There are a few reasons why Myrtle Beach routinely makes U.S. News and World Report's "Best Places to Live" list. There's its oceanside location, the mild climate, affordable cost of living, and family-oriented attractions.
Myrtle Beach is also home to hundreds of top-notch restaurants. Southern cuisine is undoubtedly a strong influence here, given that the city is in South Carolina. But there's a dining option for everyone here, whether you're into ethnic dishes or reliable American favorites.
Whether you're planning on living in Myrtle Beach or town for a visit, here's a list of 15 restaurants in Myrtle Beach you have to try.
1. Carolina Roadhouse
It didn't take long after its 1995 opening for Carolina Roadhouse to become a favorite destination for Myrtle Beach diners. The menu has a reputation for being on the messy side, which is how customers like it.
For example, there's the foot-long "Killer Dog" smothered with homemade chili, cheese, and French fries. The "Very Big" BBQ sandwiches are chock-full of tender beef rib meat or chicken in BBQ sauce. Then there are the seafood po' boy sandwiches that overflow with crab, shrimp, or oysters.
The Roadhouse focuses on Southern favorites, but you can also get some standbys here including nachos, steaks, salads, and burgers. Be sure to try the homemade honey butter croissants which are a diner's favorite.
Interior-wise, the spacious restaurant features palm trees and wood for Southern charm. Sit at the sizeable wrap-around bar and enjoy a hurricane or black diamond margarita.
2. Sea Captain's House
If it's seafood you're after, a visit to the Sea Captain's House is a must. The Myrtle Beach restaurant has operated for more than 50 years and offers up gorgeous ocean views in addition to a generous menu.
Appetizers include traditional creamy New England clam chowder, bacon wrapped scallops, and bang bang shrimp. The restaurant likes to put its spin on some favorites, such as adding hard boiled egg and honey to its lobster roll.
You'll find plenty of traditional seafood dishes such as crab cakes, sea scallops, and fresh grilled salmon. Turf lovers can choose from ribeye steak, filet mignon, and chicken marsala.
Pair your dish with any of the nearly 100 wines on the Captain's extensive list for the perfect dining experience. The restaurant is set in a large house across the street from plenty of public parking.
3. Sole Italian Restaurant
The family-run Sole Italian Restaurant attracts online rave reviews from diners for its authentic menu and friendly service. Chef Carlos Ribera and his wife operated a Miami restaurant for over 25 years before bringing their culinary skills to Myrtle Beach.
Sole (pronounced "sole-lay") offers a wide variety of pasta dishes that feature veal, meatballs, or seafood. Appetizers include mushrooms stuffed with crabmeat and eggplant rollatini (rolled eggplant.)
Finish your meal with a traditional Italian dessert such as tiramisu or limoncello cake. A visit to this cozy, romantic venue is something to do in Myrtle Beach in the winter or any time of year.
4. Calda's Coal Fired Pizza
There is no shortage of pizza options in Myrtle Beach, but Calda's Coal Fired Pizza is one of the few that isn't a chain. A Brooklyn couple runs this restaurant that cooks pizza using a coal oven. The result is perfectly crisp and burnished crusts that a regular oven can't duplicate.
Servers warn patrons that the pizza takes a bit longer to cook here. But the results are worth it, as are the salads, sides, calzones, and desserts. Specialty pizzas include the cheesesteak and deep-fried pies.
A roomy sports bar gives diners the option of catching a game on TV while enjoying their slice.
5. Collectors Cafe and Gallery
Those who love a serving of art with their meal will love with Collectors Cafe and Gallery, one of Myrtle Beach's most exciting restaurants. The 6,000 square-feet establishment is a part eatery, part art gallery, and part European-style coffeehouse.
The walls display the work of up to 25 local artists on any given day, and they're all for sale. Patrons need to ask their server for details. But the menu is just as artistic as the decor.
Chef Jon Reimer believes in beautifully presented food, whether it's the filet of beef carpaccio, yellowfin tuna tartare, or the sherry-honey glazed duck breast. Stay for dessert or savor a cup of espresso in the coffeehouse after your meal.
6. Famous Toastery
The Famous Toastery has a motto: "breakfast, lunch, and brunch all at once." This means there's something for everyone at this restaurant, including those who have flapjack cravings afternoon.
The Toastery is open each day until 3 PM and prepares all of its meals from scratch. Breakfast is a specialty, and the restaurant offers five different benedict dishes alone in addition to omelets, breakfast burritos, French toast, and breakfast sandwiches.
Fresh sandwiches, wraps, melts (as in cheese), and salads satisfy diners with more savory cravings.
7. The Library Restaurant
Visit the Library Restaurant when you feel like stepping up your dining attire and being served table-side by tuxedo-clad servers. One of Myrtle Beach's toniest restaurants, it moved from the downtown area to the more touristy North King's Highway area in 2017.
You'll find a lot of traditional and luxurious favorites here from shrimp cocktail to steak Diane. The menu is on the pricier side, but diners say it's worth it for the attentive service and spectacular dishes.
If you don't feel like dishing out a lot of dough for the entrees, grab a cocktail and a bite to eat in the restaurant's new speakeasy-style bar.
