If you order something and it doesn't taste good, return it. They will still charge you. The waiter said she would take it off the bill, but she couldn't because the owner was here. Never head of a restaurant charging you for something you didn't eat or drink. read more

The most uninterested server I've ever seen, but at least the food was fresh from the jar (except for the chips, which had apparently been out of the bag for 2-3 weeks). Don't eat here. read more

Excellent spot for a Cali Mex menu. Sat at the bar and our bartender Tarynn could not have been nicer. Place was super busy and food came out super hot, which is awesome. Flavor was in point as well as drinks! read more

Corolla Cantina - Receipt - Seafood Near Me - Corolla, North Carolina

This is an absolute hidden Gem in Corolla. I almost don't want to post about it, its like the cool small place in Swingers that you kinda need to be invited to... At its heart, it's really a cheers-bar; a divey, fun, local-loved, cantina. The food is remarkable. Everything is fresh and everything is as good as you will find in a city. The salsa, blanco queso, guacamole and all the sauces are handmade and fresh. Fresh herbs, local caught seafood, it's just exactly what I love. Disclaimer - if you are tough to please and not looking for a dive/homey experience, please don't come here. They honestly don't need your business, it's always busy. The people that come and the entire staff are very friendly, if you're going to judge a star off on Yelp because a table wobbled, this is not your place. Lastly, the cocktails and bartending deserve their own section. The Rum Smash drink is amazing - I can see myself getting into trouble with these. The Margaritas are all fresh, and use fresh juices. This is the type of bar atmosphere I love. Friendly, reasonably priced (yet not cheap, you get what you pay for), and fast service. This is one of the better bar/grills (albeit Mexican-themed) in North Corolla. Can't wait to go back. read more

Can't say enough good things! We had a great dinner and were very well taken care of! Def recommend the shrimp tacos and all the drinks! Alyssa was awesome! read more

The food was fantastic. I ordered the jerk chicken sandwich and my wife got the grilled ahi tun sandwich. Both were delicious. The only reason it isn't 5 stars was because there was a large rowdy party inside that was drunk and acting like idiots, blocking the doorways, shouting, and using profanity. We had my two daughters with me. Couldn't even hear myself think. A space opened up outside and all was calm and we had a great experience after that. Would have liked them to ask the group to respect others, especially since they weren't eating any longer nor sitting at the bar. read more

Not sure about the food since we left before we ordered because the service staff seemed uninterested in serving if you know what I mean.

Today i got the fish tacos and they where delicious. We got served by Noeal. He was funny and nice. We sat outside and they had signs and painting that looked great. read more

Go here for cheese fries...but nothing else. Hubs were tired of cooking and wanted a night off on vacation....Ordered queso which was a bland plain white cheese mix served with slightly stale red and green chips. No one working there was wearing a mask so we reheated everything after picking it up... No steak or beef was available for delivery BC we were apparently looking at an old menu. I ordered the chicken shrimp and it was so spicy and not so fresh or tasty. I threw most of it out. My hub ordered chicken tacos and swore the chicken was recooked from 3 days ago and also threw his out. He said the food tasted like I cooked it and that's not a compliment. The southwest egg rolls were pretty good they reminded me of the ones you get from the airport at chillies. Unfortunately I'm very disappointed for our taco Tuesday experience in Corolla. read more

We stopped by after our obstacle course adventure. We were all very hungry! This place was on our way back to the hotel. We ordered tuna poke appetizer, seafood quesadilla and mahi mahi burrito. Everything was made fresh and fast! The food was delicious and the atmosphere was welcoming. We all highly recommend! read more

