Saltwater Cowboys

“Hickory-and-oak smoke with Shem Creek sunsets”

Saltwater Cowboys has held a waterfront spot on Shem Creek since 2017, and it does something unusual for the address: it pairs the expected seafood with genuinely slow-smoked barbecue. Where most Mount Pleasant kitchens on the water lean entirely on the catch, this one runs a real smoke program over hickory and oak alongside it. The dockside seating and sunset views are the obvious draw; the barbecue is the pleasant surprise. The St. Louis spare ribs come off the smoke with a clean bark, the brisket carries proper smoke rather than a token nod, and the pulled pork sandwich covers the classic. The smokehouse spud — a loaded baked potato under smoked meat — is the house move that ties the BBQ side to the broad menu. It is one of the rare Mount Pleasant tables where you can order real wood-smoked ribs and watch the boats come in at the same time, which is its own kind of reason to book the sunset slot.