Incredible shrimp and grits. Genuinely the best I have ever had. Service was great too.

Parking can be tricky depending on day and time, just as I remember 20 years ago!! Awesome food, friendly service and on the heart of the history filled area. read more

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The ambiance is lacking but the burgers are the best you will ever eat. I ordered the mushroom Swiss.

Great food at at great price. Portions were large and a lot of variety. The breads they serve are over the top

Very solid southern option- one of the best in downtown St Simons. The squash casserole was insanely good. The shrimp and grits were good but the grits were a little too thick. My son didn't love the country fried steak. The service was friendly. read more

A great intro to this location/island and their southern cuisine. We stopped by for a late lunch. Our service person was warm, friendly and welcoming. The comp bread basket was addictive. House-made still warm pumpkin bread, and jalapeño corn bread were great. I started with a cup of their she-crab soup. It was a very creamy base with a lot of shredded crab. After that I had their (4) fried shrimp appetizer -- delicious. My husband had a blue cheese salad. It didn't have much crumbled cheese and came with a different sort of dressing, but it was still good. After that he had their fish bites. The cod pieces were lightly battered and flaky. We were too full for dessert -- after all that bread -- but they sounded appealing as did a number of other "comfort food" items on their menu. This restaurant is a "keeper". read more

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I love Barbara Jeans! Every time we are in town we make sure to eat there. Great food and service!

Never disappoints. Everything is always stellar. Our best dinner on the island! They are famous for their crab cakes but everything on the menu, even if considered an old school classic, has its own special twist. read more

The crab patties are amazing! Service is good and atmosphere is quaint. My brother and I both had the patties . This is a true destination spot! read more

Loved this for a lunch date on the 4th of July!. Delish jalapeño cornbreaf!!!! Had the she crab soup and crabcake. Oh my gosh!!!!! Loved our waitress, Renea... absolute joy read more

This place was awesome. I ordered the Large Salad with Salmon. It was cooked perfectly and soooo much food. I enjoyed every bite. I also grabbed a clam chowder, it was good but I enjoyed the salmon more. Wife ordered the chicken as normal and she seemed happily content. read more

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Was warmly greeted and promptly seated. Waitress/hostess immediately asked for drink order... before we even were seated. We then waited for 15 to 20 minutes and the drinks never came nor did anyone come to take our order. Then a party of 5 were seated behind us and a waiter came, promptly greeting them, took drink order, returned with the drinks, and was taking their order. We got up and left and will not be returning. The restaurant was not busy at 5pm on Fri, 9/26. read more

They were able to accommodate a party of 17 people (including 2 babies) and our waitress was very sweet, attentive, and had great conversation with our table. The pumpkin bread and jalapeño cornbread were very addicting! Best crab cakes I've had so far on St Simons. read more

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I didn't get food poisoning. Yeah, that's about all I can say that's positive. What I so experienced, a lackluster menu that contains mostly seafood and meat courtesy of Sysco Systems, an outdated interior that seriously need a dusting, a wall of magazine covers and news articles that showed the once great origins of this sad remnant. My folks were part of a group that went so I tagged along, next time I'll find a Taco Bell, or the deli at Winn Dixie. The staff was wonderful! I will then all the credit for making this visit tolerable. read more

Barbara Jean's Restaurants - This was my $8 iceberg lettuce salad that was reading in a puddle of water. For $8 I would at least expect a run through a salad spinner. - Southern Near Me - St. Simons, Georgia

Food was delicious. Service was exceptional and very nice, friendly from both people who waited in us. Ambiance was a fun busy restaurant -- popular with tourists and locals alike. Would definitely recommend and will eat there again if back in the area. read more

