I moved to Corolla last year and started coming here and maybe there was a change of something cause the service has always been great and knowledge of the menu. I normally get the seared tuna appetizer and it's always fresh and seared rare--delicious... great tacos, shrimp, always good sized portions, etc. I haven't tried everything yet but I haven't had anything bad either. Daily specials and an outside patio that's pet friendly. read more

Some of the food was good. The drinks were not strong. Service was okay. Price was higher than it should have been.

Took my party of 5 in for a quick meal. As we entered the restaurant, a local was walking out singing, "We ate all the tacos. We ate all the tacos..." It was taco Tuesday, so tacos were offered at $2 a piece. Apparently the locals get to eat tacos for $2 while visitors get the privilege paying $12 - $14 for a Quesadilla made from one Fajita-size flour tortilla folded in half. They had chucked the refried beans that had been served with the tacos and couldn't manage a full meal for the premium price they charged. They also told my wife that they could not make her a simple Margarita because their liquor order hadn't arrived, so they had to charge her for a Top Shelf drink instead. My wife requested that they not make the drink too strong, but there was no accommodation for the extra charge that they insisted on charging. Menu items are priced somewhat reasonably, but they add extra for everything. Our bill rocketed to over $100 and they couldn't even plate a full meal. The server was nice enough, but he owner was condescending and played games with the check when I complained about being over-charged for my Quesadilla. The owner presented a corrected check now charging me twice for the very item she was to correct by reducing the price. She finally corrected the check-- now $96 and change. I provided a fair tip for the server. The final shock came a couple of days later when we returned home, only to find that the restaurant had charged my account $205! for my $106 transaction. I don't write many reviews, and when I do, it's generally to praise exceptional performance. This establishment is a mar on an otherwise pleasant OBX experience-- the kind that keeps so many of us returning year after year. My Score for Corolla Cantina: (1 = Bad to 5 = Great) Food - 3 Menu - 2 Service - 3 Environment - 3 Management - 1 Value - 2 Recommendation: Stay away. Better choices elsewhere. Try Agave. They are booked up all the time, so probably worth it. read more

OMG this place is awesome ! The food is delicious ! The best birthday surprise ever ;) better with a group

Food was excellent, especially the tuna poke. However, service was lackluster. We were one of two tables eating at the restaurant and our server forgot to put in our appetizer, lied about it, and was relatively nowhere to be found during our stay. read more

MY SHRIMP QUESADILLA WAS AMAZING!!!!! Angie is the best waitress ever!!!!!! The owner is super cool! Great place to go !! I recommend to everyone read more

Awesome food and quite a variety! The ahi tuna melted in my mouth and they gave us big portions! This is a definite must stop I recommend. If you like variety and good food this is somewhere we will come back to! read more

Definitely do not recommend!! For a busy Friday night the manager should have been working! The staff accused my daughter of stealing a plastic cup! WTF!! I think asking for a drink to be poured into a plastic cup after waiting 1 hour and 45 minutes for a table is not too much to ask for. Btw on our way back from uncle Ike's we left the plastic cup outside for you!! read more

Great food and drinks. I loved the shrimp and calamari ceviche! The nachos are delicious. My husband had the crab cake and it was great. Everything is homemade and delicious. Highly recommended. read more

The lobster quesadilla made my sister and niece sick on Friday 7/3. We had a party of 7 , no one liked their food . Rice had no taste of the coconut rice they advertise. Beans were cold .. We were not offered a refill on our drinks .. Very disappointed. For the price I expected better service and food .. Our only bad food experience on vacation. read more

Came here as the neighboring restaurant had an hour wait, but this place was empty - maybe that should have been our first warning. Sat outside as the inside was uninviting. Surprises included that even as a Mexican restaurant, they don't do fajitas - seems it is too much trouble for them. Overall, the food was ordinary. By the time it came, we had to move indoors as we were getting badly bitten around our ankles by insects. Finished our food and left as soon as possible. read more

