Absolutely great. Great food, great customer service, and just an old timey spot that I will definitely be returning to. The server we had was juggling a handful of tables in her section and did not skip a beat. Also the dirty rice is AMAZING! read more

A bit pricey but overall the food is good, there's a GA tax & a St Simons tax as well as a credit card fee on each item. If you do eat there save room for the chocolate stuff it's rich but oh so good. read more

So I come back a month later, sat at the bar just like last time. This time I ordered the she crab soup absolutely delicious wow is all I can say. But unlike last time the dude at the bar charges me for the freaking bread, WTF. Last time I was there they didn't charge for the bread so I had to redo my score to a 3 just so it hurts you a little bit. Look man I don't make a lot of money I'm not on vacation 15 bucks for lunch is a lot for me, and you charged me for the fricking bread. Oh yeah and on your website says the soup is $10.95 and you charged me $11.95 and $1 for the bread that's why you got a lousy 15% tip. I would've tipped you 30% I get it, if I would ask for extra bread you could charge but what if I didn't even like that pumpkin bread man if you're gonna charge for the bread then say hey what would you like in your basket since I'm gonna charge you. Well I won't be coming back again either forget the shrimp and grits I'm over it. G read more

Barbara Jean's Restaurants - She Crab soup, and the Bread Basket which cost about $1.00 - Southern Near Me - St. Simons, Georgia

Had a great lunch at Barbara Jean's. We started with the famous crab soup, and it absolutely lived up to the hype--rich, creamy, and full of flavor. The crab cakes were exactly what they said they'd be... the absolute best! Portion sizes are huge--we definitely could have shared a meal. Everything had that classic Southern comfort food feel and came out hot and delicious. Friendly service and a relaxed atmosphere made it a great experience. Definitely worth a stop if you're on the island. read more

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The staff are on top of things and always provide great service. I like the way the inside looks and feels, I feel like im at my grandma's house. The food is fantastic, I always eat too much and feel sick afterward, but it's because there are so many good things that I keep ordering too much. read more

Food worth trying, but cleanliness needs attention When we first walked into Barbara Jean's, we were immediately hit with a non-food smell that was honestly off-putting -- even our 7-year-old commented that "it smelled awful." The menus were sticky too, which didn't give us the best impression of the overall cleanliness. That said, once the food came out, things improved quickly. The bread basket alone was a highlight -- pumpkin bread, jalapeño cornbread, and rolls, all warm and comforting. Honestly, you could make a meal just out of the bread. We ordered the shrimp & grits (upgraded to include the she crab soup instead of sides) and the crab cake entrée with dirty rice and squash casserole. The crab cake had zero filler -- all crab, just how it should be. The soup and sides were super rich but flavorful. Everything had a real Southern comfort food feel. We left full and happy with the food, but the initial experience took away from it. If they addressed the cleanliness and atmosphere, this would easily be a 4 or 5-star spot. read more

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This is a solid choice when dining in the area. Prices are very reasonable, although I noticed about 2% increase from the menu to the bill, but it's still a good value. Don't get me started on the bread basket, which is like coming to grandma's Thanksgiving dinner. The food came out very fast and the service was good. read more

Barbara Jean's Restaurants - Southern Near Me - St. Simons, Georgia

A quaint restaurant at the St Simons Island Pier. Dark inside, full bar, nothing fancy. Went in for a small nibble & cool off a little. I got a jumbo baked potato, mom got a cup of shrimp stew & small salad. 1 Diet Coke & 1 Iced Tea. $40 PLUS tip. Apparently if you pay with a card they UPCHARGE your food cost. My baked potato ended up $6.40, etc. WHAT THE HECK?! NEVER heard of this before. If you pay CASH, the food costs what is listed on the menu. ABSURD!!!!! Food was good, but we did get basic. Service was very kind. They need to rethink their charges- caught us completely off guard without warning when we sat down. Would have been nice to know upfront. read more

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Our server was an amazing! The ambiance was great! I didn't enjoy my fried fish but other than that our food was good! read more

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This is a old restaurant . Could use some updating Food was ok Waitress was wonderful read more

