Circa 81 does tapas right and is very reasonable priced. We love the Jamon Iberico, Serrano, Chorizo, Scallops, potatoes brava and creme brûlée. An excellent and reasonably priced wine list from which to choose. Innovative kitchen and impeccably trained waitstaff. Our go to restaurant for an evening out. read more

Circa 81 - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Morehead City, North Carolina

Circa81 is one of my favorite restaurants in Morehead City. I love their Charred Brussels Sprouts with Harissa Emulsion. In addition to this menu item, they make excellent cocktails like the Port Manhattan. If you visit this restaurant during brunch, let me recommend the Circa 81 Benedict, Swiss Chocolate Crême Brûlée, and a Vanilla Crême Brûlée. In addition to their food, the restaurant has excellent service, a separate bar area with plenty of TV's to watch a game, and a generous parking lot. read more

The chef is creative. Food is fresh and delicious. Something I look forward to on trips to Moorehead City

Great experience! Loved our dishes ( soft shell crab special was WOW)!! Smooth service + great martini + honored their customers by wearing masks ++++++. Thank you!!! read more

BLUF: Go here! Now! Dinner on the stove? Turn off the burners, throw it in the disposal and go to Circa 81. Don't have plans for your next meal? Now you do...it's Circa 81. Ok, so seriously...this place was amazing. After wandering around the NC coast on a Saturday drive, my wife and I found ourselves hungry and in Morehead City. We checked Yelp! and figured we'd give this place a shot. And what did we find? Hands down the best food I've had in North Carolina. Referring back to my highly researched, scientifically arbitrary scoring rubric... Five stars = "I dream about this place", Four stars = "I can't wait to go back to this place" Three stars = "I'd definitely go back to this place if someone wanted ___ cuisine" Two stars = "I won't go back to this place for ___ cuisine" One star = "I wouldn't recommend this place to my enemy" ...this place is a solid 5 stars. This is straight-up San Diego/LA quality cuisine, not just "passable North Carolina food that didn't disappoint". Service was friendly, prompt and she was extremely knowledgable about the menu and drinks. As I mentioned in my tip, the tacos were the best thing I've eaten in this state - we ordered seconds after the rest of our small plates had been served. The potatoes brava were so stupidly simple and delicious it's baffling how good they really were. The beef skewer was cooked and seasoned perfectly. Before going here I had no desire to drive an hour to Morehead City. I'm find myself actively looking for reasons to head out there to eat here again. I don't have the words to adequately express how happy I am to know that this restaurant exists. Stop what you're doing and check this place out. To the chef: Thank you. Just...thank you. read more

My husband and I went there last night for our birthday not really expecting it to live up to the hype. We made reservations, and it seemed like a good thing to do - the place was packed! We had a minimal wait while the hostess showed a table to a party of six ahead of us, and quickly shown our table after they were seated. Our waitress did kind of skip over us a bit throughout the night, but she was handling several other tables so it was understandable. We decided on getting tapas for an appetizer, then two entrees and of course, dessert. We ordered the pork belly taco and calamari to start, and let me tell you what... That calamari was the gastrointestinal equivalent of heaven! Perfectly crisp and light on the outside, tender and succulent on the inside with two amazing dipping sauces to go with it. It was, hands down, the best calamari I've ever had, and we order it every chance we get everywhere we go. The pork belly tacos were a little tough, but bursting with flavor so it balanced out in my mind. On to the entrees: my husband ordered the NY steak, and I ordered the mixed grill. We we're both extremely happy with our orders. His steak was cooked to perfection, and the asparagus was seasoned well enough he actually ate it (neither of us are fans). My plate came with succulent duck, perfectly grilled tenderloin and delightfully peppery shrimp over a bed of fingerling potatoes, sweet white onions and mushrooms. We were thrilled to bits over how delicious everything was. The portions were perfect for those who are looking to try a little bit of everything, but if you're looking to go in and eat until you burst, you want to get some tapas along with it. For dessert we both opted for the homemade cheesecake. He got the apple cheesecake, which was sprinkled heavily with cinnamon and topped with apples, which he loved. I got the raspberry swirl cheesecake which was both light and decadent at the same time. Definitely worth splurging on! For drinks, my husband had a very fruity and not at all bitter red sangria with brandy, and I had a very sweet Tahitian pineapple martini followed by the limoncello lemonade. I enjoyed both drinks, however, the lemonade tasted a bit like a citronella candle smells, so unless you love that, I'd be a little wary. Personally, I loved it, but I can see how it might be off putting to some people. Overall, our meal was over $100 not including tip, but we walked in expecting to pay that much, if not more, to do a full three course dinner. We WILL be back, if only for the calamari! Good show to the folks in the kitchen at Circa 81 - you got yourselves some repeat customers! read more

