Best Bars In Hilton Head Island And Beyond

Hilton Head Island is home to beautiful waterways and beaches, breathtaking sunrises and sunsets and  abundant wildlife, but it is also a hotspot for some of the best bars in the Lowcountry. Whether you are a Hilton Head area resident or spending time on the island during a much-needed getaway, one thing is for sure, there are a lot of amazing bars on our little island.

Therein lies the problem, how do you choose where to go? We are here to help make your decision a little easier! Whether you would prefer to catch a game, party the night away or sip an amazing glass of wine, there is sure to be a bar on our list that will please!

1 Greenwood Dr #7A
Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
https://www.onehotmamas.com/

Best Sports Bar

Hockey, football, basketball, soccer, tennis, golf….no matter your sport, cheering on your favorite team or player isn’t just a pastime, it’s a passion. You need a bar that will match your passion and enhance the experience with great food and drinks. Look no further that One Hot Mama’s!

Led by celebrity Food Network star Chef Orchid Paulmeier, One Hot Mama’s features 19 TV’s along with NFL Sunday Ticket, all the major sports networks including the ACC and BIG 10 Networks, all ESPN channels and of course the Golf Network. If you are looking to play a game while you enjoy the game, check out One Hot Mama’s Taproom, directly adjacent to One Hot Mama’s and get your fill of billiards, Golden Tee, cornhole and more! One Hot Mama’s Taproom comes complete 12 TVs as well.

Not only can you watch your top team (or all of them at the same time), but you can also dig into some of the best bar-b-que this side of the Mississippi. All of One Hot Mama’s signature sauces and rubs, from the One Hot Asian to the Ranchero, are hand crafted by Mama Orchid herself. Speaking of sauces and rubs, if you are a looking for the best wings on the island you will be in heaven with all the options of sauces and styles from chargrilled to fried to boneless. Don’t worry there are also plenty of traditional southern options like pulled pork, fried chicken, and macaroni and cheese as well as shareable bites like the Pulled Chicken Nachos and Brisket Queso. 

The bars at One Hot Mama’s and One Hot Mama’s Taproom boasts over 60 combined beer taps featuring local craft brews and all your traditional favorites, along with a full selection of liquor and wine. We suggest the Mama’s Peach Tea and for all of you golf fans, the John Daily is a must!

663 William Hilton Pkwy
Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
https://www.cocosonthebeach.com/

Best Beach Bar

What would Hilton Head be without its beaches and what would a beach be without a great beach bar? Fortunately, we will never have to find out! Coco’s on the Beach tops our list for Best Beach Bar on Hilton Head Island. Surrounded by palm trees, overlooking the ocean, sand volleyball court to the front and golf course to the side, it’s also a great place for people watching. Frozen drinks options abound in their extensive multi-page frozen concoctions menu. We suggest the Coco’s Big O and the Island Style Rum Runner. While the drinks are great and the views are not to be missed, don’t miss out on the food either! Beach snacks are plentiful and include Jalapeno Poppers and Spicy Pickles, but for the hungry at heart, try the Peanut Butter Burger or the Fried Bologna “Ohio Style” Sandwich. Trust us, you won’t regret it.

If you want to check out the vibe ahead of time, take a look at their deck camera’s live feed!

1513 Main St,
Hilton Head Island, SC 29926
https://www.wiseguyshhi.com/

Best Wine Bar

Step in the doors of Wise Guys Modern American Restaurant and be transported out of Hilton Head to another place entirely. The cosmopolitan lounge style setting as you enter features a marble topped bar, booths and high top tables along with bar seating while the semi-private dining room features fully set tables awaiting your elegant dining affair.

Whether you choose to enjoy the lounge and bar area or the dining room, you will have access to one of the most expansive wine menus on the island. Wise Guys is repeatedly awarded the Wine Spectator Magazine “Award of Excellence.” Their 18 bottle Winekeeper System features a variety of hand selected wines kept at the perfect temperature, offering the highest quality and flavor in a glass of wine. Try a glass of wine from some of the best wine makers in the world like Caymus Vineyards, Molly Dooker and Justin Vineyards. 

Of course wines by the glass aren’t the only option. The ever-changing wine by the bottle list at Wise Guys has a place for the old world wine maker favorites like Antinori, Loius Latour and Dom Perignon along side new world wines like those of Klinkerbrick, Rombauer and The Prisoner Wine Company.

If you are looking for the new and upcoming winemakers, not to worry! Resident wine expert at Wise Guys, Tony Chism, has his hands deep in the wine world and is constantly bringing in new and hard to find wines to please all palettes. 

While wine is the focus here, we would be remiss to not mention the food! Wise Guys prides itself on making the best steak on the island, but if you’re not in to steak, no worries. Seafood and vegetarian options complete their menu. We suggest the White Bean and Rosemary Hummus and Tuna Tartare Lettuce Wraps.

