Top Intracoastal Waterway Restaurants on the Grand Strand
The Intracoastal Waterway (known to many as the ICW) stretches along the East coast from Boston, MA to Florida and has plenty of stops along the Grand Strand. It’s a boater’s paradise with its smooth waters and fun restaurants and places to check out along the way. Whether you’re traveling by boat or car – these restaurants located along the Intracoastal Waterway are great places to watch vessels sailing by or for a fun date night.
The Boathouse is a brewery, restaurant and live music venue in central Myrtle Beach. They have amazing views of the Intracoastal Waterway with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating as well as a new beer garden. They also have an in-house brewery serving up local beers right on tap. Food selections include burgers, sandwiches, seafood and plenty of apps to share after a long boat ride. Don’t miss their free concerts all year-round!
Snooky’s on the Water offers plenty of public docks and great scenic waterway views with even better food! The Captain Lance Tower features a ½ pound of Atlantic red crab claws, ½ pound of peel and eat shrimp, seasonal oysters, tuna poke, jumbo lump crab salad and an entire pound of snow crab legs. They also serve a wide variety of seafood entrees, soups, salads, pasta and a long list of homemade desserts.
Head to the Little River waterfront for a yummy lunch or dinner at Crab Catcher’s on the Water. Dinner entrees include local catch of the day, NC Flounder, soft shell crabs and grilled and fried seafood as well as steak. They have plenty of appetizers, sandwiches, daily soup specials, chicken wings and more. Walk along the docks outside to see what the local charter captains caught out on the water that day.
Pull up to the Grande Dunes Marina and stay for lunch or dinner at the Anchor Café. The open-air restaurant features a long list of cocktails, beers and wines to sip on while you watch the boats go by. Start off with grouper bites or Ahi Tuna and move on to burgers, fish tacos, wraps and fresh seafood baskets. They have a great happy hour every day from 4-7 p.m.
Lulu’s is loads of fun for the whole family and is located along the ICW at Barefoot Landing. They offer live entertainment, fun family events, a fun sandy beach area to play in and a giant menu chocked full of goodies. Favorites include the Crab Melt, Shrimp and Grits, fresh catch of the day, fresh blue crab claws and LuLu’s famous seafood gumbo.
Tucked away in its own little spot in docks along the waterway you’ll find a locals’ and visitors’ favorite spot – Boardwalk Billy’s. They’re famous for their raw bar, ribs and even sushi plus daily happy hour and lively entertainment. Try the Boardwalk Billy’s Famous Oyster Roast or their Steam Pot stuffed with clams, shrimp, crab legs, red potatoes, corn and sausage! Other options include burgers, sandwiches, baskets and wraps.
Greg Norman’s Australian Grille has been a staple in North Myrtle Beach and is known for its wood grilled classics including Australian Ostrich, Prime Wagyu Beef and U.S.D.A. Prime steaks. Located on the waterfront at Barefoot Landing, the restaurant has indoor and outdoor seating with a fantastic happy hour in the tiki bar. They do their best to use locally sourced seafood, produce and anything possible from North and South Carolina.
Head up to one of the coolest spots to hang out on the ICW! Local on the Water is located directly waterfront with tons of outdoor seating, a stage for live music, indoor dining area, firepit, play area with swings and so much more. They have a long list of craft beers served on draught and in cans and plenty of cocktails to sip on while you soak in the water views. Munch on goodies like flatbreads, salads, Old Bay cheese fries, sandwiches and lots more.
As the newest restaurant to open on the waterway, Clearwater Oyster Bar and Grill has already received rave reviews. The brand-new building opened in 2021 and new docks were installed for both boats and jet skis. As expected, the menu is heavy on the seafood and raw bar options with fresh boutique oysters daily prepared just the way you want them. They serve live lobsters, crab legs, whole flounder, surf and turf and plenty more whether you’re a land lover or even a taco lover.
Ashlee Carson grew up in Northwest Ohio but has lived in Myrtle Beach since graduating from the University of Central Florida in Spring of 2006 with a B.A. in Advertising and Public Relations. She was a former Public Relations intern at the Chamber of Commerce in the Summer of 2005 where her excitement for writing about Myrtle Beach began. Ashlee has two children, and loves boating, the beach, fishing and exploring everything the Grand Strand has to offer.