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    Mama Jean's

    4.1 (158 reviews)
    InexpensiveSouthern
    Closed 6:00 am - 2:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Mama Jean's Photos

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    MAMA JEAN'S ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Divey
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating

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    Eggs, bacon, And home fries
    Jessie D.

    We accidentally ended up at Mama Jean's on Mother's Day this year. As one should on Mother's Day-we woke up late, hung around the house and moseyed out when we got good and ready. We ended up stumbling upon Mama Jean's as we were searching for a place for breakfast. We got in the door at about 10:30 and there was a wait. It was a Sunday, so they had a breakfast buffet but it switched to lunch at 10:45 sharp. We were seated by 10:40, but didn't have the time and didn't want to be rushed at the breakfast buffet. Instead our server let us know we could order breakfast from the menu or lunch. We opted for breakfast and it came out quick. It was delicious! A good home cooked breakfast. The eggs were perfect, bacon was yummy, and several servers checked on us throughout our time there. It was busy-but a clean place with a home-feel and we never felt rushed. We will be going back when we are back in the area!

    Lunch menu

    Michelle is awesome! Breakfast Buffet is pretty standard (not bad but not unique/amazing), prices are great, ordered from the menu. Waitstaff works great as a team!

    Receipt
    Dorothy H.

    Couldn't ask for much more regarding breakfast. We were headed to the Big M for their morning trip, but wanted to grab something quick. The food was plentiful, the service was fast and we left satisfied. The only star removal came because the country ham was really really salty and the breakfast doughnuts and cinnamon rolls were stale. It's fine that they aren't made fresh daily, but definitely check the expiration dates. Still a wonderful experience overall all and really convenient to catch the ship.

    2 eggs scrambled with cheese and grits. Tasted pretty much how it looks

    Very friendly service and nice, home town vibe. We went for breakfast at noon on a Saturday- busy but quick service. Food was very meh - good biscuit but everything else was bland and maybe the worst grits Ive had this year. On the plus side, there was a buffet that looked so much better than my breakfast plate and only $16.50 with lots of veggie options . If I come back will def opt for the buffet. Service 5/5 Vibe 5/5 Food 3/5

    My plate from the breakfast buffet.  Everything you could possibly want for breakfast included in a quaint, friendly environment.

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    2 months ago

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    2 years ago

    We stopped here on our way out of town. Cute restaurant with good dining options. I will be back!

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    6 months ago

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    9 months ago

    Food is okay. Service depends on who you get. Ambiance is a bit loud. Definitely a cheaper & affordable than most.

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    9 months ago

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    1 year ago

    Charming little place. Lots of options at the buffet bar. Reasonable pricing. Employees are very friendly.

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    2 years ago

    Love the home style food, enjoyed the menu and the buffet, service is good I will return

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    1 year ago

    Was so good. Loved the breakfast buffet with so many choices. We will come here again

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    1 year ago

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    7 years ago

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    1 year ago

    They have a great selection of food and very affordable prices tasty also there chicken is awesome e

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

    COMFORT FOOD! excellent homestyle cooking! Love their biscuits and gravy. Awesome buffet, excellent friendly service.

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Yum!!! This is a great southern cooking location. Food is good and they serve you cafeteria style. Good stuff

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    The Shack

    The Shack

    4.2
    (614 reviews)
    1.2 mi
    $$

    Update: The Shack is one of my favorite restaurants for home…read morecooking. We got there around 1 pm and waited for over 30 minutes for a table. That's how popular the restaurant is! I got the chicken and dumplings with three sides: one side was peanut butter pie which was delicious. The lunch meal also includes a beverage and bread corn bread or a store bought cold roll. Get the corn bread! It's so tasty! Service was good, and the restaurant was busy.

