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Twelve shocking discoveries from Myrtle Beach restaurant inspections

This collection of stories reveals recurring problems with food safety and cleanliness in Myrtle Beach area restaurants as found by health inspectors.

Inspectors find issues like dirty utensils and black buildup in ice machines in multiple eateries. In some cases, raw fish is stored near ready-to-eat foods or food is kept at unsafe temperatures. Reports describe moldy sweet potato pies, live roaches around food prep areas and sewage coming up through kitchen floors. Some inspections also point to old meat in coolers, mildew inside ice machines and rats or flies present in dining areas.

Read the stories below.

Five Myrtle Beach-area restaurants scored poorly in the most recent South Carolina Department of Agriculture risk-based inspections.

NO. 1: DIRTY UTENSILS, GUNKY ICE MACHINES: THE LATEST WORST RESTAURANT INSPECTIONS IN MYRTLE BEACH AREA

The South Carolina Department of Agriculture inspectors recently gave these Horry and Georgetown County restaurants the lowest health and safety scores. Here are the violations they reported. | Published September 12, 2024 | Read Full Story by Maria Elena Scott

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How clean is your favorite Charlotte restaurant? Health inspectors in Mecklenburg County North Carolina found 100,000 violations at restaurants since 2016. By JOHN D. SIMMONS

NO. 2: UNSAFE TEMPERATURES AND DIRTY KITCHENS: LATEST RESTAURANT INSPECTIONS AROUND MYRTLE BEACH, SC

The South Carolina Department of Agriculture regulates Grand Strand restaurants with regular inspections. Here are the latest violations inspectors found. | Published September 19, 2024 | Read Full Story by Maria Elena Scott

Weekly restaurant inspections in the Myrtle Beach area performed by The South Carolina Department Agriculture.

NO. 3: RAW MEAT CONTAMINATION, ICE MACHINE GRIME: MYRTLE BEACH AREA’S WORST RESTAURANT INSPECTIONS

Here’s why these restaurants around the Myrtle Beach area scored the lowest in South Carolina Department of Agriculture inspections. | Published January 10, 2025 | Read Full Story by Maria Elena Scott

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Restaurant inspections in the Myrtle Beach area performed by The South Carolina Department Agriculture. By Juanmonino

NO. 4: RATS, ‘TERRIBLE ODOR’ & MILDEW: THE LATEST WORST MYRTLE BEACH AREA RESTAURANT INSPECTIONS

These restaurants around the Myrtle Beach area earned the lowest scores in the latest health and safety inspections. Here’s what inspectors found. | Published January 25, 2025 | Read Full Story by Maria Elena Scott

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The South Carolina Department of Agriculture performs inspects establishments for health and safety violations. By Juanmonino

NO. 5: RODENT FECES, EXPIRED MEAT AND MORE: THE LATEST WORST MYRTLE BEACH AREA RESTAURANT VIOLATIONS

These restaurants around the Myrtle Beach area had the lowest health and safety scores in recent inspections. Here’s what South Carolina Department of Agriculture inspectors found. | Published February 6, 2025 | Read Full Story by Maria Elena Scott

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Three Myrtle Beach-area restaurants scored below 88 points out of 100 in the most recent South Carolina Department of Agriculture risk-based inspections.

NO. 6: MOLDY FOOD, UNWASHED HANDS AND MORE: THE WORST MYRTLE BEACH AREA RESTAURANT VIOLATIONS

These Myrtle Beach-area restaurants scored the lowest health and safety grades in recent South Carolina Department of Agriculture inspections. Here’s why. | Published February 22, 2025 | Read Full Story by Maria Elena Scott

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Weekly restaurant inspections in the Myrtle Beach area performed by The South Carolina Department Agriculture.

NO. 7: ROACHES & PINK SLIME IN THE ICE MACHINE: THE WORST MYRTLE BEACH-AREA RESTAURANT VIOLATIONS

From expired food to live bugs, check out why these Myrtle Beach-area restaurants scored the lowest health and safety grades in recent South Carolina Department of Agriculture inspections. | Published March 7, 2025 | Read Full Story by Maria Elena Scott

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The South Carolina Department of Agriculture performs inspects establishments for health and safety violations. By Juanmonino

NO. 8: ICY MILDEW, RAW LIVER SITTING OUT & MORE: THE WORST MYRTLE BEACH-AREA RESTAURANT VIOLATIONS

From unsafe food temperatures to slime in soda fountain ice chutes, check out why these Myrtle Beach-area restaurants scored the lowest health and safety grades in recent South Carolina Department of Agriculture inspections. | Published April 11, 2025 | Read Full Story by Maria Elena Scott

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Weekly restaurant inspections in the Myrtle Beach area performed by The South Carolina Department Agriculture.

NO. 9: LIVE ROACHES AND EXPIRED FOOD: THE LATEST WORST MYRTLE BEACH AREA RESTAURANT INSPECTIONS

These restaurants around the Myrtle Beach area scored the worst health and safety grades in recent South Carolina Department of Agriculture inspections. Here’s why. | Published April 26, 2025 | Read Full Story by Maria Elena Scott

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A worker checks stocks in freezer room in restaurant using digital tablet. via Getty Images By gahsoon

NO. 10: RATS, FLIES & OLD MEAT: LATEST MYRTLE BEACH AREA RESTAURANTS WITH WORST INSPECTIONS

Excessive flies, wood rats and old food left in a meat grinder, here’s why these restaurants around the Myrtle Beach area scored the worst health and safety grades in South Carolina Department of Agriculture inspections. | Published May 20, 2025 | Read Full Story by Maria Elena Scott

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Five Myrtle Beach-area restaurants scored poorly in the most recent South Carolina Department of Agriculture risk-based inspections.

NO. 11: FLIES IN FOOD, SEWAGE & SHUT DOWNS: LATEST MYRTLE BEACH RESTAURANT INSPECTIONS

Multiple facilities in the Myrtle Beach area halted service after inspections from the South Carolina Department of Agriculture. Here’s why these Grand Strand restaurants scored the worst grades. | Published June 3, 2025 | Read Full Story by Maria Elena Scott

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Weekly restaurant inspections in the Myrtle Beach area performed by The South Carolina Department Agriculture.

NO. 12: MOLDY PIES, FLIES & MONTH-OLD SEAFOOD: LATEST MYRTLE BEACH RESTAURANT INSPECTIONS

These restaurants in the Myrtle Beach area scored the lowest health and safety grades in South Carolina Department of Agriculture inspections. See the worst violations. | Published June 17, 2025 | Read Full Story by Maria Elena Scott

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.