I love the food and servers! Great place to get a bite. Patio is open during lunch and has a great view of the water. And the turtles (:

I got the Carolina chicken. I was a grilled piece of chicken that was seasoned very well. The chicken then had ham and a slice of cheese over it. It was delicious. The side salad was also very good. It had hard boiled egg and bacon on it. The waitress was very punctual and nice. read more

This is one of our favorite restaurants on the island. Friendly, good prices and great food. The crossaints that come with the salads, amazing. They were steadfast for the community during Covid. I'm surprised by a couple of the reviews. One that seemed a rant by a woman having very difficult personal circumstances, she was upset her dog was not "welcomed" in the restaurant. She states her dog was a legitimate service dog but she was treated badly. I have witnessed legitimate service dogs in RJ's and they and their human were treated with dignity and respect. And dogs are welcomed on the outdoor patio, especially on Wednesdays with the live music! She stated she was asked to put her dog on the floor while she was there so I'm assuming she had the dog on the seat with her or up on the table. I don't know, but it didn't seem the dog was in an appropriate place in a restaurant. Anyway, I've witnessed the exact opposite of her account. It sounds like she is having a very hard time in other aspects of life and for that I am sorry and hope she finds peace. Another posted about the wait when there were empty tables. As with so many restaurants in today's Covid times, I'm sure That was due to not having enough staff to work the tables all open hours. They try hard and treat their staff well. RJ's has been excellent at trying to hire during this pandemic, people just aren't working. Anyway, we really appreciate and enjoy Rucker Johns and hope others have great experiences there as well. -am read more

Great staff with minimal wait time. Salad was good but everything else not so much. Shrimp and grits - the grits had no taste and the Parmesan cheese was overpowering. The shrimp was rubbery. Hubby had crab cakes that looked like 2 lonely brown pucks on a big plate with a small bowl of cole slaw. The slaw looked discolored or pickled with overwhelming vinaigrette. $60 down and still hungry. read more

We were fortunate to find out, via Facebook, that they were re-opening a day early since their refurbishment. There was no wait at around 6pm which was great. Our waitress, Courtney, was especially friendly and helpful. We enjoyed the crab dip appetizer (get bread and crackers), the Cajun shrimp wrap and a chef salad. Food was well prepared, timing was spot on, and very tasty. My Cajun shrimp could have had more spice, but they were perfectly cooked. There's no doubt they will be very busy this summer. It will be worth the wait. We will be back. read more

Food and selection and service all great. Reasonably priced. Will return when we're in town again.

Visited twice this week. We used to go to the other RJ in Wilmington, and have missed the food, friendly staff, and casual atmosphere. The first visit I had my favorite Shrimp and Grits, the second visit I had the Tomato Basil pasta. The only issue I have is that the water and tea have that beachy taste. A filtration system would be a big plus! read more

Excellent food! I have been going here for years. Their menu selection is excellent. Deb's chicken salad and prime rib are 2 of my favorites along with warm croissants dripping with honey! Here is my only complaint, I chose to carry out my order because the staff was not wearing masks. read more

they couldn't even seat our table of 9 bc we were a "fire hazard" when if our two tables were closer it wouldve been less of a fire hazard. food was mid.(penne vadka is supposed to be red) wifi sucks. waiters were fresh. read more

I was pleasantly surprised to find RuckerJohn's while on vacation in Emerald Isle. We spent the morning at the beach and were looking for a place close by where we could stop for lunch and shop for some souvenirs. Luckily, this restaurant was located at the back of a nice shopping area. They seated us out on the back deck immediately, the restaurant looked almost brand new and we were told by our waitress that they had just finished a major remodel. The deck overlooks a small canal and is covered, which our recently sunburnt shoulders appreciated. The service was quick and just the right combination of making sure we were taken care of without being overbearing. Only downside was the flock of seagulls that were hanging around trying to snatch some food from the kids feeding the turtles in the canal below. This was especially traumatizing for one of my friends who had just had her lunch stolen by a seagull at the beach the day before. The food was delicious, we enjoyed the honey butter croissant appetizer, then sampled off each other's plates. Some of the favorite dishes were the Island Chicken, and the Santa Fe chicken, both served with two sides, which were themselves very unique. I highly recommend the marinated coleslaw, a tangy vinegar-based slaw not to be confused with the kind you'll find at your local BBQ joint. The RJ fries (a misnomer since they were more like thick hand-cut chips) were also fantastic, especially when dipped in the Tiger sauce. read more

