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Ate: December 5, 2005 Published: December 11, 2005 $ Every town has one of those places. You know the kind I'm talking about. It's the one that seems to something different every few months. Back when I lived down in Surfside Beach, I used to drive by that place every day. In a year and a half, it was two different Chinese buffets, a family-style restaurant, and finally a sports bar. Thank goodness for the sports bar, because I would finally see cars in the parking lot whenever I drove by. It has been Spencer'z Sports Pub for more than two years now and it has just gotten busier. Any major game, race or match is guaranteed to draw a large crowd. For the high-profile college and pro match-ups, the place is packed. With an advertised fifty-seven televisions, it is easy to see why Spencer'z is a success as a sports pub. But how is it as a restaurant? The two of us were curious and decided to check it out. Spencer'z is located at the end of Highway 544 where it connects with King's Highway (Highway 17 Business). Those of you who are of the recreational vehicle set may recognize this as being right by the large and popular Ocean Lakes Campground. Years ago, this area was the less crowded alternative, a little less hip and a little more "country." Not anymore. Like the rest of the beach area, this unincorporated area between Myrtle Beach and Surfside Beach has grown phenomenally. Spencer'z is a very unassuming, unpretentious neighborhood bar that fits in perfectly with its neighborhood. After taking our seats and looking around, the two of us were both surprised at just how big the place is. It doesn't look that big from the outside. It wasn't a peak hour yet - the place wouldn't start filling up with the Monday Night Football crowd for a couple of hours yet, but there was a small knot of people who sounded like they were having a good time. Our waitress was also smiling like she seemed to be having a good evening so far. It was obvious that we weren't regulars, but she made us feel welcome. They had my favorite on tap, so I enjoyed a Yuengling while we browsed the menu. Just like the bar itself, the menu is a lot bigger than you think it's going to be. There's a lot of the standards like burgers, wings and nachos. But it's got a whole lot more, including big crabmeat stuffed Portobello mushrooms and grilled oysters topped with herbed butter and bacon. For the most part, the prices on the menu were pretty good. Some were high, but most were very reasonable. It was a cold night, so we decided to warm up with an appetizer of shrimp and spinach dip. It arrived quickly, still warm and fresh from the oven. There was a lot more to it than either of us had expected. For a couple of light eaters, the dip and chips alone could be your whole meal. It was good, full of flavor, thick and chunky. It was still warm enough to be a bit runny without being too much of a mess. We enjoyed it and it did go a long way toward filling even two big eaters such as us. Our main courses came similarly oversized. My wife had ordered her grouper bites with onion straws, and she got plenty of both. The cook had done a good job frying both the bites and the straws, because everything was light and crisp. I tried one of her grouper bites. Grouper is a flaky white fish and the grouper used in her bites was cooked perfectly, very juicy, tender and just beginning to fall apart. Lightly seasoned, they stood well either on their own or dipped in the cocktail sauce that came with them. I had thought that I was ordering a fairly small meal, but I was mistaken. I'd selected the "Dawg Pound," which is a polish sausage dog and fries. Spencer'z offers optional toppings on their sausage dog and I decided to go with cheese and grilled onions. After being pleased with our appetizer and the appearance of my lovely bride's grouper bites, I'm afraid that my own entr￩e was a disappointment. The base of the dish, the sausage itself, was too salty for my taste. The onions were good, but the cheese on top of the whole thing was obviously some sort of mediocre, processed cheese slices. Along the same lines, the steak fries were your basic, garden-variety Ore Ida (or some similar brand) fries. I have to be honest and say that I enjoyed the spinach dip and my wife's grouper bites more than I did my sausage dog. Because of my entr￩e, I guess the best word to describe the food would be "inconsistent." Two of the three things we ordered were good, but the one did not live up to the rest. Fortunately, the service was not at all inconsistent. Our waitress was cheerful and attentive throughout the evening. She checked on us several times, making sure we had everything we needed and delivering it with a smile. Even with the inconsistency, the food at Spencer'z was better than what we have had at some of the big-name chain restaurants, and the atmosphere was a lot more homey and enjoyable. If you want a casual atmosphere in a very sports-oriented environment, then Spencer'z is the place for you. Just keep in mind that this place is, first and foremost, a bar as well as a restaurant. It's probably not the best place to stop if you're on an afternoon out with children. But if you're a group of guys out to watch a whole lot of football, or a young couple out for an inexpensive evening out, Spencer'z is a good place to have an enjoyable time. |
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