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Nags Head
Mrs. T's Deli $
US 158, MP 10, Nags Head
(252) 441-1220
This homey deli is a great bet for quick,
satisfying lunches and some of the friendliest chatter in town. Most of Mrs. T's
three-dozen-plus sandwiches are named
after friends and family members. We like
the Stacy sub, with four cheeses. The
three varieties of veggie burgers get rave
reviews. Club sandwiches are stacked so
high they barely fit in your mouth. The
Outer Banks curly fries, lightly seasoned
and made to order, are wonderful. Cakes,
pastries, and gourmet jelly beans are
available for dessert, and kosher food,
including matzos, is available all year. Mrs.
T's serves lunch and dinner seven days a
week from mid-March through early February. Everything can be packaged to go.
Red Drum Grille and Taphouse $$
NC 12, MP 10, Nags Head
(252) 480-1095
Since opening in 1998, the Red Drum
Grille and Taphouse has been carving out
its niche on the Outer Banks. The handsome redbrick exterior presents an apt
introduction to the tasteful decor: Glossy,
deep rust-colored tables and cozy oak
booths give the room a warm, inviting
feel. A gleaming redwood bar stretches
along the length of the back wall and
lures you in for one of 18 beers on tap. In
the back room-away from the dining
room-are a pool table and a foosball
table for those who want to stay and play
after dinner. The menu has something for everyone. For starters, try the Hatteras-style
clam chowder, the calamari, or the shrimp
con queso dip. The homemade stuffed
jalapenos are just hot enough and full of
flavor. Lunch fare from the steamer menu
includes crab legs, shrimp, vegetables,
clams, and oysters. Large burgers, a
chicken sandwich with Smithfield ham
and havarti cheese, fish and chips, and a
fish burrito are some of the locals'
favorites. At dinner, Red Drum offers simple
country fare. It's reminiscent of the Outer
Banks of old or of Mom's cooking taken a
step further and served with diligence and
a smile. You'll find apple-glazed pork
chops, ribs, steaks, a mixed grill of the
day, and lots of fresh seafood, including
seafood pasta with large shrimp and scallops and a mixed seafood platter. Entrees
are served with mashed potatoes or wild
rice. (Insiders' tip: The potatoes will knock
your socks off.) Grilled or fried fresh fish,
pasta, and vegetarian dishes are also
available. The Red Drum Grille and Taphouse
serves lunch and dinner from February
through November and has a kid's menu.
Kelly's Outer Banks
Restaurant & Tavern $$$
US 158, MP 10 1/2, Nags Head
(252) 441-4116
www.kellysrestaurant.com
Kelly's is an Outer Banks tradition and one
of the most popular restaurants. Owner
Mike Kelly gives his personal attention to
every detail, so the service and selections
are consistently first-rate. This is a large,
upscale eatery and a busy place. The
decor reflects the area's rich maritime heritage, with abundant examples of fish,
birds, and other wildlife. The tavern is
hopping seven nights a week (see our
Nightlife chapter). Dinner is the only meal served here,
and it's offered in several rooms upstairs
and downstairs. Kelly's menu offers fresh
seafood dishes, chicken, beef, pastas, and
a raw bar for those who enjoy feasting on
oysters and other steamed shellfish. An
assortment of delicious homemade breads
accompanies each meal. Kelly's sweet
potato biscuits are succulent-we usually
ask for a second basket. Desserts are flavorful and filling. A separate children's
menu is available, complete with crayons
and special place mats for coloring. Kelly's
also caters private parties, weddings, and
any style event imaginable. The restaurant
and lounge are open year-round.
Slammin' Sammy's Offshore
Grille & Stillery $$
US 158, MP 10 1/2, Nags Head
(252) 449-2255
www.slamminsammys.com
Slammin' Sammy's is the place to go for a
frolicsome atmosphere of food, fun, and
fuel. With 43 TVs plus four giant screens,
you can get an eyeful of sporting events.
There's also a pool and tabletop shuffleboard. Sammy's is open for lunch and dinner, serving sandwiches, salads, "hot spot"
jumbo baked potatoes loaded with plenty
of extras, appetizers, prime rib, and pizza.
