Ask for Jason! My boyfriend and I chose Michael Anthony's for a very special occasion. We sat upstairs and had Jason for our server. He was attentive and very knowledgable about the menu and which wines to pair with our selection. He made the entire evening a very enjoyable dining experience so much that we ordered dessert (which we never do). Will definitely tell visitors and friends to dine with you!
(5)
Sarah J.
Excellent service and for vacation dining it exceeded our expectations. If you are from a big city and have access to top restaurants then you might be a little disappointed. We ordered 2 cocktails and they were subpar. The wine selection was very good. I would recommend skipping the cocktails and ordering a bottle of wine instead. We started with the pasta soup & cheese board. The soup was good and the board was above average. My husband had the duck special - it was delicious. I had the gnocchi and it was a little bland. Not the best gnocchi and not the worst. We had the dessert trio. The panna cotta was exceptional, the tiramisu was good, the profiteroles were not good. We spent over $200 and has a good experience but have definitely had better meals for that price.
(3)
Donna G.
Can't believe we just discovered this restaurant. What a hidden gem! Outstanding chef prepares fabulous tasting dinners and desserts. This place will stay permanently on our must go list! Also interesting are the cooking demonstrations. Love this find !
(5)
Amy H.
We came here for our wedding anniversary! This was an absolutely delicious and fantastic evening! PJ our waiter was a gem! Very enthusiastic and knowledgable and made the experience worth while. Besides.. The food was fantastic!! Homemade pasta, cooked to perfection! Nothing was not to brag about! The antipasti was a great start and we ended with vanilla gelato topped with espresso and chocolate. Don't miss this place while in Hilton head!
(5)
Marcus L.
Excellent service, food and atmosphere. Ask for Lucie. He was great! She was very knowledgeable and her recomdations were spot on.
(5)
Kristen S.
We always visit Michael Anthony's while on Hilton Head Island. You can be assured an elegant meal. Do not judge a book by it's cover...go inside and enjoy. Hardworking, polite, knowledgable staff. They take reservations. Michael Anthony's has a Italian Market during day hours where locals and visitors can pick up meats, cheeses, wines, cookbooks, and other Italian goodies. Cooking classes are also offered. The food is amazing. Ingredients are high quality. Even the bread and olive oil are pleasing. Year after year our group of six or more is 100% satisfied when leaving. Truly a Hilton Head Gem worthy of all accolades.
(5)
Fred A.
Great food. I did a call ahead and the held a Veal Chop for me since the have limited amount each night. Excellent place to dine.
(5)
Kristina H.
This place is amazing. The food, ambiance and service are all phenomenal. The early bird special goes until 5:45 and has some really good options. I got the early bird special: beet salad, crab pasta and pana cotta. My sister got the ceasar salad (it was good but very small , i recommended choosing something else), the pasta with sausage and the tiramisu. The beet salad is refreahing and super fresh. The crab pasta has an amazing sauce. Its delicious. The pana cotta was delicious it had this awesome orange rind on top. Our waiters were so nice and super fast. Definitely a place you shouldn't miss!
(5)
Elliott B.
We return to Michael Anthony's for what seems to be the 100th time, and again we have been more than satisfied. Everything from the bread, to the dessert was nothing short of excellent. Although the gnocchi was not very interesting, the tomato sauce it sat in was incredibly fresh tasting and delicious. The staff was playful and friendly, and helped us out immensely by reserving us a table even when the restaurant was full. It's again not a question, we will return to Michael Anthony's.
(4)
Brian D.
Great food, a nice atmosphere and fun wine options mark Michael Anthony's as a great place to eat on Hilton Head Island. My girlfriend and I were on HHI over Labor Day. Based on positive Yelp reviews, we'd made advance reservations to dine at Michaels the Friday night of that holiday weekend. The evening didn't start great- when we arrived the hostess indicated they had our reservation down as for for an earlier time than I was sure I'd made, and that the table had already been given away. Despite the snafu, however, they were able to quickly find a spot for us, so we were seated before we'd even had time to order a drink at the bar. From that point on the rest of the evening was outstanding. Our meal started with a red and golden beet salad which my girlfriend and I shared. My girlfriend is a beet salad fan, so I indulge her despite generally not sharing her love of them. But this dish was unbelievable-sweet, rich beets drizzled with olive oil and garnished with mint, onion and goat cheese. Her entree was a gnocchi dish, which she said was delicious. My entree was a scaloppine of veal, two cutlets lightly breaded and dressed in the most amazing wine, mushroom and black olive tomato sauce. Each flavor was tangy and distinct, and together they melded to a sensational accent for the veal. Our dessert was light puff pastries, creme-filled with rich dark chocolate drizzled over them. The dough was still hot, but each bite seemed light as air. In addition to an extensive list of wines available by the glass and of bottled whites and reds, there were several wine "flight" tasting options,servings of three different wines with themed groupings. We both decided on the "soft, sexy and sassy" Pinot Noir flight, and we were treated to tastings of three distinctly different pinots, so able to compare and contrast each, and to consider how they complimented our meals. Despite the restaurant being very busy, our service was always prompt, the waiter was available without being intrusive, and we never felt either rushed or neglected. Despite the confusion of our reservation time, we were greatly impressed with Michaels and we loved the food.
(4)
Beverly C.
Have eaten there twice now and can confirm the food is spectacular. Being gluten intolerant, it is always a treat to find a restaurant that serves gluten free pasta. I had the gluten free spaghetti with a tomato based sauce. You would never know the pasta was not regular wheat pasta. I had a salad with fresh figs which was also terrific. The wine list is very good with great Italian reds at reasonable prices. The waiters we had each time were really helpful and accommodating. Highly recommend this restaurant.
(5)
Linda P.
We were not happy with our dinner here. The service & food was very mediocre!
Been there twice and had great food both times. The service was very good...and we weren't an easy table with a party of 9 including a baby, a 3 year old, and a 5 year old. Our 5 year old was so excited because she'd "never been to a fancy restaurant before." They put us in the corner on the top floor, which was perfect because I was worried our kids would disturb other diners. I don't remember what everyone ate except that no one was even slightly dissatisfied with their food. I had a prosciutto wrapped veal tenderloin with a barolo reduction sauce on top of spinach and risotto...fantastic. I will keep coming back to this place every time I come to Hilton Head.
(5)
Hale G.
Always excellent food. Usually excellent service, an off night recently for service but will overlook due to so many other experiences.
(4)
Mark R.
The best meal we had in Hilton Head, hands down. Service, atmosphere and food were all outstanding. We enjoyed everything we had on the menu including the Portobello Ripieno, Involtini di Vitello, a Parpadelle Special and the Paillard di Pollo.
(5)
Christina C.
This was the best meal that we had in Hilton Head. We went here on our anniversary (first) and were pleasantly surprised that all four diners received complementary prosecco to start off the evening with. I ordered the Tortelloni di Ricotta e Spinaci - it's TO DIE FOR! Service was impeccable, everyone was friendly and attentive. Everyone at the table enjoyed their dish. We will be happy to return to Michael Anthony's the next time that we are in Hilton Head!
(5)
John F.
The concierge at the hotel recommend Michael Anthony's, where we have eaten at several restaurants in Hilton Head - our expectations were not very high, boy were we surprised. My wife had the Zuppa Toscana to start and Paillard di Pollo for the main course. I had the Insolata Braesola for a starter and the Inoltini di Vitello for my main course. The food was exceptional but it doesn't stop there, this restaurant has and offering of wines by the glass rarely found in a restaurant, I had the Picci Villa al Cortie Brunello di Montalcino 2006 - it was great. Rounding the evening our server (Ibeleive his name is Kevin) was terrific. This restaurant is a must if you find yourself in Hilton Head.
Celebrated Christmas Eve here last night with the feast of the seven fishes. My family and I enjoyed every minute. Food was absolutely fabulous . The deserts were incredible. This is a top notch establishment. Will visit every time I'm on the island.
(5)
Dennis R.
You will need a reservation, it's worth it. We were seated quickly and our server, Amelia, was quick to start our evening at Michael Anthonys. If you can choose a server, ask for Amelia, she was the best. My wife ordered the special for the evening...grilled salmon, she said it was delicious. Our daughter ordered pasta and marina...again, it was delicious. I orderd a split of Tagliatelle Alla Bolognese and Gnocchi di Patate con Salsa di Gorgonzola e Funghi. The gnocchi was perfect with the sauce and crispy pancetta. The bolognese was just amazing. We finished the evening off with dessert: Spormata di Choccolata con Gelato Vanilla and Panna Cotta. Again...delicious and a terrific ending to a wonderful dining experience. Thanks for a great evening at Michael Anthony's Cucina Italiana.
(5)
Eileen S.
First visit to Hilton Head and to Michael Anthony's. We had the early bird three course dinner on Christmas eve. The meal was exceptional. The service was beyond exceptional.
(5)
Luis S.
Just the hype, nothing else! .Service was just OK, nothing to write home about. Too pricey for the service and food. We ordered red wine, it was at room temperature, so we had to request to be chilled. All food was heavy on garlic, no balance on flavors at all. And when we ordered coffee, in a well respected Italian restaurant you have to know what a "macchiato" (spotted) is. I had to explain the server how to fix it. So, my recommendation is: go to a less expensive place, where you can get better service and food.
(2)
JR H.
This used to be one of my favorite restaurants in Hilton Head. Have eaten twice a year on vacation for 10 plus years plus taken cooking lessons No more Hilton Head is a vacation spot, not NY. Plans change. Too much sun. Too hot etc. But MA now requires credit card and if don't cancel by morning or don't tell them grandma felt the heat, they charge. Calling in the evening not good enough Too bad chef Michael. I have sent you many in past, but no more
(1)
John S.
Had the early bird special and saved some bucks. Food was fantastic and service was great also
(5)
Bill R.
We were very disappointed. The restaurant is as noisy as a bar during the Superbowl. The bread was burnt. I ordered veal with sausage, and it was spicier than any Indian food that I have ever had; my wife had linguine with seafood, and she thought the seafood was frozen. We would not try this again.
(2)
Robert O.
We never used to write reviews for sites like Yelp! but we have come to rely on them so much ourselves that we felt it was time to give back and help others find good places. With that said we had an absolutely delightful experience at Michael Anthony's! We give it an unreserved 5 stars - completely up to the rating. My wife and I visited while vacationing in Hilton Head. We had never heard of the restaurant but everything we read from other reviewers said it was worth a try. We both had a taste for Italian and figured we would give it a shot. We knew the area pretty well but had not expected the restaurant to be in a plaza. Unlike the Old Fort Pub, Old Oyster Factory, and the Quarterdeck that wow you with their exterior appearance and location, Michael Anthony's (MA's) is pretty unassuming. That is until you open the door. The decor is fashionable but comfortable. It felt intimate and welcoming but had an air of elegance and sophistication. Just inside we were met by Chris, the maître d'. He was pleasant, funny, and really made us feel that MA's was glad to have us dine with them. He took us to our table where we met Josh, our waiter. I would easily say Josh was one of the top ten waiters we have ever had! We had some questions on the wine list and hoped someone could help. Josh not only knew the list but made some very informed and insightful recommendations. He even suggested a bottle a few dollars less expensive than what we had first chosen saying it would go better with what we planned to order. From there everything flowed beautifully. The courses came casually but promptly. Each dish was prepared expertly - great presentation, excellent pairings, sauces that were just right. All along Josh would stop by to pour the wine, ask how things were going, or just look over the table. I could write on and on but will say that if you are reading this please stop. Click Open Table and get a reservation made! You will be glad you did and will be shortly planning your next visit. Cheers.
