Part two of our “Grub Crawl” takes us to The Market Common, which isn’t exactly up the Food Dude’s alley.

In fact, the chick-centric MC has become the headquarters for the sort of foo-foo food I usually stay away from, like the fine-dining destinations of Divine Prime and Tommy Bahama’s Restaurant and Bar.

But if you shop around, there are plenty of places at The Market Common to get your grub on, even if they do require using utensils instead of the finger-licking, rib-sticking places I prefer. Here are the Food Dude’s top five:

King Street Grill

This corner cafe may have the market cornered for traditional Dude Food at Market Common. You know, the kind of food you can drink a beer with.

From appetizers such as the Philly Cheesesteak Egg Rolls and burger, meatball and BBQ sliders - to the main dishes - excellent burgers and sandwiches you have to flatten with your fist to fit in your mouth - this is Food Dude territory.

Of course, King Street Grille also offers fancier entrees, which makes it perfect for those days when the Food Dude has spent the day shopping with the Food Dudette. It’s also a nice place to sneak off for a cold beer.

Gordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant

Speaking of a cold beer, Gordon Biersch brews its own suds on-site and offers a wide range of beers and ales to take the edge off from involuntary window shopping.

But the solids are just as savory as the liquids, including several dishes that are doused in sauces made from the house’s home brews, like the Brewer’s Chicken in Marzan sauce or the N.Y. Strip in Gordon Biersch steak sauce.

The menu is filled with Dude Food options - fish tacos, burgers, pizzas and flatbreads. The only thing tougher than picking out a dish is deciding what beer to wash it down with, but those are good problems to have.

Nacho Hippo

This Mexican cantina is as much about the margaritas and cervezas than the actual food, but those with a taste for some Southwestern spice can find what they’re looking for here.

The Hippo has become a popular hangout with its $3 margaritas and live music on the weekends, but you can also get some good grub. The Oh @&#! Nachos and fish tacos are top notch.

Best of all, the open-air decor and festive environment make for a great place to take a break from shopping.

P.F. Chang’s

This popular national chain has taken Chinese food to the next level, even for Food Dudes who don’t normally do Asian cuisine.

But Chang’s has something for everyone, especially if you like a little heat with your meet. The Flaming Red Wontons and Dynamite Shrimp starters will set your taste buds on fire.

Of course, the main courses do offer some dishes that fall in the chick food category, but there’s also items like the Wok-Charred Beef, Chang’s Spicy Chicken and Salt & Pepper Prawns that are right in the Food Dude’s wheelhouse.

Travinia Italian Kitchen

While walking through the streets of the Market Common shopping district, you can smell this Italian eatery calling your name.

Aromas of garlic, oregano and fresh-baked bread permeate from the doors of this somewhat upscale cafe, but the food is something you can really sink your teeth into.

Offering steak, veal and chicken dishes done the Italian way as well as shrimp, scallops and other fresh catches, Travinia is all about the food. You won’t go home hungry.

Don’t miss these great May, June and July specials from our friends at Sea Mist Oceanfront Resort! Discover why so many Myrtle Beach visitors call Sea Mist their home away from home. Click below or call 1-800-793-6507 to book. 

Visit our hotels page for a complete list of Myrtle Beach hotels and resorts or click on our Top Deals for even more specials.

Our resort partners are offering amazing savings on last minute Spring vacations and hot deals on Summer rates. These deals won’t last long so come and get them while you still can!

Visit our hotels page for a complete list of Myrtle Beach hotels and resorts or click on our Top Deals for even more specials.

Forget about the Pub Crawl; that only ends in a hangover and short-term memory loss.

Instead, the Food Dude is leading you on a Grub Crawl around the top attractions on the Grand Strand, giving you a chance to mix dinner with pleasure on your night on the town.

First stop is Broadway at the Beach, a great place to party and shop, but an even better place to eat. With more than two dozen restaurants to choose from, the Food Dude steers you to five you should try:

Capriz Italian Feast:

This new, sister-restaurant to nearby Rioz translates the same table-side service and buffet-style philosophy from Brazil to Italy.

With roaming servers who deliver large skewers of grilled meats and other Italian favorites to your table and a buffet table that’s longer than a stretch limo, Capriz makes sure no one leaves hungry or unhappy.

The smell of fresh-baked bread, roasting garlic and Italian seasonings and grilled cuts of meat over open flame are enough to make your tongue beat your brains out.

Key West Grill:

So what if we’re several hundred miles north of America’s southernmost city; you can still get a taste of the Conch Republic at this long-standing eatery.

