Old Fort Pub

Absolutely awesome time! Phenomenal service great food great people wonderful atmosphere beautiful view of the river at sunset what more can you ask this restaurant is top notch!

Interesting place, nice view, interesting food although a little expensive, strange waiters and service personnel. Too bad this charming building could be destroyed for condos.

We’ve been dining here regularly for at least 25 years. Remember when it was a local favorite and casual. And we were thrilled with the upgrade to a «white tablecloth» restaurant in the 1990s. OFP quickly became our favorite place for family celebrations. Tonight we were not disappointed! Everything was delicious. Our server, Debbie, was attentive and caring.
Please, however, if you choose to dine here, make an effort and dress up a little bit. It’s a special night out — dress like it. There are plenty of restaurants on HHI to eat a delicious meal while wearing casual shorts and t-​shirts.

WOW!!! This was great! Chose the Old Fort Pub for my mom’s 60^th birthday. The menu had a great selection for both beverages and food. The waiter’s recommendations were on point and he made sure no one’s glass was empty. The shrimp bisque and the butternut squash soup were both a hit at the table. Followed was the poached pear, gorgonzola and black walnut salad which had a perfect combination of sweetness from the pears the saltiness from the cheese. The entrees were fabulous! The Colorado Lamb Shank fell off the bone and melted in the birthday’s girl’s mouth. The Short Rib was so flavorful I had to hold back from licking the plate! The third was a special featuring a Ribeye cooked to perfection. It was delicious. Desert followed and help close the meal, the slice of the bourbon beacon pie was huge!!! But I managed to eat it. The rest of the table happily ate the bittersweet chocolate cake. The place was great! Wish we had gone there early enough to enjoy the view and sunset, next time!

Not a hamburger spot. Exquisite ambience. And phenomenal sunset. $$$$$. Serene. Not for kids. Definitely a must try. Service outstanding.

We started out at Skull Creek Boathouse, but the wait was about an hour and a half so we came here. It ended up being exactly what we wanted: quiet, romantic (date with my sister), and calm. We needed to unwind after a busy week.
My aunt had told us this place has the best She Crab Soup on the island, so of course we had to order it. She didn’t steer us wrong, it was delicious! I soaked up every last drop with bread. I’m sad they were out of the Blue Crab Claw Fingers so we will definitely have to return.
We split the Sea Island Bouillabaisse and the Key Lime Tart. We were exhausted from wedding planning. Our sister’s wedding was the night before and they were happy to split it for us. My sister loved it. She said it was perfect. I didn’t like it, but I think I was just in the mood for something else. I prefer more crust on my Key Lime Tart, but the flavor was perfect. I had been craving key lime all week and I finally felt satisfied.
We came here too late at night, but I remember this place having an amazing view. I would definitely recommend it if you are in the mood for a romantic sunset dinner. Our bill was lower than they are used to, but never the less the service was still impeccable.

Beautiful location. Staff great. Flavors blend nice, chef must know what he is doing, they got the flavoring and seasoning down. Food can vary in toughness etc., maybe it depends on how busy of a day they’re having as to what or how things come out of the kitchen. I’m still debating on this restaurant because they have me confused. Shrug. I’ll not give up because people keep telling me it’s great. I must be ordering wrong. Calamari tough. Steak tough. Seafood overcooked. Drinks fab etc., I think perhaps, I am choosing the wrong times to book.

So this restaurant has a great location and great views… these are by far their strongest assets. You can actually enjoy yourself based on these alone but be warned you will pay dearly for them. The prices are ASTRONOMICAL in light of quality.
The she crab soup was also very good along with my lemon basil martini. My seafood bouillabaisse was tasty but it seemed more like seafood in a white wine butter sauce rather than a mediteranean stew.
I looked forward to the fried squash blossoms which were advertised as being stuffed with lobster. I must have missed the lobster for the overwhelming taste of salmon… really a heavy flavor for a squash blossom. My husband had the stuffed quail which he thought was heavy and tasteless.

We hadn’t been to the Old fort pub for several years and decided to go for brunch. It was as excellent as we remembered. JoAnn, the manager suggested wine for us, and our food was wonderful. I almost forgot what REAL hollandaise tastes like! I Had the quiche, with tasso ham and shrimp, and my husband had the Benedict, with the hollandaise I loved. The portions were large. The view was gorgeous, and our server was the epitome of professional. If you want an elevated dining experience, go there. We intend to frequent it again!

