The sweetest spot just before the island- and with no traffic to deal with!…read more Sara, Megan and all the staff are super welcoming and happy to help out! The vibe is coastal speakeasy if that's such a thing! You can get artisanal cocktails to domestic beer! Something great for all tastes!

We were so excited to try this new business! We had a wonderful experience. The staff were…read morewelcoming and very helpful. The space is decorated so nicely! Such a nice vibe. We ordered drinks and the OG Charcuterie Board to share. My margarita was perfectly crafted! My husband like the variety of Sours. We thoroughly enjoyed all of the offerings on our board. The hot honey was such a nice accompaniment to the cheeses. Such a fun concept. I think everyone should give it a try!

If you love Salty Turtle, you'll love The Cove even more!…read more The Cove is a cocktail bar/event space that is owned by Salty Turtle. They carry a few of their beers to serve as well as wine and liquor. Ever wish you were having a cocktail at Salty Turtle while your partner was enjoying a beer? Well now you can! Hit up the cove and you can have the best of both worlds with no one compromising. The Cove is a "club" so you'll need to sign up for a membership at the bar before you can enjoy some drinks, but don't worry it's free to join! We enjoy coming here on Wednesday nights to play trivia with friends that is hosted by Meeser Eddie. My favorite drink to sip on when coming here is probably the spicy margarita. It's not on the printed menu, but you ask and your wish shall be granted!On Wednesdays they also offer $15 bottles of Prosecco. Yes you read that right $15 for a BOTTLE of Prosecco. Nothing beats coming to play trivia with friends and sharing a great bottle together. The staff here is always so friendly, it's clean, the service is fast & the cove itself provides excellent vibes. We love the cove & salty turtle so the hardest decision is usually choosing which one to go to... and sometimes we just hit up both!!

My friend and I went in here on a whim when we had a ladies night at Salty Turtle. Prior to this,…read moreI thought this was only an event space. Which it is but it is also open a few days a week, one of which being on Wednesday nights at 6:00pm for trivia. The place is smaller but very cozy. The decor inside is super cute and the drinks are great. We got a tequila drink that looked beautiful and tasted very good. They also have beer and wine. Super cool place to check out and really excited for an upcoming event I am going to at their location too!

If you're anywhere near Surf City and not stopping into the Sea Witch Lounge, you're doing beach…read morelife wrong. Let's start with the drinks. Fantastic doesn't quite cut it. These are the kind of cocktails that make you pause mid-sip, look at your spouse or buddy, and say, "Okay... that's dangerous." Balanced, creative, and strong enough to remind you you're not at a chain restaurant. Now, the menu is limited and that's actually a good thing. No 12-page novel of mediocrity. Just a tight lineup of dishes they clearly care about. Every bite tastes intentional. The food punches way above its weight class, and you can tell they're not phoning anything in. Valentine's Day is where they really showed off. The cocktail and dessert pairing was next-level. Not cute. Not trendy. Over-the-top delicious. My personal champion? The dark chocolate ganache brownie paired with a tobacco chocolate espresso martini. I don't know who came up with that combo, but give that person a raise. The brownie was rich, dense, borderline sinful. And that martini? Smooth, bold, slightly smoky, and basically dessert with a kick. It tasted like chocolate grew up, got sophisticated, and bought a leather jacket. The vibe hits that sweet spot too, cozy but cool, elevated without being pretentious. You can show up dressed for date night or roll in after a beach day and still feel right at home. Bottom line: fantastic drinks, limited but knockout food, and creative pairings that actually deliver. Sea Witch Lounge isn't trying to be everything, they're just trying to be great at what they do. And they are. Just be warned: that espresso martini might ruin all other espresso martinis for you. And honestly? Worth it.

Bartender and staff was rude. We were from out of town our friends live in Top Sail. You think…read morethey would treat their locals good be that is who keeps you going in off season. But we were told that we have to ho to the bar when it got busy. There was only 21 people in the whole bar..The Bartender still did come over to us..it is sad..We tip good..because 2 of us have Bartended .I could have bought a bottle for what I paid for a shot of Captain

This restaurant has came along ways from its Origin and multiple owners to the fine dining…read moreexperience it is now. The server Katey was so nice and helpful. She knew the menu well and was attentive to my parties needs. The crab cakes and fried rice was delicious. I recommend getting this along with the milk bread. Sitting outside added to the experience because it was so chill and the perfect temperature.

