Wicked Tuna in Murrells Inlet: A Myrtle Beach Area Favorite for Fresh Seafood & Views

When we planned our recent trip to Myrtle Beach, I’ll be honest, I wasn’t exactly excited. I’ve always preferred the Gulf side of Florida with its prettier, calmer waters, and we travel there often. So, when the chance came to visit the Atlantic coast, I wasn’t sure it could compare. What happened next completely surprised me.

First Impressions of Myrtle Beach

Myrtle Beach turned out to be far more charming than I had imagined. Despite visiting during the off-season, with overcast skies and cooler temperatures, the area had a laid-back, coastal appeal that I really enjoyed. But the biggest surprise of the trip wasn’t the beach. It was dinner.

The Impromptu Pick: Wicked Tuna, Murrells Inlet

Just before dinner, we had spent the majority of the day exploring Brookgreen Gardens, taking in the beautiful sculptures, gardens, and wildlife preserve. We were absolutely starving, so we decided to drive over to the Murrells Inlet MarshWalk, which is a waterfront boardwalk known for its great collection of restaurants all lined up along the inlet.

We didn’t know exactly where we’d end up eating and found ourselves standing between two options, Wicked Tuna and The Claw House. Our friends told us that both were really good and popular spots, but they seemed to lean slightly more toward Wicked Tuna. After we took a look at both menus, Wicked Tuna had a bigger selection and more variety, so we all agreed it would be the better choice. That’s how we ended up there, not planned, but definitely the right call.

Because this visit was completely unplanned, I had done zero research ahead of time. Normally, when traveling to new places, I always research restaurants before we go so I know where I want to eat or at least have a general idea of where to try. It was refreshing to just go with the flow and trust our friends’ recommendations this time. You might be surprised what you find when you do that.

As a side note, I had actually done research on another restaurant called Pier 14, which I’ll talk about in another blog. After we ate at Wicked Tuna, I looked up their rating and saw that they had a 4.3 on Google, while Pier 14 had a 4.6. Based on our experience, I would have easily given Wicked Tuna a five-star rating. You’ll have to read my other article to see what I thought about Pier 14.

Exceptional Service

We were seated quickly and treated to friendly, efficient service the entire evening. Our server was attentive, welcoming, and helped make the experience feel special without being stuffy. Everything moved at just the right pace.

We were seated with beautiful views of the water and marina, which made the entire dining experience feel calm and scenic. It added a perfect backdrop to the meal and made everything that much more enjoyable.

The Meal That Won Me Over

Let me start with this: the food at Wicked Tuna was the best I’ve had since our trip to Cancun earlier this year. After returning from Mexico, where meals are made from fresh, flavorful ingredients, I found myself underwhelmed by a lot of restaurants back home. Too many places rely on frozen or boxed food these days. But Wicked Tuna? It was refreshingly different.

Appetizers That Dazzled

The Dragon Egg was my absolute favorite. According to the menu, it’s described as “Halved avocado stuffed with cream cheese, smoked salmon, blue crab, and spicy crab served in a nest of tempura sweet potato with spicy mayo and sweet glaze.” It was creamy, crispy, flavorful, and absolutely unforgettable. A must-try.

The Bang Bang Grouper was crispy, flavorful, and in a lovely sauce. The menu describes it as “Tempura battered grouper bites tossed in house-made spicy mayo atop a Szechuan glaze, finished with sesame seeds and chives.” I’ve only ever had grouper one other time at one of our local restaurants on the marina back home, so this was my second time trying it. I loved it just as much as the first time, if not more.

The Peel and Eat Shrimp, available in either a half-pound or full-pound serving, was fresh, simple, and cooked to perfection.

The Edamame, lightly salted and steamed, was a first for me, and I really liked it.

Main Courses Worth the Splurge

For my entree, I ordered the Lobster Tail Trio. It was the perfect balance for my low-carb diet, since the lobster tails fit right in and let me enjoy the risotto as my vacation cheat without feeling the least bit guilty.

