Flies, soiled equipment and ‘organic matter.’ Worst SC Lowcountry restaurant inspections for June
The Lowcountry’s restaurants scored better in June than May, but several establishments didn’t get A grades.
The South Carolina Department of Agriculture carries out routine inspections of restaurants and food establishments each month. Inspectors grade establishments based on compliance with state regulations.
Four Lowcountry restaurants received C grades in May. Three have since remedied their problems, and received A grades. Inspectors handed out no new C grades in June, but several restaurants and a grocery store received B grades. Here’s who and why they didn’t pass muster:
La Poblanita
La Poblanita grocery store at 117 Matthews Drive on Hilton Head Island received a B grade with 78 points in a June 10 inspection. The report cited raw meat touching the interior wall of a freezer, shrimp ceviche sold without a raw food warning label and meat cutting boards in an uncleanable state. Inspectors also found soil and debris at the bottom of a retail fridge and on the floor of a storage shed.
Inspectors conducted a follow-up on June 17, and the grocery store received an A grade with 99 points. The follow-up report noted a single food-thawing violation.
Club Seats Grille
Sports bar and pizzeria Club Seats Grille at 2600 Main St., Hilton Head Island received a B grade with 78 points in a June 29 inspection. According to SCDA inspection records, this is the first inspection for Club Seats Grille since January 2026.
Inspectors observed a food handler touch their cellphone and then handle food without washing their hands. They observed organic growth on the restaurant’s indoor and outdoor ice boxes, and drain flies “swarming” near a mop sink. A walk-in shelf and the pantry’s microwave were soiled.
A follow-up inspection has not been carried out. The report notes a follow-up inspection is required within 10 days.
Ombra Cucina Rustica
Hilton Head Italian restaurant Ombra Cucina Rustica at 1000 William Hilton Parkway received a B grade with 78 points in a June 29 inspection. This is its first inspection since December of last year, according to SCDA inspection records.
Inspectors reported an employee spreading ice in a bin with their bare hands, a meat slicer with a “heavy build up of dried on food debris” and a walk-in freezer with condenser leak. A dish machine had a build up of organic matter and items in a walk in cooler were found with white organic matter on them. The restaurant also offered steaks and chops cooked at any temperature without providing a consumer advisory.
A follow-up inspection has not been carried out. The report notes a follow-up inspection is required within 10 days.
Roadhouse Ribs
Port Royal barbecue restaurant Roadhouse Ribs at 7 Toppers Lane received a B grade with 79 points in a June 17 inspection. Its last inspection occurred in July 2025, according to SCDA inspection records.
Inspectors observed no hand soap at its handwashing station, pans stored as clean when they were not and foods held past their expiration date. They also observed rust build up inside a walk-in cooler, limescale build up in a dish machine and a build up of grease throughout the kitchen. The bar area’s floor was observed in poor repair.
Inspectors conducted a follow-up on June 30, in which Roadhouse Ribs received an A grade with 97 points. The follow-up report noted the rust in the walk-in cooler was not resolved, and the bar floor remained in poor repair.
SCDA restaurant inspection reports are publicly available and can be found here.