The wait was 2 hours for 2 people. No reservations. The place was packed full of people but had an entire second floor empty. Heard a waitress telling someone that it's because they are understaffed and so the upstairs was closed. Insane. The "bar" upstairs is not a bar, it's two waitresses running down to the bar and getting your drinks. We finally got seated, the waitress was very nice. Ordered the Buffalo shrimp app, took about 30 mins.. was cold. Clearly they put the cold Buffalo sauce on top of the hot shrimp and by the time it got to us it was luke warm. The entrees were horrible. Very Applebee's-esque. The whole place was a dump and I'm not sure how it has such okay reviews.. read more

Dined at the Black Pelican this past week. It was recommended by several people and it did not disappoint. A party of 3, we arrived a little after 5. There was bar seating available which proved to be amazing. The service and seating was phenomenal. The service the bartenders provided was excellent. Between the two bartenders they continuously checked on us and had great food recommendations. We all got a dish that they recommended. I enjoyed the baked crab and shrimp which was delicious. My dad has the crab cakes which were baked to perfection and my mom had the shrimp and grits which was recommended by both bartenders and certainly did not disappoint. The place was packed with large parties but they did an excellent job with social distancing. Highly recommend if you are looking for fresh seafood in a local favorite I highly recommend! read more

Food was on point. Our server was terrific however, my card was charged three times for extremely high amounts three different times. When brought up to Karen the manager she said that I just needed to call my bank and there was nothing she could do. Unapologetic and non-empathetic. read more

This is our favorite spot for lunch on the OBX. We come here twice a week or more during our weeks at the beach, and we usually order the fried oyster basket and the fried shrimp basket. Both are cooked perfectly and served with tasty fries, but we pay the up-charge to have the beer-battered onion rings. This past week we splurged on the Kahlua fudge cake, and it was amazing! Servers are super efficient. There are daily dinner specials of drinks, beers, and entrees. At this point, the restaurant is not taking reservations, so be prepared to wait an hour or more during the dinner rush due to limited seating during COVID. All safety precautions are enforced: Staff wears masks and menus are available via QR code (or in paper if your phone doesn't work). read more

The Black Pelican is an OBX classic! I have been coming here for years during my visits to the Outer Banks. The Black Pelican has the perfect oceanfront location, delicious food, and exceptional customer service. I would highly recommend their Wood-Fired Pizza. It has a wonderful unique, fresh flavor. The customer service is phenomenal, and our server was super friendly and attentive last time we visited. The Black Pelican always offers a great experience, and the location is so convenient right near the beach, rental homes, and hotels. If you're visiting the OBX and looking for a great dining option, you absolutely must try the Black Pelican! read more

Attention tourists: Wouldn't waste your time here. Food quality isn't worth half of what the price is. The place used to have decent food but these days it's a joke. read more

Had low expectations but everything here was GREAT. I came with a table of more than 15 people and the waitress was one of the best I've ever had, period. I started with the Anchor Steam Ale which was on special for $3 - you can't beat it! My neighbor got calamari which was delicious - the marinara was obviously homemade and everyone was impressed with how not chewy it was. I started with the she crab bisque which was creamy and perfectly flavored. I tried the fish bites which were very meaty and well fried. I had the fisherman's risotto - so much seafood! The scallops in particular were perfectly cooked. I also loved the shrimp in it. The risotto itself had a lot of flavor. Other folks got the tuna dish which they loved, the seafood pizzas, and the steamed seafood. I didn't hear anyone at my table say anything negative about any of the food. Highly recommended! read more

