FOOD

The food side of Pirate’s Table is built around seafood first, with the long ship buffet giving the kitchen room to offer the same ingredient in several forms. Crab legs are the obvious anchor, joined by a separate Cajun-seasoned version for anyone who wants more spice than drawn butter alone. That two-track approach introduces the whole spread: familiar Grand Strand staples are present, but the menu keeps branching into preparations more specific than a standard fried-seafood line.

Oysters are one of the clearest examples. They can appear fried or steamed, while Oysters Rockefeller add a richer baked option. Steamed clams and black mussels in wine sauce push the shellfish section beyond the fryer, and baked scallops add another hot, non-breaded choice. It works well for groups split between classic Calabash crunch and steamed, baked or sauced seafood.

The fish selection is unusually varied for this style of buffet. Fried flounder and catfish cover the traditional end, while baked salmon and blackened mahi mahi move in a lighter direction. Two preparations deserve special attention because they are far less generic: Tilapia French Onion Style and Low Country Catfish. They are not presented as proprietary recipes, but they give Pirate’s Table more identity than an anonymous tray of “baked fish.” Seasonal fish can extend that part of the line further.

Shrimp and crab preparations fill in another layer. Fried shrimp sits beside stuffed shrimp and spicy shell-on shrimp; crab cakes, Devil Crab and Crab Imperial offer three different ways to work crab beyond the leg station. Stuffed mushrooms add another composed savory item. This is where the buffet becomes more interesting than its headline suggests: the inventory is not simply crab legs plus a supporting cast, but a sequence of seafood choices that reward sampling.

The non-seafood side is substantial enough to rescue mixed parties from compromise. Slow-roasted prime rib is the principal counterweight to the seafood and a longstanding signature draw. BBQ ribs, Italian sausage baked with vegetables, fried chicken, chicken Marsala and chicken wings follow behind it. Pirate’s Table works as a full dinner buffet rather than a crab-leg operation with token alternatives.

Southern and comfort-food sides keep the plate grounded: hushpuppies, fried okra, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn and baked potatoes are joined by stuffed shells topped with mozzarella. The salad area adds mixed greens plus macaroni, chicken and seafood salads, useful as a cold counterpoint before heavier rounds.

Dessert feels like another station rather than an afterthought. Banana pudding, Key lime pie, coconut pie, cheesecake, German chocolate cake, pecan pie, strawberry shortcake and chocolate-covered strawberries cover the vacation-buffet bases, while “Worms and Dirt” carries the kid-friendly tone through the last plate. The best strategy is not to treat crab legs as the entire story: make room for Oysters Rockefeller, Crab Imperial, French-onion tilapia, Low Country catfish, stuffed shrimp and a slice of prime rib. Those are the items that make this particular ship worth exploring.