Updated and verified: October 5, 2026
The best seafood in Myrtle Beach depends on the kind of meal you’re craving. Maybe you want to pile a plate high at a Calabash seafood buffet, settle in for dinner with an ocean view, or make the short drive to Murrells Inlet for fresh catches and a stroll along the water. You’ll also find plenty of Lowcountry favorites along the way, including shrimp and grits and she-crab soup.
We chose the restaurants in this guide based on what each one brings to a Myrtle Beach trip, from longtime local favorites and seafood buffets to waterfront dining and fresh seafood markets. We also looked at current menus, locations and dining experiences to help you find the right fit for your plans.
Menus, hours and reservation policies can change, so check with the restaurant before you go.
Our Quick Picks for Seafood in Myrtle Beach
| If you’re looking for… | Our pick | Why |
| Best overall seafood restaurant | Hook & Barrel | A seafood-focused sit-down dinner with fresh catch, oysters and a more polished atmosphere |
| Best seafood buffet | The Original Benjamin’s Calabash Seafood | 170+ buffet items with Calabash seafood, crab legs and plenty of non-seafood choices |
| Best waterfront option | Sea Captain’s House | Classic Myrtle Beach seafood served directly on the oceanfront |
| Best for families | Seafood World | A large seafood buffet plus steaks and other options for groups with different tastes |
| Best local-style seafood | Drunken Jack’s | Murrells Inlet setting, fresh catch, creek shrimp and classic seafood platters |
| Best place to buy fresh seafood | Seven Seas Seafood Market | Fresh fish and shellfish for travelers staying somewhere with a kitchen |
Compare Myrtle Beach Seafood Restaurants
| Restaurant | Area | Dining format | Best known for | Waterfront or ocean view | Approx. price | Reservations |
| Hook & Barrel | Myrtle Beach, North Kings Highway | À la carte | Fresh catch, oysters and seafood-focused dining | No water view | $$$ | Recommended |
| Sea Captain’s House | Myrtle Beach, Ocean Boulevard | À la carte | She-crab soup, shrimp and grits and fresh seafood | Oceanfront | $$–$$$ | Available |
| The Original Benjamin’s Calabash Seafood | Myrtle Beach, Restaurant Row | Buffet | 170+ items, Calabash seafood and crab legs | Select water views | $$–$$$ | Contact restaurant for larger groups |
| Seafood World | Myrtle Beach, near the Boardwalk | Buffet + à la carte | Calabash seafood, snow crab legs and steaks | No | $$–$$$ | Recommended for busy periods |
| Crabby George’s Seafood Buffet | Myrtle Beach, North Kings Highway | Buffet + à la carte | 120+ buffet items and seafood variety | No | $$–$$$ | Accepted |
| Chesapeake House | Myrtle Beach, Restaurant Row | À la carte | Fish stew, inlet shrimp and traditional seafood dinners | Lakeside | $$–$$$ | Available by phone |
| The Wicked Tuna at 2nd Avenue Pier | Myrtle Beach Boardwalk | À la carte | Fresh seafood, sushi and Hook-to-Plate dining | Oceanfront | $$–$$$ | Available |
| Drunken Jack’s | Murrells Inlet MarshWalk | À la carte | Fresh catch, creek shrimp and seafood platters | Waterfront | $$–$$$ | Call ahead during busy periods |
| Seven Seas Seafood Market | Murrells Inlet | Seafood market | Fresh fish, shrimp, crab and shellfish | Not a sit-down restaurant | $–$$ | Not applicable |
Price categories are approximate and intended for comparison only. Check current menus for pricing.
What Is Calabash Seafood?
Calabash seafood is lightly breaded seafood that is fried until crisp, a preparation style that originated in nearby Calabash, North Carolina.
Typical Calabash platters include shrimp, flounder, oysters and scallops, often served with hush puppies and Southern sides. The lighter breading is one of the things that separates Calabash-style seafood from heavier battered preparations.