50 Shelter Cove Ln,
Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
https://www.giuseppispizza.com/

Best Steelers Bar

This might be South Carolina but Steelers Nation is as present here as the palmetto trees and seagulls.  If you wave a Terrible Towel, walk into Giuseppi’s in Shelter Cove Towne Center and you will feel right at home. The walls are adorned with memorabilia from all the great Pittsburgh teams but above all else the Steelers reign supreme.

Gamedays at Giuseppi’s feature the Steelers game on the televisions both inside and outside and gameday food and drinks specials. Giuseppi’s comes by it honestly as it is owned and operated by Pennsylvania natives. You will be sure to find Managing Partner, Jim Loniero, working the crowd and hyping up his hometown team, glad in black and gold of course! 

Pair your viewing experience, including all of the games broadcast on the NFL Sunday ticket, with the best pizza on Hilton Head island and it is a match made in Heinz Field heaven.

2 Hudson Rd
Hilton Head Island, SC 29926
https://www.docksidehhi.com/

Best Bar with a View

With so many beautiful landscapes to see on the island, where do you go for the best? Skull Creek Dockside Shark Bar of course! With unencumbered views of Skull Creek you can watch the boats and dolphins enjoy the waterways , take in the best sunset view on the island and occasionally spot a manatee or two!

Here’s the bonus though…the Skull Creek Dockside experience is complete with something for everyone, including the kids! The Shrimp Boat Playground and game tables (including foos ball and ping pong) are not only a great place for the kids in the group to run around and enjoy themselves, it is also clearly visible and merely steps away from the Shark Bar.

While mom and dad enjoy a cocktail on the deck (and those great views) the kids can enjoy themselves too! The Shark Bar features our favorite frozen concoction on the island, the Boat Scrubber slush, as well as a full bar. You are welcome to enjoy lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch at the Shark Bar. To see the full menu click here.

38 Shelter Cove Ln Ste 121
Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
https://www.therooftophhi.com/

Best Bar for a Party

Sometimes we all want to cut loose and have a great time and there is no better place to do that than at the Rooftop Bar at Poseidon. If you are looking to dance the night away, look no further.

Every night at Rooftop starts off with their Sunset Happy Hour Celebration from 4pm-7pm followed by a full line up of nightly events including Coastal Country night on Wednesdays, Dueling Pianos on Thursdays and DJ Dance parties, live music and theme parties every Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Speaking of Sunday, start your Sunday Funday off right with “Bougie Brunch” featuring delicious brunch food options and mimosa pitchers and special Breakfast shots.

VIP booths are available by reservation and can include everything from specialty cakes and balloons to bottle service. This is by far the best place on Hilton Head Island to host your Bachelor and Bachelorette parties! If you love a good party but also want a picture for the ‘gram, there is no shortage of post worthy picture spots at Rooftop like the background sweeping views of Broad Creek and the sunset, the neon lit wave walls and of course on the dance floor!

Check out their full line up of events here.

1 Shelter Cove Ln
Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
https://www.bluewateradventurehiltonhead.com/

Best Mobile Bar

How? What? Where? You read that right, best mobile bar. Unique to the area, not only can you get out on the water, you can do it on your very own bar. Bluewater Adventures, located in Shelter Cove Marina, is now offering Cycleboat Tours. These two hour tours give you the opportunity to pedal, party and enjoy! The pedal powered paddlewheel boat seats up to 12 and will hold up to 20 people for a pedal powered pleasure cruise in the Calibogue Sound.

Their cycleboat, Miss Christine, features a state of the art sound system, large ice bins for your beverages and snacks, comfortable cycle seats and an onboard restroom. The tour is BYOB but it is truly a one of a kind experience and don’t worry, we are pretty sure they have a back up plan just in case everyone gets tired of pedaling! For more information, check them out here.

86 Helmsman Way
Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
https://www.blackmarlinhhi.com/hurricane-bar/

Best Dive Bar and Locals Hangout

Often what makes a place special are the quirky and offbeat places that locals are proud to call their own, personally we love the old adage “do as the locals do” and found just the place to do so at the Hurricane Bar at The Black Marlin Bayside Grill. Located in the newly renovated Palmetto Bay Marina, the Hurricane Bar at The Black Marlin offers the best in all things.

Whether you park in the parking lot or at one of the marina docks head on over for a frozen drink, of which they have quite a few readymade options, or the Shrimp Burger, made famous by the Food Network. Not only is the Hurricane Bar boater friendly with it’s waterside location,  it is dog friendly too! Your four-legged friends will be greeted with a spot in the shade and a cool bowl of water to enjoy as you make yourself comfortable at one of the outside bar stools or high top tables. 

Enjoy live music seasonally as well as oyster roasts and their aptly named Hurricane parties!

Bars we love in other places:

While we love the island, we totally understand if you are getting off the island for the day and would like to send you off with recommendations on some of our favorite bars in the area:

Charleston

Savannah