Battle of the Burgers: Part I
Ask any native to the Myrtle Beach area where to find the best burgers along the beach and you’re likely to hear one of two answers: Hamburger Joe's of North Myrtle Beach or River City Café. In our “Battle of the Burgers” series, we’ll review and discuss the perks of each of these legendary locations but we encourage readers to experience both sides of the coin before making a final decision.
1st Contender: The River City Cafe
With six locations along the Grand Strand, the River City Café is by far the most accessible of the Myrtle Beach burger joints and its 25 years of outstanding service has allowed the enterprise to build quite a reputation.
The restaurants are designed to look like roadhouse shanties, all adorned with peanut shells covering the floors, license tags lining the walls and graffiti from former visitors carved into almost every visible surface. However, despite its rough exterior, the cafes exude a warm friendliness with all the character of a worn-out pair of jeans and, being found in the heart of Myrtle Beach, they are considered by most to be a friendly – if not a little rowdy - neighbor. The classic rock atmosphere and lackadaisical attitude invites visitors to loosen their collars (and belt buckles) and enjoy a great meal without reservation. The restaurants’ family friendliness is absolutely incomparable and USA Today has even called River City Café “one of the best places in the nation to take the kids”. Besides, flinging peanut shells on the floor and indulging in burgers are pastimes the whole family can enjoy together.
River City has an extensive repertoire that includes sandwiches, salads, appetizers and seafood but the burger section dominates the menu. There are 15 varieties of beefy, juicy burgers to choose from, all prepared to each customer’s specifications. Aside from basic staples like the Bacon Cheeseburger and the Swiss Mushroom Burger, the restaurant features some unique options such as the Tex Mex Burger or the Black-n-Bleu Burger, made from Cajun-blackened beef patty topped with bleu cheese crumbles. If you’re not interested in a 5-ounce patty of the fine beef, the Café does offer a turkey burger substitute. Each burger appears colossal when served, stacked on a freshly baked bun and topped with fresh vegetables, melted cheese and any condiments you can keep from sliding off the patty; however, these masterpieces are enthusiastically polished off in one sitting and, with a taste as big as the portion size, it’s easy to understand why.
Just because the River City Café has perhaps the best burgers in Myrtle Beach doesn’t mean that they’ve skimped on the rest of their menu. In fact, there are those who frequent the restaurants without ordering a burger at all and still sing its praises. The sandwich menu runs the gamut from classics to unique twists on old favorites. All the basics are presented with the utmost quality like the BBQ Chicken featuring the Café’s own original BBQ sauce and, although the Reuben sandwich is arguably one of the best in South Carolina, the restaurant offers a Blackened Grouper Reuben that is nothing short of divine. Soups and salads not only make perfect complements to larger entrées but hold their own as lighter meals with particular attention paid to fresh, creative ingredients.
And if you’re just looking for a casual place to relax with a cold beer after a hard day of golf, River City has you covered. They offer a full bar with chilly beers and cocktails and a fantastic selection of appetizers to help recharge your engine.
If you’re worried that bringing the kids will drain your wallet, think again. Not only is there a children’s menu that offers kids’ classics for under $5, but the average entrée at River City costs $5.30, with the most expensive sandwich coming in at $10.
River City Café is open from 11 am – 10 pm daily. They can be found at any of six locations on the Grand Strand. The R.C.C. pictured in this article is in Downtown Myrtle Beach at 404 21st Avenue North between Kings Highway and Ocean Boulevard. There is another just a few miles up the road at the intersection of Ocean Boulevard and 73rd Avenue North and at the Sand Ocean Club. They are on the oceanfront off Surfside Drive in Surfside Beach and in Murrells Inlet they can be found on the left when traveling southbound on Highway 17 Business. Finally, there is one other location at Barefoot Landing in North Myrtle Beach. For menus, coupons, telephone numbers and more information you can visit the website at www.RiverCityCafe.com or call (843) 449-8877. Carryout orders are wel
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