Went here for our last night in HHI. Love the way the new clubhouse looks. Great place to sit and get drinks on the deck. You can even bring the dog! Dinner, however, was another story. Service was ok. Not great. Our server was in training. The dining room is beautiful, but the lights were turned up all the way, which ruins any ambiance. My husband and I had steaks- fair. Cooked well- nothing special. Dessert was great. However, for the price, there are much better places on the island. It is brand new, so hopefully, they can get the menu figured out.
(2)
Jeffrey G.
I don't usually write reviews but I was so aggravated after leaving this restaurant last night and blowing over $100 dollars I can't help myself. My wife and I had reservations at Live Oak for over a week the staff at the Sea Pines Inn were we are staying thought that it was the best restaurant on the property. We were looking forward to a very nice fine dining experience but that is far from what we got. When we arrived and were taken to our table there were only two other tables in the entire restaurant taken and two tables at the windows were open. We asked if we could sit at one of the tables by the windows and were told they were reserved. Normally I would understand but the place was empty, oh and when we were done with our meal those two tables were still empty. On to the food, it was average at best, and nowhere near what you would expect from a high end restaurant. I was already aggravated about the table and then as soon as our salad plates were taken away our dinner was delivered, I had expected that in what is supposed to be fine dining restaurant our meals would not have even been started until we were done with our salad or appitizers. I had shrimp and Grits which was good even though the grits were very bland, and the sausage was slightly overcooked. My wife had the filet which was ordered med and was delivered between rare and med rare we should have sent the entire meal back and made them re-cook everything but to be honest we just wanted to get out of there at this point. Service was average at best. If you are at Sea Pines and you would like an excellent meal try Links far superior to Live Oak in every way.
(2)
Matthew C.
After golf we relaxed on the patio and had lunch. The setting is beautiful. I thought the food was good, but not memorable. My crab cake was very good, but the soup was simply ok. Our server was friendly, but overall the service was slow. I had a breakfast sandwich before my round and while it had potential the eggs were runny and it made the sandwich a mess. I think they rushed it because they were understaffed. Live Oak has potential, but they could be staffed better.
(3)
Jane V.
This is a 3 1/2 star review. We didn't get the James (server) experience, but Michael M served us well. Had the Porch Brunch which was a crab slider, fries and spinach salad. Very tasty crab cake, mediocre fries and yummy looking spinach salad, but weird looking and tasting runny salad dressing on the side. The salad was served in a very awkward teeny weeny bowl that made it difficult to eat. Hubs had the Cobb salad that was spot on but again, dressing on the side and was the same funky, runny dressing and a teeny tiny portion as well. Our friend had the country breakfast with grits which came with no butter for either the grits or the yummy cheesy biscuit. The setting is drop dead gorgeous and maybe worth another try. It's worthy at least a cocktail for the fab setting.
(3)
Amy D.
I went here for Christmas Dinner and it was AMAZING. The only negative is that in December the sun sets so early we weren't able to see the amazing view. Literally, everything here is delicious. Appetizers :We got a house salad and black eyed pea soup and it was fantastic. There were huge chunks of ham in it and it was delicious. They bring bread and provide a gluten free bread, which was yucky to me but i prefer my bread with gluten so I stuck to the gluten rich bread it was amazing! and they have herbed spiced butter and fig jam (which I'm sure changes seasonally) it was delicious as well Dinner : The boyfriend had the prime rib which was cooked perfectly (i will assume i don't like meat that is red call me a prude but if it looks like it could get up and walk off the plate I won't touch it so I will defer to his opinion on it.)I did nibble on his sides and they were AMAZING. I had the swordfish it was so tender it literally crumbled under my fork. I have never had such a good piece of fish. I had to pass on dessert because I was way to full from dinner. **Note** Best meal I had on the island!
(5)
sharon O.
Food is just ok...but not reflective of the high prices. My husband had the kansas strip steak, I had a sea food stew. Both were pretty average. Definitely can NOT be considered a good dining experience. The views of the golf course were ok. But a restaurant that considers itself "upscale" and has no tablecloth, is really inexcusable. The waitress was snooty...and this comes from a New Yorker. Not recommendable for anything. Much better ones nearby. Save your money!
(2)
Kelly G.
This restaurant was amazing. Our server, James, was so friendly and knowledgeable. The food was excellent, from the wine and martinis, to the tuna, lamb chops and filets. We even had dessert which was delectable! All six of us were raving about it. So very good. We will be coming back!
(5)
Jeff L.
