I was so excited to realize that Barbara Jean's was on SSI. My husband and I were visiting Sea Island and came over because we have had the crab cakes and she crab soup shipped to us and have LOVED it. You feel like you are stepping into grandma's house when you come here. Nothing fancy, but very welcoming. We came at lunch and our server was spot on. My husband and I both had the she crab soup and then both had the fried shrimp with a crab cake. The soup didn't seem as thick as when I ordered it sent to us. Still good. But a bit more watered down. The shrimp were excellent. The crab cake had very little filler. We were absolutely stuffed when we left. And glad we came. read more

Absolutely delicious! It was hard to choose from the huge number of options on the menu but you can't go wrong with any choice. There is literally something for everyone. Service was outstanding and we got the most amazing Bloody Marys from the bar. Wonderful spot for friends, couples or families. read more

Good food and great smiles in this place. Southern hospitality to the T. Some outdoor seating, but inside is the place to be

We actually did not dine in, but the service was amazing! We were greeted immediately and instructed to talk to MS Beverly for some take away crab cakes. Ms Beverly was so sweet! She packed our cooler with ice and 7 Crab cakes to go, with all the goodies (tarter & cocktail) and she added some bread as a treat Pumpkin and Corn bread! YUM! This was our 1st time to St Simon and I hope to return again soon! read more

Unfortunately I don't have any photos of the food but I will say for someone who lives at the new Jersey Coast line this is a restaurant not to miss if you're visiting the Saint Simons area. We enjoyed the seafood combo which had crabcakes and coconut shrimp with the squash casserole and a chicken fried steak meal accompanying cornbread that had jalapeños in it with pumpkin bread and rolls. We called in for takeout and the order was ready within 15 minutes the gentleman answering the phone taking orders and also at the pick up station was very courteous and kind and it was a pleasure to have ordered and dealt with him both times that we were here for our vacation. We picked up our food and ate it on the beach! We tried to order on our last night in the area which was a Saturday we had called at 7:45 and unfortunately the gentleman told us that they were closing for the night. I'm not sure if it is because of Covid or because we live in the north east where things stay open late but we were extremely disappointed to not have been able to order dinner before 8 PM on a busy Saturday night read more

Everything about Barbara Jean's Restaurant reminds me of my grandmother's house. The wallpaper, the pictures on the wall, the dim yellow lighting, the plants...but, especially the food. It was clear to me that great care and intention went into the preparation of the food I ate. I had an awesome experience at Barbara Jean's and can't wait to go back next time I'm on the island. Food details below: 1) The bread - Great appetizer. Not too dense. Not any overwhelming flavors. Just right. Definitely try the pumpkin bread and sweet jalapeño corn bread if you like those flavors. You can skip the wheat roll to save room for dinner! 2) Dinner - I had to get a vegetable plate because I was so impressed with the variety of vegetables they serve. A Barbara Jean's vegetable plate usually comes with five veggies, but I chose to get three veggies and substitute the other two for a bowl of She Crab soup ($2 extra). The soup was creamy, warm, and satisfying. The veggies (green beans, Lima beans, and cabbage) were all good and not too salty. I way overate, but I don't care. My tastebuds were extremely happy! 3) Dessert - Despite my family's better judgment (because we were all already slipping into a food coma state), we ordered the chocolate "stuff." Listen to me. Lean in close. I'm serious. I don't care how full you are. If you like chocolate, you should really, REALLY order the chocolate stuff. If you don't know what it is, picture a warm brownie mixed in a fudgy soup topped with cool whipped cream. ...yeah. So, again, order it even if you just have one bite (you won't, you'll have more). You can share the rest with the people at your table. read more

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My family and I came into the restaurant with high hopes after we were kindly seated by the hostess. When we got to the booth, the seats were cracked and there was a bit of an odd smell in the place. Soon, our server took our drink orders and it was very quick service. I got a pink lemonade and it was in the largest cup I've ever seen. There was some green stuff in it and I hope it was just lettuce. My mom was not very pleased with her cheap wine either. Then after we got our drinks, we ordered our meals. My mom got the crab cakes and my dad got the shrimp and grits. I got the salmon. After we ordered, we got a nice selection of their breads which honestly was probably the best part of this meal. Soon enough, the food came out in 15 minutes or so. My salmon was not edible. It was extremely chewy and it was as if it was frozen. The spinach was absolutely disgusting; it was also frozen and was basically slop. The corn must have been canned because it was definitely not fresh. My mom's crab cake was mostly filler and it was more like a crab pancake. We're from the eastern shore and the fact that they said the crab cake was "eastern shore inspired" is offensive. However, my dad said his shrimp and grits were pretty good, but he would eat anything. We barely ate anything off of our plates and we should have sent it back but we felt bad. So, we packed everything into to-go boxes. As soon as we left this place we immediately threw them away. If you go here, which I recommend you do not, I would not get the salmon or crab cakes unless you want to have a nasty dinner. read more

Had pecan chicken and cheese grits...yummy! The corn breads were delicious. Very friendly. Would definitely go back!

