Folly Beach Restaurants – 10+ Epic Places To Try in 2024

Folly Beach, South Carolina is a charming coastal town about 20 minutes south of Charleston. It has lots of exciting things to do. In this post, I’ll list several of the best restaurants to try here.

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What Is Folly Beach Known For?

Nicknamed by locals, The Edge of America, Folly Beach sits on Folly Island and is known for its beaches and pier, as well as surfing. The pier is still under construction with plans to re-open in 2023, however, the gift shop and observation deck are open now.

The city is home to several parks and nature preserves that are worth exploring, including Folly Beach County Park and Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve. Folly Beach is also known for its downtown area shops and restaurants. Center Street is just across the street from the beach and pier area and has several hotels, bars, and places to eat.

Folly Beach Pier Under Construction – March 2021

Here are 10 epic restaurants in Folly Beach to try:

BLU Beach Bar & Grill

Located on Folly Beach at Tides Resort, BLU Beach Bar & Grill has amazing oceanfront views and a relaxed dining experience. Similar to the Restaurants On Hilton Head Island, BLU Beach Bar & Grill is right off the Atlantic. This bar and grill offers a wide variety of seafood, including Atlantic Salmon, scallops, and Shrimp Skewers. Try their Caribbean Spiny Lobster or the Catch of the Day. There are plenty of land options for food too: burgers, tacos, steak, lamb chops, pasta, and more.

Get a Charleston Tea or a Shipwreck Sunset drink at their tiki bar. Along with these mixed drinks, they also have a good selection of wines, beers, and ciders.

Check out their Beats On The Beach on Fridays and Saturdays. They do live music outside, too.

BLU Beach Bar & Grill does dine-in and take-out.

Address

1 Center Street, Folly Beach, SC 29439

Hours

• 11:30 am- 10 pm

Roasted Marketplace

Also located at Tides Resort, Roasted Marketplace is a great way to perk up in the morning. This coffee shop serves Starbucks coffee and also has food and snack options on the go.

Rita’s Seaside Grille

Just across the street from the beach and pier, Rita’s Seaside Grille is one of the most well-known restaurants in Folly Beach.

Come to Rita’s for breakfast or lunch before heading to the beach or stop by for dinner after spending the day in the sun. They serve breakfast from 8-11 am during the week and 8-noon on weekends.

This seaside grill has a large number of fresh seafood options including salmon, grouper, shrimp, oysters, and a seafood platter. If you’re not in the mood for seafood, they have ribs, brisket, tacos, chicken wings, and salads.

Relax and watch sports on tv or listen to some live music on their outdoor patio. Dogs are even welcome on the patio, too.

Rita’s also does catering and private parties. Dine-in or curbside pickup.

Address

2 Center Street, Folly Beach, SC 29439

Hours

• Sunday-Thursday – 8 am-10 pm
• Friday and Saturday – 8 am- 11 pm

Sand Dollar Social Club

Right across the street from Rita’s is the Sand Dollar Social Club, a local dive bar with cheap drinks, a pool table, and music.

Lost Dog Cafe

Getting breakfast or lunch at the Lost Dog Cafe doesn’t sound like a ruff way to start the day. Lost Dog Cafe is included in the list of best places to have breakfast near Charleston. From sweets like muffins, cinnamon rolls, and fruit parfaits to breakfast sandwiches, pancakes, burritos, and eggs, this place has you covered.

For lunch, they have soups, salads, wraps, sandwiches, burgers, and hot dogs.

Enjoy a Bloody Mary, beer, a glass of wine, or Mimosa with your breakfast or lunch. They also have their own local custom-blended coffee.

Be sure to pick up some Lost Dog merchandise while you’re here, too.

They offer dine-in and take-out.

Address

106 West Huron Ave., Folly Beach, SC, 29439

Hours

• Monday – Saturday 6:30 am-3 pm
• Sunday – 6:30 am-2 pm

The Washout

About a block away from Lost Dog Cafe is The Washout, where you can come for beach eats and drinks. The Washout is a good place to go for some live music, which they have on their schedule most days.

Snapper Jacks

Folly Beach is a colorful place and the downtown restaurants and shops really match the energy of the city. Snapper Jacks brings this energy to a new level with its rooftop bar and electric atmosphere. This seafood and raw bar is 3 stories and a favorite place for casual dining and events.

Enjoy some oysters or one of the crab boils at this ocean-themed restaurant. They also have burgers, tacos, pastas, salads, and a lot more. Snapper Jacks even has a sushi menu where you can have one of their specialty rolls.

Grab a drink during their happy hour specials, or order a fishbowl with your friends, all while taking in the great views of the city and water.

Dine-in, take-out, and delivery.

Address

10 Center Street, Folly Beach, SC, 29439

Hours

• Sunday-Thursday – 11 am- 10 pm
• Friday and Saturday – 11 am-11 pm

St. James Gate

St. James Gate is an Irish Pub right across the street from Snapper Jacks. Have some drinks on their garden patio while they play some live music.

Loggerhead’s Beach Grill

Visit Loggerhead’s Beach Grill for a fun atmosphere and ocean views. Their menu has a vast array of appetizers, seafood dinners, burgers, soups, salads, flatbreads, and much more. Try their Atlantic Sea Scallops or the Carolina Shrimp. Or come on Sundays for their Sunday brunch.

Loggerhead’s calls themselves a party at the beach. See some live music on their outside deck. They serve beer, wine, and cocktails here.

Dine-in and take out. Loggerhead’s does catering, as well.

Address

123 West Ashley Ave, Folly Beach, SC, 29439

Hours

• Monday-Thursday 11 am-Midnight
• Friday and Saturday- 11 am- 1 am
• Sunday- 9 am- Midnight

Folly Beach County Park

Just a mile and a half south of Loggerhead’s on Ashley Ave. is Folly Beach County Park. This park has a beach area, boardwalk, picnic area, and snack bar.

