I don't understand how this place has 3.5 stars.. it definitely deserves 5! The interior of the restaurant is so on trend and very bright! And the food!!!! The food is absolutely amazing and unique! Let's not forget the location! It's right on the water and the have indoor seating, heated patio, and outdoor seating. Anywhere you choose to sit you get a gorgeous view of the water Staff is so helpful and welcoming! Will definitely be coming back! read more

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I had a terrible experience tonight at this location. I am so embarrassed that I brought my friends and fellow business owners to this restaurant. There were numerous things that happened. First, the manager spilled a drink a friend. They brought a dirty dish rag and expected her to clean it up. The fries were cold on multiple orders. Another friend asked for avocado which is on the menu and was told she couldn't have it. The manager later told us it was up to the chef. On top of slow service and having an inexperienced server I couldn't imagine bringing a group here again. Super cute concept just terrible service. read more

Food was good. Menu was a little limited in my opinion but I will visit again for the waterfront ambiance.

Amazing ambiance. I want them to decorate my home the decor is phenomenal. The food also was incredible of course.

Meh. Just meh. Nice lake view but that appears to be all they are relying on here. Menu is a bit odd. Pricey for what it offers.

If it wasn't for the pretty views I'd give this establishment a 0, due to service. Staff is not attentive or friendly...possibly on meth. I came here for cocktails so I can't say much about their food, however, I had to interrupt the bartender after patiently waiting with an empty drink for over 20 minutes to get served who was less than happy to assist. Note: there were only 4 people at the bar. read more

Hello, Sailor - #stillthirsty - Seafood Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

It's extremely overpriced for average bar food. A basket of fries (child sized) is 7$ and a chicken sandwich is 17$. You can get a better sandwich at chick fil et for a quarter of the price read more

Came by boat and getting a slip was easy enough for a Friday night. Waited approx 40 mins on a table for 7 which was expected. Food took a while to get to us and just wasn't good, $190 for 7 people and with 3 of these being kids meals you would expect the food to be exceptional. It was a huge disappointment, 1 person in our party developed food poisoning the next day (he ate raw oysters). Extremely loud inside, very expensive for unimpressive food. Decor and wait staff was nice and friendly. I would not recommend not will we be back. read more

We go here a few times a year. Love the atmosphere and the service is always top notch. Great view of the lake. Food is always good. A little pricey but always on point. read more

The view is picture perfect!! The decor gets 5 stars!! The decor is a combo of new age vintage meets Cali. It's a nice vibe for sure! Oh and it's very busy! As they should be Lake Norman doesn't have anything like this in the area.The food is fresh, but for you healthy folks there is slim pickings. I recommend going on a cheat day for sure. The menu is primarily fried food and the salad is iceberg. It be so nice to have some grilled fish and a yummy spinach/kale salad. Overall cute spot for on the water dining! read more

Great location and view of LKN. Busy on weekends so expect a wait for a table, but they do take reservations. Outside bar is hopping and food selection is good. Docks for boats and gas for refueling. read more

Surprisingly good considering I had low expectations for a place right on the water. You always expect places like that to just be basic because they have a premium location. Happy to say this wasn't the case here. I ordered the hamachi crudo and it was really good! I'm talking way better then a recent tapas place uptown that literally was tasteless. I loved the addition of the black puff rice which gave it a great crunch and the sauce was the prefect amount to give the whole dish flavor without drowning the fish and it had a spicy kick too. A little less successful was the scallops dish the hubby ordered, the price was a bit much and the flavor was just lacking. The scallops themselves were cooked just right tho. I also got to taste a bit of a chicken sandwich some else ordered at our table and it was pretty darn good the pickles were key! Oh and we got the mezcal drink on the menu which was pretty good. And ended with the Paloma cake which also apparently had mezcal. The cake was not great I took more then one bite only because its flavor reminded me of some childhood candy I kept trying to figure out. Alas I never did put my finger on it. In any case this place is also super cute in decor, they went all out with the mid century modern vibe inside and I dug it. So I'd def give this place a enthusiastic 3.5 stars and their location def makes it worth a try if you are near the lake at all. read more

