Stopped off at halfway point in our travels and we aren't mad about it. Santee SC is a lil hidden Gem right off 95. Checked in to Fairfield and looked for close dinner spot. Captains Quarters is just across the street. Yelp showed great reviews and the menu was super appealing. Mix of seafood, steaks and just good home cooking. It opens at 5pm for dinner weekdays. We got there about 6 to a pretty large crowd already. Apparently the locals know . Gypsy was our amazing server. Sweet and super knowledgeable. She's this places best advertisement. She had great tips on the whole menu. She was spot on for the red sauce. Chicken parm was perfectly tender. Sauce was like Nonnas. Recommendation to do the shrimp blackened was perfect. Way too much food for sure but she did warn that we would not go home hungry!! Beer was cold. Wine recommended was perfect and did we mention Ms Ellie? Ms E is an amazing young lady who stood watch on the whole dining room. With a hawklike gaze she quickly recognized a table needing bussed or a chair needing straightened And didn't need a prompt. Her quick action ensured table turn times were super Low. Please recognize her hard work. She's making everyone money!!! We stopped by to show her our appreciation on our way out and she lit up . Two big meals. Beer and wine and I was embarrassed how small our bill was. What a great bargain and great find. We booked the same hotel for our April trip so we can come back here!! See ya soon Gypsy!! read more

Tourist trap! Very high prices for the portions. Food had to be returned because it wasn't Hot. How do you serve lukewarm food if you take it directly from the chef to the table? The waitress did the bare minimum of taking the order and nothing else. On top of that, they charge an additional 3-5% after taxes for using a debit card. By the lack of upkeep on the grounds, entryway, paint and carpet, you can see that they focus on quantity rather than quality. read more

Fresh seafood, great prime rib! We stopped off at this 95 exit for an overnight stay on our travels south and found this unexpected gem of a restaurant. read more

Stopped here for dinner while traveling the 95 corridor. We ordered the salmon bites on the appetizer menu which were very good, shrimp scampi which was very good and husband ordered the fried shrimp dinner which he enjoyed. Our waitress was "Gypsy" who was very pleasant and provided excellent service. Very enjoyable place. read more

Staying the night at Best Western in Sante SC 8/13/25 Front Desk person stated her favorite was Captains Quarters, She gave us a few menus to compare, I said we had a wonderful dinner there a couple years ago! So we knew it would be good ! tonight our waitperson was NANCY - if you need any questions regarding- spices, Salads etc ASK for Nancy ! I couldn't make up my mind between chicken Parmigiana or Broiled scallops.... Nancy said the scallops were fresh and superb! We wanted a salads Nancy Recommended the Pecan/bleu cheese .... SHE WAS SOOOOO RIGHT! Hubby had the prime rib ((( cooked to a perfect medium rare !!) ) I truly wish this restaurant was closer to home (( Florida )) It is so worth seeking out !!! read more

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Our group of 12 had a fantastic dining experience. Every dish we ordered was delicious. The salmon bites were the clear favorite appetizer. The Surf and Turf was the standout main course. We highly recommend this restaurant. Reservations are highly recommended due to its popularity. read more

Captain's Quarters - The patio waiting area - New American Near Me - Santee, South Carolina

Stopped in again last Wednesday and met Teet for the first time.As always I had a great time and chatting with this young lady was special ! Thank you Teet and Captains Quarters......... by the way my dinner was outstanding as usual, if you haven't tried the Swai fish you are missing a great meal...... Al D. read more

We had poor service. Needed a refill on drinks (we sat the drinking glasses at the edge of the tables closest to the server). She never refilled. We ordered ribeyes. They were tasteless, dry and over cooked. If you want a drink from the bartender it had better be wine or beer. They don't do cocktails for the most part. I was very disappointed. I have been there a few times and always walked away happy. This time was so bad I won't be back. Awful! Just awful!!!! read more

Wife got a cup of soup and sweet potato as she wanted something light. I wanted the Prime Rib 12oz. It was cooked perfectly. The meat needed some salt and pepper seasoning. If it wasn't for the auju it would have been total lacking flavor. It was tender so the only thing was seasoning. Baked potato was good as was the salad. We got Apple Crisp with ice cream and it was very good. I think it is one of the better places to eat I was just a little disappointed for the price of the Prime Rib and lack of flavor. Service was quick and very good. read more

