Terrible food, terrible service and served my family raw pork that my children ate half of until I noticed it was raw. This restaurant offered no compensation for serving raw pork and removes reviews online to increase their rating. One of the worst restaurants hand down in Emerald Isle, NC. read more

We ate dinner here last night. We didn't make a reservation because we thought it wouldn't be that busy on a Wednesday night. Wrong. The place was booming! We sat in the bar area which was just fine by us. We had a few drinks before dinner, which were fantastic! The bar staff were great. I ordered the prime steak sandwich, my wife ordered the shrimp and scallops, & my mother-in-law ordered the shrimp and grits. All were very delicious! We had a great experience! Will be back for sure! read more

So much promise but not quite there...loved the roof top bar best spot for amazing views and good cocktails...dinner was a bit of a let down...terrible seating facing the toilet and view of watching the toilet bowl all night. Waiter was charming but covering too many tables to be attentive...food was mixed some amazing the crab dip was great rest of diner was so-so which included pork belly, maki roll (too much rice not enough roll) and scallops. We talked to the manager and hopefully feedback helps them. Do not let them sit you at a two top too small not enjoyable...we were hoping for a romantic night out and were disappointed...we will go back but hoping they are learning as they grow... read more

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Absolutely amazing restaurant. Great wine selection and amazing food. I had the pork chop which was probably the best I've ever had. My fiancé had the shrimp scampi and it was delicious. We also had the crab dip as an appetizer, which was also delicious. Perfect for a date night or to take guests from out of town. It costs slightly more than what my fiancé and I are used to paying for a meal, but it was definitely worth it. read more

Caribsea - Seafood Near Me - Emerald Isle, North Carolina

I've dined at Caribsea four times in the last two years. Two times for each trip to Emerald Isle from Texas. I like it that much. The have a simple yet beautiful restaurant, attentive staff and delicious food. Their rooftop bar, Torpedo Lounge was closed on my last trip due to Covid but I did get to go have a drink up there during the Summer of 2019. I love the fun atmosphere and live bands. Their crab cake is the best I've had. Giant chunks of crab meant delicately held together with very little filler so you just taste delicious succulent crab. I really enjoy the simple salad with crispy goat cheese and their pecan pie was perfectly sweet with a flakey crust. I ordered the filet once and the shrimp scampi another time. Filet was cooked perfectly but the scampi needed more salt. I don't think I have ever salted something at a restaurant but it's better to be served under salted than over salted. The veggies also needed some salt that were served with the steak. All in all, I highly recommend and I will be back. read more

Best food and atmosphere on the island! Wish this was our neighborhood hangout! Easy to tell everyone here takes pride in what they are doing! The Chef is amazing - serving beautifully plated and delicious portions. The waitstaff was attentive, experienced, and knowledgeable. We sampled almost everything on the menu tonight! Crab cakes - to die for! Fresh Ahi! Super beef carpaccio! Pecan pie that'll have you wanting more! read more

Was excited to see a brand new restaurant at Emerald Isle and we weren't disappointed. The sleek new building is impressive (not too many multi-story builds on the island, which is a good thing). Finding the food is a bit confusing - you park at the back of the building. the first floor is clearly office space - elegant office space to be sure, especially with the behind-glass waterfall. Then turn left to take the elevator to the 3rd floor for the restaurant (4th for the open air bar). The restaurant is named after a shipwreck found not far off the coast of Emerald Isle (geographic coordinates are on the menu if you are interested) dating back to the early 1800s. The decor is seaworthy and simple - no white linen tablecloths though the menu screams "fine dining." Square tables, straight chairs. And speaking of the menu, it's a delight! Unusual combinations (I still don't see the attraction of bone marrow, but perhaps I want more to eat than bone innards). The scallops were superb! Perfectly grilled and the accompanying pea cake was marvelous. I could go back just for the pea cake!!! It's nice that the entrees are offered in two sizes - small for appetizers, large for main meal. A friend ordered the small size Charleston shrimp and rice bits and it was more than she could eat. It's a small thing but the bread and new herbed butter are fabulous, too. If you are't in a seafood mood, there is a nice piece of beef on the menu. Service was attentive and friendly - Haley was helpful and knew the menu backwards and forwards. (You should follow your dreams to be a teacher, Haley, just our opinion - but loved having you as our server.) She encouraged us to visit the bar and that was fun, too. The usual big screen TV but lounge chairs were a nice touch. Also liked the lighted drink holders on the perimeter of the bar. The place just opened for lunch from 11 - 2 although it's not a widely advertised fact yet (not even on the website), but I was told the owner wanted to do a "soft opening" to work out the kinks before announcing additional hours. We'll be back - both for lunch and dinner. Prices are appropriate to the food, by the way. Large entrees were in the $25-$35 range. Kudos to the chef and the owners for forward thinking and risk taking. YAY read more

