tuna wontons and fireballs are really the deal after sunburnt day. casual but good service.
(5)
Lola R.
We went to hear the Beagles do the Beatles on a Friday night. Loved it! The band was perfect! Exactly what you want on a night out. Fun all around, great service and food was great.
(4)
Mike P.
Food was excellent waiter not very good. Wife had coconut shrimp app and steak i had the burger. Sat inside...place was only about 1/4 full. Stuck our party of 8 people at tables in a corner...we were cramped in the table. Brought great looking drinks...had to wave down the waiter 3 times before i got a straw. Ordered things off the menu and said they didn't have two of the two beers someone in my party asked for. This happened during the food ordering process to the point that it was laughable.
(3)
Sandy L.
I love this place! The decor is awesome, and the big band music takes you back to another time. A must-see for anyone visiting Hilton Head Island. Their War Dog entree is a personal favorite of mine. I really enjoy going there when The Beagles are performing-----a great time to sing along for any Beatles fan.
(5)
Scott R.
We wanted to go to a less expensive place for dinner something simple The special drinks were great and a great price . The music was great if you eat outside a great place for kids The food was good but not great The service was terrible we had to chase the waitress several times to me this is very aggravating to have to get up and find your waitress I would go back hopefully we get a different waiter
(3)
P B.
A little rough at the beginning, partly because my in-law couldn't breathe inside and had to be moved outside (a personal issue, not related to anything with the establishment). Server was a slight bit incompetent, but we expected that in advance considering the seasonality of the island. My first beer was served warm but was eventually corrected and taken off my bill. Got the grouper appetizer after our dinner was served, but I attribute this to the searing mix up at the beginning. anyway, the rest of the meal was excellent. We always have a good time when we come here.
(3)
Shelly K.
We all thought our food was good not huge portions and but felt satisfied. There was a nice variety to the menu but a little on the small side of offerings. We had a new waitress that was training and was attentive to drinks but it took an hour to get our food and no apologies offered. Good place to sit outdoors and lounge but you might want to be ready for a long wait with getting your food to the table.
(3)
Lban U.
Best pub grub I've had on the island! Can't beat happy hour $3 appetizers/bottle beer! We had the Bar Nachos, FireBalls, Curry Fries & Big Fish Salad--all amazing.
(4)
Michael F.
Pretty awesome live band played and they have some kick butt margharitas
(4)
Nicole D.
Reggae band was awesome- my friend & I danced all night! Good, stiff drinks & fun atmosphere.
(5)
James C.
Terrible service! My wife got sick and had severe "stomach ache" afterward. Dirty place. My wife and I sat in the area near the stage on a Tuesday night. After being seated we sat for 15 minutes with numerous servers looking at us apathetically as they whisked by. None of them took note when we tried to wave them down, just apathetic stares from unkempt 20-somethings. After a while, we finally flagged down the young man who seated us, he apologized for the wait and took our order. The salads and drinks came out quickly and the entrees followed quickly as well. The quality of the food was good but way overpriced, even with the Tuesday 2 for 1 it was not worth the money. I would not dream of going back or recommending this pit, unless I wanted my worst enemy to feel ripped off, ignored, then given a bad case of the runs!
(1)
Jared M.
CAUTION: This review is only for drinks. We arrived at happy hour requesting to sit on the balcony overlooking the beautiful parking lot for happy hour yet we were told its at the bar only. Ok. After getting to the bar and finding out the happy hour specials were nothing we were interested in, we requested a table overlooking the parking lot to order specialty drinks. We each order the shark attack. This was the biggest let down of any specialty drink Ive gotten in a long time. It was basically orange juice and soda water. That's right, OJ and soda water. No vodka. Horrible taste. Id be happier with tang. The one saving grace to this was that we are south of the mason Dixon line so it would be cheap. WRONG. It was $11 with tip. Id be drinking for $7/drink in NYC right now for something that doesnt give me reflux if I weren't at this BIg Bamboo place. Save yourself the time for drinks and go to Flatbread across the street. Yeah, they have annoying live music as well, but they have better outdoor seating and better specialty drinks by far.
(1)
Jen M.
Soul harbor band amazing. Love the Carolina fire balls. Mahdi tacos were missing cilantro. Great happy hour. Great service. Going again tonight for dinner
(5)
Sarah K.
Served my husband watered down Patron. Really? Not cool. Atmosphere was ok until got bombarded by 21 year Olds. Not much else to do walking distance right there so... Go before midnight if want to see band or get seat at bar. Reggae band was fun (June 3,2015)
(2)
S S.
May sound trivial, but the key lime vinnegarette salad dressing is what drew us. Had it a few years ago during a previous trip and really enjoyed it. WISH I could finagle the recipe. Tonight we had the expert attention of Evan who was wonderful. Got everything right and made good suggestions. Our favorite dish was the Ahi tuna....could not have been better; fresh and expertly prepared. Fried shrimp was plentiful and delicious, not a dish I usually order but would definitely do so again when the hankering hits. Be aware, if you want hot spicy go for the fiery Mahi taco....too hot for us. The accompanying Cole slaw is tasty....the fries nothing special, basmati rice well-prepared. A very nice choice is the snow pea vegetable.
(4)
Melissa R.
We had just arrived in Hilton Head on busy Labor Day weekend and were walking around looking for a place to eat that we could get into without waiting long. Lucky for us, this place had a spot for us so we were seated right away. We ordered our drinks--really good pomegranate margarita for me and a martini for my husband. He later switched to a margarita because mine tasted so good. Having been on the road for 4 days, decided it was time for something somewhat healthy so I ordered the arugula salad with dried cranberries, pecans, goat cheese and a wonderful lime vinegaretta. Feeling the need for protein I had grilled chicken added to it. It was a delicious salad in every way! The goat cheese was somehow little lightly fried round, almost mushroom cap size yummy pieces of deliciousness. Having goat cheese served this way was new to me, but oh so enjoyable. The whole presentation of the salad was delightful and even though the greens were very lightly tossed with the dressing, there was extra dressing on the side. The grilled chicken was a huge portion and grilled just right. Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed my salad. My husband ordered one of the fish taco selections that were served with rice and beans. He said the tacos were wonderful, but the sides were just ok. Our waiter was great. Attentive and checked on us. We enjoyed our meals and would return if we had time.
