the salty dog cafe

great for couples. the menu items for the near ocean location were not very appealing to the eye.

the setting was close and very noisy , best suited for couples unless outside dinning. parking was painful and
quality ofseafoodwas a few steps above a captain ds.

if you visit to eat, drink and love the open air, it is a great experience. for me, i will pass for another restaurant.

overpriced, for the quality of food. it was on par with fast food,seafoodrestaurants.

my girlfriends and i try to squeeze in a couple girls weekends each year. last year, we had a blast during my bachelorette weekend in savannah. this year, we thought we’d have our adult spring break in hilton head. while the westin really disappointed us (it felt more like a holiday inn than what i’ve come to expect from westin) at least there were highlights when we ate outside of the hotel. i took my stepdaughter’s recommendation to go to hudson’sseafoodon the docks. i was tempted by the barbecue oysters but my lady pals aren’t oyster eaters, however we all agreed the bling bling shrimp. the sambol aioli had a light kick which was perfect. entree portions were large and decent, but nothing quite memorable. after a very disappointing breakfast buffet at the hilton head westin, we once again dined outside our hotel for dinner, this time at...

hilton head island appeals to people for different reasons, but most who decide to visit here do so because the love the water and natural scenery. i, too, like waterfronts and beaches and on a recent hilton head trip, i tried to incorporate water into all of my activities. that is what led us to salty dog café, on the island’s west side.

salty dog café is a restaurant with a view and it has a large abundance of outdoor seating with water views. when i visited, we considered sitting inside at first because it was starting to rain, but the wait for a table was too long and besides, the rainfall was really just a light drizzle. the good thing about deciding to dine outdoors is that it’s self- serve seating, and that meant no wait at all. we just walked over to a table underneath one of the tents, protected from the rain, and claimed our spot. the outdoor section often features live entertainment, too, which is an added bonus for dining in the fresh air.

salty dog café serves a good deal ofseafoodoptions, plus american style foods. we decided to start with an order of hushpuppies. they were sweet and yummy and the honey butter made them that much better. i was torn over what to order for my lunch, but then the waiter came back to our table and suggested the special of the day, which was a chicken sandwich with bacon and ham, plus a side of fries. i decided that was good enough for me and i ended up liking my food, even though i admit that the breaded/deep- fried chicken used for the sandwich would have been better had it been a grilled chicken patty instead.

drinks are popular at salty dog café and they have plenty of tropical drinks and a good selection of beer. i ordered a pair of craft beers while i enjoyed my lunch and, judging by the looks of satisfaction on my family member’s faces, everyone seemed to like the experience. i should point out that you have to pay about 6 bucks just to enter the sea pines area, where this restaurant is located, so keep that in mind if you decide to visit. and enjoy the waterfront views and food here at salty dog café on hilton head island.

waterfront location offers indoor and outdoor seating, a predictably overpriced menu, and service which isn't likely to thrill. however, there is plenty of family-oriented fun to be had nearby, making this a top tourist haven within sea pines. i ordered "the castaway" (i.e.,seafoodplatter), took a long sip from a short-poured mai tai, and enjoyed the lively surroundings.

my expectations were very low of the salty dog. i wasn't sure if they were a t-shirt or an actual restaurant. much to surprise and delight... the food was really good! actual freshseafood- great oysters, snow crab, shockingly good fisherman's pasta. the sides were more edible than most hhiseafoodjoints. thumbs up!

we were surprised we liked it so much. we mostly stopped there to humor out daughter and had low expectations about the quality of the food. the shrimp and grits were outstanding as was theseafoodpasta. our server seemed very distracted, but overall; it was a good experience.

overhyped. overpriced.. this chain needs to return to the roots. there had to be a reason this place got popular. hopefully it was food quality, value and customer service and not a legend of the dog. what we experienced was: food we could obtain from going to a local restaurant supply shop like gfs (gordon food service). service was adequate but not engaging. we should have chosen the patio for a better grade of food and serving ourselves. also find it hard to believe that aseafoodrestaurant that highlights the uniqueness of their hush puppies didn't include them in the cost of the meal. this was our first trip after years of debating going to the salty dog. the score: one and done!

