Diners' Choice: Best Ambience restaurants in Hilton Head

OpenTable

Updated 05 December 2024

Looking for restaurants with the best ambience in Hilton Head? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyses nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favourite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you book, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

River House - Montage Palmetto Bluff

4.8

4.8 (396)

$50 and over

American

Bluffton

About the restaurant

River House does have a dressy casual dress code consisting of no shorts, flip flops, baseball hats or tank tops in the dining room for the gentlemen. Comparable attire for the ladies. Children under 16 are exempt. We do offer complimentary pants to guests that may need them.
River House corkage policy is a maximum of 3 bottles per reservation without management consent at $35 per bottle.
River House has a 24-hour cancellation and No-Show Policy consisting of $25 per person plus a 18% SVC Charge.

In the South, there’s an intimate connection between the table and the land. Our fertile soil feeds corn and cattle. The palmettos provide cover for quail and game. And the ocean provides its bounty with the incoming tide. The River House is a culinary celebration of this relationship and our professed love for the land and waters of the Lowcountry.

Top review

WilliamVIP

Dined 4 days ago

First rate top to bottom. Service in all aspects second to none in region anywhere outside New York. Benny was locally born, just 22 years old yet obviously well trained professional. Menu included several rarely seen in other establishments outside this area. Not inexpensive, but worth the splurge for special occasions like our anniversary tonight. Will return again and again. Well done Montage!

Discover more

Popular dish

Venison Tenderloin

Experience

Thomas Rivers Brown Wine Dinner

The Bluffton Room

4.9

4.9 (2164)

$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

maria

Dined 4 days ago

Love this place!Food and service is the absolute best. Dana our server was absolutely the BEST

Discover more

Celeste Coastal Cuisine

4.8

4.8 (950)

$31 to $50

American

Hilton Head

About the restaurant

Experience Celeste Coastal Cuisine, a hidden gem on the north end of Hilton Head Island. Celeste offers a unique blend of Cajun-Creole influence, complemented by an excellent wine selection, a full bar, and outdoor seating. The menu features a variety of enticing options, including succulent scallops, blackened red fish, and expertly prepared steaks. Signature dishes like jambalaya and crawfish étouffée ensure there's something to satisfy every palate. The inviting decor, accented with New Orleans-inspired touches, creates a warm and welcoming environment for relaxing evenings, whether indoors or on the veranda. Guests can join nightly at 5 PM for dinner and enjoy live music every weekend in the spacious bar and lounge. Don’t miss the Sunday brunch from 11 AM to 2 PM, featuring favorites like Crab Cake Benedict. Escape the tourist rush and unwind for an enjoyable evening out. Reservations can be made by calling 843-802-4744 or visiting celestehhi.com.

Top review

Peg

Dined 2 days ago

Outstanding service, atmosphere, food....EVERTHING WAS GREAT!

Olive & Fig Mediterranean Kitchen

4.9

4.9 (406)

$30 and under

Mediterranean

Hilton Head

About the restaurant

It was Chef Munjid and his wife Tammy’s dream to one day be able to open their own Mediterranean restaurant and share his cuisine with the world. That dream is now a reality with Olive and Fig Mediterranean Kitchen. Together they take great pride in making each plate transport you to the Greek Isles or the banks of the Mediterranean Sea where some of the finest cuisine is served. We are excited to bring you some flavors from the Mediterranean and we hope you enjoy!

As we are in our peak season we are requesting that you have patience as our cuisine is made to order. You will find no precooked items and we do not use microwaves or steam tables to heat or store food. In addition, no frozen items except those that should be such as French fries or ice cream desserts.

We take pride in our quality and request if have any concerns or not satisfied please ask to speak with Tammy the owner.

Thank you for choosing us as part of your dining experience. We look forward to serving you!

Top review

TomVIP

Dined on 2 Dec 2024

Wow! Unique menu and excellent service, we’ll be back!

The Studio, An Artistic Dining Experience

4.9

4.9 (1684)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Hilton Head

About the restaurant

Entice Your Senses While You Dine in our Fine Art Gallery. Innovative International Cuisine featuring Local Seafood, Grassfed Beef as well as Vegan, Vegetarian & Gluten Free Menu Options. Also offering Live Musical Entertainment, Artists Creating at the Easel, Patio Seating

Private Dining Room Available for up to 35 People

Wine Spectator Award of Excellence

Top review

Debbi

Dined on 13 Dec 2024

Consistently excellent, both food and service. I usually order the pallet, which consists of three smaller portions of fish, lamb chops, and filet. All three dressed differently and delicious.

Discover more

Popular dish

Halibut Fillet

Popular dish

Shrimp & Vidalia Onion Bisque

Popular dish

Seared Diver Scallops

CQ's

4.8

4.8 (3272)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Hilton Head

About the restaurant

Nestled amidst the ancient, moss draped oaks in Harbour Town, CQ's combines great fun, fine dining and a touch of Hilton Head Island history. CQ's has the feeling of an old, cozy, and comfortable inn. Heart-of-pine floors, wooden mantle pieces, stained glass, and the photographs and memorabilia of the Lowcountry culture all contribute to the charm that has made CQ's the place to dine since 1973. Inspired by the abundant varieties of fresh seafood, beef and game available. Our chef creates dishes that are best described as contemporary American with classic influences. Recognized for having the most extensive wine list on Hilton Head Island, CQ's offers more than 400 wine selections with over 70 poured by the glass.