Food and service are consistently amazing! We have been going here for years and they are amazing every time !

This restaurant never disappoints! Always yummy food and friendly faces! Barbara herself is there most days! read more

Barbara Jean's Restaurants - Thanksgiving dinner! Yummy! - Southern Near Me - St. Simons, Georgia

They had good customer service no wait time and the prices weren't too bad. I ordered their dirty rice and the she crab soup. Dirty rice 5 stars: best dirty rice I've had in my life! Very well seasoned with the perfect amount of chicken, sausage, peppers, Onion and celery. She crab soup 3.5 stars: it was a bit too runny, thin broth would've preferred it a bit thicker. It's like a crab chowder soup... I liked the fact that they added a great portion of crab inside so that was a plus. A bit under seasoned for my taste but nothing a bit of salt can't fix. This place was recommended by locals so give it a try. read more

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Great food! Great service! Onion rings were very tasty. Our crab cake definitely had crab in it and our salad was tasty! Our server was very friendly and had a sense of humor. Good lunch choice. read more

My first meal to my first trip to Saint Simons island. Overall very nice. We got in right away and sat down to a friendly greeting and took our drink orders that came very quickly with a hot basket of mixed breads. They had corn bread, maybe a pumpkin bread and traditional soft roll, which were all good. We all had a variation of some type of seafood platter. My son had the shrimp and grits and he said it was his best. It had shrimp, andouille and maybe crab or crawfish in it. He also had the she crab soup (delicious) and his sides were dirty rice and red beans. All delicious (and I would be remiss if I didn't say I had a sample of all of it). Hubby had the seafood platter and very good. He is from the south and very picky and he enjoyed it. I had the fried buttermilk shrimp and while it was good, I was not blown away. My shrimp were a little cold and I didn't like the buttermilk texture as much. My sides were great (green beans and coleslaw). I will be back if ever in town. read more

The food is good diner food but nothing special. It not quiet your typical meat and 3 but it worth a try. I had the 8fried shrimp and wife had the 1/2 and 1/2. The service was quick which was fantastic. This not quiet dinner place but then I wasn't expecting one. The servers were working hard to move folk in and seat them. I'd go back but now I can set a reason expectation. read more

The toxic plugin air poisoner -"freshener " makes it impossible for me to eat inside. The offensive smell hits you in the face as soon as you open the door. And it seems to be there to mask over some other unclean odor. The dining room smells unclean and bad; there's no escaping it. No outside air except what comes in the front door. Crab cakes are why people come here and are the centerpiece on the menu. read more

Food was luke warm at best, even the tea was luke warm. Food was reheated and came back in styrofoam cups. I peeked in kitchen and it looked a mess. Seated in a booth which was ok, but furniture was dated throughout. In fact, the entire restaurant looks tired. Our server was pleasant and tried hard. We will not eat there again. read more

The high rating is mostly because of the awesome bread basket! lol. The rest of the food was just ok. I made a couple trips to the island (it's MUCH cheaper to stay in Brunswick), my first time being the evening after my Lady Jane excursion. It was pouring down rain but I was on a mission. A mission to get my hands on some of the best crab cakes around. I headed to Barbara Jean's. After a bit of a wait (I guess a party of one person is easy to miss) my waitress brought me a great big sweet tea and a bread basket with a roll, the most amazing cornbread I've ever had AND pumpkin bread. I loved the bread so much she even packed me up a little to go box of it, which I gave to the lady at the front desk who raved about Barbara Jean's. Sadly, after feasting on the entire breadbasket, I wasn't very hungry for the rest of my dinner. I ordered a crab cake, which was stuffed full of meat, and dirty rice with a side of grits. I should of had the mac n cheese, I heard great things about it, but I didn't. For dessert I got the "chocolate stuff" because I read rave reviews. It was a rich, smooth, chocolate trip, even better after a night in the fridge. read more

