Waterfront Views, Workhorse Wines, Zero Surprises
Broad Creek / Skull Creek · Hilton Head Island · Seafood · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed July 18, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Skull Creek Boathouse’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Skull Creek Boathouse reads exactly like the restaurant looks — big, breezy, and built for volume. You're not here to geek out on grower Champagne; you're here because the dock is beautiful and the shrimp are fresh. The list knows its audience and doesn't pretend otherwise.
Thirty to fifty labels, most of them names you've seen at every airport bar from Charleston to LAX. California dominates — Joel Gott Cab, Meiomi Pinot Noir, Kim Crawford flying the Marlborough flag — with Whispering Angel making its obligatory rosé appearance for the Hilton Head crowd. There's no real Pacific Northwest depth despite the regional nod, and if you're hunting for anything from Burgundy, the Rhône, or anywhere in Italy, you're out of luck. This is a list engineered for zero friction, not discovery.
Twelve to eighteen pours by the glass is genuinely solid for a casual waterfront spot, and the $9–$15 price range is reasonable for the South Carolina coast. Don't expect the selection to rotate — what's on the menu today was probably on it six months ago. But the availability is there, and you can eat a full meal without committing to a bottle, which matters when half your table is on frozen drinks.
Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough — $12
Reliable, crisp, and purpose-built for seafood. At this price point by the glass on a waterfront patio with a plate of shrimp in front of you, it's doing exactly what a wine should do. No complaints.
Whispering Angel Rosé, Provence
Yes, it's everywhere. Yes, it's become a lifestyle brand. But it's also genuinely good Provence rosé, and most people at this restaurant are reaching past it for something more familiar. On a hot Hilton Head afternoon, it's the right call.
Joel Gott Cabernet Sauvignon, California
A $14 grocery store Cab at a waterfront seafood restaurant is a wine ordering its own funeral. Nothing wrong with the wine itself, but you're at a seafood spot in the Lowcountry — there is no universe in which this is the move.
Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough + Shrimp and Grits
The bright acidity and grassy citrus cut right through the richness of the grits and butter sauce while letting the sweetness of the shrimp come forward. It's not a complicated pairing, but it works every single time.
The Bottom Line
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.
· Hilton Head Island · Modern American steak & seafood
WiseGuys isn't trying to be a wine destination, but the list is thoughtful enough that you won't feel abandoned. The port selection alone is worth a nod, and the California reds give steak fans real choices rather than the usual filler. Just know that four glass pours means you're probably going bottles — budget accordingly, because markups appear to lean toward the steep side.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Hilton Head Island · Wine bar & retail
Corks Wine Co. appears to be more of a winemaking kit retailer than a wine bar in the traditional sense, and the list reflects that. If you're on Hilton Head and need an actual glass of wine, keep driving.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Hilton Head Island · Steakhouse
Crane's Tavern won't make any top wine lists, but for Hilton Head, the by-the-glass program is unusually honest and the pricing doesn't insult you. If you're eating steak here, you have solid options — and that Brocard Bourgogne Blanc is a legitimate surprise.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Shelter Cove · Hilton Head Island · Seafood / New American
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.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Harbour Town / Sea Pines · Hilton Head Island · Resort / American
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.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South End / Forest Beach · Hilton Head Island · American pub and grill
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.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Atlanta · Atlanta · Seafood
Six Feet Under isn't trying to be a wine destination, and it doesn't pretend to be — but the pricing is fair, nearly everything pours by the glass, and the Cava and Calafuria Rosé give you honest options that actually make sense with seafood. If you're here for the food and want something decent in your glass without overthinking it, this list does the job.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Roswell · Seafood
The Big Ketch Roswell keeps the wine program tightly scoped and mostly on-point for a seafood house — fair prices, smart regional picks, and a by-the-glass setup that rewards curious drinkers. It's not going to blow anyone away, but it's not going to embarrass you either. Send a friend here for the Vinho Verde and whatever's fresh on the menu.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Chandler · Seafood
High Tide is a genuinely fun, lively seafood restaurant with food worth showing up for — but the wine program is an afterthought dressed up as a list. Twelve Chardonnays with no other variety isn't a curated selection, it's a gap in judgment. Wednesday half-price wine softens the blow, but the program needs a complete rethink before we'd call it worth drinking through. Order the Diatom, skip the Rombauer, and quietly wish someone had added a rosé.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
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