Crane’s Tavern and Steakhouse

Excellent service. Fantastic prime rib (if a little fatty). The shrimp cocktail was amazing (unfortunately you only get 4!).

After eating the Tilapia, was sick all night. Called them the next day to report it, and got the run around. First call was taken by a Sous-​chef, who told me to call back and ask for Diane. I did, gave my name and phone number and was told the owner was out of town and would contact me. it’s been 2 weeks, no call. I will never eat there again or recommend it to friends. Thanks for the colon cleanse Crane.

We have been to this restaurant three times. If you like beef they are rumored to have the best cuts on the island. If you make an effort to get there for early bird you will have less selection but the price is reasonable. However, if you have the misfortune of arriving late plan to pay between $ 25 to $ 45 for your entrée. At this price there are better options for dinner. The prime rib is average. We have had better and we have had worse. This is a white tablecloth kind of place so dress appropriately.

We read about the restaurant on Unilocal which is what I always do. This was our 33^rd anniversary and my wife loves Prime Rib and French Onion Soup — both get high ratings on Unilocal at Crane’s. We arrive and the front of the place looks like a foregone era but I’ve had great food at old looking haunts before. The hostess acted like we were bothering her but she did seat us. Small dining area but that’s not a problem. Our waitress was very nice. BUT it was so LOUD you couldn’t hear yourself think. There was a large group that were over the top loud and even the waitress said several people complained. I finally had to leave as we couldn’t even talk on our anniversary dinner.
Now I know it is tough when your customers act stupid but there is a reason they call them managers. We never ate so I can’t comment on the food. The waitress did call me and apologize but I won’t go back.

Excellent service and one of the best prime ribs I’ve had in quite a while. The onion soup was also excellent. Would have given them a 5, but the pork chop and fried apple pie were not as tasty. It’s worth a try, but expect to spend a bit of money. It would be a great stop for a dinner date if you get burnt out on seafood.

Great Traditional Steakhouse. $$$ rating, but worth it. We were a party of four, and ordered prime rib (wife said it was the best she has ever had), two filet mignons and one crab cake. Creamed spinach side recommended. Drinks very good too. Save room for dessert (we shared fried apple pie ala mode). Everyone really enjoyed. And thank you, Unilocal, because we would not have found this restaurant without your app.

Let’s just start this by saying if you are under 50, you really don’t need to come here. Stale environment and «old school» menu that has nothing inventive on it. Food was ok but not much of a reason to come here unless you like an early bird special.

Nicely cooked steak and the au gratin potatoes were fantastic. The food is good, but you will pay for it since the menu is s bit pricey.
The restaurant draws an older crowd, but is a nice place to sit and eat.

Cranes is a delightful restaurant to celebrate any special occasion or to drop by for a quick burger.
Atmosphere– ⁴⁄₅ the dining room is a bit stuffy, seems like 1 or 2 too many tables in there. The bar is excellent to sit at and eat dinner. Also booths in the bar are great for dinner.
Food– ⁵⁄₅ unbelievable steaks that are marinated and seared to perfection! First up on the list, how about a wedge or French onion soup, both are excellent. If you don’t want a steak, drop down to a French dip or amazing burger.
Service– ⁴⁄₅ staff is very attentive but sometimes get upset when requests are made for alternate side items.
Number of visits– 20+

I have owned my own restaurant in the past and I know the protocol for health codes. I saw the service breaking a few simple codes that was visible to the eye without me being in the kitchen with them. I ordered the chicken masala which the sauce was more into a soup. I never heard of an Italian dish such as chicken masala coming with cooked carrots but that’s what they paired it with. I know this is a steak house and not Italian so that dish was overall ok. The service was absolutely horrible! It was an experience I couldn’t believe was happening. I have never written a review before but I couldn’t wait to write this one. I arrived with my friend who was not hungry. When our waitress asked us for our orders my friend said nothing for her and the waitress seemed annoyed. When we ordered our drinks my friend asked for lemon in her drink and wasn’t brought any. When she asked the waitress again for it the waitress replied «you should have asked for it in the first place» which my friend did. From the very first second we arrived our waitress Debbie clearly had an issue without knowing us. As our time went on we asked for more bread at our table which seemed to be an issue. Once I asked for the bread the waitress replied with «yeah, uh, its just that… because…” then she walked off? When she arrived back at the table with 1 piece of bread my friend asked if there was an issue and she said «they only make enough bread for how many people are there and they had to make sure everyone got bread» I’m not sure how this place can predict how many customers they are going to have during the day but I feel that answer was very ignorant. A few minutes later I ended up talking to this lady who worked there that seemed to be a sweetheart. I told her I was not happy with our waitress Debbie and I would rather leave her my tip for being so nice. Turns out the lady I was talking to was the manager who went to Debbie and told her we weren’t happy with her services. Debbie came out a few moments later and was very rude and threw the check at me. I asked her if I could get some dessert and she replied with «I know your not happy with my services and I figured you wanted to leave right away» she pointed at the corner of the table and said the menu was there and walked off. NEVER IN MY LIFE have I had a waitress be so rude to me!!! After a comment like that I defiantly wanted to talk to management now. Management came out and apologized and went in the back to talk to our waitress Debbie. Debbie spoke loud enough where me and my friend heard «I don’t care about them. I hate them. I’m not serving them» and Debbie walked off. As sweet as management is you can clearly see this lady doesn’t have control over her staff but instead they have control over her. In any other establishment someone would be terminated right away for behavior like that and seeing how comfortable Debbie is by being so rude I can clearly see nothing will be done with this manner which is pitiful. Management should have told Debbie what we said when we left the building not when we were currently there so we could be attacked for that. My friend is black and feels she was profiled for her race. This whole situation is just awful. We left our names and phone numbers for someone to call us back and 3 days later still no responds from anyone. Thank you crane’s Tavern for an experience I will never forget!

