Unfortunately i cant say it was 5 star gourmet dining experience because it WASNT AT ALL! We ordered 2 drinks to start that took prob 20 min to arrive, a tin can and a razzberry fizzy drink. Both mediocre at best. They tasted kind of like cough syrup. Our apps came. I ordered 2 different types of oysters and they were tiny just really no meat to them at all. They were kind of tasteless. Not buttery or salty. My husband ordered a small charcuterie and it was decent enough but everything was kind of slopped on the plate the presentation lacked for sure. We both ordered a simple salad which was 9$ and it literally was a sping blend on an appetizer plate with a few cherry tomatos and a fried piece of cream cheese on top..not worth it and the cream cheese was just kind of gross. The waitress thought we ordered soup and we didnt and when we sent it back untouched she still charged us for it. When we addressed that with her she said she took 2$ each off the salad instead, which still meant we paid for the soup becAuse it was more than 4$. We ended up laughing at that point and kind of chalking it up for a loss.My husband ordered steak diane and his steak was RARE not medium rare it was almost bleeding but if we cut around it it was pretty good. The potatos were extremely salty but my husband likes salt so that worked for him but i think anyone else really would not like them. I had scallops and they were cooked fine but the presentation was just kind of slopped on there. For dessert we ordered a creme brulee and the cheesecake. Both of those were good but not outrageous the way i would expect for a 177$ meal. I wouldnt go back again for dinner unless it was half of what i paid. However i would go to the rooftop for a cocktail. read more

Read great things but was terribly disappointed. Went here for Mother's Day dinner. They didn't have the crab cakes that they were known for and didn't have wines that were on their wine list as well. It wasn't that busy but the service was terribly slow and we had to wait 20 for a table we had reserved. Overpriced and overrated. Definitely not impressed. read more

This place is legit! We brought our three kids out for a nice dinner on vacation and they made every accommodation to make sure mom and dad were well taken care of! We enjoyed the scallops and crab cakes which were amazing and the kids had shrimp scampi. For desert the chocolate cheesecake was incredible! well worth the stop and can't wait to return! read more

The food was good. However, our waitress did ask another waitress if some customers who just left had "Jewed her" or not. Apparently this was a joke, she then came to our table to apologize for it, but her apology included saying "It doesn't matter because the Jews are taking over the country anyway". I am serious. read more

The service and cocktails were great. The food was good, but not great. We started with oysters which were excellent. The scallops were next and were also tasty. The filet mignon was average, at best. It was a pleasant experience but a little overpriced for what you get. Ways to make this a 5 star review...expand the menu a little especially when it comes to seafood options and let customers with kids know you actually have a kid's menu. The kid meals were very bland so I'd suggest improving the quality of the shrimp at least. read more

I have been vacationing on Emerald Island for over 30 years. Restaurants always come and go. This one needs a little work if it's going to stay. If they are going to be upscale they need to work in their customer service. We had reservations and checked in 30 minutes early to check out the roof bar. Drinks were great. Then we checked in again at our reservation time but our table wasn't ready yet so we went out to wait on the deck. Then they called me on my cell phone 15 min later to ask where we were ??? Wait staff was slow and didn't take their time to explain the menu. Food was just ok. It should be fantastic for the price. We were disappointed but hopefully by next season they will gave it down. read more

Have traveled to Emerald Isle several times in the past but just visited Caribsea for the first time last week. It was our best dining experience ever on EI. The filet and crab cakes will absolutely knock your socks off. The mixed drinks were the best we've ever had. If you go, make sure to check out the views from the rooftop bar. Will be back again for sure. read more

My husband and I enjoyed relaxing post-dinner cocktails on a Monday evening on the rooftop Torpedo Lounge. Service was laid back and friendly, with great wine recommendations. Loved that they offered assistance with food menu selections, but no harping or hustling. Just a chill, lounge-y, enjoyable experience. You know you're in good hands when after asking for (and getting) a photo op for you and your honey earlier in the evening, the Security guy offers to get you another in a different part of the rooftop lounge because the backdrop and sunset is just right! We tried to get reservations for dinner on another evening during our trip, but they were booked solid. We should've known...will be back for sure on our next visit to EI. read more

Excellent...seafood was fresh and cooked perfectly. We will definitely go back before all the tourists come back for the summer!!!

