Black Pelican definitely has a family-friendly, touristy atmosphere. They offer lots of seating and can handle groups. I loved the under the sea type decor found all around the restaurant. We stopped in during the week while on vacation in the area. Luckily with our larger group we were able to get seated quickly. The staff was fantastic. Our waiter was prompt and got us everything we needed correctly and did it with a smile! He got us in and out quickly, but we didn't feel rushed. They have a good size menu with plenty of options and offer a full bar. I decided to go with a beer to start out. I always like to try local brews when I am traveling! It was tasty and didn't disappoint. For dinner, I ordered one of the specials which had Grilled Wahoo and Blackened Swordfish topped with a corn salsa. The Wahoo was tender and fresh, but the Swordfish was dry and lacked flavor. IMHO an underwhelming meal, especially for the price. Great for groups but I think you can find better seafood. read more

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I called at 1833 for a pick up order. The answer I got was "we're no longer doing pick up order at 1830. Sorry!" 4 minutes later, my dad in law called for a pick up order, and the SAME LADY TOOK HIS ORDER! Well.. that's it for me. Enough said. If you want to be discriminated based on your gender, be my guest. Black Pelican needs to review this policy. I will be more than happy to accept the "1830 pick up order policy" if it is stated on the website or being consistent from one costumer to another, especially during the pandemic time when pick up order is preferable by most people. This is very disappointing, and I would not recommend this place to anybody regardless of the history or the food taste. read more

We went here for my birthday dinner. My friend surprised me with a birthday drink which was the Atlantic Breeze. It was pretty solid, strong pineapple taste, would recommend. I ordered the crab and shrimp with some rice and green beans. It was very scrumptious. Great environment for a night out with friends. Restaurant also boasted large bar area. Also received my choice of a free dessert for my birthday. I chose the Reese's Cheesecake, it was extremely creamy and very rich in flavor. Service was nice and price was reasonable, but portions somewhat small. Would definitely visit again tho! My friends ordered meals that required a house made ranch that we ALL wanted to take home, they agreed it was the most quality ranch they'd ever tasted! (P.S. Wasn't feeling well so I forgot the picture of the cheesecake, but trust me it was beautiful) read more

Black Pelican - Shrimp and Crab with side of green beans and rice - Seafood Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

Crab cakes appear deep fried. The crab cake itself had potential but the deep frying and sauce left much to be desired. Service was good though read more

Torn between 2.5 stars to 3 stars... This is why. Pros: *Oven view seatings *Spacious *Great food specials *Friendly staff *A Souvenir store right in the restaurant *Sample hand/body salt in bathroom to use *The wings I ordered with homemade sauce was very good with the right kind of heat. Cons: *Restaurant need major remodeling *Bathroom stinks Like sewer or something and needs major update *My Blue Plate special with fried catfish was fried a little too hard and batter was salty *The grits that came with it was just weird, it was like dried up mashed potatoes *The chair was uncomfortable to sit on. It was the straight up hardwood chairs that would make your hemorrhoid flare up! *Did I mentioned the bathroom stinks!?! I wouldn't discount coming to this place but just don't use the bathroom not to even to wash your hands and bring a whoopee cushion to sit on. read more

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Went New Year's Eve for dinner. Fresh Rockfish was delicious, affordable and nice ambiance!

I was visiting the area and was recommended this restaurant by a volunteer for the Wright Brother Memorial (a must see attraction if you love airplanes). So naturally we looked through all the yelp reviews and decided to go based on all the enthusiastic ratings. Sure enough we had a fabulous experience. Once I arrived to the destination I noticed Guy Fieri's (Host of "Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives") trademark signature framed near the entrance and I immediately asked about the featured items showcased on his show. Unfortunately, the risotto was a diner-only item and I didn't feel like trying the alternative spicy dish, but the waitress convinced me to sample their local tuna. I am so incredibly thankful that she recommended that because it tasted amazing and the price tag was equally jaw-dropping as well. The dish could easily pass off as an entree at a $$$ or $$$$ sign restaurant as the presentation was impeccable and the quality of fish was so insanely fresh. (see photo here http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/black-pelican-kitty-hawk?select=5rQqxBUC77jX7SVXl6t9JA#dkvcooWam4xrPTY7ecui1A) Yet, the side accompaniments were equally tasty. The sautéed vegetables and rice in a basil pesto butter and balsamic vinegar reduction was heavenly and you bet I licked my plate clean. And get this... for less than $10!! Gawd... why can't all restaurants be as amazing as Black Pelican?! Get the grilled tuna and you will not be disappointed. read more

