The Best Restaurants In Myrtle Beach, According To Reviews

Culinary travel is a top trend right now, and one southern city makes it easy to see why. With over 2,000 restaurants, Myrtle Beach is a fierce contender when it comes to its culinary scene. This vibrant beach town is a melting pot of noteworthy eateries, delivering everything from upscale seafood and southern comfort to prime beef and elevated fondues. Its close proximity to Murrells Inlet MarshWalk, the Seafood Capital of South Carolina, carries a heavy influence over the coastal cuisine that peppers nearly every menu in town. While it may be a beach town that emphasizes seafood, Myrtle Beach locals pride themselves on experimenting with the flavors of the world to create a beautiful, bold presentation of international plates.

You could take the risky route and rely on instinct when selecting your tables of choice, but why play the guessing game if it's not necessary? Review sites, such as OpenTable and Tripadvisor, are a traveler's best friend when charting the territory of unfamiliar food scenes. With millions of reviews across thousands of restaurants, OpenTable experts analyze and rank the top local eateries in a destination using a competitive rating system. OpenTable rewards restaurants with a prestigious Diner's Choice Award when they meet certain requirements, like a minimum number of verified reviews and star ratings. Likewise, Tripadvisor is equally important, helping diners eat their way across a destination by finding the best restaurants in a new city. We looked at both to find the best restaurants in Myrtle Beach.

This sleek, elegant, white-table-cloth venue claims to be the finest restaurant on Myrtle Beach's Grand Strand. Customers seem to agree with this statement, as SeaBlue Restaurant and Wine Bar took the top spot on Open Table's Diners' Choice analysis in May 2024. The upscale restaurant has an impressive collection of accolades, including the Best of Award of Excellence 2012-2023 by Wine Spectator Magazine and its title as the #1 Restaurant in the Country in 2014 by OpenTable. As a farm to table establishment, SeaBlue Restaurant sources the freshest seafood possible by working closely with local purveyors and vendors in this American foodie town.

Located in North Myrtle Beach, the menu is sprinkled with seasonal specials that lean toward contemporary American cuisine, including Wagyu beef and rare specialty wine labels. Neon blue lighting and maritime decor set the ambiance for a coastal indulgence that wouldn't be complete without at least one order of seafood. The restaurant's menu rotates with the seasons, capitalizing on the plentiful bounty this region provides. Appetizers can range from artisan cheese boards to charbroiled oysters, while entrees like espresso rubbed Berkshire pork tenderloin and the local fresh catch with a bearnaise beurre blanc sauce are a treat to the taste buds. The only thing missing is their signature chef's crème brulee to round out the meal. Guests should plan to budget around $50 and up for a five-star dining experience at this sensational Myrtle Beach hot spot.

If a juicy cut of USDA-grade prime beef is what you're after, look no further than New York Prime Steakhouse. Not only did this upscale chophouse make it onto Open Table's Diners' Choice list, but it also received a shoutout from Eater Magazine and climbed its way onto USA Today's top restaurants in Myrtle Beach. "Best steak" and "everything was perfect" were just a few of the 3,700+ raving reviews left by OpenTable diners after finishing their dinner. Popular dishes include the live Maine lobster, petite filet, and oysters Rockefeller, not to diminish the sides, like jumbo lump crab meat and cheese mashed potatoes served alongside your cut of choice. Dessert is easy, given the cheesecake is shipped straight from New York City. Customers know to expect big things in this exclusive supper club, with each of their prime beef cuts aged a minimum of four weeks, fresh potatoes weighing at least one pound, and a focus on fresh, seasonal fish.

A rustic exterior gives way to a classy dining space, complemented by a low-lit ambiance and warm, wooden textiles. The floor-to-ceiling wine case houses its extensive list of specially-curated bottles that never disappoint. The main dining room houses individual and community-style tables, making it the perfect place for dinner dates between couples or family outings over steak and lobster. For a more intimate setting, the restaurant also offers a private dining space to enjoy their specialty pre-fixe menu. 