(5)
John S.
What a great restaurant! Jay, our server, was very professional and attentive and made a great recommendation for a red wine with my ribeye special. The veal carpaccio was a delight as was the calamari appetizer. My wife enjoyed her duck entree. As full as we were, we couldn't resist trying the desert sampler. A wonderful evening!
(5)
Howard B.
never disappoints. there on weekday evening, celebrating a birthday. many greetings and congrats. cocktails perfect. we brought our own wine to cork (20.00) and OK as long as it's not one they have on their list. appetizers were excellent; i had baby calamari salad. short ribs with polenta, veal chop and pasta bolignese were our entree's. all was perfect. finished off with warm choc cake with molten center. didn't finish wine, but server happy to seal it in plastic for safe ride home. will be back yearly when in town.
(5)
S D.
Disclaimer: I only give out 5 stars if everything was absolutely perfect. If I could give this establishment 4.9, I would. One of the best meals I've had in years. We ordered the Beet/Vinaigrette salad and the Scallop appetizers. Both were 5 star worthy. The ambiance was great, just please don't bring your children. I ordered the spaghetti and clams which was perfect. The wife had a chicken/mozzarella/fried green tomato dish which was very good as well. The bread was delicious. Great wine list. The only dish that was sub-par was the cream puff dessert. Cannot wait to return!
(4)
Ashok P.
First visit here.Consistently ranked in top 2 restaurants in HHI. Italian as it should be.Great flavors,attentive service. They called several times to make sure we would show up. 2 wine lists,one called the reserve!Had a Caymus cab,out of this world! Will try it again.
(4)
Tiffani S.
The food here is excellent. The overall experience was not ideal. We talked to someone very pleasant and helpful to make our reservations. When we arrived the hostess was very cold, not a deal breaker but disappointing. The table had a good amount of crumbs around it, kinda gross. Our server was very friendly. He went through all the specials and we ordered two of the specials to minutes later be told they didn't have them anymore...bummer. The big problem was the time of the food delivery. The first course took about a half an hour, not great but okay. The main course took an hour and a half, unacceptable. And when mine arrived it was incorrect, half order when it should have been a whole order. Our waiter claimed there was a kitchen fire...not sure if we believed him. At that wait time, there needs to be an explanation before the food arrives. The food it's self was terrific. I highly recommend the beat and goat cheese salad, yummy. The homemade pasta is awesome. I'm willing to give this place a second chance because of the food...I guess I'll be booking a table at 5 o'clock next time. ;) ***I had to come back and update my review. One of the owners personally called me today to apologize about the service and fire last night. I will be giving them another try, who says customers service is dead? ;)
(4)
Ashok P.
2years in a row. Lobster ravioli to die for. Great wine list(the premier wine list) Will be back next year. Service lags a bit.
(4)
Laura C.
Wine list goes on forever...my husband tried one of "The Flights" and loved it! We dined with our children, one of which has a severe dairy allergy, and our server was very accommodating. Had homemade meatball which was outstanding! We're from Brooklyn, NY so that was a big deal for us! LOL My main dish was the Spaghetti con Granchio, Arugula e Pomodoro Fresca...delicious! My husband got the Involtini di Vitello con Spinaci, Formaggio e Salsiccia which he is still raving about. Pricier than other places...but worth it. Next time we go to SC, we're definitely going back!
(5)
Lauren B.
So delicious... We had a very special occasion and decided on Michael Anthony's. Great decision. Everything was delicious. The bruschetta was wonderful, my caesar salad with anchovies was great, and my bucatini con vongole was amazing. Such a big portion. Definitely go here if you are looking for a great italian meal in Hilton Head.
(5)
leslie l.
Love, love, love this place! The food is always wonderful and they have a great wine selection. Josh has been our waiter for the past two years and he is great. He's very knowledgeable about the food, the wine, the island whatever you need to know. We have been coming here to celebrate my youngest daughter's birthday for the past 5 years and have never been disappointed. The dishes here - whether you order pasta, fish or meat are really full of flavor, and they don't skimp on the portions for a pricey restaurant. If you like chocolate they make a to die for lava cake. Personally I had the zabaglione flavored with limoncello over fresh peaches and was in heaven. This would be my number one recommendation to anyone looking for a really great consistent place to eat on the island. Oh..they also do cooking classes!
(5)
Susanne S.
Food was ok, rather disappointing after all the rave reviews I read. The calamari was good, the veal scaloppine was not, several pasta entrees were ok. The best was the dessert - the chocolate molten cake. Overall, ok, not great.
(3)
Whitney B.
The service is great and every dish we ordered was perfection. I recommend a reservation, but we showed up 10 mins early and were seated right away. Don't forget to order dessert, the lemon gelati is to die for.
(5)
Andrew E.
I dined with a bunch of friends spending a pleasant weekend in Hilton Head. Our waiter was knowledgeable and excited about the food he was serving. Service was attentive. Our water glasses were never empty. Plates arrived in a timely and organized manner. The food was good, not amazing. We tried various seafood as well as the duck. All of us ate well. The calamari appetizer was excellent with a tomato based sauce rather than breaded and fried. We shared a decent bottle of wine that the waiter helped us choose. The molten chocolate cake was the dessert hit but the gelatos and sorbets were tasty as well. Good ambiance, not too noisy.
(3)
A B.
This restaurant prompted me to create a yelp account, just so that I could share how happy I was with my experience here. The service was friendly, accommodating and thoroughly competent. The wine list was excellent; I had a flight of red wines which were as interesting as they were delightful (and for a very decent price). The rest of their wine list, if you are looking for a bottle, was as good as any I have seen outside of California and better than any I have seen in the South so far. I ordered the duck and was blown away; each bite was exactly what it ought to be, crispy skin and succulent meat set against sweet figs and an orange sauce. My wife, a vegetarian, had the gnocchi which was as good as gnocchi I have had in Rome and Venice; it was light and pillowy. Don't leave without trying the desert trio, each example (panna cotta, tiramisu and profiterols) were perfect executions of those classic dishes. You can expect that a dinner for two will be in the neighborhood of 100 bucks depending on your choices, but it will be well worth that price.
(5)
TJ M.
Very good food - a little pricey and not very kid friendly. Good place for date night ;)
(4)
A. C. F.
Server was great, suggested a delicious after dinner cognac! My steak left a little to be desired. Pear pine nut salad was very good; caprese very good; gnocchi very good; strawberry sorbet was out of this world- fantastic way to end the night.
(4)
Robert C.
This would be a four star in any city and a Hilton Head five star. Very good service, great food with a nice presentation, quiet enough for easy conversation, and very pleasant atmosphere. All in all a good spot for a special night out.
(4)
Matt R.
Great food, great wine list. A nice break from the many, many kids at all of the other restaurant's on vacation. Perfect for a dinner with the parents.
(5)
Scott S.
My wife and I are from Philly so we know good Italian food when we see (eat) it and M.A. delivers. Not just on the food end either... nice energetic atmosphere, fantastic service (thank you Joni, u rock!!!!) and perfect wine list (not so many wines that you need to take a nap after reading it but enough to give everyone some very nice choices). Btw- if u r a wine snob like me and want to try a banging wine try the Amarone... it will hit u for close to a Benny but good God! Anyway, great place and if we come back to Hilton Head in the future we will be back for sure.
(5)
elizabeth w.
I'm not a *foody* really, but I LOVE good food. So, hubby takes me out to dinner here the other night for "date night" and I can honestly say that it was one of my top 5 dishes of all time. The wine was amazing and what a selection, but the food. YUM! I had a special. Spinach, ricotta and buffalo motz stuffed ravioli in a browned butter sage sauce. Oh good lord. I'm glad they only gave me like 6 of them because I seriously would have eaten them until I blew up. They were soooo good. Hubby didn't enjoy his lobster risotto as much though. :*( Some of the lobster chunks were a bit fishy. The desserts were heavenly as well. I had a sampler while hubby had the chocolate soufflee. His was the best. Very yummmmmm... So, highly recommend this place.
(5)
Wilf F.
Had a lovely dinner.Excellent recommendations by Justin our waiter. Very fine establishment.Best penne I have ever had.
(5)
Rick D.
Food was excellent both in quality and presentation. Pricey, though. I thought eight bucks for a small Caesar salad (not a main course) was a bit high but they wanted to charge another dollar for an anchovy. Come on. Most main courses are priced in the $20-30 range. From the filet to the pork chop to the duck, everyone was quite pleased with dinner. The service from our server was professionally friendly, unobtrusive and fairly complete, although more attention should have been paid to fundamentals like keeping water glasses full, replenishing bread, etc. As for the bread, it is excellent but they were stingy with it. Instead of putting a basket on the table, bread was doled out small piece by small piece as if they were running short. The ambiance was pleasant but the noise level inside was nearly deafening; I had trouble understanding conversation at my own table.
(4)
Todd R.
I forgot. The potato gnochi was fabulous and so was the sauce it was in, so I'm bumping it up a star and will try to get something more traditional next trip.
(4)
Katie S.
Michael Anthony's is the best Italian food I have ever had. It is a bit pricey, but it is SO worth it! My husband and I go there for special occasions. The food is great, and the people are so friendly. I love this place, and will go back again and again!
(5)
Richard F.
Quality Italian food in an upscale setting. Server was a little stiff, but dinner was excellent. Steer clear of the caesar salad; definitely not up to par with the rest of the meal. Wine list is pricey, but lots of unique options, including tastings.
(4)
David B.
This is the place for great food, nice wine and impeccable service. It's a high end experience perfect for special occasions. Lots of veal dishes on the menu (which I don't eat), but there's always a go-to steak and/or seafood dish as well. michael-anthonys.com
(4)
Ajay B.
I have eaten at this restaurant for about 10 years. Over the years, the food and service has been consistently good. My visit today was very disappointing. The waiter was young and clearly out of his league at ths type of establishment. It took fifteen minutes to get us a glass of wine - 30 minutes for bread after two reminders... Grouper - which was a special (so one would figure they would get it right) was mediocre at best. A simple Penne Arrabiata, was lacking in flavor. We asked for fresh ground Pepper, and the waiter acted like we asked for a huge favor - he handed my wife the pepper mill! For a meal that costed well over $120 - one expects courteous service and good food. I hope Michael and Jill read these reviews and will fix these problems - you cannot coast on your reputation. I am hesitant to come back for over priced and mediocre food and service, or recommend this restaurant to our friends.