(3)
Casey H.
The live music is what sells this place. The atmosphere was ok, but it seemed dirty and had a weird smell. I thought it had a faint smell of cigarette smoke, although the restaurant is non smoking. I know we should have left when We first walked in, but the wife and kids were hungry and didn't seem to notice what I was seeing. I ordered a regular hamburger, medium, came undercooked and wasn't anything special. Wife ordered the sirloin, and she was not impressed. Kids had kids meals, but you really can't go wrong with a microwaved pizza in their eyes. Don't get fooled by the what you may think is a cool atmosphere and live music being advertised. There's seems to be a good pick of other restaurants, I suggest stay away unless, you are there to have drinks and listen to reggae.
(1)
Vera Marie J.
Food was okay. And I tried a sample from all my friends' orders-tacos, pork loin, salad.. All was "OKAY".. Even according to a friend native to the area. Some of the diners were kinda snooty and rude, borderline racist but the servers were nice.
(3)
Dawn H.
The atmosphere was a bit crowded, and there was only one air conditioner working, so was a bit warm sitting inside. Waiter was on the slow side. But the food was above average! Went with a party of 11 and everyone who got burgers thought they were great! I tried the curry and it was tasty but HOT! Even the mild is hot, so be aware. Good place...but there are plenty of better places on HHI.
(3)
Stacey R.
I have never been to the Big Bamboo for a meal. However, over the past 7 years I have been making at least one stop there for the nightlife. What first drew me in was their Wednesday night Reggae night. There is always a huge crowd and great drink specials. Its a great place to go for any age really if you are looking to go out for some late night music. Monday nights are another busy night. Bands usually start around 10-10:30.
(5)
David J.
The food was alright, I had the chicken tacos. Impossible to eat with the hands, had to be with the fork and my dad had the ribs, the waiter told us that people specially come here for them. Definitely a lie, they where under cooked and mediocre. Also the ambient inside at least was pretty loud, radio, TV and live band is to much
(1)
Gale L.
Just cruising looking for a good local place to eat & stumbled upon "Big Bamboo" in Cologny Plaza! AWESOME FOOD & FUN ATMOSPHERE! We had the Arugula & Goat Cheese Salad which was large enough to split!! The Crab & Shrimp Sandwich was to die for! My future daughter-in-law had the Wahoo fish Tacos with rice & black beans that was melt in your mouth good!! After a day of shopping this was a wonderful treat! We'll definitely be back & maybe even bring the guys along next time! !
(5)
William B.
I've never tried the food, but I always try to stop in for a drink when I'm on the island. It has a very cool atmosphere. Love the South Pacific decor. Decent drink prices, and I hear the food is good.
(5)
Tim H.
Nothing special here. In Hilton head there are hundreds of better places. The food is average. The place was hot and the wait staff was understaffed.
(2)
Rusty R.
Nothing fancy, but the food was pretty good. Fiery shrimp and crab balls were like a crunchy crab Rangoon. Didn't taste any shrimp. Coulda used a dipping sauce, coconut shrimp were perfect. Sauce was nice maybe a little heavy with onion. Ahi tuna wontons were awesome. As a sushi fan I would put these in my personal Top 5 tuna dishes. Lightly seared tuna served on a fried wonton wrapped shaped like a tortilla chip with wasabi and soy sauce on the side.PERFECT! Mahi tacos were BLAND. No cilantro, fresh lime, or poco de gallo. I expected diced cabbage, creme fresh, pico, cilantro, and maybe a little roasted corn or black beans. It was served with a side of white basmati rice with a very small scoop of black beans. Again no cilantro or salsa on the side. The rice was dries out on top like it had been held under a salamander to keep it warm. I had to ask for some hot sauce (Chalupa) and cover everything to give it any flavor and Make it edible. If I had it to do over I would just do the 3 apps and quite there. Really a shame that a place that warns you about the heat of their two curry dishes can serve such bland food when some salsa, Cilantro, or diced jalepenos would have brought it right around.
(4)
Danielle W.
The atmosphere is excellent. The food is okay. The drinks were definitely overpriced but hey it's the beach! The server was very attentive and sweet.
(3)
Mimi K.
We are here with 6 adults and 2 kids. The fish tacos weren't great. I ordered curry vindaloo at the servers suggestion and it tasted like chicken chili with curry powder. The naan was very stale. I would stick to cocktails and popcorn if you visit here!
(2)
Joshua B.
I really enjoy the place. Always has entertainment, food is fresh, and there is good beer.
(5)
Steve W.
Good food, good service and lots of great drinks. We have always liked their menu. Mostly standard bar food but always good.
(4)
Cheryl E.
Terrible service. Took forever to bring our drinks, which was just water. Appetizer came out with our meal - ahi tuna wontons. We don't recommend. The wonton tasted like freezer burn and were burnt - dark brown. Ordered a mango colada and didn't taste like mango. It was just a regular piña colada served in a mason jar. Not worth $8.50. Chargrilled grouper taco was good, just too much for one person who eats light - 2 tacos. I could have split with my xs cousin. Restrooms were nasty. Not a kid friendly place even at 4:30 in the afternoon. There were only 3 other customers inside while we sat outside. Indoor customers were given free popcorn while they waited. We weren't offered any.
(1)
Chris B.
Coming here almost every summer for past 12 years. Steadily trending downward. Always something. Service spotty. Run out of soup at 7? Actually gave it a try this year after a year off; food was good, service very average, people smoking outside on way in, and we had four orders of soup as meals for kids and waitress wasn't informed that there was no more chowder. Upset kids and no manager addressing issue. Instead bill goes up $20 b/c we had to order something else.
(3)
K O.
