Great restaurant for the surf and turf in you. David was an exceptional server with his suggestions in wine and desert. I had a filet with sweet potato and it was cooked perfectly as I requested as medium rare. The creme brûlée cheesecake was to die for being so creamy in the middle with a slight firmness on top. I'll be coming here again when I'm back in town! read more

We asked our concierge for a the best restaurant in Santee and she suggested Captain's Quarters. We attempted to go there on July 4th, however they were closed for the holiday. Like most things in Santee, it seems that the actual businesses and the tourism/hospitality board are NOT on the same page. One seems to be trying to make Santee/Lake Marion a bigger destination location, however the local businesses are not cooperating. Back to Captain's Quarters. We dined on Friday, July 5. The restaurant has a very fishy smell that is not very welcoming. It seemed that everyone was out. We did not have a reservation however our wait was only about 20 minutes which made us happy. Our party of 5 was greeted and seated at a nice round table. Our server was attentive and very good with my 4 year old son. We were never given a basket of bread and butter like other tables, so thank goodness we didn't actually want any. We did not get any appetizers. House salads that came with entrees were fine. Mostly iceberg lettuce, but not horrible. I declined my salad and offered veggies with my entree, so that was nice. My entree was the crab stuffed grouper topped with grilled shrimp. For a side, I ordered the creamy grits and the veggie sub for the salad was steamed asparagus. My meal was good. Not great, just good. One in my party had shrimp scampi. We were surprised with the number of and the size of the shrimp, however, again, it was just good, not great. The two non seafood eaters in our party got the chicken parmesan and it was barely edible. Plain spaghetti noodles, served under an unseasoned and definitely NOT homemade marina sauce. The chicken breast was large and juicy, but the mozzarella was cheap and rubbery. We declined dessert. Our meal with tip came in at over $100. For a party of 4 that's a little expensive for it not to be a great meal. We enjoyed our meals at the local Cracker Barrel much better. read more

"Oysters on the Halfshell" were taken out of a tub, and placed on re-used shells . IMO, this is fraud. Disgusting. I ordered "Grilled Captains Platter". Nothing grilled at all. Slapped on a plate, overdoses with Paprika, and left under the salamander until the fish was good and dry. Worst $50/person meal I have ever been served. Avoid avoid avoid. read more

We really like this place, and now make a special effort to stop in Santee on our way to and from Florida so we can eat here. The seafood is totally delicious, whether you order the mixed grill with fish, scallops and shrimp, or the grouper stuffed with crabmeat, or the grilled seafood plater. My grouper last night was amazing! And always, ALWAYS ask for the dinner grits: yummy beyond belief. Hubby had the rib eye steak last time, and it was cooked to perfection. The only things I wasn't crazy about were the calamari and the she crab soup: they were okay, but nothing special. The wait staff are efficient and courteous, and often very friendly, depending on how busy they are. Definitely worth the stop, but you might want to make a reservation. read more

The food and the service was great. This is a nice little place with a great atmosphere. The food was tasty. My daughter got the crab legs and loved them. read more

We were tired from 8 hours of driving. Thirsty. Just left the room for the night and walked into a wonderful restaurant with great seafood, steaks and other items. Service a hoot, priced reasonably. A winner read more

Located just steps away from the Best Western Santee inn where my family and I were spending the night, The Captain's Quarter's a nice restaurant with a great menu. My first trip here, I had the grilled Mahi Mahi. Originally ordered the Sweet Potato as a side, they ran out so I opted for a bake potato (a little on the small side). Though it was tasty, I feel like it was missing something (could be because the kitchen forgot the black bean salsa that was supposed to accompany the entree). My mom had the same thing and was satisfied My father ordered a burger that he couldn't stop raving about. The steak fries were made to perfection and not oily or salty. He was definitely pleased. The waitress we had was attentive and super friendly. She always came over with a smile and definitely made sure you were OK. The hostesses are ok...a little cold, but not rude or anything. If I stay at the Best Western again, I'll give the Captain's Quarters another shot (maybe a burger or a chicken dish?) and will update my review. read more

We've eaten here a couple of times and have always enjoyed our meals. It's always crowded, so others must feel the same. The raw oysters are about as good as they get. They are large and taste as if they were caught a minute ago. Much of their menu is fried (a regional thing). We prefer grilled fish, and there are enough choices to keep everyone happy. This night we had the crab stuffed grouper and the grilled sea scallops for our main meals. The crab stuffing had a bit too much filler, but still tasted "crabby enough". The grouper was nice and fresh tasting. As an aside, I wish restaurants in general would charge a larger adder for crab stuffing and use more crab and less filler. The scallops were simply prepared and large and sweet. A very good choice. Service is a bit detached but acceptable. read more

The service was friendly, received food quickly, food was very good. For a family of 4 with appetizer (no alcohol) was ~$110.

