Gullah Grub Restaurant

This restaurant is a slice of history that needs to be preserved. The service was great. The history on the walls was awesome. For me the food was just ok. I liked the shark. I have never had shark before, so didn't know what to expect as far as texture was concerned. But the batter was seasoned well. I'm not a huge fan of potato salad on a normal day, so it was ok. The red rice was ok. The fried chicken was made well. It was very tasty. My friend's dad enjoyed the ribs. And my husband really liked the shrimp. I did not enjoy the sweet potato pie or the cobbler. But, others at the table did, so it probably has to do with our personal preferences when it comes to baked goods.

I'm from Wisconsin, and I think I seen this place on TV years ago and have been wanting to try it! I write reviews, so of course I read them as well and have read mixed reviews! Of course, I had to be the judge of it for myself! 1st off, this location is pretty off course, I drove an hour and a half out my way to patronize this establishment. I wasn't that hungry and was doing a road trip from Maine to South Carolina, so I had nowhere to store leftovers, so I had to select carefully. I ordered a small cup of shrimp gumbo, cornbread, red rice, and sweet tea! Okay, sooo the gumbo, not to my liking at all! The flavor, the sauce, even the shrimp, I didn't enjoy! Now the tea was the bomb!! The cornbread was sooo sweet and good. The red rice was delicious as well, I could've just had that and would've been good! Although I do wish that I would've tried the barbecued chicken and Mac n cheese as I'm pretty sure that I won't ever be back in that area again. Oh yea, there's a blackberry tree out back by the parking lot, the berries are devine! 😉

If I could give this place a zero, I would. We were the only ones there for lunch. This should have been a red flag. The lady took our oder from across the room sitting down. Then, when the food came, it was disgusting. The gumbo tasted like watered down tomato sause with no flavor. My little one ordered the mac and cheese. However, it tasted more like egg than cheese again, no flavor. My husband ordered the ribs, and he said it tasted like a heat up meal. We were so excited to try this place just to be sooooooo disappointed. The only things we liked were the pictures and the history. I should have read the reviews before going, and then I would have seen the other reviews saying small portions, no flavor, overpriced, and bad service.

Everyone was friendly. The atmosphere was historical, which I love. The food was delicious. It was the best Mac and cheese pie I have ever eaten. I also didn't know shark fin tasted so good. The proce was wonderful for lunch. The portions were perfect. We left full and happy.

Chef Bill has got it going on! The staff at Gullah Grub was simply amazing: attentive and welcoming. The menu is on the small side, but that is because everything is prepared fresh with in-season ingredients--a core aspect of Gullah Geechee life on the island. Our spread included shrimp gumbo, fish and shrimp, mac and cheese, and lima beans. Although we have no confirmed roots on the island, the food was like a love note from our dearly departed grandmothers. The flavors are simple but powerful, letting the food be the dominant voice. My shrimp was the sweetest and most tender I've had in years. The gumbo is not like your Louisiana gumbo. This one has a tomato stew base. The added shrimp was a nice ornament, but not needed. The chicken and veggies in the gumbo were the stars of that dish. Adding a few spoonfuls of red rice sent it over the top. The red rice, though! Smokey and tender. It is a great vehicle for gravy and sauces. Mine was gone too soon. Each dish is served with your choice of rice, a seasonal vegetable, and a hearty scoop of potato salad. The potato salad was tender and starchy, mildly seasoned. It was almost a palate cleanser. I found I took a taste after a bite of something spicy. Our veg was lima beans. We were served a generous bowl. Honestly that with the rice would have been a more than satisfying meal. The beans were so tender but still had bite. They were smokey with a thick gravy. The flavor is hard to describe, probably because I haven't had fresh lima beans before. It was a wonderful experience. Then there was the mac-n-cheese. You're served a hearty, peppery slice of baked macaroni. The noodles are were perfect, with a thick and cheesey top. We took a couple of slices of sweet potato pie home with us, but it is served warm and smelling of cinnamon and sugar. The sugar, though is natural. This is not a very sweet sweet potato pie. It is definitely one of the thickest slices of sweet potato pie I've ever had. Chunks of potatoes can be seen, in addition to the spices. The pie is fresh, simple, creamy, and so eatable. There isn't a lot of crust , but it is sturdy, like you could carry the slice in your hand and eat this on the go. It would make a nice snack because it isn't cloyingly sweet like a lot of desserts. We added a dollop of vanilla ice cream to ours when we were back at the hotel. That modification sent the pie over the top! Gullah Grub was a joyful dining experience from the brightly painted walls adorned with memorabilia from Chef Bill's life to the singing that drifted our way from the kitchen. It felt like home. We are so grateful. The staff gave us advice on sites to visit in the area while incorporating some personal family history into their tips. This has been a truly memorable experience. 10000000:10 will return.

