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    Sea Chef Dockside Kitchen

    4.8 (33 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    Sea Chef Dockside Kitchen Photos

    SEA CHEF DOCKSIDE KITCHEN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating

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    Outdoor dining
    Courtney K.

    BLUF: Local seafood from a James Beard awarding chef served in a super casual atmosphere over looking Oregon Inlet. Sea Chef is where fresh, quality seafood, a full bar and a casual atmosphere collide. If you don't know much about this spot you may be surprised to find such high quality food served at the local fishing inlet. I went for the shrimp burger and it didn't disappoint. Large shrimp are somehow formed into a patty and served on a potato roll with a somewhat spicy sauce, fresh julienne carrots and arugula. On a good weather day it's easy to sit outside on the second story deck and watch the people, boats and tides come and go. If the weather isn't cooperating, there is seating inside too. To extend your stay, order a drink from the full bar or opt for an ice cream sandwich made by local Surfin' Spoon frozen yogurt company. The logistics are that you order at the counter and then find a table. Soft drinks are self serve and a server will bring your food to the table. Parking is plentiful. The restaurant is located on the second story of the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center. It is handicap accessible via the elevator inside the main lobby/store.

    Banana pudding
    Emily W.

    We met Chef Mac and Jeff in OBX when they were catering a private dinner for the rental house next to ours. We inquired, and although it was too late for our vacation week, I found them on social media and followed along as they opened this brick and mortar restaurant. Naturally, next year when we came to OBX for vacation, we came in to Sea Chef for lunch. It was incredible! The seafood was so fresh, well seasoned, and delicious. The restaurant is cute with an outdoor seating area overlooking the inlet area. There is a bar and a handful of tables inside as well. You order at the counter and then sit with a number and they bring the food to you. This place is definitely worth checking out if you're in OBX!

    Jillian S.

    Wow, this place blew me away. We stopped in for takeout after a long day of fishing. The restaurant is relatively new and located right inside the fishing center. Fresh is as fresh does. The fried shrimp was challenging to resist and I'm glad I didn't put up much of a fight. The crunchy shrimp was cooked to perfection and seasoned just as well. I also couldn't leave OBX without another Surfin' spoon ice cream sandwich. Looking forward to returning in the future!

    Fried shrimp
    Mark W. S.

    While visiting Nags Head we drove down to watch the fishing boats come in at Oregon Inlet. We ran across this new restaurant which was a pleasant surprise. We decided to have lunch and it was really good. It's in a new building at the Oregon Inlet Marine. It's really nice inside with some original fish prints for sale. Everyone ordered seafood as it doesn't get any fresher. The fried shrimp was outstanding. Another hit was the tilefish. Our server was really good and she explained the menu and options. Everyone was really impressed with the total package of this eatery. Can't wait to return.

    View and the boil
    Maureen B.

    The food is so good. Ridiculously good. We're camping across the street and were excited to try Sea Chef. We've now come twice in a few days the food is so good. Sorry repeating myself but it deserves multiple mentions. The shrimp burger is amazing as is the boil. They're both so good we've had a hard time trying something else on the menu. For the quality of the food the price is great. So happy this place opened here. The views and ambiance are great too. Fun to sit and watch the fishing boats come in.

    Must visit! What a gem along the highway . Staff is friendly, quick and helpful! Food is made from scratch and delicious and the prices are reasonable. Anything you choose you will love. Please try it is a wonderful break from driving, love the ambiance! Try the homemade ice cream sandwich, screw the diet!! See you next time

    Captains Platter

    Everything was perfect. Yummy food, amazing dessert (ice cream and banana pudding), clean environment. The staff were extremely friendly, sweet, and attentive. Underrated place :') I'd love to come back

    Trout special & scallop carbonara

    Great service and food, however the menu options and prices reflected a finer dining experience than you'll get at this establishment. The design of the website made us think this would be a romantic date night location - which it is definitely not. There's 10 ish tables crammed into a small room, counter service, and the other customers were primarily drunk men in sweaty tank tops and flip flops. Despite the atmosphere, the food really was good and made the visit worth it. The only food complaint we had was being served dessert in a to go container that we could've grabbed from the fridge ourselves when we had been dining at a table. Our dessert could've been easily plated for the amount of money we spent on just 2 people. Great place to grab a bite, but don't dress up.

