Big Chill Island House Opens at Barefoot Landing

New, 370-seat restaurant offers waterway views and island-inspired menu

North Myrtle Beach, S.C. (May 28, 2024) – Barefoot Landing is excited to announce that Big Chill Island House is open for business. The new 370-seat restaurant is already delighting diners with its seafood-centered menu, delicious drinks and stunning views.

Big Chill’s island-inspired cuisine blends fresh seafood, new culinary trends, and classic American fare perfectly with the restaurant’s location on the Intracoastal Waterway where guests can enjoy waterfront views while dining or on the rooftop bar. Drawing inspiration from the Caribbean, as well as the laid-back local beach culture, the restaurant also offers tequila and rum tastings in addition to its diverse drink menu.

From the owners of Crooked Hammock Brewery, La Vida Hospitality Group, the Big Chill Island House continues the company’s goal of creating high-quality dining in a unique, relaxing environment that gives guests the opportunity to slow down and enjoy the moment.

“We received such an amazing reception from locals and visitors at Crooked Hammock Brewery, that the opportunity of this waterfront location at Barefoot Landing was just too good to pass up, and inspired the idea for opening up a Big Chill here,” said Josh Grapski, Managing Partner of LaVida Hospitality. “We’re very excited about what we’re bringing to the community in this new venture.”

This is the third Big Chill restaurant, with the other two located in Delaware. Work began in 2022 to bring the vision for the waterfront North Myrtle Beach location to life. The restaurant’s rooftop bars, eclectically-designed interior, waterfront indoor-outdoor flow, and cozy lounges and bars make it a picturesque dining destination for vacationers and locals alike.

Big Chill Island House is the latest in a long list of new major additions that the Burroughs & Chapin Company brought to Barefoot Landing in recent years. It’s an outstanding addition to the impressive array of eateries featured at North Myrtle Beach’s only waterway shopping, dining and entertainment destination.

In 2017, Burroughs & Chapin Company announced its vision for a dynamic new section of Barefoot Landing called Dockside Village. The vision included a beautiful, walkable restaurant district with a collection of outstanding culinary offerings, inviting common areas, waterfront dining, outdoor entertainment and an architectural style reflecting the personality and character of the Carolina coast.

That vision for Dockside Village is now a reality. The Intracoastal Waterway area of the property has gained a stage, outdoor event spaces, playground, revamped facades and walkways, 20 finger docks, and 5 new anchor tenants. Big Chill Island House is the latest anchor tenant addition, joining Lucy Buffett’s LuLu’s, Taco Mundo, Crooked Hammock Brewery, and LuLu’s Beach Arcade & Mountain of Youth Ropes Course, as well as Greg Norman Australian Grille and Flying Fish Public Market and Grill as key attractions in the Dockside Village part of Barefoot Landing.

“There have been remarkable changes at Barefoot Landing over the last several years,” said April Dendy Martin, Senior Vice President of the Burroughs & Chapin Commercial Division. “The concepts we developed have now become a reality,” April continued.

The changes at Barefoot Landing are not limited to Dockside Village. Tara Grinna, Blueberry’s Grill and Land Shark Bar & Grill joined the property’s roster and Barefoot Landing has added several popular annual events throughout the year, including the Rock ‘N Paws, SeptemberFest, OktoberFest, a holiday golf cart parade, and regular live music in the Spring, Summer & Fall, just to name a few.

“The events are exciting for the property and the community. The Lighting of the Landing is a long-time annual event at Barefoot Landing. With the addition of the lawn area and stage, it now brings over 4,000 people each year. It’s always wonderful when you can have people come together for a special reason and we’re able to be that gathering place thanks to the changes that have happened at the property,” said Kim Kelley, the Barefoot Landing Marketing Manager.

Barefoot Landing is actively committed to giving back to the community and, as one of the only pet friendly destinations in North Myrtle Beach, it regularly partners with the Humane Society of North Myrtle Beach to raise funds or provide a platform for their cause. Barefoot Landing also works with the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Toys for Tots to aid their good works in the area.