ELA'S On the Water

Karen and the entire Ela's team were terrific. Thank you for providing us with a memorable family dinner.

Got a very nice corner booth in the upstairs area where it was quiet, although fairly noisy in the rest of the restaurant. We split the calamari app and the wedge salad. Both very good. I had the short rib and my partner had pasta with shrimp. Both very good -large portions

Hubby and I had a lovely outdoor table. I started with the oysters Rockefeller (oddly, it only came as a group of 4 - I've never had less than 6 served at any other restaurant) but they were excellent. The spinach, bacon, parm topping was perfect. Moist and crispy at the same time. My husband ordered the special raw oyster selection - 3 of each of the 2 oyster options. Unfortunately, he got to number 4 and hit a very bad oyster. The kitchen sent 3 replacements as they took the remaining plated oysters *just in case.* (No, he did not get sick!) I ordered the lobster bisque and the Kumato tomato caprese as my main. The lobster bisque was creamy and extremely flavorful - however no pieces of lobster in the soup. I'm from the Northeast (grew up off the coast on an island) and I've never had it without lobster pieces in the soup. Oh well. The Kumato salad was amazing! Tomatoes were fresh and the balsamic was just the right amount to flavor the salad without overwhelming it. My husband ordered the special - tile fish with mashed potatoes, asparagus and a fruit compote on the side (it might have been apple or pear - forgot how it was described). He loved it! Overall, very good meal - I would have given 5 stars if not for the bad oyster!

Service, food, and atmosphere we're all terrific. This is definitely a place to have on your list of places to eat in HH.

Had drinks inside at bar before eating on patio. Everything was delicious. Get their hummingbird cake if they have it. Scored flounder was cooked perfectly.

Monday brunch (11am). It wasn't busy and the food was delicious. The cocktails we also very good. Highly recommend.

What a gem of a restaurant tucked into the Shelter Cove marina. Lovely indoor and outdoor tables with beautiful views. Live jazzy lounge like music made it feel even more upscale. Our bottle of wine was delicious chilled and not overpriced. The food was delectable! Crab stack was bright with pickled veggies mango and a generous amount of crab. Crab cake dinner was delicious and everything you want a crab cake to be - more crab less filling - even the green beans and red pepper side was cooked and seasoned to perfection. The Shrimp scampi bucatini was teaming with large shrimp, mussels and scallops and had a delicious well rounded flavor. Even the desserts of blueberry cheesecake and chocolate peanut butter mousse was enjoyable. If I had to say a fault is that everything came out of the kitchen very fast - maybe a touch too fast?? I would have liked perhaps just a few minutes more between courses to enjoy this amazing meal and experience.

Such a beautiful experience!! The food was amazing. The portion sizes were amazing. The staff were some of the kindest and most hospitable folks ever. Our waiter even ran outside to help us take photos! Can’t wait to visit again.

wonderful service from smiling Delana. Wonderful backrunners. Everything was perfect on our 3rd time coming on Valentine's night. The manager was very friendly as well. Highly recommend the Lobster with crab risotto. My fiancé enjoyed the ribs with polenta. I grew up here and of course will return! Well done ELA'S staff.

terrible service and the manager didn't care at all when I spoke to him. first time in my life that I did not leave a tip, that's how bad we were treated

Upscale restaurant overlooking the marina. Perfectly prepared food that tasted wonderful. Gumbo was great. Steaks were perfectly seasoned and cooked and tasted great.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Had an issue with our seafood entrée, but the manager rectified the issue right away and gave us a free dessert for the trouble.

Parking: On a Marina with a well lit walk way around it, with other restaurants and shops and many boats to look at.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Salad

Absolutely delicious food and scenic views. A must for visiting Hilton Head Island. Probably some of the best lobster I've had in my life.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

We went to Ela’s for our anniversary dinner and while the view was beautiful, unfortunately we didn’t enjoy our food. The lobster nachos only had tiny minced pieces of lobster, the bisque tasted very artificial and the crabstack had been prepared in advance and was brown. Even when another crabstack was brought out, it still did not seem fresh.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 2

Service: 4

Started off with appetizers that were great! Recommend the fried calamari highly. Lobster bisque is very underwhelming with no lobster pieces in it at all.
I dined here with high expectations, but unfortunately, the entrees left much to be desired. While the presentation was appealing, the flavors were completely underwhelming. Each dish felt bland, lacking the seasoning or depth you’d expect from a quality meal. It’s as if the chef forgot to add any flavor at all. I tried a few different options, hoping for a standout, but none delivered the satisfying taste I was hoping for. For the price, I expected a lot more. I won’t be rushing back anytime soon.
Service was alright. Nothing special.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 2

Service: 3