So who remembers this place when it was just a shack on the beach? Not me, but my niece sure does. She says a trip to the OBX would not be complete without going to the Bad Bean, and I would agree. Based on the original description from my niece, I was rather surprised to see a full bar. Can't go wrong with a cerveza or a margarita, right? Right! House marg, rocks, was pretty good. I don't think it was a mix. It was better once we augmented with an extra shot of tequila. I wasn't overly hungry and noshed on chips and had a couple of tacos. I went with a fish (mahi I think) and a Shredded Meat (Ancho Braised Beef Brisket). Both very good. My niece went for a burrito and it was MASSIVE! If you are hungry, go this route. All in all, a good meal. Now one thing I didn't like, but I suspect others do, the dining room was quite a bit on the cold side. We moved once to get out of the fan, and that helped. It was a fun casual place and I liked watching the surf videos. Oh, and the Party Packs are a pretty cool idea too - http://www.badbeanobx.com/index.php?p=partypacks Bottom line: The trip down memory lane was the best part. PS. Don't forget to pick up a free sticker on your way out. I did! read more

Bad Bean Baja Grill - Free sticker! Score! - Mexican Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

Great Mexi-Cali experience on the OBX. Everything is fresh (including the vibrant local artworks)! Fish tacos are my fave, fish changes per daily catch, servers are educated... second only to the chicken which is always marinated and prepared to max-flavor. Great verde salsa option. Our party sampled the whole menu (ages 8-65+) with various heat levels, no complaints, and everyone 'yumm'-ing! Looking for a quick lunch/dinner full of flavor on the beach? This is the joint! Bonus points for the music selection... read more

This awesome spot was about a 10 minute walk (at most) from our BnB, and thank goodness for that! Both my partner and I LOVE Mexican food and being from California, I'm a tad picky! My partner ordered the pork belly taco, and his exact words were "this is unreal." We came back two other times- one time for takeout and another to dine in on our drive out. We also ordered the dip sampler, and it was AWESOME! They were also incredibly accommodating for vegan/gluten free allergies! I was able to order the vegetarian tacos with corn tortillas, no cheese or sour cream, and marinated grilled tofu and it was AWESOME! The margaritas and beer selection are also on point! And if you catch them on a night when Chris is bar tending, you're especially lucky! Thank you for everything and adding such positive dining experiences to our trip! read more

Bad Bean Baja Grill - The Ultimate Margarita! So good! - Mexican Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

100% go for the pork belly tacos! We also got the cali burrito with ancho braised beef smothered in enchilada sauce. Super delicious. Service was also quick and friendly. I would have given 5 stars, but the fish in the fish tacos was very dry and over cooked. But I will definitely return. read more

Food is good especially the burrito with cheese curds and fries. We had a terrible experience with the service and the wait. They said 20 minutes 45 mins later I went up to check in and was given dirty looks and told to be patient. An hour later went up again and asked if we could squeeze at the smaller table (they didn't clear the big ones for 20 mins just sat dirty) I was given sass and told to do whatever I wanted. Food was slow and cold. read more

I preface this review with the fact that I don't like Mexican cuisine, but was eating here with a group of friends, so I did my best. The place was large and had a great art collection on display. It was busy despite it being a Wednesday early lunch. My friends got the dip sampler which they completely demolished. I thought the plain queso would be okay, but it still had a slight spice to it. Everyone was pleased with their large burritos and tacos. One friend got The Shredder which was filled with steak, cheese curds, and fries. It ended up being an entire second meal for her as leftovers. I got the simple 3 cheese quesadilla and they were able to put shrimp on it for me despite that not being a listed option. It was good and so filling I couldn't try the sopapilla desert. I guess I will be going back next time too! read more

Bad Bean Baja Grill - Dip sampler: Queso, Guac, fresca, & verde salsas - Mexican Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