Local gem with an interesting and unique history. Great food and service, loved the atmosphere and authentic cuisine. Shrimp gumbo was excellent!

I knew I had to try this place the minute I went by it! It was delightful The lady waiting tables was so friendly and the atmosphere was exactly as I expected 👍 I had the Shrimp Gumbo, BBQ Chicken and Sweet potato pie I enjoyed every bite 😋 Thank you for the experience 👍❣️

BBQ chicken was tasty and the warm sweet potato pie was absolutely delicious! Service was slow, but I expected that. Our waitress was so kind. Love that they are keeping their ancestors traditions alive. It was nice to sit in a rocking chair on the front porch after our meal!

A most amazing place full of friendly service and amazing food by perhaps the culture that originated southern cuisine. Please check out this place, it is worth the trip.

I had the shrimp gumbo. The shrimp were small, tastless and there was no okra. Otherwise the people who run the cafe were very nice and their unsweetened ice tea was good.

Unremarkable food and the ABSOLUTE WORST service I have ever experienced!! Too bad, because I'm new to the area and Gullah Grub came recommended. Never again!! Fried shrimp lunch ($12.50) was 9 bland, pathetic looking shrimp and a plain looking scoop of potato salad. That was not a good first impression but not the worst thing. I never tasted the potato salad because I never got any pepper despite asking 3 times and waiting more than 10 minutes. (Yes, I almost always pepper food before tasting it, especially something like restaurant potato salad. Judge me if you want but my food, my choice.) The server stayed almost entirely in the kitchen and was not busy since I was her only table. I couldn't shake the impression she was purposely ignoring me. Perhaps she was having a very bad day, but i just can't rationalize her actions. I certainly hope it's not because I'm an older white man and the server is a young black woman, but that's how it felt. And before you think I went in there with an attitude or somehow annoyed her, I am a former server who is ALWAYS polite and cordial to waitstaff.

Had great service and pleasant conversation with the young staff learning and working that shift - excellent meal with shark, gumbo, and cornbread with a cool dose of their swamp water. Had a great talk with a local man and his wife who had been there many years in the uniform and then after mustering out fisherman, vet, pow, great storyteller(s) and perspectives. Really hope to meet Mr. Green next time thru, picked up some literature on their education and farming efforts and have enjoyed his videos. Just a great place in many ways, including the folks that might just come in the door to pick up a small order to go...!

I had a very pleasant experience at Gullah Grub. I was greeted with warm hospitality and delicious cornbread. The chicken gumbo was wonderful, with a smoky twist to it. The fish was crispy and the potato salad was creamy. The hostess gave us a little history lesson, being born and raised in St Helena Island. I look forward to visiting this South Carolina gem again. I truly enjoyed the experience, from the delicious "swamp water" served in classic Mason jars, to the beautiful art displayed throughout the restaurant. This restaurant was cozy, put me back in time to dining in my grandmother's dining room. Just good food made by happy people. You feel at home, at Gullah Grub.

Like everyone says, they have a very simple menu. And don't think you're gonna come here and get big food for small prices, cuz it ain't happening. But I gotta give them the nod. I've never had this type of cuisine before and it was delicious. A good meal and horizons broadened- that's worth 5 stars. I'd like to have a whole slab of those ribs right now if I could...

We loved our lunch at Gullah Grub. They were so friendly and Chef Bill Green came out and checked in on us and shared about the restaurant and the partnership teaching kids about growing food and cooking as well. We had the gumbo, ribs, fried shrimp and bbq chicken. Everything was delicious and promptly served. Can't wait to return!