Sandwiches include the Hogs Breath
shrimp po'boy, the Incredible Edible crabcake sandwich, a Clubwater Club, and
grilled game fish. Slammin' Sammy's has
daily chef's specials, a children's menu,
and a full bar. Lunch and dinner are
served daily year-round.
Mulligan's Oceanfront Grille $$
NC 12, MP 10 1/2, Nags Head
(252) 480-2000
Mulligan's can lay claim to serving some
of the best burgers on the beach. The
burgers are big, juicy, and tasty and come
with a variety of toppings. Mulligan's also
serves steak, seafood, and an array of
pasta entrees for lunch and dinner. Occupying the old Miller's Pharmacy building,
the eatery is divided in half lengthwise by
wooden and glass partitions. The south
end is flanked by a long, low bar. Scores
of old Outer Banks photographs, painted
mirrors, and other memorabilia decorate
this comfortable, inviting full-service bar,
where appetizers and light dinners are
available. The north half of Mulligan's is the
restaurant, where steamed seafood, sandwiches, pasta, and steak are available. Live
entertainment and karaoke fill the atmosphere year-round (see our Nightlife chapter). Mulligan's is open seven days a week
all year long. A children's menu is available.
Prime Only $$$
MP 10 3/4, Nags Head
(252) 480-0047
Prime Only is a new yet familiar restaurant
in Nags Head. It was a popular Outer
Banks restaurant in the mid-1990s but had
to relocate upon losing its lease. Now
back and better than ever, Prime Only
offers fine food at a moderate price. Its
specialty is Midwestern corn-fed aged
beef, hand cut and broiled to perfection. Freshly caught seafood, chicken, pork,
and fresh pasta are among the other
offerings in this casually elegant restaurant. Vegetarian dishes are available as
well. This Insider recommends the Caesar
salad, prepared by your table from scratch
along with the signature filet mignon,
served so tender that it can be cut with a
butter knife. Desserts are all prepared in
house, and the delicious, flaming Bananas
Foster is prepared tableside. A menu for
tykes is available. Prime Only has a sister restaurant in
Raleigh that offers an identical wine list,
and that location won a 2003 and 2004
Wine Spectator award. There is a full bar
at the Nags Head location. Smoking is
allowed upstairs, while the downstairs
remains smoke-free. Reservations are recommended. Open daily year-round for
dinner only. Call for off-season hours.
Tortuga's Lie Shellfish Bar and Grille $
NC 12, MP 11, Nags Head
(252) 441-RAWW
www.tortugaslie.com
A locals' favorite on the Outer Banks, this
small, upbeat eatery is housed in a
turquoise cottage across from the ocean
near a great surf break. Tortuga's features
an enclosed porch furnished with handmade wooden booths, table seating, and
an expanded bar that seats more than
two dozen people. There's a sand volleyball court out back where pickup games
are played-and watched from the outdoor picnic tables. The bartenders and
waitstaff are some of the friendliest folk
we know. The creatively concocted food is
good and the atmosphere inside is fun
and casual, with turtle-themed batiks
hanging from the white walls and more
than 100 license plates, some with unusual
personal messages, from across the country tacked to the low ceiling beams. The menu here offers quick-fried fish
bites, supersize fish and black bean burritos, sandwiches, seafood flavored with
outrageous spices, and a full raw bar. The
french fries are among the best on the
Banks. Dinner entrees include pork medallions, steak stir-fries, just-off-the-boat tuna
steaks, succulent shrimp, and pasta plates.
Most meals come with rice and beans, but
the cooks will substitute fries if you ask.
The daily specials are tempting; sushi is
served on Wednesday night, and the
place usually is packed with locals.
Desserts are delicious and change daily. The full bar offers loads of specialty
drinks such as Black and Tans, a combination of Bass Ale and Guinness Stout. This
hip, laid-back eatery is open seven days a
week for lunch and dinner from February
through December. Call for winter hours.
(See also our Nightlife chapter.)
Pier House Restaurant $
Nags Head Fishing Pier
NC 12, MP 12, Nags Head
(252) 441-5141
With an amazing ocean view on the beach,
this family-style restaurant allows patrons
to sit right above the ocean. You can feel
the salt spray if you dine on the screened
porch, and inside the air-conditioned building, waves sometimes crash beneath the
wooden floor's slats. This is a great, easygoing place to enjoy a big breakfast before
a day of fishing or to take a break from
angling on a hot afternoon. The staff at Pier House is friendly, and
all three meals of the day are traditionally
prepared. The Em Special is an Insiders'
favorite for breakfast. Lunch includes
sandwiches, soups, and seafood specials.