Really good. They make it really easy to order well, having small and large choices for many items. We shared the baked oysters which were very good. My husband & I ordered the large choice for the crab cakes and scallops and then shared. The crab cakes were very good having lots of crab and not much filler. But the scallops were wonderful! Reasonably priced for the type of restaurant it is. Another good point was the large number of wines by the glass. Only drawback is the noise level. read more

My brother and I ordered steak sandwiches for lunch. It was mostly bread and worse it wasn't good bread, in fact it was so bad neither of us ate it. If you're going to make a sandwich and you're an upscale restaurant that makes a $15 sandwich you must source world class bread, a la Domilise's Po' Boys in New Orleans. Additionally, there was not more than four ounces of prime rib/ribeye....huh? It's a steak sandwich! It's quintessentially a MAN'S MEAL!! Laughable!!! read more

The food was prepared and presented in an amazing wonderful manner. Terinna was an exceptional server. Clearly one of the very finest restaurants in our great State and Carteret County. The Scallops with a beet salad and the crab cakes were the best we have had. read more

Entire meal was delicious! From scallops, to oysters, to snapper to clams to dessert...we ate a ton and it was great. Love the rooftop bar too. Could gave done without the Elton John cd on loop... read more

I love it. New restaurant with great food, Frensh, European style. Nice industrial look interior. Only minus point I would mention is that it is cold! 69 degrees, too big of a difference with outside! Would be 5 stars if that would be more comfortable ! read more

This was my 4th visit to Caribsea. We had reservations and were seated promptly. Our server was very friendly and helpful with the menu. We were a party of 4 and all food was good with one exception. The scallops, which I have had several times were over cooked and the pea cake was HARD! It actually crumbled when I cut it. But, I will return read more

We had an excellent experience at Caribsea last evening for our Valentines Day Celebration. We have been there a few times and continue to have a great experience. Jackie, our server, was attentive and yet allowed us to enjoy each other's company without interruption. I highly recommend it. read more

My daughter, son-in-law and I went to this restaurant for dinner tonight. We did not have reservations so needed to eat at the bar. The waitress was very accommodating and worked with our schedule. We wanted to take our time and just enjoy the evening. My son-in-law had the steak sandwich and truly enjoyed the blend of flavors and the yummy potatoes. My daughter had the shrimp and scallops, I had the shrimp and grits. Both dishes were the perfect size and had excellent flavors. The sauce on both dished was perfect! We will certainly come back for more delicious drinks and dinner. read more

Great addition to Emerald Isle, a first class restaurant with first rate chef and excellent staff. Service and food were outstanding. Crab cakes are the best I have ever tasted and an outstanding shrimp and grits. Option of small and large portions. Don't leave without trying the desserts. read more

If I had a separate category for food, the stars would be four. Unfortunately, the manner in which a restaurant operates impacts the overall rating. If I could give a separate operations score, it would be 2. The hostess is a liability. She needs additional training and maybe needs a job that doesn't include interactions with the public. She made our reservations face to face - we went to the bar for an hour to wait-yet despite an empty restaurant she failed to seat us on time and acted as it we were an imposition for showing up. After a 12 minute wait we were seated (by a server) but as we watched, she did the same thing to other guests. She also seated all tables next to each other so a leisure dining experience felt like we were in a cramped diner! The meal took a long time and the pacing of courses was problematic but its difficult to know if this was due to the bizarre seating pattern of the hostess or another operational problem. Maybe this restaurant relies on people being pleasant because they are on vacation but as a Emerald Isle local, I'd like to remind this place that "Nice Matter". read more

Zero ambience in Dining Room due to fluorescent light from open kitchen. It's an easy fix: partial canopy. Food is very average and inconsistent for $$$$. read more

Great location and view. We had four different meals and were pleased with them all. Service was a little confused, but results were worth it. We only had wine and water, but both were good. Crab cake was wonderful. We will come back. read more

4 1/2. I would have given it 5 but the ambiance in the back room was not 5 star. Food was excellent. Sushi rolls were wonderful. Shrimp and grits were about the best we have ever had. Wine is decent priced and a great selection. Do yourself a favor and go up to the torpedo lounge on the roof. It's definitely 5 star roof top. The torpedo lounge is my favorite spot on EI. read more

We ate here while on vacation with the four of us. Atmosphere was nice, people were friendly, and overall had a nice relaxing dinner. This is the only real higher end restaurant in Emerald Island. If you're thinking about bringing younger kids - I would pass due to the limited selection on the menu and price. Wife had the shrimp and grits, I had the filet, daughter had the shrimp scampi, and my other daughter is a vegetarian so that was difficult for her but they managed to put something together for her which was nice. Overall with two alcoholic beverages for my wife and I (daughter drove) we spent $169. We didn't experience the upstairs bar scene but I'm sure it's nice. The food tasted good but for $40 for a 8 oz filet, five fingerling potatoes, and slice of squash I'll try somewhere else next trip. It's a nice place - just expensive for what you get. read more

