Tucked along Mr. Joe White Ave in Myrtle Beach, Simply Southern Smokehouse has earned a reputation that stretches far beyond the Grand Strand. With over 6,200 reviews and a stellar 4.6-star rating, this buffet restaurant has become a destination for anyone craving honest, home-cooked Southern food.
From crispy fried chicken to slow-smoked ribs, every plate tells a story of tradition, flavor, and Southern hospitality. Whether you are a local or just passing through, this place is the kind of meal you will be talking about long after you leave.
An All-You-Can-Eat Buffet That Actually Delivers
Some buffets promise the world and serve you disappointment on a foam plate. Simply Southern Smokehouse is not that place.
At just $15 per person for lunch, including a drink, guests walk away feeling like they got the best deal in Myrtle Beach.
The buffet features a rotating lineup of Southern staples, from fried fish to baked chicken, collard greens to sweet potato casserole. Food is kept fresh, hot, and replenished regularly by a staff that clearly takes pride in what they serve.
One reviewer drove from Pennsylvania just to eat here, and honestly, that says everything. The value alone would be enough to bring people back, but paired with the food quality, Simply Southern Smokehouse turns first-time visitors into loyal fans who plan their beach trips around a meal here.
Fried Chicken That Stops People Mid-Bite
There is a moment at Simply Southern Smokehouse when you bite into the fried chicken and everything else in the room fades away. Multiple reviewers called it some of the best fried chicken they had eaten in years, and that is not a compliment people throw around lightly.
The crust is golden and satisfying, the inside juicy and well-seasoned. It tastes like someone who genuinely loves cooking made it from scratch, not like something pulled from a frozen bag and dropped in a fryer.
Even guests who were not fully impressed with every dish at the buffet singled out the fried chicken as a standout. When a dish can win over skeptics and food critics alike, you know something special is happening in that kitchen.
Order a plate, then go back for seconds.
Ribs Worth Planning Your Afternoon Around
Here is a pro tip straight from the regulars: show up around 4 PM if you want the ribs. That is when Simply Southern Smokehouse adds them to the buffet, and they go fast for good reason.
Guests describe them as tender, flavorful, and among the best they have had in a long while.
Slow-smoked BBQ ribs at a buffet price point sound too good to be true, but the kitchen pulls it off with consistency. The meat slides off the bone, and the seasoning hits that sweet spot between smoky and savory that keeps you reaching for more.
Timing your visit for the rib drop is practically a local strategy at this point. Pair them with mashed potatoes and a cold sweet tea, and you have got yourself a late afternoon meal that feels like a full-on celebration.
Mac and Cheese That Rivals Grandma’s Recipe
Macaroni and cheese is one of those dishes that can make or break a Southern buffet. At Simply Southern Smokehouse, it absolutely makes it.
One reviewer said it was the best mac and cheese she had ever tasted at a buffet, and another compared it directly to what her mom makes at home.
That kind of comparison is the highest compliment in Southern cooking. The dish is rich, creamy, and baked to that perfect consistency where each spoonful feels like comfort in edible form.
No watery sauce, no bland pasta, just the real deal.
Kids love it, adults go back for thirds, and even picky eaters tend to clean their plates. When a buffet mac and cheese earns that kind of loyalty, you know the kitchen is doing something right.
It is the kind of side dish that quietly steals the whole show.
Soul Food Sides That Feel Like a Warm Hug
Walk down the buffet line at Simply Southern Smokehouse and you will feel like you just stepped into your grandmother’s kitchen on a Sunday afternoon. The sides here are the kind that take time, patience, and real seasoning to get right.
Collard greens, lima beans, southern-style green beans, sweet potato casserole, baked beans, okra and tomatoes over rice – the list goes on. Each dish has that slow-cooked depth of flavor that shortcuts simply cannot replicate.
Guests consistently rave about how authentic everything tastes.
One visitor described the sides as all the good “grandma made it like this” dishes, and that really captures the spirit of the buffet perfectly. Whether you load up your plate or sample a little of everything, the soul food sides at Simply Southern Smokehouse are reason enough to make the trip to Myrtle Beach.
Hush Puppies Unlike Anything You Have Tried Before
Hush puppies might seem like a small detail, but at Simply Southern Smokehouse, they are a whole experience. Guests describe them as slightly sweet, perfectly moist, and nothing like the dry, forgettable versions served at most places.
One reviewer said they were unlike anything she had ever tasted before.
That little hint of sweetness sets them apart from the standard recipe. They are soft on the inside with just the right amount of golden crunch on the outside, and they pair beautifully with everything else on the buffet line.
It is easy to overlook hush puppies when there are ribs and fried chicken calling your name, but regulars know better. Grab a few before they disappear, because these little bites have a way of quietly becoming the thing you think about on the drive home.
Truly a hidden gem of the buffet.
Desserts That Make You Forget You Are Full
Somehow, after a full plate of ribs, fried chicken, mac and cheese, and all those sides, Simply Southern Smokehouse still manages to pull you toward the dessert station. Hot fruit cobblers topped with ice cream are the main event, and they do not disappoint.