Dinner entrees include local fresh seafood,
steaks, and chicken. All-you-can-eat dinners are popular picks, accompanied by
coleslaw, hush puppies, and french fries.
You can have your fish grilled, broiled, or
fried. Appetizers and desserts also are
available. Free sightseeing passes come
with supper so you can stroll along the
long pier after your meal and watch the
anglers and surfers. Pier House Restaurant
is open seven days a week from March
through November. Breakfast, lunch, and
dinner are served until mid-October, and
the restaurant has all liquor permits.
Don Gatos $-$$
NC 12, MP 11 1/2, Nags Head
(252) 441-9330
This restaurant is fast becoming a local
favorite. Chef Amando brings his inspirations from Oaxaca, Mexico. He offers vegetarian dishes, chicken, beef, and fresh
Outer Banks seafood dishes in an authentic Mexican atmosphere. The interior of
the restaurant is beautifully decorated and
evokes the feeling of an upscale cantina. Daily specials like the delicious
smoked tuna tostada are available. Lunch
begins at 11:30 A.M., and dinner is served
until 10:00 P.M.The food is fresh, healthy,
and filling. A favorite menu item is the
Camarones al Mojo de Ajo, jumbo shrimp
sauteed with onion and cilantro in a
hearty garlic sauce. The ceviche and guacamole are stellar. You may want to sip a
Mexican beer or a made-to-order margarita with your meal. A children's menu is
available. Don Gatos is open year-round. Look
for the bright orange building with the
surfer on the roof.
Austin Fish Company
US 158, MP 12 1/2, Nags Head
(252) 441-7412
www.austinfishcompany.com
A visit to Nags Head isn't complete without visiting Austin Fish Company, across
from Jockey's Ridge. The store stocks an
extensive seafood collection-including
crabmeat, steamed crabs, shrimp, oysters,
clams, fish, scallops, and tuna-for customers to take home and cook. Even selective locals drive out of their way to
purchase Austin's fresh seafood. If you've
enjoyed a good day fishing, Austin's will
vacuum pack your catch and ship it home
for you.
Jockey's Ribs $$
NC 12, MP 13, Nags Head
(252) 441-1141
For dining in or for takeout, Jockey's Ribs
has been serving finger-licking barbecue
for more than 15 years now. Entrees
include lean and meaty slabs of pork ribs,
hot and spicy barbecued chicken wings,
roasted chicken, steaks, chops, chicken
and rib combos, and seafood. A variety of
warm breads is served with each entree,
along with hash browns or a baked
potato. The seafood gumbo is always a
favorite. If you're looking for a light dinner,
sandwiches are served each evening,
along with such appetizers as crab-stuffed
mushroom caps and French onion soup. A
children's menu is available. Dinner is
served nightly from 5:00 to 10:00 P.M.in
season. Call for off-season hours.
Country Deli $
Surfside Plaza, NC 12, MP 13, Nags Head
(252) 441-5684
Strictly a take-out place, Country Deli offers
breakfast breads plus some of the biggest
sandwiches on the beach. Our favorite is
the "Killer," with turkey breast, ham, Muenster and Havarti cheeses, lettuce, tomato,
and hot peppers on a sub roll. You can create your own sandwiches as well. Side salads of macaroni, pasta, potato, and
vegetables also are served. Pick from several types of chips; sour pickles come free
with every option. Brownies and cheesecake are tempting dessert selections. Don't leave without checking out the
philosophical ponderings employees leave
on the blackboard behind the cash register-they could change the way you think
about the world while you're trying to
decide what to order. Country Deli is open
for lunch and dinner seven days a week
during the summer and offers free delivery to Nags Head and parts of Kill Devil
Hills. This eatery is open for lunch only
during the off-season (call for hours and
days). No credit cards accepted.