During my short stay in the Outer Banks, a group of marathoner friends and I were meeting here the night before the Outer Banks Marathon 2012. I knew that the restaurant did not take reservations, but I made one just to let them know a large group was coming @ 5:15pm. Our group of 10 was initially a group of 7, since the 3 of us, myself included, ran the Richmond VA Marathon that day and I did not know that the drive to the Outer Banks was a solid 3 hours, which made us fashionably late. The Black Pelican is a nice, casual, but upscale dining experience. It was surprisingly packed that evening - presumably it's popular and plenty of marathoners and half marathoners were dining here before the big race in the morning. Since we were fashionably late that evening, we got seated right away and found out that they already ordered ahead. Some new friends and a few old friends whom I haven't seen for a year, cross crossing the USA running marathons like a madman. The service was above average, since they imposed a mandatory 20% gratuity on the check. That part kind of sucks, but the place was cool and my friends raved about it. Since I picked this place over La Dolce Vita, I think I made the right decision and it was close to the vacation rental I was staying at while in OBX. The Black Pelican wasn't too hard to find, when you had a spot on GPS. Parking lot was jammed packed, but got lucky when I saw people walking to their cars. Most of the people in my group had ordered either a pasta dish or a pizza, but as for me, I eventually had a 16 oz thick cut prime rib with mash potatoes and vegetables, along with ginger ale. The steak ordered was medium and it was near perfect. The taste was awesome and chewy. The overall experience was nice to be with friends and it was awesome to be in the Outer Banks. While I had wished to sample some of their seafood entrees that night, I was very satisfied with the hearty steak cooked to perfection. Recommended for any occasion you desire. For me, completing a marathon in VA was great to indulge in steak. The prices were comparable to what I knew, so it wasn't as high as I thought it will be. I will definitely be back if I am in the area again. Support local! B read more

The locals don't like this place, but we found it to be very nice inside, attentive staff, with a really good menu of diverse items. Fried Green Tomatoes were very nicely done, and a big portion. They had wahoo the day we were there, and if I see that on the menu, I order it automatically - my hands down favorite fish in the ocean - both to catch and to eat. I don't know if it was overdone or if they substituted shark on me, but that cost them a star, not to mention the portion size was disappointing. It's a big fish, and they serve about a quarter of a filet. At least they didn't leave any bones for me to find. My wife's fried clams were big and meaty - but again - small portion for the price charged. It's a great old building and a great location - outstanding dessert; we had roasted banana cream pie and I would give another half star for that if I could. read more

Black Pelican - Window view of beach - Seafood Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

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Location-wise, you can't go wrong. Food-wise, there are probably better food options at OBX. This place has a really cool history as a Lifesaving Station and is even haunted by a young surfman named T.L. Daniels, who was murdered on the property. The interior and exterior show its age - it looks plain rundown. There is ample parking outside and a gift shop right inside the door. Our server was attentive and polite, but very overworked, being only able to check in on us a few times (he still found the time to refill our waters, major kudos). But let's talk about the food - I ordered the Po' Boy, which included fries and a serving of coleslaw. The fish was cod and was breaded and deep-fried. The fish was cooked well and tasty, but the bread was a bit chewy and a little disappointing. The fries and coleslaw were nothing special and got the job done. We also ordered the crab dip appetizer, which was only okay. We only got a small amount of dip (we had chips leftover that had to tragically be eaten plain) and it was way overpriced at $10.75. I also ordered their $3 beer special Pacifico, a Mexican Pilsner that tasted similar to Corona. The highlight of the meal, hands down, was the Banana Cream Pie. The crust was Oreo with a light and fluffy inside that was pure heaven. The piece was also huge - easily split between two people (or more). Overall, it's not a bad place for a quick bite and the prices for the most part are reasonable. I'd recommend going to the bar for a drink and a piece of pie. read more

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Service was very mediocre. The food was all around bad. Oysters small, most stuff was frozen and not fresh. Atmosphere was blah. All around a disappointment. read more

Good food. Nice decor. Wish they took reservations, as we had a party of 8 (with 2 babies) and had to wait 35 minutes in an already crowded lobby. I did like the little gift shop they had. Lots of cute beachy items. The food was very good. My husband and I don't like seafod so we went a different route. I got the Aloha pizza w/bacon and it was delicious. My husband got the Landlover's pizza and enjoyed it as well. We also got dessert to-go. My husband liked his coconut cream pie and my cheesecake (topped with strawberries and whipped cream) was amaaaazing. I was pleased with my experience overall and would go back again in the future. read more

Black Pelican - Aloha Pizza w/bacon - Seafood Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

