Pinky’s on the Beach is a restaurant I first heard about during our last trip to Folly Beach over spring break. I originally assumed it was just a beachside bar, but it turns out to be a full-fledged restaurant as well. So when we found ourselves spending time at the beach in Charleston again around Labor Day weekend, my wife had already planned for us to hit up Pinky’s once we got hungry after a long day. It wasn’t the smoothest beach day overall for us, but Pinky’s ended up being a genuine highlight compared to everything else.

I honestly expected the place to be packed, but we ended up timing it well. They have two booths shaped like pink Cadillacs, which looked absolutely adorable in photos online, and I was hoping at least one would be free. Turns out both were available. The kids got seated and had a great little photo opportunity out of it. I’ll admit the booths themselves aren’t the most comfortable, but the charm more than makes up for it. Given the choice, I’d pick that seating every single time I visit.

My second concern going in was the food quality. Folly Beach is obviously a major tourist hotspot, and while plenty of locals live there, the overwhelming majority of foot traffic through Folly Beach and James Island is tourists, especially during a holiday weekend like Labor Day. My wife ordered a burger, while Alex and I split a pizza, and everyone walked away highly satisfied. I’d honestly gone in with some doubts about the pizza, but it turned out to be genuinely delicious. Part of me almost hoped Alex wouldn’t love it too much, but he ended up enjoying his slices just as much as I did.

That said, this place isn’t cheap by any stretch, and we went in fully expecting that. But as long as you’re mentally prepared for the price tag, Pinky’s easily ranks among my favorite restaurants. I don’t always look forward to seeing a bill like that, but the overall experience and food quality genuinely justify the cost in my opinion. And that’s coming from someone who has ARFID and generally doesn’t enjoy restaurants the way a true foodie would.