I have eaten there several times and it was great. This past week I stopped in and had the prime rib. It was the worst i have ever had. Very thick on one end. Sliced like a wedge. Very tough also. The worst $54 I have spent in years. read more

Food was so good. Quick service by an attentive waitress. I had the shrimp scampi and my husband had the lasagna.He really liked the sauce. I loved my dinner as the shrimp were fresh and an overall good garlic flavor. read more

Great food and great service. We really enjoyed the experience. Lisa, our server was wonderful!

We enjoyed our dinner experience immensely. The food , service, staff, and atmosphere were all top notch.

Could have been a little crispy around the edge and thicker cut! The service was awesome and the ambiance was point on. The reason for 3 star was the prime was good but lacked flavor. read more

Captain's Quarters - Prime Rib - New American Near Me - Santee, South Carolina

Staying at the hotels across the street - came in with High intentions for a meal - wasn't disappointed at all - seared smoky sausage and tender chicken are dotted through fragrant, Creole-spiced tomato rice and tender vegetables. A must * Very good, toasted almonds on top of swain added a unique texture / almost crunch to the crab which came with dips- New England clam chowder It's a classic combination of clams, onions,celery, or salt and rice Very pleasing * My server LISA was amazing - listen carefully when she tells you the specials this is very important- Was my entire meal - thanks again read more

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Dining at Captain's Quarters is definitely a local hangout and seems to do a solid business. My server Lisa got me set up with a beer while I decided on dinner. I went for a cup or the clam chowder and the fried seafood platter. The chowder was OK, not very thick but a decent amount of clams. The seafood platter is huge with two slabs of haddock and a good amount of shrimp and oysters. The breading used is light and doesn't overpower the seafood. Overall the dish is good and well worth the cost. Overall good food and service. read more

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I wish I could give them more than 5 stars! The service, food, and atmosphere were on-point! My husband had an old fashioned & the prime rib (you know they do it fresh because he was able to get it rare!) he said it was cooked perfectly. The broccoli was steamed from fresh, yum! I had the filet and lobster tail. It was perfectly grill marked and the lobster tail was delicious, I totally recommend Our son had the spaghetti and meatballs, he loved it! We will definitely be back because it is by far the best restaurant in town! read more

Crab cakes were phenomenal! As was the service. The ambiance was upscale. You can definitely tell they take pride in the appearance of the dining room and cleanliness of the dining area. Would definitely eat here again when in the area! read more

Ordered to go food during our overnight stay in Santee. The portions were small and the food was fair at best.

Just an overnight stay on our drive south to Florida and our hotel recommended this place. It's only open for dinner, OK for road food, was fairly priced, and the service was speedy. We ordered whole crispy flounder and shrimp & grits for dinner. The food was "fine", but not exceptional. We arrived a few minutes after their normal opening time and were promptly seated without reservations. The hotel noted that reservations should be made on busy nights. The main dining room has several adjoining spaces, so it's easy to have a quiet conversation over dinner. There is an outdoor covered patio (too cold for our visit) when weather is nice. There is a small fee for credit cards. Open Tuesday through Saturday, 5:00pm-9:00pm only, There's a small parking lot in front and a larger parking lot in back. read more

Hotel front desk recommended this restaurant and I'm so glad we went with it. Orange pineapple cake was moist and delicious. Fish with shrimp and crabmeat was delicious. read more

