Tucked away in the Galleria strip mall but well worth the search, Cannolis Cafe is one of Myrtle Beach favorite breakfast and lunch stops. Offering a wide range of traditional and creative coffees, like the unique Peanut Butter Coffee, Cannolis Cafe grinds its beans in-house for the freshest results. The effort is appreciated, giving the shop quite a loyal following of regulars who stop by for their favorite lattes, cappuccino, Mochas, espressos and chilled caffeinated concoctions. Freshly baked paninis, bagels, sandwiches, hot soups, salads, and desserts are also on the menu.
Recommended for Arcadian Shores' Best Restaurants because: For a hot cup of joe and some sweet treats, Cannolis Cafe is a diamond in the rough along Restaurant Row.
Terry's expert tip: Despite its coffee-shop name and appearance, Cannolis Cafe also makes a mean omelet and other breakfast favorites.
Myrtle Beach's first all-you-can-eat seafood buffet is still one of the best. Along with a complete range of fried seafood, you'll find broiled fish, crab legs, boiled shrimp, pastas, prime rib and all the sides you could possibly want. Fresh breads and desserts as well as soft-serve ice cream are also on the buffet table so you won't have to worry about ordering anything separately. If buffets aren't your thing, there's also a full regular menu with plenty of seafood and beef options. A great choice for families. Bennett's has three locations on the Grand Strand - in Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach and Restaurant Row.
Recommended for Arcadian Shores' Best Restaurants because: Seafood buffets are a dime a dozen on the Grand Strand, but Bennett's is one of the good ones.
Terry's expert tip: Bennett's charges slightly more for crab legs, but it's worth the upgrade if you don't fill up on the rest of the buffet.
Great steaks and chops are the main attraction to this Restaurant Row eatery, which has been serving patrons for many years in its relatively hidden Galleria location. Those who stumble upon it are handsomely rewarded with a wonderful fine-dining experience. Steaks, lamb, veal, pork and more are seasoned and matched with excellent side dishes. Save room for dessert or a cordial in the bar area, which fills up with local movers and shakers on the weekends. The wine list is extensive and so is the menu, offering a variety of cuts and meats. The pork chops and lamb chops are a house specialty.
Recommended for Arcadian Shores' Best Restaurants because: It's hard to find fresher cuts of meat on the Grand Strand than those prepared by Baron's.
Terry's expert tip: This place also features a nice after-dinner crowd in the bar area.
Original Benjamin's is a Myrtle Beach stalwart, loved as much for its gargantuan seafood buffet as for its eclectic nautical decor. Each of the nine dining rooms has plenty to occupy your eyes, including an 800 gallon saltwater fish tank with sharks and eels, museum-quality nautical relics and an impressive collection of model ships. And the buffet is overflowing with Calabash-style (fried) seafood, broiled fish, crab cakes and snow crab legs - about 170 items in all, plus impressive salad and dessert bars, a carving station, on-site bakery and more. The raw bar and the steam table are the most popular spots in the huge dining area.
Recommended for Arcadian Shores' Best Restaurants because: For those looking for traditional Calabash seafood without crossing the state line, the Original Benjamin's is the place.
Terry's expert tip: If you love crab legs, pay the extra $5 and eat nothing but crab legs. You'll definitely get your money's worth.
You may be at the beach, but this hunting-lodge restaurant might as well be in the heart of Omaha. Chuck's serves thick, juicy, grilled steaks and other meats. Add a fluffy baked potato and a trip to the legendary salad bar, and you have the perfect antidote to a week spent scarfing down shrimp and all-you-can-eat fried fish. The hunting lodge-like decor is appealingly non-beachy, but there are lovely views of the Intracoastal Waterway too, and the screened porch is a great place to admire the landscape. Wash down your steak with Chuck's special fish-bowl beer mugs that are covered with ice.
Recommended for Arcadian Shores' Best Restaurants because: Chuck's Steakhouse is the perfect place for meat-lovers who prefer turf over surf.
Terry's expert tip: The peppercorn-encrusted New York strip is a must-order for those who like their steak with a little kick.
