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    Awful Arthur's Oyster Bar

    3.8 (806 reviews)
    ModerateSeafood
    Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated a few days ago

    Awful Arthur's Oyster Bar Photos

    Business Info

    AWFUL ARTHUR'S OYSTER BAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - Awful Arthur's Oyster Bar

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    Lili D.

    Yum and noticeable cheaper oysters than we had the night before. Cute place loved the oyster ceiling lights. Great service, our waitress politely explained the oyster crabs which none of us had heard of. We didn't eat them even though they're lucky cause they were like squirming. My burger was well done with high is slightly over cooked for me, but the backfin crab on top was so good. Fries nice and crisp. If u get seafood we liked the non fried much more than the fried.

    Peel and eat shrimp
    Andrea M.

    It's a very beachy feel inside. Everyone that works there knows their stuff. If you go, everyone in your party must be there or you won't be seated. Togo orders, 15% gratuity is added. The food was great and the fish kids meal was a great. Clams were good but they put a ton of bacon on it. I know you're thinking you can never have enough bacon, but you can't.

    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.

    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!!!!!!!

    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

    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!

    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?

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    3 months 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!!

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    11 months ago

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

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    5 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.

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    1 year ago

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

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    The Kill Devil Grill - Bruschetta with burrata

    The Kill Devil Grill

    4.7(1.6k reviews)
    3.6 mi
    $$

    Wow. I really slept on this place over the years. I have wanted to come here for quite awhile, but…read morenever have done so when visiting OBX. This year, I put that sleeping to an end. I woke up...and had a delicious time! The reviews here tell you how great this place is, and well...believe them! I thought for sure it would be over-hyped and not live up to what people write and say, but I will admit to being wrong. First, our server, Krickett, was agreed upon (by my partner and I) to be the best server we have ever had. She was friendly, outgoing, had good recommendations, and an all-around joy. Second, the food! Wow! My partner had a salad...simple enough, right? But no, she was amazed by it. And she is a vegetarian, so she has had a lot of salads over the years. This one blew her away. I had the grilled chicken sandwich. Was it life-changing? No. But it was way better than what a grilled chicken sandwich normally is. It was tender, juicy, with just the right seasoning. I would be a criminal if I didn't mention the bruschetta...get it with the burrata...it is worth it! The crispy bread with balsamic drizzle is good enough with the diced tomato mix, but the cheese gives it a new level. And, I hope you saved room for dessert, because the key lime pie was a mouth explosion.

    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!

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    The Kill Devil Grill - Bar

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    The Kill Devil Grill - Big Kahuna Burger. My wife added the CFO (crispy fried onions to hers and it was great).

    Big Kahuna Burger. My wife added the CFO (crispy fried onions to hers and it was great).

    The Kill Devil Grill - Grilled chicken

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    Grilled chicken

    Black Pelican - Wednesday Special - Fried Chicken lunch

    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.

    After checking into our hotel in Kitty Hawk, we headed to The Black Pelican for an early dinner…read morearound 4:00 PM, thanks to a ton of recommendations on an OBX Facebook group. We beat the crowds and got a table on the upstairs patio. It technically looks out over the ocean, though from our spot, it was mostly a view of the sand! We ordered their famous recommended dish and said it was amazing. My Salmon was great too! The only downside? The service really went downhill after the food arrived. Despite being the only ones on the patio, our waiter never checked back in. A couple of waitresses were just hanging out by the bar on their phones, too. Eventually, one of them noticed our cleared plates, asked about dessert, and just brought the bill. No "how was everything?" or "can I get you anything else?"--which was a bummer for such a highly recommended spot!

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    Black Pelican - Inside

    Inside

    Black Pelican - Coconut Shrimp

    Coconut Shrimp

    Black Pelican - Gin Julep with Mint cocktail is awesome !

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    Gin Julep with Mint cocktail is awesome !

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

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