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CQ's, Hilton Head Island, SC

CQ's

4.8 (3421)
$31 to $50
Contemporary American
140A Lighthouse Road, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928

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2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 43 times today

About this restaurant

  • Charming
  • Good for special occasions
  • Neighborhood gem
Nestled amidst the ancient, moss draped oaks in Harbour Town, CQ's combines great fun, fine dining and a touch of Hilton Head Island history. CQ's has the feeling of an old, cozy, and comfortable inn. Heart-of-pine floors, wooden mantle pieces, stained glass, and the photographs and memorabilia of the Lowcountry culture all contribute to the charm that has made CQ's the place to dine since 1973. Inspired by the abundant varieties of fresh seafood, beef and game available. Our chef creates dishes that are best described as contemporary American with classic influences. Recognized for having the most extensive wine list on Hilton Head Island, CQ's offers more than 400 wine selections with over 70 poured by the glass.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Fine Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary American
  • Hours of operation
    Daily 5:00 pm–8:30 pm
  • Phone number
    (843) 671-2779
  • Website
    http://www.cqsrestaurant.com/
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Location
    140A Lighthouse Road, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
  • Neighborhood
    Hilton Head Island
  • Parking details
    None
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

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Menu

CQ's's menu was last updated on 5/30/2025.

GREAT BEGINNINGS

  • CQ's She Crab Soup$10.00

    An Island Tradition Since 1973

    • Featured Daily Soup$10.00

      Contemporary and Classic Preparations

      • Prince Edward Island Mussels$17.00

        White Wine, Roasted Garlic, Cream and Herbed Crostinis

        • Fried Green Tomatoes$16.00

          Corn meal Dusted, Sweet Corn Relish and Remoulade

          • Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail$18.00

            Poached, Lemon and House-Made Tanqueray Cocktail Sauce

            • Calamari Puttanesca$16.00

              Sauteed with Garlic, Herbs, Spinach & Sun-dried Tomato Tapenade

              SALADS

              • CQ's Salad$12.00

                Assorted Artisan Lettuces, Pickled Red Onions, Almonds, Cucumbers, Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, Sherry Vinaigrette

                • Traditional Caesar$11.00

                  Romaine Hearts, Parmesan, Garlic Croutons, Marinated White Anchovies

                  • Iceberg Wedge$12.00

                    Blue Cheese, Buttermilk Ranch, Grape Tomatoes, Red Onions and Apple Wood Smoked Bacon

                    • Roasted Beets & Arugula Salad$12.00

                      Goat Cheese, Toasted Pecans & Balsamic Reduction

                      ENTREES

                      • Springer Mountain Farms Chicken Breast$32.00

                        Yukon Gold Whipped Potatoes, Haricot Verts, Hunter Sauce

                        • Grilled Atlantic Salmon$35.00

                          Garlic-Herb Grit Cake, Sautéed Broccolini, Whole Grain Mustard Cream Sauce

                          • Grilled Bone-In Pork Chop$37.00

                            Roasted Potatoes, Caramelized Onions, Haricot Verts, Bacon, Bourbon Glazed Apples, and Demi Glaze

                            • Seared Ahi Tuna$41.00

                              Sesame Encrusted, Edamame Hummus, Asian Vegetable Slaw, Pickled Ginger and Ponzu Sauce

                              • CQ's Shellfish Pasta$39.00

                                Sautéed Lobster, Shrimp, Spinach, Grape Tomatoes and Boursin Soubise sauce over Campanelle Pasta

                                • Lump Crab Cakes$41.00

                                  Edamame, Butternut Squash, Roasted Peppers and Sweet Corn Succotash with Remoulade

                                  • 8oz. Filet Mignon$49.00

                                    Potato Pancake, Grilled Asparagus, Green Peppercorn and Brandy Sauce

                                    • Marinated Grilled Shrimp$39.00

                                      Parmesan Polenta Cake, Sautéed Spinach, Tasso Ham, Tabasco Cream

                                      • Pan Seared Sea Scallops$41.00

                                        Sweet Pea Risotto, Parmesan, Pancetta, Saffron Cream

                                        Last updated: May 30, 2025

                                        What 3,421 people are saying

                                        CQ's reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

                                        Overall ratings and reviews

                                        Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

                                        4.8
                                        4.8 based on recent ratings
                                        • 4.8Food
                                        • 4.9Service
                                        • 4.7Ambience
                                        • 4.4Value

                                        Noise • Moderate

                                        Loved For

                                        • South Carolina

                                          Contemporary American

                                        • Hilton Head

                                          Best Service

                                        Review summary

                                        AI-generated from verified diner reviews
                                        CQ's offers a delightful dining experience with "exceptional service" and "fantastic food." Nestled in a charming and historic setting, it excels in providing a cozy atmosphere. Highlights include varied menu selections like seafood pasta and crab cakes, complemented by a "wonderful" wine list. A "hidden gem" for memorable occasions!
                                        3,421 Reviews

                                        1. Dawn VIP

                                          Atlanta33 reviews

                                          5.0

                                          Dined 2 days ago

                                          1. Overall 5
                                          2. Food 5
                                          3. Service 5
                                          4. Ambience 5
                                          First time eating at CQ’s and so glad we did. It’s in a quaint cottage like house. We sat upstairs. We enjoyed the She Crab Soup and CQ’s House Salad and for entrees we ordered the Salmon and the Scallops. Both were very good! It was one of the best prepared salmon filets I’ve ever had. We had no room for dessert but they did give you chocolate truffles with your check. It was raining when we left but if you do go and aren’t staying in Sea Pines, it’s a great chance to walk around and enjoy Harbour Town.