All online information stated open at noon. I drove there(an hours drive) only to find a handwritten sign taped to the door, saying closed. This was the second time that this has happened. Very disappointing!

The food here is terrible Go somewhere else You'll thank me Gumbo was awful Worst cornbread

Stopped here for lunch on a Thursday and it wasn't busy at all. The décor was Gullah themed and the chairs were really comfortable (not sure this is important to note, but they were so much more comfortable than most restaurant chairs, lol.) Our waitress was young and didn't seem real comfortable interacting with customers, yet! We were told by the staff, that the majority of items on the menu are locally caught, raised or grown. We ordered fried shrimp and an order of fried shark bites. Both orders came with potato salad and cornbread. We ordered a side of macaroni and cheese to try. I enjoyed the homemade potato salad. The cornbread was served warm and had a good texture to it. The Mac and cheese was baked and came out creamy with a slightly crunchy cheese on the top from being baked in the oven. The shrimp and shark bites were both lightly breaded and were not overcooked. This was the first time we had shark bites and were surprised by the texture (firm like chicken, not flaky like most fish.) I was told in the past that shark can have a strong odor/scent to it, but these shark bites had no odor/scent, and the flavor was extremely mild. On the downside, the portions could be larger, or maybe the meal could come with an extra side. That being said, we like to support local small businesses, so we will eat here again in the future.

When we visited Gulla Grub a decade ago, the meal was so memorable that we determined to return next time we visited Beaufort. The meal then consisted of a variety of vegetables cooked soul food style and main dishes spiced in the unique Gulla fashion. Gulla Grub has since gone w-a-y downhill. Our "BBQ" chicken and ribs were merely fried in oil and tasteless. Each was accompanied by a dollop of something they call "potato salad," but more resembled school paste in texture and flavor. We ordered a "large" bowl of gumbo. What the restaurant classifies as "large" is what any other restaurant would call a small cup - and for $12 it was a complete ripoff. Mac & cheese was unmemorable. Only the corn bread was satisfactory - moist and flavorful. Portions are small and greatly overpriced. A basic meal for three set us back $61, including tip. This is no longer the delightful eatery we remembered. For genuine Gulla food, try one of the number of places around Savannah. Steer clear of Gulla Grub, for us, sadly, a major disappointment.

Great food, loved learning about the Gullah culture. Food is cooked with love. Thank you!

Staff was very friendly and the food tasted very good and fresh, especially the fried shrimp and cornbread!

Terrible service, overpriced small portions. Chicken gumbo was a dead ringer for Brunswick stew, not like any gumbo we have had before. Waitress did not offer to refill drinks, we had to ask for napkins. Won't be back.

Authentic low country food was delicious. My 1st time hearing about and having swamp water. Great service that feels like family. I dined alone so I wasn't able to swap food to taste more of the menu items.

Don't go here ! We drove all the way from Hilton Head by way of Kansas City. They sae

Gullah Grub is for those who appreciate the slow food movement. Authentic, local dishes inspired by the season. Barbecue ribs and chicken are mouth watering and the shrimp gumbo hits the spot. Get an extra order of Mac and cheese to complement your potato salad. They're each excellent. The sweet tea though is incredible - knock your socks off refreshing! Tour Penn Center and the area and finish your day here!

Stopped in for lunch and it hit the spot! Our server was very nice and food came out quickly. Loved the fried shark and potato salad!

Small portions and extra high prices? Bad combo. I'd consider it a tourist trap. Authentic Gullah, I'll give them that, but not worth the time or money. Staff were not rude, but not inviting or friend in the least. $8.50 for an Arnold Palmer type lemonade/sweet tea? $12 for less than 8oz of gumbo? $25 for a fish plate with 2 pieces of fish and 2 small sides? At least they provide food out of the back for the local community. I guess they have to cover their losses with paying customers.

