We had an amazing dinner here with friends, we ordered the scallop specials, steak special and seafood platter and a couple appetizers. The Asian bbq shrimp and shrimp and grits were delicious appetizers and my friends loved the oysters. Our entrees were beyond delicious and we had tasty leftovers to take home. Our server Iliana was so knowledgeable and top of things. I will absolutely be back to eat here. read more

Island Way - Seafood Near Me - Oak Island, North Carolina

Stopped by on a whim for lunch and quickly realized I was a bit underdressed. I was wearing shorts and a tank top, so I asked the hostess if that would be acceptable. She was very kind and reassured me that the lunch crowd tends to be more casual. We were seated and served by Cody. It appeared the restaurant was a little short-staffed, as it took some time for our drinks, food, and even the check to arrive. Despite that, Cody seemed to be doing his best and remained friendly throughout our visit. As for the food, I ordered the fish and chips. It was decent, but nothing particularly memorable or something I'd go out of my way to order again. My 3-star rating is based solely on the food. The staff was pleasant and hardworking, especially considering they seemed short-handed during the lunch rush. read more

Island Way - Fish and chips - Seafood Near Me - Oak Island, North Carolina

We visited Island Way as walk-ins and arrived around 6:15 PM. We were told the wait would be about 45 minutes and expected to be seated around 7:00 PM, which was completely reasonable. Unfortunately, we weren't seated until about 7:30 PM, and communication from the host stand wasn't very helpful. The front desk staff came across as rude and not particularly accommodating. We ended up dining outside on the deck, which was a nice setting. Our servers were clearly working hard and doing the best they could to keep up with a busy evening, so I want to give them credit for their efforts. However, the bar was extremely slow, which added significantly to the overall dining time. We didn't leave until around 9:00 PM. For food, we ordered the Scallop Neptune special, crab dip, and chicken parmesan. Everything was good, but nothing really stood out as exceptional. The sweet tea, however, was fantastic--easily the highlight of the meal. We also ordered Coronas, though the wait from the bar was noticeably long. If you're dining as adults and don't mind a leisurely evening, you may enjoy the waterfront atmosphere. However, I would not recommend bringing a baby or young children. Between the extended wait, slow service, and overall pace of the meal, it wasn't a particularly family-friendly experience. Overall, the setting was nice and the waitstaff worked hard, but the rude host interaction, delayed seating, and slow bar service made for a less-than-great experience. read more

Island Way - Seafood Near Me - Oak Island, North Carolina

Our Father's Day dinner at Island Way on June 21 was a major disappointment. The appetizer we ordered never arrived. My wife's steak, ordered rare, came out cold and tough, and my medium rare steak was noticeably overcooked. The roasted red potatoes I ordered weren't served. Mashed potatoes were brought instead - but only after I brought it to their attention. Our server was so busy that we barely saw him, and we had to track him down for a box and the check. Although the restaurant applied a 10% discount to the entrées, it felt more like a token gesture than a genuine attempt to deliver a positive meal experience. read more

Good- Service from Josh was top notch. French 77 cocktail Lobster soup- rich and velvety Scallop special Tenderloin canapés - a consistent winner Crab dip Ribeye special Okay Fried flounder and combo of fried shrimp and scallops was just ok Bad Oysters Substantial wait for entrees. Ugly Stufffed flounder - a teaspoon of crab meat with the flavorless fish. Incredibly disappointing. read more

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Food is consistently bad. Service and restaurant are lovely but the food is so expensive and just not good. read more

Island Way - View from the bar at Island Way. - Seafood Near Me - Oak Island, North Carolina

Inconsistent. Thats island way in 1 word. I got the seafood platter. Fried shrimp was mouthwatering. Best shrimp I've had. The scallops was seasoned very well. Flounder was okay (seasoned good, but overcooked). However, the cooked oysters. First of all, I didn't think they would cook it. They overcooked it so much I couldn't eat it. Literally stuck to the shell. Waitress was fantastic tho! All in all, inconsistent and overpriced. Appetizers good read more

Dined here a few times. Food has always been excellent. Beach side restaurant with great view and deck. She crab soup is a must. Had the beef medallions on my last visit. Two good size medallions and cooked perfectly. Espresso martini was nice. Service was great - Kirby bartender read more

We had reservations for 7:45 and arrived early. We were seated at 8:30. We ordered water and asked about what beers were on tap (none). I said we'll start with water and decide later (thinking wine or a cocktail). The waiter took our drink menus. He was pretty clear that he wanted the complete drink order now. We ordered New England Clam Chowder, which was warm milk with chunks of clams...nothing more. A poor excuse for clam chowder. We asked another waitress walking by about bread. She was great and got us bread and bread plates. I started to order a beer, but at this point just wanted it to be over. My blackened flounder was good. My wife's chicken was grilled and so tough she only choked down about 1/5th of the dish. We took it home to our dog. She loved it. The desserts brought to other tables looked good, but again at this point we just wanted to leave. So we paid and left. We know now. Island Way-No Way.... read more

Beautiful view and amazing service. Been here a few times and I can say the food is a little disappointing for the price, but it's still pretty good! I would say do not order the petit filet... it's literally the size of a scallop, but that one is on me for not looking at ounces. Definitely check out if you are travelling, the location is enough for me to return! read more

Great food, Allie was a very nice server. She had small talk with us and made a good mood in the restaurant. 10/10 would recommend.

