5 Myrtle Beach Restaurants Worthy Of Michelin Star Status, According To Foodies

The majority of Michelin-starred restaurants in South Carolina are in Charleston. But head farther north along the coast to Myrtle Beach, and you may be surprised at some of the quality eats available — especially for a touristy beach town. In fact, some locals and foodies describe Myrtle Beach's restaurants as having traits that are potentially Michelin-worthy.

The Michelin Guide is a timeless institution — one that recognizes the best of the best in the culinary world. But Michelin's rankings aren't filled only with fine-dining, exalted and famous chefs, or reservation-only hotspots. In fact, even a small taco stand has earned Michelin-star status due to its culinary merit — and Mexico's El Califa de León achieved that with only four tacos on its menu.

Rather than pomp, Michelin inspectors care only about what's on the plate. To award a Michelin star, they consider how a restaurant performs in the following categories: ingredient quality, culinary technique and execution, consistency, harmony of flavors, and personality. One star means a restaurant serves consistently excellent food made with quality ingredients. Two stars are awarded when the cuisine also reflects the culinary team's personalities and creative talent. And three stars — the highest distinction — usually indicates an establishment of the highest order, helmed by a chef "at the peak of their profession" crafting dishes that are as much art as food. That said, Michelin recognition — even at the Bib Gourmand level (not starred, but highly recommended) — isn't easy to come by, which might explain why Myrtle Beach currently has no Michelin-starred restaurants. So, we scoured online discussions and reviews to discover five Myrtle Beach restaurants that are as close to Michelin-worthy as possible, according to foodies.

We can't begin our list without mentioning O.A.K. Prime Kitchen and Bar, the first Myrtle Beach restaurant to receive Michelin distinction after making the cut for its inaugural Guide to the American South. O.A.K. stands for "one of a kind," and being recommended by Michelin was exciting news for the team and Craig Martin, who initially came up with the concept. "So many people in Myrtle Beach go to Charleston to have dinner," Martin said to ABC15 about the honor. "Let's bring the Charleston vibe to Myrtle Beach in the same quality of food, because I don't I don't think we have it in this town."

Michelin inspectors were particularly impressed by the Angus beef "grilled with a Pittsburgh-style charred crust," but Chef Jerrett King's overall execution and O.A.K.'s dessert highlights (blueberry bread pudding) also received mentions. The menu includes dishes like rotating Chilean sea bass presentations, wagyu cuts, and creamy bisques (subject to change).

Pricing is around what you'd expect for a chef-driven concept; apps run from $14 to $32, entrées from $32 to $66, and specialty steak cuts are a bit more, with the Prime Kansas City Strip costing $76 and a rotating wagyu cut at market price. Its Instagram page offers updates on features and special menus, which focus on seasonal ingredients sourced fresh and often locally.

The Library has been around since 1974, and it gets frequent mentions for top-tier fine dining in Myrtle Beach. From waiters in tuxedos to a table-side steak Diane presentation, The Library runs like a classic French steakhouse. According to OpenTable, it's the only three-star restaurant on the Grand Strand, and diners often visit the 88 Keys Piano Bar next door after dinner. And while high-end service doesn't necessarily translate to "Michelin-worthy," the menu's flavors and culinary execution are highlights frequently praised by diners.

Reviewers note the freshness, quality, and haute-cuisine execution of The Library's classic French-inspired dishes like french onion soup, she crab soup, escargots à la Chablisienne, duck l'orange, rack of lamb, and steak Diane. Table-side preparations of steak Diane and flambéed cherries jubilee require skill and precision that hearkens back to a vintage steakhouse era. True to Michelin criteria, the menu is consistent in its style, and The Library has remained a local culinary standard for over 50 years.

In a Reddit thread asking "What's the closest thing to a Michelin star restaurant on the Strand?" u/Psychologicalship903 says, "The Library is the ONLY right answer for this post." Another commenter, u/Wesleytyler, agrees: "In Myrtle Beach the only choice would be the library. And 88 keys piano bar right next door is a fantastic [complement]."

We pegged Aspen Grille as one of South Carolina's five best seafood restaurants in Myrtle Beach when it had a little over 700 reviews on Tripadvisor. And despite having changed ownership in 2019, according to OpenTable, recent reviews suggest its quality has remained consistent. It doesn't hurt that one new co-owner, Roland Sciotto, hails from Bistro 90, another Myrtle Beach-area dining gem. Aspen Grille says, "Our menu changes seasonally and offers simple, but flavorful dishes with ingredients sourced from the best local suppliers." 

