Outer Banks Restaurants

Housed in a former U.S. Lifesaving Station and full of character and rustic charm, the Black Pelican is on the Beach Road, directly across from the ocean. They have a deck bar with great ocean views and, of course, lots of fresh seafood on the menu. Choose from steamed seafood, steaks or pizza from the wood-fired brick oven, a locals' favorite. Each night they offer an eclectic list of chef’s specials, and they have a kids' menu with lots of choices. Save room for one of their home-baked desserts; you’ll see what we mean when you pass the display case on your way in. The Black Pelican serves lunch and dinner every day, plus a late-night menu is served at the bar and in the restaurant. This is a lively place where you can find a fun bar scene. They are open all year.

Diamond Shoals is a family-owned restaurant that has been serving visitors and locals for 30 years. It’s open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner and welcomes large groups. Breakfast is full service and hearty, including omelets, platters, hotcakes and more. At lunch or dinner, be sure to try their award-winning clam chowder and crab bisque. They are well known for having the largest fish selection on Hatteras Island as well as for their large salad bar and full-service sushi bar (call or check the website for sushi bar hours). Since Diamond Shoals Restaurant carries all ABC permits, they have a vast selection of cocktails and favorite draft beers as well as an established sake bar, which makes them unique on Hatteras Island. Their seafood market is open daily with a large selection of fresh, local seafood. Catering for all your events or family gatherings is available; choose from sushi, fresh seafood or from their vast menu of options.

This is a great local dine-in or take-out restaurant with a very casual family atmosphere. The menu features seafood including soft-shell and hard-shell crabs (hard shells are sold either live or cooked), Alaskan king and snow crab legs by the pound (when available), scallops, shrimp, clams, mussels, oysters and fresh fish, plus slow-cooked barbecue including North Carolina pulled pork, beef brisket, smoked ribs, smoked chicken wings and chicken. Don’t forget to ask about their steamer pots that you can take home and cook on your stove. For larger parties, they will even bring this Low Country boil to your house and cook it on site. They also offer homemade soups, Southern-style sides and plenty of desserts. Fat Crabs is open daily for lunch and dinner from April through October.

This long-established, seafood-oriented restaurant is committed to serving top-quality, scratch-made fare in a friendly setting. Diners enjoy a lot of seafood, burgers, sandwiches, steaks, pasta dishes, gluten-free items, vegetarian options and kids' offerings. The full bar focuses on craft brews and North Carolina beers, and their in-house sommelier has gathered wines from around the world into an impressive wine selection. On select evenings, they offer a five-course wine-pairing dinner. During the summer season, there is Adult Karaoke (21+) in the pub on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Live music is on Wednesdays and Fridays from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The popular Sunday Brunch with a special menu is offered from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Private dining areas are available for wine dinners, events and celebrations. Froggy Dog is the sister restaurant of the popular Avon restaurants Cups and Cones and Muffins and Scones. 

Goombays Grille & Raw Bar is a casual restaurant with a colorful and lively island-style atmosphere. The interior decor inspires happiness with bright murals, local artwork, fish tanks and vintage license plates on the walls surrounding the lobby and bar. The menu is fresh and creative, combining Outer Banks seafood with vacation-destination island influences, like Caribbean Creole Pasta, Caberete Shrimp, Caicos Coconut Shrimp Salad and Seafood Kingston. The Rasta Pasta, Tuna Oscar, Tuna Reuben and Jazzy Coconut Chicken are rounded out by daily specials and selections from the steam and raw bar. Not in the mood for seafood? Goombays offers plenty of chicken, beef and vegetable options, from great burgers to awesome sandwiches and, of course, chicken wings. Goombays is family friendly with a unique kids' menu and specialty kid drinks. The full bar features about 50 beer selections, including a wide range of North Carolina craft brews along with wine and signature cocktails. Their namesake Goombay Smash can be served as a Kill Devil Smash using locally crafted Kill Devil Silver & Pecan Honey Rums. Goombays serves lunch and dinner, and the bar stays open until midnight with late-night steamed and raw seafood.

Mahi Mahi’s Island Grill features chef-prepared American cuisine and a strong emphasis on seafood. Customers can expect an affordable menu, quality ingredients and friendly service. The menu includes salads, shareable appetizers, handhelds that include burgers, sandwiches and fish tacos, fried seafood, crab cakes, pork, steak and so much more, and specials are offered daily. Beer, wine and spirits are available at the full bar. Mahi Mahi's serves dinner for dine-in and take-out. Reservations are not accepted, and large groups are welcome. On summer weekends look to Mahi Mahi's for live music in the front yard from 6 to 9 p.m. and for occasional late-night DJ parties, with the kitchen staying open late.

