Birthday dinner at Bistro 17 in Shelter Cove was exactly the kind of evening I was hoping for. We chose to sit outside so I could bring my dog along, and even on a chilly night the patio was cozy and inviting with the heaters on. It was quiet, relaxed, and felt special without trying too hard. The food was absolutely the star of the night. We ordered the rack of Colorado lamb and the Coquilles Saint-Jacques -- both were outstanding. Perfectly prepared, beautifully presented, and easily in my top five meals I've had on the island. Fair warning: don't be in a hurry for ANYTHING. Inside, a pianist was playing and the dining room looked lively and elegant, which already has me planning a return visit -- next time we may leave the dog at home and enjoy the atmosphere indoors (though my photo-bombing pup clearly wanted to be part of the celebration). A memorable birthday dinner with excellent food, lovely ambiance, and an experience that felt effortlessly special. Bistro 17 is definitely worth a visit. read more

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Rack of Lamb Bistro 17 remains a favorite primarily because of excellent harbor and marina views. Service is indifferent - how does a HHI business maintain cooks and servers? Rack of Lamb continues to be a favorite, and few HHI restaurants have this on the menu. French Onion soup rates a 5 of 10. This soup cannot hold a candle to Chez Georges. Give it a pass and goto Chez Georges. read more

Bistro 17 - French Near Me - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

We always enjoy this restaurant. The selection of food and drinks (especially wine) offers something for everyone. My favorite app is the warm Brie compote but it much more of a dessert. The fish special is always delicious. The service is usually good and you can't beat the view on the waterfront. read more

Bistro 17 - French Near Me - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

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This is the kind of restaurant I would love to enjoy. Problem is that there is way too much wrong with the place. Starting with the owner... he has been there every time I have dined there, ( that's a good thing) but the same situation every time. First of all he needs to dress better, he looks like the untrained busboy. I have never seen him do anything more than seating a few in coming diners. Not once did he pick up a glass or empty plate from our table and not once did he come to any of the tables and check on our experience. All the while the waiters are making their own drinks behind the bar, taking forever to take dinner orders and hand writing their orders for the kitchen. You can tell that they don't have enough staff or can't afford it, so why doesn't the owner help out instead of just hanging around. In general the service is terrible. Not one smile between all of them. Even the wait staff dresses terrible. Our waiter was a sweaty poorly trained man, who once came to the table with food in his mouth, while he tried to speak to us. He also tossed the basket of cold bread on the table so abruptly as he hustled by that a piece came flying out on to our table. Side note the restrooms are out side down the alley and they thoroughly disgusting. As far as ambiance, Bistro 17 looks like what you would expect in a cozy French bistro . The marina at shelter cove is a beautiful spot and dining on the patio or at the window tables in this bistro offers a great view. Nice wine racks on the walls, wonderful French posters on display along with what we thought started out as appropriate dim bistro lighting. This is where it all went downhill. All the tables are small, with way too much stuff on them. The water glasses are gigantic, the light on each table is simply in the way, the menus are massive in size and extremely heavy and the chairs are totally uncomfortable . Everyone commented on these things, especially the chairs. The other two major issues that occurred were , number one the air conditioning was very poor, all our guest commented on how uncomfortable it was. Number two we had a light fixture in the ceiling above us that kept going on and off and dim and brighter the entire meal. So much for nice dim lighting. None the less this was extremely annoying. So many things to mention and I haven't even gotten to the food yet. When it comes to French bistro food what is there not to love. Bistro 17 offers many of the staples you would find in the south of France . Most of the offerings were just fine. The grouper special was excellent, perfectly cooked but a bit over priced. The pate appetizer was enough for two to share but also very expensive. Salads were fair but the crab cakes were a total disappointment. Served with a sloppy salad on the plate they were balls not cakes and the lack of crab with the excessive filling made them a total loss. The beef bourguignon was mediocre, a bit tough and kinda small. All in all the food is exceptable but nothing amazing, and at these prices I think they miss the mark. We also visited this bistro during restaurant week and all the portions were much smaller, we would not go back during that promotion. All in all Bistro 17 is one of those places you try once, or maybe when guest from out of town come to visit for the view. Like I said the food is mediocre and the service is sloppy and sub par for a place that could be great. And all this at top dollar, I think I will spend my hard earned money elsewhere!!!!!! Thank you for your time!! read more

