Absolute best place to eat on Ocracoke. The food is pricey but you get what you pay for because the quality is superb. The menu checks the box on pretty much all of the classic New Orleans dishes which is not surprising given that the owners are from New Orleans. This restaurant has one of the friendliest and most helpful staff that I've been able to find and their wine list and cocktail selection are far superior to anywhere else on the island. The Flying Melon is one of those "must visit" places for any holiday on this unique part of the Outer Banks. read more

Flying Melon Café - Seafood Near Me - Ocracoke, North Carolina

Absolutely made the ferry trip to the island worth it. The creole flair to their food made everything a bit unique for the area and it tasted amazing. The shrimp, scallops, mackerel, and crab cakes were all excellent. read more

This was a delicious meal! We chose the scallop appetizer, the scallop entree, and the pecan crusted black drum. It was all delicious and perfectly prepared. A wonderful ambience for a special occasion. But also still comfortable to have our 4 year old dine with us... Recommend!! read more

Whoa! Our 41st wedding anniversary! Celebrating here at the "Flying Melon" located on Ocracoke Island, NC. Plenty of parking for a golf cart, the only way to get around on Ocracoke. This spot is always busy and they do not accept reservations. So I'm here around 5ish on a Wednesday. Nice, functional interior, kinda set up like a large house...sorta. Hostess leads us up stairs to a two top by a window, nice seating. We started out with a appetizer of "sweet onion jam-cream cheese-walnut" over grilled bread. Different I know, but good. My wife ordered grille chicken w/tomato cream sauce. I ordered the grilled mahi w/garlic-basil-pesto. Yum, very good. Wash it all down with wine and dessert to go. Service here was right on time and food served hot. All-in-all, this is a very nice place. If you're on Ocracoke Island and wanting great food, try out "The Flying Melon", you'll like it! Enjoy! read more

We ordered by 5 for outside dining at 8. This worked perfectly for us. When we got there we just had to order our drinks that they brought to our table. The grilled fresh scallops were excellent. That came with fresh zucchini and red potatoes. Closing it off with key lime pie. Can't wait to go back! read more

The last couple of times didn't measure up to past experiences... Have been going for years but the food quality has gone down while the price has gone up. I still miss breakfast there. They used to have amazing sweet potato pancakes at the old location. I just don't think there is a value here. The food quality/taste can't keep up with the prices... read more

Great as always despite the Covid-necessitated changes. Crab cakes fabulous, seared tuna spectacular. Cucumber basil gin gimlet also a hit. Will go back before the week is out. So glad it survived Dorian and the new plague. From: Frank is not my real name. read more

Always good - great oysters. A little pricey but ok. Waitress was great. They need to update or improve they sides though, that would be my only complaint. read more

Expensive, but worth it. Excellent fresh seafood, exciting and fun cocktails, great service and an amazing ambiance!

My husband and I ate here on Saturday . We decide to ride our MC/ bikes to island and have dinner at the Flying Melon. The excellent things: The waitress staff was superb! The small salad that came with the meal was so good and the warm bread was super delicious. I had the Indian Curry veggies with rice and my husband had the gumbo. Both of our meals was BLAND/ lack of flavor. MY BIGGEST ISSUE : on my way out of the restaurant. I stopped by the restroom . Hmmmm.. The frame picture on the wall in the bathroom, was very OFFENSIVE to me!!!! I required to speak with the manager, regarding the offensive picture on the bathroom wall. I waited for the manager about 12-15 minutes she or he never came. So, we left... it was getting close to 9 and we had to catch the ferry back. This is one place, I would never eat again. I will post the frame picture , that I found very offensive to me in the restroom. read more

See all

We enjoyed a wonderful dinner here last night. We enjoyed the grouper. It was beautifully grilled with crab sprinkled on the top. On the side was roasted carrots and potatoes. They also have a good wine selection. This place doesn't have a water view. It's located down a side street. But, you won't miss it by enjoying this good food. Enjoy! read more

