Myrtle Beach Restaurant Guide: The Best Places to Eat

The best restaurants in Myrtle Beach go beyond the Grand Strand’s typical pancake houses and calabash seafood chains. First timers driving along this 60-mile stretch of coast often assume the dining scene begins and ends with buffets and fried seafood platters, and the real surprise is just how much genuinely creative, chef-driven food is tucked into the historic downtown and coastal marsh towns nearby.

Where Can You Get Brunch in Myrtle Beach?

Croissants Bistro & Bakery has served brunch, breakfast, lunch, and dinner for 21 years from a quiet shopping center just a few blocks off the main highway, and its French-themed menu genuinely earns its reputation as one of the top myrtle beach restaurant picks for a weekend morning. The quiche of the day, paired with bananas foster French toast and a Croque Madame, delivers a genuinely indulgent spread, and a make-your-own Bloody Mary bar adds a fun, interactive touch rarely found at typical brunch spots. A common mistake first timers make is showing up without a reservation, since the restaurant gets genuinely crowded during peak brunch hours, so booking ahead matters here more than at most casual breakfast spots. The restaurant, owned by Heidi Vukov, has also expanded with a second location and a sustainability-focused seafood concept called Hook & Barrel, both worth checking out if the original location’s wait feels too long.

What Is the Best Waterfront Restaurant in Myrtle Beach?

Wicked Tuna on the Murrells Inlet Marshwalk consistently earns the title of best water view in the area, and timing a visit for sunset genuinely delivers on that reputation. Functioning as essentially three restaurants in one, the space includes a chic modern indoor dining room with a sushi bar and bourbon bar, an expansive outdoor wraparound balcony overlooking the marsh and boats, and the separate Tuna Shak sports bar nearby. Wicked Tuna maintains its own fishing fleet delivering fresh seafood daily under the motto “Hook to Plate. Fresh Everyday,” and beyond the seafood and sushi, the restaurant also serves top grade steaks and signature cocktails, with regular events like Trivia Tuesdays and salsa dancing nights rounding out its appeal for a group outing rather than just a quiet dinner.

Is There Molecular Gastronomy in Myrtle Beach?

Yes, and The Chemist in historic downtown Myrtle Beach delivers a genuinely unexpected dining experience for a beach town. Led by Executive Chef Sean C. Thomas, named South Carolina Seafood Chef of the Year in 2013, the restaurant specializes in molecular gastronomy, with dishes like Sriracha Chicken and seared and smoked salmon served under glass with bamboo rice risotto and shiitake mushrooms. The cocktail program matches the food’s ambition, with smoking presentations arriving tableside and drinks like the Flux Capacitor, built from St Germaine, Tito’s Vodka, fresh lemon juice, and house-made blackberry simple syrup, delivering genuinely refreshing, not-overly-sweet flavor. A common mistake first timers make is assuming a beach town can’t support this level of culinary ambition, when The Chemist genuinely rivals experimental dining scenes found in much larger cities.

What Is the Best Sushi Restaurant in Myrtle Beach?

Art Burger Sushi Bar stands out with a genuinely unique dual concept, pairing sushi with burgers under one roof, making it an easy compromise for groups with mixed cravings. The large sushi menu rewards adventurous eaters, and ordering the Chef’s Special Omakase, essentially trusting the chef to choose your dishes, delivers a genuinely memorable flavor combination of ahi tuna, salmon, and tempura flakes. Beyond the food, the restaurant features artwork lining the walls, ocean views, a small rear dining patio, and a liquid nitrogen bar for cocktails that adds a genuinely theatrical touch to the evening.

What Is the Best Restaurant for a Romantic Date Night in Myrtle Beach?

Aspen Grill delivers a warm, intimate atmosphere that stands apart from the busier energy found along much of the Grand Strand, making it a genuinely strong pick for couples. Chef Curry Martin’s seasonal Fresh Carolina Cuisine menu blends traditional southern dishes with personal twists, and live music from local musicians on certain evenings adds to the relaxed mood. Standout dishes include the warm goat cheese salad, jumbo lump crab cakes, and the veal Aspen, served with roasted striploin, seared scallops and shrimp, and a shallot sherry sauce, while the warm apple crumble with bourbon caramel sauce makes a genuinely fitting way to close out a romantic dinner.

Wicked Tuna or Thoroughbreds: Which Should You Choose?

Restaurant	Setting	Best For
Wicked Tuna	Murrells Inlet Marshwalk, waterfront	Fresh seafood, sushi, lively group atmosphere
Thoroughbreds Chophouse & Seafood Grille	Grand Strand, indoor dining room	Traditional steakhouse, quieter evenings

Wicked Tuna suits travelers wanting a lively, scenic evening built around fresh seafood, sushi, and marsh views, especially if visiting with a group or timing a trip for sunset along the Marshwalk. Thoroughbreds, operating since 1988, delivers a genuinely more traditional steakhouse experience, with tableside Caesar salad and bananas foster preparation adding a classic touch of theater to the meal, and its quieter, more intimate atmosphere suits couples or smaller groups looking for a calmer evening than the marsh-side bustle of Wicked Tuna. Travelers wanting fresh seafood and energy should choose Wicked Tuna, while those craving a proper Porterhouse and a quieter dining room should choose Thoroughbreds instead.

What Restaurants Are Part of the Same Restaurant Group in Myrtle Beach?

The Chemist and Art Burger Sushi Bar, along with Gordo’s Tacos & Tequilas, the Edge, and Noizy Oyster, all belong to BondFire Restaurant Group, a genuinely useful detail for travelers who fall in love with one of these spots and want to explore a similar creative approach elsewhere in the city. This shared ownership explains why both The Chemist and Art Burger Sushi Bar lean into experimental techniques like smoking cocktails and liquid nitrogen bars, and travelers with extra nights in Myrtle Beach should consider working through the group’s other locations for a consistent, chef-driven thread across their trip.

Final Thoughts

Finding the right myrtle beach restaurant really comes down to looking past the chain-heavy stretches of the Grand Strand toward the genuinely creative dining tucked into historic downtown and the Murrells Inlet Marshwalk. Book brunch at Croissants Bistro & Bakery ahead of time, choose Wicked Tuna for lively waterfront seafood or Thoroughbreds for a quieter steakhouse evening, and don’t overlook The Chemist and Art Burger Sushi Bar if molecular gastronomy and experimental cocktails sound appealing. Whether it’s a romantic dinner at Aspen Grill or sushi and burgers together at one table, the best myrtle beach restaurant options consistently reward travelers who venture beyond the obvious tourist strip.

FAQs

Do you need reservations for restaurants in Myrtle Beach?

For popular spots like Croissants Bistro & Bakery during brunch hours, yes, since the restaurant gets genuinely crowded, and booking ahead for Wicked Tuna during peak sunset hours or on weekends is similarly worth doing given how popular the waterfront tables become.

What is the Grand Strand?

The Grand Strand refers to the main tourist coastline stretching roughly 60 miles from Little River down to Georgetown, South Carolina, encompassing Myrtle Beach and its surrounding beach towns along the way.

What is the best steakhouse in Myrtle Beach?

Thoroughbreds Chophouse & Seafood Grille, operating since 1988, consistently earns recommendations for its traditional steakhouse atmosphere, tableside Caesar salad and bananas foster preparation, and dependably juicy, flavorful steaks like the Porterhouse.

Are there tableside dining experiences in Myrtle Beach?

Yes, Thoroughbreds Chophouse & Seafood Grille prepares both Caesar salad and bananas foster tableside, adding a genuine touch of dinner theater to an otherwise classic steakhouse meal.