Palmetto Bay SunRise Cafe — Restaurant in Hilton Head Island

Unwittingly, we merged into the measured chaos of breakfast at Palmetto Bay Sunrise Café, rousing ourselves from the overnight tangle of sheets and blankets promptly at six a.m. in preparation for our scheduled departure. Showered, shaven, and dressed in freshly laundered clothes scented with lavender, we ventured into the early morning shadows, where the distant sun had yet to make its presence known. The winding corridors of Sea Pines Drive and Greenwood Drive, leading to Arrow Road and Helmsman Way, demanded careful attention as we navigated their dark, narrow passages.

Upon arrival, we stepped into the lively hum of the breakfast service, already bustling with golfers and sailors fueling up for a day in the predicted sunshine. Seated at the counter, we were immediately captivated by the orchestrated commotion of the kitchen. Each chef had a distinct role, their movements purposeful and precise, yet the underlying complexity of their coordination remained elusive. With seamless efficiency, they prepared and plated an endless procession of eggs, meats, fish, and biscuits—each dish a carefully curated variation, some adorned with sauces, others paired with potatoes or pancakes.

I, with a touch of cleverness, added a side of fruit to my order of scrambled eggs, sausage links, and a biscuit—flaky, golden, and, as always, beyond compare. Everything arrived without hesitation, impeccably composed and presented, each bite a testament to the skill and...

This was a real bummer, and the poor highlight of our entire trip. The Sunrise Cafe was a real disappointment, boasting some of the best reviews on all of Hilton Head, we were eager to give it a try.

Unfortunately, none of our 3 meals were prepared appropriately, althpugh my wifes crabcake benedict had quite possibly the most perfectly poached egg we've ever seen, her crabcake was full of shells (a little is fine, but this was nearly every bite), my daughters pancake was gritty and not cooked through, and my meal had burnt potatoes and an overwhelmingly powerful chilly sauce drenching the entire meal, drowning out any flavor.

We saw our waitress to order food and she dropped off drinks, and that was it. The inside was overwhelmingly chaotic, and it was apparent that they were understaffed. In addition to the FOH being understaffed, there was also many instances of employees running into us and the table beside us as they rushed in and out, including hitting an older lady with a full ice bin that was sitting at the table next to us.

All in all, it was loud, chaotic, poor service, poorly prepared food, and just a general lack of care for the customers. Will not be returning.

The poached egg and the coffee were...

Awesome!!! This is truly the best breakfast hands down . The bloody Mary is the best as a local I go as often as I can everyone is so sweet they are truly masters of their craft dealing with the public is never easy however the entire staff makes it look easy smiles everywhere you look Emily generally takes my order so I'm so I'm bias towards her I admit it however the entire wait staff is A plus if your local sunrise will be your new favorite place if you're just visiting and and planning a return trip to the island this will be a must go to the people doing the cooking and the prepping are A+ as well Paula is steadily calling out orders directing what table to bring the food to the rest of her staff is organizing and prepping and just basically fine-tuning everything a fantastic job done by all I enjoy sitting at the counter so I can watch and listen to everything going on behind the counter it is truly awesome if you're familiar with the restaurant industry and then you know the term in the weeds they may be in the weeds however it never shows they are truly amazing every person there is truly outstanding and just a total gem...