1. Benito’S Brick Oven Pizza
City: North Myrtle Beach, SC
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (843) 272-1414
Address: 1596 US 17 S.
Description: Benito’s New York–style pizzeria and pasteria offers a variety of traditional Italian specialties. The hand-tossed pizza is prepared with homemade care in an authentic wood-fired brick oven and is among the Strand’s finest. Many of Benito’s pizza selections are inspired by locations from around the world. From the Tropical Tahiti Island special to tempting choices that hint at locales from Barcelona to Mexico, there is a wealth of choices for every palate. Benito’s offers more than 20 toppings—from artichoke hearts to chunks of fresh pineapple. Although the undisputed specialty is pizza, fresh salads and a handful of pasta dishes round out the menu.
2. Joe’S Bar & Grill
City: North Myrtle Beach, SC
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (843) 272-4666
Address: 810 Conway Ave.
Description: Owner and chef Joey Arakas wanted to give the Grand Strand a restaurant that would make diners feel as though they never left the comforts of their own homes. Fine dining in a rather rustic atmosphere is what has kept Joe’s one of the busiest establishments in town for more than a decade. Joe’s is not the place to go if you have a craving for something fried: There is no such thing on this menu. The cuisine is definitely continental, including steak, seafood, veal, and poultry dishes. All marinades, sauces, soups, and dressings are made fresh daily. Fish lovers should try the whole boneless rainbow trout coated in cornmeal, stuffed with crabmeat, and laced with a Southern Comfort mushroom cream sauce. Joe’s is open for dinner only, with happy-hour and early-bird specials.
3. Preston’S
City: North Myrtle Beach, SC
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (843) 272-3338
Address: 4530 US 17 S.
Description: Located at the entrance to Barefoot Landing, Preston’s combines both seafood and country cooking at an enormous buffet. You better bring your appetite when you come. Its expansive menu includes baby back ribs, fresh vegetables, both broiled and fried seafood, and, of course, desserts such as cobbler. The large dining room is equipped to handle groups and often does, so try to get there early.
4. Tony’S Italian Restaurant
City: North Myrtle Beach, SC
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (843) 249-1314
Address: 1407 Old Hwy. 17 N.
Description: Tony’s is the oldest Italian restaurant along the Grand Strand and has been in operation since 1953. The recipes for Tony’s dishes have been handed down from generation to generation, and the kitchen never compromises its homemade quality. Nothing on your plate at Tony’s is prepackaged or frozen; even the herbs are freshly picked from the restaurant’s very own garden.Our perfect Tony’s dining experience starts with the Clams Posillipo (steamed clams draped with marinara sauce) as an appetizer followed by the Terri Lynn Veal Scallopini, featuring fresh mushrooms and artichoke hearts in a brown brandy sauce. For dessert we heartily recommend the chocolate Godiva cake, a wicked seven-layer cake laced with Godiva liquor. Tony’s is open Monday through Saturday for dinner.
5. Joe’S Crab Shack
City: North Myrtle Beach, SC
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (843) 272-5900
Address: 4846 Hwy. 17 S.
Description: It’s a tacky-looking shack of a restaurant. The interior feels like a Gulf Coast fishing camp, and the menu serves up scads of crabs—cooked in a myriad of ways. As a whole, the Joe’s experience is classic, cool, and comfortable. You can pound a few crabs on the patio or slip inside for a newspaper-covered table. Either way, cool beverages enhance the experience. The menu is enormous—not just crabs—and includes plenty of appetizers, sandwiches, salads, steaks, and more.Obviously, Joe’s specialty is crab, and variety is offered year-round. Steamed, barbecued, or garlic style, expect whatever’s in season—Alaskan king crab, Dungeness crab, Alaskan snow crab, and blue crab. Joe also offers “Rug Rat” and group menus.For kick-backed and casual, Joe’s can’t be beat.