This review is for the location on the beach, not sure why Harold's on the Ocean is showing up a LONG way from the ocean. First and foremost the food was fantastic. I tried the pork belly tacos and I couldn't complain about it if I tried. On the food alone this would have easily been a 5/5, even with decent service I could have given it a solid 5. But that's where HOTOS let us down. Our server had two larger tables, ours and one other yet we never saw her. She brought half our table our drinks and we didn't see her again for 20 minutes. We saw her standing at the prep station talking to another server. We didn't order cocktails or bar drinks, just water and lemonade. The food came out and she asked if we needed anything. My mom asked for a side of mayonnaise that never came because whatever the gossip at the prep station was apparently a lot more important. Our drinks stayed dry the entire time and we never even got one of the lemonades we ordered. Then the mandatory 20% gratuity wasn't mentioned to us, I would have given her 10% just because I don't stuff people but her getting 20% off a table she visited 3 times in an hour and a half is ludicrous. I must say I will never return to this establishment and I can't recommend it to anyone. The food is great but dealing with the unhappy staff and management that walks around, asks you how your food is and still doesn't get the mayonnaise when you ask them, makes this place so much less than it could be. read more

Our family didn't eat half of the food that was ordered. More of the food should have been sent back. The salmon looked like it was old, the fish and chips were a sad excuse, the chicken tenders were frozen and the wings were definitely reheated from the day before. Don't waste your time or money here. The Manager didn't even visit the table after food was sent back!! What a joke!The location could be hopping and should be busy all the time. This place needs rescuing by John Tafer or Gordon Ramsey in a hurry. read more

The absolute worse service I've ever experienced and I am a server. Almost an hour for 3 apps, drinks took 20 min to come out. Empty plates left on our table for a long tim. Saw a table leave bc they were tired of waiting. Made a reservation as well so they knew we were coming. Don't come here!!! read more

Our chicken tinders were warm and the fries were pretty much cold. Drinks were over priced and service was fair. Not sure why I went back today to get a drink and the bartender was so incredibly slow I finally just left, there were 5 people at the bar, not crowded. I will not be going back. read more

I never thought getting a cup of coffee would be so difficult. I walked up to the large bar.(not the smaller, lower one) and asked for a cup of coffee to go The young lady said something to another worker and she went and bought me a coffee. I asked if they had any sweetener like Splenda. The reply was to just give me five packs for sugar, and stated if I want cream, I'd have to go to the bar without acknowledging the sweetener request. The girl walked away, and I had to call her back to ask for a stir stick. When the girl presented me with the bill of $3.50, I gave her a $10 bill. She then walked around and mumbled something about needing change. She pulled out a black bag, which could've been her purse, and gave me six dollars back, instead of $6.50. She never mentioned anything about not having the correct change. I took a sip of the coffee and it was awful, very burnt. I told her this coffee was burned and I asked how long it had been in the carafe. My reply was a shrug "I don't know." I had to be somewhere in a few minutes, otherwise I would've asked for my money back or the manager. It's disappointing someone can't even get a cup of coffee. If she had told me "sorry, we don't have coffee," or "I have to go to the bar ," or even "can I make some fresh coffee for you?" It would've done a lot to help the situation. I never heard a hello, good morning, or thank you. It was nearly a silent transaction on the employees part. I felt like I was not welcomed at all; I was interrupting her day. read more

The seafood is always super fresh and the fried cheese curds and hush puppies are the best I've had in the south! We tried some other fried food such as the wings and fried snapper bites and they were great too! It actually located on the oceanfront of the Spanish galleon resort! read more

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This place was a last minute choice for dinner and I was pretty disappointed. First off, all of the servers were clearly confused because we constantly saw food taken to the wrong tables and even our food was delivered to another table first. I can let it slide once or twice, but everyone? My food was also quite cold and not good. I got a flatbread which didn't even come with everything on it that the menu listed. My friend got a burger which she claimed was fine and my sister ordered a fish sandwich which she said wasn't great either. I don't normally complain about service or give a bad review on that alone, but combined with the food, our whole experience was not good. I hope this place can be better in the future since it is in a prime location with a nice view. read more

