This restaurant came highly recommended but the food wasn't great at all. We ordered the shrimp and grits, crab cake entree, and salmon entree. The shrimp and grits were the worst I have ever tasted. The sauce covering the shrimp and grits tasted like straight Frank's red hot sauce. I could only eat two bites and I was done. The crab cakes were decent. There wasn't anything special about them. Initially, the salmon I ordered was raw in the middle so I had to take it back. They were nice enough to cook me another piece of salmon. However, there was no seasoning on the salmon. Because of the raw salmon, they gave us a free dessert. We ordered the brownie sundae. That was the only delicious thing we ordered. The service was outstanding. Our waitress was extremely attentive and friendly. The ambiance was family oriented. It was very crowded but the restaurant itself was spacious. read more

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Unfortunately, the best days are behind this restaurant. For years me and my family would pick a day to enjoy a meal at this restaurant during our week vacation. I moved to OBX a few years back and have eaten here during the busy season and during the off season. The servers are friendly, but the food quality has been disappointing. Talking with my neighbors, they agreed that this restaurant is not what it use to be. It is unfortunate. read more

This has always been one of our favorite places when we visit OBX. However, this visit was different. To start, my husband ordered the Cajun fish bites. There was absolutely no seasoning on them. They were like overpriced fish sticks. And then dinner. I always order chicken marsala. My chicken was rubbery, my green beans were flavorless. And I asked to add an ear of corn, which has always been a fresh cob of corn. Not tonight. They brought out two clearly frozen chunks of corn. The corn was so overdone it was dried out. And then the creme brulee...every year we share one. Not only was the brûlée barely done, but the custard was broken and grainy. Not sure what happened but we likely won't return after many years. Very sad. read more

Delicious food. Wonderful waitress, Alexandra). Fun place to sit and enjoy view, unless it's raining but then it's great to watch everything whipping around. Plenty of parking I had a tuna melt. It's served open faced with fries. Best tuna salad I've ever had. Ever. My husband had a tuna steak served with black beans, corn salsa and rice. He said he would definitely order it read more

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

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Service is great, but the food was only mediocre and way overpriced. Would not recommend.

Our family of 7 went here on a sunny and windy day off season. We were seated in the corner of the sunroom facing the dunes. Service from Jacob was impeccable! He's energetic, happy, attentive and always smiling! 5 stars for him! Food: 4.5. Apps of fried calamari and Cajun fish bites. Calamari (needed a dash of salt and pepper) was tasty and very tender! Fish bites, although tasty, it is glazed with some tobacco prior to battering. My only negative is that it was very soggy (perhaps fried at too low a temperature?) Kids ordered the land lovers lunch portion pizza (decent size for $9.5), chicken tenders and fries (3 tenders and fries over a Frisbee plate for $10) and fish sticks with fries ($10.5), but the fish was overly fried and hard. The battered fries were delicious though! Adults ordered tuna melt, crab cake sandwiches and blue plate of meatloaf. The meals were all a generous serving and could easily fed 2 each. Hubby said the crab cake sandwich was quite delicious. Although the flavor of the meatloaf plate was decent (wished it was fresh green beans instead of canned), the serving size was huge! Super affordable prices with incredible service. We will definitely be back! read more

Black Pelican - Blue plate of meatloaf, taters and green beans - Seafood Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

Have Always been A Favorite For Our Group To Go for Drinks And Dinner. The Last 3 Trips Have Not Been Good at All. We Don't Ever Complain About The Prices And Quality Of Food as In the Last 2 Years It has Fallen From A 10 To A 5. Very Disappointing. Food Is Mediocre At Best. No Flavor And Service Actually Is Slow And Not Attentive. They Also Need To Shut Down for A Couple Months This Winter and Have a Cleanup and Remodel. read more

Interesting building with history. Was greeted and seated immediately upon arrival. There is a full bar with interesting suggested drinks. The menu is primarily fish. I ordered the pecan encrusted salmon with green beans which I enjoyed. Service was good and checked back periodically. read more

