Best Restaurants in Myrtle Beach 2026: 16 Places Worth Leaving the Strip For

## Best Restaurants in Myrtle Beach 2026 **Quick answer:** The best restaurants in Myrtle Beach are Sea Captain's House for classic coastal seafood, Croissants Bistro & Bakery for the best breakfast and brunch, and Collector's Café for a genuine local dining experience. Avoid the chain restaurants along Kings Highway — they exist for tourist volume, not food quality. Myrtle Beach gets 14 million visitors annually. That kind of traffic creates two distinct restaurant ecosystems: the highly visible tourist corridor restaurants that thrive on location, and the genuinely excellent local spots that survive on quality and word of mouth. This guide is about the second group. --- ## Why Trust This Guide Recommended.app tracks dining recommendations from Horry County residents and repeat Myrtle Beach visitors. These picks reflect where locals eat — not what appears on tourist maps. *Last updated: April 2026 | Search volume: 22,200/month* --- ## Best Seafood in Myrtle Beach ### 1. Sea Captain's House The most beloved seafood restaurant on the Grand Strand. Sea Captain's House has been serving fresh coastal seafood since 1962 — the oceanfront location, the she-crab soup, and the broiled seafood platters have earned it a permanent place in the local identity. The she-crab soup alone justifies the visit. **Best for:** Classic coastal seafood, oceanfront views, the definitive Myrtle Beach seafood experience **Must order:** She-crab soup, broiled seafood platter **Price range:** $22–$45 per person ### 2. Drunken Jack's Perched over Murrells Inlet on the water, Drunken Jack's is the best seafood experience you can have while sitting directly over the marsh. The view is as much the draw as the food — but the seafood is genuinely fresh and prepared simply, which is the right call for good coastal ingredients. **Best for:** Waterfront dining, Murrells Inlet, fresh local seafood **Price range:** $18–$38 per person ### 3. Lee's Inlet Kitchen The original Murrells Inlet seafood institution, open since 1948. Lee's is the place locals take family when they want to show what low country coastal cooking means — soft-shell crabs when in season, fresh oysters, flounder, and deviled crab that's made from an old family recipe. **Best for:** Low country seafood tradition, soft-shell crabs (seasonal), the most authentic Murrells Inlet experience **Price range:** $18–$40 per person ### 4. Inlet Affairs Another Murrells Inlet standout with a strong local following. Inlet Affairs focuses on locally sourced seafood prepared simply — steamed, broiled, or fried with good ingredients. The peel-and-eat shrimp and crab legs are the signature. **Best for:** Peel-and-eat seafood, casual waterfront dining **Price range:** $16–$35 per person --- ## Best Breakfast & Brunch in Myrtle Beach ### 5. Croissants Bistro & Bakery Consistently voted the best breakfast spot on the Grand Strand, and the locals will fight to defend that title. Croissants bakes everything in-house — the croissants, the pastries, the breads — and the savory breakfast dishes match the baked goods in quality. Expect a wait on weekends. **Best for:** The best breakfast in Myrtle Beach, fresh pastries, weekend brunch **Must order:** Any croissant sandwich, the quiche **Price range:** $10–$18 per person ### 6. Tupelo Honey The Southern brunch chain has found a welcoming home in Myrtle Beach — the locally sourced ingredients and genuine Southern cooking tradition translate well to the coastal market. The chicken and waffles and the Southern egg dishes are the stars. **Best for:** Southern brunch, groups, visitors who want reliable quality **Price range:** $14–$24 per person --- ## Best Local Dining Experiences ### 7. Collector's Café Part art gallery, part restaurant — Collector's Café is the most distinctly local dining experience in Myrtle Beach. The menu changes based on what's fresh and available, the art on the walls is for sale, and the atmosphere is the opposite of the tourist corridor. New American cuisine done at a genuinely high level. **Best for:** The most local, non-touristy Myrtle Beach dining experience, art lovers **Price range:** $24–$44 