While on vacation my fiancé looked this place up and we went and let me tell you it was NOT DISAPPOINTING at all. Out of all the places we've ate at while out here this one BAD BEAN by far is my favorite of all I wish I would known about this place ahead of time I would have been here everyday the prices are super far compared to every where else the wait staff super hot and friendly I know this was going to be a good place when we walked in nothing but smiles and for you guys in the kitchen y'all need a raise asap damn good food all the way around if I could I'll give this place 10 stars thank you guys and we will be back and big shout to Kim my server read more

Great change of pace from traditional OBX experience. Friendly staff, decent bar and solid traditional Mexican food. Nothing flashy but good fresh ingredients prepared simply. Great homemade salsa and the pork belly tacos are awesome. Will be back again next year Back again this year 7/19. Same review!! Updated pics Back again 7/20. Same review. Best OBX meal this year. Great job staff and cooks. Appreciate the hospitality!! read more

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It's OK. We have been twice, only the second time due to the fact that our realtor gave us a gift card. First no no for a Mexican restaurant, no free chips and salsa. The food seems to be made fresh, but it lacks flavor. Honestly I can't even remember what my husband and I ordered the two times we went as the food was that lackluster. read more

Had a great experience here, the food was all good, the margaritas had a noticeable amount of liqueur but the flavor was still enjoyable. Got the salsa, guac and queso appetizer and you could tell it was all made fresh. The tofu burrito was flavorful and a nice option for vegetarians. The service was great and although it was a bit pricey for casual dining I would definitely go back. read more

My boyfriend and I went here and had a shredder burrito (which was delicious) and a baja burger (even better!!) hlauren served us and she did such a great job!! she was so sweet and took such good care of us! we will definitely be back! Jessica and juliana were also awesome as well and made us feel very welcomed! read more

Absolutely love coming here for some great food. I've been coming here for many years and have never had a bad meal. The menu is always changing giving you knew options to try along with the drink menu. My go to is to start with homemade tortilla chips and dip and then chicken tacos. If you want dessert, my favorite is the sopapillas. Another suggestion to try is the soft shell crab tacos when they have them (they go fast). Love Bad Bean! read more

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Chips & salsa were top notch, peach marg - excellent, there were 4 in our party and the food came out incorrect. After a quick correction we ate, bowls, burrito and nachos - amazing, great flavor. The bowls having to be corrected seemed to be rather skimpy when they came back. Homemade mocha chip ice cream was awesome !! read more

This was a pretty good place and I would recommend it for anyone looking for a good Mexican-style restaurant. Food: Everything we had was absolutely delicious. I thought the pricing was average for Outer Banks pricing. Serving size was good. Staff: Everyone was friendly and pleasant. They seem to enjoy working there, and were attentive to serving our family. Location/building/parking: This is located right off the main strip, near other things. There is ample parking directly outside. In summary, just go ahead and give them a try. Sidenote: I have included some pictures of the menu as of December (2019) because it looked like the ones that were already uploaded were dated. read more

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Truly a spectacular foodie yelp find. Was in the mood for Mexican, and choices were spotty till we found Bad Bean Baja Grill. They entire staff did a great job with all the pandemic social distancing/mask requirements. Finally a very small simple menu so they can execute elevated 5 star Mexican fusion food and drinks. The margaritas were refreshing with speciality choices and served in a nice tall glass, so buying one was like buying 2. Fresh fried tortilla chips came out hot with your choice of mild/medium/hot salsas, and we got the hot which was truly hot and had us happily sweating. Then had the amazing crunchy jalapeño popper egg rolls, followed by a variety of on-point burrito bowls, burritos covered in enchilada sauce stuffed with garlic fries, cheese curds, and skirt steak, etc. We will return again. read more

Bad Bean Baja Grill - Steak Burrito, Jalapeño Popper Egg Rolls, Chips & Hot Salsa with a Margarita - Mexican Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

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Service is Great. Food is always good and consistent , Especially like the cali burrito.