People go to Hilton Head Island for golf, tennis, and beach. Food seems like an afterthought at most places and on a previous visit to the island, I found the dining options to be fairly mediocre. I had read about Live Oak before arriving at the Sea Pines Resort and I was excited to try their flagship restaurant. Upon entering the gorgeous Plantation Golf Clubhouse, you sense the aroma of freshly polished wood. It appears that the restaurant is now over a year old, but it looks and smells like it was finished last week. I mean that in a good way. Live Oak is a simple but elegant room with high ceilings and large windows. We had a perfect table next to the windows that gave us an amazing view of the lightning storm happening right outside from the moment we sat down until right before we left. I'm not sure if it's currently low season, or maybe it's the lull that follows the PGA Tour event that had occurred a week before, but on the Saturday night that we dined, the restaurant was maybe 75% full when we arrived at 8:30 and completely empty by the time we left at 10. We were taken care of by James, who was courteous, professional, and made some excellent food recommendations. Plenty of people on Yelp and other travel sites had mentioned James, and clearly he's the star of the show from the hospitality standpoint. That said, everyone who took care of us was eager to make sure we were enjoying our evening. The food at Live Oak is a step above most other golf clubhouse restaurants and I think could eventually stand on its own as one of the top destination restaurants on Hilton Head Island. Some might argue that it already is. On the night we visited though, the food was unfortunately not up to expectations. We started with some locally caught oysters from the raw bar, which were briny and perfectly shucked. We ordered the cornmeal dusted calamari, which never arrived. By the time James recognized the omission, and offered to have the chef fire it to arrive with the entrees, we had decided to go with dessert instead of another appetizer. My entree was the special of the evening, the NY Strip, served with a black truffle reduction. As usual, I ordered my steak as rare as possible, but it arrived medium, if not medium well. James immediately recognized the problem and sent it back. My new steak arrived about 10 minutes later perfectly rare. My g.f. had the special swordfish with Israeli couscous and clams, said to be their take on a paella, and it was perfectly cooked. I'm always wary of dry swordfish, but they did a great job. The wine list at Live Oak is moderate to expensive, with a selection of craft beers and cocktails as well, befitting a golf clubhouse. Plenty of American cabernets and other big bold reds, priced from $40-$200 or so. We opted for the 2012 Rombauer Cabernet (it's on the menu as a 2011 but no big deal, 2012 was likely a better year), and for $75 it was a great value. Overall, I think Live Oak, which is certainly one of the better farm-to-table Lowcountry places in Hilton Head, has the potential to be the best restaurant on the Island. In my opinion, it's just not there yet. High marks for the service, the decor, and the setting, but that they forgot a course and totally overcooked a steak make me round down what would have been a 3.5 star review (if Yelp allowed it) to a solid 3 stars. I'd go again next time I'm staying at Sea Pines and I am confident that they will have worked out the kinks.
(3)
Daniel B.
Live Oak opened March 2014 inside the new Plantation Golf Club at Sea Pines Resort. It's an upscale, farm-to-table restaurant serving Lowcountry-inspired, New American food. For visitors, the "Lowcountry" refers to a region along South Carolina's southern coast which includes Hilton Head Island. Live Oak presumably got its name from the numerous beautiful live oak trees that populate the island. The restaurant breaks the mold from traditional country club food. The ingredients are fresh and local/regional and the dishes are creative with a modern flair. It's some of the best food I've ever had in a clubhouse setting and a major upgrade to the dining options in Sea Pines and on the island in general. Park in the Plantation Club's spacious parking lot. Go through the front doors of the clubhouse and the entrance to Live Oak is in the back across from the golf shop. Reservations are recommended. The restaurant is on OpenTable so you can book online for free and earn dining points too. Sea Pines property owners are eligible to receive discounts. The ingredients are seasonal and are sourced from South Carolina farms/suppliers that practice sustainable agriculture. A list of the farms is printed on the menu and includes names such as Coleman Natural Chicken in Anderson and Yon Family Farms in Ridge Spring. Dishes run the gamut from freshly shucked oysters and crab cakes to lamb chops and gumbo to shrimp & grits and steak. I've visited for dinner where the prices range about $10-15 per starter and $25-30 per most entrees. Breakfast and lunch are served here as well. Due to the seasonality of the ingredients, the menu changes periodically. I've tried several dishes here. Here's the rundown: Starters: *Fried Green Tomatoes - scallion remoulade, piccalilli *Cornmeal Dusted Calamari - peach & chili jam, pecan balsamic reduction Salads: *Muscadine Poached Pear & Kale Salad - honey thyme vinaigrette, spiced walnuts, local blue cheese Local Favorites: *Braised Beef Shortrib - Yukon mash, root vegetable hash, Vidalia onion pan demi *Lowcountry Spice Seared Duck Breast - Creole rice, cider-braised collard greens, baby beet marmalade, fig demi Certified Angus Steaks: *Filet Mignon (6 oz.) - heart of