The Washout is on Center Street in Folly Beach, a quick walk from the sand, and it's the kind of place that's a local favorite in the most literal sense - the name is a nod to the Folly Beach frame of mind, and the room runs on that energy: TVs everywhere, live music throughout the week, cornhole tournaments, and indoor, patio, and outdoor dining. It's casual, affordable, and family-friendly, with a laid-back, dog-friendly atmosphere that makes it as much a hangout as a restaurant. The crowd is beach locals and the visitors who've been here long enough to stop being tourists, and the food is fresh, local, and the kind of thing you order in a t-shirt.
The lobster grilled cheese is the one dish people write about, and the she crab soup is the one that earns the "best I've ever had" line. The fish sandwiches are good, the spinach dip is the starter of choice, and the seafood is consistently fresh. The service is fast and friendly, and the price is the kind that keeps you coming back three times in one trip, which is what more than one review says they did. It's the easy, reliable beach spot that does the basics well.