My mom and I are down for vacation and wanted to try this place. (We were here in July with rest of family- not open yet). It was a Tuesday night and wasn't too busy- I had made us a reservation the week before. It's a very nicely modern decorated restaurant. The menu has a small selection, but everything looked great. We both had the simple salads- AWESOME!! so fresh and the goat cheese crouton was a special treat! I got the tuna special - came with shitake mushrooms and a fennel risotto. My mom got the shrimp and grits- had bacon pieces, shitake mushrooms and rice in with the grits giving it a very creamy taste! Both entrees were fantastic! Would order both again! For dessert, we both got the s'mores creme brûlée - soo rich but soo great! Will definitely come here again! read more

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So excited for Emerald Isle to have a new restaurant and bar! The rooftop bar offers a fun drink menu and beautiful views of both the sound and the ocean. My mom and I made a reservation in advance and had no problem getting a table. The customer service was exceptional and everyone was very friendly and helpful with our wine and menu selection. We ordered the Tuna roll to start and it was good but could have been better with more tuna and less rice. I had the crab cake and simple salad. The crab cake was delicious and was made with almost all lump crab meat. My mom had the filet and said it was also excellent! I'm excited to see this restaurant grow and look forward to some more raw options in the fall. read more

Started out bad and got worse. Hostess acted like dealing with customers was annoying. Although there were many empty tables we still had to wait 40 minutes past our reservation time to be seated. Ordered carpaccio, it looked and tasted like old deli meat roast beef, dark brown and soggy. Waiter never came back to get our drink order, so we were served water and old deli meat. Not a good experience. Bartender at torpedo lounge was great and he would be the only reason we would return. Note to hostess, you should not treat people like your doing them a favor to spend lots of money at your restaurant. Nice Matters! read more

My hubby and I went here last night for our date night and WOW! We were impressed. From the atmosphere to the food to the service, this place is outstanding! Highly recommend for a nice dinner out. read more

Awesome Anniversary dinner with my husband. Excellent atmosphere & the fold was delicious... Oysters, Filet mignon & Mahi mahi, everything delicious... Bravo to tge Chef... Staff was courteous & very attentive. We will be back! read more

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We went here for a drink and appetizer right at 5 PM today when they opened. This was only their second night open, and the bar service was very good. Since we sat at the bar, not a table, I can't comment on the wait staff service. The inside bar has 10 bar stools. We ordered a cocktail and wine, then the crab dip appetizer, which arrived promptly in about 10 minutes. The crab dip was very good with a nice presentation in a mason jar. It was a good overall experience and we will be back. read more

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Our waiter told us this was going to be the best crab cake of our life-- I was skeptical as I live near Baltimore-- turns out he was RIGHT!!! The duck was stupendous too. Just eat everything is my advice. read more

