Looking for the best Hilton Head Island restaurants for your family? There are tons of options for outdoor dining in Hilton Head with the family. We’ve been going to Hilton Head Island, SC for 35+ years, so we’ve done plenty of research on this subject, especially with kids and big groups.
During peak vacation season, the island is crowded, so expect waits. Your best bets are to:
⏰ Go early, expect a hefty wait and pack patience
🍹 Send a happy hour crew to put your name on the waitlist
🗒️ Call early in the day to see if they accept call ahead seating & get your name on the list
🥜 Give the kids, and the hangry crew a snack in the car, or get an app when you get there
💻 Some places accept reservation, so be sure to try early, even before you arrive on the island
🌱 Try takeout and enjoy on your patio
🎲 Check out my mom hacks for dining out with kids.
Looking for a good Happy Hour? Check out this Happy Hour on Hilton Head Island via Travel + Leisure.
The SERG Restaurant Group
This restaurant group offers a variety of restaurants. From fresh catch seafood to BBQ to pizza, mexican and more, there is literally something for everyone here. Click here to find the full list of SERG Restaurants.
The SERG Loyalty Program
If you plan to visit more than one restaurant in this collect, definitely get the loyalty program. It works like an app, but it’s NOT available in the app store. Click here for step by step instructions to sign up for the loyalty program.
Using this ‘app’, you can:
Make Reservations
Order Takeout – they have family meals too!
Earn Points for %off your meal
Find Restaurants and Locations
Hilton Head Restaurants | Great Seafood
There are a TON of Seafood Restaurants on the Island, but I do have my favorites.
Fishcamp on Broad Creek 11 Simmons Road, Hilton Head Island, SC, 29926, 843.842.2267 — is a family favorite. The food is fantastic and the atmosphere is VERY Carolina low country. This is part of the CRAB restaurant group and they have an app too!
☀️ Views of Broad Creek
☀️ Often live music
☀️ Lounge seating and the Fishcamp ‘boat’ to enjoy while you wait for dinner
☀️ Majority of the seating is outdoors
☀️ Reservations accepted for INDOORS only. Call ahead seating available. Expect waits over 1hr in the peak season
A Lowcountry Backyard 32 Palmetto Bay Road • Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 • 843-785-YARD (9273) — is a great option. The name says it all, it has a backyard feel.
☀️ No views
☀️ Often live music
☀️ Backyard games for the kids to play while you wait for dinner
☀️ Send the happy hour crew to put your name on the list. Wait starts about 5:30
☀️ Seating indoors and outdoors, but restaurant is quaint
Skull Creek Boathouse and Skull Creek Dockside 397 Squire Pope Road HHI, SC, 29926, 843.681.3663 — is a great option for casual seafood with a lowcountry vibe. These sister restaurants are part of the SERG group and are right next to each other, so it’s easy to float back and forth between them. Menus are similar, but there are distinct offerings at each. Click the links above to see the menus.
🕔 Expect wait times between 1-2 hours, even if you get there at 4:30pm. It’s part of the experience.
☀️ Seating indoors and out with reservations accepted at Skull Creek DOCKSIDE only for indoors when via Open Table.
☀️ Great views and sunsets right on the docks overlooking some great fishing boats
☀️ Happy Hour food & drink specials at both the Boathouse and Dockside 4-7pm
☀️ Hightop tables near the bar at the Boathouse AND Dockside are first come first serve and you can order the full menu there. We enjoy getting there early to put our name in and then getting apps like peel n eat shrimp or bacon hush puppies to share. Then the kids play while we wait.
☀️ Tons of games like ping pong, foozeball, cornhole and an outdoor boat playhouse for the kids.
☀️ Plenty of adirondack chairs to enjoy a cocktail and the live music while you wait for dinner (check music schedule here)
☀️ Tons of souvenirs and fun kid cups.
The Old Oyster Factory 101 Marshland Road
Hilton Head Island, SC 29926, 843.681.6040 — is a great option for kid-friendly seafood with a lowcountry vibe.
☀️ Great views and sunsets over Broad Creek
☀️ Happy Hour food & drink specials
☀️ Seating indoors and outdoors with reservations accepted for indoor dining.
Hudson’s 1 Hudson Road • Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
29926 (843)-681-2772 — is a great option for fresh seafood with a kids menu and waterfront view as you are dining ON the dock.
☀️ Great views and sunsets
☀️ Fresh catch daily
☀️ No Reservations or call ahead
Poseidon 38 Shelter Cove Lane, Shelter Cove Towne Centre
HHI, SC 29928, 843.341.3838 — is a great option for casual seafood.
☀️ No views, except the Rooftop bar, which is 21+ at times
☀️ Excellent Happy Hour food specials
☀️ No games, but the restaurant is in a shopping complex and there is sometimes entertainment in the complex
☀️ Seating indoors and outdoors, but outdoor tables are hightops
Hilton Head Restaurants | Great TAKEOUT
Barnacle Bill’s Fresh Seafood 614 William Hilton Pkwy, Hilton Head Island, SC 2992, 843.785.9007 — is the best option for seafood takeout, particularly FRESH catch. Grab a couple pounds of shrimp to make a lowcountry boil at home or have some shrimp cocktail before you head to dinner.
☀️ Fresh catch options daily
☀️ Food trucks onsite for cooked options
☀️ Prices meet or better than Kroger
One Hot Mama’s 1 Greenwood Dr #7A, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928, 843-815-6262 — is the a great option for BBQ takeout.
☀️ Pulled pork, ribs and all the fixins
☀️ Options available starting at 2-3 people
☀️ Great options to have leftovers for lunch
SERG Restaurant Group Family Takeout — there are about 10 different places to choose from, with several options at each place.
☀️ Italian options from Frankie Bones
☀️ Mahi Tacos and other items from the Black Marlin
☀️ Mexican meals from Holy Tequila
☀️ Great options for groups large and small
Hilton Head Restaurants | Brunch and Lunch Options
Many of the SERG Restaurants have lunch specials and rewards that you find on their app – see above. Honestly, lunch is a great time to go enjoy a meal and avoid the crowds.
We LOVE Coco’s on the Beach 663 William Hilton Pkwy, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 — this is best accessed from the beach – beach marker #94 A, Coco’s is at the end of boardwalk on the beach. We ride our bikes from Palmetto Dunes and wear beach coverups. It’s VERY casual!
☀️ The burgers are EPIC and everything is inspired by the Ohio owners, so it feels like home for some
☀️ Cold drinks are flowing
☀️ All tables are high top, FYI if you have littles
☀️ They have a sand volleyball court, so bring a ball
The Dunes House 14 Dune House Ln, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 — it’s in Palmetto Dunes is a great casual restaurant for lunch. You can walk up from the beach with a coverup or ride your bike there. It’s VERY casual!
☀️ Great fish tacos and burgers
☀️ Ocean views from the deck
The French Bakery SHELTER COVE 28 Shelter Cove Ln, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 – it’s in Shelter Cove Towne Center and is a great casual restaurant for brunch or a place to pick up treats for your crew back at the condo.
☀️ Chocolate croissants are AMAZING
☀️ Traditional French Quiche
☀️ Traditional French Pastries
Shelter Cover is a great place to shop and eat. There are 2 sections: Shelter Cove Marina and Shelter Cover Towne Center. The marina has water views and tons of great boats to see in the harbour. The Towne Center has new upscale shops and restaurants.
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