Captain John’s Seafood Grill

Pawleys Island, United States

3.9

Closed now

20 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards
Free Wi-Fi

Contacts

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Telephone:
+1 843-235-9300
Website:
www.captainjohnsseafoodgrill.com
Address:
13057 Ocean Hwy, Pawleys Island, SC, 29585
Categories:
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Bussiness info

Takes Reservations
No
Delivery
No
Take-out
Yes
Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Accepts Bitcoin
No
Good For
Lunch
Parking
Private Lot
Bike Parking
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes
Good for Kids
Yes
Good for Groups
Yes
Attire
Casual
Ambience
Casual
Noise Level
Quiet
Alcohol
Full Bar
Outdoor Seating
Yes
Wi-Fi
Free
Has TV
Yes
Dogs Allowed
Yes
Waiter Service
Yes
Caters
No

Today

Today 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Closed now
Local time (Pawleys Island) 6:19 AM Friday, June 27, 2025

Business hours

Monday 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Tuesday 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Wednesday 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Thursday 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Friday 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Saturday 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Sunday –

Description

Specialties

We specialize in New England style seafood, from creamy clam chowder to haddock and scallops.

Our menu offers Daily Specials such as Homemade Lump Crab Cakes, Salmon Croquettes, and ½ off bottles of wine on Thursday. And we have the freshest seafood on the Grand Strand. That’s right we said fresh. Our seafood is so fresh we don’t own a freezer. In addition, we offer Ipswich whole belly clams, poultry, and center cut steaks entrees.

History

Established in 2000.

John Venuti began the restaurant in a hard-​to-​find space in the Litchfield Plaza, which is across the street from the present location of the restaurant.

John and Mary Lee Venuti are both

originally from the Finger Lakes Region of

Upstate NY. Mary Lee spent 20 years in

New England, specifically Boston, MA. No

doubt that «home» influenced the theme of

the restaurant’s interior design as well as

the menu.

Meet the Business Owner

John V.

Business Owner

John’s love for seafood began when he was three-​years old. When you visit the restaurant you’ll see the picture of John next to a trout and it will all make sense. Growing up in Geneva N.Y., Lake Trout Capital of the World, preparing mouthwatering fresh seafood meals was a norm.

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Vicinity

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20 reviews of Captain John’s Seafood Grill