Such a hidden gem on the coast!! Delicious food, fair prices, great variety and comfortable, fun atmosphere!! Live to come here to celebrate special occasions!! read more

Rucker Johns Restaurant - New American Near Me - Emerald Isle, North Carolina

Great service and food every time we go. Just the spot to head to when you want a big selection to choose from

I came here every summer for years growing up but hadn't been back for a while. The salads and croissants are still just as good as they were back then but the food was just ok. My husband couldn't even finish his steak because of the amount of fat and apparently sweet taste. The crab cakes were good but nothing special and definitely not worth the price. I've had the same quality from a grocery store freezer. Not a great experience. Service was good. read more

This is a reliable local restaurant. Many come and go, but this place is a classic. The food is always great, the service is great too. My favorite are the crab cakes or the big ole plate of Nachos! Whether it's date night or family dinner, you won't be disappointed! read more

Awesome food! came here with a party of 9 and everyone got something different and was satisfied. The nachos, fish sandwich (salmon and mahi mahi), fried mushrooms, crab dip&fries, and buffalo wings were all about a 5/5. The wait was very short, especially for a rainy beach day, and staff was attentive and helpful. However there were only two complaints for the food: the tomato basil pasta did not appear to come with basil but came with a large handful of scallions on top and the regular RJ fries that most meals came with weren't the typical French fries you are used to, they are large round slices of potatoes that were fried. While they tasted okay, many were left untouched. We would definitely come here again and would recommend it to anyone who is looking for great quality American and seafood. read more

Great place on Emerald Isle...we stopped in on the night before Hurricane Matthew came to town. Luckily it spared this area of damage the next day. It was after 8pm and the place was pretty empty... not typical at all. I ordered the mahi sandwich (you could also get tuna or salmon) and it was probably the best I have ever had. The fish was cooked to perfection... I had chosen to have it blackened. I did wish it was larger portion but it was fair for the price. The fries I ordered were also good... I liked how they were cut into circles from whole potatoes. It was a welcome change. I also got to try the seared tuna and it was delicious! The service was also great... even though it was late we did not feel rushed at all. We had heard they were wanting to close up early but we couldn't tell. We will definitely return. read more

We came here for a late lunch/early dinner on Monday. Our server was great - very attentive. We ordered calamari starter - it was delicious! We've had bad luck with calamari at other places but this was so good - hot, crispy, flavorful outside and a soft, almost meltable inside! We also ordered the shrimp and pineapple flat bread- it was packed with flavor, super good. And we got the shrimp basket with sweet potato and regular fries. Everything we had was really good! The only negative was the drinks - our server said it's because of "island water" but they didn't taste like normal soda, more like flat soda with no syrup. But the food was fantastic so I'm rating it 5 stars. Will definitely eat here again during our stay! read more

Really great food and service! I had the shrimp wrap with sweet fries and my husband ordered the best chicken tenders ever. My daughters kids lightly fried shrimp was amazing. I highly recommend! read more

If you're in the Emerald Isle area, you hafta dine at Rucker John's! No ifs, ands, or buts! Just go and stuff yourself there! One of the first thing people notice is that you're offered croissants with melted butter instead of the standard rolls or breadsticks. Good stuff! You better come here hungry because you will be served portions slightly larger than usual at other places. Not quite like Cheesecake Factory but close enough. Friendly waitstaff. Service could be more prompt but it wasn't terrible because you could see this place was getting packed. Just know that you're gonna come in and wait a while. So, come in with a friend or two and just kick back with a drink and laugh. read more