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

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7 years ago I broke up with Barbara Jean's on Wilmington Island for a right good many reasons. They fought me on a gift card and the food was hospital bland when it wasn't burnt. Really, the only way to burn up a crab cake is to just not pay attention. Maybe that's why the Barbara Jean's on Wilmington Island is now a Little Italy. No matter. The original BJ done did me right this day. Breadbasket from that naughty corner of heaven that allows not just warm bread but warm pumpkin spiced bread. I don't think heaven is supposed to whisper stuff like, "Indulge" or "Spread More Butter On It" but that basket was from heaven and who's not going to listen to St. Peter? Sturdy, spicy onion rings I could have played horseshoes with. A fried shrimp cake sandwich that was warm, solid, and full to the brim with fried shrimp goodness. Great lunch, great service. Reminds me of the lyric in the ZZ Topp song, "I got a girl, she lives on the hill, She won't do it but her sister will." I'll do this Barbara Jean from now on. :) read more

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

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Enjoyed the atmosphere and service at Barbara Jean's. Real southern hospitality. The Arnold Palmer was so delicious. I had to get one to go. My food could have had more flavor but it was fried nicely. All in all a great place to try in a cool town. read more

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

This place was not on our list but the weather was awesome that day and we had our dog and was allowed to eat outside. Very good option if you want seafood l, fried foods, and hearty meals. Big portions as well read more

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Best southern food I've had in a long time. Just the way mama used to make it. A must go to if you're ever in St. Simons. Barbara Jean won't disappoint. read more

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

We had a quick lunch at the bar here, and I was impressed. The bartender was sweet and nice. The blu salad was great. The dirty rice had a nice flavor but seemed a bit stale. read more

The island was busy, but not this place and for good reason. The host sat us outside after waiting for 30 min, a server said we can either come inside or leave. The table next to us was server by the same server. There a young kids as servers and have no idea about good customer service. The service at fast food is better. Clearly the owner is absent and just trying to make a buck while retired. read more

Good Southern food is what you can expect that Barbara Jean's. The servers are always nice and the cornbread is delicious. Not sure what you want, there is always something to love in the vegetable selections. I'm also a big fan of the meatloaf with red sauce and the pot roast. I wish they had a broader selection of desert offerings. But other than that, I love this place. read more

Rough visit... not very communicative and when we finally got sat the table was dirty and the restaurant was dated. They took our order and disappeared as we waited for our drinks. We finally asked the hostess for our waitress and where she said okay, she didn't do anything and we finally just left. Wanted to believe in this place... but no dice. read more

One of the islanders told us that Barbara Jean's was not to be missed. Fortunately, there was no line when we got there around 4PM on a Friday. They seated us at a comfortable booth overlooking Pier Village. There were lots of solid lunch options on the menu: fried starters, soups, salads, sandwiches and southern favorites like chicken fried steak and shrimp & grits. I ordered Crab Cakes with Spinach and White Cheddar Cheese Grits. I loved their bread basket which was filled with hunks of cornbread, jalapeno cornbread and pumpkin bread. I'm a sucker for a variety breadbasket and the pumpkin bread was insanely delicious! It was light and fluffy with the slightest hint of warm spice. Part of me just wanted to forget about my order...just sit there and eat bread. The crab cakes were seasoned just right. I prefer crab cakes made with chunks of lump crab but these had shredded crab so the texture was closer to salmon croquettes. Still, the ratio of breading to crab was good and I enjoyed them. The cheese grits were rich and cheesy but for the love of Popeye, I should have passed on the side of spinach. *insert zipper lips emoji* Assuming I could order a different side dish, I would definitely visit again the next time we're in the area. We didn't have to wait but I would have been willing to get in line if I had to. If you like home cooking and southern comfort foods, you'll enjoy Barbara Jean's too. read more

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Phenomenal food on St. Simon island! The lunch we had included crabcakes, and two sides--mashed potatoes and squash casserole. I had the petite meal, main and two sides. The crabcake was flaky, savory and delicious. The squash casserole was my favorite with spices and a fluffy texture. The unlimited tea refills were excellent too. They give you pumpkin bread and cornbread for free and it's amazing!! Literally like eating desserts first, the cornbread is incredible! The service is excellent and they get busy so go early for meals. The restaurant is located downtown near the visitors' center. We parked and walked to the diner. The vibe was laid back and amazing. read more

