Myrtle Beach's Finest: Exploring Local Restaurants
Myrtle Beach is known for its family friendly beaches, golf courses, shopping destinations, and larger than life attractions (looking at you, SkyWheel.) They also have some pretty legendary local food. Whether you were born and raised in Myrtle Beach, or just visiting, you simply have to try these local restaurants.
Sea Captain’s House
Of course, this list wouldn’t be complete without some seafood restaurants, due to Myrtle Beach’s coastal locale. So, that’s exactly how we’re kicking things off. Sea Captain’s House is an oceanfront restaurant that’s been around for over 60 years. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, there’s a dish for everyone to enjoy. Some of the most loved include the award-winning she crab soup, the shrimp and grits, and the Carolina Catch. For dessert, their hummingbird cake is especially popular. If you’re planning to visit this restaurant, they also have a live webcam that shows the current oceanfront view on their website, so you can see exactly the kind of conditions you’ll be dining in if you prefer to be seated outdoors.
El Cerro Grande
If you’re a fan of Mexican food, El Cerro Grande is a must-try. They have several locations along the Grand Strand, many of which we supply! (We also supply a few of their NC locations as well.) You really can’t go wrong with any of their menu items, but a few favorites that come to mind are the Cowboy Chimichanga, enchiladas poblanas, fajitas, choripollo, and their specialty tacos. With every visit, you can expect bottomless baskets of freshly made complimentary tortilla chips and salsa (we recommend trying their guacamole and cheese dip, too!) However, it’s not just the food that makes El Cerro Grande an excellent Mexican restaurant. The vibrant atmosphere brimming with authentic culture brings the spirit of Mexico straight to you as soon as you set foot inside.
Thai Season
Founded in 2007, this restaurant uses fresh, quality ingredients to craft their authentic, delicious Thai dishes. They make excellent curry (red, green, and yellow), Pad Se Yoo, and of course, Pad Thai. If you’re a fan of Asian cuisine, but not necessarily Thai food, don’t count this restaurant out— they also serve hibachi, sushi, gyoza, and crab rangoon. No matter what you order, you can count on the portions to be generous and the taste to be fresh and flavorful.
Wicked Tuna
This establishment overlooks the marshes of Murrells Inlet, which is considered the “seafood capital of South Carolina.” Of course, being in a prime fishing location, you can expect more excellent, freshly caught seafood from this restaurant. While you can get classic Southern seafood dishes such as crab cakes and shrimp & grits, Wicked Tuna also offers excellent quality steaks, sushi, and sandwiches— a little bit of everything.
O.A.K. Prime
Executive Chef Jerrett “JK” King, a Myrtle Beach native, uses his experience with Southern cooking to reimagine classic dishes and put a unique, delicious twist on them at O.A.K. Prime. Some of these dishes include smoked wagyu meatloaf with a blackberry chipotle glaze, sweet corn and polenta ravioli, and New Zealand elk chops. If you’re looking for an upscale, unique, inventive restaurant, this will be the place for you.
Blueberry’s Grill
If you’re looking for a great breakfast spot in Myrtle Beach, we suggest Blueberry’s Grill. In addition to their classic breakfast items like omelets and pancakes, they also offer sandwiches, skillets, and specialties like their blueberry hushpuppies, which are dusted in powdered sugar and come with homemade honey butter and blueberry compote. They also have an impressive cocktail and mocktail menu— including four different kinds of Bloody Marys!
Croissants Bistro and Bakery
This is another charming breakfast and lunch spot that’s brimming with Southern hospitality. (Anywhere that offers complimentary “Friendship Muffins” to start your meal is a win in our book.) The Friendship Muffins are just the beginning, though— Croissants offers a variety of indulgent dishes including Bananas Foster French toast, fried green tomatoes, quiche du jour, and more. And that’s just from the breakfast menu! While Croissants only serves breakfast and lunch, you need only walk to the other side of the building to find Hook & Barrel, which is another great seafood restaurant. Both establishments were founded by the same incredibly talented chef, Heidi Vukov.
Hook & Barrel
Newer to the area, Hook & Barrel is a hip seafood spot that focuses on using sustainably sourced, often local ingredients as well as environmentally friendly equipment. From the building, to the silverware, to the menu items themselves, sustainability is enmeshed in everything this restaurant does. Quality is another important factor to the folks running Hook & Barrel— the quality of the food and the experience. Take, for instance, their she crab soup, which is freshly prepared in front of their customers at their “steam galley”.
Hungry yet? Which restaurant excites you the most? With so many excellent local restaurants to choose from, we know how hard it is to pick which one to explore first (imagine how hard it was to narrow down this list!)