Outer Banks Restaurants

 Country Deli has been an Outer Banks tradition and locals' favorite for more than 30 years, and they've just moved to a new location across the street with a beer garden out back. Guests can dine in, enjoy the pet-friendly outside backyard or take their food to go with convenient online ordering. Country Deli prides itself on its over-stuffed sandwiches with more than 50 delicious menu items. Sandwiches are made with Thumann's meats and local produce, and there are also locally made desserts. They have a big selection of old-fashioned glass-bottle sodas. Country Deli is open Tuesdays through Saturdays and is closed on Sundays and Mondays. 

Darrell’s is a family-style seafood restaurant that’s a locals' favorite and has been operated by the Daniels family for more than five decades. It dates back to 1960 when Darrell Daniels started the Polar Bear Drive-In. When the second generation came on board in 1972, the family changed the focus to a seafood restaurant and renamed it Darrell's Seafood Restaurant. Now the third generation is working here. Seafood is still the specialty, and locals know that Darrell’s does seafood right. The fried oysters, served with the traditional fixings of coleslaw, French fries and hush puppies, are widely touted as the best anywhere. The blackened tuna over black beans and rice is both healthy and delicious. Land food, children’s fare and light dishes are also available. Darrell's also has a wood-fired grill for barbecue. Helpings are heaping, and the desserts are delicious, if you have room. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served Monday through Saturday. 

This long-established, seafood-oriented restaurant is committed to serving top-quality, scratch-made fare in a friendly setting. Diners enjoy local seafood, burgers, sandwiches, steaks, pasta dishes, gluten-free items, vegetarian options and kids' offerings. The popular Sunday Brunch with a seasonal menu is offered from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 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. Once a month they offer a five-course wine-pairing dinner, and their new wine cellar, The Cellar at Froggy Dog, offers wine tastings and classes. The Froggy Dog Pub is a hotspot for nightlife in Avon. 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 Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 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.

A new bar on the Beach Road in Kill Devil Hills, Jack Brown's combines their passion for craft beer with serving up a pretty mean burger. The menu keeps it simple, focusing on top-of-the-line ingredients over quantity of them. The burgers are made with 100% all-natural Wagyu beef and of course there are creative options, such as The Greg Brady (topped with mac and cheese and Martin's BBQ potato chips), the Jack on Piggy Back (burger topped with split hot dog, pickled jalapenos and cheddar) and The Elvis (topped with peanut butter, mayo, bacon and cheese). Extras include french fries, sweet potato fries and a fried Oreo and that's it! They also stock a variety of craft beers, from local favorites to rare beers from around the world. They have live music every day in their backyard - a great place to hang out with its open tables, corn hole and music. They're open every day until 1:30 a.m.

McGrath's is an Irish-themed meat-eaters paradise. They do wing all the ways: bone in, boneless, grilled, with wet sauce or a dry rub. They have all the appetizers that go great with a Guinness, like Irish Nachos and Pretzels and Beer Cheese. Their burgers can be crafted classic American style or Irish style — for instance, the Irish Car Bomb with fried onions, Jameson barbecue sauce, a fried egg and Bailey's candied bacon. They also serve chicken burgers, hot dogs and even have plant-based options like the Beyond Burger and a black bean burger. Just try to resist their chips (fries)! McGrath's Burger Boxes make for easy take-out dinners. McGrath's has a full bar with beer, wine and spirits, including all of the Irish favorites.

Oceanas is a casual, cozy restaurant that the locals love. In the heart of Avon, its welcoming atmosphere beckons diners for lunch and dinner daily and breakfast on the weekends. The lunch and dinner menu features freshly made, well-seasoned burgers, fresh local fish and seafood, crab cakes, a variety of sandwiches and wraps, salads and the very popular fish tacos and grillers, which are like an open-face quesadilla. They also have some fancier offerings like prime rib, NY strip, sesame-seared tuna steaks (the house favorite) pasta dishes, chicken, daily specials and a very nice wine selection. Weekend breakfast brings omelettes, Benedicts, biscuits, wraps, bowls, pancakes, avocado toast and more. True to Hatteras style, Oceanas is a place where everyone feels at home. Relax in the bar with your favorite drink and watch the big-screen TVs or gather with friends and family for an enjoyable dining experience. Outdoor seating is available on the porch. Oceanas is open every day year-round.

A longtime beach road favorite, Red Drum offers a cozy beach-pub ambiance for lunch, dinner and socializing around the bar. The menu features sandwiches, burgers, fish and chips, steamed seafood and vegetables, ribs, steaks, vegetarian dishes, seafood pasta and more. Like the setting, the food could be described as "comfort with an upscale dash." Beer lovers appreciate the 18 beers on tap, and there's a good wine list and full bar for cocktails. Social events include trivia, music bingo and occasional live music, and during football season you can expect a crowd enjoying the weekly specials. The pool table and Foosball table in the back room are nice diversions before or after your meal or if you have to wait for a table. Outdoor seating offers a chance to dine in the refreshing ocean breezes.

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.