Underwhelmed and disappointed. Too much money spent on too little food that was mediocre at best. Man, I wanted to like the place after seeing how well they came across on High on the Hog. The girls waiting on tables were young, inattentive( one playing on her phone when I got up to pay at register and she just stood there ignoring me) and just overall inexperienced in hospitality. The portions were super small and since when does the cornbread come out AFTER the gumbo has been eaten( we didn't know it came with the cornbread until all of a sudden the girls brought it out to all the tables like an afterthought. I was really embarrassed after talking this place up ( having seen it on Netflix)to my visiting guest. Oh well.

Their website and other yelp-like apps show it's open, but we just drove 45 minutes from Palmetto Bluff to find it closed. We were so ready to fill our growling bellies with their locally sourced specialties...what a bummer! The sign in the window said "OPEN", but it was dark and locked up. Tried calling after-the-fact, and the phone was disconnected. Such a shame...I guess it's yet another local business killed by the pandemic. I hope Bill and his family are able to reopen at some point.

The menu at Gullah Grub is simple and straightforward. The food is simple as well. It's very basic low country fare----fresh, seasonal, and local. We dined here for the first time yesterday with family. We chose a variety from the menu----BBQ chicken, BBQ ribs, and Shrimp Gumbo. We all ordered Swamp Water------half lemonade, half sweet tea! The lunch comes with a side of potato salad and corn bread. The chicken was unlike any barbecued chicken that I've had. There was no sauce, just a simple rub that was flavorful but not overly spicy. The chicken portion was the leg/thigh. It was tender and had a good flavor like it had been marinated in a dry rub. I had a taste of gumbo and found it to be nicely seasoned and quite different from the more hot and spicy versions. The potato salad was fresh and tangy. The cornbread was nicely baked and sweet. Dessert was peach cobbler and it was the perfect ending to the meal. We were the only patrons in the restaurant. However we observed people carrying large orders to take home. The server informed us that shark strips were not available that day, so obviously these are very popular. We'll have to try them the next time we're in the area! The restaurant has items for sale like jarred Gumbo, Collards, and several spice mixes. There are also sweet grass baskets to buy. This eatery is a good place to visit and experience low country food.

We ordered the shrimp gumbo and peach cobbler. The gumbo was more like a watery Brunswick stew. Lots of spices but small and few shrimp. Mostly corn in a broth. The cobbler was flavorful but mushy. Would not recommend.

My family was in town to visit the historical sites of the Gullah/Geechee people so a stop for lunch was in order. There was 10 of us and that didn't deter the restaurant from putting out great food and providing wonderful service. Corn bread and drinks were brought out right after we sat down. The selections were wide and included fish, ribs, chicken, and shrimp. The family chose the fried whiting dinner and shrimp dinner that included 2 sides. They had red rice, shrimp gumbo, potato salad, and string beans. I was able to adhere to my plant based diet with the cabbage, lima beans, red rice, and string beans! Those beans were so good, I had a second helping! Sorry...not sorry! Yummy! Everything was well seasoned and closing my eyes made me reminisce on my mother's delicious cooking! This spot is definitely worthy of a five star rating as everyone was pleased with how good their food tasted. Get yourself to Gullah Grubs and get a taste of down home cooking and Southern hospitality.

Wow, what were they thinking. Food was lack luster in all aspects. Room was freezing. Waited an hour for food. I m leaning towards it's a low country thing, no hurry at all. Ribs might have been acceptable if they were actually warmed up. Dodd not have the heart to tell them ribs cold, Mac and cheese was absolutely horrible. Not sure what it was. Soup was good and hot since I told them, make sure it's HOT!

For authentic southern food, this was the real deal. I loved it. Quaint exterior (rough looking on the side and back though) , hand painted art, cotton tablecloths and fresh flowers adorned the inside. The cook is also the waiter and he knows his way around his dishes! Shrimp and chicken gumbo were served with a small side of rice. The chicken had a smoky flavor which was delicious. The shrimp gumbo had different spices but equally good. This is shrimp territory so I'm sure it was local. They also sell their own spice mix and gumbo in a jar. There were a few woven baskets for sale - beautifully woven but very pricey. But all in all, this was rustic, fun, and very good.

