Best Bars & Happy Hours

Best Waterfront Bar on the Island

Perched directly on Skull Creek with sweeping Intracoastal Waterway views, the Boathouse is the island's most celebrated bar. The outdoor deck is legendary for sunsets, and the happy hour (4–6pm daily) offers some of the best drink deals on the island. Live music most evenings.

Best Rooftop Bar on Hilton Head

The rooftop Chimney Bar at The Smokehouse is the island's best elevated drinking spot — open-air, with views over the surrounding area and a full cocktail menu. The BBQ downstairs makes it a natural dinner-and-drinks destination.

Upscale Cocktails at Shelter Cove Marina

Poseidon's full bar and raw bar at Shelter Cove Marina is the island's premier upscale drinking destination. The craft cocktail program is exceptional, and the oyster bar makes it a natural pre-dinner stop. Waterfront views add to the atmosphere.

The Island's Best Classic Pub

Reilley's has been Hilton Head's go-to pub since 1982. The bar program is straightforward and excellent — cold beer, well-made cocktails, and a warm pub atmosphere that feels genuinely local. One of the best spots on the island for a casual evening drink.

Hilton Head's Most Famous Outdoor Bar

The outdoor bar at the Salty Dog Cafe is one of the island's most iconic spots — casual, waterfront, and always lively. The frozen drinks and cold beer flow freely, and the atmosphere is pure Hilton Head beach town. Best visited in the late afternoon.

Best Hand-Shaken Martinis on the Island

The bar at Frankie Bones is one of the island's most sophisticated drinking destinations — an award-winning wine list, expertly made martinis, and a warm, dimly lit atmosphere that makes it ideal for a date night cocktail hour.

Where Locals Actually Drink on the North End

WiseGuys is Hilton Head's most urban-feeling bar — a sophisticated wine bar vibe with an emphasis on fresh seafood, hand-cut steaks, and small plates designed for sharing over bottles of wine. It draws the year-round locals crowd rather than the vacation crowd, which tells you everything. The wine list is serious, the atmosphere is lively, and it's right next to Frankie Bones — you can do both in one night without moving your car.

French Bistro Bar — Apéritif Hour Worth Timing Your Arrival For

The bar at Chez Georges is one of the island's best-kept secrets. French bistro atmosphere, a well-curated wine list, and an Apéritif Hour that runs daily from 4:30–6pm with discounted cocktails and bar bites. The covered patio is ideal on warm evenings. If you want somewhere that feels genuinely different from every other bar on the island, this is it.

The Island's Best Fine Dining Bar — Serious Wine List

The bar at The Sage Room is one of the most underrated drinking destinations on Hilton Head. Wine Spectator award-winning wine list, expertly made cocktails, and the full dinner menu available at the bar. The kitchen-in-the-dining-room concept means you can watch the action from your stool. If you want a proper drink in a proper setting, this is the answer.

Old-School Steakhouse Bar — Raw Bar, Caviar & Craft Cocktails

The bar at Chophouse 119 has the energy of a classic New York steakhouse — dark wood, crystal, and a raw bar stocked with oysters, shellfish platters, and caviar service. The cocktail program is serious and the full menu is available at the bar. If you want to feel like you're somewhere special without sitting through a full dinner, pull up a stool here.