The food and the service were amazing. The portions were huge. My wife and mom split the shrimp and…read moregrits. I had the pork chop entree. Both dishes were prepared to perfection.

Food was so very good! Nate and the other staff were very…read moreattentive. The view of the ocean was stunning. An A++ experience

A Surf City classic! We dined here recently and were able to snag a seat on the back deck…read moreoverlooking the ocean and pier. This was not our first visit and won't be our last. Ben, our server, was friendly, attentive, and efficient. They have something for everyone - even a vegetarian menu if you ask for it!

The food especially the burgers is just a little different than elsewhere .I had a peanut butter…read morebutter bacon Jam smash burger. I love different burgers , this one was great .Service was attentive even with the place being busy. The ambiance when we visited during the Xmas season was a must see itself . It was decorated absolutely beautifully for the holidays. Go for the decoration and stay for the food !!!!!

We stopped in, and were immediately transported to a Christmas wonderland. Although seasonal, it…read morewas fun to eat under a ceiling dripping with decorations. Cowfin has a central bar with tables around, and has a casual, friendly, cozy vibe. My fried flounder was fresh, and hot. The crispy coating contrasted nicely with the tender and moist flounder inside. I thought the collards could've used more bacon flavor, but that's me. Our waitress was friendly and efficient, and gave us a rundown of the history of the place. We'll be back!

First time here and was impressed. Beautiful views of the marsh. Server was attentive and helpful…read more The drinks were top notch- old fashion and spicy margarita. The seafood dinner was delicious. Topped off with a scrumptious blueberry and lemon cheesecake. Will definitely be back.

Food was fresh and hot. Service by Jeanie was friendly and we love the views. If offered chose…read moreinside sitting as wind is strong on back deck. We will return on our next trip. Calamari was pretty small for price but plates and bucket were large enough for leftovers.

Great lil local store and bar with specialty food items, and some basics like butter and eggs. At…read morethe bar you can sit and sip adult beverages; it's a neat but small spot to converse over a beer, glass of wine or drink of choice. There's even a few unique local gift options too.

Stopped in to check this place out while traveling. What a great little specialty store! Lots of…read morelocal food items unique to North Carolina and local craft beers, wines, and other libations. Great selection of charcuterie fixings, sweet treats, and small-batch prepared foods including take-and-bake dishes. Even had yummies for dogs. A local gem!

We've lived in the area for about 6 years. Eat out fairly often. This restaurant by far has been…read morethe most consistent in the quality of the food, which is the best of all the restaurants in the topsail area. It is not fine dining and has the sports bar vibe. It is a relatively small place and I recommend going on non peak hours in season. If you are into oysters, they have a great selection of both local and regional on the half shell. If you prefer cooked, chargrilled or steamed is a good choice. While the menu has a great selection of seafood, the chalkboard specials features extremely fresh local catches which change daily. While there are several restaurants in and around the topsail area this is the only one where I have never been disappointed. If you go at peak hours during the vacation season expect to wait but it is worth it. You can't miss with any of the steamed shellfish offerings and if you prefer fried there batter is light and not overpowering. As a sports bar, they have a large selection of tap and bottled beers and a good mixology of liquor options which is only outdone in my opinion by Rick's in Sneads Ferry

Whenever a restaurant puts "market price" next to an item, I'm worried. But Dear Wife and I were in…read morethe low country and we wanted a low country boil. So that's what we got. I could've asked the price upfront (and usually do) but what the heck... we're on vacation. The server suggested we get a "double" and share it. OK. Sounds good. It came out quick. There was a TON of food for two of us. Shrimp, sausage, potatoes, corn. It didn't have a lot of seasoning also on it, but - no problem - there was a rack with every hot sauce you'd ever need, plus salt, pepper and old bay. We both ate our fill and even left a few potatoes. The bill comes and it's less than $40. It might be the cheapest great meal I've had in a long time. Or maybe it's the "greatest cheap meal" I've had in a long time... I don't know. Bar ambiance, but pleasant enough for families. Mostly high tables. It all seemed very nice.

We rated this a 3.5. I would highly suggest the Scallops! Cooked perfectly and had a great flavor…read morepairing. Service was great! Hosts are pleasant and friendly. Our server was Dallas and he was on point, respectful and friendly as well. The restaurant is spacious with lots of seating. As this was our first time to the area, we will most likely try somewhere else in the future, but wouldn't be opposed to giving this another try.

First time here and we were really impressed. Lovely, clean place. Very friendly staff and the food…read morewas delicious! We will definitely visit again.