The deck at Molly Darcy's in North Myrtle Beach is a fine place to sip a drink and keep an eye on the beach action.
We have plenty of water in the Grand Strand area between the ocean, the Intracoastal Waterway and the rivers. Each of the following restaurants has a splendid view and delicious food.
This new and luxurious restaurant is warm with jewel-like pastels and sun streaming in from windows offering a second-floor oceanfront view. It is located in the Prince Resort at Cherry Grove Pier and features dishes such as Jumbo Lump Crab “Martini” with watermelon ganache and a light citrus yuzu-soy dressing; the restaurant’s signature dish Steak Prince, which features a six-ounce filet mignon surrounded by enormous shrimp and scallops cooked in a light and creamy white wine sauce and served with the chef’s spectacular Southern Fried Green Tomatoes. The restaurant also serves spectacular breakfasts.
Anchor Café is open seasonally at the Marina Inn at Grande Dunes. With its waterfront setting and beautiful Mediterranean décor you’ve got the recipe for one of the best hideaway cafes in town. If you want to really impress someone with your knowledge of a great place that’s off the beaten path, take them to Anchor Café. You can dine on Buttermilk Fried Calamari with Cajun remoulade;
Chopped Caesar Salad with grilled chicken, shrimp or steak, or a crab cake; and Carolina-Q Chicken Wrap served with crispy fried onions, lettuce and tomato.
The Beach House Bar & Grill
1205 N. Ocean Blvd.
Myrtle Beach
839-4705
NFL games are on 25 flat screen TVs, and there is a special football menu that includes Hot Wings (there’s also teriyaki), Ultimate Nachos, Fried Calamari, Mini Cheeseburgers, Fish and Chips or Baby Back Ribs. The Touchdown Platter has wings, chicken nuggets, jalapeno poppers, cheese sticks and fries. If you’re not at The Beach House during a game, the regular menu has much to offer for lunch and dinner seven days a week. Burgers and sandwiches are plentiful here, and entrees include Fried or Grilled Grouper, skewers of Mediterranean Chicken and Thai Chile Shrimp, Crab Cakes, Shrimp Scampi, Fried Shrimp, Ribeye, NY Strip and Filet Mignon.
A day at the oceanfront Blue Room Cafe starts with hearty Southern breakfast choices including fluffy buttermilk pancakes; cinnamon-spiced French toast; buttermilk biscuits with homemade sausage gravy; and Southern-style grits. Executive Chef Robbie Nicolaisen offers dinner menu choices such as the Seared Ahi Tuna appetizer topped with flavorful ginger-soy marinated cucumber “noodles.” Fried Green Tomatoes are crispy and delicious, and come with a crunchy corn salad. Barbecued Salmon over Summer Succotash is a delightful entrée, and the Double Cut Pork Chop has an apple cider glaze and is served with buttery braised cabbage and sweet potato hash.
This waterfront restaurant in Murrells Inlet has casual fine dining specializing in wood-fired grilled items, including locally caught seafood, and brick oven-baked gourmet pizzas. The view is spectacular, and the kitschy Southwestern décor, such as saddle bar stools, is stylish and fun. Bovine’s does not use any oils containing trans fats.
Bummz Beach Café
2003 N. Ocean Blvd.
Myrtle Beach
916-9111
http://www.bummz.com/
Sandwiches and salads are fresh, the drinks are icy-cold and the oceanfront cabana usually has a live band in season. Casual vacation attire and mentalities are encouraged.
Cabana Café and Beach Bar
In the Litchfield Inn
1 Norris Drive
Litchfield Beach
237-4211
www.litchfieldinn.com
It’s a roomy and bright space with a purple and blue seaside motif, and there is a great view of the pools on both sides of glass walls and the ocean on the third side. Outdoor oceanfront seating is extremely popular. Executive chef Bill Austin offers an interesting menu and superb daily specials such as Vegetable Lasagna or Fried Flounder with Peach Slaw.
The old Dave’s was torn down to make way for this new upscale waterfront haven. A high-tech grill allows for superbly cooked meats and succulent sushi-grade seafood. Southern Living magazine recommended the bacon-wrapped scallops. The inlet view and atmosphere are outstanding. A brunch buffet is now being served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays. The price is $16.95 for ages 12 and older and $8.95 ages 11 and younger.