Food took over an hour to arrive, they were also out of one dish we came there for. The beef portion was very small as well. Will not be going back again. read more

Bistro 17 - French Near Me - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

The food was delicious and the service good but they didn't even offer a free desert for our anniversary. For the prices they charge they should show some customer appreciation. read more

Pate has no flavor as well as the chicken. Beef Borgoignon was okay. Lamb was very good

Very French! Live piano music. We love this place. Classic French menu from steak frites to muscles to escargot. read more

Bistro 17 - Fabulous birthday celebration at Bistro 17! The staff created a memorable evening from the setting, to the menu, to the live piano music. - French Near Me - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

Love everything about it. Option to dine outside, refreshing menu, friendly service, and delicious food.

Stopped by for a quick lunch and was pleasantly surprised. Cute atmosphere outside and service was good. We got the crab cake sandwich and tuna melt with fries. Crab cake was great on the croissant. Tuna melt was perfect size and French fries were on point. Definitely will try it again for dinner. read more

Bistro 17 - Crabcake Sandwich - French Near Me - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

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Very nice upscale restaurant on the water. We sat outside and enjoyed the view of the marina. Our waitress was excellent. She first brought some bread, crackers, and cheese to munch on while we decided on our dinner and the first round of martinis were ordered. For appetizers we enjoyed the escargot en croute, 6 escargot covered in a light pastry, and mussels marinere. My entree was a moist duck confit with a crunchy skin, just the way I like it, served over creamy garlic mashed potatoes and complimented with harticort verts and a Cabernet raspberry sauce. My husband had the halibut special, and our friends had crab cakes and rack of lamb. Another round of martinis were ordered and all was right with the world... We shared a light vanilla cake that had a cream icing with a hint of coconut, and a creme brûlée served in the smallest bowl I've ever seen. Parking is across the street and it is a short and pleasant stroll past the giant Neptune statue. I recommend Bistro 17 to all French cuisine lovers. read more

We used to eat here often, particularly before shows at the Arts Center. A few years ago, however the food,and more so the service declined significantly. As such, it had been a few years since we last ate here. It has, I learned been under new ownership for a while. Well, ate there last night and it was wonderful. The restaurant was pre show crowded but service was impeccable. My wife had French Onion soup and a seafood sampler app. She said both were delicious. I had a salad with a tart tasty dressing and Beef Bourguignon which was both tasty and ample. Bread was good and refilled without request. We are certainly adding this restaurant to our go to list again. read more

Not a good choice for Lunch! Very limited menu for lunch and rather high price point. The Salmon over salad was quite good at $24 but the Tuna melt at $19 was terrible. Both seemed overpriced for the quantity. The setting is very nice and white cloth covered tables and nice place settings are a plus. However, the Lunch menu had few substantial food choices. read more

Nice spot for a lunch on looking the harbor on their patio. Lunch menu is expansive. We tried the 3 salad with different offerings-very good. Patty Melt was ok-too big on sourdough with double patties. Frites could have been better but were cold. Service was fine. Off season is good time to go. read more

I went here for dinner by myself as I've read excellent reviews of this restaurant. I did not have a reservation although I preferred the bar seating anyway. It's tiny but warm and staff was welcoming. Meredith served me well and was friendly (funny!) and professional. She recommended the grouper and how pleased I was to oblige! Cooked to perfection with yummy veggie and rice sides. Excellent cuisine. The wine was generously poured and also a good choice of Sauvignon blanc from New Zealand. I stayed several hours as I was fortunate to meet a couple seated next to me who were charming and open to conversation as we all enjoyed the piano player. The owner, Thomas Justice, regaled me with his fascinating family history. His ancestor, Sergeant Alvin C York, was a Medal of Honor recipient in 1918 during World War 1. (I'll need to watch the Gary Cooper movie of his escapades.) Please don't hesitate to visit this fine local establishment . They will be closing for some weeks in January, 2024 so check ahead before you go. read more

The wine at $12 a glass was a great bargain and a nice pour. The house salad was delicious. The carrot cake we ate for dessert was nice and ordered because we were still hungry. But, that is the end of positive: I asked if the crab cake was Maryland style lump crab with little filler. The waitress said yes. She must have meant Marilyn! It was like a round dough ball with a little shredded crab and pretty much tasteless I left it on the plate. My husband ordered the $59 rib eye. It was full of gristle and fat...largely inedible. It came with fritte...which were mostly limp. Our mistake was being nice and not sending the entrees back and walking out! The bill was approximately $140. Considering the quality of the entrees, that was a rip off. No wonder it was not busy! read more