the tenderloin with Yukon mashed potatoes, shaved Brussels sprouts *Kansas City Strip (14 oz.) - bone-in center cut strip steak with roasted root vegetable hash, shaved Brussels sprouts Presentation is outstanding all-around. I love how each of the meals starts off and that's with a basket of assorted breads including crispy flatbreads like Indian papadum. The spreads that come with are an interesting and delightful mix. They consist of rosemary, lavender, & ginger jam, peppadew cheese, pesto butter, herb butter, and sprouts for good measure. The peppadew cheese spread is a lot like pimento cheese spread. All are great and it's hard not to fill up on the breads. The Fried Green Tomatoes are terrific. The scallion remoulade is light and flavorful and the piccalilli (Indian pickle relish) has a pleasantly sharp flavor. The tomatoes are served along side some crispy greens. The Cornmeal Dusted Calamari are also quite good. It's certainly not your run-of-the-mill fried calamari. The calamari here is lightly breaded and fresh. The peach & chili jam and balsamic reduction are addictive and I like the addition of simple radish slices to balance out the flavors. The Muscadine Poached Pear & Kale Salad is excellent. The pear is sliced into two sets and the honey thyme vinaigrette is pre-tossed with the kale (by default). Along with local blue cheese crumbles and spiced walnuts, the salad also has split cherry tomatoes, radish, and sprouts. I want to say the pears steal the show, but all-around everything on this healthy and refreshing plate is good. The Seared Duck Breast is superb and is my favorite dish here. The chef's suggested cooking temperature is medium rare and I wholeheartedly agree. The soft, tender, savory slices of duck breast (boneless) are served atop a bed of Creole rice and cider-braised collard greens. The baby beet marmalade (which includes cubes of actual red and yellow baby beets off to the side) and the fig demi-glace (rich brown sauce) pair perfectly with the meat. I highly recommend this dish. The duck is cooked perfectly. The Braised Beef Shortrib with it's Yukon mashed potatoes and root vegetable hash makes for a hearty and satisfying meal. The beef easily forks apart. The steaks (Filet Mignon, Kansas City Strip) are good and I can't say I prefer one over the other. I enjoyed the KC strip as much as I did the filet. The KC strip is a lot like a New York strip. The strip cut is naturally beefier and chewier than the filet, which is tender and quite lean. The shaved, slightly crispy Brussels are tasty. Service is exemplary. The friendly hostesses and servers work for the resort and come from all different parts of the world. Live Oak is one of the best fine dining restaurants on the island.
My wife and I chose this restaurant for our anniversary dinner and everything was absolutely perfect. The staff and our meal were first class! We were greeted at the entrance by the restaurant director that served us a glass of champagne after immediately being seated. The NY strip was the best I've ever had and my wife's shrimp and grits were perfect. Our waiter James, provided a great wine recommendation - complementary to both of our entrees. The views of the golf course and sunset were outstanding. Can't wait to visit again!!
(5)
Kin N.
Came here for breakfast on the last day of our stay in Sea Pines. The meal is one of the best we had during our stay. The restaurant is located in the brand new golf club. Both the building and the view were stunning. As upscale as the venue look, it doesn't overwhelm us with pretentiousness. Be warned though, because it is located in the golf club, proper resort attire is required (collared shirt, golf shorts, shoe minimum). Menu is a little more extensive and interesting than other restaurants in the resort. Also, price is comparable to other restaurants. We ordered the lowcountry and coastal empire omelets. Both tasted great. I especially love the combination of fresh shrimp and muenster cheese in the coastal empire omelet. Service is amazing as well. Our server is super friendly and made us feel right at home. After breakfast, we spent some time on the balcony to enjoy view of the golf course. It was a great start to the day and thank you Love Oak for the southern hospitality.
(5)
Michael T.
Food is great. Staff is terrible. No bread until we notice other tables get it and ask....OK. No biggie. Then they lost our order, which they didn't admit but when you serve the whole room, all of them seated after us, then you clearly lost our order. After an hour and a half, food comes. So, a "manager" shows up, comps our apps and says sorry, makes sure our water is filled, and disappears... sure, back to normal. Then the checks come. They take one check and disappear. The other checks sit, and we wait....again. We're patient people, but this was getting silly. We have to flag other staff down and force our cards on them, they are searching for our waitress before they can run our cards. After more "can you please take our money please", the final check comes back after 20 minutes of waiting. But the food was good.
(1)
Jen C.
We ate on the deck overlooking the golf course. The restaurant is lovely inside and out. Our food was delicious. Be aware that serving sizes for entrees are not large, but the quality is high. Our server was quite competent, but we did wonder where she was more than once. They were out of my favorite wine, but my husband explained to me that a restaurant can only restock alcohol via their vendors (as opposed to running to the grocery for a few bottles), so I suppose it wasn't such a gaffe. Overall, a good experience with delightful food and views.