Capt. Juel’s Hurricane Restaurant
4499 Mineola Ave., on the waterfront
Little River
249-2211
Capt. Juel’s has been serving fresh seafood since 1945. For lunch there are specials like Fried Grouper with grits and sun-dried tomato sauce, and the menu has Barbecue Shrimp, Key West Coconut Shrimp, Crab Cakes, Blackened Mahi with grits, Mahi Rockefeller, Seafood Au Gratin and Capt. Juel’s famous seafood stew. You can also order Greek Salad, Caesar Salad, Blackened Chicken, Bourbon Street Steak and a Cheeseburger. For dessert there are Coconut Cake (“Grandmom Bernice’s old recipe”), Banana Bread Pudding, Derby Pie and Key Lime Pie. They also have desserts of the day like Red Velvet Cake or Coconut Pineapple Cake.
Any dining preference is accommodated here with a large menu of choices from spectacular seafood (crab cakes, shrimp scampi, seafood casserole), juicy steaks and succulent poultry, lamb, veal and pork. The desserts are renowned (fruit and nut cobbler a la mode, homemade cheesecake, strawberry shortcake) as is the impressive Sunday brunch. Chestnut Hill has private rooms just right for large families, rehearsal dinners or dinner meetings, and diners seated by the window overlooking the pond might see the resident ‘gator.
Conch Café
1870 Waccamaw Drive
Garden City
651-6556
The oceanfront view is spectacular; the specialty cocktail list is long. For lunch there are Po’ Boys; salads; flounder or grouper sandwiches; the Beach Club sandwich with ham, turkey, bacon and melted provolone; a couple of burgers; Grouper Fingers; bacon-wrapped shrimp; Buffalo Shrimp; and Calamari. For dinner you can have Shrimp Scampi; Seafood Platters; Crabcake Dinner; Steak Oceanside that’s topped with shrimp, scallops, asparagus and Hollandaise; Chicken over Angel Hair Pasta; and Prime Rib on Fridays and Saturdays.
Life just doesn’t get much better than sipping a cool drink on the deck at Creek Ratz. Fresh seafood and the awesome inlet view bring diners back. For lunch or dinner, this is a happy and casual place. The Grouper Sandwich is delicious.
Yes, this is a popular biker hangout, especially during the May and October Harley festivals. But don’t let that scare you off if you’re not a biker-type. Their food is above average, the service is friendly and prompt, the décor is pleasant, you can’t beat their waterfront view of Murrells Inlet, they have a huge shaded deck where live bands perform every night and the place is surrounded by some of the most gorgeous live oaks in the area. Their deck even has a live oak growing up through the middle! You can get gourmet appetizers like mini garlic toasts spread with a thin layer of Parmesan mayonnaise and topped with extremely tender thin-sliced beef tenderloin. They also have
If you want a more upscale atmosphere, dine inside and appreciate the inlet view and gorgeous décor. If you’re wearing shorts and flip-flops, dine outside at their Wahoo’s Bar. The seafood is great inside or out. Divine Fish House does not use any oils containing trans fats.
The atmosphere is casual, but the seafood prepared by longtime Executive Chef Casey Blake is serious. You get a great view of the inlet, plus excellent local seafood like crab cakes, shrimp and flounder. They also have char-grilled steaks. Don’t forget to “Say hey” to Bubba Love’s statue outside.
Filet’s
2120 Sea Mountain Highway
at Harbourgate Marina
by the Swing Bridge
North Myrtle Beach
280-5200
The sushi here is excellent, as are the steaks, seafood and incredible views of the Intracoastal Waterway and the expensive boats docked at Harbourgate Marina. This is a huge restaurant with lower- and upper-level seating, and loads of both indoor and outdoor seating. A few menu items include Prime Rib, Stuffed Grouper, Chicken Oscar, Beef & Brie Salad and Filet Neptune.
It doesn’t matter if you’re alone, with a date or in a large group of fun-lovers: Flo’s is the place to go for a good time. The bayou theme fits with the inlet location surrounded by live oaks, and the owner personally ensures folks are entertained and feel welcome. The Cajun food is great, too. Try the ‘gator.
Goat Island Grill
719 Front St.
Georgetown
527-3500
Goat Island Grill has free Wi-Fi access and an outside deck overlooking the Sampit River. Executive chef Thomas Sullivan offers Lowcountry fare such as Crab and Shrimp Bisque, Shrimp and Grits and Pecan Crusted Grouper.
While you’d think this would be all about golf, Greg Norman’s namesake restaurant offers fine dining in gorgeous surroundings. Much Aboriginal artwork is on display, and the Outback décor is plush and inviting. The Intracoastal Waterway view and live piano music in the lounge are bonuses. The menu is unforgettable with items like Seafood Spring Rolls, Lobster-crusted Swordfish and a wealth of wood-grilled dishes such as Veal Chop and Yellowfin Tuna.
The setting at this popular waterfront restaurant is pure Southern charm with loads of ancient live oaks, a grassy lawn with a playground and an outdoor gazebo that heats up at night with live music and dancing. The menu features Lowcountry cuisine and seafood; try the Grouper Francaise or Seafood Pomodoro.