Alex, Sonya , and Peter created an amazing experience. Me and my bud got the salmon omelet special and it was a 10/10. I've been coming to Circa for about a year now and have never had anything short of a great experience . I recommend anyone to come here that lives in the area , visiting , or passing through. Thanks guys read more

My friends and I ate here a couple weeks ago. We rented a house in Emerald Isle and drove around on a Saturday night only to find out so many places close at 8pm. We were lucky to find this place open and they seated all 9 of us. While we were looking over the menu we noticed the sanitation rating was a 92 which kind of alarmed us. The owner/manager was willing to come out and talk to us about his rating which we appreciated the gesture. We ordered drinks and tapas mostly and tried a few new things on the menu. We also indulged in dessert. For dinner many of us split tapas to share, like the shrimp Mac n cheese, the crab cake (just one), the lamb kabob, mussels, & shrimp & grits to name a few. One friend of mine tried the duck. And we also had colorful salads ordered all around. The calamari was nice & the lemoncello cocktail was tasty. This review is a little bit all over the place but for the most part, we were more than satisfied with the experience. Aside from the "low" sanitation rating, the place was clean and our hostess & waiter were so friendly. Looking forward to coming back. read more

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A great spot for date night. Was pricey, but the food and presentation were amazing, and delicious

My mom and friend and I went on "mojito Monday" for some delicious, discounted specialty mojitos and they were TO DIE FOR. Traditional, coconut-pineapple, and blueberry; all delicious. Great start to an excellent meal! For an appetizer, we shared the daily special of fried provolone cheese with vodka sauce - SO good. For our meal, we all split calamari, seafood Mac and cheese, beef skewer, and the crab dip. ALL great, and brought out two at a time, which was convenient. Great, friendly service by Kira. We will definitely come back!! read more

Circa 81 is amazing. The food is wonderful and so is the service. While on vacation in the Outer Banks, my friends and I went in looking for a good meal and came out with that plus a wonderful experience and new friends. Of the very few times we ate out, two of them were at Circa 81. Between Circa 81 and the Arendell Room, it's reason enough to make the 6 hour trip to Morehead City from Maryland. A restaurant, like any other business, comes alive only through the people who run it and the people whom are served by it. We had the pleasure of talking with the owner, Clarke, for quite awhile and can tell why the business is so successful. The place is elegant and modern--no fish nets on the wall here. From the food to the personnel to the decor, I couldn't recommend this place more. Clarke, if you're reading this, thanks again from me and my friends for such a great time at your restaurant. read more

My wife and I are new to the area and like most newcomers, checked Yelp to see who has good food. The great reviews of Circa 81 are spot on. Seafood mac and cheese, she crab soup, and sesame crusted tuna were 3 dishes you can absolutely relish. I also enjoyed the mojito and my wife loved the key lime pie. Best thing I can say - we will definitely be back. read more

There's a lot of things I can say about Circa 81. I can say that they have a breathtakingly diverse menu with something for everyone. I can say that their food is of the highest quality and has nuances without being intimidating. I can say they have amazing cocktails. But in the end, the only thing you need to know is this: if you are in the area and don't eat here you are missing out. Stop by, you will not regret it. read more

Circa 81 - Clam chowder - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Morehead City, North Carolina

Second time at the restaurant, the server made several serious mistakes. She failed to inform us that the appetizer we came for, the pot stickers, were unavailable. She refused to make proper recommendations when asked. Lastly, she was untimely serving. This type of service, while common at Shoney's, is not really acceptable at these prices. The herb salad was not good at all, and at $18, a rip off. However, the duck tapas plate was heavenly. Sad that the quality was uneven. I probably will return, but knowing that some food is exceptional, and some other choices are mediocre and overpriced at best. Will be more cautious next time. All this being said, I have dined at almost all of the local restaurants and I consider this one to be one of the very best! Still recommended as I suspect I was simply unlucky.) Update: in response to comment from Circa 81 -- the salad is $18 with exactly 5 small shrimp (the basic salad is 12, the add on shrimp is another 6 dollars). I am familiar with tapas style restaurants -- I have eaten tapas in many restaurants both in the USA and in Spain. The issue is that your servers need additional training (and the one menu item was mediocre and very overpriced.) I am an experienced corporate chef and professor of marketing at a university. You have some service and pricing issues, at the least. That said, some of your food is impeccable and worthy of a visit! I am confident you will smooth out your issues. read more

