Okay, this week I have eaten at every restaurant in that corner, "restaurant row" and this was the best one. I am not sure what the others are referring to, but here is what I experienced. The wait was less than 10 minutes, the restaurant was the cleanest and no swatting flies here, I had regular silverware wrapped in a high quality paper napkin, paper napkins on the table were of less quality but suitable, high quality plastic cups, food is served in chinsy red plastic baskets but I wasn't eating them so didn't care, food was of very good quality, good portions, very good service and plenty of staff to keep up with flying napkins/dirty tables/spills etc, and yes the view is amazing! Both outer decks were nice and plenty of places to sit while you wait. Now here is why I did not give it 5 stars. The elevator is scary, small, and extremely slow. Just about the time you start to panic as if it is not moving, did I move, is anyone going to hear me???? Wait another 30 seconds and you made it! Also, just one single restroom for the ladies and one single restroom for the men. There was a line for both restrooms. That is just ridiculous for a restaurant this size. read more

The hush puppies were soo good here. The service was great and they actually opened a little early since we were waiting outside. We were given a sample of their chowder while we were waiting on the rest of our group. Very good chowder! Only down fall was it was kind of hot in there. read more

I had the shrimp and grits and it was excellent! The hush puppies were sooo good. Our waitress was great. We a great seat and since the restaurant is on stilts, the view of the river is excellent. We were served quickly. read more

Ate at The Frying Pan tonight with 6 adults and 3 kids. We got there right as they opened so didn't have to wait to be seated. The waterfront view was fantastic! Service was great. I had the cheese ravioli with sautéed bacon and spinach. The flavors were delicious- my only qualm was the amount of butter that ended up in the bottom of the dish, I had to dab the ravioli on a napkin before eating. Otherwise, really enjoyed the meal! Would go again. read more

I went to dinner with two friends thinking we would be able to have a conversation a little easier than at the other local options with live bands. However, the noise level in this restaurant is very high. Good news is the view is quite nice of the Cape Fear River and I enjoyed my dinner choice of two 4 oz. filet mignons, string beans, potatoes and a really good sweet potato roll. One of the other diners got one of the shrimp dishes that was too spicy, but the waiter took it back right away and asked if he could bring something else. The location on the Cape Fear River is quite nice, but for the very loud environment, I hard time enjoying the company and the dining. Also the elevator was broken. read more

We came at 5:00 and were seated right away. The food was really good, we got great service and it was fairly priced. When we were leaving there was a long line so keep that in mind :) read more

This place has wonderful food and great water views. The deserts are amazing. Prices are good and portion are nice. Great family place.

Over priced for portion size you receive. Food was tasty but extremely greasy. Overall a non memorable experience for the price you pay for the meal. read more

So I gave the frying pan a second chance and I am glad that I did. The stake medallions are to die for. Cooked and seasoned perfectly. Still a bit expensive however the view is to die for. And if you go make sure that you try the salad the dressings are made fresh and the vegetables taste like they were picked straight from a garden put back. And if there is a problem go to management they really do go out of their way to make their guests happy. read more

What a great place to explore your pallet of seafood!! I would recommend this place. Great food and great service!!

So, So food. Beautiful view, but that's all. Waiter was great. Kitchen staff needs a lot of help. read more

This place always has a line so do come early. The food was all great. Crab legs were nice, and the filet was cooked to order. The sweet potato biscuits are alright and their famous chowder is very good with a touch of heat. Everyone enjoyed their food in a large party and the only thing a bit lacking was the drink refills. Not bad enough to knock them a star. This place is on our permanent rotation list. Great view as well. read more

This is really a 4.5 star restaurant. The service was great, the location is great, the atmosphere is great. The food was excellent apart from the grouper which was a little dry. Besides that...this place rules! Better than everything else in the near area. read more

Based on other reviews we headed to The Frying Pan for dinner. The view was great, there was a breeze blowing throughout the restaurant. The atmosphere is casual and family friendly. Being vegetarian I didn't expect many options. I ordered the Big Island Salad and wasn't disappointed. The ginger dressing was sweet, without an overwhelming ginger taste. My husband ordered the ribs and shrimp. He was able to cut the ribs with a fork, which was impressive. We were pleased with the service. We were seated immediately and were checked on several times. We were told our server was in training, and he did a great job. We will definitely recommend this restaurant. read more

Great view and experience for the local area. Staff aren't rude but not exactly friendly....you go here for the food and view! Known for their sweet potato bread and grouper nuggets make this a place to visit again! read more