As an avid viewer of the show I am confident that this restaurant should make an appearance on «Restaurant Impossible» if they want to remain relevant. I felt like I entered a nursing home due to the average age of the waitstaff and the average age of the customers, and there were times I thought the waiter might have suffered a heart attack for how long it would take him to come to the table. Some of my issues with the place: how do you not serve sweet tea that deep in the South? Why did my menu look like its been collecting dirt and tears from 1991? How is your signature She-​crab soup made of 50% pepper, have no chunks of crab meat, and served in a bowl that was not cleaned off before serving? Is it normal for a waiter to play a bowl of bread onto someone’s dinner plate instead of the vast amount of table space available? Why are you modeling a squash blossom appetizer off of a mozzarella stick — I can only assume people order that trying to be somewhat healthy.
To top it all off, as I walked out of the restaurant there was a creepy naked BARBIE DOLL laying on the hostess stand. Why is that there? Why? Needless to say I was laughing for a solid 15 minutes at the lunacy of that image and honestly the entire night.
Save your chunk of money for chefs that truly care about their food and restauranteurs that are committed to offering a special (and issue-​free) experience. Or maybe wait to dine here until after the guy from Restaurant Impossible gets his hands on the place.

This had to have been the worst dining experience I’ve ever had – anywhere. The waiter was rude to us multiple times and when my husband asked to speak to the manager he started arguing with him and yelling over his request to talk to someone. He even snapped at us for not immediately eating the chef’s bite size goat cheese appetizers he brought out to the table. When the manager came over, she never apologized for his extreme rudeness and arrogance. She did send a much nicer female waiter over to the table but then we got to suffer through our meal with the male wait staff and the dismissed waiter glaring at us from the staging area. One of our group even got to hear the dismissed waiter complaining about us to the manager. In retrospect when it became clear that this male waiter was going to treat us like trash, we should have walked out and just paid for our drinks. It was an appalling experience. We have been here many times over the years and have eaten all over the island and have never been treated like we were treated last night. This restaurant won’t be in business long if this is how they treat guests who have a lot of choices of great restaurants.

Elegant service in a down to earth atmosphere. That outside patio at sunset is really quite romantic. We had the she crab soup, beet salad, salmon and sea island bouillabaisse. Portion sizes were perfect, food was rich in flavor and not too overpowering. Our waiter was attentive yet not hovering over us. We will back to dine at this wonderful establishment and look forward to our next visit!

What a surprise. Fine dining at its best in a unique atmosphere. Get the Pecan Pie for dessert, it’s as big as two pieces and authentically Southern. Great service.

Came here for dinner. I had the pork loin and my partner had the seafood bouillabaisse both dishes were fantastic. Atmosphere very pleasant and service was great. Would recommend this place to visitors on the island.

We have been to Old Fort Pub at least 4 times, on our last 4 annual trips to Hilton Head (skipped the trip last year). It is among the most relaxing dining venues on the island. Compared to say the Boatyard at that end of the island, it has remarkably no-​hassle parking and takes reservations, even using Open Table. We also take advantage of the short stroll through the ‘Old Fort’ after dinner to digest. The ‘Old Fort’ refers to the remains of some Civil War fortifications next to the restaurant overlooking Skull Creek, and is a bonus for anyone with even a passing interest in the Civil War.
Our visit this year was a little below the standards that Old Fort previously set for food.
Particularly, my wife was disappointed with the steak special. I tasted it too and agreed it was stale and at least mildly overcooked. Furthermore, she was convinced that the mashed potatoes with it were made from boxed potato flakes. My wife each had a cocktail listed on the menu; although they had a some unique touches and were visually appealing, overall their flavors did not mesh as well we have had on Hilton Head.
My daughter had a Caeser salad which was mediocre. She did think that her non-​alcoholic Strawberry daiquiri was well made, though. My son had the fish special, he also though it was too dry and overcooked. I have to say I was very happy with my shrimp Bisque and Low Country shellfish cakes, including the side vegetables.
So overall, you would more than likely have a good meal here if you stick with the tried and true menu items, BUT we’re a little concerned that Old Fort is on a downward trajectory.