    I've been driving by this spot for years and it's always been packed... not regular packed but…read morepeople parked in the street and the road trying to get in packed. This Thursday I was heading up with the wife to buy some fish and we decided to go for it. Of course there was zero parking with a parade of cars in the parking lot waiting to pick up food, when my wife noticed a pick up truck right in front of the place about to exit. She sped right next to the spot and jumped in before anyone realized it. We're in...or so I thought. We strolled up and there were about 35 people sitting on benches and rocking chairs under a tent right in front of the place all waiting to get in. I figured this is not going to be easy. I went up to the hostess station and asked how long for a table for two and she said 35 minutes or so. I looked at my wife and gave her my name. I had to find out what all the hub bub was about. In about 30 minutes they shouted my name and I sprinted to the front door...I wasn't about to lose my table. In we went and we're shown a nice size table in the middle of the place. It kinda reminded me of a beachy mom and pop diner. The friendly waitress came to the table right away, gave us our menus, showed us the specials board and took a drink order. The menu was simple but had some choices on it. While we were thinking, she came back with our drinks and we quickly ordered an appetizer. In this case, onion rings. A few minutes later my wife settled on a crab cake app and a salad which she asked to be combined. I went for the soup of the day(NE clam chowder) and one of the specials...pork chops(I took my grilled not fried) with 3 sides, Lima beans, okra & tomatoes stewed and green beans. The meal came with a choice of cornbread or roll. I opted for the cornbread. In a flash, the onion rings came out followed by the soup. Now I do love me some onion rings and these were fantastic. Crispy, flavorful and not stringy. The soup was home made. Creamy with bits of clam and chunks of potato. No salt or pepper was needed as it came out steaming hot and perfect. It was a meal in itself and I ended up taking 3/4 home with me(something rarely do). After a few minutes, the main course came out. My wife dug into a very large homemade crab cake, chock full of crab meat and very flavorful. She loved it. The salad was fresh and crisp. My pork chops came out and the size of the plate shocked me. Now, I almost never talk about price but my plate was $12.49 and I got two large perfectly prepared, juicy pork chops with a healthy helping of the best okra and stewed tomatoes I ever had plus absolutely delicious green beans and tasty lima beans. What a deal! The only thing that wasn't above average was the corn bread which was a tad dry and plain. Most of the regulars opted for the home made roll(and the fried chicken which was being served at every table!). I was stuffed and had trouble finishing my plate. My wife who said she was full, managed to save enough room for dessert. Now everyone was eating the homemade peach cobbler so I suggested that. My wife never had it before and was thinking about the Oreo pie, but I persuaded her and she was glad I did. Instead of the usual whip cream she wanted vanilla ice cream with it and it was a fantastic combo. The cobbler came out piping hot and crumbly with sweet chunks of peaches that paired well with the cold vanilla ice cream. She attacked it so fast that I couldn't get a picture. I broke my own rules and dipped in for a few spoonfuls and I'm glad I did. It was heavenly. The bill came and I couldn't believe how reasonable it was. Now I know why you can't get into the joint. We paid our bill and gave the super friendly waitress a nice tip and were on our way. We will absolutely be back and will try to time it a bit better so we can find parking...or we'll take an Uber...it was that good.

    Photos
    Oyster shell chandeliers
    Oyster shell chandeliers
    Flounder scallops clams and fries
    Flounder scallops clams and fries
    Fresh lemon water

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    Fresh lemon water
    Gravy Southern Eatery

    Gravy Southern Eatery

    4.1
    (142 reviews)
    6.5 mi
    $$

    I have been there and planning on returning soon. The liver and onions are excellent and sides are…read morecooked the Southere style with the southern taste, which are great. I have read some of the negative reviews and have not had a bad experience there. If you are expecting 5 star upscale restaurant food, pricing, and service then you need to go to the Ritz, not a small scale country style food restaurant. The food is great, the prices are great. and the wait staff could not have been nicer.