Went here while on vacation, and was definitely pleased. The chips and queso were great to start out with. I got the taco salad, I know original, but it was delicious and more than your average half filled shell of lettuce and cheese. Staff were friendly and recommended dishes. The environment was chill, clean, and inviting. I would go back! read more

Such a chill spot with delicious tacos! Sat at the bar, super friendly bartender and great service. Mahi tacos were delish (fish crave-ably seasoned and the chimichurri topping set it over the top) along with the salsa - tomatillo and poblano style. The hubs raved about the pork belly taco too. Cannot wait to return! read more

Great ambiance and fantastic food. Reasonable prices and large portions. Very impressed and will definitely be returning later in our trip

Overall the service was great and the staff was very kind about accommodating our large party. The food was pretty standard Mexican and our server made sure we always had chips on the table read more

Really fantastic! In a "vacation town" (aka fried city )this place is a welcome reprieve of freshness! The tomatillo salsa was delicious and the chips were fresh. This is a place loaded with locals which speaks volumes about the food. They have healthy to decadent here. The brisket is really a must and the pork belly was prepared perfectly. We ended with the homemade banana ice cream with chocolate swirl. Perfect "banananess". Even my hubby enjoyed it and he isn't a huge banana fan. The best part was Kris. Rocked the recommendations, attentive without hovering and just over all awesome----Thanks Kris! read more

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Pork belly tacos! Do not go here without trying these tacos. The cucumbers are marinated in soy sauce and mustard, but still have a slight crunch. The pork belly is melt in your mouth delicious. Also, loved the homemade FRESH guacamole with chips. It had great flavor. I'm a sucker for fresh guacamole and they did not disappoint. Our bartender was very friendly and prompt. read more

Bad Bean Baja Grill - Shrimp taco on the left, pork belly taco on the right, and guacamole. - Mexican Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

Great , reasonably priced food and attentive staff. Rustic atmosphere. We enjoyed our meals.

What can I say? The food here is consistently the freshest and most flavorful Mexican-American fusion at Nags Head. We've been fans since they started at their prior location (a literal hole in the wall). They are packed every single night in a tough market for one reason - the food is fire. read more

The chips and guacamole and salsa were Devine! I had the pork and beef tacos and Hubby had two fish. Excellent!!!!

HAIR IN FOOD!! Went for tacos for lunch on a Tuesday. Service was slow. The place was pretty empty - maybe 4 other tables besides ours. We were seated pretty quickly - but that's where it stopped. Took about 10 minutes before the waitress, who seemed to be the only one working, acknowledged us by giving us water. Took her awhile to get back to us to take our order - chips/ guacamole & 2 fish tacos, 2 beef tacos. Waited over 1/2 hr for tacos. Table next to us sent food back because of multiple hairs found in it. Since we waited so long for our food, I filled-up on chips/ guacamole, and took my fish taco home. Gave it to my son to eat, and he found HAIR in it!! I'm not going back and would not recommend it to friends. read more

Stopped in for lunch. Tried the assortment of dips - excellent guacamole, medium red salsa, great verde, mediocre white salsa. I tried the (market price) shrimp burrito and my husband the shrimp tacos. Maybe we should have known it wouldn't be fresh due to the hurricane - our bad. But other ingredients were good. Friend had the Cuban sandwich and was very happy. Super strong drinks and very friendly, attentive service. We'd eat here again! read more

Bad Bean Baja Grill - Shrimp tacos - Mexican Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

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Nice, clean "surf" motif bar with great food. Not a lot of seating so it can sometimes take a while to be seated. There is food service at the bar too. Decent list of alcohol beverages with several local beers offered. The fish of the day tacos are terrific. Today was flounder and the fish was cooked perfect. The crema, avocado and salsa paired well with the fish. The tacos are priced per taco, so you decide how many to get depending on your appetite. Nice idea. The brisket and pork tacos are really good too. Had mint chip ice cream on the dessert menu; wish I had saved room to have a bowl! read more

