I had been wanting to visit the Sugar Shack for a while. I traditionally go to OIB about once a year and this last visit was my first to this restaurant. I ordered the rib and coconut shrimp combo and enjoyed the food. The rice and beans mixture I enjoyed also. The only downside is the food isn't authentic Jamaican and the building isn't too impressive. Also, very pricey I thought, but overall a positive experience. Our waitress was good and they sang happy birthday who was celebrating a birthday there. read more

Best food in ocean isle! The jerk sauce is soooooo good & the ribs fall off the bone! Coconut shrimp was delicious & cornbread tastes like CAKE. everything is delicious - we go here every year on vacation. read more

Sugar Shack - Island Coconut Shrimp Babyback Ribs Seasoned Fries Cole Slaw - Caribbean Near Me - Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina

We always love coming or taking out Sugar Shack! I always order the Coconut shrimp with rice & beans (and pour sauce over ) my husband loves the ribs - the meat just slides off the bone! My son enjoys the chicken and fries too! The staff is always friendly and attentive! We typically get to see George and he is awesome! Oh! And don't forget to grab a slice of mango raspberry cheesecake!!! read more

If you are on or near Ocean Isle, stop what you are doing and make plans to eat here. We got the coconut shrimp app, ribs with plantains, and NY strip steak and every single thing was 10/10! Cherry on top is the amazing service. We can't wait to come back!! read more

We have been dining at Sugar Shack since they opened in 1996 and it is still as good now as when they opened. Linda and her staff are wonderful and welcoming and the food is even better. Don't miss a visit to Sugar Shack!! read more

Hands down, the best restaurant in Ocean Isle area - Sugarshack. I've been to Jamaica. When I moved to Calabash, I feared I was going to loose my delicious tastes of Jamaican foods. Thanks to a neighbor, I was introduced to Sugar Shack. The food is amazing & traditional dishes of Jamaica are served. The pulled pork & chicken with sauce - amazing. Curried chicken - melts in your mouth, with just the right flavors. Beef patties - just like what I had in Montego Bay. I ordered catering for a surprise party, not only was I helped with making the right choices, they worked with me, to ensure I had the right amount and the right selections to meet my party's need. Said it already, hands down, the best Jamaican food in the area, for family dining or your catering needs. Awesome staff, chefs and atmosphere. for food, service & everything!!! Highly recommend. -- eating dinner at Sugar shack, Ocean Isle NC. read more

Had read a lot of good things about this place online and decided to give it a try. Made reservations for 7:30 by calling them in the early afternoon and left a message with our request. They called back with our confirmation a couple hours later. We arrived promptly at 7:30, was given a buzzer and ended up waiting 45 minutes for a table. So basically, even if you have a reservation, you can and will still wait quite a bit, so be prepared. But without reservations, you pretty much have no chance at even getting in. They had a nice outdoor waiting area (complete with shade and ceiling fans), though, with lots of benches and seats and frequent/friendly while-you-wait bar-service. The food really was outstanding and worth the wait. The service was stellar - quick, efficient and friendly. Our table ordered ribs, coconut shrimp, curry chicken, tag-and-go cod fritters and 3 kids' meals (hot dog, grilled cheese and chicken tenders). All were well-received but the ribs were simply amazing. They weren't your standard bbq sauce soaked ribs, but rather wet-rubbed and cooked to perfection, ie fall off the bone. There was live music, ie a guy and his guitar who sang lots of favorites, which made for a lively, fun atmosphere. Pros: Reaaaaally good food. The ribs were some of the best we've ever had and the coconut shrimp was delicious as well. The staff, from the hostess to the servers were outstanding. Lively, fun atmosphere Cons: Long wait, even with a reservation, relatively expensive and though this place is listed as a Jamaican Restaurant, it really wasn't all that Jamaicany. read more

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Great service and great food. Comfortable place to be entertained. Very professional.