Worth driving 90 minutes each way, just to enjoy the charms that Bistro 17 has to offer. Superior table service and Chef's incredible food make for a memorable experience. Fine dining experience without the fine dining price tag. Highly recommend. read more

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My husband and I had a wonderful experience at Bistro 17. We had the escargots, scallops, duck confit, and lamb chops. All were very delicious. Our server Kristina was fantastic. The best meal we had on HHI. read more

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Arrived at 8:22. Waited behind someone picking up takeout. Hostess finally came back.. Asked for seating for 2.... Was informed that kitchen is closed. Multiple servers and tables available.... Very disappointing. Website shows that they are open until 9. read more

Cute French bistro, but food was only so-so. This little bistro is tucked away inside one of the "resorts" on the island and is located right on the marina. We asked to be seated outside, which they happily did for us and even moved the table so we were more in the sun and not in the shade where it was slightly cooler. The restaurant is within earshot of the Neptune statue which is a weird, but neat little attraction. Their food is French bistro style and they have everything from croque madam's and monsieurs, to grilled cheese, to crepes to salads, burgers, etc. I ordered their spinach and artichoke crepe which was good, but a little soggy and messy to eat. It was overly cheesey which made it hard to eat. My friend ordered the grilled cheese which was insanely good. My other friends ordered the trio salad which was supposed to be chicken salad, shrimp salad and tuna salad, but they were out of the chicken so they got more of the other two. The shrimp salad looked pretty good and light. The prices were a little expensive for what you got, but it seemed like a little more upscale place even for lunch. The views outside were nice, though, and the staff and service was good. read more

Bistro 17 - Spinach and cheese crepe, with side salad - French Near Me - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

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Food not French- barely edible except for the onion soup. Service is horrible. Arrived for dinner at 8:00 pm, and could barely get served. Everyone wanted to clean up and close up. $112 down the drain. read more

Awful service I asked for drink recommendations the waitress started at me like I was an idiot I figured it out on my own sat there for 30-40 mins with no chance to order and left, oh it was my birthday dinner too. Never go here rude as could be read more

Nice French Bistro. Music too loud. Very small inside but the patio in good weather is pleasant. Soups and Salads are very good with an adequate wine list. Several nights a week a piano player performs. Unfortunately any conversation over dinner is impossible. I guess management thinks the entertainment brings in business. It might but we won't be back on piano nights. Overall a nice Experience but it could have been great! read more

Fun little lunch place, a bit pricy, where you can get sandwiches for $13-18, or salads for $14. They boast a very nice wine list and over 2 dozen wines by the glass, no beer. French/Parisian decor. Crab cakes are $16, soups are $9. Full bar, lots of top brands. read more

Lunch Sunny day With family... Croque Madame sandwich is very good! Good food, great service. read more

Bistro 17 - French Near Me - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

Meredith made our experience wonderful. We were not hopeful to find a restaurant during prime time that could handle our group of 16 and she made it happen. She got food out quick for hungry kids and answered all of our questions. The food and drinks were great, and could hear the band playing but not so much that it drowned out conversation. read more

Ambiance was nice upon arrival. Our reservations (8pm) were an hour before closing (9pm). We sat inside to hear the music, which was a piano player. We noticed that our bread plates were dirty and the waitress immediately brought us some clean plates. After ordering our wine, the piano player stopped playing, packed up his things and left. Shortly after, all of the clients at earlier tables also left. We ended up being the only table inside and could hear nothing but people cleaning and clanging dishes, trying to prepare to leave for the night. It completely changed the environment. As far as the food goes, the wedge salad was good, not great. A friend of mine told me that the Caesar salad was sub par. Another friend ordered the Beef Bourguignon and it was overcooked. My salmon, however, was amazing! If I return one day, I plan to make earlier reservations and will sit outside on the patio for a different environment. read more

Bistro 17 - Live Music - French Near Me - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

Yum yum yum. Small menu but wow. Salmon salad and halibut dish were nailed! Great location and service.

