Dined there last night and enjoyed everything about it. We had a reservation and were seated immediately at a table by the window. [[HIGHLIGHT]]That alone is a bonus since the view of the dunes is lovely AND it's actually less noisy than a table in the middle of the floor.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We were 4 and the other couple had not been there in quite a while. 3 of us ordered from the early menu and all the food was very good. I had the petite filet and shrimp. The filet & shrimp were done perfectly. My friend had the nut coated chicken and loved it. Her husband had the crab cake and enjoyed it with crispy onion rings. My husband had the tenderloin medallions from the regular menu and enjoyed them as always. Service was great with Cody and it's not easy in a restaurant so busy and popular. We've been going there for 20+yrs and are thrilled you can finally make reservations on line rather than having to call. read more

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. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We ended up dining outside on the deck, which was a nice setting.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] 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. [[HIGHLIGHT]]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.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] 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

Restaurant was beautiful, good view. However I ordered steak medallions, and my girlfriend ordered the flounder. Food took over 45 minutes to come out. When it did, Her flounder was black underneath; described as lightly fried. She didn't eat much of it at all. My medallions looked good, and were well cooked. Just not a good cut of steak. Took me a very long time to chew through regardless of me ordering medium rare. Hoping whoever goes next should expect a better experience. Cheers read more

Very nice ambience here, water views are beautiful and the food is very good. Have returned multiple times!

Well. We had a group of 6 here for lunch. It took a solid 50 mins from placing order to getting our food and I assure you it wasn't busy enough for it to take that long for 4 of the 6 were fried fish and chips and one salad. The other meals were a chic parm sandwich and an extremely over cooked dried out Philly. The fish and chips is pretty much all bread and a sliver of fish. I took a picture of everything. Let's just say we will not be running back to this place anytime soon. read more

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Island Way has gone a long way from being the premier place it was in the past. It's got to be the staff. Not alert tried to serve my salad to the wrong table then nodded took it back. I had requested no croutons and a server said she had told the cook then of course I'd also requested wasabi and soy which I had to ask again "I told her so" not certain what's happening. There took a long time. Saw a couple that I recognized from the restaurant later on it grocery store ask them about their experience, they two indicated it was not the place that they expected and even told their parents that they weren't going back and for them not to go. Not certain why things have gone downhill Steve certainly not the place it used to be. read more

Me and my cousin got their crab legs and we felt like we were in Heaven while we were eating them. The service was amazing and would go back again if given the chance. Some random lady looked at as weird so if she is there watch out. read more

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

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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Parking is impossible. Reservations are not respected. If you are not a millionaire that has been coming here for years, then don't come. They will overcharge for everything. Hostess occupies the one of two ladies rooms for most of her shift. If you have children, definitely don't come. No place to take care of children. Food is overpriced and not that good. Better places on the island. read more

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

Delaney made our 18th Anniversary amazing!! Food was delicious. Service was amazing! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Place looked amazing.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Island Way - Delaney!!! You have to go see her. - Seafood Near Me - Oak Island, North Carolina

I had my wedding reception here. It is a beautiful place, excellent food and great people!!

We made a reservation for lunch for a large party well in advance and we' were the only ones in the restaurant but it took 50 minutes from When we sat down for any food to arrive. Totally unacceptable especially for lunch. The food was average at best especially for the price. read more

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

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

We love to celebrate our anniversary here when we're in town. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The food and atmosphere are both excellent![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

Dined here a few times. Food has always been excellent. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Beach side restaurant with great view and deck.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] 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

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

My husband and I love Island Way!! We love the food and the staff is the BEST!! As soon as we get onto the island we go straight to Island Way. read more

First off, wasn't asked if we even wanted to be seated outside, when there was plenty of room still inside and even said after the fact that we didn't care to be outside, wasn't offered to go in. After the food arrived the table next to us had cleared out and the person cleaning the table sprayed the table with cleaner while a fan was blowing across it peppering my wife and her food. And then asked about the MSDS on what was being used and the acting manager which said she was serve safe certified didn't know what an MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet, for those that don't know and it's suppose to be on readily on hand) was and couldn't provide one on the cleaner being used. Worst evening ever at this place. What was a place we enjoyed and look forward to going to every time we come to Oak Island, is now a place we won't be visiting for a long while if we ever even go back. read more

Sadly our experience was not good, the stuffed flounder was dried out, and the vegetables water logged for all 3 orders of flounder.

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

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Beautiful view and amazing service.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] 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 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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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

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Of course the atmosphere is great, beach front.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] 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. [[HIGHLIGHT]]If you want an OK meal with great ambience then I would recommend.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The staff was excellent. read more

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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

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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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

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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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 [[HIGHLIGHT]]you can't be looking out at the ocean.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's one of the best places on our island I think for a romantic dinner.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] 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. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant is clean and the tables are arranged in a way for a great dining experience.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] 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

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

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

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