Beaufort is one of my all-time favorite places! I have been waiting summer time to visit this establishment. From the outward appearance you know that you about to take ASAP go to a cultural culinary experience. I have admired Chef Bill Green for some time now and was absolutely ecstatic to visit his restaurant. Upon first entering it was a little drab. They definitely need to liven the atmosphere up a little. I got the shrimp and potato salad with red rice macaroni and cheese. My part I got barbecue chicken potato salad and macaroni and cheese and the swamp water. The cornbread that they serve when you first come in it's pretty tasty however I'm almost sure that it was pre-cooked and then re warmed in the microwave. And this was the same for all the other items. Where they decent, very much so. However as a personal fan I have watched many cooking tutorials from mr. Bill Green and I had much higher expectations. I personally cook some of his recipes on a weekly basis. I guess I just assumed that I would have tasted more soul and love in the plate.

Stale dining room air, limited menu, sullen waitress, "Large" gumbo costs $12.95 and is actually a "cup" of gumbo that tastes like it could be Cambell's.

Food was great. Culture was great. The prices was okay and the amount of food per dish was kind of small. More like a appetizer portion. The gumbo was absolutely great! Would definitely go back.

Hello I saw your restaurant on an episode of High On The Hog. I decided the next time I visited Charleston I would come check it out. Needless to say I was very underwhelmed. No one greeted is when enter your establishment. We seated ourselves I had actually stop a waiter and ask foe a menu and after another 20mins of no one still not coming to take Lou order had to ask for some to come thanks our order. The restaurant only had three others parties and my party in the entire. It took us an hour plus to receive our food. What happen to the southern hospitality, great customer services & good food that I was presented with on High On The Hog. Truly Disappointed

As with most places, I believe your preconceived notion has a lot to do with your experience. With that said, my family had little expectation but to experience gullah food and culture. The building was like most in Beaufort, old and run down - inside and out. We didn't really mind. The service was very slow but we were in no hurry, I would advise the staff to at least bring waters or drinks prior to cornbread. Sadly, our food had been microwaved. The BBQ Chicken has good flavor but there were very hot and completely cold spots inside the meat. I had so hoped to be able to give a great review for this local place that the chef has been doing this for 15 years.

My wife and I wanted to try Gullah food and were very glad we noticed Gullah Grub when passing by. My wife had the chicken gumbo and liked the Gullah version with more veggies and excellent taste. I had the fried shark strips. They were very meaty and tender. I noticed a little salty taste which could have been the shark meat in a brine prior to frying or that shark is a little saltier tasting meat but it did not detract from the dish. The stand out on the shark dish was how good the potato salad was on the plate. Everyone has their favorite potato salad, mine is my moms recipe but this is near the top of the favorite list for me. We will definitely be back and look forward to more food experiences with Chef Bill Green.

Drove 70 miles round trip out of our way for this culinary and cultural experience. We left disappointed. The service was extremely poor and no Southern Hospitality or manners. Menu item options were limited and standard to what I could get anywhere. My shrimp gumbo had canned vegetables which was not to my preference. The shark bites were good and the batter was flavorful. Left with a heavy heart.

If I could give this place a rating worse than zero I would. Only had a slice of sweet potato pie, and it was horrible. How in the hell can you screw up sweet potato pie in South. Tasted like burnt cinnamon, it looked burnt, did not taste any potato. After I paid. Looked in kitchen, and dirty pots and pans were piled in sink, one pan looked as though it had been there for days. If health department inspector was there for lunch, they would have closed the place. Would not recommend this place to an alien.

I don't like giving bad reviews so maybe I was just there on a bad day. Was visiting the Island with my husband while vacationing in Hilton head. Was at the Art store across the street and asked where a good place was to eat. Lady said the peach cobbler was good at the Gullah Grub but healthier food would be be at the place next to it. I was excited to try somerhing from the Gullah Grub so we ordered 2 slices of sweet potatoe pie and the peach cobbler. While waiting my husband said look at that kitchen. Now he knows how I am about that because I'm a nurse and turned off when I see anything looking unsanitary. I wouldn't look cause I really wanted ro try the food. Went next door and had a good lunch...got back in the car and couldn't wait to get my desserts, what a dissapointment!!! Worse pie and cobbler I EVER TASTED! Looking at rhe menue, food was over priced and rhe ambience was not that great. We travel and eat out a lot. This was the worse!