What a great place and meal! First it is very popular and they do not take reservations. So be prepared to wait but so worth it. We went on a Thursday at 6 with party of 5. Was an 80 minute wait and we got our table in almost exactly that time. Spent the wait at their awesome bar with some incredible Manhattans! Food and service were excellent! Holly our server was great! Recommend the bacon wrapped scallops, the steaks and pizzas which our party all had and were excellent. Parking is tight also but again like I said it's worth it! read more

Black Pelican - First round of Manhattans waiting for our table. - Seafood Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

My husband and I were in kitty hawk for the weekend. Saturday afternoon we stopped by for a drink. The staff was very professional and adhered to social distancing regulations. We sat at the bar, our bartender was Mark. He was friendly and helpful. We ordered 2 bloody Mary's. To be honest the drinks were not terrible. A bit watery, not a lot of flavor and the garnish was pretty underwhelming (an olive & tiny bit of a lemon). We also ordered a calamari appetizer, which we enjoyed. It was slightly crispy, very tender, fresh and hot. I like lemon wedges served with my calamari and we got 1 lemon wheel, which it not great for actually squeezing. We enjoyed the atmosphere and reading all the signs they have hanging around was fun. The gift store was cute. There was a trophy on the wall between the bar and kitchen. We asked the female bartender what they'd received the trophy for. She said she wasn't sure, maybe it was one of the chefs. So I'm still kind of wondering what the trophy was for. If any of you Black Pelican fans know, feel free to message me with that info. read more

Black Pelican - Saturday afternoon bloody marys - Seafood Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

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Great atmosphere, great staff, and most definitely great food! I had the blackened salmon with corn salsa, mashed sweet potatoes, and steamed green beans and it was all delicious. For dessert I enjoyed the apple pecan crisp and it was amazing. I left feeling stuffed and happy so I think that speaks for itself :) read more

Black Pelican - Salmon Ala OBX with Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Steamed Green Beans. - Seafood Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

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Wow. This is a really special place. I split a meal with a friend of mine. We had the Chesapeake Bay pizza and the banana cream pie. The pizza was so good. Let me start by highlighting that I am a pizza snob who has lived in Italy and NYC. As a result, I am quite particular about pizza. This pizza was wood-fired and perfect. The crust was thin and chewy just like it should be. The toppings were not traditional, which usually causes me to turn up my pizza snob's nose. In this particular instance I didn't mind though because when at the beach, eat as the beach-goers eat! Lump crab + sweet corn + bacon + bechamel = exactly what I want for a beach pizza. I only wish the pie had a little less bacon and a little more corn. The banana cream pie was really special all by itself. The bananas are roasted, adding an incredible depth of flavor. Plus, the crust is Oreos! Chocolate and banana belong together and this is a genius combination. Further, all the flavors are well balanced and not too cloyingly sweet (but definitely very sweet)! The service was amazing, and the locale is of historical significance too! I have to deduct a star because one of my dining companions found her crab legs to be less than fresh. I would recommend this to everyone while visiting the OBX! read more

Black Pelican - Roasted Banana Cream Pie w/ Oreo Crust (after cutting it in half and messing it up a little) - Seafood Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

We went to The Black Pelican on vacation. My father-in-law used to live in Kitty Hawk and he suggested it for us. We called ahead and they do not take reservations. So we went on a Friday around 7:30 and had to wait an hour. We waited at the bar and got apps there so the wait didnt seem so bad. The apps we got were the Oyster Orville and Tuna Tartake. I dont eat Oysters but my husband and mother-in-law loved them. I really enjoyed the tuna it was fresh and the wonton chips were a perfect match. We finally got the call for a table and sat down. We ordered Seafood risotto, Mahi Mahi, and Mahi Mahi Ala Oscar. It look a long time to get entrees about 30 minutes. We did see a Magician walking around entertaining guests while they wait. I thought that was nice as a Mom it kept my son entertained for a least a few minutes. The atmosphere was very family oriented. When the food finally came it was delicious. The Risotto had tons of shrimp, scallops,and crab. My mother in law said her Mahi Mahi was a little dry. But my husband loved his Mahi Mahi a La Oscar he did say the crab was not lump meat but shredded. Overall our experience was very nice. We had to wait a long time all in all we were there for about 3 hours. The food was great and I had nothing to really complain about besides the wait. The staff was all very nice and I would go back for dinner here again. read more