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I used to really enjoy Barbara Jean's, but the last couple of times that I have eaten there it hasn't been great. When I went a few weeks ago, though, it was really bad. I liked my salad and my side of fried shrimp, but everything else was just not good. I ordered the pork chops--they were the saddest, chewiest little pork chops that you ever did see. I remember making pork chops in college on my George Foreman grill that were far superior to what I was served at Barbara Jeans. My husband got the grilled tuna--the color was strange, and he said that the texture and flavors were all wrong on that, too. I will say that our server was a nice guy and that we enjoyed our glasses of tea. Can definitely see, though, why the restaurant was nearly empty at 6PM on a Friday night. read more

I would have given this place 5 because everything was great from service to food. The only thing that kind of ruined the experience was, I ordered a beer and never received it. read more

Barbara Jean's Restaurants - Shrimp and grits. - Southern Near Me - St. Simons, Georgia

Down home cooking that was delicious . Large portions. Service was friendly but it was busy and he had s lot of customers to take care of. Definitely not a fancy place. Parking can be an issue . read more

Located on the Main Street in St Simons that leads to the pier. Parking is up and down the street and in a lot near the water that is free. I was seated quickly and had a very comfortable , clean booth . The menu is huge with many different seafood and country cooking dishes and lots of vegetables. The sweet tea is awesome and comes in a huge glass. I chose a crab cake, spinach and squash casserole. The crab cake was delicious and filled with crab. The squash was excellent too and was homemade for sure. The spinach came out of a can I think so was disappointing. Love the bread basket that was brought with some butter. The pumpkin bread was my favorite. My server was wonderful and checked on me several times with a big smile and great attitude. Will visit again next time! read more

Barbara Jean's Restaurants - Crab cake dinner - Southern Near Me - St. Simons, Georgia

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Get the "chocolate stuff" dessert. It's so rich that I took my daughter just for this, and we couldn't finish a small together. I think it's pudding on top of brownie mix. The servers do well, too. read more

Everything was phenomenal except the way the restaurant looked. It didn't look the cleanest. Even tho those are the best places to go. We saw a water bug/cockaroach walking on the floor. But other than that food was truly fire/amazing. Service on point. Didn't exclude or make you feel out of place. Real mom and pop restaurant/diner read more

We were visiting Saint Simons Island, and we were hungry so decided to try Barbara Jeans. Our raider was cordial and conversational however, he did not mention any of the specials. I ordered the She Crab Soup bowl and meatloaf platter and my wife ordered half-and-half, which was a crabcake and catfish. They boast an all crab meat crabcake with little fillers. The waiter brought out a nice basket of bread, including cornbread and pumpkin bread and a standard roll. I can say all of the bread items were excellent. The She Crab soup was thick and lumpy like a white gravy with bits of crab. The taste was fine but U would have preferred a more creamy smooth consistency. I found the crabcake to be tasty, however not to the level of a lump crabcake with better quality crab. Nowadays, it is rare to find a really good crabcake. I would rate the crabcake a B at best but definitely ok. The catfish was average and fine and the side dishes of grits and squash casserole were fine. The meatloaf was a nice portion, however it was covered with a tomato sauce and green peppers. I like a brown gravy style meatloaf so it wasn't for me. I had to remove most of the topping and what I could of the meatloaf. My sides were sautéed zucchini and mashed potatoes, both we're fine as well. Not sure if I would go back as it was unremarkable at best. read more

Barbara Jean's Restaurants - She Crab Soup and bread basket - Southern Near Me - St. Simons, Georgia

Have been visiting the Island for close to 10 yrs and never tried. Have no idea but definitely will return. Ambiance was southern , food was outstanding ( I did catfish, wife did center cut chops) Tyler(I believe) couldn't have been better. Truly an SSI gem. Don't wait 10 yrs like we did. Rusty &Carla read more

This place was recommended to us for the crab cakes. Very convenient to downtown shopping with a good variety for everyone. The crab cake was quite good with very little filler. Mac n cheese and onion rings were great!! Quiet spot, good food. I do wish the customer service was better and would have gotten Barbara Jeans 5 stars read more

Barbara Jean's Restaurants - Potato soup and chicken fingers - Southern Near Me - St. Simons, Georgia

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Service was great. I had the meatloaf and my wife had the shrimp and grits. Both dishes were excellent and the vegetables actually tasted homemade. I would have to say that if you're looking for a place to eat on the island Barbara Jean's is a must. read more