Food was timely and good. However, the chips and queso was overpriced for what it was. The frozen drinks were expensive and lacked goodness. Overall the food was good and would go back. I just wouldnt have the drinks or chips/queso. Atmosphere was nice and wait staff was kind. read more

The girls here are super sweet. We had a great and relaxing lunch on a break from biking around. The food was so good and the service was quick and attentive. Definitely recommend giving them a try. read more

Definitly a hidden gem! One of the best Tequila Sunrise specials around .... The food hits the spot and is absolutely nail-on-the-head when it comes to authentic east coast seafood ... The staff is abundantly nice and the southern hospitality is on full blast just like the AC .... Full recommendation from this visitor from the north!! read more

This place is good. 4 of us had lunch here today out on their patio. The menu is fairly standard US South West. Being from Phoenix where authentic Mexican is standard, this comes off a little fusion-y but just right considering the clientele and tasty. Some folks have griped about the foam plates, but this is due to the fact that some restaurants in this area have limited water resources and don't have the capabilities to wash all dishes. I had the Jerk Mahi plate with coconut rice and black beans. The server warned me it was pretty spicy but in actuality it was pretty mild. Salty yes, spicy no. I worked in a Jamaican restaurant. This is entry-level diet Jerk. But still really tasty but not at all spicy by Caribbean standards. The coconut rice was fragrant and also good as were the black beans and fruit salsa. I felt like the food could have come out hotter on the plate but it was all still very enjoyable. The service was very friendly and attentive. The patio is dig friendly. I thought the prices were reasonable but not a fantastic deal. It is true that entrees served on a foam plate at $16 does indeed call into question the value as right away it seems over-priced because of the cheap feel of disposable plates. ( a self-fulfilling prophecy) however I think the menu is priced about right for a tourista haunt in that it is to be expected in vacationland. I live in a tourist area and $10 cocktails are standard. I rarely spend much money drinking them. I would eat here again because it was decent. Not amazing or life-changing but good and it has a great location in that particular plaza as it faces the street. read more

Stopped in for a quick lunch. Service was good. I had the fish tacos which are served on flour tortillas. Wish I could have sampled one shrimp and one fish but you can only order one or the other. The fish was satisfying and I was able to sub in fries for the beans and rice. Threw some old bay and vinegar on this puppies and they were good to go! read more

We've eaten here every night we have been here, service is amazing! Great specialty drinks! Highly recommend the crab quesadilla and nachos. If you're a fan of salads, their vinegrette is tasty!!! Best place to eat down here! Hands down ! read more

Very good, fish tacos were great. Fast friendly service. Prices were average for the area

The hostess graciously seated us at an outside table. After we were seated and already were perusing the menus for our dinner selections, a surly, rude, completely overwhelmed waitress asked who seated us. We told her the hostess did. The waitress walked away and then came back. She abruptly and rudely told us that the hostess should not have sat us and that there was a party of fourteen waiting for the table and another open table. Not only did she create a scene but she did not apologize. She did not tell us she was sorry it had happened. She simply told us we had to leave and watched us walk away. This was both embarrassing for us and should be for your establishment. Unfortunately for this restaurant we are locals and we will not be back after this experience. read more

Found this place 6 years ago on my first trip to OBX and we hit this place 3 times that visit, always having the fish tacos. I'm a So. Cal native and had family in San Diego so I believe I've had some very good fish tacos in my life. These hold their own against them. Just had the rockfish (special, not always on menu) last night and the tuna. Tuna was rare (only way to eat tuna) and really good wasabi sauce. Owner and help were really fun and looks like they were having a good time. Now the minor complaints, make fresh tortilla chips. You already have the fryer going and I'm guessing there are corn tortillas already there. Wish I could order 2 different tacos on same order. read more

