The lazy turtle is where every pirate with grit and grin in oak island lays their hat. see its the point and place just in middle of the precipice of the pier that you can take a nice joyful walk after catching that perfect fish that fits your hands just right to then finding a cheeseburger with the perfect amount of bbq sauce inside in an onion ring just right that tastes like the winds of the oak island sea feels upon my back perfect in every way. The sand is available to your feet in seconds of reaching the planks and walking in from the front or back. There is hardly a difference because the bar is right there for you. They sport 2 bars of absolute couth one inside that adorns many delicious tap samples abound to your liking's to know what will make you feel just right. For my palette was garnished with the buffalo trace as I felt the fight beautifully burning. I turned to notice many changes in a place I had only ever sat outside to. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I turn to my right and see a bunch of awesome video games for the conciseness of fun, and a way to distract the kids in you or in your family to allow the sipping of your bourbon you so rightfully deserve from hard work or battles of the night if you're a warrior like me[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. see we all deserve a temple of sand and fun and [[HIGHLIGHT]]the outside bar shading me from the heat made me realize this was the place I could really bow my head in accomplishment.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] My parents really loved their food as well. They savored the shrimp tacos and the steak sub equally pleasing to their palates. What really gets you though is the sinking of your feet into the sand as you bite into the burger, all my insignificant woes and sorrows drifted away as i tasted the burger i had ordered of perfect heat from the medium rare they cooked to perfection. compliments to all the chefs that work there. You really are the unsung warriors of this world, especially as the heat basks onto that building and your grills work so efficiently to create perfection every time. much love to your family, friends and home. bartenders of absolute patience to the buggering of pleasant customers that have retired from their woes and want to drown them out. You are brave, you are respected and I salute you. This business knows what you want and a yo ho ho does it give it to you. visit the lazy turtle because it beckons you and your heart deserves it and as well as your palate of good taste knows it. with love ~ The Beast aka Brian Francis Cote read more

A beach dive, came for a quick dinner but was met with really dirty tables, hundreds of flys that were biting our legs, and cold food. Typically don't have high standards for beach places but this one was dirty and there's better places near by. Edited to include that it is also oddly expensive, it was $50 for two sandwiches that were cold, freezer burnt French fries they up-charge for(?) and one beer. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]great peel and eat shrimp in the beach atmosphere.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] we were at Oak Island for a week and went there 3 times. [[HIGHLIGHT]]great place for kids too.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] our server was Sage and she took great care of us. definitely recommend and hope to visit again soon. read more

Idk service was "ok" bartender was super sweet though. Food was "ok" but other places that are better tasting on the beach. read more

My favorite restaurant on the island. Good food, service and atmosphere. We always hit the Lazy Turtle and all of us are pleased with the food. read more

See all

The service was Amazing, the manager Gio was assisting with service, our food was wonderful! The manager is over the top with customer service. He even washed the our feet read more

See all

Such an amazing beach-front bar and restaurant! Under new management: it was great before, now phenomenal. Fried oysters, fish tacos, great service! read more

Laidback beach vibe with friendly waitstaff. Basic bar grub but generous portions and fairly priced. Very dog-friendly.

I have previously enjoyed this cute local hangout on visits to Oak Island. I should have taken known upon arrival when the hostess was on her phone and I was standing 18" from her and she never looked up to acknowledge me for a full 5 minutes! I was just about to ask her if she even worked there when I finally got to put my name on the list and was told it was a 1 hour wait. After waiting for a full 90 minutes with checking in frequently we were told that the kitchen was abruptly closed and they were no longer able to serve us. So very disappointing to wait with young children to be turned away at this point. Never again will I waste my time here to eat or drink! Just take the kiddos to the beach and enjoy the sunset. This was a joke, and definitely a waste of time. I love to support local businesses but not at the cost of my frustration and aggravation! Completely mismanaged. Does not even deserve the 2.9 rating on Yelp, should have known better........hope all of the locals can sustain your business. read more