Everything from first walking in the door to walking back out was just amazing, our server Kirby was absolutely on point and took care of our every need. Started with a reasonably priced pour of Buffalo trace and then transitioned into an amazing bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon by Smith Hook winery. The oysters Rockefeller were probably some of the best we've ever had, I ordered the Filet Neptune, med rare and my wife had the house special Scallops Neptune. Both were absolutely amazing and cooked to perfection. The seating area was spaced far enough apart that you had your own private area even though it was absolutely packed with diners, the noise level was surprisingly low, and the lighting was bright enough to see, but not so bright you didn't enjoy yourself. read more

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We had Ileana (sp?) for a waitress, and she was excellent. The lobster bisque was the best I've ever had, and funny enough, we loved the butter that came with the bread read more

Island Way - Lobster bisque! - Seafood Near Me - Oak Island, North Carolina

We had a fantastic dinner at Island Way! It doesn't look like too much from the outside, but the inside is cute and modern. We had reservations for an early dinner on a Sunday night and were seated immediately at a table overlooking the beach. We took advantage of the early dinner menu which had a more limited menu with discounted prices. The seafood was so fresh and served piping hot, and we were impressed with the portion sizes, even for the discounted menu. Definitely suggest making reservations, as all of the tables were filled when we were there. That speaks for itself, that this is a great dining experience! We will definitely be back next time we visit Oak Island! read more

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Of course the atmosphere is great, beach front. But the food could be better. We started the two appetizers. Shrimp and Grits, and Asian shrimp. Both were excellent. The entrees lacked that push toward a good meal. The special, Scallops with asparagus and shrimp/crab meat, was good but not great. Also has the Lobster tail. For $35.00 it should have come with some sort of side. And the tail was mushy, should have sent it back. If you want an OK meal with great ambience then I would recommend. The staff was excellent. read more

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Why dine at Island Way? We had an 89th Birthday to celebrate which has been rare in my life's experience. Island Way restaurant helped to make it an event and good memory for all of us sharing in "Pop Pop's" Birthday. We all laughed, talked about our favorite times with our guest of honor, and when we asked, he even shared his greatest accomplishment's, his seventy-three relationship with his wife (67 years married), and his two daughters who both, he felt, worked out very well. He was happy, content, and a bit ficlemented (you take your shot at the spelling, Yiddish is not my strong suit). They seated our party in front of their large, building length glass window with its view of a large sand dune featuring Sea Grass, and a crack of an ocean view at the very top of your eye line which was lovely. Ask for Matt, who did a terrific job of getting everything we ordered right the first time while being personable, professional, and very courteous. Their food was very good, starting with their appetisers of which the Oysters Rockefeller was featured, although the Asiago cheese (chef's twist) could have been less prominent to allow for fully tasting the other ingredients in this classic. They offer an Early Bird menu which has a nice surprise with a great variety from Crab stuffed Flounder to Filet Mignon & Shrimp to Chicken in a cream sherry wine which all titillated our taste buds and were simply delicious. Their wine selection was good but could use an upgrade in their glass wine quality selections on the higher end, although their present selection was very moderately priced. Desert selection thrilled everyone because the quality and variety they offered. Here Island Way made this 89 year-olds Birthday a little more special adding a candle to his slice of New York cheese cake (we asked for 89 candles but they mentioned some nonsense about violating a fire code) which he really enjoyed as we all sang Happy Birthday to him. Our mellifluous tones caught the ears and eyes of a height-chaired (2-3 year-old) girl who stared in amazement. I guess we all have to give back the money for the singing lessons. So with a tear in our eye and a song in our hearts we all recommend you visit the Island Way restaurant for your next evening out. Enjoy read more

