Breakwater Restaurant & Bar

The restaurant has an amazing crew who go above and beyond on their duties. I always feel I can just sit, eat and relax. I was there during the Christmas and New Year break. The food was amazing. The wine was great. And the crew was espectacular. Whoever is in charge of recruiting/hiring personnel is doing a great job. It ll reflects on the customer service and food. Thank you for the southern charm and food. Now I gotta go back to work. I will see you next time.

Lovely restaurant on the Beaufort main street along the waterfront. We had the restaurant week special- oyster stew, fried chicken, choices of sauces, mashed potatoes, collard greens, and creme brulee, and I had flounder with mango sauce over pimento grits and broccolini - all so delicious! Nice wine and specialty cocktails list too. Nice relaxed atmosphere, and the wait staff were friendly and knowledgeable.

On a visit to Beaufort, SC we tried out some local restaurants. Although this restaurant has a fantastic atmosphere and great view of the river, we were disappointed in the food quality and prep. The rack of lamb was overcoated with a thick peppery, salty coating of some kind, and the meat was served medium rare to rare. The manager did compensate us because I really could not finish it. The other meal was a blackened Mahi which was average and a very small portion for the prices we paid. I wish them well and hope that they have better trained kitchen staff in the future.

We’re on a roadtrip across the country, and google reviews are our map. Stayed at Emerald Stay (5+) and walked down to Breakwater for diner. Reviews were high, and definitely well deserved - hostess was epitome of southern charm, sever was Gabby, and she too embodied South Carolina’s famous hospitality. Decent wine menu, good fried tomatoes….BUT the fried chicken with gravy was stellar, all SC fried chicken is delicious, but Breakwater dish was the best I’ve had, crispy fried outside, tender moist inside, smothered in a white gravy (opted out of Nashville) on a bed of mashed potatoes, of course…wife had regional shrimp and grits, also good…..but the fried chicken is worth the two weeks of pain at the gym I promised myself that night.. blueberry cobbler for desert, delicious, only because they didn’t have any peach, paired with a good southern bourbon - thank you Gabby, thank you Breakwater….

My husband & I absolutely enjoyed our anniversary dinner there. The salmon & the swordfish were impeccable, complimented by the beans & sauces, full of flavor. There was a nice selection of wine & we loved the dessert.

What a fantastic experience we had for my son's wedding rehearsal dinner on 11/29/25. Firstly, Juliet responded immediately to my email request for information and was always available as we worked through the details, providing great options and ideas for the special evening. I never felt anything but confident that she and her staff had everything covered. We were able to arrive early and place flowers on the tables which were set up as we had discussed in a cozy room. The staff was welcoming and right on it to take cocktail orders, and a wonderful array of delicious appetizers for the tables. The timing was perfect between cocktails, appetizers, and dinner, and everyone raved about their dinner orders. In fact, my son and new daughter-in-law ate there again before they left for home. Folks are still talking about how wonderful everything was, and have elevated me to some wedding hero. I did nothing but have the great luck to find Juliet and the Breakwater...they literally did everything else to perfection.

Great food, atmosphere and staff. We came during restaurant week and my husband took advantage of the daily three course menu - oyster stew, fried chicken with mashed potatoes and collard greens, served with two sauces on the side, and creme brulee for dessert all delicious! I had pan fried flounder with mango sauce, pimento grits, and broccoli nice, equally well prepared. Nice wine list, and our server was knowledgeable and attentive. Fair pricing for such great food.

Exceptional service! Waitress guided us to delicious dishes on the menu. Cornbread & butter was incredible. My pork chop & wife’s steak were cooked perfectly to our tastes. Chocolate cake with very light peppermint in icing was the perfect dessert. Drinks were also paired wonderfully with our meals. Highly recommend

We are on vacation and this was our first meal in Beaufort. The drinks, food and service were wonderful. Great introduction to Beaufort.