Combine terrific Skull Creek views with great food and you get Old Fort Pub. We went for brunch and they have a great combo deal with appetizer, drink and entrée. My kids tried some new things and their breakfast was delicious. My shrimp and grits was a new preparation with a great cake in the center and I loved the texture which gave the dish more body then usual. Highly recommend this place

Checking in from last week. By far, best best best overall dining experience I have ever had. Beautiful views, positively unbelievable tastes, and good prices. If all that stays the same, we’ll be back often! (Or at least every year while there on vacation)

Thank you Unilocal for leading us to this amazing restaurant where the food was not only delicious but the setting & the view was spectacular!!!
We sat outside on a lovely deck & watched the sun set thru the Spanish moss hanging on the large oak trees.
Service was outstanding. The wine list was incredible and believe me I am picky when it comes to wines! My soft shell crab was the best I’ve ever had. My boyfriend loved his seafood bouillabaisse ! Bread was warm & crusty, the grilled calamari appetizer was very delicious… I could go on & on!
We topped it all off w a slice of pecan pie… You guessed it… Amazing!!! Cappuccino’s also perfect!
Unilocal continues to consistently get us to exactly what we are looking for!
Bön Appetite!

We are locals and had heard a couple of people say this place had a great view. We should have asked what they thought about the food and service. The view is definitely what this place has going for it… and it IS great… thus 2 stars.
The odor of the place almost knocks you over when you walk in. In need of a serious carpet cleaning and airing out. Our server was pretentious and weird. I felt forced to order an app (so I wouldn’t be the only one without something in front of me she said) What??? The wine was expensive but good.
The food. Mediocre. Not one in our party felt like their plate was worthy of the price. I had the Scottish salmon and it was BLAND. No flavor to the meat whatsoever. The plate was beautifully presented but the taste wasn’t there.
We decided we’d give dessert a go. I was told my dessert would be warm. It wasn’t. Not even an attempt at making it warm.
The place wasn’t packed but was still VERY noisy. There was no way to have conversation with someone seated across from you.

It is not often I write a review this bad. But it WAS this bad.
Made a reservation over a week ago for brunch, for my Mom’s 80^th birthday… With great misgivings, after reading some of the reviews here (but they USED to love it here) … Misgivings Well founded, as it turns out.
Walked in, on time to the moment… As is my older parents wont. I walked ahead of them to remind hostess and manager… Yes yes with a smile…
Nice table by the water… Check. Beautiful view… Check. Weird… And I mean weird… Service from the get-​go… Check.
There was some discussion about ordering… Mind you, my parents are in their 80’s, my son 10… They were hungry. It was quite obvious that the waiter had a system… Drinks, THEN you may order apps, THEN mains… Oh and would you like ‘the package?’ (Even after I’d chosen 2 apps and premium wine which did not fit the bill…
Waiter says: ‘I hear it’s somebody’s birthday!!’ ‘Oh NOOOOO’ we say… Me, with a decided wink… Sense of humor lacking? CHECK.
Food… Meh. I ordered deviled ham which came with a ‘soft boiled egg’… I don’t like eggs runny, so asked for it medium. ‘Oh… It comes cold… Not runny…’ HUH? A cold soft boiled egg? Turned out to be a cold poached egg… YUK. Everyone else’s meal was… Ummm… Ok.
We had to ask for everything… Reset of forks for mains, salt, pepper… Etc, etc, ETCETERA!
No-​one EVER asked if I would like another (rather expensive) glass of wine…
Best of all was… After repeatedly stating this is my mom’s 80^th, the waiter… Who I’d describe as nice enough but a bit smarmy… My mom described as ‘doing us a favor’… Asks if we’d like dessert… Noooo… So before the check is dropped I pay at entrance… BIRTHDAY? Wait, was it really someone’s BIRTHDAY?! Ohhhh… Their 80^th, a BIG ONE?
WHO KNEW?! (Apparently no-​one there)
Thank God I know how to bake, so she got a red velvet cake and a sung Happy Bday tonight.
Never again… Do yourself a MAJOR FAVOR if you have something to celebrate on HHI… Call Kelly at The Jazz Corner and do it up right.
My final answer re: OFP?!; UGH.