Bad Barracuda's Raw Bar & Grille $$
US 158, MP 13, Nags Head
(252) 449-0223
www.badbarracudasnc.com
Brought to us by the same folks who own
Awful Arthur's, Bad Barracuda's Raw Bar &
Grille serves up a broad assortment of just
about any type of seafood you might be
craving, plus clam chowder, seafood
gumbo, lobster bisque, salads, pastas, and
a variety of hearty dinner entrees. If you're
looking for bar food and sandwiches, you
won't be disappointed: The menu has a
nice selection of appetizers and sandwiches, as well as a number of burger
options. How about the Backfin Burger,
topped with your choice of cheese and
backfin crabmeat? Or, there's the Big "B"
Burger ("the burger that Bad Barracuda
eats"), made with a half-pound of freshly
ground beef. The restaurant offers lunch
and dinner specials daily and specializes in
large parties. Bad Barracuda's has a full
bar plus specialty drinks (try the Awesome
Barracuda), a nice wine selection, a children's menu, and soon-to-be-famous T-
shirts. The restaurant is wheelchair
accessible. Insiders recommend that you
save room for the double-cooked key lime
pie. The pie alone will lure you back. Bad Barracuda's is open year-round,
serving dinner nightly and lunch on the
weekends.
Grits Grill $
US 158, MP 14, Nags Head
(252) 449-2888
Just north of the Outer Banks Mall is Grits
Grill, which has a strong local following. The
restaurant offers a standard-fare breakfast
and lunch menu plus fresh bakery items
and fresh Krispy Kreme donuts. If you can't
live without your Krispy Kremes, make sure
you get to Grits early in the morning,
because they sell out quickly. Grits specializes in take-out orders and is open all year
from 6:00 A.M.to 4:00 P.M.
La Fogata Mexican Restaurant $
US 158, MP 14, Nags Head
(252) 441-4179
Across from the Outer Banks Mall, La
Fogata joins its original Kitty Hawk sister
restaurant with the same name and some
delicious Mexican food at affordable
prices. These restaurants boast a strong
Outer Banks following. The mall location
has the same menu and similar decor as
the Kitty Hawk restaurant (see the listing
under Kitty Hawk for more information).
Bacu Grill $$
US 158, MP 14, Nags Head
(252) 480-1892
Located across from Seamark at the
Outer Banks Mall, the Bacu Grill serves
authentic flavors from the East Coast to
Cuba and beyond. The restaurant's name
comes from the Cuban-American term for
a taste or sight that reminds one of
home. At Bacu Grill, you'll experience a
homey atmosphere with a metropolitan
feel. You can get three different types of
burgers for lunch: American, blackened,
or with jerk seasonings. Sandwiches
include soft-shell crab, blackened tuna,
pit beef, and a Cuban mix. Side orders
include Cuban beans and rice, chips and
salsa, fries, and corn on the cob. The raw
bar serves stone crab, crab legs, clams,
oysters, mussels, and spiced shrimp; fish,
steak, seafood, and pasta dishes make up
the dinner entrees. The popular porterhouse steak is 20 to 22 ounces and is
cooked Tuscan style-seared in olive oil
and finished with garlic butter and
cracked black pepper. For appetizers,
try some West Indies coconut shrimp,
cracked conch, hurricane wings, or baked
Brie. Bacu Grill has a world-class wine list,
a full bar, nonsmoking dining, and a
smoking lounge. Cigars and wines are
sold in Bacu's retail shop. The restaurant
is open year-round for lunch and dinner.
Taiko Japanese Restaurant
and Sushi Bar $$
Outer Banks Mall, US 158, MP 14
Nags Head
(252) 449-8895
This Outer Banks restaurant serves sushi
all day, for lunch and dinner. Taiko's sushi
is top-notch, rolled tightly and cut into
perfect, bite-size pieces. Our favorite is
the spicy tuna roll, with fresh raw tuna, a
kick of spices, and a hint of crunch. We
also like the spider roll special-fried soft-
shell crab-and the dragon roll with tuna,
crab, and cucumber wrapped in masago,
avocado, and eel. The miso and clear
soups are refreshing, as are the udon and
soba noodle dishes and the seaweed
salad. Japanese-style entrees include
steak teriyaki, shrimp tempura, and
chicken sukiyaki. Lunch boxes combine
sushi or sashimi with seaweed, rice, and a
shrimp dumpling. The dining room is peaceful and
serene, with soft music and tasteful,
understated Asian decor. You can eat at
the bar and watch the chefs prepare your
meal or sit at a table. Japanese beer, sake,
plum wine, green tea, and many other
beverages are served. Everything at Taiko
is available for takeout. Taiko is open year-
round, serving lunch and dinner daily in
season. Call for off-season hours.