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We chose to have dinner at Barbara Jean's since it was one of the few restaurants that were opened on Thanksgiving Day. We ordered the Half and Half Platter that came with a Crab Cake, Fried Fish Fillet, Mashed Sweet Potatoes, and Hans' Ambrosia Salad. Both of the Crab Cake and the Fried Fish Fillet were way too salty, and the Hans' Ambrosia Salad was over-killed with sour cream. I don't think anyone should ever eat the Hans' Ambrosia Salad. The Mashed Sweet Potatoes was suitable for dessert since it was very sweet. My partner ordered Shrimp & Grits, Fried Shrimps, Dirty Rice, and Broccoli & Rice Casserole. The Shrimp & Grits were salty but the flavor was good. The Fried Shrimps weren't anything special. The highlight of this meal were the Dirty Rice and the Broccoli & Rice Casserole. They balanced out all the salty food but to be fair, maybe the saltiness is a local preference. Also, we highly, HIGHLY, recommend that the water be removed from the menu, please. It literally tastes like sewage. But definitely keep serving the complimentary breads. They were amazing! read more

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Spouse had crab cake with cabbage and broccoli/rice sides, while I had their old school turkey and dressing with dirty rice and red beans and rice sides. All were plentiful and delicious, and served quickly. Server was excellent. This place is definitely not inexpensive (and as others have noted, the credit card up charge is not favorable), but I've come to accept that all places that are halfway decent are going to be costly these days and esp. during high season. read more

The food is good. The service is good. If you're ever in town or even just passing by like we were, it's worth the stop to check it out. Everything that came out was delicious. And if you're a she crab soup connoisseur like my husband and I think we are, definitely try theirs. It was flavorful and full-up with crab. The crab cake was great too! I think that might be their main attraction. Shrimp n grits is good too. read more

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We came back for dinner ... April was our server. This place is a diner -- not fancy -- but EXCELLENT FOOD! We had the Yellowfin Tuna steak -- I had the tuna sandwich (seared) . My husband had the tuna entrée (seared) which came with delicious green beans, Excellent rice with a little bit of pork in the rice and a crabcake. All delicious ... key lime martini good & cold draft beer good! read more

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Came into st Simon island and was way past lunch time n was hungry. Stopped by for lunch today n enjoyed the food. The dirty rice n she crab soup were very good n delicious. And also the fried fish. Had the trio of bread n was very good. Friendly staff . Tx 4 a great lunch . read more

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

The first time I went to Barbara Jean's it was in Ponte Vedra and I was invited by a co-worker. The bread basket made a lasting impression and it helps the it was gushed over before hitting the table. I love seafood and they offer plenty of choices, but on this day I opted for comfort food instead- a turkey dinner with stuffing, mashed potatoes and green beans. John got the coconut shrimp with mashed potatoes and dirty rice. The bread basket arrived with warm rolls and warm pumpkin bread and I was in carb heaven with each bite. I even asked to take some home and our server obliged. Not too much longer our plates were being set in front of us and my eyes grew huge- the plates had so much food! Good gracious! Even John's plate of coconut shrimp! They were huge shrimp and so many- I knew in a heartbeat I couldn't finish my meal (not really surprising) but I also knew that I wouldn't have been able to finish John's meal either- which I considered getting. Neither of us finished. Blame the bread- blame the huge portions- but we both took home boxes. My turkey was perfect and the stuffing delicious. Mashed potatoes- as John would say- were real. John's shrimp were freaking delicious! I almost regretted not getting that for dinner. Almost. A huge reminder that we need to add Barbara Jean's to our rotation. The star lost is really for the dining room floor- it didn't look clean. I don't know if it was stained- but it momentarily grossed me out when we walked in. Food and service was top notch. read more

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absolutely love the food.. and the guy who answered the phone was so sweet. They made my food and even though I was there at closing time, it was FRESH! They are worth a drive! I love that they have variety of food to choose from, not just the same ole' same ole'. The last few times I've been I've gotten my food to go so I can't comment on the service in the restaurant but hopefully I will soon. I can say the portion is great for the price that you pay. I enjoy the turkey and dressing and I absolutely love their bread and butter read more

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Great place for Lu ch and only a block away from the pier! Too much fried seafood! The crab cakes (with no filler) are exceptional! Busy bar area. read more

Barbara Jean's always serves up delicious, homemade style foods! Their fried fish is fresh and tender! Our server April was polite, professional, and a joy! She took great care of us! read more

