Restaurant Review: Bumstead’s Is A Hidden Gem

Bumstead’s Pub has a name everyone is familiar with and a menu few visiting golfers have sampled. Myrtle Beach is home to more than 1,500 restaurants and if the endorsement of locals counts for anything, Bumstead’s is worth checking out on your next golf trip.

Named after the star of the long-running Blondie comic strip, Bumstead’s and its sister restaurant, Dagwood’s Deli (they share a building and a kitchen), hide in plain sight. Perched on the corner of Mr. Joe White Avenue one block off of Kings Highway in downtown Myrtle Beach, practically everyone who has been to the area has driven by the companion establishments.
Dagwood’s is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, serving Myrtle Beach’s best deli sandwich on homemade bread with Boar’s Head meat. After Dagwood’s serves its last sandwich, Bumstead’s opens at 4 p.m.
Bumstead’s get its Euro-American feel from the dark wood bar and lighting, providing a cozy environment for post-round dinner or drinks. Bumstead’s serves more than 130 different beers, the area’s largest selection, and members of the World Beer Club can get their name engraved on the back of a bar stool (imagine, your own personal seating license!) at a small risk to their liver.

In all seriousness, if you are staying in central Myrtle Beach, it’s a great happy hour destination. Beyond the beer selection, Bumstead’s menu pulls off a rare feat – the food is cheap and good. Nothing on the menu is more than $8.95 – the shrimp quesadilla and peppercorn crusted tuna top the list.

Bumstead’s specializes in bar food, with the wings, nachos and burgers leading the way. They hand-bread their own chicken and use fresh ingredients, but the sandwiches distinguish Bumstead’s, just as they do Dagwood’s.

The Italian Sub, D-Train Philly, a steak and cheese with Worcestershire sauce and banana peppers, and The Shag, a jumbo sub with ham, turkey and swiss cheese, are just a sampling of the signature offerings.

Bumstead’s has nearly 60 televisions, including a flat screen in each booth, and nearly every sports package DirecTV offers, making it an appealing place to watch a game.

The Verdict: The food at Bumstead’s Pub and Dagwood’s Deli is outstanding. The bread, made in-house, is the area’s best and no establishment puts more meat on a sandwich. The hot food at Bumstead’s is equally good.

If you are looking for a steak dinner, Bumstead’s isn’t your answer that night. If you want a quality meal, value prices, and a good environment to watch a game, take the time to find Bumstead’s.

The same holds true for Dagwood’s Deli & Sports Bar in Surfside, which holds itself to the same exacting standards.