Key West Crazy Waterfront Bar and Grill
4492 Waterfront Dr.
Little River
249-6163
Located on the waterfront in Little River, this restaurant’s menu includes appetizers like Jumbo Wings, Nachos Deluxe, Bacon-wrapped Scallops, Buffalo shrimp, Grouper Bites and Shrimp Rangoon. There are sandwiches such as fresh fish, shrimp, oyster and Philly cheesesteak; seafood baskets; and four salads, including a Grilled or Fried Grouper Salad. It is open for lunch on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays; the rest of the week it opens at 2 p.m.
La Rocca Authentic Italian Cuisine serves Italian dishes and a few Lowcountry recipes.
Lunchtime choices include Italian specialties, burgers, Tuna Melt, Shrimp Po-Boy, Fried Green Tomato BLT, Philly Cheese Steak and a Sausage Hero with grilled peppers and onions. There’s also a Wrap of the Day, and Charles says their Charleston She-Crab Soup is incredible. The dinner menu offers many more dishes, from Calamari Fritti, Grouper Fingers and Stuffed Mushrooms, to Fresh Tomatoes with Mozzarella, Penne Pasta ala Vodka, Vitello Scaloppini Marsala and Herb-crusted Grouper. Cathy Lalomia’s cheesecake is divine, and they have Key Lime Pie, Tiramisu and a daily dessert special. There’s a shaded outdoor dining area overlooking the Sampit River.
Lands End Restaurant
444 Marina Drive
Georgetown
527-1376
A Sunday brunch buffet is from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and the regular lunch and dinner menus feature a wide variety of food including Bronzed Grouper Medallions, Creek Shrimp and Gravy over a bowl of yellow grits, London Broil Salad, Crab Pie, Prime Rib and Grouper Sandwich. The roomy restaurant has a spectacular view of Winyah Bay.
Latitude is a treat because of its third-story ocean view, the signature cocktails and an interesting Caribbean-inspired menu. Tuesday nights are shrimp nights, with a pound of shrimp served a variety of ways for $13.95. Latitude does not use any oils containing trans fats.
Marina Raw Bar
U.S. 17 at Vereen’s Marina
North Myrtle Beach
249-3972
Situated by a marina off the Intracoastal Waterway, the nice view of yachts does not overshadow the delights of a bucket of steamed oysters, a nice piece of flounder or a soft shell crab.
Molly Darcy’s, which has one other location in Connecticut, is a great place to eat and a fun spot in which to hang out and party. Diners can walk right up from the beach or enter via Ocean Boulevard and sit outside on the shaded veranda or stay inside to shoot pool and play darts. Whether seated inside or out, diners can enjoy lunch and dinner with choices such as Whiskey Wings, Shepherd’s Pie, Irish Smoked Salmon, Corned Beef on Rye, Dublin Fish & Chips and Molly’s Chicken Supreme. In the evenings a DJ provides dance music.
Nance’s
5225 U.S. 17 Business
Murrells Inlet
651-8706
Try a seafood platter or a bucket of steamed oysters, and while you’re loving those you can also enjoy the beautiful inlet view. It’s a very casual place.
Early-morning beach walkers often end their exercise with a breakfast of a seafood omelet at Nibils. Lunches and dinners offer a wide variety, from sandwiches to steaks and a lot in between. Since it’s on a pier, the ocean and beach views in this casual family-run restaurant are memorable.
Ocean Fish Market
302 Kingston Street (a block north of Main Street), beside the WaccamawRiver
Conway
248-4334
For now, as it has been for 60 years, the dining area is seven picnic tables under ancient live oak trees; plans are in the works for a two-tier waterfront deck. is bordered by an old brick wall with iron rings set in them. Sandwiches include fillets of whiting, flounder, croaker, spot and catfish, and barbecue, soft shell crab and crab cake. You can also get seafood dinners, including a flounder-shrimp combo, plus hot dogs, corn dogs, onion petals, sweet potato fries, cole slaw and hush puppies. This is a fish market, so of course you can also get fresh seafood to take home and cook.
Ocean One
Upstairs at The Litchfield Inn
One Norris Drive
LitchfieldBeach
235-8700
Bill and Annette Austin have three restaurants now, and their newest, Ocean One, has an incredible oceanfront view, a fun and exciting menu and an impressive wine list. Ocean One Specialties include Bronzed Rum Drunken Shrimp and Scallops with Pineapple, Coconut Rum Sauce and Unfried Rice; and Herb Crusted Colorado Rack of Lamb with Roasted Shallot and Mint Marmalade and Rosemary Lamb Jus. Steaks range from a 12-ounce Colorado Natural Flat Iron Steak to “Painted Hills” New York Strip, USDA Prime Filet Mignon, USDA Prime Rib and Kobe Style Wagyu Filet Mignon. Fish from around the world – Atlantic swordfish, Hawaiian tuna, Alaskan King salmon, Carolina black grouper and Florida Yellowtail snapper – also are offered with a choice of sauces.