We decided to try this restaurant because of what we saw on our IPad. The food was the best I have had in quiet some time. In fact, everybody in our party enjoyed their food. Our waiter, Hunter, was superb, knowledgable in all factors of the restaurant guiding us to make the right decision in picking our food. We are planning a second visit later in the week. read more

Our second visit equally as good as our first. We returned to EI for a weekend stay and again looked forward to a dinner out. Caribsea was as good on visit #2 in spite of our high expectations. The carpaccio beet salad (we both ordered one) was exceptionally fresh, tasty and a great light starter. We each ordered the small shrimp and grits and split a small crab cake (our server's personal fav). The grits (with rice added) were savory and a perfect balance for the plentiful shrimp, mushrooms and bacon bits. Yum! As promised, the crab cake was Maryland style, with almost every morsel solid, succulent lump crab. We capped the exceptional meal with a chocolate creme brule, which we split -- a desert lovers' desert. Service again was exceptional and the jazz, vinyl spinning DJ provided a wonderful musical back drop for another great dinner out. Thank you for gracing our island! read more

We did not have a great experience, but have only been once. We aren't in a hurry to return. The view from the roof is amazing! The roof bar does not have all the drink options as the full inside bar. They did not have any vegetarian appetizers, so the waiter recommended a rice and vegetable dish, which was delicious, but the rice and peas cost more than the seafood appetizers on the menu. We may give them another chance after they have time to work out the kinks. read more

We have vacationed in EI since I was a child and it is nice to finally see this more upscale, trendy restaurant. Last night was our third time dining at Caribsea and we have consistently enjoyed the food, ambience, and service. Crab cakes are outstanding!!! Outdoor seating is super nice later in the evening after it cools down. So why rate 4 stars instead of 5? We don't mind paying higher prices for quality and definitely feel like they deliver on quality seafood. However, my husband ordered the very delicious blackened scallops and shrimp entree which consisted of 3 small scallops and 3 small shrimp...that is it. He described them as "like eating candy" they were so good, but we both had to question why you wouldn't at least throw in a few sprigs of asparagus or something. The server did warn my husband that the dish was one of their smaller portions so that helped to ease the shock when the dish was served. All in all...great experience and highly recommend Caribsea!!! read more

On a weekend getaway, we stopped in on Saturday, really a great surprise! Roof top, great weather, seats at the bar, we were wondering why we didn't know about this sooner. Here's where I think they fell short: three bartenders were very busy talking with each other while the bar was packed, no acknowledgment that we had been sitting right in front of them at the bar! There was a slim chance we would get waited on, finally gained the attention of one of the bartenders and we asked if we could have menus and cocktails. Waited for our drinks, waited to order, then repeated the above three times. All while these ladies were carrying on their conversation. I have been a GM of various restaurants in Raleigh and if this was brought to my attention once, it would be not be brought to my attention a second time, lack of importants to your customer and conversations within your staff really should be addressed. One more note, you also had a male server who also stayed under the radar of service. There is no excuse. The food was excellent, we would have stayed longer if someone would have done their job and just asked "Have you been waited on yet and what can I get for you". read more

Ok. So I had high expectations. And it didn't deliver. Service was slow and unapologetic. Food was under seasoned and lack luster. Would not return. Small portions and over priced. read more

We are visiting from MD and happened to see this restaurant from the road, there were not a lot of reviews as it has only been open a month. We went right to the 4th floor roof deck where we had a view of the ocean and bay on opposite sides. We sat at the bar and ordered the Tin Can (blueberry infused vodka drink) and it was so delicious and refreshing. It was Wednesday so they had live music. We got their at 6:15 and it was crowded by 7. We ordered some apps and then off the bar menu for our main courses (you have that option on the roof to order off either menu). If you are going to eat in the main restaurant, get there by 5:45 or make a reservation. There were lots of locals and people on vacation who had been there the night before which tells you that it's good! The bartenders, bar backs, and staff were all very friendly and engaged with us regularly and checked up on us to make sure we had all we needed. read more

We eagerly anticipated this restaurant opening in Emerald Isle! Having an option other than Jackies- which is AWESOME was exactly what we hoped this restaurant would be....unfortunately this is not the case. The restaurant is small - the menu is LIMITED and quite pricey. The shrimp and grits is not shrimp and grits - it is RICE and that is not the way they make it in Charleston. When my husband mentioned it wasn't grits he was corrected and insulted by the manager - the waiter explained the specials as parasite stripped and quite tasty. We ordered crab dip and it tasted like wallpaper glue - no taste, the crabcakes were excellent - the scallops - tasteless and gritty. I ordered the Delmonico and it was WONDERFUL. I really want to give this restaurant an excellent review - a good review but I can't. It was awful. It was so awful that regardless of what we are told and any future reviews, we will not try again The entire experience was such a let down. read more