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Place rating: 5
Salem, VA
Wow!
Stopped in to this place on the way into town with another couple and had a great experience. We were a little late getting in but needed to grab a bite while we waited for our hosts; the service was fantastic even though they were getting ready to turn off the grills. Most places would give up on you at that point but these guys stuck it out!
We had the calamari for an app and had the Ahi Tuna for entrees, and everything was very tasty. Service was top notch too… the owner came out to see how everything was going and even talked to us about some things we could do while we were in town. Seemed like a great guy.
Definitely would recommend — everyone was very friendly and personable!
Place rating: 5
Garfield, NJ
I loved eating here! This place has a family touch to it, seems like a lot of locals are coming here. The ser ice was really quick and it was a busy Friday. We ordered potato salad, grilled shrimp salad and a day’s special — lobster soup. Everything was delisious! This place should be ranking in the top Pawleys Island restaurants!
Place rating: 4
Charlotte, NC
If you are comparing this place with Litchfield Beach Fish House across the street, go here. Better food, atmosphere and service. It’s not that Litchfield is bad, it’s just that Captain John’s is better. Might even be slightly cheaper, too.
Place rating: 5
Solvang, CA
Wow! Haddock was incredible. Best I’ve ever had. Potato salad is to die for!
I got lucky. I was at the bar and happened to sit down next to the owners of the restaurant. Shared conversation over drinks of life, business and the pursuit of happiness. Stopping by this restaurant made my trip coming out to South Carolina!
Such a cool experience.
Place rating: 4
Charlotte, NC
Listen: you’re gonna to drive right by this place. John’s is just a dinky nothing of a place in an easily-​missed strip shopping center. It’s half bar, with some local beers and sports on some TVs, which is good. And it’s half restaurant, with some tables and booths; the usual. But if you don’t eat dinner here, you’re missing one of the hidden treasures of the Litchfield area. See, they specialize in this fish that no one else serves: HADDOCK. Why no one else serves this is a mystery. Cheap, not endangered, Atlantic ocean fish with thick flaky white meat, why not serve it? Doesn’t matter. You’ve found the place that does serve it, and you win. These guys (friendly!) serve delicious unpretentious dinners, generous servings of rice and french fries and greens and sweet tea and a salad, with — win! — huge plate-​filling fillets of haddock done any way you like. Haddock! It’s sweet, white, flaky. Not boring at all. Get it seasoned with lemon-​pepper and WOW, look at you. You got a big piece of fresh fish with a bunch of sides, maybe a cold local beer, and guess what? You win! WIN WIN WIN!
Place rating: 4
Shelby, OH
Good food and quick service. Atmosphere was quiet and the restaurant was clean. Get here a little early so you don’t have to wait. By the time we left they had people waiting outside.
Place rating: 4
Murrysville, PA
Had a great dinner here with my family of four. Crab cakes were awesome! Service was fast and friendly. The New England clam chowder was great. My scallops and shrimp were perfectly grilled! Definitely will return on our next trip to Litchfield.
Place rating: 5
Tullahoma, TN
My wife and I started with the New England clam chowder and seafood gumbo. Honestly the chowder was probably the best clam chowder I’ve ever had. It was rich, hot, just the right amount of space and the clams were fresh and the perfect temperature.
The gumbo was excellent as well and loaded with shrimp and not filled up with okra. The broth was thicj and perfectly seasoned.
We then had the crab cakes and shrimp and scallops. With cole slaw and potato salad. The shrimp and scallops were perfectly cooked and seasoned just right. The cole slaw was a bit too creamy and the loaded potato salad was really good.
The crab cakes were excellent and the best we had so far in Pawley’s Island. Not too bready and fried to perfection.
The food was served promptly.
My only issue is no beers on draft. Would make this place a must stop.
I still highly recommend it.
Place rating: 4
Columbia, SC
Great choice for great seafood. I had the Haddock and Shrimp grilled, Tara had the Haddock sandwich. Both entrees were great. The portions were generous and the fish sandwich was much more than one person could eat. I definitely recommend Captain Johns for seafood b
Place rating: 5
Myrtle Beach, SC
Absolutely one of my top picks for great seafood! This place is a true gem in the rough!, its a charming nautical themed place with a great staff and an ever present owner/​chef. They have things that no one else has around here! Fresh Haddock, «to die for» Belly/​Ipswich clams,” My favorite” fresh clam strips «delicious», Lobster rolls, «best i ever had!» & many other fantastic choices!
Place rating: 1
Victor, NY
We went here based on reviews and comments heard from friends. Maybe it was an off night or a new cook (not chef) but I doubt we will come back.
Clam chowder had a very small amount of clams one small potato and to much green seasoning. Sand was also in abundance. Ugh!
The house salad was so skimpy that it barely covered one layer of the plate. It had ONE cherry tomato cut up in 4 pieces !!! I mean you could count the pieces of lettuce maybe 20?
