The weather is getting cooler but that shouldn’t stop you from checking out these great restaurants you can visit with your center-console boat.
Captain Archie’s
If you’ve been up and down the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW), the only thing more frustrating than boat traffic near the bridges is deciding where you and your crew are going to eat once you stop boating for the day.
Captain Archie’s at Cherry Grove Marina in North Myrtle Beach is one of South Carolina’s best waterfront dining restaurants, a favorite with both locals and tourists alike. Open seven days a week, the restaurant features live outdoor entertainment, combined with great food and a happy hour every day from 4 to 7 p.m. The Main Stage overlooks the popular Skeleton Bar and outdoor pavilion. The music program spotlights some of the best live music in the area. Visitors dance to the tunes of blues, country, southern rock and beach music.
The restaurant features homemade weekday lunch specials like country fried steak, homemade lasagna, pork chops and mac and cheese, and the ever-popular fish and chips. Happy hour bites range from boneless chicken wings, fish bites, island shrimp, and a tender, bone-in pork shank served up with BBQ sauce and a side of coleslaw. If you’ve never treated yourself to fried pickles and soft pretzels, a stop at Captain Archie’s is a must, washed down with a glass of your favorite beer or beverage.
Speaking of beverages, Captain Archie’s has some of the most original names for their cocktails. We’ve all heard of a Tequila Sunrise, but have you ever heard of a Frisky Parrott, a Bonnie Mae, or a Surrender the Booty? Captain Archie’s famous (or infamous?) Surrender the Booty includes healthy portions of Don Q passion fruit rum, Don Q coconut rum, cranberry and pineapple juices.
Their website contains detailed information on all their events. It even lists their location in GPS coordinates: 33°5115N 78°397W.
Contact Cherry Grove Marina for docking and extensive marine services. It’s a convenient and enjoyable location for both long-term, transient and local boaters to moor their vessels, located just north of the Captain Archie McLauchlin (Little River) Swing Bridge. They offer wet docks with water and electrical as well as services such as travel lift, bottom painting and emergency haul out.
Captain Archie’s, 2200 Little River Neck Road, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
El Siboney
Key West is a boater’s paradise, whether it’s for deep sea fishing, a speed run down the end of the Intracoastal from Miami, or for chartering a luxury catamaran with friends and family. If you are boating around Key West, and you want to try something exotic but don’t have the time to zoom 90 miles over to Cuba, you can always stop in at El Siboney restaurant.
Located in Old Town, just a mile away from Conch Harbor Marina and Galleon Marina, and just a short walk from noisy Duval Street, this Cuban restaurant is the real deal, where you can find Cuban favorites like chicken enchilada, pulled pork sandwiches, Ropa Vieja, coconut shrimp, and much more. For a real treat, don’t miss their Paella Valenciana!
El Siboney is a family-friendly restaurant with reasonable prices. The restaurant has been awarded Key West’s “Best Cuban Restaurant” every year since 1993, and the De La Cruz family has been keeping their customers satisfied since 2004.
The name Siboney comes from the name of the indigenous people who inhabited the island of Cuba before 1492 when the Spanish conquistadores arrived and subjugated the natives. Many indigenous Cuban Indians died due to the brutality of Spanish conquistadores and the diseases they brought with them, such as the measles, syphilis and smallpox, which were previously unknown to the local inhabitants.
Restaurant El Siboney has compiled an impressive collection of domestic and international brewskis, including PALMA Cerveza, a Cuban beer. And they make a very refreshing sangria that you can buy in different sizes.
Once you’ve enjoyed your Cuban meal, and it’s time to head back to the boat, you can bring a container of their hot sauce and a souvenir cap back for your next trip.
El Siboney Restaurant, 900 Catherine St, Key West, FL 33040