Fittingly located next to Celebrity Square’s row of bars, Key West Grill features a festive atmosphere as if you had just stumbled in from Duvall Street. Offering the flavors of the Caribbean, Cuba, Mexico and Jamaica, the menu takes a page or two from the same lineups you’ll find in the Florida Key’s best seafood restaurants.

To stay true to the Key West theme, ask to be seated on the outdoor deck overlooking Lake Broadway. She isn’t the ocean and this isn’t Mallory Square, but you can enjoy a frozen drinks and catch sunset all the same.

Liberty Steakhouse & Brewery:

A steakhouse and brew pub under one roof is right up Food Dude’s alley, and apparently lots of others since this place has been packing them in ever since Broadway opened in 1995.

Serving an extensive menu that ranges from traditional burgers to surf and turf, Liberty has something for everyone. Especially those who enjoy the art of handcrafted beers, which are also used to marinate many of the meat dishes.

But Liberty is most famous for its active happy-hour scene from 4 to 7 p.m. on weekdays, when large crowds pack the bar area and outdoor patio deck for the $2 house drafts and discounted appetizers that are a meal in themselves.

Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery:

The “Hooters of the Highlands” has become a happening hangout since moving into Broadway last year, and for good reason.

A broad selection of imported beers on tap, a menu built for a dude’s taste buds and waitresses dressed in short plaid skirts and skimpy open tops are more than enough reasons to make a man’s mouth water.

But the hot servers and cold beer are only part of the equation. The food isn’t going to win any awards, but it’s filling and flavorful. The wings are as good or better than the other place famous for scantily clad waitresses.

Yamato Steak House:

The Japanese have a word for combining great food with good times, but I have no clue what it is. We Americans call it a festive night out for a nice dinner at a hibachi restaurant.

Stay seated and let the food come to your table as the talented chefs prepare your food right in front of you and entertain your party by flipping shrimp and veggies from the grill directly in your mouth.

Yamato’s also offers some of the best sushi on the Grand Strand, but the table-side cooking show is the main attraction.

Sands Resorts are always a fan favorite and they’re offering amazing deals this May and June. With everything from on-site restaurants to magnificent beachfront pools, Sands Resorts has the perfect spot for you and your crew.

For more Myrtle Beach vacation specials and hotel information, visit our deals page or check out our hotels page with an accommodations search tool.

Hola, and happy something-O De Mayo!

That’s about the extent of the Food Dude’s Spanish, except for the important words - taco, chalupa, burrito and cerveza. Those words and “grassy ass” will get you everything you want at a Mexican restaurant.

So in honor of Cinco de Mayo, which is Spanish for “The Fourth of July” (told you my Spanish was bad), the Food Dude offers up the best places on the Grand Strand to get some great grub from south of the border.

1) Nacho Hippo: This new Market Common cantina has become a hot spot in more ways than one. In addition to serving spicy dishes, the Hippo also has become a happening hangout among local and tourists alike.

With a “hip” decor and open-air feel, the Hippo has live music on the weekends and $3 margaritas all the time. It’s a great place to take a break from a day of shopping at Market Common.

But the chilled-out atmosphere doesn’t overshadow the food, with creative dishes such as the Hippo Egg Rolls and the Oh #@! Nachos (I think I know the translation that one).

2) Abuelo’s: This Coastal Grand Mall restaurant takes Mexican food to the next level, featuring all the standard dishes you expect and some obscure ones you’ve never had before but will want to have again.

Like the house special Los Mejores De La Casa, with wood-grilled, bacon-wrapped beef tenderloin medallions and shrimp stuffed with jalapenos and cheese. But I stick with the enchiladas, and for an extra buck they will put scrambled eggs over them (holy huevos, it’s good).

The bar serves excellent margaritas, of course, but I love the chilladas, a mix of iced draft beer and spicy bloody mary mix that hits the spot on a summer day. Speaking of, enjoy drinks and apps on the side porch.

3) Fiesta Del Burro Loco: This Tex-Mex eatery offers all the traditional favorites in a festive atmosphere, as the name implies (Crazy Donkey Party?). This place is known for fun as much as its food.

A huge bar area and patio deck are the centers of activity as folks pack the area for happy hour drink specials and free snacks. Every day is a party at Fiesta Del Burro Loco, but it also hosts the biggest Cinco De Mayo party of the year in the parking lot.

4) Fiesta Mexicana: This small but thriving cantina has a huge local following, mainly for its mix of great food and cheap prices. Lunch specials are in the $6 range and you often need a doggie bag.

