Spending the weekend in Emerald Isle so I ventured out for lunch. My plan was to visit snappers but they were closed till 5 (should have checked YELP before making the drive). The Trading Post was in close proximity and after reviewing its grade, photos, and remarks on YELP- we ventured in. I started the lunch with an Orange Crush ($12); you get your money's worth. I selected the shrimp & grits (best seller) and my friend selected the appetizer - The Southern Soul Roll. We sat out back where there is open tables as well as covered benches. A nice "greens" area for kids of all sizes to pass the time. Our bill was approximately $43 before tip. read more

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Love this place but Betty needs to go! She is extremely rude - made us wait 45 minutes for a table while she extended options to seat similar size parties after we arrived offering them multiple options for seating. She would not listen to reason and treated other staff with complete disrespect. There was a 4 and 2 top open - she refused to seat us and kept saying one of the 2 6 tops were leaving any minute but they were together - she didn't even know what was going on. Betty is a hot mess and should not be interacting with the general public. She asked customers repeatedly inside or out even though they stated inside. Betty needs to work on her listening and negotiation skills. It is clear she is a hurting morale at the restaurant in addition to hurting your business. read more

Appetizers and food were amazing. Our waitress was very attentive and took care of us. Would have been 5 stars but the steak came out cold and not cooked as requested. Would still come back again. read more

I have a house 2 miles from The Trading Post and eat there frequently. It was always good and I gave it a 5 star review on Google. Last Friday night I tried the Post Burger for the first time. Not good. Dry and tasteless. Obviously a perfectly shaped frozen patty. They should pay for fresh ground 80/20 Chuck bc they charge $17 for a burger and fries. I will say the thick sliced bacon on the burger is great. Almost like smoked pork belly. Spend less on the bacon and more on the beef please Trading Post. Lunch and breakfast wait staff are good. Dinner time brings young girls who struggle to remember what you ordered and forget to bring items like appetizer plates. Then they look astounded when you ask for a small appetizer plate to eat your fried green tomatoes appetizer. BTW, the tomatoes were not green so that app was lackluster. read more

Wow, has this place fallen! Our big party probably had most entrees on the menu. And they were all terrible. Grouper tasted old and tasteless, tuna was underwhelming, Brussel sprouts awful, fried crabcakes were cold, old and greasy. We think they must have changed hands. So sad. read more

Went for a midweek brunch and was immediately seated. There are some parking spots outside and we snagged one of the few ones right in front of the entrance. We got the Shrimp and grits and the Southern Eggs Benedict. Service: 4.5/5 Ambiance: 5/5 Loved the outdoor backyard setup. Food: 4/5 The eggs Benedict was ok. The ham was slightly too salty and overpowered the whole dish but the home fries were delicious and the eggs were perfectly poached. Now the Shrimp and Grits were amazing! Perfect texture and loved the sauce that came with it. I also loved the crispy hash browns underneath the egg that came along with it. I would highly recommend the Shrimp and grits. read more

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Great neighborhood restaurant. Summers you can sit outside. Service is awesome, and love the food. Everyone has a choice. We have returned several times as friends, and a date with my husband. read more

Wonderful restaurant! We love coming here to hang out and enjoy a good meal. It feels like hanging out at a neighbors house. Food is fresh and delicious. Recommend the shrimp and grits. Live music is always enjoyable. Definitely a must visit while in Emerald isle read more

One the food was awesome and the service was the best we had here all week. Our server really showed great southern hospitality, I feel bad I don't remember his name but had a great beard. One of the cleanest restaurants in town, the outside really encompassed the beachy atmosphere even though we ate inside. The menu had so much variety. Genuinely a 10 out of 10. read more

Our waitress was great, it was slow there - only a few tables inside and out. It was lunch time on Saturday actually; so I would of expected it to be busier but it is going into off season now at the beach. We walked there from the pier; party of 5. The Trading Post does have a free parking lot but it does fill up quick and the store next to them Colors does not do free parking and does not want non customers of colors parking there. So parking can be tricky sometimes! We were already at the pier and they had free parking that day. At the Trading Post the beers came out quickly; and so did the food. We all got burger, I was wanting to try the bbq but they were out. The mac and cheese was not good - do not recommend, tasted like plain noodles with pepper and not cheesy at all. The cucumber salad was delicious, and the fries were yummy too. I would ordered the fries next time, they had a perfect crisp. The ambiance was nice, very coastal decor; the outside patio was nice, a second bar out there and a small yard for cornhole it looked like. There was a fireplace as well near the patio. I would go back again, prices were average pricey for the beach. I was not blown away though, the burger was great. read more

