North Myrtle Beach Restaurants, A Local Guide

Where Should You Eat Near Ocean Drive?

You are spoiled for choice within a few minutes of the building. Main Street in the Ocean Drive section has local institutions, the oceanfront boulevard has seafood with a view, and Barefoot Landing offers a full row of waterfront restaurants ten minutes south. Calabash-style fried seafood is a short drive north. Here is where locals and returning guests actually eat.

Seafood and Calabash-Style Plates

Seafood is the local language. For the famous lightly battered, fried style, the town of Calabash, just over the North Carolina line and known as the Seafood Capital of the World, is a worthwhile drive north. Closer in, Duffy Street Seafood Shack has casual baskets and to-go orders near Main Street, and the long-running Sea Captain’s House is known for she-crab soup and an oceanfront room. Fresh local catch turns up on nearly every menu.

Main Street Local Institutions

The Ocean Drive Main Street has the places locals send you to. Hoskins Restaurant has served Southern comfort food, fried seafood, and pie since 1948. Flynn’s Irish Tavern, at 421 Main Street, is a longtime favorite for a casual pint and a bite. These are the unpretentious, been-there-for-decades spots that give the Ocean Drive section its character, and they are an easy walk or short drive from the building.

Oceanfront and Waterway Dining

For a meal with a view, you have options on the water. Buoys on the Boulevard, at 93 South Ocean Boulevard, sits right on the beach with oysters, sushi, lowcountry boils, and live music on weekends. Snooky’s Oceanfront pairs seafood plates with an Atlantic panorama. Over at the Intracoastal Waterway, Flying Fish Public Market and Grill at Barefoot Landing is part restaurant, part seafood market, with a raw bar and steamed buckets.

Barefoot Landing’s Restaurant Row

Ten minutes south, Barefoot Landing gathers waterfront restaurants around its lake. Greg Norman’s Australian Grille brings upscale steaks and seafood with sunset views, Tidewater Grill offers rooftop crab cakes, and Joe’s Crab Shack keeps it casual for the kids. For a special night, SeaBlue Restaurant and Wine Bar nearby leans fine dining, and Benny Rappa’s Trattoria covers Italian. Save room for craft ice cream at Melt, named among the state’s best.

Cooking In at the Condo

Some nights you will want to stay put, and the condo makes that easy with a full kitchen and an oceanfront balcony for dinner. Grab fresh shrimp or fish from a local market, cook in, and watch the surf. The barefoot landing guide and the family activities guide help you plan the nights out, and the sandy pants oceanfront condo page shows your kitchen and balcony.

Dining: Common Questions

Where is the best seafood?

For fried Calabash-style seafood, drive north to Calabash. Closer in, try Duffy Street Seafood Shack, Sea Captain’s House, or the raw bar at Flying Fish.

What restaurants are closest to the condo?

Main Street favorites like Hoskins and Flynn’s Irish Tavern are a short trip, and Buoys on the Boulevard at 93 South Ocean Boulevard is oceanfront nearby.

Where can we go for a nicer dinner?

Greg Norman’s Australian Grille at Barefoot Landing and SeaBlue Restaurant and Wine Bar are the go-to upscale spots, both with strong seafood and wine lists.

Are there casual, family-pleasing options?

Yes. Hoskins, Duffy Street Seafood Shack, Joe’s Crab Shack at Barefoot Landing, and Buoys on the Boulevard all work well for casual family meals.

Where can we get dessert or ice cream?

Melt, a craft ice cream shop steps from the beach, has been named among South Carolina’s best. Barefoot Landing also has several sweet shops.

Is Calabash worth the drive?

If you like fried seafood, yes. Calabash, just over the North Carolina line, is famous for its lightly battered, fried style and is a short drive north.