Calabash seafood is different from Lowcountry cuisine. Calabash refers to a preparation style, while Lowcountry cuisine is a broader coastal South Carolina food tradition that includes dishes such as shrimp and grits, she-crab soup and Lowcountry boil.
If your group wants to sample several kinds of seafood in one meal without having to commit to just one entrée, a Calabash buffet is one of the easiest places to start.
Traditional and Chef-Driven Seafood Restaurants
Choose a traditional or chef-driven seafood restaurant when you want an à la carte meal rather than an all-you-can-eat buffet.
Hook & Barrel
Area: Myrtle Beach, North Kings Highway
Format: À la carte fish and wine house
Known for: Fresh catch, oysters and seafood-focused dishes
Best for: Date night or a more polished seafood dinner
Setting: Indoor dining plus outdoor and enclosed patio seating
Reservations: Recommended
Hook & Barrel puts seafood at the center of the meal, with fresh catch, oysters, steamed shellfish, she-crab soup and other seafood dishes alongside meat and vegetarian options. The restaurant also emphasizes sustainably sourced seafood.
It’s a strong choice when seafood is the main event and you want a sit-down dinner rather than the buffet experience. Owner and chef Heidi Vukov was also named a 2026 James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Southeast, giving Hook & Barrel another reason to consider it for a special dinner.
Chesapeake House
Area: Myrtle Beach, Restaurant Row
Format: À la carte
Known for: Fish stew, inlet shrimp and traditional seafood dinners
Best for: Families and groups wanting seafood plus steak and other choices
Setting: Lakeside dining
Reservations: Available by phone
Chesapeake House has served the Grand Strand since 1971 and remains a family-owned restaurant along Highway 17 North. Its menu mixes seafood with steaks and other dishes, which comes in handy when not everyone at the table is on the same seafood mission.
Current seafood options include inlet shrimp, flounder, oysters, scallops, soft-shell crab and Chesapeake Baked Fish. Meals also include longtime restaurant traditions such as fish stew, hush puppies and cinnamon rolls.
Calabash Seafood and Buffets in Myrtle Beach
Choose a Calabash seafood buffet when your group wants variety, crab legs or the chance to sample several styles of seafood in one meal.
The Original Benjamin’s Calabash Seafood
Area: Myrtle Beach, Restaurant Row
Format: All-you-can-eat buffet
Known for: 170+ buffet items, Calabash seafood and crab legs
Best for: Families and groups who want lots of choices
Setting: Nautical-themed dining rooms with select water views
Reservations: Contact the restaurant for group dining
The Original Benjamin’s has served Calabash-style seafood in Myrtle Beach since 1986 and currently advertises more than 170 buffet items. Seafood choices include fried shrimp, oysters, scallops and flounder along with crab legs, peel-and-eat shrimp and grilled fish.
There are also meats, chicken, vegetables, salads and desserts, which makes it especially useful for larger groups with different tastes.
The restaurant’s nautical collection is part of the experience too, with themed dining areas, model ships and maritime displays. So yes, you may come for the crab legs and wind up inspecting a ship model between trips to the buffet.
Seafood World
Area: Myrtle Beach, near the Boardwalk
Format: Buffet + à la carte
Known for: Calabash seafood, snow crab legs and steaks
Best for: Groups split between seafood and non-seafood choices
Setting: Casual family dining
Reservations: Recommended for weekends, holidays and peak travel periods
Seafood World offers a Calabash buffet with about 150 items, including snow crab legs, fried seafood, shellfish, steaks and other coastal favorites. There is also an à la carte menu with seafood platters, grilled dishes and surf-and-turf combinations.
That flexibility makes it a useful option when one person wants crab legs, someone else wants steak and somebody in the group simply refuses to participate in the seafood agenda.
Crabby George’s Seafood Buffet
Area: Myrtle Beach, North Kings Highway
Format: Buffet + à la carte
Known for: 120+ buffet items and a large seafood selection
Best for: Families and groups who want variety
Setting: Casual family-friendly dining
Reservations: Accepted
Crabby George’s offers an all-you-can-eat Calabash seafood buffet with more than 120 items. Current selections include peel-and-eat shrimp, raw oysters, fried oysters, scallops, calamari, flounder and other seafood, along with Southern sides and non-seafood choices.