(2)
Mary K.
We celebrated our 35th anniversary there, and our meal was excellent. We spent all week at Hilton Head and this was the dinner we most enjoyed. Beautiful presentation, excellently prepared food, professional server. All added up to a great experience.
(5)
Noel P.
Celebrated 10th wedding anniversary with the family at Michael Anthony's. Kelly was our server and couldn't have been more helpful. Portabella mushroom with buffalo mozzarella and fresh arugula was outstanding. Veal scallopini with FRESH porcini mushrooms was amazing. The staff went out of their way to make our evening special and exceeded all expectations.
(5)
James W.
AMAZING FOOD!!! We made a reservation at the bar because they were already booked in the restaurant and the bartender was great! The rigatoni pasta with Italian sausage and the veal medallions stuffed with spinach were incredible. Also, the chocolate souffle is a MUST for chocolate lovers! Definitely will visit again when back in town.
(5)
Laura B.
Michael Anthony's is a staple anytime I'm on the island. From the great staff to the amuse bouche to the great wine selection - I love this place! Sure I live in Chicago now, where there are tons of great Italian places, but Michael Anthony's could stand up to them any day. My favorite thing to order is the veal chop parmesan, not on the menu, but you gotta order it! Its a butterflied veal chop with all the usual "veal parmesan" accouterments. So Good, and it takes up the whole plate! Pasta is fresh, salads are wonderful, everything is prepared fresh and homemade. So bring an appetite and get ready for some delish food
(5)
Lil C.
great place for great food and drinks. great for large groups. I would definitely recommend the lemon dessert and sea food.
(4)
Heather D.
I had checked this restaurant out on Yelp before going to Hilton Head, and we got lost trying to find it (like every place on the island, it seems). Unfortunately, I didn't get the whole experience because I went for a to-go order....had a cosmo while I was waiting, and it was fabulous. Their dining room looked very romantic, and the bar area was comfortable. I ordered two entrees and unfortunately, realized that one was wrong when I got back to the hotel. No worries...can't remember the exact names but one was ribbon noodles with bolognase (sp) sauce and the other was lasagna with spinach noodles. Although I was disappointed that I didn't get my crab & pasta entree, mine was about as good as anything I'd make at home (so-so). The lasagna was better...lots of cheese. Also got bread (but no butter-bummer!) and a baby greens salad (best part of the meal). If I go back to Hilton Head, I'll probably try another Italian restaurant if I'm in the mood for pasta. Oh, and they don't have to-go utensils...
(3)
Jay B.
Absolutely the best food on the island. If you are on the island and do not try it you have made a mistake. We had been disappointed with the restaurants that we had eaten at during recent visits. They had no creativity. Seafood, often not well prepared, steaks, etc. I tend to avoid Italian restaurants in general because I am pretty picky when it comes to Italian and prefer mine homemade. However, with reservation I agreed that we should try this place out. We were with friends who enjoy good food and Italian and I knew that any of the other restaurants we had tried recently (Old Oyster Factory, Steamers, Hudson's, Crazy Crab, etc) would disappoint. I am very happy they were with us otherwise I might not have tried it. It is excellent. Great atmosphere, music, food, you name it. I is a little expensive but worth the price. Everyone was satisfied. Don't pass up the desert. Good wine selection. I was so happy to have found a place that my friends could enjoy. it is casual but not too casual. We will be back! A great alternative to the overused, recycled fare that most restaurants seem satisfied to serve. Also, I really dug that the chef was sitting out in the bar area when we left telling people to have a good evening, hoped we enjoyed, etc. Classy.
(5)
Christine B.
Excellent food, service and ambiance. Always excellent. Get a reservation well in advance it books up quickly.
(4)
Valerie B.
We liked this place so much we ate there two nights in a row. Food matched service which is to say both were great. Only downside (and reason for four not five stars) was the noise level, especially second night upstairs near a large group celebrating a birthday. Don't let that deter you. And do try whatever the off-the-menu dessert(s) happens to be the night you go . . . zabaglione with seasonal fruit was so yummy that I would have licked the bowl had I not been in public setting.
(4)
Sid A.
Great service. Great atmosphere. Pricey, but it was worth it. Veal piccatta was fantastic. We're be back.
(4)
Malissia M.
Lovely! We went in a group of 9 for my parents' 30th wedding anniversary. The waiter, Peter, was extremely nice and went out of his way to ensure we were having a fantastic celebration. The lump crab spaghetti made me forget I rarely eat pasta!
(5)
Sun L.
We ate here a couple of years ago, and were pleased so this year we decided to try it again. No more. The prices are ridiculously high for the portions and for the area. They rushed us through our meal, and we were not ordering from the early bird menu. We are used to NYC prices and it's less pricey in NYC. We ordered wine by the glass (6 oz) and the prices were high-- lowest price on the menu for a read was $11. Then we both ordered pasta for our main course, lured by the delicious descriptions. The portions were smaller than what we consider typical appetizer portions for pasta, approximately 1 cup of pasta. After a $90 bill for 2 wines, 2 pastas and 1 appetizer, we left and went home where we ate another dinner. We are dumbfounded that they can stay in business with the disparity in the portion size to the price in South Carolina. We wonder if it's because it was a holiday weekend. But whatever, we won't be returning.
(1)
Debbi D.
Wonderful service, helpful. Very good Italian. We had a group of 16 and service was consistently good. Good appetizers, entrees and delicious desserts and beverages.
(5)
Elisa K.
Solid Italian dining. A little heavy handed at times, but delightful service, and a lovely atmosphere.
(4)
Christine B.
Our server was outstanding! Elijah, the bar tender, served us at a high top! Very attentive and knowledgable. Food was also outstanding! Couldn't have asked for a better atmosphere, server or meal!
Went here for our 10 year anniversary dinner...outstanding! Right from the start, our server was very knowledgeable and made good recommendations on what to eat. The bruschetta served as an appetizer and the gnocchi was seriously the best I've ever had anywhere. I ordered a couple of cocktails and they were a nice, strong pour. My wife was equally pleased with her meal as well. It doesn't look like much from the outside, as part of a nondescript strip mall, but once inside you forget all of that. Will definitely visit again the next time we are back on the island!
(5)
Jen H.
Excellent three course early bird special. First time dining here in over 20 years of visiting hhi. Great ambiance and service and most importantly fresh and delicious Italian food. My party tried just about everything on the early bird menu and everything was good. The pork dish and crab spaghetti entree were favorites and the pana cotta was to die for. You also receive iced tea or soda with the early dining special and $7 glasses of house red or white wine.
(5)
Mandi T.
I have been going to HHI for 8+ years, I know the restaurants very well. THIS IS AS GOOD AS IT GETS Its in a shopping center but, gorgeous inside! The food is fresh, staff is great....yes its expensive but, its a great special occasion spot! go!
(5)
Marjet W.
We celebrated our 10th Anniversary here last night Elizia was our waiter and his service was superb. We started with a cocktail ( one of the best martini's ever) and received tne famous brushetta and the delicious bread, then we decided to share the caprese salad, an order of spagetti with lump crab,,,,mmmm mmmm, and each had a different Veal dish, our wine Brunello di montelcino caprezi was perfect. Then we finished with the yummy profiterol desert, a glass of port and Elizia gave us a homemade Lemoncello at the end! This was probably the best Italian dinner we have had in the US since our stays in Italy. We highky recommend and thank Elizia again for his attentive service. Just great!
(5)
John S.
I'm from Louisiana and my wife's a great cook and I have 4 kids. This restaurant is excellent. Everyone is happy and satisfied.
(5)
Bob P.
Great food and great service - a tough combination to beat. Had a waiter named Ryan who managed my mother-in-law like a pro (better than i can) and set the foundation for an amazing dining experience, She is 99 and they made sure she had a convenient table and a place for her walker making this a stress-less experience. We had the Caprese salad and Veal Scallopini and loved it - followed by gelato. All great.
(5)
Greg O.
Its nice to see customer service is still alive in some places in this country. The restaurant is tucked in a small mall, but the interior is very nicely decorated. We were immediately greeted by a very friendly hostess, and we had a great waiter. Not to mention the complimentary toast we were given in honor of our anniversary. They all made the meal a great experience. As for the food, we started off with a very tasty appetizer of prosciutto, melon and arugula. My wife's entree of tortellini was spectacular- perfectly done. My veal medallions were also good, although the prosciutto got lost in the spinach, and the portion size was a little smaller than I expected. But still very tasty. A great experience and a restaurant worth returning to.
(4)
Hildee I.
On a chilly Tuesday night we arrived with an Open Table reservation for 7:15 pm. They bar and dining room were half full but still the place was loud with a nice vibe. I knew I was in for a pricey meal when we were told two people would be serving us. One look at the menu and I knew I was ordering water to drink and not the server's choice of still or sparkling. My 9 year old son had the Caesar salad & penne pasta with EVOO, he loved them both. I ordered the butternut Ravioli, small portion but Delicious. My brother ordered that fancier named chicken parm, very large portion that he gobbled up! The bill came to $60.00 plus tip. This place is perfect if you are not on a budget, excellent service, great atmosphere, fun people watching. If I come again with unlimited dining funds I will give it 5 stars!
(4)
Erica P.
Excellent ambiance, food was delicious and service was unparalleled. We had salads, angel hair with mussels/clams, tortellini, and the special with mussels and garlic....deletable. Save room for dessert, to die for, best tiramisu I have ever had. Took our 16 year old daughter, she loved it, had a lovely evening, great staff.
(5)
Geoff B.
Food was great. Our waitress had a bad attitude from the beginning. Maybe she was having a bad night.
(3)
Brenda S.
Seven years coming to Hilton Head and we have never have had such great service and food! Every course was perfect. Lucy our server was a professional extraordinaire. This restaurant is the epitome of everything a fine dining experience should be. I need to eat gluten free so the fact that they had excellent quality gluten free pasta as an option was wonderful! I started with the sauteed calamari appetizer...sweet, tender and flavorful. The salad was a fabulous beet salad. For my entree...the seafood lump crab meat pasta. I ended with a wonderful fresh fruit vanilla cream dessert. Lucy not only knew about gluten she was able to make intelligent recommendations so I didn't feel a bit left out in any way. I had lots of options! We were celebrating our anniversary and were made to feel so special when they brought out a complimentary appetizer, wine tasting and our desserts with candles lit. Don't miss out. You won't be disappointed.
(5)
Ryan H.
Great food and service! PJ is one of the best waiters around. I recommend asking for him.
(4)
U.S. A.
