The Clam Chowder was probably the best I've EVER had & I've had many! I would come back just for the chowder. I really wanted the whole belly clams but they were sold out. I order the crab cake & the Crab cake was the worst I've ever had ...flat as a pancake & no lump crab. read more

Captain John's Seafood Grill - Crab cake - American Near Me - Pawleys Island, South Carolina

Great comfy restaurant. Service was excellent . I had flounder and my wife Philly cheesesteak. They were both excellent. The specialty drinks were as expected not very strong . I would recommend this place to everyone . One of the best seafood in Pawleys Island . read more

Thursday late night dinner (8:15 pm) we decided to patron John's restaurant. Staff was cordial and greeted us with a smile, even though we were walking in 45 minutes before close. We enjoyed, their lemon pepper seasoning on shrimp and haddock Pompadour with sandy rice(very good with the fish). Both were hot and delicious. We will be back! read more

Captain John's Seafood Grill - Haddock lemon pepper Pompadour with sandy rice - American Near Me - Pawleys Island, South Carolina

See all

Nice atmosphere. Great service. Good food and large portions. I only gave 4 stars because they were out of the grilled vegetables and the crab cake although it had a very good flavor was more like a croquette than a lump crab cake. read more

Definitely a local business as many locals were at the bar discussing life in PI. Seafood was good for the price. Couldn't help staring at the ship in front of me. read more

Captain John's Seafood Grill - Decore next to our table. - American Near Me - Pawleys Island, South Carolina

Six of us ate at Captain John's this week. The service was great - the waitress was knowledgeable and the receptionist was super nice. We loved the salads with shrimp and oysters. Very tasty! Also enjoyed the fairly quiet environment. It's rare nowadays to find a restaurant where six people can converse and actually hear one another! We'll be back! read more

Always great service amd superb food!! This is a go to place when we are in town! I love. the salads that are fresh cut lettice amd not lettice from a bag too! read more

Captain John's Seafood Grill - Crab Cake with Ramaloude sauce - American Near Me - Pawleys Island, South Carolina

See all

The seafood was pretty good, I got the grilled Haddock sandwich, the service was really great everybody was polite. The atmosphere was also nice read more

Captain John's Seafood Grill - Haddock fish sandwich - American Near Me - Pawleys Island, South Carolina

Excellent fresh appetizers and main course dishes were had by all. Being so close to the ocean always has its perk in finding fresh ingredients but knowing how to prepare them is another story! The delivery of flash fried shrimp and cod was beyond my expectations. The fresh calamari and crab cake (which was honestly just the best pile of crab meat ever) made for starting off our meal like no other. The kids each had chicken fingers and fries but for how quiet they were it must have been delicious. The service was correct but definitely not friendly or even present for more than order and delivery of food and this place is small. (We were the only table over 2 people and seated at 6:30 there were only 3 tables filled). The wait staff bus person was kind, genuine and at our table to second I started stacking dishes for the 8 of us. For that they gained back a star. read more

Visited the restaurant which is celebrating 25 years. I can see why. Had the Maniac sandwich and Cole slaw. Best meal of the trip. Maniac is a perfect blend of toast, lobster, bacon and provolone cheese. The Cole slaw is a creamy delight. Will definitely be back. read more

This isn't a seafood shack, if that's why you're looking for. No plastic lobsters on the walls, no buoys, no fishermen's nets. Just wonderful food, served hot and fresh by attentive waitstaff in a clean, attractive environment. Hubby and I got the clam chowder, served hot, creamy but not too thick, with big pieces of clam. Next, the haddock sandwich. You can get it grilled or fried; we both opted for fried. A huge--and I mean HUGE--piece of delicious fish arrived, crispy but with such a thin layer of coating that it hardly even counted. I could only eat half of mine; hubby managed to eat all of his! We got slaw and potato salad, and omg...wish I could buy that potato salad by the quart! Redskin potatoes with not-too-much mayonnaise-based dill dressing. Fab! Try this place; you'll like it! read more

We stopped for lunch at this local restaurant on a Monday. There was one server for the entire restaurant, but it wasn't too busy and he was very attentive so we felt like we had very good service. The food was good for me and not so good for my friend. I enjoyed a delicious shrimp Poboy sandwich. She ordered the Philly cheesesteak, but felt that the meat had gotten burned on the grill so imparted a bit of a burned taste to the sandwich. We would definitely go back. read more

