Family favorite every time we visit! A hidden gem with a unique menu. Just went last night and had with the sweetest, friendly waitress, Mickey. Had the grilled shrimp BLT salad for the first time and it was amazing! So were the fried green tomatoes and even the lima beans! A very unhurried, relaxing backyard eating experience. Can't wait to go again the next time we visit! read more

Lowcountry Backyard was one of those places that feels like it's been there forever in the best possible way. Quirky, unpolished, a little tucked away, and absolutely full of character. It doesn't feel corporate or manufactured at all. More like you've stumbled into somebody's lovingly chaotic backyard dinner party where the food just happens to be genuinely top-tier. The mismatched charm, handwritten feel, and warm atmosphere are part of what makes it so special. There's this brilliant contrast between the laid-back hole-in-the-wall vibe and the seriously refined cooking coming out of the kitchen. We started with the fried green tomatoes which were incredibly tender, fried perfectly, and drizzled with a lovely house-made ranch. The sweet house pickles alongside were such a good touch. We also each had a cup of she crab soup which was beautifully seasoned and packed with tonnes of crab morsels. For mains, we shared the shrimp and grits and completely understood why the recipe has won awards, including being recognised as the 3rd best in the world. The recipe is rooted in traditional Lowcountry cooking but elevated with layers of flavour that somehow still feel comforting and homemade. The grits were unbelievably creamy, and the shrimp and sausage were perfectly cooked with fantastic flavour throughout. We also split the seafood purloo with blackened grouper, and it was equally impressive. Everything was cooked perfectly and tasted incredibly fresh without trying too hard to be fancy. What really made the experience though was the staff. Everyone went above and beyond. They took time to chat with us about the area, paced the courses perfectly so nothing felt rushed, and by the end we were leaving with handshakes feeling more like guests than customers. Places like this are getting harder to find. We'll absolutely be back and would recommend it to anyone looking for authentic Lowcountry food served by genuinely wonderful people. read more

See all

We have visited here many times between 2013-2024 and the food was always great and the service good. The restaurant is a pale comparison of its former self. Food is now average (but overpriced for the lower quality) and service - while friendly and well-intentioned- was probably the worst I've ever had. Largely due to lack of staffing. I do not recommend this restaurant anymore. read more

Today my $32 shrimp & grits has no flavor at all! Husband tried the crab cakes, so much filler it was ridiculous What happened to this place? read more

A Lowcountry Backyard - Shrimp & Grits ( with sausage and bacon) the house dish - Southern Near Me - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

My husband and I are visiting the island for the first time and were looking for somewhere casual yet charming with great food, this place was exactly that. I had the soup of the day (a crab and shrimp bisque) along with the fried green tomato BLT, and my husband ordered the grilled BBQ chicken sandwich with pimento cheese and a side of baked mac and cheese. Everything was absolutely delicious, and we would happily order it all again. They also had some of the best sweet tea I've ever had. Cookie was our waitress, she was warm, attentive, and very informative, which made the experience even better. Highly recommend! read more

See all

We just love this place. We spend 3-4 weeks a year in HHI and Low Country is always at the top of our list Service Friendliness Dining under the Umbrellas The tomato sandwich with Pimento Cheese Of course the best shrimp and grits in the low country hands down Love this place! read more

A Lowcountry Backyard - Southern Near Me - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

I'm sad to say that our dinner here was not good. While the decorations are charming and the shrimp and grits are amazing, those were to only 2 positives about our experience. The bad: our server/hostess had a bossy attitude and was unpleasant. All the food (besides the shrimp and grits) was mediocre at best. The mashed potatoes were cold and flavorless. Meatloaf was dry and disappointing. The macaroni salad and fried green tomatoes were just okay. Lastly, the food is extremely overpriced and NOT worth the price. I remember this place being a family favorite years ago but after our recent experience, I don't plan on returning. read more

See all

Delicious food - crabcakes, coleslaw, lima beans, flounder pouline all good. Service was slow even tho we came early. Short on experienced staff. Waitress got mad because the drinks were missing off the tab when we went to pay and banged her terminal on our table. Made us uncomfortable. The door to the kitchen as well as the bathroom door was grossly dirty. read more

