Best Restaurants on Tybee Island: Where to Eat on Tybee (2026)
By Best of Savannah
The best restaurants on Tybee Island are casual, seafood-heavy, and mostly a short walk from the sand. The short answer: go to The Crab Shack for a marsh-side seafood platter, The Deck Beachbar and Kitchen for a meal facing the ocean, North Beach Bar & Grill after climbing the lighthouse, and Sundae Cafe when you want a proper sit-down dinner. Start the day at The Breakfast Club, and end it with pizza at Huc-A-Poo's.
Below are our picks by situation, with addresses checked against current listings. Tybee hours shift with the season, so call ahead before you drive out, especially from November through February. Planning the whole outing? Our Tybee Island day trip guide covers the drive, parking, and timing.
TL;DR: Where to Eat on Tybee Island
- Best Tybee classic: The Crab Shack, 40 Estill Hammock Rd, for seafood platters on decks over the marsh.
- Best on the beach: The Deck Beachbar and Kitchen, 404 Butler Ave, often described as the island's only oceanfront restaurant.
- Best near the lighthouse: North Beach Bar & Grill, 33 Meddin Dr, right beside the Tybee Island Light Station.
- Best sit-down dinner: Sundae Cafe, 304 1st St, a Southern and coastal kitchen in a small strip-mall space.
- Best breakfast: The Breakfast Club, 1500 Butler Ave, an early-morning diner with a weekend line.
- Best casual night out: Huc-A-Poo's on US-80 for pizza, or Sting Ray's on Butler Ave for seafood and live music.
What Is the Best Restaurant on Tybee Island?
If you only eat one meal on Tybee, make it The Crab Shack. It sits on the back side of the island at 40 Estill Hammock Rd, just off US-80 before you reach the beach, with outdoor seating spread across decks over the marsh. The draw is the setting and the big shared seafood platters, a messy meal meant for a group.
The restaurant's own site lists noon to 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and noon to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, with closures on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. Other listings show longer hours, so confirm before you go. It is also a full-time event venue: during Tybee Island Pirate Fest it hosts the adults-only Buccaneer Ball.
Where Can You Eat on the Beach on Tybee?
The Deck Beachbar and Kitchen at 404 Butler Ave is the pick when you want to see the ocean from your table. It sits inside the Beachside Colony resort in the Mid Beach area and is easy to miss from the street, so look for the resort sign. The menu runs to coastal small plates, seafood, and cocktails, and sunset is the busiest window.
OpenTable lists The Deck, so you can check reservation times there. Its listed hours have it closed on some weekdays, which makes it worth checking before a midweek visit.
Where Should You Eat Near the Tybee Lighthouse?
North Beach Bar & Grill at 33 Meddin Dr sits between the lighthouse and the north end of the beach, which makes it the natural stop before or after a climb. Expect a laid-back, Caribbean-leaning menu of burgers, fish tacos, wings, and crab cake sandwiches, plus a full bar and outdoor seating.
Closing times vary by source, from 8 p.m. on weeknights to later on weekends, so call ahead for dinner. Our Tybee Island Lighthouse guide covers tickets and climbing times, so you can time lunch around them.
Where Can You Get a Nice Dinner on Tybee?
Sundae Cafe at 304 1st St is the island's best-known sit-down dinner, and it surprises people who see its plain strip-mall front. It started as an ice cream shop, as the name suggests, and has been a full restaurant for close to two decades. The menu is Southern and coastal, with seafood, steaks, and pasta.
It is small and popular. It is not on OpenTable, so call the restaurant about reservations and check its current hours, since they vary by day.
Want a waterfront dinner in town instead? Our waterfront restaurants guide covers River Street, and Treylor's Coastal Seafood brings a coastal menu downtown.
Where Is the Best Breakfast on Tybee Island?
The Breakfast Club at 1500 Butler Ave, at the corner of 15th Street, is Tybee's classic breakfast stop. It is a diner, it opens early, and it closes in the early afternoon, around 1 p.m. in most listings. It does not take reservations, and summer weekends bring a line out the door.
The fix is simple: go early or go on a weekday. If you would rather do a late brunch back in Savannah, see our best brunch in Savannah guide.
Local tip: Eat on the island before or after the rush, not during it. On summer weekends, everyone comes off the beach hungry at the same time, and kitchens back up from about 5 to 7 p.m. A late lunch around 2 p.m. or an early dinner before 5 gets you a table faster, and you leave before the US-80 causeway jams on the drive back to Savannah.
Where Do Locals Go for Pizza and a Casual Night Out?
Huc-A-Poo's at 1213 US-80 is a roadhouse-style pizza and bar spot near McKenzie Avenue, a few blocks from the beach. It is loud, casual, and a regular on local "best of Tybee" lists. Order a pie to share and grab a seat outside if the weather is good. For more slices on the mainland, read our best pizza in Savannah guide.
Sting Ray's Seafood at 1403 Butler Ave, near the south end of the island, is the busy main-strip choice for fried shrimp, oysters, crab, and fish, with live music most nights. Reviews are mixed, and some diners note an automatic gratuity on the bill, so check the menu before ordering for a big group.
Where Can You Eat on the Water on the Back River?
A-J's Dockside Restaurant at 1315 Chatham Ave sits on a dock over the Back River, on the island's west side, and is known for sunset views. It closed for renovations in the past year, and listings are mixed on whether it has fully reopened, so call before you plan a meal around it. If it is open, it is the best spot on Tybee to watch the sun go down over the water.
Which Tybee Restaurants Work for Kids and Dogs?
Almost every spot on this list is casual enough for kids, with outdoor seating and fried seafood baskets that please picky eaters. The Crab Shack and North Beach Bar & Grill are the easiest with a family, since kids can roam the decks and the beach is close.
Dog rules vary by restaurant and change often, so ask before you sit down. Our pet-friendly restaurants guide covers patio dining in Savannah, and the kid-friendly restaurants guide lists family deals in town.
How Do You Plan a Day of Eating on Tybee?
A simple plan that works most of the year:
- Morning: breakfast at The Breakfast Club, then the beach before it gets hot. See our Savannah beach guide for where to set up.
- Midday: climb the lighthouse and eat at North Beach Bar & Grill.
- Afternoon: book a dolphin cruise, such as Captain Derek's Dolphin Adventure from Lazaretto Creek. Compare options in our Tybee dolphin tours guide.
- Evening: dinner at The Crab Shack on your way off the island, or Sundae Cafe if you have a reservation.
Staying the night? Our Tybee vs Savannah where-to-stay guide helps you decide which base fits your trip. If the sand is the point, our Tybee Island beachfront hotels guide compares the oceanfront properties. Oyster fans should also read our Savannah oysters guide, which covers the cool-weather season on both ends of US-80.
Bottom Line
Tybee Island dining is casual and built around seafood. The Crab Shack is the one meal most visitors should not skip, The Deck puts you on the sand, North Beach Bar & Grill pairs with the lighthouse, and Sundae Cafe is the sit-down dinner worth booking. Eat early, confirm hours before you drive out, and plan your meals around the causeway traffic. For more dining across the city, browse our full Savannah restaurants directory.
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