Dirty Don’s on the Boardwalk: All About Summer
By Becky Billingsley
The new Myrtle Beach Boardwalk has caused many new restaurants to open along it, and Dirty Don's Oyster Bar & Grill is one of the best.
This is the second location for Dirty Don's, which is owned by longtime local restaurateurs Don Cauthen and Bill Howard. This new one has the same menu as the original, and it is extensive.
But first the surroundings. The long narrow space has a bar on the right with an oak wood top and tin corrugated sheeting on its front. Near the front door a small tiki thatch roof is over part of the bar. Backless round barstools have cushioned seats.
In the middle of the room are two-person cocktail tables, also with backless barstools, and on the left is a row of booths with blonde wood tabletops that match the bar. Several televisions are scattered around, as well as beachy decor accents such as surfboards and a big old stuffed shark.
The weather was smoking hot when I visited, but the front doors were open so people strolling the boardwalk would hear the reggae music playing over the sound system and be enticed to enter. The AC was cranked up, so it was comfortable inside even with the doors open.
Of course Dirty Don's has a full bar with plenty of beer, a few wines and a long list of fruity frozen cocktails. Six liquor drinks such as the Down and Dirty Margarita and Long Island Iced Tea are available by the pitcher for $21.50, and the price includes a Dirty Don's T-shirt.
This is an oyster bar, so of course the appetizer list includes dishes such as Salsa Oysters, Blackened Oysters and Oysters "Rockerfella." We tried the Salsa Oysters and Blackened Oysters and loved them. It isn't oyster season in Myrtle Beach right now, so our flavorful and salty morsels were from Apalachicola, Fla.
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A few other appetizers include Fried Pickles, Seafood Spinach Dip, Salt & Pepper Catfish Fingers, Shrimp Fritters and Seafood Pizza Pie with dill sauce, cream cheese, shrimp, scallops and tomatoes.
Of course the regional treat She-Crab Soup is served along with Oyster Po' Boys and Seafood Chowder. Several salads are listed, and I heartily enjoyed my Grouper Salad made with Asian Grouper, iceberg lettuce and fresh tomatoes.
A long list of sandwiches offers tempting selections such as Crab Cake, Ribeye Steak, Pit-Cooked Barbecue, burgers and chicken sandwiches. My friend tried the Dirty Donwood with ham, turkey, mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, onion, Cheddar cheese, provolone and Swiss. You can get it hot or cold, and my dining companion had it hot. The sandwich was on a soft, thick and sweet sesame bun and served with creamy slaw.
Of course since this is a raw bar there are Oysters on the Half Shell, plus lots of steamed seafood including buckets of oysters, Alaskan snow crab legs, mussels, clams and hot or cold boiled shrimp.
As for entrees, two house specialties are Shrimp and Grits and the Dirty Don's Dunkin' Pot with clams, oysters, shrimp, crab legs, corn on the cob, potatoes and sausage. Several fried seafood baskets are offered, plus steak and chicken.
Dirty Don's is at 904 N. Ocean Blvd., and is facing the ocean beside the new Myrtle Beach Boardwalk. It's open daily for lunch and dinner, and the number is 843-213-1632.
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