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HOTO's food is great. We eat there every time we are at the beach. Everything I have ever had was very good. Our waitress was a doll too. Why 3 stars? They are always rather slow, but the food makes up for it. This time, it seems our meal was given to someone else. This bad rating is strictly for the management. First, the manager didn't tell us, the poor waitress had to. We are very easygoing, undemanding customers, we told her not to worry, it was not her fault. She had told management, and was going to see if a discount was being offered for the extremely long wait. Ends up- no. No free drink, nothing. Not the way to run a business if you want people to come back. I will have to ask around to see if this has happened a lot lately to decide if we will be back. read more

Love trying local places. Harolds on the Ocean or HOTO'S per the locals, is one of those wonderful hidden gems. The radio station is next door 94.9 which is kinda cool but they also has live music outside and they were great. Lots of things to walk to and explore after a great meal. The grouper sandwich blackened was absolutely wonderful. A generous portion of gouper on a toasted bun with lettuce tomato and onion was light but filling. Perectly cooked fish that was very flavorful. Even the fries were thin and crispy and delicious. My husband proclaimed the char grilled burger a delight and he was stuffed. The beer was cold it wasn't horribly crowded and they had plenty of outdoor seating so you could people watch and enjoy the music. I'm sorry, i didnt catch our servers name but she was delightful and very efficient. If you want a taste of the local flavor and feel of Cherry Grove stop in at HOTOs. Its a local gem. read more

Harold's On the Ocean - Blackened grouper sandwich - Bars Near Me - North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

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Great place! Loved the atmosphere, service, and prices. If you are debating between HOTO or any other restaurant on Main Street, definitely pick HOTO. read more

One of the worst dining experiences I've had. A group of 4 of us went and not one of us got the correct food. To start, we ordered an angry orchard mango drink from the drink menu and was brought an original. No big deal, we let the server know.. she took the drink then came back with the same one and said there was a typo on the menu and they didn't have mango... didn't offer another drink and we still got charged for that one, which didn't get drank.. They served us a philly cheese steak wrap with American cheese.. the menu clearly states mozzarella. It was disgusting.. I asked for fries instead of hush puppies and didn't receive them. When I brought it to the server's attention she went to check the ticket and talk to the kitchen and they told her I needed to be up charged for them... this wasn't an issue as she had already told me there might be an up charge for a substitute. The kitchen clearly didn't want to take responsibility for their mistake. I told her to forget about them, I was fine with what I had. The absolute worst part of the experience was the steak! My 2 friends ordered FILGET MIGNON and this steak is what was brought out. Our server didn't bring them out and when we asked what they were the reply was "steak".. obviously right! One of the sides wasn't brought out so we had to ask for it, it was given to us as if we inconvenienced them for not getting our food.. they didn't say a word, set it on the table, and walked away. Once our server came back we told her that they had ordered filget mignon and these steaks were clearly not! She went to check with the kitchen... came back and said, yes it is... WHAT?! Absolutely furious. I was ready to confront the manager and/or cook but our one friend doesn't like the attention and it was $1 difference on the steaks they received so I let it go. It was hands down an awful dining experience. The only thing they did was take off the philly cheese steak.. and you best believe our friends receipt did in fact have charges for filget mignon. WHAT A JOKE!!! read more

Harold's On the Ocean - The "filget mignon" we received and was charged for. - Bars Near Me - North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

HOTOs has such amazing food with a very diverse menu. The outdoor scene right on the beach makes dining very pleasant, and the servers are very kind and ensure you get all of your needs. I had the pleasure of being served by Robbie, who held great conversations and made sure my group was well taken care of. Will definitely be coming back read more

The atmosphere was fun! We were going to sit outside to enjoy the beach views but a storm was coming so we stayed inside. The service was great! Our waitress was on it! The food was also fantastic. We got fried shrimp, grilled shrimp po boy, fried fish po boy (HUGE serving of fish), and seafood platter. All the portions were big enough to share and delicious! read more

Waited 3 and a half hours for my food and had to cancel the order. Will never even consider returning. Worst restaurant I have ever been to in my life. First place I have ever left because of so bad of service. read more

Horrible service at the bar. Hate I didn't get his name but he was white, thin, with facial hair. Extremely rude and unprofessional. EVERY TIME we visited the bar June 18 & 19 2021. Really needs to find another line of work!! read more

