Here are the 10 best seafood restaurants in SC for 2023, Southern Living says
Fresh seafood isn’t hard to come by in South Carolina and is a family favorite in many households statewide.
Do you have a favorite local seafood restaurant?
If so, it may have made Southern Living’s list of ‘South Carolina’s 10 best seafood spots.’
The list was compiled by the lifestyle magazine’s readers to highlight “their favorite spots for fresh catch and local shrimp in the Palmetto State.”
The catalog of seafood favorites can be found dotting the South Carolina coast with locations in both the Lowcountry and Pee Dee regions.
Want to try them? Here are the 10 best seafood spots in the Palmetto State, according to Southern Living.
Lee’s Inlet Kitchen
Have you ever made it over to Lee’s Inlet Kitchen? Chances are, at least one of your family members has at least heard of the popular establishment. The restaurant, located at 4460 4460 US-17 Business in Murrells Inlet, has been around since November 1948 at its current location, which had originally been a country store, according to the eatery’s website.
Hot hush puppies, cold-boiled shrimp pulled from nearby local waters and the thin, crispy onion rings were all mentioned by Southern Living as notable dishes. However, the magazine included another meal that guests should order. This specialty was the Shrimp Salad for $26.95, which includes boiled fantail shrimp tossed in Duke’s Mayo, sweet relish and chopped eggs.
Although closed on Sundays, Lee’s Inlet Kitchen is open Monday through Saturday from 4:30-9 p.m.
Hudson’s Seafood House on the Docks
Found in the Lowcountry region on Hilton Head Island, Hudson’s Seafood House on the Docks is located at 1 Hudson Road on Hilton Head and is open daily from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. on Sundays.
“It doesn’t get much fresher than this Hilton Head Island mainstay, where 90% of the seafood served comes directly from the surrounding waters,” wrote Southern Living. With its dockside views of Port Royal Sound, guests can enjoy their meals while watching the scenery and enjoying the coastal climate.
Although you’ll have to wait until the end of the year, the magazine and its readers recommend that you order the steamed local cluster oysters in the shell, which can be your chosen meal from November through March.
Bowens Island Restaurant
Next, make your way to The Holy City to this family-owned establishment. The Bowens Island Restaurant is subtle in its aesthetic and even has graffitied walls, but quickly became a fan-favorite over the years.
Southern Living detailed that the restaurant was deemed an American Classic by the James Beard Foundation in 2006, and the popular seafood eatery presents fresh-steamed oysters in September through May as well as fried shrimp and hush puppies year-round.
As for what to order, the magazine and its readers recommend the boiled or fried shrimp and fried oyster platter, which is served with the seafood side dish trifecta of French fries, hush puppies, and coleslaw.
The restaurant is located at 1870 Bowens Island Road in Charleston and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. until 9:30 p.m.
The Crab Shack
Head on over to The Crab Shack in Folly Beach for a family-friendly and casual meal out for local seafood. The locale is listed on the restaurant’s website as being “‘the gathering spot’ on Folly Beach for the past 20 years.”
The Crab Shack offers guests an outdoor deck, smoke-free dining and a raw bar as well as being located only two blocks from the beach.
Seafood lovers were recommended to order the “The Charleston Steamed Seafood Bucket,” which includes two snow crab clusters, large domestic shrimp, and steamed oysters. In addition, the magazine endorsed the she-crab soup and value seafood baskets, which can feature flounder, shrimp, scallops or a combination of all three.
The Crab Shack is located at 26 Center Street in Folly Beach. Monday through Thursday the establishment is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., on Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. until 10:30 p.m. and on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. The raw bar is open during separate times, which include Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m.
Leon’s Fine Poultry & Oyster Shop
Also in Chucktown, one of the many nicknames for Charleston, is Leon’s Fine Poultry & Oyster Shop. Located within a re-imagined garage on Upper King Street at 698 King Street in Charleston, the locale’s menu features fan-favorites such as fried chicken, fresh oysters, and salads.