As a frequent visitor to Emerald Isle, Rucker John's is on our short list of favorite restaurants along the Crystal Coast. On this particular visit the restaurant was really busy for it to be after Labor Day. We expected a wait which during the peak season is the norm. The hostess estimated it would be a 30 minute wait. She was pretty accurate with her estimate. RJ's is noted for their yummy croissants appetizer and this time we weren't disappointed. Other favorite picks we enjoy include the side salad with honey mustard and hot bacon dressing and the hickory seared, blackened tuna. Again, these were delicious! Most in our party received their entrees in a timely manner except my wife who had to wait for her chef salad entree and a side of cinnamon apples for my grand daughter and grilled veggies for my son. We had to remind our waitress these items were a "no show". No apologies offered. Just an "okay, I'll get those" from our waitress. She appeared with a baked potato which we already had. By the time these missing dishes were served the rest of our party had almost finished our meal. We weren't looking for a "meal comp" just a sincere "I'm sorry". Otherwise, this "OK" experience could have been a "I'm a fan" experience. Hopefully, the management will read this review and take the appropriate corrective action to ensure this doesn't happen again. read more

We have eaten here a few dozen times in the past 11 years we have owned a vacation home in Emerald Isle and generally the food is good - but it is rarely ample - relatively small portions. This past Thursday was no exception - in fact we both ordered the RJ salad - with grilled chicken. What slayed me was that we ordered the exact same thing and I had about 5-6 1" CUBES of chicken on mine - and my wife got about 10 long strips of grilled chicken on hers - it was so obvious that is insulting - we were with a guest and did not want to complain or seem petty, but really, it was radically different, so we did not complain but in hindsight, we should have. My wife's salad probably had TRIPLE the amount of chicken - how can the cook do that and not notice - and why did the wait staff not recognize that they were radically different in terms of how much chicken they had on them and correct it before delivering it to our table? The salad was NOT in a 'Frozen" bowl, as stated on the menu - in fact the bowl was not even cold. And the amount of egg and bacon in the salad was minimal (maybe two slices of egg. This was a $10 salad, could I please get a whole egg? On the plus side the croissant was excellent. The service was also excellent - the ice tea was good and the atmosphere and seating is comfortable - but the cook? WELL, the cook needs to learn to portion control the same amount to each order, most especially the meat one pays extra for when the same two salads go to the same table - I wish I had taken a picture, you'd be shocked at the difference. I went home and made myself a chicken sandwich. Get it together Rucker Johns - I left embarrassed for you guys. read more

Great food, and excellent service was offered by Taylor! We called very late on a Saturday night on a holiday weekend with a large take out order. Not only did Taylor accommodate us very professionally, but the order was handled perfectly and finished on time. Great job, Taylor! read more

Food was okay but not memorable. Serving sizes of the sides were small. My club sandwich was not as described and one of the bread slices was an end slice. Definitely not worth the $$. Service was good. read more

Great food, great service at a great price. I ordered the buffalo chicken pizza and very much enjoyed their twist on this spicy dish. UPDATE: Visited again this past weekend. Service was slow and the server was inattentive to our needs. I think this will be our last visit to this establishment while visiting the crystal coast. read more

We were at a campground in Emerald Isle and placed a to-go order here. We got the crab dip which was the perfect beach starter...creamy, crabby and cheesy. Also tried the Carolina burger that was very tasty. We also ordered 2 rib and shrimp combos which they sadly forgot the shrimp BUT they totally made up for their mistake when we drove the 1 mile back. The manager Mark and his staff were very apologetic and we enjoyed a beer while we waited for our shrimp. He also gave us an extra crab dip and their croissants with hot bacon dressing that got rav reviews! I was so happy we got to try them because they were amazing. He also gave me a slice of chocolate cake since it was my birthday. He went above and beyond to make sure we left happy and we will definitely be back!! read more