Drop into Thoroughbreds Chophouse and Seafood Grille for good times and great food. The restaurant is a neighborhood favorite, and offers a casual, friendly dining atmosphere that you and your friends are sure to enjoy. Thoroughbreds Chophouse and Seafood Grille also features a friendly, professional staff of great people, who will make sure you enjoy your visit and that Thoroughbreds Chophouse and Seafood Grille lives up to its reputation for pleasant dining and superb cuisine. The menu offers an inspired array of selections that is sure to satisfy everyone in your group, every time. Whether you're in the mood for casual dining or a special occasion, Thoroughbreds Chophouse and Seafood Grille is sure to please.
Recommended for Arcadian Shores' Best Restaurants because: Thoroughbreds exudes class and is the ideal place for a romantic dinner or a special occasion.
Terry's expert tip: Be sure to ask your server about new selections, daily specials, and special chef's creations.
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For more than 40 years, The Chesapeake House has been bringing a taste of Maryland to Myrtle Beach masses. Serving fresh local seafood served in the tradition of the Chesapeake Bay area, this family-owned and operated establishment also offers the flavors of the South Carolina Lowcountry for a unique dining experience. Enjoy the crab legs, deviled crab, crab cakes and the house special Lobster Pie for a taste of Maryland, or the fresh catch cooked any way you want it and the Calabash-style shrimp for great Carolina cuisine. The seafood chowder and hot hushpuppies are also house favorites.
Recommended for Arcadian Shores' Best Restaurants because: Maryland-style and Lowcountry seafood fans agree on The Chesapeake House's authentic dishes.
Terry's expert tip: Be sure to check out the huge aquarium and the alligators in the lake outside the dining room windows.
The best Italian food in town comes in an unlikely location - a strip mall just off the beaten path of Restaurant Row. But once you enter the door it's like entering your Italian grandmother's home, with great food and friendly service that keeps locals and vacationers coming back time and again. Offering all the traditional Italian favorites, such as lasagna, linguini and clam sauce and osso bucco, Rossi's also specializes in nice cuts of beef and other meats that are seasoned and grilled to perfection. Rossi's also is a great place to make a full night out on the town by visiting the 88s Piano and Cigar Bar before or after dinner.
Recommended for Arcadian Shores' Best Restaurants because: Rossi's offers one of the best combinations of Italian food, service and atmosphere on the Grand Strand.
Terry's expert tip: After 31 years on Restaurant Row, Rossi's has relocated a couple of miles south to Northwoods Plaza.
As far as oyster shacks go, this is about as good as it gets. Located in a strip mall just off Restaurant Row, Bimini's doesn't look like much from the outside - or the inside, for that matter. Picnic tables fill the small space and the patio deck and the decor is far from fine dining. But the proof is in the food, and Bimini's does not disappoint. Famous for its fresh shrimp and oysters, Bimini's doesn't do fancy - just good portions of fresh seafood served the way you like it. Grab a beer from the bar and soak up the beach atmosphere of good times and great food.
Recommended for Arcadian Shores' Best Restaurants because: Outstanding seafood and a festive environment make Bimini's a must-visit.
Terry's expert tip: Sunday afternoons during the season sees the best oyster roast in town - all-you-can-eat for $15 and cheap draft beer specials.
Known for its outstanding American fare and charming atmosphere, this restaurant tops many "favorites" lists. All of the fish and seafood they serve are fresh � How fresh? Try this on for size: The restaurant owns and operates its own fishing boat. But for those with more terrene tastes, there are delicious steak, chicken, lamb and veal selections, helping Chestnut Hill stand as one of the Strand's most versatile dinner choices. As popular as Chestnut Hill is for dinner, it's their famous Sunday brunch that really packs them in. For dinner, try the filet medallions topped with crab cakes and bernaise sauce.
Recommended for Arcadian Shores' Best Restaurants because: Chestnut Hill is one of those rare places that ranks high on the lists of the pickiest diners.
Terry's expert tip: Chestnut Hill's Sunday Brunch is one of the most popular in town , features everything from Eggs Benedict to Southern fried chicken.