Reviewers mention the apple cobbler and peach cobbler with genuine enthusiasm. One guest said the ice cream melting over the hot cobbler was the sweet, unexpected finale that made the whole meal feel complete.
Another simply said, “hot cobbler and ice cream, yes please!”
Sweet potato casserole, described as sweet and slightly spiced, also doubles as a dessert-adjacent side that guests cannot stop talking about. When a buffet’s dessert section earns its own fan base, you know the kitchen is paying attention to every single course.
Save room, because skipping dessert here would be a serious mistake.
Sweet Tea So Good It Deserves Its Own Mention
In the South, sweet tea is not just a drink – it is a standard. And Simply Southern Smokehouse takes that standard seriously.
Reviewer after reviewer brings up the sweet tea unprompted, calling it delicious, perfectly sweet, and a natural match for every dish on the buffet.
One guest put it simply: “Don’t skip the sweet tea.” Another said it was amazing. These are not people who usually write paragraphs about beverages, which tells you everything you need to know about how good this tea actually is.
The best part? The drink is included in the buffet price, so you can refill as many times as you want without watching the bill climb.
On a warm Myrtle Beach afternoon, sitting down to a plate of fried chicken with an ice-cold glass of sweet tea feels less like lunch and more like a Southern tradition worth honoring.
The Singing Staff That Turns Lunch Into a Memory
Not many restaurants can say their staff doubles as entertainment, but Simply Southern Smokehouse is not most restaurants. Multiple reviews mention staff members who break into song during service, and the reaction from guests is consistently one of pure joy and surprise.
Ms. Teresa, a waitress whose voice has been described as heavenly, soulful, and amazing, has moved guests to tears with her spontaneous singing. One reviewer wrote that Teresa sang from her heart and soul, and it became the most meaningful moment of her entire visit.
Another guest said the experience made her feel like she did not need to go to church.
Stacey, another singing staff member, has also earned his share of fans. This kind of warmth and genuine human connection is rare in any restaurant setting.
At Simply Southern Smokehouse, it is just part of the experience, and it makes every visit feel personal.
A Family-Friendly Atmosphere That Welcomes Everyone
Walking into Simply Southern Smokehouse feels like arriving somewhere you are already welcome. The woodwork inside is beautiful, the space is large and comfortable, and the noise level is the good kind – the sound of families enjoying a meal together without stress or pretense.
Parents do not have to worry about their kids being too loud or too messy. The restaurant has a relaxed, come-as-you-are energy that makes it easy to unwind and focus on the food.
Baseball teams, school groups, and large families have all found a comfortable home here.
One reviewer specifically appreciated that it was a place where you could take your family without worrying about the noise kids make. That kind of welcoming atmosphere is harder to find than most people realize.
Simply Southern Smokehouse has built something genuinely special – a place where every table feels like it belongs there.
Catering That Goes Above and Beyond
Simply Southern Smokehouse is not just a sit-down destination – it is a catering powerhouse. One reviewer from the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics shared how she and a coworker tried the restaurant first before booking a catered event for 120 students.
The food was so impressive that the booking was a no-brainer.
The kitchen even accommodated a special order for the group, and every item on the catered buffet earned high marks. From the BBQ and fried chicken strips to the mashed potatoes and mac and cheese, the quality held up at scale, which is not easy to pull off.
That reviewer also praised the cornbread as the best she had ever tasted, describing a honey-sweet aroma that hit before the first bite. For anyone planning a school event, office lunch, or group gathering in the Myrtle Beach area, Simply Southern Smokehouse is a catering option that delivers real results.
Unbeatable Prices for the Quality You Get
Myrtle Beach is full of restaurants that charge vacation prices for average food. Simply Southern Smokehouse flips that script entirely.
At around $15 for lunch, including unlimited food and a drink, the value here is genuinely hard to beat anywhere on the Grand Strand.
Dinner pricing hovers around $18 per person, still an incredible deal when you factor in the variety, quality, and quantity of food available. Guests frequently mention being shocked by how much they got for what they paid, especially compared to other restaurants in the area.
One couple noted it was their second most affordable dinner during an entire South Carolina vacation, and they still ranked it among their best meals. That combination of low cost and high quality is what keeps people driving from across the state just for a plate of Southern comfort food.
Simply put, this place punches well above its price tag.
Why People Drive From Across South Carolina to Eat Here
Word of mouth is the most powerful marketing tool in the restaurant world, and Simply Southern Smokehouse has turned its customers into ambassadors. People from Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, and cities across South Carolina have made this buffet a deliberate stop on their travel plans, not just a random find.
Reviewers talk about recommending it to family members, bringing coworkers, and returning trip after trip because nothing else quite compares. One guest said she comes from Pennsylvania sometimes just to eat here, laughing at how true that actually is for her.
The combination of genuine Southern cooking, warm staff, fair prices, and that one-of-a-kind atmosphere creates something that sticks with people long after the meal ends. When a restaurant earns that kind of loyalty, it stops being just a place to eat and becomes a tradition.
Simply Southern Smokehouse is exactly that kind of place.