It seems these past few years of complaints have finally paid off! The previous wench of a hostess is finally gone! The new girl (I didn't catch her name) was polite, friendly and accommodating. My party of 6 did not have to wait because we got there early enough after opening, but even if we did have to, I know she would have been ten times more polite than the previous one we've unfortunately encountered over the last few years. Our food was delicious and the drinks were spectacular. We had such a great experience this time, we even got dessert to go! This five star review has been a LONG time coming. And I'm finally happy to say it was VERY WELL deserved. Our server was attentive (I also didn't catch his name, I'm getting old...) and friendly. I have zero complaints. We will be back next year read more

Quite possibly the worst food I've ever been served ranging from unseasoned food to horrific ingredients combinations to even fish that went bad. We ordered the seafood platter deep fried which ended up being a mess. The shrimp were chewy and there was barely anything of any item. Nothing was seasoned and the crab cake while full of crab was dry. The shellfish trio was the best item ordered that had plenty of scallops, shrimp, and crab meat. The pesto cream sauce was serviceable but the dish is average at best. We had two different daily specials, the mojo yellowfin tuna and the Parmesan crusted triggerfish. The mojo yellowfin tuna was cooked well enough, with it being mostly raw in the center, but lacked really any flavor and a tad bit overcooked on one side. It was served over some rice, beans, and a fruit salad. Off combination and not great. There was a side of what tasted like boiled unseasoned zucchini/squash. Abysmal side and a terrible dish, but not even the worst dish. The Parmesan encrusted triggerfish was the worst dish I've ever been served. The dish even from its conception is poorly designed as it has way too much Parmesan. Usually for a Parmesan encrusted dish there would be about an 80/20 split of breadcrumbs to Parmesan, however this dish was almost all Parmesan likely 10/90 of breadcrumbs to Parmesan. The overwhelming flavor of Parmesan was the only thing you can taste and totally masked the triggerfish. The worst part was while half of the fish was fine the other half had something terribly wrong with it. Instead of being flakey the other half was rubbery and chewy and tasted nothing like fish. This rancid half could barely be cut with a knife and made us sick. This was also served with a side of unseasoned squash just to make it even worse. The strawberry rhubarb pie and chocolate pecan pie were both fine but didn't amaze. With everything being so terrible food wise the restaurant is even worse with every entree being over $30 and the acoustics were terrible. The whole place is so loud when it's a full house and you have to scream to talk to someone at your table. The prices present a high quality meal but I wouldn't even pay fast food prices. read more

Dinky's Waterfront Restaurant - Yellowfin Tuna - Seafood Near Me - Hatteras, North Carolina

I was a solo diner tonight and was given the option to either sit at the bar or at a table. I chose a table and from what I could tell there wasn't a single table that did not have a view of the bay. I was able to watch the ferry come in, and watch the sun getting lower and lower over the water. Stunning. I did not catch my waiter's name, but he seemed very familiar with the locals who sat at tables near me. I ordered the bacon wrapped scallops off the starters menu and the spinach salad. With that I had a water and a bottled beer. The food was delicious and plentiful. I had already spied the lemon cheesecake on the menu and told him when I ordered my dinner that I was going to finish with that and a coffee. He said he'd make sure that the pot was brewed for me which I thought was nice. When the bill came, there were two prices listed, one for credit and one for cash instead of saying that they up charge for credit sales they were it that they discount for cash sales, smart business! The parking lot is gravel, plenty of parking and well lit. The restaurant itself is upstairs and as far as I know, you have to climb the steps to go up. I could be wrong, but I didn't see any alternatives. I can imagine that during busy season, reservations would be required. read more

Dinky's Waterfront Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Hatteras, North Carolina

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Decided to try Dinky's at the last minute and I was not disappointed. There was already a line by 5PM, so we knew it would be good! I was really impressed by the variety offered on the menu, including the number of things that were either gluten-free or could be prepared gluten-free. Our server was friendly and attentive. Our food came out quickly. The servings were very generous and I definitely could have split a dish with my hubby. read more

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Drinks, food, and service was amazing! Came on a packed night after a fishing tournament and it was well worth the wait! read more

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We love going to Dinky's when we're on the island. Service is amazing and the food is fresh with generous portions. Highly recommend Dinky's. read more

Always excellent, food, atmosphere and service, Neil was the BEST! This will always be our first stop in the OBX. read more