Surprisingly, this restaurant transforms into a party spot on Friday and Saturday nights, with the bar area boasting a disco ball over a makeshift dance floor while Mexican jams play over the sound system.

5) La Playa: If you’re on the south side near Pawleys Island and stuck in a seafood rut, La Playa takes you even farther south and beyond the border for some creative Mexican meals.

Some dishes are served in a vulcan stone to keep them hot and tasty, and fresh seafood is well represented on this unique menu. After dining here, you won’t be a La Playa hater (that’s Spanish and Gangsta).

Cinco de Mayo falls on a Saturday this year and these Myrtle Beach restaurants and establishments promise some of the best fiestas in the area. Gear up for day-long parties, margaritas and live music.

BurroFest

BurroFest at Fiesta del Burro Loco is perhaps one of the most famous Cinco de Mayo parties on the Grand Strand each year and this year is sure to please. Take part in the “Stache Dash” bright and early. The 5K trail run starts at 8 a.m. Saturday, May 5 and benefits Backpack Buddies. The real fiesta starts at 11 a.m. with live music from The Sick Stooges, Sushi for Breakfast, No Limit and The Mullets on the stage in the parking lot. The restaurant will serve food and drinks all day and night long. Burro Loco is located at 960 Jason Blvd in Myrtle Beach, SC.

Nacho Hippo

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo at Nacho Hippo Cantino Maximo beginning at 11:30 a.m. Bands are scheduled to play all day long and they’ll feature $3 Modelo and Pacifico draughts and $3 Corona bottles along with other great promotions and giveaways. Nacho Hippo is located at 1160 Farrow Parkway at The Market Common in Myrtle Beach.

LandShark Bar & Grill

LandShark Bar & Grill is located on the Myrtle Beach boardwalk and will celebrate Cinco de Mayo as well as their birthday. They’ll offer burgers for Wounded Warriors, green margaritas, live music, raffles and great entertainment for the kids.

Oceanfront Bar & Grill

Oceanfront Bar & Grill is hosting a special Cinco de Mayo concert featuring Americano Aquariumo, aka American Aquarium. The free concert starts at 9:30 p.m. Saturday, May 5 at the bar and restaurant located on the Myrtle Beach oceanfront boardwalk.

Senor Frogs

Senor Frogs plans to get the Cinco de Mayo festivities started at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 5 at their Broadway at the Beach location. N’Tranze is set to perform live from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Senor Frogs is lcoated at 1304 Celebrity Circle in Myrtle Beach.

Wild Wing Cafe

Stop at the Wild Wing Cafe for Cinco de Mayo at the Wing and a Derby Day celebration. They’ll offer specials on margaritas, mojitos, beer and tequila. Order up some Mexcian specialties like Cabo Queso, Mexican Layer Dip or a Chipotle BBQ Chicken Quesadilla. Wild Wing Cafe is located at Barefoot Landing in North Myrtle Beach.

Zulu Lounge & Bistro

Zulu Lounge is hosting a Red Solo Cup Cinco de Mayo Party with a live DJ playing the hits beginning at 10 p.m. Buy a solo cup at the bar for $5 and pay just $2 for refills on domestic beers or house liquors all night long. They’ll also offer games and prize giveaways. Zulu Lounge & Bistro is located at 9668 North Kings Hwy in Myrtle Beach, SC.

Don’t see your Cinco de Mayo event listed? Send us the details to Events@MyrtleBeach.com.

Myrtle Beach is the perfect place to spend Mother’s Day. Take Mom out for a special brunch or even a fancy dinner. There’s no shortage of special things to do on the Grand Strand to show your appreciation! Don’t see your event listed? Send us an e-mail with the details to Events@MyrtleBeach.com.

21 Main at North Beach | 719 North Beach Blvd, North Myrtle Beach, SC 843.315.3000
21 Main at North Beach Plantation is offering two exquisite Mother’s Day options- a brunch buffet or full a la carte dinner. Brunch includes an omelet station, carving board, salad station, dessert display and more. Adults are $28.95, kids ages 6-12 pay $12.95 and kids five and under are just $5.95. Brunch reservations will be accepted from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Mother’s Day. Dinner reservations are available from 3-10 p.m.

The Brentwood Restaurant & Wine Bistro | 4269 Luck Ave, Little River, SC 843.249.2601
The Brentwood Restaurant is taking reservations for Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 13. Brunch will be served from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and dinner will be availalble from 3 to 7 p.m. Mother’s Day drink specials with champagne, mimosas and bellinis will be served as well as entrée, appetizer and dessert specials. Featured entrees include Angus Steak and Eggs, Lobster Risotto, Duck au Grand Marnier and Leg of Spring Lamb Provencale. A children’s menu is also available.

