Ohhhh, I love this place. Music: Wonderful. "They have a surcharge for entertainment, so you need to understand that." Appetizers Fried green tomatoes: They were good. I could have omitted the cheese or sauce, but they were good. She crab soup: it did not have shells, which is excellent! Thick and yummy Gumbo: it is low-country gumbo, so it has tomatoes. It was good, but I enjoy New Orleans a tad better Okra: OML was it good. If you don't buy this, you are missing out Sides: Mac & Cheese: Yum. Just yum Coleslaw: it was good Sweet potato French fries: my husband loved them Candy Yams: If you do not like cinnamon, then they are not for you Collards: top 5 I have had in a restaurant Main Blackened stuffed Salamon: My husband loved it Fried pork chop: It has a great peppery crust, but it's not tough. Overall, it's a great pork chop! Fried Catfish: flaky, well seasoned, and yum Fried Chicken: Damn good. Best I have had in South Carolina. read more

We couldn't have asked for a better place to spend Veterans Day. The food was spectacular. This place was entertaining and they have a live band on Tuesday, which was awesome. Great soul food great atmosphere great great service. we're not from here local area so if you're traveling, spend some time area dining. read more

Everything here was amazing ! Love music was the absolute best will definitely be returning

Excellent excellent exceptional! Great food, comfortable atmosphere, great staff LOVE this place! read more

If you're at all interested in soul food, you must go here. This was the best meal I've had in South Carolina read more

Came here while visiting SC for my bf's bday. Very lively crowd and welcoming establishment. And the food was great also. Thank you for a nice time. read more

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I took my family 2 five age kids and 4 adults to Ruby Lees restaurant on 2 October for diner. we all enjoyed every thing we ordered! The crab balls, salmon stuffed with crab meat, oxtail and collard green cornbread, hamburge, wings, steak !! read more

Nice Music----Terrible Food and Service I booked this spot on Wednesday, August 13th hoping for a memorable night out, and while the live music was upbeat and enjoyable, the rest of the evening was a disaster. Service: The two-person service staff were stretched thin and overwhelmed. Our server was juggling multiple roles---waiting on tables, bartending, and clearing and cleaning tables! The service was so terrible that we joked that she may also be in the kitchen cooking the meals. There were long waits to receive water, drinks, giving our meal order, receiving our meals, and obtaining basic condiments. We even had to go to the kitchen to obtain a leftover container. Food: The meals were very disappointing. We traveled from New Jersey and wanted to enjoy the best of (or at least tasty) "low country Southern cuisine". The food was "blah"---some portions were either over salted or overcooked. It clearly was not the quality of food we had hoped for. Bottom Line: Ruby Lee's is best described as a small and somewhat dingy sports bar that has poor service and mediocre food. Even the live music doesn't make up for its shortcomings! read more

Context: found this place via yelp; first time visiting; went on a Saturday night. NOTE: 1- you definitely need to make a reservation as the venue is very small; 2- there will be a entertainment fee per person; 3- they do charge a merchant fee if you use a card for payment. The good: ordered the fried catfish meal with mac n cheese & greens. Fish was very delicious; well seasoned & crispy; sides were good as well. The cornbread was also delicious. Entertainment was pretty good! Service was great! What could be better: the fees alone for two people were about $30 (includes entertainment and merchant fees). The portion size of the fried catfish meal was lacking for the cost (only get 1 fillet of fish). But we will return. read more

Reminds me of a juke joint but a bit pricey. Went on Saturday around 8PM, the entertainment was Fresh Vibe and they were amazing. Ordered the fried okra for an appetizer--just restaurant, mass market okra--not good and it was a basket full enough to feed at least 3-4 people. Wasn't too hungry so I thought I would try the She Crab soup and a baked sweet potato. The She Crab soup was hot and a decent size. I don't know what the hype is about it but in general the She Crab soup is significant to Lowcountry; baked sweet potato cane with a cup of brown sugar and a container of butter/margarine. Also had The Ruby drink. My overall for the food is more of 3 stars out of 5. The additional star is the entertainment. As other reviewers stated, be sure you understand that you are charged $10 for the entertainment. Nice atmosphere overall and it gets very busy. Groups more than 4 can be challenged with seating. Wouldn't go back for the food but if I knew that group was back I would go to hear them. read more

Ruby Lee's - She Crab Soup and sweet potato - Soul Food Near Me - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

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Great food and good customer service. The owner gave a personal welcome and staff treated us with kindness.