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

Black Pelican is one of the best places to eat when you're in nags head. Me and my sisters family always try to stop by here, especially for special occasions. To start, you have to get the baked Brie with the jam and pickled jalapeños. When I tell you obsessed????!!! Oh my gosh it's so good. We always get extra jam. My sister and I also have to get the prime rib with the smoked Gouda mashed potatoes and green beans. Listen, whoever made those mashed potatoes the last time I went with my sister, had the hands of Jesus guiding them. Because those mashed potatoes were unbelievable. So good. I haven't ever had time (nor room) for dessert but they look amazing. Maybe one day. Anyways, if you're coming here in peak season, you'll have a wait. Just relax and enjoy your family as you wait. It's so worth it, I promise! read more

Great food, good service, and the best ambience is at or near the bar! Their pizzas are excellent! Their prime rib is perfect! Prices are quite reasonable!! read more

The food was subpar at the very best. I am very disappointed that I wasted 40 dollars for an undercooked, flavorless, cold, "New York strip streak". I came with a party of 12 and we left with a taste in our mouths so bad it almost rivals the food we were tormented with eating. read more

Good for what it was. For the restaurants in the Outer Banks, I think this might be one of the better ones. The clambake was a substantial amount of food and everything was cooked very well. I like that it came with the clarified butter and cocktail sauce. They have a great selection of sides on the menu as well as an extensive menu with a lot of different options. They were quick and getting us seated and you could grab a drink from the bar upstairs while you wait. The only thing I would recommend is for the crab Rangoon's the sauce it sat on was very good, but the filling inside was very minimal. I don't even know if there was actual crab in there as it didn't taste like much other than a fried wonton. read more

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Underwhelming at best, robbery at worst. I wouldn't come back, sorry! We came in for a late lunch/early dinner while on vacation after seeing a lot of people recommend it who live locally and we had high hopes that not even the black pelican himself could save from being drowned at sea :( womp womp Our server made a point to talk about how some of the most popular items on the menu were too heavy and too big of a portion for her which felt weird. I felt uncomfortable ordering some of the more popular dishes because it felt like she may judge me if I did lol. I went with her recommendation of the baked crab and shrimp boat with the green bean and rice sides. Bland. I should've known better than to trust her opinion after she dissed on most of their more popular stuff. The seafood didn't even taste fresh (hello rubbery shrimp) and the buerre blanc sauce was horrible. Literally tasted just like watery butter. My boyfriend had a half rack of ribs a grilled chicken breast with mashed sweet potatoes. Everything bland. Some of the worst ribs we've ever had, DO NOT order these. They are tough as hell and the seasoning is mediocre at best. This place reeks of pee and if it was good at some point it is no longer. Do not eat here. read more

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I can't imagine having a better meal or service than we had here. Our waiter was personable, friendly and punctual every step of the way. We had an array of appetizers that were all stellar including the crab dip, onion rings (that were really surprising how good they were) and some fresh seafood. Their mahi mahi (Oscar style) was perfectly cooked and a decent portion size. But it's clear that if you come here you absolutely need to leave room for dessert as we tried many of their varieties and they were all close to perfect... key lime pie, peanut butter pie, banana cream pie (a little overpowered by the chocolate crust, but still delicious). read more

Black Pelican - Mahi Mahi with Oscar style topping with jalapeno grits and mixed vegetables - Seafood Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

We got the shrimp and crab dip it be better with peta chips but it's a good dip. The calamari was good the sauce was a little runny and not very good. Our waitress wasn't very good a few refills and the bill. The building and the story is cool. Kids meals are served on a Frisbee that you get to keep which is a good deal. Other restaurants with 2 appetizers, 6 meals and drinks and a dessert would have been a lot more expensive. read more

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We visited the Black Pelican around 3pm during the week (we actually went because the power was out at Hurricane MO's), plenty of seating at the upstairs (outdoor bar). Walter was super nice and helpful. Positives: Restaurant is well decorated, great location and the food is amazing! Negatives: Lots of steps to get up to the restaurant, parking was crazy when we were trying to leave and the prices are really high. I got the crab and shrimp bake, I was disappointed to see the portion I was served, it was very small and for the price it was definitely sad to see. However, I will say that it tasted amazing and came with rice and a veggie, which were also delicious. We ended up spending $100 (with tip) on a few bottles of beer, salad, crab, Rangoon, and my dish. Would possibly go again. read more