Black Pelican - Fresh Local tuna grilled to perfection over a bed of rice and vegetables absolutely delicious. - Seafood Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

I have been coming to the outer banks for over 20 yrs. I just ate at the Black Pelican. One of the reasons I come to the beach is because I love steamed clams. This restaurant is supposed to be one of the best. I ordered a dozen. I was so excited to get them. They were the smallest clams I've EVER had. No bigger than my pinkie nail! I immediately called the waitress over to tell her. She took them back and I never saw her for the longest time. My beverage was gone by this time so I asked another waiter to bring us one. She finally came back never said a word about my clams to rectify the situation. Would not look me in the eye. I told her it was not her fault and I wasn't upset with her but still no better result in service. Her name was MADISON. When I got my dinner it was sad. Looked like steam fresh rice and 8 uncooked greenbeans with my one small piece of fish and few oysters. NOT IMPRESSED AT ALL. Nobody seemed to care. Don't waist your money in my opinion. I won't be back. Mainly because of the waitress. DO BETTER FOR THE MONEY YOU EXPECT! read more

Flatbreads are good, nice selection of appetizers and a solid drink menu. And you can't go wrong with the seafood dishes.

Great staff. And service. Trivia and food. . We are locals. Always welcome. Great friends

Selected as the restaurant of choice for a dinner for 6 great friends celebrating time together since leaving Colorado. Wife had a crab cake and said it was "GREAT!" I had a shrimp, pasta and pasta dish that was good but more about pasta than the seafood - I think there were 2 scallops and 2-3 shrimp. Felt a bit protein shy when compared to the pasta! It was a good time together even if the food was simply good. read more

This was referred by friends. It was not the experience I hoped for. The food was ok. The drinks were watered down. The place was loud and smelly. The locals sat around the bar and got smashed. read more

ALWAYS an excellent choice. Fresh fish catch special delicious, cooked & seasoned perfectly. From appetizers to desserts we were happy happy happy! Staff as always welcoming. Knowledgeable of dishes. Very attentive to our needs. Price in line with quality and quantity received. COVID requirements enforced. Restaurant clean. Thank you for business done great! read more

Great food and service. Atmosphere was outstanding. Eat here everytime I come to Outrr Banks. Highly recommend

I go primarily for the dessert but the food is so good I have to take dessert to go! The tuna appetizer is wonderful. Daily specials are also a great option. The main reason I go every year is for the Bailey's Chocolate Torte. It is a chocolate lover's dream with 2" of rich, chocolate ganache. Enough to share, but not if your dining with me. I take my leftovers for a midnight snack and tomorrow's breakfast! read more

Black Pelican - Coconut Cream Pie, Bailey's Chocolate Torte & Key Lime Cheesecake! To go because the meal was so great we didn't save room! - Seafood Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

Still so VERY GOOD!!! Enjoyed the tuna bites that were cooked perfectly. Then a lovely cup of clam chowder, a light smoky flavor. Truly comforting. Had a nice salad. Husband had a Popeye salad with a tasty crabcake. Lots of crab!!! Best place around. read more

Second trip here. Truth be known the 1st time was before covid...and it was all excellent. This trip, a few days before Easter, saw really nice service and really poor food. Of the four dinners on our table, 3 were poorly executed with over-cooked prime rib, un-cooked rice, wine sauce that tasted like water, and a flavorless risotto. The land lovers pizza was really good. Oh, the bar not great either...couldn't mix a decent gin and tonic. One meal was taken off the bill as the second return to the kitchen saw no benefit. This why I give 3 starts...otherwise two max. I hope this was just a bad night. read more