The first stop in Hilton Head for me and the wife- and after a week, it was still one of the favorite meals. I got the Seafood Perloo, which had pan sautéed shrimp & smoked sausage over red rice topped with a blackened white fish. While I initially thought this was on the expensive side ($40) after I finished it, I can attest that I got everything I paid for. I basically got a big bowl of jambalaya with a nice large piece of fish laying over the top of it. I was stuffed. Being the inaugural dinner for the vacation, I wanted to go for a truly southern dish and this absolutely delivered. The lima beans side and the collard greens were also great, the lima beans moreso than the collards- but I make some pretty good collards so I'm a tough critic. The key lime pie, I thought I knew what a good one tasted like until I had this. Hands down, the best I've ever had. Rich, creamy, but also light which is contradictory, I loved it. Plenty of lime flavor, not too sweet, I loved it. There was live music out on the patio and it was a great night, the performer was easy listening and the service was right there to match an equally excellent meal. read more

See all

Went to restaurant and staffing very poor one waitress for entire restaurant Had sign needed manager,waitresses and line cook If you cannot have adequate staff they should not open Of course service very slow read more

Everything on the menu is great. Service was great. Shrimp and Grits were outstanding. read more

A Lowcountry Backyard - SHRIMP AND GRITS - Southern Near Me - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

Beware overcharging and forced tipping! Food was good but price for what we ordered was one amount on their website and then when we got to the restaurant, it was higher and then again when we got our bill, the price was even higher. I pointed it out to the manager, and he did take off most of the amount, although he didn't figure the correct tax. Then I was going to tip the server, but I planned on choosing my tip and instead the server added 20% and did not have me sign the bill. He just processed the credit card. read more

This was a wonderful surprise for me! I was looking for a good place to eat while waiting for an event later that day. I was so happy to have such wonderful hospitality and the food was wonderful! I sat outside and was able to have such a peaceful lunch. The food was fantastic. Raved about this place to all my friends! read more

A Lowcountry Backyard - Southern Near Me - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

See all

My wife and I ate lunch here. The grilled shrimp salad was outstanding as was my wife's pimento cheese. But the fried green tomatoes were the best I have ever had Just perfect. Also good service and nice people. read more

A very down to earth approachable feels like home, type of restaurant. The service is excellent and very laid back. They were understaffed this day but communicated well and it made the wait not a problem at all. The she crab soup was excellent. The crab legs were as well. The cheesburger was good and came with lettuce tomatoes bun and American cheese. Very tasty. The shrimp and grits were good but too high grit to shrimp ratio. Fried green tomato's were the thinly sliced crispy on outside and nice flavor. Inside was bench or table seating so felt like backyard. Kitchen was right in front of you . This was a great place and I highly recommend it read more

See all

Food is delicious, the Pork belly appetizer is delicious. Best SheCrab soup in Hilton Head. Shrimp and grits is amazing. Always a must visit when I'm at the island. read more

Food was very good. We had the fried green tomato sandwich and meatloaf sandwich. Would definitely recommend.

Great experience here tonight. There were four of us and we got a different array of the foods on their updated menu. Believe it or not I got a salad with blackened tofu, and it was really amazing. It had pecans and feta and good stuff. People at our table who got the fish and the grits and the banana pudding also excellent food. Now it is a little bit of a rustic environment, but their service from cookie was excellent as well as the introduction we got from the host/manager, and we'd love to return. read more

A Lowcountry Backyard - Menu - Southern Near Me - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

See all

Lowcountry Backyard was a fun surprise. It's tucked in a simple plaza but the outdoor seating had a great vibe. The service really stood out... multiple people stopped by our table to chat, and even other guests were in good spirits. Someone even asked how we liked the crab dip, which says a lot about the atmosphere. I had the shrimp and grits (the menu says 3rd best in the world... I can't vouch for the ranking but I liked them and finished with banana pudding. All the food had a little extra flare in the flavors, and it worked. Honestly though, the service is what made it. Just a really welcoming, easy place to enjoy a meal. read more

A Lowcountry Backyard - Southern Near Me - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

See all

After 7 5 star reviews in 3 years, I have bad news. They appear to have a staffing shortage at lunch time. Service was AWFUL! Took 10 minutes to get seated as no was paying attention to the line up. Got water quickly but server didn't come back to take orders for 30 minutes. Once food ordered took 30 minutes to get it. It took almost a half hour to get check & pay. The place was fairly busy. I will say the menu & food is outstanding! Only had one server for a number of tables. The setting is perfect on the patio. YES I will go back but not for a while & hope the get the staffing fixed. read more