The Trading Post - trading post burger mac and cheese side - Southern Near Me - Emerald Isle, North Carolina

Wait was 2x their estimate. Went at 6:30pm and told 20 min wait. First food came at 8:20. And food was terrible. Steamer not working so no steamed options. Rice undercooked. Flounder mushy. Very disappointing. read more

This spot is a must try. The only negative I would say is parking, but that's well beyond their control. I recommend getting there early for parking. But the food!!! The atmosphere!!! ON POINT!! I had the low country boil and a few of the Brussels sprouts...phenomenal. Crab was so fresh and juicy. Deliciously seasoned. There is great outdoor seating, and games for big and little people. Wait staff were all so friendly and kept us fed and drinks full. It's also right near a good spot on the beach, within walking distance. read more

The Trading Post - Low Country Boil for one - Southern Near Me - Emerald Isle, North Carolina

My go-to in EI is usually one of the pizza joints, but I was in the mood for something else, and beer. Think I found my new regular spot for when I'm in town! Got the oysters over grits and took home some fudge, and would def come back for more. Honestly trying to talk myself out of returning for breakfast in the morning because eggs benedict is my weakness. Staff was nice and attentive, and food came out fast (Wednesday evening). I would take the grits a little hotter, though; I like my food dangerously scalding when it arrives. read more

Great place for a Southern Breakfast. Everything on the menu is great. So are their Bloody Mary's! We recommend this place. read more

To sum it up quickly, mediocre at best. We've now been twice while on the island for dinner. Things that were good included the steak, which was cooked perfectly, and the grilled fish. The sides are pretty terrible... mac and cheese was completely dry, green beans were mush, fries were alright. It's a great spot on a nice day for the outdoor area and some drinks. Not the best food, but only so many options on the island. read more

I had the shrimp and grits for brunch and it was absolutely amazing. I've had shrimp and grits in New Orleans and this was far better than any I've had. Also had a perfect poached egg on top of perfect hashbrowns. And top notch service besides! read more

Unfortunately, I didn't take any pics.... Veggie Omelette was amazing, eggs cooked perfectly. Grits are good, buttery & salty. Chicken & waffles are amazing, they use great breading and chicken tendies. Bloody Mary has all the snacks!! breakfast pizza special was good, just not filling. read more

The breakfast here is very good and the staff are nice, i also got my food very quickly! :)) i recommend the waffles.

Portions were huge! Staff were incredibly friendly. Food was seasoned perfectly. No imitation, anything! We enjoyed an assortment of fresh seafood with good ol southern hospitality. Will definitely return and bring visiting family! read more

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Every time I come here, I always leave full and happy. A good local breakfast spot with great food and a comfortable setting. The bar area is a good spot for a quick breakfast with easy viewing of TVs. I keep it simple and usually go for the Bacon & Eggs. A simple breakfast that'll fill you up. If you have the time, ask for a Bloody Mary that won't disappoint you and get you off on the right foot. Thanks! read more

The Trading Post - Bacon & Eggs w/ Coffee & a Bloody Mary - Southern Near Me - Emerald Isle, North Carolina

Megan. Nice, gave good explanation on menu choices. No Lettuce for salads Had to get own straws One stall bathroom Salty Mac n cheese Breaded fries, why? "Clam chowder" more like seafood chowder had corn, black beans, but was divine, perfectly seasoned. Fried green tomatoes served with housemade pimento cheese, red pepper jelly garnish. Was delish. Iced tea, brewed, good. read more