    Spicy pickles and a jalapeño margarita
    Vanessa M.

    This place is on the newer side and Google maps had an issue getting us the right spot. Very little exterior signage yet. So go the back side of Ocean's Edge bait and tackle and you'll find it. That said, the food absolutely made up for the extra driving around in circles. I ordered the crab cake BLT and a jalapeño margarita and hefty side order of spicy pickles and my boyfriend had the burger. He said it was excellent. And he didn't offer me a bite so I knew it had to be. My margarita was super fresh and had just the right amount of spiciness. The crab cake BLT was perfectly balanced. Very crispy bacon, fresh tomato and the cake itself was simple, moist, well seasoned, and not overly breaded. A hint of mayo and the brioche bun pulled all together. The pickles were good and definitely had some kick! The fries were thin, crispy and nicely salty. They also came with a great spicy aioli for dipping. Definitely worth the stop while driving to Cape Hatteras. Next time we'll try the desserts

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    2 months ago

    Great lunch spot. Efficient. Good quality lunch menu. Excellent service. Best views from this restaurant.

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    Food is awesome! Service was great! The view from the deck is spectacular. Do yourself a favor and eat there.

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    1 year ago

    Possibly the best calamari I've had. The shrimp burger and crab fritters were very good too. A must stop if you're in the area.

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    Ask the Community - Sea Chef Dockside Kitchen

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    Wanchese Marina & Landing Grill

    Wanchese Marina & Landing Grill

    4.5
    (85 reviews)
    5.2 mi

    When we come to the Outer Banks we do look for grilled or lightly blackened seafood...but a couple…read moreof days ago I was looking for good ole-fashioned clam strip basket. Hard to find in Richmond so if I have a chance to get them, I jump at the chance. The special of the day was a flounder basket. I was able to substitute clam strips for other items, and the basket included a nicely sized piece of flounder (fish of the day), heaping helping of clam strips, fries, hush puppies, and slaw. "Beer of the Day" was $2.00! Wife got the cheesesteak sub with fries. All food--as they tell you when you walk in is fried--is fried. Totally OK with that and it was very, very tasty. Friendly staff, items mostly homemade, clean restaurant, a clear view of an honest-to-goodness working dock. Exactly what we were looking for for our last night in Manteo area. If you have not been to the Marina and Grill...please get there for a fun, tasty, almost entirely homemade meal at very reasonable prices, rubbing elbows with locals and people coming off of the fishing day, just adds to the charm to this slightly off the beaten path gem.

    I had been craving shrimp since I moved to OBX back in April. We were on our way home from…read morealligator refuge and decided to take a trip into wanchese to eat. Found this spot in Yelp and said why not. I ordered the fried shrimp basket, hubby ordered the fried grouper and we loved our selections. My husband isn't a fan of shrimp but he tried it and loved it. The girls that working were super friendly. We got there just in time for lunch rush. Loved looking out to the harbor. We will be back and I'll give a follow up review.

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    Wanchese Marina & Landing Grill
    Fish and shrimp basket
    Fish and shrimp basket
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    View from out back
    O'Neal's Sea Harvest

    O'Neal's Sea Harvest

    4.4
    (164 reviews)
    5.3 mi
    $$

    BLUF: The best seafood in the Outer Banks…read more I love O'Neal's Sea Harvest. Year round I crave O'Neal's and proudly sport my O'Neal's gear. When I am vacationing in the Outer Banks, I eat at O'Neal's several days a week. My favorite is the tilefish basket, when they have it, with fried okra. A second favorite is the fried shrimp basket. On my recent vacation I was glad to try a mix of tilefish, shrimp, sheepshead and soft shell crabs. All of it was so incredibly delicious! I go to O'Neals for a prepared lunch but they also have a great looking seafood counter for those who plan to cook it themselves at home.