We came to Bistro 17 on vacation. It was difficult to find at first as signs are not very clear but walk around to the waterfront after you park and you should have no issues. The have a nice and warm decor with live piano music. The brought us a bread tray that was good. We got a combination platter appetizer of shrimp, scallops, and a crab cake. It was very good and gone quickly. For dinner we had Beef Bourguignon, Crab Cake entree, Sirloin Steak special, Duck, And Crab cake entree. All were terrific. The beef was slightly dry but still very tender and good. The wait staff was prompt and helpful. The music from the piano was terrific. We were right next to it and it was not too loud. For dessert we had a chocolate cake and a red velvet cake. Both also very good. Our kids can handle a nice restaurant and food and we had no issues. That may not be true for all parents so proceed with caution. Very good meal and plan to return the next time we are in Hilton Head. read more

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Awesome little French restaurant in the marina, and one of the few open for lunch on Saturday during the off-season. My friend and I were in town in March and took the complimentary shuttle from the Westin Hotel to the marina for some exploring on a chilly, but sunny day. We both love French food, so we thoroughly enjoyed our meal at Bistro 17. Though it was too cold to sit outside, and there aren't great views of the harbor from the interior restaurant, we still had a nice table by the wine racks. The space is small with just about 10 - 12 tables, but it is laid out nicely that each table feels intimate. I loved the French Dip sandwich with fries, and my friend enjoyed the Croque Madame. We also had some great glasses of sparkling wine. Prices were incredibly affordable, and service was very friendly. If I were a local, this would be on my regular rotation. read more

Great food from what my friend and I had. The soup is good the atmosphere is great... the service was very much none existent! We got there we where not sure if we were supposed to seat our selves or wait for the hostess, we finally when in and found service. We sat outside and the view of the docks were great, nice relaxing atmosphere! -Come here if you like to feel fancy. read more

Bistro 17 - French Near Me - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

We were at the O-fest Forever in Hilton Head this past weekend and wanted to go out someplace special. The Concierge at our hotel recommended Bistro 17 and we were not disappointed. Our reservation was for 7PM and we were seated immediately. As soon as we were seated, we were brought a small plate with bread, cheese and olives which tasted great. The hub and I shared the escargot baked in paper thin pastry and the house pate which was heavenly. For our main course, we both chose the duck with a cranberry reduction sauce which was probably the best duck I've had in a long time; served perfectly with mashed potatoes and green beans. Dessert was chocolate cake and a petite hazelnut crepe brûlée. The atmosphere was very bistro-like with great atmosphere and a pianist playing in the background. A couple next to us even got up to dance which was sweet and charming. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable and we will definitely be back the next time we're visiting Hilton Head. read more

Lovely little gem in Hilton head! Loved everything for the cheese board, the escargot, the duck, steak frites, and the bistro salad topped with the best salmon ever along with a delicious side of broccolini. Enjoyed the desserts which could've been little bigger though. The carrot and chocolate cake. Hopefully next time they can give an actual nice big slice for the amount we paid for! read more

Bistro 17 - Carrot cake - French Near Me - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

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Bistro17 is a parody of a real French Bistro. Don't go unless it is for the comedic value. In retrospect, it probably should have been a hint that we were in trouble when every restaurant in the area was packed and the Bistro17 hostess told us to choose any table we wanted. After being seated, we were given plenty of time to read the wine menu. To be fair, we were given plenty of time to read a short novel. The wine list is mostly California wines with the occasional French wine thrown in - a little odd for a French bistro but we plow ahead hoping for the best. We realized we were in a Monty Python sketch when the "bread service" was delivered. At a French bistro, one of the small joys is a crusty baguette, so warm that you almost burn your fingers as you tear off a piece. Bistro17 does things a little different. If you've ever been to Krogers or Publix and purchased the mini-French loafs - 2 per package- you've replicated Bistro17. What makes it truly special, though, is that they don't bring you a baguette, or even half a baguette. They bring you 3 thin slices. Cold. Haven't seen an oven since they were baked at some industrial plant a week ago. To go along with the bread are 3 ritz crackers with wafer thin pieces of cheese on them. When they brought this display up, it took everything I had not to laugh. 7 year olds put more effort - and skill - into making Mom breakfast on Mother's Day. Still, maybe things would get better. We ordered the French Onion soup - a mainstay of any French Bistro. And I have to say, it wasn't terrible. It wasn't great, it wasn't even good, but it wasn't terrible. Maybe 2 out of 5 stars for the soup. The cheese wasn't caramelized and had a bubblegum consistency, the crouton was the same industrial mini loaf slice and the broth needed salt but there was a hint of onion flavor so it wasn't inedible. I can't review the entrees because, for the first time I can remember, we decided to bail out. Paid the check and found dinner down the street rather than subjecting ourselves to more of this debacle. My guess is that the closest anyone in management of this restaurant has gotten to France is a visit to Epcot. There is no way anyone who has been to France, or even a decent French bistro in America, would think that this was a reasonable effort. Avoid at all costs. read more

