Royal James Café

The Royal James Café is a small destination located just off of Downtown Beaufort’s on-the-water Front Street, and is a local institution of sorts. A hang-out spot and restaurant since it was first opened more than 60 years ago, the café’s quiet exterior belies a fairly large restaurant as well as a slightly removed pool hall that’s filled with roughly a half dozen antique Brunswick pool tables. This makes Royal James Café a popular destination for the Happy Hour and evening crowd, but every day non-pool shark visitors can enjoy the establishment too, thanks to a hearty menu, rugged but inviting surroundings, and a casually laid-back atmosphere.

The menu has a long list of burgers which are locally famous, as well as a collection of classic sandwiches like roast beef, turkey melts, tuna salad, and grilled mesquite chicken breast. In addition, visitors can feast on larger plates of fried shrimp, clam strips, grilled chicken, or other pub-food favorites, as well as a selection of breakfast fare. Patrons will also find plenty of ice cold drinks on tap, which can be enjoyed at the bar, in the pool hall, or at the scattering of tables.

Relaxed but delicious, the Royal James Café is the place to go for easy-going fare and a little entertainment in the heart of Beaufort.