Hello, Sailor - Crab Louie salad - Seafood Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

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THIS PLACE IS A GEM!!!! Views are good but good is great! Menu is well thought out and super tasty. I had the flounder which was super delicious. The servers are very professional and know what they are talking about. My overall experience was great and I can't wait to dine in again soon. read more

Love, love, love the crab leg appetizer. I believe I got the Italian beef sandwich and it was very disappointing. One of my dishes came with carrots, and my husband had to clean the sauce off of them (hehe he's the best) so I could eat it. Would only come back here for the appetizers. read more

Unfortunately, i used to love this place but service has gone downhill. This was the place for us to take our out of town guests for the location and food. But tonight was extremely unpleasant. Waited an hour even though we had a reservation. They didn't honor the queue and more the people that were there in sight. After waiting an hour, we waited 15 minutes for someone to come give us(half table) water. I had to go to bar and get a pitcher of water. Waitress never came back, so we had to go back to bar to get our drinks. Our food was good but will not be going there again. Don't recommend unless you are willing to have a 3 hour dinner. read more

The food here is blah. The food does not match the hype. If it wasn't on the water of Lake Norman, it would have had to close down already. Went here for the third time to give it another chance and still not impressed. Serving baby shrimp at a restaurant like this is a joke, the portion sizes are laughable on some menu items. $20 shrimp and grits dinner portion should not have 4 baby popcorn shrimp in the dish! That is honestly hilarious. read more

Our go to lake restaurant. Food is always great same with the service. Love it. It seems to be easier to get a dick spot than parking spot.

This was an excellent find in my new neighborhood. I have been here quite a few times and I'm a big fan. Although I was disappointed last time at the menu changes. Glad to see the Italian Beef is back but will be hesitant to frequent as often without the bologna. read more

Nice venue, cool decor, great view of the lake, staff good however food was very average and vastly overpriced for what it was. A very average place sadly read more

Hello, Sailor - Seafood Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

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Location, location, location is what keeps their doors open. I waited 2 years to visit as I was a Rusty Rudder fan wholeheartedly. As other reviewers have stated the prices are aggressive and lite fair selections slim. I don't eat sandwiches and it was 11am on a weekday so the salad selection and appetizers were my options unless I wanted a large entree. Upon adding protein to a salad my tab would easily reach $20, instead I opted for the appetizer portion of chicken wings. The chicken wings were dry rubbed and tasty but nothing to write home about. The inside atmosphere is mid century modern but not like your moms mid century modern.....much more pleasant, fun and airy! I actually liked it and felt very comfortable in the restaurant. I'm sure I may go back at the request of a guest.....but I can enjoy meals on my back deck around the corner from Hello Sailor with a better view and don't know that I can be convinced to go back based on my menu/meal experience. I've yet to hear a live band at hello sailor from my back deck and I must say that is very disappointing. The sound of the music when it was Rusty Rudder echoing through the cove brought life to the lake and the restaurant. read more

I flew into NC for the first time and we drove right to this place for a relaxing spot to destress after my flight. Right on the water and so bright with natural sunlight. This restaurant is a gem! It has a menu that changes periodically that also serves as the table mat. There is outdoor seating, but even in the shade, the humidity may prevent you from enjoying the breeze. Make sure you get the king crab legs because they are seasoned with this old Bay type of seasoning. And they have hush puppies that are to die for. Stop by this wonderful restaurant for a wonderful meal and experience. You will not be disappointed in one bit!! Bon appetit. read more

Hello, Sailor - Haddock. Delicious!!! - Seafood Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

