South Carolina is bursting with crave-worthy seafood joints — but which ones do fans love the most?
Three “seafood dives” in the state now rank among the best in the South. Here are the restaurants that made it onto the list, which Southern Living magazine published March 11:
- The Crab Shacks in Charleston and Folly Beach, at No. 4
- Bowens Island Restaurant in Charleston, at No. 6
- The Sea Shack on Hilton Head Island, at No. 7
To determine the region’s top 10 “flip-flop-friendly” places to eat seafood, Southern Living said it worked with researchers at Proof Insights from July 10 to Aug. 21. They surveyed more than 10,000 magazine readers, and the winners earned South’s Best Awards, a spokesperson told McClatchy News via email.
“If you’re near the water, seafood is 100% the move. Our readers, who are more than familiar with their local stretches of coastline, certainly agree,” the magazine wrote in its report. “When they’re at the beach, a no-frills seafood dive is the number one place they head after unloading the car.”
What makes the seafood joints special?
South Carolina tied Georgia for the state with the most seafood restaurants on the list. Of the Palmetto State’s fan-favorite dining spots, The Crab Shacks ranked the highest at No. 4.
The restaurant has locations in Charleston and the nearby “laid-back” town of Folly Beach, so “there’s plenty of opportunity to visit this local treasure. Order the she-crab soup to begin, and follow up with the marquee attraction: piled-high steamed seafood buckets ,” the magazine wrote…