Dined at Dinkys on 7/20/25, very crowded, 45 minute wait on Sunday night. Our server was very good and the entire staff seemed to be handling the crowd quite well. Split a Fried Calamari app, my wife had grilled Grouper and I had grilled Seafood Platter. All were delicious. Beautiful view of the Sound and the Harbor, we will be back. read more

Dinky's Waterfront Restaurant - Fried Calamari appetizer. - Seafood Near Me - Hatteras, North Carolina

Such a great restaurant with consistently hot, fresh and delicious food. There are always evening specials. Olivia is amazing behind the bar!! We prefer to sit at the bar because of her, and always meet such interesting vacationers. Lovely views onto the marina. The line grows long out the door but they do a great job of getting you in as quickly as possible. read more

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What a great place. Food was spot on. Pam, our server made sure everything was perfect and was very attentive. And you just can't beat the view. We will be back. read more

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Was disappointed, the lobster bisque, and sautéed scallops were very bland. Walked away assured we won't be back

Absolutely fantastic food with a well-organized and happy staff. Bathrooms were clean. Long wait for a table on a Saturday night but that's because this place is worth the wait. If you like cheese, the fried goat cheese appetizer is a must! read more

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Came here for a nice, last vacation day, dinner (party of 7). The atmosphere was BEAUTIFUL. Right by the sound, we got to walk around the dock and see all the boats. We got there at 7:00 and we were told it would be an hour and 15 minute wait, as expected. No problem, we got drinks (long line but the bartender was killing it!) and began our wait. I forgot to mention, we didn't get a buzzer or give our phone number- the hostess simply said "we'll find you when your table's ready". About an 30 minutes into waiting, a worker came by to collect our empty glasses. She stuck her fingers in our *full* mojito and when we protested that we weren't done with that she apologized and told us she had already stuck her fingers in it. We were not reimbursed. Our 1 hour 15 minute wait turned into 2 hours. We were seated at 9, and our food finally came at 10:30. Not a fan on the waiting, the unsureness from the staff, and the continued waiting for our food. Speaking of food, it was just ok. The shrimp came with tails in the pasta which I thought was a bit odd. Plus it was cold by the time it was served. Overall, beautiful restaurant and beautiful atmosphere. But is it really worth the 4 hour wait? read more

Dinky's Waterfront Restaurant - Cheese Filled Ravioli - Seafood Near Me - Hatteras, North Carolina

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Wish I could give this place more than just 3 stars, because the food here is incredible. Too bad the staff, service and drinks aren't as good. We came on a Sunday night and it was pretty busy. I know that it can be a bit overwhelming when it's packed, but the hosts were very negative when we came in, and didn't really inform us on when we would get a table. When we finally do get a table, we meet our server who was not very friendly. He just had a bad attitude and took it out on us, you could tell he just didn't want to be there. We ordered mojitos, and I can say this confidently: the WORST mojito I've ever had, and trust me I've been all over the world and have had a lot of them. It was way too strong, very bitter, and also watery at the same time. So yeah definitely don't get the mojitos here because no one at the table liked them. For appetizers we got the spinach artichoke dip and the crab raviolis. Both were very good. For my entree I ordered the Thai shrimp and salads. Such a hearty and filling meal that tasted amazing. The seafood is so fresh, some of the best I've ever had if I'm being honest. I think most people come here for the location. It's right near the dock and when it's clear, you can see the sunset. read more

Dinky's Waterfront Restaurant - Thai Shrimp & Scallops - Seafood Near Me - Hatteras, North Carolina

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Awesome food and service. Staff was professional with perfect timing of food, drinks, and assistance. Excellent food- wife had crab cakes and I had the baked mahi. We live in a coastal town and this seafood was superb read more

Went there two times in a week and both times had great service and great tasting food!! The second time we went was when we caught fish and we brought some fillets in and they cooked them for us!! They did an awesome job from the bartender recommendation on how they could cook them to the Chef and kitchen staff! Really delicious food and great service! Very much appreciated them cooking some of the fish we caught since we were driving home to Colorado the next day! Thanks Dinkys!!! read more

Wow. Will keep coming back each time we are here! Awesome service, Olivia does a great job behind the bar. She keeps a smile on her face and is slinging drinks left and right! Food is always consistent, anything that is Parmesan crusted is a MUST. Perfect view of the water, and a deck you can take a drink out on while you wait for a table which makes the time go by quick. Dinkys will always be our favorite stop. Highly recommend. read more

Olivia is the best bartender anywhere! Food and service is great. Pleasant fun ambiance.

