Myrtle Beach has no shortage of nightlife, but The Bowery sits in a category of its own. Open since 1944, it’s the oldest bar on the Grand Strand and the room where Hootie & The Blowfish played their early shows before anyone outside South Carolina knew who they were. The space is deliberately unpretentious — peanut shells on the floor, cold beer, live music most nights — and that’s exactly what keeps people returning.
The lineup runs toward country, Southern rock, and blues, with regional acts performing Thursday through Saturday most weeks. Check the schedule before you go, but most evenings there’s something worth staying for. Drinks are straightforward and reasonably priced, and the room is large enough that you can usually find a spot at the bar or close to the stage without much trouble.
It’s a 10-minute drive from Surfside Beach. Go after 9pm when the music is properly underway and the room has filled up. It’s one of those places that’s hard to explain to someone who hasn’t been — and easy to understand once you’re inside.
