original benjamin's calabash seafood

in myrtle beach there are several really bad seafood buffets. this is not one of them. the food is well prepared, often refreshed, and very enjoyable. if you are looking for a good place to eat all the seafood you can, this is the place! while you are there, take the time to closely examine and admire the beautifully crafted ship replicas ranging from 12 inches in length to more than 15 feet. then go downstairs and meet the artist/craftsman who creates them. great place, great service, good seafood, and lots of it!

welcome aboard. what a great experience. the food was great, and the service was the host staff was excellent. the atmosphere was originial, and unique. on site model ship builder!! really? i couldn't believe it. if you want to have on seafood buffet experience while you are in myrtle beach, this is the one to have.

great buffet... absolutely worth the price

definite revisit. mouthwatering oysters and fish primo prime rib and steak and crazy good sweet potato and other casseroles. this is an incredible feast for the eyes and appetite. great service and nice ambience
definitely return

terrible. like playing 3 times the price for golden coral food...aside from the crab legs. mediocre at best.


-----31 may, 2011-----

like paying 3 times the price for golden coral food...aside from the crab legs everything else was mediocre at best.

this is must see restaurant. all u can eat crablegs, steak and 170 items on buffet. we visit every year!

atmosphere is great, food is delicious and the service was amazing. the seafood is fresh and the all you can eat crab legs was worth the money all by it's self!

where should i begin. to start, the presentation as you go into the restaurant was nice. our hostess was nice and polite. now comes the problem that we experienced. our server was rude, maybe he was having a bad day. now the food was cold on the hot bar. steam was nice and hot but the food was cold. paying $37.99 per person, the food should be pipping hot. this will not be on my list to return.

this place was horrible. i will not pay my hard earned money for this bikini bottom food ok. only thing good is the crab legs and they speak for themselves. over priced like hell but staff is nice.

don't be fooled by pint sized imitations or bad reviews that must be for other restaurants with a similar name. the pirate at the door looked as authentic as pirate can(at least as i would think one should look). this place was packed in the parking lot but everyone was being seated almost immediately, the hosts were great, and our waiter was ever present to quietly help without being a bother. there was no shortage of food and it was all fresh and hot. the crab legs and prime rib were my personal favorites. and there was plenty of things a person who doesn't like seafood could eat too.

not recommended
over priced for marginal buffet items
food is over cooked and cold
ice in your drinks has a taste of bacteria
do yourself a favor and go somewhere else

my husband & i always eat here when on vacation for our seafood night. so many choices of every kind of food. the crab legs are great and many kinds of shrimp. they have a pasta bar also.

the idea of a seafood buffet is new to me. i had never been to one but my husband made us go here. he grew up going here every year so i figured i would give it a chance. it was a ridiculously long wait and there is no where near enough parking. once we finally got seated, the waiter was helpful and pleasant. he explained everything to me and sent us on our merry little way. there are definitely a lot of options at the buffet. but to make it worth my while - i just ate my body weight in crab legs. the 'butter' they have to dip the meat in is so good. my husband loved eating here too. i recommend it as long as you realize it's $32/person. while i know it is a seafood buffet, our total including tip (for 2 people and 1 soda) was $85. was it worth that much? i'm not sure personally but it's up to you to decide!

good service. seated right away. plenty of options but nothing spectacular. crab was waterlogged, ribs were tough, fried shrimp was soggy. definitely didn't get our money's worth.

when deciding on a delicious feast to eat on your beach vacation, this should be your last choice. i think dining with satan would be more delightful than eating within the overly tacky decorated walls of this restaurant. in fact, they have spent more on their decor than they would ever consider spending on the quality of their food. as we ventured through the doorway of benjamin's, we were greeted by a nice gentleman who gave us mardi gras beads. i don't understand what these beads have to do with the theme of their restaurant, but it was a pleasant greeting. i do wish this man would have been handing out umbrellas. because as we waited in line, we had to navigate buckets which were placed in the middle of the path entering the restaurant. these buckets held old rainwater and air conditioning condensation. i guess perhaps it is an obstacle course before you attempt to stuff yourself at their buffet. we finally got to our table and were greeted by a pleasant server who is the only reason i am giving this restaurant 1 star rating. she did the best she could, and i think she knows deep down in heart this place is worse than hell. but she needs a job. and she did her job with a smile and always made sure we had refills and napkins. one by one, we made our way into what i think dante referred to as the 9th circle of hell. this is a cramped, poorly designed buffet area. lines snaked around recently thawed out frozen seafood, side dishes, and desserts. they do have crab legs, which i'm pretty sure came out of a box. frozen. shrimp tasted foul. if you like throwing down to get your dinner, then you might give this place two stars. i don't like fighting for my food. will never come back.