This gem started life as a private residence, then became a boarding house. Fresh seafood has been served there since 1910, making it the oldest restaurant on the Grand Strand. It’s popular for good reason – the food is incredible. Try the Flounder Roosevelt stuffed with crab and topped with lobster cream sauce, or Tasso Cream Shrimp over creamy grits. The building has been lovingly restored, and the dining room overlooks a lush lawn, live oaks and the inlet. The Sunday brunch is famous for its fried chicken cooked in a cast iron skillet.
Pier 14
Ocean Boulevard at 14th Avenue North
Myrtle Beach
448-8448
We think the breakfasts and lunches are better and priced more reasonably than the dinners, but at night there is live music. You can’t beat the view from the pier. Some folks stop by for cocktails and appetizers and enjoy them al fresco on the deck.
The cheerful women working behind the counter at the pier’s cafe say they have the “best breakfast on the beach.” For breakfast, which is served from 7 to 11 a.m., choices include omelets, bagels, French toast, pancakes, eggs and several sides. Starting at 11 a.m. and through 11 p.m. the menu includes crab cake sandwich, foot-long hot dogs and a burger called the Hugo Burger. They also have hand-dipped Mayfield ice cream. The pier also has a video arcade and live entertainment.
The specialty is Shrimp and Grits with tasso ham and Andouille sausage; a bonus is a fresh-baked fluffy biscuit hidden under the grits. The Herb-crusted Grouper, McClellanville Crab Cakes and Pecan Chicken Salad are all delicious. The building is historic, the ambiance cozy and warm and there’s a great view of the SampitRiver.
Sara J’s
314 Atlantic Ave.
Garden City
651-1657
Fried seafood, broiled seafood, steamed seafood and even stewed seafood – diners come in droves for the excellent and affordable seafood, and the view of the inlet is gorgeous. You can also call ahead to place an order and pick it up curbside.
This former beach cottage is a landmark for locals and visitors. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served daily in a spectacular oceanfront setting, and reservations are never accepted except for large private parties. There is a breakfast buffet, but we like the Crab Cakes Benedict off the menu. Daily lunch specials are always a treat, and for dinner you can’t go wrong with any seafood dish.
This former riverfront warehouse is listed on the National Historic Register. Award-winning owner/chef Michael McLaurin has preserved the building’s vintage appeal and offers fabulously delicious cuisine with upscale Southern flair. His Shrimp & Grits, Grouper with fresh peach sauce (when peaches are in season) and luscious desserts are legendary. If the weather is temperate, the outdoor porch overlooking the river is extremely pleasant.
Three Steps Down Grille & Tavern
in the Sea Mist Resort
1200 S. Ocean Blvd.
Myrtle Beach
448-1551
The dinner-only restaurant opens at 5 p.m. daily. The menu includes Spinach and Artichoke Dip, Blue Cheese Steak Salad, Mushroom Provolone Burger, Prime Rib, Baby Back Ribs, Ka’bam! Coconut Shrimp (they have a spicy sauce), Local Fresh Flounder (glazed with orange marmalade and Thai chili sauce), Tiramisu, Mile High Cheesecake with raspberry or chocolate sauce, Chocolate Molten Volcano with homemade black cherry sauce and Death By Chocolate. A singer/piano player performs beach music, oldies and more from 6-10 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays.
Umberto’s at CoquinaHarbor
720 U.S. 17
Little River
249-5513
Umberto’s has a gorgeous view of CoquinaHarbor, which is the largest harbor in the Mid-Atlantic. A few of their Italian specialties include Stuffed Banana Peppers (stuffed with Italian sausage), Zuppa di Mare with white or red sauce, Vodka Rigatoni, Grouper Piccata, Veal Marsala and Osso Bucco Milanese. The Double-cut Pork Chops, Lamb Chops and Veal Chops are enormous and cooked to juicy perfection. Umberto’s also has a market and deli next door that sells cheeses, hand-cut chops and steaks, sandwiches, seafood, olive oils, vinegars and gift items.
WaterScapes at the MarinaInn at Grande Dunes
8121 Amalfi Place
Myrtle Beach
913-2837
WaterScapes is another new star in the Grand Strand dining landscape. Breakfast, lunch and dinner menus are thrilling in their innovation and terrific taste. You can dine inside or out, and if you have a boat handy you can arrive via the Intracoastal Waterway.