Outer Banks Steak House $$
US 158, MP 14 1/2, Nags Head
(252) 449-4448
If you're craving a big juicy piece of meat,
you might as well come to the place that
devoted itself primarily to steak. Outer
Banks Steak House serves certified Angus
beef; center-cut sirloin, prime rib, rib eye,
filet mignon, New York strip, porterhouse,
and ribs are favorites here. To combine
the best of both worlds, try the sirloin
topped with fried oysters, the prime rib
with broiled shrimp, or the half-rack of
baby back ribs with stuffed shrimp.
Seafood entrees, like crab cakes, fish, and
a seafood platter, are available as is pasta.
Side dishes range from fried oysters to
sauteed onions to steak fries. The Steak House has a full bar along with beer and
wine, and is open for lunch and dinner
every day in season. A children's menu is
available.
Penguin Isle Soundside Grille $$$
US 158, MP 16, Nags Head
(252) 441-2637
www.penguinisle.com
Penguin Isle is truly a peaceful place to
enjoy a special, intimate meal. The decor
is tasteful and creative, with displays of
local art, hand-carved decoys, authentic
ship models, and light wood accents
around the airy dining room. Linen tablecloths cover every table, and the lights
and jazz music are soft and low. Not only a premier place to dine, Penguin Isle is also a wine destination. The
staff is very knowledgeable, and the
much-heralded Wine Spectator's Award of
Excellence has identified this restaurant's
wine list as "one of the best in the world"
for more than a decade. Seasonal wine
dinners are offered in the off-season. A separate window-walled lounge with
full bar, an abbreviated menu, and small
tables overlooks the sound. Patrons can
have a cocktail before dinner on the outdoor deck, and a lobby with comfortable
couches affords an alternative place to
await your table. Owner Mike Kelly, general manager Tom Sloate, and head chef
Lee Miller combine their talents here to
create a truly distinctive restaurant.
Miller's reputation is well-known on the
Outer Banks, and the staff members are
friendly and professional. Penguin Isle serves fresh local
seafood, handmade pasta, certified Black
Angus beef, chicken, duck, fresh-baked
breads, and many other appetizing offerings. Creative food pairings are the chef's
specialty. Penguin Isle's portions are generous, especially for such an upscale
restaurant. All of the desserts are delectable. The menu changes seasonally to
make use of the freshest ingredients. Only dinner is served from March
through December. Penguin Isle caters
private parties, wedding receptions, and
almost any occasion on-site. A children's
menu is available, and early dining specials are offered from 5:00 until 6:00 P.M.;
reservations are recommended.
Bushwackers $
NC 12, MP 16, Nags Head
(252) 480-1993
Bushwackers Restaurant is a family-
friendly spot to dine whether you're having lunch or dinner. Delights from the
sound and sea are featured at the raw and
steamer bar: Choose from shrimp, crab
legs, mussels, oysters, clams, spiced crabs,
and more. Lots of appetizers tempt your
palate, including the salads; try the marinated chicken salad with fruit and walnuts
or the Caesar salad. Barbecue ribs, several
wrap choices, quesadillas, and hot and
cold sandwiches round out the menu. Low
and no-carb dinners are available. A full
bar is offered, and entertainment in the
summer season keeps Bushwackers hop-
pin' into the night. Open March through
December. Lunch and dinner served daily
in season; call for off-season hours. A children's menu is available.
Windmill Point $$$
US 158, MP 16 1/2, Nags Head
(252) 441-1535
www.windmillpointrestaurant.com
From Windmill Point's wide windows,
you'll catch magnificent views of the
sound at sunset, punctuated by the bright
sails of windsurfers. Famous for its memorabilia from the elegant ocean liner SS
United States, this restaurant's excellent
cuisine matches the outdoor sights. The
two dining areas are tastefully furnished
down to the tablecloths, linen napkins,
and comfortable chairs that hug rather
than support you. Service is fast and
unobtrusive. The upstairs lounge, styled
with the authentic kidney-shaped bar
from the ship-complete with plaques
from famous 1950s statesmen and
actresses who sipped cocktails there-is a
pleasant place to await your call to dinner. Menu favorites include a seafood trio,
poached or grilled with flavorful sauces,
and a seafood pasta entree of lightly seasoned scallops. The chefs also prepare
roasted prime rib, sauteed duck, fettuccine
primavera, and capelli con scampi. Cooked
with fresh herbs and creative sauces, the
entrees get better each season. Windmill
Point's menu offers heart-healthy selections. A little mate menu for kids is available. Dinner is served seven nights a week.
