Ruby Lee’s

This place is very deceptive in more ways than one. First the owner is correct, you can’t judge the book the cover. We drove up and started to keep driving, but my wife said let’s give it a try. The food was good, but as a soul food establishment. The portion was too control compared to other soul food down home restaurants. The music was good and musicians were engaging, but made you feel obligated to leave money in the tip bucket before leaving. When we received our bill, there was a $ 7.00 per person added cover charge for the band as well.

Absolutely delicious! Would highly recommend this place to anyone visiting Hilton Head!

Fantastic food: chicken, greens, sweet potato and you cannot skip the key lime pound cake! Tressa was a great server, she was so sweet. Monday night music was the best, we can’t wait to come back!

Walked in Saturday night Memorial Day weekend and fortunately there was a seat Doris but it was the last table, place was packed! So fun, they had a great 2-​man soul band, very interactive with guests. Service was great, food amazing! We had the fried chicken and catfish! Comfort food at its finest!

The food is top notch southern cuisine. The staff are friendly and accommodating. Tim the owner tries to seat everyone, but make reservations!
Music every night. The atmosphere is friendly.
Good luck with Ruby Lee’s south on Dunagan’s alley.

Ruby Lee’s is the most legal fun you can have in HHI! Great music, warm hosts and attentive service (Tressa) and home style soul food make for a great experience. Fried chicken was a perfect ten and oxtail stew was right there with it. Finish with sweet potato pecan pie and you have it all. Music was rocking all night and the atmosphere was like a house party.

This is a fun resturant. The music group was outstanding! Lot’s of interaction with the customers. Service is excellent and food was very good. The fried chicken and pulled pork was the best. Our waitress was great fun. We met the owner who is Ruby Lee’s daughter. She is a beautiful spiritual lady. Reservations are highly recommended.

Wow! What can I say but Wow! We were looking for a place with music, and decent food, we found both. Tim showed us to our seats, at the bar, perfect! Patti took our drink orders, and then told us Tim would take care of us from that point on, but she stopped to check on us every tine she walked by us. I had the Rice Trio and my husband had the Grilled Pork Chop, both were excellent. The music was fantastic, I even danced. If we lived there, we would most certainly make this a regular place.

Excellent! Food. The oxtails were off the chain! Small but quaint great atmosphere. Recommended by some friends didn’t know needed reservations but they were willing to accommodate. Love entertainment great very engaging

I went to this restaurant after reading the rave reviews. We ordered the fried catfish and the fried tilapia. Breading was just right. Fish was tender but thin. Pecan pie was warm and not too sweet. While the food was reasonably well done, I expected more. Service was good. It’s obvious the staff take a lot of pride in their establishment.

Amazing great place if ever in HHI you must go. I will return great atmosphere lovely and friendly people no one there is a stranger

Stumble upon this place since im from cali i love finding knew places to eat whenever i travel. And this place has to be at the top of a long list of low country (as they call it) restaurants. Delish… Everything!

Just spent a great night at Ruby Lee’s. Great food… grilled pork chop, grilled chicken breast, red rice, collard greens, and Mac n’cheese. Tropical storm for drinks. Terrific music, great ambience. Yes, it’s cozy but it’s fun and a great place to experience soul food & good music. Low country style in the best way. Service a little slow but place was packed and short staffed so understandable. Fun!

This place is absolutely amazing! Fantastically friendly atmosphere, great food and is always a blast to be here. I strongly recommend the spicy ruby wings for a good time.

I really want to give this place 3.5 stars
PROS — The food was over all good. The live music act was good and interacted with the audience. Atmosphere was positive. Large TVs so you can watch the latest sports game on live. Bathrooms were clean.
NEGATIVES — food took way too long to come out, no refill of drinks, unexpected cover charge for band, drinks served in a plastic picnic cup, dance floor is tiny.
Tips — you will need to make reservations, order Soul food at a Soul Food establishment. Stay away from crab cakes if you are from the Northeast. Stick with the collards, yams, mac and cheese and fried Chicken wings and catfish.

Well, what can I say… VERY GOOD soul food. However it’s extremely packed in there. They are always booked. Limited seating & when you are seated you literally side by side with the tables next to you or around you. They also add a charge for the entertainment which we KNEW NOTHING about! The entertainment is usually a jazz band. This place is cool but designed for an older crowd. Don’t think I would dine in again but I would definitely get it to go! My favs? The Collard greens & her wonderful wonderful fried wings in the Ruby’s sauce! You gotta try it!

Great food & great live entertainment. Had seafood plater & will return once back in area. GO

After an evening of kayaking, we worked up quite a hunger. Being pretty late in the vacation season most places were closed since it was after 9pm. So we looked to Unilocal,and boy did it deliver.
From the second we walked in we knew it would be a good time. Definitely an older crowd, but don’t mistake me, they were getting DOWN! The live music was a treat and it was fantastic. Earl on the saxophone was killing it. It was loud, but super fun. I was definitely grooving.
But let’s get to what’s important – the food! Anna was our server and she as super sweet, even offered to show me how to dance the Wobble Walk lmao! We both ordered the fried chicken (dark meat) with Mac and cheese and sweet potatoes. Let me tell you, the fried chicken was fantastic – so juicy and seasoned nicely. The Mac and cheese was a little average, which was a little disappointing but the sweet potatoes made up for it, drenched in butter and deliciousness!
Hands down, this is a place for locals, but don’t let that deter you! Everyone was so friendly and the place was a blast! Definitely go here!

Just bought a home down here after coming down many years and was just introduced to this locale from another resident. Food is good, waitress (Tressa) was great and a ton of fun, but best of all was the music and atmosphere. Will definitely go back and recommend it to all visiters. Had a blast!!!
Sandy from Pittsburgh and now HHI

Had a wonderful night listening to Earl and co playing music it was fun and current people were dancing and he was entertaining. The food which was served by Tressa was delicious she was attentive and the night was special. We had fried chicken mac and cheese coleslaw corn bread and banana pudding– yummm!
The theme of the place is a sports bar so we watched golf at St Andrews as well! Don’t miss this out of the way gem and be sure to make reservations as its a small venue.