If eating like a local is your goal in Myrtle Beach, Aspen Grille is where the residents dine, according to The Sun News. Sophisticated, yet not straying far from the classics, this warm, inviting grill puts Southern hospitality at the forefront of its mission. Casual, yet still upscale, top reviews on OpenTable highlighted the restaurant's selection of fine wines and romantic atmosphere. 

With steak, seafood, pasta, and wine, this Myrtle Beach hot spot claims to be "simply the best." Serving up fresh Carolina cuisine daily, Aspen Grille is ranked just below the esteemed SeaBlue Restaurant and Wine Bar on OpenTable's Diners' Choice Awards. However, its position in second place might be challenged after guests dive fork-first into domestic golden fried calamari, classic french onion soup, and Panko-crusted North Carolina trout.

Just 3 miles from downtown Myrtle Beach, it's hard to beat Aspen Grille's unparalleled location, perched just a few blocks away from the water's edge. You can get some sun during the day, wash up in your hotel room, and then head down to Aspen Grille for a beautiful night out. If you're there during the week, the restaurant also offers special pricing on its branded Wine Wednesdays. 

Ranked in Tripadvisor's top five best-rated restaurants in Myrtle Beach, Drift is known for its inventive breakfast plates and cool coastal vibes. Flavor is just part of the picture at this vibey spot that's open until 3 p.m. The presentation is also on point, from the tropical-inspired dining space to the perfectly positioned breakfast potatoes served alongside elevated dishes. Quality is found in the tiniest details at Drift, from the recycled tobacco barn windows, custom logo coffee mugs, and handcrafted tables forged from over 100-year-old hardwood trees. Festoon lighting, cozy outdoor heaters, and plush oversized seating brings the al fresco patio to life underneath the sunshine that saturates the terrace.

Homegrown and healthy is the theme of Drift's culinary offerings, with good-for-you dishes crafted from fresh, local ingredients. Their menu is divided into sections, making it as easy as possible to satisfy your breakfast food cravings. Chicken and waffles and Drift shrimp and grits can be found under The Classics, kept separate from the Scramblers, Benedicts, and Sweet Temptations. True breakfast junkies know that the morning meal is never complete without a fresh cup of brew. Americanos and cappuccinos are all on the list, as are inventive drinks, like the nutty nitro and s'mores cold brew that's topped with a photo-worthy garnish of chocolate, graham cracker, and marshmallows. Breakfast is served all day, but the lunch specials deserve at least a glance over. Chargrilled octopus, Parmesan truffle fries, and a pesto chicken sandwich give the brunch items a run for their money.

The Melting Pot stands as the number one restaurant in Myrtle Beach, according to Tripadvisor reviews. The reigning champion of 578 local restaurants, it earned a five-star rating from 3,000+ reviews. The Melting Pot even gained a Traveler's Choice Award in 2021. 

The premier spot for fondue dipping, this swanky fine-dining establishment was consistently ranked as one of the best places for dessert by The Sun News. While you can't choose wrong from the dessert menu, it's the flaming turtle fondue that's the star of the show. Milk chocolate, caramel, and candied pecans are melted into a dreamy mixture that pairs perfectly with the marshmallows, pound cake, and brownies that serve as the dippers — but don't worry, they do throw some strawberries and bananas into the mix for a small dose of vitamins among the sugar.

While it can be tempting to order exclusively off the dessert menu, it wouldn't seem right to disregard the savory fondue pots that are as unique as the restaurant itself. A customizable à la carte menu means guests can mix and match dippers with sauces to create a personalized plate. Cheese fondues include Wisconsin cheddar and classic Alpine, while entrées range from the Pacific rim to the land and sea pots that feature a variety of surf and turf items, like chicken potstickers, garlic pepper steak, and sesame-crusted ahi tuna.