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 toeatall 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!

this is must see restaurant. all u caneatcrablegs, 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 caneatcrab legs was worth the money all by it's self!

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 couldeattoo.

my husband & i alwayseathere 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.

when deciding on a delicious feast toeaton 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.

plan a trip to benjamin's soon -- check out myrtle beach while you are there. i love this place! all food is well above average - they have crab legs, ribeye steak and prime rib on the buffet. if you are not craving these high end items then it may not be a good value for your dollar as the buffet is $30 per head. they have creative and aggressively seasoned dishes, i thought the fried ( calabash items ) weren't outstanding so if what you're wanting is a fried seafood plate without all the extras then you'll probably do better elsewhere. that being said i consider this the king of buffets andeathere every trip to myrtle, it has crept into my bones and i think about it frequently throughout the year. the staff is great and the quality is better than most chain restaurants. there is also lots of it. i recommend you go later (after 5) when they are busiest and frequently bring out food. this brings me to perhaps my only criticism- the buffet area and walkways are chaotic - the layout is not really effecient, cooks are bringing hot food trays, children are running wild and customers are trying to navigate the many different small buffet bars. to those who think it is overpriced, i have a little philosophy that especially applies to vacations- spend a little more andeata meal that you will remember. if youeatat mcdonalds you wont even remember it in a week, much less a year.

anyone who criticizes this restaurant is rediculous!
ie: we had to wait in line a really long time!
no kidding it is an amazing place toeatif you don't want to wait in line go to one of the terrible imitators and get right in!
ie: it was crowded!
yes it is very popular. lotts of people go there. if it stunk it wouldn't be busy!
ie: it was expensive & i didn't get what i felt i paid for!
yeah that is how most people feel since the place has been in business for so long! places that typically charge $30 for a buffet and provide inferior products usually are packed every night of the week!
my family has been going there for over 10 years when we go on vacation! it has never let me down and only been exactly what they advertise themselves to be!
if you want fast, cheap seafood go to mcdonald's & try the filet-o-fish!

decadent. yes, the original benjamins is decadent and middle class. it seats 1,000 guests at a time and the servers boast about that.

the food is not bad. the fried selection is the best; flounder, shrimp, clams, and so on. the rest is so-so. dessert is your basic kind of buffett repertoire: pudding, ice cream, cookies, etc.

there is not any ambiance, of course. the prices are ridiculous too, unless you caneatto the point of exhaustion. a single adult buffett is $29.99 plus tax. your paying for location as o.g. b's is located in throngs of north myrtle beach.

outstanding !. one word for this place "wow" so much toeatand so little time. if your in the mood for seafood this is the place!

only the best. the best all you caneatseafood buffet in myrtle beach! i go every single time i'm there. definitely go here!