It's off season and we went late in the afternoon so it wasn't busy at all. We sat at the bar. The place is right on the beach. It's dark on the inside - which I'm sure works well for the evening entertainment. The overhead music was okay and the woman at the door seemed pleasant enough. Our waitress was completely oblivious to us. We ordered one beer and after we finished those, we wanted to order another. She sat at the end of the bar, scrolling through her phone. My friend addressed her a couple of times - trying to get her attention. No response. I suggested we just go somewhere else. Waited a few more minutes for her to look up at us. Never happened. Eventually I asked for our check. read more

Waited an hour on a Saturday evening, as expected. We were seated outside as requested and ordered drinks and two appetizers. Apps took about an hour to make it to the table and drinks were not refilled until requested. When requested, only one drink refill was brought to the table, we had 4 guests all drinking the same thing. The environment was beautiful, and the apps were good, but we did not receive our food after two and a half hours. I requested a status update from the server, who was never able to give us a solid answer. I asked the very kind bartenders for a status update, and they were not able to get back to us in a timely manner due to being so busy at the time. Safe to say, I do not have plans to return. The service needs extreme improvements. I have worked in the service industry myself, and it would have been nice for us to at least been kept informed. We left without dinner or a solid status update. read more

Waited an hour and half to get our food. My hot sandwich was cold and missing the cheese. The waitress offered to take it back but I refused. I didn't want to have to wait another hour for another sandwich. Service was less than acceptable. Should have left when we first got here after waiting 20 minutes before the waitress even came over to get our order. read more

It was two days before Christmas so it was a pretty slow day at Lazy Turtle but it was warm and we were able to get a table close to the water. Our server was very friendly and was a pleasure to talk to. Again, it was slow so she was able to stay and chat a while. Our order was simple and quick as were only there for a quick lunch. We ordered the fish tacos and flounder basket. I was hesitant at first because I would rather have a different fish for my fish tacos but I thought I'd give it a try (I like founder but would simply prefer another fish). The food cam out quickly and was great. the tacos were overflowing and the aioli used was awesome. The flounder basket was really good too. Overall, our lunch was better than I expected and I would definitely go back. I can imagine this place is packed in the summer especially at the outside tiki bar. read more

Great food for a quick meal. Service was very fast. Video games and music made for a cool setting.

I have been coming to the lazy turtle for the outside beach lunch 4-5 times a month for 2 years. I always order the philly cheesesteak sandwich. I went there on Thursday after being out of the country for a while to reestablish myself. What did I find? The great philly sandwich which use to be chopped beef was now some sort of thin sandwich meat. Three micro slices of processed meat that I found dreadful. Not only did they move to some sort if processed food but they raised the prices of whatever they try to call that sandwich. I hate to say it but you lost my business. My wife says you changed from preparing the hamburgers to using boxed hamburgers. What happened to your restaurant? You went completely downhill. Unbelievable!!! read more

Would have rated 3.5 if possible... Hostess was friendly and nice. Loved that they are dog friendly and actually have a dog menu! We ordered the chicken for our dogs and they loved it. Also liked that we could sit outside with them. First waitress was a little snippy at first, I think because if dogs... she said she was afraid. A new waitress came and she was nice, but seemed flustered or busy. We had some peel and eat shrimp which was pretty good but not fresh which was surprising. Also not a fan of country music, which is all we heard... personally prefer KoKo Cabana but they are not dog friendly. read more

Stopped in for a quick drink on the beach Nice picnic tables right on the beach Got to meet Dayle, our server. She was fantastic, lots of fun! They are remodeling , putting in a new door that will open to the beach, and a really cool looking new bar Gonna stop back to check it out better leave! read more

I've only eaten here twice. All I have to say is if the fryer is working you should eat here. As soon as they announce the fryer aint working LEAVE. My "grilled" shrimp tacos tasted like soggy napkins. The previous time when the fryer was working it was delicious. read more

