Outer Banks Restaurants

Seafood Specialties & Steam Bars

We bet you've been dreaming of eating an Outer Banks seafood dinner for months. (We understand. As locals, eating fresh-caught seafood is one of the true pleasures of living here.) Whether it's fried, broiled, blackened, grilled, steamed or raw (as in the oyster or sushi variety), there's a virtual sea of choices. Favorites such as shrimp, flounder, crab cakes and tuna are always found on menus, but seasonal favorites are much anticipated too -- soft shell crabs, oysters, rock fish, puppy drum and blue fish being big ones on the list. As you can imagine, almost every restaurant here serves Outer Banks seafood of some sort, but the ones we're noting in this category are the ones that feature it foremost on their menus and prepare it in imaginative as well as traditional ways. Steamed Outer Banks seafood is offered in many of these restaurants, but unless we specifically note it, you're smart to call ahead to confirm if that's what you're wanting. For diners who are particularly health conscious, steamed shrimp, clams or oysters accompanied by steamed veggies is a meal any trainer would approve of! A select number of Outer Banks restaurants will even cook your catch of the day – what a satisfying end to a successful day of fishing.

Outer Banks Restaurants by Area

Corolla | Duck & Southern Shores | Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills & Nags Head
Roanoke Island & Manteo | Hatteras Island | Ocracoke Island

Outer Banks Restaurants by Category

Outland Seafood

Outer Banks Seafood Specialties & Steam Bars
7463 U.S. Highway 64/264, Manns Harbor
(252) 473-2860

A locals' favorite for fresh seafood, Outland Seafood is perfectly situated for picking up fresh, local seafood on your way to the Outer Banks from the west...read more

A locals' favorite for fresh seafood, Outland Seafood is perfectly situated for picking up fresh,...read more

Owens’ Restaurant

Outer Banks Seafood Specialties & Steam Bars
7114 S. Virginia Dare Trail, The Beach Road, MP 16.5, Nags Head
(252) 441-7309

Owens’ is a Nags Head institution, featuring a legacy of coastal Southern fine dining by the sea. Diners can enjoy generous...read more

Owens’ is a Nags Head institution, featuring a legacy of coastal Southern fine...read more

Red Sky

Outer Banks Seafood Specialties & Steam Bars
1197 Duck Road, Duck Landing, Duck
(252) 261-8646

Red Sky is an inviting cafe with a creative menu of contemporary coastal cuisine. Chef Wes Stepp and his team turn out some incredible fare, including...read more

Red Sky is an inviting cafe with a creative menu of contemporary coastal cuisine. Chef...read more

Rusty’s Surf & Turf

Outer Banks Seafood Specialties & Steam Bars
47355 N.C. Highway 12, Buxton
(252) 995-4184

Rusty’s Surf & Turf brings the bold flavors and colors of the tropics to Hatteras Island. Owner and chef Rusty Midgett, a native who left the island and...read more

Rusty’s Surf & Turf brings the bold flavors and colors of the tropics to Hatteras...read more

Sticky Bottom Oyster Company

Outer Banks Seafood Specialties & Steam Bars
56910 N.C. Highway 12, Suite B, Hatteras
(252) 986-5499

Home of the "Saltiest Gagger You'll Ever Swaller," Sticky Bottom Oyster Company is the storefront of an oyster farm of the same name that's located in Sandy...read more

Home of the "Saltiest Gagger You'll Ever Swaller," Sticky Bottom Oyster Company is the storefront...read more

Stripers Bar and Grille

Outer Banks Seafood Specialties & Steam Bars
1100-A S. Bay Club Drive, Manteo
(252) 475-1021

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...read more

Stripers has a great waterfront location at Shallowbag Bay Marina, and they offer plenty of...read more

Sugar Creek Soundfront Seafood Restaurant

Outer Banks Seafood Specialties & Steam Bars
7340 S. Virginia Dare Trail, Nags Head/Manteo Causeway, Nags Head
(252) 441-4963

Offering a primo location right on the water, Sugar Creek has been serving the freshest seafood available to locals and visitors for years. The views of...read more

Offering a primo location right on the water, Sugar Creek has been serving the freshest...read more

Sundogs Raw Bar and Grill

Outer Banks Seafood Specialties & Steam Bars
807 Ocean Trail, Monteray Plaza, Corolla
(252) 453-4263

Sundogs is a great family-friendly restaurant for lunch and dinner in Corolla. The grill offers an array of appetizers along with steamed seafood,...read more

Sundogs is a great family-friendly restaurant for lunch and dinner in Corolla. The grill offers...read more

The Pony and the Boat Comfort Kitchen

Outer Banks Seafood Specialties & Steam Bars
3712 N. Croatan Highway, Unit A, The Bypass, MP 4.5, Kitty Hawk
(252) 715-2991

Sister restaurant to the beloved Paper Canoe restaurant in Duck, The Pony and the Boat Comfort Kitchen offers the consistency and high food quality of the...read more

Sister restaurant to the beloved Paper Canoe restaurant in Duck, The Pony and the Boat...read more

Uncle Ike’s Sandbar & Grill

Outer Banks Seafood Specialties & Steam Bars
1159 Austin Street, Corolla Light Town Center, Corolla
(252) 597-1606

One of the few restaurants in Corolla staying open all year long, Uncle Ike's serves a wide range of fresh, homemade foods. With an aim to please the...read more

One of the few restaurants in Corolla staying open all year long, Uncle Ike's serves...read more

Aqua Restaurant on the waterfront is a must-stop while out and about in Duck. Serving lunch and dinner, Aqua offers fresh regional cuisine, exquisite wines...read more