Friendly waitstaff. Super cool deck and you can bring your dog. Food was good and they have vegetarian options. We will be back.

We arrived at 5pm and were seated at a table with a water view. The water view is beautiful, very tranquil. The restaurant fills up quickly. We ordered the Maryland crab cakes and the crab cakes were delicious, made entirely from lump crab with spices and no filler. As close to Maryland crab cakes that we have seen in North Carolina. Our server, Madeline, was friendly and efficient. She offered recommendations as to how to place our order. The restaurant is casual, located not far off Hwy 211 so do not be concerned when the location is Oak Island, thinking you might have a long drive. I give it 5 stars for great casual food, water view, and service. read more

This is a tough review to give. The restaurant is in a beautiful location and the food was very good. First, there isn't very much seating with air conditioning. Our party of 5 was there at 4:00 with only two other people we could see but still was not able to sit in air conditioning. The view is beautiful. The rules this place has are silly. There are no side substitutions even for a small up charge. It's honestly silly. So I don't eat mash potatoes but I can't sub the rice for them even though I was paying for a $40 steak. I had to purchase a whole new side of rice for $6 and still get the mash potatoes. Every table that came in was asking about this. I actually felt bad for the wait staff. They kept saying, we aren't allowed. A very elderly woman (probably 80's) asked if she could order from the kids menu. They said no. I get it in most circumstances but this is a very old person. She said I always worry about all the food I waste because I just can't eat very much anymore. The wait staff acts as if they can't make any judgement calls of common sense and I'm sure that is a result of their training. With the no side substitutions, no air conditioning and mediocre service (brought my salad out with my meal instead of before, etc.) despite the food actually being quite good, we would not return. read more

Celiac friendly! That's all I will say. Food was really good and the view was spectacular!

Excellent food at Rusty Hooks. We got the crab cake (single) with sweet potato fries and rice pilaf and a wrap with onion rings. The menu on the website is outdated--they no longer have the coconut-crusted mahi sandwich, but the wrap was a good substitute. We'll probably be back again. read more

We LOVE Rusty Hooks!! Food and drink are AWESOME. I am not a seafood eater, but there are plenty of yummy things to eat here!!! One of my very favorites are the Jerk Chicken Tacos. Along with the Corn and bean salad!! All of the Servers and Bartenders are GREAT! read more

So we heard they raised their prices. Not only that the place was pretty empty on a Friday night! Plenty of seating and parking . Our meal was ridiculously over priced. Now we know why it's was so empty no locals! Hope they can maintain business whiting on the tourists! We wont be back! read more

We got there at 5:45 Labor Day weekend and were told they couldn't give us a wait time to get a table, which was fine sort of. We went to the outside bar and ordered a drink. We noticed empty tables inside and outside, probably because of a lack of wait staff. After an hour we were able to get barstools at the bar and decided to order from there. The bartender told us only two people could order from the regular menu at the bar (there were 3 of us). We decided to leave at that point and go pick up food at the grocery store. We finally got a call for a table two hours after checking in and once we were home. There must have been at least 50 people waiting on tables. I guess maybe they need a cut off or a better reservation system..... read more

My family and I did an early dinner at Rusty Hooks while on vacation. We sat upstairs (in the AC) which had a great view and cozy feel to it. 5 of 5 stars. The service was absolutely perfect. She greeted us with a smile and had a great personality. She was attentive and had refills of drinks as soon as they were empty. Please forgive me but I can not remember her name younger girl with dirty blonde hair and a great asset to Rusty Hooks. 5 of 5 stars. The food was not amazing but definitely a solid 4 stars. We had wings (could have had more of a crisp and more sauce), steak and cheese sandwich very good, the sweet potato fries with the cinnamon sugar butter was phenomenal, the burgers were cooked well and no other issues with anything else we ate. I would definitely recommend stopping here for a bite!!! It should be 4.5 stars but it only allows full star ratings. read more