Service is terrible. Seated immediately. One hour twenty minutes still no food to the table. However, people who arrived 20 minutes after us received food. Unorganized, not professional. Much better choices on the island. read more

I heard good things about ALB, but I was nervous when I arrived: They don't have a bar, and singles usually don't get priority. Lucky for me I was seated quickly. Of course I ordered the sig shrimp & grits, but I also had the warm, blue crab dip for an app. The latter was full of crab, and went well w/ the pita bread. The dip did not go so well w/ the tortilla chips. I have had shrimp & grits in New Orleans, and I really enjoyed the dish. ALB's version comes w/ sausage, and is touted as #1 in SC, and #3 in the world. I thoroughly enjoyed ALB's version bc of the good amount of protein, and the creaminess of the grits. Their grits are the creamiest ones I have ever eaten. Regarding the ambiance, like the name sez, its like someone's backyard. Its super casual here, and the staff is chill. My waitress, Mary was super nice and gave me a great rec on the blue crab dip. Her sidekick Paige was also very nice. If you are looking for shrimp & grits, or other lowcountry food, ALB will not do you wrong. I felt fortunate enuf to get a seat. The line was super long when I left around 7:30 on a Thu night. read more

A Lowcountry Backyard - Warm blue crab dip ($14.95) awesome - Southern Near Me - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

See all

Fantastic spot in Hilton Head! We had a large party and were seated outside in the "backyard!" Live music playing in the background, lots of good people working here. Super friendly! The menu was great. My wife had the shrimp salad, I had the burger, the table got lots of apps including the crab dip! Everything was flavorful and filling. Can't go wrong coming here! read more

See all

If you go for lunch, get the Shrimp BLT Salad! Oh. My. Gosh. It's so incredibly delicious with homemade ranch, perfectly cooked shrimp and candied bacon with fresh corn and the most yummy fried green tomatoes. Basic ingredients expertly prepared. You won't be disappointed. The servers were super friendly and provided good service. It's a cute outdoor space under a giant umbrella. We really enjoyed our lunch here. read more

See all

Used Yelp to find this place and the reviews were spot on! Would have liked to enjoy the live music in the courtyard but the Spring rain kept us inside. Good service, food and portion sizes! They are known for their shrimp and grits but don't hesitate to try other low country dishes. I enjoyed the shrimp and mushroom skillet dish--super cheesy and with a side of cornbread, it was a perfect welcome to the South! Be sure to check them out! read more

Very good selection of gluten free items and the server was knowledgeable and accommodating about plating items. Portions were big, salad was fresh and crisp, fish of the day (red drum) was very fresh and well prepared. Outdoor seating area was very comfortable at this time of year. read more

See all

Food is delicious. We particularly enjoyed the live music. Service is quite slow, but if you're on vacation, that's totally fine unless you turn into a hangry person. read more

See all

Dropped in to Lowcountry Backyard for a light dinner. Great food! Will be back on our next trip.

Had the boil and it was amazing!!! The flavor was so great so much I had it for lunch and dinner read more

A Lowcountry Backyard - LOWCOUNTRY BOIL FOR ONE - Southern Near Me - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

Our visit was disappointing. Service was slow and food was average. The outside seating is cool but not enough to bring us back again.

If you're looking for a low country vibe, this is your spot. Waitress knew the menu but curtly told my son "we don't have fries, that's not Low Country food. Shrimp & Grits was just okay. Gravy for chicken & brisket was also just okay. Mac & cheese was dry but the tofu sandwich was awesome. I wouldn't go back. Prices are high & looks like a dive joint! read more

Had ladies night dinner out at Lowcountry. What a local gem Cookie was AH-MAZING, she made the experience so fun We each had a specialty cocktail (excellent) and shared the crab cake entree. Which Cookie ensured were split on 2 plates The highlight was the Mac and cheese Crab cakes were a little on the small side for the price but lots of crab and very little filling. The service made us most happy; 5-'s for service! Will be back! read more

Probably the worst restaurant experience I've had in a long time. The waitress was very kind and that's the only saving grace. Both my husbands crab cakes and my shrimp perloo were undercooked and had to be send back (his was mushy in the middle and my fish was raw and cold in the middle). Our son's burgers were charred black. The water tasted like toilet water, they had no drinks menu available?? We sent our meals back and had to wait 20+ minutes for them to be remade. Incredibly underwhelming meals, shrimp tasted rubbery and my husbands crab cakes were really mushy. My husband ordered the house cab and it tasted like vinegar. To top it all off we had to pay for everything, nothing was comped even though we barely ate and my husband didn't drink his wine. We were told the kitchen was "a mess" by staff. Staff was great but idk where these good reviews are coming from. read more