8. Rioz Brazilian Steakhouse
Did you know that one of the fun things you can do in Myrtle Beach is to visit an authentic Brazilian steakhouse?
Meat lovers will rejoice at Rioz Brazilian Steakhouse where the focus is on table-side heaping servings of lamb, pork, and poultry. It's a real South American dining experience complete with fried bananas, mashed potatoes, and cheese bread on your table. All meats are cooked slowly over wood charcoal.
Start your culinary adventure with a trip to the salad bar that includes fresh shrimp and salmon. Black beans and rice are available for each meal. The servers-called gauchos-will come to you with skewers of meat they shave off onto your plate.
When you've had your fill of meat, change your table's card from green to red so the gauchos know your belly is full.
9. Mr. Fish
The name says it all: you probably won't find a more extensive seafood restaurant in Myrtle Beach than Mr. Fish. Owned by a father and daughter team, this family-run establishment also includes a Mr. Fish market two doors down from the restaurant.
Mr. Fish's menu is exclusively seafood with something to please all fish lovers. Many of the items feature their own unique special touches, such as the bacon-wrapped scallops that sit on cheese grits and drizzled with a jalapeno sauce.
Try the crab mac and cheese which contains bacon and bechamel sauce or the fried green tomatoes sandwiched with layers of fried shrimp.
10. Greg Norman Australian Grille
Greg Norman made a name for himself in professional golf. It makes sense that he would choose Myrtle Beach, known for its golf courses, as the location for his restaurant. Greg Norman Australian Grille opened nearly 20 years ago and has been pleasing diners with its exotic down under cuisine.
The wood-grilled classics such as the Atlantic salmon, filet mignon, and lobster tail are diner favorites. Seafood, beef, and lamb fill the diverse menu. The restaurant's warm wood, stone, and leather interior and Aboriginal artwork hail from Australia.
11. Sticky Fingers Ribhouse
Messy is the operative word at Sticky Fingers Ribhouse. There's no more fun way to get your hands dirty than by eating Sticky's award-winning ribs or other BBQ specialties.
Sticky focuses on Memphis style BBQ which means meats are cooked slowly at a low temperature over aged hickory wood. They retain tenderness and smokiness this way. Rib lovers have their choice of several sauces including Southern heat, Tennessee whiskey, and Carolina sweet, which features honey.
A variety of starters such as fried pickles and loaded cheese fries are sure to satisfy any appetite. Sticky's also offers salads, wings, burgers, sandwiches, and more. Save your appetite for the peach cobbler or pecan pie for dessert.
12. New York Prime
Who says you can't find a New York-style steakhouse in Myrtle Beach? New York Prime is a traditional steakhouse for those who prefer turf more than surf on their plate. Open for dinner only, the restaurant serves traditional sides and desserts along with beef and sea bass.
All steaks are USDA prime cuts that are aged for 28 days. Choose from the Delmonico, bone-in rib, center-cut filet, porterhouse, and more. Order your steak with the beefsteak tomatoes and onions topped with French dressing.
Start your meal with oysters Rockefeller, lump crab cocktail, or carpaccio. The servers are knowledgeable about the menu and happy to make recommendations.
13. Cafe Old Vienna
This restaurant may be a surprise in a place known for sandy beaches and balmy temperatures. However, even Myrtle Beach residents crave schnitzel every once in a while. When they do, they make a visit to Cafe Old Vienna.
This restaurant, bar, and beer garden will have you saying "Wunderbar" at first bite. Cafe Old Vienna boasts nearly a dozen schnitzel dishes that come with a choice of two sides.
Other entrees include bratwurst and sauerkraut, grilled pork shank, and Viennese gulasch. For an appetizer, try the potato pancakes or the grilled pork belly, which is accompanied by a soft pretzel and garlic sauce.
A German-Austrian restaurant wouldn't be complete without a selection of Teutonic draft beers and authentic desserts. The apple strudel is served here with vanilla ice cream and sprinkled with cinnamon.
This is also a great choice for dog lovers, as the beer garden welcomes canine guests.
14. Bummz Beach Cafe
Bummz Beach Cafe has an ultra laid-back vibe in line with its namesake. The front of the restaurant may seem small and deceiving, but venture inside and to the back. An outdoor deck beckons with lovely water views and Adirondack chairs.
Although the atmosphere may be low-key, the service is attentive and reasonable food arrives fast. Standard American favorites such as burgers, wings, soups, and salads rule the menu. Grouper fish sticks are one of the restaurant's specialties.
Bummz also features a spacious outside bar with live karaoke nights, TV screens, and an ocean view. You can also try your hand at a game of corn hole on the sand. It's the perfect family-friendly place to get cheap but tasty food or to relax with a beer while inhaling the fresh sea air.
Which Restaurants in Myrtle Beach Will You Try?
There's no shortage of restaurants in Myrtle Beach, and it's safe to say new ones will open to keep up with the population and the number of visitors to the area. Myrtle Beach definitely delivers a culinary adventure!
Thinking about relocating to the Myrtle Beach area to try some of these restaurants for yourself? We can help you find the perfect home. Start with an advanced search to see what homes are currently available.