Ate here 2 times on my trip to Ocracoke this year. Tried to get in one night on my last trip in 2015, but the wait was too long. On the first trip here this year it was a Saturday night around 7:30 and my table for 2 plus a high chair waited about 40 minutes. We were able to make a reservation for a Wednesday night for 4 adults and a baby, so we were seated immediately. The wine list is great! I got the Chalk Hill Sonoma Coast Chardonnay both visits and it was wonderful! We ordered the Ocracoke Clam Fritters for an appetizer one night. They were alright, but I felt the texture was off. For entree I ordered the Pecan Crusted Red Drum both trips because I loved it so much. It was flavorful and the lemon creme sauce it is in is absolutely delicious. My husband ordered the Grilled Seafood Platter the first night and the Lamb the second visit. He enjoyed both of those dishes! One night we took a key lime pie slice to go. It was pretty good, but not the best I have ever had. I honestly felt like the balance was off between the cream and the lime. It was a little too "limey" for my taste. To the point it was slightly too sour. After saying all of that... I can't wait to return to the Flying Melon on next year's trip! read more

Why it's good: The flying melon is good mainly because of the food. I had the flounder and sweet potatoes. I had a very good dinner and enjoyed it quite a bit. My experience: I don't know how I felt about my experience because while the food was good we had a problem with the bathrooms. I had to go to the bathroom pretty badly and I went over there it was locked so I waited. 20 minutes pass and now a line has formed so I had to talk to an employee. The doors just lock. I almost thought someone had died read more

In trying to explain Ocracoke's vibe to my dear mother, I once drew an analogy between the island and Stars Hallow, of Gilmore Girls fame. "It's sort of like SH, only with an island vibe, slightly less eccentric locals, better sunsets." If this is true, I believe that the Flying Melon, especially at its former location on Rt. 12, could be Ocracoke's Luke's Diner, only without a curmudgeonly proprietor and with more tables. Now that it has moved into the swank, beautifully-designed digs on Back Road, the analogy falls apart a little bit. There were much local flavor and a slightly kitschy vibe at the old location. At the newer place, with the reclaimed hardwood floors, the abundance of high-concept roosters, the numerous fleurs de lys, it's as though Luke has traded his flannel for something far more chic. The ruddy kitsch is gone, replaced with something very sophisticated and charming. The service has always been warm and attentive but reached a new plane on our last visit (which, I must confess, was in the summer of 2015 - this review is fueled by equal parts nostalgia and excitement for this summer's visit). We had delicious starters: I had the mushroom cheesecake with burgundy Anglaise, a dish about which I was slightly apprehensive - was this going to be a leaden affair? Still, I am always intrigued by savory cheesecakes. The Flying Melon's rendition was simultaneously light, tart, and rich, with a delicate balancing act between the earthy mushrooms, the tart but feather-light cheese, and that delicious, unctuous Anglaise. My wife had smoked bluefish with capers, onions, and lemons, which was sort of like a deconstructed New England bluefish paté. The fish was rich, smoky, and scrumptious, enlivened with the acidity of the lemon, and cut with the salty capers and sharpness of the onions. We both had gumbo as an entree, and we both enjoyed the properly murky, darkly-rouxed, deep flavors of this union of pristinely fresh shellfish and smoky andouille. For dessert, Figs Foster, making excellent use of the local fruit, combined with ice cream and a pleasantly sweet, boozy sauce. The wine list includes all kinds of values - we had a zippy Alabriño that married perfectly with all of our fare, and the restaurant also has a very handsome bar as you enter. I will be sure to test the cocktails, next time. With Ruth and Bob Toth having given up the estimable Café Atlantic, most of our dinners out on the 'coke have been at the excellent Dajio (we'd had many brunches at the Flying Melon, but never dinner). After such a pleasant and eye-opening meal at the Flying Melon, I suspect our mealtime deliberations will be far more animated than they've been in recent years, and I can't wait to get back for some of that gumbo, or the smoked bluefish, or that mushroom cheesecake...or the figs! read more

I am so sad to leave this review. I have eaten here every year and enjoyed the beautiful new location from a few years ago. I have always loved the food and service. We had a reservation for today, and unfortunately we had one in our party get sick from the sun and she was not able to come out. We were told that since our reservation changed we would not be seated. We explained that they were sick, and they said that they hear that all the time and did not believe us. We weren't even aware that the minimum number for a reservation was 5 (weird number.) It is unfortunate that such a great place decided to treat people that frequent them so often so poorly. Will never come back even though they are two doors down from our house. read more

Excellent food and service! We'll definitely be visiting again when we visit Ocracoke!