One of the best happy hours on the island. Was there on Tuesday while family shopped at Coligny. Two for one margaritas and big Bamboo beers. You actually get a token for your second beverage and I have redeemed later in the week in past years. Bartenders friendly and happy hour food discounts are available. Have been to Hilton Head for 14 straight summers and love the place since discovering 3 years ago. Ask for Katie - she is fantastic!
(4)
Sam M.
Low initial wait time was good, abnormal to many other restaurants on the island. Unique restaurant theme, not to many WW2 Pacific Front themed spots out there. Service was great, we were quickly attended to. Menu was a bit lacking in options, but the fish tacos were great. Overall, great spot.
(4)
Kevin G.
Very good food and service. Perfect for any crowd really. We had a 10 month old with us after getting in from Ohio after a long day of driving and loved it. They have changed dramatically from 4 years ago when we were in there. Very good food now.
(5)
Keya B.
Okay food. Fun atmosphere. Great drinks. Fresh catch tacos were great. Peach Tea was yummy. Margarita was great! Service was so so. Family or hang out environment.
(3)
Cat S.
The location of this restaurant is very appealing with outdoor dining. However the food quality leaves something to be desired. I had key lime fish tacos and it was over seasoned and over cooked, very dry and crunchy. My girlfriend had the blackened blue chicken wrap and it was salty and too much bleu cheese, to top it off they serve it with a side of bleu slaw. Regular cole slaw would've broken up the flavor at least. It was just "ok". Needless to say but we won't return.
(2)
Natalie F.
Great band tonight!! Lots of Beatles music. Watch for the live music by "The Beagles" if you get a chance. Food was just ok.
(3)
Telly M.
Went on a wednesday, which happens to be reggae night, and had a blast. Great band, great drink specials, one of the best nights out in a while.
(5)
Shannon M.
The Big Bamboo is a WW2 themed bar--it's supposedly a replica inside of a bar built in the middle of the Pacific. So listen for lots of Frank Sinatra on the satellite music piped in from yesteryear. There are also lots of vintage games and memorabilia. Seems like a great place for parents, gparents, and little ones to sit and socialize. Watch out Yelpers! Drink and food prices are decidedly NOT from decades gone by. Hubby and I spent $45 including tax and tip on 3 beers and 2 entrees. That's fine though--we're at the beach--I get it. I would have been a much happier camper had my chicken not taken a turn too many inside the BB's microwave. Ick! When is the last time you microwaved chicken too long?? Ick! Ick! That and hubby's F&C consisted of one sad piece of fish and the proverbial "ass-load" of fries. No I didn't say anything (yes normally I would have). I said nothing because it was almost 10 PM on an out of season Tuesday--so I figured the chef must have retired for the evening. He hadn't gang--I saw him go by in his whites as we were leaving. Should I have offered my compliments to the microwave?? So, that's that for the big bamboo and me. Before last night's visit, my entire family visited BB once 5 years ago for drinks. We had a fabulous time then. Maybe your family will have a good time too--so long as you stick to just drinks and the free popcorn they dole out when you sit down.
(2)
Stephanie C.
I dont understand the big deal with this place. The atmosphere is good but when they have live music you can't hear yourself think. The food is overpriced and everything tastes like lime juice.
(1)
L. C.
Great large bar with live music and decent selection of microbrews. Bartenders are quick and friendly. I've been twice in the last 4 days, and they have live music each night. On Saturday night, we heard this great old school R&B cover band. On Tuesday night, we arrived too early to enjoy the live music (starts at 10:30-11:00pm I guess). We are thinking of returning for Reggae night on Wed, which features $3 red stripe beers. For the beer selection, they have about 15 beers on tap, including the Westbrook IPA and Blueberry beer, Stone IPA, Dale's Ale, Yuengling, etc) The bartenders introduce themselves (if you are sitting at the bar) and are very quick and friendly. They have a outdoor front porch with about 6-10 tables, which is great if you want to enjoy a smoke, or the cool breeze.
(4)
Mariah C.
Ate here three times in a weeks vacation. Food was fantastic service was as well. Drinks tasted great with a welcoming atmosphere. But that spicy shrimp and crab burger kept us coming back for more!
(5)
K H.
We've been here a lot over the years. Ambiance is fun. Seems they're constantly changing up their menu which is sometimes frustrating. That being said, we consistently get good service and the food is good! Just hate when they take something you enjoy off the menu. The Carolina fireballs are a fav and the coconut shrimp with horseradish marmalade is interesting and enjoyable. Also like the keylime pie from here.
(4)
Rachelle A.
Idk which was worse the screaming kids or the fried to quick raw in the middle grouper fingers :/ Then the waitress told me that's how grouper is .... Slimy and not flakey! Lol W T H !! I'd have to be high and drunk to go there again. I got my grouper to go and cooked it when I got back to our room
(1)
Neilly B.
Every time we are in Hilton Head we make sure to stop at Big Bamboo for lunch. Their local lunch specials can't be beat. The servers were fantastic too! Will be back next time we are in town.
(5)
Justin T.
Very pleased with the service, portions and quality cooking. The food was great and eating outside on the deck was a great experience. Well done! Highly recommend Big Bamboo.
(5)
Richard B.
Food was fine. Service was slow and inattentive, not real smart. Tired of getting serve high fructose corn syrup in the ketchup. Get some real food.
(2)
Jen H.
Went here for lunch after a morning of biking around the island. The food was excellent. However our hostess/server was HORRIBLE. After we were seated it took 5 minutes just to place a drink order. Our 2 year old wanted to color her menu, but we were never given crayons, so I had to track her down, where I found her sitting at a table on her phone. She never came around to see that our drinks needed refilled, and our food sat ready for quite a while before it was brought to the table.
(3)
Austin B.
The new deck is awesome this time of year AND the beers are cold. Simple stuff. Nice taps. My friend frew up here a couple years ago. Proud of him.
(5)
Matt R.