Staff are amazing friendly and helpful. Food delicious this is our to go to place. Great views of water and boats. You won't be disappointed eating here. read more

Rusty Hooks Dockside Grill - Caesar salad - Seafood Near Me - Southport, North Carolina

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Fun and tasty evening out with friends! The fritters were delicious and the poke was a huge hit. Sat outside and enjoyed the breeze and the live music. Definitely recommend! read more

Daughter enjoyed her mac and cheese (not kraft/instant) and seasoned fries and friend had fish tacos which she said were delicious. I have celiac disease and they had several gluten free options. Ultimately I ordered a cheese burger with gf bun and fries (they have separate gf fries/fryer) and it was very good! I appreciated that the server and kitchen staff were eager to ensure I had something safe to eat and didn't make me feel like a burden. I will pass along that they told me that when they are very busy cross contamination could be an issue with certain items, but ensured me they take every precaution they can. Lovely view of the water as well! read more

We had lunch as a group of six. The hostess was great,very polite and friendly. Service overall was very good. The noise level was extremely loud, to the point of not being able to hear other people at our table. The fish taco's were supposed to be fresh catch red drum. This fish may not have been frozen but it had some age on it . It had strong smell to it . The Texas Caviar was kind of bizarre. The texture of the beans was hard. Overall not a complete disaster, but if a restaurant charges premium prices, then fresh top of the line food should be served. read more

Good food. Good vibes. Amazing service. Right on the waterway so amazing views. They have bands plan on the weekends.

Brian the bartender is amazing. Thank you for keeping us entertained and taken care of.

I have loved this restaurant in the past. We live 3 hours from Southport- but anytime we go to the beach we try to go to Rusty Hooks because the food and atmosphere are incredible. My two kids and I made a day trip to the beach two days ago and drove an hour out of our way to go to Rusty Hooks. I love their sweet potato fries! The manager there told me that the meals are pre plated and therefore they can not substitute sides- you have to get the side listed with the meal on the menu. She said I could add an additional side (for $6 extra) but I had to get the fries and coleslaw that came with my fish even though I didn't want them. When you are paying the kind of money you pay to eat here (it is not cheap) you should be able to order what you want to eat. Also- we ordered the crab dip (for $20) and it came with a tiny loaf of bread. The bread was gone and we still had 1/2 of the dip left so I asked for more bread. The server brought the bread, but didn't tell me it was $4 extra (for a loaf the size of the palm of my hand). Also- the server was rude and very inattentive (didn't check on us, refill our drinks, or bring us our check without us asking another server to please find our server). It was just a really bad experience. We likely won't go back. read more

Had almost a hour and a half wait it felt like. Hostess was rude and there were many open tables available for more parties. My Cajun chicken pasta was good. It was a bit overpriced and when I substituted shrimp for chicken it was the same price. There was mold around air vents due to condensation and excess moisture. Staff seemed over worked. Room upstairs was very warm! read more

Visited recently and truly enjoyed our experience. There were five in our party and everyone enjoyed the food and drinks. Our waitress was the highlight of the evening! She was funny and attentive. I recommend you try this establishment! read more

Located on the waterfront in Southport this time of year I'm glad there was seating available inside, because the mosquitoes are lurking. I loved the playlist of music adding to the atmosphere. Our server Chrissy was attentive and really helped when I asked to substitute mashed potatoes for broccoli. I have to pace myself when it comes to carbs and substituting a starch for a starch should be an outdated practice. I had dinner with my boss and coworker and to be honest the consensus was that we wouldn't come back because of the price for what we got. My ribeye meal was $40 alone and the idea of having to pay extra for a side and still paying regular price leaving off a side is a bit confusing, but they waived it for me this time. The food was really good and I don't want to seem all negative, but I wanted to point out what left a not so good impression on us as a whole. This was my first visit so I'm willing to give it another try, I did see a buffalo chicken salad on the menu that looked appealing. read more

