Swamp Guinea Restaurant

The food was fine. The portions make no sense. The kids plates were $ 4 and had more food than an adult half platter that cost $ 9. Our server was terrible. We watched as other tables were seated after us, served their food and left and our server was nowhere to be seen. After at least 30 minutes we had to track her down to inquire about our appetizers. Not sure where the beer pretzel bites name came from, it was a small basket of fried cheese curds. The sever never asked how anything was or if we needed anything when she finally delivered the entrees we let her know that 5 of 7 of us needed refills we had empty cups. She did manage to fill that request but when we asked for ketchup, we never got it and didn’t see her again until she brought the check. The cashiers ask how everything was and I can only assume they know the service is less than mediocre. We did feel that our server was the least attentive, we didn’t see her serving any other tables in our area and all other servers were returning to their tables multiple times. But this experience was bad enough we will not be giving them a second chance. We were there for two hours which is at least an hour longer than necessary. While the catfish was pretty good, it was not worth the frustration.

Typical bar food, they do have a great special for 10 ounce New York strip, salad, and baked potato for $ 11.99.
Wings were pretty good but took 20 minutes to make. Not bad but make sure you have ample time to wait.

The food is just ok – my deviled crabs tasted frozen with tons of filling, and my friend’s fish was bland. Looks like the place would be a lot of fun on a weekend night, but this is not a great seafood place.

Skip it. Won’t be back. Been on the lake for 9 years and finally decided to try. Service was extremely slow. Food — not good. Appetizer came right before entrée after a good 45 min wait. Fish was extremely fishy. Couldn’t eat. Might be my 1^st 1 star.

This place is perfect and conveniently located on the lake with a dock for your boat. Very casual seafood restaurant and bar with live music on the weekends. The prices are very affordable and you feel at home. Swamp Guinea is casual enough where you can just wear bathing suit, shorts, and flip flops.
Family owned restaurant and Southern hospitality at its best!

This place no longer has catfish etc all you can eat. The price are higher and the food well you don’t quite get the money worth any more to pricey but the food is good but I will probability will not return any more got to high for me

This place has had a bit of a rough reputation. My husband and I started going there after they opened «The Swamp» side of the restaurant which has a bar, regular non cafeteria style tables, and much nicer lighting. We have been pleasantly pleased with the food we’ve ordered. We have mostly stayed away from the fried foods, except for the fried shrimp and the onion rings, both of which I really enjoy! They have a fabulous cheese burger, and the Philly cheesesteak is the best you’ll get outside of going to Philadelphia. I’ve enjoyed the broiled flounder and the tilapia.
We’ve always had good service, maybe not as fast as some would want, but ALWAYS extremely nice!

Now a sports bar with a Band on weekends but have been told the food got better.

This is the type of place you go to for a very specific meal: fried food platters, and lots of it! The deviled crab and the shrimp are very good. The scallops and flounder tasted fishy which is disappointing when practically the only thing on the menu is seafood. The tea needs work — it really is a travesty to serve tea in a Southern restaurant that isn’t real tea. It tasted like an instant tea rather than fresh brewed, and that’s just wrong. The slaw, hush puppies, salad, and baked potato were all very good. The wait staff is friendly with just the right amount of attention. Great views of Lake Hartwell from many tables in the restaurant. This isn’t fine dining. It’s a large dining hall that harkens memories of the summer camp mess halls of my youth. It isn’t a bad restaurant, and I would return if someone wanted to head there, but they could make some simple changes that would make it a treasure. There’s something special about the location and the team who works there, and the shrimp and deviled crab are enough to harken me back for more.

We had the family style, all you can eat, everything fried menu. The fried chicken was excellent, as were the hush puppies. The tilapia could have been cut a bit thicker, but rally no complaints here as well. Fast, friendly service and a very reasonable price make this restaurant highly recommended!

This place was good at one time but not anymore. I took five people with me on 1−28−11 and they told me to never take the there again

I have spent many summers and family vacations in Hartwell, GA. We always enjoyed a good meal at the Swamp Guinea. I was watching «Diners, drive-in’s, and dives» and I thought to myself, here is a place that should get a look. Great southern fried fish. Can’t go wrong here. Enjoy.

Don’t be fooled by what you see — this place is a diamond in the rough. It looks like a fishing shack on the shore of Lake Hartwell, and it kind of is. In fact, if you’re on the lake you can anchor right to their dock and walk inside. With drop ceilings and tile floors — it seems like it’s a multi-​roomed cafeteria; but don’t shy away! Locals know how valuable this place is and that should tell you more than any review. Lines form out into the parking lot.
Arrive early and hungry for dinner. The menu boasts an array of seafood, including scallops, shrimp, crab legs, their specialty fried catfish (also their fried chicken is AMAZING). And many of these items are also on their «All You Can Eat» menu. Meals come with homemade french fries, and a shared (unlimited) bowl of cole slaw for the table. I’d like to point out that this is THE ONLY cole slaw that my husband will eat!
I was slightly uneasy when I first visited — being from the city I felt out-​numbered by locals, but the friendly servers who are over-​loaded with Southern hospitality make you feel right at home.