South Carolina's 5 Best Beachfront Cafés In Myrtle Beach, According To Reviews

Stretching for miles along South Carolina's Grand Strand, Myrtle Beach is famous for its sandy shoreline, lively boardwalk, and some of the best seafood restaurants in the region. But the best places to grab a bite by the ocean aren't formal dining rooms — they're relaxed beachfront cafés where you can stroll in wearing flip-flops and a swimsuit cover-up straight from the sand. You don't have to hurry, either, as cafés typically welcome a little relaxed lingering.

To narrow down Myrtle Beach's best beachfront cafés, we focused on sand-adjacent spots with high ratings from reviewers on platforms like Google Reviews and Tripadvisor. To single out spots that fit our definition of "café," we focused on breakfast and lunch spots where light meals and refreshing beverages are the focus. These are also spots where travelers typically don't need to make reservations or dress up — they're meant to be enjoyed by people coming or going to the beach. Each café on this list offers waterfront views or seating just steps from the sand.

The casual oceanfront spots listed below, in no particular order, serve everything from coffee and breakfast to brunch fare, seafood platters, and tropical cocktails, often with patios overlooking the ocean. For beachgoers looking for a bite where they can enjoy the sea breeze and get back to the sand in minutes, these beachfront cafés will fit the bill.

For travelers looking for a beachfront caffeine fix, Hi‑Fi Coffee Bar offers a coffee-shop atmosphere just off the oceanfront strip. The café's specialty espresso drinks, fruit smoothies, baked goods, and relaxed vibe make it a favorite morning stop for visitors strolling through the Boardwalk District. According to MyrtleBeach.com, the café also sources its beans from local independent roasters.

Hi-Fi Coffee Bar has earned 4.5 stars on Google, and reviewers often mention stopping at Hi-Fi for a quick drink or snack while exploring the boardwalk. One reviewer says, "A great stop for that perfect coffee while walking the strip." Reviewers also mention enjoying Hi-Fi's vintage decor and nostalgic touches like a Pac-Man arcade machine.

The menu focuses on coffee drinks, smoothies, pastries, sweet treats, and light breakfast items that are ideal for a quick stop before hitting the beach. You can also grab a deli sandwich for something more filling. Prices range from $3 to $6 on average for drinks and $4 to $10 for food.

Sea Captain's House is such a Myrtle Beach icon that many consider it a must-visit on any trip to the Grand Strand. Reviewers rave about the food — so much so that we also included it on our list of Myrtle Beach restaurants worthy of Michelin Star status. This establishment is a restored beach cottage dating back to 1930, and MyrtleBeach.com calls it "a nostalgic staple among Myrtle Beach eateries." While this is a well-known restaurant for seafood dinners, it also functions as a daytime café. 

With 4.4 stars and more than 10,000 Google Reviews, along with a 4.3 rating on Tripadvisor, it's clear this spot has earned a following. Several reviewers mention that it's worth swinging by early for the breakfast buffet for more café vibes. One reviewer states, "The coffee was excellent. The server said it is especially made for them by a local roaster."

Sea Captain's House serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and diners can enjoy live music on the patio and seasonal events like its Annual Seafood Festival. The breakfast menu has options between $10 to $15, with traditional fare like omelets, breakfast sandwiches, and freshly-brewed coffee. Lunch dishes include salads, fresh seafood, sandwiches, and specialties like jambalaya from around $14 to $26. If you want a more traditional sit-down dinner, the Sea Captain's House offers fancier fare, such as steak dinners, crab cakes, pasta dishes, a catch of the day, and more, ranging between $30 to $48.

Located, as the name suggests, right on the Myrtle Beach oceanfront, Beachfront Kitchen and Bar blends casual drinks and food with ocean views. Visitors can grab breakfast, lunch, and dinner here, featuring local brews and smoothies at its coffee corner (open daily at 7 a.m.). The fiercely local joint also serves Benjamin's Coffee, a Myrtle Beach staple (albeit not on the water). The café hosts "Spaghetti Wednesday" during the week, where all-you-can-eat spaghetti deals help raise money for local causes, and visitors can usually catch beachfront karaoke and other events on weekends.