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Husband and I are traveling from freezing cold NJ to sunny and warm Florida when we stopped to spend the night in Santee, South Carolina. Looking for a place to have our evening meal we asked the hotel what did they recommend. They recommended Captain's Quarters. I looked at the menu and reviews online and while there were many choices for this vegetarian and husband the carnivore the reviews weren't all great. Most folks complained about slow service and outdated decor. However, we found our server Lisa friendly and on the ball. The decor was nice. White tablecloths with glass on top, the walls were cleanly painted in a bright whitish hue with a touch of aqua. The art was well placed and there was a big fireplace with mantle. Therefore, we did not get a vibe of "40 years old". The food we ordered was very good. Salad was crisp and cold with a nice mix of little tomatoes, carrot, cucumber and a shred of red cabbage or was it radicchio? Fried green tomatoes were very nice but served with a little pot of marmalade (?) which I didn't like. Angel hair pasta with an authentic marinara sauce was pretty close to what my Italian grandma used to make. Husband had fried catfish filets that were beautifully browned with a very nice seasoning. He did say that the piece of fish next to the plate had a bit of oil but bc of the excellent seasoning he could overlook that and enjoy his meal. His baked potato was the creamiest we had ever tasted! If I have one negative thing to say it would be that I thought this restaurant was nice enough to have cloth napkins during a dinner service. Paper napkins could be alright for lunch though. If I could give an extra star I w! read more

Our server, Gypsy was outstanding. She was very friendly and courteous. I would like her for server next time we come.

We went to Captains Quarters for date night. My husband had the flounder special. He said it was delicious! I had lobster tails. That's my go to meal and it's always great. Our hostess Gypsy was wonderful. We also had shrimp jammers and wine. One suggestion would be that the jammers come as 5 shrimp. With 2 people, there should be 6 shrimp so that everyone would get 3 each. With only 5 shrimp, one person gets the extra shrimp. read more

Great food and very good servicer. (somewhat annoyed by extra charge for using credit card.)

Located off of I95, in Santee, SC. This is mostly a seafood restaurant, with a few non-seafood items. All tables, with seafaring decor. The staff is very attentive and the food is good. Handicap parking is very limited. I'd dine here again. read more

This happened to be a great experience. We found it on yelp. It was close enough to 95 headed down south and we were pleasantly surprised. We ordered calamari as an appetizer which melted in your mouth- literally. Kids chic and fries nice portion for the kiddos. I got shrimp scalp, it was very tasty and they were generous with the shrimp. Husband got the petite catfish also tasty and flavorful and so were the grits he ordered with it. Very good all around. Service was SO friendly and attentive as well Highly recommend The owner even walked over and was kind and chatty with the boys and overall this was a great experience read more

Captain's Quarters - Shrimp scampi!!! It was delicious. - New American Near Me - Santee, South Carolina

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A lovely plus to our overnight stay in Santee, SC. We arrived tired & hungry about 7:00 pm on a Tuesday evening.. it's a white tablecloth kinda place which is a welcome change from fast food, screeming out your window kinda place...I ordered the Shrimp & Grits & my husband had the lasagna. Both were very good. It was worth treating ourselves after an allday car ride! read more

For those of you traveling I-95 or live in the area, Exit 98 in SC - Santee has a great family owned restaurant called Captain's Quarters. The meal was excellent and the service outstanding! I had the shrimp scampi over grits with a wedge salad. The shrimp was cooked perfectly and the grits were true southern grits. Wedge salad was just as excellent. Service was incredibly attentive without imposing. Prices are very reasonable for both the food and wine (wine list was pleasantly surprising and very reasonable. I only wish that I either lived in the area or traveled through the area more often! Exit 98 has brand new hotels from all of the top brands. So stop there and enjoy some incredible food and hospitality! read more

The location was literally right across the street from our hotel room. My husband had the surf and turf and he said it was delicious. I had the shrimp and lobster bisque, which was very tasty. Looked like there were a lot of locals at the restaurant, which says a lot about an establishment. Our server, Sadie, was very friendly. Would give it an 8/10. read more

The Captains Quarters has D-Licious Prime Rib and decent prices. My husband and I are New to South Carolina and Santee. We're from California where there's a lot of variety and Excellent Food. The Captains Quarters is the Best Tasting and Most Affordable prime rib in the area. I highly recommend it & the restaurant. Just a note.... We're formerly from Bakersfield California. We are bona fide citizens of since 2023. read more

our wonderful experience at Capitan's was not limited to delicious food, but also outstanding service provided by our waitress Gipsy. We will definitely come back to this place read more

it's ok but to pricey for the amount t of food Service was also ok not anything special

We passed through Santee after traveling close to 7 hours. The hotel we are staying in recommended this place. The food was absolutely amazing! Nancy went over and beyond for our group of 4. The owner Paulo was equally accommodating! read more