We had the most amazing Easter lunch on the deck here. Our server Carmen, was amazing. Everything she suggested we took her up on and everything was amazing. I can't stop thinking about those blue crab claws... Some of the best I've ever had. I also love the third deck as pet friendly... They were so sweet to Lucky for his birthday. We will definitely be back... Soon! read more

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The ambiance and decor is a 10/10 but the food is overpriced and not very special. We got the popcorn shrimp and it was pretty mediocre. The pieces of actual shrimp were quite small and it was mostly fried dough. Also warning, they charge extra for sauce. We made the mistake of ordering tartar and cocktail sauce and they charged us extra. read more

Lettuce. This whole review is going to be about a SINGLE PIECE OF LETTUCE. Doesn't that sound crazy? Let me elaborate... We have ate here many times as there are few choices to get to by boat on Lake Norman. We arrived and put our name down to sit outside. We only had to wait about 20 minutes after being quoted an hour (yay!). We were also a group of 7-- 4 adults and 3 kids. We got sat and a pleasant server came and got our drink order. We ordered 4 appetizers to get food in the kids mouths quickly. Our drinks came-- all is going well. Now it's time to put our food order in. We order for the kids first as is customary when you have them and they are hungry. The order was for 3 kids burgers. Our friends 2 daughters are picky eaters and only wanted meat and their mom ordered accordingly. Now I order my daughters. I always ask that if the burger comes plain to please just add lettuce and tomato-- I am THAT mom and I make my daughter eat vegetables. I don't know if I consider a slice of tomato and a piece of lettuce any nutritional victory, but you get the idea. Server: "Oh we don't have tomatoes" Me: "Oh okay no worries. Then just lettuce" Server: "Okay let me see what I can do" Server walks off and comes back. Server: "Yeah I cant add lettuce to the burger" Me: ::In a weird shock as all 4 adults are about to order salads:: Me: "What?" Server: "Yeah the chefs wont let me do it" Me: "Doesn't that seem weird?" Server: "Yeah Im really sorry" Now a little backstory--- everyone at this table has been a server in their life. We are not assholes. I don't shoot the messenger, but he can clearly tell I am perplexed as again--- WE ARE ABOUT TO ORDER 4 SALADS. I know they have lettuce. My husband chimes in and reiterates "Listen we will pay for it just put some lettuce on the burger" Our entire table thinks we are being punked. A manager comes over--- again for those of you following this story-- the server has asked the manager to come check in as he doesn't have the authority to get a piece of lettuce added to a kids burger. I explain how crazy it is and he blames it on the chefs and literally says "yeah this is why we keep them in the back" Does this make ANY sense? It was a simple request. The upper manager eventually brought over some shavings of iceburg lettuce in a bowl and after that ridiculous ordeal I made sure my daughter ate it all! A note to management--- really probably the owner--- we were a table of 7 with 3 kids and still spent $250 on lunch there-- and I would've done it over and over again this whole year IF you would've just given the server the authority to allow lettuce to be added. Yes I am serious. Making your servers have to have these awkward interactions is bad management. Oftentimes their tip often depends on how well you (management) allow them to do their job. We did not penalize our server for something out of his control and he was excellent, but again most people don't get that part. The fact that I also saw this same server go over to other tables and have to start sentences with "unfortunately" means that this wasn't the only time he had to have an absolutely absurd conversation during his shift. I truly feel bad for the staff and wont be back. read more

Vibe was really cool with the renovation, service was good, food prices were feasible, but my chicken sandwich was undercooked. Luckily I'm European read more

Restaurant would not accommodate for vegetarians or substitute side dishes without an extra charge. My friend found a piece of glass in his drink with zero refund offered. Our waitress kept rolling her eyes at us the entire night. Horrible service and food was mediocre - everyone who got salads complained there wasn't enough flavor to them, like eating grass and I love salads! Don't expect this place to stay open much longer... will not be back! Update- manager offered to send me a gift card via Email to try restaurant again. That was a week ago. read more

