Cancel

Open app

Search

Awful Arthur's Oyster Bar

3.9 (802 reviews)
ModerateSeafood
Closed Closed
Updated 2 weeks ago

Awful Arthur's Oyster Bar Photos

Business Info

AWFUL ARTHUR'S OYSTER BAR ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Good for kids
Dogs allowed

You might also consider

More like Awful Arthur's Oyster Bar

Recommended Reviews - Awful Arthur's Oyster Bar

Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
Yelp app icon
Browse more easily on the app
Review Feed Illustration

Reviews With Photos

This is best restaurant in OBX.the food is fantastic and nothing was even close to being a left over.I recommend anyone in the area to come.Dont even have a complaint about the service,the waiters are so kind and welcoming.And last but not least the spot and the aura of this place is amazing.right next to the Avalon pier!The thing that amazed me was the oyster lamps!! I WILL BE COMING BACK!!!!!!!

Sno Crab
Jim K.

Very busy place. Went to restaurant around 6 and were told 90 minute wait. We put our name in and walked over to the shop and the pier. From there, we went up to the lounge. Future advice, bring some cards and head up to lounge to wait. We ended up waiting only 60 minutes before being called. After being seated, waitress was to us right away. After this, we only saw her a few times again. Maybe give it a pass because of how busy they were??? But could have used a drink or two. Don't get the water! Read this in a few other reviews as well. Not sure what it is but the water tastes horrible. Food was good and felt like portion size was just about perfect.

Oysters Arthur
Jeff C.

Some of the freshest Oysters Arthur on the half shell,Clams Casino,Barracuda Bites,Delicious Burgers and Sandwiches.Everything was amazing!

Bar
Teresa H.

First time eating here with my husband's family! Can't wait y til we come back. Super great service and authentic. We had some baked oysters. So good. And the grouper sandwich was super yummy! My husband loved his Mahi mahi sandwich. My father in law loved his crab lobster bisque soup. And my mother in law got the crab cake sandwich We sat at the bar. And we got some bloody Mary's and martinis and beer. A super great way to end our little vaca

Raw clams
Eka M.

The raw oysters were great, prefer that over their raw clams. I think it's one of the best value oysters for $1.5/each. The seafood steamer #2 is a lot of food, sweet briney shrimp and the crab legs were fresh, though the steamed oysters were just ok, prefer that raw instead. The crabmeat and shrimp platter was very yummy, lots of crabs and again really fresh shrimps. Try to get here by 445pm for dinner or else you'll wait for 2 hours on peak season. The upstairs bar waiting area got a good view of the water.

Interior
Kamron S.

Came here for lunch with family during our day out. The restaurant is really neat with a big bar and nice ocean decor. The light chandeliers are made of oyster shells which is really fun. Our waitress was kind and helpful telling us promptly about the specials and catches of the day. I got some really nice crab and lobster bisque which was thick and delicious. I got a seafood platter for my meal with clam strips, fried oysters, and one of the catches of the day fried flounder. It was all really delicious they used good breading and didn't get anything to greasy. I really enjoyed my meal.

Clam strips with hush puppies and fries
Jessica K.

This was one of the best meals my family had while visiting the Outer Banks. There is a bar and lounge area upstairs where you can get drinks while you wait. I got a frozen pina colada which was pretty tasty! They originally told us 1 hr 30 min - 1 hr 45 min for the wait, but it ended up being closer to 50 minutes. I got the clam strips with fries and hush puppies for my sides. The clam strips were delicious! They're different from most other places with a unique seasoning and breading. The hush puppies were nice and big. They were crunchy on the outside but a little sweet inside. Some of the best we had all trip. The fries were also good. Nice and crispy but still soft on the inside. I would definitely come back here!

Prime rib - med rare?

See all

2 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Andrea M.
6
114
162

1 month ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

15 days ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

6 days ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 month ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Jeff C.
30
15
16

2 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 1

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Timia B.
138
23
0

9 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1

1 month ago

Very good food! It's a must go to place to eat if you're in the outer banks!! I got the crab cakes and they were delish!!

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 month ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Kamron S.
2
176
239

11 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

2 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

19 days ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1

10 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Wes A.
652
612
6658

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 1
Love this 0
Oh no 0

8 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Pat V.
56
27
0

9 months ago

Good food--great special that we enjoyed--grouper po' boy & fries $12.99. Nice atmosphere--friendly staff!

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 months ago

Wonderful place. My son and I make this our first stop for oysters and crab every year and every visit to beautiful Corolla, NC.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

9 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Dan V.
85
79
4

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Great service and food. Large menu... long wait but worth it. Love the upstairs bar area

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 1
Photo of Becky R.
1
44
126

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

8 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

The server was attentive and the food was great. We enjoyed the rodeo burger and fried shrimp.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

9 months ago

Got the crab legs they were great, pricey but on the beach so what else would you expect. Cold beer and good times.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

Page 1 of 21

Awful Arthur's Oyster Bar Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Awful Arthur's Oyster Bar

Do you allow dogs?

No, I don't believe they do unless it is a service dog. The restaurant does not have outdoor seating.