The menu includes everything from classic breakfast options to seafood specialties, sandwiches, and desserts. The café is known for its morning bites, offering Southern-style options like biscuits and gravy, shrimp and grits, and chicken and waffles, alongside breakfast tacos and stacks of waffles or pancakes. Its beachfront location makes it especially convenient for beachgoers looking to eat without straying far from the water. Guests should plan to spend an average of $8 to $20 per person for breakfast.

With 4.4 stars on Google and a 4.3 rating on Tripadvisor, reviewers appreciate this spot's convenient location for beachgoers, whether you're ducking in from unexpected rain or grabbing a bite in the shade. One reviewer states, "Absolutely recommended this location early mornings for a quiet fresh breakfast and a great view with easy access to the beach."

Not every good beachfront café needs to be a hidden local gem — sometimes the best option is a familiar one with an unbeatable location. There are several Starbucks cafés dotted along Ocean Boulevard, but two of them bookend the main drag of the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk and Promenade. The location at 1410 North Ocean Boulevard has solid reviews, and a six-minute walk south leads to Plyer Park. On this part of the strip, you can stroll, coffee in hand, and check out beachfront shops and attractions, including Ripley's Believe It or Not! and the boardwalk icon with the best views, SkyWheel Myrtle Beach.

This location has 4.5 stars on Google, with reviewers praising its location and views. One reviewer says, "The Best Starbucks in Myrtle Beach. The view is great, the service is awesome," while another adds, "It was a neat little spot where I could see the beach." 

The menu is exactly what you'd expect from Starbucks — espresso drinks, iced coffees, refreshers, pastries, and light breakfast items, which makes it an easy option for travelers heading out for a morning walk along the sand. Because it sits directly along the oceanfront district, you can grab a latte and be on the beach in just moments, making it one of the most convenient café stops along Myrtle Beach's shoreline. Menus and pricing can vary from store to store, but visitors typically can expect to spend $3 to $6 on standard items, according to Hack The Menu.

Bummz Beach Cafe is about as close as you can get to the classic beach-bar-meets-café experience. Sitting directly on the sand along the oceanfront, this laid-back spot blends a tropical beach shack vibe with open-air seating and stunning ocean views. It's the kind of place where live music, ocean breezes, and casual vibes create a relaxed atmosphere that keeps you hanging out for a while. You can come and go from the beach as you please, and according to MyrtleBeach.com, "Bummz is about as casual as it comes, with beachcomers strolling up from the shore in tank tops, swim trunks and flip-flops."

While it's not a breakfast spot, Bummz opens relatively early at 11 a.m. and stays open until the good vibes run out. There are plenty of light options on the menu, from a Mahi-Mahi salad to fish tacos and a range of sandwiches. Hungrier folks may enjoy the café's heartier plates, too, such as ribeye, grilled pork chops, and a variety of seafood baskets and platters. Rather than coffee, the café offers classic beachside refreshments, such as frozen cocktails and mocktails. 

With 4.5 stars on Google and a 4.1 rating on Tripadvisor, reviewers praise Bummz for its service, atmosphere, and menu options. One visitor describes, "The waterfront setting is beautiful, and the live music added a fun, laid-back vibe that made the evening even better." Expect to spend around $15 to $25 here on average.

Our research began by narrowing down the parameters for what qualifies as a "café." According to Britannica, a café is a "small eating and drinking establishment, historically a coffeehouse, usually featuring a limited menu." Following this train of thought, we focused on spots along Myrtle Beach that offer coffee, breakfast, brunch, and lunch menus. However, we also recognize the importance of beach shack café vibes that value brews of beer over brews of coffee (looking at you Bummz Beach Cafe). Keeping in the traditional spirit of the café, we selected places where guests can hang out for a while. Most of these spots also offer Happy Hours or bites for later into the night, so they're ideal for socializing all day long — some even offer entertainment such as live music.

Each location is within the Myrtle Beach city limits and either faces the beach or is within a short walk of the sand. We prioritized cafés with ocean views, outdoor seating, and casual vibes — the types of places that don't require travelers to change out of their beach attire before visiting.

From there, we selected cafés with four stars or higher on trusted platforms such as Google Reviews and Tripadvisor. We scoured individual feedback for praise related to oceanfront location, views, breakfast or lunch menu items, and atmosphere. We also consulted local roundups from publications such as The Sun News and tourism-related sources like MyrtleBeach.com.