Gullah Grub was a fun place to lunch while we were on vacation with the family... Our friend wanted to try it after learning that Chef Green has been featured on several programs including Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations and Martha Stewart Living. We didn't argue, and we had a pleasant dining experience. Our server was friendly and attentive... He was the only one working the day we were there, but still managed to keep our swamp water (aka Arnold Palmers) refilled promptly. We feasted on a ton of low country cuisine including cornbread, squash casserole, mac n cheese, shrimp gumbo, crab soup, and more. My only complaints were that the cornbread was dry and that they were out of collards! Even so, it's worth mixing things up and checking out Gullah Grub when you're in the area. Not only is it Anthony Bourdain and Martha Stewart approved, it's yelper approved too!

My friend and I stopped here to eat while on a SC beach/camping road trip. I had found this place through some sort of web search for restaurant recommendations in the area on the way to Hunting Island. I am surprised to find that it has no reviews since this place and the chef (Bill Green) have been featured on Martha Stewart Living and No Reservations. If you check out their website you will see they sell cooking videos and rubs and sauces, but I have no experience with that stuff, so anyhooo.... The food was delicious! I had sweet tea and my friend had swamp water (iced tea and lemonade). Both good. The meal came with cornbread which came out first. It was moist and delicious and I could have eaten three pieces. My friend ordered the bar-b-que chicken with two sides (lima beans and collard greens). I ordered a side of ribs and squash casserole and we just shared everything. I am not sure what prompted me to order ribs, because I am not a big fan of ribs, but oh man, were they ever awesome. I would order the ribs again. They were so meaty and succulent and flavorful. I would order all of it again. The atmosphere is casual and comfortable and the server was a super sweetheart of a young woman. And we ordered a desert sampler to go. It was a peach cobbler and a sweet potato pie. We ate them in our tent a few hours later, since we were too full to fully enjoy them at the restaurant. If you are in Beaufort area or heading in or out of Hunting Island you should definitely check this place out. Delicious food with great culture and history.

I was on a girls trip with 4 of my closest friends and it was our first time visiting this area. One of my friends had just watched the new Netflix show, High on the Hog, that featured The Gullah Grub and she recognized it immediately. We did some research, learned as much history as we could about the Gullah culture and then did everything we could to get back to the restaurant when they were open. We made it on our last day. It was such a unique experience eating there, learning about the Gullah culture, and exploring other local areas that are full of history. We ordered mac and cheese, ribs, shrimp, and lots of peach cobbler. Everything was absolutely delicious. The staff were incredibly kind and welcoming. We will make it a priority to go again the next time we are in the area. If you get the chance, watch episode 2 of High on the Hog before going. Also, right down the street is the Penn Center and the St. Helena Church Ruins. Both places are definitely worth the visit before/after going to The Gullah Grub.

Stopped in for lunch for the first time in 4 years. The place is just as we remembered it. Cheri had Shrimp Gumbo, which was awesome and I had Fried Shrimp. Was disappointed with the size of the shrimp, but everything was delicious, just as we remembered it. The side dishes, collard greens, butter beans, potato salad and rice. The Gullah people have a unique culture that is directly linked to West Africa. In South Carolina, this group of African-Americans and the language they speak are referred to as Gullah.

This was the perfect lunch to have in beaufort. Just delicious food all around and very relaxing atmosphere. When you first walk in its a little daunting because it's a badly renovated house to restaurant with very minimum when it comes to decor. There was one waiter for the whole place so as it was filling up the service got a little slow but not bad enough to think about where is my waiter. We started off with some corn bread. I rode deed sweet tea and the bf got the pond water (half sweet tea half lemonade). The corn bread was perfectly salty and buttery I just wanted more. I just heard great reviews about the she crab soup so we tried that. It was delicious and creamy and perfectly balanced with a nice fresh fish taste. I got fried fish Mac and cheese and the bf got BBQ ribs and Mac and cheese. He ended up loving my fish and I loved his ribs more. The chef even came by and said if the ribs were too dry to let him know and he will grab a new batch. Overall all delicious and I wish there could be somewhere nearby this yummy.