For a town with a population of about 1-2k people, Santee has a decent selection of eateries: everything from your typical fast food chains, to a real-looking deli, to a Thai place, to seafood. We chose Captain's Quarters because of the high ratings and the fact that it's directly across the street from our evening's lodging. Upon entry, the hostess asked if we had a reservation. We did not, and this sparked momentary but visibly great concern in my girlfriend. She was even willing to sit at the bar! Fortunately, the hostess showed us to a table in a back corner, where I was glad I like looking at Nikki because the only other thing I could see was the wall! They were all out of some steaks and crab cakes, not a big deal as we didn't want them. Our server was named Eve. She started out friendly enough, but for some reason she: -never told us the evening's specials (there were about half a dozen of them) -didn't offer any refills on wine, very strange given how that's a restaurant's big money maker -assumed I didn't like my shrimp scampi rather than ask "how was everything?" I ate all the shrimp so of course I wasn't going to overtly complain or send it back. However I did point out that the angel hair had too much butter on it. She didn't say anything after that other than offer us the dessert menu while neglecting to mention the evening's chocolate almond cake dessert special. So we had to ask for it. - she plunked down the bill at the same time we got dessert. Call me European, but I find it a bit pushy and rude when places do that. What happened to southern hospitality? Entrees come with a choice of salad or coleslaw, and bread is offered. The bread was surprisingly good, it tasted like multigrain. Perhaps the healthiest part of the meal? The salad was decent, the blue cheese dressing was maybe Ken's or some other OK brand and the veggies were likely a bagged mix. Calamari appetizer was also decent/good. The rings were a bit small and portion nothing to write home about. Boo ordered the shrimp and grits. The shrimp were bacon wrapped and pretty tasty. I didn't sample the grits, but she said it was (unsurprisingly) very buttery. She prefers the shrimp and grits at a local diner in NJ! My shrimp scampi was run of the mill. Shrimp were decently sized and butterflied, however they lacked any garlic flavor. All I tasted was butter. They did come out nice and hot, so that's a plus. The angel hair upon which they were served was inedible. Complete mush and absolutely SWIMMING in butter. Even if I had a gallbladder I'd be avoiding that. It wasn't worth the calories or agita. Dessert was a little bit better but essentially a Sysco quality German chocolate cake with some almonds and chocolate fudgey icing on top to doll it up. The topping was delicious, the rest was so-so. Hence the 3 stars. All I can think is that this place is being graded on a curve given where it's located. It seemed very popular with locals! At the same time, they must also rely on "outsider" business given that there are a dozen of hotels within a 10 minute drive, and half a dozen in a 5 minute walk. Their parking lot practically has a hotel pool in it. Don't be fooled into thinking this place is inexpensive. I've certainly paid more for worse, but this eatery could probably put out a better product if they wanted to. I couldn't help but get the sense that the Captain doesn't want non-locals aboard their ship, or is at least indifferent toward us. Next time in Santee we shall set our sails elsewhere for chow. read more

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Long day of travel and looking forward to dinner Reviews had us very excited. Overall it was a good dinner not great. Our waitress was not really friendly - we only heard about the specials From listening in to another table. Salads were small. Crab cakes were excellent. Prime rib was not seasoned. Just average We had made reservations. Probably not necessary based on the crowd read more

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We had a wonderful dinner tonight at the Captains Quarters Restaurant in Santee, SC The service was excellent and Sadie took great care of us! read more

My wife and I stopped in Santee to separate our trip and rest for the evening. Found this on yelp and decided to give it a try. It was a Friday evening and the parking lot was filling up. We did not have a reservation but they were able to give us a table in the bar area with no wait. My first observation was this was a place the locals eat at. We ordered shrimp and grits as well as the chopped sirloin steak. The food arrived quickly and was very hot. The portions were the perfect size and absolutely delicious. As a private chef I would recommend the restaurant. I enjoy eating at local family owned restaurants and exploring their flavor profiles. This was a gem and we will return one day. read more

This is what every dining experience should be.. excellent food, friendly staff, and wonderful hosts. read more

Captain's Quarters - New American Near Me - Santee, South Carolina

Crab cakes were good but not thick like in Maryland. Still good though. Service was excellent.