Eating here was honestly a mistake. Perhaps it was the weather, but there was no live music, as advertised, on weekends. You walk in through the gift shop, and the restaurant itself feels like an old cafeteria -- sad and not very inviting. Our server was nice, but not very attentive. The fried pickles were probably the best part -- big portion and great for sharing. They definitely do fried food better than anything else. I tried to order the clam chowder and the fish of the day, but both were out. Ended up with the ribeye entrée and forgot to ask about the market price, which was my mistake because it came out to $48! The meat was tender and nicely seasoned. But for that price, I expected much better sides -- instead, I got canned green beans! I upgraded my second side for a side salad and it was fresh, but the shredded carrots tasted like they were about to go bad. And the cocktails? The Moscow mule was weak and poorly mixed. Overall, not worth it. read more

Long wait (50 minutes) for an empty restaurant. Fried pickles and Mac bites were good, they actually arrived before our drinks. We arrived at 6:15 seated at 7:05, ordered drinks and appetizers at 7:15. Appetizers arrived 7:25 and drinks 2 minutes later. At 7:45 waiter informed me they were out of pulled pork. Most of the Food arrived at 8:03, my deviled crab a couple minutes later. Food was pretty good and the hush puppies were delicious. This place has great potential, it just needs a little better management, and the decor needs an update and beach themed upgrade. read more

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Fish tacos, Crab legs & hushpuppies are amazing! The service was great. Tyler did great!

We didn't intend to eat here. We ended up here after the place we tried to get into had an emergency closure and the next place had a 2-hour wait and this place happened to be across the street. We checked Yelp (reviews that make you go "hmm") and considered bailing, but then they called our table. It was a good sign that they had 98.3 the Penguin playing, which is one of the best radio stations nationwide (I'm serious, we live in Chicago, home of the legendary WXRT, and still stream the Penguin all the time). Our waitress was terrific and the food was delicious starting with the heaping pile of fried pickles. I got blackened shrimp, my husband got a burger, my daughter liked the chicken strips and fries. Well done Big Daddy's. read more

We were looking for a place to have lunch and rest from the heat at Kure Breach when we came across Big Daddy's. The venue The place is huge inside! Sadly, it was empty, cold, and kind of sad. The service The staff was kind and serviceable. Our food was served in ~ 10 minutes. Food and drinks We had fish and chips, a burger, fried oysters, fried pickles, and some drinks. The flavors were okay, but it is definitely overpriced. read more

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The turkey from the turkey Mac and cheese looked like charcoal and the Mac and cheese tasted like box Mac and cheese it made my uncles stomach feel horrible and made all of my family have stomach issues I would not recommend for family and others. this place is NOT suitable for people who love non- seafood items. The burgers were VERY burnt the French fries were very hard and not suitable for anybody with braces. There were bugs flying around the whole restaurant and the bathroom was very disgusting. To top it off, the service was very slow we waited 2 to 3 hours to get our food. We are a family on vacation this was our first restaurant on this trip and this place single handedly almost sent us right back home! read more

Big Daddy's Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Kure Beach, North Carolina

The food was delicious with huge servings, and our server, Kate, was absolutely wonderful. She was attentive, kind and patient with our large party. Great for big groups. read more

Service so great, we will be back! Stephan took such care of our family of 4 that it made our experience here. Recommend eating outside unless you need AC as the eating room is located in the center with no windows. Peel shrimp & crab legs were steamed well. Pulled pork was a good sub when the ribs weren't available. Good place to consider after a day at the beach! read more

Terrible burger, frozen- , mainly over priced processed freezer food - sad excuse for a restaurant. Time for a re brand - redo

This was a great restaurant with wonderful food and service. Location was amazing being so close to stores and the Kure Beach Pier.

The crab legs and the blackened fish of the day (snapper) were excellent. The kids menu was perfect for our children, 7 and 4 years old. Service was superb; Stephanie took great care of us. She was present and attentive at just the right frequency. The ambiance is not as good as some restaurants, but there was plenty of space and seating for everyone in our walk-in party of 8. The restaurant also features the art of local photographers and painters, and offers their work for sale to customers; this means great local art on the walls and good support of other local businesses. Noise level from other customers and music (not live) in the restaurant was very comfortable for two families of four with children. Would definitely visit again. read more

We almost didn't give this place a try bc of the reviews but I'm so glad we did. We had a large party of 13 and got sat right away, they have a room in the back that is for large parties. This place was huge inside and plenty of seating. We got 3 apps, shrimp, pickles, and mac and cheese bites. All were delicious, I'm not sure which was my favorite. They have a good variety on the menu with lots of options. Our server did a great job and stayed on top of everything quickly! Not sure why all the other reviews are not good, bc we would come back to this place again! read more