Flying Melon isn't a name that evokes classy coastal fare - which their establishment is. This is our second time here (we came at this same time last year - early October) and it is just as we remember. Classy, well prepared seafood. They don't do reservations for two, so we were "forced" to order cocktails at the bar while we waited. Savannah was attentive a S even stepped up to the plate when my husband threw her a curve ball: bartenders choice drink, rum, no ginger. She delivered with a concoction that wasn't too sweet. She made me a Pimms cup that was probably one of the best I have had. We took her recommendation on the appetizer (scallops in gruyère). One at our table, Christian our waiter looked like he was ready for his shift to be over. Not all that helpful or personable, but was efficient. We ordered a seafood platter (scallops, local catch of the day was tile, shrimp and a crab cake) and drum fish in beurre blanc sauce - both cooked to perfection. No room for desert! We hope to be able to have brunch here some day but we always come off season. Definitely worth the price if you are tired of standard fried outer banks seafood. read more

We've never ventured out for a nice dinner while on island, but we glad we did. The service was prompt and she had several suggestions on what to order along with recommending both the fig appetizer and the bread pudding. Definitely a go to now as a reward for relaxing all day.. read more

Amazing dinner! The only negative thing would be the parking lot gets crazy as the night goes on and there just isn't adequate parking there, but this seems to be a problem pretty much everywhere in Ocracoke. Otherwise, an incredible place! The bread was soft and warm, the fig appetizer was delicious, and the entrees were excellent! I've never had triggerfish before but it was great! Bread pudding was almost as good as in New Orleans. Cocktails were very good. Service was great too, very attentive. read more

See all

Menu looked enticing with a good variety of choices and creative combinations of ingredients and flavors. Ordered the seafood gumbo and pecan crusted black drum. Vegetable sides arrived over-cooked, somewhere in that foggy area between new cuisine's crisp-tender and traditional Southern boiled-to-mush. The fish seemed likewise over-done so that the flesh had lost its firmness. Seafood gumbo was rich and well flavored and the better dish of the two. Service and atmosphere were both good, and the building has an eclectic retro-vibe. We'd eaten the previous night at Eduardo's Taco Stand; at a third of the price of the Flying Melon, Eduardo's was three times as good. Left feeling like the Melon was not worth the $85 we left behind. Flying Meh-lon. read more

I'm sorry to say that our most recent trip to the Flying Melon didn't meet with our expectations. Overall the food lacked flavor and the service was a bit awkward and stilted. The bluefish appetizer was too heavily smoked and needed more red onion and capers (pepper-or something) to offset the intensely fishy and smokey flavor of the bluefish. The toasts served with this appetizer were more like week old bread than toasts. They didn't pair well. The insalada caprese was okay, but would have been improved with a better mozzarella. The Cobia was very fresh and attractive, but the preparation was flat. The meunière sauce it was paired with lacked any hints of lemon or parsley that would have added fresh and verdant highlights to the dish, which were needed. And honestly, it was under seasoned ( a little salt and some peppered helped boost the little flavor there was). The pasta with sausage was a bit strange. The cheeses (Swiss and other?) used to make the sauce combined for a somewhat off-putting taste. Both deserts we tried were good. The chocolate tort was dark with hints of bitterness. The figs foster was good, but the figs themselves lacked flavor, as they were not ripe. While the waiter assured that the figs used (one of 7 varieties that are grown on the island) were at their peak, they either weren't ripe enough or were a variety that lacked much flavor. The fig sauce the flooded the plate was delicious however. As the Flying Melon is known as one of the best restaurants on the island, and we've dined here on other trips, our latest dinner here was a large disappointment and didn't match the $100+ bill (2). read more

Overpriced and every time we come it becomes less impressive . We waited forever for our table the other night with few updates. Had we known, we could have taken our party elsewhere. Fish of the day was good, crab cakes were average. This time the dessert was the best part of the dinner. It's hit or miss, won't go with a large party next time, if we come again. There are other places to get the same food for less on the island and less of a wait. read more

Excellent food, great service, cool atmosphere. Would definitely come back. all of the fish was locally caught, seasonal, and creatively prepared. for appetizers we had oysters on the half shell- plump and fresh, some of the best I have eaten- and a smoked chopped bluefish spread with capers and lemon - delicious. The sheepshead with sweet potatoe purée and pecans was perfectly done as well. I will be coming back and I recommend that you try The Flying Melon too. read more

Not usually one to spend $35/entree, but this place was completely worth it. From start to finish service was with a smile and courteous. Bar tenders were fun and creative, waitress accommodating despite hustling a packed house and a full slate of tables. Food - oh my what a tasty spread! Scallops starter - with strawberry and basil, so unique and melted in our mouths. Crab stuffed local drum was perfectly cooked, and the cocktails paired perfectly. Only disappointment was to find they weren't open on our second night in town! read more

