Outer Banks Restaurants with Late-Night Menus

Get ready to kick back and relax at Bonzer Shack. With their creative take on Southern and island comfort food in a surf hangout atmosphere, there’s always something on the menu that’s sure to tempt you. The menu offers sandwiches, fresh seafood specials, steaks, burgers and the mouthwatering smoked Gouda grit cakes. Local favorites also include delicious apps like the Hippie Dip and wings roasted in-house daily plus their excellent specialty cocktails. From June through September stop by for live outdoor musical entertainment from daily (weather permitting) or enjoy the spacious yard for drinks and yard games like Ping Pong, cornhole and many more. The Shack is open for lunch and dinner year round. 

Fun, funky and casual, Howard's is open every day from mid-March until late fall serving lunch and dinner. Fresh local seafood from the Pamlico Sound is the highlight, but there are also steaks, ribs, burgers, salads, sandwiches and soups worth flying in for (and many do). Kids have their own menu with the meals served on a Frisbee, emphasizing the family-friendly nature of this popular spot. The bar features more than 100 bottled beers from around the world plus 24 craft beers on tap, wine and signature cocktails. Sit indoors in the air-conditioned dining room, at the long wooden bar, out on the expansive airy screened porch with circling ceiling fans or on the rooftop deck. Lively good times, multiple televisions, the infamous ring hook, foosball and wall-to-wall memorabilia make Howard's Pub a legendary spot for food and fun for all ages. 

For more than 20 years, Mulligan’s has served Southern coastal cuisine with incredible views, thanks to its scenic location between Jockey’s Ridge and Historic Cottage Row. Long known for having the some of the best burgers on the beach, their masterful chefs have recently been placing a brighter spotlight on local seafood prepared in an authentic Outer Banks style, all with fresh, local ingredients. Start off with the Crab Pretzel or some Carolina Lump Crab Bisque. Dig into a tasty seafood platter, broiled or fried, some good old-fashioned shrimp and grits or the Tuscan Baked Rockfish. They also have a steamed and raw bar serving up some ocean bounty including shrimp, clams and Wanchese sea scallops. You can still order their award-winning burgers, along with other landlubber selections, and kids have their own menu to peruse. Mulligan’s two dining rooms can accommodate a range of groups, and the upstairs space has its own bar. In the warmer months, you may opt to eat outside on their covered tiki bar with an ocean view or in the designated doggy dining area if you bring along any four-legged friends. The bar downstairs is a popular local hangout with a big screen TV for catching up on sports. They have live music year-round. Mulligan’s also offers catering from Corolla to Hatteras, customized in three different styles: buffet, plated or drop-off. The restaurant is open 365 days a year for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch.

Celebrating its seventh season, Open Water Grill’s primo waterfront location definitely makes it worth the short hop up (or down) to the north end of Avon. The back deck is practically over the water, and the view of the open sound from the back patio is unbelievable. There is plenty of outdoor waterfront seating, or you can also dine indoors, with a great view, or on the front patio. The owners are committed to serving fresh, high-quality food, and they do whatever it takes to serve the best local and regional seafood, steaks and produce. Open Water Grill’s dinner menu specializes in seafood. Steaks are also a specialty, from the 8 oz. filet mignon and 16 oz. rib eye to smaller portions for lighter eaters. Give their bestselling fish tacos with homemade chimichurri sauce a try. Open Water offers a full bar that stays open late, and the restaurant serves dinner late into the night. Come as you are; the atmosphere is relaxed, casual and family friendly, but you won’t have to sacrifice food quality even if you’re dining in your flip-flops. Large parties and reservations are welcome.

Poor Richard's is the local meet-and-greet neighborhood sandwich shop by day and bar by night. It has two doors, one leading from the Manteo boardwalk and another off Queen Elizabeth Avenue. You can eat inside at a booth or table or sit outside on the patio right next to the water. You order at the counter, get your drink and your number then wait for your meal to be delivered to your table. Poor Richard's is a Boar's Head deli serving hot and cold sandwiches made to order and served with chips and a pickle. You can also get burgers, hot dogs, soup, chili, salads, fries and onion rings. Lunch is served every day of the week. In summer, they also offer dinner most nights until 9 p.m. In the evenings, Poor Richard’s After Hours, a pub in the front of the restaurant, is open and serves wine, beer and a full range of bar drinks. The pub opens at 5 p.m. every night. Year round, the pub hosts Trivia Night on Wednesday and live music on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. In the summer there's music on Thursday nights as well.