The food was fine, but the service was strange. My friend and I were seated and a server quickly came to the table. She took my wine order, and told my friend none of the cocktails were available when she ordered one. My friend asked for a glass of prosecco and was told that wasn't available either. Then, the server left and came back with my glass of wine and a small bottle of moscato saying, "I grabbed this because it's the same size as the prosecco bottle." So weird. My friend declined the moscato. She left our table and within a minute another server appeared and took our food order. That server specifically asked what I was drinking and added it to our tab. And, it turns out, there were a few cocktails available so my friend ordered what she wanted from the start. And here is where it gets crazier, the first server returns to our table, and we inform her that we have already placed our food order. The server began mumbling and complaining that her tables are always stolen and that she was working in a very "toxic environment!" She requested that I pay for my wine at that time, but I refused knowing it was on our tab with the food order. We were stunned, but we brushed it off as miscommunication among the servers. I will add, our second server was very attentive and nice. We were so uncomfortable about what happened and will likely never return. read more

It wasn't as good as a few years ago when we came. The food is overpriced for the quality. My shrimp and grits was decent, but not award winning. My husband's meatloaf was not good --dry. The outdoor seating area is nice except the tables are wobbly, rusty and the chairs are dirty. But the service was good and fast. read more

Sad to report a very disappointing meal here. We were told the best shrimp and grits in all of South Carolina were served here. Honestly we've had much better on the West Coast and Colorado. Grits were bland and gloppy, very little sauce, overcooked shrimp, no green onions (as advertised) - just bland and unappetizing. Crab cake was decent, but $19 for one cake seemed a bit high. Salad was served with a dressing that looked like mayonnaise instead of the requested cilantro ranch. Notified the waitress of the mistake only to be given the exact same cup of mayo. Ambiance was lacking as well. Overpriced and way over-hyped. Big miss! read more

Wonderful shrimp and grits. The staff was nice and the inside was very homey. They know what they're doing here. Not sure if they're "top 3 in the world" shrimp and grits, but definitely excellent. read more

A Lowcountry Backyard - SHRIMP AND GRITS to go - Southern Near Me - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

This place is way over priced.. was the food decent.. sure.. but it was it pricey.. YES! I looked at the menu from 4 years ago.. the meal I got was $15.. now it's $24.. My sister's "world famous shrimp and grits" was just ok and the price hike on that was $10.. this place was highly recommended and we wanted to love it.. but it was just ok.. my soda was even flat.. our waitress was nice.. but the look of the restaurant doesn't really match the prices.. it's very casual dining.. I wouldn't recommend it.. read more

Not as good as it used to be... at least on pur visit. Apps were great (fried green tomatoes, and crab dip). However the shrimp and grits and purloo were both way overcooked. The shrimp were VERY overcooked and the Mahi on the purloo was the same. While our sever was great and worked very hard, it was super super slow. Our entire meal from sitting to leaving was 1 hr 45 min. We would have been happy for it to be 45min. For spending $260 for a family of 4, the quality and service was well bow expectations. I would give it less if it wasn't for 8 years of great experience here... but this was one was a trip that makes me question whether to come back again. read more

This place was okay but not great - when there's so many amazing restaurants in the area, this one was unfortunately a bit of a miss for us, mostly from a service standpoint. The waiter we had forgot multiple things we asked for (hot water, cornbread for the table, etc.) and almost got one of our dishes wrong - the only reason we caught the error before it was made is because he came back to ask how I wanted my burger cooked and I was so confused since I had asked for the Lowcountry Boil. The Lowcountry Boil itself was good but not spectacular, especially for the price. It was mostly potatoes, had just one little piece of sausage and the crab seemed a little undercooked to me. The corn was the real standout, as it was tender and so sweet. I wanted the broth everything was in to have so much more flavor than it did. When we did finally get the cornbread we agreed it had a very almost pound cake like consistency and was very strange. Probably wouldn't come back here though the outdoor patio with live music would probably be quite nice when it isn't 100 degrees outside. read more

A Lowcountry Backyard - LOWCOUNTRY BOIL FOR ONE - Southern Near Me - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina