Where to Eat

The Brentwood Restaurant
$$$ • Luck and Mulberry Sts., Little River• (843) 239-2601

Chef Bill Stublick and his brother Jim of Brentwood, New York, brought their unique culinary talents into the charming restored 1910 home where you'll be seated in one of several small dining rooms, then treated to desserts and after-dinner drinks in the upstairs salon. Fresh-baked bread, crisp house salads, vegetable du jour and a choice of wild rice pilaf or potatoes du jour accompany entrees from the land or sea. Grilled ostrich or twin lobster tails might catch your attention. If not, try the rack of lamb or veal maison. This fine restaurant is out of the mainstream, but convenient to North Myrtle Beach and Calabash-area golf courses. You don't have to dress up to enjoy the dressy meal here. It's open for dinner only.

Chestnut Hill
$$$ • 9922 U.S. Hwy. 17, North Myrtle Beach • (843) 449-3984

Chestnut Hill offers fine dining in a casual atmosphere overlooking a beautiful marsh. Friendly service by the professional staff adds to the experience, and we think you'll want to come back often. Seafood, steaks, chicken and home-baked breads are the specialties. Be careful not to fill up on the wonderful sweet potato rolls before dinner. We choose the shrimpers platter as an entree again and again. It's cooked three different ways, so you don't have to make up your mind which is best. We finish with a wedge of homemade Key lime pie. Early bird specials are an encouragement to avoid a wait for dinner seating during the summer.

Cucumbers Restaurant
$$ • N.C. Hwy. 179, Calabash• (843) 575-3003

Cucumbers is a nice little place for a fine quality dinner when you leave Marsh Harbour or any of the Ocean Isle or Calabash area golf courses. It's somewhat hidden within the Shops at Calabash beside the town's tiny post office. Begin with a cucumber salad, which is not a surprising choice. Then try a meatloaf or pork chop entree with some garlic mashed potatoes or other comfort food from a menu that is sophisticated yet packed with simple foods delightfully prepared. It's open for dinner only and is not open Sunday or Monday.

Dick's Last Resort
$$ • U.S. Hwy. 17, Barefoot Landing,North Myrtle Beach • (843) 272-7794

Yes, Dick's even serves golfers, and the same rough and rude service is dished out to all who want to be loud and crazy in this popular nightspot where the pork chops, catfish or chicken is served in a bucket and eaten with fingers. The food is actually pretty good, too, and if you drink a lot of beer you can especially appreciate (or overlook) the zany atmosphere here.

Hemingway's
$$$ • U.S. Hwy. 17, Barefoot Landing,North Myrtle Beach • (843) 272-6118

A huge menu offers more than 30 exotic seafood selections plus beef, veal, duck, chicken and pastas. Sidewalk dining is a good place to watch the crowds pass by, but the dining room offers a nice atmosphere, too. A delicious appetizer is salmon crepes au caviar or soft-shell crab Maryland. Our favorite fish dish is mahimahi San Tropez, although many choices are tempting. Maybe try the unusual surf and turf of duck and lobster. Everything here is tasty, accompanied by a fine wine selection, and you'll be anxious to return on every trip. It's open for dinner only.

House of Blues
$$$ • U.S. Hwy. 17, Barefoot Landing,North Myrtle Beach • (843) 272-3000

It's a unique look straight from New Orleans. You can sample the blues and the food from the backyard pit or the smokehouse. We love the appetizer of Mississippi cat bites with Cajun tartar sauce, but be sure to have a tall, cool beverage handy. For a super salad, try the warm spinach with parmesan fried oysters. An entree of The Big Easy Jambalaya is filled with irresistible chicken, shrimp, ham and andouille sausage in Creole sauce and Cajun rice. All servings are enormous, and many require plenty of beverage to fight the fire lit by the spices. This huge new restaurant with a concert hall and three stages opened with the Blues Brothers and James Brown in early 1997. All night every night, plus summer gospel brunch concerts, it's a smash hit for food, fun and music. Also, the denim clothing or other blues reminders from the retail store are suitable souvenirs of any trip.

Joe's Bar & Grill
$$$ • 810 Conway Ave. at U.S. Hwy. 17,North Myrtle Beach • (843) 272-4666

The selection of beef, veal, seafood and poultry is good. Begin with an appetizer of scallops en bacon brochette or escargot en brie butter. Then think about the Lowcountry crab cakes, which are the real thing. Desserts are special every day. The atmosphere is golf shirt, but the meal is coat-and-tie. It's in a remodeled rustic home on a saltwater marsh among gnarled live oak trees. Joe's Bar & Grill is open for dinner. Just across the street--and easier to find--is Hamburger Joe's, which is open for lunch of barbecue, sandwiches and beer.

Johnny Rockets
$ • U.S. Hwy. 17, Barefoot Landing,North Myrtle Beach • (843) 361-0190

The original hamburger or grilled cheese sandwich with American fries and a shake or float from the fountain is served with your choice of jukebox music from the '60s. This is a good, basic, old-fashioned burger, which you can order to go or eat quickly when you're shuttling between Myrtle and North Myrtle for a tee time or if you are browsing through the outlet stores in Barefoot Landing. It's convenient for lunch or dinner.

Marker 350 Restaurant
$$$ • Four Harbour Place, North Myrtle Beach • (843) 249-3888

A choice on any local's list for dinner, this restaurant offers great seafood and service plus a view of the marina and the waterway boat traffic approaching the bridge. Daily specials might include blackened tuna or other fish, or you may choose from a wonderful vegetarian pasta and many varieties of pork, chicken or beef. Lobster chunks are a super appetizer, and Key lime pie is a fine finish. It's a bit away from the heaviest tourist population, so you may be lucky here and avoid a wait for summer dinner.

The Old Pro's Table
$$$ • U.S. Hwy. 17, North Myrtle Beach• (843) 272-6060

You'll find the area's only collection of golf antiques here as well as quality steaks or seafood for dinner. This famous haven of golf atmosphere across from Barefoot Landing is convenient and accessible from any golf course. On a good day, you won't have to wait too long. Good entrees include the famous baby-back ribs, several varieties of fresh fish, barbecue chicken and shrimp and prime rib or steaks. A new bar menu also offers lighter meals.

The Parson's Table
$$ • U.S. Hwy. 17 N., Little River• (843) 249-3702, (910) 579-8298

The main dining room here was built in 1885 as the Little River Methodist Church. When a new church was built, this became a community meeting place, then was moved to the present location and converted into a restaurant. The antique stained-glass windows, Tiffany lamp and chandeliers plus the flooring and doors have been combined from retained originals and other furnishings collected from various churches and farmhouses and added over the years. Enjoy the architecture and the antiques while you dine, but don't overlook the main reason to visit: the award-winning food.

Beef, seafood, pasta and a variety of duck, veal, pork or chicken dishes are offered. We also like the desserts: apple pie with hot vanilla cinnamon sauce, strawberries Romanoff or banana and pineapple praline. Petite dinners for light appetites and children's specialties also are offered. It's open for dinner only any day except Sunday.

All Star Café
$$$ • Broadway at the Beach, 29th Ave. N.,U.S. Hwy. 17, Myrtle Beach • (843) 916-8326

You might prefer the Tiger Woods Club corner, or just choose any sport and find a wall displaying your favorite star's memorabilia. This theme restaurant opened along with Planet Hollywood in early 1997 with the huge fanfare accompanying Bruce Willis, Patrick Swayze, Will Smith, Monica Seles, Andre Agassi and numbers of other noted owners of the two establishments. The food is as interesting as the collections, with sandwiches, salads, entrees and great desserts that any sports fan will enjoy for lunch or dinner or with cocktails anytime. Also, a gift shop is not to be missed.

Bagel Factory
$ • 2012 N. Kings Hwy.,Myrtle Beach • (843) 626-4717

The old-fashioned bagels promise no fats, oils or cholesterol. This bakery, deli and café offers a huge variety of breakfast or lunch omelets, sandwiches, burgers, platters and bagels flavored with anything you can imagine and, of course, all the trimmings and stuffings to accompany them. Fresh, quick, casual--it's great food to grab on the run. You can choose a Reuben of corned beef, pastrami or turkey with the standard Russian dressing and sauerkraut on rye. You can also take home eclairs, cannolis or brownies to round off your meal.

Carolina Roadhouse
$$ • 4617 N. Kings Hwy., Myrtle Beach• (843) 497-9911

The Roadhouse is patterned after the supremely popular California Dreaming restaurants in Charleston and Columbia. It smells like the fresh cedar of its high rafters combined with honey-drizzled fresh rolls and fries you can watch being prepared in the show kitchen. For lunch or dinner, try the ribs or one of the giant seafood platters. Slow-roasted prime rib and huge salads with special house dressings are also trademarks. We love the baked potato soup and the fresh fish of the day--try it blackened. It's a fun place for a big crowd to gather. And if you're into shellfish, Carolina Roadhouse has some of the best oyster shooters around.

Collectors Cafe
$$$ • 7726 N. Kings Hwy., Myrtle Beach• (843) 449-9370

A flavor of Europe greets you in the art galleries of Collectors. Also you will notice about 100 selections of wine and 20 different coffee roasts from all over the world. Hand-painted tables, chairs and tiles are scattered among the original art of the owners, all of which is for sale if you can tear your attention from the Mediterranean food long enough to shop. Open for dinner only, the superb menu features grilled Thai shrimp or lobster zucchini pancake for appetizers. Enjoy an original pasta entree or lamb loin and pesto wrapped in phyllo dough. Desserts are decadent but appropriately matched with cappuccino or espresso to finish a special evening. Reservations are suggested.

Croissants Bakery & Cafe
$ • 504-A 27th Ave. N., Myrtle Beach• (843) 448-BAKE

This wonderful bakery has the best muffins in town to grab on the run and also serves a good sit-down breakfast, including quiche or country grits and eggs casserole. For lunch, try a salad in a French-bread bowl, quiche or deli sandwich with a fresh croissant. It's convenient to shopping, the beach and many golf courses.

Giovanni's - A Touch of Italy
$$$ • 504-H 27th Ave. N., Myrtle Beach• (843) 626-8995

Giovanni's menu is based on the regional specialties of Italy's Piedmonte, Vald'Aosta and Liguria. The pasta, shellfish over pasta, beef, veal and seafood specialties are all delicious. From tagliatelle to tortelloni to cappelletti to fuzzoletti to buccatini, it's all here--and you'll feel like you're in Italy (for dinner only). You'll even find Italian coffees and fresh-baked pastries. In a lovely setting, this restaurant's service and menu will never disappoint. Also, the walls are adorned with numbers of photographs of Giovanni with the interesting visiting celebrities who frequent the restaurant.

Hard Rock Café
$$$ • Broadway at the Beach,
21st Ave. N., U.S. Hwy. 17, Myrtle Beach• (843) 946-0007

It's beyond nontraditional with its pyramid shape and Egyptian look. It even surpasses others in the nontraditional chain, which began in London in 1971 and grew to a family of 76 scattered throughout many major U.S. cities and a few other foreign countries. It's a celebration of the All-American burger and rock 'n' roll music. You'll find an array of fascinating memorabilia that is rotated throughout all of the Hard Rock sites. You'll also enjoy the food. The Flying Pig is a nontraditional barbecue sandwich. Salads, sandwiches and entrees are large, and desserts are enough to share. Enjoy the loud music too. That's one of the reasons you'll want to eat here for lunch or dinner or cocktails anytime. Expect a long wait during the summer, but you can go to the front of the line to browse in the gift shop for anything you want to take home from a visit. A choreographed architectural light, sound and video show outside the pyramid is the only one of its kind and can be enjoyed periodically in the Broadway at the Beach complex or on indoor television screens while you dine.

Key West Grill
$$ • Broadway at the Beach, Myrtle Beach• (843) 444-3663

The Cuban, Spanish and Calusa Indian influences from the Keys are in the tropical atmosphere and unique recipes of this spicy and popular restaurant. Try the garlic crawfish or coconut shrimp to start. We can't resist the Key West conch chowder. Blackened fish specialties of the day or frog legs will transport your taste buds to another place. Pasta is plentiful, and rice with black beans accompanies some entrees. Several lobster combos are tempting. The view of the lake is relaxing while you look around at the sky blue ceiling and unique architecture in this restaurant within the city's newest shopping/dining/entertainment complex. It's open for lunch and dinner.

NASCAR Café
$$$ • Broadway at the Beach,
21st Ave. N., U.S. Hwy. 17, Myrtle Beach• (843) 946-RACE

"Life's a race. The best times win," according to the first official café simulating a racetrack. Surrounding the restaurant/racetrack is the entertainment concourse that simulates the grandstands at a major race track. The exhibits highlight the sights, sounds and personalities of NASCAR teams, drivers and tracks from all 12 of the sanctioning body's racing divisions. It's a tribute to South Carolina's Darlington Raceway and to South Carolinians who have contributed to NASCAR. It's called an interactive eatery because the passive consumption of great food is only part of the experience. NASCAR officials are cultivating new followers for motorsports racing while giving fans access to the entertainment. The all-American fare, plus full alcoholic beverage service, includes delicious chicken, beef or seafood entrees, large salads and all the trimmings for lunch and dinner.

New York Prime
$$$$ • 405 28th Ave. N., Myrtle Beach• (843) 448-8081

It's expensive, and no apologies are made for the charges, just the explanation that the highest possible quality is available for each item on the menu. The prime beef is aged, center-cut Midwestern beef especially meant to compete with the likes of New York's noted steakhouse, Peter Luger's. Lamb chops, fish, veal, chicken, stone crabs and large live lobster also are offered. Roquefort cheese is actually imported from France. Salads and vegetables are large servings. Nothing is ordinary here. You must prepare to relax, eat a lot and enjoy a fine dining experience. The proprietors, Ed Cribb and Jerry Greenbaum, want to know exactly what you think about it, too. Just don't tell them it's too expensive, because they are proud to note that it's worth every dollar. Only dinner is served.

Planet Hollywood
$$$ • Broadway at the Beach, 29th Ave. N.,U.S. Hwy. 17, Myrtle Beach • (843) 448-STAR

Hanging from the ceiling and displayed in every nook and cranny of the new planet-looking sphere are items from the movies of the theme restaurant's owners. A visit here is more than a meal. It's a snippet from a movie and a look into that planet called Hollywood. The food includes salads, sandwiches, burgers, pizzas and pastas, plus fajitas and entrees. A big-hit appetizer is the honeyed, Captain Crunch-coated chicken fingers. A pizza with chicken and artichokes is an unusual and tasty entree. Also a real winner is the ebony and ivory brownie for dessert. Take home a T-shirt or even a jacket to please a collector or brag about your trip. It's open for lunch and dinner.

Rossi's
$$$ • 9600 U.S. Hwy. 17 N., Myrtle Beach• (843) 449-0481

Italian food is the specialty here, including homemade pasta, but any menu choice is fine; we've never had a bad meal here. Golfers will find their own special corner, and everyone will have fun. A loud crowd usually waits around the bar until seating is available. The cheese and crackers on the bar make the wait worthwhile. Try one of the daily specials for a unique appetizer--or maybe the oysters Rossi, a slight deviation from oysters Rockefeller. Veal, chicken and steak also are good if you tire of our recommended seafood or pasta. If you wish, the wait staff can suggest an appropriate wine to suit your entree choice. Also, the martini is the best in town. Rossi's is open for dinner only.

Sam Snead's Grille
$$ • 9708 N. Kings Hwy., Myrtle Beach• (843) 497-0580

Sam Snead's serves good food for dinner only. The sporty atmosphere is pleasing for a casual meal. As good as the food is the memorabilia collected by Snead, one of the greatest golfers of all time. The fourth such restaurant in the country to open, this is a real museum. Snead occasionally greets visitors with his homespun philosophy explaining his self-taught golfing success.

You might tee off with hot cheese and spinach artichoke dip. Then choose a teriyaki chicken salad with honey dijon dressing. Specialties such as oak-fired shrimp Carolina or oak-grilled tuna mignon are good, as are the rattlesnake pasta and burgers or sandwiches. It's a good late-night spot for a beer and a sandwich.

Sea Captain's House
$$$ • 3002 N. Ocean Blvd., Myrtle Beach• (843) 448-8082

This is one of the oldest local establishments. All the recipes are special Southern secrets. During early breakfast, you and several hundred of your golfing friends can watch the dolphins play while you enjoy specialties of eggs Benedict or traditional eggs, bacon and home fries. A long wait for a dinner table is common (no reservations are taken), but you can add your name to the list and enjoy watching the waves break and the sea gulls flocking to the lights. Lunch and dinner are experiences to remember. The menu choices are predominantly seafood, but you'll find plenty of chicken or salad choices as well. This restaurant serves our favorite she-crab soup. Think about splurging on a special dessert. You'll be hard pressed to find anything comparable.

Shenanigan's
$$ • U.S. Hwy. 17, Myrtle Beach • (843) 272-1171

Aged steaks, slow-roasted prime rib, fresh seafood and pride in detail characterize this spot, open for dinner only. Any choice is good, but we prefer such specials as the prime teriyaki steak. The accompanying hoppin' johns is a typical choice too. A tempting appetizer is the Savannah spinach and artichoke dip. Kids pay what they weigh, so don't be alarmed by the big scale when you enter the restaurant. You can take home a pint-size souvenir golf bag beer mug to remember your Myrtle Beach round later during the year.