The second restaurant from the team at Duck’s Red Sky Cafe, NC Coast Grill & Bar has an open kitchen, concrete bar, upscale coastal decor and waterfront location that create a lively, hip and low-key atmosphere for gathering with family and friends over drinks, snacks, shareable plates, popular Chef Boards and meals. Owner/Chef Wes Stepp describes NC Coast’s cuisine as celebrating the flavors of the coastal South while bringing in cross-cultural and global influences. The menu features eclectic preparations of local seafood, regional produce and all-natural meats, and vegetarian and vegan options are available. Indoors you’ll find a 15-seat bar, chef’s tasting seating by the kitchen and an open and airy atmosphere with a wall of windows overlooking the sound. Outdoors you’ll find seating and bar tables right on Duck Boardwalk, along with a temperature-controlled tent, perfect for catching sunsets and live music in the warm seasons. Dockage is available for shallow-draft boats. NC Coast serves lunch and dinner and is open seven days a week.

Outer Banks Brewing Station has an ever-changing list of award-winning house-made beers that serve as the cornerstone of their innovative style. Multiple year winners of the Taste of the Beach People's Choice Award, their outstanding chefs have created an Outer Banks–inspired fusion menu using regionally available products from local fish and produce to North Carolina meats. Pastry chef Tina Mackenzie bakes the house bread and tempting desserts. Friendly and casual, the Brewing Station has a full bar, dining on two levels and the biggest outdoor area on the Outer Banks featuring a pirate ship playground for the kids, picnic table seating, outdoor entertainment during the summer season and the 92-foot wind turbine that powers part of the brewing operation. Half-liter bottle-conditioned beer, two-liter growlers and canned six-packs are sold to go at the bar. The Brewing Station is open year-round for both lunch and dinner, and they are highly regarded as a go-to place to see regional and national music acts across a wide variety of genres. This is a great space to hold special events, such as weddings, rehearsal dinners, birthday parties and baby showers, whether it's in the semi-private upstairs dining area, outside or by renting the entire building.

Owens’ is a Nags Head institution, featuring a legacy of coastal Southern fine dining by the sea. Diners can enjoy generous portions of fresh fish and shellfish from local watermen, pasta, aged prime beef Southern specialties and house-made desserts. Owens' serves dinner Tuesday through Saturday nights, and much to the delight of their loyal customers, they now offer brunch Tuesday through Sundays. The brunch menu features hearty favorites like Benedicts, platters, omelettes and comfort food favorites along with mimosas and spirits. Owens' wine list is lengthy, and beers and a full bar are available in the restaurant or upstairs in the Station Keepers Lounge. Everything at Owens' is seasoned with a huge helping of Southern hospitality. History buffs will marvel at Owens’ collection of museum-quality artifacts dedicated to the maritime history of the Outer Banks.

Rundown Cafe serves island cuisine in a casual atmosphere. The food is a fusion of Pacific Rim and Caribbean flavors, and they have a substantial menu of vegetarian options. Upstairs you'll find an authentic surf bar with a super large ocean-view deck where you'll find live music in season. This is a great family-friendly restaurant since the menu is very affordable and there are lots of choices for kids. Rundown serves lunch and dinner seven days a week in the summer. You can also order take-out here. They are closed from the end of November until March 1. 

Stripers has a great waterfront location at Shallowbag Bay Marina, and they offer plenty of opportunities to enjoy the water views. You can eat on the screened-in deck, on the outdoor patio, in the first-floor bar or in the second-floor restaurant. The views get better the higher you go. Stripers menu includes fresh local seafood, steaks, sandwiches, burgers, salads, pastas and appetizers. The seafood is guaranteed fresh, as the owner has good connections with local fishermen. Some favorites on the menu include lobster bisque, oyster stew, crab dip, crab cakes, cheese-steak egg rolls and sliders. Small and large portion sizes are available. Stripers offers a happy hour with half-price steamed shrimp and crab legs every day from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., and they have a full liquor license and offer beer, wine and mixed drinks. It's open every day for lunch and dinner, with no break between the two. On Sundays they open at 11 a.m. for brunch. In the summer months they offer live music on the weekends. Take-out and catering are available. To find Stripers, turn off Highway 64 in Manteo behind McDonald's.

Sundogs is a great family-friendly restaurant for lunch and dinner in Corolla. The grill offers an array of appetizers along with steamed seafood, salads, sandwiches, burgers and full entrees such as New Orleans-inspired shrimp and grits created by Chef Bryan Maher and a host of new menu items from new team chefs Matthew Purdue and Agustus Dawson – think Teriyaki-Glazed Salmon, Lobster Mac & Cheese with Pork Belly and Pulled Pork Kimchi Tacos. A host of daily specials ensures that the chefs can be as creative as they want to be (specials are posted on social media). Be sure to check out the raw bar featuring a variety of oysters and other seafood. Sundogs has a kids' menu and a midday appetizer menu from 3 to 5 p.m. every day. When dinner ends, nightlife begins. Sundogs is open until 2 a.m. every night during summer with several nights of live music and karaoke. This is also the place for all your sports-viewing adventures, especially Sunday football, thanks to their large projection TV and 12 other TVs. After 10 p.m. Sundogs is open for ages 21 and older only.