Made a reservation here for our large group of 19 people, which included 8 children from 1 to 11. They went back and forth on whether to take the reservation, which we made for 7:30, and in the end probably shouldn't have. Instead, we arrived at 7:30 and were kept waiting for about 45 minutes before seating. The kids were restless, making the wait feel longer. HOWEVER, once seated, the restaurant was incredibly accommodating. Our server (Brian? I cannot remember) was absolutely superb. He was literally running back to the table as much as he could, and accommodated the kids perfectly. When we caught him even pulling lids off the kids sippy cups to refill their waiter, we knew we had hit the jackpot. The food here was alright (it's hard to tell when you are looking after so many kids), but nothing major to speak of. I had the tuna appetizer and chicken and bean dinner. Both were good and the beer list was long. In all, it worked out very well for our group, I just wish they had been more realistic with the reservation time and more upfront from the get-go.
(4)
Jessica C.
The place was not bad as some of these reviews say. If so, we must have gone on a good night. The music entertainment was great, the peel and eat shrimp was good, and the atmosphere was overall pleasant.
(4)
Lisa M.
Not a good meal for any of us! We went for lunch. I ordered the ceasar grouper wrap which had an awful taste to it. There was way too much cajun seasoning and it just had a bad taste. My daughter ordered the nachos which were obviously microwaved and AWEFUL!! The others ordered lunch specials which were nothing to write home about. Definitely Will NOT go back!
(1)
Dave T.
Great Service. Devon brought us popcorn and got our drinks while we looked at the menu. Pointed out the early bird specials. I had grouper blackened & lightly seasoned. It was perfect. Came with salad, baked potato, veggies, one free Bamboo brew lite (not bad), and a slice of Key Lime pie. Wife had similar except with soup (chili with a hint of cinnamon). Server was attentive without being annoying. Will definitely go back.
(5)
Mae P.
Arrived after the lunch rush, and was told we could sit anywhere. Our server arrived with a basket of popcorn and was very attentive to our needs. The decor was South Pacific WWII Era and was interesting to look at. Can't beat the $4.95 lunch special! The Black and Blue Chicken Wrap was flavorful and came with one side. What a bargain! I ordered the soup and salad lunch. Salad was a fresh garden mix. Delicious! My New England Clam Chowder was an odd shade of brown and was overly spiced (which could account for the strange color). Overall, we enjoyed the Big Bamboo and will go again for lunch. Sidenote: I don't think there's wheelchair access and it's upstairs so plan ahead.
(4)
Jake M.
Good concept, bad vibe. It wouldn't be a bad place if it wasn't for the wanna be tough guys and drunk idiots ruining the atmosphere. The place does have a pacific WWll theme and with that also the drunkards and problems. The place is small cramped and hot near the bar. There is more space, seating and ac in the back. There's a decent reggae band on wed, but once again the atmosphere gets ruined by the drunken morons looking for problems. You will not find a chill night of reggae here. This is more of college kids and locals dive.
(2)
Zeudi V.
Went to this bar on a Wednesday night, cool decor, awesome reggae band ....unfortunately the crowd was weird, definitely not a chill vibe. It was also a bit hot by the bar area but I guess that's part of the theme. Beer and mixed drinks were good.
(2)
Natalie G.
Terrible service and rude
(1)
Julie N.
We have visited the Big Bamboo several times! Happy Hour is the time to go, Buy 1, Get 1 Free Margarita's or the house special! Great deals on appetizers from $1-$3 a basket! Can't beat the Happy Hour deals!
(5)
Rich K.
Very good key west grouper sandwich, finished with a large slice of key lime pie that was also very good. The ambiance, however, was a put off for me: styled as a WW2 army bunker. I felt like I was in Vietnam. The lighting was strong yellow florescent, made me ready to get out of there after enjoying my food.
(3)
John B.
Reggae night on Wednesdays are great and the place to be on Wed.
(5)
Carolyn B.
we had a great time. The food was pretty good and on Wednesday nights they have Reggae music which was really good. The place gets pretty full and for a small bar the place utilizes it very well. I would recommend this place as a place to go to on a Wednesday night. We definetly enjoyed ourselves.
(4)
Joe E.
This is my all-time favorite bar, anywhere, thus far! Across the street from Coligney beach, it's great vintage-WW2-themed-Pacific islands vibe with bamboo decor, palm-thatched ceiling, and 1940's memorabilia all around, makes for a fun, escape from reality. Playing off both the WW2 and Island themes, the music is usually either 1940's era big band or reggae. Friendly bartenders in hawaiian shirts provide good drinks. The bar features live music throughout the week. Usually cover bands and reggae bands, but also regional and national acts (e.g. Kevn Kinney/ Drivin n' Cryin). Be sure to stop in for happy hour between 4 and 7pm for 2-for-1 drink specials. The Margaritas are good, and you get a branded wooden token you can turn in later for your drink. Drink prices are on par with a beach resort town. Not ridiculous, and cheaper than most big cities. (Shannon M. above shouldn't be surprised by the tab, coming from Atlanta.) Food is varied and good, but don't expect fine cuisine. It's family-friendly fare with a tasty variety of burgers, pub-food, creative pasta dishes, and seafood. Check out the War Dog... a blissful heart-stopper. My favorite item is the seasoned grouper fingers with remoulade dipping sauce. Yikes, they're good! Free popcorn is also available from the classic popcorn machine at the bar. The restaurant is upstairs, with no elevator, to my knowledge, so be aware of that bit of info.
(5)
Beth B.
Slow service from our server and the food was average and the atmosphere was average. We had fried squash bites for appetizer and they were good. The members of our party had fried flounder sandwich which was good and also the coconut shrimp. I had grilled chicken sandwich since I do not like seafood. Food was good but nothing spectaular. We had to ask to have our drinks filled several times and our server seemed aloof. Seems more of an bar than a good restaurant.
(3)
B L.
A great place for lunch. Very attentive staff, great 2 for 1 drinks at happy hour. Me and my girlfriend loved it. A little pricey but loved it. Would go there again.