Caribsea - Seafood Near Me - Emerald Isle, North Carolina

Where to start. This place is hands down the best place to have a really good meal. Started off with mojitos in strawberry, blueberry and the signature Caribsea, a refreshing cucumber base cocktail. Ordered the shrimp and rice. If you like shrimp and grits this dish is for you. Shared an order of duck wings. First time I've had these. Very tasty but a little on the heavy side. Finally settled for a crab cake. Best crab cake I've had in a long time. No fillers like bread, celery or onions. Just some magic delicious glue to hold it all together. We sat upstairs outside on the patio. Fantastic view of the sunset. You would never guess outside seating from the road. Modern hip comfortable setting. Bartenders were great and one (Holly I believe) sang a tune. Live Music was a nice change. I give this place a 5/5 and we will be back. read more

Absolutely one of the best restaurants ive ever been to. Visiting here from California and it's so nice to have some fresh seafood. Beautiful decor. Great service. Very tasty creative drinks and the desserts are to die for! Cant wait to come back and eat here again!! read more

Caribsea - Salted caramel cheesecake - Seafood Near Me - Emerald Isle, North Carolina

We checked in at hostess station, sat at the bar. They forgot about us. 40 minutes later, had to go back up to hostess station and ask when we would be seated. The hostess OBVIOUSLY forgot we were waiting. Food is OVER PRICED and SUB PAR. No view and you would think they would make up for it other ways...Neglected to do so. Never going back. Other more worthy restaurants. read more

Great food, really unique menu! You're not going to see stereotypical fried seafood all over the menu here. The charcuterie board is fantastic, and we all enjoyed our entrees (I went with a group of friends). They put their own spin on your basic seafood options - but they were able to accommodate one of the girls that was with us, that just happens to have a bunch of food allergies/issues. A lot of places can't substitute specific ingredients or toppings because they're already prepped or the sauces are pre-made in bulk. Not this place - she was able to order specifically with and/or without certain things and they didn't even bat an eye, and she was happy with her food. Service was fantastic and I really can't wait to go back with my husband - either for dinner or just drinks. Go early and grab a drink at the Torpedo Lounge - fabulous sunset views over the water. read more

We had a reservation. We saw there were several open tables for 4 and requested the quiet one in a corner. We were told that wasn't possible since they had other reservations. No one sat at that table until a good 40 min later....and even then there were many other tables. Why did we need a different table? The very loud dj playing trance music to a crowd of 55+ year olds and the bright lights from the kitchen. We couldn't hear each other very well. Just a poor customer service experience That being said, the food was very good with some unusally good pairings. I had the steak diane, which was perfectly cooked. Will try it again and get the quiet table! read more

The Bogue Sound Melon cocktail is the best! My son in law liked the Caribsea Collins. I was looking forward to the Charcuterie plate, but it has been taken off the menu. Creme Brûlée for dessert was good.I will return for the cocktails at the rooftop bar . read more

We went to Caribsea for the first time tonight...EXTREMELY IMPRESSED! Amazing specials. We had all kinds of stuff! My favorites were the special Red Snapper entree, the Summertime mint martini, and the S'mores Creme Brûlée! Our server Parker knew his stuff! He was very well informed on all of the specials and the fish. We will be back! read more

Caribsea - Seafood Near Me - Emerald Isle, North Carolina

Reservations on a Saturday night were almost impossible. We sat on the terrace which was really nice private and warm. Oysters baked and on the half shell really great. The spcial chowder was well made served in a huge bowl. Next was the foie gras small plate...bring me more with the gooseberry jam. The entrees were really special also. Delmonico, cooked perfect and definitely prime beef a filet mignon perfect, the snapper special was a little over but tasty. The Charleston shrimp and grits was disappointing in that the shrimp were small so not devained. Nice cocktails and bar options. Good wine options too, this place is soooooo unlike most options on the island. Thanks for a great dinner. See you again. read more

This place is yummy! A change of pace from the usual Emerald Isle fare. The mixed drinks were a good blend of alcohol and fresh house made mixers. The food was delicious. My husband got the delmonico and loved it. The fish was fresh and the accompaniments were a perfect match. Save room for dessert! All around a great experience. read more