I loved this restaurant! I love the port side atmosphere, the view, the wait staff, and of course the food! We went for lunch today and had a front row table overlooking the harbor. We had the mussels- they were tender and the tomato based sauce was to die for. We also had the crab Louis salad and the Hamachi bowl - both were fresh with just the right amount of fresh herbs topping. The meld of flavors was awesome. They have a Stracciatelli topped with melon and peach that was a flavor explosion- I could have had only that and been satisfied. We felt very well treated by all the wait staff but in particular Lily was great! Thank you Hello Sailor! read more

VERY disappointing. Drove a long way to eat dockside on a weekday in the late afternoon. Place was empty inside with a few groups eating outside, but it was too warm for us. Great location with nice modern yet mid-century vibe with a mix of good music. We checked out the many reviews and multiple versions of the menu online, but got there to find a VERY limited selection of seafood and hardly anything not spicy. Lunch for 2 without ANY liquor cost over $70. Cold shrimps were very mushy having obviously been frozen for way too long. Half dozen VERY small oysters were extremely tasty although they were served with club crackers (too strong a buttery flavor for delicate oysters) instead of Saltines. Waitress/bartender was very pleasant and accommodating. Over priced, but under quality for what we paid. Our search will go on for good quality seafood with a view that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. read more

Hello Sailor is my new favorite restaurant. The seafood is fresh and I love ordering the calabash shrimp. The ambiance is amazing no matter where you sit. I personally enjoy outside dining. However if you sit inside you can still get a great view of the marina. I love the vibes here and if you're into instagram worthy picture opportunities. There's many. read more

Hello, Sailor - Seafood Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

Perfect spot for a date night! We were able to eat outside and distant from others, which made me more comfortable. There was a large and rowdy wedding rehearsal dinner on the porch, but that did not detract too much from that experience. Masks were required when not seated at tables. My suggestions: always go for the hush puppies to start! read more

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The venue is so aesthetically pleasing for a casual dinner. It was very relaxing to just snack on some shrimp and fries and watch small boats sail across the lake. read more

Hello, Sailor - Seafood Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

Hello Sailor is one of my favorite restaurants with a lake view in the area. The restaurant itself features a tiki bar, indoor/outdoor seating, the option to boat up, and a great view of Lake Norman. The decor has a cool retro vibe. The drink menu had a lot of unique options and were all great. The food was the only reason I didn't give Hello Sailor 5 stars. It was overpriced for the wit and quantity in my opinion. read more

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We are totally impressed with Kindred -- the space, the food, the drinks, the service -- so we had high hopes for Hello, Sailor. Unfortunately, we were quite disappointed with our first experience here last month. Though the space is gorgeous and has an enviable location on the lake, it doesn't seem to do anything well (aside from the ambience). Hopefully these are just growing pains as it figures out what it wants to be. The food, the drinks, and the service were all lackluster, unfortunately. While the menu seems like it would be good, everything we tried was just ok at best. For reference, we ordered the crab dip, king Louie crab salad, No. 1 platter with shrimp calabash and hake, Brussels sprouts, and the soft serve ice cream. The salad was almost too salty to eat and the Brussels sprouts were a strange Asian fusion flavor that didn't work at all with the rest of the menu -- they tasted like a California roll. Weird. Even the cocktails were meh. We almost always order a second drink but nothing even appealed here after the disappointing first round. The server was very nice but forgot about the onion sensitivity we flagged at the beginning, so we had to send something back. Oh, and if you've been to Kindred, you'll recall the bathrooms are lovely. Well, unfortunately it's the exact opposite here. Speaking only for the ladies room, the bathroom is AWFUL. I joked with a fellow female patron (who was also in disbelief in the restroom) that it could only have been designed by a man. Except for the wheelchair accessible one, the stalls are impossibly small - so small that at 5'9 I am too tall to use the toilet. This poor and thoughtless design is inexcusable for a place that is supposed to be high caliber and certainly is not inexpensive. We wanted to love this place, so we hope Hello, Sailor figures out what it wants to be when it grows up - and figures out how to do it really well. read more