I wasn't sure if the reviews would live up to the experience. I'm picky about giving out 1 or 5 star reviews, my wife insisted I give 'em 5. Perhaps I'd go 4.5 in reality. The .5 would be a hit on the bruschetta bites they brought out which had soggy bread. But the rest of the meal was great. The carpaccio was solid, but the salads were awesome. My wife had the Insalata con Gorgonzola, Pera e Noce and I had the Insalata Mista.. yum yum yum. For our meal my wife had Capesante con Farro e Salsa Balsamico which was very good, I had the Paillard di Pollo which was delightful. By this time we were full and no desert. Our waiter was great.
(5)
Kimberly G.
AWESOME!!! To start out, their customer service is over the top!! The waiter was very knowledgeable and helpful. The food was fantastic. Everything was top notch! I would for sure go back! This was the best dinner of our trip!
(5)
Kevin-Yuki L.
Kevin suggests five stars but Yuki's Tiramisu was a mediocre finish to an excellent meal. Our server, Ian, proved to be an excellent guide to the menu. We all shared Carppaccio, Watermelon Salad with balsamic vinaigrette, Melon with Prosciutto, and Calamari marinara. The water melon salad seems to be a trend in the area; It was surprisingly good. All of our appetizers were good. Kevin raved about his order, the veal fillet special served with Italian/Lowcountry Succotash. Yuki and Kevin's mom had the Homemade ricotta and spinach stuffed tortelloni with butter and sage sauce which was very good. It was just the right portion. Kevin's dad ordered the Duck breast. Kevin's daughter's friend had the Veal Scalopinne. Everybody enjoyed his/her entrees tremendously. The desserts were mixed. As noted above, the Tiramisu was a disappointment (Maggiano's is better). We highly recommend the Zabaglione.
(4)
A.B. R.
I have been visiting Hilton Head for many years and not one time had I given thought to visiting Michael Anthony's. No reason, but it just didn't cross the my radar. It did this visit and I am glad. We were impressed as soon as we walked in the door. We were greeted by a smartly dressed and courteous hostess. We arrived right on the minute of our reservation time and were promptly seated in a comfortable booth. I am always impressed with being seated at the reserved time; small things count. Alex, our server was a true professional. No doubt, he has "been there, done that". He was attentive, cordial and had a knack for being there just as we needed him. He could also "recite" the menu. That's another good indicator. Michael Anthony's is a rather upscale Italian restaurant. You would feel a bit out of place wearing a tee shirt and jeans here. It is as one reviewer stated "casually elegant". This might be the place to wear that one pair of nice pants or dress that you lugged to the beach, just in case. Based on the interactions and the crowd, I could tell that the restaurant is frequented by repeat customers and the locals. That's yet another good sign. Our dinner met, if not exceeded our expectations. In summary, everything from the warm bread, calamari, sea bass and chefs scallops were outstanding. The presentations were well done and the food was great. Service was top notch and all that you would expect in fine establishments. If you haven't tried Michael Anthony's, you have to place it on your "must visit" list. I will certainly be returning.
(5)
Mike C.
Made my first visit here in eight years, and everything was as good as I remembered. Attentive and helpful service, with our waiter making spot-on wine recomendations. (By the way, the extensive wine list is priced extremely reasonably, maybe at a small fraction over cost). I had the Veal Medallions, which were nicely checked by the escarole and mild tomato broth. My wife had the gnocchi, which had a somewhat tough texture that was more than offset by the sublime Pomodoro sauce. Desserts (tiramasu and profiteroles) were decent. There are lots of outstanding restaurants on HHI, but this is always at the very top of my list.
(5)
Mike F.
My family and I had an excellent dinner here. I had the veal saltimbocca which was excellent my wife had the sausage stuffed veal which was in my opinion not as good as mine, but is the most popular entree I was told. Everything was perfect. My 3 teenagers all enjoyed their meals. My picky guy was able to have chicken parm special ordered as offered by our server who did a great job making us feel as we were at home. I had the best desert, the espresso/Kalua/gelato desert. WOW, and I'm not a desert guy.
(5)
Shamik T.
Man, oh man. This place was delightful. Great, great food. The only place at which we ate on Hilton Head that had actual tomatoes in their salad. No mealy mess of a supermarket "tomato" here. Caprese salad tasted fresh, and was very good. Gnocci was also tasty. Texture of the gnocci itself was not too chewy, but not melt-in your-mouth either. Overall balance struck me as palatable for most who would venture in. We really only picked this place because of all the other glowing reviews, and we're happy we did. Waiter spoke a bit fast, which got me thinking that if Hilton Head were more of an international destination, it may have been a communication problem for him and the diner. Sorbet and gelato mix was key. One scoop of each was plenty. Mint chocolate chip gelato tasted like it had fresh spearmint, and the strawberry sorbet was really very tasty. (Though no sorbet comes close to that which I had at Fore Street in Portland, ME.
(4)
Shelli R.
This was a classy, beautiful restaurant with impeccable service and fabulous food. I could not have asked for more.....Worth every penny as it was an experience, not just for a foodie like myself but for my 8 and 10 year old granddaughters as well. Although they did not have a typical "children's menu",. they were so accommodating with their choices and the girls were happy! I would definitely go back on a future trip to H.H.
(5)
John D.
I was in Hilton Head for a meeting and had the opportunity to go to dinner here. Overall it was a great experience. The atmosphere is what I would call elegant casual. The hostess was bubbly and accommodating. The menu offered a wide range of usual options as well as some unique offerings. One of the specials was veal parm and that is a hard one for me to resist especially when the waiter says "it will be the best you ever had". I wanted the homemade ribbon pasta with bolognese but opted for the special. The veal parm was very good, well seasoned, huge portion. The pasta with sauce that came with it was perfectly cooked and the sauce was very nice. I did have to get sauce on the side as they were a bit stingy on the veal. While it was very good, Ralph's in south Philly is by far the best ever. That said this was a satisfying substitute.
(4)
Leslye P.
Start your review...Perfect spot to celebrate our anniversary!! It is a bit pricey but not more than many other places on HH and it is MUCH better!!! I had the pasta & shrimp special, my husband had the veal special. Both were different enough to be unique -- and very delicious!! We sat upstairs and had great service. We really liked that the tables are not too close together and the background music was nice -- but not too loud. We could have a conversation and didn't have to listen to anyone else's conversation.
(5)
Dining A.
We had a great meal here-- if you arrive 5:15-5:45, they have an early bird special of 3 courses for $19.50 pp; since the food, service and atmosphere were all nice, this turned out to be a great deal. We'll be back in the future!
(5)
Robert R.
Since Michael Cirafesi is no longer the head Chef or part Owner, the food is bland and terrible !
(1)
Marty J.
Michael Anthony's wins the Hilton Head restaurant superlative for Best Overall. I'm generally not a big fan of Italian cuisine, but the meal I had at Michael Anthony's was one of the better ones I've had recently despite the fact that it was Italian. I apologize for how snobbish this sentence is about to sound, but Michael Anthony's is the only restaurant on Hilton Head that I'm aware of that could hold its own in Atlanta's dining scene. They started us off with an eggplant bruschetta. I don't like olives and this had a heavy olive flavor, so I was not a big fan but the rest of the table enjoyed it. For my appetizer, I ordered the watermelon and arugula salad and it was by far the most refreshing salad I've ever had. Who knew that watermelon, arugula, and pine nuts could come together in such blissful harmony. It was perfect for the summertime and I'll be attempting to recreate this salad at home. I couldn't decide between the gnocci and the Orecchiette alla Baresi (Italian sausage pasta) for my main dish, but luckily the waiter was nice enough to let me order a half order of each. The gnocci melts in your mouth and ranks as some of the best I've ever had. The Italian sausage pasta comes with sea shell pasta and greens with olive oil. The greens added a nice crunch. One of the issues that I have with Italian foods and pastas is that I find them too heavy, but neither the gnocci nor the Italian sausage fall into that category. Two members of our party ordered the night's special which was veal ossobucco. The veal had been braised in red wine and spices for 16 hours and had risotto piped around the edge. It was described as moist, fall off the bone tender, and delicious. Another member of our party ordered half orders of both pasta specials of the day. One was the ravioli of the day which was ricotta cheese and spinach and the other special was a wide noodle dish with mushroom and tomatoes. The ravioli was described as light and melt in your mouth heavenly. The wide noodle pasta dish was good, but a bit more like comfort food. For desert, we ordered the Sformata di Cioccolata con Gelato Vanilla (molten chocolate cake) and gelato selection. I highly recommend saving room for the molten chocolate cake. There was a lot of heavenly chocolate gooeyness inside the cake and the accompanying vanilla gelato was delectable. The gelato selection, which consisted of chocolate gelato and peach semifrato, was just ok. I've heard the banana gelato is delicious though. Justin, our server, was good. He was passionate about the food, gave detailed descriptions, and liked to drop chef Michael's name as if he had recently won Top Chef. Michael Anthony's also has cooking classes given by Chef Michael that got rave reviews from my family members that attended. They said they would definitely do another class on our next visit to Hilton Head and I may join them. Lunch and wine are included in the class.
(5)
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
Address :37 New Orleans Rd
Hilton Head Island, SC, 29928
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : No Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Classy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Lexy S.
Ask for Jason! My boyfriend and I chose Michael Anthony's for a very special occasion. We sat upstairs and had Jason for our server. He was attentive and very knowledgable about the menu and which wines to pair with our selection. He made the entire evening a very enjoyable dining experience so much that we ordered dessert (which we never do). Will definitely tell visitors and friends to dine with you!
(5)Sarah J.
Excellent service and for vacation dining it exceeded our expectations. If you are from a big city and have access to top restaurants then you might be a little disappointed. We ordered 2 cocktails and they were subpar. The wine selection was very good. I would recommend skipping the cocktails and ordering a bottle of wine instead. We started with the pasta soup & cheese board. The soup was good and the board was above average. My husband had the duck special - it was delicious. I had the gnocchi and it was a little bland. Not the best gnocchi and not the worst. We had the dessert trio. The panna cotta was exceptional, the tiramisu was good, the profiteroles were not good. We spent over $200 and has a good experience but have definitely had better meals for that price.
(3)Donna G.
Can't believe we just discovered this restaurant. What a hidden gem! Outstanding chef prepares fabulous tasting dinners and desserts. This place will stay permanently on our must go list! Also interesting are the cooking demonstrations. Love this find !
(5)Amy H.
We came here for our wedding anniversary! This was an absolutely delicious and fantastic evening! PJ our waiter was a gem! Very enthusiastic and knowledgable and made the experience worth while. Besides.. The food was fantastic!! Homemade pasta, cooked to perfection! Nothing was not to brag about! The antipasti was a great start and we ended with vanilla gelato topped with espresso and chocolate. Don't miss this place while in Hilton head!
(5)Marcus L.
Excellent service, food and atmosphere. Ask for Lucie. He was great! She was very knowledgeable and her recomdations were spot on.
(5)Kristen S.