Villa Mare
$$ • 7819 N. Kings Hwy., Myrtle Beach• (843) 449-8654

Please don't tell all of your friends about this fabulous Italian restaurant. Don't tell anyone the food is some of the best around, served in large portions and quite inexpensive. This is a secret place among locals, and we don't want it to get so crowded that we can't get our table. Lunch and dinner are real treats in this refreshing little spot. Pasta, soup, salad and bread accompany any entree from seafood to our all-time favorites eggplant parmesan or lasagna. The house red wine goes well with these selections.

Vintage House Cafe
$$ • 1210 N. Kings Hwy., Myrtle Beach• (843) 626-3918

An eclectic surprise in the midst of old Myrtle Beach, this lovely cafe provides a gourmet menu for lunch and dinner. A favorite luncheon choice is salmon and grits. Dinner entrees include Mediterranean grilled chicken breast over linguine with black olives, tomatoes and feta cheese or grilled New Zealand rack of lamb marinated in olive oil and fresh herbs. Tom and Trina O'Brien specialize in the use of herbs and sauces for their homemade delicacies. Desserts include homemade cheesecakes and similar goodies, with various teas, cappuccino, espresso or wines.

Bovine's
$$ • U.S. Hwy. 17 Bus., Murrells Inlet
• (843) 651-2888

Right on the water in the middle of the small fishing village of Murrells Inlet, this restaurant's menu is eclectic and its view a magnet to draw you back often. One tempting daily special is the honey-crust pizza from the wood-fired brick oven. From the wood-fired grill come great steaks or roasted prime rib. A delicious entree is the mesquite-grilled free-range chicken breast stuffed with pancetta, goat cheese and wild mushrooms. Check out the desserts too.

Bovine's, open for dinner only, is popular with locals as well as traveling golfers.

Conch Cafe
$$$ • 1482 N. Waccamaw Dr., Garden City• (843) 651-6556

Jimmy Buffet would be at home here--maybe he was here when he wrote some of his tunes. Don't come here in a rush. Come for lunch after a summer round of morning golf on the South Strand and plan on languishing with a long, cool salty drink and a sandwich. Salads or sandwiches in any variety are good choices, and dinner promises seafood entrees concocted from local recipes. Hours are unusual during the off season, so call to check.

Drunken Jack's Restaurant& Lounge
$$$ • U.S. Hwy. 17 Bus., Murrells Inlet• (843) 651-2044

Plan to arrive long before you expect to be hungry, because the wait in-season, as locals say, might be more than an hour or two. The downstairs lounge provides a view of the inlet fishing fleet at Snug Harbor Marina--and a drink. And if you can wait, the seafood choices upstairs are worth it. Alcoholic drinks are available any day including Sunday, a new feature of the Murrells Inlet restaurants created by popular choice of voters in 1997. We usually choose a fish special (caught today in the Devil's Triangle, the chef says), which can be prepared many ways, or the crab casserole baked in cheese. Word has it Jack might have traded his peg leg for the marinated chicken breast or steak and lobster from the charcoal grill. It's open for dinner only.

Flo's Place Restaurant & Raw Bar
$$ • U.S. Hwy. 17 Bus., Murrells Inlet• (843) 651-7222

Flo's is one of the few places that offers alligator ribs. Flo's recipes, including the alligator and crawfish specialties, came from her childhood in Louisiana where her father regularly brought home such delicacies. Try the stewpot, with some of everything mixed in. Plan to hold on to your hat unless you want to find it hanging from the rafters, where Flo's collection sports hundreds of them.

Flo's Place is fun and friendly, and it literally hangs over the marsh, creating a definite backwoods bayou feeling. Alcoholic drinks are served here. It's open for lunch and dinner.

Island Cafe & Deli
$$ • U.S. Hwy. 17 S., Pawleys Island• (843) 237-9527

Locals frequent this cafe once a week for the Wednesday lobster night or the Monday shrimp night. Special price, special drink and seafood cooked to order will keep you coming back too. Reservations are recommended for dinner seven days a week. Everyone driving from one golf course to another on the South Strand stops here for a sandwich for lunch. Our favorite (plus the lobster special) is a big, cool salad with lots of toppings and crusty, hot bread with a glass of wine.

J. Edward's
$$ • 2300 S. Kings Hwy., Myrtle Beach• (843) 626-9986

The tasty and tender ribs are local award winners in this casual dinner restaurant. If you can't choose which barbecue to eat, try the chef's sampler of ribs, chicken, a pork chop and shrimp. Bread, salad or slaw and baked potato, sweet potato or fries accompany the entree. You won't leave here hungry--nor as clean as when you arrived. Just dig in and enjoy. The people are friendly and the service good.