Skip dinner here. Brunch/breakfast is respectable. The kitchen can't really execute on what the menu promises at dinner, but does a decent job on items where the bar is set lower, earlier in the day. The space and decor are very coastal - nice so definitely have a meal here, but save the dinner dining - out $ for somewhere else. read more

The food and service were good. Portion sizes were healthy. I had the fried chicken salad and it was really tasty. Was here for brunch and will probably come for dinner during our stay. read more

Huge disappointment. Came here 3 years ago and had a wonderful experience. Had a reservation for 11 tonight. Waited about 15 minutes or so for table. Drinks came about 30 minutes late. Only enough bread for 4 of us then waited another 30 minutes for more bread. Over 2 hours later our food arrived. Lamb was undercooked. Other food fair at best. Will never come back. read more

My husband and I spent the weekend at the Sanderling and had dinner Friday evening The Lifesaving Station. We decided to sit at the bar and experienced the best service from the bartender, Jeff. We ordered the tuna sandwich, and burger. Both were phenomenal, as were the french fries. Reasonably priced and generous portions. Would highly recommend this restaurant. read more

My wife and I arrived at about 7:15 on a very warm Saturday night in July and were promptly seated downstairs (we had reservations). Our waiter was Aki. I ordered the Caesar salad, which was very good (great croutons), and my main course was crab stuffed flounder . It was excellent. My wife ordered the seared scallops, and she thought her dinner was also excellent. Aki was attentive and very pleasant. Clearly a five star dinner and we plan to return in a few weeks. read more

Had eaten here once before and had a really good meal. A group of us went there for breakfast this morning. Our server was very pleasant but the service was not only slow, The food came out not hot at all. Very disappointing. read more

It's nice to find a more upscale restaurant with gluten-free options on the Outer Banks. But it's disappointing there are no gluten-free dessert options. The space is quiet, comfortable and quaint. Our server wasn't very friendly--didn't even smile. The food is very good--especially the tomato tart. read more

We are long time customers of the Sanderling Resort and we were skeptical when we heard about the renovations. After having a relaxing and delicious dinner at the new first floor bar, we can say the new decor and menu are fantastic!! The wait staff was attentive and knowledgeable. The selection of beverages and foods was just the right balance. We will go back every year!! read more

This review is a challenge. Food wise the place is excellent. We especially enjoyed the service, the tomato tart, and the calamari. But due to understaffing and lack of processes (those with bookings not given table vs walk-ins who were ahead in the line - seriously why book?!?!) the evening turned chaotic. Waiting 1.5 hrs until first food arrived - not good. I feel for the harried and hassled staff, it's really an indictment on the management. They get low marks, whomever they are. read more

It really pains me to have to give this place only three stars, but while all of our issues were eventually handled, I don't think we should have had them in the 1st place. We were staying at The Sanderling so we decided to walk over around noon for lunch. When we got there we were the only table. I started off ordering a bottle of wine and that was where the trouble started. After being asked again which wine I wanted, one waitress stopped by and said it was on the way but then our original waitress came back and said our wine was unavailable. We chose another one and after another wait we were told that they were looking for it. Only after we asked about getting a glass of something to drink seeing as they had brought our appetizers did the manager come out and let us know the real issue. The key card to open the wine area didn't work so basically anything I would have chosen would be unavailable. To make it up we were comp'd a bottle, but I really felt someone should've been out sooner to explain the situation. Our water glasses also remained unfilled for long stretches of time while waitstaff disappeared from the floor. Now, the food. We both ordered the corn and crab chowder and it came out barely lukewarm. Not sure if that was intentional, but we sent it back to be warmed since we did not find cool thick porridge like chowder to be appetizing. Next my husband had the fish and chips that he called overly breaded fish. He filled up mostly on the fries which were very good. I had the lobster roll ($22). Do not expect a New England style roll. This is more like a lobster salad on a burger bun and I found it delicious. The lobster is chopped finer than traditional, but I could still identify pieces of claw meat. Tip: the lobster roll is also available at The Beach Bar on the back deck of The Sanderling. My hopes are some of this was due to the fact that the resort just recently reopened. I will be posting reviews of the new Sanderling Resort and Kimball's Kitchen which I found to also be off expectations. Visited May 2013 read more

This place is consistently not good. I have been here several times and always disappointed. Slow service. Steak over cooked. Wrong beer. No bread. The list goes on and on. The view is good but don't waste your money. read more

Waitress and staff all very nice. Entrees a tad pricey but when you realize the sides are $8 each and are completely tiny, the place became insulting. I got 8 little sprigs of asparagus for $8. I live and work in Manhattan and I've never seen that. Damn. read more

Good food. Everything was cooked perfectly. Shrimp and grits were great.m best scallops I've had in a long time. Drinks were a bit pricey. read more

In part of a resort that is on the very northern edges of Duck, it is a great place for a very well executed breakfast. We had the sausage hash, raspberry-infused pancakes, sausage gravy and other assorted breakfast items. The starter biscuits are terrific. For breakfast at the beach, it is a bit pricey, but it is definitely of good quality. Service was excellent. read more