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                                        2. Tara

                                          South Carolina1 review

                                          3.0

                                          Dined 3 days ago

                                          1. Overall 3
                                          2. Food 2
                                          3. Service 5
                                          4. Ambience 4
                                          We have not been to CQ's in several years but my husband wanted to go there for his Father's Day dinner. The food was subpar compared to what we had previous visits. Scallops had a strange consistency and were only seared on one side. Crab cakes tasted fishy and were shredded not lump crab meat. My seafood pasta had very little seafood in it, but the sauce was good. I had much higher hopes for the food considering the cost of each meal.

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                                        3. David

                                          South Carolina8 reviews

                                          5.0

                                          Dined 3 days ago

                                          1. Overall 5
                                          2. Food 5
                                          3. Service 5
                                          4. Ambience 5
                                          Great food and great service. Wonderful dining experience

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                                        4. Lynn

                                          Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill4 reviews

                                          5.0

                                          Dined 3 days ago

                                          1. Overall 5
                                          2. Food 5
                                          3. Service 5
                                          4. Ambience 5
                                          Peter provided exceptional service! Food was fantastic. Will go again.

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                                        5. Beth

                                          Washington, D.C. Area3 reviews

                                          4.0

                                          Dined 3 days ago

                                          1. Overall 4
                                          2. Food 5
                                          3. Service 4
                                          4. Ambience 5
                                          Before we went, we looked at the reviews and the menu. Everything looked great. We already knew what we wanted to order and both of us got the scallops. The food and the service was excellent. On the website, the scallops were and still are listed as $41, but when I got the bill, they were $45. So I asked the waitress to check and she did and came back saying that the price was right. When I got home, I looked at the website again and sure enough, it says $41. So I called the manager, who said that the website is wrong and they would fix it. No apologies for the discrepancy. Very disappointed, not that $8 was going to break the bank, but it was the principle of misleading the customers.

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                                        6. Jack

                                          South Carolina6 reviews

                                          5.0

                                          Dined 6 days ago

                                          1. Overall 5
                                          2. Food 5
                                          3. Service 5
                                          4. Ambience 5
                                          First time at CQ's. Excellent experience. Outstanding service, quiet atmosphere, food selections were varied, and all of our selections were delicious

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                                        7. MICHELE VIP

                                          South Carolina12 reviews

                                          3.0

                                          Dined on June 7, 2025

                                          1. Overall 3
                                          2. Food 2
                                          3. Service 5
                                          4. Ambience 3
                                          Complete disappointment. Only positive was the wait staff. Food was bland. This used to be one of the best high end restaurants on the island. To walk in and be greeted by a hostess wearing a t shirt and jeans was disappointing. Reservations were made over a week in advance. Treated as a walk in and was going to be seated at a less than desirable table when several others were available. Seafood pasta had no flavor. Shrimp was undercooked. Looking forward to the Cesar salad with anchovies- but again no flavor. Truffles at the end of the meal was a nice touch. Unfortunately, will be my last time there.

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                                        8. Don

                                          South Carolina11 reviews

                                          5.0

                                          Dined on June 6, 2025

                                          1. Overall 5
                                          2. Food 5
                                          3. Service 5
                                          4. Ambience 5
                                          Good food, service, atmosphere as it always has been b

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                                        9. Jeff

                                          Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill13 reviews

                                          5.0

                                          Dined on June 5, 2025

                                          1. Overall 5
                                          2. Food 5
                                          3. Service 5
                                          4. Ambience 5
                                          My wife and I enjoyed a great dinner at CQs. Our server is also a local teacher and shared many details about the food, the chef, the restaurant, it's art and photos. I had the special caprese salad with yellow tomatoes and my wife had the house salad. Both were excellent. My wife loved the sucatash that accompanied two large crab cakes. I really enjoyed the lobster and shrimp pasta with boursin sauce that is as good or better than the lobster Mac n cheese at another local favorite. This is a great restaurant for couples or groups with seating inside or out.

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                                        10. Andrew

                                          Miami - Dade1 review

                                          5.0

                                          Dined on June 5, 2025

                                          1. Overall 5
                                          2. Food 5
                                          3. Service 5
                                          4. Ambience 5
                                          Always a great meal, exception service and ambiance

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                                        FAQs

                                        CQ's offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (843) 671-2779.

                                        CQ's is rated 4.8 stars by 3421 OpenTable diners.

                                        Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

                                        1. Home
                                        2. United States
                                        3. South Carolina
                                        4. Hilton Head
                                        5. Hilton Head Island

                                        Make a reservation

                                        2 people
                                        7:00 PM
                                        Booked 43 times today
                                        Google Map for CQ's

                                        140A Lighthouse Road, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928

                                        Dining areas

                                        Additional information

                                        • Neighborhood
                                          Hilton Head Island
                                        • Hours of operation
                                          Daily 5:00 pm–8:30 pm
                                        • Price
                                          $31 to $50
                                        • Cuisines
                                          Contemporary American
                                        • Dining style
                                          Fine Dining
                                        • Dress code
                                          Business Casual
                                        • Parking details
                                          None
                                        • Payment options
                                          AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
                                        • Additional
                                          Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

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