Taco Boy

Just a block from the beach, Taco Boy is a Mexican restaurant known for its tacos, quesadillas, and drinks. Taco Boy prides itself on having the freshest ingredients around for their food. Taco Boy also serves rice bowls and salads. They also have a large selection of side dishes and appetizers. Have a margarita or beer on the rooftop bar while checking out the views.

They do dine-in and curbside pickup.

Address

106 East Ashley Ave, Folly Beach, SC, 29439

Hours

• Sunday- Thursday- 11 am-10 pm
• Friday and Saturday- 11 am- 1 am

Chico Feo

If you’re looking for another taco spot, Chico Feo is a nice option and is just a block away from the beach.

The Crab Shack

The Crab Shack has been featured on The Travel Channel and was named in the top 10 for seafood restaurants in all of South Carolina by Southern Living Magazine. This seafood spot is popular for locals and is just a couple of blocks from the beach.

The Crab Shack has all the seafood you can imagine, from baskets to appetizers, to seafood buckets and fried & grilled seafood. They also have a raw bar and crab soup. If you just want a burger or pork sandwich with fries, they have that too.

Have a cocktail or glass of wine on their outside deck.

They do dine-in or curbside pickup.

Address

26 Center Street, Folly Beach, SC, 29439

Hours

• Monday-Thursday – 11 am- 10 pm
• Friday and Saturday – 11 am-10:30 pm
• Sunday – 11 am- 10 pm

Pineapple Hut

Have a sweet tooth after eating? The Pineapple Hut is across the street from The Crab Shack. This hut is actually a cool food truck that serves Pineapple Dole Whips and floats.

They’re open from March-October.

Slice Of Folly

If you’re looking for a quick bite or just tired of seafood, then pizza is always a great choice. Slice of Folly has several kinds of pizzas and toppings, like the New York Style or one of their specialty pizzas. Get some whole pizzas for the family or grab a slice on the way to the beach.

I came here for a slice of pizza after visiting the beach and pier, and they had really fast service. Definitely recommend.

Slice only does takeout and delivery.

Address

16B Center Street, Folly Beach, SC, 29439

Hours

• Sunday-Thursday – 11 am-11:30 pm
• Friday and Saturday – 11 am- 2:30 am

Woody’s Pizza

Looking for more pizza options nearby? Try Woody’s Pizza just a couple blocks north from Slice of Folly.

Jack Of Cups Saloon

Jack of Cups Saloon is just a couple of blocks from the beach and a good choice for those looking for a pub & grill with a unique menu. This place specializes in Asian and Indian-inspired dishes, including curry and Nam Sod. Many of their meals are vegan and vegetarian friendly, but they do have meat dishes, as well.

They have a full bar with wines, beers, and lots of hard liquors.

Dine-in or call in to order.

Address

34 Center Street, Folly Beach, SC, 29439

Kitchen Hours

• 11:30 am-10 pm
• Currently closed on Tuesdays (Hours can vary)

Lowlife Bar

Lowlife Bar is close in the area and has a daily brunch, an after-brunch menu, and a kids’ menu.

The Drop-In Bar & Deli

Another bar next door to Jack of Cups Saloon is The Drop-In Bar & Deli. This bar has many food options including sandwiches and sushi.

Crosby’s Kitchen

Technically considered in Charleston, Crosby’s Kitchen is located along the Folly River, right as you’re approaching Folly Beach. Crosby’s Kitchen is a food truck in the parking lot of Crosby’s Fish & Shrimp Co., and only open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. This place has some of the best seafood around. Crosby’s has their own boats and also connects with other boats from the north and south Atlantic, for the freshest seafood possible.

Crosby’s Kitchen offers fish and shrimp platters, burritos, quesadillas, and fish or shrimp tacos. Eat your food outside here if you’d like in the seating area, or you can pick up for takeout.

Address

2223 Folly Road, Charleston, SC, 29412

Hours

• 11 am-6 pm Friday-Sunday

While here, be sure to visit the seafood market. At Crosby’s you can buy a large assortment of seafood including, several varieties of fish, shrimp, lobster, crab, and more.

Lo Lo’s

Lo Lo’s is another seafood restaurant south of Crosby’s as you’re heading into Folly Beach, with burgers and sandwiches, as well.

Enjoying a night in Folly Beach

Parking In Folly Beach

There are a few things worth noting when trying to find parking in Folly Beach. Parking on Center Street and the side streets is free. Most of the city blocks have public parking at the beach access points.

These are metered parking lots and you can also pay by phone via the Passport Parking App. Using the app is nice because you will get notifications before your time is up.

Parking is also free after 8 pm at all of the beach parking kiosks.

Personally, I’d say the best place to park is at the parking lot just across the street from the beach and the pier. This is also right by Center Street and within walking distance of most of the restaurants on this list. Just make sure you’re reading all signs and regulations.

Other Things To Do In Folly Beach

There are many things to do in Folly Beach besides the great restaurants.

Folly Beach is known for fishing and water activities. There are boat rentals, charters, and tours that are definitely worth looking into during your visit. There are several companies, but Charleston Charter Fishing is one that has local fishing trips.

The area is famous for its surfing and the downtown area has several surf shops and there are surf schools on the island. Isla Surf School and Shaka Surf School both have surf lessons in the area.

Folly River Park is on the northern end of the island and a fine area for fishing, crabbing, picnics, and events.

As you can see, Folly Beach has some great dining options and fun things to do.

For more things to do on the Carolina Coast and Florida, check out Always On The Shore

Places to Stay in Folly Beach