Made reservations for 18. They had no problem placing us in the lovely upstairs. Service was wonderful for such a large group. Food was brought out in a timely fashion and everyone enjoyed their meal. read more

I don't know why this restaurant is only 3.5 stars. We had an amazing dinner for a family of 12! The staff was so accommodating and friendly. Our waiter was phenomenal with service. The food was beyond delicious. Amazing local food and appetizers. I would recommend this to anyone. read more

We ate here on Sat, Aug 6 for an early dinner after being on the water all day. The view from the dining area on the 2nd floor is stunning. Very bright and comfortable. Our server was delightful and she was very attentive. The burrata salad appetizer was fantastic. The ceviche wasn't really ceviche (crab, watermelon with avocado) and it was good but bland. My mussels were outstanding - just perfect. The tuna was excellent. FYI - The kids meals were very good but large portions. We could have gotten one pasta with marinara for two kids. The kids burger with fries was adult sized, so I can only image how big an adult portion would be. Loved this restaurant and will definitely go back. read more

We had an awesome experience here. Staff was friendly food was great. We started off with appetizer of carb corn chowder and goat cheese hush puppies, both were great. My wife had the pan seared duck the a blueberry risotto, which was excellent. I had the braised short rib which was almost melt in your mouth with mashed potatoes. This was well worth the trip and money!! read more

Excellent food. Better than the rest of the meals that we had on this trip. The mussels were some of the best we've ever had. Also tried the flounder and scallops and they did not disappoint. The ambiance of the restaurant could be improved, but as far as the food goes, we have nothing but great things to say. read more

We just finished an amazing dinner here. It's my new favorite restaurant in Duck. We started with the fried green tomatoes & goat cheese hush puppies - both were outstanding. The shrimp and grits were probably the best I've ever had - everyone else at the table really enjoyed their entrees as well (seafood stew, flounder, fried chicken, pork chop). Desserts were also wonderful - the brownie sundae & bread pudding were delicious. It's a cute restaurant with nautical decor, including lots of historical pics of the actual lifesaving operation. Service was good, everyone was friendly and helpful. Best of all, it was kid friendly - unlike our experience across the street at Kimball's Kitchen (which was also yummy, but we just didn't feel welcome with small children). We will definitely be back! read more

Nice place for big family dinner. Good food and service. Unique drinks and menu. The selection is good for seafood and non seafood, youth and adults can find something to enjoy. read more

We enjoyed our meal. Ceaser salad was good. (Negative-The fresh crouton was greasy.) I had the local rock fish and my husband had the sword fish. They were both delicious. read more

One of the best meals I have had in a very long time!! And the service was impeccable - a must for beach goers in Duck, NC!!

Extremely slow wait even though it's empty. I would skip this place or it could ruin your daylight hours and beach day. We waited over an hour for food (understandable, small kitchen). Then we waited another thirty minutes after finishing for checks and for someone to come clear the table!! Our waitress Macenna was lovely and helpful , but none of the other staff would help her out at all. slow service and rude staff outside of our waitress. Seriously, skip it!!! read more

Just back from the OBX where we dined in the Lifesaving Station on two nights. Food and atmosphere was fantastic! Was especially happy when we informed the hostess that our grandson required a gluten free diet. Not a problem, numerous items were available and his face was brimming with joy when they brought him his own separate breadbasket of gluten free dinner rolls, wow, he loved it and the night was perfect!. Of course that lead to the second night in the restaurant with similar results. The other dinners were all delicious and tastefully presented and the wait staff was attentive and appropriately formal without being stiff. Thank you Sanderling and the team in the Lifesaving Station!!! read more

Too bad we found the Lifesaving Station in Sanderling (Duck) on our last day on the OBX. Awesomeee breakfast and Eunice was an amazing waitress. I had the Farmers Omelette with goat cheese, mushrooms, spinach and asparagus. And the biscuits were amazing. While waiting for our table we were able to check out the local lifeguarding/rescue history throughout the building. We ate out on the deck and had a perfect family breakfast. read more

Decent. My food was good. Another person in my party ordered the swordfish special and specifically asked for it to be cooked all the way through, but when his meal came out, the fish was completely raw. He had to send it back. The service was good, I think the weak link is probably the kitchen. read more

Decided to have lunch after a swim, fantastic, great food, service, reasonable and a touch of class( no paper plates or paper napkins) ask for Eunice. L COKER read more

Accidentally found this restaurant. They need a better sign. We were greeted and served in a friendly manner. My wife and I enjoyed a very good Cobb Salad for our lunch. The background music was too loud and not suitable for this nice restaurant. Prices are acceptable but the floor should not be swept while customers are eating. Will try an evening meal some day. read more

Salads and apps were good. Didn't have an entree as they had no vegetarian selections.

