Marty's HHI Restaurant Thread [Ongoing - Post #896 Update]

[JIMinNC]

It could literally eliminate a 2 hour wait at Skull Creek Boathouse, usually the most crowded place on the island.
These places limit this privilege to Marriott guests exclusively.

Interestingly, last fall when we stayed at the new HGVC Ocean Oak, the concierge there was able to do the same call ahead seating at Skull Creek Boathouse as Marriott. So they have apparently also been given that same privilege.

 

[jme]

Interestingly, last fall when we stayed at the new HGVC Ocean Oak, the concierge there was able to do the same call ahead seating at Skull Creek Boathouse as Marriott. So they have apparently also been given that same privilege.

Excellent. Glad to know.
Just curious, did they also extend the discount?

 

[JIMinNC]

Excellent. Glad to know.
Just curious, did they also extend the discount?

I don't remember, to be honest.

 

[Sugarcubesea]

And don't forget, if anyone is staying at a Marriott, the SERG restaurants offer the Marriott 10% discount (10% of entrees only).
It helps.

Also, if staying at a Marriott and you want a restaurant that doesn't offer reservations,
USE THE CONCIERGE for "call-ahead seating"......you'll typically be seated in less than 10 minutes,
when otherwise it could be 30-120 minutes, depending on where you are.
It could literally eliminate a 2 hour wait at Skull Creek Boathouse, usually the most crowded place on the island.
These places limit this privilege to Marriott guests exclusively.

LATE EDIT: And as JIMinNC adds in post #301, Hilton guests at Ocean Oak also
get call-ahead seating through their concierge. Good info.

Dang, I might need to buy a Mariott...those are some nice perks...Thanks for all of the help

 

[Sugarcubesea]

Can anyone give me a reccommendation to find cheap beach towels and beach toys close to Shipyard?

There is a Walmart about 15 minutes away by car.

I ended up finding super cheap beach towels at the Old Navy in the outlet mall. I paid $2.99 each

 

[Fasttr]

I have not seen on the list Ocean Lounge located at the Sea Pines Beach Club upstairs above Coast which is next to the Monarch. (https://www.seapines.com/dining/sea-pines-beach-club/ocean-lounge.aspx) It is for 21 and older only. We had a fantastic meal with friends of ours sitting at the window table overlooking the ocean. The fish dishes were the best we have had on the island and we have been coming for 12 years. We use Marty's list and recommend to people who rent our home to use it to. Another newer one to try is the early bird at Live oak even with teens and tweens was good food, service and value. Our can't decide where to go places are Java burrito and Crave by Daniels. Crave has a bogo early bird till 6 which is consistently good food.

Another thumbs up for the Ocean Lounge upstairs at the Sea Pines Beach Club. On Tuesday and Thursday nights from 7-9p, they have a jazz trio that makes for a fun night by adding live music to a great meal. The restaurant/lounge is small, so ressie's are a must a few days in advance for the jazz nights. There is bar seating also that you could come in later after eating elsewhere to enjoy the music that way as well.

 

[jme]

Another thumbs up for the Ocean Lounge upstairs at the Sea Pines Beach Club. On Tuesday and Thursday nights from 7-9p, they have a jazz trio that makes for a fun night by adding live music to a great meal. The restaurant/lounge is small, so ressie's are a must a few days in advance for the jazz nights. There is bar seating also that you could come in later after eating elsewhere to enjoy the music that way as well.

Very nice spot......it's on my list already (see COAST) and has been a good while....but there are a couple of other places I need to add soon.

Headed to Italy next week, so it'll have to wait a bit.
Also been busy lately working and haven't had time to sit down and write it all up. Things change with the restaurant scene at HH,
as everywhere, so it's a constant, never-ending endeavor.
Won't be back at HH for a good while, probably January, but there are a couple of additional places I need to visit personally to see if they can go on the list.

 

[Sugarcubesea]

Very nice spot......it's on my list already (see COAST) and has been a good while....but there are a couple of other places I need to add soon.

Headed to Italy next week, so it'll have to wait a bit.
Also been busy lately working and haven't had time to sit down and write it all up. Things change with the restaurant scene at HH,
as everywhere, so it's a constant, never-ending endeavor.
Won't be back at HH for a good while, probably January, but there are a couple of additional places I need to visit personally to see if they can go on the list.

Have fun in Italy and your restaurant guide sure helped me out this summer, thanks so much for all of the work you put into it...

 

[Superchief]

Having recently retired, I am now trying to make the most of my travel, restaurant, and wine budget. We now tend to eat a lot of dinners using carryout so we can enjoy good wine at an affordable price. Restaurant wine prices have become predatory, and I can typically get a good bottle at Costco or Total Wine for the cost of a glass at the restaurant. We can typically have 3 meals carryout for the cost of one meal in the restaurant. This also eliminates driving after drinking, and our timeshare balconies are typically much nicer eating venues than the crowded restaurants.

These reviews of restaurants are extremely helpful. I'd be interested in learning more about restaurants that do a good job of carryouts. Thanks.