Took a friend here. It was all our first time. Food was cold, and super expensive for the amounts and quality. Most of what we had was not freshly prepared. Very disappointed.

Had a great meal here and highly recommend Gullah Grub! We were a group of 7 so reserved ahead for lunch--I don't think it was strictly necessary, but it's a pretty small spot so I'm glad to have let them know in advance that we were coming. The shrimp gumbo and ribs were both big hits with the group, as was the warm cornbread they started everyone out with. The "swamp water" (iced tea and lemonade) was tasty too, though sweet. Service wasn't speedy, but plenty fast enough and the staff was super friendly and helpful. Definitely worth a trip!

Food was just mediocre at best. Friendly atmosphere, but don't expect awesome Southern cooking. Also a little bit on the pricey side.

We had a great lunch from a very good cook, cooking with tender loving care. Everything was great, but I wish the peach cobbler had not been so hot. Would rather have had it chilled. The iced tea was really good! Bill and the waitress were very friendly, kindly tolerating my many questions. We shall return!

I should have known something was up. Bourdain prides himself on saying he does not lie on the food he samples. I don't know how consistent this practice is, but I do know that while being filmed eating at Gullah Grub he made no real commentary on the food itself. In fact, he spent more time riding horses with the owner than eating. I mean, it's the Travel Channel, I know, but come on. The menu reads good and the food is deceptively prepared. Fresh out of the back of an establishment that used to be a house, I was certain the clanging of pots and pans in the kitchen was signaling a course of dishes fired over the cast-iron heirlooms of a family steeped in history and gritty, backyard-culled recipes. Based on what hit the table, I think the staff was banging the pots and pans to hide the sound of the microwave ding. I ordered the ribs, potato salad, cornbread and shrimp gumbo. "No", "eh", "no" and "eh" respectively. The ribs were boney shoulder pads and the cornbread was on the dry side the way a camel's nuts are "a little dusty." The potato salad was average, and for a seaside community they are surprisingly stingy with the shrimp in a shrimp gumbo. Maybe they're used to people wanting more soup out of their gumbo than meat. They didn't have the advertised greens. Mind you, the place opens at noon. How you gonna' be out of stuff when I just saw you open the door? And greens, no less? How you not gonna' have greens in-house? I'm reasonably sure I drove past a few hundred stalks of them coming into town. I ordered the "Swamp Water" (rim shot) to drink. I am reasonably sure that this is made with actual brackish sewage. The tea tasted like it came out of a garden hose, which is fine when you're seven and have a culinary palate tweaked by Space Rocks and Nerds, but less so when you're a grown foodie. A fellow newcomer informed me that the Swamp Water tastes like lemonade mixed with sweet tea. Wait, what? Any golfer can tell you that's an Arnold Palmer. I drove eleven hours into Gullah country to have a nasty Arnold Palmer? I rounded the meal out with a peach cobbler that was flaccid and breaded with whatever is in moth balls that makes rats die. The menu offers tossed salad, which I didn't order, but certainly felt like I'd experienced. Here's an observation for my readers in the Klan: Gullah Grub doesn't serve fried chicken. They sell a barbecued chicken, but not fried chicken. They sell a DVD of the owner teaching you how to prepare Grandma's pan-fried chicken and they don't sell fried chicken. They have this same DVD playing on a small TV in the dining area on a loop, but they don't sell fried chicken. They sincerely hope you enjoy the DVD because it's as close as you are getting to fried chicken. And I don't mean they were out (though at this point I would have hardly been surprised). I mean it wasn't on the menu. There is a KFC nine miles away that has better chicken than a world-proclaimed, southern low country cooking restaurant, winning the contest handily via the mere act of serving it at all. That puts the "low" in "low country cooking." So: missing items off the menu at opening, screw-you service, locals that do come in getting their food to go. The local who bumped the back of my chair going out the door gave me more attention than my waiter. All that glitters on the Travel Channel is not gold.

