How organized crime, from-scratch food, entertainment combine at new Myrtle Beach eatery
Crime bosses and the cuisine of the Rentko food truck have found a location in Myrtle Beach.
Wiseguys Bar & Grill opened last week on 20th Ave. North and Kings Highway and features Rentko favorites such as fresh Polish food and several versions of London broil steak sandwiches, as well as live music and televised sports.
Business partners are Phil Goldman and brothers David and John Eric Rentko, who is managing the kitchen.
The Polish food includes boiled or fried pierogies, golumpki (stuffed cabbage), haluski (sauteed cabbage and noodles), a breaded pork chop sandwich, klupskies (pork/beef burger) and hand-cased sausage.
Other menu items include several versions of fresh ground chuck burgers; pulled pork that has been slow-roasted for 14 hours with a homemade dry rub; several hand-breaded chicken sandwiches; several appetizers including beef tips, spicy pork meatballs and stuffed cherry peppers; salads; French onion soup; pizza; wings; all-beef hotdogs; and other sandwiches including a homemade meatball parmigiana sub.
A big hit has been a half London broil, half pulled pork cheesesteak sandwich with pepperjack cheese.
“We basically do everything from scratch,” said John Eric Rentko, whose family had a restaurant in Pennsylvania prior to operating a food truck. “We wanted to keep it to what our family has always done and made people happy with, but then going forward with a bar we adapted and tried to change it up a little bit. We are going to constantly try to change that once we get more and more comfortable.”
The space was previously Knuckleheads and the interior has been completely renovated including new floors, ceiling, walls, furniture, bathrooms and kitchen equipment.
A woodworker built the bar, tables and other interior features. “He gave our dream the picture,” Rentko said. “It’s beautiful. It’s everything we wanted.”
Wiseguys will have live music at least five days a week (Monday through Friday) on a small stage near the entrance that can accommodate up to a four-piece band. Music genres will be diverse and include rock, alternative and reggae. College and pro football will be featured on Saturdays and Sundays on nine TVs, including a larger projection screen.
Scott Byrd of Songbyrd Entertainment is booking the bands.
A spray-painted mural of organized crime figures John Gotti, Lucky Luciano, Meyer Lansky and Al Capone adorns one wall, and black and white photos of mobsters during prohibition in the 1920s decorates a wall near the stage.
Goldman and John Eric Rentko had discussed partnering in a bar/restaurant for a couple years to combine their areas of expertise — Goldman in the front of the house and Rentko in the back of the house.
The onset of the coronavirus pandemic ended up being the impetus for the partnership. John Eric Rentko was the food & beverage director at Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show, which shut down for a time, David Rentko had to leave an engineering job and Goldman was in position to pursue another business venture.
“It came to the right point in time. We were all in a different place and it was time to take that jump,” Rentko said. “We found this place. We wanted to just do a small dive bar ... but we just went overboard and this beautiful place is what happened.”
They were running through names for a while. “Wiseguys, the three of us, you know we’re a bunch of goofballs,” Rentko said. “Then with the name Wiseguys, let’s make it kind of like a speakeasy vibe.”
Wiseguys features a large liquor selection that includes a number of high-end bourbons, whiskeys and tequilas. There will be monthly featured cocktails. Nine beers are on tap and most are craft brews from local breweries including New South and Grand Strand, and there are also about 20 bottled or canned beers from local breweries.
“These breweries are up and coming and it’s finally coming to this area like it should have been a long time ago,” Rentko said.
A grand opening party featuring two bands will be Nov. 17, and regular special events are planned including full moon parties — the first will be Dec. 4 featuring Jameson promo girls giving away discounted shots.
Wiseguys serves lunch beginning at 11 a.m. and is open until 2 a.m., with a M-F happy hour from 4-7 p.m. Permanent discounts include 20% for first responders and 10% for locals.
This story was originally published October 26, 2021 at 6:58 AM.
