Sarah P.
Yelp
We were genuinely excited to stop at Hammond Ferry Larder on our long drive home from Surfside Beach to Montgomery. Between the playground right next door, open outdoor seating, and nearby walking trails, it seemed like the perfect road trip pitstop for our stir-crazy kids (and parents). Bonus: we saw they had drinks and a promising-looking menu. Total win, right?
Unfortunately, we rolled in an hour before opening--my fault for not checking the hours. That would've been a disaster since my 4-year-old and I were both doing the "I need to pee" dance, but thankfully, the kind kitchen staff let us in to use the restroom while they prepped.
We decided to hang around and wait for them to open, and honestly, the outdoor space made it easy to kill an hour. The kids ran around, we played on the playground, and when a sudden downpour rolled in, we took cover under their patio and even got to play a round of giant Connect 4. By the time 4:00 rolled around, we were wet, hungry, and ready to eat.
And then it got awkward.
We rushed inside excitedly... only to be met with a trio of staff who looked just as confused by us as we were by the vibe. No one greeted us, no host stand, just a blank stare until someone finally said we could sit anywhere. So we awkwardly claimed a table and tried to shake off the weird energy.
Our server came over soon after, and we placed our order. I got the drink special--a gin Paloma--which was fine, nothing remarkable. We started with fried pickles (solid but unmemorable), and then moved on to our mains: cheese pitas for the girls, hot honey chicken sliders with sweet potato fries for me, and fish and chips for my husband.
Sadly, things went downhill from there. My chicken sliders were just basic chicken tenders on toasted buns. The goat cheese added a little something, but the hot honey was nowhere to be found. The sweet potato fries were floppy and undercooked. The girls' cheese pita was... well, exactly what the menu said: pita with melted cheese. But it somehow still felt a little sad.
The worst offender? The fish and chips. The fish was soggy, and the breading slid off like it was trying to escape the plate. The potato wedges were also undercooked. My husband ended up sending it back and opting for the warm chocolate brownie instead. The brownie was better than the fish--barely--but it was clearly just a microwaved store-bought dessert with a drizzle of syrup.
In the end, the best part of our visit wasn't the food--it was the playground, the covered patio, and the generosity of the kitchen staff who let us in before opening. We were grateful for the rest stop, but the restaurant itself fell way short of expectations.
for the family-friendly location and outdoor amenities
for the kind kitchen staff and covered patio with games
Points off for food quality (main dishes and dessert mostly disappointing)
for the awkward service vibe at opening
for lack of value and underwhelming execution
If they improved food execution and tightened up the front-of-house experience, this place could easily be a 4-star gem for families on the go. As it stands, it's a pretty setting with subpar substance.