Always our dinner place when driving from NY to Fl. Food is good but the service is even better. Last night was no exception!

We love this place, and often plan our drive to Georgia around a stop at this restaurant. As good as Southern seafood gets, do not miss the "dinner grits," a lighter, soufflé-like take on classic cheese-grit casserole. Impeccable dining room, excellent staff. [07.15.2012 Update] Just dropped in a again about a year and a half later, and everything is still great. My Wife had the catfish, I had the shrimp and grits (again). Both were about as good as southern cooking get. As an added treat, I had the clam chowder, it was quite good as well. An absolute jewel of a restaurant just of I-95. Bonus Tip: The Best Western across the parking lot is great place to stay while traveling, which also let me indulge in a few cocktails while I was at the Captain's Quarter's and then just walk back to my room. read more

I have rather mixed thoughts about this restaurant. The decor is old and out dated the carpet is past due for being replaced with a wood planking floor covering. The "white" in the pattern is closer to old asphalt gray. A table near us had a rubber mat under it but still didn't hide all of the holes in the carpet (one of which was 6"diameter) down to the backing. There were 4 specials on the board but I didn't see the prices. Our waitress explained the special but had to leave to get the price of the lobster dinner special my wife wanted. I decided to get the 3 item special shrimp, scallops and choice of fish, mahi, grouper, or salmon. I chose the mahi. Our waitress, Cindy, was attentive and made sure we had everything we wanted but she seemed to be confused by the menu. I asked her if the mahi was grilled and she said yes. It came to the table baked. That was ok and I ate and enjoyed it but I would have preferred grilled. Now to the food. The included salad was typical iceberg lettuce, grated carrot, onion and tomato. Nothing special there. The lobster was cooked very nicely and my wife enjoyed it. My place contained a nice portion of mahi, 4 medium sized shrimp, and three medium scallops. They all had a sprinkle of paprika and obviously baked/broiled. The shrimp were slightly over cooked but was ok. The mahi was firm and cooked to well done and was very nice. The 3 scallops stole the show. Perfectly cooked tender and moist. We both had baked potatoes which were mid sized and were not over done like I've had at other restaurants. I would go back again if we were in the area but hope they take out that dirty old carpet before then. read more

Had dinner here when staying at the Best Western next door. Love the decor. It's a bit dated but had a southern flair to it. Waitress was attentive and helpful. Wife had the stuffed grouper. I had the the mixed plate with grouper. Caesar salads were uneventful. Served with dressing in a small plastic cup on the side. The grouper tasted very fresh. Baked potatoes seemed to have been pre cooked and held a bit too long. read more

We were stopping in to have dinner and drinks Friday 3/26 at 8:20. We were greeted by a very snarky elderly hostess. She yelled at my husband and said he had to put a mask on, and before he could put one on or say a word she said "We are completely full for the rest of the night!!! You will have to go someplace other than here. Besides, you have to have a reservation." We had a very important business partner that was going to meet us there. We will take our business meetings elsewhere. They won't be getting any of our money. They should be more careful who they hire for the front of the house staff. Remember, the hosts and hostesses are the face of your business. If you hire people with bad attitudes with no regard for their customers than your business will fail. read more

Service was good. Drinks were good. Meal was okay. My wife had a ribeye steak which was mostly fat and grizzle. I had prime rib which was tougher than prime rib should be. read more

This turned out to be a great little stop on our way back & forth to OBX from Florida. The almond crusted Grouper was so good that my Mom & I ordered it both coming & going & we both thought it was one of the best pieces of Grouper we've ever had. And we live on the Gulf of Florida!! Great service too! Highly recommend if you are in the area. read more

Had the jumbo shrimp. Let's just say it was not desirable. Way over priced for the lack of a tasty meal. I wouldn't recommend this place if you want anywhere near decent seafood. Never again. read more

This restaurant decor has a nice southern feel. It's roomy, tables uncrowded. The food was very good, the creamy grits recommended by the server terrific- the best I've ever eaten. The server was really friendly and helpful, another great example of southern hospitality. This was a great find, and we will dine here agin, when we stop in Santee, SC en route from the north to Fla. read more