I think only once in the last 20 years did I order food and see it delivered to my table and then walk out!! This was one of those rare times. The experience was negative from the start. We walked in for breakfast @ 10am (open from 7-11 for breakfast). We were the only ones there. We were seated on the patio, and tyhen waited 10 minutes before our "server" came over with menus. What was she doing? Anyway, another 5-7 minutes to get our order placed, with a question to the chef about ingredients. Another 15 minutes, and our order arrived, completely wrong!!! Everything our server said to our requests were "sure", though she never wrote anything down. Was it any wonder that our meals were all screwed up??? After all this, and then some, we got up and left. What a lousy attitude of the server, and obviously indicative of the quality management (and this is in a resort town?). read more

Food, grilled mahi-mahi, was excellent for a delightful Valentines dinner for my wife and me. Cozy and friendly atmosphere and prompt service. We live on the island and will definitely go back again read more

Love shelter cove area. I had wedge salad and French onion soup. Wife had beef bourguignon. All of good quality. Menu somewhat limited. Pricing is high. Service was good. read more

Bistro 17 is nicely located in Shelter Cove, alongside the harbour where you can look at the beautiful boats and evening sunset. This French cafe has outdoor seating (pets are welcome!) as well as indoor seating. I dined solo, so I was seated at a small table inside by the door. Ambience is casual but comfortable. I started off with a nice glass of Gary Farrell Pinot Noir. For an appetizer I had Mussels Marinere, which was a generous portion in a delicious garlic, butter, white wine cream broth. For my entree I had Grilled Jumbo Shrimp. The shrimp was grilled perfectly and tasted wonderful. It was accompanied by asparagus, roasted bell peppers and a potato purée. The bell peppers were especially delicious! Sweet and al dente. I like to end my meal with a cappuccino. Unfortunately, they do not have a cappuccino machine! So I could not have one. Maybe I should not have assumed that a cafe would have cappuccino :( Besides that one fault, I would recommend Bistro 17 for a nice lunch or dinner. read more

Went for lunch on a cold January day intending to eat in their patio only to be told they would not serve us outside. When we expressed concerns about eating indoors, they offered us a secluded corner table and we relented. Unfortunately the servers were unmasked and, with COVID cases at record high in SC, we felt the need to eat quickly to minimize our exposure. The lentil and sausage soup was nothing special. The French Dip was OK, was hoping for a better rendition of the jus. My wife liked her spinach crepes. The side salads that came with our entrees were very good. Overall, an unremarkable lunch that could've been much better had it not been for the carefree attitude towards the pandemic and the average food. read more

We had high hopes for Bistro 17 based on previous reviews on Yelp and we were staying within walking distance of the restaurant. Unfortunately our expectations were not met. The food here was excellent but the service was poor. Our server was inattentive and that is just not acceptable when entrée prices are $20-30. Maybe it was an off-night for them, but they did not seem to be that busy; we were seated right away and we did not see anybody waiting to be seated while we were dining. After we finished our entrees our plates were cleaned up relatively quickly, but our server who never checked with us during the meal or refilled our water glasses, took a while to come back to us. Then she asked if we wanted the check. We said we would like coffee and to take a look at the dessert menu. She brought the coffee but no dessert menu. After another 5-10 minutes, she brought the check. I felt like we were in an episode of Seinfeld, "No dessert for you!" If the food hadn't been so good I would have rated only 1 or 2 stars. This restaurant is Dog friendly with their outdoor tables. Someone sat down at a table near us with his dog and the dog was quickly served a plate of cooked chicken and a bowl of water. The dog got better service. Great location at Shelter Cove Harbor. Great sunset view this time of year. Food=5 service=2 read more