Some dishes listed on the menu at the time of writing include Panko Crusted NC Mountain Trout (with the regional complement of Hoppin' John), Coffee and Cacao Rubbed Elk Chop, miso-glazed salmon, and a selection of USDA Prime steaks that can be paired with a range of toppings and traditional sauces.

Reviewer @443jackif on Tripadvisor called it the "best food I've ever had," adding that it "rivals any 5 star restaurant I've ever been to." This sentiment is echoed by @MasCabron23's review, which says their dessert was still on their mind three days later. "I have never had bread pudding that memorable, WOW!" they wrote. While restaurants rarely escape at least some negative reviews, the overall consensus is that Aspen Grille uses high-quality local seafood, executes techniques cleanly, and maintains consistency year after year. Reviews often suggest that the flavors show intention and restraint rather than flash for its own sake, and most agree it's one of the best places to dine in Myrtle Beach.

This seafood restaurant is name-dropped often in Myrtle Beach, and it was named the third-best casual dining spot in the entire country in Tripadvisor's 2025 Travelers' Choice Awards. Diners rave about Hook & Barrel's fresh seafood and attention to detail. From a steam galley offering mussels, shrimp, oysters, and a seafood tower to daily fresh catches and land entrées like Pork Osso Bucco and a Coastal Ribeye, the menu appears singularly focused on Hook & Barrel's mission of serving food that's "fresh and full of flavor." Guests often recommend the bourbon bacon appetizer, she crab soup, and daily catches.

Beyond the food, the culinary team's personality aims to shine through their efforts, as owner Heidi Vukov explained to The Sun News: "We have an amazing team of chefs. ... Everybody offers their creativity, and then we kind of put our heads together and come up with dishes that we think would please our guests." This would check a box for Michelin inspectors, as the Guide says, "A chef who isn't cooking primarily for their customers has lost their way. Chefs shouldn't cook for the guides — they should cook to please their customers and to make their restaurant a success."

On Tripadvisor, @SharonM963 says, "Hook & Barrel is a must go to restaurant in Myrtle Beach." Redditors are equally enthralled, with u/Top_Jicama_2706 saying, "hook and barrel is sooo solid." And to boot, many praise it as a good value for the money. Expect to spend around $50 to $60 a person here (with wiggle room if you stick to smaller plates), unlike the $100-plus per person at some of the other restaurants on this list.

The semi-casual seafood spot Sea Captain's House stands out in Myrtle Beach among droves of happy customers, with 4.4 stars from more than 10,000 Google reviews and 4.3 stars from more than 7,000 Tripadvisor reviews. Set in a historical building dating back to 1930, it's been a local go-to since the early 1960s. Commenters on Reddit say its nostalgia is a big part of its appeal. As u/MustangMimi explains, "It is my favorite place in Myrtle Beach. I just like everything about it. The food, the mood and the history."

But on to the food — the lunch and dinner menu embody regional and coastal culinary traditions, like the Award-Winning She Crab Soup, Charleston Style Crab Cakes, cioppino, various seafood platters, a rotating daily Carolina Catch, and Southern specialties like jambalaya and fried green tomatoes. Reviews are enthusiastic about its long reputation as a Myrtle Beach dining staple and consistent quality over time; @mrsjetson shared on Tripadvisor, "Everything we ate was delicious from the Rib Eye to the Cioppino and grilled seafood platter," and @PinehurstFoodie22 wrote, "The Sea Captain's House never disappoints."

Sea Captain's House may not have a Michelin star; however, it does have a handful of other awards under its belt, including Best of Myrtle Beach, a Myrtle Beach Herald Readers Choice award, a Travelers' Choice award, and more. A Michelin Bib Gourmand nod might even be in order for its value, as the most expensive dinner entrée rings in at less than $30.

To narrow down Myrtle Beach restaurants that come as close as possible to "Michelin-star worthy," we listened to local recommendations, diner reviews, and foodie discussions in online forums like Reddit and review platforms such as Google, Tripadvisor, and OpenTable. We paid particular attention to restaurants that stood out for Michelin criteria like high-quality food — such as fresh daily catches, locally sourced ingredients, and a focus on seasonal produce. We prioritized restaurants that stood out for embodying local traditions, regional cuisine, and skilled execution of culinary technique and style.

We also studied whether each restaurant demonstrates reliability over time, since Michelin inspectors revisit award recipients to verify consistency. Only restaurants that met these standards across multiple seasons and sources were included. It's not a prediction of which places will earn stars, but rather an analysis of which Myrtle Beach restaurants foodies believe come closest to matching what Michelin celebrates: a kitchen where skill, intention, and flavor take center stage.