Decided to get lunch while we waited to check into our house rental. Party of 8 from Long Island and Morgan, our server was fantastic! Espresso Martinis were great! Gio the owner was very friendly, he came over and thanked us for stopping in. Food was delicious and [[HIGHLIGHT]]the outside little Tiki bar adorable[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Ordered Seafood Platter for take out. Flounder, shrimp, clams lightly breaded, fried were excellent. Never order fried food but if I ever do again, hope it is just like this. Fries perfect. Watched beautiful sunset outside at fun sand bar. Everyone kind. Next trip to Oak Island this will be on my list read more

Delicious food. Friendly service. Beautiful scenery. The Lazy Turtle met all of our vacation-lunch-on-the-beach needs and then some! Melissa was our server & was as friendly as could be, and so attentive. Would recommend! read more

Lazy Turtle Oceanfront Grille - Delicious Food!! - American Near Me - Oak Island, North Carolina

See all

Asked for beachfront seating and was led to a sandy backyard of sorts overlooking the beach. Our server was polite and likable, but a C A D E T from space. She was also pulling double duty as the lone tender of the considerable outdoor bar. She was slow as molasses when we arrived and the place was dead, and she didn't speed up any when the place started to fill up. Wife ordered garden salad with chicken & italian dressing, I chose fried shrimp. Easy-peasy. When our food arrived (still waiting for long-empty drink refills mind you) we were informed they were out of italian dressing & they instead brought containers with substitute dressings. Very nice, but wouldn't it be better to let the customer know at the onset that italian dressing was 86'ed, thereby giving the diner the flexibility of changing her order? TLDR- My shrimp was tasty, though not nearly as good as the place a few doors down. My wife's Surprise Substitution Salad sucked the fat one. read more

See all

sorry, I've read some less than glowing reviews, but my wife and I were here recently, great fish tacos, great drinks, outstanding staff, amd [[HIGHLIGHT]]a very nice outdoor area[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. maybe something's changed, but i had a very nice time there. read more

Where do I start? The terribly gross indoor seating options or the never ending attack of flys and flying red ants? I ordered a chicken salad (it's on the menu) and my fella got the fried shrimp. He enjoyed his meal while I.... Well... ate some of mine. First they told me when they brought out the food that they didn't have my choice of dressing (forget changing my order just had to go with one of the two dressings they brought me). Though it wasn't my choice of dressing it was the best part of my meal. The lettuce reminded me of the lettuce they used to put on the side of the plate as garnish. The cucumbers were a bit suspect and most definitely past their prime. The chicken... not good. Ordered an OKI Sunset and let's just say the second one was even more watered down than the first. I'm thinking they allowed the cup to just look at the alcohol that was supposed to be in it. Also, our server who doubled as bartender forgot about us more than once. The best part of the meal were the fried pickles for an appetizer and that's what gave this place a 2 star review rather than one. (This review doesn't get to be rewarded with pictures. It made me sad.) read more

Best fried seafood for the price that we found on the island. The service was excellent and the manager was so nice and interactive with the customers. I love the new look and the fact it was on the ocean front. I would definitely recommend for a causal lunch or dinner. read more

Right on the beach! Only got apps and drinks but they were great! Had a small issue but owner was quick to make it right! Will definitely be back! read more

After exploring some beach towns nearby, I was craving some sustenance and a nice glass of wine on the beach. Mom and I drove right up beside this local gem. Biggest, most delicious salad I've had in years - garlic, feta cheese, bacon strips, black olives, pine nuts over a full bed of spinach tossed in olive oil. I added some beef to make it even heartier. Perfect sized glass of a 2022 Pinot Grigio from California. All enjoyed on a 72 degree Sandy beach in late November. I'll take this ANY day! read more

See all

The food is good, really neat it's on the beach the flies are a little overwhelming when sitting outside but otherwise it's good

Waited to put a name in for several minutes due to disorganization and them being unable to find a note pad? Sat outside in the rain for 45 minutes after we were told it would be less than a 20 minute wait. Seated a 6 table that was there 10 minutes after us, before we had gotten seated. Left after that. Extremely disappointed with the service. read more

This is a great spot if you like casual, low key, and unbelievable views! Is it gourmet food? No, but they have good bar food and are reasonably priced. The cheeseburger was great! It had a nice char to it. The club was also good. The fries are flaky & crispy. They allow dogs in the patio area too & had music going. The waiter was nice too! I'd definitely go back read more

