One of the safe television networks we are allowed to watch in our house is the Food Network. When I say safe, I mean our oldest, who has autism. will allow us to watch it because there are no unexpected situations on the network. Since we watch so many episodes of all the different shows, my husband is always looking to see if we can hit the restaurants of those featured on the network. We were pretty excited when we saw the ad for Orchid Paulmeier’s restaurant, “One Hot Mama’s American Grille.”
Thank goodness for GPS because it is hard to find anything on Hilton Head Island. There are really strict building codes and signage codes. These are fine if you live there and have your bearings down, but when it is your first time visiting it can be very disconcerting. One Hot Mama’s is set back from the highway and behind a couple of other watering holes. The main entrance isn’t the main entrance anymore and you need to walk into the center of the buildings. What was once the main entrance has a large sign and the old grille with the establishment printed on it. There is an open-air path to the center. You will first see the outdoor seating and then the door to enter.
The staff is very friendly and were seated immediately because we beat the evening rush by arriving before 6pm. It has a bar atmosphere, but it is family friendly. It can be a little loud, but the lights are set low inside. The walls are covered with ephemeral items and the high windows are lined with bowling pins. The tables are packed in tightly, but the low lights help to calm the environment. The waitress was equally friendly and was wearing a t-shirt that says, “Our Butts Are Smokin’,” which my kids enjoyed reading.
When we ordered, we knew we had to order the wings. I enjoy wings and I was extremely curious to find out what makes a winning wing. The wings came first to our table and we ordered the Maui Wowii and the Hot Asian. They have plenty of sauces for your wings and barbecue to meet everyone’s taste preference. All I can say about these wings is, “Amazing.” It doesn’t matter what sauce you pick to coat your wings, because they are so well prepared. They are deep-fired with a crispy skin that crunches when you bite in, but the thing that sets these wings apart is the char. It is the perfect char from the grill that makes them absolutely worth every bite. I’ve never had anything like it before. You have to try them, it will change your wing experience forever.
The stakes were raised after we tasted the wings and we were ready for our Family Meal. We choose two meats, the brisket and the rib tips, and three sides, macaroni & cheese, green beans and baked beans. Everything lived up to the ribs. The major flaw of most barbecue places is that they don’t pay attention to the detail of their sides. One Hot Mama’s pays attention to the sides. The macaroni and cheese is delightfully rich with butter and cheese, the green beans are fresh cut and have just the right level or ham, and the baked beans are stewed for hours on a stove with plenty of sugar and ham.
Moving on to our meats. The only minor complaint is the brisket was a little dry because it was a little lean, but it just fell apart in your mouth. Brisket should fall apart in your mouth. The rib tips were on par with the wings and I couldn’t stop eating them. They had an amazing char on them that sets them apart. You could tell the ribs were slowly cooked but then placed on the grill for a quick char. I don’t think I have ever had a better meal for the price or any price.
To finish off our meal we had to try the Key Lime Pie. This is probably the best $4.50 I have ever spent in my life. The crust was a perfectly baked thin crispy layer of graham cracker. The filling was a creamy tart lime flavor that had just the right amount of pucker and left you craving more. One of the elements I loved was the fine lime zest shavings in the pie. It was a huge slice that the five of us shared. They should be charging double. I would pay it.
If you need help deciding if this is for you, feel free to contact us about your sensory or cognitive disabilities. We would love to help you with your questions. comments@twoweeksayear.com
7A-1 Greenwood Drive, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
843 682-6262
Comments