Ask any local where to take out-of-town guests for a real Grand Strand evening, and the answer is almost always the same: the Murrells Inlet MarshWalk. This half-mile boardwalk winds along the marsh past waterfront restaurants, live music decks, and one of the best sunset views in South Carolina. Here’s how to spend an evening there like someone who actually lives here.
Where to Eat on the MarshWalk
Eight restaurants line the boardwalk, and locals tend to have a favorite for every mood. All of these are current, open businesses on the walk as of this year.
- Dead Dog Saloon. A MarshWalk original since 2002, with three bars, big-screen TVs, and live music most nights; a reliable pick for a lively, family-friendly meal with a water view.
- Drunken Jack’s. A MarshWalk staple known for its casual, lively atmosphere and classic low-country seafood; good for groups who want a laid-back night.
- Wahoo’s Fish House. Open since 1998, with an elegant indoor dining room upstairs and Wahoo’s Raw Bar, an outdoor tiki bar with live music, downstairs. A good option if half your group wants a nicer meal and the other half wants a deck and a drink.
- Bovine’s. Wood-fired steaks, seafood, and pizza with a full bar and live music; the waterfront deck at sunset is one of the best dining experiences on the Grand Strand.
- Wicked Tuna. A hook-to-plate seafood spot with sushi, crab legs, burgers, and steaks for pickier eaters in your group.
- The Claw House. Fresh oysters and seafood, a dedicated kids’ menu, and the Inlet Beer Garden with more than 50 craft beers on tap.
- Neptune’s Bistro & Raw Bar. A widely varied menu of oysters, salads, flatbreads, and sandwiches alongside classic local seafood.
- Inlet Shipwreck Bar & Grill. The newest addition to the walk, a pirate-themed waterfront restaurant with an all-day happy hour, worth checking out if you haven’t been since it opened.
Best Spots to Watch the Sunset
The marsh faces west, which is exactly why the MarshWalk has such a reputation for sunsets. A few ways to catch it right:
- Grab a rail seat on Bovine’s waterfront deck about 30 to 45 minutes before sunset; it’s consistently ranked among the best sunset dining spots on the whole Strand.
- The Claw House’s open-air deck also gets great unobstructed views over the marsh grass.
- Skip dinner reservations entirely and just walk the boardwalk. Locals will tell you the best move is to browse while the marsh still has light, eat somewhere in the middle, and save one final lap of the boardwalk for when the sky actually turns pink and orange.
- For something different, Express Watersports runs a one-hour Sunset Cruise from a dock right on the MarshWalk, with pirate punch, wine, beer, and a fruit and cheese platter included.
Fishing Charters from Murrells Inlet
Murrells Inlet calls itself the ‘Seafood Capital of South Carolina,’ and that reputation runs on real working docks a short walk or drive from the MarshWalk.
- Capt. Dick’s Marina, 4123 Highway 17, Murrells Inlet, has been booking trips since 1985. Options range from a 4.5-hour Sea Bass trip (around $44 for adults, $26 for kids 12 and under) to a Continental trip 25 to 35 miles offshore for snapper and triggerfish, and a six-hour shark-fishing trip for sand, tiger, and hammerhead sharks.
- Several smaller charter operators also run out of the inlet for inshore trips targeting redfish, trout, and flounder in the marsh creeks, typically for two to four anglers at a time; a quick search for Murrells Inlet fishing charters turns up several licensed local captains worth calling directly for availability.
Whether you’re there for a plate of fried shrimp, a sunset on the rail, or a morning charter out of Capt. Dick’s, the MarshWalk earns its reputation the old-fashioned way: good food, good water, and a view that never really gets old, even for the locals.
Dennis Stemmle is a bestselling author, entrepreneur, and lecturer at Coastal Carolina University. He writes about travel, college success, and entrepreneurship.