This was our first visit to Crane’s. We have lived on HHI several years and never really heard much about Crane’s from locals. We decided to visit on a Saturday in late August. The restaurant was crowded with couples and large groups.
After deciding on the steaks we wanted we were taken back by the limited selections of sides. Steamed broccoli or sauteed spinach and potatoes au gratin or mashed. The waiter was emphatic that that the mashed potatoes were not garlic. The meals were OK. One steak was good but the other over cooked.
I like tried and true restaurants. I like tradition. But, Crane’s is a bit tired. They need to do something to update the décor and the menu.

Not only was our waitress Diane completely «on her game». The food & the atmosphere were what we rate as perfect!

Perfectly cooked filet and lobster tails! Great service, atmosphere, and wine selection. Will be recommending to friends.

Food was average. Our waiter Tony was below average. We stated it was are first time there, but he didn’t make us feel we needed to come back. Poor service on his part. Lacking in service in all areas. No return trip to ask how are food was. Brought out refills of water after we where done eating. My glass was empty have way through the meal. Had to ask a buss person to tell Tony I would like some coffee with my meal. Offered cheesecake for there only dessert. Table next to us received mints with there bill. We received none. Personality was lacking big time. Will not be going back. Way to many other places on the island to go to.

This restaurant was absolutely fantastic and just got it right on every account. The décor was quaint and classy and the food was absolutely delicious. They really know how to cook a steak; it was one of the most well-​prepared steaks of my life. Scalloped potatoes and lobster tails were incredible too. Also, the service was top notch – friendly, attentive, timely. We left a huge tip. This is definitely my favorite restaurant on the island now. It’s a little pricey but worth every penny. Next time I’ll go early and sit in their very cozy but inviting bar area and have a drink. Definitely recommend.

We really enjoyed our meal, though it was a bit over priced. It was nice having warm bread to start our meal. The onion soup, scalloped potatoes, and filet were excellent. The prime rib was very good too. They were very accommodating on a vegetable substitution. The staff was very friendly.

Crane’s is a good Steakhouse, with a wide selection of meats. It will never go down as one of the greats, but is always predictable, and I take my Grandmother here every time I visit her. She likes it, I like it, and so did my kids.
I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good steak in a fine place. Never going to be Morton’s or Grill 23, but that’s fine too.

We’ve only eaten at the bar. The food was very good, nothing out of the ordinary, but simple and comforting. Nice cozy atmosphere throughout. We were there for a somewhat late dinner, like 9:00 PM, which seems especially late for Hilton Head. The bartender was gracious and didn’t try to rush us out.

Fudge Brownie with Vanilla Ice Cream & a Pecan Caramel Sauce.
I just had to get that out of my mouth as soon as possible. Seems simple right? It is. Seems delicious, right? It is. ORDER IT.
The rest of the dinner at Crane’s is nothing different. Everything is delicious, EVERY SINGLE TIME WE COME. When my family vacations in Hilton Head, Crane’s is automatically one place we will go for dinner one night. It’s a lock.
Crane’s Tavern & Steakhouse is sort of hidden off of I-​278, so I still feel like it might be a little bit of a hidden gem of Hilton Head. It shouldn’t be, but somehow it is. Crane’s has only about 15 tables, but has some bar seating once you enter for a more casual experience.
The food is what really matters, so let me explain how good everything tasted. My father and I ordered the Ribeye 12oz ($ 32) but I had some bleu cheese added on top, while my Dad went for the Jack Daniel’s Mushroom Glaze ($ 4 each). These steaks are perfectly cooked and taste as good as anything I have had at any of the über-​expensive steakhouses in NYC. My girlfriend ordered the Grilled Salmon with Orange, Basil, and Caper Salsa. I wasn’t able to obtain a bite of this, so I can only imagine that it was delicious. Afterwards, we ordered some dessert and if you read the beginning of my review, I think you already know how that went.
Crane’s provides a great meal at an expensive price. The steaks are not cheap with a 12oz Ribeye being $ 32. With that said, this meal will be delicious and well worth the price tag. Come a little dressed up and eat well.
*please do not take the review of Kathy M into your decision making for Crane’s, because she didn’t even go into Crane’s at all. I have been four or five times now and have NEVER been disappointed.

Normally I like Crane’s, but I think I am having an epiphany that nothing changes at some of these restaurants ever, or maybe they have a new chef, but my dinner was just mediocre. My sundried tomato bisque (which was the soup of the day) was like a bowl of my red sauce with sausage meatballs. Now don’t get me wrong, I like a nice marinara, just not usually by the bowlful.
Then I had the fried green tomatoes for my entrée. They were pretty good but really heavily laden with boursin. My cappuchino however was delicious.
Cranes is a go-​to place for the prime rib early bird special. That is well cooked and a true value.