Oh my, is this place good! We went straight up to the Torpedo Bar, planning to have just a drink and maybe an app. It is so relaxing and beautiful up there. We ended up having a full 4 course meal, ending with a savory creme brûlée that knocked our socks off. Jerry's service was impeccable. It's definitely the most expensive restaurant on the island, but worth every penny. One suggestion: remove the piece of metal that is attached to the roofline. It ruins the view for short people! read more

Great service but several dishes at our table lacked seasoning, especially the pasta entrees. The burger I ordered was very good but the fry portion was on the small side and lacked a hit or two of salt. There aren't enough nicer establishments like this in Emerald Isle so I am sure our family will return when we visit. I just hope the chef stops being so chintzy with the salt. read more

Super loud. I couldn't really carry on a conversation with my guest as the noise level was so high. Good was adequate but definitely not work the price. The menu described the sides that came with my dish, but that's not what was actually served. Server never refilled our drinks. When first seated there was a soiled fork at my place setting. She removed at my request but didn't replace it. Won't be going back!!! read more

This is one of my favorite fancy dinner restaurants on the island. The food is delicious and creative. With a wonderful selection for their raw bar. Looking for a date night choice, atmosphere is perfect but if you want a table, might need to make reservations or expect a bit of a wait. read more

We arrived for our reservation at 8pm Saturday night. They were decently busy for off-season but there were empty tables. We were seated out on the patio at the same time as two other tables. Our server was triple seated (3 tables equaling 13 people at once) right off the bat so we had to wait for service. We understood this was poor planning on the hosts or management, and not our server. The server did her best to attend to everyone in a timely manner. We ordered the charcuterie plate for an appetizer with the bacon confit and duck terrine. As we started eating, we found mold on our bread. We had to wait for our busy server to come back out, explain the issue, then wait for more bread to enjoy our food. Our server did let us know that the moldy appetizer would be taken off of our check. The side salad with the fried goat cheese crouton (1) was delicious. Two of us had their burger and fries. The burgers were good but not wonderful, the fries were tasty, but definitely not hot, fresh fries. -More like the fries sat there while waiting for something else to finish cooking. -It happens. For dessert, we decided to get two orders of the "Moon Pie Bread Pudding". They came out and were attractive enough, but when we dug in, they were extremely cold and unappealing. After two bites, we were done. They were inedible. When the server came over to check on us, she asked how the desserts were. When we told her they were too cold and inedible, that we didn't care for them. She exclaimed that they were supposed to be served hot and melty. We chose to decline her offer of boxing them up to take home and microwave them. These were also taken off of our bill but surprisingly, we never saw a manager. Not after being served moldy bread and not at the end of the meal after being given two incorrectly made inedible desserts. After spending this much money and time to not even get a table visit is unheard of. I cannot see us going back. read more

This place was really good. They use sous vide cooking method to produce the perfect steak (we got the del monico) - you could literally cut it with a butter knife - we know because the waitress forgot to give us steak knives at first and we couldn't wait to dig in. The crab cakes were some of the best I have ever had - and I am from Maryland originally so I've definitely had more than a few to compare them to. The scallops weren't cooked sous vide (we cook them that way at home & then quickly pan sear them - our favorite), they were pan seared but very good - cooked to perfection. They serve ice cold Red Oak beer on tap - our favorite. We got crab dip with pita points and it was delicious. We had no room for dessert (although we wish we did), and we ended up taking home some of our meal. We will definitely be back. read more

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We recently moved here and have been attempting to experience all the local restaurants weekly. The staff, drinks and food were good. They had a new twist on the shrimp and grits that we loved. The steak Diane was just ok, we r used to a little more taste but still very good. We also loved the history and story behind the restaurant. Definitely will visit again. read more

Great food, wonderful service and fun atmosphere. Best price for the amount of food is the Shrimp Cocktail and the Crab Cakes. The bar is on the rooftop and we enjoyed the beautiful night breeze and fun people. Great new place. read more