Black Pelican was recommended by the hotel's desk clerk-good pick! Although we had about a 20 minute wait, the patio bar was a pleasant enough place to enjoy a drink while waiting for a table. We were seated, service was prompt, friendly, and attentive. I enjoyed breaded and deep fried flounder, locally caught, generously portioned, fresh and delicious! Hubby chose crab cakes, fresh-tasting, and very well done. OK wine selections, Riesling complementary to the great seafood. Banana cream pie was atypical, OK but not what I expected. Next time, I'd pick something else. All told, I'd dine there again in a heartbeat. It's a comfy, casual , beachy place with excellent seafood! read more

We ordered takeout twice from Black Pelican during a little isolated COVID trip to Kitty Hawk. They were so friendly on the phone and happy to take our order. We arrived in like 20 minutes and they brought it right out to the car. Generally you can pay over the phone. The food was SO good- well packaged and ready to go. read more

The Black Pelican remains our favorite restaurant in the Outer Banks. The atmosphere, staff, and food are unparalleled ! We have vacationed here for 40 years, and the Black Pelican was perfect for our growing family and now for our romantic golden years. read more

A very nice and rustic place. Good was good. Our first visit to the Outer Banks, OBX, and this was the type of place we expected. We had the mixed grill and Asiago shrimp pasta with a chowder starter. All very good, though the steak could have been trimmed a little tighter for gristle removal. We started out at the bar. My wife had a peach specialty martini which was good. My first order of local beer was sold out but they had ample secondary choices. Oh well. We'll go back and dine again. read more

Normally there is a problem with my meal at places... But not here. I normally am a fish person, so that is what I got. Perfectly made, some of the best I've had. I would definitely return of I traveled to NC normally. Before this time, it was six years since I've traveled to the Outer Banks. Because I normally go through the area. Would I return? Yes. Would I get the same meal if possible? Yes. No doubt about it. I will return when I can. 100% perfect. read more

Black Pelican - Bailey's Fudge Torte: AMAZING! The richest, darkest, and thickest chocolate I've ever had. No doubt, it was the best! Perfect! - Seafood Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

A good spot to go in the obx if you're looking for a little bit of everything. Their boils and seafood dishes are the best.

Had dinner last night. 8 of us. All of the food was hot and fresh, service was excellent. I would recommend this restaurant when visiting the OBX read more

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

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The food was good, the atmosphere was not. A party of about 25 were there being so loud and obnoxious that everyone in that part of the restaurant were aggravated. We couldn't even hear each other talk. I finally ask a waitress (Sara) if she could say something to them to quiet them down. I was flabbergasted at her response! She said " that's a $1,000 table, I wouldn't like it if I was spending $1,000 and someone ask me to quiet down" I guess the other 25 tables eating didn't matter. Finally, another guest stood up and kindly ask them to quiet down. The large table started using profanity, the man who ask them to quiet down got up, and went over there. He told them they were being rude, that he, and other's were there with kids and family. A fight was starting, a woman in the large party pushed the gentleman. A policeman got up and showed his badge. Nobody rushed up there to get the large party to calm down. It was obvious the large party was more important than every else. everyone clapped when they left. We will not be dining there again! read more

Fabulous location by ocean. Large facility with fabulous food. Seafood marvelous my husband had crab Rangoon and swordfish. I had pasta with veggies and light marinara. read more

Black Pelican - Pasta with tons of fresh vegetables in light marinara - Seafood Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

Everything about this place is amazing! The food, the service, the beer list, and the atmosphere all intermingle to give you an amazing experience. I had the mahi mahi with a mango chutney and it was superb! The rice and grilled veggies were tasty too. I could have come back here again and again. The server was very friendly and very knowledgeable about the food and the beer. She even found many gluten-free options for my wife who suffers from celiac disease. My wife loved her shrimp and GF drink. Be sure to check this place out if you are in the Outer Banks. read more

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We visited this restaurant on our recent vacation to OBX. The food, service and ambience was amazing. "Stuffed Jalapeño Peppers" and "Marinated Grilled Portobello Mushrooms" were awesome! Caution: The jalapeño peppers are too hot to handle. read more

Black Pelican - Stuffed Jalapeño Peppers - Seafood Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

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I loved the Oscar fillet with green beans and mashed potatoes. Four star chief! The waiter was nice and the tables were socially distanced. My friend has been here before and said it was just as good. I will defiantly be coming here again on my next visit. read more

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

Excellent ambiance and service. Food was great. Crab cake was all crab. Burger was delicious.