My wife and I had dinner 11/24/2018. We had the Crab Cakes with a salad and grits. Food was great. Prices were reasonable. Sat at the bar with Pam B . She was very accommodating and welcoming. She made our night. Also met a nice couple at the bar. They were very local and friendly people (you know who you are). We will go back as often as we can. read more

The other reviews were pretty good, so I thought I would give it a try. Since I live in Gloucester MA, Annapolis MD and Palm Beach FL I get a lot of good, fresh seafood ... but as I said, I was encouraged by the reviews. Very nice place, lots of experienced wait staff, only 6:00 PM so I was quickly seated (on my way out there was a line forming). Pretty comprehensive wine list, but didn't look at it in detail - I do beer, and they had basically only Bud products plus Sam Adams - no Ale. They had a Bull Dolphin on the wall and Mahi Mahi on the menu so I asked how good/fresh it was and was assured that "all the food is excellent." I decided on the Fisherman Platter for $24 with Scallops, Shrimp, and Mahi. Salad was nice but very small compared to what I am used to - OK for me, but some might be unhappy with the size. The platter had four scallops, four shrimp, and one mahi - the scallops were great, but both the Mahi and the shrimp were dry - so I assume they were frozen. Since I have developed the motto: "There is always another meal", I did not force myself to eat them, but I did make a good-faith effort. All in all, not worth the price - if the waitress had told me to stick with the scallops I would have been much happier. Maybe I need to learn to be much more direct about asking how fresh the fish are ... I have a friend who is a fishing captain in Gloucester and he really gives them the 3rd degree about where the fish came from, what it really is, and how long it has been sitting around. read more

This place never fails to impress; the food was great and our server was even better! David was very attentive and had us laughing the whole time! Would highly recommend requesting him if you want great service and a good time! A++! read more

Had a great birthday dinner there. Our server David was very nice! he was polite and very funny. Thank you so much for the great day at Captains Quarters and thank you David! read more

The food is decent but over priced. The server was great. The problem we had was with the hostess and the seater. Those women were the worst employees I've ever witnessed in a restaurant in my life. When we called to make the reservation, the hostess was rude and condescending. She said she could not accommodate a party of 6. She said our party would have to sit separately. When we arrived, she told us to wait outside. One of our party, sat down in a chair in the lobby and asked if he could sit there, and in a rude tone, she said, "please don't." She then said your tables are ready and in a gleeful tone said, "and they couldn't be any further apart." We asked how long we could wait till we could sit together, and she said, not tonight. The woman seating us said thank you for your patience in the most sarcastic tone. Within 15 minutes of being seated, half of the dining room cleared out and there would have been enough room to accommodate our party. After dinner when we met up with the rest of our group they described a similar situation in their dining room. They could have accommodated our party but the spiteful trolls at the hostess stand, took great pleasure in making sure we were not seated together as a group. Now if it was just our group that was inconvenienced it would be one thing but I watched the hostess and seater be rude and condescending to almost every group. This is one of the few restaurants in this little town so miss congeniality at the hostess stand knows you don't have many options so she gets her kicks out of being passive aggressive and condescending. Good luck! read more

Absolutely the best meal my wife and I have had in at least six months. Located conveniently off I-95 with plenty of wide parking. Efficient seating process. Friendly service. Excellent Ribeye steak. Excellent crab bisque. Very good baked potato. Side salad was fresh and a decent portion. Crab cake was average, but I'm comparing it to Maryland's eastern shore/Baltimore, so for Santee pretty good. I'll be back. read more

Pretty place. Seafood themed. However, the few seafood items are nothing local. All from the pacific which I could have gotten in the freezer dept of the local grocery store. Yet the prices are as if it was freshly caught. So I had the wings. They were good read more

Purposely stop in Santee on our return trip from Florida. CQ is a wonderful sea food Resturant. A change from the usual fast food chains you tend to find along the I95 corridor. Moderate prices and great food. Wine recommended pairings are a plus. read more

We love Captains Quarters! From seafood to steak, it's all delicious! If you're looking for a great meal in a relaxed atmosphere, give Captains Quarters a try! read more

Terrible! We thought this was going to be excellent based on the ratings and how fancy it looked walking in...we ordered Calamari for an appatizer, the tomato sauce that came with it tasted like it came right out of the jar, calamari was mediocre. We ordered the catfish to split between the both of us and it was very fishy like it came out of a canal, the breading was beautiful looking but taste terrible! My husband got the fries which were steak fries that seemed as though they were from a frozen bag we couldve cooked at home. Needless to say we were very disappointed! Not worth the price!! read more

Great food and decent service. I would rate this a more expensive place than listed on the app though! $$$ but I'll go back before leaving town. read more