Great food! Great atmosphere fun band! Service is great.. owner Tim is very personable and uncle Bobby cooks up something delicious!

Food was served hot and everything was delicious! I had the pork chops with macaroni and cheese and collard greens and sweet potatoes.

The cornbread and the Fresh Vibe Band were the highlight of my visit. The space is small. Very Friendly staff. Loved our waiter Lance! If ever in Hilton Head again.....I wouldn't return for the food but I'd love to see Fresh Vibe again! The food is very med and pricey! Example 5 wings $10.95! If I were only rating the food I'd give it a 3. read more

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This place is nothing short of amazing. You must reserve or they won't have any available seating. Live music was superb and people where actually up engaging and dancing with the band. For dessert I got the sweet potato pecan pie and haven't had none like it sense. I wish I live in Hilton Head so I could go all the time. read more

Ruby Lee's - Chicken thigh with greens and yams - Soul Food Near Me - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

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We visit Hilton Head every year, and this is the first time we have been to Ruby Lee's. Honeychild, let me tell you something!!! The food, the staff, the ambiance!! I'd give it 20 stars if it were an option!! INCREDIBLE!! There is something incredibly special, and equally as vulnerable, in sharing family recipes with the public. Ruby Lee was the owner's grandmother, and her beautiful spirit is in every nook and cranny of what this restaurant is about! We will be back next year! I hope every one of you will, too!!! read more

We were celebrating my friend birthday on this windy night. We were told about Ruby Lee's. The restaurant is small, so please make reservations a day earlier if you can. The service was very nice and friendly. The manager was very cordial. The band started out with nice listen music. The singers came in after we ate dinner. The food was fantastic. If you love soul food. This is the place to come. Corn bread tasted like your grandmother. The ox tails were very tasty. pork chops were delicious. Little pricey but was worth every penny. The band was epic. Then top it off with the background singers really made tonight a great birthday night. The cocktails were great as well. read more

Ruby Lee's - Ox tail, collards, yams - Soul Food Near Me - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

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Early evening 5/2/25, food was great, double pork chop and stuffed salmon, crab ball app and corn bread very tasty, nice vibe, service friendly and attentive, owner was present and very friendly, one of the better meals of my week on HHI for sure. read more

We are from Californian, visiting Family in Hilton Head, our son got this referral from an Uber driver " Must go to Ruby Lee's", 8 of us went and we all had the time of our life, we danced , drank, ate, people were very friendly and the menu, mouth watering, I order The Oxtail ( with rice and greens), well let me tell you, it was an amazing experience, our son had the Crispy fry chicken , and he kept trying to order the same at different restaurant, he keep saying " I am in trouble, the Ruby Lee's chicken is in another league. I want to thank our most pleasant waitress, she was so nice, we will come back, next Fall. read more

This place is amazing! Friday night entertainment cannot be beat! The food was the best. The double cut grilled pork chop was juicy and flavorful! Collard greens did not disappoint--thought about ordering another side of them even. Bourbon pecan pie delicious ending to the perfect meal! read more

SOMEONE STOLE MY CREDIT CARD! The morning after I left this facility, I had 4 transactions from SHEIN on my credit card totaling over $250!!! I went back the next day and left my name and number for the owner to contact me.....it's been days and nothing! I'm so disappointed as I try to support black owned establishments. I will never go back!!!!!! Food was okay. The cornbread was delicious. I got the fried chicken, greens & beans & rice. My mate got the salmon (no flavor whatsoever) and the dry Mac and cheese. Bill was over $75 and we both drank water. It was not worth the money, time or effort....especially knowing someone stole my information and the food was mediocre!!!!! read more