Fried haddock, scrimp and french fries where very greasy. Looks like the oil was either old, not hot enough or both? No taste other the the grease.
Our server was attentive and did a nice job and was pleasant. That’s the only reason it got a star at all.
After hearing so much about this place we where really disappointed. The prices are high for the poor quality of food served.
We will not waste 90.00 on this place again. For these prices you can go to at least 5 places on PI for much better quality of food.
Place rating: 4
Simsbury, CT
Excellent seafood very reasonably priced.
I started with a cup of Seafood Gumbo, and I’m looking you in the eye and telling you it was one of the very best dishes I had on Pawleys Island. Bright tomato flavor, almost like a marinara sauce with rice, shrimp, scallops and okra. It was excellent.
We had a shrimp roll, chock full of shrimp (10?) lined up on a grilled roll with fries. The shrimp were simply seasoned and grilled, and they were perfect.
I had a salad with grilled haddock — a nice portion of perfectly cooked fish. Fresh, mild, tasty, again — just perfect.
The dishes are served with homemade tartar and cocktail sauce — both were delicious.
The owner gets bonus points for walking the dining room and chcking on every table.
If seafood is your thing, see the Capain!
Place rating: 4
Charlotte, NC
We used to be Fish House loyalists, but we have defected. Captain John’s is exactly what you’re looking for when you’re on search of a good, beachy, seafood dinner. Wish the atmosphere was less dark and pubby, but the food more than makes up for it.
Place rating: 4
Pawleys Island, SC
Delicious fried haddock, cole slaw & rice meal. Haddock was lightly battered and very tasty. Waiter friendly and efficient yet non-​intrusive.
Restaurant seating relatively small which we liked… a bit more intimate and not loud.
Will definitely return!
Place rating: 4
Highland, NY
Was told that Capt. John’s had good Lobster Roll so figured we would find out for ourselves. It was true! Had Lobster Bisque to start and it was great. Followed by the Lobster roll that was exactly what we were hoping for. Price was very reasonable, nice, fast service and good ambiance. Would definitely recommend this little place.
Place rating: 1
Pawleys Island, SC
All of the shrimp is farm raised and imported from India. The «specialty» clams which are always on the menu are available only once a week. The boisterous open kitchen is a complete disaster, the screams coming from the 50 year old fry cooks can be heard as soon as you open the door. It is a micromanaged establishment that treats the workers like dirt. I wouldnt even pay half off for the food because I thought it was still a ripoff. Please save your time and money and eat at a local seafood restaurant in murrells inlet 5 minutes up the road.
Place rating: 1
Murrells Inlet, SC
If you are in town on vacation and looking for a cool local seafood place to eat at, Captain John’s is NOT what you are looking for. None of their seafood is caught locally, they serve clams only once a week and the overall atmosphere unpleasant at best. You can hear the people in the kitchen cursing at bussers and servers as soon as you walk in. As a former employee, I can also tell you that they run out of their most popular dishes almost every night. Serving sizes are very small so if you eat a lot this is not the place for you. It is frequented mostly by elderly northerners, and as a local I can tell you that few people who live in this area actually eat here. I recommend going across the street to the fish house or taking a short trip to restaurant row in Murrells inlet.
Place rating: 5
Indian Trail, NC
I’ve been dining here for about 3 years. Some of the best Haddock around (grilled, fried, etc.) There spicy gumbo and New England clam chowder are superb soup choices. I haven’t explored the menu as much as I should, but if you like fish the Haddock is to die for .The pricing is reasonable and the service has always been friendly. I highly recommend this restaurant!
Place rating: 4
Kingstowne, VA
I am not a local but have been to the area three separate weeks for business. We ate at about 10 places collectively during those trips, but this was one of the only ones worth writing about.
This definitely seems to be the place the locals eat. If you can get past the dark décor that feels like Grandpa’s favorite seafood restaurant, you will be pleasantly surprised by the freshness and quality of their seafood and salads. With all the food offerings in the area, my group ate here twice in a row because we liked the food so much. Also, they offer free Wi-​Fi, so that is a «plus» for business. I loved my haddock each way it was prepared, and my colleagues really enjoyed their seafood platters. The salad was also fresh and had a good assortment of vegetables. The servers were friendly.
If you want to avoid the typical tourist fare and environment of the area, then head to Captain John’s. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Place rating: 4
Charlotte, NC
Had the Haddock Sandwich on lunch special, got it blackened. It was fantastic, a large portion of fish. Cocktail and tarter sauce were very good, fries were ok. The atmosphere is acceptable, though not great. Honestly, it is kind I dark, especially for lunch. Wait staff are friendly. They originally brought me out the wrong meal — fried haddock instead of blackened — but once I told them, they corrected it in under three minutes. Well done. I’ll be back.