The food itself was a little bit bland but not terrible. Certainly not something that I would write home about. Guac was average, salsa was average. The rice is supposed to be coconut rice but was not very coconutty. I was happy to have several vegan options. I got an island bowl with grilled fajita veggies. My server was this cute little girl named Erin. She seemed like she was having a little bit of an off night. She had forgotten my tortillas which was not a big deal but she seemed like she was near tears over this. I understood why when I walked into the restaurant for something (we ate on patio) and an older woman was chewing her out about vacation time. I don't know if it was the owner or the manager but she looked pretty ratchet and her behavior was even worse. It was completely inappropriate because she berated Erin in front of me, a customer! Erin was trying to apologize and explain herself but this woman wanted nothing to do with it and Like I said, was quite snotty. I actually pulled Erin aside afterwards and talked to her because I felt so terrible for her. This is not the way management should treat employees. Everybody deserves vacation time. Obviously I don't know all of the details but I don't need to know. I should not have seen that and she should not be doing that to an employee while they are at work on a busy night. I would have liked to say something to interject them but I was worried it would make it worse for my waitress. Food and service was decent but not great. Management was terrible! read more

I hate to leave a negative review, but if you are planning to bring your family I would go elsewhere. We went to Corolla Cantina on the last night of our vacation and while the appetizers were decent, everything went downhill quickly after that. There were 4 adults and a toddler in our party, and even though all of our meals were ordered at the same time they didn't bring my sons food out until after most of the adults were finished with their meals (easily 20+ minutes). At first no one realized they had forgotten it until we said something, then a waitress told me it would be out soon but the chicken was "icy" and there was only one cook. We also had ordered a side basket of fries that never showed up. The waitress did take the missing fries off, but I was still charged $10 for two freezer burnt chicken tenders and a handful of French fries (that my son didn't even want to eat). While waiting for the chicken, our server never came back to check on the other meals or if we needed drink refills (which for reference, we were seated inside right next to the bar)..she just dropped the check off in front of me then seemingly tried to remedy the situation by giving my 1 year old a glowstick. We come to Corolla almost every summer, but we won't be back to this restaurant after this experience. There are so many other great restaurants in the area, and I feel like for the nearly $200 bill, the service we received should have been better. read more

This end of the road spot on 12 North is totally worth the drive! We make it a point to come here every chance we get to enjoy the super clean eats and awesome staff! read more

Carolla Cantina bears all the unfortunate markings of a restaurant whose staff and owners are trying to differentiate themselves from their surrounding competition, but in all the wrong ways. In good taste, let us begin with the positives. It is worth noting that the staff are a lively bunch who hold their work and food in high regard, possessing thorough menu knowledge and conveying a sense that they want to be there with you and provide an enjoyable experience. Additionally, the restaurant exhibits remarkably rapid food preparation. Best of all, most tables possess an adjacent outlet. Beyond these pleasant features though, all-around disappointment will likely characterize your visit. First and foremost, the main content of the dishes do not match the quality of the additives that give the food its flare. That is to say you will likely derive greater pleasure from whatever mango-tequila marinate is drenching your chicken or fish than you will the actual chicken or fish, the former of which, you have been warned, is particularly dry and rubbery. Compounded by tiny and overpriced portions that heavily rely on sides and are guaranteed to make you wonder if you are being rationed, the restaurant leaves you with the poor aftertaste only experienced when bearing the brunt of others' stinginess. The restaurant owners made a valiant effort to establish a singular culinary institution different from its Corolla counterparts, but their Mexican-inspired cuisine and unabashedly clichéd chalkboard quotes fall well short of the mark. They neglected to construct an authentically themed atmosphere and did not coordinate portion sizes with unreasonable price points. TL;DR: Do yourself and your body a favor and seek sustenance at one of several surrounding restaurants (notably Wave Pizza) from which you will not leave feeling malnourished and robbed. Happy Hunting, J read more

Corolla Cantina - Plates dominated by sides rather than main courses. - Seafood Near Me - Corolla, North Carolina