This is not about the food which is great, this about service, I hope this review serves as a heads up. I was very upset when I was alone to eat and was turned down by the maitre (apparently the manager or something) to get a table outside that no one was sitting (the restaurant was packed as always), curiously enough there was another patron was sitting in a table outside just like I requested but this person was clearly stressed out with all the people coming in, but please come on, if you are in the restaurant business so you have to learn to cope with that. The worst was that he didn't offer to take my name down for a table inside neither, he was probably pleased when I told him to not to mind about it anymore. Update: June 2017 - Back to Barb Jeans. Great experience. People made sure to accommodate me. The barman served me on the counter and was very attentive even though he was absolutely slammed by the number of requests customers and staff make. Amazing food. Corn bread for real, cinnamon and yeast rolls are wet and delicious. Sides are so well done that I think they are actually even better than the entries. read more

Barbara Jean's Restaurants - She crab soup now (left) Red beans and rice, squash casserole (right) AMAZING taste - Southern Near Me - St. Simons, Georgia

Our server was really friendly! Our meals tasted good and their key lime tart and peach cobbler were great too. It's a good location right by the pier and the lighthouse. The inside could use a little updating but the food made up for it read more

Good family place, good vegetables, great onion rings. Best Crab cakes on island and you must try the chocolate stuff for dessert.

Decided to eat here during a visit to St. Simons. Best cabbage I've had in a very long time! Chicken fried chicken was perfect. Staff were so nice and attentive. Felt like I was right at home! A definite must if you are in the area! read more

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My family and I went there last night and it was amazing! I got the turkey and dressing and my child got the pot roast and my husband got the blackened chicken sandwich. Everything was delicious! We also got dessert. I got the chocolate cobbler and my husband got the key lime tart. Both were remarkable!! Highly recommend!!! read more

We went here after a long day exploring St. Simon's. I was excited to get some southern cuisine. The menu was extensive. I ordered the turkey with dressing while others I was with ordered fried shrimp and fried catfish. The food was delicious and the sides excellent. However, based on service alone I will never be back. I'm patient and understanding but it took 15 minutes to get the check. The hostess waltzed back and forth but could not help us. Then when the server took our cards, it was at least another 15 minutes. He just flat out disappeared. I don't like when that happens with my credit card- he took our cards, took two tables orders and vanished. If you are taking my card, run it and return it. We spent a lot of extra time waiting post meal because of all this despite other employees being around and available. read more

We went last evening to the Mallery St. location. We entered and a completely non descript unwelcoming "hostess" took us to a dirty table. There was only one other party there. The room smelled of what seemed to be recent vomit and it was bad. We looked around there was food on the floor not cleaned from previous diners. The menus were filthy. We got up and left and as we passed the no personality server/hostess, she did not ask a word or say a word. One of the worst experiences you can imagine when you have high hopes for a wonderful meal. We went just down the street to our second choice and had a wonderful meal in a clean and friendly environment. Seems Barbara Jean's has decided its time to shutter its business and good thing. read more

Shrimp and grits squash casserole and red beans and rice. My wife had the blackened tuna and crap cakes onion rings and squash!!!! It was amazing!!!!! read more

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

Food was ok. Last year was better. Fried fish and shrimp were good. Crabcake was very good.Not sure we will go back the next time we visit st Simon Island. read more

Great food and service! Highly recommend the shrimp and grits! It's impossible to leave this place hungry as they are very generous with portions! One of our favorite places on the island! read more

If your looking for a good homemade dining experience give Barbra Jeans a try. Barbra Jeans is a nice little place, the atmosphere is ok, there was no music playing so this is a nice place if you want a relaxed, at grandmas house eating experience. I had the catfish dinner with dirty rice. Everything was great, the fish wasn't over cooked but just right, the fries were good as well. However, there is a *Land Trust fee of 25cents* that will be automatically added to your bill at the end. You can choose to decline that fee if you'd like but it helps for the preservation of the Musgrove area and the island itself. The restaurant is located in the village and in walking distance to other shops, restaurants, the pier and the Atlantic Ocean. P.S. they give you more fries but I ate quite a few and half a fish before I took this picture. read more

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Food is good Portions are great Wait staff is rude as hell On that point alone not sure I would be back Don't be so slow with my mixed drink that the meal is almost done. Then have the balls to stare my family down so that we will leave. Absolutely classless bunch. read more

Are here after relaxing g on the beach. I had the fried catfish sandwich along with a cup of crab soup. Both were delicious. Great prices for the quality. read more