Party of 12 on a Sunday evening. Everyone enjoyed everything they got. The onion rings appetizer was really good, even the people who don't normally eat onion rings loved them. BJ's blue salad was delicious. We ordered a variety of entrees- pot roast, chicken, burgers- all good. The sides were amazing- squash casserole and mashed potatoes that I had were fabulous. We were seated quickly, and the service was great! read more

Look no further, this is the place. Delicious food, big portions. Violet was our waitress and she has an excellent attitude and disposition. Great restaurant. read more

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Crab cakes are some of the best! She crab soup is great! Loved the coconut shrimp--large succulent shrimp! So why 3 stars? The service. Ordered cosmos with a lemon twist. Received it with a lime wedge. When I mentioned this to the waitress I was told that the bartender prefers them with a lime. Seriously? So I get what the bartender wants?? We are a party of 2. We get the check with the auto add 20% tip for a party of 6+, this is in Small print with the add tip in large type. We usually tip 20-25% for good service and in cash. Even more during the holiday season. Why would you do this? I guess enough people don't pay attention and the server gets a double tip. For shame. read more

Barbara Jean's Restaurants - Auto tip charge ...we are a party of 2 not 6+. Beware. - Southern Near Me - St. Simons, Georgia

We just had a fabulous lunch at Barbara Jeans. The crab cakes were phenomenal, the best we've had in years. The red beans and rice were also exceptional, very tasty. And the service was excellent. Highly recommend Barbara Jeans when you're on the Island. read more

Top recommended place by locals and visitors for seafood, particularly crab cakes on St. Simmons. The bread basket comes with a surprise of bread rolls, pumpkin bread as well as corn bread. Corn bread has pieces of jalapeños; unexpected, but a nice balance to the sweetness of the corn. Opted for a blackened tuna steak with the squash casserole. Casserole was very unique and delicious. Ordered Lima beans, daily veggie, but received the fried okra instead. Tasty dinner, a bit on the salty side. No reservations, first come first serve basis, quick service. read more

Barbara Jean's Restaurants - Tuna steak with squash casserole and fried okra - Southern Near Me - St. Simons, Georgia

Great crabcakes and shrimp. Sat at the bar with Corey. A step back in time. Will be back. Recommended.

The restaurant is filthy. I recommend they close down for a week and scour the place. The. Tell the building owner to either fix the plumbing or close down. Food is ok. Same menu for decades. Coasting. read more

GREAT food. very pleasantly surprised! we got the variety bread basket (pumpkin bread, sweet jalapeño cornbread and wheat rolls) and it didn't even last long enough to get a picture of. ordered the shrimp and grits with green beans and squash casserole and let me tell you. i wish i had a bigger stomach. no wait to get seated around noon on a Monday (memorial day) and the service was great! read more

Barbara Jean's Restaurants - Shrimp and grits with green beans and squash casserole. - Southern Near Me - St. Simons, Georgia

A different service note first: the day Tropical Storm Debby was on the way (8/5), we opted for a bigger lunch assuming power outages and closings. We were visiting Saint Simons and decided to ride it out. Barbara Jean's was open and welcoming slightly soggy guests. Amid the gusts and gushers outside, the staff made us feel welcome and safe. They planned to work until conditions looked bad. That even as most of the staff lived across the causeway in Brunswick. They did their jobs with smiles. Dedicated. ... Food: Incredibly moist and ample turkey, gravy, dressing, squash, cheese grits and three types of bread. And cranberries. My wife had a massive grilled cheese and fries. $33 before tip. ($17 because of their service and dedication)... Ambiance: old-style meat-and-three with an A-list menu. This is a classical restaurant and we appreciated a homey refuge, too. read more

Barbara Jean's Restaurants - Turkey, gravy, dressing, squash, cheese grits and incredible bread. And cranberries. - Southern Near Me - St. Simons, Georgia

Food! I have to say this was the tastiest meal i have had in a long time and I ear out a lot! The crab cakes and coconut shrimp was incredible. Michael our server day 2 on the job was doing an incredible job and he was getting slammed!!! Ambiance is cozy and comfortable and it just feels like down home! I'm just passing through but i would be a regular if i lived here!!! What a great place! read more