Barbara Jean's Restaurants - Fried fish plate with Mac & Cheese and Cheese Grits - Southern Near Me - St. Simons, Georgia

Our server was slammed with all his tables but thanked them all for their patience. My boyfriend and I both had the she crab soup which was delicious. My crab cake entree was just ok and the side of squash casserole tasted too much of nutmeg and my broccoli casserole was gummy. His shrimp and grits he said was just ok as well. Our bar drinks didn't arrive till after entrees. read more

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This restaurant specializes in seafood and Southern cooking. From what we could tell, it would be hard to go wrong with anything on the menu. With our meal, they served three types of bread to the table. One was jalapeño cornbread, one was sort of a spice like gingerbread type bread and then dinner rolls were the third kind of bread. Butter was served with them as an option. They didn't really need it because all of them were extremely delicious and already moist and fresh. Especially memorable were the crab cakes, the shrimp and the grits. Although the decor was dated, the atmosphere was very welcoming and comfortable, and the server was very pleasant. Also, as with all of the restaurants we visited on the island, the manager was consistently checking in on the table to make sure that the customers were happy with their food. We were! Saint Simons Island is a fantastic place to visit and the restaurants are a vital part of what makes it so appealing! read more

Very good food! Huge serving! Was geared more towards older crowd serving meatloaf and stuff like that. My only complaint is the Cole slaw tasted so cold it might have been frozen. And with the fish it would have been great to have hush puppies but the cornbread and pumpkin bread they serve was also good! Nice size restaurant so you're not sitting too close. Server was great too! read more

Barbara Jean's Restaurants - Catfish with coleslaw and fries - Southern Near Me - St. Simons, Georgia

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Stopped in for lunch in January, as many places were not open for lunch (in January). It took a minute to be greeted, but once we were it was warm and welcoming. The place looks like a local diner (and it probably is) and has just one restroom for guests, so don't wait too long if you know what I'm saying. The food server was lovely and very attentive. We had crab with crab and were not disappointed (as they claim to do crab well and lived up to this). The crab cakes had almost no breading (just ever so slight to bind the meat together) and mostly all crab meat. The bread basket offered 3 differ by types of bread, all delicious (pumpkin being my favorite). So glad we stopped in! read more

The restaurant had an old odor. The place hasn't been remodeled lately. The waitress spilled tartar sauce on my shoe. She cleaned it off with a dry napkin. You could still see the oily stain where the sauce was. She apologized but didn't take any money off of our order. I think that should have been offered at least. If you don't want really sweet tea, you might want to get half unsweet added. The chocolate stuff dessert was more than enough. I would not order the bowl. My shrimp were good. The meat loaf was okay. The squash casserole was okay. The Mac & Cheese was good. We will probably pick a different restaurant next time we eat lunch or supper. read more

This place is nasty, first smells like a bathroom just mopped with bleach. We had tea and water, the water had nasty suffer in it so bad had to spit out, tea was just as bad. My wife got bottled water, so if a restaurant offers bottled water I should have got the hint, our fish was good portin but had little tast , my sons burger was burnt, he hated it, out cheese sandwich was ok but how can u mess 5hat up all for $75 not worth $25, spare yourself it's terrible. read more

This is the BEST meal I've had in a LONG time!!! WOW! And the service provided by Louise was fantastic!! I couldn't be happier with my experience at Barbara Jean's. I started with a cup of crab soup, followed by the gritter fritter appetizer and then the crab cakes. Louise offered dessert. I was so stuffed but asked if there was anything else I had to try that was life changing. She recommended the chocolate brownie with their home made whip cream. WHAT?!! My tastebuds were going wild!!! I can't say enough great things about this menu. I will definitely be back!! read more

Zero was not an option. Our waitress name was Kat and she was totally uninterested in waiting on us. She brought my soup and it was cold. She also messed up my friends order- brought 6 instead of 3. I asked another waitress for the manager Beverly. She was annoyed to be called to our table. When I tried to pay my bill Kat couldn't even bring the right change and when she came back she threw the extra dollar at me. I will NEVER support this restaurant. There are way too many restaurants in the area to be treated like this. Go anywhere else. The crab cakes are way better at King City Kitchen. read more