Service was excellent. They had lots of nice seating along windows that overlook the harbor and provided a prefect view of the sunset. The seafood we had was perfectly battered and fried. If you like fried seafood we would recommend Dinky's. Sides were pretty basic and did not have much flavor. read more

My 5 friends and I stopped in for dinner here the other night. We asked the hostess for a table for 6.She told us she had 2 "high tops" for 3 and 3 in the bar.We asked if we could push the 2 together.She said "No". I then adked for a table for 6 in the dining room.There were 2 open.She again said no because of something to do with the servers rotation.I did walk in by one of the tables for 6 and was told by a server we could not seat ourself and HAD to have the hostess seat us. When I hadcalled here, earlier in the day to inquire about needing a reservation, I was told no,it was first come, first served/seated. Needless to say we went to another restaurant in the area.My read more

OMG! It's incredible! We have missed incredible food since living on the Gulf in Florida! This BLOWS FLORIDA AWAY! Service is incredible, Food is incredible and Atmosphere is DEAD ON! Bartender Olivia is crazy fun and we totally trusted her on what to order!! I'd move here for this Re read more

Went here for lunch with my fiancé .. food was good drinks were great and view is outstanding

Our family has been here numerous times. Food and service has never disappointed us. During the peak season, expect long wait times as the dining area is not huge, but we always enjoy our time at Dinky's. We've had the same waiter multiple times and he's always friendly, courteous, and keeps the drinks coming. We'll be back again soon. read more

Wow! It was amazing! The view! The food! Not a big fan of seafood(allergic). But, no worries. Dinky's has got that covered. Most seafood restaurants cater to the seafood crowd only. I had a blackened chicken fish w/ jasmine rice and season steamed vegetables. But( the topper on the dish was the mango salsa! It was to die for! Hats off to the master in that kitchen. My wife had the seafood platter, said it was also delicious. Overall, this was a perfect place to dine and enjoy the view. PS- our waitress was great. And rounded the entire experience. Thank you giving a moment to never forget! read more

We really did enjoy our dinner at Dinky's. It was a Monday night and a lot of restaurants were closed in the area and you would have thought it would've been busy.WRONG they were packed. Our waitress was very polite and attentive. I had oyster Rockefeller my hubby had the corn crab soup. Our Entree's were Tuna and Halibut. Everything was very good. If you are ever down in Hatteras try this place you won't be disappointed. read more

Every year when my family visits the OBX, we eat at Dinky's multiple times. It's by far our favorite restaurant on the island. The view from Dinky's can't be beat, and neither can the food! We love the calamari, tuna tartare and spinach artichoke dip appetizers to start. They have a great cocktail list as well. For entrees, you can't go wrong with the chicken parm. It's probably among the best I've ever tried, and the portion is huge. I never leave without leftovers, which is always a plus. You will likely need a reservation, since it does fill up fairly quickly for dinner during the summer months. Even if you have to wait, they are usually pretty realistic about what your wait time will be. Overall, if you're in the area, it's worth trying! **update: two more dishes to recommend! The tuna crostinis are addicting. One of my favorite appetizers. Also, the cheese filled raviolis are so good. For a non-Italian restaurant, I can't believe how good these raviolis are AND the vodka sauce is perfect. Til next year, Dinky's! read more

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We were deciding between Breakwater Inn and Dinky's. Went Dinky's because of their specials of the day that they posted on Facebook (which they do...that day) and we were glad we chose it! We arrived at 7:00pm on a Friday night. Restaurant is at 50% capacity because of COVID. There was a 35-40 min wait. We were staying at the hotel next-door so we gave them our phone number to call us when our table was ready. Which worked out very well and we were happy they were accommodating to call us instead of having us waiting there. We got the tuna special and parm. crusted grouper. Both great. Also love that they had a Cosmopolitan drink special - pink for the month of October and breast cancer awareness month with proceeds going to a great cause. I asked them to make it less sweet when I ordered it and it was perfect. We LOVED the Buffalo tuna bites and ranch dressing appetizer. The restaurant is at the top of the building. You walk in to a hostess stand on floor 1, then climb a set of steps to the second floor. From people Yelp reviews it looked like a dive bar - but it's really pretty inside. A boat maker made all the beautiful railings and bar. The fans are even pretty! Pam was our fantastic waitress! We would definitely return and recommend Dinky's! read more

