Live roaches and moldy ice machines. Worst Myrtle Beach, SC area restaurant inspections
In general, you want to avoid mold, especially in your favorite restaurant.
South Carolina does health inspections for restaurants within Horry County and the surrounding area, with data current as of Jan. 24, 2024.
These were the worst restaurant inspections in the Myrtle Beach area.
Conway Mart
Location: 1300 501 Business Highway, Conway
Score: 78 percent
Inspected Jan. 16, 2024, Conway Mart got flagged for several violations. Conway Mart had a consecutive violation for cleanliness, as the inspector found cabinets had an accumulation of debris and grime, a stove had a heavy buildup of grease and carbon and a countertop under a self-serve drink machine had an accumulation of dirt and debris on them.
The inspection found food bags of grits and flour/bread kept in an unfinished storage area with openings to the outside and cups and lids, too. A walk-in cooler had cardboard as shelf lining, as cardboard is not approved for re-use, and a fryer basket had broken/ loose wires.
The inspection also found food not stored at the correct temperatures, but the restaurant corrected the violations.
An onsite follow-up within 10 days is required. No routine inspection is required within 60 days. Failure to fix the violations will result in a further downgrading of Conway Mart.
Capriccio’s of SC
Location: 1285 38th Ave. North, Myrtle Beach
Score: 82 percent
Inspected Jan. 16, 2024, Capriccio’s had a mold buildup on the interior deflector plate inside an ice machine. During the inspection, roaches were crawling on top of a dish machine, tongs were stored on an oven door handle and a sink had leaking pipes.
A stove was also missing a front trim piece, while a stove and broiler had a grease buildup.
Veal was not kept at the correct temperature, but the restaurant corrected the violations.
An onsite follow-up within 10 days is required. No routine inspection is needed within 60 days.
China Dragon
Location: 2909 North Kings Highway, North Myrtle Beach
Score: 84 percent
Inspected Jan. 19, 2024, most of China Dragon’s issues were chicken-related.
The restaurant stored raw chicken on top of raw beef in a walk-in cooler, which they corrected. Boneless chicken was thawing in a bin of water in a sink, and boxes of chicken sat on the floor in the walk-in cooler.
A container of stored chicken was also not covered.
There were other issues, too. An ice scoop was stored improperly in an ice machine, while an employee left the cookline to take a phone call and returned without washing their hands. The inspection found the restaurant did not defrost a chest freezer, and the shelving of a walk-in cooler wasn’t clean. To-go plates were also not stored correctly, and a cutting board was too cut.
An onsite follow-up within 10 days is required. No routine inspection is required within 60 days.
