Old Daufuskie Crab Co. at Freeport Marina
Hours
Where it is
Get directionsThe Old Daufuskie Crab Company is the waterfront restaurant at Freeport Marina on Daufuskie Island: a tin-roofed bar and dining room with picnic tables on a deck over the Cooper River. It is the place most day-trippers come for, and the one the island is known for, with its deviled crab, a strong tea cocktail called the Scrap Iron and fried seafood eaten outside with the river going by. It opens every day, with the bar from 11 a.m. and the kitchen from 11:30, and there is often a band playing on the deck.
Old Daufuskie Crab Company Menu
The dish to order is the Daufuskie Deviled Crab, the island’s own spicy crab made to the recipe of Ernestine Smith, the kitchen’s longtime cook. Around it the menu is Lowcountry seafood and bar food: kickin’ shrimp tossed in a Thai chili glaze, local shrimp ceviche, peel-and-eat shrimp by the half or full pound, oysters on the half shell by the half dozen or dozen, crab legs, hushpuppies and BBQ pork nachos. In season there is an oyster roast too.
Baskets come with a side, from mahi-mahi fingers and fried shrimp to fried oysters and chicken tenders. The sandwiches run from an island flounder sandwich and a mahi sandwich to a May River soft shell crab BLT, a Philly cheesesteak and a half-pound burger, and there are fish and shrimp tacos, salads and a kids menu for 12 and under. The Scrap Iron Tea is the house original, a high-octane take on an Arnold Palmer; the bar also pours frozen drinks, margaritas, a Bloody Point Bloody Mary made with a Daufuskie mix, local beers and wine. Food and drinks are ordered at the bars, not at the table.
Getting to the Crab Company at Freeport Marina
The restaurant sits on the docks at Freeport Marina. The Vagabond boats from Harbour Town and the Island Head boats from Broad Creek land right here, so if you come over on one of those, lunch is a short walk from the boat. The public ferry from Hilton Head docks at Melrose Landing, just along the shore, so it is a short walk from that boat too: our Daufuskie Island ferry guide has every way across. The Freeport General Store next door rents golf carts and sells snacks, drinks and souvenirs; it is on our Daufuskie Island shopping page.
Firemost Pizza parks its food truck by the docks in the evenings, and the Daufuskie Island Distillery is a cart ride inland. The Daufuskie crab company is one of about a dozen places to eat on the island, and the rest are on our Daufuskie Island restaurants page; our Daufuskie Island guide covers the rest of a day on the island.
Book the Boat, Bite and Bar Trip
Island Head runs a boat trip from Broad Creek to lunch and drinks at the Crab Co. and back. Seasonal; the ferries run year-round.
Island Head - Broad Creek
Hilton Head -> Daufuskie Island Daily Round Trip Ferry
From$55
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Booked through FareHarbor, the island operators’ own booking system. HHI.com may earn a commission.
What diners say
Diners praise the fried shrimp, the mahi-mahi sandwich and the Scrap Iron cocktail, and above all the mood: bands on the deck, the river view and a friendly crowd at the bar. The complaint that repeats is the service, which some diners found unprofessional.
Frequently Asked Questions
Updated
Is the Old Daufuskie Crab Company open every day?
Yes. The bar opens at 11 a.m. and the kitchen at 11:30, seven days a week. The kitchen closes earlier in the evening off-season, so call (843) 785-6652 if you are planning a late dinner.
Where is the Old Daufuskie Crab Company?
On the docks at Freeport Marina on Daufuskie Island, on Cooper River Landing Road. The Vagabond and Island Head boats land there, and the public ferry docks at Melrose Landing, a short walk along the shore.
What is Daufuskie deviled crab?
The island’s own spicy deviled crab, made to the recipe of Ernestine Smith, the restaurant’s longtime cook. It is the dish most people come for.
What is a Scrap Iron?
The Scrap Iron Tea, the Old Daufuskie Crab Co.’s house cocktail: a strong drink that tastes like a spiked Arnold Palmer.
Do I need a reservation at the Old Daufuskie Crab Company?
No. You order food and drinks at the bars, and there is seating inside and on the deck.
Does the Old Daufuskie Crab Company have a kids menu?
Yes, for children 12 and under: fish fingers, a hot dog, grilled cheese or chicken tenders, each with fries or chips and a drink.
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