Windmill Point is open year-round; reservations are accepted. On-premise and off-
premise catering is available.
The Dunes $
US 158, MP 16 1/2, Nags Head
(252) 441-1600
www.thedunesrestaurant.com
When a large crowd or big family is gathering for a meal, this restaurant accommodates all in its three huge dining rooms.
Breakfast at The Dunes is a Nags Head
tradition-you can tell by the packed parking lot-where every early morning entree
in every imaginable combination is
offered. A popular breakfast bar is set up
during weekends in the off-season and
daily in the summer. Lunches include
great burgers and homemade crab cakes
served with fries and coleslaw. The rib-eye
steak sandwich is also a good choice. Dinners feature local, well-prepared
seafood moderately priced and a huge
salad bar. All-you-can-eat specials are
popular. There are also plenty of desserts
to choose from if you're not already too
full. The Dunes serves beer and wine and
offers a children's menu. The service is
fast and friendly at this nonsmoking
establishment. The Dunes serves breakfast
and lunch every day except in late
December and most of January. Dinner is
served mid-February though November.
Owens' Restaurant $$$
NC 12, MP 16 1/2, Nags Head
(252) 441-7309
www.owensrestaurant.com
The oldest Outer Banks restaurant owned
and operated continuously by the same
family, Owens' is a local legend. This eatery
celebrates 60 years in 2006. Clara and Bob Owens first owned a
small hot dog stand in Manteo. In 1946
they opened a 50-seat cafe in Nags Head
on the deserted strip of sand that's now
filled with hotels, rental cottages, and
thousands of vacationers who arrive each
summer. The Owenses reared their two
children, Bobby and Clara Mae, in the
restaurant, serving breakfast, lunch, and
dinner during those early days. Today,
Clara Mae and her husband, Lionel, run
the family restaurant. R. V., Clara Mae's
nephew, runs his own eatery on the Nags
Head-Manteo Causeway. Together, this
food-loving family serves some of the
best traditional Outer Banks-style seafood
in the area. Owens' Restaurant now seats more
than 200 people and offers only evening
meals. More than 90,000 dinners are
served from this Beach Road eatery each
season. The atmosphere is still homey, yet
upscale; the food is still fresh and made
from scratch; the large lobby overflows
with memorabilia of the barrier islands
and Owens family heritage. Even the
building's architecture is reminiscent of
the Outer Banks's past, patterned after an
old Nags Head lifesaving station. The
menu, however, combines modern tastes
with traditional recipes. Owens' renowned
Southern Thanksgiving buffet is worth
experiencing just to sample the range
of delights this restaurant is capable of
creating. Locally caught seafood, often fresh
off the boat, is broiled, fried, sauteed, or
grilled each evening. Coconut shrimp,
"Miss O" crab cakes, and pasta are among
the most popular entrees. There's a mixed
grill for patrons who prefer prime rib
with their fish. Live Maine lobsters,
plucked from the tank, are steamed just
before serving. Owens' soups, including
Hatteras-style clam chowder and lobster
bisque, are delicious. All of the homemade desserts are well worth saving
room for. A full bar upstairs in the Station
Keepers' Lounge serves beer, wine, mixed
drinks, and special coffee concoctions. Light fare is also available upstairs.
Owens' is open from mid-March through
New Year's Eve. Dinner is served seven
days a week. Reservations are not
accepted.
Sam & Omie's $$
NC 12, MP 16 1/2, Nags Head
(252) 441-7366
www.sam-n-omies.com
Begun as a place for early morning
anglers to indulge in a big breakfast
before the Oregon Inlet charter fishing
fleet took off, Sam & Omie's is one of the
oldest family restaurants on the barrier
islands. In fact, the famed Lost Colony
production and Sam & Omie's will both
celebrate their 70th anniversay in 2007.
