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ELA'S On the Water, Hilton Head Island, SC
ELA'S On the Water, Hilton Head Island, SC
ELA'S On the Water, Hilton Head Island, SC
ELA'S On the Water, Hilton Head Island, SC
ELA'S On the Water, Hilton Head Island, SC

ELA'S On the Water

4.6
4.6
7063 Reviews
$30 and under
Seafood
One Shelter Cove Ln, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928

Make a reservation

2 people
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
7:00 PM
Booked 78 times today

About this restaurant

  • Great for scenic views
  • Good for special occasions
  • Great for outdoor dining
Featured in Bon Appetit and the winner of numerous Open Table awards, ELA'S On the Water is a shining star on the Hilton Head scene. Fresh catch seafood and prime cut steaks of the highest quality, artfully prepared by our culinary team of experts, compliment the extensive boutique wine selection. Located at Shelter Cove Harbour overlooking the marina and Broad Creek, ELA'S is known for the best water views on the island. A casual intimate interior, wrap around dining patio exterior, and nightly entertainment provided by local recording artists sets the perfect dining experience or location to host special events, private parties, or rehearsal dinners.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Seafood, Steak, Wine Bar
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Sun 11:00 am–2:00 pm Dinner Daily 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Catering
    Second Level private dining for Wedding & Private events for up to 80pp<br />Penthouse VIP Dining Room available for parties up to 20pp
  • Private party facilities
    Best Water View Dining on Hilton HeadSecond Level private dining for Wedding & Private events for up to 80ppPenthouse VIP Dining Room available for parties up to 20pp
  • Neighborhood
    Hilton Head Island
  • Parking details
    Enter Shelter Cove Harbour and follow Shelter Cove Lane to the private parking for guests.<br /><br />OMNI RESORT / MARRIOTT RESORT / WESTIN RESORT offer free shuttles to ELA'S <br /><br />For directions call our concierge at 843-785-3030
  • Public transit
    OMNI RESORT / MARRIOTT RESORT / WESTIN RESORT offer free shuttles to ELA'S Palmetto Dunes - DunesBuggy - free shuttle to ELA's
  • Entertainment
    Original Artist Productions, Classic Rock, Island Music John Wasem every Thursday & Friday from 7 - 11pmReid Richmond every Saturday from 7 - 11pmBill Peterson every Sunday 11 - 2pmDean St. Hillaire every Sunday 7 - 10pm
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Dancing, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 7,063 people are saying

ELA'S On the Water reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.4Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Hilton Head

    Great for outdoor dining

  • Hilton Head

    Romantic

  • Hilton Head

    Great for scenic views

  • Hilton Head

    Seafood

  • Hilton Head

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
ELA'S On the Water offers a stunning waterfront dining experience with "excellent food, wonderful service," and a varied menu featuring fresh seafood and delicious cocktails. Guests appreciate the "beautiful views," attentive staff like Karen and Vanessa, and the ambiance enhanced by live music. A must-visit for special occasions!
7,063 Reviews
  1. Katherine VIP

    Charleston4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    We had a wonderful experience at Ela’s for Mothers Day dinner. Our server, Katie, was attentive and helpful with recommendations. Our family enjoyed all of our entrees (crab cakes, short ribs and salmon). We were able to swap out some of the sides. Would highly recommend the truffle risotto! We will definitely add Ela’s to our list of nice restaurants for when we are in town!

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  2. Sam

    Charleston2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    ELA’S offered a Mother’s Day Dinner menu. Blue point oysters followed by Salmon Rockefeller were both delicious. Wife’s Pear Arugula Salad followed by steamed lobster were both throughly enjoyed

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  3. Alexandria

    New York City1 review

    4.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We ate on the patio and the ambiance was amazing and our server was incredible and very knowledgeable about the menu. We had the calamari, our servers recommendation, and lobster nachos as appetizers and they were delicious. Our drinks were great! Someone in our party had the crab cakes and raved about them. However, two in our party had the seafood scampi as an entree and it was very obvious that all of the seafood in the pasta was frozen. The muscles in particular were disgusting to the point of being inedible, being described as tasting like a public bathroom smells. The muscles alone ruined the whole meal while the shrimp and scallops were just clearly frozen and chewy. We would go back and try something else on the menu but we would never order the seafood scampi again.

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  4. Shelley

    Jacksonville15 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 5
    Our server was rather uninterested, and the food was mediocre. We won’t go back.

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  5. David

    Unspecified1 review

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    From the moment we walked in, we felt welcome and special. Everything from management interaction to servers and bus staff made our 45th wedding anniversary wonderful.

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  6. Ken

    Naples6 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food and service. Fantastic view of shelter Cove, Marina and Broad Creek. 

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  7. John

    Orlando1 review

    2.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    The scallop and crab risotto entree had 2 fishy scallops 2 were fine, undercooked risotto absent of crab or truffle butter, topped with 2 minuscule pieces of pancetta, not worth $42. The grouper entree had raw tasting green beans with one very small piece of carrot and yellow pepper. Not a good representation of Local Baby Vegetables. The grouper was tasty but did not have the blood line removed. The mashed potatoes were gummy. Requested indoor seating 3 weeks in advance and were seated outside. They stated that was our request. Not so. We have dined at Ela’s for years and always had a wonderful dinner. We won’t be back after this experience for quite awhile.

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  8. Trish

    San Francisco1 review

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Server was lovely! We had requested to sit outside on the patio but were sat indoors with a nice view. When we asked why they gave some kind of answer but couldn’t accommodate us. Otherwise everything was lovely

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  9. Dana

    Charleston9 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We have been coming to ela’s for the last several years and it doesn’t disappoint!!! Food was excellent, service was excellent, and the view was lovely!!!

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  10. Kathy VIP

    Charleston78 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Beautiful view, great food… a little pricy… excellent service!

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

ELA'S On the Water offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (843) 785-3030.

ELA'S On the Water is rated 4.6 stars by 7063 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. South Carolina
  4. Hilton Head
  5. Hilton Head Island

Make a reservation


Booked 78 times today
Google Map for ELA'S On the Water

One Shelter Cove Ln, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    Hilton Head Island
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Sun 11:00 am–2:00 pm Dinner Daily 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Seafood, Steak, Wine Bar
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Enter Shelter Cove Harbour and follow Shelter Cove Lane to the private parking for guests.<br /><br />OMNI RESORT / MARRIOTT RESORT / WESTIN RESORT offer free shuttles to ELA'S <br /><br />For directions call our concierge at 843-785-3030
  • Public transit
    OMNI RESORT / MARRIOTT RESORT / WESTIN RESORT offer free shuttles to ELA'S Palmetto Dunes - DunesBuggy - free shuttle to ELA's
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Entertainment
    Original Artist Productions, Classic Rock, Island Music John Wasem every Thursday & Friday from 7 - 11pmReid Richmond every Saturday from 7 - 11pmBill Peterson every Sunday 11 - 2pmDean St. Hillaire every Sunday 7 - 10pm
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Dancing, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
  • Catering
    Second Level private dining for Wedding & Private events for up to 80pp<br />Penthouse VIP Dining Room available for parties up to 20pp
  • Private party facilities
    Best Water View Dining on Hilton HeadSecond Level private dining for Wedding & Private events for up to 80ppPenthouse VIP Dining Room available for parties up to 20pp
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