 

[JIMinNC]

Headed to Italy next week, so it'll have to wait a bit.

Have fun in Italy. We just got back from a cruise that stopped in Santa Margherita, Livorno (Florence/Pisa/Tuscany), and Rome. Where are you going? We are already planning to go back to Tuscany in May 2020 if we can get a week at the HGVC Borgo all Vigne in Tuscany when those bookings open up 9-months out. Loved the Tuscan countryside. Did a wine tasting tour and bought three cases of Tuscan wine to be shipped home!

Since this is a restaurant thread, if you will be in Rome, on our last night in Rome, on recommendation of our driver from the port, we ate at Taverna Trilussa, at Via del Politeama, 23. It was our best meal of the trip. A little out of the main tourist zone, and very good. The wine was amazing - Colline San Biagio, Sancti Blasii 2011. It was so smooth! I think it was a Merlot/Sangiovese blend if I recall correctly. Wish it was available in the states.

 

[jont]

Very nice spot......it's on my list already (see COAST) and has been a good while....but there are a couple of other places I need to add soon.

Headed to Italy next week, so it'll have to wait a bit.
Also been busy lately working and haven't had time to sit down and write it all up. Things change with the restaurant scene at HH,
as everywhere, so it's a constant, never-ending endeavor.
Won't be back at HH for a good while, probably January, but there are a couple of additional places I need to visit personally to see if they can go on the list.

Will an Italian edition of your restaurant guide be forthcoming anytime soon?

 

[jme]

Will an Italian edition of your restaurant guide be forthcoming anytime soon?

Yes, indeed, my good friend.

It'll be called Ciao Hound.

 

[Superchief]

I'm confident you will enjoy your culinary experiences in Italy. When I travelled extensively to Europe, I never had a bad meal in Italy. Enjoy a glass of Brunelo with fresh Parmesan.

 

[JIMinNC]

Just got back from an impromptu long weekend in Hilton Head to enjoy 85 degree weather in October (stayed again at the Westin Hotel) and tried Coast in Sea Pines Beach Club for the first time. Agree that it's a winner. Great ambiance and food. We had reservations for the open air "indoor" section but were at the first table inside looking out at the patio tables.

 

[Superchief]

I'm in Hilton Head now for the next 3+ weeks and look forward to trying many restaurants. The concierge her provided me information regarding a new SERG Takeout kitchen. This is great for people (like me) who enjoy high quality take out food to eat on the balcony with a good bottle of wine. SERG Takeout sells fresh frozen meals Mon-Fri 10 am - 5pm, and special hot prepared meals Wed-Fri 2-5. The menu items are primarily comfort foods (pot pies, pasta, shrimp and grits, Frankie Bones meatballs, BBQ Pulled pork, meat loaf and pot roast. Hot foods vary by night. They also have Key lime pie ($15 for whole pie). Prices are about $16 for 2 servings. I'll provide more information after trying. 12 Capital Dr. 843-682-3663.

I'm looking forward to trying Sue's recommendation: TJ's Take & Bake pizza, tomorrow night.

On a related note (exercise to eat): There is now a new Planet Fitness in Bluffton, about 15 minutes from SurfWatch. Now I don't need to worry about the workout rooms at the resorts.

 

[Steve A]

Looks like Darren Clarke’s has closed.

 

[JIMinNC]

Looks like Darren Clarke’s has closed.

Not really surprised. We ate there back in the early summer, and on a Friday night there were only a handful of people there. We were the only people in the section they seated us. Food and service were very good, but it's a weird vibe to be eating in an almost empty place.

 

[DannyMc]

I'm in Hilton Head now for the next 3+ weeks and look forward to trying many restaurants. The concierge her provided me information regarding a new Sage Takeout kitchen. This is great for people (like me) who enjoy high quality take out food to eat on the balcony with a good bottle of wine. Sage Takeout sells fresh frozen meals Mon-Fri 10 am - 5pm, and special hot prepared meals Wed-Fri 2-5. The menu items are primarily comfort foods (pot pies, pasta, shrimp and grits, Frankie Bones meatballs, BBQ Pulled pork, meat loaf and pot roast. Hot foods vary by night. They also have Key lime pie ($15 for whole pie). Prices are about $16 for 2 servings. I'll provide more information after trying. 12 Capital Dr. 843-682-3663.

I'm looking forward to trying Sue's recommendation: TJ's Take & Bake pizza, tomorrow night.

On a related note (exercise to eat): There is now a new Planet Fitness in Bluffton, about 15 minutes from SurfWatch. Now I don't need to worry about the workout rooms at the resorts.

I think you mean SERG Takeout Kitchen.

 

[Superchief]

I think you mean SERG Takeout Kitchen.

Thanks. I need to check for typos before I post. I edited it.

 

[jme]

Happy New Year, my hungry TUG friends.

I have just updated my personal Hilton Head Restaurant Guide with additions, deletions, and tweaks.
Although changes were very few, they mostly occurred in the "Fine Dining" section.

For the UPDATED VERSION,
go to Page 7 of this thread, & see posts #164 & 165.