What was meant to be a positive dining experience shared with my family went downhill real quick. Visiting Ockracoke from Hattares Island for the day my mother and sister decided to try the Flying Melon. We were seated pretty quick and our waiter was nice, but once we ordered only two alcoholic beverages, one soda and two entrees (we were sharing the meals) instead of three the service went downhill really quick. Our waiter forgot we existed quickly and was busy dotting upon the table next to us who were only purchasing wine. Tried to wave down the waiter/ look at him to try and get the waiter's attention, but felt as though avoided when trying get Drinks refilled. The light bulb over our table burnt out, since it is already a dim lite restaurant where you have to take your cell phone flashlight to read the menu it instantly became much darker. we waited a long time to get acknowledged to get our check and had to hunt down a server to get them to wait on us . The manager was very condescending and quick to anger. She raised her voice at us when we addressed the poor service of our waiter . We brought up about the light bulb burning out during the meal and she retorted "what do you expect me to do?!! Come over and get on a chair and change the light bulb just for you??!!" This restaurant was a total let down. The manager has poor social and business skills. read more

Imaginative menu; reasonably priced. Get Taylor for your waitperson and you've hit a grand slam home run. Great blends of flavors from the mushroom cheesecake to the strawberry gastrique scallops; coquilles saint jacques was amazing and so full of scallops. An amazing cafe with a full bar and great selection of wines. Not to be missed. read more

We ended our honeymoon week on Ocracoke Island at the Flying Melon and we had so much fun! I'd sit at the bar if you can to chat with the bartenders and get great recommendations. We ordered the sheepshead which was the fish special of the day and the grilled seafood platter. Everything was both light and savory seasoned with lemon butter and served with delicious roasted vegetables including summer squash and sweet potatoes. We had so much fun talking about island life and local seafood with the staff and our neighbors at the bar. The only thing I regret is getting the bread pudding instead of the cobbler, but only because I don't like raisins in my bread pudding. I would cook more than eat out on Ocracoke Island, but definitely don't miss The Flying Melon for your night out! read more

What a great meal! We happened to be staying around the corner and feel like we really lucked out. The fish of the day was blue fish and this is what my wife and I both ordered, and it was fresh and delicious. My son's kid meal was also fish of the day, fried, and that was even better. My daughter got jambalaya, and loved it. They also have a great drink, beer, and wine menu. Cool place! I give it 4 1/2 stars, even a nudge up from that number is deserving. read more

I love this place. The food is excellent and the service is wonderful. I've had the french toast, shrimp scramble, crab omelet, and scallop omelet ~ all delicious. The service is wonderful and over the past 5 summers my wife and I have visited Ocracoke, we have eaten at Flying Melon at least once every time and have always had a great time and great food. Keep up the great work! read more

My family and I just got back from a week in OBX and this was our best meal of the trip. The decor is pleasant - colorful but not garish. Feels like a nice, pleasant, comfortable restaurant in a beach community without the cliche trappings for tourists (no hanging buoys, no seagull depictions to be seen, etc). We got salads to start which were mixed greens, perfectly dressed. For an appetizer, we chose the salmon and boursin cheese rounds which were yummy and a good size for two people. Might not have worked for three or more. My husband and I both got specials for our entres. I had the seared tuna in a soy-ginger sauce served rare. It was covered with a generous amount of sauted vegetables plus sides of both zucchini and summer squash and some stellar mashed sweet potato. My husband raved about his entre too - walnut-encrusted local flounder. My daughter got chicken fingers off of the kids menu and they were white meat and came with an appropriate amount of fries and (hallelujah!) a side of veggies. We enjoyed the Flying Melon greatly and would definitely go back if we were in the area. read more

I've eaten here about 5 times. The food quality is usually decent. The sweet potato pancakes are excellent, as is the curry chicken salad. The omelets are decent as well. On my most recent visit, I had the pulled pork sandwich. It was like I had ordered the Sahara desert on a bun, it was so dry. The vinegar-based sauce was good, but not enough to moisten up the meat. Maybe just a bad day? The cole slaw was ok. I love the new location. The old location was too small, and there was always a wait. The new location is spacious with rustic decor. I particularly like the pierced wood roosters that serve as wall partitions. The service here is hit-or-miss. The waiters all seem to mostly be local kids home for college breaks, or students spending the summer on the island. Most are friendly, but they can take awhile to take your order and bring the check, and you often need to flag them down to ask for drink refills. The laid-back island ambiance makes the slow-moving service seem not too big of a problem, though. All in all, this is a decent casual restaurant, and one of the only legit brunch places on the island. The brunch food is their strong point, and I would recommend it over the lunch selections. I've never eaten dinner there, so I can't give an opinion on that. read more

