Hilton Head Island

Sea Salt isn't trying to win a wine list award and it shows, but it's not trying to rip you off on selection either — just on price. If you're already there for the scallops and the view, the wine list will serve you fine; just set your expectations to vacation mode and not discovery mode.

The Harbour Town Clubhouse wine list is exactly what it needs to be for its audience — familiar, functional, and unlikely to offend anyone in a golf shirt. Just know going in that you're paying resort prices for resort selections, and calibrate your expectations accordingly.

Reilley's is a reliable beach-town bar that happens to have wine — not a wine destination that happens to serve food. Hit it during happy hour for half-off house pours, order the Rosé with your crab cakes, and keep your expectations calibrated to the vibe.

Redfish is the kind of wine list that works better than it should for a coastal tourist spot — 400 bottles is nothing to dismiss, even if the selection leans on crowd-pleasing California names and the pricing reflects the zip code. Go in knowing what you want, order the Riesling by the glass, and you'll have a fine night.

The Pearl is a solid, well-dressed list that serves its upscale coastal crowd without rocking any boats. Bring a group, let someone order the Miraval, and don't let the Silver Oak get near your credit card.

Il Carpaccio is a reliable dinner option for Hilton Head visitors who want a glass of something recognizable without overthinking it — but anyone hoping to find Italy on the wine list will come up short. Drink the bubbles, enjoy the pasta, and don't expect the list to challenge you.

Hinoki isn't a wine destination, but it's not trying to be — it's a solid neighborhood Japanese spot with a list that covers the bases, keeps prices in check, and won't embarrass you in front of a date. Order the Oyster Bay, get the omakase, and call it a win.

Black Marlin is a reliable waterfront pour — nothing on this list is going to blow your mind, but the Sancerre and the ROCO Pinot make it worth ordering a bottle instead of sticking to beer. Just steer clear of the Cakebread unless someone else is buying.

Come for the Lowcountry boil and the patio — not the wine. If you're okay with a $10 glass of something cold and anonymous, you'll survive just fine. If wine matters to you tonight, grab a cocktail instead.

The Salty Dog is a great place to watch the sun go down and eat fried seafood — the wine list is just something that happens to be there. Order the Kim Crawford, enjoy the harbor, and don't overthink it.

Local Pie isn't a wine destination, but it's not trying to be — it's a solid neighborhood pizza spot with a list that gets the job done at fair prices. If you're on island and want a decent glass with your pie without overthinking it, this works.

Hudson's is a reliable pour in a beautiful setting — the wine list won't wow you, but it won't embarrass you either, and the by-the-glass count gives you enough to work with. Go for the Whitehaven, catch the sunset, and don't look too hard at the bottle prices.

It's Greek To Me won't win any wine awards, but it's doing something quietly right: serving Greek wine with Greek food at prices that don't sting. Send your friends here if they're curious about Hellenic grapes — just steer them away from the Pinot Grigio.

ELA'S is a perfectly competent wine list for a perfectly competent upscale waterfront dinner — nothing here will wow you, but nothing will embarrass you either. Come for the sunset and the crab cakes; just don't expect the wine list to be the reason you came back.

Fishcamp on Broad Creek isn't a destination for the wine — it's a destination for the dock, the marsh view, and the grouper, and the wine list is smart enough to stay out of the way and support that experience. Send a friend here for a cold glass of Touraine on the patio and they won't be disappointed.

Skull Creek Boathouse is not a wine destination, and it doesn't try to be — the sunset over the creek is doing the heavy lifting. But the list is priced fairly, the glass selection is wide enough to find something that works, and for a high-volume waterfront spot, that's honestly enough.

Poseidon isn't a wine destination, but it's a competent coastal list that gets the job done if you order strategically. Stick to Oregon and Italy, dodge the Merryvale, and you'll drink well enough to enjoy that waterfront view.

HogsHead punches above its weight for a neighborhood spot tucked into a strip mall south of the island — the list is short but chosen with care, pricing is fair, and the glass program is genuinely generous. Send a friend here? Yes, especially if they're after a solid local wine bar that doesn't require a 30-minute drive toward the tourist circus.

Red Fish is the Wild Card because the concept — 1,300-bottle retail shop meets upscale coastal restaurant — is genuinely unusual and, when you work it right, a fantastic deal. Send a wine-curious friend here and tell them to skip the Caymus, ask the sommelier what's interesting, and lean into the corkage model.

Alexander's is doing more with a wine list than it has any obligation to do given its location and clientele — a genuine sommelier, 150-plus bottles, and real producers you'd actually want to drink. Markups are what you'd expect from a resort destination, so go in with eyes open, lean on the staff for guidance, and you'll eat and drink well.

Michael Anthony's is exactly what a long-running Wine Spectator honoree at a beach destination should be — an Italian-focused list with real producers, a knowledgeable sommelier in Lucy Hunter, and enough depth to reward the curious diner. Markups lean steep, which keeps it from Rager territory, but if you're on Hilton Head and you want to drink well with your pasta and veal, this is where you go.

Links is a reliable, if unadventurous, wine stop for the Harbour Town crowd — Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence since 2015 is deserved, but this list is playing to a comfortable crowd, not trying to expand anyone's horizons. Come for the view and the Cab; just don't come expecting to discover something new.

Charlie's L'Etoile Verte is the kind of quietly serious wine program that sneaks up on you in the best way — a French country house on a South Carolina barrier island with a list that's been legitimately decorated for nearly two decades. Monday's half-price wine night alone is worth rearranging your vacation itinerary.