With an extensive drinks menu, which includes foreign and American beers, Southern Living recommends the half-dozen char-grilled oysters that are covered in lemon and butter and topped with parmesan as well as their scalloped potatoes.
Leon’s Fine Poultry & Oyster Shop is open daily from 11a.m. until 10 p.m.
The Sea Shack
The Sea Shack on Hilton Head Island is a local favorite that can be found at 6 Executive Park Road. The made to order establishment boasts long lines in the summer months from those looking to take home one of their coveted seafood menu items.
Food at The Sea Shack is made to order and to your liking as either fried, grilled, or blackened. The locale also claims to have the best sweet tea on the island and has dessert items such as their banana pudding or seasonal strawberry Key Lime pie.
The magazine recommended that “hearty appetites should try the Shack Attack Combo ($17.95 for lunch, $19.95 for dinner), which combines a crab cake, fish, shrimp, scallops, and oysters on a giant paper platter. Homemade tartar sauce is the traditional accompaniment, but we think the brandy-infused gator sauce makes an even better platter slather.”
The Sea Shack is closed on Sundays and has different summer and winter hours. In the summer, the restaurant is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. for lunch and 5-9 p.m. for dinner hours. In the winter, the restaurant is still open Monday through Saturday, with lunch hours at 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Sullivan’s Fish Camp
On Sullivan’s Island, Sullivan’s Fish Camp prides itself on using the best in local and abundant seafood, paired with seasonally available produce and their fair share of fruity cocktails, according to the seafood restaurant’s website.
The truffle parmesan fried shrimp that’s served with roasted garlic aioli, all for $21, the Key lime pie for $10 were nominated as a must-order from Southern Living.
Located at 2019 Middle Street on Sullivan’s Island, the seafood restaurant is open daily from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. for lunch and 5-10 p.m. for dinner.
The Wreck of the Richard and Charlene
The Wreck of the Richard and Charlene is a seafood restaurant in Mount Pleasant that’s named after a North Atlantic-style trawler that was stranded ashore in the same spot of the establishment during Hurricane Hugo in 1989.
The restaurant is dinner-only and offers a wide variety of seafood. However, the magazine recommends the deviled crab as well as the shrimp platter, which is accompanied with red rice, coleslaw, a hush puppy, and a fried hominy square
The Wreck of the Richard and Charlene is located at 106 Haddrell Street in Mount Pleasant and is open Tuesday through Sunday from 5-8:30 p.m.
Shrimp Shack
The Shrimp Shack is a famed, family-owned seafood establishment that has been open since 1978. The seafood joint is take out only, but offers an outdoor space for guests. They’re only open Wednesday through Saturday for lunch between 11 a.m. until 2 p.m., and you order through a carry-out window.
The restaurant states that they are the most famous for their shrimp burgers and fried shrimp, and Southern Living endorsed the Shrimp Shack’s shrimp burger, sold for $9.25, which is served on a bun with tartar sauce and mayo.
If you’re heading over to the Shrimp Shack, it’s important to remember that the restaurant only takes cash and checks for payment.
The locale can be found at 1929 Sea Island Parkway in Saint Helena Island.
Mr. Fish Restaurant
Mr. Fish is a seafood restaurant and fish market in Myrtle Beach that can be found at 6401 N. Kings Highway Monday through Saturday from 3-9 p.m.
The restaurant boasts extensive menus for the restaurant, market, catering, sushi, sushi happy hour and for kids.
Guests can also reserve the Mr. Fishmobile for transportation to and from the Mr. Fish. The Mr. Fishmobile is for parties of 16 occupants at a maximum and of at least six adults.
Southern Living recommended that guests order the seafood tacos, which are sold for $18 and are made with your choice of mahi, tuna, or shrimp. The tacos are then topped with onions and sweet peppers.
