
Post-Round Dining
A Bevy of Tasty Options
MURRELLS INLET
Wicked Tuna – Wicked Tuna represents one of Murrells Inlets most-anticipated restaurant openings in years. In a prime location along the famous Marshwalk, Wicked Tuna served up fresh seafood with a modern flair, as well as a full sushi bar. (843) 651-9987 / www.TheWickedTuna.com
Drunken Jack’s– One of Murrells Inlet’s institutions, Drunken Jack’s serves up what Lowcountry seafood is all about. With plenty of live entertainment, great she crab soup, fresh local shrimp and even frog legs on the menu, there is much to recommend Drunken Jack’s. (843) 651-2044 / www.DrunkenJacks.com
Capt. Dave’s Dockside– Open for dinner seven days a week in addition to Sunday brunch, Capt. Dave’s Dockside is a thoroughly beloved place to dine with a view of the area’s tidal marshes. Homemade pimiento cheese is an excellent appetizer and the entrées are highlighted by shrimp and grits, locally-caught grouper and delectable fried oysters. (843) 651-5850 / www.DavesDockside.com
Nance’s Creekfront Restaurant– Nance’s serves up a crisp, simple atmosphere alongside fresh local seafood. They specialize in a Lowcountry favorite: oyster roasts. So known for this delicacy is Nance’s that the restaurant’s tables have a hole in the middle with a bucket beneath for discarding shells. (843) 651-2696 / www.NancesCreekfrontRestaurant.com
Lee’s Inlet Kitchen – An institution that predates all of the Hammock Coast Golf Trail’s courses, Lee’s Inlet Kitchen has been serving fresh, local seafood to visitors and nearby residents alike since 1948. Southern Living Magazine named it one of the state’s top ten seafood restaurants, and with good reason, given the quality of dishes like homemade oyster stew, local shrimp and legendary onion rings as a side dish. (843) 651-2881 / www.LeesInletKitchen.com
River City Café– River City Café could be seen as the “loyal opposition” to the many seafood restaurants in Murrells Inlet. It is the perfect place for those looking for a great hamburger and French fries or onion rings. The roadhouse aesthetic of the place comes complete with shell-your-own peanuts that people enjoy while waiting for their burgers and other sandwiches. Try the Continental Burger, topped with bacon, American cheese and a fried egg. (843) 651-1004 / www.RiverCityCafe.com
Blue Elephant Thai– Murrells Inlet may not immediately strike people as an excellent spot for ethnic food, but the owners of Blue Elephant Thai would beg to differ. In addition to traditional Thai curries and pad thai, Blue Elephant is locally famous for its chicken wings, stuffed with glass noodles, mushrooms and carrots. (843) 651-5683 / www.BlueElephantThai.com
Hot Fish Club– Part nighttime bar and part restaurant, Hot Fish Club serves up innovative Southern dishes as well as drink specials and live entertainment. Start off with lobster-stuffed artichoke hearts and progress on to specialties like shrimp and grits or a Lowcountry steampot with local shrimp, clams, oysters, mussels, smoked sausage, corn and potatoes. (843) 357-9175 / www.HotFishClub.com
Dead Dog Saloon– Murrells Inlet’s best-known sports bar, the Dead Dog Saloon suffered extensive fire damage in 2012 and was rehabilitated in record time. Watch a game, stare out at the marsh and enjoy cold beers, live entertainment, buffalo wings, seafood and steaks. (843) 651-0664 / www.DeadDogSaloon.com
Bliss– One of the more upscale restaurants along the Hammock Coast Golf Trail, bliss is located at the foot of the Inlet Sports Lodge, one of the best inns in the area. Its nightly specialties include butter poached lobster claws and Asian beef spring rolls as appetizers and crab crusted grouper and stuffed buffalo meatloaf as inventive entrées. (843) 282-6737 / www.True-Bliss.com
Prosser’s– “Country Cookin’” restaurants in the South are so common that it can be difficult to tell the great ones from the mediocre ones. One need only see the weekend crowd at Prosser’s to tell which sort it is. Throngs of locals swarm the buffet, which includes such Southern specialties as fried pork chops, chicken and dumplings and broccoli casserole, as well as warm peach cobbler that is the stuff of local legend. (843) 357-6146