This place is a must stop if you're in Hilton Head! Amazing soul food - cooked to perfection! Live music! Patty is the best server ever! Don't pass a chance up to stop in here - memorable night! read more

Atmosphere was amazing we loved it however the food was not as we expected it. My fried chicken was fried in old grease and the taste was obvious. Mac and cheese was bland. Sampler appetizer, okra was okay, shrimp was good but again the chicken was bad. read more

Outstanding! We had a great time the other night. Tim greeted us warmly and gave us a table right next to the stage. Little did we know how lucky we were (more on that later). Paula was our waitstaff and she was friendly and helpful. Our food came quickly, especially for a busy Sat night. We ordered shrimp and grits, fried chicken plate, seafood platter, and low country boil. All were flavorful and all of our portions were large enough to share, so everyone could have a taste. Then the band came in. Bowman Hill Experience. What a night! They played for almost 3 hours non-stop, including blues, old school, R&B, and even a couple of requests. Pam, the face of the group, was engaging, funny, and very talented. If you ever have the chance to see them, go out of your way if necessary. The night was a blast and we will be sure to return on our next visit to Hilton Head. read more

Ruby Lee's - Soul Food Near Me - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

We knew we wanted to see live music... and that we did. we didn't expect to eat incredible food too! I had the blackened salmon and it was seasoned perfectly. cornbread melts in your mouth. my husband had the grilled pork chop. it was Soooo good. greens were perfect too. the owner stepped in on service whenever needed... i'm certain it was challenging when the band started. but food came out hot and fabulous. we will be back!!! read more

Great food.. Great entertainment!!! I really enjoyed my night. Small cozy atmosphere. read more

This was my first time eating ox tail stew and collard greens, and it was an amazing introduction. All the food we had was amazing. Our server, Patty was amazing and accommodating, and overall it was just an awesome experience. Definitely gonna come back at a time when the band's playing. read more

This place is amazing!! A hidden gem in Hilton Head. The music, food, and service were great! We had a blast!! Try the greens if you go...YUMMY! read more

We're visiting from Maryland and a friend suggested we eat here. Best meal we've had all week. The staff was friendly and entertained my 9 year old. I had the fried catfish, collard greens, and mac and cheese. My mom had the pork chop and my brother and dad both had the oxtail stew. We all cleaned our plates. There's live music every night of the week, the place is small but seriously worth every penny! read more

Great food and ambience Ox tail stew and fried catfish were amazing. We plan to return later in week for the music which starts at 7pm. read more

This environment is amazing. The food was beyond impressive, tasteful and fresh. I had the catfish and Mac. I would be back to this establishment very soon. The live music was a touch of class. The musician had everyone on a great vibe. This is a must come place for good food and live music. read more

The server, was nice enough. The entertainment was good as the duo performed musical selections I knew. I ordered the she crab soup which looked like it came from a can and tasted like cream of she crab soup with no hint of crab. It was thick and brown in color. My husband ordered lemon pepper wings which I sampled but couldn't eat because they were too salty. We dined at the previous location and were pleased. However, I have no plans to revisit this place. My advice is to pay the entertainment fee(provided the entertainment is worthy)order a few drinks, and ignore the food. read more

Ruby Lee's - She crab soup - Soul Food Near Me - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

On July 3, 2023, we went to Ruby's Lee to eat dinner at a soul food place. However, there is a $10.00 entertainment fee per person ( each adult) that is not negotiable per manager that is listed on the top corner of their menu. I was extremely disappointed in the portion size of each vegetable on the platter for the cost!! and the service. I will caution each person who decide to go there to eat to be ready from a long wait before get any service. Respectfully, A not so happy person read more

