One if by Land, One if by Sea
by Kurt Epps—The PubScout
July 28, 2021
My Jersey transplant buddies, now happily ensconced in Myrtle Beach, have been after me for months to check out the Boat House off 501 in Myrtle Beach.
So four of us hied ourselves thither the other day for some grog, victuals and our customary slinging of bovine feces.
The first person I met was lovely Savannah, a server in the sprawling complex. Unfortunately, it was because I accidentally walked into the Ladies’ room. Hey, the MEN sign was closer to their door than to mine, so I was just geezering, not “identifying.”
Savannah was most gracious in the face of the intrusion, maintaining her aplomb and dignity despite the invasion, and she even posed for a pic with The Pubscout. Apparently, that nice attitude runs through the staff, as Christine confronted me at the bar, telling me she was a Jersey girl after seeing my NJ stamped shirt.
Turns out she was way more than that: a paramedic, a firefighter, a resident Australian, a craft beer gal, green-eyed and perhaps the friendliest server we could have ever wanted. And she apologized that not many beers from the on-site Independent Republic Brewing Company were available.
It seems that despite a hefty number of tuns lining the back wall, Brewer Sean Taylor was hampered by the inability to secure the necessary parts to get them all up and running. Blame Covid for that. Hopefully, that changes.
Though Christine advised that he makes some great gose beers, I opted for his Boat Daze pilsner, which rang in well under 5%. A sessionable, transition beer, it was eminently drinkable, but I opted for more hoptosterone by ordering a Jai-Alai from Cigar City for my second. My buddyT-Bone followed suit.
Johnny and Jim hooked up with a “Breezy Blond,” and both enjoyed the choice.
The Jai Alai turned out to be a solid companion to my lunch, too. I inquired of Christine whether I should get the Philly Cheese steak sandwich or the Chicken Quesadillas, and she allowed that the quesadillas were her favorite. But she confided that she ordered them made with the Philly Cheeseteak stuffing.
“That’s not on the menu, “ I pointed out.
“I can pull some strings,” she advised.
And she did.The dish, accompanied by the beer, was phenomenal.
There weren’t many people in the place when we got there around 1:30, but that allowed us to enjoy Christine’s attention longer. The place, which began as a small venue, filled up considerably by the time we left, and that included the outside seating areas which offer a great view of the ICW.
I’m told, though, that the time to go to the Boat House is on Sundays when the free concerts take place. “This place packs out,” Christine said. “The outside of both bar areas, the hillside on the lawn—all are filled with folks having a good time.”
While it’s internal seating area is cavernous, it’s the outside areas that impress and add to the Boat House’s uniqueness.. A beer garden off to the side, the outdoor area we used, and another bar with ICW seating are both apparently the places to be on Sundays.
The food is good, the beer selection (minus IRB’s temporary shortage) is quite good and the service is delightful. Don’t be surprised if you see a pirate ship wending its way up and down the ICW, either. We even saw a guy riding one of those water jets ten feet above the water.
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