Some of the photos were from a previous visit. I've added two more as we dined here the past week. Service was decent for the first part of our evening - but as usual when the restaurant started getting busy, our servers were difficult to find. Friends who ordered the fried oysters as an appetizer enjoyed it. I didn't sample so no comment. My husband's grilled Caesar was just OK. We should have realized he had ordered it before, but when a restaurant's offerings are so forgettable it's not surprising we didn't remember. I ordered the duck breast with mashed butternut squash and brussels sprouts. The plate was a disaster. The duck skin was gummy and not crisp, the fat was not properly rendered which made the mouthfeel unpleasant. There was no hint of the orange demi-glacé promised. The sprouts were so acidic as the mustard just soured it completely. The squash did nothing to add to the flavor profile. The entire texture of the dish was soft and mushy. The plating of the entree didn't help. No one ever came to ask us about our meals. I left most of my dinner untouched but when our server finally arrived to see if we wanted any dessert or our check, she could care less about the uneaten food and seemed to have no no interest in asking why. My husband choice was also disappointing. He mentioned that his fish dish had little flavor and had serious lack of seasoning. None of the food offered here was expertly prepared, seasoned, or executed. Seriously, this town needs to step it up. Don't just cater to the one and done tourists, cater to the locals. Our palates are so much more varied and most are ready to enjoy creative, ethnic, international, chef driven food.

5-23-23 Tuesday evening 7:30pm Our first choice no reservations so we were turned away. Thankfully one street over we find this place due to Yelp. Hubby and I walk over after calling and they say they can take us. Since was our last night in Beaufort it was great to have a special evening. I had a glass of rosé Champagne and hubby had his favorite Hendricks and Tonic with lime. I wasn't too hungry so we split a salad of fresh strawberries and greens as well as oysters. Hubby for dinner had fried chicken and collard greens. For dessert we shared a chocolate mousse that was so light that I am sure it lacked any calories. The service was impeccable as was the ambiance and seating. It definitely felt special and the tables were at an appropriate distance apart. Even though we did get to listen in on this one conversation of these local men discussing business. Hey we were on vacation no stress for us.

Update to previous review: still wonderful! Been to Breakwater several times now and we always have an exceptional experience. Food and drinks are on point! We have sat on both sides of the restaurant, in the bar area at high tops and on the more formal dining side. The formal dining side is more intimate, whereas the bar area has a few TV's. Our group has always been able to chat still on the bar side. There is also a private dining room for a private parties. The menu DOES change and we've had a few favorites come and go. Namely the shepherds pie and truffle fries.

Another disappointing meal at Breakwater. service was very slow. 23 minutes to get our drinks. The "Special" fish was dried out and over cooked, the meatloaf was old and dry, asparagus cooked to a limp state. we were tucked away in a small corner while there were table available. we dine out frequently and rarely experience such poor good or service. The owner needs to pay attention and monitor things. ore closely.

The food was not good tonight. They sat us late (would have been okay) and ran out of all fish specials. The shrimp and scallop dish was bland and not good. The fried chicken was good. The service was terrible and the wine service worse. So many people recommended this restaurant but I would not return. Best thing about it was the cocktail in the bar and the wine we brought. There are so many better options for dinner in Beaufort! I'd give this place a 2 at best!

I decided to try this spot while I was visiting Beaufort. It was very close to where I was staying, so it was nice to walk there for dinner. I was by myself and had no issues finding a table on a Wednesday night. The hostess was very accommodating and took me to a table that was a bit more secluded so I could sit quietly and read my book. My first impression of the restaurant was that it was a bit dull. The decor and tables seemed a bit old-school and outdated. However, it is somewhat cozy, and I enjoyed seeing how many people there knew each other. It certainly gives off the small-town feeling. I ordered the Southern fried shrimp and scallops. The food was good. I enjoyed the Shrimp, but the scallops could use a bit more flavor and texture. I also wish the menu had more variety with such great local products. Overall it was a good meal and great service.