(4)
Gary L.
Best Restaurant in Hilton Head. Food is wonderful -- high quality, well-prepared and many locally sourced items. Views are incredible and service is excellent!
(5)
Caraline T.
As a resident of Sea Pines I was looking forward to enjoying a meal here. Fifteen of my family members and I went for lunch today. Although the atmosphere was delightful, the food was anything but. Out of 15 of us, 4 people enjoyed their meals. The french fries were over cooked and had a burnt flavor. Burger was not seasoned well. The avocado on the burger and salads had been soaked in a lemon juice concoction which gave a horrible flavor, appearance, and texture to the avocado. The meat on the club sandwich was comparable to Subway, although at a much higher cost and the bread was dry. Further, the menu does not have flow. There were limited menu choices, and only a few typical "low country" items, which the restaurant boasts to be. The options that were available did not go well together. Flatbreads and falafels don't belong on the same "low country" inspired menu. Items that were enjoyed included a pepperoni flatbread (not quite as flat as the name would suggest) and a Caesar salad. Would like to give this place another try due to the enjoyable atmosphere, but maybe just for drinks next time.
(2)
Lisa M.
We just had the most wonderful dinner at Live Oak. Our dinner started with a moderately priced bottle of wine and some wonderful flat breads. My husband had the special of the night, swordfish, and I had the pork with a side of collards. Our food was incredible. Our server, Ricky was great. He was attentive and knowledgeable all without being smothering. We finished our meal with a brownie dessert and some port. Both of us would highly recommend Live Oaks. It was a memorable meal.
(5)
Louann B.
First of all, this restaurant just opened. It is in SeaPines at the Golf Club right across from the beach club. We had a party of 4 and were not able to get a reservation (our fault not theirs). We walked in and were able to get seated in a private area off the bar. The outdoor tables were booked and with good reason, they had a fabulous view of the golf course. Wish we'd made the reservation. We had wine and 3 courses and everyone was very pleased. The only reason I don't give this restaurant a 5 is that the service is still a little shaky, but every restaurant needs a chance to get going and they have the potential and the talent to be a 5 for sure. Chef's special soup was a She Crab Soup. I had that and my husband had the Chicken Gumbo. Both were perfect. I had the Seafood Pappardelle Pasta as my main course. It is served in a white wine sauce with artichokes. YUMMY. It was freshly made pasta from the taste of it. If it wasn't fresh then they are darn good cooks! My husband isn't a fan of seafood and asked the server to surprise him. He was served a Bone-In Pork Chop. He loved that choice as well. The pork chop was huge and nicely cooked. For dessert it was the Red Velvet Cheesecake for me. It was good, but I loved my starters more. Husband had the coconut cake. He loved it and apparently loved mine as well since he ate half of it. Good job guys! If you are staying at SeaPines in Hilton Head this is a must!
(4)
Dick B.
This was our first time to Live Oak and we had a really wonderful time. My family lives on the island so we have been just about everywhere for dinner and Live Oak stands out as one of the best. The atmosphere is warm and inviting and the view is fantastic as the restaurant looks out over the golf course. The food, while being on the more expensive side, is excellent. You also couldn't ask for better service - our waiter James was very attentive and really helped make it an enjoyable evening. I highly suggest the crab cakes, calamari and fried chicken. We will most definitely be coming back!
(5)
Michele S.
We ate here for lunch yesterday and fell in love! Friends had told us that the new Sea Pines Golf Clubhouse was beautiful and the restaurant had a gorgeous view of the course. What I wasn't expecting was such delightful service (Clynise is a sweetheart!) and truly delicious low country cuisine. We wanted to try a bunch of things, so my husband and I shared a cup of gumbo, fried green tomatoes, BLT topped with local pan seared flounder, and a BBQ pulled chicken pizza with dates, Clemson bleu cheese and almonds. Our son had fried chicken tenders, fries and fresh fruit off the kids menu. Loved the pimento cheese served with flat crackers too! Everything was cooked to perfection. Even our son loved the experience. He tried the flounder and is now a fan! Highly recommended! What a wonderful addition to Sea Pines resort. Thank you to Clynise for great service too!
(5)
Jennifer B.
Most of the hilton head restaurants are pretty average (and expensive) but the new Live Oak was the best restaurant we tried. The service was terrific. I definitely recommend.
(5)
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Address :Sea Pines Resort,100 N Sea Pines Dr
Hilton Head Island, SC, 29928
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Breakfast Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Dressy Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes
Amy M.
Went here for our last night in HHI. Love the way the new clubhouse looks. Great place to sit and get drinks on the deck. You can even bring the dog! Dinner, however, was another story. Service was ok. Not great. Our server was in training. The dining room is beautiful, but the lights were turned up all the way, which ruins any ambiance. My husband and I had steaks- fair. Cooked well- nothing special. Dessert was great. However, for the price, there are much better places on the island. It is brand new, so hopefully, they can get the menu figured out.