We didn't like this place at all. Our food was delivered cold and dried out. There are lots of places to eat in the area that are much better. read more

I really enjoy coming here when I am at the OBX - plenty of choices for the entire family from kids to parents to grandparents. Good prices for large group. Great beers and awesome tacos - never disappointed here. read more

This is probably my favorite restaurant anywhere. Friendly staff greets you as you walk in the door as the 100% health rating display clues you in the amazing quality meal that awaits you. We started with the dip sampler. The Dip sampler comes with homemade fresh house guacamole, queso dip and your choice of salsa. We chose the Mild and hot pictured below. The habanero flavor is excellent, be warned it has a bit of heat. Next up was the Pork Belly Jalapeno Popper Egg Rolls with a citrus honey sauce. Perfect balance of heat, sweet and savory. I am always excited when Mahi-mahi is the fish of the day and the green tail shrimp are my absolute favorite. If these are the special of the day you simply must order. Can't wait to have them cater when we renew our vows. Thank you for another amazing meal. read more

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Great Mexican food restaurant. Group loved the food. Different tacos were a big hit. Plus the special fries. Extremely busy, as has every place we have been. Be prepared to wait. Easy location to get to. It's a definite stop when we are here. read more

Delicious food, friendly staff & affordable prices! My kids were able to choose what fillings went into their taco or burrito & they really enjoyed them. I had the jalapeño popper egg rolls and the chicken avocado wrap with a side of cilantro fries. So yummy! read more

Excellent chicken tacos and chicken burrito bowls!! All the food was FRESH and delicious. We will definitely return before we head home. And the employees were attentive and nice! This place will not disappoint!! read more

Bad Bean Baja Grill - Chicken taco - Mexican Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

My daughter and I are in obx for a girls getaway. We decided on Mexican food. First I'll say for those in my boat and who care. The bathrooms were emasculate lol. Are they like that all the time? I really hope so. I think the ladies room was cleaner than my home bathroom lol. That being said. We were a party of 2 so we were seated immediately at a tall table. They brought us chips and homemade fresh salsa. (It needed salt but that's my personal preference). I ordered a regular lime margarita which apparently they make their own mix. The waiter "Brian" was very nice and attentive. He explained that absolutely everything is made from scratch down to the mayo on your burgers and cole slaw. I ordered the quesadilla fajita and my daughter ordered a shredder. Both were very good but as I said before it all needed salt (personal preference) All in all I'm giving it 4 stars because it's not a restaurant I would run back to on every visit but it was definitely worth checking out while we were here. read more

Good for basic Mexican nothing exciting and nothing bad about the place taco bowl was a little smaller then I've seen but price isn't bad

The atmosphere was chill and relaxed, had a good option for seating and had outside options. Sadly we brought in a baby so was a little tight but the workers did an amazing job helping us feeling welcomed, which as a new mother is so welcoming! The hostess and waitress was such sweet hearts. I'm a firm believer it's the people that make the food good. Was on the pricier side of things kinda the down fall. But I got the chicken burrito bowl and added cheese. The cheese rice beautiful, chicken was seasoned to perfection, just was well put together. My husband got the mahi-mahi catch of the day really was fishy but good not something we would get again but was well worth a try. read more

Stoped after just getting into town. Had a roasted strawberry margarita- yum! Our waitress/bartender was Jess, couln't have been nicer. Had nachos, quesadillas and homemade tomato soup with goat cheese. Everything was delicious highly recommend. read more

It doesn't look like much when you just walk past- but before you know it you've entered the restaurant and you are pleasantly surprised with a clean, and delicious smelling Mexican grill. This is my favorite Mexican restaurant in the OBX, and they're good is amazing! Keep in mind, their portions are a little big, but I highly recommend this place! read more

The salsas are amaze-balls. Great beer selection. The pork barbacoa tacos were legit. Will be back for sure.