Really really really good! Pricey but good. I'm vegan and was left with a very limited options. I ordered rice and beans which I sasoned tableside with the yummy jerk sauce. My hubby devoured the 18 ounce steak. We had one glass of Wine, a soda and spent $65 with tip. Yikes! read more

Food when available is delicious! Please decide - are you a dine in or take out restaurant? Please stop taking "large orders" which is your words not mine that equates to limited option available on your menu. You could avoid that by planning ahead and that's called "catering". I had this experience the last 3 times at your restaurant. I felt particularly bad for those young families who go out for that 1 restaurant per vacation and are left with sweltering heat outside, crying children and limited menu items and a long wait for their food. You are the only restaurant in the area that is not allowing indoor dining because you have a "take away" business in the interior of the restaurant. Please prioritize your in house guest! read more

Outdoor seating at picnic tables. Steak was over done (we ordered medium and should've ordered medium rare.) Nice to find a good location and friendly service during these Covid times. Our group of four all ordered steak, so cannot comment on other items. We'd definitely go back and bet medium rare steaks next time! read more

They do not lie when they say that you will have the best ribs you've ever had. The baby back ribs are melting in your mouth and are spiced to perfection! Then there was the coconut shrimp accompanied by an orange mango marmalade which I really liked. My co- diners had the Cesar salad with grilled shrimps has around 20 beautiful succulent shrimps on skewers- I have never had that many shrimp in any salad ever. We also ordered a plate of Jamaican specialties which consists of jerk chicken and pork, cod fritters and a kind of pastry stuffed with spicy beef- all was tasty, but I enjoyed the jerk chicken best. Beware, the portions are quite big, even the appetizers were quite generous so either come very hungry or you might want to consider sizing down your order. Did I mention they also have live music and an outside tiki bar and patio? read more

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First time at the sugar shack. Good Covid procedures. Food was great and well seasoned. Portions are good. Food is a little overpriced. No plantains or desserts when we visited. I guess deliveries were spotty. Will return next time. read more

The food was full of flavor and plentiful. We had ribs, lobster bisque, and coconut shrimp. It had unusual seasonings and isn't what most would expect, but it was good food. The meat on the ribs fell off the bone and was incredibly tender. The staff was attentive although they made us feel like we should hustle out as soon as possible. One more warning: Don't order iced tea unless you're willing to try an unusual flavor. Extra nice touches: Spiced bread served with your meal. Accepts reservations for large parties for 5pm seating. read more

Sugar shack Jamaican restaurant of Ocean Isle Beach is a one of a kind experience. There is nothing like it anywhere so don't try to compare! From their fabulous ribs to the coconut shrimp to the jerk chicken and jerk pork.m, From their fabulous ribs to the coconut shrimp to the jerk chicken and jerk pork.A side order of beans and rice or curried rice makes for the per read more

My steak was huge, tender, marinated in an awesome Caribbean fruity sauce, grilled medium rare to my liking. Well worth the price!

Walked in 20 mins after opening and the entire place was already packed, so we knew it had to be good, and it was more than good, it was awesome! A great place in Ocean Isle that brings the flavor. From the drinks, to the johnny sweet spice bread, to our amazing entrees the snapper and their classic ribs we left with full bellies and a jar of Dave's one of a kind jerk sauce! read more

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Best restaurant in OIB! Amazing Jamaican food served by a fun and friendly staff. We're OIB locals and try to enjoy this place as much as we can. It's busy so call early for reservations. We love all the pork dishes and coconut shrimp. The jerk seasoning is perfect - not spicy. The wings are great too and make sure to get the beans and rice as your side dish. read more

My hubs and I were in town for a few days waiting to close on our new house and found this place on a Yelp search. Reviews recommended the ribs. He went with the half rack and coconut shrimp which was one of their combos. The ribs were great! He crushed them and he's not usually a pork person. The coconut shrimp were a great size and the breading was perfect. I had the 12oz steak. It was very good, had great seasoning. Since we were there during the office season the restaurant wasn't very busy. The staff was very friendly. I would have liked to have seen a critter or something more exotic for there bread option. They serve a Jamaican sweet bread that is like a hybrid between a cake and bread and is supposed to normally have pieces of fruit in it like a Christmas fruit cake. The sweetness throws off the meal. Also, the beans and rice were rather dry. For the price, it was ok. read more