If someone walked up to me when I walked out of the restaurant and asked how I felt about breakwater, I'd just say disappointed. I got the pork chop, and it was a miss. The glaze was kind of bitter without much other flavor. My wife got the "catch of the day," and it was OKAY. Her grouper itself didn't have much flavor. The sauce was some kind of odd gravy with little flavor, too. Maybe I'm just some hillbilly from humble beginnings, but if I pay almost $40 for a pork chop, it better knock my socks off. Same thing for the fish. Both our feet should've been barefoot by the end. After dinner, I'm sad to say that our socks were firmly attached to our feet. The waitress was nice and seemed knowledgeable, but none of that matters if I need a refill after the appetizer but never get offered one. I don't care if you are the most rude waitress in the world and treat me like crap, heck, you could even maybe smack me around a little bit...All I ask for from my waitress is to keep my cup filled when there's just ice sitting there. We were celebrating our anniversary. They had the table set up nice for us, but it was the only table in the middle of the room with plenty of empty tables. I don't know anyone who prefers to sit in the middle of the dining room while everyone walks around you. They were kind enough to bless us with a free dessert. If it wasn't for the kind gesture, I would've given this restaurant 2 stars. This is my honest review, and I have no stock in Wren what so ever, but I'll say this: If you want a more upscale/reasonably priced restaurant that's just on the other side of the road, eat there. Their meatloaf is some of the best I've ever had, and that's coming from a meatloaf connoisseur. P.S. If you're wondering, the meatloaf did knock my socks off. My wife's too, and she's not into meatloaf. Don't ask me how this almost became a wren review.

Good drinks and food. Need to improve on lighting and signage as you often can't even tell they're open. Nice staff.

Wife and I went out for dinner on the first night of our vacation on Fripp island. For appetizers we ordered the pimento cheese and crackers and the brown butter. The crackers that came with the pimento cheese were very stale. The butter that came to top the cornbread was cold and unspreadable. The cornbread was flavorless, seemingly missing salt. I ordered the shrimp and grits and quickly learned where all the salt went. The grits were seemingly unflavored and the whole dish was topped with a salty "gravy". Overall, the date with my wife was wonderful, despite the lackluster food. Wait staff was very good and friendly. Would not recommend any of the food items mentioned above, at least not for the price.

Really a 4.5: The food is delicious especially the Lamb Meatloaf, Yum! Actually most everything on the menu is great. The servers are great and very friendly. Wonderful ambiance. So why 4.5 and not 5?? The deserts.

Nice ambiance, food and drinks are good. Service though varies based on who's behind the bar, have had good and not-so-good experiences. The bartender was more interested in watching TV than serving customers, closed out after one drink, and passed on dinner as was never asked what I wanted to order.

Update: I've never had a place pay such close attention to criticism and respect it in such a professional way! The fact the manager took the time out of her day to call and find a way to make it up to me on my previous experience and explain situations I wouldn't have know is absolutely amazing. I have never had a restaurant care about their customers that deeply. That alone raises their scoring! I will definitely be giving this place another go due to the kindness and caring of the manager and their staff to meet expectations! A simple phone call checking in a passed experience is enough to make me want to try it again, but the manager went even farther than that!

Great service and wonderful food! Loved the corn bread appetizer and she crab soup. We ordered the tuna and the buttermilk fried chicken with homemade mashed potatoes served Nashville hot and with gravy. The chocolate dessert was amazing!

Excellent food and service, but VERY pricey. Expect to pay close to $100 for 2 for your food and a few drinks. Tourist based prices

We came out for our anniversary and everyone was super amazing and very sweet saying "Happy anniversary" to us. Absolutely amazing food, our server Katie was so sweet and went over and beyond tonight. We will absolutely come back 10/10 recommended

The food was phenomenal! We had the Tune Tartar, fried shrimp, buttermilk fried chicken, lamb meatloaf, and potato gnocchi. All of them wet delicious, but the fried chicken was by far the best!

As always, the service & ambiance was wonderful this evening. However, we were so disappointed with the very small portions, quality & high cost of our salads. Eight of us had dinner tonight & will not be going back anytime soon, unfortunately. Two tiny salads, a soup & two cocktails was $75. I know food costs are higher these days, but salads? An order of French fries was $10.00. Outrageous.