Finally a restaurant that is competent in food other than fried fish. My wife and i came here during vacation in Emerald Isle. Much as I like the area, we have found that good food is hard to come by. Circa 81 does Tapas, and does them well. We ordered several dishes and they were all excellent. We dined on $5 house wine night, a meal for two including cocktails, wine and tip came in at around $100 which is a bargain given the quality on offer. We will definitely go again. read more

Eaten here many times in the 7 years they have been open. Food consistently a 4 or 5, and service mostly a 4+. Food rarely disappoints, and normally exceeds my high expectations. Only real criticism: getting a drink takes forever, true from first time 7 years ago to today...something wrong with their system. Otherwise, one of our VERY favorite places on the Crystal Coast. Value is excellent for the $. Quality top notch. Specials really are special, try them. But old standbys are great too. Crab soup, stuffed brie, shrimp and grits all wonderful. Enjoy, worth trying. read more

What a great place - everything was wonderful! Staff was lovely - the bartender made fresh strawberry lemonades for the kids and yummy drinks for us. Their sangria is mixed to order and is really good. The food was really really good. We tried the crab dip, caprese salad, shrimp, pork belly, soft shell crab and the salmon special. Everything was wonderful. Kids loved Mac n cheese and chicken fingers. Desserts were to die for as well read more

Always a delicious meal. I love the tapas style of food and trying so many different plates. The figs & goat cheese are one my favorites.

I chose to go here for my birthday. We made a reservation a week in advance and were tried to be sat int he middle of the restaurant where everyone walks by, not intimate, and very awkward and loud. We asked that we be seated in a corner and were moved. The server was very polite, very nice, very informed.... but... for as small as the restaurant was, we thought he would've been more attentive. We ordered and our drinks came out one by one... we ordered our food and it didn't come out all at once. We actually began to feel sick while we were eating, so, we got our meal to go. We didn't know if this was from the soup that we had as a first course, or what... We at the food later that night. The shrimp and grits have a much more odd taste than we ever had tasted, the mac and cheese that was raved about wasn't our favorite, the tuna that we ate.. was fresh, the potstickers were very soggy but had a good taste. We want to return and try the food again. Hopefully with better results. read more

Good 'n tasty tapas. A-OK! We got 4 small plates (they also have medium and large plates): scallops au poivre, hot crab dip, shrimp and grits, and chicken & prosciutto cordon bleu. We got the blueberry yum yum for dessert. The scallops au poivre plate was only okay. There were 4-5 scallops on the plate. They ranged in size, and doneness. The larger ones were slightly undercooked, and the smaller ones were overcooked. The pepper was a little too thick and overwhelming for the size of the scallops. Couldn't taste any of the other dishes after. The hot crab dip came with pita triangles. The crab dip was a little heavy and oily, but it was tasty. I would get it again, but I prefer the crab dip from ruddy duck. RD's crab dip was delicious, light creamy texture, came with bread, and a much larger portion. The shrimp and grits was a good spin on a southern tradition. A few small-med shrimp over baked grits shaped into triangles, swimming in a thin, and light cheese sauce. The chicken and prosciutto cordon bleu was good, however the chicken was a little chewy. It reminded me of a hot pocket. However, the pastry was golden, light, and flaky - perfectly cooked. The blueberry yum yum, made in-house, was a graham cracker crust with cream cheese, blueberry syrup, and whipped cream, topped with fresh blueberries. The crust was mushy, the cream cheese tasted raw, but had a light delicate sweetness. In my opinion the whipped cream layer was a bit too thick. Overall, it was a OK homemade dessert. Would not get again. The bill was $47. I recommend. read more

Went for Valentine's Day and was impressed by the food. They had price fix menu but we went with the tapas. We started with some great Serrano ham. The seafood Mac and cheese was wonderful and cheesy, crab cake, black bean quesadilla, then these best was the pork belly tacos and the duck breast. The prices were good. Service was attentive my only complaint was that we felt rushed. They brought the dishes out very quickly and the it went too fast. For this type of meal I feel the small plates should be brought out a little slower to enough the meal. I will be going back. read more

We stopped by for brunch on our way home from the beach and it was lovely! Great portion sizes and creative menu. They were very busy but we were able to get a seat outside. I got the breakfast scramble and my partner got the dank daddy omelette. Both were delicious. It took a minute to get our food because they were so busy so we were glad that we ordered the pimento cheese for an appetizer. It wasn't traditional pimento cheese like we expected but it was really good! read more