Locals rave about the Flying Melon. They have a huge breakfast crowd that lasts past noon. My wife and I went for lunch, though, and we weren't impressed with the service, the quality of the food or the prices. In fairness, our waitress had a large party at the same time and that was part of the problem. Still, when I paid the check for a just-O.K. meal, we wondered what the fuss was all about. I'm not recommending you avoid The Flying Melon. Too many people seem to be happy with it. On the other hand, maybe more realistic expectations would have worked better for us. read more

Had a delicious experience here and the servers were very kind and friendly. Ordered the oyster appetizer, a dinner salad and scallops appetizer when boyfriend ordered mackerel. All seafood tasted very fresh and the portion size was decent. I also enjoyed a chocolate torte and key lime pie and both were decadent and delicious. read more

Such a pretty restaurant! Even the planter boxes outside are lovely and maintained. This is one of the more upscale restaurants on the island. Expect white linen napkins and table clothes. They brought us delicious crusty bread when we first arrived. If you want the most beer and wine knowledgeable waiter ask for Matt. He really knew his stuff!! Everything we had was well plated and prepared. I ordered a special fish stew and it was a bit sandy so I wouldn't order that again. My husbands oysters were outstanding and my daughters pasta with sausage was decadent. Flourless chocolate torte for dessert...wow! read more

Flying Melon Café - Seafood Near Me - Ocracoke, North Carolina

See all

Customer service is terrible. The employees are rude and not friendly at all. Everything about eating at the restaurant is complicated. They are not interested in pleasing the customer. Regret going there. read more

Beautiful new location on the back road! When we walked up and saw the kitchen harvesting fresh herbs, we knew we were in for a treat! That wait staff was attentive, knowledgeable, and friendly. The drink menu was plentiful in choices, as was the dinner menu. The food was incredibly good, and the servings were generous. The Flying Melon has reached the top rung of the food ladder on Ocracoke! We look forward to our next visit! read more

We drove/ferried all the way from Duck to dine at our favorite restaurant and it was fabulous! A special thank you to our server, Sara, who took care of the entire upstairs by herself! She was amazing, never rushed, provided top notch service. Our best dining experience ever! read more

Absolutely, unbelievably great! Hard to imagine a better meal. Fantastic in every respect! Definitely don't miss the Mushroom Cheesecake appetizer, Devil's shoal oysters and the house vinaigrette dressing on the salad. Nate gave some great advice for our main meal. I had the Sheepshead grill with shrimp and my husband had Grilled Red Drum with Lump Grab. I can't believe we also had desert! Mine was Key Lime Pie and his was bread pudding. We had to waddle out to the car. This is definitely a restaurant not to miss while visiting Ocracoke Island, NC. read more

See all

Unfortunately no Melons were flying. Other than that no complaints. Pleasant efficient service, they kept my much needed coffee full. Food was very good. Nothing cutting edge or reinvented here, just good old solid fresh grub. The pricing is very fair and the best fish sandwich on the island. read more

So, we got off the long ass ferry ride with a miserable sick toddler and decided we must get food. Where do I turn? Yelp of course! We tried this restaurant for lunch. This is a small dumpy looking place and there was a bit of a wait. Anyway, we finally got a seat and our server seemed annoyed that she had to serve us. Kinda annoying... I ordered the grilled fish sandwich, and the people I was with got the pork sandwich, and the cheese steak. We got the clam chowder for my son and they were kind enough to bring us a littler tiny bowl and not charge us. Up with the stars. Granted, it wasn't our server but the hostess that did this... but I digress. The sandwiches were decent. I wanted to like it so much because it was fresh fish... but it was just bland. The pork was so spicy you couldn't really taste the pork. I like spicy... but. well.. for some reason this didn't work. The cheese steak was tasty but the bread was anemic. However, the reason I gave them even 3 stars was the DESSERT! MY GOD THE BREAD PUDDING! I would literally come here JUST for the amazing bread pudding. If I could I would gorge myself on it until I vomited. I suddenly wished I was roman. AMAZING... read more