We always visit Michael Anthony's while on Hilton Head Island. You can be assured an elegant meal. Do not judge a book by it's cover...go inside and enjoy. Hardworking, polite, knowledgable staff. They take reservations. Michael Anthony's has a Italian Market during day hours where locals and visitors can pick up meats, cheeses, wines, cookbooks, and other Italian goodies. Cooking classes are also offered. The food is amazing. Ingredients are high quality. Even the bread and olive oil are pleasing. Year after year our group of six or more is 100% satisfied when leaving. Truly a Hilton Head Gem worthy of all accolades.
(5)Fred A.
Great food. I did a call ahead and the held a Veal Chop for me since the have limited amount each night. Excellent place to dine.
(5)Kristina H.
This place is amazing. The food, ambiance and service are all phenomenal. The early bird special goes until 5:45 and has some really good options. I got the early bird special: beet salad, crab pasta and pana cotta. My sister got the ceasar salad (it was good but very small , i recommended choosing something else), the pasta with sausage and the tiramisu. The beet salad is refreahing and super fresh. The crab pasta has an amazing sauce. Its delicious. The pana cotta was delicious it had this awesome orange rind on top. Our waiters were so nice and super fast. Definitely a place you shouldn't miss!
(5)Elliott B.
We return to Michael Anthony's for what seems to be the 100th time, and again we have been more than satisfied. Everything from the bread, to the dessert was nothing short of excellent. Although the gnocchi was not very interesting, the tomato sauce it sat in was incredibly fresh tasting and delicious. The staff was playful and friendly, and helped us out immensely by reserving us a table even when the restaurant was full. It's again not a question, we will return to Michael Anthony's.
(4)Brian D.
Great food, a nice atmosphere and fun wine options mark Michael Anthony's as a great place to eat on Hilton Head Island. My girlfriend and I were on HHI over Labor Day. Based on positive Yelp reviews, we'd made advance reservations to dine at Michaels the Friday night of that holiday weekend. The evening didn't start great- when we arrived the hostess indicated they had our reservation down as for for an earlier time than I was sure I'd made, and that the table had already been given away. Despite the snafu, however, they were able to quickly find a spot for us, so we were seated before we'd even had time to order a drink at the bar. From that point on the rest of the evening was outstanding. Our meal started with a red and golden beet salad which my girlfriend and I shared. My girlfriend is a beet salad fan, so I indulge her despite generally not sharing her love of them. But this dish was unbelievable-sweet, rich beets drizzled with olive oil and garnished with mint, onion and goat cheese. Her entree was a gnocchi dish, which she said was delicious. My entree was a scaloppine of veal, two cutlets lightly breaded and dressed in the most amazing wine, mushroom and black olive tomato sauce. Each flavor was tangy and distinct, and together they melded to a sensational accent for the veal. Our dessert was light puff pastries, creme-filled with rich dark chocolate drizzled over them. The dough was still hot, but each bite seemed light as air. In addition to an extensive list of wines available by the glass and of bottled whites and reds, there were several wine "flight" tasting options,servings of three different wines with themed groupings. We both decided on the "soft, sexy and sassy" Pinot Noir flight, and we were treated to tastings of three distinctly different pinots, so able to compare and contrast each, and to consider how they complimented our meals. Despite the restaurant being very busy, our service was always prompt, the waiter was available without being intrusive, and we never felt either rushed or neglected. Despite the confusion of our reservation time, we were greatly impressed with Michaels and we loved the food.
(4)Beverly C.
Have eaten there twice now and can confirm the food is spectacular. Being gluten intolerant, it is always a treat to find a restaurant that serves gluten free pasta. I had the gluten free spaghetti with a tomato based sauce. You would never know the pasta was not regular wheat pasta. I had a salad with fresh figs which was also terrific. The wine list is very good with great Italian reds at reasonable prices. The waiters we had each time were really helpful and accommodating. Highly recommend this restaurant.
(5)Linda P.
We were not happy with our dinner here. The service & food was very mediocre!
(1)Sandy K.
After getting in 27 holes of golf we decided to go to Michael Anthony's BC we heard positive reviews about the place. We went right after the 19th watering hole so we definitely weren't dressed to dine in the restaurant but went to the bar to dine. We sat at the bar counter and started off with bottle of Allegrini Palazzo dellaTorre which was very good and fair priced. For appetizers we started with Carpaccio di Manzo - thinly sliced raw Black Angus beef dressed with lemon, extra virgin olive oil, capers and shared Parmigiano and Calamaretti in "Inzimino" Baby calamari sautéed with white wine, fresh tomato, crushed red pepper and capers. For are main entrees we enjoyed Pesce Fresco dell Giorno which was swordfish and Tagliatelle with shrimp and spaghetti crab. I must say all three entree were a hit but the swordfish and Frescon Dell Giorno were my faves. This was the best meal on HHI for the week and was incredible. We topped off the great dinner with Dolce Mista della Casa - A sampling of their signature desserts - Tiramisu, Panna Cotta and Profiterole and I had a Michael Anthony signature liquor coffee. The desserts were outstanding expecially the Tiramisu. If and when I return to HHI Michael Anthony's will be at the top of my list for dinner.
(5)Rob P.
Been there twice and had great food both times. The service was very good...and we weren't an easy table with a party of 9 including a baby, a 3 year old, and a 5 year old. Our 5 year old was so excited because she'd "never been to a fancy restaurant before." They put us in the corner on the top floor, which was perfect because I was worried our kids would disturb other diners. I don't remember what everyone ate except that no one was even slightly dissatisfied with their food. I had a prosciutto wrapped veal tenderloin with a barolo reduction sauce on top of spinach and risotto...fantastic. I will keep coming back to this place every time I come to Hilton Head.
(5)Hale G.
Always excellent food. Usually excellent service, an off night recently for service but will overlook due to so many other experiences.
(4)Mark R.
The best meal we had in Hilton Head, hands down. Service, atmosphere and food were all outstanding. We enjoyed everything we had on the menu including the Portobello Ripieno, Involtini di Vitello, a Parpadelle Special and the Paillard di Pollo.
(5)Christina C.
This was the best meal that we had in Hilton Head. We went here on our anniversary (first) and were pleasantly surprised that all four diners received complementary prosecco to start off the evening with. I ordered the Tortelloni di Ricotta e Spinaci - it's TO DIE FOR! Service was impeccable, everyone was friendly and attentive. Everyone at the table enjoyed their dish. We will be happy to return to Michael Anthony's the next time that we are in Hilton Head!
(5)John F.
The concierge at the hotel recommend Michael Anthony's, where we have eaten at several restaurants in Hilton Head - our expectations were not very high, boy were we surprised. My wife had the Zuppa Toscana to start and Paillard di Pollo for the main course. I had the Insolata Braesola for a starter and the Inoltini di Vitello for my main course. The food was exceptional but it doesn't stop there, this restaurant has and offering of wines by the glass rarely found in a restaurant, I had the Picci Villa al Cortie Brunello di Montalcino 2006 - it was great. Rounding the evening our server (Ibeleive his name is Kevin) was terrific. This restaurant is a must if you find yourself in Hilton Head.
(5)Richard P.
A wonderful find! Only our third five-star restaurant review, but one well earned. My wife, Susan, & I would not have know about Michael Anthony's except for a friend with us in Hilton Head, judging the Hilton Head Wine Festival, March 5-10, 2012. What a wonderful surprise. On a very busy night, General Manager, Jill Boyd, was able to work us in. Service by Justin & the team was knowledgeable and wonderfully executed. The wine list was much appreciated (all of us being wine enthusiasts, with one Master Sommelier in our dinner group that evening). Although we dined on a night during "Restaurant Week" (3 courses for $29), we preferred items from the menu - despite the restaurant week selections being extraordinary values at the price. Our meals were perfectly prepared, with the highlight being the Ravioli del Giorno: house-made ravioli stuffed with ricotta and spinach, in a brown butter sage sauce. The Pesca Fresco dell Giorno was swordfish and was superb. Our table also enjoyed the Costoletta di Vitello al Tartufo Nero e Vino Rosso (sautéed veal chop with a black truffle and red wine sauce). Our least favorite, though certainly head-and-shoulders what might be typical for the dish, was the Saltimbocca. For dessert we ordered the Dolce Mista della Casa, along with an off-menu special, Limoncello zabaglione that was absolutely fabulous! If you are in Hilton Head, and appreciate pleasant surroundings, friendly & knowledgeable staff, and extraordinary food, do NOT miss Michael Anthony's.
(5)Maria V.
Celebrated Christmas Eve here last night with the feast of the seven fishes. My family and I enjoyed every minute. Food was absolutely fabulous . The deserts were incredible. This is a top notch establishment. Will visit every time I'm on the island.
(5)Dennis R.
You will need a reservation, it's worth it. We were seated quickly and our server, Amelia, was quick to start our evening at Michael Anthonys. If you can choose a server, ask for Amelia, she was the best. My wife ordered the special for the evening...grilled salmon, she said it was delicious. Our daughter ordered pasta and marina...again, it was delicious. I orderd a split of Tagliatelle Alla Bolognese and Gnocchi di Patate con Salsa di Gorgonzola e Funghi. The gnocchi was perfect with the sauce and crispy pancetta. The bolognese was just amazing. We finished the evening off with dessert: Spormata di Choccolata con Gelato Vanilla and Panna Cotta. Again...delicious and a terrific ending to a wonderful dining experience. Thanks for a great evening at Michael Anthony's Cucina Italiana.
(5)Eileen S.
First visit to Hilton Head and to Michael Anthony's. We had the early bird three course dinner on Christmas eve. The meal was exceptional. The service was beyond exceptional.
(5)Luis S.
Just the hype, nothing else! .Service was just OK, nothing to write home about. Too pricey for the service and food. We ordered red wine, it was at room temperature, so we had to request to be chilled. All food was heavy on garlic, no balance on flavors at all. And when we ordered coffee, in a well respected Italian restaurant you have to know what a "macchiato" (spotted) is. I had to explain the server how to fix it. So, my recommendation is: go to a less expensive place, where you can get better service and food.
(2)JR H.
This used to be one of my favorite restaurants in Hilton Head. Have eaten twice a year on vacation for 10 plus years plus taken cooking lessons No more Hilton Head is a vacation spot, not NY. Plans change. Too much sun. Too hot etc. But MA now requires credit card and if don't cancel by morning or don't tell them grandma felt the heat, they charge. Calling in the evening not good enough Too bad chef Michael. I have sent you many in past, but no more
(1)John S.
Had the early bird special and saved some bucks. Food was fantastic and service was great also
(5)Bill R.
We were very disappointed. The restaurant is as noisy as a bar during the Superbowl. The bread was burnt. I ordered veal with sausage, and it was spicier than any Indian food that I have ever had; my wife had linguine with seafood, and she thought the seafood was frozen. We would not try this again.
(2)Robert O.