    We visited O'Neal about six year ago and liked it. Then we started going to Wanchese Marina and…read moretook guests there because we liked the food and the atmosphere. On this occasion, we walked around the Christmas Market at the Wanchese Community Center and had our lunch at O'Neal to end a six-year hiatus. We again had good seafood. Ms T had good, fresh and flavorful fried shrimp I had the catch of the day; Red Drum. We accepted the included coleslaw, and we both added fries. This was a good lunch. The seafood remained as good as before and the slaw is some of the better such around. They know how to give it a good sweet-sour balance. It was also fresh, not old and soggy as happens too many times. We also shared a cup of their crab soup that was not something we would ever order again. It is pasty, over-thickened with flour and almost totally unseasoned. We would prefer a creamy soup, that is thickened with cream. We added some salt, and it helped, but it was still wallpaper paste. There is really no saving this, they need to start over and lose the flour. We also felt the food was a little over-priced for what we got. I realize the days of getting a fresh seafood basket for $6 are far behind us, but over $50 for two baskets and one cup of soup is a little steep, especially when we both drank water. Ms T said she would prefer to return to Wanchese. The food is good here, but you have been warned about the crab soup and the prices.

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    O'Neal's Sea Harvest
    Shrimp Basket
    Shrimp Basket
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    Menu
    Capt. Malc's

    Capt. Malc's

    4.7
    (3 reviews)
    5.0 mi
    $$

    Capt. Malc's sells fresh North Carolina caught crab, shrimp, scallops, flounder, tuna, etc. for…read moremuch, much less than any other seafood retailer in the Outer Banks (except for maybe nearby O'Neal's --- it's worth visiting both). This year we got our crabs from Capt. Malc's (put your Dirty Dick's jokes away, thank you very much). Our order of a half bushel (about four dozen --- enough to feed 4-6 people) of number one Jimmy blue crabs were steamed fresh and perfect, timed to the very minute of our scheduled pick up --- a luxury indeed! Due to an unusually small gathering of relatives and friends, this was the first year we did not procure a bushel live blue crab and steam them ourselves in our rented beach cottage, a dinner-act that has become something of a tradition for my family. Putting the task into the hands of another had us both thrilled with the possibility of convenience as well as wary of the probability of disappointment. To put it in the plainest terms possible, Capt. Malc's donf*ckaround when it comes to doing blue crab so right that qualifies as magic to believe in. Eating on them steamin' hot 'n' seasoned crabs in the comfort of our beach house for a grand total of $50 while knowing that patrons of Captain George's restaurant across the street were likely paying as much PER PERSON for far inferior seafood almost gave the four of us something to talk about at the dinner table. Of course, we never said a word lest someone get more crab to eat than anyone else.

    O'Neals prices were consistently cheaper, but Malc's had some items available that O'Neals did not,…read moreso I did some shopping here as well.

    Photos
    Capt. Malc's
    Roughly four dozen steamed number one Jimmys: $50
    Roughly four dozen steamed number one Jimmys: $50
    Local caught scllops

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    Local caught scllops
    Blue Water Grill & Raw Bar

