Best place to eat seafood? These SC restaurants rank among the South’s favorites
South Carolina is bursting with crave-worthy seafood joints — but which ones do fans love the most?
Three “seafood dives” in the state now rank among the best in the South. Here are the restaurants that made it onto the list, which Southern Living magazine published March 11:
- The Crab Shacks in Charleston and Folly Beach, at No. 4
- Bowens Island Restaurant in Charleston, at No. 6
- The Sea Shack on Hilton Head Island, at No. 7
To determine the region’s top 10 “flip-flop-friendly” places to eat seafood, Southern Living said it worked with researchers at Proof Insights from July 10 to Aug. 21. They surveyed more than 10,000 magazine readers, and the winners earned South’s Best Awards, a spokesperson told McClatchy News via email.
“If you’re near the water, seafood is 100% the move. Our readers, who are more than familiar with their local stretches of coastline, certainly agree,” the magazine wrote in its report. “When they’re at the beach, a no-frills seafood dive is the number one place they head after unloading the car.”
What makes the seafood joints special?
South Carolina tied Georgia for the state with the most seafood restaurants on the list. Of the Palmetto State’s fan-favorite dining spots, The Crab Shacks ranked the highest at No. 4.
The restaurant has locations in Charleston and the nearby “laid-back” town of Folly Beach, so “there’s plenty of opportunity to visit this local treasure. Order the she-crab soup to begin, and follow up with the marquee attraction: piled-high steamed seafood buckets,” the magazine wrote.
The restaurant, which said its founders saw the need for a “fun hole in the wall joint,” wasn’t the only place in South Carolina to receive praise for its menu.
In Charleston, Southern Living recommends eating oysters and Frogmore stew — also called Lowcountry boil — at Bowens Island Restaurant. The magazine said the waterfront seafood joint serves “no-frills” meals “with one of the best views” in the Holy City.
Rounding out the list was The Sea Shack on Hilton Head Island. The restaurant on Executive Park Road is “worth the wait for the highly lauded conch fritters, flounder sandwiches,” and other seafood dishes, according to the magazine.
Across the South, the top-ranked casual place to eat seafood was The Crab Trap on St. Simons Island in Georgia. The winning restaurant is a roughly 85-mile drive south from Savannah.
In other categories, the South’s Best Awards considered top barbecue joints, beach towns, hotels and other regional attractions.
This story was originally published April 9, 2025 at 3:36 PM with the headline "Best place to eat seafood? These SC restaurants rank among the South’s favorites."