Barbara Jean's Restaurants - Crab Cake, Coconut shrimp, fried fillet fish, stewed tomatoes and cooked cabbage! Tartar sauce also very tasty - Southern Near Me - St. Simons, Georgia

Stopped in for dinner tonight since it was close to our hotel and didn't seem too busy from the Valentine's Day crowd. I just got the BJ's salad cause I was in need of some leafy greens. Hubby to be got the steak tips over rice with a broccoli soup. Server was sweet and attentive. A complementary bread basket came before the entrees and the cornbread was delicious! The soup was thick and tasted like velvet-a but I'd order it again any day. Steak tips were flavor-able. Salad was a unique mixture that was different but tasty. read more

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How do I count the ways? Everything about this restaurant is worthy of a visit. The portions are large, and the wine pours are very large. Try the shrimp and grits. I thought I was in Louisiana for a minute! read more

Small busy friendly. Clean not so much. Food was hot. I had the coconut shrimp and fries. Tasted great. Wife had straw. Tasted great. Cost 60 dollars. Worthy of a visit will at Kingstown read more

While visiting from out of town we saw this cute little place but quickly realized the outside looked nicer than the inside. The server seemed uninterested as if we were wasting her time. My granddaughter ordered grilled cheese and cheese fries. Didn't finish them because they tasted terrible. Very unimpressed with this place. Won't go back. read more

Great food, service and value. We each got the special and it was enough for 2 meals each

So, web pages says close at 9:30 Show at 8:15 Taking no new tables Of all things site Covid as the reason In 2025 Really Not that hard to change your web page or just do as you say Very disappointed and so where the 15 people that we saw get the same answer. You plan vacation dinners according to a web page That is what they are for. Bad businesses plan and from the attitude they frankly could care less. Covid in 2025 read more

My wife and I got down to a coin toss between Barbara Jean's and another place. The other place won the coin toss but we still ended up at Barbara Jean's and we couldn't have been happier! She got the coconut shrimp and I got the shrimp and grits. Her shrimp were enormous and very tasty. The shrimp and grits weren't just good, they may be the best I've ever had!! Some places give you three tiny shrimp and a whole bunch of grits. Barbara Jean's gives you a whole mess of shrimp, even more andouille, and the delicious gravy. For sides, we got beans & rice, ambrosia, mashed potatoes, and squash casserole each was a very generous portion but not so much that there was too much. Even though it was a busy night, we were seated immediately and the food came out very quickly. read more

Amazing atmosphere. Very laid back, the staff here make you feel like family. Started off with the Barbara Jeans Sweet tea to drink, and it was amazing, very refreshing drink. The mixed bread is amazing. I loved the cornbread and my wife loved the pumpkin bread. The she crab soup was out of this world, full of delicious lump crab, and super flavorful. The food here is amazing. The mashed potatoes was probably the best I've ever had. All the food was delicious, seasoned to perfection. Can't wait to come back. read more

Barbara Jean's Restaurants - Menu - Southern Near Me - St. Simons, Georgia

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Located on the corner, it's a great place for adults and kids to enjoy some of their infamous "she crab soup". We started with the coconut shrimp - a large shrimp with great coconut breading. Good flavor. The soup was loaded with crab as you can see. Just a tiny kick of spice blended the soup perfectly. No fishy flavor just creaminess. Service was great too. Kids menu available and you can eat in or out. read more

We were greeted right away by a polite young man, and he asked what type of seat we would prefer. After showing us our seats, he got our drink orders and brought them right out. He very politely checked in to see if we were ready to order (not being pushy it seems he just didn't want us to have to wait more). None of us could decide, so we got 3 things and shared them. The food did not take long at all to come out. The peacan chicken strips were huge, and the crust has a unique flavor to it. The Pecan adds a layer it is not nessicarily all you taste. The Kahulua curry chicken salad was so delicious and flavorful. I finally got to taste what dirty rice should be, it was awesome. We took home 2 key lime tarts (seemed more like a cheesecake) and 2 peach cobbler. The key lime tarts were not very key limey and the peach cobbler was not very peachy. There were officers dining, and I was going to pay for their meal only to find out the owner already had. Its great to hear about businesses supporting their local law enforcement and making sure they feel appreciated. read more

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