    I hadn't thought of reviewing this restaurant but my return was as unpleasant as my first visit…read more I'll get to the atmosphere later in this review. Our second visit started out questionable with the parking lot unwalkable cause of the resent bad weather. Rain puddles and moon craters aplenty. Going in seemed awkward having the diners look at you because we brought in a rush of cold air. Everyone there was eating with thier coats on. Alot of restaurants have a tent breeze way but not here. One of the waitress gave a beeper and told us we could either wait out side or in our cars. It was cold that day. That wasn't a great option. My meal was a questionable experience. Once handed our menus they appeared dirty and manhandled. My last visit the rolls that were giving out weren't' bake at all. This visit the same way. Gummy at first not fully baked and if not eating right away hard as a rock. Thats the second time it was severed like that. I ordered the chicken strips. 4 in all. Not great. When I woke up the next day I was wondering WHY the roof of my mouth was torn up. This tells me that the breading was old and heated up. Look not every place can be like Chick Fill A. I get it. . The atmosphere was kind of depressing. The lighting was all over the place. Bright light bulbs not matching. LED's with regular bulbs. The first time I was there I thought that the waitress wearing rip jeans was maybe a fluke but there she is again. The same jeans. The rag she used to wipe the tables matched her pants. Very off-putting to say the least. I would think this place is popular causet there is'nt much dinning in that area of Calabash. I'm never going back. A sure sign of a place that is questionable the sign out front is awash with green mold. A good power wash could help that.

    Photos
    Restaurant Interior
    Restaurant Interior
    Gravy Southern eatery restaurant Turkey and dressing with broccoli salad and sweet potato casserole.
    Gravy Southern eatery restaurant Turkey and dressing with broccoli salad and sweet potato casserole.
    Restaurant Interior

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    Restaurant Interior
    Old South Bar-B-Q-Co

    Old South Bar-B-Q-Co

    4.2
    (239 reviews)
    1.5 mi
    $

    There's no polite way to say it: something fundamental has been lost at Old South BBQ…read more On a recent sunny afternoon, a friend and I--both barbecue enthusiasts--set out to try Old South after hearing it had reopened under new management. I had never been, but my friend spoke of it with near reverence, describing a once-legendary roadside joint steeped in South Carolina barbecue tradition. And that tradition matters. In South Carolina, barbecue isn't just food--it's history. Proper whole-hog or pulled pork is defined by slow cooking over hardwood coals--hickory or oak--for upwards of 8 to 12 hours. The state proudly claims all four major regional sauce styles, from the iconic mustard-based "Carolina Gold" to vinegar, light tomato, and heavy tomato sauces. It's a place where technique and patience are inseparable from authenticity. Old South still looks the part. The atmosphere is classic and charming: a casual, no-frills roadside spot with a nostalgic 1950s picnic scene, complete with indoor seating and outdoor tables. It's family-friendly, dog-friendly, and on the surface, exactly the kind of place you want to love. The menu hits all the expected notes--pulled pork, baby back ribs, chicken--and the house-made sauces are genuinely enjoyable. But then the food arrives. The wings, ribs, and pulled pork were all missing the one thing that defines barbecue: smoke. Not subtle smoke--none. It tasted as though everything had been cooked in a gas oven. Yes, the food was tender and even flavorful in places, but without that slow-smoked backbone, it feels hollow. If smoke isn't part of the process, can it really be called barbecue? Curious--and increasingly skeptical--we walked over to the smokehouse. It looked abandoned. No lingering wood aroma, no signs of recent use, not even a stray log in sight. When I asked our server about the pitmaster, she casually mentioned he usually comes in around 4 p.m.--a surprising detail, considering authentic barbecue is an all-day (and often all-night) process. At that point, the analogy felt unavoidable: if you put a Hyundai engine in a Porsche 911, is it still a Porsche? My friend and I left with the same conclusion--Old South BBQ may still carry the name and the look, but it's lost its soul. The bones of something great are still there, but without the craft and care that once defined it, it feels like a tribute rather than the real thing. To be fair, our server was friendly and attentive, and that effort didn't go unnoticed. But good service can't replace what's missing from the pit. For a place once remembered as a cornerstone of South Carolina barbecue, that's a tough rib to swallow.