Got take out from them the other night. Ordered the sampler that came with: jerk chicken wings, Jamaican beef patty, 6 coconut shrimp and a mountain of the jerk pork. The shrimp and pork were amazing. The chicken was bland - for jerk chicken I expected way more flavor. I felt the beef patty had a weird aftertaste and looked "too perfect" not sure if that was homemade or not (if it was good for them!) We also split the 12oz steak after reading all the reviews. Ordered medium rare and delivered as expected. Tasty but not holy crap this is amazing tasty. Rice and beans that came with were delicious. Glad we split the entree as the sampler almost filled us up. Would definitely go back for the coconut shrimp. read more

If you are familiar with good jerk chicken then don't eat here. The chicken had no spice at all. If you have ever been to Jamaica and dined on true jerk right from the smoker you'll understand. Bland and tasteless. Go somewhere else, you will be happy you did. read more

We came back again because we had such a great first experience. It was delicious and even though I didn't get the entire coconut shrimp meal this time the appetizer was just as delicious! Very happy about this place and will continue to come back and support them. I do wish the prices were a bit lower as it was 24 for the entire meal which is why i stuck to the appetizer (broke college girl). But it was definitely worth it! No wait at all. People were very nice. My friend wanted the wings but can't eat fried food so she got them grilled and said they were great! read more

Sugar Shack - The coconut shrimp and ribs meals are pictured. - Caribbean Near Me - Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina

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First time at this restaurant. Small and quaint, but the food is so dang good; love the johnny cake and fall off the bone wings! Will be back! read more

Best restaurant in Ocean Isle Beach! Owners are from my neck of the woods in Long Island. So friendly and food is delicious! Definitely recommend the coconut shrimp ;) read more

I tired the pizza off the appetizer menu. It has jerk chicken and mango sauce. I was surprised how good it was. I'd order it again! I also love the sauce they keep on the table. It was great to dip my pizza crust in. read more

Loved it. Amazing steak. Like lick your plate amazing. I did not lick my plate but I did use my fries as a mop.

What's not to like? The crab fritters have too much breading, but everything else rocks. Wings are great as cold leftovers to accompany your beer on the beach the next day. Also live the rims and coconut shrimp. FYI that the portions are huge, but all make great leftovers. To the owners:. Please ditch the mammy by the toilets. Would make it feel more welcoming. Also swap out the styrofoam "doggy bags" for cardboard. Thanks! read more

Great customer service! Like us to the products we ask about and explained each one. Very knowledgeable! And give a veterans discount!

So delicious. Everything was extremely flavorful and nothing was "too spicy" the staff we interacted with was friendly and helpful. We had 2 under 5 with us. They brought out an extra helping of their cake like bread for the kids so they weren't restless for their food. We absolutely will go again and will recommend to our friends. read more

This place was excellent! Be sure to make reservations when you go, we did, and we saw why when we left. The place was jam packed on the inside and out within an hour of opening. The small space inside makes it incredibly loud and its tough to carry on a conversation without shouting. With that being said, let's talk food. I ordered the Stamp and Go which are fried cod fritters and they were absolutely delicious. I don't eat ribs very often but had to try them after hearing so many good reviews and I wasn't disappointed at all. Got coconut shrimp with my meal and it was delicious as well. I'll be visiting this place again, hopefully sooner than later. read more

Sugar Shack - Ribs and coconut shrimp, a solid choice! - Caribbean Near Me - Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina

I've put off reviewing this restaurant for some time, wanting to see whether other diners had similar experiences so I could, perhaps, see it was just me who found it lackluster and bland but now I'm ready to review it and though I always want the local folks near our island to do well, something is a bit off-kilter here. I'd read the reviews about the "amazing 22-hour smoked ribs," but on dining there and sampling from one of our party's rib entrée, I was not impressed. Jamaican food is traditionally spicy and on asking our server, a very nice young lady, I'll give her that, why the food didn't have any "heat" she replied, "We do spicy, not hot." Well, folks, that's not Jamaican. I've been there. Our party of five shared bites of each entrée we ordered and here are the results: Jamaican Goat Curry (I ordered this one because I've had this National Dish of Jamaica IN Jamaica) and I found it so lacking in depth that I questioned whether I'd actually read the reviews correctly. These people are supposed to have traveled to that island nation, were supposed to know the cuisine, but as a chef, I'm critical of cooking in general, especially when you advertise your expertise but cannot actually produce it. The braising time was way off, the goat still more stringy than it would have been had it been slow-braised properly, the way Jamaicans actually do it. The saving grace of this dish that night was that our server was able to offer me a bottle of semi-okay Scotch Bonnet pepper sauce to liven it up. Coconut Shrimp: Decent, but not as crisp as they should have been. Also lacking in the fruity and deeply rich taste one would find in any other Jamaican restaurant...for half the price. Caprese Salad: I could not believe I saw this regional Italian salad offering in a Jamaican-themed (supposedly) restaurant! It was a fine salad, true, but good heavens...in a Jamaican restaurant? What, on Earth, could they be thinking? The Ribs: One diner from our party who'd had the much-applauded-previously ribs remarked disappointedly that "they've changed something." On tasting them I caught an almost cloying allspice aroma and palate, back-end of the palate, but again, no spice, no "verve and elan" which is what I expect from Caribbean cuisine. Definitely a no-go for me. Jamaican Sampler: This dish compares in no reasonable fashion to one served in Jamaica. Here we have the traditional pork, chicken, "stamp and go" (pronounced STOMP) and the Jamaican Pattie. In Jamaica, these apps are exploding with flavor and spice; at this restaurant they are deep-fried disappointment. The pattie is exceptionally empty and devoid of flavor and I cannot recommend this to anyone. Traditionally, this is a spicy, and I mean heatedly spicy, ground beef offered in a puff pastry but at Sugar Shack it's flat as can be, not only not spicy, but also devoid of even a hint of seasoning of any sort. "Stamp-and-Go" is traditionally a cod fritter, bursting with spices and savory delight, but again, like the Pattie, this one was flat, FELL flat, for lack of authentic cooking technique and lack of spices. Perhaps they have better nights, but for me, two in a row, just didn't cut it, especially in view of the fact that their prices are off the chart out of line, high, for what you get, and the overall lack of authenticity and loyalty to the Caribbean fare actually offered in Jamaica. I'll admit that the reviews I first read, the raves, were years ago, so something has definitely changed at Sugar Shack and it's a darned shame. read more

1) They have only beer and wine. Despite the menu having frosty alcoholic beverages on it that make you think they are house takes on things like a pina colada, these drinks are desserts. They have ice cream, whipped cream and maybe a pinch of some liqueur but you definitely won't taste/feel any alcohol. 2) Rice and beans were EXTREMELY dry. Like eating sand, it was awful. 3) Most in my party got the coconut shrimp (sweet as heck) or ribs. Be aware that this isn't BBQ, the ribs are dry rubbed in sort of a cinnamon sugar fashion. The ribs themselves were well cooked and fell off the bone, but without any kind of sauce other than the jerk sauce on the table I just felt like it was missing something. All in all I feel like this place is quite far from it's price point of about $25/person for entrees. As the name of the restaurant implies, everything you order will have a kick of sugar to it. I felt like I needed some insulin after my meal. read more

Disappointed. Not authentic Jamaican. Overpriced. Bland. Goat curry was more like a goat stew minus any vegetables. It lacked scotch bonnet and curry. For $24.99 I feel ripped off! How can there be no hint of curry in a curry dish? Watery soup. Goat was tender and that's all they seem to be promising at this place. Their motto should be, "Fall off the bone tender with no flavor". It was concerning when the waiter mentioned that nothing was spicy just "well seasoned". That's not authentic and is insulting to Jamaicans! The "jerk sauce" is basically a syrup and a sweet one at that. For all the reviews that claim "Great food" one has to wonder how tasteless these people are. The Jerk Chicken did taste jerky but lacked scotch bonnet heat and wasn't grilled meaning the skin was slimy and not crisp. Seems like they have a crockpot filled with chicken based on the wetness of the product. The beef patties are undoubtedly frozen and possibly from a box. I get the same quality patties at my local Food Lion. Also bland and lacking spice and requiring lots of hot sauce to make palatable. For a Jamaican restaurant, you should make you own hot sauce and actually have some pride in how you represent the Island tastes. Instead, this place caters to tourists with little regard for being authentic. Also, $9 24oz Red Stripe is a joke. That comes down to $4.50/12oz which is overpriced at best. For all those who have praised the efforts of this place, please educate yourselves and broaden your taste profiles. read more