We stopped here bc of the great reviews, my hubby ordered the prime rib special with the shrimp, this dish was excellent, I ordered the shrimp,scampi which I was perplexed bc the shrimp were not fresh shrimp, and for the area it should have been, plus the portion was not very large. the shrimp with the steak was, and my grandsons burger was very good, so I'm leaving three stars for the frozen shrimp in the scampi read more

Agree that Callie is great!! Food was great and the service was amazing. Crab stuffed grouper for myself and hubby really enjoyed the crab legs. We will definitely return to try other items on the menu. read more

Great dinner! We both had one of their specials, the flounder and shrimp dinner. They will prepare it anyway you like. They always had several specials each night. If you like wine they have some very good choices in both white or red. We started off with the house salad , the vinaigrette and the creamy Italian, both flavorful. There are also Italian dinner selections and steak choices as well. What a great variety to choose from. We did not have dessert or coffee. During dinner we had to ask for dinner rolls. Our server wasn't overly friendly and was hurried. The place was hopping for. Thursday night so maybe he was very busy. Can't complain about the price for those specials either. About $21 each. We don't live in the area but we would definitely stop here again when we are driving through. P.S, I would have given this restaurant 5 stars but dropped one star for service. I had written this review after we were finished with dinner and were still seated at our table.. On the way out I overheard a man at another table say he wanted to see the server NOW. So it wasn't just our table that was being overlooked. Where was our server? Chatting at the hostess desk, where he was gossiping to the co workers about a patron the same way as when we arrived. Not very nice to overhear not just once, but twice on our first visit. Same guy that was abrupt when he addressed the days' specials and took our order. read more

I just had the worst shrimp and grits ever. The grits were ok, but the shrimp were rock hard - way over cooked. Management didn't care - I sent the shrimp back and they gave me a $3.00 credit. So I paid $13.95 for a scoop of grits. Not sure if this was a fluke, but the poor management shows. I do not recommend. read more

Not bad but not great. They do have a variety and the food is consistent. Overall not a bad place to eat in Santee. Usually a large crowd and wait. read more

What a great place. The food (seafood) was so fresh and the service was outstanding. Definitely southern hospitality at its finest. Our waitress Ms. Kalle was an amazing lady and we really enjoyed our dinner here. read more

What an amazing meal! We needed a break from our long drive and my husband and youngest remember it from a previous trip. We all loved it. I have dietary restrictions and they were more than accommodating. The special prime rib and shrimp was a hit. I had the mahi mahi which was also delish! Thank you, Lisa, for your exceptional care. read more

This was a wonderful stop! We received excellent service from Kathy and our catfish was oh so delicious! As it is not too far off route 95 I recommend any traveler looking for a pleasing respite from the road with good food and drink make this a stop on their journey. read more

To Alexandra E....i never said anything racist to you or any customer...you maam were the politics talker at the bar explaining who you voted for and why....i merely said i hope people dont vote because of the color of skin and vote cause of knowledge of the causes in which these people stand for so if that is racist so be it...however you kept talking and talking as if you wrote the history books....Ms Alexandria the LAST thing i am is racist the 1 thing i am is educated I my political beliefs....seems you need to pick a book or 2 up and brush up on your education before you come to a bar spilling your political beliefs and how you choose to vote..this is America the home of the BRAVE AND FREE so because someone doesn't believe the way you do does NOT make them racist...i enjoyed serving you and chatting with you...May you have a BLESSED DAY AND SAFE TRAVELS HOME.... read more

Heard that this place was one of the top ten places to eat in South Carolina, so thought that Valentines Day weekend would be a good time to check it out. Didn't make a reservation, which I strongly recommend, so when we arrived we were told it would be an hour wait. We started to leave but we figured that if it was this packed, and more people kept coming, then it must be worth it. We weren't disappointed. We actually only waited about 15 minutes and when we were seated we were greeted by our server, whose name I never got because she kept us rolling laughing. We received our drinks very quickly and she took our order promptly. I ordered the bacon wrapped shrimp and grits and my wife got the fried flounder and fried scallops. Ok, I have had shrimp and grits all over this state as well as cook them myself, but these were the best I've ever had...ever. I tasted a scallop of my wife's meal and, DANG! It was like butter! Overall, the experience was fantastic. Would definitely recommend and will absolutely be going again. read more

Had dinner there on Friday night. She-crab soup is excellent. The special of salmon, scallops and shrimp was very good. Friendly staff. Will definitely stop in there next time I am in town. read more