We were there in September. So excited to find the best food right on the corner. Our group gathered there twice. Had a mix of foods from menu.... All excellent!!! Servers were friendly and efficient. Prices were more than reasonable, especially for serving size!! Going back this weekend!! read more

If it was possible to give zero stars, I would. This is the worst customer service I have ever received in my entire life. I have traveled to over 15 countries and never been treated so poorly in my entire life. We waited for over 2 and a half hours and saw our waitress twice. She made sure to deliver our check after 45 minutes. However, after 2.5 hours, we still had not received our food. When I finally went and tracked her down, she dismissed me in the most rude way possible, after I addressed her in the most respectful way possible. We never received our food. We were never consulted by a manager or any staff other than our waitress. Please, if you are on vacation and looking for an enjoyable place to eat, do not go here. read more

My family and I just had lunch at Hoto's today and the waitress threw away my moms beer by accident. We said it was an accident so no worries. They didn't offer to replace it so I went to the bar to ask for one and mentioned that we will pay for it since she had already drank half before it was thrown away. The bartender then YELLED in the middle of the bar that we were going to have to pay for it. I told our server that we again intended to pay for it but that the bartender was so rude that we were just going to leave. The bartender then followed us outside to call me a bitch for calling her rude. We live right down the road from this place and will make sure everyone knows how awful this place is run. read more

Located in the Ocean Drive Resort ( previous reviews are older and appear to be of same business - different location and owner now?) Service is SLOW ( no matter what time of day or night) It's too bad because the location and atmosphere could make it an amazing place to hang out! It's ocean front and has great outdoor seating. We are here on a Friday night. We should have known something wasn't right as we were the only table of patrons inside ( there were one or two tables of people outside ) Food is mediocre and pricey for what you get. The hush puppies were disgusting, flavorless balls of crap. The fried shrimp and flounder are made with a cornmeal batter and were ok but nothing special. There were several workers but only 2 who appeared to actually be working ( our waitress and one other one) The two men behind the counter didn't appear to do much but maybe get in the way. Our food took forever to come :( Again not sure why as it was NOT busy!! Our waitress, Kim, was super friendly and sweet. We were staying at the hotel for the week - so we marked it off our list for food on night one! We did come back for occasional drinks throughout the days - simply because it was convenient and close to the pool! It would be great if it was an actual tiki bar and it didn't require you going to in order drinks. Again don't be in a hurry for drinks either- service is slow!! The other bummer is it closes at 9pm ( sometimes earlier) So once you are done with the beach or pool- you can't hang out here! It has 0 nightlife even though it could be so much more! Maybe it did once upon a time? read more

HOTO's is a dive, but in the best possible way. My family loves it and we spend a few of our vacation afternoons here every year. Super cheap beer, very good wings, cornhole, a kickass beach bar -- what more could you want? This year there were a few feral cats hanging around on the deck which just, you know, added to the appeal. I'd tell you it might not be for you if you're a more upscale sort of person but you're not going to make me do that, are you? Please don't. Relax and have some fun. We just love HOTO's, in an unhealthy sort of way. It cannot be overstated. read more

They moved down on main street and the place is HORRIBLE!!!!!!! The burgers are the lowest grade frozen patties for 9-10 bucks the lettuce was super dark green (the parts you throw out ) Burger king seriously has better quality burgers. What a pile of shit. They talked us in to fried shrimp basket because they where out of shrimp poppers. Then when bill comes i come to find the basket of shit was $19.99 double the price.of what we wanted. Just a louzy spot with shot for food. $101.83 down the drain. Would have rather thrown a hundred dollar bill out the window. Not even worth a single star but you have to pick one to post.#DOGSHIT read more

I had never heard of this bar before and found it on yelp. We walked in and ordered a liquor drink and a glass of wine and the total was $8.50. Already amazing. haha The place is very divey but the bartender was super nice. We did see two girls get in a fist fight later in the night and another fight almost broke out between two guys so that was interesting. The moz stix were good too! Also, we heard some people talking about how the owner had passed away and they were closing the place for good at the end of the summer. Not sure if that is legit or not. Def worth checking out. read more

