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Southern Buffets Flourish in Myrtle Beach

A variety of traditional Southern dishes on a buffet table in Myrtle Beach.

Judy Boone’s Family Kitchen

Judy Boone’s Family Kitchen is a beloved local restaurant known for its warm hospitality and hearty home-style cooking. Established in 1985 by Judy Boone, the business started as a small family-owned eatery committed to serving homemade dishes with fresh ingredients. Over the years, it has grown into a cherished community spot, maintaining its tradition of using grandmother’s recipes and offering a cozy, welcoming atmosphere. The restaurant specializes in traditional American comfort foods, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner options that bring families and friends together. With decades of history in the local culinary scene, Judy Boone’s Family Kitchen continues to uphold its mission of providing quality meals and memorable dining experiences.

News Summary

Myrtle Beach is experiencing a resurgence in Southern buffets, with restaurants like Judy Boone’s Family Kitchen, Simply Southern Smokehouse, and Magnolia’s offering comforting family recipes. This trend highlights a deep cultural connection to traditional comfort food, steeped in nostalgia, drawing both locals and tourists. Despite the challenges faced in recent years, the communal spirit and affordability of these establishments continue to play a significant role in their popularity and survival.


Myrtle Beach, a coastal tourist destination in South Carolina, is witnessing a flourishing trend in Southern buffets, a culinary tradition that prioritizes family recipes and comfort food. Restaurants like Judy Boone’s Family Kitchen, Simply Southern Smokehouse, and Magnolia’s continue to draw local patrons and tourists alike, offering classic country cooking that transports diners back to simpler times.

Judy Boone’s Family Kitchen, known for its nostalgic ambiance that mirrors a 1970s home, serves a variety of beloved Southern dishes such as chicken bog, fried flounder, and fried chicken. The establishment is a remake of the former Prosser’s Barbecue buffet, which operated for over two decades before the COVID-19 pandemic. The restaurant successfully maintains a menu filled with comforting and familiar flavors that customers fondly associate with home-cooked meals.

Simply Southern Smokehouse has held a reputation as a top-rated barbecue restaurant in Myrtle Beach since launching in 2013. Its offerings include tried-and-true comfort foods that emphasize the essence of Southern cooking. Similarly, Magnolia’s has a strong presence in downtown Myrtle Beach, having served generations of families with its family recipes for 31 years. This trend of loyalty among diners points to a deep-rooted cultural connection to the food being served.

Customer loyalty is driven by the comforting nature of Southern buffet cuisine, an aspect emphasized by the management at Judy Boone’s and Simply Southern Smokehouse. The simple, generational recipes encourage families to revisit these establishments for special gatherings and celebrations. The culinary style favors staples like fried chicken, collard greens, macaroni and cheese, and desserts such as banana pudding and pulled pork. Customers express a yearning for “grandma’s cooking,” highlighting the importance of traditional recipes in their dining experience.

Buffets have been a part of culinary history for centuries, with the Swedish “smörgåsbord” gaining popularity in the 1500s. In the United States, the all-you-can-eat buffet concept began in the 1940s. The buffet phenomenon peaked during the 1980s with the rise of chains like Golden Corral, but saw a decline in the 2000s influenced by changing consumer dining preferences. Despite this decline, the warm atmosphere of coastal Myrtle Beach plays a significant role in ensuring seafood and Southern buffets continue to thrive, attracting both tourists and locals.

Many Southern buffets in Myrtle Beach offer lunch options for $15 or less, leveraging cost-effective strategies such as bulk purchasing and seasonal sales to keep prices low. For instance, Judy Boone’s implements smart shopping tactics to maintain affordability, which is a significant draw for customers.

The recent trend indicates that younger diners are increasingly visiting Southern buffets, signaling a resurgence in interest. This is further supported by the culinary encapsulation of family tradition through abundant portions and quality dishes. The focus on locally sourced ingredients sets these buffets apart from their counterparts, enhancing the authenticity of the dining experience. For instance, Magnolia’s sources ingredients from its own farm in Conway, emphasizing the importance of freshness and local produce in its offerings.

The Myrtle Beach area boasts a saturation of seafood buffets, but the enduring appeal of Southern buffets lies in their authentic representation of cultural comfort food. The communal spirit, brought together by shared dining experiences, continues to play a pivotal role in the popularity of these establishments. If executed well, buffets have the potential to draw large crowds, uniting locals and tourists alike in a shared appreciation for Southern culinary traditions.

In conclusion, Southern buffets in Myrtle Beach successfully blend nostalgia with culinary traditions, ensuring that customers return for comforting meals made from cherished family recipes. Their appeal continues to resonate with a broad audience, promising that these beloved dining establishments will remain integral to the local food scene for years to come.

Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic

HERE Resources

Discover the Best Seafood Buffets in Myrtle Beach for a Coastal Culinary Adventure
Barbecue Bliss in Myrtle Beach: The Top Five Joints You Can’t Miss!

Additional Resources

STAFF HERE MYRTLE BEACH
Author: STAFF HERE MYRTLE BEACH

The HERE Myrtle Beach Staff Writers are a collaborative team of journalists, editors, and local contributors passionate about delivering accurate, timely information to the Myrtle Beach community. As part of the HEREcity.com Network, which powers over 100 U.S. city sites including HEREcolumbia.com, our staff draws on collective experience in South Carolina journalism to cover everything from business sales and real estate developments to dining deals and community initiatives. Our Expertise and Background Local Roots in Myrtle Beach Our team includes lifelong Myrtle Beach residents and SC natives with deep knowledge of the area’s history, economy, and culture. We’ve covered key events like the recent developments along the Grand Strand, Myrtle Beach’s tourism and hospitality industry, and growth in local education sectors (e.g., Coastal Carolina University programs). Collective Experience With over 50 combined years in journalism, our staff has backgrounds in print, digital media, and community reporting. We prioritize fact-based stories, drawing from sources like the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, city government records, and on-the-ground interviews. Commitment to Quality Every article is a group effort, involving research, editing, and verification to ensure reliability. We adhere to journalistic standards, citing credible sources and updating content as new details emerge.

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