*Note regarding the list, restated again:
It's my own personal list so it reflects my own opinion. It's not an exhaustive review,
as there are a few places I still need to visit, but as much as I could, I covered way more
than anyone actually needs to know to live in bliss for many years at Hilton Head,
recording the good and discarding the bad, questionable, or inconsistent.

I believe each individual review to be accurate, and overall I believe it contains the best spots
you and your family, or you and your spouse, might enjoy on one trip or return trips.
For a couple, alone or with friends, HH has so many wonderful, romantic places that it's
difficult to decide sometimes.

My goal remains to simplify the "Where shall we dine this week?" dilemma, and in offering choices,
to be discerning and discriminating, leading to experiences that always satisfy.

That said, "life happens", so once in a while a recommended restaurant may not
live up to expectations or to my description (it's THEIR fault, right?), so please know that exceptions
are inherent in the restaurant business. But the ones listed, imho, have far less of a chance
of that happening than in other guides I've read or that appear online.

(Some guides or lists use data that skews everything, like a "Top Ten" list where # 5 is the local
Waffle House or greasy burger joint---- obviously listed because of "the rule of the masses",
whereby any place because of general popularity can slip in. But the masses don't rule here,
so you can pretty much count on a solid list.)

As always, a HUGE thanks to SueDonJ for deleting the old version and adding the updated one.
As busy as she is, she remains tireless & selfless in willing to spend a few minutes for the benefit of the group.

Thank you, Susan.
Enjoy, Marty

 

[JIMinNC]

Thanks Marty. We've always found your recommendations to be spot-on. I just counted and we've tried at least 20 of the spots on your list, but so many more to go. The toughest thing is wanting to try new, but still wanting to visit our favorites. The dining is one of our favorite parts of Hilton Head.

 

[Fasttr]

 

[SueDonJ]

I'm in Hilton Head now for the next 3+ weeks and look forward to trying many restaurants. The concierge her provided me information regarding a new SERG Takeout kitchen. This is great for people (like me) who enjoy high quality take out food to eat on the balcony with a good bottle of wine. SERG Takeout sells fresh frozen meals Mon-Fri 10 am - 5pm, and special hot prepared meals Wed-Fri 2-5. The menu items are primarily comfort foods (pot pies, pasta, shrimp and grits, Frankie Bones meatballs, BBQ Pulled pork, meat loaf and pot roast. Hot foods vary by night. They also have Key lime pie ($15 for whole pie). Prices are about $16 for 2 servings. I'll provide more information after trying. 12 Capital Dr. 843-682-3663.

I'm looking forward to trying Sue's recommendation: TJ's Take & Bake pizza, tomorrow night.

On a related note (exercise to eat): There is now a new Planet Fitness in Bluffton, about 15 minutes from SurfWatch. Now I don't need to worry about the workout rooms at the resorts.

This is the first I've heard of it and I'm looking forward to making good use of SERG Takeout! We've always preferred to eat in rather than go out to restaurants, especially if it means we can enjoy our favorite late afternoon time of day on the beach, but of course everybody needs a break from cooking sometime and this might mean the best of both worlds. I looked it up and it's convenient enough for us from Leamington, more so for those up near the Barony Beach and SurfWatch area and less for Grande Ocean and Monarch. It's a nice drive out along Marshland Road, though, for birdwatching over Broad Creek. If anybody tries it before we do, ask nicely if they offer the 10% discount that's offered to Marriott resort guests at their restaurants - probably not, but it's worth asking.

Hope you enjoyed your pizza, Superchief!

 

[Superchief]

This is the first I've heard of it and I'm looking forward to making good use of SERG Takeout! We've always preferred to eat in rather than go out to restaurants, especially if it means we can enjoy our favorite late afternoon time of day on the beach, but of course everybody needs a break from cooking sometime and this might mean the best of both worlds. I looked it up and it's convenient enough for us from Leamington, more so for those up near the Barony Beach and SurfWatch area and less for Grande Ocean and Monarch. It's a nice drive out along Marshland Road, though, for birdwatching over Broad Creek. If anybody tries it before we do, ask nicely if they offer the 10% discount that's offered to Marriott resort guests at their restaurants - probably not, but it's worth asking.

Hope you enjoyed your pizza, Superchief!

I really enjoyed the pizza. The sauce and ingredients (pepperoni and Ital Saus) were excellent. I plan to go back during my visit.

I will try the SERG carryout this week or next. I can stop there on my way back from Planet Fitness since I usually cut across Matthews Rd. I notice they also have whole Key Lime pie for $15. Jamaican Chicken Pot Pie and Canelloni both look tempting.

 

[SueDonJ]

I really enjoyed the pizza. The sauce and ingredients (pepperoni and Ital Saus) were excellent. I plan to go back during my visit.

I will try the SERG carryout this week or next. I can stop there on my way back from Planet Fitness since I usually cut across Matthews Rd. I notice they also have whole Key Lime pie for $15. Jamaican Chicken Pot Pie and Canelloni both look tempting.

That pie might be calling me twice a week.