A little pricey but we'll worth the visit. Their steak (sirloin) can be cut with your fork. Delicious meal every time

Best crab cakes in the world! Not deep fried or breaded. Pure lump crab. Great sushi. If you went a couple of years ago and were disappointed, give it another try. They have really upgraded menu, presentation, and service. read more

A delightful experience. A new friend took me to dinnner. We each had one of the daily specials. This evening it was swordfish and mackerel. My taste buds were never numbed. Each bite brought a delicious treat. I also had the tomato salad and my friend shared her goat cheese with me. Creamy and mild. Some of the best chevre I've ever had, and I've eaten it in France! read more

Usually I give good reviews. But I bring myself here today because of my experience last night. First, the oysters we ordered had one that was cracked in half (I.e. the wrong way) and another had a hole in it like someone tried to open it with a knife by stabbing it. Unfortunately, no one realized this wasn't the way to serve it and we had to send it back. Second, we asked for an aperol spritz, which they asked if we wanted something else apple bc they weren't sure if they had it. Then they discovered they did indeed have aperol and served it "on the rocks". That was bizarre. Food and service needs a lot of work. It gets 2 stars bc of the rooftop bar. read more

Attentive service and fast, fresh dishes in this modern, trendy beach spot are the strong points. The menu is diverse and certainly executed well but could be a little more adventurous. The focus on small plates does give diners the chance to try a number of different foods.The drinks are good and the wine menu is solid but not quite diverse enough. There are great views and the rooftop lounge is a must visit. read more

I was so glad we had reservations! There was quite a wait for those who just walked in and the parking lot was packed. Fortunately they have an overflow lot just down the street. The meal started with delicious, homemade yeast rolls, piping hot from the oven. The East Coast and West Coast raw oysters were delicious. The wedge salad was romaine instead of iceberg - what a nice surprise! The scallops and the shrimp and rice grits was superb. The decor was lovely and the waitstaff was very friendly and attentive. Overall, this felt like a good value for the cost. I will go again! read more

Nice meal yet disappointed on s couple things: that 2 of the five of us weren't able to get our first entree choice. They ran out of lamb chops and pork chops by our 7pm reservation which I thought was an incredibly early time to be out of certain dishes. I understand at the oceans, most people prefer fresh seafood but in this case, we have a seafood allergy. They also charged us $5 each for two cheerwine beverages. Rung up as "mocktails". I asked waiter and he stated that cheerwine is s bar drink. For those of you unfamiliar/ this is a drink similar to Dr Pepper. Just poured from a bottle or the drink spout. No mixer. Maybe the extra $3 was for the lime garnish that my 13year old son clearly did not appreciate and took off the minute the drink was delivered. This one, I feel a bit swindled by. read more

After a lousy experience at a 4.5star YELPer rated restaurant last night, I was desperate for a great meal. Caribsea appealed to me the most so I gave it a chance. Oh Lord. Y'all, this is the place to eat a beautifully prepared meal. Started with a Sidecar which was nice and tight, so the bar knew it's business. Perfect. Ordered Filet Mignon, medium. It was a nice thick cut, seasoned beautifully, with smoked butter. Tenderest filet I've had in a very long time. Served with firm-soft buttered fingerling potatoes, and the most flavorful squash side I've ever had. I couldn't decide between the Key lime tart and the vanilla bean creme brûlée, so I ordered both. And both were delicious, neither of them cloyingly sweet, and sized well. Ate the brûlée and brought the delicious tart home. It's a beautiful building, every aspect of design was well planned and executed. Very pleasant to the senses, easy to the eyes. Server (Meredith) was profesional, knowledgeable and friendly. Definitely returning. read more

The food and staff are incredible. Don't pay attention to the prices. Just order what sounds good and you won't be disappointed. It's not inexpensive at all, rather the contrary. I highly suggest reservations! read more