I was trying to talk to the greeter who would tell me where to sit when the waiter told me to move so that he could walk between us while serving the outside area. The greeter then resumed her explanation of where to sit and he again told me to get out of the way. After he served the food I talked to him. He again accused me of being in his way. Why couldn't he walk around the greeter and me or why doesn't management change where the greeter stands? The restaurant was not busy when we were there in June or last October. We had hoped to repeat getting a nice meal there with good service but were totally turned off by the rude waiter. We left and found another restaurant with delicious food and super polite employees. read more

Great quesadilla and quick friendly. I would gladly fine their again to enjoy their Mexican fare

We ended up picking this place for lunch since we were visiting the wildlife center and lighthouse across the street. The food was good but the quantity/portion does not defend the high price especially for lunch. We ended up getting extra sides and ended with a $60 tab for two adult and a kids meal. E.g, A quesadilla is $13 for just the quesadilla and no sides. The restaurant should consider lowering their prices. read more

Great food, very quick service and people were very friendly. Tuna was great and crabby fries were very good.

Very cute, quaint place near the light house that you probably (??) don't need a reservation for. Or maybe you do, it's a tiny place! We loved our Waitress who was on top of her game, friendly, and seemed to also be wearing multiple hats. The ambiance is nice, casual, and I'd definitely come back for happy hour. We got the appetizer sampler and it came with guacamole, queso, and salsa. The guac seemed like it was from a bag, or half bag half fresh, and the salsa came from a jar. Melted cheese is hard to mess up. I wouldn't want to pay $12 for that sampler again. My husband had the ahi tuna tacos and they were very good! The sauces were flavorful and it was cooked perfectly. I had the crab cake and that was also good! A tad salty but had nice flavoring and jumbo lump. Most entrees came with coconut rice- both of ours had rice that sadly didn't taste like coconut, it was just plain rice, and it was undercooked. That was a bummer- it seemed like a fancy touch to the dishes. Would we come back? Sure! But like I said, probably for drinks only. It was a decent price to pay for 2 people for mediocre food. read more

First off, they are pet friendly which is very much appreciated, because we always travel with our little pup. They have a nice shaded patio with fans! You know this is a big deal if you travel with pets. Most places just stick you out on a hot patio with no shade, etc. Now to the rest of the review...the service was perfect, fast and friendly. I ordered the seafood quesadillas and they were great! Big chunks of crab, not one shell! The shrimp was cooked perfect with a perfect texture. Just all around good food and service! read more

Corolla Cantina - Comfy pet. - Seafood Near Me - Corolla, North Carolina

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Such a great out of the way place! We had a late lunch with a couple awesome drinks (Mexican mule and a skinny margarita both with Hornitos). Salmon wrap and Island rice bowl with shrimp. So fresh and so good! Perfect spot right near the lighthouse. Waitress, Dawn, was awesome read more

Let me start this by saying that I have NEVER written a review for any restaurant. I got on here not to have a "temper tantrum" because this will clearly fall on deaf ears, but because I just need other patrons to beware. So the fact that I bothered to write this should speak volumes to my complete abhorrence for the way we were treated today. The staff was friendly, attentive, and nice. The food hit the spot. That is until my mother in law bit into the last triangle of her quesadilla and bit into metal. She pulled a razor blade out of her mouth. When the owner came out to address the situation, she immediately placed blame on us. As if we were looking for a FREE meal. We were there on vacation, waiting for our Wild Horse Tour to take off. She very sarcastically asked if she still continued to eat the entire quesadilla. I said "it was in one of her last bites and I watched her pull it out of her mouth." The owner looked at us and said "we don't use anything like this here. THIS did not come from our food!" Excuse me, but it DID!! Knowing that accidents happen, I told her that maybe it fell from one of the tools they use to chop their veggies. She said "we use knives... THIS is a razor blade". Yes I am aware. I am a registered nurse, not an idiot. I do not need nor do I want a free meal. I also know what these types of blades are typically used for. Maybe they should question their staff or do some drug testing before they begin accusing the customers. We are both in healthcare and would NEVER do what she was accusing us of. I have never been treated so rudely. She comped the meal, but I left a $20 tip for the waiter because I don't need your freebies. Just acknowledge that someone on your end did something that could have ended up very dangerously. I will be contacting the local health department and Better Business Bureau. read more