Service was good and our appetizer was delicious. Main courses were okay. Not sure if it was what we ordered or the food. Good beer and drink selection. It was as it name implies a small bar type atmosphere. read more

The food and service were excellent. The red grouper was excellent The service was as excellent

Very nice location. We watched the sunset from our table. Drinks and food were very good. I would definitely recommend the sangria. Crab dip was great and the gumbo soup was awesome too! Service was on point! read more

What a find. Recommended by a local, it's the only restaurant open on Monday night. Internet was down on the island, so signs posted cash only. Lots of folks waiting. We found the hostess very nice, very busy, but pleasant. We sat at the bar, pretty quickly. I cannot say enough about how good the bartender Olivia was, during a trying time. They were slammed. She got drinks and food orders right, made drinks for the entire restaurant, served food to the bar, while being a very pleasant person. She is a serious asset to this establishment. Food was amazing. Cajun gumbo, Chinese dumplings, lump crabmeat salad were on point. A great place. Folks at the bar were convivial and friendly. Can't wait to return. read more

This was the worst experience I ever ever had at a restaurant. Our party of 8 Arrived at 6:15 and were told we had a 1 hr. Wait, so we went to the bar had drinks and wait and wait. We watch people come and go and 2 hrs. Later we asked what's the deal the hostess was very rude and told us if we weren't happy to go somewhere else. If we knew from the beginning it would have been 2 hr. wait would we have gone some where else. read more

Worst experience ever! Waited 2 hours and never got seated and they DID NOT CARE! They told us to go eat elsewhere after waiting 2 hours when they told us the wait was 45 minutes. The hostess was so rude, she didn't it care at all. Would never support them and go ever again and we had a party of 8. $1000 tab easy. Horrible customer service !!!! read more

Last day of our 2 weeks on Hatteras we celebrated at Dinky's OMG fantastic! Appetizers, soup and entrees left us without room for dessert All plates were mammoth and delicious We will make this an annual tradition Sooooo good! read more

The view was nice, the place was busy so we did have to wait a bit to get our drinks. They were very good, just took awhile with only 1 bartender and a full house on a Saturday evening. Waiting for a table wasn't bad, however. The food was just ok. The bisque was pretty salty, and of all the places we had bisque (7), this was our least favorite. I'm not certain I got the full half pound of crab legs, considering I've ordered that plenty this week and in comparison...this was by far the smallest portion I've received. Definitely don't think I got the half pound I paid for. His fish was very parmesan heavy, even after removing some, that's a strong flavor/seasoning for fish and the that's all he could taste. The service was good, view was nice. But our least favorite for food from our visit. read more

HORRIBLE experience. I ordered the prime rib, medium rare, paid the extra for the crab Bernaise sauce. My plate was probably close to $50. I get the plate, the prime rib is close to well done. No problem, mistakes happen. I ask immediately to send it back. The waitress does not listen to what the issue is in the first place, and once I receive my plate returned 15 minutes later, it's the same piece of meat that I cut into, cooked even more. So not only did the waitress not listen to my concern and address it, the kitchen did not fix the issue. I left without dinner, while the rest of my family ate. Disappointing. In addition: My daughter's ravioli was far over cooked. Very rubbery. Husband's tuna steak was ordered "medium rare " and cooked well done. Pomegranate martini was actually good. That is literally the only highlight of the night. Would not recommend. read more

You just know the fresh catch is truly "fresh"! Great service. I had the yellow fin tuna. It was a steak dinner! I recommend you check them out. read more

Phenomenal dinner! The mahi special was one of the best I have ever had with the Cajun crust! I will be back!

Excellent food. Busy, but served quickly at the bar. Just stopped on my way through on a shopping excursion, but will definitely be back.

I was surprised to find it was all indoor seating. Oh well. Service was good. I got the Thai shrimp and scallops and do not recommend. The Thai sauce clearly comes in a bottle and is really too sweet. My meal was swimming in it. My husband got the fried/broiled seafood plate (everything broiled expect catch of the day). He really enjoyed it. Cesar salad was great, as was the chocolate ganache cake. The raspberry sauce could have been better. Overall we had a good experience. I wish I'd ordered something else though. read more