One brand you’ll see all over the coastal empire is the Salty Dog Café. Located on Hilton Head Island, this beautiful restaurant has a solid menu and friendly staff. While the drive from Savannah is a little over an hour, there are plenty of things to do in the area. More importantly, the restaurant has great food, service and ambience, all the major markers of a great restaurant. (Note: The restaurant is located on the Sea Pines Resort, which requires an entry fee.)
Food
The lunch menu has a good mixture of starters, burgers, sandwiches, seafood and signature dishes. I’m sure most people will find something they like on the menu regardless of how picky. We ordered the lobster grilled cheese and Salty Dog Po’ Boy.
The lobster grilled cheese was filled with Maine lobster, hickory smoked bacon, creamy brie and their signature remoulade sauce, grilled on jalapeno cornbread. We were pleasantly surprised that the sandwich tasted just as good as it sounded and had a decent amount of lobster meat. The only thing I wished I’d asked for is a side of tomato soup, assuming they had that available.
The Salty Dog Po’ Boy was another good choice. Wild caught east coast shrimp, fried golden brown and served with lettuce and tomato on a toasted hoagie roll with their signature remoulade sauce. The shrimp were fried to perfection; The bun and toppings were fresh; and everything had good texture.
Drinks
Their drink menu has a few signature drinks like the Salty Dog sangria and many other vacation classics like the Bahama mama and mojito. As for beer, they offer three signature beers, several draft classics and few canned beers. I had the Salty Dog amber on draft and a can of the Hop Art IPA. No complaints.
It was great to see they had liquor from the local distillery on the menu along with their signature beers. If you’re going to travel an hour for lunch, might as well try the local booze.
Ambience
Everything from Bluffton to the Salty Dog Café is steeped with southern charm. The restaurant itself is perched on the water at the far edge of the resort. The restaurant looks fresh and has plenty of outdoor and indoor seating, all with great views. The drive was a little long, but the beautiful drive offered the perfect opportunity for our family to roll the windows down and enjoy the fresh air.
The restaurant and surrounding shops are clean and colorful, making for a charming scene when coupled with the surrounding natural beauty. My family sat in a smaller area tucked away from the rest of the outdoor seating. We would have enjoyed any seat in the house but this area is particularly special if you’re trying to get away from the noise.
We definitely recommend sitting outside if the weather permits.
Bottom Line
Overall, The Salty Dog Café is a coastal empire main staple that has earned it’s recognitions through good food, beautiful views, friendly service and great branding. The menu had plenty to offer and everything served was perfectly prepared. After a couple hours eating and drinking on the water, my family was full, happy and more than excited about buying some Salty Dog merch on the way out.