8 Best Restaurants in The Coastal Isles and the Okefenokee, Georgia

This colonnaded restaurant inside the Jekyll Island Club maintains a tradition of fine dining first established in the 19th century. Signature dishes are the rack of lamb, duck breast, and the filet mignon, all seasoned differently depending on the season. Offering unique twists on Southern classics, the menu also includes local seafood and upscale takes on regional dishes such as shrimp and grits. A huge fireplace, views of the pool, and sparkling silver and crystal all contribute to the old-world atmosphere.

While there is a "jacket preference" for male dining guests, there is not an official dress code.

Chef-owner Dave Snyder's devotion to quality and homemade dishes (everything but the ketchup is made on the premises) has earned this elegant but relaxed restaurant a faithful following of discerning locals. Halyards, his flagship, is focused on the finest seasonal and local ingredients. Headliners of the changing menu include Georgia white shrimp and grits, and "The Burger," featuring grass-fed beef, blackened tomato, and caramelized onion.

Everything's home-cooked at this half-century-old local institution, and it's all good—from the fried shrimp to the black-eyed peas. It opens early for breakfast and has a daily lunch and dinner buffet piled with Southern favorites.