Dine Southern Style on the Georgia Coast with Barbara Jean

Barbara Jean’s Restaurant & Bar
St. Simons Island, Georgia

There’s something comforting about the never changing–those restaurants you’ve been going to for years that you know and love, and have come to expect. You know the quality, you would bet your life savings by the she crab soup and nothing excites you more than sharing the experience with friends and family who’ve never tasted and seen. At the corner of Mallory and Beachview streets located in the Pier Village of St. Simons Island, Georgia sits one of my family’s constants: Barbara Jean’s. You may have visited in the Golden Isles, or in one of the four locations in South Carolina or Florida. Whether you go for the famous crab cakes or the pumpkin bread and the sweet jalapeno corn bread with cinnamon butter, Barbara Jean’s Easy Southern Dining makes deciding where to eat lunch or dinner a cinch!

It's rare to visit without a wait, but always worth it. — It’s rare to visit without a wait, but always worth it. I’m on the left and that’s my mom, Debbie, on the right.

Ahh, the blessed bread basket. It is the thing I look forward to most at Barbara Jean's. Caution: Sample each variety and take the rest to go! — Ahh, the blessed bread basket. It is the thing I look forward to most at Barbara Jean’s. Caution: sample each variety and take the rest to go!

The appetizer portion of coconut shrimp comes with four large shrimp and a mango dipping sauce. It is more than enough to fill me up!

This is the she crab soup. It's cream based and filled with fresh, lump crab meat. I like to pepper mine heavily and sprinkle crushed saltines over the top. — The she crab soup is cream based and filled with fresh, lump crab meat. I like to pepper mine heavily and sprinkle crushed saltines over the top.

I took a friend who had never been to visit recently and upon getting his drink, he said, "Now that's a tea glass!" I recommend a half and half tea with a fat wedge of lemon. — I took a friend who had never been to visit recently and upon getting his drink, he said, “Now that’s a tea glass!” I recommend ordering a half and half tea with a fat wedge of lemon.

Barbara Jean's is known for their famous crab cakes. This is the crab cake and grilled shrimp over rice dinner with stewed tomatoes and broccoli & cheese casserole. — Barbara Jean’s is known for their famous crab cakes. This is the crab cake and grilled shrimp over rice dinner with stewed tomatoes and broccoli & cheese casserole.

My favorite seat in the house is by the bay window overlooking the Pier Village shops. In the summertime, every table is usually full and the place is bustling with wait staff, bus boys and hungry tourists and locals. Traveling with Fido? Grab a seat on the patio. Dining alone? Pull up a chair at the full bar and order up your favorite cocktail. The menu prices range from $4.99 for a cup of soup to about $24 for the most expensive dinner entrée.

The food is Some Kinda Good y’all, and my best friend swears by “The Chocolate Stuff.” Cobbler-like and better than a brownie, it’s Barbara Jean’s signature dessert and is served in a big bowl with homemade whipped cream. Other menu items include Tuna Steaks, Shrimp & Grits and Chicken Fried Steak. The restaurant is coastal and down home all at the same time…my kinda place!

After dinner, walk along Mallory street or take a seat at the Pier to see what the fisherman are reeling in. Of all the places to eat in the Golden Isles, Barbara Jean’s should be at the top of your list.