Hot Fish Club in Murrells Inlet

Anyone who grew up vacationing on the beaches of South Carolina knows about the Hot Fish Club.

It's on "restaurant row" in Murrells Inlet, and is consistently a good time, with live music that gets you into vacation mode, plenty of outdoor space on the harbor, and bartenders like Ryan Gregory.

Funny, even though I wasn't exactly in Charleston, our favorite beer and local music seem to show up everywhere.

Q: How long have you worked at the Hot Fish Club?

A: Two months. I'm the new bartender!

Q: What's the best thing about working here?

A: The fact that there's a nice mixture of locals and tourists who come here.

Q: Are you a native of the Grand Strand area?

A: I'm not. I just relocated from the mountains in North Carolina, Boone and Blowing Rock. I wanted to see what the beach is about!

Q: Do you ever get down to Charleston?

A: It's been years. I want to get down there soon, whenever I have time!

Q: What's your specialty cocktail?

A: Probably my black raspberry torte martini. It's Stoli Raz, butter shots and simple syrup, with a sugared rim and a graham cracker. I get compliments on those.

Q: What's the most popular beer in this place?

A: That would be PBR: one dollar all day, every day.

Q: What's the best thing on the menu?

A: That's tough, but I guess I would go with the Steam Pot. I suggest it to everyone. You get your seafood fix, and it's casual enough that you can enjoy family and friends.

Q: Who is the best musical act you've seen here?

A: Actually, it's a band we've had the last couple of nights, Villanova. They're very upbeat and entertaining.

Q: What's the best thing about the nightlife around here?

A: Honestly, for me, it's the fact that I get to see lots of different people all the time.

Q: What summer cocktail do you celebrate with when you aren't working?

A: I like mint juleps.