service was fine, and the quality of theseafoodwas fair, but for the price i expected more flavor. everything was bland and unseasoned. maybe "broiled"seafoodis code for "plain", but mine had no salt or pepper, and not even a hint of color to imply it had been near high heat of a broiler. it might have well been steamed. my wife's "blackened" swordfish was barely seasoned enough for typical grilled fish, certainly not the bold flavor normally attributed to blackened. the "rings of fire" calamari appetzer had great heat and flavor, but the sauce was added too soon or it sat too longer before it was served, so the normally crispy fried calamari came out soggy. basically a boring $90 meal for two.

always a good time at the salty dog. had lunch there this time. i had a nice fresh caughtseafoodwrap, my wife had the grouper, kids had the typical fare. we sat on the patio overlooking the docks on a beautiful saturday afternoon. as usual, the salty dog was busy, so we had to wait about 30 minutes, but we walked around the marina to browse the quaint shops until our pager went off. once we were seated the server was prompt, attentive, knowledgeable, and fun. i then enjoyed seeing a group of curmudgeonly seniors try to seat themselves and get thrown out by (a gracious) hostess. interesting mixed drinks and draft beers were available. lunch selection was great. wish they had the live music at lunch, since the show at dinner is always a hit with the kids (and me). prices were typical for a tourist spot, but what do you expect? you're paying for the experience. i challenge anyone to say they haven't had a great time at the dog! this is a tradition for our family whenever we come to hilton head.

superb!! swordfish was fresh catch of the day. good size, very moist, fantastic flavor. others in the arty hadseafoodpot pie,seafoodstir fry, crabcake sandwich, and vegetarian pasta. everyone agreed the food was very very good. service was fast and efficient. reasonably priced. good atmosphere

got what was expected. typical frozen imported fare. anyone expecting well cooked locally caughtseafoodshould go elsewhere.

it's the place to be after the sun goes down, until the clubs beckon. well you have probably seen the t-shirts with the logo of the legendary retriever wearing the yellow sou'wester hat. you may even have one folded up in your chest-of-drawers. from his very first appearance on a few t-shirts that promoted his home, jake has grown into a national fashion phenom. the salty dog café is located in the south beach marina @ sea pines along with jake's pizza, the wreck of the salty dog restaurant, land's end tavern and the lost parrot - java and smoothie bar. the south beach marina has become a gathering spot for both locals and island visitors, where you can enjoy waterfront dining inside or a drink and lighter fare on the deck or the outdoor bar. the night echoes with the tropical sounds of live entertainment most every night of the high-season. we park our bikes and wait to be seated but ultimately give up and dine on ice cream, piña coladas and fat tire beer. we normally order their low country crab dip and she crab soup, one of the islands best. it's a must to visit & enjoy a cold beer and the atmosphere… a trip to hh just isn't complete without a visit to the restaurants & shops of south beach.

cost: $$ and it's the place to be after the sun goes down, until the clubs beckon

food: fine dining it ain't, but the appetizers are good and i usually stick to the fish sandwiches or theirseafoodpot pie

service: the young servers are so stressed at days end… it looks like finals-week back at usc

decor: it's like having dinner @ the pirates of the caribbean - magic kingdom. nautical theme: how original

awesome atmosphere. greatseafoodand awesome location. south beach is fun with many shops to visit while waiting for a table. amazingseafoodpasta! the sweet-potato grouper was also excellent. good service and reasonable prices for a beach location. a legend and must-visit on hilton head. also, the shirts are world-famous!

good time. we ate at the salty dog on 7/1/09, about 9pm. we were one of the last to be seated before they closed so we were fairly quickly seated. the place is very popular and in a very nice little shopping/entertainment area. we had the grouper sandwich, peel & eat shrimp,seafoodpasta, and a kids meal. all the entrees were tasty and served quickly. it was a bit overpriced but not bad really considering the fact it is on hilton head. a good experience.