There is also an à la carte menu if not everyone at the table wants the buffet, plus a children’s menu for younger diners. It’s a handy option when the group consensus is less “we all want seafood” and more “we all want something different.”
Waterfront Seafood Restaurants in Myrtle Beach
For an ocean view with dinner, Sea Captain’s House and The Wicked Tuna at 2nd Avenue Pier pair seafood with direct Atlantic views.
Sea Captain’s House
Area: Myrtle Beach, Ocean Boulevard
Format: À la carte
Known for: She-crab soup, shrimp and grits and fresh seafood
Best for: Ocean views and a classic Myrtle Beach seafood meal
Setting: Directly oceanfront with outdoor seating available
Reservations: Available
Sea Captain’s House sits directly on the ocean at 3002 North Ocean Boulevard and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. The building began as an oceanfront home in 1930 before eventually becoming the restaurant Myrtle Beach visitors know today.
Its current menu includes longtime favorites such as she-crab soup, shrimp and grits and jambalaya along with fresh seafood and seasonal dishes. Families have options too, including a children’s menu with both seafood and familiar kid-friendly choices.
The oceanfront setting is a big part of the appeal here, so this is one of those dinners where asking for a table with a view actually makes sense.
The Wicked Tuna at 2nd Avenue Pier
Area: Myrtle Beach Boardwalk
Format: À la carte
Known for: Fresh seafood, sushi and Hook-to-Plate dining
Best for: Boardwalk visitors who want dinner with an ocean view
Setting: Oceanfront at 2nd Avenue Pier
Reservations: Available
The Wicked Tuna sits at 2nd Avenue Pier along the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk, giving diners direct views of the Atlantic.
Its Hook-to-Plate concept centers on seafood sourced through the company’s fishing operation, while the menu also includes sushi, shellfish, steaks and other coastal dishes.
This is an especially convenient pick if you’re already spending part of the day around the Boardwalk and would rather turn dinner into part of the sightseeing than hop back in the car.
Murrells Inlet Seafood Restaurants
Head south of Myrtle Beach to Murrells Inlet when waterfront dining and a concentration of seafood restaurants matter more than staying in Myrtle Beach proper.
Murrells Inlet’s MarshWalk puts multiple restaurants within walking distance of one another, making it easy to turn dinner into a full evening of seafood, drinks and waterfront views. In other words, this is one night when you don’t have to rush back to Myrtle Beach after the check arrives.
Drunken Jack’s
Area: Murrells Inlet MarshWalk
Format: À la carte
Known for: Fresh catch, creek shrimp and seafood platters
Best for: A classic Murrells Inlet seafood dinner with waterfront views
Setting: Views of Murrells Inlet and Goat Island
Reservations: Call ahead during busy periods
Drunken Jack’s has served Murrells Inlet since 1979 and overlooks the inlet and Goat Island along the MarshWalk.
The current menu includes fresh catch, creek shrimp, flounder, oysters, scallops, crab cakes and seafood combination platters. Because fresh-catch selections can change, this is a good place to ask what’s available when you visit.
If the waterfront atmosphere is part of why you’re heading to Murrells Inlet, Drunken Jack’s lets the view and seafood share the spotlight.
Where Can You Buy Fresh Seafood Near Myrtle Beach?
Choose a seafood market when you’re staying in a condo, vacation rental or other place with a kitchen and would rather cook fresh seafood yourself.
Seven Seas Seafood Market
Area: Murrells Inlet
Format: Fresh seafood market
Known for: Fresh fish, South Carolina shrimp and shellfish
Best for: Travelers who want to cook seafood at their condo or vacation rental
Setting: Market rather than a sit-down restaurant
Reservations: Not applicable
Seven Seas Seafood Market sells fresh fish and shellfish in Murrells Inlet rather than operating as a traditional restaurant.