My son ordered the sushi, and as a side note, his friend tried it and really didn’t like it, making a funny face that we all thought was hilarious. A little later, my son said he was still hungry and asked if he could order something else, and that’s when I realized he had ordered the sushi as his meal and not as an appetizer since we had so many appetizers it was hard to keep track. It was delicious, but definitely on the smaller side, more like what I’d consider an appetizer, especially for a teenager who can eat me out of house and home most days. We laughed about it, and he went ahead and ordered the Chicken Alfredo, which seems to be a go-to for him at many of the restaurants we eat at, and he said he really liked it here too.

My husband also tried the Prime Ground Burger. He’s not one to get excited over food or express much about it. I asked him what he thought about the burger, and he said he really didn’t know. So then I asked him how it compared to the burger he’d had in Cancun, which, when he had it at the time, he said was the best burger he’d ever had. He thought about it for a moment and then said, “It’s just as good,” which spoke volumes coming from him.

Our friends had the Surf & Turf and Shrimp Alfredo, both of which they loved. I didn’t try either of these, especially the steak, because I already had my own lobster and would have felt bad taking a piece of her smaller cut of steak. She said she loved it though and mentioned that it’s always what she orders when they come here. I also didn’t try her husband’s Shrimp Alfredo, though he said he really enjoyed it, and we did share all of our appetizers and desserts, which is how I got to try so many things.

Sweet Treats and Fun Moments

During our visit, the restaurant offered four different desserts: cheesecake, Crème Brûlée, chocolate mousse, and citrus orange cake. We ordered everything except the cheesecake, which I was a little sad no one picked, but I was more than happy to dig in and sample the three we did order.

Crème Brûlée – My personal pick, creamy and rich.

Chocolate Mousse Cake – Chosen by my husband, son, and his friend.

Citrus Orange Cake – Light, fresh, and delicious. My friend is the one who ordered this one.

All three desserts were absolutely delicious, and I truly couldn’t decide which one I liked best. Interestingly, Wicked Tuna’s dessert menu changes regularly, so you won’t find these listed online. I can’t wait to go back and see what’s featured next time.

A Lesson from the Pier

After dinner, we walked down the pier near the restaurant and learned something fascinating. Our friends told us that oyster shells from the restaurant are tossed near the water to help rebuild the reef.

While I am a travel agent, I’m also a nurse, and with my background in healthcare, I can understand a lot of things from a scientific standpoint. But the ocean and all the life within it are a completely different world. That’s definitely not my area of expertise, but with the background I do have, I could really appreciate what they were doing. After we got back, I researched it a bit more and found that it’s actually a common practice among coastal restaurants to help restore oyster beds and support marine ecosystems, and I respect that they’re contributing to rebuilding the environment rather than adding to more waste.

The Takeaway

Dining at Wicked Tuna wasn’t just a meal. It was an experience, one that genuinely made our trip to Myrtle Beach memorable. I’d give it a five-star review without hesitation. Though the restaurant currently averages a 4.3 on Google (likely due to past complaints about portion sizes), it seems they’ve seriously stepped up their game. Our portions were generous, the food was fresh, and the flavors were outstanding.

Even our waitress told us people drive for hours just to eat there. After our experience, I believe it, and I can tell you, we’ll be those people too.

If you want to learn more about Wicked Tuna, including their hours, menu, and even their other location in Myrtle Beach, you can visit their official website at thewickedtuna.com. You can even make reservations or order online, though I highly recommend visiting in person to truly enjoy those incredible waterfront views as well as a walk down the pier.

And if you’re planning your own trip to Myrtle Beach or anywhere along the South Carolina coast, I’d love to help you make it a memorable getaway. As your travel advisor, I can assist with accommodations, activities, and dining recommendations, including reservations at places just like this that you’ll be talking about long after your trip ends.

Wicked Tuna, you’ve officially earned a spot on our must-return list. Until next time!

Watch the Full Experience

Want to see more from our visit? Watch our full video review of Wicked Tuna on YouTube below.

Wicked Tuna Video Review

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