Chestnut Hill | 9922 North Kings Hwy, Myrtle Beach, SC 843.449.3984
Chestnut Hill is offering a Mother’s Day Brunch Buffet from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sunday, May 13. The buffet will feature traditional breakfast items, a carving station, seafood selections and an extensive dessert display. They’ll also offer specials on drinks like champagne and mimosas. Adults are $24.95, Seniors ages 61 and over and teens ages 11 to 16 are $19.95, children ages four to ten are $9.95 and children three and under eat free. Reservations are suggested.

Croissants Bistro & Bakery | 3751 Grissom Parkway, Myrtle Beach, SC 843.448.2253
Take Mom to Croissants Bistro & Bakery for a delicious brunch and world-class desserts and treats. Brunch items include Bananas Foster French Toast, Crabcake or Filet Benedicts and a selection of soups, salads, sandwiches and house specialties. Sip on a Mimosa, Bloody Mary or housemade Sangria. Brunch is available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.

Empire Fire Mongolian Grill | 4036 Highway 17 N, North Myrtle Beach, SC 843.663.3808
On Sunday, May 13, Empire Fire Mongolian Grill is offering a special of $11.95 for Mother’s Day. All mothers will receive a $5 gift card for a future visit, and special items are added to the bars. The restaurant features a soup and appetizer bar, pizza bar, sushi bar, salad bar, dessert and ice cream bar and steak and ribs.

Frank Entertainment | 10125 Frontage Rd, Murrells Inlet, SC 843.651.9400
Frank Entertainment is offering bowling specials this Mother’s Day. On Sunday, May 13 Moms will receive $1 off any menu item, a free pair of bowling shoes and a $3 arcade card with the purchase of one game of bowling.

Gulfstream Cafe | 1536 S. Waccamaw Dr, Garden City, SC 843.651.8808
Gulfstream Cafe will be serving a Mother’s Day Brunch buffet. The delicious buffet will include an omelet station, shrimp cocktail, carving station with roast beef and ham and tons of other yummy treats. Reservations for the buffet will be accepted between 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Adults are $19.95 and children 12 and under are $9.95. The dinner menu will be available beginning at 2 p.m.

Hanser House Restaurant | 14360 Ocean Highway, Litchfield, SC 843.235.3021
Hanser House Restaurant is offering special menu selections in addition to their regular menu for Mother’s Day. Entrees are served with your choice of meat, three sides and a choice of six desserts. Kids have their choice of one meat, two sides and ice cream for $6.99.

House of Blues | Barefoot Landing, North Myrtle Beach, SC 843.913.3746
House of Blues will host a Mother’s Day Gospel Brunch. Entrees include honey baked ham and slow roasted beef with sides of salads, fruit, red beans and rice and more. Assorted desserts will also be served as you enjoy the live entertainment by “Glory.” Reservations will be accepted from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Adult buffets are $20.95 and children eat for $9.95.

Marina Inn at Grande Dunes | 8121 Amalfi Place, Myrtle Beach, SC 843.913.2845
Marina Inn at Grande Dunes will host their annual Mother’s Day Brunch inside Waterscapes Restaurant on Sunday, May 13, from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The menu features themed food stations like “Driver’s License” and “College.” Foods included are Seared Salmon, Roasted Baron of Beef, Pork Loin, Salads and more. The buffet price is $28. Call for reservations.

Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament | 2904 Fantasy Way, Myrtle Beach, SC 866.543.9637
Moms rule at Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament in Myrtle Beach. Book your family’s reservations for the live two-hour show and four couse feast and all Moms will receive a free flower on Mother’s Day.

The Melting Pot | 5001 North Kings Hwy, Myrtle Beach, SC 843.692.9003
Treat your Mom to fondue at The Melting Pot this Mother’s Day. The restaurant will offer a special four course dinner featuring a cheese fondue of your choice, fresh salad, entree course with tender meat, seafood,  chicken and ravioli finished off with a decadent chocolate fondue. Lunch will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and is $35 per person.  Dinner will begin at 2:30 p.m. and is $40 per person. Children’s plates are available for $8 for children ages 10 and under.

New York Prime | 405 28th Ave North, Myrtle Beach, SC 843-448-8081
New York Prime is the perfect way to show your love this Mother’s Day. From 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., the fine-dining establishment will serve a satisfying brunch menu as well as the full menu throughout the day. Fresh berries and crème fraiche, seafood crepes, crab cake benedict, seafood omelet, banana-stuffed Belgian waffles and a 10 oz. New York strip with eggs will be featured on the brunch menu. Drink specials include a Bloody Mary, Bellinis and Mimosas.