(2)Jeffrey G.
I don't usually write reviews but I was so aggravated after leaving this restaurant last night and blowing over $100 dollars I can't help myself. My wife and I had reservations at Live Oak for over a week the staff at the Sea Pines Inn were we are staying thought that it was the best restaurant on the property. We were looking forward to a very nice fine dining experience but that is far from what we got. When we arrived and were taken to our table there were only two other tables in the entire restaurant taken and two tables at the windows were open. We asked if we could sit at one of the tables by the windows and were told they were reserved. Normally I would understand but the place was empty, oh and when we were done with our meal those two tables were still empty. On to the food, it was average at best, and nowhere near what you would expect from a high end restaurant. I was already aggravated about the table and then as soon as our salad plates were taken away our dinner was delivered, I had expected that in what is supposed to be fine dining restaurant our meals would not have even been started until we were done with our salad or appitizers. I had shrimp and Grits which was good even though the grits were very bland, and the sausage was slightly overcooked. My wife had the filet which was ordered med and was delivered between rare and med rare we should have sent the entire meal back and made them re-cook everything but to be honest we just wanted to get out of there at this point. Service was average at best. If you are at Sea Pines and you would like an excellent meal try Links far superior to Live Oak in every way.
(2)Matthew C.
After golf we relaxed on the patio and had lunch. The setting is beautiful. I thought the food was good, but not memorable. My crab cake was very good, but the soup was simply ok. Our server was friendly, but overall the service was slow. I had a breakfast sandwich before my round and while it had potential the eggs were runny and it made the sandwich a mess. I think they rushed it because they were understaffed. Live Oak has potential, but they could be staffed better.
(3)Jane V.
This is a 3 1/2 star review. We didn't get the James (server) experience, but Michael M served us well. Had the Porch Brunch which was a crab slider, fries and spinach salad. Very tasty crab cake, mediocre fries and yummy looking spinach salad, but weird looking and tasting runny salad dressing on the side. The salad was served in a very awkward teeny weeny bowl that made it difficult to eat. Hubs had the Cobb salad that was spot on but again, dressing on the side and was the same funky, runny dressing and a teeny tiny portion as well. Our friend had the country breakfast with grits which came with no butter for either the grits or the yummy cheesy biscuit. The setting is drop dead gorgeous and maybe worth another try. It's worthy at least a cocktail for the fab setting.
(3)Amy D.
I went here for Christmas Dinner and it was AMAZING. The only negative is that in December the sun sets so early we weren't able to see the amazing view. Literally, everything here is delicious. Appetizers :We got a house salad and black eyed pea soup and it was fantastic. There were huge chunks of ham in it and it was delicious. They bring bread and provide a gluten free bread, which was yucky to me but i prefer my bread with gluten so I stuck to the gluten rich bread it was amazing! and they have herbed spiced butter and fig jam (which I'm sure changes seasonally) it was delicious as well Dinner : The boyfriend had the prime rib which was cooked perfectly (i will assume i don't like meat that is red call me a prude but if it looks like it could get up and walk off the plate I won't touch it so I will defer to his opinion on it.)I did nibble on his sides and they were AMAZING. I had the swordfish it was so tender it literally crumbled under my fork. I have never had such a good piece of fish. I had to pass on dessert because I was way to full from dinner. **Note** Best meal I had on the island!
(5)sharon O.
Food is just ok...but not reflective of the high prices. My husband had the kansas strip steak, I had a sea food stew. Both were pretty average. Definitely can NOT be considered a good dining experience. The views of the golf course were ok. But a restaurant that considers itself "upscale" and has no tablecloth, is really inexcusable. The waitress was snooty...and this comes from a New Yorker. Not recommendable for anything. Much better ones nearby. Save your money!
(2)Kelly G.
This restaurant was amazing. Our server, James, was so friendly and knowledgeable. The food was excellent, from the wine and martinis, to the tuna, lamb chops and filets. We even had dessert which was delectable! All six of us were raving about it. So very good. We will be coming back!
(5)Jeff L.