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Would love to give them five stars but the server was extremely slow, they had windows open and it was cold, the seafood Mac n cheese was sub par. The band playing was great. Enjoyed listening to live music while eating. The only bad part was the open windows made it cold on the patio. We started with oysters. I had the red raiders raw, my husband the blue points raw and my cousin had the blue points steamed. All were great. Loved the vinegar based side sauce. The cocktail sauce was too ketchupy. Then they had the mussels in wine garlic sauce and I had the buffalo shrimp. The mussels were excellent. Came with a mini loaf of bread to dunk in that unctuous juice. Perfect garlic blend. The buffalo shrimp while good, for $12.99 I expected a few more shrimp. I got five. They aren't fried like most and are swimming in a hot sauce with some blue cheese. Great flavor. My husband then ordered a burger. He said the cook was perfect, the flavor was spot on. We had to flag down our server a couple of times. Not sure if she was inexperienced or uninterested. She liked to chat with the hostess. I ordered a side of "seafood" mac n cheese. I found three small pieces of seafood in my penne pasta and bechamal sauce. I added horseradish to give it some flavor. For drink offerings they have 8 to 10 taps for draft and a great selection of bottles. I had a grape Lolo bottled in Shallotte and Mango Cart. read more

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Great food and great service with wonderful water views of the ICC. Oysters on the half shell and crab cakes were delicious.

Very very bad Told 30 min wait now 3 hrs later no food Nice place bad service Nobody is here read more

We never made it in there because the parking is so terrible. They're surrounded by condos and it's impossible unless you're in there at an odd hour. It may be very nice, but we never made it in. This is also the second time we tried to eat there, Just no parking. read more

FOOD FOR THOUGHT I generally don't give endorsements, but sometimes you have to give credit where credit is due. The impact of COVID has created a downgrade in quality at several local restaurants. However Rusty Hooks appears to have opted to maintain their standard of quality. Like other restaurants, they had to decide whether to adjust the quality of their food or adjust the right side of the Menu, in order to meet the rising cost of ingredients in the supply chain. I am pleased to say that they chose quality over cost. Rusty Hooks has always been a favorite of mine, especially when dining with out-of-town guests, the food is great, and the staff is accommodating and the atmosphere is relaxing. I can honestly say that I have never had a disappointing dining experience there. PS: don't pass up the opportunity to enjoy the best Sweet Potato fries on the East Coast. read more

Really great experience here. Highly recommend this marina-adjacent bar & grill. Will absolutely return next time we are in town. They accommodated our walk-in party of 20 for lunch on their outdoor patio. The patio was shaded with a great view of the inlet/river, and we had it all to ourselves. Our server told us that some days the purposes perform in the water, although we missed the show. Some of our group were regulars in the area and informed us that this place had been going downhill but was now under new ownership. I think everyone in our group enjoyed their meal. I had the Cream of Crab Soup. I love seafood bisques in general, and this soup did not disappoint. It was so good that I did not mind eating a hot, creamy chowder in the 85 degree humid weather. The fried pickles were served as chips and were wonderful. The crab dip was awesome. The sweet potato fries were served as long wedges with a beautiful crisp, a form that I had never really had before and absolutely loved. Our party had a brief discussion about whether any of these fried foods came pre-frozen. The presentation seemed like they could have but the quality was so high that I doubt it. They told us that the kitchen was still busy making more shrimp burger patties after the Memorial Day weekend rush, and I'd assumed most all food was being made/prepped in house. 2 servers took care of our party, and both were awesome. They went above and beyond expectations to even handle a very messy check split for our large party. Great beer menu at the bar inside. Full bar otherwise. Really didn't notice the wine selection. read more

