Skipper's Fish Camp

Skippers Fish Camp is located in Darien, Ga., just off of Ocean Highway (US 17), about 50 miles from the Florida border. An I-95 exit is located just a couple of miles up Hwy 251. To get to the fish camp, one must travel through an “historic” district where the majority of businesses have long been closed. It is guarded by a local police department that seems to survive by running a speed trap. One gets the distinct feeling that thugs have co-opted the local justice system and have given visitors such a distaste for the town that they have vowed never to return. Thus, investment in local commerce is virtually nonexistent.

The restaurant itself is newly built in about 2002 using some of the materials that were once part of the fish camp originally located on the site. Clearly, more investment has been made in the décor than in the menu. In a nutshell, the food could just as likely been served at a shopping center restaurant as at a stand-alone dining establishment. Most of the entrees seem to have started their long journey to your plate in a Sara Lee warehouse.

The fried shrimp were tasteless, almost like cardboard. The “butter” for the baked potato was the Country Crock stuff designed more for long shelf life without refrigeration than for taste. The sour cream was delivered in sealed disposable paper envelopes. The cheese grits were made long ago enough to have formed a skin on the top. The tartar sauce was served in a disposable plastic cup. You get the idea. You felt like you were in a roadside fast food restaurant with upscale décor. At twenty bucks a pop for the typical entrée, I was expecting better. The highlight of my meal was the blackened scallops (10 large ones), which did taste fresh. The service was friendly. The scenery was rustic.

Overall, I’d rate the food 3-stars (average), and the value 2-stars (only fair).

I recently bought a condo next door to Skipper's. Since I don't cook, Skipper's has become my home away from home. Great prices, excellent food,and I feel like family, except I don't have to do the dishes.

Looking forward to a good seafood meal, we started with the famous appetizer. It was terrible. Looked to be a day old. We stopped, paid for the starter and left. Shouldn't have paid for it but did. My wife and I won't eat there again.

We just moved to Darien in September and we love Skipper's. Great place to have a wonderful dinner, meet friends and have a cocktail in the Oyster Bar or let the kids be kids on the deck...all on the waterfront with a feel of being on vacation any day of the week. Check out this Coastal Hot Spot!