The food was amazing and Mark was our server/bartender. Service was wonderful and Marks recommendations were great. We got the rockfish with ricotta and spinach ravioli and scallops. Both dishes were very good but the rockfish was definitely the winner. The building is the old lifesaving station #5 (before we were the Coast Guard) so it was cool as a Coastie to see some of our heritage. The atmosphere is nautical with old pics of the crew and the boats. read more

Nice restaurant with great history however the food has to be either the most spicy (crab chowder and crab cake) way to much garlic, or the most bland. Tried the fried chicken but the breaking was so thick that the chicken itself wasn't cooked completely and again very bland. They took the chicken from the bill but my concern was mainly that someone could get undercooked chicken. They offered us a free dessert which was appreciated but had to be the worst brownie I've ever had... Tried breakfast the next morning with a farmers omelet and even with peppers in it was so bland I had to add hot sauce to get any flavor. The home fries however were excellent. read more

A tad over priced for breakfast, it's breakfast not rocket science. Well, if breakfast were rocket science then this place is out of this world!!! Ok, this review is a little cheesy, but so was the goat cheese in my farmers omelette. Outstanding preparation, presentation and service. Even with the over pricing I would return, and not just because my wife made me!! read more

Nice place but menu is more expensive and not updated as of 6/2/2016. Frustrating and deceiving.

After coming to the Sanderling for many years and having a terrible experience here we finally had a great night at this restaurant. Our teenage son observed that we always had a bad experience when we dined upstairs so we took his suggestion to dine downstairs and one upped it by choosing to dine at the bar. We had noticed that drink orders had sat waiting to be delivered for quite a while and no one likes warm white wine or warm beer. The bar tender was friendly, attentive and brought us our drinks pronto. We received our food expeditiously and as ordered. We had the Bloody Mary shrimp cocktail and mussels for appetizers, corn crab chowder for the next course followed by the No 5 burger, the chicken and biscuit, and local flounder for entrees (there were 3 of us). We shared the key lime pie for dessert. All the food was well prepared and tasty. Would highly recommend dining at the bar for a great service experience. Would have given 4.5 stars if we could have. Only reason we didn't give 5 was two things: The shrimp cocktail was too small with only 2 shrimp and a tiny bit of lobster and the fries with the burger were cold. read more

We ate here for breakfast because it had good Yelp reviews and a gluten free menu. We were seated at 8:30am by a less than friendly hostess/server. The restaurant was not busy at this time. After waiting for about 10 minutes, the server arrived to take our order. At 9:45am, our food arrived; I had pancakes, eggs, and bacon while my husband had an omelette. I think it would have been delicious if it wasn't cold. A family sitting beside us did not get their food until 5-10 minutes after us and they were there before us. Their kids were starting to get restless (rightfully so). The server never came to check on us until it was time for the check. Between the cold food and bad service, we will not be returning. Unless you have hours to wait and a desire for cold breakfast, I would not visit. read more

This place was fantastic, started with a tomato tartlet, buttermilk fried chicken and homemade potato salad. Tartlet was so good, was skeptical about the fried chicken, but fall off the bone fried chicken was very tasty. Will be coming back for sure.... read more

Found this hidden treasure while vacationing in Duck. Such a lovely setting and interesting history. The building has so much character and warmth. Our server was very friendly and knowledgeable and made our experience even more special. Our family ate a wide variety from menu and everyone was very pleased with their choice. I had the Mahi Mahi and just loved it! We look forward to our next beach vacation and it will most certainly include a night at the Life Saving Station. read more

To begin usually really enjoy the Lifesaving Station. It is a nice place to bring family and the food is always excellent. Last night our group had salads and the oyster pot pie to start and our main courses were Shrimp and Grits (always amazing), the Soft Shelled crab special and a crab cake appetizer (as a main) and a couple of sides. As always the food was just wonderful. Unfortunately the same could not be said for the service. Our server seemed to be very inexperienced serving food. She told us she was usually a bartender filling in at different places and it was her first night serving food at the Lifesaving Station. It seemed odd since Mark was tending bar and he is an excellent server. Might have made sense to switch them but I am sure management had their reasons. In any event there were lots of mistakes. Some small like not filling water and having to ask for glasses for our bottled beer. Some were larger like bringing out the wrong food at the wrong time and having the rest of the table wait until the errors could be corrected. The biggest error in service was the overall attitude on the part of our server. We understand that mistakes happen but a negative attitude really takes away from the overall experience of the meal.That was the case last night. Our server told us that we should come in earlier if we wanted better service because the kitchen is pretty crazy around 7:30PM. She also seemed to be upset generally but that could because things did not seem to be going well at some of her other tables in addition to ours. All that said we will chalk this up to a one-off bad night and we will certainly be back for the excellent food and service which has been much better in the past. read more

We dined here 6 times in 3 days. Therefore we have some recommendations: Duck Fries Shrimp and Grits Roasted Oysters The Lifesaving Station Omelet These are all fantastic. Service is Leisurely. Check: Decor: Great Service: Reasonable Food: Best In Duck. Total: Best Tried Great read more