Great food + great cocktails + great atmosphere + great service = Circa 81. My family is visiting the area and, after alot of research, decided to venture out and have dinner at Circa 81. From the minute we arrived we were not disappointed. The staff was friendly, informative, and attentive. We started with a few cocktails. The key lime martini was amazing. We then shared a few tapas and everyone loved them. We ordered the sweet potato quesadilla, mostly out of curiosity, it turned out to be the favorite of the table. A perfect balance of smokey,spicy, and sweet all between a grilled tortilla...delicious. Our entrees arrived promptly and no one was disappointed. When we were finished there was not a spot of food on any ones plates. We can't wait to go back and try some more creations from this kitchen. One other note I should add is yelp lists this restaurant as "not kid friendly" however, not only do they offer a kids menu, they told us if we knew something the kids may want let them know and they would work something up specially for them. Our kids (4&6) had a great time and there were plenty of other young children in the establishment. Thank you Circa 81 for a great start to our family vacation. read more

A GREAT FIND IN A SEA OF MEDIOCRITY. We vacationed at Atlantic Beach recently and a "vegetarian" search on Yelp yielded Circa 81 as a place to try. First off, their website has a really convenient online reservations tool that you likely want to use during the peak beach season. It's a charming-looking place that's great for families and dates looking for a bit of ambience to add to their beach trip. On the menu side, we had their: - seafood mac n' cheese (I know it's not vegetarian, but I do eat fish occasionally and the proximity to the beach sorta called for it): it's a favorite evidently and I was really looking forward to it. It was really good, but not great. I'd still get it again, though. - potatoes brava: in a word...yum! We did think it could have used a bit more of the aioli or even some sour cream, but it had a great level of heat and was really tasty. (We've had potatoes brava in other tapas places, so I used the opportunity to remind myself to learn how to make this at home.) The only issue we had with this dish was that gave us five medium-sized potato slices that worked out to two and a half each...one more slice would have been nice to we didn't have to share that last one. - gnocchi...again...yummy! (Sorry, that required a rhyme there.) - I'm not seeing on their menu currently, so maybe it's not available any longer...but you're in luck because it was some sort of wrapped brie that we thought was the weakest of all the tapas we had. It was too large a piece of brie for the three tiny pieces of bread they gave us (what's up with the odd number motif that doesn't allow for easy sharing), first off, so we were forced to eat big forkfulls of stiffy, pastry-wrapped brie. Wasn't our favorite. In a place with known for their great beaches, where people think it necessary to give ratings to places like Pizza Inn and Ruby Tuesdays (egad!) because of the lack of real choice for restaurants, happening upon Circa 81 was a great find and it's on our list for next time. read more

Amazing. Yelp did it again. We were going to stop at another roadside place for lunch but after reading the reviews decided to drive a few mikes further and stopped at Circa 81. We had our dog and bird with us and we're looking for a place with outside seating. It was a late lunch or early dinner but they were happy to accommodate. We ordered the black bean burrito, hot crab dip and the half cheese / ham sampler. All were amazing - maybe the best cheese we have had in the States. Everything was served fresh cut with the exception of a lettuce garnish they should have left off. All of the food was tasty and nothing was overpowering. Prices were very fair for what we received. Lunch / dinner for two was $60 including a bottle of wine. Very very nice. read more

I found Circa 81 in the local restaurant guide, and of course, read the online reviews before going - I wasn't disappointed! The tapas menu is phenomenal! We ordered the stuffed brie w/raspberry jam and mushroom and cheese toast. Both were delicious! I also had the "Moo & Brie" sandwich and it was yummy! I was too full for dessert, but took home the key lime pie which was AMAZING. I'm a key lime pie snob, but our server convinced me that it was great - she was correct! Our server, Maggie, was a sweetheart! She was so personable, and took the time to explain the menu items. Service like that is always appreciated! Thanks Maggie! We'll be back on our next visit to Morehead City! read more

I visited Circa 81 during a weekend trip to Atlantic Beach. Circa 81 is a cozy yet contemporary tapas restaurant that offers traditional Spanish fare, including cured meats and cheeses, and tapas-inspired plates of American food. The restaurant also offers large plates for a more traditional dining experience. For our meal we decided to split 4 small plates or tapas. We had the Black Bean Quesadilla, Shrimp and Grits, Crispy Calamari, and Medjool Dates. Highlights of our meal were the Shrimp and Grits, which was dressed with a delicious Creole-flavored sauce and came with a tasty fried grit cake. The Medjool Dates wrapped in bacon were savory and sweet, cooked to perfection. If you're worried about not getting enough food from tapas, the Crispy Calamari was a great deal. It's a large serving for a tapas dish, but was delicious. crispy and didn't taste too fishy. It also came with two different types of dipping sauces. I wasn't too impressed by the watermelon mojito cocktail I ordered, and the dessert we ordered wasn't that great. The owners of the restaurant also own a frozen yogurt spot in the area, which might be a good place to treat your sweet tooth. read more

