Monroe

Dined on Dec 18, 2024

Great food. It was a slow Wednesday night so we got special attention from the owner.

River House - Montage Palmetto Bluff

4.8

4.8 (398)

$50 and over

American

Bluffton

About the restaurant

River House does have a dressy casual dress code consisting of no shorts, flip flops, baseball hats or tank tops in the dining room for the gentlemen. Comparable attire for the ladies. Children under 16 are exempt. We do offer complimentary pants to guests that may need them.
River House corkage policy is a maximum of 3 bottles per reservation without management consent at $35 per bottle.
River House has a 24-hour cancellation and No-Show Policy consisting of $25 per person plus a 18% SVC Charge.

In the South, there’s an intimate connection between the table and the land. Our fertile soil feeds corn and cattle. The palmettos provide cover for quail and game. And the ocean provides its bounty with the incoming tide. The River House is a culinary celebration of this relationship and our professed love for the land and waters of the Lowcountry.

Top review

KimVIP

Dined 3 days ago

Excellent food. Our second time there. We requested Bryce for our server since he was amazing the first time. He is amazing. Wonderful ambience.

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Popular dish

Venison Tenderloin

Experience

Thomas Rivers Brown Wine Dinner

Red Fish - Hilton Head

4.7

4.7 (5593)

$31 to $50

Seafood

Hilton Head Island

About the restaurant

Red Fish specializes in excellent seafood and steaks. A recipient of Wine Spectator Magazine's Best of Award of Excellence since 2001, Red Fish offers over 1300 wines from around the world for you to choose in our retail shop to enjoy with your meal (with a small corkage fee) or to take home.

Top review

MichaelVIP

Dined 5 days ago

Always excellent. Great dinner choices. Seabass was well prepared and very good. Salmon also great. The halibut special was just a touch dry. Good salads and traditional desserts. We always enjoy coming the Red Fish.

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4.7

4.7 (1347)

$30 and under

American

Beaufort

About the restaurant

Wren Bistro & Bar is a hip neighborhood restaurant that boasts a relaxing, yet upscale environment. We serve delectible dishes with locally grown ingredients, unique micro brews and carefully selected wines. Wren is located in the heart of historic downtown Beaufort, South Carolina. Join us for lunch or dinner, or have a relaxing beverage at our inviting bar. See you soon!

Top review

Huett

Dined 6 days ago

Great service, great food, great location and so much fun!

Poseidon-Hilton Head Island

4.6

4.6 (4203)

$30 and under

Seafood

Hilton Head Island

About the restaurant

From our fresh catch items to our "Coast-to-Coast" entrees, we have the best selection of seafood, steaks and much more! Coastal cuisine highlighting wonderfully realized use of local and seasonal ingredients; with skillful service by an informative staff. Poseidon continues to impress with its phenomenal high-caliber dishes especially the melt-in-your-mouth Grilled Gulf Grouper. Check out our "The World Is Your Oyster" Raw bar, whether you are an oyster aficionado, or not, it is worth it to visit. Pair with a cold glass of white wine and you're in raw bar heaven. Poseidon's unique waterfront site at Shelter Cove Towne Centre overlooks broad creek, allowing for some of the best water and sunset views on Hilton Head. from our outside nautibar to the inside "the world is your oyster" raw bar, and upstairs rooftop bar, Poseidon offers something special for everyone!

Top review

carmenVIP

Dined 1 day ago

Awesome food and prices for brunch. We always love our visits to Poseidon

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Popular dish

She Crab Soup

Chophouse 119

4.6

4.6 (435)

$50 and over

Steakhouse

Hilton Head Island

About the restaurant

Chophouse 119 pays homage to the original New York dining experience, the Steakhouse. We have captured the nostalgic glamour of yesteryear and adapted the ambiance to today’s modern society. Chophouse 119 combines bold flavors and a unique style to create a twist on American classics.

Prime steaks, exceptional seafood, pastas, roasted chicken and signature dishes, showcase the bold, vibrant flavors this team are known for delivering. Our restaurant sources from the finest meat purveyors finding seasonal and local ingredients that bring our unique dishes to life.

The intimate Bar 119 is a lively meeting place offering new spins on the classics, as well as innovative bespoke and craft cocktails.

Offering a new spin on the classics with the experience we are all looking for, don’t miss the ultimate night out.

Top review

Joseph

Dined 3 days ago

BRING CASH: If you use any kind of electronic payment they add 3.5% to the bill. There were 5 people in the party. The service was absolutely impeccable. The food was amazing⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ We are local and we will go again with cash.

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Popular dish

New York Strip

Frankie Bones - Bluffton

4.5

4.5 (2283)

$30 and under

American

Bluffton

About the restaurant

A walk through the doors into the fabulous Frankie Bones Restaurant & Lounge takes you back to the carefree style of the early 1960s and t's restaurants in the big cities across America. Frankie Bones serves coveted American-Italian cuisine seven days a week and is located next to WiseGuys on Main Street on Hilton Head Island and off Buckwalter Parkway in Bluffton. Lunch at Frankie Bones is about signature sandwiches, homemade soups, fresh seafood, crisp flatbreads, entrée salads, and premium pasta dishes. Always fresh and always fabulous! Served from 11 AM until 4 PM, Monday through Saturday, Frankie Bones is the perfect atmosphere for a business or family lunch.

Top review

Brenda

Dined 6 days ago

Awesome as usual!! Great food, service, and enjoyable.

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Popular dish

Pork Schnitzel

CRUDO Bluffton

4.5

4.5 (61)

$30 and under

Seafood

Bluffton

About the restaurant

We source the freshest possible seafood and produce available from dedicated farmers and fishermen. Our chefs take great care in using the finest ingredients available and looks forward to creating your new favorite dishes.
Try one of our delicious craft cocktails or a time honored classic that is treated with respect to tradition. Highly allocated Bourbon and Tequila play a prominent role on our back bar.

We are committed to finding great bottles from all over the world made by vignerons and farmers, not factories. Featuring the Verre de Vin tower, we can offer a greater variety of wines by the glass including Cru class Champagne! Come see what Certified Sommelier Brian Behnke has available.

Top review

Brian

Dined 3 days ago

Great food. Wonderful service Friendly staff a good place for a special occasion or just a night out.

Calhoun Street Tavern

4.3

4.3 (291)

$30 and under

Southern

Bluffton

About the restaurant

A comfortable room where fine spirits are drank, laughs are had, and stories are told. A public house for travelers and locals alike. Cold beer, classic cocktails, and familiar faces are just the start of it.

We strive to offer Old Town Bluffton, SC a timeless neighborhood watering hole just a couple blocks from the bluff. Paired with a chef driven menu of southern plates, thoughtful service and comforting lowcountry classic food.

After a swell day on the river or a rough one at work, bring a friend or come alone. Whatever you do... pull up a stool and stay awhile.

You are home.

Top review

Alyssa

Dined 2 days ago

Mahi Mahi sandwich was delicious!! Loved the service and environment here!!

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