    Blue Water Grill & Raw Bar

    4.3
    (536 reviews)
    8.6 mi
    $$

    Excellent meal with an excellent view…read more We made reservations on Thursday, for Friday at 6:30, a party for 5. If you want to get in during high traffic times, definitely call 24-hours ahead. We were seated within 15-minutes of our arrival, in the dining room with a lovely view of the harbor. We noticed most tables had a nice view due to the very open floor plan concept. Our server was lovely: attentive, helpful and pleasant. She patiently answered questions and returned often to check on us, making sure our water glasses were full. It's the little touch's that make a wonderful dining experience. We began our meal sharing the calamari. Really well prepared and quite flavorful. So enjoyed the little peppers and aioli drizzle. Very flavorful. Everyone in our party of 5 was quite pleased with their meals. Our 10-year old granddaughter loved the fries and chose an appetizer chicken wings for her entree. The portion was quite large and tasty. Beware, the dipping sauce ranch has a kick, which she didn't prefer but we enjoyed. My husband and I shared the grand slam seafood trio. Each seafood item was perfectly prepared. With fries and coleslaw, it was more than we could finish. He added a side salad which was very fresh and I had creamy clam chowder (good but not as hot as ai prefer.) Our daughter and friend raved about their fried fish and pork chop diners. 4/5 of us took home leftovers. The view.... So relaxing and peaceful. Our bill came to $188 (without any drinks.). The tab was worth it for a complete fine dining experience (with no need to dress to the nines; it's the beach after all).

    There are very few sit down places with a water view. This restaurant is one of my family's…read morefavorites in the OBX. It's located in the Pirates Cove Community. They take reservations and it sits on a dock with views of gorgeous yachts. Food- standard fare for the OBX. There's plenty of seafood options, and a few landlubber options. A couple of burgers were ordered, a few shrimp dishes and some fish of the day meals(Tuna). We also ordered a variety of appetizers: Homemade Chips with a chorizo queso, wings and crab dip. The oddest dish that was meh is the Shrimp & grits. It was not a fave amongst the tasters and the actual person ordering it. I ordered the shrimp with pasta. It was very similar to a more saucy Mac & cheese with big shrimp, plenty of shrimp. It also came with 2 pieces of garlic bread. The cocktails were nice. There was an oyster shooter that seemed to be popular with the birthday celebrant. The other cocktails were good. They do offer some bottle specials so we imbibed on a bottle of risata prosecco. Service- pretty good despite having to ask for lemons twice, and having to ask someone else for a soda refill. The server team worked well together.

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    High ceilings and open feel to dining room
    High ceilings and open feel to dining room
    She-crab soup
    She-crab soup
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    Bar area
    Fish Heads Bar and Grill

    Fish Heads Bar and Grill

    4.2
    (590 reviews)
    6.4 mi
    $$

    Really great vibes and food! Bathroom located outside the restaurant given the restaurant is…read morephysically on the pier. It took a while for my sour cream to come (actually everyone in my party finished their food before I got it), but our waitress was EXTREMELY kind and offered a drink for us on the house. Would absolutely return when back in the OBX.

    Fish Heads is a true oceanfront dining experience since you're actually dining out on the pier. The…read morewait can be long, especially with larger groups. I've been here with a party of 12 before, and we definitely waited a while, but I was impressed that they were able to accommodate a group that size. This time, I was with a party of two and we were seated pretty quickly. My one complaint about the wait system is that they announce when your table is ready, but if you're out of earshot, you'll miss it. It would be nice if they used a text, call, or buzzer system so you could walk down to the beach while you wait. Part of the pier seating is covered, but the farther you go out, the more exposed you are. We were seated near the end, so it was hot in the direct sun and very windy. But that comes with the territory, and the views make it worth it. There are also plenty of birds hoping you'll share your fries with them, which is both expected and pretty funny. We each ordered a Pain Killer. It was good at first, but it quickly became watered down, and I didn't think it was worth $10. We also got the nachos, but the price adds up quickly once you start adding toppings. Most of the menu is very à la carte. The prices seem reasonable at first, but sides and toppings can add up fast. The burgers don't come with fries, for example. We both got the West Coast Burger. It was good, but nothing particularly memorable. Service was attentive and generally friendly. Overall, Fish Heads is one of the better dining options in the area. The pier setting and views really make the experience unique. I enjoy coming here and will likely be back.

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    Bar featuring Home Alone.
    Bar featuring Home Alone.
    Coconut Shrimp Basket
    Coconut Shrimp Basket
    Fish Heads Bar and Grill

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    Sea Chef Dockside Kitchen - seafood - Updated August 2026

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