    I haven't been to Old South BBQ since it was bought out and reopened by new owners. The place was…read morealways excellent with great BBQ featuring nicely smoked ribs, chicken, wings, dogs and chopped BBQ. Their sides were also top notch. I heard they reopened and me and my barbecue loving buddy decided to make a lunch time stop. The place was similar but had more outdoor seating, a fresh coat of paint and some work done to the smoke house. The menu also changed with the additions of various smash burgers. We decided to sit outdoors where the waitress gave us a menu and took our order. We opted for the BBQ dry rub wings for an app, a half rack of ribs and some pulled pork. Sides included red and white slaw, collards and onion rings. The four wings came out first and had the BBQ rub on them. They were nice and crispy but lacked flavor. My buddy put some salt on them and I reached for the Carolina gold BBQ sauce to dip them in. They were OK with the additional sauce and the salt. Next the mains were brought out. The ribs had a nice bark, but were dry and very bland with zero smoke flavor and none of the "pink" ring you see in top quality smoked meats. Again, we added some sauce(my friend used Carolina vinegar, while I went for the house tomato based BBQ) to try to kick up the flavor. They were marginal at best. We then started in on the pulled pork which was moist but also had zero smoke flavor. We sauced it up and it was a bit better. We then hit the sides. The onion rings were as good as I remembered with a nice crust and flavor. The white slaw was good also. Although I didn't taste it, my friend liked the red slaw. The collards were cooked tender but lacked any flavor. I used a combo of the Carolina vinegar sauce(which I found too sweet) and some Texas Pete's to give it a bit of zing...it was passable. Overall, I was disappointed as it used to be one of the better BBQ joints on the strand. I probably won't be going back as there are at least two others near by that I find much better.

    Photos
    Inside tables
    Inside tables
    Crispy Wing
    Crispy Wing
    Pulled pork

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    Pulled pork
    The Boundary House Restaurant

    The Boundary House Restaurant

    3.9
    (1.1k reviews)
    5.5 mi
    $$

    Service by Seth was exceptional very busy restaurant we did not have a reservation, but the wait…read moretime was around one half hour.Which I didn't think was bad

    I have been coming to Boundary House for years and had a chance to bring a friend this past…read moreweekend. Always a lovely experience! Typically, when I come, it is with a larger group so we have to sit inside. For anyone wondering, you are likely always going to have a wait. And that's okay! There is a wonderful beach and Christmas shop right across the parking lot that you can peruse - I promise you can kill at least 45 minutes, and the meal is well worth the wait. This time, since it was just my friend and I, we decided to sit at the outdoor bar, which is first come first serve. We were quickly seated, so it worked out perfectly. One thing I will say is that this patio is in the direct path of the setting sun, so just have your sunglasses ready. I ordered the Sarita Margarita, which is my favorite cocktail they have. It is like a fruity, boozy slushy. Absolutely delicious and perfect after a day at the beach. I always get the Hurricane Chicken. It is my absolute favorite meal. If I were to have my choice of my last meal on earth, it would be Boundary House's Hurricane Chicken. When you order an entree, it comes with a side salad. My recommendation to you is to get their house raspbery vinagrette, it pairs perfectly with this salad! Now, the Hurricane Chicken itself is this delightful combination of a chicken breast, crab cake, and shrimp with some delicious sauce on top. It is so creamy with the variety of flavors that three meats bring. In case you don't finish it all, it also reheats well for leftovers the next day. Parking: there is a large parking lot with plenty of spaces. If you're ever in Calabash, you have to stop in at Boundary House!

    Photos
    Dining area.
    Dining area.
    Baby Back Ribs
    Baby Back Ribs
    Exterior of restaurant

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    Exterior of restaurant

    Mama Jean's - southern - Updated July 2026

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