Omie Tillett recently retired his boat, The
Sportsman, and he long ago sold this little
wooden building at Whalebone Junction.
The restaurant, however, retains its old
beach charm and continues to produce
hearty, home-style food based on traditional local recipes for breakfast, lunch,
and dinner. This is a very casual place with
wooden booths and tables and a full-service bar. Local fishermen congregate to
contemplate the day's catch, and families
flock to enjoy the low-priced, filling meals.
Photographs of famous Gulf Stream
catches line the walls, and the TV usually
is tuned in to some exciting sporting
event. For breakfast, omelets are a
favorite. We like to make a meal of the
rich she-crab soup and red chile poppers
for lunch. Salads, sandwiches, hamburgers, fish fillets, turkey clubs, and daily specials also are served. A steamer has been
added for healthy vegetables and fish. For
dinner, try a soft-shell crab sandwich in
season or a prime rib entree on Thursday.
Sam & Omie's is open from early March
through November, at least. Call for winter
hours.
RV's Restaurant $$
Nags Head-Manteo Causeway
Nags Head (252) 441-4963
Opened in 1982, RV's is one of the most
popular places on the beach for lunch and
dinner. Owner R. V. Owens is likely to stop
by your table to greet you, offering his
warm smile, a firm handshake, and maybe
an opinion or two as an appetizer to an
abundant meal. Eat at the full-service bar
in this casual restaurant or sit at a table in
one of the soundfront dining rooms. The
seafood stew is extremely tasty and overflowing with shrimp and scallops. Marinated tuna is a must for fish lovers. A
gazebo raw bar on an attached deck
overlooking the water takes on a life of its
own in the evening. Prices are reasonable,
and the atmosphere is lively and fun. RV's
is open from March through Thanksgiving
seven days a week.
Tale of the Whale $$
Nags Head-Manteo Causeway
Nags Head (252) 441-7332
www.taleofthewhalenagshead.com
Family-operated and -owned for more
than two decades, Tale of the Whale is
situated on Roanoke Sound. You can
enjoy the delightful views either looking
through the expansive windows inside
while savoring dinner or on the 75-foot
deck and gazebo while sipping a refreshing cocktail. This roomy establishment is
bright and airy, with big wooden booths
lining the walls. Tables fill out the center
of the two dining rooms, and a 40-foot
bar is on the north side where diners can
watch sunsets and birdlife on the water. Tale of the Whale serves a variety of
the freshest available food in generous
portions. Seafood, lots of pasta, steaks,
chicken, and prime rib are menu staples.
Specials are offered daily, and early bird
specials are available from 4:00 to 5:00 P.M. in season. Combination platters are
prepared fried or broiled. Desserts are
made on the premises. Tale of the Whale
is open daily for dinner from April through
November. A children's menu is available
and seniors receve a 10 percent discount
on their entree.
Basnight's Lone Cedar Cafe $$
Nags Head-Manteo Causeway
Nags Head
(252) 441-5405
www.lonecedarcafe.com
The Basnight family of Manteo operates
this casual, upscale eatery where diners
wearing everything from shorts to suits are
welcome. In fact, it's not unusual to see the
president pro tem of the state senate himself, Marc Basnight, talking with guests and
removing dinner plates. Checkered green-
and-white tablecloths cover every table.
You'll notice the hunting motif with duck
decoys and fishing memorabilia in honor of
the former barrier island hunt club for
which the eatery is named. Appetizers are plentiful, ranging from
onion straws to clam chowder, seafood
bisque, clam and oyster fritters, hot crab
balls, and hot crab dip plus soups and
other specials of the day. Lunch entrees
start at $6.95 and include sandwiches
and fresh local seafood. For dinner try
Black Angus beef, homemade pasta,
sliced duck breast, fried or broiled
seafood, or order any of the evening specials. Choose a beverage from the full
bar and an extensive wine list. Desserts,
home-baked daily, include pumpkin and
pecan praline cheesecakes; pecan, peanut
butter, lemon, or key lime pie; banana fritters; and 16-layer chocolate cake. This cafe offers a view of the water
from every table and is open for lunch
and dinner daily year-round. Vegetarian
and children's offerings are available.
Reservations are not accepted.
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