(4)
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Address :1 N Forest Beach Dr,Ste 210
Hilton Head Island, SC, 29926
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : No Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner, Late Night Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : No Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Divey Noise Level : Loud Music : Live Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Wed, Fri, Sat Coat Check : No Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
E F.
tuna wontons and fireballs are really the deal after sunburnt day. casual but good service.
(5)Lola R.
We went to hear the Beagles do the Beatles on a Friday night. Loved it! The band was perfect! Exactly what you want on a night out. Fun all around, great service and food was great.
(4)Mike P.
Food was excellent waiter not very good. Wife had coconut shrimp app and steak i had the burger. Sat inside...place was only about 1/4 full. Stuck our party of 8 people at tables in a corner...we were cramped in the table. Brought great looking drinks...had to wave down the waiter 3 times before i got a straw. Ordered things off the menu and said they didn't have two of the two beers someone in my party asked for. This happened during the food ordering process to the point that it was laughable.
(3)Sandy L.
I love this place! The decor is awesome, and the big band music takes you back to another time. A must-see for anyone visiting Hilton Head Island. Their War Dog entree is a personal favorite of mine. I really enjoy going there when The Beagles are performing-----a great time to sing along for any Beatles fan.
(5)Scott R.
We wanted to go to a less expensive place for dinner something simple The special drinks were great and a great price . The music was great if you eat outside a great place for kids The food was good but not great The service was terrible we had to chase the waitress several times to me this is very aggravating to have to get up and find your waitress I would go back hopefully we get a different waiter
(3)P B.
A little rough at the beginning, partly because my in-law couldn't breathe inside and had to be moved outside (a personal issue, not related to anything with the establishment). Server was a slight bit incompetent, but we expected that in advance considering the seasonality of the island. My first beer was served warm but was eventually corrected and taken off my bill. Got the grouper appetizer after our dinner was served, but I attribute this to the searing mix up at the beginning. anyway, the rest of the meal was excellent. We always have a good time when we come here.
(3)Shelly K.
We all thought our food was good not huge portions and but felt satisfied. There was a nice variety to the menu but a little on the small side of offerings. We had a new waitress that was training and was attentive to drinks but it took an hour to get our food and no apologies offered. Good place to sit outdoors and lounge but you might want to be ready for a long wait with getting your food to the table.
(3)Lban U.
Best pub grub I've had on the island! Can't beat happy hour $3 appetizers/bottle beer! We had the Bar Nachos, FireBalls, Curry Fries & Big Fish Salad--all amazing.
(4)Michael F.
Pretty awesome live band played and they have some kick butt margharitas
(4)Nicole D.
Reggae band was awesome- my friend & I danced all night! Good, stiff drinks & fun atmosphere.
(5)James C.
Terrible service! My wife got sick and had severe "stomach ache" afterward. Dirty place. My wife and I sat in the area near the stage on a Tuesday night. After being seated we sat for 15 minutes with numerous servers looking at us apathetically as they whisked by. None of them took note when we tried to wave them down, just apathetic stares from unkempt 20-somethings. After a while, we finally flagged down the young man who seated us, he apologized for the wait and took our order. The salads and drinks came out quickly and the entrees followed quickly as well. The quality of the food was good but way overpriced, even with the Tuesday 2 for 1 it was not worth the money. I would not dream of going back or recommending this pit, unless I wanted my worst enemy to feel ripped off, ignored, then given a bad case of the runs!
(1)Jared M.
CAUTION: This review is only for drinks. We arrived at happy hour requesting to sit on the balcony overlooking the beautiful parking lot for happy hour yet we were told its at the bar only. Ok. After getting to the bar and finding out the happy hour specials were nothing we were interested in, we requested a table overlooking the parking lot to order specialty drinks. We each order the shark attack. This was the biggest let down of any specialty drink Ive gotten in a long time. It was basically orange juice and soda water. That's right, OJ and soda water. No vodka. Horrible taste. Id be happier with tang. The one saving grace to this was that we are south of the mason Dixon line so it would be cheap. WRONG. It was $11 with tip. Id be drinking for $7/drink in NYC right now for something that doesnt give me reflux if I weren't at this BIg Bamboo place. Save yourself the time for drinks and go to Flatbread across the street. Yeah, they have annoying live music as well, but they have better outdoor seating and better specialty drinks by far.
(1)Jen M.
Soul harbor band amazing. Love the Carolina fire balls. Mahdi tacos were missing cilantro. Great happy hour. Great service. Going again tonight for dinner
(5)Sarah K.
Served my husband watered down Patron. Really? Not cool. Atmosphere was ok until got bombarded by 21 year Olds. Not much else to do walking distance right there so... Go before midnight if want to see band or get seat at bar. Reggae band was fun (June 3,2015)
(2)S S.
May sound trivial, but the key lime vinnegarette salad dressing is what drew us. Had it a few years ago during a previous trip and really enjoyed it. WISH I could finagle the recipe. Tonight we had the expert attention of Evan who was wonderful. Got everything right and made good suggestions. Our favorite dish was the Ahi tuna....could not have been better; fresh and expertly prepared. Fried shrimp was plentiful and delicious, not a dish I usually order but would definitely do so again when the hankering hits. Be aware, if you want hot spicy go for the fiery Mahi taco....too hot for us. The accompanying Cole slaw is tasty....the fries nothing special, basmati rice well-prepared. A very nice choice is the snow pea vegetable.
(4)Melissa R.
We had just arrived in Hilton Head on busy Labor Day weekend and were walking around looking for a place to eat that we could get into without waiting long. Lucky for us, this place had a spot for us so we were seated right away. We ordered our drinks--really good pomegranate margarita for me and a martini for my husband. He later switched to a margarita because mine tasted so good. Having been on the road for 4 days, decided it was time for something somewhat healthy so I ordered the arugula salad with dried cranberries, pecans, goat cheese and a wonderful lime vinegaretta. Feeling the need for protein I had grilled chicken added to it. It was a delicious salad in every way! The goat cheese was somehow little lightly fried round, almost mushroom cap size yummy pieces of deliciousness. Having goat cheese served this way was new to me, but oh so enjoyable. The whole presentation of the salad was delightful and even though the greens were very lightly tossed with the dressing, there was extra dressing on the side. The grilled chicken was a huge portion and grilled just right. Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed my salad. My husband ordered one of the fish taco selections that were served with rice and beans. He said the tacos were wonderful, but the sides were just ok. Our waiter was great. Attentive and checked on us. We enjoyed our meals and would return if we had time.