The sever got our drink orders wrong, the food was slow and mediocre and she tried to guilt trip us into a tip. Only go here if you want to spend more money than expected. Sub par. read more

Do not waste your time here. At 7 pm on a Saturday night, we were behind this cute elderly couple and what appeared to be their daughter and possibly husband at the hostess stand. They get seated right away. When we get to the hostess (who shouldn't be in the hospitality business) she says it's going to be a 20 minute wait because they have to change out the staff or something like that. When it's finally our turn to be seated, we walk thru an empty dining room, except for the before mentioned party, and seat us by a huge table who were obnoxiously loud table and apparently didn't have any inside voices or manners as burping loudly was acceptable to them. After another 15 minutes, with no service yet, I went up to the ever cheerful hostess and asked if we could be moved. I was told no, because anywhere we sat we'd be by large tables--in an empty dining room??? We left and Door Dashed Taco Bell. read more

The smoked hot wings might have been the best wings I've ever had. I'm not sure what they did but they were buttery, smokey, and a little hot (got the mild) and entirely delicious. The beer battered fish tacos were tasty and filling (compared to Michael's fish tacos which were bland -- like chewy water). The hush puppies with sweet butter were an unexpected treat. Service was friendly and efficient. Downside: the room itself is like a redecorated office space from the 80s. Water stained drop ceiling and all. The food is so good it's really disappointing to have the seating as it is. With a renovation, this place would be amazing. Jack Mackerel's across the street has the decor but they couldn't seat our large party. We walked right into Big Daddy's and they were great the whole time. read more

me and my family ate here last night and everyone was fine except my mother... todays her birthday and she's sick and has been in and out the bathroom with diarrhea and she's nauseous. she didn't eat nothing else but this food at this restaurant and that's honestly the only thing- the lettuce was disgusting on her burger it looked like it had gone bad - parts of the burger were soggy. this is disgusting and unreasonable my mother deserves to not be sick on her birthday - do not eat here if you have something important the next day. it's like playing russian roulette with stomach sickness. read more

Seems very poorly managed. Servers very young and clearly not trained on the menu or how to be a server. Long wait with an empty restaurant. The decor is dated. Food cold and order incorrect. My fiance got sick from the damp fish. read more

my service was great the food was amazing thanks to Stephany she was so kind and very helpful with the menu we will be back

A longtime favorite. The fish tacos are a solid choice. Nice patio. Good service. Friendly servers.

First time visit to Big Daddy's in Carolina Beach. Folks that visit the Kure/Carolina Beach area frequently have known to stay far, far away from Big Daddy's (as you can see from the past reviews). However, we recently heard that the location is under new ownership and management and were eager to give it a try (note: we later received conflicting info that yes, the management is new, but the ownership is the same). We asked to sit on the patio, which if you aren't familiar, the Big Daddy's front patio is probably one of the best dining locations in Carolina Beach. No, it isn't waterfront, but it sits right on the busy corner of Fort Fisher Blvd and K. Ave. I probably don't have to tell you, but I will: the people watching is absolutely top notch... especially during the dinner hour when passersby are baked from both the beach and whatever beverage of choice they've been drinking for the past 8-10 hours. If nothing else, this is worth the price of admission alone. We started with drinks and all of us got mixed drinks. Among them were the Daddy's Margarita, some Pearadise thing, and a piña colada. All were very good and my margarita was nice and strong. Next up was the crab dip appetizer. I personally thought it smelled a little off when it hit the table. I eat a lot of seafood and especially a lot of crab. I took one bite and it seemed to taste 'ok', but I just couldn't get past the smell (reminds me of an old joke). The other three people at the table loved it, so hey: three outta four ain't bad [shrug]. While attempting to order entrees, our server informed us that the grill was down, which essentially meant no burgers, steaks or chicken. Ok, seafood it is! I got a dozen oysters and a pound of crab for my entree. I requested light steam on the oysters, but unfortunately they were steamed to death and looked more like raisins than oysters. Sigh. While the oysters were a disappointment, the crab legs definitely were not. They were some of the best crab legs I have had in a long time. The biggest highlight of the evening was our server, who was nothing short of amazing. Unfortunately, I can't remember his name, but the bald guy with tattoos working the patio is an all star. I'm really pulling for Big Daddy's to pull themselves out of what seems to be about a decade long slump. I really struggled between giving them 3 and 4 stars, but I think 4 would've been too generous this time around and would have been due more to my high hopes for Big Daddy's than their actual execution during our visit. I would still encourage anyone to visit because there are some really good things going on at Big Daddy's (don't forget to sit on the patio). It feels like they're on the verge of pulling their heads out, and I look forward to updating my review next time if they do. Cheers. read more

Big Daddy's Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Kure Beach, North Carolina

