MURRELLS INLET, S.C. (WBTW) – Fresh local seafood, homemade onion rings and recipes handed down from generation to generation – that’s what you get when you step into Lee’s Inlet Kitchen.
It all started with Efford and Pearl Lee in 1948. 76 years later, the tradition remains the same.
“It was passed down by my great-great-grandparents, then my maternal grandfather – Billy Lee – and now my parents, Kelly and Dexter Dorman,” general manager Ashton DuBose said.
When you walk in, the first thing you see is the original “authentic” neon sign that was in the parking lot back in 1948.
Kathy Leone, the restaurant's office manager, is the daughter of the restaurant's first waitress in 1948. She said she is continuing her mother's tradition.
“People love the stories, they love the history, they love the family,” Leone said. “They're happy that not only do they have family members that they're related to working here, but they have family members within their families.”
Lee's Inlet Kitchen has always had the same goal in mind: serving food that is homemade, fresh, and made with local ingredients.
“It's hard to find a restaurant that actually goes out and gets their shrimp locally and flounders all their fish right off the boat and it's not frozen,” DuBose said. “That's one of the things we pride ourselves on.”
If you've ever driven by Lee's Inlet Kitchen, you may have noticed the bright blue truck in front of the store, and that truck has a special story to tell about how they started out using fresh, local seafood.
“The truck is called the 'Seafood Hauler' because my great-grandfather Efford used to go to Georgetown to load shrimp into the back of his truck,” DuBose said.
One of the most popular dishes at Lee's is the seafood platter, featuring flounder, fantail shrimp shucked in-house, scallops, deviled crab and oysters.
“Our fried seafood plate is what sets us apart,” DuBose says. “We use a light batter, so you can really taste the freshness of the seafood.”
The platter is prepared the same way it was originally, but the price has changed over the years: In 1948, the seafood platter was just $1.50.
When it comes to side dishes, there are some that really stand out.
“What I recommend is [is] “We pride ourselves on our homemade, hand-cut onion rings,” DuBose said. “We make them in-house every day. It's a labor of love. It's hard work, but we wouldn't have it any other way.”
Lee's shrimp salad recipe has been a secret secret in the restaurant since it first opened.
“This is actually my great-grandmother's recipe, A La Parle,” DuBose says, “It's a lot simpler. It doesn't have a lot of ingredients, but it has shrimp in it.”
Depending on the season, Lee's shucks anywhere from 50 to 300 pounds of fresh shrimp per day, and the restaurant's fresh grilled flounder is melt-in-your-mouth delicious when paired with housemade lemon butter.
As for the drinks, you guessed it, they're homemade too!
A local favorite are the homemade margaritas.
“In the summer, we'll make pico de gallo, which will be like onions, fresh cilantro and tomatoes infused with tequila,” DuBose says, “and then we'll mix that with our housemade margarita mix and we'll also do a pineapple jalapeño.”
When you come to Lee's Inlet Kitchen, not only will you feel like family and have been transported back in time, but one thing is guaranteed;
“You're getting the freshest seafood in the area, I can guarantee that,” DuBose said.
Lee's Inlet Kitchen is located off Highway 17 Business in Murrells Inlet.
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Gracie is a multimedia journalist for News 13 and is originally from Cleveland, Ohio. Gracie will graduate from the University of Alabama in May 2023 and join the team in June. Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, X, formerly Twitter, To read more of her work, click here.