We heard so many great things about Barbra Jeans so we came to try it!! So glad we did!! Southern food at its finest!! Every bite was so FULL OF flavor! We couldn't believe how tasty it all was!! We have tried southern food all over and yall this has got to be one of the BEST!!! So great!! The decor and outside of building is a lil deceiving, because you might walk right by it!! STOP AND GO IN TO EAT!! By the way the chicken and crab cakes were best we have had and we are total Foodies! read more

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Oh my! Maybe the best meal of our trip. The cornbread, the grits with white cheddar, and the shrimp salad sandwich were all fantastic! Price was very reasonable. Great service and comfortable atmosphere. I would go back if I ever return to the island. read more

We went here twice in two days, and I would highly recommend this place for some good Southern food. First of all, the basket of bread the waiter brought when we sat down almost filled me up too much to eat anything else! The basket had a combo of white rolls, pumpkin bread, and jalapeño cornbread...all were delicious. During my first visit, I had the curried chicken salad; I'm not usually a big fan of chicken salad, but the curry element sounded so good. And it was great! The second time we ate here, I ordered the crab cake. They are not kidding when they say that there is no filler; it was all delicious crab! Take my word for it--this is a place you want to try! read more

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

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My husband and I had an early dinner at Barbara Jean's one weekday evening while visiting SSI. The food was good, but some of the items could have been better. We started with their delicious basket of homemade bread - warm pumpkin bread, jalapeño cornbread, and honey wheat rolls. We are both on diets and usually stay away from bread, but we had to try each kind. The calories were worth it! For our entrees, my husband had the chicken fried chicken with cabbage and squash casserole. I had the 5 oz crab cake with green beans and squash casserole. My husband really liked his chicken. It was a boneless pounded breast, deep fried, and covered with gravy. I thought the gravy was a little thick, but he enjoyed it. My crab cake was nicely seasoned and, as promised, had very little filler. Things didn't go as well with the vegetables. The cabbage was ok, but needed vinegar to boost the flavor. Both of our squash casseroles were cold. Not good. My green beans were ok, but they also lacked flavor. We also ate inside, and it was very dark and noisy inside from the kitchen. I'm glad we tried Barbara Jean's, but I doubt I'd want to return. read more

Barbara Jean's Restaurants - 5 oz crabcake with squash casserole and green beans - Southern Near Me - St. Simons, Georgia

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You cannot die until you've tasted the she crab soup! Oh my goodness...if anything, it had too much crab. Outstanding. The breadbasket had 3 delicious rolls/bread. Bread pudding was great. But, tbh it was all about the soup read more

Delicious! I ordered a crab cake and catfish combo. The seafood was great and the sides were even better. Best meal of my trip read more

Barbara Jean's Restaurants - Catfish and Crab Cake - Southern Near Me - St. Simons, Georgia

My wife is very good at finding great places when we're are traveling and this place was a hit! Parking is tight but well worth the hunt in this touristy strip near the St Simon's Island Pier. Large glasses of Sweet (or unSweet) Tea for us, although they do offer Beer, Wine and specialty cocktails at very reasonable prices. Lots of home cooked meals featured and some island fare to choose. I chose the small "BJ Blue Salad" and the fried Fish (Cod) Bites for my lunch from the Appetizers. The namesake salad had Blue cheese, red bell pepper, celery, mandarin oranges, candied pecans, bacon, romaine and Iceberg lettuces, topped with a light citrus vinaigrette dressing. The Cod fish bites were six (you can order a larger amount) of two bite nuggets with the delicious Cod perfectly fried! Our server was friendly and quick to deliver our orders and any requests we had. The bread basket comes with a large yeast roll, jalapeno cornbread, and three nice slices of sweet pumpkin bread. Yum yum... read more

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If you are hungry for excellent food, this is your spot! Danielle was our server. She went out of her way to detail the menu, I suggest you try this restaurant before going elsewhere on the island! read more