Lazy Turtle Oceanfront Grille - a sandwich and fries - American Near Me - Oak Island, North Carolina

We really liked this place. I don't get why they get such a bad rap. The food was pretty good and the prices were comparable to other oceanfront eateries. It was a little slow, but other than that we liked it! I wouldn't want to eat outside on a super hot day though. read more

Lazy turtle... yeah that makes sense. Showed up at 8:20 when they close at 10:00 with a party of 2 and got denied service. The host said their kitchen staff could not accommodate any more guest for the rest of the night. That's ridiculous for the time left to be open. This place needs to fix this or close down earlier. Have never been denied at a restaurant until now. Would not recommend read more

We waited an hour to even get our drinks. Food probably wouldn't have been bad if it wasn't sitting out for so long. If you want to come and eat here make sure you get Dale as a server. She came and asked if we had even been served yet and even got us fresh drinks because all of ours were watered down. read more

Absolutely the worst experience ever! Horrible food super greasy don't waste your time. staff horrible!!!

They've improved since the last time I was here They're the only dog friendly restaurant beachfront & I don't recall last time that they even have a doggie menu, with real food. Better rum selection than last time & the food was good. We had Shrimp Firecrackers (wish there was 6 instead of 5, easier to share), fried cheese curds, & calamari. Generous portions. Our waiter was excellent! Very patient & attentive Hopefully I'm not jinxing my next visit with this review read more

Lazy Turtle Oceanfront Grille - Fried cheese curds & calamari - American Near Me - Oak Island, North Carolina

See all

We had lunch on the beach at a picnic table under an umbrella with a great view looking out at the Atlantic Ocean. Our server Morgan was excellent and very attentive. We had a fish sandwich and Philly Cheese Steak sandwich along with drinks, the food was tasty and reasonably priced. The is somewhat of a dive, it's a great location and it's one I would quickly go back to. Overall, the food was good (it's not great or remarkable), service was excellent, prices are reasonable, and the setting was outstanding, it's a good dive bar/restaurant, but if you're expecting great food and table clothes, you will be disappointed. As other's have stated, it's a beach bar/restaurant that's a fun place to go to for the the view of the beach at a good price. read more

See all

Hostess was so friendly, and very attentive to the clean atmosphere. Outdoor seating on a bench, in the sun, on the sand was awesome! Food was really, really good. Almost went down the street when we saw the average rating. So glad we went in, was a great experience and goes to show that reviews aren't always reliable. read more

Lazy Turtle Oceanfront Grille - Fried shrimp basket - American Near Me - Oak Island, North Carolina

I'm so glad I ignored the negative reviews online and discovered this gem of a restaurant this year. The Lazy Turtle may be a little rough around the edges on the inside, but I wouldn't know, as I've now enjoyed three delicious meals outside with excellent service. You can't beat staying in the Yaupon area, walking to the restaurant, and dining on the beach. Interestingly enough, I still haven't tried any seafood here, but the sandwiches and chips are fantastic. The portion sizes are generous, and the staff members have been nothing but courteous and attentive every time. I'll be back! read more

Lazy Turtle Oceanfront Grille - Club sandwich with homemade chips and ranch! - American Near Me - Oak Island, North Carolina

The food is dependable , But I have to say the bar maid .., has a bad attitude I personally watch her offend 4 lady's. .. All they were trying to do was place an order.. she was rude, Ignored them to take someone else's order,,. Flirted with two men told them there first drink was on her.. then talked to other customer about the ladies who left because of how they were treated.. it seemed she was either high or drunk.. ask me three times what my order was with in a two minute time span. She is a heavy set tatted up girl who thinks she is all that. I love your food ,, but this server ,, is not who I want ,,, read more

This is the best spot on OKI. Great bar food and excellent service. How I and Jennifer are exceptional servers and just fantastic people. Never a bad time at The Turtle. Then there's the back patio. Epic sunsets nearly every night right over the Oak Island Pier. Getting served on the beach while watching day turn to night is a major vibe. read more