Great location on Main Street and the ocean front. I had a crab cake sandwich with sweet potato fries. The Crab cake had lots of filling, tasted frozen and was overwhelmed by the bun. The sweet potatoes were tasteless. Waitress spent time socializing instead of taking care of her tables. My mixed drink was good but overpriced at $10. read more

Quick with the drinks. Long time for food. The bugs in the place are big and I don't suggest sharing a meal with the bug patrons! I hate bugs and there are plenty of them read more

My husband and I stopped there the evening of North Myrtle Beaches final concert of the season. The waitress on duty was busy with customers on the patio. The bartender named "Big Mike" said he would wait on us. He was very nice and suggested the deluxe platter. Since it looked like a lot of food, we asked if we could split the meal.He had the kitchen make 2 separate servings and pointed out what each item was. Food was great! Big Mike even gave me a to go iced tea to enjoy at the concert. We will definitely be back next year. Thanks "Big Mike" for being so friendly and helping to make our evening great! read more

I came here with my husband and our friend late on a Saturday night after it was recommeded to us by a bartender at Duffy's (where we had a late dinner). There is not much else in the area open late, so it was pretty much our only option. The place is definitely a dive bar and was filled with mostly locals, so don't come here if you're expecting anything otherwise. For the three of us, it was fine. We enjoyed a few rounds of strong, reasonably priced drinks while we played pool and ended up having a good time. read more

can get crowded during day but at night is a good alternative, considering not many options on north myrtle beach. opens late, good selection of drinks and is close to the beach read more

Dive is a good description. I had fried grouper which was about as good as Grotons from the grocery store frozen section. Many of the early evening patrons were obviously plastered and wearing beer goggles. I won't be back. read more

I really had high hopes for this place and have mixed emotions. We waited for over an Hour for our food and the place was not even that busy. One server was bartending and waitressing. I felt bad for her bc it wasn't her fault they were understaffed but we were on a serious time crunch and just wanted some quick grub! The chicken tenders were horrible and cold but my shrimp poboy sandwich was rockin! Cheap beer, even craft. Cool live band on the patio, maybe that's where we will go if we ever come back!? read more

This is a great place for some good grub. The indoor section smells, So we chose to eat outside. It's right on the beach. A lot of local people come here. Food was great, I had the BBQ wings. They were very good, nice and crispy. They are understaffed. Only one person running the bar and seating outside so be patient for check and stuff. read more

A definite dumpy dive bar, place is in need of some serious cleaning and repairs. Way too many table outside, ppl where stepping all over each other. The entire place smelled like nasty beer and moldy carpet. They had frozen drink specials and only 1 blender that was broke. read more

Fun place on the beach. Service slow, though.

The place is a total dive, but if you're not concerned with appearance it's worth the price. Good burgers, friendly staff make it more than tolerable. Cool location too. read more

Go for the live music on Sundays, cold beers and the short access to the beach. Eat the food only if you are into bar food. Beers are expensive, but hey it's the beach. read more

If you like a bar on the beach that's considered a good dive then this is the place for you. No frills, just live music, good service and cheap beer. Relax and enjoy yourself. read more

Small beach bar which was perfect for lunch and drinks with a great view. It was right on the beach, you can physically walk off of the deck onto the sand. You can wear your swim suit and/or bathing suit covers here during the day... Nice to have a place to get a drink as you walk off of the beach soaking wet. We went two days in a row because we loved it so much. Nothing special of fancy just a very chill/laid back place to have a nice beach lunch or dinner, or even just hang out and have some drinks. Very cheap. We got quesadillas and chicken strips both very good and about 6 beers each for around $48. We plan to go back every time we visit north myrtle. We loved it.. Live music/bands & friendly/attentive staff. They were bringing another drink before you had to ask. Definitely recommend! read more

An OK place but nothing to write home about. Bottled beer wasn't as cold as I like but we did enjoy the steamed shrimp and crab legs combo on the back deck. Nothing fancy - just your average beach bar with decent food. read more

Will never go back. My husband and I went in for some drinks after waiting 10 minutes for the bartender, he was so rude to us that I told my husband we should just leave.. I for one don't accept giving my money to someone who is so disrespectful. What a disappointment considering it was the only bar within walking distance. read more