Kenny B's French Quarter Cafe — Restaurant in Hilton Head Island

Kenny B’s came highly recommended by a friend who was on the island a few weeks before we were. The website was a bit confusing as to how to order takeout, and I assumed when I saw there was drive-thru service, I could drive up and order. That was not the case… but it was okay. We weren’t in a hurry, so I went in to order.

The line was to the door, all the tables were full and it was maybe 30 minutes to closing. The decor is fun, if a little dusty… but when you have so much tinsel, so many flags and so many tchotchkes, it makes sense. Overall the restaurant was clean with a welcoming atmosphere. I’m an old school Southern gal who would talk to a lamppost if it looked interested, so while I waited in line I struck up conversations with others nearby. Several children were eating with their families, and when the menu says that the kids’ meals come served in dog bowls, they really are in dog bowls! I asked if the kids got to take them home (lots of tourist towns have their own gimmicks: take home sand buckets that their meals came in, etc) but they actually reuse these (they’re all able to be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized.) These little conversations helped occupy the time waiting, and the line moved steadily.

There is one guy taking orders, but he’s the owner, Kenny. He made light conversation with each guest and was very friendly. When I got to the head of the line, I knew I needed to be quick because they were winding down to close. My family had chosen their entrées from the website so I knew what we were going to order. I chatted to Kenny for a moment and paid my check. Dinner for 4 with dessert was $80 with tip. Not bad at all for a resort town in peak season during a supply chain crisis.

The food was prepared fresh to order and packed up efficiently. My husband and I each got seafood baskets with two entrees: I got fried shrimp and a crab cake, he got fried fish and grilled shrimp both with two massive hush puppies and a generous serving of fries. The kids’ meals had large portions as well and were prepared as ordered (chicken fingers, cheeseburger, fries, because kids). Hubs enjoyed his meal, said the food tasted good and he was satisfied with the size of the meal. My fried shrimp was good, well seasoned batter, crisp and cooked well. The crab cake was okay… the crab meat tasted a little less than fresh, but it wasn’t bad. It was massive though. I wasn’t able to finish my meal! We got the praline pecan brownies for dessert, that Kenny said he had just made the day before. They were giant portions as well, moist and very flavorful.

Yeah, I know. It’s a long review. So here’s your TL; DR: Kenny B’s is a solid bet for a good meal on the south end of Hilton Head. The food is cooked well, tastes good, is fairly priced and the atmosphere...

Absolutely the worst dining experience we've ever had on the island. This happened on Father's Day 2017. I've taken a year to post, so that I could be as fair as possible. My job is a service industry job, also. There's certainly a reason that you order and pay up front. We ordered, paid and took a seat. I made my way to the bathroom after we sat down. As I walked to the back, I noticed that the kitchen area looked as if 2 airplanes had crashed. I didn't say anything to my wife and 2 daughters, as this was a Father's day outing and I didn't want to ruin it for them. However, they had already noticed the 3 inches of dust on all the decorations and lighting. When we got our plates, the first thing I saw was 4 tablespoons of grease that my flounder was sitting in. One of my daughters had ordered blackened shrimp as she so often does and she said it was over done, tough and killed with the seasoning. My other daughter had a burger that was tough, chewy and dry. Be sure to get any extra condiments when you order, or else you'll wait 30 minutes in the back of the line or finally give up, as we had to do. The owner walked by our table 3 times and never spoke or asked how things were or if he could get us anything else. He couldn't even crack a smile. You are in the wrong business, sir, if you don't know how to acknowledge or appreciate your customers. He was even rude to some of the customers waiting in line. We won't be back and really wonder how he stays in business. Maybe, others don't notice their surroundings and just accept rude behavior. Poor food quality is a little easier to swallow with great service and atmosphere. You'll get none of these from Kenny B's!!! Please don't waste your...

June, 2025 Update: Food: 5 Star down to 3 Star Service: 5 Star down to 1 Star Atmosphere: Still 5 Star

Again, very easy to order. I specified that I wanted to enjoy the appetizers prior to the entrees being served. Two entrees came out first, then the Boudin Balls appetizer, then the Baked Cajun Garlic Mussels appetizer. Thirty seconds later the other two entrees were served. Boudin Balls went from 6 balls to 4 balls. The rémoulade sauce was sweet instead of spicy. The mussels were a good size and average taste. Both the fried Scallops and Fried Shrimp were cooked perfectly. However, they ran out of baked potatoes. The Jambalaya had overcooked rice. The French Bread was the best part of the meal. This visit we tried the Beignets - a disappointment. The girl looked perplexed when she delivered our Beignets - There was one room on the table. We had four entree plates, four appetizer plates and a mussels bucket that filled our table. I lifted up my entree plate so she could put down the Beignets.

March, 2024 WOW!!! What an excellent meal. You order at the counter and they bring your meal to your table. You know the sign of a great Cajun restaurant is when they have Boudin Balls on the menu. The Boudin did not disappoint, and the Remoulade was excellent. We also had to try the Abita Hush puppies - another great appetizer. I got the Jambalaya. It was a nice portion and perfectly seasoned. I enjoyed mine so much that I forgot what my wife ordered. She did say that her meal tasted great - it might have been the Voodoo Pasta? Unfortunately, we did not have any room left to try the Beignets. My directions were a little bit funky, but I'm glad I persevered....