Finding the best seafood restaurants in Myrtle Beach is a lot like fishing. Sure, there are plenty of places where you can get a bite – but you want to land the big one.
By staying at The Caribbean Resort & Villas, you've already won half the battle. Located on the north end of The Strip on the Myrtle Beach oceanfront, The Caribbean is surrounded by great places to find fresh catches, from the famed Sea Captain's House right next door to Bennett's Calabash Seafood Buffet only a block away. Whether you are looking for fine dining, all-you-can-eat buffets, sushi bars or casual oyster shacks, some of the best seafood in town are only a short distance from the resort property:
* Bimini’s Oyster Bar: This long-standing seafood shack at the end of a Restaurant Row strip mall continues to pack them in despite being surrounded by larger competitors. That's because Bimini’s serves up good times and cold beer to go with its extensive seafood menu, including steamed crab legs, fried shrimp and other goodies from the sea. The Sunday oyster roasts are legendary.
* Captain George's Seafood Restaurant: Seafood buffets can be hit or miss, but this place is a bull’s-eye. Located about 1.5 miles directly down 29th Avenue North from The Caribbean, this ship-shaped building is massive and upscale as far as buffets go. Captain George's puts out a huge spread on the buffet, and crab legs can be added for a fee. Patrons may also order from the menu for a lighter feast.
* Hook & Barrel: The newest seafood restaurant in Myrtle Beach is also one of the best. Opened in the exclusive Dunes section of town about 4 miles north of The Caribbean, this upscale eatery brings some serious flavor to the table while allowing the fresh seafood to be the star. The menu is loaded with tasty options, but the best bet is the Harvest of the Sea special that allows patrons to choose their fresh catch, preferred style of preparation (baked, grilled, pan-seared or blackened), and house-made sauce (Jicama Mango Salsa, White Wine Butter, Mediterranean or Pesto Cream).
* Mr. Fish: While many area restaurants fetch their fresh catches directly from the local markets, Mr. Fish also owns the seafood market next door – so there's always an abundance of fish straight from the boat. Although Mr. Fish boasts an extensive food, drink and sushi menu, the chalkboard offers daily specials that warrant strong consideration, since they are based on the latest haul. A couple of classics include the Blackened Tuna and BBQ Shrimp. Mr. Fish is open for lunch and dinner, but savvy seafood lovers hit the happy hours in between for discounted drinks and apps.
* Sea Captain's House: You don't last 55 years in the seafood business in Myrtle Beach without being good, and this oceanfront institution is widely regarded as the best in town. Located directly next to The Caribbean Resort & Villas, this famous hot spot has been featured in national publications for its combination of fresh seafood and Southern cuisine. Serving three meals a day, the Sea Captain's House is known for its boiled and fried seafood platters, Southern-style shrimp and grits, and Lowcountry She-Crab Soup. Virtually every seat in the house has at least a partial ocean view, but reservations are recommended for a guaranteed front-row seat.
There are lots of other great seafood restaurants to discover on the Grand Strand, like those on the Murrells Inlet MarshWalk and Restaurant Row, as well as in the Carolina border towns of Calabash and Little River. But you can’t go wrong with these fabulous five – and you don’t have very far to travel to get back to your room at The Caribbean Resort & Villas to recover after your delicious seafood feast.