Horrible experience all-around. Drove from Charleston just for lunch & was greeted by a child who just mumbled, "You can sit anywhere." We sat & within 30 seconds she came up & said, "You know what you want?" Never having eaten here, we said no. When she finally returned, I asked if the BBQ chicken was a breast or thigh/leg...she said "yes, it is a breast connected to the leg, which I assumed was 1/2 a chicken, for $18.00. The food came out & it was obviously just warmed up, NOT fresh. On my plate was a scrawny leg & thigh covered in old, cracked BBQ sauce - no breast. I called the other server over & asked where the breast was, she said, "We don't got no breasts." I told her that's what the other server said I would be getting & she said, "She don't know what she talking about. I'll take it off your bill." We sat, stunned, & I ate a few bites of lima beans, my boyfriend gave me one of his ribs & he tried the chicken. The server came back & asked if we wanted anything else & we said no. She said, "Its $44.45." I said I thought you were taking the chicken off the bill? She said "But you ate it." I said NO, my boyfriend tried it, but, regardless, it wasn't what I ordered & you said it would be taken off. She kept arguing with me & all I could say was THIS IS HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE! Needless to say, it wasn't taken off & my boyfriend paid in order to avoid a scene, as it was definitely escalating. There is absolutely zero cooking going on in this rickety old building. It is simply reheated mediocre food that they're charging outrageous prices for, because Anthony Bourdain once walked in the door. Don't waste your time in this dump. It is disgusting in every way.

I had seen this place on No Reservations and figured it must be good, but that was a mistake. Our first clue to the less than stellar food should have been that there wasn't a single local in there, but we blindly pressed on. When we sat down a friendly young lady promptly took our drink order and then just as promptly forgot about us (we never saw her again). About thirty minutes later an older woman came over and we reordered our drinks and took our food order. We ordered Shrimp gumbo ($15.95) and Fish chowder ($10.95). Mine came with red rice (they were out of white rice) and collard greens. The red rice tasted as if it came out of a card board box and was hours and hours old. The collard greens were okay. The fish chowder sides were slated on the menu to be corn bread, white rice and a salad. Instead they served reheated red rice and collard greens. My gumbo came in a medium sized bowl had maybe six pieces of shrimp in it. The overall quality was edible, but less than impressive. Her fish chowder "was fine", but didn't have much fish. It did have an inch sized bone in it. In all we were in there for an hour and a half and fifteen minutes of that was used for eating. The people were really nice, but nice isn't good enough at their prices. Overall a disappointing outing. Tourists beware!!!

Wow what a horrible experience we had at this place. My husband and I traveled from Savannah there for my birthday. There was no one there on a bright Sunday afternoon( which should've been a sign ) and we were not impressed with the decor . It's a house made to look like a restaurant..but they missed! We both had the special of BBQ chicken I had red rice and my husband had white rice, both had Lima beans and M&C. The rice was cold because it was reheated, the Lima beans was canned the bbq chicken was old heated over chicken with some kind of red sauce that look like ketchup with black peeper and tasted worse. The Mac and cheese was just noodles with a little cheese sprinkled in. We didn't eat it but paid a whopping $34 for microwave day old chicken and the waitress has the nerve to ask me if I wanted to put her tip on the card!!!!!! She looked like she wanted to be anywhere but there, let alone wait on customers. My advice. Just because Bordain visited this place doesn't mean it's good. They might've paid him for the plug. However overpriced,bad environment, and less than friendly staff makes for a disappointing outing.

Food wasn't too bad, but pricey for what you get. I don't like to give anyplace a bad review, so let me just say that I would NOT eat here again

Yum!!! Gullah Grub is a great, comfortable place to eat. It's located right at an intersection but is still somewhat overlookable since it's in an old house that doesn't immediately look like a restaurant. Inside, it smells like my grandmother's kitchen and has the feel of a neighbor's dining room. The staff is wonderfully warm and considerate -- they'll talk to you as much or as little as you seem to want to be talked to. And the food is excellent. It might sound odd, but this is _not_ food that I'd see coming out of a standard restaurant kitchen -- it's not an elegant presentation with 'creatively' put together menu items. Instead, this is straightforward food that people actually eat in their homes, and it's wonderful and served in overflowing bowls and plates. I'd visit again!