Driftwoods Serves Big Coastal Comfort in Murrells Inlet

A plate of fried seafood with hush puppies still has a certain pull: the crisp, familiar look of a meal that does not need much explaining. At Driftwoods in Murrells Inlet, that old-school coastal appetite shares the menu with crab legs, blackened mahi-mahi, steak, meatloaf, ribs and a plate of chicken-and-shrimp Cajun Alfredo big enough to become a two-person project.

This is a neighborhood restaurant rather than a water-view stop, and it gives a group plenty to work with. Someone can order scallops or stuffed flounder while somebody else settles happily into chicken Marsala, a ribeye or a sizable slice of meatloaf. Nobody has to agree on one culinary direction before sitting down.

Seafood takes up plenty of room here. Fried shrimp, flounder, mahi-mahi, scallops, crab cakes, crab legs and assorted seafood combinations all make appearances, with options that range from a straightforward fried plate to more involved entrées.

Shrimp and grits is one of the dishes that deserves a pause in the ordering process. It has been a frequent favorite, and it offers a welcome change of pace from baskets and platters for diners who want their seafood in a more Lowcountry-leaning form.

The combination meals are useful when choosing just one fish seems unnecessarily restrictive. Shrimp and haddock can come with two sides, while flounder and shrimp offers another familiar pairing. Blackened mahi-mahi, stuffed flounder and scallops broaden the choices beyond the fryer.

Crab cakes arrive as two substantial cakes rather than a single small appetizer-style round. For a table that starts by passing plates around, the smoked tuna dip is another strong opening move. It is served with crackers and brings a distinct smoky note before the heavier dishes arrive.

Bang-bang shrimp adds crunch with sauce rather than sacrificing one for the other. Beer-cheese broccoli, meanwhile, is the sort of side dish that can pull attention away from the main plate for a few bites.

Driftwoods does not ask every diner to be in a seafood mood. Chicken quesadillas sit comfortably near seafood entrées, and chicken Marsala provides a more traditional restaurant dinner for someone who wants neither crab legs nor a fish basket.

The chicken-and-shrimp Cajun Alfredo is particularly useful for a pair willing to share. Its generous serving gives the table a creamy, spicy-leaning option that bridges the restaurant's coastal side and its broader comfort-food menu.

There are ribs by the half rack, and the meatloaf portions have enough scale to satisfy the person who came looking for straightforward down-home cooking. The ribeye is a recurring choice as well, appreciated for its flavor and value without turning the restaurant into a steakhouse.

That range helps when families or longtime friends gather with very different ideas of dinner. One person can make a meal of fried seafood and hush puppies; another can order steak; a child-friendly basic need not become a negotiation.

Portion size is a recurring feature of the meal. Seafood platters, shrimp and grits, mahi-mahi and Cajun Alfredo have all arrived in servings that can seem more generous than expected, and several entrées and sides lend themselves to sharing.

That does not mean every table needs a strategy meeting. It simply means a starter, a couple of mains and dessert can go farther than a quick look at the menu may suggest. For diners who enjoy tasting across the table, this is a pleasant problem to have.

All-you-can-eat crab legs and shrimp have also been offered as a meal format. Availability can vary by day or current menu, so it is worth confirming that option before making plans around it.

The dining room carries a nostalgic seafood-restaurant spirit, with boat- and fish-themed décor setting the tone. It is a comfortable indoor space rather than a polished waterfront showcase, a setting suited to settling in over a full meal.

Booths give couples and families a familiar place to land, while bar seating and counter seating offer alternatives for a smaller party or a more casual stop. The room can work for a dinner for two and has also handled a party of 16 with prompt, courteous service.

Conversation is generally easy enough to follow across the table, though the room can get louder at times. That is worth knowing for anyone planning a long catch-up dinner or bringing a group that prefers a quieter corner.

Homemade bread pudding is the dessert to keep in mind when the main course has already tested everyone's appetite. The serving is large and comes finished with vanilla ice cream and whipped topping, putting it firmly in the share-with-spoons category.

Key lime pie and chocolate cake offer more conventional choices for a table that has divided dessert loyalties. But the bread pudding gives the meal its especially indulgent final note—warm, substantial and not at all shy about the toppings.

The drink menu adds another little layer of fun to the evening, especially for diners settling into bar seats before dinner or pairing a seafood plate with something beyond iced tea.

Early-bird and happy-hour offerings have included ample portions and, in some cases, dessert and nonalcoholic beverages. Those formats can change with the current menu, time and day, so they are best treated as a worthwhile possibility rather than a standing guarantee.

Driftwoods has a free parking lot that is generally described as ample. A large-party visit did find parking somewhat tight, so the lot can be busier when the restaurant is filling up.

For a family meal, a couple's seafood dinner or a larger gathering with competing appetites, the useful detail is the menu's flexibility. The table can order crab cakes, tuna dip, flounder, ribs, steak and bread pudding without anyone having to pretend they wanted the same thing.