Saw a lot of reviews highlighting this place so decided to take the family here for lunch after arriving to Emerald Isle. Stopped in on a quiet lunch time with a few tables occupied by out of the place visitors as well. We sat our 6 person table and were taken care of by Megan. I got the sense that there were a shortage of staffing from the beginning with the wait staff also taking the responsibilities of the host stand. While previewing the menu, we enjoyed some local draft flight from the Isle and nearby while the ladies in my party enjoyed a cider. Being close to the water we wanted some fresh seafood. We grabbed half a pound of shrimp and fried green tomatoes. The shrimp came with cocktail sauce and a butter dip but didn't really scream to me local or fresh. For the time that it took to have the appetizers come out you would think that they did come from the ocean. We grabbed some of the platters with the fried oysters with grilled flounder and the clam strip platter. The oysters and the grilled flounder were decent with us opting for the grilled option as the other option was blacken and wasn't sure about the seasoning and how spicy it would be for my dad. The clam strips weren't anything spectacular being pretty much frozen and reheated...sad since again you were by the ocean. I would say try to make something else if you were trying to convey a sense of seaside cuisine. My mom asked for the flounder Rueben but unfortunately was served another fried flounder platter. With all of us sharing we made it work but my mom is a sandwich gal. The shrimp and grits were a little watery for my aunt's taste. The poached egg still had a vinegary aftertaste to it. Not a lunch choice but we try to enjoy the menu and there wasn't much options for us to choose from without repeating ourselves. My uncle and I got ribs for our meal which were pretty good. A nice BBQ sauce on them and fall off the bone pretty easily. Out of place a little bit but was pretty than my sister's clam strips. I would say service was the hardest critique of the place. We saw the three women running, taking care of sitting parties and taking orders along with ensure all the tables had no needs. There was a time that we did have another person from the back or a possible manager come to help with our orders that finally came out. With a pretty large indoor area and outdoor patio, the need for another wait staff was needed or having the manager/bartender at the bar help the room instead of conversing with the one patron at the bar that was enjoying his whiskey flight. It was interesting to see that he was sampling wine and new items with a distributor to add to wines to the bar options while the rest of the restaurant was waiting to be sat, have their orders taken or waiting for food to be brought out. I can't see ourselves tipping more than the 20% tip that was automatically added on for a party of 6 or more when the wait for food was a little too much, order was messed up and rather than comp us a meal chose to ask for more based on the service. The "service" wasn't there. read more

The food here is definitely not worth the price you pay. We ordered the Blackened Mahi and despite it being "blackened", it was extremely bland. Virtually no flavor at all. We also ordered the Fried Flounder with Fries and Garlic Mashed Potatoes that were not good. For starters, I got Cole slaw instead of fries and the Cole slaw was not good at all. The garlic mashed potatoes, I hope you like a little potato to go with your garlic. Unfortunately that was still the best from this plate as the fried flounder was much like the Mahi, completely flavorless. All you could taste was the overwhelming grease they deep fried it in and left it soaked in on our plate. The best part of the meal was the crab dip appetizer and the kids chicken tenders with fries. The pita "chips" with the dip were bad, they were soft and overly coated with seasoning- maybe that's where all the seasoning for the fish went. The French fries were good and the chicken tenders were greasy but they were still decent. Overall, would not recommend and won't be returning. read more

Ordered the avocado toast for breakfast. On my plate was one slice of bread, one thin slice of a pale pink tomato, a few slices of a hard avocado, and an overcooked fried egg on top. all of this for $14!!?!!? I know, I should have called manager over to table. I truly regret not doing that. I'm surprised my server wasn't embarrassed to serve that to me. Anyway, we won't return to this restaurant and definitely won't recommend to anyone. signed, a full time resident of Emerald Isle read more

The food was amazing, the service was excellent and the ambiance was chill!!! Would go again! read more

The Trading Post - Shrimp n grits - Southern Near Me - Emerald Isle, North Carolina

The food was great. It was a busy Friday night, but the staff was very friendly and helpful. It also had a very nice atmosphere with live music. read more

First time here. It was on our bucket list to try. The restaurant itself is nice, but not enough parking spot. We came when they had an event going on but hold us about 1 hr wait. We decided to wait but soon we also realized lots of open seats outdoor could have been used for us but they didn't... we ended up waiting for awhile. The salad was okay ... service avg. the Mac and cheese was wayyy to salty. Overall, I wouldn't recommend just bc we waited forever for the seat. Salad was not worth the money at all read more

The Trading Post - Southern Near Me - Emerald Isle, North Carolina

Food is superior. Simple done extremely well. My wife is a retired chef and says it is evident the chefs are truly outstanding here. Service is delightful . Efficient, friendly, attentive, and experienced, they made us feel welcome and didn't blink at the customized requests. The atmosphere is fun and relaxing, rather than excessively energetic. Easily accessible from the main road through town. Truly a "must try." read more

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Excellent food. Good service. Some excellent servers. Take out available. Average ambience.

Very nice staff, I got the ribs and they were amazing. I would recommend the shrimp appetizer and the hush puppies.

