‘We can’t wait’: Myrtle Beach area Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux sets opening date
“Game on, Myrtle Beach.”
That was the message from Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux on Friday as it announced its long-awaited opening is scheduled for June 22.
The Louisiana-based restaurant franchise announced plans in August to come to the Myrtle Beach area, with spring targeted as a ballpark opening date. However, obstacles relating to the coronavirus have pushed the opening back.
“The good news is that the restaurant is basically finished today,” said owner/CEO Jason Sadowski, who owns more than 10 Walk-On’s restaurants in the Carolinas. “There’s not many last-minutes. It worked out really well. Yes, we’re opening a little later than we wanted to, but we’re going to have a very smooth opening we feel.”
Walk-On’s has more than 150 locations in the Southeast and south-central areas of the U.S. Along with gumbo and soup, the 7,500 square-foot restaurant’s large menu offers unique salads, burgers, wraps, a variety of poboys, fish and shrimp tacos, specialty seafood dishes, hearty entrees and desserts.
“Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux is a family-friendly, sports-themed restaurant that focuses on experience, made-from-scratch food and that game-day atmosphere that you would get if you were going to a university game or college game,” Sadowski said. “A very positive atmosphere.”
Sadowski said what makes Walk-On’s different from other sports bars/restaurants is its focus on an overall experience that caters to all types of customers.
“You see a lot of sports bars and sports restaurants out there and some are not family-friendly. Some just don’t really hit the mark in terms of food quality,” Sadowski said of Walk-On’s, which has New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees as a co-owner. “We feel like we have everything all in one house, all under one roof. We feel like the residents and visitors of Myrtle Beach are going to love us.”
Walk-On’s, which is located at 61 Rodeo Drive off U.S. 501 across from the Tanger Outlets, has been hiring in recent weeks and will continue to do so through June 13, when training will begin. The restaurant will hold “practice shifts” from June 17-20 in which employees will serve customers free meals as preparation for opening. Sadowski advises anyone interested to follow the Walk-On’s Myrtle Beach’s Facebook page periodically for details on that and other contests that will precede the opening.
Walk-On’s will hold a ribbon cutting at 10 a.m. June 22, with the restaurant opening at 11 a.m. The eatery’s regular hours will be 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 11 a.m.-midnight Fridays and Saturdays.
“We’re looking forward to opening in Myrtle Beach. We can’t wait,” Sadowski said. “The community has been tremendous to us so far. We’ve received so many positive comments and interactions with the locals. We think the location is outstanding. We just love the residents there. I think it’s going to be a great experience.”