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

Perfect location! Views of the beach and the option to eat upstairs on the perch or inside. We initially got on the list and headed upstairs for drinks. We got some drinks and sat at a table and they told us we could order food here, too! So, with a great table and this view, we took our name off the list downstairs. Incredible views, friendly people and delicious food is the main themes here. Our first trip to Outer Banks, we looked up the Diners, Drive Ins and Dives in the area and thought the Black Pelican looked incredible. We had the hummus as an appetizer, great flavor and so original. I saw a garden salad being delivered to the table next door, so I ordered one too, when I saw the fresh peppers from across the aisle. The garden salad was so yummy! For dinner, Fisherman's Risotto was so good and even better the next day. Scallops, shrimp and lump crab meat mixed into a delicious risotto! Crab Cake dinner was yummy and just as good the next day. The Tuna Nagano was full of flavor, a hint spicy but delicious! We tried to get some dessert, but they were out of the coconut cream pie. Hopefully next time! read more

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Constructed in 1874, the Kitty Hawk Lifesaving Station was one of the seven facilities of its kind existent on the North Carolina Coast. Originally, the station was manned by one keeper and a crew of six surfmen whose sole purpose was to rescue those who succumbed to the dangerous waters along the Banks. These courageous men continually risked their lives to maintain a routine patrol of the restless Atlantic shoreline. They were not alone in their valiant efforts. The constant vigil of the lifesavers was accompanied by yet another brave soul of a different kind...The Black Pelican. This rescuer matched the unselfish valor and steel determination of all the crew. Shortly following the station's opening, the Black Pelican was initially sighted during what was to be the first of many violent storms the crew members had to contend with. Known as a "Nor 'easter," the storm forced the ocean to grow fierce as powerful winds ripped across shore. Visibility was poor. The crashing surf and ominous clouds cast a black curtain over the water. Any notice of potential distress was all but impossible to see. The Black Pelican circled the shore and caught the nervous attention of the crew. With magnificent wings parted and sleek body extended, the Pelican swooped down upon the men to warn of the distressed vessel dangerously approaching shore. Now it's a world famous restaurant featured on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives TV show with Guy Fieri. read more

Black Pelican - Black Pelican Restaurant Flounder Po'Bboy. It was absolutely delicious - Seafood Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

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The Mrs and I were celebrating an anniversary so wanted to give the BP a try. We asked for a table with a view & enjoyed the dunes across the two-lane road. Just happened to be 1/2 price off wine bottles so shared a very good New Zealand Sauv Blanc, perfectly chilled. We also shared a salad which was enough for two, was fresh, lots of variety & delicious dressing. The Mrs had a very flavorful steak & fresh veggies. I had a very good broiled lump crab & shrimp boat-the shrimp being particularly succulent. The server, Taylor D was engaging, humorous, very attentive, and efficient in timing the various courses to include dessert at just the right times. We will certainly ask to be seated at her table on our next visit. read more

We had a really great experience at the Black Pelican! Our table of 3 was quoted an hour wait, but it ended up being a half hour. The menu has something for everyone. We had great service! They give fresh baked pita bread and butter to start. Each of our meals were unique and flavorful. I especially loved my tuna nagano. While it's a crowded spot, it wasn't too loud and we felt more than taken care of. Would definitely return! read more

Got the fried flounder and shrimp added a crab cake, everything was plain cold, rice was unseasoned as well as the green beans. Our party also got the chef grill special for $40 what a disappointment, for medium rare the steak was so tough we couldn't eat it, had some sort of sauce that was sour and distasteful. Crab Rangoon's were good but $13 for 5 is insane! I get marking prices up due to this being a tourist area but $100 for two entrees and an app all being that we had issues with was a huge disappointment will not be back. Service wasn't great either. read more

Starting to become a family favorite! Food is amazing. Service is great, and it's always such a friendly atmosphere and ambiance and kid friendly. Was our 2 or 3 time and we are starting to always hit it up every time we are here. From the rich history of the Wright Brothers to serving the kids food on frisbee! this place is a MUST! (I would give it 10 stars but I'll settle for 5) the food is worth it! read more

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The location is great and the food selection is amazing. Our server was very attentive and knew her way around the menu. The coconut shrimp were very good! Definitely get a pizza- very fast and very good. Love the decor as well! read more

My friend and I had been out Christmas shopping and decided on lunch here. The parking lot was packed so we almost turned around, but once inside it was pretty open dining. The waitress came with menus promptly, we both chose the goat cheese and cranberry flatbread pizza (wasn't an appetizer) it sounded so good. It arrived about 20 minutes later, and when put in front of us it looked like more of an appetizer, not because of the size but it had absolutely no presentation. The taste combo I was hoping to experience wasn't there, it had absolutely no taste, it was so average and plain, we both were extremely disappointed. The server also was anxious to take plates away when we weren't finished. Not a great experience unfortunately. We won't be going back anytime soon, disappointing since it's a popular local restaurant and has been for years. read more