People go to Hilton Head Island for golf, tennis, and beach. Food seems like an afterthought at most places and on a previous visit to the island, I found the dining options to be fairly mediocre. I had read about Live Oak before arriving at the Sea Pines Resort and I was excited to try their flagship restaurant. Upon entering the gorgeous Plantation Golf Clubhouse, you sense the aroma of freshly polished wood. It appears that the restaurant is now over a year old, but it looks and smells like it was finished last week. I mean that in a good way. Live Oak is a simple but elegant room with high ceilings and large windows. We had a perfect table next to the windows that gave us an amazing view of the lightning storm happening right outside from the moment we sat down until right before we left. I'm not sure if it's currently low season, or maybe it's the lull that follows the PGA Tour event that had occurred a week before, but on the Saturday night that we dined, the restaurant was maybe 75% full when we arrived at 8:30 and completely empty by the time we left at 10. We were taken care of by James, who was courteous, professional, and made some excellent food recommendations. Plenty of people on Yelp and other travel sites had mentioned James, and clearly he's the star of the show from the hospitality standpoint. That said, everyone who took care of us was eager to make sure we were enjoying our evening. The food at Live Oak is a step above most other golf clubhouse restaurants and I think could eventually stand on its own as one of the top destination restaurants on Hilton Head Island. Some might argue that it already is. On the night we visited though, the food was unfortunately not up to expectations. We started with some locally caught oysters from the raw bar, which were briny and perfectly shucked. We ordered the cornmeal dusted calamari, which never arrived. By the time James recognized the omission, and offered to have the chef fire it to arrive with the entrees, we had decided to go with dessert instead of another appetizer. My entree was the special of the evening, the NY Strip, served with a black truffle reduction. As usual, I ordered my steak as rare as possible, but it arrived medium, if not medium well. James immediately recognized the problem and sent it back. My new steak arrived about 10 minutes later perfectly rare. My g.f. had the special swordfish with Israeli couscous and clams, said to be their take on a paella, and it was perfectly cooked. I'm always wary of dry swordfish, but they did a great job. The wine list at Live Oak is moderate to expensive, with a selection of craft beers and cocktails as well, befitting a golf clubhouse. Plenty of American cabernets and other big bold reds, priced from $40-$200 or so. We opted for the 2012 Rombauer Cabernet (it's on the menu as a 2011 but no big deal, 2012 was likely a better year), and for $75 it was a great value. Overall, I think Live Oak, which is certainly one of the better farm-to-table Lowcountry places in Hilton Head, has the potential to be the best restaurant on the Island. In my opinion, it's just not there yet. High marks for the service, the decor, and the setting, but that they forgot a course and totally overcooked a steak make me round down what would have been a 3.5 star review (if Yelp allowed it) to a solid 3 stars. I'd go again next time I'm staying at Sea Pines and I am confident that they will have worked out the kinks.
(3)Daniel B.
Live Oak opened March 2014 inside the new Plantation Golf Club at Sea Pines Resort. It's an upscale, farm-to-table restaurant serving Lowcountry-inspired, New American food. For visitors, the "Lowcountry" refers to a region along South Carolina's southern coast which includes Hilton Head Island. Live Oak presumably got its name from the numerous beautiful live oak trees that populate the island. The restaurant breaks the mold from traditional country club food. The ingredients are fresh and local/regional and the dishes are creative with a modern flair. It's some of the best food I've ever had in a clubhouse setting and a major upgrade to the dining options in Sea Pines and on the island in general. Park in the Plantation Club's spacious parking lot. Go through the front doors of the clubhouse and the entrance to Live Oak is in the back across from the golf shop. Reservations are recommended. The restaurant is on OpenTable so you can book online for free and earn dining points too. Sea Pines property owners are eligible to receive discounts. The ingredients are seasonal and are sourced from South Carolina farms/suppliers that practice sustainable agriculture. A list of the farms is printed on the menu and includes names such as Coleman Natural Chicken in Anderson and Yon Family Farms in Ridge Spring. Dishes run the gamut from freshly shucked oysters and crab cakes to lamb chops and gumbo to shrimp & grits and steak. I've visited for dinner where the prices range about $10-15 per starter and $25-30 per most entrees. Breakfast and lunch are served here as well. Due to the seasonality of the ingredients, the menu changes periodically. I've tried several dishes here. Here's the rundown: Starters: *Fried Green Tomatoes - scallion remoulade, piccalilli *Cornmeal Dusted Calamari - peach & chili jam, pecan balsamic reduction Salads: *Muscadine Poached Pear & Kale Salad - honey thyme vinaigrette, spiced walnuts, local blue cheese Local Favorites: *Braised Beef Shortrib - Yukon mash, root vegetable hash, Vidalia onion pan demi *Lowcountry Spice Seared Duck Breast - Creole rice, cider-braised collard greens, baby beet marmalade, fig demi Certified Angus Steaks: *Filet Mignon (6 oz.) - heart of the tenderloin with Yukon mashed potatoes, shaved Brussels sprouts *Kansas City Strip (14 