Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in Hilton Head Island by diners
Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in Hilton Head Island by diners
Fine dining in the U.S. isn't what it used to be. Many customers are no longer interested in classic white tablecloths and 16-ounce New York strips; instead, it's about cutting-edge culinary experiences.
Although steakhouses have defined fine dining in America since the 19th century, that started to change in the mid-1990s. Elite chefs like Thomas Keller at the French Laundry unearthed a whole different kind of tasting experience (with 40 courses), and a new age of fine dining was born. Soon, prix fixe meals—a French style of serving with a set menu—became the norm for fine dining in the U.S.
Between the rise of chef's tasting menus and consumers' continued desire to have diverse culinary experiences, the restaurants that grace the pages of top-tier restaurant reviewers like Zagat or the Michelin Guide look very different today than they did 30 years ago. Restaurant goers aren't just looking for high-quality food. They want the type of menu that will tell a story. They want creative ingredients they've never tried before. They want to be transported into a whole new world.
With so many innovative menus and restaurant experiences popping up across America to choose from, it can be challenging to choose where to go for a special evening. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated fine dining restaurants in Hilton Head Island using data from Yelp. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself.
Only businesses with at least five reviews and at least level 2 pricing (i.e., $$ to $$$$) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with five or more locations nationally (based on Yelp data) were not included. Restaurants in certain lower-cost categories (like "diners," "buffets," and "food trucks") were excluded. Data is as of Aug. 19, 2024.
Read on to find a potential restaurant for your next special meal out!
#30. Thai Smile Cuisine
- Rating: 4.6/5 (150 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 11 Palmetto Bay Road Ste 102 Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Thai
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Slapfish
- Rating: 4.0/5 (262 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1024 William Hilton Pkwy Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Seafood, Fish & Chips
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Red Fish Hilton Head
- Rating: 4.0/5 (489 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 8 Archer Road Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#27. CQ's Restaurant Harbourtown
- Rating: 4.0/5 (193 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 140 Lighthouse Road Unit A Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: French, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Street Meet
- Rating: 4.1/5 (219 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 95 Mathews Drive Ste D11 Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Hot Dogs, American, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Skull Creek Boathouse
- Rating: 4.1/5 (2402 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 397 Squire Pope Road Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Seafood, Venues & Event Spaces
- Read more on Yelp
#24. One Hot Mama's American Grill
- Rating: 4.1/5 (1503 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1 Greenwood Drive Ste 7a Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Barbecue, American, Chicken Wings
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Catch 22
- Rating: 4.1/5 (350 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 37 New Orleans Road Ste K Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Seafood, Steakhouses, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Fishcamp On Broad Creek
- Rating: 4.1/5 (1064 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 11 Simmons Road Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: American, Seafood, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#21. The Quarterdeck
- Rating: 4.2/5 (391 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 160 Lighthouse Road Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Sunset Grille
- Rating: 4.2/5 (183 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 43 Jenkins Island Road Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Truffles Cafe
- Rating: 4.2/5 (346 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 71 Lighthouse Road Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Seafood, American, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#18. The Sea Shack
- Rating: 4.2/5 (1108 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6 Executive Park Road Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Sea Grass Grille
- Rating: 4.2/5 (90 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 807 William Hilton Pkwy Ste 1000 Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: New American, Seafood, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Annie O's Kitchen
- Rating: 4.2/5 (264 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 11 Target Road Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Southern, American
- Read more on Yelp
#15. WiseGuys
- Rating: 4.2/5 (710 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1513 Main St. Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Steakhouses, Tapas/Small Plates, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Hudson's Seafood House On the Docks
- Rating: 4.3/5 (2819 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1 Hudson Road Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Restaurants
- Read more on Yelp
#13. The Sandbar Beach Eats
- Rating: 4.3/5 (1150 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 101 Pope Ave. Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Bars, Seafood, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Links, an American Grill
- Rating: 4.3/5 (113 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 11 Lighthouse Lane Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: American
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Lucky Rooster Kitchen + Bar
- Rating: 4.3/5 (989 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 841 William Hilton Pkwy Unit A Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: New American, Southern, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Flora's Italian Cafe
- Rating: 4.3/5 (145 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 841 William Hilton Pky Unit GH Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#9. OMBRA Cucina Italiana
- Rating: 4.4/5 (325 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1000 William Hilton Pkwy Ste G2 Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#8. A Lowcountry Backyard
- Rating: 4.4/5 (2494 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 32 Palmetto Bay Road Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Southern, Seafood, American
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Sage Room
- Rating: 4.4/5 (248 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 75 Pope Ave. Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: New American, Seafood, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Nunzio Restaurant + Bar
- Rating: 4.5/5 (339 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 18 New Orleans Road Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Charlie's Coastal Bistro
- Rating: 4.5/5 (300 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 8 New Orleans Road Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Seafood, New American, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Michael Anthony's Cucina Italiana
- Rating: 4.5/5 (408 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 37 New Orleans Road Ste L Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars, Cooking Schools
- Read more on Yelp
#3. The Studio
- Rating: 4.5/5 (183 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 20 Executive Park Road Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Japanese, Indian, Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Alfred's Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (174 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 807 William Hilton Pkwy Ste 1200 Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: French, German
- Read more on Yelp
#1. The Jazz Corner
- Rating: 4.7/5 (361 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1000 William Hilton Pkwy Ste C-1 The Village At Wexford Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Jazz & Blues, Music Venues, New American
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Kiersten Hickman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 299 metros.