Corolla Cantina - The razor blade in her quesadilla - Seafood Near Me - Corolla, North Carolina

Please don't serve me food on a styrofoam plate; its tacky, lazy and wasteful! No full service restaurant should be using styrofoam plates... Rant over. This review will be quick just like our lunch. My wife and I ordered the rice bowl with seafood. My wife got tuna and I got shrimp. My wife loved her tuna and the shrimp were well seasoned but thats about all this meal had going for it. The rice bowl hit our table in about four minutes after ordering. The plate (not bowl) consisted of ten bland tortilla chips with a scoop of coconut rice (no taste of coconut) pre-made guacamole, salsa and luke warm black beans. Thank God for the bottle of Texas Pete on the table! One word sums up this place... Underwhelming read more

Corolla Cantina - Shrimp Rice Bowl - Seafood Near Me - Corolla, North Carolina

Shout out to Zach for making our dining experience exceptional. We appreciate his calm/relaxed demeanor during a very busy season. The food was hot, fresh and delicious! We will be back again. read more

We stumbled across this little restaurant on our way to a wildlife tour as it was right next door. We grabbed a table outside was had a covering and was a comfortable spot, could've brought the dog as well since it is pet friendly. We started with each of us ordering a drink. We were prompted for our ID's which of course I forgot and thought I would be served anyway, but no dice. No big deal as it was my fault (although my wife is well over the legal age so I thought that would be enough for her). My wife decided to just order some chips and guacamole with a side of salsa while I had he Mahi tacos, also with chips/salsa. The chips were OK, but the guacamole was seriously lacking. It was some smashed up avocado with a little bit of tomato and onion. Didn't seem like there was any lime juice, garlic or cilantro and in turn, was very bland. The salsa was good but it was in such a small container that it was literally enough for two chips. I later found out it cost $2 for the side as well, not worth it. The tacos were OK, good portion size with a good aioli on top, but I didn't love the seasoning on the fish. It also came with some slaw on the side which was just cabbage. As far as I could tell there was no oil/vinegar, seasoning, or anything... Leaving it inedible. We ended up with a $50 lunch for a meager amount of food and were disappointed unfortunately. read more

Lets start with bad attitude. Can we have forks/knives? Sure... insert drop forks/knives on table here. Huff n puff like your busy... joint was empty. Now for food, menu could be better if a middle schooler was in charge. I got chicken sandwich that was microwave quality and simple. Basically, a dive is better than this place. read more

Super nice came in for lunch asked for tuna with sauce on side with regular soy soy sauce. When I placed my order I asked for it. If I knows they didn't have it I would of never ordered it. I was told the sweet soy is good. No I wanted regular what a waste of a lunch break read more

Super welcoming place with fast and caring staff. Got tacos that were delicious and was in and out. Also was welcomed nicely and did some Tequila shots. Definitely recommend stopping by. read more

I made a yelp account just to give this review cuz of how bad this experience was. Yes, of course the food would be expensive being in the outer banks, but the food was not worth it. I was expecting something larger than a sandwich the size of a happy meal burger when paying $16 for a pulled pork sandwich. When I actually ate it, it tasted like it had been heavily seasoned by the wrong seasoning. The chips were fine, but there were also only about 10 of them. I could have gone to a grocery store and made 10 of the same thing for the same price (and it would probably taste better). When it came time to pay, one of us had been charged extra for substituting a less expensive side. When we asked why, instead of giving an answer or asking someone higher up, the waiter was very rude and snappy. I do not recommend going to eat here, especially if you are looking to eat a big meal. read more