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Stopped at Big Daddy's for dinner and a beer. Sat at the outside bar and enjoyed the meals and atmosphere. I had the Fish & Chips with sweet potato fries, both well done and tasty. My wife had the Fried Oysters with steamed broccoli, again very well done. Service with Seth the bartender was good and our chocolate lab was welcomed. We would go back. It was just what we were looking for. read more

This place is not accommodating to families. We wanted to sit outside. We were open to sitting in 2 tables and the hostess deliberately wanted to put our tables on opposite sides of the restaurant. Shame. Will never go back since this restaurant is not willing to do anything to help. Note. If I could give them less than 1 star I would. A restaurant that turns down business because of bogus rules. read more

DO NOT COME HERE! Food was okay, definitely not good for the price. Service was okay and the employees were okay. The inside looks like a dump. If you come here, you will regret it 100%. read more

Stop here after doing some fishing out at the pier which is just across the road. It is the end of the season so some items weren't on the menu. The waitress said they would be closing for the season next week. There weren't many people in town so it was nice. I ordered the crab legs. They were cooked just right and were easy to crack and get the good stuff out. My wife got the peel and eat shrimp so we shared. No one had any complaints and I was with a pretty picky crew. I would recommend to anyone if you're in the area. They have more fried options than steamed or grilled. Great place! read more

Great atmosphere, outdoor seating, and cold beer. Food was good and affordable. I will go again!

We visited Big Daddy's our first time at Kure Breach. Food was great, service was spectacular, and the atmosphere was on point. As a matter of fact we came back for more tonight. Make sure you visit Big Daddy's when you go to Kure Beach! read more

Thought it would be more based on historical presence in the area. Hubby had burger and sweet potato fries. Burger was huge and cooked well but said the fries tasted like crayons. No real flavor and very waxy. Daughter had chicken sandwich which again, very large but she described as "meh". I opted for the fish and chips and also was disappointed. Despite having a huge piece of fish, the fish was fried too quickly at too high of heat which resulted in a crispy outside but gummy undercooked inside. All staff were exceptionally friendly and the restaurant was bright and welcoming but unfortunately the food just didn't measure up. read more

Food is less than average. Atmosphere dated. The worst part is that they have parking spaces that align their side of the building with their restaurant name on it, but it isn't restaurant parking. Park there and you will get a $55 ticket from Kure Beach. There is no signage anywhere near the parking, especially under the restaurant name on the side. I went in to ask them about it and they all were aware of this issue. I asked why as a small business owner, did they not post a sign that indicates it isn't restaurant parking and help their customers. I got a few shrugs in response. read more

Big Daddy's Restaurant - See any signs that indicate this is city of Kure Beach parking? Nope. Sure looks like Big Daddy's parking to me. - Seafood Near Me - Kure Beach, North Carolina

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My family and i went for my dads birthday. Everything seemed to be okay at first but the service started to dwindle away. Our server was gone for 30 minutes at a time, so we asked another server did he mind to fill our cup of tea. He refused to and walked away. That was one thing, but the food just wasn't good. I wish i would have read the reviews before going here. Hope to save you the time and money. read more

Great service during COVID-19. We were a bit skeptical eating out but went inside and found excellent social distancing. Our waiter was so very attentive and considerate. Kept our glasses full. Alcoholic side : Nice mango drink perfect for hot summer day. Blueberry mojito very refreshing. The food was awesome. We had fish tacos, fried oysters and shrimp ... oh and burger. Hush puppies a,fries an oh the onion rings! We will be back. read more

Like everyone else... AMAZING and FRIENDLY hostess, waiters etc BUT the food was nAAAAAAAAAAAAsty!!!!!! The crab cakes were more like fried tuna!! They were grey and weird!! Others food was extremely salty and weird tasting. NOBODY finished there food and NOBODY took home there leftovers... SOMEONE CALL GORDON RAMSEY!!!! UPADTE: Most of the family spent the night sitting on the toilet or trying not to puke... THIS PLACE IS SERIOUSLY gross. It banks on people visiting and not reading reviews. Please don't go read more

From the time you step in the dining room it smells fishy. We sat down to really old unappealing decor. 2 of us got fish sandwiches..not sure what kind of fish it was but not good. My daughter got a burnt, tasteless burger. My son got fish tacos...said it was gross. Husband & son went to the bathroom said very dirty, & smelly. We all were so afraid to eat much as unappealing. Gordon Ramsay &/or Robert Irvine need to do a Restaurant makeover here for sure. Don't waste your money going here. read more

We sat outside and had a beer and burger and it was pretty good. Lots of dang flies bugged the snot out of me and I am not sure if they are there because we were by the beach or if the food attracts them. Good music and good shady seating for sure. read more

