Lee's Inlet Kitchen

Lee's Inlet Kitchen We are now OPEN FULL TIME for the 2026 season! Monday-Saturday 4:30pm to 9pm

Voted Best Seafood Restaurant in South Carolina by Southern Living Magazine!
(1693)

One Family, 78 years! Located in historic
Murrells Inlet, South Carolina. ***HISTORY***

Lee's Inlet Kitchen is 77 years old! It's unheard of in this area for a restaurant to be operated by the same family in the same location for that long. In fact, Lee's is the only one of the original Murrells Inlet restaurants still being operated by the original family. Pearl and Eford Lee, originally from H

orry's Cool Springs area, moved to Murrells Inlet in the 1940's. Pearl worked at Garden City Grill as a waitress. Eford worked with the Army Corp of Engineers building the Intercoastal waterway and taking any odd jobs he could find, often searching out of state, to support his family of 5 children. The couple managed Lokey's cafe, later Wayside, then Charlie White's, before opening Lee's Inlet Kitchen in a converted country store. The small store had room for only 10 tables, and Pearl and Alzata Lee were the only 2 waitresses at opening. Their son Bill later took over in the 60's and ran the restaurant until his mother's death in 1983. His oldest daughter Kelly, and her husband Dexter Dorman then took over and have recently turned the business over after 40 years to their children, the fourth generation of Lees. The restaurant has been enlarged 6 times.

***A MESSAGE FROM THE OWNERS***

We have been lucky to "inherit" a lot of the staff that we have now. They are like family, and in fact, many are family. The nicest thing about the restaurant business is the people you work with and the customers you see year after year, many of which have been coming to Lee's from the beginning. We have people tell us all the time that they sat in a high chair here and now they bring their children in high chairs! We know how hard my grandparents worked in the beginning to build up the business that we're grateful for today. Alzata (our first waitress) told us they were open every day except Christmas, and sat here many a night with no customers. A business card was found in the attic where they lived with their children before they could afford to build a house, and the hours on the card were 6am to 11pm! We are proud to use the same recipes that they did and prepare the seafood in the traditional Murrells Inlet style that people tell us they can't find anywhere else.

- Dexter & Kelly Lee Dorman



****VISIT OUR SISTER RESTAURANTS****
The Chesapeake House and Chestnut Hill
http://thechesapeakehouse.com/
http://chestnuthilldining.com

For General Information, Please Message us.

We've got Whole Fried Flounder tonight (Monday June 22nd) as well as our Famous Homemade Banana Pudding! Plus our Summer...
06/22/2026

We've got Whole Fried Flounder tonight (Monday June 22nd) as well as our Famous Homemade Banana Pudding! Plus our Summer Cocktail list is now in action, featuring our delicious Painkiller and our new Summer Mocktails! Come on down!

Happy Sunday and Happy Father’s Day from LIK, MI!
06/21/2026

Happy Sunday and Happy Father’s Day from LIK, MI!

Happy Saturday! We've got Whole Fried Flounder tonight as well as our Famous Homemade Banana Pudding! Plus our Summer Co...
06/20/2026

Happy Saturday! We've got Whole Fried Flounder tonight as well as our Famous Homemade Banana Pudding! Plus our Summer Cocktail list is now in action, featuring our delicious Painkiller and our new Summer Mocktails! Come on down!

Reminder to mark your calendars, folks! We will be OPEN Sunday June, 28th and CLOSED Saturday, July 4th! This is the ONL...
06/18/2026

Reminder to mark your calendars, folks! We will be OPEN Sunday June, 28th and CLOSED Saturday, July 4th! This is the ONLY Sunday of the year we are open and it's always a great Sunday Funday with family and friends! See you soon!

06/17/2026

Whew doggies, (or should we say puppies) do we have a dessert for you folks!! Bourbon Bacon Hushpuppy Cobbler, made with our famous pups. Sweet with a little salt plus a pecan crunch, folks were RAVING about it last night! Get it with some vanilla ice cream and prepare to be wowed!

Happy Sunday from LIK, MI!
06/14/2026

Happy Sunday from LIK, MI!

Sometimes you just need something fried, dang it! And our lightly breaded, golden fried to perfection Fantail and Scallo...
06/11/2026

Sometimes you just need something fried, dang it! And our lightly breaded, golden fried to perfection Fantail and Scallops can’t be beat! Throw in some Hushpuppies, some homemade Tartar or Cocktail Sauce and welp, that’s heaven on a plate!

Help us win for Best of the Beach! We're up for Best Seafood and we'd love your support! Follow the link below to vote!
06/09/2026

Help us win for Best of the Beach! We're up for Best Seafood and we'd love your support! Follow the link below to vote!

Vote once per day from June 1 through June 19.

Address

4460 US-17 Business
Murrells Inlet, SC
29576

Opening Hours

Monday 4:30pm - 9pm
Tuesday 4:30pm - 9pm
Wednesday 4:30pm - 9pm
Thursday 4:30pm - 9pm
Friday 4:30pm - 9pm
Saturday 4:30pm - 9pm

Telephone

+18436512881

Website

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