Sadly have to say the high rating here is a bust. Not so great food combined with pitiful service makes this place a no go place. Went here with high expectations after the reviews here. But it was a real let down. The service was so bad that I had to get cutlery myself from the adjacent table after my food was bought and I waited for 10+ mins. The drinks came after we finished the apps. The waiter had no clue what he was doing. No one refilled our water glasses - for a place that charges $35 for an entree they got to have staff that can make it a high end restaurant. The drinks menu is kind of a let down. I would think they would highlight some local wines and bourbons etc. Nada. Cocktails seemed ok. We ordered a Caipirinha and it was ok. My bourbon was passé. The food was bad overall with some notable exceptions. We ordered the cheese platter, fried green tomatoes, spring rolls for apps and fried chicken,, scallops and shrimp for mains and the cauliflower mash and the sweet potato sides. The fried green tomatoes were really good. I liked the candied bacon a lot. The cheese platter had the fried goat cheese and the baked Brie with the raspberry compote and that was a big hit. The honey was great. But the meats were again the regular run of the mill stuff. Nothing special for a $23 platter. The spring rolls it seems were nice but greasy. The peanut sauce on the plate just did not go well with the spring rolls. Needed a dip. The sides were not good at all. Sweet potatoes were tooo sweet. Probably they added sugar. The cauliflower was too foamy and not enough seasoning. The chicken dish for the kids was good. All the chicken was gone. My shrimp and scallops were probably ok. But the first bite of the shrimp I took I got sand in my mouth. For a place that charges $35 for a dish they can't even clean it properly. That is unacceptable in a fine dining restaurant. But mistakes happen so I ordered the ceviche from the apps menu. Hoping something wil finally wow me. That was an even bigger let down. The ceviche itself was flat. No sat no lemon. Just a lot of liquid. More like seafood cold soup. The chips on the plate were just so greasy, it was unbelievable. Oil was dripping off them. Could even attempt to eat those. We never even saw a manager come to our table with an apology. Finally the waiter told us the desserts were on the house. The desserts were good. Crème brûlée and the chocolate one were ok. Sadly not a place to write home about. Awful service combined with an awful service really killed the experience. After dropping more than a couple of Benjamins we were disappointed and when we visit Beaufort next - this place is off our list for sure. You should save your money and go to some other cheaper place. Probably get more authentic and real food.

Breakwater never lets you down. Great cocktails, good wine list, the best fried oysters, very well rounded menu. Grace was our most recent server and we could not have ask for better service. If in Beaufort this has to be on your list as a place to go.

Excellent service! Great for gluten free. Nice ambiance. Drinks were great. Highly recommended

As a visitor, we had a fantastic meal at Breakwater. We enjoyed cocktails and wine in their super cute outdoor seating area. I had a massive pork chop with mashed sweet potatoes and baby asparagus. The hubby had the salmon with Greek vegetables and he loved every single bite. We had a great meal and we would definitely come back.

Very nice and good food. Prices are high but the owners are very nice. Maybe it's because we belong to a nice club that pours a nice drink but this place seems stingy and charges top dollar for each one.

Beaufort's fine dining. Half of the restaurant is formal, the other half is a hip bar area, with more tables, jazz themed art, and a private glassed enclosed party area. The seafood is good. It's fresh. I wish they's rinse the seafood better because there's a rock or large sand particle in each dish.

Our waiter Ozzy was the best waiter we have had on our weekend trip to Beaufort. He was extremely polite and had amazing manors, very attentetive and personal. The food was beyond amazing, came out quickly and was delicious. I ordered the Pilot Reyes for my drink and highly recommend it if you want something with a little kick, the drink was also created by our waiter Ozzy which made it even cooler. My grandmother had the Lilikoi and thoroughly enjoyed it. We ordered the fried tomatoes, grilled bread, lemon parmesan pasta, New York trip, and fresh catch which was Alaskan halibut, two pecan tarts and the pot de crème au chocolat. Highly recommend and definitely will be back on our next trip.