I have never written a review before but I just created this account because I feel the need to tell you all to not go to this restaurant. This is the most subpar Mexican I have ever had and the prices are crazy pls save urself and just have duck donuts for dinner or something read more

Don't go here unless you don't mind a small selection of menu items. Staff wasn't very friendly but one person after kindly saying goodbye. Server was ok but don't ask to split a check because it's HIGHLY inconvenient and they will certainly let you know that read more

We stopped in for lunch while on vacation on a week day. The food was great! (We has the tuna sandwhich, mahi-mahi burito, and fish sadwhich.) The only complaint was the ratio of chips to salsa. There where a lot of chips, but not much salsa, according to my husband. The atmosphere was pretty laid back. read more

Awesome food. Awesome service. We got to the restaurant just before the dinner rush and were seated right away on the patio. Our server was very sweet and prompt with our orders. (We had a party of 6.) Our drinks came right away and our appetizers super fast! Our entrees came less than 15 mins and everyone enjoyed them. One of our kids ordered the tacos tacos tacos and was pleased on the serving size. The quesadillas were average in size but the kids who ordered them were still pleased with the taste and said "it was just right." I ordered the crab cake dinner and it was delicious! The patties were bigger than I expected, filling yet it had more crab meat than filling. We would definitely come back to this restaurant! read more

ok I love mexican food, like if i could eat forever trust me I WOULD, but this place was not it chief. It wasn't the worst i've ever tasted but definitely not the best. First problem was the chips. I am a chip EXPERT and those chips were STALE. We asked for new chips and surprise surprise THEY WERE STALE AGAIN. So i don't know if it's a new trend to have stale chips but those were not it sis. The food was ok, the salsa was good, but i've had better. Oh and one more thing...THEY DIDNT EVEN HAVE REFRIED BEANS. um refried beans are what will make or break your restaurant and they didn't even have them so i'm triggered. REMEMBER i am a mexican expert so this review is from the bottom of my mexican food heart. read more

The shrimp nachos are a MUST! BEST nachos we've ever had - YUM! Santa Fe salad was good but paled in comparison to those nachos honestly. We got to-go and it was quick and efficient. Really cool atmosphere, will definitely be back! read more

The food was meh. I don't think any one was super wowed. The service was great and they had plenty of outdoor seating which was nice on a rare August cool night. read more

Really enjoyed our last night at OBX eating here. Sadly we couldn't sit outside because a storm was rolling in, but we would have loved to sit in their outdoor seating. It was very inviting and looked awesome. Less space for seating inside, but nevertheless they were able to seat our large party within about 20 mins which was great. Once seated we had perfect service, food was yummy and quick. Waitress was on top of the drinks and everyone's needs, including the kids! We will go back next summer! =) read more

My wife and I came here for dinner, and the tacos and salsa were extremely good. The drinks (mojitos) were excellent. However for the money I think the drinks are a little pricey, and while the food is good you don't get a lot for your money. But I will still go there. read more

My family said screw it last minute to go out and came here. We have been coming down to OBX for years and just found this place. It is by far the best food i have eaten down here and the service was kind as well. The food is amazing! read more

Came here for lunch after a visit to the nearby lighthouse. We were surprised at how empty the restaurant was during lunch in peak tourist season. They have a small but eclectic menu. We had shrimp tacos. The shrimp was grilled to perfection and the flavors in the taco were well balanced. I also enjoyed the coconut rice and black bean side dish. The side of chips and salsa was average. Nice but small selection of beers. Would definitely come here again. Service was excellent -- attentive and friendly. read more

Way too overpriced for the amount of food you get! Spent $60 for two people and we both left hungry. Chips and salsa also not included.