We never used to write reviews for sites like Yelp! but we have come to rely on them so much ourselves that we felt it was time to give back and help others find good places. With that said we had an absolutely delightful experience at Michael Anthony's! We give it an unreserved 5 stars - completely up to the rating. My wife and I visited while vacationing in Hilton Head. We had never heard of the restaurant but everything we read from other reviewers said it was worth a try. We both had a taste for Italian and figured we would give it a shot. We knew the area pretty well but had not expected the restaurant to be in a plaza. Unlike the Old Fort Pub, Old Oyster Factory, and the Quarterdeck that wow you with their exterior appearance and location, Michael Anthony's (MA's) is pretty unassuming. That is until you open the door. The decor is fashionable but comfortable. It felt intimate and welcoming but had an air of elegance and sophistication. Just inside we were met by Chris, the maître d'. He was pleasant, funny, and really made us feel that MA's was glad to have us dine with them. He took us to our table where we met Josh, our waiter. I would easily say Josh was one of the top ten waiters we have ever had! We had some questions on the wine list and hoped someone could help. Josh not only knew the list but made some very informed and insightful recommendations. He even suggested a bottle a few dollars less expensive than what we had first chosen saying it would go better with what we planned to order. From there everything flowed beautifully. The courses came casually but promptly. Each dish was prepared expertly - great presentation, excellent pairings, sauces that were just right. All along Josh would stop by to pour the wine, ask how things were going, or just look over the table. I could write on and on but will say that if you are reading this please stop. Click Open Table and get a reservation made! You will be glad you did and will be shortly planning your next visit. Cheers.
(5)John S.
What a great restaurant! Jay, our server, was very professional and attentive and made a great recommendation for a red wine with my ribeye special. The veal carpaccio was a delight as was the calamari appetizer. My wife enjoyed her duck entree. As full as we were, we couldn't resist trying the desert sampler. A wonderful evening!
(5)Howard B.
never disappoints. there on weekday evening, celebrating a birthday. many greetings and congrats. cocktails perfect. we brought our own wine to cork (20.00) and OK as long as it's not one they have on their list. appetizers were excellent; i had baby calamari salad. short ribs with polenta, veal chop and pasta bolignese were our entree's. all was perfect. finished off with warm choc cake with molten center. didn't finish wine, but server happy to seal it in plastic for safe ride home. will be back yearly when in town.
(5)S D.
Disclaimer: I only give out 5 stars if everything was absolutely perfect. If I could give this establishment 4.9, I would. One of the best meals I've had in years. We ordered the Beet/Vinaigrette salad and the Scallop appetizers. Both were 5 star worthy. The ambiance was great, just please don't bring your children. I ordered the spaghetti and clams which was perfect. The wife had a chicken/mozzarella/fried green tomato dish which was very good as well. The bread was delicious. Great wine list. The only dish that was sub-par was the cream puff dessert. Cannot wait to return!
(4)Ashok P.
First visit here.Consistently ranked in top 2 restaurants in HHI. Italian as it should be.Great flavors,attentive service. They called several times to make sure we would show up. 2 wine lists,one called the reserve!Had a Caymus cab,out of this world! Will try it again.
(4)Tiffani S.
The food here is excellent. The overall experience was not ideal. We talked to someone very pleasant and helpful to make our reservations. When we arrived the hostess was very cold, not a deal breaker but disappointing. The table had a good amount of crumbs around it, kinda gross. Our server was very friendly. He went through all the specials and we ordered two of the specials to minutes later be told they didn't have them anymore...bummer. The big problem was the time of the food delivery. The first course took about a half an hour, not great but okay. The main course took an hour and a half, unacceptable. And when mine arrived it was incorrect, half order when it should have been a whole order. Our waiter claimed there was a kitchen fire...not sure if we believed him. At that wait time, there needs to be an explanation before the food arrives. The food it's self was terrific. I highly recommend the beat and goat cheese salad, yummy. The homemade pasta is awesome. I'm willing to give this place a second chance because of the food...I guess I'll be booking a table at 5 o'clock next time. ;) ***I had to come back and update my review. One of the owners personally called me today to apologize about the service and fire last night. I will be giving them another try, who says customers service is dead? ;)
(4)Ashok P.
2years in a row. Lobster ravioli to die for. Great wine list(the premier wine list) Will be back next year. Service lags a bit.
(4)Laura C.
Wine list goes on forever...my husband tried one of "The Flights" and loved it! We dined with our children, one of which has a severe dairy allergy, and our server was very accommodating. Had homemade meatball which was outstanding! We're from Brooklyn, NY so that was a big deal for us! LOL My main dish was the Spaghetti con Granchio, Arugula e Pomodoro Fresca...delicious! My husband got the Involtini di Vitello con Spinaci, Formaggio e Salsiccia which he is still raving about. Pricier than other places...but worth it. Next time we go to SC, we're definitely going back!
(5)Lauren B.
So delicious... We had a very special occasion and decided on Michael Anthony's. Great decision. Everything was delicious. The bruschetta was wonderful, my caesar salad with anchovies was great, and my bucatini con vongole was amazing. Such a big portion. Definitely go here if you are looking for a great italian meal in Hilton Head.
(5)leslie l.
Love, love, love this place! The food is always wonderful and they have a great wine selection. Josh has been our waiter for the past two years and he is great. He's very knowledgeable about the food, the wine, the island whatever you need to know. We have been coming here to celebrate my youngest daughter's birthday for the past 5 years and have never been disappointed. The dishes here - whether you order pasta, fish or meat are really full of flavor, and they don't skimp on the portions for a pricey restaurant. If you like chocolate they make a to die for lava cake. Personally I had the zabaglione flavored with limoncello over fresh peaches and was in heaven. This would be my number one recommendation to anyone looking for a really great consistent place to eat on the island. Oh..they also do cooking classes!
(5)Susanne S.
Food was ok, rather disappointing after all the rave reviews I read. The calamari was good, the veal scaloppine was not, several pasta entrees were ok. The best was the dessert - the chocolate molten cake. Overall, ok, not great.
(3)Whitney B.
The service is great and every dish we ordered was perfection. I recommend a reservation, but we showed up 10 mins early and were seated right away. Don't forget to order dessert, the lemon gelati is to die for.
(5)Andrew E.
I dined with a bunch of friends spending a pleasant weekend in Hilton Head. Our waiter was knowledgeable and excited about the food he was serving. Service was attentive. Our water glasses were never empty. Plates arrived in a timely and organized manner. The food was good, not amazing. We tried various seafood as well as the duck. All of us ate well. The calamari appetizer was excellent with a tomato based sauce rather than breaded and fried. We shared a decent bottle of wine that the waiter helped us choose. The molten chocolate cake was the dessert hit but the gelatos and sorbets were tasty as well. Good ambiance, not too noisy.
(3)A B.
This restaurant prompted me to create a yelp account, just so that I could share how happy I was with my experience here. The service was friendly, accommodating and thoroughly competent. The wine list was excellent; I had a flight of red wines which were as interesting as they were delightful (and for a very decent price). The rest of their wine list, if you are looking for a bottle, was as good as any I have seen outside of California and better than any I have seen in the South so far. I ordered the duck and was blown away; each bite was exactly what it ought to be, crispy skin and succulent meat set against sweet figs and an orange sauce. My wife, a vegetarian, had the gnocchi which was as good as gnocchi I have had in Rome and Venice; it was light and pillowy. Don't leave without trying the desert trio, each example (panna cotta, tiramisu and profiterols) were perfect executions of those classic dishes. You can expect that a dinner for two will be in the neighborhood of 100 bucks depending on your choices, but it will be well worth that price.
(5)TJ M.
Very good food - a little pricey and not very kid friendly. Good place for date night ;)
(4)A. C. F.
Server was great, suggested a delicious after dinner cognac! My steak left a little to be desired. Pear pine nut salad was very good; caprese very good; gnocchi very good; strawberry sorbet was out of this world- fantastic way to end the night.
(4)Robert C.
This would be a four star in any city and a Hilton Head five star. Very good service, great food with a nice presentation, quiet enough for easy conversation, and very pleasant atmosphere. All in all a good spot for a special night out.
(4)Matt R.
Great food, great wine list. A nice break from the many, many kids at all of the other restaurant's on vacation. Perfect for a dinner with the parents.
(5)Scott S.
My wife and I are from Philly so we know good Italian food when we see (eat) it and M.A. delivers. Not just on the food end either... nice energetic atmosphere, fantastic service (thank you Joni, u rock!!!!) and perfect wine list (not so many wines that you need to take a nap after reading it but enough to give everyone some very nice choices). Btw- if u r a wine snob like me and want to try a banging wine try the Amarone... it will hit u for close to a Benny but good God! Anyway, great place and if we come back to Hilton Head in the future we will be back for sure.
(5)elizabeth w.
I'm not a *foody* really, but I LOVE good food. So, hubby takes me out to dinner here the other night for "date night" and I can honestly say that it was one of my top 5 dishes of all time. The wine was amazing and what a selection, but the food. YUM! I had a special. Spinach, ricotta and buffalo motz stuffed ravioli in a browned butter sage sauce. Oh good lord. I'm glad they only gave me like 6 of them because I seriously would have eaten them until I blew up. They were soooo good. Hubby didn't enjoy his lobster risotto as much though. :*( Some of the lobster chunks were a bit fishy. The desserts were heavenly as well. I had a sampler while hubby had the chocolate soufflee. His was the best. Very yummmmmm... So, highly recommend this place.
(5)Wilf F.
Had a lovely dinner.Excellent recommendations by Justin our waiter. Very fine establishment.Best penne I have ever had.
(5)Rick D.
Food was excellent both in quality and presentation. Pricey, though. I thought eight bucks for a small Caesar salad (not a main course) was a bit high but they wanted to charge another dollar for an anchovy. Come on. Most main courses are priced in the $20-30 range. From the filet to the pork chop to the duck, everyone was quite pleased with dinner. The service from our server was professionally friendly, unobtrusive and fairly complete, although more attention should have been paid to fundamentals like keeping water glasses full, replenishing bread, etc. As for the bread, it is excellent but they were stingy with it. Instead of putting a basket on the table, bread was doled out small piece by small piece as if they were running short. The ambiance was pleasant but the noise level inside was nearly deafening; I had trouble understanding conversation at my own table.
(4)Todd R.
I forgot. The potato gnochi was fabulous and so was the sauce it was in, so I'm bumping it up a star and will try to get something more traditional next trip.
(4)Katie S.
Michael Anthony's is the best Italian food I have ever had. It is a bit pricey, but it is SO worth it! My husband and I go there for special occasions. The food is great, and the people are so friendly. I love this place, and will go back again and again!
(5)Richard F.
Quality Italian food in an upscale setting. Server was a little stiff, but dinner was excellent. Steer clear of the caesar salad; definitely not up to par with the rest of the meal. Wine list is pricey, but lots of unique options, including tastings.
(4)David B.
This is the place for great food, nice wine and impeccable service. It's a high end experience perfect for special occasions. Lots of veal dishes on the menu (which I don't eat), but there's always a go-to steak and/or seafood dish as well. michael-anthonys.com
(4)Ajay B.