Let me start off by saying, this was our first time to Beaufort and Fripp Island, and this was the only dining experience out of the 3 restaurants that we went to that was pitiful. You're much better off going to Saltus River Grill or Lady's Island Dockside. We dined on a Saturday evening as a walk-in, and had the local shrimp as an appetizer--this was over-seasoned and came with maybe 8 shrimp--the fried local shrimp appetizer at Saltus is MUCH better--you order by the quarter/half/full pound and it's flavorful and light. For entrees, our party of four had the hamburger steak, pimento cheese burger, shrimp and scallops and the stuffed squash and sweet potato mash (for the vegetarian in our group). Firstly, the bartender that first greeted us at our "non-reservable bar table" got our drink and appetizer orders 10 minutes later, vanished and never came and took our entree order. Mind you, the restaurant was not busy at this time. Maybe all the reservations came in later, but when we walked in, there were hardly any tables seated. When another bartender came and took our order, she indicated that she let the other guy go home since it was so slow. We were perplexed because it took 20 minutes to get a refill for Diet Coke. We didn't realize they were running with 20 oz bottles of soda--not sure if their gun was broken or if they just run their business with 20 oz bottles. 1. The vegetarian that ordered vegetables off the menu was not asked "are you ok with the bacon in the stuffed squash", so she was forced to pick out the smoked bacon bits which still left a Smokey bacon flavor--might sound appetizing to us meat-eaters, but was disgusting for her. A. The menu probably should have mentioned the bacon, and if not, than B. Realize a person is ordering squash and sweet potatoes, so you might want to ask if the bacon is ok. 2. The fries they served with the waygu burger were crappy frozen fries..my partner specifically said "gosh, people just don't appreciate a good fry anymore with a good burger". Saltus River Grill fries were amazing--again, go there. They were hand-cut, freshly fried and delightfully seasoned. 3. My shrimp and scallop dish was actually quite good with pineapple fried rice. No complaints there. If you still decide to dine here, get that. 4. The hamburger steak's homemade A1 sauce ruined the dish (according to our friend that ate it--I did not personally try it) Maybe get it on the side and decide for yourself. Don't go here--go to Saltus, Dockside, or ANYwhere else.

Sadly Breakwater has lost the luster that drew me back again and again. The butter bean hummus with delicious charred pita? Nope. Now it's served with unappetizing crackers. The lovely small plate selections that enabled a diner with a modest appetite to still enjoy an app, entree and desert - gone. It's hard now to find something on the menu to order. Such a shame

Can't believe we haven't been sooner! We had the salmon and scallops which were amazing. Highly recommend.

Booked reservations online well before our trip which helped greatly. Sent out a couple of reminders. Was close to our B&B. Hostess greeted us with Happy Anniversary as did the waitress. Even received a card signed by chef and staff. Food was excellent. We had the Lemon Parmesan pasta with grilled chicken and Hamburger steak with whipped potatoes and green beans. Everything tasted wonderful and was my favorite dining experience on the trip.

Second time here and even better than the first! Great service, apps, wine, and entrees. All of our dinners were surprisingly well portioned and were very tasty. Quick service too! Will be back again

A favorite for locals esp on special occasions ( where it seems everbody knows someone else from town dining there!) with a nice selection of entrees and creative cocktails. The fish of the day was snapper and deliciously cooked with sauteed veggies over an abundance of yellow rice. Will definitely keep in mind for our next visits..

Had a great dinner here but don't remember much about it thanks to that awesome cocktail menu. Wow. So I'm a fan of all things bourbon and I understand that trying new things can be an adventure, so I decide to pick a few off of the menu we received when we sat down and I was not disappointed. My girlfriend reminded me that I had the salmon with sweet potato hash. Oh yeah! The hash was great and the salmon was well cooked and not rubbery at all. They were awesome about the menu insisting that we could trade and swap sides with any entree item. Really cool space in there and I would return.

This quaint little town offers this amazing restaurant in historic downtown Beaufort. If you are visiting or if you just moved here or have been here but are looking for a fine dining experience...this is it! We were so pleased with ALL of the entrees and the starters had me happy dancing in my chair. Everything tasted so fresh and was perfectly prepared. Staff was welcoming and friendly. Ambiance was relaxing. There was a cute bar in the other room also. Everything sounded so amazing on the menu that we had trouble deciding. Our favorite was the lamb with Gorgonzola grits...a little southern with some flare! Lamb was tender. Flavors popped! I was so full but couldn't stop eating! I highly recommend this restaurant! The saffron broth in the jasmine rice with the grouper....perfection! Beautiful restaurant for a date night !!

We chose this restaurant to celebrate our wedding anniversary. The steaks were cooked perfectly and very tender. The staff was very good at making us welcome. I did run out of drink before finishing my meal. Overall we were glad to have chosen this restaurant to celebrate.

Great food and great service. Menu has a good variety and everything is cooked to perfection. Staff pays attention to details.