Food was pretty bad, service was okay. I got the hokey pokey and crab cakes. The flavor was there for the pokey but the texture of the fish was a bit off. The fish was much more chewier than I expect it to be. I had lots of poker before in California and this did not come close to what I had there. The crab cakes were delicious. It was full of actual crabmeat and not too much fillers. The rice and beans that came with the crabcake was pretty bad. The rice was very undercook - it was still very hard and not very edible. My order came out incorrect at first but they quickly fixed it. Not very happy about the automatic 20% tip for parties of six or more. read more

A large group of us visited this establishment around 2 o'clock on a weekday afternoon. I am gluten intolerant and found a burrito in the menu that sounded delicious. I asked to substitute the tortilla for rice so that it could be a gluten free meal. The waitress sneered and said they absolutely could not do that. I have worked in food service for many years and know that this is a very reasonable request for the kitchen to accommodate. I ordered a rice bowl instead, while someone else in our party ordered the burrito that I had originally wanted. When their meal came out, it was a burrito that was served with a side of rice!! After seeing the plating it was very clear that the substitution could have been made, but the waitress told us she was close to the end of her shift and was thus unwilling to even ask the kitchen about my request. The meal that I ordered in lieu of the burrito was flavorless. The waitress was uncooperative and made it known that she wanted to leave and we were holding her up. Just because this restaurant is located in a tourist area does not mean any semblance of service should be abandoned. Spend your money elsewhere. read more

We had a large party, but service was great and very quick. All the food was delicious - loved the crab nachos and shrimp quesadilla. Love the casual atmosphere, yet upscale / fresh food read more

Awful service and the waitress duped is into auto gratuity because she knew we were going to stiff her for terrible service. She forgot one meal and said ,"I didn't know you were actually ordering". Unbelievable!!! Then she proceeded to screw 2 other orders up and forgot a drink but still had time to give us horrendously slow service. It be better to go to a gas station for dinner. read more

Service is bad; food is WAY overpriced. This was our first stop for a meal upon arriving in Corolla. We had to ask for utensils, plates and water. Food was not worth the price we paid. Waitress acted like we were a burden rather than paying customers.... would not recommend or go back. read more

I want to start out by saying I very rarely write a negative review and only do so when my experience was horrendous. I advise anyone considering patronizing this restaurant to steer clear! My party of nine was extremely disappointed with the service, and the food was barely mediocre. We went during the COVID pandemic when wearing masks was mandated state-wide, yet none of the staff members were wearing masks. Our waitress was extremely rude and incompetent. She brought our food out individually at random intervals, so we could not all eat at the same time. She was unable to identify the meals she was serving - confusing the different ahi tuna dishes - which resulted in her serving the wrong meals to the wrong patrons even after she asked what they had ordered. She could not answer simple questions about the menu (including "Are the fries seasoned?" and "What's this floating in my drink?") and gave curt responses with a dirty look on her face. When I complained that my burrito was flavorless, she simply took it away without asking if I'd like to get something else. Then, another employee ( I'm guessing the cook) came to our table and began upbraiding me for having the gall to complain about the food. He asked loudly with a scowl on his face, "What kind of flavor do you want?" I told him I wasn't going to argue with him and he stormed back inside (we were seated on the patio), yelling, "It has flavor!" I guess I hit a nerve... I could go on, but you get the idea. If you prefer not to be treated like a nuisance and yelled at while dining out, do NOT go to the Corolla Cantina. I hope this helps others avoid the kind of atrocious experience my family and I had. read more

Amazing food and fast device! We got several mixed drinks/margaritas, all good. Apps we ordered were out within minutes, main entrees came quickly after. Guac and queso was outstanding, as well as the seafood quesadilla! All of our entrees were delicious, would definitely come again!!! read more

Stopped in around 12:30 and sat outside. Our server, Angie S. was great. She suggested items we all loved and refilled our drinks without us asking. I got the shrimp with slaw and wasabi honey sauce. Others got the chicken and ham pineapple sandwich and the quesadillas. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and served hot. Hands down the most relaxing lunch we had during our week on the island. Highly recommend for young couples or families with kids. Portions were just right and the drinks were yummy. I got the Orange Crush. read more