Courtyards, rooftops and waterfront tables worth leaving the house for
Not every date night needs rose petals, a violinist or a reservation made three weeks in advance. Sometimes all you really need is good food, a table with a view and a setting that makes an ordinary evening feel slightly more important.
Along the Grand Strand, that might mean watching the sun settle over the marsh, having dinner beneath a canopy of trees or following dessert with a walk beside the water. From Pawleys Island to Calabash, these restaurants give you a reason to look up from your plate every once in a while.
Frank’s and Frank’s Outback | Pawleys Island
Best for: A special evening that still feels relaxed
Frank’s is the kind of place that makes a Tuesday-night reservation feel like you planned something impressive. The original Frank’s dining room is the dressier choice, with low lighting, white linens, candlelight and the energy of a busy neighborhood bistro. Frank’s Outback is slightly more casual, offering covered garden dining beneath the trees, expansive decks, an open-air bar and a large fireplace that becomes especially inviting once the weather cools down.
The Courtyard is an alfresco extension of the original restaurant and accepts walk-ins when the weather cooperates. Farther back, the Way Back is part of the Outback and has a tall tin roof, a long bar, lounge seating and another fireplace area. Inside Outback, despite its name, is currently used as a private dining room rather than a regular two-person dinner venue.
The helpful thing to know is that you can order from either kitchen regardless of the venue. In other words, the real decision is not what you want to eat—it is whether you want candlelight, a courtyard or dinner in what feels like a very polished secret garden.
Gulfstream Cafe | Garden City
Best for: Catching the sunset
Some restaurants happen to have a sunset view. Gulfstream Cafe has practically built the evening around it.
This longtime Garden City restaurant overlooks the water and has become a popular choice for anniversaries, birthdays and other nights when dinner is supposed to feel a little more memorable. The rooftop deck is the place to be as the sun begins to drop, especially when the sky decides to cooperate and put on a full production.
Try to arrive before sunset rather than during it. That gives you time to order a drink, settle in and enjoy the view without spending half the evening wondering whether you missed the best five minutes.
The Wicked Tuna | Murrells Inlet
Best for: Waterfront views with a little more energy
Not every date night needs to be quiet enough to hear the ice melting in your glass. Sometimes you want a beautiful view and a place that still feels like something is happening.
The Wicked Tuna sits directly on the Murrells Inlet MarshWalk and pairs broad marsh views with cocktails, seafood, steaks and sushi. It feels more social than secluded, making it a good choice for couples who want waterfront scenery without committing to a hushed, formal dinner.
An earlier reservation will generally feel more dinner-focused, while the area becomes livelier as the night goes on. Either way, leave time to walk along the MarshWalk afterward because going straight back to the car would feel like stopping the date halfway through.
The Cypress Room | Myrtle Beach
Best for: An understated oceanfront dinner
The Cypress Room is easy to overlook because it is located inside Island Vista Resort, but that is also part of what makes it a good date-night option. It feels removed from the louder oceanfront restaurants while still providing floor-to-ceiling views of the Atlantic.
The restaurant serves Lowcountry-inspired dinners in surroundings described as casual yet elegant, so it works when you want the evening to feel elevated without feeling overly formal. It is the kind of place where the ocean remains the main attraction, even after the entrées arrive.
For the best experience, request a table near the windows when making the reservation. An oceanfront restaurant and an ocean-view table are not always the same thing.
Greg Norman Australian Grille | North Myrtle Beach
Best for: Steaks, wine and Intracoastal Waterway views
Greg Norman Australian Grille sits along the Intracoastal Waterway at Barefoot Landing, giving its patio and waterfront seating a steady backdrop of boats passing by. The restaurant leans more polished than casual, with wood-grilled steaks and seafood, an extensive bourbon collection and an award-winning wine program.
This is a good middle ground when one person wants a serious dinner and the other mostly wants to sit outside with a drink near the water. It is upscale without requiring everyone to whisper, and the surrounding Barefoot Landing area gives you somewhere to wander once dinner is over.
Clark’s Seafood & Chop House | Little River
Best for: A quieter marina setting
Clark’s overlooks Coquina Harbour in Little River, where the view is less about crashing waves and more about boats, docks and marina lights reflecting across the water. Window tables and outdoor seating provide the strongest views, while the menu covers fresh seafood, steaks and familiar chophouse favorites.
The atmosphere feels calmer than many of the larger waterfront destinations farther south. That makes Clark’s a strong choice when you want scenery but would still like to have an actual conversation without competing with a rooftop crowd or live band.
The Oyster Rock | Calabash
Best for: A date night that earns the drive
The Oyster Rock sits a little beyond the traditional Grand Strand boundary, but the setting makes a convincing argument for expanding the map. The restaurant overlooks the Calabash River and its estuaries, with both indoor and outdoor seating positioned to take advantage of the water.
Seafood and raw-bar selections are the natural choices here, although the menu also includes steaks, chicken, pork and other options for the person who came for the view but remains suspicious of oysters. The riverfront setting feels peaceful and unhurried, particularly while there is still enough daylight to see the marsh and boats beyond the restaurant.
Yes, it may be farther than your usual dinner reservation. But once you are sitting beside the Calabash River with a drink in front of you, the drive becomes a problem for Future You to deal with on the way home.
Request the View, Not Just the Restaurant
A reservation at a scenic restaurant does not automatically guarantee scenic seating. When possible, request the courtyard, rooftop, patio, window or waterfront section by name, and arrive early enough to enjoy the view before darkness settles in.
The best date nights are rarely about creating some perfectly romantic moment. They are about choosing a place that makes it easy to slow down, order something you would not normally make at home and remember that dinner can still be an occasion—even when there is nothing particular to celebrate.
Editor’s Note: Menus, pricing, hours, reservations and availability are subject to change. Please confirm current details directly with each restaurant before visiting.