5 stars on the food. Zero stars on the staff, minus the bartender, he was good. All the young girls were hanging out right where we sat at the bar and just talked and talked and talked, loudly. Being very rude to other girls that weren't working that day. The 'manager' if you can call him that, was very loud as well while training a new girl. The over all vibe in the place was one of dissent and not much fun. read more

The food was delicious! We went twice on our stay here. The southern soul rolls are good. They are stuffed with all sorts of delicious southern delectables. My daughter said the Mac and cheese was out of this world; it was very cheesy. I got the shrimp and grits on my second visit. I was expecting only about six shrimp, but it was jammed packed with shrimp! The only negative comment would be that it was super loud in there! But everyone had been stuck inside this week because of hurricane Debby, so we will cut them some slack! read more

Nice little rustic restaurant for great breakfast! Originally, we planned to go to Gaffers but that place opens at 8am so we decided to check out this place. Inside, we're greeted with a warm welcome and are pretty much seated right away. Tip: this place gets busy and the people who came in later had to wait for spots to open up in order to get seated. My dad ordered the Local Post breakfast which for him included 2 scrambled eggs, ham, Postados (potatoes) and toast. My mom got the classic southern Chicken N Waffles and I ordered the Post Pancakes with sausage. My pancakes were absolutely huge and were very fluffy. My mom gave me some of her chicken and waffles and there were quite delicious. As for parking, we parked in the back because there weren't any open spots in the front. read more

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Food - slayed Environment - slayed Drinks - slayed Waitress - slayed Wait time - slayed I would go here again read more

The Trading Post - Meat of the day plate with Mac and cheese and fried okra - Southern Near Me - Emerald Isle, North Carolina

Our favorite new place at the beach! Very clean, and comfortable, beachy decor. The outdoor space tho!!! Huge, stone fireplace, fire pits, rockers, outdoor lighting, tables, corn hole, green space and PET FRIENDLY!! But, all that wouldn't mean anything without amazing food... Oh yeah, they got that in spades!! Omg, the shrimp and grits!! Fried green tomatoes, crab cakes...I mean!! No joke, EVERYTHING we have eaten there was fantastic. And yeah, they are a little pricey. But, I guarantee you will get your money worth. Fantastic staff too read more

The Trading Post - Shrimp and grits - Southern Near Me - Emerald Isle, North Carolina

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Amazing food and atmosphere! Easily the best shrimp and grits I've ever had. The grits were creamy and the sauce brought the entire dish together. All the ingredients paired well, especially the hash browns on the side. The crunch from those were perfect! The wait was not long at all either. read more

The Trading Post - Shrimp and Grits - Southern Near Me - Emerald Isle, North Carolina

The food was excellent. appetizer of Fried green tomatoes with pimento cheese spread and hot pepper jelly to start. Burger and fries excellent. blackened shrimp and crab cakes great! Fried oysters with flounder another hit. Sweet tea a true southern favorite! The best Cole slaw in a restaurant we have ever had! We would definitely eat here again! read more

Went for breakfast on a Sunday and we're disappointed yay we couldn't get a Bloody Mary until 10 am. It's not the restaurants fault at all....we liked the food so much that we hung out until past 10 to get some brunch beverages! Highly recommend the southern eggs Benedict! read more

I got the BBQ sandwich and my husband ordered the 1/2 pound of shrimp - literally so good! We ordered another 1/2 pound!

I'm so glad the locals referred us to this restaurant! Not only is the ambiance rustic and nautical, but it's clean and welcoming. It's got a cool bar area with lively, fun lovin' patrons and an outdoor patio with a fireplace, a fire pit and another bar. But hold on folks... that's just the tip of the iceberg. The food is the bomb! Some of the best Southern down home cooking I've had! I got the lunch special, fried chicken with two sides for $10! Awesome deal! The platter was ginormous... 4 pieces of crispy, juicy fried chicken, a tasty cucumber and tomato salad in a delish dill dressing, and the best dang grits I've tasted! The grits were thick and creamy because they use butter and cream instead of just water and they are not runny like those gross instant brands. These were tongue cartwheeling good!! Awww shucks! My friend had the oysters and the fish stew which she liked, but mentioned that the oysters were over cooked and hence, a bit small. Good prices though. I'm not much of a seafood gal but the presentation was lovely. Our server Dawn, was congenial and efficient and Trevan was hopping from table to table cleaning and refilling the condiments. What a smooth operation. The restroom floor was a little sticky, but the boat sink was cool! I wouldn't trade my experience at the Trading Post for anything! read more

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