I will never set foot in this place again as long as I live. We arrived and were told it'd be 45 minutes to an hour for a table. Seemed long. But we were a large party. And I live in NYC so it didn't phase me much. 1 hour and 35 minutes later - NO JOKE - they finally brought us in. And guess what - they put us at TWO tables. These people are imbeciles pure and simple. I went in and out - to the bathroom, to check on our table... many times in the 1 hour and 35 minutes before we were seated and there were ALWAYS 2 tables they could have put us at. We thought our ridiculously long wait was so that we could all sit together. These people are a joke. Now, I was with family from the area or else I woulda raised hell. But they're the demure kind of southerners that just take what's given to them. Silly me. If you don't mind being treated like sewer by a staff that would be barely qualified to clean toilets above the Mason-Dixon line - you might like this place. And further wonder about the food. It was Perkins / Big Boy / Bob Evans / Dennys / Friendlys... Absolutely nothing special. Nothing. A "family" menu with prices and quality to match. Forget imagination - it's all about processed food - some maybe actually made in house - warmed up on order. For the food quality - you'd get better service at an IHop or Waffle House. Boo. read more

Rucker John's is one of the few restaurants that is open year round, so expect to be busy everyday for dinner. With that being said, wait times to be seated and for food to come to the table might be longer than a chain but the food is always fresh and tasty. If you have any issues, management will take care of you to make it right! Their spicy dishes like the kicked up nachos are great! RJ fries are a twist on traditional French fries and their croissants are to die for. Try the spicy buffalo chicken bites! Yum! read more

The food was excellent at RuckerJohn's! They were pretty busy the night we dined there, but when ordering a drink from the bar we were told that the tables around the bar were open seating and lucky us, a group was just getting up to leave. The drinks were very good as well, no complaints there. We tried the crab fingers appetizer and the buffalo shrimp, very tasty! For my entree I had the Ribeye Steak, it was cooked perfectly and had great flavor, would definitely come here for the steak again. My friend had the fish tacos, the seared tuna was outstanding, I would have been jealous, but my own meal was very satisfying. Definitely worth a visit, will stop here again if I'm in the area. read more

Salad dressings are made in house but shrimp is frozen. Room for large parties and child friendly. Desserts are tasty and big enough for 2. read more

Over priced typical beach restaurant. Went with.my wife and two kids. First time there because of great marketing and wanting to try a new place on Emerald. Kids had a hot dog meal each. Son's meal had 8 total french fries. Wife's catch of the day was red snapper Nice piece of fish but zero flavor or seasoning. Veggies were seasoned but some were burned. Charged a Dollar for mango salsa which the waiter said came with the meak. The portions are small for what you pay. Grilled Mahi sandwich had one piece of lettuce and a few pieces of onion. Put on toasted sour dough. Fillet was thick but again zero flavor. Waitstaff was average at best. Looked overworked. read more

Great place with great food with a very nice casual setting. The dim lighting gives it a relaxed feel, and it is a refreshing, cool place to get a break from the summer sun. The place gets crowded during tourist season as expected, but I believe that is because it is one of the more established eateries in Emerald Isle. It is well-known with good advertising. Great place for drinks and cocktails as well. Food-wise, I recommend the bourbon steak or the chicken basil pasta. The honey butter croissants are a slam-dunk. You can easily fill yourself on those alone. Another must-go when you're visiting the Crystal Coast. read more