Ok. I am so sorry to the workers there but this was just awful. From the 50 year old decor to the food. Not good. Everyone's food was awful. Most of us did not eat. The burger was over cooked. The fish and chips were bitter. The fish tacos were not fresh. The crab dip tasted like fish water. No parking and they are expensive. Waiter was a bit clueless. Will not go back. read more

Waitress/service was good. Could have been quicker with refills and such. Wife and I ordered: Crab dip Shrimp Po-Boy Fish of the day - Mahi - prepared blackened Sweet potato fries and veggie of the day califlower medley Crab dip .. the wife liked it - I can't say I was fan. It was good but how I personally like my crab dips. It was a little too heavy on the cream cheese - where I prefer a more 'gooey' style. It came with essentially stale sliced bread, which just didn't fit in my opinion. Would have been better if it was toasted I think. Fish was pretty good. Can't say I'm a connoisseur of mahi but it seemed a little bland I guess. Fries were good and crispy - I personally like to dip in ranch - they have good ranch. Veggies were ok. The wife had never had a Po-Boy so she didn't know what she was getting? She didn't like it but it looked good. We both got the lobster bisque soup of the day. I found it to be pretty good. It was a pure liquid soup no lobster chunks. Flavor was on the mild side. I've definitely had better. We ordered a drink to share - 'mermaids kiss' ingredients sounded good but holy cow it was gross. I'll give it to them though - it was a stiff drink but definitely not what we were expecting. It would seem to me the bartender wanted to make a girly drink into a mans drinks but left the deceiving name..We did not finish the drink and I offered my two cents to the waitress about the drink - only saying I wouldn't recommend this to future customers and they actually took it off the bill. I would possibly try again but would not re-order anything we had tonight. read more

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Crab legs were frozen Burger did not taste like anything Really low quality food The outside area is really pretty Inside feels like a warehouse, no windows, very dry environment. Waitress was nice and courteouss read more

Awful service, half of the plates were cook incorrectly, all of us were on separate checks and they forced us to pay a 20% tip as a party. Overall terrible experience, DO NOT EAT HERE. read more

My guy came here as a boy, remembered great burgers and fun times with the family. We decided to try it during our Labor Day visit to Kure Beach. 70s rock playing, Boston, Tom Petty, Queen, Dire Straits, The Police, etc. Took waitress but a couple minutes to take our drink order after being seated. Then another 15 min to come back to take our order. She must have been the only server indoors. I opted for the seasonal berries salad consisting of spinach, feta, strawberries, mandarin oranges, almond slices and tossed in a balsamic glaze. Could use a tad bit more feta and almonds, but was very fresh. Also, ordered the steamed local shrimp. About 28 pieces in the pound. Excellent. My guy had the Calabash-style fried shrimp platter. No complaints. A delish early dinner. We opted out of dessert this trip. read more

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Seth the bartender is amazing at his job. Ribs are good and the service all around was amazing. I agree with other reviews that the place could be updated a bit but its the beach so i didn't care. Perfect place to get some drinks outside and hear the ocean and get a few snacks. read more

I think this place is a big bust. As soon as we read the menu we desperately wished that we had eaten across the street at Jack Mackerel's. Ugh . . . it's all pedestrian, over-fried, bland stuff. The salad bar looked like something out of a fast food establishment - nothing interesting and outrageously overpriced. The lunch specials were boring sandwiches at outrageous prices or fried seafood items over lettuce (supposed to be salads?) that were all over $10.00. Most of the entrees are fried options with boring sides. They had some plain-jane pasta options, etc. The trays of food the server brought out for other tables included fried fish that was over-fried and way too dark to taste good. Their crab cake sandwiches had over-fried, way too brown, smooth patties that looked like they were all bread and very little crab. Nothing looked appetizing. We almost got up and left but we were really hungy. We all ordered soup. Hubby and kids ordered clam chowder and I ordered Maryland crab. Bowl sizes were different. The 4.5 year old daughter ended up with a bowl bigger than her dad. Either way the bowls were pretty small for $4. More like glorified cups. The soups were decent, although lacking in seafood. They did serve some hushpuppies that were fresh fried and tasty. However, it cost us $20 for four bowls of soup that we could have gotten for $4 if we used a can opener at home. The soups weren't bad, but they were over salted, which is usually a sign that the person cooking is a smoker because smoking ruins the ability to gauge the salt in a dish. Skip this place and walk across the street. For the same price (or a better price) you can eat very good food at Jack Mackerel's. The souvenir shop is large and it has a little water feature with pirates, etc. However, many of their things are emblazoned with Big Daddy. I really don't want to spend money on a cheesy beach souvenir with a restaurant name on it. Particularly a restaurant I won't visit again. read more