I have eaten at this restaurant for about 10 years. Over the years, the food and service has been consistently good. My visit today was very disappointing. The waiter was young and clearly out of his league at ths type of establishment. It took fifteen minutes to get us a glass of wine - 30 minutes for bread after two reminders... Grouper - which was a special (so one would figure they would get it right) was mediocre at best. A simple Penne Arrabiata, was lacking in flavor. We asked for fresh ground Pepper, and the waiter acted like we asked for a huge favor - he handed my wife the pepper mill! For a meal that costed well over $120 - one expects courteous service and good food. I hope Michael and Jill read these reviews and will fix these problems - you cannot coast on your reputation. I am hesitant to come back for over priced and mediocre food and service, or recommend this restaurant to our friends.
(2)Mary K.
We celebrated our 35th anniversary there, and our meal was excellent. We spent all week at Hilton Head and this was the dinner we most enjoyed. Beautiful presentation, excellently prepared food, professional server. All added up to a great experience.
(5)Noel P.
Celebrated 10th wedding anniversary with the family at Michael Anthony's. Kelly was our server and couldn't have been more helpful. Portabella mushroom with buffalo mozzarella and fresh arugula was outstanding. Veal scallopini with FRESH porcini mushrooms was amazing. The staff went out of their way to make our evening special and exceeded all expectations.
(5)James W.
AMAZING FOOD!!! We made a reservation at the bar because they were already booked in the restaurant and the bartender was great! The rigatoni pasta with Italian sausage and the veal medallions stuffed with spinach were incredible. Also, the chocolate souffle is a MUST for chocolate lovers! Definitely will visit again when back in town.
(5)Laura B.
Michael Anthony's is a staple anytime I'm on the island. From the great staff to the amuse bouche to the great wine selection - I love this place! Sure I live in Chicago now, where there are tons of great Italian places, but Michael Anthony's could stand up to them any day. My favorite thing to order is the veal chop parmesan, not on the menu, but you gotta order it! Its a butterflied veal chop with all the usual "veal parmesan" accouterments. So Good, and it takes up the whole plate! Pasta is fresh, salads are wonderful, everything is prepared fresh and homemade. So bring an appetite and get ready for some delish food
(5)Lil C.
great place for great food and drinks. great for large groups. I would definitely recommend the lemon dessert and sea food.
(4)Heather D.
I had checked this restaurant out on Yelp before going to Hilton Head, and we got lost trying to find it (like every place on the island, it seems). Unfortunately, I didn't get the whole experience because I went for a to-go order....had a cosmo while I was waiting, and it was fabulous. Their dining room looked very romantic, and the bar area was comfortable. I ordered two entrees and unfortunately, realized that one was wrong when I got back to the hotel. No worries...can't remember the exact names but one was ribbon noodles with bolognase (sp) sauce and the other was lasagna with spinach noodles. Although I was disappointed that I didn't get my crab & pasta entree, mine was about as good as anything I'd make at home (so-so). The lasagna was better...lots of cheese. Also got bread (but no butter-bummer!) and a baby greens salad (best part of the meal). If I go back to Hilton Head, I'll probably try another Italian restaurant if I'm in the mood for pasta. Oh, and they don't have to-go utensils...
(3)Jay B.
Absolutely the best food on the island. If you are on the island and do not try it you have made a mistake. We had been disappointed with the restaurants that we had eaten at during recent visits. They had no creativity. Seafood, often not well prepared, steaks, etc. I tend to avoid Italian restaurants in general because I am pretty picky when it comes to Italian and prefer mine homemade. However, with reservation I agreed that we should try this place out. We were with friends who enjoy good food and Italian and I knew that any of the other restaurants we had tried recently (Old Oyster Factory, Steamers, Hudson's, Crazy Crab, etc) would disappoint. I am very happy they were with us otherwise I might not have tried it. It is excellent. Great atmosphere, music, food, you name it. I is a little expensive but worth the price. Everyone was satisfied. Don't pass up the desert. Good wine selection. I was so happy to have found a place that my friends could enjoy. it is casual but not too casual. We will be back! A great alternative to the overused, recycled fare that most restaurants seem satisfied to serve. Also, I really dug that the chef was sitting out in the bar area when we left telling people to have a good evening, hoped we enjoyed, etc. Classy.
(5)Christine B.
Excellent food, service and ambiance. Always excellent. Get a reservation well in advance it books up quickly.
(4)Valerie B.
We liked this place so much we ate there two nights in a row. Food matched service which is to say both were great. Only downside (and reason for four not five stars) was the noise level, especially second night upstairs near a large group celebrating a birthday. Don't let that deter you. And do try whatever the off-the-menu dessert(s) happens to be the night you go . . . zabaglione with seasonal fruit was so yummy that I would have licked the bowl had I not been in public setting.
(4)Sid A.
Great service. Great atmosphere. Pricey, but it was worth it. Veal piccatta was fantastic. We're be back.
(4)Malissia M.
Lovely! We went in a group of 9 for my parents' 30th wedding anniversary. The waiter, Peter, was extremely nice and went out of his way to ensure we were having a fantastic celebration. The lump crab spaghetti made me forget I rarely eat pasta!
(5)Sun L.
We ate here a couple of years ago, and were pleased so this year we decided to try it again. No more. The prices are ridiculously high for the portions and for the area. They rushed us through our meal, and we were not ordering from the early bird menu. We are used to NYC prices and it's less pricey in NYC. We ordered wine by the glass (6 oz) and the prices were high-- lowest price on the menu for a read was $11. Then we both ordered pasta for our main course, lured by the delicious descriptions. The portions were smaller than what we consider typical appetizer portions for pasta, approximately 1 cup of pasta. After a $90 bill for 2 wines, 2 pastas and 1 appetizer, we left and went home where we ate another dinner. We are dumbfounded that they can stay in business with the disparity in the portion size to the price in South Carolina. We wonder if it's because it was a holiday weekend. But whatever, we won't be returning.
(1)Debbi D.
Wonderful service, helpful. Very good Italian. We had a group of 16 and service was consistently good. Good appetizers, entrees and delicious desserts and beverages.
(5)Elisa K.
Solid Italian dining. A little heavy handed at times, but delightful service, and a lovely atmosphere.
(4)Christine B.
Our server was outstanding! Elijah, the bar tender, served us at a high top! Very attentive and knowledgable. Food was also outstanding! Couldn't have asked for a better atmosphere, server or meal!
(5)Neal A.
When we got there at 6:30 with a reservation for 4, we were promptly seated upstairs by a waiter. We quickly got bruschetta (bread with sliced tomatoes on top). My son and I thought it was the perfect palate preparation. I ordered piadina (flatbread with a sliver of tomato on top) which came with tomato sauce. Again only my son and I ate it because my wife and my daughter do not like tomatoes.Then came the bread and olive oil for dipping the bread in. It was fantastic and everybody in our party liked it. We all agreed that the antipasti and bread were 5/5. It was hard to choose what entree to get, I chose the stuffed pork chop special wrapped in Italian ham. It definitely earned 5/5 stars. My son got the penne alla Boscaiola with mushrooms, peas and spinach, he rated it 5/5. My wife was not that jazzed about her pasta, the Bolognese, really the only clunker in the entire meal. She had thought the sauce was too dry and did not rise beyond the ground beef flavor you would get with Hamburger Helper. A woman at an adjacent table actually called the manager over about the Bolognese at the same time. My daughter really liked the Gnocchi; I tried it and though it had the perfect springy texture. The desserts were all major hits. My daughter had the profiteroles. My wife and I split the chocolate soufflé which had rises perfectly and had an exquisite molten chocolate core, served with vanilla gelato. My son had the blood orange sorbet, amazingly creamy for a sorbet. My wife and I had different wine flights of 3 wine samples (Flights 2 and 3) . We actually thought the wines were only about average given the price of $15 for a flight; none were really standouts we wanted to seek out when we got home. The total of volume of wine in a flight was only a little more than a normal single glass. With 2 wine flights and 3 desserts as above, total price with tax before tip was $184. Fairly reasonable for upscale dining.
(5)Burt M.
Went here for our 10 year anniversary dinner...outstanding! Right from the start, our server was very knowledgeable and made good recommendations on what to eat. The bruschetta served as an appetizer and the gnocchi was seriously the best I've ever had anywhere. I ordered a couple of cocktails and they were a nice, strong pour. My wife was equally pleased with her meal as well. It doesn't look like much from the outside, as part of a nondescript strip mall, but once inside you forget all of that. Will definitely visit again the next time we are back on the island!
(5)Jen H.
Excellent three course early bird special. First time dining here in over 20 years of visiting hhi. Great ambiance and service and most importantly fresh and delicious Italian food. My party tried just about everything on the early bird menu and everything was good. The pork dish and crab spaghetti entree were favorites and the pana cotta was to die for. You also receive iced tea or soda with the early dining special and $7 glasses of house red or white wine.
(5)Mandi T.
I have been going to HHI for 8+ years, I know the restaurants very well. THIS IS AS GOOD AS IT GETS Its in a shopping center but, gorgeous inside! The food is fresh, staff is great....yes its expensive but, its a great special occasion spot! go!
(5)Marjet W.
We celebrated our 10th Anniversary here last night Elizia was our waiter and his service was superb. We started with a cocktail ( one of the best martini's ever) and received tne famous brushetta and the delicious bread, then we decided to share the caprese salad, an order of spagetti with lump crab,,,,mmmm mmmm, and each had a different Veal dish, our wine Brunello di montelcino caprezi was perfect. Then we finished with the yummy profiterol desert, a glass of port and Elizia gave us a homemade Lemoncello at the end! This was probably the best Italian dinner we have had in the US since our stays in Italy. We highky recommend and thank Elizia again for his attentive service. Just great!
(5)John S.
I'm from Louisiana and my wife's a great cook and I have 4 kids. This restaurant is excellent. Everyone is happy and satisfied.
(5)Bob P.
Great food and great service - a tough combination to beat. Had a waiter named Ryan who managed my mother-in-law like a pro (better than i can) and set the foundation for an amazing dining experience, She is 99 and they made sure she had a convenient table and a place for her walker making this a stress-less experience. We had the Caprese salad and Veal Scallopini and loved it - followed by gelato. All great.
(5)Greg O.
Its nice to see customer service is still alive in some places in this country. The restaurant is tucked in a small mall, but the interior is very nicely decorated. We were immediately greeted by a very friendly hostess, and we had a great waiter. Not to mention the complimentary toast we were given in honor of our anniversary. They all made the meal a great experience. As for the food, we started off with a very tasty appetizer of prosciutto, melon and arugula. My wife's entree of tortellini was spectacular- perfectly done. My veal medallions were also good, although the prosciutto got lost in the spinach, and the portion size was a little smaller than I expected. But still very tasty. A great experience and a restaurant worth returning to.
(4)Hildee I.
