A Rose By Any Other Name...

The website at Suck Bang Blow, that famous biker bar in Murrell's Inlet, SC, explains the origin of the name for anyone who cares to know. My guess is, if you're going here, you don't care about the name, other than as a conversation piece.

But visit once, and you will care about the ambience, the decor, the events, the burgers and wings--and the fact that you can ride your iron horse directly through the bar and past a stage where musicians will likely be performing, especially during Myrtle Beach Bike Week, which they call the Spring Rally.

I know residents of Myrtle Beach who evacuate their homes by taking vacations during rallies like this because of the biker hordes that descend on the place. But one man's meat is another man's poison, and if you're a biker with even a speck of curiosity, SBB (as it's affectionately known) will appeal to you.

The layout of the place alone is fascinating. Roll up to the front porch--with its own bar--and watch other bikers roll in behind you. Or pull around back to the "yard" (the arrows will guide you), and visit the spots where the vendors set up their wares for the Spring Rally. There's another stage back there, too, and a Burnout Pit, where you can melt the rubber on your back tire. The crowd will determine whether or not the smoke you generate will earn you the $200 you'll likely need to replace your tire.

The intricacies and history of SBB were explained to me by the youthful owner, Will Couch (below), who's been running the place for about six years. He plopped down a fresh, hot bowl of boiled peanuts in front of us as we chatted, and I had my first experience with this delectable Low Country Legume. It will likely not be my last.

Couch asserted that he'd likely see 10,000 to 15,000 customers PER DAY during the Spring Rally week. He employs forty bartenders, like Ashley (bottom), and there will be 100 people a day on staff during the event to attend to the throngs expected to visit SBB. As mentioned, most of them will chow down on the burgers and wings (though there are other items generated by his ex-father-in-law Jimmy, who runs the kitchen and makes a supposedly killer BBQ and sauce.

I visited the day before the Spring Rally opened for two reasons. First i wanted a "calm before the storm" feel of the place. And second, once the storm began, I despaired of finding a place to park, though Will assured me a bike would always find a spot.

I tried the highly-touted burger, and it was very good, made from fresh patties and not frozen. And it went pretty well with my Sam Adams Summer Ale. Most of the beers on tap are not what you'd call "craft," but the variety will likely slake the thirsts of those who come to Suck Bang Blow. Few are coming because they want to have craft beer, anyway.

Ashley told me that seeing a biker ride through the bar, stop at her station to pick up a pretty gal to ride pillion and speed out the back door was "a pretty common occurrence." But Couch runs a pretty tight ship, citing just four "disturbances" that were quelled pretty quickly in the six years he's owned the place.

That's not to say nobody has fun. A quick look at the hanging bric-a-brac (above) proves they do. And it also proves that some rather healthy ladies have left their, um, marks on SBB. There were none of these fun-loving gals there during my visit, from what I could see.

So apart from being a neat place to go, it's a totally safe place to go. That's because the vast majority of the biker community is made up of good, decent, friendly folks who often give up their time and money to help worthy charities. And if they want to come down to Murrell's Inlet once a year to kick back, relax, enjoy some food, music and beer in a safe, friendly place who's going to complain?