Hilton Head’s Smokehouse restaurant reopens 2 years after fire. See what’s changed
A large signature “S” was installed Monday morning on the front of the recently reopened Smokehouse restaurant on Hilton Head’s south end.
“One of the finishing touches,” said owner Jerry Leonard.
The landmark barbecue restaurant on Palmetto Bay Road quietly reopened Aug. 18 after being closed exactly 800 days to renovate and rebuild after an early morning fire on June 9, 2019.
It didn’t take long for news of the reopening to spread.
“Saturday was the biggest day we’ve ever had in the history of The Smokehouse,” Leonard said.
Customers will find largely the same menu as before the fire, though the setting has changed dramatically.
The new design kept the fireplace and back wall and maintained the same footprint as the original building. However, the dining area and bar swapped places, and large glass doors added along one side can be opened to connect the dining area and patio and give the restaurant an airy feeling when the weather is pleasant.
The roughly 7,500-square-foot restaurant will seat 250 people.
Leonard said Phase 2 of the remodel will add a rooftop bar. But after roughly a year of planning and more than a year of work on the main part of the building, “I’m in no rush to get construction underway,” he said.
The fire
Investigators determined the 2019 fire started around an electrical panel toward the back of the restaurant and spread to the attic. It took firefighters nearly five hours to get the blaze under control.
The fire caused the restaurant’s ceiling to collapse inward on the dining room, and fire crews had to break a hole in the roof to access the network of wooden supports that were feeding the blaze, Hilton Head Island Fire Rescue Chief Brad Tadlock told The Island Packet at the time.
The Smokehouse has been at its Palmetto Bay Road location since 2010. It originally opened along Pope Avenue near Coligny Circle in 1999.
The menu
The Smokehouse menu is extensive and centers on the specialties of smoked pork, beef and chicken. Plates with a meat and two sides range in price from $15 to $28, depending on the cut. A half rack of dry-rubbed baby back ribs is $24. Grilled steaks and shrimp are among other entree options.
The menu also offers an array of burgers and sandwiches, including the pressed and grilled Bar-b-Cuban with pulled pork, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard piled on Cuban bread ($13). There’s even a black bean burger ($12) for those who would prefer a vegetarian option, and gluten-free buns are available upon request.
One local favorite is the Blackened Chicken Pasta, penne served with blackened chicken breast, roasted corn, black beans, and a Southwestern cream sauce ($18).
“Smoked wings could be the thing people missed the most,” Leonard said. “The amount of chicken wings we sell here is insane.”
The Smokehouse plans to offer Sunday brunch and already has that menu on its website, but it’s not available yet. Leonard said he wants to give his staff time to get back into a good rhythm with lunch and dinner first.
It likely won’t be long, though.
“Shooting for the start of NFL season,” Leonard said.
If you go
What: The Smokehouse
Where: 34 Palmetto Bay Road on Hilton Head Island
Hours: Kitchen open 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Bar open until midnight, and happy hour 4 to 6 p.m.
Phone: 843-842-4227
Website: www.smokehousehhi.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheSmokehouse
This story was originally published August 24, 2021 at 2:20 PM.