Top review

RhondaVIP

Dined 3 days ago

First came perfectly chilled martinis. Everything that followed was delicious, but if local pecan crusted flounder with brown butter sauce is a special, order it. Ours came with three large filets served on a copious bed of perfectly cooked green beans accompanied by a yummy square of parmesan polenta. While the Caesar salad was tasty, topped with white anchovies, it had a bit too much of what appeared to be pre-shredded packaged parmesan cheese. For the price, some freshly shaved parm & house-made croutons would have been better. My husband thoroughly enjoyed the pear & arugula salad. There was also a good selection of desserts but, alas, we had dined to well to have any. Kudos to the chef et al in the kitchen & to the bartender. All the rest of the CQ staff, from hostess to servers & bussers, were welcoming & efficient. And, your evening will be made even more perfect if you are seated at a table that includes Michelle as your wait person. Her warmth, efficiency & sense of humor was delightful & topped off a most wonderful evening.

Discover more

The Ribaut Social Club - Anchorage 1770

4.5

4.5 (492)

$50 and over

Contemporary American

Beaufort

About the restaurant

Ribaut Social Club is a restaurant and social space for Beaufort locals and visitors to mingle over cocktails and impeccable regional cuisine.
Our aim is to capture the incorrigible spirit and convivial atmosphere of the original Ribaut Club, established at the Anchorage in 1891. In its heyday, the Club hosted performances, grand parties, dances and even gambling—a raucous getaway from buttoned-up social strictures of the time. Today, guests can cocktails and dinner with unrivaled water views or a sophisticated brunch surrounded by 300 years of Beaufort history.

Top review

RonVIP

Dined on 8 Dec 2024

Excellent food and wine experience! Chef made numerous visits to explain the coming dishes, as did the wine merchant who discussed her next wine pours.

Charlie's Coastal Bistro (L'etoile Verte)

4.9

4.9 (5329)

$31 to $50

Seafood

Hilton Head

About the restaurant

Focusing predominately on fresh local seafood with a French, Lowcountry flare, Charlie’s is the place for good food, good wine and unforgettable memories all enjoyed in a quaint French country atmosphere.

A Savannah native, Charlie Golson’s interest in the French language and culture took him to Paris. After a long stint in the fast paced hotel kitchens of Washington DC, he was ready to move back closer to home. It was at that time he was able to open up a one room French bistro. The restaurant has grown over the years, but the ‘Green Star’ remains steadfast in offering the finest ingredients the Low country has to offer with a menu that is hand written daily. Resort Casual.

Top review

ThomasVIP

Dined 5 days ago

Food is always VG and the wine list is excellent.

Discover more

Popular dish

Bread Pudding Crème Anglaise

Chez Georges Bistro & Bar

4.9

4.9 (1211)

$31 to $50

French

Hilton Head

About the restaurant

Chez Georges is a gathering place for families, friends, and neighbors located on the South End of Hilton Head Island.

We serve traditional bistro staples, incorporating fresh, locally sourced ingredients from the Lowcountry.

Our spirits are high quality and hand picked and our wine list is carefully curated of French imports and French-style selections.

Reservations recommended. Indoor & outdoor dining available.

Top review

CharlesVIP

Dined 3 days ago

Every dish we had was outstanding. The duck breast was cooked perfectly. The double pork chop special was tender and flavorful. The escargot was an unusual preparation - in more of a cheese sauce but was also had very good flavor. Portions were very large so we have enough for another meal. Both desserts we tried were outstanding but again very large. Service was also outstanding. The restaurant was not not full so I do not know how service would be at a busy time but we had perfect service. The time between courses was longer than we typically like but the food was perfect.

Discover more

Experience

Apéritif Wine Hour

Chophouse 119

4.7

4.7 (427)

$50 and over

Steakhouse

Hilton Head

About the restaurant

Chophouse 119 pays homage to the original New York dining experience, the Steakhouse. We have captured the nostalgic glamour of yesteryear and adapted the ambiance to today’s modern society. Chophouse 119 combines bold flavors and a unique style to create a twist on American classics.

Prime steaks, exceptional seafood, pastas, roasted chicken and signature dishes, showcase the bold, vibrant flavors this team are known for delivering. Our restaurant sources from the finest meat purveyors finding seasonal and local ingredients that bring our unique dishes to life.

The intimate Bar 119 is a lively meeting place offering new spins on the classics, as well as innovative bespoke and craft cocktails.

Offering a new spin on the classics with the experience we are all looking for, don’t miss the ultimate night out.

Top review

MargaretVIP

Dined 7 days ago

Great experience and food quality was very good. Enjoyed our night and our service.

Discover more

Popular dish

New York Strip

Explore Diners' Choice best of Hilton Head

Explore more Diners' Choice lists