On a chilly Tuesday night we arrived with an Open Table reservation for 7:15 pm. They bar and dining room were half full but still the place was loud with a nice vibe. I knew I was in for a pricey meal when we were told two people would be serving us. One look at the menu and I knew I was ordering water to drink and not the server's choice of still or sparkling. My 9 year old son had the Caesar salad & penne pasta with EVOO, he loved them both. I ordered the butternut Ravioli, small portion but Delicious. My brother ordered that fancier named chicken parm, very large portion that he gobbled up! The bill came to $60.00 plus tip. This place is perfect if you are not on a budget, excellent service, great atmosphere, fun people watching. If I come again with unlimited dining funds I will give it 5 stars!
(4)Erica P.
Excellent ambiance, food was delicious and service was unparalleled. We had salads, angel hair with mussels/clams, tortellini, and the special with mussels and garlic....deletable. Save room for dessert, to die for, best tiramisu I have ever had. Took our 16 year old daughter, she loved it, had a lovely evening, great staff.
(5)Geoff B.
Food was great. Our waitress had a bad attitude from the beginning. Maybe she was having a bad night.
(3)Brenda S.
Seven years coming to Hilton Head and we have never have had such great service and food! Every course was perfect. Lucy our server was a professional extraordinaire. This restaurant is the epitome of everything a fine dining experience should be. I need to eat gluten free so the fact that they had excellent quality gluten free pasta as an option was wonderful! I started with the sauteed calamari appetizer...sweet, tender and flavorful. The salad was a fabulous beet salad. For my entree...the seafood lump crab meat pasta. I ended with a wonderful fresh fruit vanilla cream dessert. Lucy not only knew about gluten she was able to make intelligent recommendations so I didn't feel a bit left out in any way. I had lots of options! We were celebrating our anniversary and were made to feel so special when they brought out a complimentary appetizer, wine tasting and our desserts with candles lit. Don't miss out. You won't be disappointed.
(5)Ryan H.
Great food and service! PJ is one of the best waiters around. I recommend asking for him.
(4)U.S. A.
I wasn't sure if the reviews would live up to the experience. I'm picky about giving out 1 or 5 star reviews, my wife insisted I give 'em 5. Perhaps I'd go 4.5 in reality. The .5 would be a hit on the bruschetta bites they brought out which had soggy bread. But the rest of the meal was great. The carpaccio was solid, but the salads were awesome. My wife had the Insalata con Gorgonzola, Pera e Noce and I had the Insalata Mista.. yum yum yum. For our meal my wife had Capesante con Farro e Salsa Balsamico which was very good, I had the Paillard di Pollo which was delightful. By this time we were full and no desert. Our waiter was great.
(5)Kimberly G.
AWESOME!!! To start out, their customer service is over the top!! The waiter was very knowledgeable and helpful. The food was fantastic. Everything was top notch! I would for sure go back! This was the best dinner of our trip!
(5)Kevin-Yuki L.
Kevin suggests five stars but Yuki's Tiramisu was a mediocre finish to an excellent meal. Our server, Ian, proved to be an excellent guide to the menu. We all shared Carppaccio, Watermelon Salad with balsamic vinaigrette, Melon with Prosciutto, and Calamari marinara. The water melon salad seems to be a trend in the area; It was surprisingly good. All of our appetizers were good. Kevin raved about his order, the veal fillet special served with Italian/Lowcountry Succotash. Yuki and Kevin's mom had the Homemade ricotta and spinach stuffed tortelloni with butter and sage sauce which was very good. It was just the right portion. Kevin's dad ordered the Duck breast. Kevin's daughter's friend had the Veal Scalopinne. Everybody enjoyed his/her entrees tremendously. The desserts were mixed. As noted above, the Tiramisu was a disappointment (Maggiano's is better). We highly recommend the Zabaglione.
(4)A.B. R.
I have been visiting Hilton Head for many years and not one time had I given thought to visiting Michael Anthony's. No reason, but it just didn't cross the my radar. It did this visit and I am glad. We were impressed as soon as we walked in the door. We were greeted by a smartly dressed and courteous hostess. We arrived right on the minute of our reservation time and were promptly seated in a comfortable booth. I am always impressed with being seated at the reserved time; small things count. Alex, our server was a true professional. No doubt, he has "been there, done that". He was attentive, cordial and had a knack for being there just as we needed him. He could also "recite" the menu. That's another good indicator. Michael Anthony's is a rather upscale Italian restaurant. You would feel a bit out of place wearing a tee shirt and jeans here. It is as one reviewer stated "casually elegant". This might be the place to wear that one pair of nice pants or dress that you lugged to the beach, just in case. Based on the interactions and the crowd, I could tell that the restaurant is frequented by repeat customers and the locals. That's yet another good sign. Our dinner met, if not exceeded our expectations. In summary, everything from the warm bread, calamari, sea bass and chefs scallops were outstanding. The presentations were well done and the food was great. Service was top notch and all that you would expect in fine establishments. If you haven't tried Michael Anthony's, you have to place it on your "must visit" list. I will certainly be returning.
(5)Mike C.
Made my first visit here in eight years, and everything was as good as I remembered. Attentive and helpful service, with our waiter making spot-on wine recomendations. (By the way, the extensive wine list is priced extremely reasonably, maybe at a small fraction over cost). I had the Veal Medallions, which were nicely checked by the escarole and mild tomato broth. My wife had the gnocchi, which had a somewhat tough texture that was more than offset by the sublime Pomodoro sauce. Desserts (tiramasu and profiteroles) were decent. There are lots of outstanding restaurants on HHI, but this is always at the very top of my list.
(5)Mike F.
My family and I had an excellent dinner here. I had the veal saltimbocca which was excellent my wife had the sausage stuffed veal which was in my opinion not as good as mine, but is the most popular entree I was told. Everything was perfect. My 3 teenagers all enjoyed their meals. My picky guy was able to have chicken parm special ordered as offered by our server who did a great job making us feel as we were at home. I had the best desert, the espresso/Kalua/gelato desert. WOW, and I'm not a desert guy.
(5)Shamik T.
Man, oh man. This place was delightful. Great, great food. The only place at which we ate on Hilton Head that had actual tomatoes in their salad. No mealy mess of a supermarket "tomato" here. Caprese salad tasted fresh, and was very good. Gnocci was also tasty. Texture of the gnocci itself was not too chewy, but not melt-in your-mouth either. Overall balance struck me as palatable for most who would venture in. We really only picked this place because of all the other glowing reviews, and we're happy we did. Waiter spoke a bit fast, which got me thinking that if Hilton Head were more of an international destination, it may have been a communication problem for him and the diner. Sorbet and gelato mix was key. One scoop of each was plenty. Mint chocolate chip gelato tasted like it had fresh spearmint, and the strawberry sorbet was really very tasty. (Though no sorbet comes close to that which I had at Fore Street in Portland, ME.
(4)Shelli R.
This was a classy, beautiful restaurant with impeccable service and fabulous food. I could not have asked for more.....Worth every penny as it was an experience, not just for a foodie like myself but for my 8 and 10 year old granddaughters as well. Although they did not have a typical "children's menu",. they were so accommodating with their choices and the girls were happy! I would definitely go back on a future trip to H.H.
(5)John D.
I was in Hilton Head for a meeting and had the opportunity to go to dinner here. Overall it was a great experience. The atmosphere is what I would call elegant casual. The hostess was bubbly and accommodating. The menu offered a wide range of usual options as well as some unique offerings. One of the specials was veal parm and that is a hard one for me to resist especially when the waiter says "it will be the best you ever had". I wanted the homemade ribbon pasta with bolognese but opted for the special. The veal parm was very good, well seasoned, huge portion. The pasta with sauce that came with it was perfectly cooked and the sauce was very nice. I did have to get sauce on the side as they were a bit stingy on the veal. While it was very good, Ralph's in south Philly is by far the best ever. That said this was a satisfying substitute.
(4)Leslye P.
Start your review...Perfect spot to celebrate our anniversary!! It is a bit pricey but not more than many other places on HH and it is MUCH better!!! I had the pasta & shrimp special, my husband had the veal special. Both were different enough to be unique -- and very delicious!! We sat upstairs and had great service. We really liked that the tables are not too close together and the background music was nice -- but not too loud. We could have a conversation and didn't have to listen to anyone else's conversation.
(5)Dining A.
We had a great meal here-- if you arrive 5:15-5:45, they have an early bird special of 3 courses for $19.50 pp; since the food, service and atmosphere were all nice, this turned out to be a great deal. We'll be back in the future!
(5)Robert R.
Since Michael Cirafesi is no longer the head Chef or part Owner, the food is bland and terrible !
(1)Marty J.
Michael Anthony's wins the Hilton Head restaurant superlative for Best Overall. I'm generally not a big fan of Italian cuisine, but the meal I had at Michael Anthony's was one of the better ones I've had recently despite the fact that it was Italian. I apologize for how snobbish this sentence is about to sound, but Michael Anthony's is the only restaurant on Hilton Head that I'm aware of that could hold its own in Atlanta's dining scene. They started us off with an eggplant bruschetta. I don't like olives and this had a heavy olive flavor, so I was not a big fan but the rest of the table enjoyed it. For my appetizer, I ordered the watermelon and arugula salad and it was by far the most refreshing salad I've ever had. Who knew that watermelon, arugula, and pine nuts could come together in such blissful harmony. It was perfect for the summertime and I'll be attempting to recreate this salad at home. I couldn't decide between the gnocci and the Orecchiette alla Baresi (Italian sausage pasta) for my main dish, but luckily the waiter was nice enough to let me order a half order of each. The gnocci melts in your mouth and ranks as some of the best I've ever had. The Italian sausage pasta comes with sea shell pasta and greens with olive oil. The greens added a nice crunch. One of the issues that I have with Italian foods and pastas is that I find them too heavy, but neither the gnocci nor the Italian sausage fall into that category. Two members of our party ordered the night's special which was veal ossobucco. The veal had been braised in red wine and spices for 16 hours and had risotto piped around the edge. It was described as moist, fall off the bone tender, and delicious. Another member of our party ordered half orders of both pasta specials of the day. One was the ravioli of the day which was ricotta cheese and spinach and the other special was a wide noodle dish with mushroom and tomatoes. The ravioli was described as light and melt in your mouth heavenly. The wide noodle pasta dish was good, but a bit more like comfort food. For desert, we ordered the Sformata di Cioccolata con Gelato Vanilla (molten chocolate cake) and gelato selection. I highly recommend saving room for the molten chocolate cake. There was a lot of heavenly chocolate gooeyness inside the cake and the accompanying vanilla gelato was delectable. The gelato selection, which consisted of chocolate gelato and peach semifrato, was just ok. I've heard the banana gelato is delicious though. Justin, our server, was good. He was passionate about the food, gave detailed descriptions, and liked to drop chef Michael's name as if he had recently won Top Chef. Michael Anthony's also has cooking classes given by Chef Michael that got rave reviews from my family members that attended. They said they would definitely do another class on our next visit to Hilton Head and I may join them. Lunch and wine are included in the class.
(5)