Island Way offers an upscale but approachable dining experience on Oak Island. We had a reservation for the outdoor patio at 8:00 which was the perfect time to catch the sunset. Also the temperature outside was perfect by that time. The interior tables offer a panoramic view of the sand dunes, it is really a beautiful spot. As for the food-the crab dip was forgettable and the portion was small. There were 5 of us and we each got one tiny scoop of the dip. The scallops were tender and tasty but apparently the kitchen doesn't like when you order them blackened? The crab cakes were very bready and had a ton of filler. The grilled "sushi grade" tuna cooked rare was actually very dry and not at all similar to other tuna I have ordered on the island. The best thing I ate was the side caesar salad. I looked around and saw some tasty looking pasta dishes that I may try next time. Or maybe I'll try a steak or something else. I really enjoyed the ambiance/atmosphere. Our waiter was amazing. But unfortunately, the food fell a little flat for the price tag. 4 stars and I would return to try something else off the menu! read more

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Average food served at way above average prices. All 4 diners at our table agreed on that! Server was personable and polite. There are much better restaurants around here to spend my money at. Will not return. read more

The most unfortunate thing is that we only come once a year for our anniversary but every single time the food is amazing. The service is fabulous and you can't be looking out at the ocean. It's one of the best places on our island I think for a romantic dinner. read more

Was there in middle of week during Septemberr and it was busy. Was seated outside on patio which was a great choice with the weather temperature and view of beach/pier. We sat at the window facing beach that had a very short bar top with high bar chairs which made it difficult for wife to get situated. Was greeted promptly to take our drink order. We did not have an appetizer and placed our order pretty quickly. My wife ordered a single crab cake which came with a side and she enjoyed it. I ordered Grouper Neptune that came with asparagus. I enjoyed my meal. Service was ok, could have been more attentive. Value for buck was ok. read more

Island Way - View of sand and - Seafood Near Me - Oak Island, North Carolina

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My daughter and I dined here, and the food, service, and atmosphere were excellent. We would definitely go again and are looking forward to doing so on our next visit to Oak Island! read more

We came here for a birthday dinner with a couple of friends. The location and the ambiance was very pretty! We sat outside on their patio which had a view of the ocean and was partially covered. Our waitress Tori was so nice, attentive, and knowledgeable of the menu. We got there in time to get the early dinner menu which has some special menu items and cheaper prices. We got the crab dip as an appetizer and it was delicious! That was our favorite thing at this restaurant. The complimentary bread and butter was also so good! I got the crab cake with island way potatoes. The crab cake was just okay, it tasted more like bread than crab but the potatoes were delicious! My husband got the stuffed flounder and it was also just okay. We would definitely go back to try different menu items but these entrees were a little underwhelming. read more

Island Way - Crab cake with island way potatoes - Seafood Near Me - Oak Island, North Carolina

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We have eaten here many times through the years on our vacations to Oak Island. It continues to be our favorite. They are excellent at honoring your reservation time and the service is top notch. The restaurant is clean and the tables are arranged in a way for a great dining experience. We ate there twice in a week. My Mahi and Cajun shrimp Pasta were both very good and the wine that paired with them. We enjoyed the crab dip as well. My kids got steak and both were cooked to order. Ravioli was their second choice and tasted like we were at an Italian restaurant. The only thing we did not enjoy was the stuffed flounder. It was VERY salty to the point it was almost not edible. However, we would visit here time and time again and can't wait to go back! read more

I want to start this review by saying that our server was absolutely fantastic. This is in no way a reflection of him. Unfortunately, the food was another story. The only dishes we found even remotely enjoyable were our appetizers, the beef canapés and fried pickles. Out of our party of five, every single entrée was disappointing. Typically, at least one or two meals stand out as decent, but that was not the case here. One member ordered the filet and lobster, and both were severely overcooked. The lobster was so tough that if you threw it at a wall, it could have bounced back. Two of us ordered the "flown in from Hawaii" ahi tuna, which was bland, lacked seasoning, and was not prepared properly. The Brussels sprouts were equally flavorless. The last two members ordered shrimp and grits, which arrived cold, and the shrimp were overcooked as well. Honestly, the price point was reasonable, but the execution and quality of the food were terrible. This experience was extremely disappointing, especially given that we have dined here in the past and the food, while never five-star, was at least solid. Sadly, what we had last night was far from that standard, or the standard of any restaurant. read more

Honoring reservation in a timely manner - realize some delays are to be expected. Our dinners were fair at best but our waitstaff was very good. read more

Wonderful meal tonight! Super service, Cassie is amazing! The best server by far! Fabulous asparagus wrapped in bacon. Will be back! read more

Island Way - Seafood Near Me - Oak Island, North Carolina

Stuffed flounder was great. Can't beat the views. Table of 5 . 18% Tip Was added. I'll go back read more

Been here several times, second time having Luke as our server. He's wonderful! Had a great time!! Highly recommend the oyster Rockefeller!

