Mini-golf, virtual reality, bowling in one. A new North Myrtle Beach restaurant is coming
If you want to get dinner, watch a game, play mini-golf, go bowling or have a myriad of other experiences, one restaurant opening in North Myrtle Beach plans to have all those things in one location.
Alley Oops is a bowling-themed restaurant slated to replace Ryan’s buffet once at 3607 Highway 17 South. A sign announcing the new restaurant faces the road.
Alley Oops will feature 12 lanes of Duckpin Bowling, which features smaller pins and a bowling ball that fits in one’s hand. It’s not the only amenity people can enjoy when attending.
The restaurant isn’t new. The first Alley Oops location is in Ocean City, Maryland. An LLC representing the restaurant bought the now-closed Ryan’s buffet in June 2024 for about $2.4 million.
Chris Reda is an owner and general partner at Alley Oops and owns several other restaurants throughout Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia. In an interview with The Sun News, Reda said the concept is a restaurant providing entertainment and amenities for Grand Strand locals with a notable first impression once one walks in. He added the new restaurant isn’t an arcade.
“You’re going to see a 10,000-gallon shark Tank, live sharks, and then probably a 40-foot TV screen for swim sports and local events,” Reda said. “It’s going to be a nicer place where you can actually have a nice meal, relax and let your kids play during the day, or, a rain day or come out and play.”
Reda added that the location plans to feature a mini golf course outside, a golf simulator and other virtual reality games. The atmosphere is choose your own adventure. Whether it’s parents having a drink at the inside/outside bar while the kids enjoy one of the activities, young adults relaxing during the weekend or a date night, Reda said everyone is welcome.
“It truly is a melting pot for everyone. It’s kind of funny every time we try to figure out what we’re targeting,” Reda added. “It’s like it surprised us by who’s here. We think all families (but it) ends up being a senior citizen center who comes out and has their bowling night here.”
The menu itself is still in development. Reda said the menu will have Maryland themes like crab cakes and wings, but the rest isn’t final.
The new eatery will not just replace Ryan’s buffet. Reda said the restaurant will build a new 24,000-square-foot property and demolish the old structure. While the restaurant is still awaiting permitting, Reda predicted it would open in March 2026 and hire a maximum of 120 employees.
The restaurant is also part of a growing trend of business owners from across the United States who know the Myrtle Beach area well and bring their operations here. Some, like Reda, previously vacationed in the Grand Strand, ultimately attracting them to open new locations.
Despite this, he also said Myrtle Beach’s growing year-round population makes it an attractive place to open a restaurant. Reda added a customer survey at one of his other restaurants, which also inspired him to bring Alley Oops south.
“A large percentage of all people that vacation in Ocean City, Maryland, have also vacationed in Myrtle Beach,” Reda said. “So we thought that name recognition would (be a) good thing.”