(3)Casey H.
The live music is what sells this place. The atmosphere was ok, but it seemed dirty and had a weird smell. I thought it had a faint smell of cigarette smoke, although the restaurant is non smoking. I know we should have left when We first walked in, but the wife and kids were hungry and didn't seem to notice what I was seeing. I ordered a regular hamburger, medium, came undercooked and wasn't anything special. Wife ordered the sirloin, and she was not impressed. Kids had kids meals, but you really can't go wrong with a microwaved pizza in their eyes. Don't get fooled by the what you may think is a cool atmosphere and live music being advertised. There's seems to be a good pick of other restaurants, I suggest stay away unless, you are there to have drinks and listen to reggae.
(1)Vera Marie J.
Food was okay. And I tried a sample from all my friends' orders-tacos, pork loin, salad.. All was "OKAY".. Even according to a friend native to the area. Some of the diners were kinda snooty and rude, borderline racist but the servers were nice.
(3)Dawn H.
The atmosphere was a bit crowded, and there was only one air conditioner working, so was a bit warm sitting inside. Waiter was on the slow side. But the food was above average! Went with a party of 11 and everyone who got burgers thought they were great! I tried the curry and it was tasty but HOT! Even the mild is hot, so be aware. Good place...but there are plenty of better places on HHI.
(3)Stacey R.
I have never been to the Big Bamboo for a meal. However, over the past 7 years I have been making at least one stop there for the nightlife. What first drew me in was their Wednesday night Reggae night. There is always a huge crowd and great drink specials. Its a great place to go for any age really if you are looking to go out for some late night music. Monday nights are another busy night. Bands usually start around 10-10:30.
(5)David J.
The food was alright, I had the chicken tacos. Impossible to eat with the hands, had to be with the fork and my dad had the ribs, the waiter told us that people specially come here for them. Definitely a lie, they where under cooked and mediocre. Also the ambient inside at least was pretty loud, radio, TV and live band is to much
(1)Gale L.
Just cruising looking for a good local place to eat & stumbled upon "Big Bamboo" in Cologny Plaza! AWESOME FOOD & FUN ATMOSPHERE! We had the Arugula & Goat Cheese Salad which was large enough to split!! The Crab & Shrimp Sandwich was to die for! My future daughter-in-law had the Wahoo fish Tacos with rice & black beans that was melt in your mouth good!! After a day of shopping this was a wonderful treat! We'll definitely be back & maybe even bring the guys along next time! !
(5)William B.
I've never tried the food, but I always try to stop in for a drink when I'm on the island. It has a very cool atmosphere. Love the South Pacific decor. Decent drink prices, and I hear the food is good.
(5)Tim H.
Nothing special here. In Hilton head there are hundreds of better places. The food is average. The place was hot and the wait staff was understaffed.
(2)Rusty R.
Nothing fancy, but the food was pretty good. Fiery shrimp and crab balls were like a crunchy crab Rangoon. Didn't taste any shrimp. Coulda used a dipping sauce, coconut shrimp were perfect. Sauce was nice maybe a little heavy with onion. Ahi tuna wontons were awesome. As a sushi fan I would put these in my personal Top 5 tuna dishes. Lightly seared tuna served on a fried wonton wrapped shaped like a tortilla chip with wasabi and soy sauce on the side.PERFECT! Mahi tacos were BLAND. No cilantro, fresh lime, or poco de gallo. I expected diced cabbage, creme fresh, pico, cilantro, and maybe a little roasted corn or black beans. It was served with a side of white basmati rice with a very small scoop of black beans. Again no cilantro or salsa on the side. The rice was dries out on top like it had been held under a salamander to keep it warm. I had to ask for some hot sauce (Chalupa) and cover everything to give it any flavor and Make it edible. If I had it to do over I would just do the 3 apps and quite there. Really a shame that a place that warns you about the heat of their two curry dishes can serve such bland food when some salsa, Cilantro, or diced jalepenos would have brought it right around.
(4)Danielle W.
The atmosphere is excellent. The food is okay. The drinks were definitely overpriced but hey it's the beach! The server was very attentive and sweet.
(3)Mimi K.
We are here with 6 adults and 2 kids. The fish tacos weren't great. I ordered curry vindaloo at the servers suggestion and it tasted like chicken chili with curry powder. The naan was very stale. I would stick to cocktails and popcorn if you visit here!
(2)Joshua B.
I really enjoy the place. Always has entertainment, food is fresh, and there is good beer.
(5)Steve W.
Good food, good service and lots of great drinks. We have always liked their menu. Mostly standard bar food but always good.
(4)Cheryl E.
Terrible service. Took forever to bring our drinks, which was just water. Appetizer came out with our meal - ahi tuna wontons. We don't recommend. The wonton tasted like freezer burn and were burnt - dark brown. Ordered a mango colada and didn't taste like mango. It was just a regular piña colada served in a mason jar. Not worth $8.50. Chargrilled grouper taco was good, just too much for one person who eats light - 2 tacos. I could have split with my xs cousin. Restrooms were nasty. Not a kid friendly place even at 4:30 in the afternoon. There were only 3 other customers inside while we sat outside. Indoor customers were given free popcorn while they waited. We weren't offered any.
(1)Chris B.
Coming here almost every summer for past 12 years. Steadily trending downward. Always something. Service spotty. Run out of soup at 7? Actually gave it a try this year after a year off; food was good, service very average, people smoking outside on way in, and we had four orders of soup as meals for kids and waitress wasn't informed that there was no more chowder. Upset kids and no manager addressing issue. Instead bill goes up $20 b/c we had to order something else.