Miyabi– The traditional practice of Japanese teppanyaki has been enjoyed in the United States for decades, to the point where most every town of any size has at least one such restaurant. The Myrtle Beach area has many, and Miyabi is the best. Hibachi-style chicken, steak and lobster are all favorites, as is Miyabi’s sushi bar. (843) 651-4616 / www.MiyabiMyrtleBeach.com
Saltwater Creek– With weekly food ($6 pizzas on Wednesdays!) and great happy hour specials, Salt Water Creek is a splendid local option for lunch and dinner. In addition to individual pizzas, burgers, steaks and fish tacos are menu highlights. (843) 357-2433 / www.SaltWaterCreekCafe.com
K-Rae’s Waterway Bar & Grille– K-Rae’s, formerly Hannah Banana’s Sunshine Cabana, is one of the Grand Strand’s only restaurants that you can drive either a car or boat up to. However you choose to travel, a meal there is well worth it, especially with beautiful Intracoastal Waterway scenery, peel-and-eat shrimp, fish tacos and crisp salads. Eat on their deck or take your food on the water! (843) 357-3655 / www.KRaes.org
GEORGETOWN
Thomas’ Café– Located on Georgetown’s historic Front Street, Thomas’ Café is a quintessential Lowcountry diner. Famous for breakfast standards, fried green tomatoes and fried chicken as well as strawberry shortcake and key lime pie, Thomas Café fills with locals for breakfast and lunch daily. (843) 546-7776
Kudzu Bakery– With locations in Georgetown and Litchfield Beach, the Kudzu Bakery is a must-visit culinary outpost on the Hammock Coast Golf Trail, especially for those with a sweet tooth. Heralded by the likes of Southern Living, its key lime pie is legend. (843) 546-1847 (Georgetown) / www.KudzuBakery.com
River Room – The River Room turns 30 years old in 2014 and has been a Front Street, Georgetown staple ever since. Fresh (read: fresh-off-the-boat) seafood accompanies great salads and steaks. (843) 527-4110 / www.RiverRoomGeorgetown.com
Rice Paddy– The Rive Paddy is an old-fashioned white-tablecloth bastion of Southern cuisine. Fresh fish picatta is a specialty, as is the terrific pan-fried quail. (843) 546-2021 / www.RicePaddyRestaurant.com
Portofino’s On The Wharf – The waterfront Portofino’s serves some of Georgetown’s best Italian fare, from pizza to fried calamari to acclaimed chicken and veal parmigiana. (843) 485-4210 / www.PortofinosOnTheWharf.com
Limpin’ Jane’s– Chef Tara Tracy serves casual food with the attention to detail of fine dining establishments. Daily specials, Reubens, po’ boys and chicken and waffles are but a few tempting menu items. (843) 485-4953 / www.LimpinJanes.com
The Humble Crumb– A cozy, offbeat café, The Humble Crumb specializes in pizza, but also serves great Italian specialties like chicken marsala and lasagna. (843) 546-7090 / www.TheHumbleCrumb.com
PAWLEYS ISLAND / LITCHFIELD
Frank’s– One of the top restaurants in South Carolina, Frank’s is an institution on the Hammock Coast Golf Trail. Serving Southern-inspired fine food—from steak to chicken to incredibly fresh seafood—Frank’s wins awards regularly for its exquisite menu, service and atmosphere. (843) 237-3030 / www.FranksAndOutback.com
Bistro 217 – Located in the heart of Pawleys Island, Bistro 217 is open for lunch and dinner six days a week. Menu highlights include the Southern Living-heralded “Monster Burger” and the grouper cheek sliders. (843) 235-8217 / www.Bistro217.com
Chive Blossom Café– Tucked away in a rustic corner of Pawleys Island, the Chive Blossom Café serves a quintessentially Lowcountry menu accented by a few surprises. For example, enjoy the black-eyed pea egg rolls, which as an appetizer make an interesting precursor to, say, a “Southern Bouillabaisse” in a wine saffron broth. (843) 237-1438 / www.ChiveBlossom.com