We had to wait about an hour on a Tuesday night, but it was worth the wait. The food looks unassuming but everything was actually delicious. They do need a little more parking for these busy nights. The view of the dunes is nice. I wanted fried okra so badly and it was one of the few places in OBX I could find that had them. The coconut creme pie was amazinggggg though read more

Food is so good! It's reasonably priced as well for a "nicer restaurant. Wait can be very long so don't recommend to go with small kids.

Good covid control however we could only get curbside due to a 90 minute wait, not holding that against them. We ordered an appetizer and the crab cakes which looked to be the most popular dish. The appetizer of clams and mussels in broth was underwhelming. There were tomatoes and onions in a murky dark flavorless broth, one of the mussels was closed. The crab cake dinner had some white bland bread, steamed green beans, rice and two large crab cakes with what I think was supposed to be a remoulade sauce. Two words on the crab cakes. Canned crab!!!! . For $25 a dinner to boot. Do not waste your money, any other restaurant in the area is likely to be better than this tourist trap. read more

Me and my friend group eat at the black pelican every year while on our beach vacation and i believe this year will be out last visit. We have noticed a slow decline in quality of food over the years, this year was the breaking point, 25 dollars for shrimp screwers that came with 6 shrimp, i got crab cakes which were good, got a side of mashed potatoes that were cold and looked like they had been packed into a bowl days ago, also got a side of steamed vegetables which included some broccoli, carrots and squash and zucchini, the vegetables were completely raw, the squash and zucchini was cold like it never touched a whisper of heat, the only thing remotely warm was the broccoli. Pretty disappointed in the decline of quality. The wait i can handle but the price and the quality of the food you get is not for me. read more

We had dinner here last week. Long wait, food wasn't very impressive, over priced and the ac was broken so we were all hot and tired. We had a couple steamers and it seemed as though the bucket was mainly vegetables & barely any seafood. We won't be back. read more

This was our second choice for dinner on a Tuesday night. We started across the street at Hurricane Mo's for happy hour, but our 30-45 minute wait would have missed happy hour anyways. We heard excellent reviews about the Black Pelican and they were spot on. The drinks were great and well priced ($5-$8). The dinner selections were numerous and our party of 5 found something for everyone. I ordered the portobello mushroom for dinner and it was awesome! Others ordered the seafood risotto (excellent) and the wood fired pizza was another great selection. Our server Kelly F. was great and had lots of great suggestions for the area. read more

Black Pelican - Marinated grilled portobello mushroom - Seafood Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

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I have good memories from my childhood going to this place. I'm giving it only 2 stars because the food wasn't as great as other places in the OBX area. It wasn't terrible or anything, it was just bar quality food. I'd like to point out that my experience was in the off season. read more

Honestly only stopped by this place because of DDD! Boy did we make a good decision. This place is HUGE on the inside, clean, pleasant staff, etc etc. I had the sword fish with mashed sweet potatoes and asparagus, which was absolutely fantastic! Fish cooked perfectly and sweet potatoes.... oh man! She was also very satisfied with her fried chicken, and to top it off, Reese's cheesecake???? YES!!!! One of our favorite dining experiences to date. 4.5 Stars! read more

Black Pelican - Reese Cheesecake. Perfection - Seafood Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

Read the reviews and I should've ordered the pizza. Lol. Dinner was good but we had to send back the calamari because it wasn't cooked enough. Other than that the place is very nice and the waiter was very pleasant. read more

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We set at the bar. Servers were very nice until power hungry grumpy 5:00 bar boss came on. She was customer tolerant at best. Would not look us in the eye. Big attitude towards customers. Wood fired pizza very good, crab dip very good with pita bread wedges. Gin and Tonic very good on first round, second round straight gin. . We requested tonic and more ice to cut them. But again....A bartender or server that treats you like you are a bother gives a big thumbs down! read more