View All 2 Questions

You might also consider

Verify this business for free

People searched for Seafood 1,249 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

Verify this business

The Kill Devil Grill

The Kill Devil Grill

4.7
(1.5k reviews)
3.6 mi
$$

We were staying in Corolla and decided to venture out for a late lunch and I'm so glad we did. The…read moreKill Devil Grill was a highlight of our trip. The restaurant has two distinct dining areas: the front section is first-come first-served bar seating that offers the full menu. The back section, which would be ideal for families, holds about 30 tables, mostly booths, with the hostess stand. We chose to sit at the bar and had a great experience. We started with bruschetta topped with burrata cheese. I ordered the angel hair pasta in a white garlic butter, cream sauce with marinated chicken and grilled vegetables. My husband ordered the special hamburger with Swiss cheese bacon, spinach and mayo with a side of fries. We ended with slices of the key lime pie that didn't disappoint! The food, service, staff and environment were exceptional! We overheard the Server mention that veterans receive complementary meals on Veterans Day, which speaks volumes about how this restaurant supports those who have served. If you are in the Outer Banks- whether you're staying in Kill Devil Hills or nearby- this restaurant is worth the drive and all the hype!

This was one of the most recommended restaurants in the Outer Banks, and it definitely matched the…read morehype. It's housed in an old train car which is really cool (there's additional seating in a building attached to the car). The bar is nicely stocked with a lot of local beers and spirits. Our friendly bartender was well-versed in all their offerings too. The food was also quite good. There were a lot of items (check the daily specials) that feature local flavors.

Photos
Bar
Bar
Caesar salad
Caesar salad
Burger was perfect

See all

Burger was perfect
Hurricane Mo's

Hurricane Mo's

4.0
(514 reviews)
1.9 mi
$$

We originally went to another restaurant to find out they were closed on Tuesdays, figured we would…read morecome here for the first time. Omg... this did not disappoint. First, the value for what you get on the seafood platter compared to the price, so worth it. Popcorn shrimp was excellent, they definitely bread it in house. Seafood Virginia was spectacular. Crab cakes were crispy, everything that was fried had a thin coating, which my family and I prefer. The pan-seared seafood platter was also delicious! The service was quick and nice. The restaurant is not huge but we got in with a family of 5 within 15 minutes during happy hour. A must try in the OBX!!

Stopped in for lunch and was greeted by an unfriendly, somewhat nasty attitude hostess. Service…read moredidn't get much better at the table. Our party of 6 split up to avoid having to wait 45 minutes for a single table to sit us all. We were a party of 4 and another table of 2. We had different waitress and the one table was almost finished their meal before the other table was served even though we sat down at the same time. I was informed the scallops were chewy due to being over cooked and the soft shell crab was fishy tasty like they were not fresh and they cut a small one into two not coming close to filling the taco shell. The peel your own shrimp were also over cooked making it difficult to get the shell off. I will however say the clam chowder was delicious, the she crab soup was a little too rich for me to finish my bowl but was very tasty. The blackened tuna bites were amazing. However despite my meal being good the over consensus was not good.

Photos
Nice vibe
Nice vibe
Seared Shrimp Platter
Seared Shrimp Platter
Hurricane Mo's

See all

Black Pelican

Black Pelican

3.6
(1.1k reviews)
1.8 mi
$$

For the first time ever, we had some disappointments at Black Pelican. We have lunch or dinner…read moreduring most of our twice-per-year visits to the area. It has always been good, and we definitely won't let this deter us from returning. Ms T had her usual Shrimp basket lunch. The issue was that the shrimp were not cooked through. They were still translucent. We totally understand not wanting to overcook shrimp, but these were not quite done. On the bright side she commented on how good the slaw was. I have been on a kick to try barbecue at restaurants that are not barbecue joints per se, to see if I can find some hidden gems. For example, both Sam & Omie's and Wanchese Marina serve a good barbecue sandwich. Black Pelican, at least on this day, does not. I must say, the serving was huge. This was more than enough for two meals for me. The barbecue was dry and not well flavored. The texture and flavor was more like dried out beef that has been over-roasted. This is not something I would order again here. All that being said, I am leaving the rating for Black Pelican as it is because we have always had good meals here. I accept that it can't be 100% perfect every time and sooner or later we will run into something that is less than stellar. We will continue to return. I just know this not where I will have barbecue and we are sure the shrimp thing was just a one timer.

Originally the Kittyhawk life-saving station, at one point it was a Western Union station from…read morewhich the Wright Brothers sent their initial telegram of powered flight. This was one of the few places that when we called around, didn't have a crazy long wait time so we ended up going here for dinner. The risotto was really good! The flavors were excellent and the seafood tasty. The portions were decent and I can see why it's one of their best selling dishes. I would totally get this again. The woodfired pizza was good but nothing to rave about. I got the Aloha one with pineapples, chicken, scallions and a white sauce. We got the bruschetta as an appetizer and that was really good - it also came out pretty fast. The rest of the food took a while to come out. The service was also not very fast. I might recommend this place from an ambience and historical perspective and maybe the food, but definitely not the service.

Photos
Inside
Inside
Coconut Shrimp
Coconut Shrimp
Gin Julep with Mint cocktail is awesome !

See all

Gin Julep with Mint cocktail is awesome !

Awful Arthur's Oyster Bar - seafood - Updated July 2026

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...