Frankly, I'm embarrassed that I've been coming to OIB, like, FOREVER and just this year made my first trip to the Sugar Shack. It's always so crowded - and now I know why. Because it's delicious. Went here a few Friday's ago (someone in our party had the foresight to actually make a reservation!) before leaving OIB and everything was fantastic. I highly recommend the curried goat, coconut shrimp and chicken wings. Everything about this place was bright, colorful and flavorful. It's not necessarily cheap, but the portions are huge and the service is stellar. I'd absolutely recommend this place to anyone who wants to try something new and different. And I'll definitely be returning. read more

We took everyone's advice and made reservations here for 830. We were left waiting outside though, for an hour and were finally seated at 930. That's a bit unacceptable. Luckily we had already decided what we wanted to order, the ribs everyone was raving about and the jerk chicken. However, upon sitting down, we were informed by our cheery waitress that there were no ribs or jerk chicken left! Very disappointing. Nonetheless, we ordered the jerk pork and crab fritters. My partner liked the jerk pork. It was cooked just right. The crab fritters, were just kind of OK. Imagine crab cakes with mostly filler, deep fried with a lemony sauce on the side. We did get an app though before, well actually 2. Two Jamaican beef patties. These were excellent! Also the johnny bread or whatever it's called was a winner. I could have just had that and the beef patty and been satisfied it was that good and filing. Also, the price... wow, everyone wasn't exaggerating when they said this place was a bit overpriced. We paid $100, including tax & tip for just two of us. We had 2 beers each, the apps, and 2 entrees. I thought it a bit much for the quality of the food. read more

Fast service! And the food came fast- very limited menu, but the quality is amazing. Wasn't too thrilled when they sat us next to the bathroom, but the food came and shut me right up! Would definitely recommend. There is limited parking! read more

Sugar Shack - Caribbean Near Me - Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina

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Showed up at 4 and they let us know that they didn't open until 5, no big deal we went shopping for and hour and got back at 5:01. The problem I have is that when we got back at 5 they informed us that we needed reservations or they couldn't seat us for another 2 hours if we were lucky. INFORMATION that would have been nice to know when we stopped by at 4. Wasted an evening of our vacation and now we don't have time to stay and eat here because we are leaving. Food is probably amazing, but the customer service is complete garbage. Enough to keep me from supporting the business. read more

Made reservations that day for 5pm and lots of people waiting for them to open on a Monday night. Table was ready for us when we walked in. Claire was fast and efficient. Excellent meal and lots of food. We will be back! read more

I can't believe how expensive it is for Jamaican food. I can get the same exact food and huge portion sizes for half the price in Durham. I know OIB is not Durham, but I don't win the lottery each time I visit so I really don't get it. $23 for goat curry?! That is literally $10.99 in Durham. Sugar Shack may be the only Jamaican place in OIB, but that doesn't mean you should go there to get Jamaican food. It means you eat other food and then go to another city for delicious, affordable Jamaican food. read more

I'm not sure why people like this place, as they've completely taken the heat out of Jamaican cooking, and replaced taste with high prices, poor quality ingredients, and and embarrassingly large portions. Dinner started with a caprese salad, which seemed odd for a Jamaican restaurant, but was even stranger when it arrived. The largest "tomato" I've ever seen, about six inches across, had been sliced in half, and a inch-thick wedge of cheese and a single leaf of basil stuck in the middle. The tomato itself looked like a light-red chunk of styrofoam, and was so tough it was difficult to get a knife through it. The curried chicken dish was 1/2 of a chicken cooked until it was both bland and rubbery, but came with a couple of pounds of french fries. The ribs were covered with a sweet allspice mixture, which was OK, but the meat itself was near tasteless. Definitely not something I'd care to ever try again. The goat and rice & beans dish was tasty, if extra salty. The portion was crazy, though, enough for 3 meals, and the presentation was unappetizing to say the least: a six-inch tall pile of bones on top of the beans and rice on a flat plate. The prices were also way out of whack for a run-of-the-mill Jamaican place. I paid for a drink and entree for me and my daughter and the tab came to $58 before tax! Needless to say we won't be going back. read more