The ambiance is good, the service is decent but what I cannot understand is why they use 'margarine' whatever that is for their bread. Unless they went back to real butter but the last time I was there the food was just ok and priced a bit higher than it was worth. The drinks are good but bring lots of $$$. read more

My husband took me there on our fifth anniversary. We didn't have to wait very long and the staff were very friendly and polite. We had a great view of the beach from our table and the food was amazing. We will definitely be going back again!! read more

Was seated quickly for lunch. Service was friendly and fast. Enjoyed the coconut shrimp, the sauce was packed with flavor. Had the best burger which melted in my mouth! The view of the water was a plus. Looking forward to having dinner here. read more

Island Way - Coconut shrimp so goood - Seafood Near Me - Oak Island, North Carolina

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Great restaurant with a great view, too! I was traveling alone so sat at the bar, but recommend reservations of you want a table. I really just wanted something light since I had been in the sun all day. A house salad, Carolina She Crab soup and a half dozen oysters were an excellent choice. read more

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Would return when visiting Oak Island. Nice and plentiful Ceasar salad with ahi tuna. Very flavorful. Good ambience with good company eating on the water. Highly recommend. read more

Great food! Great atmosphere! Service was phenomenal - April is the best!! We've lived here almost 5 years and finally visited Island Way; we were NOT disappointed! Definitely going to be one of our weekly dining excursions! LOVE IT! read more

Didn't have a pleasant experience at Island Way. The restaurant parking lot was full, needed to park three blocks away.. When seated and served water, one of them had a hair in it, it was replaced. One of the martini's severed had no liquor in it and tasted like sugar water. The waitress apologized and said a new bartender was on training and would have the regular bartender remake it. It was just OK. When out salads were delivered, one of them again, had hair in it. I spoke to the manager about the hairs and drink. He told me he made the first drink and may have shook it to hard casing the drink to taste that way. Seriously? So was it him or a trainer who made the first one? He didn't address the hair issue. After the hair issues, parking and the horrible drink, I was so frustrated that I cancelled our dinner, and the waitress said she would take care of everything. She never asked why, and seemed to not care. We left very disappointed. I left and was called by the manager who threaten to call the police since I walked out without paying my bill. I explained that the waitress said she was going to take care of everything based on our dissatisfaction, but, he was very arrogant and just wanted to get the bill paid, not caring about what happened. He was extremely unfriendly and just wanted the bill paid, which I paid for. The bartender/manager needs to work on people skills, he was not very good at listening or caring. He seems to have it all right, and I was all wrong. Island Way needs to be more careful about it's unhealthy serving of food and water. Just an FYI, contacted the owners, no response, I guess they couldn't care less. read more

The. Best. Cheeseburgers. Ever. Period. Cheesesteaks are yummy. Fries are good. Hotdogs are also very good. If you like cheeseburgers or the like, and you find yourself down in the Carolina Beach area, you simply must go. Don't let the outside fool you. Looks like a rundown gas station on the exterior, and not much better inside, but their sanitation grade is good and their food is so scrumptious! They are always busy. Don't miss out! read more

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Food & service was excellent. It is a little pricey but the ambiance is worth the extra. Hostess got us seated but not the most welcoming. We will return later on in the season. read more

The service was wonderful. however, I don't know what was going on with the chef. Ordered the Great Neptune ($45). The grouper was raw, the shrimp tasted as if it came from a frozen bag from Walmart and the crab meat tasted very fishy. Dinner was not hot, but the plate was. Even the asparagus was fishy tasting. Very disappointing. Ate three bites and knew it was raw. you couldn't see it because of the dim lighting. My sister ordered the oysters. They were not served on a bed of ice and the oysters were warm. You could smell how fishy they were. She didn't even attempt to try one. read more

Island way is a nice little joint on the coast of oak island. It sits on the beach next to the pier and looks out onto the water. The view is a little obstructed by the dunes and the dunes are directly outside of the windows. Our waitress was absolutely wonderful, but the food was a bit expensive for what it was. The bartender definitely over-served my boyfriend and made a meh old fashioned, but both of my cocktails were fine. For dinner, I got the blackened shrimp fettuccini Alfredo, a side salad and my boyfriend got the filet with potatoes. They serve you bread, but you only get that with purchase of an entree. There's also a small message at the bottom stating that if you want to split a meal, then it is an additional $6.75 and that gets you an additional side and salad. I would have rated it higher if my overall visit would have been more pleasant. We had made a reservation, but still had to wait about 20 minutes and then everything else after that ran on turtle time. read more

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Our waiter Deilon was an amazing server. The atmosphere was wonderful. I had the fried flounder and the roasted red potatoes, the flounder was ok, the potatoes were delicious. read more

Island Way - Flounder and roasted potatoes - Seafood Near Me - Oak Island, North Carolina