Website did not say reservations required but after arriving via Uber was told we needed reservations. There was sitting available. We ordered food to go and the tables were still empty when we got our food. Found them to be rude read more

First time visiting this place a month and a half ago and went there for dinner. Because there was a musical act, everyone that came to the restaurant was charged a $10 cover charge on top of their food. The band was amazing and the atmosphere was very fun and relaxed. The service for the most part was good. My biggest hangup with this place was the food. I ordered the fried catfish with Mac and cheese and yams. The fried catfish had too much breading and was fried extra crispy. Once some of the breading was removed, the catfish had a decent flavor. The yams weren't very sweet. There was a little bit of sauce at the bottom of the bowl which was delicious but I wish that I had more of it. And the Mac n cheese was cold and dry. If the band had not been at the restaurant then I would seriously consider not going back, but I would definitely go back to check out the bands that play at the restaurant. read more

Ruby Lee's - Fried Catfish, Mac and Cheese and Sweet Potatoes - Soul Food Near Me - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

I'm giving this restaurant 4 stars for the ambiance, live performance and being black owned. The band on Saturday was phenomenal! The vibe was great. That is were it ended. The food is 1/5. This is the only time in my life I had to add salt/pepper to a burger. I could only eat 1/2 as it was so bad. The Mac n Cheese was flavorless. The greens were in desperate need of salt. My guess is that they service an older crowd so have to make things "healthier " . But when I dine out I want things to taste like they should. The food did come out fast but our waitress was unpleasant. Since my friend and I did not eat our food we ended up just grabbing food after we left. It really was that bad. read more

Not only were the wings the best wings I've ever had, this restaurant was the best experience I've had on HHI. The live music was 10/10 and so much fun... Best place ever. Can't wait to go back. read more

My hubby & I came here for dinner with a couple of friends. We had a reservation for 7. On the night we went, it was very crowded because they had live music.... a very popular local band. We were seated immediately & ordered our first round of drinks and crab balls & cornbread for appetizers. It took awhile before our server finally came back for our dinner order. Then, after waiting for a while, we noticed the runner delivering an order of cornbread to a table that had just been seated. We think it was actually our cornbread. In any case after another 10-15 mins, they finally brought out our crab balls but no cornbread. We let our server know and he finally brought some cornbread. We waited for over an hour after that before they brought our food out. Our friends got their order correct. But they brought the wrong sides for my hubby and nothing for me. When they FINALLY brought a plate for me, it was the wrong order. It was the correct sides but grilled chicken instead of fried which is what I orderee. I told everyone else to go ahead & eat and not wait for me. Which was good because their food would have been cold by the time they finally brought my food. At 9 pm (when everyone else in my party was almost done eating) they finally brought me a plate of fried chicken, but no sides. I ate one of the wrong sides that they had brought out to my hubby, but had to wait again for them to bring out my mac & cheese. OMG...i may have waited a while for that chicken but it was damn delicious! It was an enormous boneless chicken breast. It was perfectly seasoned and tender. The crust was perfect. I think that may be the best fried chicken I have ever eaten at a restaurant! The green beans and mac & cheese were very good too. The food was outstanding & food reasonably priced! However, the service was not so great which is why they got 4 stars instead of 5 stars. However, i would definitely eat here again. I think the problems with service was likely due to how busy they were. That fried chicken is definitely worth another visit! read more

Ruby Lee's - Moist & tender boneless fried chicken with perfectly crispy crust! - Soul Food Near Me - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

The food was really delicious and the service was welcoming. My only complaint would be the entertainment fee per person. We only got to hear the performers for about 30 min, if even because even though they said the store starts at 7, they didn't actually start until 8 so we were mostly through our dinner then felt a little rushed with dessert when others showed up needing a table. The fee should be per table. read more

Amazing food and entertainment! It is a must place to eat good soul food! High marks for the catfish, shrimp and grits, candied jams and green beans! Thanks for a great evening! read more