Captain Woody's not only has great food and great service but it also has a lot of terrific UK memorabilia. (Larry Vaught Photo)
Any time I am in or near Hilton Head, S.C., I make sure to visit Captain Woody’s, a causal seafood restaurant with locations in Hilton Head and nearby Bluffton.
It was former University of Kentucky basketball player Jerry Hale and his wife who first told me about the Hilton Head location because owner Russell Anderson is also a huge UK fan. He’s a Bowling Green native and UK graduate who displays UK memorabilia throughout the restaurant.
We made another visit recently and got a chance to look at Anderson’s new location that will be opening about a month from now. It’s relatively close to the current location but will have more parking and more room outside for a fire pit and game area for kids.
“It’s a 7,000 square foot building but we are only using about 3,800 square feet,” Anderson said.
He’s also bringing the majority of his UK keepsakes to the new location, including an autographed photo of Hale that he has hanging between photos of UK greats Dan Issel and Louie Dampier. Hale was on UK’s 1975 team that lost to UCLA in the national title game.
Hale also got a 1978 Sports Illustrated autographed by Jack Givens, who has been to Captain Woody’s, after his 41-point outing in the national title game win over Duke and autographed photo of former UK All-American Kenny Walker after he won the NBA Slam Dunk Championship that will be hanging in the new location.
“Jerry also had the jockeys at the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland sign a bourbon bottle for us,” Anderson said.
I once took Anderson a mini-basketball I brought Anderson autographed by Jeff Sheppard, Nazr Mohammed, Allen Edwards and Cameron Mills from the UK 1998 national championship team.
You can see all sorts of UK photos in the restaurant but there is one item he would like to have.
“I need something from UK volleyball. They won the national championship but I don’t have anything to hang up and show off,” Anderson said.
Anderson said restaurant patrons know he loves the Big Blue.
“They love it, especially all the Kentucky people who come in. We meet new people almost every day with a Kentucky connection,” he said.
It was 40 years ago that Captain Woody’s opened and the new restaurant has parts of the original bar being put to use. Anderson plans to have quarters from 1982 and 2022 embedded in the new bar.
“I just thought it would be a nice touch,” he said.
What’s also a nice touch is the food. We had shrimp, onion rings and hush puppies for appetizers. My oldest grandson said his crab cakes were the best he’s ever had and my unique shrimp chili was DELICIOUS as always. My son went with a seafood trio and so did I except I had my shrimp, scallops and flounder all blackened. My youngest grandson opted for the chicken wings and he thoroughly enjoyed them. My daughter-in-law had shrimp.
Not a seafood lover. You can also get a variety of other dishes, including a hamburger my granddaughter really liked.
It’s just a fun place for locals and UK fans with great food. Captain Woody’s even has an annual Kentucky Derby party.
