When it comes to places I think of as great beer towns, Myrtle beach, South Carolina does not directly come to mind. Still, that doesn’t mean you can’t fine good beer here. You can, at Liberty Steakhouse and Brewery, at Broadway on the Beach. Broadway on the Beach is a collection of shops and nightclubs sitting on a quaint pond not far from Ocean Boulevard and most of the major local resorts and hotels.  

South Carolina doesn’t allow beer to be stronger than 6% by volume, so I knew going in that the beer options would be limited here. Still, they did manage to make me very happy with a solid line of brews and a really great meal. The locals raved about the steaks here, too, and Barbara was in the mood for a steak, so off we went.

Atmosphere

It was New Years Eve when we arrived, around 8PM and the place was packed. Curiously, they close at 10PM, rather early we thought for a Saturday, especially so New Years Eve. So, we bellied up to the big copper and mahogany bar and waited about 40 minutes for a table. Not a problem.

Eventually, we got a booth in the main dining area. We would have liked a table overlooking the pond (more of a mini-lake really) but these were full. The hall is big and completely done in dark wood with soaring rafters and expansive windows. Decorations are Spartan, just a few pictures and paintings of the Statue of Liberty to remind you where you are. In the warmer weather you can sit out in the beer garden.

The Food

 I’ll admit this place caught my attention because it is a brewpub. But it could easily stand alone as a restaurant. We both wanted steaks and having perused the menu while waiting at the bar, we were immediately ready to order. I got the T-Bone ($17.95 for 16 ounces), Barbara went with the Ribeye ($16.95 for 12 ounces). We both ordered medium, and mine was cooked perfectly, though Barb’s came out very rare and had to be sent back. Still, the steaks were seasoned to perfection and melt-in-your-mouth tender, topped off with Tobacco Onions (onion tangles).

Salad and bread began the meal, however. The salads consisted of an eclectic mix of greens and fresh garden vegetables garnished with croutons. All of the dressings are made on premises. I selected the Ginger Beer, a tangy oriental-style dressing well spiced with Ginger and sesame and made with Nut Brown Ale. Along with a thick, hot slice of the fresh from the oven Pumpernickel mini-loaf I was in heaven even before the entree arrived.

Barbara got a loaded baked potato with her steak, and she was happy with the generous sprinkling of real crumbled bacon. I opted for fresh steamed broccoli covered in cheese. For an extra $4.50, we added seven jumbo fried Calabash Shrimp, and Barbara quickly crowned them the best she had ever tasted. You can get a meal of 14 of them if you like for $14.99. Do try them either way.

If you’re not in a steak mood, never fear: salads, seafood, chicken and more are available. There are several appetizers, too, if you just want to munch while sipping a brew or two. I enjoy the wings here. They come in various flavors, and the hot variety are nicely spicy. A dozen will set you back $7.50, or less than $5 during happy hour (4-7).

Service

Our server was prompt, polite, and always smiling. The manager went from table to table and chatted with everyone. No complaints here.

The Beer

There were six beers on ($3.75 a pint) and we tried them all. I liked five of the six very much indeed.

Miss Liberty Lager was the lightest offering and tasted to me just like Bud. It is all-malt, but I found it rather uninteresting with little to recommend in the way of malt or hops. It has won a bronze medal at the Great American Beer Festival, though.

Liberty says:

GOLD MEDAL WINNER 2009, 2013 • SILVER MEDAL WINNER 2008, 2011, 2015, 2016 BRONZE MEDAL WINNER 2010, 2014 • CAROLINAS CHAMPIONSHIP OF BEER Our Number One seller! Light, dry and refreshing, this filtered all malt lager is fermented cool with a long cold storage to produce a clean beer that is a perfect alternative to the macro-produced beers of the world. But you don’t need a “Born-On” date when you can have beer in the delivery room!

Overall

We’ll definitely be back. The combination of great food and fresh beer is a winning one at Liberty. If you’re in the area, be sure to stop in and see for yourself. And if you arrive between 4 and 7, you can get $2 pints and half price appetizers. What a buy, what a bargain.



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