Where do I begin...first off we were told an hour wait. No big deal, because part of our party was circling around for the 30th time trying to find a parking spot. Then, while waiting had to use the restroom-stood in line for a bit. Hadn't done this since my college days. Felt like a club. Only two stalls for this very large restaurant. Finally, well over an hour later, the hostess screamed our name, then before we could get to her she proceeded to angrily yell "last call for" then our last name. Once seated, the real fun began. The waiter struggled with our drink orders....I ordered sweet tea and was given unsweetened tea twice. I get it, they were slammed. She proceeded to take our food orders, the disappeared for what seemed like....or what was rather, 45 minutes. Eventually, we got our food. Totally overrated. It was good, but my popcorn shrimp was a little soggy. And then she brought me....yep, you guessed it-another Unsweetened tea! When she asked if I'd like one to go, I kindly declined. Between the rude hostess, stifling and hot environment in the building, the wait, soggy food and loudness I was more than ready to be done. We got there at 6:30....I'm writing this review on the ride back at 9:45. So when I say overrated, I mean it. Save your money ( & precious time) and go elsewhere to a less crowded and air conditioned restaurant. read more

We ate at the Frying Pan tonight. The wait was very long...almost an hour. The food was good and the hush puppies were great! The filet mignon was not the best, especially considering the price. Overall good food and an even better view! I would eat here again. read more

Very good food, friendly and fast service, great views. A little pricey for the portion size, but perhaps they figure the view and the ambiance into the prices. Cocktails are small but potent. Designate a driver. read more

wonderful food, superb service, great atmosphere. I recommend the shrimp and grits,excellent... we will absolutely return next year

Great lunch. Great service. Great atmosphere. The salad with shrimp was outstanding. Four of us shared the sweet potato bread pudding which was the best dessert ever. Mathew , our server, deserves a raise. read more

Enjoyed the flounder here. Great view and great service by Kyle. Has elevator for those who may need it.

My family and I rode the ferry from Fort Fisher to Southport and decided to eat in Southport when we arrived. We did our usual Yelp search and decided Provisions would be the place to go for Seafood. It was Sunday about 5ish and it was closed. We asked a passerby and suggested Frying Pan. The other reviewers were right, the views are amazing. The atmosphere reminded me of a barn/ country atmosphere but was warm and inviting. ( I did notice end table lamps on the bar which I thought was odd) Our server was nice, but didn't tell us the specials which would have been nice to know. There were way too many people on staff for an off season Sunday night. Something like 2-3 hostesses, 4-5 servers, and 4-5 kitchen staff. There were about 5 other tables with customers. Now for the food, the appetizers had a watermelon salad, a crab salad, crab cakes and other various fried items. I was a little disappointed with the menu, I wanted some fresh seafood but all of it was fried. My husband and I shared a sampler that had fried oysters, grouper, shrimp and crab cakes. I was slightly alarmed at how fast our food came out, I'm talking less than 5 mins after our waitress took our order. The fried stuff was ok. Nothing crazy and our fries were ice cold. Overall a big Meh. Nice views, ok fried food. I would give this 2.5 stars if I could. read more

If you are looking for the best view in town, this is the place! Wonderful setting with a decent atmosphere. However, I will go to Wendy's when I want to eat a salad out of a plastic bowl. The limited menu did not leave many options and when served in plastic baskets with plastic utensils, the atmosphere quickly turns to any ordinary local fried fish joint. I was hoping that the cuisine would match the high-end view but my expectations fell just short. read more

This is the place to eat in Southport. The view is great and the food is excellent. Try it. The service is on a par with any restaurant that I have eaten in. It just can't get any better. read more

Great restaurant i loved everything on the menu and they even had cute little spooky halloween decorations throughout the store :) would love to return. service was great read more

Location & view are second to none, and the building is beautiful but everything is served on disposal, plastic dinnerware! So wasteful! Menu was limited. This place could be great, but falls short. We will not be returning. read more

The large open windows and view of the water was nice. The service was fine, if basic. The food was very disappointing and much went uneaten. We ordered the crab cakes and the chicken pot pie. The crab cakes were flat and overly deep fried (a very dark brown, as if fried too long). At first, we weren't sure the right thing had even arrived. Side dishes included potatoes which were unremarkable, (What seemed like canned) green beans in a styrofoam cup, and a sweet potato biscuit which would have been welcome if we hadn't already gotten this as an appetizer. The chicken pot pie was a nightmare and stands out among bad dining experiences we've had. It seemed as though someone put about a half cup of salty mostly large chunk dark meat filling and a few peas into a barely carved out bread bowl which was also not great. The side salad was actually decent. The appetizer, we ordered, sweet potato biscuits were good, but not cut, which created a bit of a mess. The hush puppies which arrive at every table were fairly standard. The butter tasted a bit rancid. We left feeling that we'd basically been served a bunch of bread and breading, which is not acceptable, especially at that price point. I left feeling like I'd been severely taken advantage of by a tourist trap. While in the Southport area, perhaps skip the waterfront sitdown restaurants (unless you are on Bald Head Island) and prepare meals at your beach house or stick to chain restaurants (I can't believe I'm saying this, but at least you know what you are getting). The only pleasant surprise so far was a taco place, Kai Joe's on Oak Island. read more

