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ELA'S On the Water, Hilton Head Island, SC

ELA'S On the Water

4.6 (7121)
$30 and under
Seafood
One Shelter Cove Ln, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 81 times today

About this restaurant

  • Great for scenic views
  • Good for special occasions
  • Great for outdoor dining
Featured in Bon Appetit and the winner of numerous Open Table awards, ELA'S On the Water is a shining star on the Hilton Head scene. Fresh catch seafood and prime cut steaks of the highest quality, artfully prepared by our culinary team of experts, compliment the extensive boutique wine selection. Located at Shelter Cove Harbour overlooking the marina and Broad Creek, ELA'S is known for the best water views on the island. A casual intimate interior, wrap around dining patio exterior, and nightly entertainment provided by local recording artists sets the perfect dining experience or location to host special events, private parties, or rehearsal dinners.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Seafood, Steak, Wine Bar
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Sun 11:00 am–2:00 pm Dinner Daily 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Catering
    Second Level private dining for Wedding & Private events for up to 80pp<br />Penthouse VIP Dining Room available for parties up to 20pp
  • Private party facilities
    Best Water View Dining on Hilton HeadSecond Level private dining for Wedding & Private events for up to 80ppPenthouse VIP Dining Room available for parties up to 20pp
  • Neighborhood
    Hilton Head Island
  • Parking details
    Enter Shelter Cove Harbour and follow Shelter Cove Lane to the private parking for guests.<br /><br />OMNI RESORT / MARRIOTT RESORT / WESTIN RESORT offer free shuttles to ELA'S <br /><br />For directions call our concierge at 843-785-3030
  • Public transit
    OMNI RESORT / MARRIOTT RESORT / WESTIN RESORT offer free shuttles to ELA'S Palmetto Dunes - DunesBuggy - free shuttle to ELA's
  • Entertainment
    Original Artist Productions, Classic Rock, Island Music John Wasem every Thursday & Friday from 7 - 11pmReid Richmond every Saturday from 7 - 11pmBill Peterson every Sunday 11 - 2pmDean St. Hillaire every Sunday 7 - 10pm
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Dancing, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 7,121 people are saying

ELA'S On the Water 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

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.3Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • South Carolina

    Great for scenic views

  • Hilton Head

    Great for brunch

  • Hilton Head

    Great for outdoor dining

  • Hilton Head

    Romantic

  • Hilton Head

    Great for scenic views

  • Hilton Head

    Seafood

  • Hilton Head

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
ELA'S On the Water offers an exquisite dining experience with "great views" of the marina, "delicious food," and "attentive service." The seafood dishes, such as lobster risotto and seafood scampi, are highly praised, alongside the "amazing brunch." With a "romantic atmosphere," ELA'S is a "must-visit" spot in Hilton Head.
7,121 Reviews
  1. Tanya

    Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Amazing food , amazing ambience ( we were fortunate to make a reservation and sit outside ) , and our waiter was amazing who happened to be our same waiter from last year when we visited last year for the first time . We had the lobster nachos , Husband had Surf and Turf and I had Lobster Ravioli. We had decided to go to all different restaurants this year . All except for ELA’s . We loved it so much last year , we had to come back this year.

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  2. Dennis

    Charlotte13 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food and service are outstanding. What hurts the experience is the parking. Very few spaces. We had to wait for someone to leave and follow them to their car. There was a line of people waiting to do this.

    Is this helpful?

  3. Rod

    South Carolina3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fabulous waterfront dining! It was my wife’s birthday and they brought us glasses of champagne.

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  4. Sam

    Baltimore / Maryland4 reviews

    2.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 1
    Place was fine, service was okay, food was okay, but there was a private party going on that made conversation virtually impossible. Acoustics are awful.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Emeline VIP

    Hawaii7 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Tuna appetizer and mussels were tasty. Had the streamed lobster, it was fantastic. Hubby had surf & turf really good.

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  6. Ryan

    Greater Boston1 review

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Great food! Parking was a pain but the overall experience was fantastic.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Duke

    South Carolina5 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 2
    Lots of nooks and crannies in ELAs. Ours not so good. Food excellent, but without the view or atmosphere, not worth the price.

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  8. Nicholas VIP

    New York City253 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Nice menu with lots of options. Service was great. Outdoor dining can be steamy in the summer, so choose a window table inside for comfort.

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  9. Terri VIP

    Chicago / Illinois5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Wonderful view and dining experience! We had a great night at ELA’s!

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  10. Mike VIP

    New Orleans / Louisiana209 reviews

    2.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 3
    A bad experience from the beginning. Server-Rhohit- was inattentive. After ordering drinks, he disappeared and I had to go to the bar to get a cocktail adjusted. Only restaurant I know, where we were not given water before the meal. Caesar salad was average and I was never offered a freshly cracked pepper option. The surf and turf entree was absolutely horrendous. The steak was extremely tough and the lobster very bland. Upon showing the steak to the manager, he simply said “ it’s organic.” He was aloof, unconcerned and almost argumentative. Rather than adjust the bill-I ate maybe 40% of the dish-he offered the proverbial free desert. We read the reviews online prior to dinner, most were superlative. If you truly enjoy good food and service, I strongly recommend you seek other dinner options on HHI. This place really put a “bad taste in our mouths.”

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

ELA'S On the Water offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (843) 785-3030.

ELA'S On the Water is rated 4.6 stars by 7121 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 81 times today
Google Map for ELA'S On the Water

One Shelter Cove Ln, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    Hilton Head Island
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Sun 11:00 am–2:00 pm Dinner Daily 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Seafood, Steak, Wine Bar
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Enter Shelter Cove Harbour and follow Shelter Cove Lane to the private parking for guests.<br /><br />OMNI RESORT / MARRIOTT RESORT / WESTIN RESORT offer free shuttles to ELA'S <br /><br />For directions call our concierge at 843-785-3030
  • Public transit
    OMNI RESORT / MARRIOTT RESORT / WESTIN RESORT offer free shuttles to ELA'S Palmetto Dunes - DunesBuggy - free shuttle to ELA's
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Entertainment
    Original Artist Productions, Classic Rock, Island Music John Wasem every Thursday & Friday from 7 - 11pmReid Richmond every Saturday from 7 - 11pmBill Peterson every Sunday 11 - 2pmDean St. Hillaire every Sunday 7 - 10pm
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Dancing, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
  • Catering
    Second Level private dining for Wedding & Private events for up to 80pp<br />Penthouse VIP Dining Room available for parties up to 20pp
  • Private party facilities
    Best Water View Dining on Hilton HeadSecond Level private dining for Wedding & Private events for up to 80ppPenthouse VIP Dining Room available for parties up to 20pp
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