Quigley’s Pint and Plate– From beer made in-house to daily drink and food specials, Quigley’s is as much a neighborhood hangout as a cure for the common chain restaurant for visitors to the Hammock Coast Golf Trail. Try the chicken and sweet potato waffles, the meat loaf or, heck, anything else on the menu. (843) 237-7010 / www.PintAndPlate.com
Carolina Wings & Rib House – If you love chicken wings AND having lots of options, Carolina Wings & Rib House is an ideal place for a casual lunch or dinner. With more than 20 different sauces or seasonings for wings, as well as ribs, seafood and burgers, it is also a great place to watch sports, with numerous televisions visible from all parts of the dining room and bar. (843) 235-2550 / www.CarolinaWings.com
Gio’s– One of the Hammock Coast Golf Trail’s newest eateries, Gio’s offers a modern twist on Italian staples, with a special emphasis on pizzas, calzones and Stromboli. Try the duck confit pizza, which also includes fontina cheese, frisée and fig and peach purée. (843) 237-8245 / www.GiosItalianPizza.com
Landolfi’s Italian Bakery & Deli – Landolfi’s brings the feeling of an authentic Italian café to the Lowcountry. Brick oven pizza, paninis and deli sandwiches complement a menu of Italian desserts renowned in the area. (843) 237-7900
Pawleys Island Tavern– The establishment affectionately known as the PIT is tucked away off of U.S. 17 in Pawleys Island and is both an excellent venue for a drink and live music, as well as a great dinner. Their locally-famous Psycho burger is topped with pimento cheese, chili, bacon, sautéed onions, cole slaw, hot sauce and an over-easy egg. The crab cakes and pizzas are also not to be missed. (843) 237-8465 / www.PawleysIslandTavern.com
Hog Heaven BBQ, Seafood & Country Cooking (pictured) – No Southern town worth its high reputation does not contain at least one good barbecue joint. Hog Heaven is Pawleys Island’s such place, with a lunch and dinner buffet that includes pulled pork and some of the best fried chicken in South Carolina. (843) 237-7444 / www.HogHeavenInc.com
Habañeros – Habañeros is a classic Mexican restaurant that serves up refreshing margaritas along with burritos, fajitas and tacos (including beef tongue, for the more adventurous eaters). The outdoor tiki deck is home to live entertainment and regular drink specials, including house margaritas for $2.75 on Tuesdays. (843) 235-9595 / www.HabanerosPI.com
Island Café & Deli– Be it for a hamburger, a salad or some lobster, Island Café & Deli is a wonderful spot for a casual lunch or dinner in the heart of Pawleys Island. (843) 237-9527 / www.IslandCafeAndDeli.com
Litchfield Restaurant– A “greasy spoon” in all the best possible senses of the word, Litchfield Restaurant is open for breakfast and lunch. Biscuits and gravy, fried pork chops and eggs, corned beef hash—they serve all manner of Southern breakfast specialties, as well as burgers and sandwiches at lunchtime. (843) 237-4414 / www.LitchfieldRestaurant.com
Sam’s Corner– A throwback to a bygone era, Sam’s Corner is an ideal pre- or post-beachcombing treat. With locally-famous foot-long hot dogs, traditional French fries, shakes and cocktail specials, Sam’s corner is a great place to unwind with a snack. The best part: it’s open 24 hours a day in season. (843) 235-3741
Pastaria 811– A long-time favorite of residents of and visitors to the Hammock Coast Golf Trail, Pastaria 811 is a straight-ahead Italian restaurant. Chicken parmigiana, veal marsala, pizza—all of the main Italian specialties are on the menu, and they are done very well. Also try the house-marinated Moggia Chicken over pasta for a less heralded but no less delicious option. (843) 237-5811 / www.Pastaria811ItalianRestaurant.com
Austin’s Ocean One– Renowned chef Bill Austin’s oceanfront fine-dining outpost is located at the Oceanfront Litchfield Inn but its clientele includes not only hotel guests but visitors and locals alike. From a traditional Lowcountry half-chicken with sautéed vegetables and pan gravy to the Asian-inspired seafood “Ring of Fire” dish, the food is every bit the equal of the attractive view from the dining room. (843) 235-8700 / www.AustinsOceanOne.com