oz.) - bone-in center cut strip steak with roasted root vegetable hash, shaved Brussels sprouts Presentation is outstanding all-around. I love how each of the meals starts off and that's with a basket of assorted breads including crispy flatbreads like Indian papadum. The spreads that come with are an interesting and delightful mix. They consist of rosemary, lavender, & ginger jam, peppadew cheese, pesto butter, herb butter, and sprouts for good measure. The peppadew cheese spread is a lot like pimento cheese spread. All are great and it's hard not to fill up on the breads. The Fried Green Tomatoes are terrific. The scallion remoulade is light and flavorful and the piccalilli (Indian pickle relish) has a pleasantly sharp flavor. The tomatoes are served along side some crispy greens. The Cornmeal Dusted Calamari are also quite good. It's certainly not your run-of-the-mill fried calamari. The calamari here is lightly breaded and fresh. The peach & chili jam and balsamic reduction are addictive and I like the addition of simple radish slices to balance out the flavors. The Muscadine Poached Pear & Kale Salad is excellent. The pear is sliced into two sets and the honey thyme vinaigrette is pre-tossed with the kale (by default). Along with local blue cheese crumbles and spiced walnuts, the salad also has split cherry tomatoes, radish, and sprouts. I want to say the pears steal the show, but all-around everything on this healthy and refreshing plate is good. The Seared Duck Breast is superb and is my favorite dish here. The chef's suggested cooking temperature is medium rare and I wholeheartedly agree. The soft, tender, savory slices of duck breast (boneless) are served atop a bed of Creole rice and cider-braised collard greens. The baby beet marmalade (which includes cubes of actual red and yellow baby beets off to the side) and the fig demi-glace (rich brown sauce) pair perfectly with the meat. I highly recommend this dish. The duck is cooked perfectly. The Braised Beef Shortrib with it's Yukon mashed potatoes and root vegetable hash makes for a hearty and satisfying meal. The beef easily forks apart. The steaks (Filet Mignon, Kansas City Strip) are good and I can't say I prefer one over the other. I enjoyed the KC strip as much as I did the filet. The KC strip is a lot like a New York strip. The strip cut is naturally beefier and chewier than the filet, which is tender and quite lean. The shaved, slightly crispy Brussels are tasty. Service is exemplary. The friendly hostesses and servers work for the resort and come from all different parts of the world. Live Oak is one of the best fine dining restaurants on the island.
(5)Rusty R.
Disappointed I didn't get to stay and have dinner... This is in the beautiful clubhouse in Sea Pines where Heron Point and the Ocean Course start. Sat at the great looking copper-topped bar and had a few Palmetto Pale Ales and the BBQ chicken and collard green egg rolls. Out of this world good! Smoked shredded chicken, greens, and fontina cheese packed in crispy egg rolls served with a small micro green and frisée salad. Tangy BBQ sauce was like a Thai chili dipping sauce and was one of the best apps ever!!! While sitting at the bar the bartender was cranking out cocktails professionally with precision. Lots of great looking food rolling out to the dining room. Next time I'm going to have the family join me after golf.
(5)Kyle M.
My wife and I chose this restaurant for our anniversary dinner and everything was absolutely perfect. The staff and our meal were first class! We were greeted at the entrance by the restaurant director that served us a glass of champagne after immediately being seated. The NY strip was the best I've ever had and my wife's shrimp and grits were perfect. Our waiter James, provided a great wine recommendation - complementary to both of our entrees. The views of the golf course and sunset were outstanding. Can't wait to visit again!!
(5)Kin N.
Came here for breakfast on the last day of our stay in Sea Pines. The meal is one of the best we had during our stay. The restaurant is located in the brand new golf club. Both the building and the view were stunning. As upscale as the venue look, it doesn't overwhelm us with pretentiousness. Be warned though, because it is located in the golf club, proper resort attire is required (collared shirt, golf shorts, shoe minimum). Menu is a little more extensive and interesting than other restaurants in the resort. Also, price is comparable to other restaurants. We ordered the lowcountry and coastal empire omelets. Both tasted great. I especially love the combination of fresh shrimp and muenster cheese in the coastal empire omelet. Service is amazing as well. Our server is super friendly and made us feel right at home. After breakfast, we spent some time on the balcony to enjoy view of the golf course. It was a great start to the day and thank you Love Oak for the southern hospitality.
(5)Michael T.
Food is great. Staff is terrible. No bread until we notice other tables get it and ask....OK. No biggie. Then they lost our order, which they didn't admit but when you serve the whole room, all of them seated after us, then you clearly lost our order. After an hour and a half, food comes. So, a "manager" shows up, comps our apps and says sorry, makes sure our water is filled, and disappears... sure, back to normal. Then the checks come. They take one check and disappear. The other checks sit, and we wait....again. We're patient people, but this was getting silly. We have to flag other staff down and force our cards on them, they are searching for our waitress before they can run our cards. After more "can you please take our money please", the final check comes back after 20 minutes of waiting. But the food was good.
