“Slow Smoking takes time and we will never sacrifice quality.”
That is the promise Fire To Table makes on its website. Owned by Raymond Clark, this family-run Murrells Inlet restaurant puts hickory smoke at the center of the menu while giving the rest of the table plenty of reasons to stay awhile.
This is not a traditional pork-and-hash buffet or a roadside barbecue counter. It is a full-service restaurant where brisket, ribs, pulled pork, and wings share space with seafood, burgers, chicken, flatbreads, and desserts.
Fire To Table describes itself as a chef-driven kitchen, cooking low and slow with a variety of woods for what it calls a “delicate kissed-by-smoke flavor.”
The restaurant’s patio and shaded deck sit beside what Fire To Table describes as a 400-year-old oak tree. It is a setting built for settling in over a plate of barbecue rather than rushing through a quick sandwich.
The restaurant also makes plain that slow smoking means certain favorites can sell out. That is a fair trade when the kitchen is willing to let the food take the time it needs.
Brisket leads the way here. Fire To Table’s Texas Brisket plate features prime beef brisket smoked over hickory, while the Texas Twist Brisket sandwich uses brisket smoked for 16 hours and served on a toasted brioche bun.
The Signature Ribs are dry rubbed, hickory smoked spare ribs finished with Pitmaster BBQ Sauce. There is also a Carolina Pork Plate built around hickory-smoked pulled pork, plus smoked rib tips, beef brisket burnt ends, turkey burnt ends, pit-smoked turkey, house-smoked pastrami, and smoked wings.
That range matters. Fire To Table gives a barbecue-minded diner more than one dependable lane, whether the day calls for a rib plate, brisket sandwich, pulled pork, or a sampler built for sharing.
Sauce is where Fire To Table takes a clear South Carolina turn.
Pitmaster BBQ is the restaurant’s tomato-based sauce, Liquid Gold brings mustard to the table, and Carolina Vinegar offers the sharper vinegar-forward choice. Together, those three sauces give diners a useful tour through some of the state’s most familiar barbecue directions.
The pulled pork sandwich makes the point especially well. Listed as House Smoked Carolina BBQ Pulled Pork, it comes with house-made vinegar barbecue sauce, horseradish-pineapple slaw, and pickles on a buttered, toasted brioche bun.
The Barba-Q-Terie Board shown in the intro may be the smartest first order for a table still deciding what Fire To Table does best.
Described as “charcuterie board, BBQ style,” it brings together ribs, wings, a slice of smoked brisket, pulled pork, cornbread, pickled onions, pickle chips, and a side. Available in portions for one, two, or three diners, it makes a good introduction to the kitchen’s barbecue side without forcing anyone to settle on just one meat.
The sides are not an afterthought here. Spicy jalapeño beans, horseradish-pineapple slaw, Cajun garlic corn, Grandma Ethel’s potato salad, and smoked Gouda mac and cheese all fit comfortably alongside the smoked meats.
That smoked Gouda mac and cheese also shows up as a foundation for build-your-own bowls topped with brisket, pulled pork, burnt ends, turkey burnt ends, rib tips, chicken, or chopped pastrami.
Fire To Table works particularly well for groups where barbecue is not the only thing on the agenda.
Beyond the pit, the menu includes a brisket-and-short-rib burger, blackened Mississippi catfish, cedar plank salmon, fire-roasted chicken, sausage and peppers, loaded fries or tots, salads, and flatbreads.
A plate of Brown Butter Banana Puddin’ makes a proper finish, with warm caramelized bananas, banana custard, cinnamon-spiced whipped cream, and toasted vanilla cookie crumbles.
Fire To Table belongs on the South Carolina barbecue map because the smoking is real, the barbecue menu runs deep, and the sauce lineup gives diners tomato, mustard, and vinegar choices at the table.
It is not trying to be a whole-hog landmark or an old-school buffet. Instead, Fire To Table is a Murrells Inlet restaurant for diners who want brisket, ribs, and Carolina pork in a setting broad enough to satisfy the person who came hoping for catfish, a burger, or something altogether different.
Among the many Google Reviews, Local Guide Andy Goodwill's excellent experience was worth writing about:
If you are in Murrells Inlet and you want a top notch BBQ this is the place. We got a tray of all kinds of food and everything was delicious. The server was awesome explaining the menu and helping us get our plethora of food with everything we wanted. Our server was very attentive and super friendly. It was also great to see that the owner was on site and came to ask how everything was, obviously not an absentee owner. If I could give 6 stars I would. Excellent experience.
Over on Yelp, Angelina R recently dropped in and shared their experience:
Decided to stop in and so glad we did! Got the meat board for 3 with a side of burnt ends. The pulled pork, wings and ribs were all fantastic!! For sides we had beans, Mac and cheese and house chips. All of those were pretty good and the I have to give the cornbread props. It was really good!
The owner Raymond came out and spoke with us. Awesome guy; we laughed about the cornbread being from "up north" so he explained more about it. We got desserts to go so haven't tried those yet but I already know they will be fantastic! Look forward to returning. By the way if you like real espresso, make sure to have Raymond fix you a cup!
Note: Menu prices and options are subject to change over time. Contact the restaurant for the most up-to-date information.
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Cards and Cash, Heavy Tomato Sauce, Mustard Sauce, Vinegar Pepper Sauce
What an exceptional piece of documented culinary South Carolina history. The effort and care taken to share its native recipes, many of which come from the more famous names regionally (even if by copycat on some, that can be understood) was mind-blowing. What impressed me more was the totality of recipes coming from parts of… Read more "Had High Expectations, They were Exceeded"