Tonight we went to Captain John's for dinner and took one of our guests who was in search of "some good seafood ". He ordered the grilled scallops and fried oysters and is still raving about how perfect they were. He also started with the seafood gumbo which he gave 2 thumbs up. We are regular customers because they always have excellent service and food. You will rarely be kept waiting to get your meal. I always get the Super Salad with grilled shrimp and my husband got the marinated chicken. We'll be back!!! read more

What a pleasant surprise! We accidentally found this place on our last day of our stay, and had a great experience. The food was delicious and cooked to perfection. Staff very attentive and friendly. This place will one of our stops whenever we'll be in the area. Prices are very reasonable! Thank you! read more

Ordered the fried shrimp roll to go and this is what was in my box. A tiny piece of lettuce and no sauce. I also ordered the calamari, it had no flavor and was rubbery. read more

Captain John's Seafood Grill - Fried Shrimp Roll - American Near Me - Pawleys Island, South Carolina

This is our first time in Pawleys Island and we have our dog with us so we wanted a dinner place with outdoor seating that allowed her. Captain Jonathan's was a very nice find that was clearly popular with the locals. The Cajun shrimp appetizer was tasty as were the crab cake entree and the halibut / scallop entree (if they have the spinach with garlic veggie side you should definitely get it, too). We tried a couple local Hefeweizens to complement the fish and we were all set. It was a little noisy sitting outside as the restaurant is right off of Ocean Ave but the interior was very nice and quiet. Liz did a nice job serving us, too - thanks, Liz! read more

The Maine-iac is sooo GO! I could eat it every day! Great food and nice staff. Highly recommend!

Captain John's feels like the type of place you only tell your friends about - because it's great food at a good price and maintains the feel of a local hidden gem! I was between the spicy seafood gumbo and the New England clam chowder, so my mom got one and I got the other. The gumbo was full of seafood and packed with flavor! The New England clam chowder was also excellent, but my personal preference was the gumbo. It's not a traditional gumbo, but it was delicious. I ordered Cajun shrimp and scallops for my entree and that didn't disappoint either. The shrimp was juicy and the scallops melted in your mouth. They were also perfectly seasoned and grilled. Our Captain John's experience couldn't have been any better! If you're looking for a meal that delivers in flavor and value, while keeping it casual, this is the place for you! read more

See all

Decent food. Loved how close it was to our house but wasn't the best fried seafood I've ever had. Worth it for a quick bite, but might go elsewhere for a more fresh taste. read more

We had a late lunch and missed the lunch specials but there are great options on the menu for lunch if you don't want a big meal. My husband ordered the large salad with fried spicy oysters. He said he had 8 oysters on a bed of romaine , cubes, carrots, tomatoes and onions He said it was very good. I had a Cajun grilled haddock sandwich that was excellent. My side was cole slaw which was excellent. I prefer coarse shredded cabbage and this fit the bill. Our server was super! Very cordial and stayed aware of us but did not hover. This is not a large restaurant but we had a nice table window. The decor was appropriate for the area (sea, fish, sailing, beach) read more

Terrible service...have never eaten there because couldn't lift a fork given their service...this place is 500 yards from my house and I will never go there...their neighbor "Pawleys Tap 'n Pour is where we go...much better menu and service...for locals...go here instead! read more

The Maine-iak sandwich was the best meal I had the entire time we visited!! Will def be back next year!

Finally found this spot after years being in the area. Loved everything from the service to the food to the owner!!! Great spot will be back, if you go ask for Samina!!! read more

Service was slow and the server had a bit of an attitude. Food was okay. It was a bit crowded so gave them some leeway. Just hope the server has a better day or finds a job she likes better. read more

Delicious for fresh seafood!! We arrived about 6pm on a Friday evening and were seated after about 10 minutes. Most staff were wearing masks (which was a bit surprising, since it was July 2021) but we were okay with that. We ordered house salad with homemade ranch (which was fresh and delicious) and chowder and gumbo. The chowder was delicious. The gumbo wasn't traditional gumbo, but tasty. Dinner was haddock and shrimp and crab cakes for the table. The haddock was so delicious and VERY generous portion, cooked perfectly. The fried shrimp were delicious. Very lightly fried and clean. Would highly recommend! We will definitely return! read more