The Original Benjamin’s Calabash Seafood | 9593 North Kings Hwy, Myrtle Beach, SC 843.449.0821
The Original Benjamin’s Calabash Seafood will host a Mother’s Day feast will a full buffet with crab legs. The Mother’s Day special will be held on Sunday, May 13, from noon to 4 p.m. Benjamin’s has been a family tradition on the Grand Strand for over 30 years!

Parson’s Table | 4305 McCorsley Ave, Little River, SC 843.249.3702
Parson’s Table is open on Mother’s Day from 1 to 6 p.m. Mothers will receive a complimentary dessert as well as a rose. Reservations are requested.

Rioz Brazilian Steakhouse | 2920 Hollywood Dr, Myrtle Beach, SC 843.839.0777
Make her Mother’s Day extra special with a trip to Rioz Brazilian Steakhouse, South Carolina’s premier churrascaria. Rioz will open at noon on Sunday, May 13, with the usual selections at their extensive salad bar and succulent meats and sides. Make your reservations today.

Seafare Seafood & Prime Rib Buffet | 9925 North Kings Hwy, Myrtle Beach, SC 843.232.1366
Seafare Seafood and Prime Rib Buffet has been serving a very special Mother’s Day Buffet for for more than 20 years! From 11:00am to 9:00pm Moms and their families can try over 100 items on the large buffet like red salmon, baked ham, a raw bar with oysters and clams, she crab soup, homemade desserts and many, many more.

Whether you’re planning a family vacation, a weekend getaway or a golf trip, May is a fabulous time of year to be in Myrtle Beach. Here are a few perks and events available during a May beach trip. 

In case you haven’t noticed, the Food Dude is prefers the kind of food you can eat with your fingers, but not finger food.

Foo-foo food, as I call it - tiny tofu, carrot and cucumber sandwiches with gooseberry vinaigrette. That’s for grazers, not carnivores. Give me a pig, a grill, a beer and a bib and I’ll be happy. Did I mention a beer?

So I couldn’t help but chuckle when I heard about Crepe Creation Cafe in Market Common. The name says it all - crepes, those skinny, little French pancakes, filled with all sorts of toppings. Maybe I’ll put on a beret and skirt and stop by one day, I thought.

Now fast forward a few weeks while I’m cruising through The Market Common looking for something open for breakfast ... and there she was. This tiny little cafe didn’t look so intimidating. It might as well be a deli, I told myself as I walked inside and began to formulate a cover story. “Crepes? I thought the sign said Craps and I’m here to gamble.”

As it turned out, there was no need for an alibi. The Food Dude was greeted by an actual dude, owner and operator Larry Cauble. He’s a 20-year U.S. Army veteran and a lifelong lover of food, so we have that much in common. But I still prefer my pancakes the American way - thick and fluffy, dripping in melting butter and maple syrup and stacked, not folded.

Cauble, who spent three years of his life perfecting these paper-thin pastries and creating combinations of ingredients to fill them, is a dude’s dude. He quickly put me at ease and recommended the Western Morning Crepe, an omelet of egg, ham, bacon and cheddar, over the Stuffed French Toast Crepe. My new bud already knows my taste buds.

Cauble and his wife tinkered with recipes until narrowing it down to a nice selection of breakfast, “savory” (aka lunch or dinner), and desserts. With the goal of keeping every dish under $7, they successfully put together a menu in which everyone, even food dudes and foo-foo food dudettes, can find something in their wheelhouse.

There’s the Poulet Buffalo (seasoned chicken in Buffalo sauce topped with lettuce and bleu cheese) and Gyro (seasoned beef/lamb, feta cheese, onions, black olives and lettuce topped with lettuce and Tzatziki sauce) for the heartier eaters.

And there’s Champignons et Fromage (portobello mushrooms and brie with wild mushrooms and sage oil) and the Athens (fresh Spinach and feta or goat cheese with bruschetta salsa) for the fancier crowd. Crepe Creation also serves soups of the day and a not-so classic PB&J for the kids.

And the desserts - the Bananas Foster (melted butter and crystallized brown sugar with chunks of bananas and topped with caramel) and Blueberry Farm (fresh blueberries and blueberry compote and sweet cheese topped with whipped Cream and powdered sugar) - well, they’re for everyone.

Crepe Creation has been a quick hit since opening late last year. In fact, Cauble is considering relocation to a larger store in the Market Common district. Maybe I’ll stumble across it again, you know, on my way to the shooting range.