Grand Strand Restaurants Review

The name Giant Crab suggests seafood,
but it’s far more than that

The huge crab that hangs over the entrance to the Giant Crab Restaurant in Myrtle Beach only suggests the huge variety of seafood and other offerings to be found inside.  The Giant Crab is indeed a giant buffet restaurant with an average of 170 different items on the layout every day.  It’s a favorite choice of bus tour operators because their customers can take advantage of a seashore atmosphere, in-house musical entertainment, and of course, any kind of food one can imagine. 

The soup bar is generally the first stop and there’s, obviously, crab chowder…but also she-crab soup as well as vegetable soup, chili and the old American favorite, chicken noodle soup.

Salads are strictly do-it-yourself at the immense salad bar and there are plenty of dressings from which to choose.  There’s even a bread bar and then come the favorites for many visitors, the carving station, the pasta station and the Hibachi station.  Each of the buffet categories are separate from each other but it’s only a few steps from one to the next and the fried seafood location is just outside the kitchen so that the cooks can keep it refilled with freshly made offerings that range from oysters to crab to Mahi Mahi, hush puppies and every other kind of fried seafood imaginable. 

On the non-fried side, there is Steamed Salmon and Grilled Tuna, and piles and piles of steamed crab legs…all you can eat. 

For visitors who are more attuned to turf than surf, the cooks will prepare steaks to order and there’s T-bone steak on the buffet, in addition to the roasts and ham at the carving station.  Chicken lovers can try the Greek Feta Chicken. Also Mediterranean style is the Sausage and Peppers dish.

The huge buffet is somewhat intimidating to smaller children, so the restaurant has established what it calls the Kid’s Corner where they can choose the kinds of foods kids enjoy

There’s also a separate Tavern and it is known for its original drinks, especially the blended “smoothie” style concoctions that are so welcome after a hot day at the beach.

The Giant Crab is as much a feast for the eyes as it is for the palate.  Customers can enjoy a view of the  waterway, there is a 40-foot  high waterfall and even a lazy river that runs all around the restaurant complex.  Inside, on the walls and hanging from the ceiling are dozens of different species of fish and crustaceans as well as authentic fishing gear. 

In season, when visitors are hungry for seafood, the restaurant serves an average of 2,000 customers per evening.  One of the statistics involves crab legs.  Brigitte Wilson, the Director of Sales and Marketing, says they serve about 2000 pounds of crab legs a night, or one pound of crab legs per person.  That alone gives the restaurant reason to call itself, Giant Crab. 

GIANT CRAB SEAFOOD RESTAURANT
9597 North Kings Highway
Myrtle Beach, SC 29572
(843) 449-1097 | Menu

Restaurant Type: Buffet, Casual, Family, Seafood
Meals Served: Dinner
Food Type: American, Italian, Southern
Features: Alcohol Served, Catering, Child Friendly, Early Bird Specials, Group Discounts, Group Seating, Handicap Accessible, No Smoking Area, Open Holidays, Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Smoke Free Facility, Take Out
Avg Cost: Over $20. Location: Central