(1)Jen C.
We ate on the deck overlooking the golf course. The restaurant is lovely inside and out. Our food was delicious. Be aware that serving sizes for entrees are not large, but the quality is high. Our server was quite competent, but we did wonder where she was more than once. They were out of my favorite wine, but my husband explained to me that a restaurant can only restock alcohol via their vendors (as opposed to running to the grocery for a few bottles), so I suppose it wasn't such a gaffe. Overall, a good experience with delightful food and views.
(4)Gary L.
Best Restaurant in Hilton Head. Food is wonderful -- high quality, well-prepared and many locally sourced items. Views are incredible and service is excellent!
(5)Caraline T.
As a resident of Sea Pines I was looking forward to enjoying a meal here. Fifteen of my family members and I went for lunch today. Although the atmosphere was delightful, the food was anything but. Out of 15 of us, 4 people enjoyed their meals. The french fries were over cooked and had a burnt flavor. Burger was not seasoned well. The avocado on the burger and salads had been soaked in a lemon juice concoction which gave a horrible flavor, appearance, and texture to the avocado. The meat on the club sandwich was comparable to Subway, although at a much higher cost and the bread was dry. Further, the menu does not have flow. There were limited menu choices, and only a few typical "low country" items, which the restaurant boasts to be. The options that were available did not go well together. Flatbreads and falafels don't belong on the same "low country" inspired menu. Items that were enjoyed included a pepperoni flatbread (not quite as flat as the name would suggest) and a Caesar salad. Would like to give this place another try due to the enjoyable atmosphere, but maybe just for drinks next time.
(2)Lisa M.
We just had the most wonderful dinner at Live Oak. Our dinner started with a moderately priced bottle of wine and some wonderful flat breads. My husband had the special of the night, swordfish, and I had the pork with a side of collards. Our food was incredible. Our server, Ricky was great. He was attentive and knowledgeable all without being smothering. We finished our meal with a brownie dessert and some port. Both of us would highly recommend Live Oaks. It was a memorable meal.
(5)Louann B.
First of all, this restaurant just opened. It is in SeaPines at the Golf Club right across from the beach club. We had a party of 4 and were not able to get a reservation (our fault not theirs). We walked in and were able to get seated in a private area off the bar. The outdoor tables were booked and with good reason, they had a fabulous view of the golf course. Wish we'd made the reservation. We had wine and 3 courses and everyone was very pleased. The only reason I don't give this restaurant a 5 is that the service is still a little shaky, but every restaurant needs a chance to get going and they have the potential and the talent to be a 5 for sure. Chef's special soup was a She Crab Soup. I had that and my husband had the Chicken Gumbo. Both were perfect. I had the Seafood Pappardelle Pasta as my main course. It is served in a white wine sauce with artichokes. YUMMY. It was freshly made pasta from the taste of it. If it wasn't fresh then they are darn good cooks! My husband isn't a fan of seafood and asked the server to surprise him. He was served a Bone-In Pork Chop. He loved that choice as well. The pork chop was huge and nicely cooked. For dessert it was the Red Velvet Cheesecake for me. It was good, but I loved my starters more. Husband had the coconut cake. He loved it and apparently loved mine as well since he ate half of it. Good job guys! If you are staying at SeaPines in Hilton Head this is a must!
(4)Dick B.
This was our first time to Live Oak and we had a really wonderful time. My family lives on the island so we have been just about everywhere for dinner and Live Oak stands out as one of the best. The atmosphere is warm and inviting and the view is fantastic as the restaurant looks out over the golf course. The food, while being on the more expensive side, is excellent. You also couldn't ask for better service - our waiter James was very attentive and really helped make it an enjoyable evening. I highly suggest the crab cakes, calamari and fried chicken. We will most definitely be coming back!
(5)Michele S.
We ate here for lunch yesterday and fell in love! Friends had told us that the new Sea Pines Golf Clubhouse was beautiful and the restaurant had a gorgeous view of the course. What I wasn't expecting was such delightful service (Clynise is a sweetheart!) and truly delicious low country cuisine. We wanted to try a bunch of things, so my husband and I shared a cup of gumbo, fried green tomatoes, BLT topped with local pan seared flounder, and a BBQ pulled chicken pizza with dates, Clemson bleu cheese and almonds. Our son had fried chicken tenders, fries and fresh fruit off the kids menu. Loved the pimento cheese served with flat crackers too! Everything was cooked to perfection. Even our son loved the experience. He tried the flounder and is now a fan! Highly recommended! What a wonderful addition to Sea Pines resort. Thank you to Clynise for great service too!
(5)Jennifer B.
Most of the hilton head restaurants are pretty average (and expensive) but the new Live Oak was the best restaurant we tried. The service was terrific. I definitely recommend.
(5)