My husband and I think it is fun to try places with mixed reviews which brought us to Corolla Cantina for lunch. We went with our two children and sat outside. They allow dogs on their patio (and you can't blame animal's behavior on the restaurant). I had a skinny margarita and a Sante fe salad with shrimp. Both were delicious. Honestly, our food cake so quickly that I wish it had taken a little longer so I could have one more! My family also enjoyed their food. No leftovers! read more

Save your money and go someplace else. My wife and I stopped in here for a quick lunch. We pulled up at 11:45am and we weren't sure if they were opened or not. Members of the wait staff were sitting out front smoking. Once they saw us pull up they went inside and flipped on the "open" sign. We ordered the chicken nachos to share. The entree came out quickly but every ingredient was cold and the cheese wasn't even melted on top. Our bill came to $20 for an order of nachos and two waters. Several members of the waitstaff were also not wearing masks while speaking with customers. read more

Must try the ahi tuna tacos immediately...Their chef developed the perfect build your own taco combination. We ordered the Mahi Mahi tacos too and couldn't be happier. Go now so you get the chance to stop in again tomorrow. read more

Just picked up lunch from here and could not be more disappointed. I purchased the Island Rice Bowl. I received a bowl of plain white rice (no coconut flavor to speak of), black beans, and some chips. The bowl had maybe a tablespoon of sour cream and guacamole. I can't believe I just paid $13 for rice and beans. Also, NO ONE in the restaurant was wearing a mask. Not the chef, the waitresses, the cashier, no one. As of today, 6/26, according to an order by the NC governor, people are required to wear masks in public. read more

Ordered to go. Was ready when promised. Quesadillas were extremely over cooked and were supposed to be just cheese but had chunks of onion. Other food was good. read more

Have eaten here for years on annual trip to Corolla. Unlikely to return. Prices have increased significantly and quality has gone down. "Do it yourself taco" gimmick merely requires customer to assemble soft taco with skimpy toppings. For twenty bucks would have expected more. read more

Cheap quality, poor flavor, the 'queso' is actually yellow nacho cheese like at Taco Bell ( and $7 for a side with chips- that's crazy because it's not even queso). The taco meat tasted... weird. They would've been better off not seasoning it at all. Were the tacos $2/each? Yep. But I would've rather paid $10/a taco and had some flavor that didn't taste like an Ortega packet. My husband wrote a review on FB and their response was absolutely rude and personally insulting. Don't go here. Eat sand first. read more

Corolla Cantina - Seafood Near Me - Corolla, North Carolina

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The food itself was pretty good and our waiter was nice but we should have sat outside. The bartenders and their friends made it impossible to hear any conversation going on at our table. They were either yelling at each other, laughing extremely loud at anything/everything that was said at the bar, or singing very loudly to every song. When some of their friends came in it got worse. We literally sat at our table, ate, and pretty much stared at each other because no conversation could be heard. Looked at other patrons and same thing was happening at their tables. Stares and no conversations. Should have gotten up and left. read more

Would not recommend anyone come here. The regular staff is nice and helpful, but the bar staff are loud, obnoxious, and outright insane. The people at the bar seemed like they had their own drinks. At our table, we could not hear each other because the bar staff was either yelling, singing, or juggling. The food was also not good and extremely expensive. The chip platter was tasteless and all chicken dishes tasted frozen and rubbery. Lastly, we asked for more chips in the chip platter and looked at the receipt and got charged for it without knowing it was extra. Go anywhere else! read more

I would not recommend either. Slow service, long wait, and the portions for the quesadillas were very small for the price. I have been to many beach restaurants and this was one of the worst. The waitress did not apologize for messing up orders, and we were not told until the very end that we could not split the check among our bigger party, which is frustrating since we asked in the beginning and she said to wait until the end. If there is a policy then it should be written clearly. We will not be going back. read more

Their almost famous sesame tuna ahi.... should be famous!!! Awesome food. Awesome service. Love the chalkboard.