per person ### 8. Blueberry's Grill The neighborhood breakfast spot that locals claim as their own. Blueberry's serves classic American diner food done well — pancakes, omelets, benedicts — with the kind of consistency that keeps people coming back for decades. **Best for:** Unpretentious neighborhood breakfast, locals, budget morning meals **Price range:** $9–$16 per person --- ## Best BBQ in Myrtle Beach ### 9. Rockefellers Raw Bar The Grand Strand's most respected BBQ and raw bar combination. Rockefellers smokes meats daily alongside a raw bar program that makes the South Carolina coastal combination of BBQ and fresh shellfish work perfectly. The brisket and oysters side by side is a signature move. **Best for:** BBQ and seafood combined, raw bar, serious food **Price range:** $18–$36 per person --- ## Best Pizza in Myrtle Beach ### 10. Ultimate California Pizza Local pizza institution with a devoted following. UCP makes New York-style pies with a slightly thicker crust that's become its signature — the kind of pizza that locals pick up on the way home and visitors discover by accident and come back for specifically. **Best for:** Local pizza institution, takeout and delivery **Price range:** $14–$24 per pizza --- ## Best Steakhouse in Myrtle Beach ### 11. Greg Norman Australian Grille The most upscale dining experience in Myrtle Beach. The golf legend's restaurant delivers on both the setting (Barefoot Landing, waterfront) and the food — prime Australian Wagyu beef alongside fresh coastal seafood. The lobster bisque is exceptional. **Best for:** Special occasions, steak and seafood, upscale dining **Price range:** $40–$85 per person --- ## Best Budget Eats in Myrtle Beach ### 12. Wicked Tuna The contradiction: excellent sushi and Japanese cuisine in a beach town with a giant tuna mascot. Wicked Tuna delivers consistently fresh fish, creative rolls, and prices that are fair for the quality. Locals go regularly; tourists discover it and return. **Best for:** Sushi, budget-conscious visitors who want quality **Price range:** $14–$28 per person ### 13. Slug's Smokehouse The local BBQ trailer operation that beats most brick-and-mortar spots on meat quality. Slug's smokes brisket, ribs, and pulled pork daily and sells out — get there early or call ahead. **Best for:** Budget BBQ, locals, smoked meats **Price range:** $10–$20 per person --- ## Murrells Inlet: The Seafood Capital Worth the 20-Minute Drive Murrells Inlet, 12 miles south of Myrtle Beach, is genuinely considered the "Seafood Capital of South Carolina" — and the distinction is earned. The Marshwalk, a waterfront boardwalk lined with seafood restaurants, is one of the best dining corridors on the East Coast. **Best Murrells Inlet restaurants:** - Drunken Jack's (above) - Lee's Inlet Kitchen (above) - Creek Ratz — casual waterfront - Dead Dog Saloon — lively waterfront bar and grill - Wicked Tuna Murrells Inlet — the original location **Getting there:** 20 minutes south on Business 17. Worth every minute. --- ## How Much Does Dining Cost in Myrtle Beach? | Meal Type | Budget | Mid-Range | Upscale | |---|---|---|---| | Breakfast | $9–$14 | $14–$22 | — | | Lunch | $10–$18 | $18–$28 | — | | Seafood Dinner | $18–$28 | $28–$45 | $45–$85 | | Steakhouse | — | $35–$55 | $55–$85+ | --- ## Frequently Asked Questions **What is Myrtle Beach known for food-wise?** Fresh coastal seafood — particularly shrimp, crab, oysters, and flounder. She-crab soup is the regional signature dish. Murrells Inlet is the local seafood destination 20 minutes south. **What restaurants should I avoid in Myrtle Beach?** The chain restaurants along the main Kings Highway tourist strip charge tourism premiums for generic food. The local spots listed above offer significantly better quality at comparable or lower prices. **Are there good restaurants in Myrtle Beach for non-seafood eaters?** Yes — Collector's Café (New American), Tupelo Honey (Southern), and Croissants (breakfast) are all excellent options. Myrtle Beach has diversified beyond seafood significantly. --- *Also see: [Best Things To Do in Myrtle Beach](/blog/things-to-do-myrtle-beach-2026) | [Best Beaches in Myrtle Beach](/blog/best-beaches-myrtle-beach-2026)*