Selections can include fresh South Carolina shrimp, grouper, snapper, triggerfish, clams, crab, oysters and other catches depending on season and availability.
If you have access to a kitchen or grill, this can be a nice break from another restaurant meal. Pick up whatever looks freshest, ask how the market recommends cooking it and enjoy the rare vacation dinner where nobody has to wait for the check.
Where Do Locals Eat Seafood in Myrtle Beach?
There isn’t one universal “locals’ seafood restaurant,” but several Myrtle Beach restaurants have been specifically recommended by people who live in the area.
Visit Myrtle Beach writer Ashlee Carson, who has lived in Myrtle Beach since 2006, includes Sea Captain’s House, Hook & Barrel and Drunken Jack’s among her recommendations for experiencing the area like a local.
That gives you several different local-backed starting points. Hook & Barrel works well for a chef-driven seafood dinner, Sea Captain’s House gives you a longtime oceanfront Myrtle Beach experience, and Drunken Jack’s combines Murrells Inlet seafood with waterfront views.
Rather than chasing the mythical one restaurant where “all the locals” supposedly eat, pick the one that best matches the kind of seafood night you actually want.
How to Choose the Right Myrtle Beach Seafood Restaurant
The best seafood restaurant for your trip depends more on the experience you want than on one universal ranking.
Choose a seafood buffet when your group wants variety, crab legs or the chance to try several kinds of seafood in one meal. Sea Captain’s House or The Wicked Tuna are better fits when ocean views are part of the plan, while Hook & Barrel makes sense when you want a more polished seafood dinner or date-night feel.
If you want to turn dinner into a full waterfront evening, head to Murrells Inlet and spend some time around the MarshWalk. Staying in a condo or vacation rental with a kitchen? A stop at Seven Seas Seafood Market lets you bring fresh seafood back and make dinner yourself.
Myrtle Beach Seafood FAQs
Myrtle Beach is known for Calabash-style fried seafood, seafood buffets, fresh fish and shellfish, and Lowcountry dishes such as shrimp and grits and she-crab soup.
Nearby Murrells Inlet also gives Grand Strand visitors easy access to waterfront seafood restaurants and fresh seafood markets.
Calabash seafood is typically lightly breaded and fried rather than coated in a thick batter.
The style originated in nearby Calabash, North Carolina, and commonly includes shrimp, fish, oysters and scallops.
The Original Benjamin’s Calabash Seafood, Seafood World and Crabby George’s Seafood Buffet are three current buffet options in Myrtle Beach.
All offer large all-you-can-eat selections with seafood plus choices for diners who may want something else.
Local-backed recommendations include Sea Captain’s House, Hook & Barrel and Drunken Jack’s.
Those restaurants have been included in recommendations from Myrtle Beach resident and Visit Myrtle Beach writer Ashlee Carson for visitors who want to experience the area more like a local.
Yes, especially if waterfront dining is one of your priorities.
The Murrells Inlet MarshWalk puts several restaurants close together, making it easy to combine seafood with drinks, views and an evening stroll.
Seven Seas Seafood Market in Murrells Inlet is one option for fresh fish and shellfish to prepare yourself.
This can be especially useful if you’re staying in a condo or vacation rental with a kitchen.
Find the Right Seafood Stop for Your Myrtle Beach Trip
There isn’t one seafood restaurant that fits every Myrtle Beach vacation, so start with the experience you want. Go for a Calabash buffet when your group wants variety, choose an oceanfront restaurant when dinner with a view sounds better, or head to Murrells Inlet when you want seafood to turn into a full night out. And if your condo has a kitchen, picking up fresh seafood and staying in for the evening isn’t exactly a bad Plan B.
The best seafood stop in Myrtle Beach isn’t necessarily the same for every traveler. Pick the restaurant style that fits your plans, your group and your appetite. Luckily, around Myrtle Beach, narrowing it down is probably the hardest part.