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I sat outside with my family. View was ok. Seating was not comfortable. Waitress was nice. Food was not good. We had bacon wrapped scallops. It was so small. The sweet potato mash was disgusting. I don't know what they seasoned it with but it did not go well with sweet potato. The French fries would've been good if they weren't so salty and I like salt. The dirty pelican drink was meh. read more

Stopped in for dinner on a rainy Friday night. Was seated out on their covered patio deck. The place was busy and was told they're always packed...(usually a good sign they're doing something right*). The staff was attentive and friendly. They even had a magician that stopped by to perform a trick for us. We ordered the kitty hawk quencher for a drink and that was very good. I had the seafood risotto and that was amazing. Had scallops, shrimp, crab meat and bacon. Overall I was a fan. read more

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

This is a new fave spot! Everything was very good and the service was friendly and fast. There's ample parking and lots of seating inside. The complimentary pita was delicious. We had the fried fish app with ranch and it was also very good! For my main entree, I had the bleu NY strip, this was way bigger than I anticipated. It was $30 which for how big and tender, this was a steal. The was a ton of blue cheese and onion rings on top, all yummy. The Gouda mashed potatoes were my fave and the green beans had a slight crunch which I prefer. Would definitely come back and definitely would try the pizza next time! read more

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Ordered steamed oysters and when they came out they smelled like they were grown inside of a raw sewage tank... Absolutely disgusting... This restaurant is more than overrated... I only go here because my Mother in Law has terrible taste in food... read more

We spent our last evening as a group at the Black Pelican for dinner. We all have a variety of tastes and expectations (14 people!) so I knew we could be a complicated group. Tatiana, our server, fully impressed every single one of us. She was so incredibly welcoming and attentive. Our orders were all perfect and we never were waiting. If I lived nearby, I would be trying to poach her to work with me. The food was also great. We did have one person have 6 orders of clams - and they disappeared quickly. We had almost zero food left when we were done. Highly recommend if you're looking for dinner in the OBX. Go early if you're a group. And if you're lucky to get Tatiana, you're in for an amazing night. read more

The vibe was great, the waiter was kind, the food came in a little cold. I had ordered the fisherman's risotto and was a bit disappointed. It was definitely undercooked, so I was sad because we had been looking forward to a seafood dinner. read more

I eat here every time I'm at the beach and it never disappoints. The calamari and crab dip are delicious. I also ordered the seafood pasta and crab legs. Both very good. Service is also great. read more

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We've been coming to the Outer Banks for years and we have our usual restaurants we go to. Black Pelican was never on our list, until now. We heard good things and were excited to give it a try. There was a reported 2 hour wait from the hostess, turned out to be an hour and a half, but that's to be expected in season, we got some shopping done while we waited. Our server, Madison was fantastic. Had recommendations every step of the way, she was extremely polite and took very good care of us. There was a $5 margarita special, can't beat that! We got the Salmon, Oscar Style and the Blue Cheese Crusted Strip Steak. Both we very very good. The salmon had cold spots and strip steak was a little over cooked. But the flavor was delicious. The veggie sides and mashed potatoes were also very delicious. The strip steak had crispy battered onions with it, thought that was a little odd, they were good but the flavors didn't mix well for me. Had them on the side and with mashed potatoes, they were great! We took Banana Cream Pie dessert to go, it was great when we got home, it had a really good Oreo crust! We'll definitely be back :). read more

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Love! Love! Love! This place took me by surprise. The parking lot is always crowded. It sits on the beach road and if you wait outdoors on their deck you can see the ocean. Looks like it's a popular place for big gatherings. They don't take reservations. We grabbed a couple of seats at the bar. Service was excellent. Food was unexpectedly delicious. They servers were very accommodating with our substitutions. Cocktails were extremely worth every dollar. Top shelf vodka cocktails, heavy pours for $10 is very generous. Food: the baked Brie was so yummy. It came with warm pita pieces. I could have devoured the entire tray but I didn't. I asked for pork ribs with the bbq sauce on the side. The ribs were super moist and I hardly used the sauce. The steamed vegetables were crisp and the variety was great. As a part time local this will be my new go-to place. Hope this type of quality and service is consistent. read more

