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Gio’s Italian Kitchen ROCKS One of the BEST Myrtle Beach Happy Hours-Live Like a Local
Buonasera! I was shocked at the masterfully curated happy hour menu, perusing the options on my phone as we waited outside for the doors to open, along with twenty other guests anticipating the early evening specials.
My husband and I have frequented Gio’s for many years. Before we moved to South Carolina, we would visit the Pawley’s Island/Murrells Inlet area, and Gio’s in Pawley’s was a standard on our list. After moving to North Myrtle, we found their sister location. The Myrtle Beach location offers a spectacular happy hour that you simply must try!
It didn’t take long for the place to fill with eager diners. Within thirty minutes, the bar and nearby tables were full. Dining room tables were filling up quickly as well.
The happy hour menu is available in the bar area only, weekdays from 4:30 to 6:30 nightly.
The HH menu is incredible. Featuring small plates like Calamari Fritti, Escargot Genovese, Burrata Caprese, Meatballs Gios, Mozzarella in Carrozza, Brussels Sprouts, Crunchy Gorgonzola Salad, and a Cutting Board with brie, prosciutto, fig jam, and baguette slices. And you won’t believe the happy hour pricing. They also have three pasta dishes on the HH menu—Spaghetti Marinara, Fettuccine Alfredo, and Penne Bolognese at $8, $10, and $15, respectively.
The beverage options offered for the two-hour evening event are extensive, including four types of spritz, a bellini, a Negroni, prosecco, and seven swoon-worthy martinis. There’s also HH pricing for various other cocktails, wines by the glass, and draft/bottled beers.
We lingered through a couple of small plates and cocktails on the HH special menu and stayed for an entree from the dinner menu. The food is authentic, delectable, and presented beautifully.
I enjoyed the Veal Piccata al Limone e Capperi, and my husband had the Veal Marsala al Funghi. The stupendous main menu features tasty dishes like Cozze al Vino Bianco (PEI mussels with garlic, fresh tomatoes, Italian herbs, and a white wine lemon sauce), Ravioli con Aragosta (lobster meat filling and a vodka sauce with onions, garlic, basil, and tomatoes), and Pesca Del Mar (linguine with scallops, lobster claws, and mussels over linguine). There’s plenty more to choose from, including a fish of the day, Scallops Provencial, and Mare e Monte (Angus NY Strip with pan-seared scallops, lobster meat, and a lemon basil sauce over linguine pomodoro.)
They have a lovely main menu and a delightful wine list. Try the Antinori Santa Cristina Pinot Grigio from Sicily, the Zaccagini Montepulciano Reserve from Abruzzo, the Sartori Amarone Valpolicella from Veneto, the Villa Pozzi Nero D’Avola from Sicily, or the Castello Banfi Di Montalcino from Tuscany.
The Hoxha family has been serving up heavenly Italian fare in The Grand Strand since 2014. Brothers Chef Klodjan and Chef Renato manage the kitchen(s), and sister Eri runs the front of the house operations. The Hoxha family hails from Albania, relocating to the US in 2003. Their motto “Eat Fresh. Eat Well. Eat Local.” is a testament to the experience you’ll have when visiting one of their restaurants. You can taste fresh, local ingredients in each dish. The service is impeccable across the board, including servers, runners, bartenders, and managers humming about the venue; in fact, we noticed that the astute bartenders knew almost everyone at the bar top by name as they welcomed their loyal customers for the evening.
They also operate Gio’s Pizzeria Napoletana in Market Common and the original Gio’s Italian Kitchen in Pawley’s Island. The original Pawley’s restaurant does not offer happy hour.
If you’re arriving at the Myrtle Beach location for happy hour, go early and wait until the doors open—the bar seats fill up alarmingly fast.
Gio’s Italian Kitchen – MB
7915 N Kings Hwy
Myrtle Beach, SC 29572
Happy Hour 4:30-6:30 Weekdays, Bar Area Only
Open 4:30-9 Sunday through Thursday and 4:30-10 on Friday and Saturday
https://www.instagram.com/giositaliankitchenmb
https://www.giositaliankitchenmb.com
843-712-2238
P.S. Dear Readers,
I am excited to try the pizzeria location soon. The assortment of pizza pies sounds perfectly yummy; like the Lemon (fresh mozzarella, mascarpone, lemon, and arugula) and the Prosciutto Di Parma (olive oil, prosciutto, caramelized onion, mozzarella, and gorgonzola.) They also offer starters, salads, pasta, and subs as well. One item I noticed on the Pizzeria menu is Gnocchi Bolognese; oh my, yes please! And they do have a happy hour menu there as well. It is not as extensive as the HH in Myrtle, but it deserves a visit ASAP.