Underwhelming. With a restaurant so close to the ocean, and with such a high price tag, you would expect much from their seafood, but arriving at the table the food was below average. Fried fish and shrimp was not crispy at all and had little to no flavor, it seemed as though it was fried and immediately sealed in a container. How can you miss the mark on fried fish? Rice and vegetables were just bland, and the soup was diluted and lacked flavor. The baked goods tasted old and pre-baked. I'm not sure who was in charge of the complimentary bread, but why would you serve cold pita bread with she crab chowder? Everything I had it felt like I could have made better from home. My advice to you, save your money and eat somewhere else, but if you do decide to eat here, make sure you have 2 to 3 salt shakers at your table. You're gonna need it. read more

Wow ... what a great meal!! Everything ... everything ... we had was delicious ... started with Crab and Shrimp dip and some steamed clams. My wife had the fried Flounder and Shrimp plate I tried her Flounder and it was very good and cooked perfect! I had the "Classic Fillet Oscar" the steak was cooked to perfection and melted in my mouth as a fillet should. The Oscar was very good and tasty. I would have liked more lumps of crab in the Oscar, but I was still very satisfied. I got a side of shrimp and they were excellent and cooked perfect as well. The Pita bread was very good as well. The staff was very friendly and our waiter Steven was attentive and seemed to take pride in his job. The meal was $120 and worth every penny!! read more

We had a horrific experience with Black Pelican catering. They did absolutely nothing to ensure the food would be safe for food allergies despite multiple meetings...emails in advance of our wedding to insure food safety. Their response was utterly insulting. We would absolutely never use them again. Our son wound in the hospital the night of our wedding and they accepted zero responsibility. Not only that, they were rude about it. read more

We had heard that this place fills up for dinner so we got here at 4:45 for an early dinner. We were seated right away. The crowds were starting to arrive. My husband got the $3 beer special. He was happy with it. I ordered the crab cakes. They came with a sauce, green beans and rice. The crab cakes were very good. I enjoyed all the items on my plate ! My husband got the "Carolina Platter" which was BBQ and fried oysters. I'm not a big fan of oysters but these were fabulous !! The BBQ was spicy. He loved it all. Probably the BEST thing about Black Pelican is the HOMEMADE DESSERTS. I had the coconut cream pie. It was so goooooood !!! My husband had the key lime pie. Also very good. If you are in the Outer Banks the Black Pelican is not to be missed. We may come back again tomorrow read more

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Great food, great service! In my opinion, the best restaurant in the OBX. I had the filet. Cooked perfectly! The mashed potatoes were delicious. 10/10 read more

Food is consistent and the staff are friendly. Good spot for dinner for two or a crowd.

Met old college friends here for lunch when we were on vacation. I had the grilled tuna and my husband had grilled oysters. The service was good, waitress was friendly and the food served hot and prompt. A good experience all the way around. Extremely Covid conscious. read more

Black Pelican - Grilled tuna - Seafood Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

Big selection on the menu and food is really good! The entire staff is amazing! Fun ambiance!

We were recommended to the Black Pelican by my father. We stopped in to have a couple of drinks and an appetizer. Bloody Mary was great!! Bartenders were friendly, attentive. Place was packed, as it was Memorial weekend. We had a cup of chowder, which was delicious, and the Buffalo shrimp. I love the history of this place! Will definitely return in the future!! read more

Black Pelican - Bloody Mary and Blue Moon - Seafood Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

Fish was kinda cold. I didn't care for the fried okra. My husband had the risotto, which was excellent. Don't bother with the key lime pie, it wasn't tart enough, nor did it have much lime flavor. Also not dense enough version if this type of pie. read more

I have been coming here for over 20 years and has been one of my favorites, but the last three times we have noticed the quality of food has gone down. Me and my mom both got the specials which was a grouper with veggies and rice and a seafood pasta. The pasta was hard and seafood was completely raw. My grouper was extremely over cooked and appears it had been cooked ahead of time. Also we sat upstairs past the gift shop and it smelled old and musty/moldy. read more