Wonderful experience! Arrived for a late lunch/early dinner on a rainy Sunday afternoon, and was seated immediately without having to wait. I don't understand the previous 1-star reviews, because the upstairs is completely brand new and was extremely clean. We happened to have the whole room to ourselves which made for a quiet and relaxing atmosphere. You can't beat the beautiful view overlooking the intercoastal! Being that this was our first time here, we couldn't have asked for a better waiter. Kyle was personable, friendly, and extremely knowledgeable about the menu and helped guide our choices on food. The food itself was excellent, their seafood comes in fresh, and you can tell. We had blackened mahi, buffalo shrimp, and crab dip. All of which were absolutely delicious. The Seafood Mac is worth trying as well if your in to cheesy buttery goodness. We'll certainly be back, happy to say that this was where we decided to go for our first time eating out since Covid-19 started. read more

Rusty Hooks Dockside Grill - The gorgeous view from upstairs. - Seafood Near Me - Southport, North Carolina

We stopped for lunch on a very cold day (29 degrees). We brought our dog, immediately a gentleman came to greet us and welcomed our dog; showed us where we could sit and "hook" his leash. Shortly after, a lady came with menus and offered to turn the heater on. The food was really good. The lady kept coming back to see if we were warm and if there was anything else she could do for us. I highly recommend this place. read more

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Excellent food (Black bean burger and crab cake), service, ambiance and Key Lime Pie!

Horrible business and dirty. Bugs in bathrooms Food was just normal fried seafood. Will not be back read more

Thanks. https://moscowmule.com/ Learn a little about mixing drinks Brian You had idea how to make the drink. And then charge me $9.00. read more

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Food is good, service is good. Wait staff tag teams to give good service. Very impressive.

Fantastic location and incredible views. One of the rare places in the Oak Island area that is open all day with food! Both the cheeseburger and fries and fried shrimp platter were a delicious choice. Boyfriend loves the fish tacos and Cajun shrimp pasta. Both times we've eaten here the service has been great. Definitely on our favorites list! read more

Rusty Hooks Dockside Grill - Fried shrimp platter - Seafood Near Me - Southport, North Carolina

Restaurant clean, fresh smell, great inter coastal waterway views. Food fresh and tasty. Price for food good and serve was speedy and great.

Great fried seafood. Excellent service! Tried the baked flounder but have to admit it was a bit overcooked. I still will recommend this restaurant because they generally provide an above par product! read more

Pulled the boat up here over Memorial Day weekend. Got seated immediately. Everyone was super nice. But man...the food was exceptional! All 4 people got something fairly different and everyone was so very satisfied with their food. The appetizers were great. The tacos were insanely good and had tons of toppings. Oyster Poe boy was awesome. Shrimp were fresh. Really really great stop for a dock side restaurant. Can't go wrong here. read more

Food and service were both slow to arrive, we had to request missing items from our order several times and flag down a server to do that and request refills for our drinks. We had never received service like this in the past and we will go back to see if it was Just a bad day that is why I held back and gave 3 stars read more

The first time we came here I would have 100% recommended. Second time, a bit frustrating. We waited for our food for over an hour and we were the last people sitting there. No one came to apologize or explain. I know things happen, but a visit from the manager would have been appreciated. Also, the live music was supposed to be until 9, but they stopped at 8.... Might have made the wait for the food a little less noticeable. We will try again. Food was great once it came. read more

Excellent food and atmosphere and the entire staff is great. The She Crab Soup is a must for anyone who likes crab!

Perfect end to our day! We arrived at the restaurant around 6:30 on a Friday night. We had to wait just a little while until our table was ready, but we were able to grab a drink from the bar and enjoy the views until then. We were seated by a window downstairs (the upstairs was full of prom-goers) but the view of the sunset was still visible. The staff was super friendly and attentive and our food was fantastic! We had the ribeye and the salmon blt as entrees (which were delicious) but the star of the show was the crab dip we got as an appetizer. WOW, so so good!! I was very impressed by our little on the water find, and would definitely recommend anyone to stop in and try them out when they're in the area! read more

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Attentive service, food was presented nicely and tasted great with sufficient quantity. Clean appearance. Oysters were fresh and clean. Pretty view and sorry we missed the live music. Overall good experience, felt cost a a bit much for tacos and oysters. read more