What a pleasant surprise. In the middle of town a high end place with fantastic food. Shrimp plate is to die for. Crag dish special was superb. This was lunch, can't wait to have dinner there. A must for a great food experience other than down on Bay st. Frank G

The service was really good and the atmosphere was nice as well, but I wasn't really feeling my entrée. Ordered the Argentinian beef and it had a strange sweet taste to it, with semi bland rice. However my boyfriend enjoyed his entree (hamburger steak). Just wish the food had been as good as the location, service, and the price we paid :/

I read all of the positive reviews, but we just didn't think the food deserved more than 3.5. Atmosphere is fine and the service is great. Worth a try for your own opinion. The spicy calamari appetizer is good.

This is the perfect place to eat if you have cash to burn. Delicious food every time and great service. Definitely a place to bring out of town guest or for celebrations.

Dined here solo on a weeknight and enjoyed the meal. Tried the beet salad which was just ok - very small portion, in contrast to the very large portion of grouper I received later. Grouper was well prepared but not spectacular. Decent wine list and nice decor. Service was just ok.

One word. Amazing! The food, the service, the drinks were absolutely incredible. I highly recommend this restaurant. We rushed in at the last minute and were able to sit at the bar. The bar was fine for our attire which was very casual. If eating in the actual restaurant area , dress might need to be a step up from t-shirt and shorts. I cannot stress how delicious the food and the drinks were here. We will return every time we visit this area. Wonderful experience.

Food was great! Service was the best! We loved Michelle! Had the burgers - really good! Pecan dessert was amazing!

Yummy food & cool atmosphere! I'll be dining there often! A gem in downtown Beaufort SC.

Place is fantastic. The host gave me a funny look when I walked in -- maybe the work clothes? -- and ushered me to the bar to eat rather than offer me a table, but other than that everything was fantastic. The bartenders were wonderful. Lovely to chat with. They had a nice bourbon selection, which was tempting, but I went with white wine (I'm a sucker for Sancerre!). And the food was amazing. The beet salad was sooooo good, and I ordered the fresh-caught black cod, which was on a bed of rice in a saffron broth. It fell into flakes as soon as the fork touched it. Amazing. The green beans were super tasty, too. Really enjoyed dinner!

Visiting Beaufort and had several options for dinner tonight (Monday, May 10). We decided on Breakwater and stopped in to see if a table was available at 7:45pm. The hostess politely told us there was a 20 minute wait, took our name and phone number to call us when our table was ready. We went and got a drink down the street. When 20 minutes passed, we waited until 30 mins and went back to check in. The hostess then said, "No tables became available and the kitchen is closing so we can't seat you".... At the very least you could've called to tell us this so we could find somewhere else to eat. Compared to everywhere else we've gone and received exceptional service, your lack of service is glaring.

Four of us enjoyed BreakWater last Monday night, good menu but I decided to order their burger (in the mood) asked for a slice of raw onion. Got the burger and onion delicious, satisfied my craving. The bill comes about $240.00, OK, now the kicker 1.00 up charge for the onion. I question the server and she said she was told to charge me the "upcharge" for the onion by the Monday night manager. When I complained about the charge the COOK/Monday night manager said that she had to use a whole onion to give me a slice therefore the "upcharge". I said that it did not seem right as my table paid them over $240.00 for the meals. Now the real kicker; this quasi Monday night manager/cook; said if you don't like the dollar upcharge next time I'll just say I don't have any onions. Now that's a brilliant person who knows how to treat a customer. My recommendation don't go on a Monday night if you like onions as this cook might say 86 on the onions. "No onions for you!!!"

Service was superb. Food was very good. Prepared as ordered. Outside dining was accommodating.

Only worse food in town is McDonalds, Subway, and Gilligans. Seasoning? They never heard of it. Hospitality? That's lost on them. Flavor? White toast has more than their best dish. Tourist trap 100%. Go to Madison's, Dockside, Nautilus, Fish Camp, Boondocks, or Foolish Frog

Pros: We enjoyed good service Cons: Got food poisoning from either the squash soup or burger. Rough experience won't be back

Wonderful service. Hostess staff was fantastic. Food was excellent especially the Creme Brûlée and pecan tart. Would highly recommend.