You don’t need a boat to enjoy many of coastal Georgia’s best dockside eateries. Here’s an itinerary, working north to south, and all are accessible by car.
The Crab Shack, Tybee Island
A Savannah-area institution, the Crab Shack is a sprawling restaurant on the banks of Chimney Creek. The Captain’s Sampler Platter will feed the table, stacked with steamed snow crab legs, mussels, crawfish and the lowcountry boil combination of shrimp, corn, potatoes and sausage.
40 Estill Hammock Road, Tybee Island. 912-786-9857, thecrabshack.com.
Desposito’s, Thunderbolt
Once the ultimate local’s seafood shack, where simple seafood fare such as steamed oysters and peel-and-eat shrimp was dumped onto newspaper-covered tables, the reborn version brings an upscale feel to an old haunt. Lowcountry boil now shares a menu with garlic lobster mac and cheese.
3501 Macceo Drive, Thunderbolt. 912-897-9963, despositosseafood.com.
Fish Tales, Richmond Hill
Overlooking the Ogeechee River and Fort McAllister, a Civil War-era earthworks fortification, Fish Tales is a favorite of boaters using the on-site marina. Fish Tales’ menu is simple but the eatery is a local favorite because of its quality and consistency and its rustic watering hole vibe.
3203 Fort McAllister Road, Richmond Hill. 912-727-3473, fishtalesrh.com.
Sunbury Crab Co., Sunbury
From the “if you know, you know” files, Sunbury Crab is an off-the-beaten path favorite that has been packing in customers seeking the best in local oysters, scallops, flounder, redfish, shrimp and, yes, blue crab. The view across the marshes of Liberty County is breathtaking.
541 Brigantine-Dunmore Road, Sunbury. 912-884-8640, sunburycrabco.com.
Credit: Ligaya Figueras
Credit: Ligaya Figueras
Fish Dock Bar & Grill, Townsend
Commercial fishing boats unload their catch next door to this waterfront eatery along the Sapelo River in McIntosh County. The eatery neighbors Sapelo Sea Farms, which grows clams and harvests wild oysters in nearby waters.
1398 Sapelo Ave., Townsend. 912-832-4295, fishdockrestaurant.com.
Skippers’ Fish Camp, Darien
Darien’s shrimping fleet is famous for netting the sweet, slightly briny-tasting crustaceans that thrive in the nearby tidal creeks and rivers. Skippers’ kitchen staff need walk only a few steps to purchase the fresh catch, and the eatery does shrimp well in a variety of ways, from boiled to fried to blackened.
85 Screven St., Darien. 912-437-3474, skippersfishcamp.com.
Credit: Ligaya Figueras
Credit: Ligaya Figueras
Coastal Kitchen, St. Simons Island
This dockside spot at the Morningstar Marina just off the FJ Torras Causeway offers easy access and plenty of parking. Open for lunch and dinner daily, Coastal Kitchen serves up a variety of seafood and fish — from starters like crab cakes, dirty oysters and lobster nachos to entrees of blackened redfish, shrimp and grits and fried wild Georgia shrimp. Weekend brunch brings savory dishes such as omelets, crab cake benedict, and biscuits and gravy, plus pancakes and French toast with maple syrup to please sweet tooths.
102 Marina Drive, Saint Simons Island. 912-638-7790, coastalkitchenssi.com.
Zachry’s Riverhouse, Jekyll Island
The Zachry family opened their first seafood restaurant on the state-owned island in 1987. The current eatery overlooks the Jekyll River and is tucked away from the resorts and hotels. The locals recommend menu favorites such as crab cakes and fried oysters.
1 Harbor Road, Jekyll Island, 912-319-2174.
Capt. Seagle’s, St. Mary’s
The oldest continuously operating restaurant in the historic town at Georgia’s southern tip, Capt. Seagle’s is ground zero for those traveling to and from Cumberland Island National Seashore, with visitors staying in the bed-and-breakfast upstairs. The adjacent saloon is busy into the wee hours of the morning.
105 Osborne St., St Mary’s. 912-882-3242, riverviewhotelstmarys.com/dining-st-marys-ga.
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