This is just a great place. If you are looking for NC fried seafood on the dock, this is not the place. They understand tapas and small plates. We have been coming for years and we have never been disappointed. Tonight we had the blueberry yum yum for the first time. Don't miss it. The bar is good and our server Harley did a nice job. read more

Just moved to the area and we have been trying a new restaurant weekly. We went as a family of 4 and enjoyed some of the best martinis and tried 8 different tapas. The staff, drinks and food were just absolutely wonderful. I don't think I could decide on the best tapas, they were all just so good. We r going to have a hard time not going back instead of continuing to try other restaurants. read more

You will be hard pressed to find a restaurant in a beach town that is as high quality and reasonable prices as this one. Everything from the food to the atmosphere and the music being played is outstanding. I was highly suspicious of the high ratings I found given that, again, this is a beach town where generally speaking all you get is high prices, lots of "sizzle" with average food and quality at best. Boy, were we in for a surprise. We opted for the Tapas and when the food arrived immediately noticed the portion size. It may be branded as "Tapas" but the portions are significantly larger than a typical Tapas restaurant. I mentioned it to our waitress and her response was that, "yes, we had to increase the portion size because on this side of the State people expect larger portions, even by Tapas standards." Our night ended with us taking food home for the next day. You will not regret visiting this restaurant... read more

Great food, great drinks and clean environment. Staff is very friendly! We had the crab dip, mimosas, bloody mary and the brunch! Everything was so tasty read more

Love the martinis and tapas. Main dishes are really good too. Great little spot for good food and great service.

Circa 81 is located on the main drag in Morehead City. It's very unassuming from the outside, and it was incredibly delicious. We were a huge group - there were 16 of us in all! The restaurant had our table set up when we arrived, and they provided awesome service. Circa 81 is a tapas place, so most of their small plates are meant to be shared. I ordered the rosemary beef dish for myself, and it was phenomenal. The beef was cooked to perfection, and it had great rosemary flavor. The tables ordered bread and brie cheese to share. Both of these dishes were also really, really good. If you are in Morehead City, skip the waterfront view and go to Circa 81. I guarantee your food and service will be amazing and an experience you won't forget. There is plenty of parking at Circa 81 as they share a large parking lot with other nearby businesses. read more

Terrible place, couldnt even get serviced. The hostess told us they were pet friendly. We made all the arrangements with our friends which they were bringing a couple of dogs and waited. 15 minutes passed and then told us they could not give us service due to the "busyness" of the place...which i didnt see at all...freed up tables, no wait outside, just save your time read more

Every now and then our family heads out to Morehead City and we were delighted to have experienced Circa 81. My wife and I had a lunch date and subsequently took the entire family there for brunch and lunch. We have been there three times now and our servers were consistently professional and friendly. The restaurant was kid-friendly accommodating for our two year old. The variety of food is awesome and they support local businesses which is also a plus. We were able to satisfy our desire for vegetarian options. The kids give two enthusiastic thumbs up for the Mozzarella sandwich and French toast. My personal favorites are the sesame tuna sandwich, charred brussels, sweet potato quesadillas, potatoes brava (awesome aioli), and truffle Mac and cheese. Definitely worth a pit stop... read more

Went with my husband and daughter. Kira was our wIt staff and she was so helpful. Drinks were delicious. We had the charcuterie board and several small plates. All were yummy. Definitely recommend a visit. read more

YUM! Their medium plates looked delicious but we opted for a few of the items on the tapas menu and it was so delicious! Everything was pretty rich. My suggestion is to go for an item or two off the tapas menu paired with a salad. Wish we were in this area longer to give dinner a go. read more

Awesome place. Awesome service. Awesome food. If you have never been to a place that does tapas, the menu might look a little different. Do yourself a favor and go for Sunday brunch. In a town with many great diner style breakfast places, Circa shines as a slightly more refined brunch experience. All the different eggs benedicts are awesome. read more

Out of every corner of the earth that I've been to, this is it. I've had tapas at least a dozen times and believe me THIS PLACE IS THE TOP(as). Like, don't even wait for summer stop what you're doing now and come get duck you can cut with a fork, Brussels with a sauce I can't even describe, perfectly cooked salmon with a chimichuri I've never had before. Listen. LISTEN. Go. Get a drink (strong as heck) and listen to piano man on their playlist on repeat. This place is unbelievable. read more

We have always enjoyed Circa 81, but during Covid we have had lunch there numerous times. We have been able to sit outside, although Circa follows safety rules, and we wouldn't have a problem inside either. We love the menu choices, and I love their ginger martini! read more