My family were reliable customers at this restaurant for many years. They were fantastic. Last year they had a major renovation. Since then their service has been given a major attitude problem. First they stopped accepting my whole family coming as a group. (Though we're over 20 people so I don't hold that against them.) The tipping point though for me was tonight when we tried calling ahead for seating for 3 at about 6PM. We were told that the wait was only about 15 minutes and the earliest call ahead they were taking was after 8 so we might as well just come over. So we did. But somehow in the 15 minutes it took us to get there the wait had ballooned to 45 minutes. The person handling check in acted like this was my fault somehow but I asked to be put down anyway. Over a half hour passes. We check to see where things stand. The person at the desk acts annoyed and says we have another 30 minute wait which was halfway through the "45-60" she initially told me. (Which wasn't true, if I had heard 60 EVER quoted I would've left at the start.) So we left. I wish I could rate how the food is now but it isn't worth the inaccurate wait times and lousy attitude to get to it. I hate giving this place up but they clearly don't care about my business anyway. read more

Nice restaurant, nice atmosphere, good food & service. It's kind of tucked back behind some of the strip mall shops, but worth finding. Our table had the fried mushrooms and nachos grande for appetizers, and both are pretty good. I had the grilled seafood sandwich (mahi) which was very good. The RJ fries are different. Basically potatoes sliced like home fries, but I liked them. Several at the table got the flatbread, and everyone liked what they ordered. Definitely would go back again and try other dishes. read more

Girlfriend and I came to this restaurant based on a couple of recommendations. I have to say the setting was nothing short of a complete let down. I was expecting something a little more private versus a cafeteria type environment. We came in and it seemed that the goal was to get people in...get them fed...and then get them out. I've seen a more relaxed environment at McDonald's. Overall, the setting gets a zero or 1. The food was pretty good. We had the Prime Rib, baked potatoes, and fried mushrooms. The prime rib and mushrooms were excellent to be honest. The baked potato was hot, but all of the toppings were ice cold. It just seemed a little strange to have near frozen cheese on top of a baked potato. Definitely won't be back, and I will not be referring others to this location. The price just isn't worth it. Ways to improve? Simply quiet the place down, and strive for better food presentation. This place just had the feel of "Let's get these tourists fed and out so we can make a million bucks off these suckers." Wasn't appreciated. read more

The food here isn't great. My brother ordered an Alfredo pasta, and the Alfredo sauce tasted weird, and had an awful texture. The best thing my family got from the entire meal was my dish- the potato skins. Something that is difficult to mess up. We waited nearly an hour to get in, and the service once we were inside was slow. Would not recommend. read more

The food is not that extravagant but it is value for money. They have amazing Honey Croissants, but the rest is normal American fare. There is also a bar area that is nice to have beers or cocktails while watching the sports. All in all one of the staple hangouts on Emerald Isle. read more

Before the remodel, I would've given 4 stars. But the new decor and layout is really nice and open, more like a beach restaurant than what it was before. We did notice a couple of items missing from the old menu, but we were really pleased with everything we ordered and our kids cleaned their plates. Plus, if you get there early and have to wait a little while, you can go outside and feed the ducks or walk around and check out the gift shops. read more

The restaurant is trying to nickel and dime everyone. They purposefully serve you nasty swamp water and won't let you bring in outside food or drinks. So you will have to order a $3 soft drink to replace the nasty water. All I wanted was a nice ice cup of water. Other than that the food is good. read more

The decor is a little wood panel time machine (I would rate that a 2), the food was good for your average American fare... Slightly strange yet oddly tasty addition of an iced croissant to the house salad was an interesting touch. read more

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We've eaten at Rucker John's several times while on vacation at EI. It is usually very busy. The croissants are very good and highly recommended. The kids love the chicken tenders, which have a pretty light batter. Our most recent visit to EI included two visits to Rucker John's. The first was for dinner, the second for lunch. I had a burger for dinner; it was good but unremarkable. For lunch I had the house salad with grilled chicken. It was good but, again, unremarkable. My wife's spinach salad had a couple of wilted pieces in it. The restaurant is usually pretty consistent for the most part; decent food, not great, but the croissants are almost worth it in and of themselves. read more