The Best Local Dinner Spots on the Grand Strand (No Chains, No Apologies)
From Hook & Barrel in Market Common to Wicked Tuna in Murrells Inlet — the Grand Strand dinner spots locals actually recommend, with prices and what to order.
Category: guide | Published: 2026-08-09
The Best Local Dinner Spots on the Grand Strand (No Chains, No Apologies)
You've been on the beach all day. You're sunburned, salty, and ready for a real meal. The last thing you need is a 45-minute wait at a chain restaurant where the shrimp came frozen from a warehouse in New Jersey.
Here's where the Grand Strand actually eats dinner.
Hook & Barrel — Myrtle Beach
Address: 8014 N Kings Hwy, Myrtle Beach (near 82nd Ave N) | Price Range: $–$$
Hook & Barrel sits in the northern part of Myrtle Beach near 82nd Ave North and does upscale coastal comfort food better than almost anyone in the area. The menu rotates seasonally but the constants are worth knowing: the shrimp and grits are legitimately one of the best plates in Myrtle Beach, and the she-crab soup is the real deal — thick, creamy, and finished with sherry the way it's supposed to be.
The vibe is relaxed but polished. Good for a date night or a family dinner where you want something nicer than a dive but not stuffy. Reservations recommended on weekends. Parking is easy — there's a large lot right off Kings Hwy.
Order: Shrimp & grits, she-crab soup, the catch of the day
Sea Captain's House — Myrtle Beach Oceanfront
Address: 3002 N Ocean Blvd, Myrtle Beach | Price Range: $$
Sea Captain's House has been here since 1930 and it's not going anywhere. This is the oceanfront dinner spot that locals actually recommend to visitors — not because it's fancy, but because it's consistently excellent and the view is hard to beat. You're eating right on the ocean.
The she-crab soup here is legendary. Locals argue about whether Hook & Barrel or Sea Captain's does it better — the honest answer is both are worth trying. The flounder is always fresh, the hush puppies are made in-house, and the portions are generous without being embarrassing.
Expect a wait on summer evenings. Get there before 6 PM or after 8 PM if you want to avoid the longest lines.
Order: She-crab soup, flounder, hush puppies, anything with local shrimp
Gulfstream Cafe — Garden City Beach
Address: 1536 S Waccamaw Dr, Garden City Beach | Price Range: $–$$
If you haven't been to Garden City Beach, you're missing one of the quieter, more local-feeling stretches of the Grand Strand. Gulfstream Cafe sits right on the waterway and has the kind of laid-back atmosphere that's hard to manufacture — it just is what it is.
The menu is seafood-forward but not exclusively. The crab dip is a must-start. The grouper sandwich at lunch becomes a grouper entrée at dinner and it's worth every penny. The outdoor deck seating over the water is the move on a clear evening.
Less crowded than Myrtle Beach proper, easier parking, and the food holds up against anything on the main strip.
Order: Crab dip, grouper, shrimp platter, anything on the outdoor deck
Wicked Tuna — Murrells Inlet
Address: 4123 US-17 Business, Murrells Inlet | Price Range: $$
Murrells Inlet is the seafood capital of South Carolina — that's not marketing, that's just what it is. The MarshWalk alone has a dozen solid spots, but Wicked Tuna consistently comes out on top for people who want something more than a basic seafood platter.
The tuna here is flown in fresh and the preparation is creative without being pretentious. The blackened tuna with mango salsa is the dish people come back for. The view of the inlet is excellent, especially at sunset. This is the kind of place you drive 20 minutes for.
If you're doing the MarshWalk, start at Wicked Tuna and work your way down for drinks. Don't do it the other way around — you'll fill up on bar food before you get to the good stuff.
Order: Blackened tuna, tuna tacos, anything with the fresh catch listed on the board
Angelo's Steak & Pasta — Myrtle Beach
Address: 2311 S Kings Hwy, Myrtle Beach | Price Range: $
Angelo's has been feeding Myrtle Beach since 1975 and it shows — in the best way. This is old-school Italian-American comfort food done right: big portions, reasonable prices, and a dining room that feels like it hasn't changed in 40 years (it mostly hasn't, and that's the point).
The pasta is made in-house. The veal parmigiana is the kind of dish that makes you understand why people have been coming here for 50 years. The salad bar is a throwback that regulars love. Prices are genuinely reasonable for what you get — you can eat well here for under $25 a person.
Not trendy, not Instagram-worthy, completely worth it.
Order: Veal parmigiana, any of the house-made pastas, the salad bar
A Few More Worth Knowing
Croissants Bistro & Bakery (8014 N Kings Hwy) — Better known for breakfast and lunch, but the dinner service is a sleeper. French-influenced, locally owned, and the desserts alone are worth the trip. Lighter fare if you want something that isn't seafood or red meat.
Clark's Seafood & Chowder House (4611 US-17 Business, NMB) — Myrtle Beach's answer to Sea Captain's House. Locals swear by the clam chowder and the fried seafood platters. Less touristy than anything on the main strip.
Bimini's Oyster Bar (1516 Celebrity Circle) — Right at Broadway at the Beach but don't hold that against it. The raw bar is the real deal and the oyster happy hour is one of the better deals in town.
The Bottom Line
The Grand Strand has more good local dinner spots than most people realize — you just have to get off Ocean Boulevard and away from the neon signs. The places on this list have been feeding locals and return visitors for years. They don't need to advertise. They just keep being good.
If you're planning a trip and want the full breakdown — including where to eat by neighborhood, what to avoid, and the insider tips that don't make it onto Yelp — check out our Breakfast Guide and Lunch Guide to round out the full day.
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