Diners' Choice: Lively restaurants in Hilton Head

OpenTable

Updated June 05, 2025

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!

The Bluffton Room

4.9

4.9 (2299)

$50 and over

Contemporary American

Bluffton

About the restaurant

At The Bluffton Room, we serve inspired American cuisine prepared with the finest ingredients in an intimate and vibrant atmosphere in the heart of Old Town Bluffton. Our well crafted cocktails, gracious service and tableside preparations evoke the feeling of a classic dinner party.

Please note that due to the size of our dining room and our tableside service, the restaurant is not suited to children under 13 years of age. Thank you for your understanding.

Top review

DavidVIP

Dined 3 days ago

We had a great experience. Food is wonderful, restaurant is very attractive and has a great small bar, but the best part of this place is the service. The wait staff is amazing and never disappoints.

Ruby Lee's

4.9

4.9 (422)

$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

Kelly

Dined on Jun 25, 2025

Great service with our waitress Earline. Awesome food and music.

Kind of Blue

4.8

4.8 (9)

$31 to $50

Southern

Hilton Head Island

About the restaurant

Indulge in a musical culinary journey like no other at Kind of Blue. Our restaurant is a sanctuary for music and food enthusiasts, offering a blend of elite performances, exquisite flavors and warm hospitality. Join us to savor the finest culinary creations and elevate your musical dining experience.

Top review

MamieVIP

Dined 2 days ago

The owner was very pleasant and welcoming. Our server did a good job...

CRUDO Bluffton

4.7

4.7 (120)

$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

AmandaVIP

Dined 3 days ago

Such a wonderful experience! From the first handcrafted cocktail to the last, we so enjoyed every aspect. The bartender is very talented and has designed a great cocktail list. My husband enjoyed his take on the Manhattan - the wagyu-influenced bourbon was delicious. Elevated service - all recommendations from the tuna to the salmon and octopus were great. Save room for the strawberry cake - true cream cheese icing. I wish I was local so I could visit Crudo weekly.

Santa Fe Cafe

4.5

4.5 (1367)

$31 to $50

Southwest

Hilton Head Island

About the restaurant

We bring the very best of Southwestern culture and cuisine home to the Lowcountry. Our menu has been an Islanders" preferred dining spot for over + 20 years and with dishes like our famous grouper, to our bone-in cowboy cut black angus ribeye, our outrageous chimichanga to even lobster fajitas, we're sure to have a new favorite waiting for you. From the sounds of the live Ranchero guitar player to the smells rising from our mesquite grill, Santa Fe Café is a much welcomed reprieve for the senses. Even when you're outside underneath the stars on our Rooftop Cantina, we've got you covered.

Top review

DanielS

Dined 4 days ago

Food was excellent as usual. Appetizers were fantastic. Drinks were very good. Service was prompt and helpful. Dessert was very good as well. Consistently one of the best and most fun places to eat on HHI!

Tio's Latin America Kitchen

4.5

4.5 (216)

$30 and under

Latin / Spanish

Hilton Head Island

About the restaurant

Chef Lynden Zuniga grew up in Honduras, CA and worked in kitchens through high school to pay rent. He quickly realized making people happy through his cooking would be his lifelong passion. Shortly after marrying his wife Sally, they dreamt of their concept of Tio's and in 2018 it became a reality!

Quality matters. We're committed to serve the highest quality steak, pork, chicken, and seafood. Our proteins are always fresh- sourced locally and domestically across the United States.

You'll hear the sizzle of the grill in our open kitchen as each meal is made to order. Pairing our high-quality proteins with our delicious salsas and vegetables, rice, beans, and tortillas is a winning combination. We pride ourselves on making great tasting food made with simple ingredients.

You might be entering Tio's for the first time as a guest, but we hope you leave as a friend. We hope you enjoy your experience. Thank you for dining with us.

Cheers,
Lynden & Sally Zuniga

Top review

Jody

Dined on Jun 22, 2025

They were very aware of celiac and extremely careful even though they started with the caveat that some cross contamination could occur. They even brought us an anniversary dessert of gf Churros!

Poseidon-Hilton Head Island

4.4

4.4 (4451)

$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

Lindsay

Dined 1 day ago

Service was excellent our server (Autumn I think) was prompt and friendly. Managers checked in as well. Food was good and timely as well

Discover more

Popular dish

SEAFOOD CREPE

The Black Marlin Bayside Grill

4.4

4.4 (3863)

$30 and under

Seafood

Hilton Head Island

About the restaurant

The Black Marlin Bayside Grill offers the island's best selection of fresh seafood and is home of the Hurricane Bar. Dine inside or out on the expansive covered patio just steps from the water. Start your dining experience with our Signature Food Network approved appetizer, Sushi Nachos. Then, prepare your taste buds for our fresh seafood entrees including Grouper Daufuskie, and Sweet Heat Mahi Mahi. Join us for lunch and enjoy our Shrimp Burger, as Chef Curtis Stone, Food Network Star, called "The Best Shrimp Burger Ever!" Don't miss our Weekend Brunch on Saturdays and Sundays offering all of your breakfast and lunch favorites including benedicts, omelets and our Create-Your-Own-Bloody-Mary bar with spicy asparagus, pickled okra, stuffed olives and a variety of hot sauces. The adjacent Hurricane Bar is a favorite "Dive bar" among locals and visitors. Locals and visitors enjoy the home of the island's most robust live music series, newly rebuilt marina and our signature drink "The Hurricane."

Top review

Raegan

Dined 2 days ago

Great experience! First time and we will be back. Early dinner prices were awesome and then we went to the beach post dinner which was perfect for our vacation vibes. Best hushpuppies and roumelade sauce I have ever had!

Discover more

4.0

4 (874)

$31 to $50

Steakhouse

Hilton Head Island

About the restaurant

Just steps from the ocean, this sensory dining experience boasts the spectacular culinary flare the Island has been waiting for. With the highest quality USDA Prime Grade beef selections, the freshest seafood and pasta dishes along with decadent dessert creations, the hh prime menu is top of mind for Island residents and visitors alike. From the classic New York strip to a Prime aged Chicago Style Bone-in Ribeye to the savory Filet Mignon, hh prime boasts the best steaks for even the most traveled connoisseur. For a lighter fare, enjoy our fine selection of the Island's freshest seafood. hh prime features an impressive open show kitchen with grand interior and exterior fireplaces, dinner hour music, and a wine room. This two-story restaurant presents a new intimate dining experience both inside and out where everyone can enjoy a vacation ambiance while they dine and relax at hh prime.

Top review

PeterVIP

Dined 1 day ago

Service was awesome and the steak was about the best I have had anywhere!!! Great evening!!!

Discover more

Popular dish

FILET MIGNON 8 oz

Zunzibar - Hilton Head

4.0

4 (52)

$30 and under

American

Hilton Head Island

About the restaurant

Beachy Sports Bar Serving Signature Cocktails, Frozen Drinks, Local + Import Beer, Wine, + Full Bar! Our Menu Features Zunzi's Award-Winning Sandwiches, Wings, Sauces, + More! Happy Hour DAILY from 4PM-7PM and 10PM-11PM! Live Music or Sports EVERY DAY!

Top review

StaceyVIP

Dined on Jun 24, 2025

Hidden gem right outside of Shipyard! We have been to HHI a number of times and did not know about this place. Comfortable low key, great cocktails, great service! We will be back for sure!

Explore Diners' Choice best of Hilton Head

Explore more Diners' Choice lists