What’s your favorite Lake Murray restaurant? Vote today in The State’s poll
Lake Murray is often referred to as the “Jewel of South Carolina.”
And this is the time of year when the jewel really starts to shine. As spring gives way to summer, many across the area will head out to the 50,000-acre lake for swimming, boating and gathering with friends. This is also a time when folks will look to enjoy some of the restaurants along or very near the shore of the lake.
Now, The State wants readers to vote for their favorite Lake Murray restaurant. The newspaper’s staff has picked 16 different eateries for the 2026 Lake Murray Restaurant Poll.
As ever, let’s set some ground rules. For this unscientific poll we kept it to mostly locally-owned places or reasonably small chains. And we kept the poll to brick and mortar restaurants. (Sorry, food truck fans.)
To be absolutely, positively certain, this is not an exhaustive, comprehensive list of every single restaurant in the broader Lake Murray area. It is simply a sampling of some of the many that are either on or very, very near the lake.
You have until 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, May 27 to vote in the poll below. The restaurants are presented in alphabetical order.
So, vote early and often, and don’t forget to keep your eyes on the water.
This story was originally published May 21, 2026 at 11:33 AM.
