16 Best Restaurants in The Coastal Isles and the Okefenokee, Georgia

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We've compiled the best of the best in The Coastal Isles and the Okefenokee - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.

Grand Dining Room

$$$$ Fodor's choice

This colonnaded restaurant inside the Jekyll Island Club maintains a tradition of fine dining first established in the 19th century. Signature dishes are the rack of lamb, duck breast, and the filet mignon, all seasoned differently depending on the season. Offering unique twists on Southern classics, the menu also includes local seafood and upscale takes on regional dishes such as shrimp and grits. A huge fireplace, views of the pool, and sparkling silver and crystal all contribute to the old-world atmosphere.

While there is a "jacket preference" for male dining guests, there is not an official dress code.

Halyards

$$$$ Fodor's choice

Chef-owner Dave Snyder's devotion to quality and homemade dishes (everything but the ketchup is made on the premises) has earned this elegant but relaxed restaurant a faithful following of discerning locals. Halyards, his flagship, is focused on the finest seasonal and local ingredients. Headliners of the changing menu include Georgia white shrimp and grits, and "The Burger," featuring grass-fed beef, blackened tomato, and caramelized onion.

55 Cinema La., St. Simons Island, GA, 31522, USA
912-638–9100
Known For
  • Signature coffee
  • Vanilla bean crème brûlée with fresh strawberries
  • Superb wine list
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch, Credit cards accepted, Reservations essential

B & J's Steak and Seafood

$$
While it's nothing fancy, this small and simple joint is beloved by locals for its fried shrimp, generous portions, and down-home country fare. The weekend seafood buffet is especially popular and is loaded with the freshest of local fish, shrimp, and other seafood staples. During the week, B & J's offers a lunch buffet with fried chicken and other Southern specialties. It's open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily.

Recommended Fodor's Video

Coastal Kitchen and Raw Bar

$$$

The fresh, locally sourced seafood at this spot overlooking the Morningstar Marina on the Frederica River, just inside the St. Simons Sound, is among the best on the island and perfectly complements the sunset views from the outdoor dining patio. The banks scallops and shrimp are a crowd-pleaser, perfectly paired with a butternut squash puree with hints of ginger and pistachio. Seafood lovers shouldn't pass up the raw oysters; Georgia's own are in season during months that include the letter r. The turf dishes are equally satisfying, with options such as pork tenderloin with wild mushrooms and house-made gnocchi.

Driftwood Bistro

$$
On-site at Villas by the Sea, Driftwood Bistro is an island favorite for its Lowcountry Southern cuisine and friendly, laid-back environment. Try the shrimp and grits, pork tenderloin, and crab bisque. Reservations are not accepted.
1175 N. Beachview Dr., Jekyll Island, GA, 31527, USA
912-635–2521
Known For
  • Lowcountry cuisine
  • Vegetarian options
  • Outstanding seafood dishes
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch. Closed Sun.

Island Sweets Shoppe

$
Head to this cute little cottage in Jekyll's historic district when the sweet tooth hits for handmade fudge, pralines, truffles, and other goodies made on-site. There's also ice cream and slushies. Gift baskets and prepackaged treats are available to take home.
150 Old Plantation Rd., Jekyll Island, GA, 31527, USA
912-635--3135
Known For
  • Chocolate confections
  • Ice cream
  • Take-home treats

Okefenokee Restaurant

$

Everything's home-cooked at this half-century-old local institution, and it's all good—from the fried shrimp to the black-eyed peas. It opens early for breakfast and has a daily lunch and dinner buffet piled with Southern favorites.

1507 3rd St., Folkston, GA, 31537, USA
912-496–3263
Known For
  • Breakfast buffet
  • Country-style fare
  • Peach cobbler
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun., Credit cards accepted

Palm Coast Coffee

$
The coffee is always on at this café in the Village where you'll also find delicious soups, salads, sandwiches, and desserts. Breakfast and lunch are served daily, and there's ample outdoor seating for relaxing and watching the world go by. There's even a pub on-site serving wine and beer.

Porch

$
Located in a coastal-style shack on the edge of the Village, the porch is always packed at this casual order-at-the-counter eatery specializing in Nashville hot chicken, fried catfish, and fried local shrimp. Wash it all down with some Southern sweet tea or a chilly "frosé." There's tons of outdoor seating on the screened-in porch and at picnic tables on the lawn, making it popular with families and those with pups in tow.

Riverside Cafe

$$
Go for the authentic Greek food at this cozy café right across from the Cumberland Island Ferry. There's indoor and outdoor dining with great waterfront views. The menu features soups, sandwiches, pasta, and Greek fare like moussaka, lamb chops, and pasticcio (Greek lasagna) as well as crab cakes and fried seafood specialties.

Skipper's Fish Camp

$$$

This upscale take on the fish camp theme lies at the foot of a public dock on the Darien River, where working shrimp boats moor. It has a beautiful courtyard pond and an open-air oyster bar. Popular menu items include Georgia white shrimp, ribs, and fried flounder. Arrive early on weekends, when there's usually a wait.

85 Screven St., Darien, GA, 31305, USA
912-437–3474
Known For
  • The views
  • Catching the game
  • Seafood and barbecue
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted, Reservations not accepted

Southern Soul Barbeque

$
This retro-inspired indoor-outdoor establishment with a more-than-12-hour hardwood-fired barbecue occupies a former gas station at a five-points crossroads in the heart of St. Simons Island. Locals claim this as the area's best barbecue, and diners flock here for the brisket, pulled pork, Brunswick stew, and homemade sauces and side dishes. It's a great option for large parties with family-style appetites.

The Fish Dock Bar & Grill

$$$

A local staple, this quintessential coastal restaurant, which overlooks the Sapelo River as it runs to the Sapelo Sound, offers fresh-from-the docks seafood dishes and surf-and-turf specialties. Menu favorites include the seafood linguine with Sapelo Sea Farms clams and whole fried Altamaha River catfish with hush puppies, local shrimp, and deviled crab.

1398 Sapelo Ave., Crescent, GA, 31304, USA
912-832–4295
Known For
  • Classic steak and seafood dishes
  • Waterfront dining with deck seating
  • Fresh Georgia oysters, shrimp, and clams
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.

The Half Shell at the Pier

$$
On an island chock-full of seafood establishments, the Half Shell rises above the competition. It's beloved by locals and visitors alike for the combination of laid-back atmosphere, fresh seafood, and quality preparation and presentation—this is not the stereotypical fried-shrimp shack. If seafood isn't your thing, there's also tasty American fare like the Half Shell burger or the Cajun pork chops. Four-legged family members are welcome.

The Wharf

$$$
This casual waterfront spot, operated by the Jekyll Island Club, is a popular destination for fresh seafood, live music, and an alfresco lunch or cocktail hour. Bar snacks, raw oysters, and Lowcountry boils dominate a menu that also offers landlubber's choices like burgers and grilled steak. The full bar specializes in frozen drinks, and local bands play every weekend, giving the Wharf a lively and authentic beach-town feel.

Tramici

$$

Although it's in a shopping center, this Italian eatery with the same owner as the more refined Halyards bills itself as a neighborhood restaurant. It has spaghetti and meatballs and pizzas piled with favorite toppings, as well as a remarkable antipasto with prosciutto and various cheeses and a superb take on braised short ribs over goat cheese ravioli, with sun-dried tomatoes as the mystery ingredient.

75 Cinema La., St. Simons Island, GA, 31522, USA
912-634–2202
Known For
  • Kid-friendly dining
  • Authentic flatbreads
  • Hearty Italian entrées
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted, No lunch weekends