Award-Winning Restaurants in North Myrtle Beach and Little River
There are thousands of restaurants on the Grand Strand to dig into, including an impressive round of those boasting awards worthy enough to make foodies fawn.
In fact, there are even so many of these top-notch eateries here in our parts that we’ve had to break them down into towns on the Strand, so it’s easier to digest. Here is what we (and the region/country) recommend on the north end of the beach, from North Myrtle Beach to Little River, from A to Z and separated by nationally and locally recognized.
Nationally Recognized Restaurants
Bistro 90
7209 SC-90, Longs
Awards: USA Today 10 BEST, Wine Spectator Award of Excellence 2013-2020, #4 Steakhouse in SC by Diners’ Choice, 2021 Best Bistro from Grand Strand Magazine
About: It may be off the beaten path of North Myrtle Beach proper, but it’s definitely worth a visit for its hand-cut certified USDA Prime Grade steaks and chops, and more.
Chuck’s Steak House
9695 North Kings Highway, Myrtle Beach
Awards: 2019 Restaurant Marketer of the Year from the Certified Angus Beef ® brand, USA Today 10 Best for Steakhouses, 2021 Best Brews from Grand Strand Magazine, 2019 Best Early Bird Menu, from Grand Strand Magazine, 2018, Best Steakhouse & Best Happy Hour from SC Women’s Magazine
About: Let’s just say that Restaurant Row has been happier with Chuck’s on it since 1979. That’s because they’ve set the standard for happy hour service, daily from 4-7 p.m., which has been voted Best Happy Hour since 2014. And it’s not just what’s on tap or poured, their menu munchies and steaks are stellar.
Greg Norman Australian Grille
4930 US-17 S, North Myrtle Beach
Awards: 2021 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, 2020 Travelers’ Choice from Tripadvisor, 2021 Best Specialty Cuisine from Grand Strand Magazine
About: Take a roundtrip to Australia without leaving North Myrtle Beach with a visit to Greg Norman’s in Barefoot Landing. The waterfront flagship restaurant has been serving fabulous fare for brunch, lunch, and dinner since 1999 and continues to impress.
Bimini’s Oyster Bar & Seafood Café
930 Lake Arrowhead Road, Myrtle Beach
Awards: USA Today 10 Best
About: If you want to go where the locals go for fresh-shucked oysters, shrimp and seafood, pull up a chair at Bimini’s just off Restaurant Row. Picnic tables outside fill up fast in the summer!
Locally Recognized Restaurants
21 Main Prime Steak House
719 North Beach Blvd., North Myrtle Beach
Awards: 2020 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, 2020 Diners’ Choice, 2021 Best Upscale Classics from Grand Strand Magazine
About: Dinner at this steak house is upscale anytime you dine here, from the award-winning chefs to the first-class service to the in-house sommelier. Whether it’s a dinner for two or a wedding reception for 200, 21 Main spoils all of its guests with refined Southern hospitality.
The Brentwood Restaurant & Wine Bistro
4269 Luck Ave., Little River
Awards: Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, 2021 Best Bistro from Grand Strand Magazine
About: The Brentwood, located within a Victorian home that dates back to 1910, pays a beautiful homage to France. Not only does Chef Eric Masson create fabulous French-inspired dinner menus, but he also hosts a Wine Club, ghost dinner and tours, and more.
Clark’s Seafood and Chophouse
720 US-17, Little River
Awards: 2021 Best Upscale Classics from Grand Strand Magazine
About: Overlooking the picture-perfect Coquina Harbor in Little River, Clark’s is a landmark restaurant for combining alfresco dining with a menu of upscale classics, including fresh seafood and hand-cut USDA steaks.
Crooked Hammock Brewery
4924 Highway 17 S., North Myrtle Beach
Awards: 2021 Best Brewery/Distillery from WMBF
About: Don’t let the brewery name fool you – it’s so much more. It’s a dining destination for the entire family, with a backyard of fun activities for the kids and a long list of casual fare to pair with your brews.
Lucy Buffett’s LuLu’s
4954 Hwy 17 S, North Myrtle Beach
Awards: 2021 Best Family-Friendly Restaurant from Grand Strand Magazine
About: This Barefoot Landing restaurant is a newer addition to the Lulu’s family tree that’s spread throughout the Southeast built with the same mindset: celebrating family. Expect food, drinks, and fun for everyone, including a ropes course above the sand picnic area, an arcade, and views of the waterway.
Midtown Bistro
2004 Highway 17 South, North Myrtle Beach
Awards: 2021 Best Bistro from Grand Strand Magazine
About: This Italian bistro is newly remodeled, but remains a locals’ favorite for lunch or dinner featuring “simple food and simple prices.”
The Parson’s Table
4305 McCorsley Ave., Little River
Awards: Wine Spectator Award of Excellence Since 2003, 2021 Best Specialty Cuisine Restaurant from Grand Strand Magazine, 2019 Best Crab Cakes from Grand Strand Magazine
About: You’ll love the heavenly, historic charm of The Parson’s Table, set in the original home of the first Little River Methodist Church built in 1885. Add to that the delicious dinner and wine menus and you’ll be singing Hallelujah!
Bar 19 Twelve
1912 Highway 17 South, North Myrtle Beach
Awards: 2021 Best New Restaurant from Grand Strand Magazine
About: This bar/lounge oozes a sexy/swanky vibe inside a repurposed wedding chapel in North Myrtle Beach that overlooks the Azalea Sands Golf Club. You can’t go wrong with any of their hand-crafted cocktails and its menu of elevated tapas and pub grub.
Ashley Daniels of Myrtle Beach is a full-time freelance writer, editor, wife, and mother of three sons (not necessarily in that order), and two fur babies. A native of Eastern PA, Ashley received her bachelor’s in English Writing from the University of Pittsburgh and her MA in Writing from Coastal Carolina University. Today, her folio boasts nearly 25 years of regional and nationally published printed magazine features, blogs, and web copy for a lineup of clients on the East Coast, and ADDY award-winning copywriting. For more info, visit www.ashleymdaniels.com.