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My family and I have been to this location several times for both dinner and lunch. The food and service are both very good. There is a very nautical ambience here which adds to the fun. Great location especially if visiting the northern beaches. We will be back. read more

Usually one of our favorite places on our trips. This time not so much. There was wait when we got there so we decided to sit at bar since only two of us. The two male bartenders were so busy making drinks for whole restaurant it was tough to even get them to attend to us. One of our orders was a well done steak which came out blood red. When sent back it came back about 10 minutes later still red. When bartender actually did check on us as we were telling him he turned his back and walked away. Feeling because this is such a popular place service is starting to lack because they know people will still come. read more

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The food is subpar. I'm so disappointed. We are returning here after a 4 year absence, and the difference is literally night and day. I am glad our friends were unable to join us after we told them how great this restaurant was. The prices are still the same. Obviously, the cooks have changed. The ambiance is still here. The location is gorgeous, and the setting is comfortable. You can look out the windows of the restaurant and see the dunes and people enjoying their vacations. The service is good. It was great until she kept asking how the food was, and when we told her the truth, the waitress stomped away. We did give her a great tip because her service was top-notch. She really cared about the food's quality, and she tried to offer options to the food we received. On our way out the door, we were told that the original owner passed, leaving the restaurant to a long-time friend who knew the business. It explains the significant drop in food quality, taste, and menu selections. You would do much better seeking another option for OBX seafood. This is no longer the Black Pelican that we enjoyed for decades. Another family restaurant lost! read more

Customer service was great along with a great menu with a variety of options. Would potentially return, but would not order the steak again. A previous review stated that their steak was undercooked, when they ordered it medium. Look for that previous review, look at the picture, it was 100% accurate, but unfortunately I didn't see it until after. Relatively good piece of prime rib, but completely undercooked. Source: me, a person that doesn't eat seafood but always eats steaks (medium/medium rare). read more

Reviews are a bit all over the board here, but we wanted to try something fancy around the hotel we were staying at. The experience definitely had some high points and some low points, but overall not a bad experience. --Food: We ordered quite a few things to try. For appetizers, we got Blackened Tuna Bites, Citrus Chipotle Wings, and Hatteras Clam Chowder. The menu mentioned "gluten friendly", so whether or not it was all suitable for someone with Celiac like myself is debatable, and the staff didn't seem too sure, but what I do know is I got crackers I definitely couldn't have in a package after saying that I had a gluten autoimmune disease. Whatever, really, they're in a package, no harm done. The tuna bites and the chipotle wings were actually both very good. Honestly, should have stopped with these two and called it a night, hah. The tuna was seasoned wonderfully and chicken wings with a tasty sauce you really can't go wrong on. The clam chowder was pretty good too. Now, the entrees were by and large quite forgettable, unfortunately. I got the fish of the day, swordfish, a la Maui style, which has a sweet chili and wasabi sauce. My partner got shrimp skewers with rice and beans with a pineapple orange sauce. So, they weren't bad. They also weren't great. Despite having two separate dishes, we both felt that it was just lacking in flavor and overall impact. --Cost: Entrees are about $25 and Appetizers around $10-$15, depending on what it is. In my opinion, while the overall dinner was fine, it wasn't $100 good. --Atmosphere: The location is very nice. The interior is pretty classy and the view from the outside of the ocean is nice. It feels like a nice place. --Service: Wait staff was nice but not super knowledgeable on gluten safe options. Gave me crackers I definitely couldn't have. It'd be one thing if the menu didn't have allergy indicators, but it does, so it's either for show or the waitstaff isn't fully trained on it. --Overall: I wouldn't tell you not to go here, but with some other places nearby that we just enjoyed more, I don't think we'll be returning. If you have a month in OBX and wanted to try something new every day, give it a go. read more

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Wondering experience! Good parking. Good service. Ask for Olivia. She gets it done. Wonderful appetizers! Entrees we delish! My Mahi was over cooked, but I didn't give a preference. Ask for Ala Maui on top. Drinks were spot on. read more

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Service was excellent. Food served fast but vegetables were cool. Prime rib and filet were over cooked, slightly pink, neither med rare. Would not recommend for the price. read more

Black Pelican - Prime rib and fat - Seafood Near Me - Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

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