17 Best Seafood Restaurants near Kiawah Island

“Was visiting the Sanctuary with my husband and we had a great dinner at the ocean room celebrating our honeymoon. Services was fabulous, thank you JT! I would say my two favorite dishes were the wedge salad and the brussel sprouts! We split the NY strip which was very good. Definitely a great spot for a celebration dinner.“

“Excellent food, service and decor.“

“had a wonderful lunch there. the sortayed shrimp and salad were so delicious. everything looked and smelled fresh. the people were so kind and friendly. when your on John's island a must to go to .“

“Sandwiches are fresh and portions are huge! We will be back!“

“I ate the best crab cakes ever at Bowens Island and when I was very young I remember May making you feel like you were in her house eating at her table as she was so sweet and caring as she made sure!“

“We stopped in since we drove past so many times before. Wow it was just wow it as just wonderful! The key lime pie was home made and melted in your mouth. The shrimp and grits were buttery and creamy and the seasoning was delicious. My visit was fantastic and I will come again to try the crabcakes next“

“Had the best dinner there last night - service was outstanding!“

“Great food. Great atmosphere. Awesome waitress. 5 stars from me“

“It’s delicious!! Portions are HUGE… service is outstanding!! Best crab legs!! She-Crab soup is fabulous! Can’t go wrong eating here! Great family place!! 5 Stars!!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“This place is AMAZING!!! The food is great- the staff is amazing and it is dog more than friendly! We went to the rooftop, had the best sushi and the staff was fabulous and LOVED our 3 dogs!!! If I could rate this place as my favorite place EVER, I would!!!“

“We recently visited Charleston and forgot to make dinner reservations, that’s when we happed on to The Royal Tern. Despite no reservations, they gladly seated us at a great table. The food was exquisite, everything from the Raw Bar, the fried shrimp, to the halibut. The halibut was prepared perfectly and was so unique; the ingredients worked together in delicious synergy. My cocktail was on-point, too. As a home cook, being able to watch the chefs prepare the meals was fascinating. Mad respect for their craft. Met one of the owners as he was making his rounds in the dining room, and he was a lovely person. He even printed a map w/shortcuts for us since traffic is so bad in the Charleston area. Highly recommend, will definitely be back next time we’re in town.“

“Kids food was reasonably priced and portions were solid. The seafood platter was not great and looked thrown together quickly, but tacos were fantastic. The view and atmosphere were also wonderful. I would probably go back just for that part of the experience.“

“View of course is great! The food has always been good and the servers also! My favorite time is when the weather is suitable for rooftop dining with a moderate crowd and live music!“

“Casually stopped in for dinner once last week and was back 3 times the same week. Delicious food, fast service, awesome atmosphere, dog friendly!! Loved everything I have tried so far!“

“There is truly not a bad thing on the menu! The staff at CudaCo are always so friendly and knowledgeable about their items, so you will be sure to leave happy.

I always believed this was a sit-down restaurant until I went to try it with some visiting friends. I was pleasantly surprised that you order at the register and can then take a seat wherever you like, indoors or outside, and they will bring your food to you. I also appreciated the free parking lot. Even though there is limited indoor seating, there are plenty of picnic tables outside to sit at on a warm Charleston day. You can also easily ask for your food to go. Even better, you can enjoy a meal and still bring home more seafood to cook at a later date while supporting a local small business. I mean, what is better than that?

They have a great local beer and wine selection that you can purchase and take home. More importantly, their food is out-of-this-world fresh. This tiny spot that is easy to miss on James Island has some of the best seafood out there. My go-to is their coconut rice poke bowl with salmon. I would come here every day if I could!“

“Amazing southern food and hospitality. We live in the neighborhood and have dined and gotten takeout from Linnette's 10-15 times and the food is always excellent. Those complaining about the flavoring/quality of the food are, IMO, people that are rarely satisfied with anything. We've had almost every dish and they are all bangers. Their bacon egg and cheese is one of the best Ive ever had, and they have phenomenal fried chicken. Enjoy with confidence!“

“Best place for local sea food (shrimp locally sourced). Was here 3 days, ate seafood out 5 times. This was the only place we visited that served local shrimp (not from India or other “Asia” countries. Food, atmosphere, and service was the best.“