We came in here after reading other yelp reviews, and weren't disappointed by our choice to do so. The beers were cheap, the food was tasty (well mine) and the service was awesome. I'd come back. We started with the fried calamari, and opted for the wasabi ranch for dip. Highly recommend going with the wasabi ranch, it offers a mild but delicious pop of flavor to the light and delicate calamari (which was very tasty on its own). I ordered the lobster roll, and although it didn't look like the one picture from the restaurant owner, it was full of lobster, and delicious is flavor. There was really no additional fillers and just some dill and a little bit of mayonaise to compliment it. Very filling and highly recommend! I'd pass on the rice, it was little too over powering with the old bay seasoning. My husband had the haddock sandwich, and he said the flavor of the fish itself was fresh and tasty, but the fry was bland and needed some help from the tartar sauce. read more

Best haddock sandwich ever. It's a local/ regular kind of special place!!! As important as walking on the beach!!!

Ate here for lunch today because it was close to my hotel. I ordered the halibut, recommend by the bartender. It was very tasty. Fries needed a little seasoning. Decent beer selection, but no draft - only bottles. Service was quick and friendly. read more

Captain John's Seafood Grill - Halibut sandwich - American Near Me - Pawleys Island, South Carolina

Nice people, good martini. But the waitress and the food was not even ok. Asked for water for us. It never came. Asked for scallops to be blackened and medium well. They came about raw and bare with no spice and not blackened. Onion rings still had raw batter. No plates for appetizers after we asked for one so we didn't need to eat them and make a mess everywhere. 80. Bucks and a tip for the waitress that never checked on us and forgot most things like plates and water. I didn't stiff her because she must not be trained. Hopefully this will help change that. I told the waitress of the sub par food. But of course nit even a penny or remorse or credit. Sadly I have been eating for 20 years, but new owners have changed that for me. Stay away if you care about quality food. Truly pissed I wasted my money. read more

I have been going to Captain John's for many years. The last time I was there I wasn't pleased with the quantity. It must have been someone new cooking that day. I have been thinking about John's haddock for awhile. I have referred many friends to John's, and one of my friends sent me a photo of her husband's fried clams on Thursday. It was a massive amount, and he said they were cooked perfectly. My husband made and I made the hour drive to John's today with our dog. We sat outside and had superior food and service. we will return soon! read more

We wanted to try a new place nearby. Ordered To Go. Great experience! Staff on phone and in person were professional. Food tasted delish! We had the Super Salad with Haddock; also the chicken sandwich. I want to "dine in" next time! read more

We three diners are from Massachusetts, so we have been eating new england seafood for over 50 years. the first time we went here we liked the belly clams, they were a good size and tasted great. the second time i got the lobster roll, not at all like you would get in new england, IMHO. It's not chucks of lobster but rather slivers? of lobster mixed with a lot of other stuff. It tasted OK, but would not get it again. the portion was somewhat small in a small hot dog roll, but the price was fair. the third time we got whole??? belly clams again. This time I thought for sure that we were given clam strips. My friend pointed out that there was a tiny tiny belly - one per clam, but most of it was a narrow clam strip. The potato salad is good though, but we won't be back. read more

I've been going to Captain Johns for years now for one specific reason... whole belly Ipswich Clams. I've called around in the Charleston area and haven't found one other place that gets them in on a regular basis. They don't have them all the time but you can call ahead to double check. You can also sign up for their email newsletter, The Clam Gram, to always be in the know. My friend is actually the one who craves the clams. I enjoy them and these are as good as any you'll get up north. My favorite is scallops and they're bringing those in from the northeast too. This weekend we stopped in and ordered some clam chowder, a clam dinner, and a scallop dinner. I typically won't order clam chowder unless I'm back in the north east, but trust me, you can't go wrong here. The chowder has excellent flavor and big chunks of fresh clams. It's not too heavy and sharing a bowl was a good way to start the meal. The fried clams were perfect and I love the way they fry the scallops with thinnest coating... it's not all breading here. For sides, I love the fries so I went with those and for my second option I opted to add a $2.50 upcharge for grilled veggies. It was a mix of well seasoned zucchini, carrots, and squash, but they were cold and seemed like they were pre-prepared in a bin in the back. I wouldn't go for those again, but everything else was perfect so I can't really complain. The seafood prices are very reasonable and the beer/wine isn't expensive either. I always love when we get a chance to stop in. read more

Captain John's Seafood Grill - New Bedford Sea Scallops - American Near Me - Pawleys Island, South Carolina