Highest-rated restaurants in Hilton Head Island by diners

Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we've seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans say they rarely or never try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, according to a 2024 survey of more than 1,500 diners from TouchBistro.

But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—67% of Gen Zers and 40% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on social media or online restaurant reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google. The TouchBistro survey found that 52% of Gen Zers have opted to try a new restaurant due to positive feedback on social media, and 67% of millennials have gone to a new dining spot solely because of favorable reviews online.

New restaurants in particular tend to garner a lot of online attention. About 50,000 new restaurants open each year in the U.S., and that number continues to rise. An analysis by Yelp published in June 2024 found that new restaurant openings were up 6% from May 2023 to April 2024. But some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established eateries that customers have been visiting for decades.

To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Hilton Head Island, according to Yelp reviews from diners as of January 2025. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews and a 3.0 rating were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.

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#30. Healthy Habit

- Rating: 4.5/5 (121 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 33 Office Park Road Ste 227 Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Salad, Juice Bars & Smoothies, Acai Bowls
- Read more on Yelp

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#29. Michael Anthony's Cucina Italiana

- Rating: 4.5/5 (419 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

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#28. Charlie's Coastal Bistro

- Rating: 4.5/5 (312 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 8 New Orleans Road Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Seafood, New American, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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#27. Chez Georges

- Rating: 4.5/5 (132 reviews)
- Address: 37 New Orleans Road Ste J Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: French, Wine Bars, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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#26. Al's Aloha Kitchen

- Rating: 4.5/5 (213 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 70 Pope Ave. Ste O Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Poke, Acai Bowls, Hawaiian
- Read more on Yelp

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#25. Sprout Momma Breads

- Rating: 4.5/5 (41 reviews)
- Address: 93 Arrow Road Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Bakeries, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

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#24. Piatti

- Rating: 4.5/5 (37 reviews)
- Address: 33 Office Park Road Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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#23. Gr8 Bites

- Rating: 4.5/5 (33 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 435 William Hilton Pkwy Ste G Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Sandwiches, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

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#22. Ocean Lounge

- Rating: 4.5/5 (29 reviews)
- Address: 87 North Sea Pines Drive Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Wine Bars, Seafood, Lounges
- Read more on Yelp

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#21. The Studio

- Rating: 4.5/5 (188 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 20 Executive Park Road Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Japanese, Indian, Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp

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#20. Fiesta Fresh Mexican Grill

- Rating: 4.5/5 (328 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 51 New Orleans Road Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#19. Alfred's Restaurant

- Rating: 4.5/5 (182 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 807 William Hilton Pkwy Ste 1200 Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: French, German
- Read more on Yelp

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#18. GT International Cafe

- Rating: 4.6/5 (283 reviews)
- Address: 807 William Hilton Pkwy Ste 1600 Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Waffles, Gluten-Free
- Read more on Yelp

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#17. Sea Salts Bevarage Company Pool Bar & Grill

- Rating: 4.6/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: 10 Surf Watch Way Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Bars, Barbecue
- Read more on Yelp

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#16. Stu's Surf Side

- Rating: 4.6/5 (357 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1 North Forest Beach Drive Unit F-3 Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: American, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

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#15. Thai Smile Cuisine

- Rating: 4.6/5 (164 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 11 Palmetto Bay Road Ste 102 Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Thai
- Read more on Yelp

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#14. Sundown Saloon

- Rating: 4.6/5 (20 reviews)
- Address: 95 Mathews Drive Ste B5 Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: New American, Bars, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

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#13. Casablanca Mediterranean Grill

- Rating: 4.6/5 (168 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1012 William Hilton Pkwy Unit 5 Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Mediterranean, Greek, Middle Eastern
- Read more on Yelp

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#12. Java Burrito Company

- Rating: 4.7/5 (871 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1000 William Hilton Pkwy Ste J6 Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Mexican, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

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#11. Zunzibar

- Rating: 4.7/5 (61 reviews)
- Address: 8 Executive Park Road Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Bars, Chicken Wings, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

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#10. Delishee Yo

- Rating: 4.7/5 (215 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 32 Palmetto Bay Road Ste A1 Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, Juice Bars & Smoothies, Salad
- Read more on Yelp

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#9. The Jazz Corner

- Rating: 4.7/5 (380 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1000 William Hilton Pkwy Ste C-1 Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Jazz & Blues, Music Venues, New American
- Read more on Yelp

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#8. The G-Free Spot

- Rating: 4.7/5 (103 reviews)
- Address: 1511 Main St. Ste 1511 Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Bakeries, Desserts, Gluten-Free
- Read more on Yelp

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#7. Red Stripes Caribbean Cuisine & Lounge

- Rating: 4.7/5 (96 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 840 William Hilton Pkwy Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Caribbean
- Read more on Yelp

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#6. Masala Mantra

- Rating: 4.7/5 (46 reviews)
- Address: 1000 William Hilton Pkwy Ste A1 Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Indian, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp

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#5. Cactus Street Cantina

- Rating: 4.9/5 (34 reviews)
- Address: 1407 Main St. Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Mexican, Salad
- Read more on Yelp

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#4. Odd Birds

- Rating: 4.9/5 (61 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1536 Fording Island Road Ste 107 Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Bakeries, Coffee & Tea, Creperies
- Read more on Yelp

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#3. Cafe Al Dente

- Rating: 4.9/5 (33 reviews)
- Address: 1 North Forest Beach Unit A-5 Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars, Pasta Shops
- Read more on Yelp

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#2. Taste of Europe

- Rating: 4.9/5 (101 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 435 William Hilton Pkwy Unit O Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Modern European, Bars, Hungarian
- Read more on Yelp

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#1. Roy's Place Cafe & Catering

- Rating: 5.0/5 (24 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 33 Office Park Road Ste 33C Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Caterers, Southern
- Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 318 metros.