The Boathouse Waterway Bar & Grill

As one of the premier spots for live music in Myrtle Beach, The Boathouse Waterway Bar & Grill is a restaurant, bar and nightlife hub known as “The Best Backyard In Town.”

This popular gathering spot hosts shows & concerts several days each week, including a long-running Friday night series of up-and-coming country musicians and the locally famous Backyard Summer Concert Series which brings in acts of all genres to its waterfront stage each Sunday from April throug September.

The Boathouse Food

While this place is known for its entertainment, it turns out that they have some pretty good food, as well. The menu here would best be described as upscale bar food – wings and burgers co-exist with rib-eyes and flounder and other entrees. Standards fill out much of the menu, but the preparations are tasty enough to keep people coming back.

Divided into six sections – Appetizers, Burgers, Sandwiches, Salads, Entrees, and Baskets – the menu has pretty much everything you could wish for while enjoying a cold drink.

Starters include highlights like Avocado & Chicken Egg Rolls, handmade and served with sweet Thai chili sauce; Blackened Shrimp Nachos, which are house-made chips with queso, lettuce, tomato, and an Asian cream sauce; and Poppers, banana peppers stuffed with pimento cheese and bacon and then flash-fried.

The list of Burgers includes the standards (Cheeseburger, Bacon Cheeseburger) in addition to unique concoctions like the Fiesta Burger (salsa, avocado, jalapenos, provolone) and the PA Burger (grilled onions and peppers, provolone, topped with fries).

Salads here are pretty standard, but fresh. Choose from a Cobb, Chef, or House, and add chicken, fish, or shrimp if you need some extra protein. The list of Sandwiches is more interesting, and includes creations like a Blackened Chicken Caesar Hoagie (lettuce, tomato, cheese, and Caesar dressing), a Chicken Avocado Club, and a Southern Fried Chicken Sandwich (pickles, brioche).

The Entrée list presents some pleasant surprises in the form of a 10oz. Ribeye, Pork Ribeye, Whole Baby Flounder, Grilled Chicken Breast, and a Surf and Turf, all served with your choice of side. They also offer baskets of Shrimp, Chicken Fingers, and Fish, all served with fries and slaw.

The Boathouse Atmosphere

The inside of this barn-like building is huge, and that’s a good thing as it’s known to get packed when there’s a concert.

When there’s not live music going on you’ll also find folks bellying up to the bar to choose from a large selection of craft brews, watching sports — especially USC Gamecocks and Pittsburgh Steelers games — on the big screens are just kicking back and relaxing at the outdoor tiki bar. There’s also a sand volleyball court, pool tables, hammocks and bar games which all enhance the experience.

The summer concert series on Sundays takes place out back on the lawn over-looking the Intracoastal Waterway and here you’ll find an eclectic crowd, filled with both young and old folks, many clad in their board shorts or bikinis, having just sauntered up to the lawn from their boat.

At times you can get a raucous, loud and boozy crowd, but the sights are surely something to see and this is a unique, one-of-a-kind place that’s a must-see for any music fan visiting Myrtle Beach.