(3)K O.
One of the best happy hours on the island. Was there on Tuesday while family shopped at Coligny. Two for one margaritas and big Bamboo beers. You actually get a token for your second beverage and I have redeemed later in the week in past years. Bartenders friendly and happy hour food discounts are available. Have been to Hilton Head for 14 straight summers and love the place since discovering 3 years ago. Ask for Katie - she is fantastic!
(4)Sam M.
Low initial wait time was good, abnormal to many other restaurants on the island. Unique restaurant theme, not to many WW2 Pacific Front themed spots out there. Service was great, we were quickly attended to. Menu was a bit lacking in options, but the fish tacos were great. Overall, great spot.
(4)Kevin G.
Very good food and service. Perfect for any crowd really. We had a 10 month old with us after getting in from Ohio after a long day of driving and loved it. They have changed dramatically from 4 years ago when we were in there. Very good food now.
(5)Keya B.
Okay food. Fun atmosphere. Great drinks. Fresh catch tacos were great. Peach Tea was yummy. Margarita was great! Service was so so. Family or hang out environment.
(3)Cat S.
The location of this restaurant is very appealing with outdoor dining. However the food quality leaves something to be desired. I had key lime fish tacos and it was over seasoned and over cooked, very dry and crunchy. My girlfriend had the blackened blue chicken wrap and it was salty and too much bleu cheese, to top it off they serve it with a side of bleu slaw. Regular cole slaw would've broken up the flavor at least. It was just "ok". Needless to say but we won't return.
(2)Natalie F.
Great band tonight!! Lots of Beatles music. Watch for the live music by "The Beagles" if you get a chance. Food was just ok.
(3)Telly M.
Went on a wednesday, which happens to be reggae night, and had a blast. Great band, great drink specials, one of the best nights out in a while.
(5)Shannon M.
The Big Bamboo is a WW2 themed bar--it's supposedly a replica inside of a bar built in the middle of the Pacific. So listen for lots of Frank Sinatra on the satellite music piped in from yesteryear. There are also lots of vintage games and memorabilia. Seems like a great place for parents, gparents, and little ones to sit and socialize. Watch out Yelpers! Drink and food prices are decidedly NOT from decades gone by. Hubby and I spent $45 including tax and tip on 3 beers and 2 entrees. That's fine though--we're at the beach--I get it. I would have been a much happier camper had my chicken not taken a turn too many inside the BB's microwave. Ick! When is the last time you microwaved chicken too long?? Ick! Ick! That and hubby's F&C consisted of one sad piece of fish and the proverbial "ass-load" of fries. No I didn't say anything (yes normally I would have). I said nothing because it was almost 10 PM on an out of season Tuesday--so I figured the chef must have retired for the evening. He hadn't gang--I saw him go by in his whites as we were leaving. Should I have offered my compliments to the microwave?? So, that's that for the big bamboo and me. Before last night's visit, my entire family visited BB once 5 years ago for drinks. We had a fabulous time then. Maybe your family will have a good time too--so long as you stick to just drinks and the free popcorn they dole out when you sit down.
(2)Stephanie C.
I dont understand the big deal with this place. The atmosphere is good but when they have live music you can't hear yourself think. The food is overpriced and everything tastes like lime juice.
(1)L. C.
Great large bar with live music and decent selection of microbrews. Bartenders are quick and friendly. I've been twice in the last 4 days, and they have live music each night. On Saturday night, we heard this great old school R&B cover band. On Tuesday night, we arrived too early to enjoy the live music (starts at 10:30-11:00pm I guess). We are thinking of returning for Reggae night on Wed, which features $3 red stripe beers. For the beer selection, they have about 15 beers on tap, including the Westbrook IPA and Blueberry beer, Stone IPA, Dale's Ale, Yuengling, etc) The bartenders introduce themselves (if you are sitting at the bar) and are very quick and friendly. They have a outdoor front porch with about 6-10 tables, which is great if you want to enjoy a smoke, or the cool breeze.
(4)Mariah C.
Ate here three times in a weeks vacation. Food was fantastic service was as well. Drinks tasted great with a welcoming atmosphere. But that spicy shrimp and crab burger kept us coming back for more!
(5)K H.
We've been here a lot over the years. Ambiance is fun. Seems they're constantly changing up their menu which is sometimes frustrating. That being said, we consistently get good service and the food is good! Just hate when they take something you enjoy off the menu. The Carolina fireballs are a fav and the coconut shrimp with horseradish marmalade is interesting and enjoyable. Also like the keylime pie from here.
(4)Rachelle A.
Idk which was worse the screaming kids or the fried to quick raw in the middle grouper fingers :/ Then the waitress told me that's how grouper is .... Slimy and not flakey! Lol W T H !! I'd have to be high and drunk to go there again. I got my grouper to go and cooked it when I got back to our room
(1)Neilly B.
Every time we are in Hilton Head we make sure to stop at Big Bamboo for lunch. Their local lunch specials can't be beat. The servers were fantastic too! Will be back next time we are in town.
(5)Justin T.
Very pleased with the service, portions and quality cooking. The food was great and eating outside on the deck was a great experience. Well done! Highly recommend Big Bamboo.
(5)Richard B.
Food was fine. Service was slow and inattentive, not real smart. Tired of getting serve high fructose corn syrup in the ketchup. Get some real food.
(2)Jen H.
Went here for lunch after a morning of biking around the island. The food was excellent. However our hostess/server was HORRIBLE. After we were seated it took 5 minutes just to place a drink order. Our 2 year old wanted to color her menu, but we were never given crayons, so I had to track her down, where I found her sitting at a table on her phone. She never came around to see that our drinks needed refilled, and our food sat ready for quite a while before it was brought to the table.
(3)Austin B.
The new deck is awesome this time of year AND the beers are cold. Simple stuff. Nice taps. My friend frew up here a couple years ago. Proud of him.
(5)Matt R.