New to the island and just moved down the street all the locals highly recommended this place! Sooo not disappointed second time here and will be back on multiple occasions! Halie was our server both times and she's just lovely! Supper accommodating, knowledgeable of the menu, and just down right sweet and personable! read more

Black Pelican - Tuna bites, mango habanero wings, crab dip. - Seafood Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

Just overall bad experience. Don't like writing bad reviews, but I want give an objective opinion, cause people who expect great food should be warned. All I wanted was just some decent food and the restaurant with the view of the water. This definitely wasn't not our first or second choice. Was getting late and it was the only one that still was seating. But they didn't let us know when I called that outside is closing earlier than inside. The inside is dark and dingy. I would've just left, but we were hungry. It's probably the slooooooowest waiter I've seen in my whole life. It took took forever for us to just order drinks, but the kitchen was as slow as the waiter. They have this long story about the Black Pelican printed on the menu, I think they did it in purpose to keep you from dying out of boredom. Ok, so the story was probably the best thing about the restaurant, because nothing else was any good at all. Got a glass of white wine... I have no clue what their house wine is but it's the first wine ever that I couldn't drink. I think even boxed wine tastes better. Told the waiter - he couldn't care less, no expression on his face whatsoever. I'm not saying bad wine is his fault, but the customary thing to do would be saying "sorry, can I can you something else". None of that. Just an expression of boredom and inconvenience coming from him now getting to deal with us, So I ask what they have on draft and ordered a beer. It came absolutely flat. No foam, not even a bubble. That's when we should've just left. Cause it went downhill from there. Everything, the apps and the main courses were basically unbeatable. They consider themselves a "premier restaurant", but I swear I could get better food at the diner. Too bad there was no diner around - after paying not a small bill we both were still hungry, cause we barely touched the food. read more

Very good! We got it off the "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" website -- and the food did not disappoint. They even had a great kids menu, and it was ok in terms of "family friendly." The view from the deck was priceless. read more

Let's start with the positives... the check-in procedure/covid protections seemed pretty good. And the drinks, pretty well poured (if you know what I mean!) Otherwise, this place seems dated & what we'd call a tourist trap- my wife got the fried shrimp & flounder- the shrimp had just come out of the fryer, but the flounder hadn't been crispy in days, was soggy & left on the plate. I got the tuna nagata (sp?) & it was OK, done in an Asian style, but nothing popped- the other 2 people we were with (One of whom suggested the place) were disappointed... Off the list for sure... read more

We went here as a recommendation from a friend and we were not disappointed. The food and drinks were wonderful. We were seated on the deck and it felt and looked as though we were sitting on a dune. I would definitely go back. read more

This spot has a well established procedure for the safety of their patrons during covid-19. The food was great! I ordered the tuna steak sandwich which was delicious. They had an alcohol drink menu that was not so tasty. Well at least the drink i got ( julio punch) was not. I would still recommend visiting this spot while out in OBX. read more

Black Pelican - Seafood Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

Excellent restaurant with very good food year after year! The scallops st. Jacques is one of our favorites! Reasonable prices and you get a good amount of food read more

Great seafood restaurant. Very friendly staff. A great menu with quite the variety. I highly recommend

Further more to add to my previous post the fish was very very dry. I will recommend this restaurant to no one. That how horrible the food was read more

Black Pelican - Seafood Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

Average at best. It wasn't worth the wait. The staff was pleasant and probably the best part of the dinner. I had the shrimp and grits and ate the shrimp but the grits were bland and dry. read more

Went here over the weekend once while living in Hampton Roads. Had excellent service, ate some fabulous clam chowder and loved learning about the history of the place. It was a rainy day while there but still a beautiful spot on the beach. Would definitely return. read more

Food tasted great. Nice atmosphere. I would definitely go back. The service was good. The server went above and beyond to accommodate us.