Food had a great taste. Atmosphere was really nice with screened in porch kind of feel. Great service. My only complaint was the amount of food provided for the price. We ordered the $30 seafood platter expecting a ton of food. It had 2 small scallops, 3 shrimp, a small (maybe 3-4 oz portion of grouper, a small crab cake, and a half cup or so of green beans and potatoes. Needed to be priced closer to $20. read more

Overpriced. Plastic plates,paper cups, high prices don't mix in my book. Beautiful view. Only one local fish, grouper, on the menu, which was excellent but I assume all the other choices were from Asia. Served with butter soaked beans with garlic which no one at the table ate. Paper cups for water, really!, which sweat and drip over the person sitting on the aisle when they fill their glass. For the price we could have have had a 5 star meal at Live Oak Cafe or Joseph's. The tourists will love it but us locals won't be back. read more

Popcorn shrimp was delicious! True southern fried seafood. Also loves the biscuit which came with my meal. Very tasty. Definitely recommend making this place one of your restaurant staples when traveling to Southport. read more

If anyone thinks it's the best food in town, that doesn't say much for the restaurants in Southport. My husband and I ate lunch about 2:00 and the hush puppies were cold and hard, our meals were skimpy and his fresh fries were cold. Way over priced and the bathrooms need some attention. From the outside in, they are dirty. read more

The ocean views are great! The wait was crazy long ! The prices are very high for the amount of food you get. The service was great!! (Abby) I ordered the filet medium well it came well but was still very good! read more

Now..... Sure, there are other places that serve food on better plates and metal utensils but to me that is part of the draw here. I would like to see the prices a bit lower but who wouldn't?? Point is, it takes a lot to run a brand new waterfront restaurant. I hope they expand the menu a bit and perhaps look at their pricing better BUT.... Having said this.... There is only one other place around with food of this caliber and that is Blue Water Point on OI. It is great too but for my money and time, nothing beats Frying Pan. NOTHING! I have driven 8 hours round trip to eat their Bacon Wrapped Scallops.... AND WILL DO IT AGAIN! It really is a great place with a great view! The parking lot is awful however..... But it is shared with everything on that corner of Southport. read more

I come to this restaurant a lot, and I love it! Everyone is so friendly, and the food is fantastic! I recommend the chicken wrap! But one of the best things about this restaurant is the view. Who doesn't love dinner with a view of the waterway? read more

We chose the Frying Pan for dinner as we came into Southport from Oak Island for the evening to hang out. Of course its the middle of July, so the wait was about 45 minutes for a group of 5 (not too bad)...so plan your trip accordingly if you are in a rush. Once we got seated our waiter was very prompt in getting us drinks and taking our order. I had the bacon wrapped scallops, which were really good and cooked just right. Im not sure if they have A/C in the building as they have many fans running which unfortunately cools your food faster. So the side of green beans and roasted potatoes werent hot by the time I finished eating them, although they tasted just fine. The atmosphere is good and like the title says, the view of the water and Bald Head Island is great (we had a window seat mind you...at sunset). All in all, it wasnt the best seafood Ive ever had, however I highly recommend checking it out if you're in Southport. read more

We went to Provision Company and were told over 1 hr wait. Frying pan told us 20 min but was more like 5 min. Got the barbecue plate. Yes I know barbecue at a seafood place but it was fantastic ! My son got blackened shrimp and fish. He loved it. Wife got calamari for her meal. It was great too. Service was great. I went last year and was not impressed. What a difference now. I would go back any time. Great place to eat. read more

Me and my family have eaten here 4 or 5 times over the 12 to 15 months. The views from your table and on the back deck are amazing. Views of both lighthouses; Baldy and Oak Island. We are big fans of the Safe Haven Special. A little bit of everything; Grouper or steak and a few bacon wrapped scallops, a few grilled shrimp and a crab cake served with green beans and a sweet potato biscuit. They recently add a Barb-Q Pull Pork Carolina vinegar style. read more

Loved everything about Frying Pan. The food, service and the view! Little pricey when you have six people though!

Great view & service! Meals are pricey for the portions provided. Limited food selections.

Had dinner here summer 2015, really enjoyed the atmosphere, food, and view. Corn bread and scallops very good as well as the shrimp and grits. One of my favorite restaurants for a view. Came here in 2016 but they were closed, so make sure they are open before you go, early in the week they have weird hours. read more