Outer Banks Restaurants

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.

Bad Bean Baja Grill creates a distinctive dining experience. Utilizing techniques and flavors found all across Latin America, California and the Baja Peninsula, the award-winning chefs present a creative fusion of familiar cantina favorites. One of the favorite dishes is the fish tacos topped with salsa fresca, crisp jicama slaw and cilantro chimichurri. The slow-cooked beef brisket and pork barbacoa also make for delicious tacos as well as burritos, wraps and quesadillas. Bad Bean always uses fresh, local seafood, and their chips, salsas, guacamole and queso dips are all made in-house. Be sure to check out the nightly dinner specials, and on Fridays stop by for fresh fish ceviche. Along with the full restaurant menu, the bar serves some of the best fresh fruit margaritas and mojitos on the beach. Plus they have an ever-changing selection of craft and draft beers. This cool Outer Banks restaurant is open year-round for lunch and dinner. Take-out, including party packs for groups, is available.

Dunes Restaurant has been a breakfast and dinner favorite among Outer Banks locals and visitors for more than four decades. Breakfast here is a certifiable Nags Head tradition. Their hearty meals and platters are a huge draw, and their breakfast menu is one of the biggest on the beach, with choices like shrimp and grits, creamed chipped beef, N.C. country ham, a crab and shrimp omelet and a waffle platter. At dinnertime, the Dunes is known for its Outer Banks-style seafood – shrimp, scallops, oysters and fish served lightly breaded and golden fried or lightly seasoned and broiled, with all the favorite sides. Other favorites include crab cakes, steaks, burgers and their famous fried chicken. Just be careful not to fill up on the piping hot hush puppies with honey butter that are served before your meal (trust us, they’re irresistible!). Family-owned and -operated, the Dunes welcomes children and large groups to their casually and comfortably elegant restaurant and R-Bar, serving specialty cocktails, wine and beer. And yes, you can eat in or take out – whichever you want. A retail area in the front of the store, Roxie's Retail, tempts with children’s toys, women’s accessories, jewelry, scarves, original paintings, photographs, Outer Banks memorabilia and much more.