Really great views, cute atmosphere, but the food is not good. An upscale-feel meets "fish camp" food at upscale prices. For example, the crab dip is hardly dip, and is served with plastic-wrapped crackers that I could have gotten from the gas station. The servers were super sweet when I sent the meal back. Drinks are amazing. Just don't come for a hardy meal :) read more

Such a beautiful restaurant! They have a cool Photo Booth too to take fun pics with your friends! The food is also amazing I had the Burger with their special sauce it was amazing and everyone at the table loved what they had. They have a beautiful outside patio that overlooks the marina on lake Norman. So good will be back when I'm in Charlotte again! read more

Fun, lively and friendly place. Food is ok but the friendly staff make up for any shortcomings including long waits on weekends. read more

I sooooo wanted to love Hello, Sailor, but the shock of the menu prices killed that dream. Service was average and the restaurant was not crowded.... once I saw the limited and wildly expensive menu I knew why! The restaurant is "cute" but it certainly doesn't warrant a $29.99 sandwich.?? My mother and I split a chicken club - which was slider size and served with cold fries for $12.99. A Tito's Bloody Mary was $11.00. Two drinks each and 1 tiny sandwich with tip was $72.00. I will never go here ever again and wouldn't recommend this place to anyone. Check out the menu prices yourself in the attached photos. There are so many great places to eat that this one definitely shouldn't be on your to do list. read more

Hello, Sailor - Seafood Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

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Service - 2/5. We arrived at 4:45 on a Sunday. There were 5 hostesses working and we were told there was a 45 minute wait for our party of 2. We found this odd as there were many, many open tables. When we asked why 1/2 the tables were open but we couldn't be seated, we were told they didn't have sufficient waitstaff. So why have 5 hostesses standing around or sitting on a bench but not have sufficient waitstaff? Once seated our waitress was slow. I asked for a straw 3 times before getting one, we had to ask for condiments and water multiple times as well. Ambiance-3/5. My husband enjoyed the ambiance more that I did. Inside gives you Palm Springs vibes. Outside area overlooks the lake, but is dingy and uninviting in my opinion. Bare bones tables and chairs. And the lake view is predominantly of boat slips. Food - 3/5. We had fried shrimp and a burger. Both were mediocre. Food is served on lunch room style trays but does not have a price to match. The portions were sizable but the food was nothing special. The fries that came with my burger were so over cooked that they were rock hard and inedible. I tried to flag down our waitress to request they take back the fries and try again, but she was nowhere to be found until she brought the check. Value for money - 3/5. For 2 people with waters, a shrimp basket, and a burger our bill was right at $50.00. View is ok, food is meh, service is bad. This is not a place I recommend. The prices are high for what you get. For $25.00 a person I expect to drink out of a non-lunch room style glass, eat off an actual plate, and receive decent service. read more

This place is fantastic and a much needed addition to the Lake Norman food scene. The location itself is worth the trip. The service was great as was the food. I ordered the lobster roll and it may have been the best I have ever had. read more

It's all in the location! Went here on a Saturday with my boyfriend and had a great overall experience. I would highly recommend making a reservation ahead of time; just an hour after opening a lot of tables were taken. Play it safe! With a reservation you cannot request special seating and may have to wait longer, but if you want to sit outside, just tough it out. The view was amazing. I could have been on the deck for hours, and that alone was reason enough to come back! Now, for the food, I found that must Yelp reviews were either impressed or so so about what they ate. My partner and I sadly leaned more towards so so. For the price of the food I would have hoped for something to impress me more. I had the hot chicken sandwich with a side of fries. My boyfriend had a hamburger. The food and drink menu was on the short and expensive side, and I do hope that Hello, Sailor can bolster up their flavor as it is a cute restaurant with great views and service. read more