Made a reservation here for our large group of 19 people, which included 8 children from 1 to 11. They went back and forth on whether to take the reservation, which we made for 7:30, and in the end probably shouldn't have. Instead, we arrived at 7:30 and were kept waiting for about 45 minutes before seating. The kids were restless, making the wait feel longer. HOWEVER, once seated, the restaurant was incredibly accommodating. Our server (Brian? I cannot remember) was absolutely superb. He was literally running back to the table as much as he could, and accommodated the kids perfectly. When we caught him even pulling lids off the kids sippy cups to refill their waiter, we knew we had hit the jackpot. The food here was alright (it's hard to tell when you are looking after so many kids), but nothing major to speak of. I had the tuna appetizer and chicken and bean dinner. Both were good and the beer list was long. In all, it worked out very well for our group, I just wish they had been more realistic with the reservation time and more upfront from the get-go.
(4)Jessica C.
The place was not bad as some of these reviews say. If so, we must have gone on a good night. The music entertainment was great, the peel and eat shrimp was good, and the atmosphere was overall pleasant.
(4)Lisa M.
Not a good meal for any of us! We went for lunch. I ordered the ceasar grouper wrap which had an awful taste to it. There was way too much cajun seasoning and it just had a bad taste. My daughter ordered the nachos which were obviously microwaved and AWEFUL!! The others ordered lunch specials which were nothing to write home about. Definitely Will NOT go back!
(1)Dave T.
Great Service. Devon brought us popcorn and got our drinks while we looked at the menu. Pointed out the early bird specials. I had grouper blackened & lightly seasoned. It was perfect. Came with salad, baked potato, veggies, one free Bamboo brew lite (not bad), and a slice of Key Lime pie. Wife had similar except with soup (chili with a hint of cinnamon). Server was attentive without being annoying. Will definitely go back.
(5)Mae P.
Arrived after the lunch rush, and was told we could sit anywhere. Our server arrived with a basket of popcorn and was very attentive to our needs. The decor was South Pacific WWII Era and was interesting to look at. Can't beat the $4.95 lunch special! The Black and Blue Chicken Wrap was flavorful and came with one side. What a bargain! I ordered the soup and salad lunch. Salad was a fresh garden mix. Delicious! My New England Clam Chowder was an odd shade of brown and was overly spiced (which could account for the strange color). Overall, we enjoyed the Big Bamboo and will go again for lunch. Sidenote: I don't think there's wheelchair access and it's upstairs so plan ahead.
(4)Jake M.
Good concept, bad vibe. It wouldn't be a bad place if it wasn't for the wanna be tough guys and drunk idiots ruining the atmosphere. The place does have a pacific WWll theme and with that also the drunkards and problems. The place is small cramped and hot near the bar. There is more space, seating and ac in the back. There's a decent reggae band on wed, but once again the atmosphere gets ruined by the drunken morons looking for problems. You will not find a chill night of reggae here. This is more of college kids and locals dive.
(2)Zeudi V.
Went to this bar on a Wednesday night, cool decor, awesome reggae band ....unfortunately the crowd was weird, definitely not a chill vibe. It was also a bit hot by the bar area but I guess that's part of the theme. Beer and mixed drinks were good.
(2)Natalie G.
Terrible service and rude
(1)Julie N.
We have visited the Big Bamboo several times! Happy Hour is the time to go, Buy 1, Get 1 Free Margarita's or the house special! Great deals on appetizers from $1-$3 a basket! Can't beat the Happy Hour deals!
(5)Rich K.
Very good key west grouper sandwich, finished with a large slice of key lime pie that was also very good. The ambiance, however, was a put off for me: styled as a WW2 army bunker. I felt like I was in Vietnam. The lighting was strong yellow florescent, made me ready to get out of there after enjoying my food.
(3)John B.
Reggae night on Wednesdays are great and the place to be on Wed.
(5)Carolyn B.
we had a great time. The food was pretty good and on Wednesday nights they have Reggae music which was really good. The place gets pretty full and for a small bar the place utilizes it very well. I would recommend this place as a place to go to on a Wednesday night. We definetly enjoyed ourselves.
(4)Joe E.
This is my all-time favorite bar, anywhere, thus far! Across the street from Coligney beach, it's great vintage-WW2-themed-Pacific islands vibe with bamboo decor, palm-thatched ceiling, and 1940's memorabilia all around, makes for a fun, escape from reality. Playing off both the WW2 and Island themes, the music is usually either 1940's era big band or reggae. Friendly bartenders in hawaiian shirts provide good drinks. The bar features live music throughout the week. Usually cover bands and reggae bands, but also regional and national acts (e.g. Kevn Kinney/ Drivin n' Cryin). Be sure to stop in for happy hour between 4 and 7pm for 2-for-1 drink specials. The Margaritas are good, and you get a branded wooden token you can turn in later for your drink. Drink prices are on par with a beach resort town. Not ridiculous, and cheaper than most big cities. (Shannon M. above shouldn't be surprised by the tab, coming from Atlanta.) Food is varied and good, but don't expect fine cuisine. It's family-friendly fare with a tasty variety of burgers, pub-food, creative pasta dishes, and seafood. Check out the War Dog... a blissful heart-stopper. My favorite item is the seasoned grouper fingers with remoulade dipping sauce. Yikes, they're good! Free popcorn is also available from the classic popcorn machine at the bar. The restaurant is upstairs, with no elevator, to my knowledge, so be aware of that bit of info.
(5)Beth B.
Slow service from our server and the food was average and the atmosphere was average. We had fried squash bites for appetizer and they were good. The members of our party had fried flounder sandwich which was good and also the coconut shrimp. I had grilled chicken sandwich since I do not like seafood. Food was good but nothing spectaular. We had to ask to have our drinks filled several times and our server seemed aloof. Seems more of an bar than a good restaurant.
(3)B L.
A great place for lunch. Very attentive staff, great 2 for 1 drinks at happy hour. Me and my girlfriend loved it. A little pricey but loved it. Would go there again.
(4)