Oceanfront Dining Across the Grand Strand
The Grand Strand is a jewel for waterfront dining on the inlet and the waterway, but there’s never a bad table besides the ocean. With restaurants too numerous to count, land and sea dishes are waiting for your party to stop by in the evening for a nice glass of white wine with shrimp scampi, happy hour with a big, juicy sandwich, or for a breakfast buffet just feet away from the salty shore. These joints only touch the surface of the diverse food scene that will welcome you to The Beach.
Sticking to its roots by serving dishes from morning to night, come and have all of your Southern comfort needs handled. The Sea Captain’s House is celebrating over 60 years of business. It first opened in the 1940s as a guesthouse and unexpectedly became a full-time restaurant in the ‘60s. Since it’s been around for so long, it’s become an annual meeting spot for people all over who enjoy the sound of waves welcoming them at the doorstep. Visit first thing in the morning for a continental-style breakfast or until 10 p.m. to get all of your seafood hookups.
Colorful, open, welcoming to friends and family; RipTydz has become a landmark in the area with its restaurant on stilts, valet parking, and rooftop bar. Right off the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk, the business has television screens to watch the latest game, cornhole for those who are a little competitive, and all the fans in the world to keep you cool while sipping on a specialty cocktail. It’s a chill place to visit for a seafood tower, salads, various mac-and-cheese options, or handhelds.
In the heart of Myrtle Beach, down from The Bowery, and less than a five-minute walk from the iconic Gay Dolphin, sits another piece of rich history. After the building was bought out in 1948, Oceanfront Bar was born and has been around ever since. Try a boardwalk po-boy, a footlong hot dog, or a fried bologna sandwich, and finish your course with a powdered-sugar-dusted funnel cake. Afterward, take ten steps, and you’re right at the sandy coast. There’s nothing better than grub at the beach.
The most perfect combo to ever exist is BBQ and salt-infused air. Hidden within a resort, but open year-round for tourists and locals, Black Drum Brewing sits perched along the ocean at Kingston Resorts. Find elevated dining with outdoor cabanas, fire pits inside a beer garden, lush greenery with cornhole, and mouthwatering smoked meats. Try the restaurants' Vacation Cocktails too for extra fun - and ask the bartenders for their suggestions if you’re really stuck.
You can’t get more of an ocean view than here, sitting at the edge of a pier with a nearly panoramic view of the green waves. Open daily starting from 11:30, stop by for happy hour from 4-6 p.m., or after your day spent on the beach. Enjoy fresh seafood and appetizers, or, if you get there before 4 p.m., try my favorite grilled salmon BLT - the South never fails at putting a twist on BLT sandwiches.
Visiting The Beach for a special occasion? Whether anniversaries, birthdays, weddings, etc. The Cypress Room brings excitement to every celebration. Sit down and unwind on the porch where you can hear the waves brushing against the sand as you dig into a charcuterie board, followed by a plate of grilled bourbon sweet tea brined pork chops with a side of fried brussels sprouts. Then, finish the night off with a glass of wine preceded by a slice of Southern classic pecan pie or white chocolate-raspberry cheesecake. Or, opt for any other tasty dish on the menu!
Be prepared to eat your weight in fish at the Wicked Tuna! Brought to your table fresh every day from the restaurant's fishing fleet, indulge in mouthfuls of grouper, mahi-mahi, snapper, or sea bass directly from the Atlantic. The restaurant is at the start of the 2nd Avenue Pier, making it one of the best locations for evening sun shows or for visiting after a long beach day. Cool off the easy way with a table full of sushi rolls during happy hour!
This joint is seen all around the Grand Strand from North Myrtle Beach to Socastee, but the one in Surfside happens to be right next to the pier, with an undercover balcony staring right into the Atlantic. A great spot to pull up to for a casual lunch or dinner, River City’s decor is known for its license plates and old signage. And, the wooden tables dressed in brown paper are a hit with kids who want to scribble all over your walls to create masterpieces. It’s always a fun time, and you can’t order the wrong burger, whether it’s a classic or one with bananas and peanut butter.
If your ideal beach day includes a frozen drink in hand, live music in the background, and your toes practically in the sand, LandShark Bar & Grill delivers. Located oceanfront at the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk, this laid-back spot blends coastal views with a menu full of beach favorites, from coconut shrimp and fish tacos to towering burgers and fresh salads. Grab a table on the spacious outdoor patio, order a margarita or one of LandShark's signature frozen cocktails, and settle in for an afternoon overlooking the Atlantic. It's the kind of place where lunch easily turns into sunset drinks, all without leaving the oceanfront.
