Icy mildew, raw liver sitting out & more: the worst Myrtle Beach-area restaurant violations
In the latest restaurant inspections by the South Carolina Department of Agriculture, inspectors found mildew in ice machines, raw meat sitting out and kitchens without employees certified to handle food.
In general, SCDA gives restaurants scoring between 88 and 100 points A grades, restaurants scoring 78-87 points B grades and restaurants scoring 77 points or fewer C grades.
However, the department sometimes lowers grades for restaurants that have consecutive violations, are under enforcement action or are under pending enforcement actions, including imminent health hazards, permit suspensions or permit revocations.
Of the 121 restaurant inspections conducted in Horry and Georgetown County between March 29 and April 3, SCDA gave six restaurants B grades, but only five of those establishments actually scored below 88 points. Here’s what inspectors found.
6450 Highway 378, Conway, SC 29527
Score: 78
At a routine inspection of Pee Dee Exchange on April 1, foods like spaghetti with meat sauce, hot dogs and raw liver were sitting out with no temperature control. According to the inspection report, an employee said the kitchen’s reach-in cooler wasn’t working, so the foods were out during lunch.
The inspector also noted that no one was certified as a food protection manager, ready-to-eat foods like chicken wings and fish in the hot display unit didn’t have times marked to ensure safe consumption and foods like raw sausage and bologna were stored at insufficiently cold temperatures.
Other violations included boxes of single-use cups stored on the floor, unlabeled bulk containers of misidentifiable foods, sticky cabinet doors and accumulations of grime around the kitchen. There was grease, dust and debris on the sides of equipment, walls, ceilings, vents, lights, shelves, hood and hood filters.
The inspector’s comments require a follow-up inspection on or before April 10, but no subsequent report is yet publicly available.
9650 N. Kings Highway, Myrtle Beach, SC 29572
Score: 80
A routine inspection of Dumpling & Seafood Restaurant on April 1 found several violations, including slime and mildew in the ice chute, foods like shrimp and chicken without dates marked for safe consumption, ready-to-eat rice in the rice cooker held at an insufficiently hot temperature and wet cleaning cloths that weren’t sanitized between uses.
The inspection report also notes there was no hand soap or paper towels at the kitchen handsink, the prep sink was dirty, the back door was left open without fly protection and there was build-up inside the coolers, including months-old sticker labels stuck on the interior lid.
A follow-up inspection is scheduled for April 11.
1118 Celebrity Circle, Unit 315, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
Score: 82
At a March 31 routine inspection of Southern Grill at Broadway at the Beach, there was mildew and build-up in the fountain drink ice chute, ready-to-eat foods like sliced tomatoes and cooked chicken didn’t have dates marked for safe consumption and no one present had a minimum food handler’s certification.
The inspector also observed handsinks without soap, the front door propped open without a fly fan running and single-use plasticware “with business ends up out of the container,” exposing them to contamination. Other violations included “heavy accumulation” of black build-up and dust in a ceiling vent, multiple areas of water damage on the ceiling and a shelf less than 6 inches off the floor with a side hanging down.
According to the inspector’s comments, a follow-up inspection was to be conducted on or before April 10, but no report has been made publicly available.
3788 Highway 378, Conway, SC 29527
Score: 83
A routine inspection of John’s Mart on April 1, found violations including beans and macaroni and cheese stored at insufficiently cold temperatures, foods like milk and deli meats stored without dates marked for safe consumption and ready-to-eat foods in the hot holding unit like chicken and rice without times marked for consumption.
The inspection report also notes no one with a minimum food handler’s certification was present, the fan in the walk-in refrigerator had a “heavy accumulation of dust” and there was a hole in the wall next to the sink.
The inspector’s notes require a follow-up inspection on or before April 10, but a report isn’t available on the inspection website.
1320 Celebrity Circle, Unit 189, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
Score: 83
At an April 1 routine inspection of Melt at Broadway at the Beach, the inspector observed foods like shrimp and pimento cheese stored at insufficiently cold temperatures, pizza boxes and single-use cups stored on the floor, the dish washer operating without sanitizer and leaks at a sink, faucet and ice bin.
According to the inspection report, a handsink was unusable because it was blocked by a trashcan and dish racks, a scoop without a handle was used in a bulk salt container and there was build-up on the floors, drains and inside the walk-in refrigerator.
Per the inspector’s comments, a follow-up inspection is to be conducted on or before April 11, but a report hasn’t yet been made available.
This story was originally published April 11, 2025 at 6:00 AM.