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Circa 81 Tapas & Cocktaileria, Morehead City, NC

Circa 81 Tapas & Cocktaileria

4.9
4.9
1231 Reviews
$30 and under
Tapas / Small Plates
4650 C Arendell Street, Morehead City, NC 28557

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 6 times today

About this restaurant

  • Neighborhood gem
  • Great for creative cocktails
  • Good for special occasions
Clarke Merrell's (Circa 81 Executive Chef/Proprietor) goal is for Circa 81 to provide creative, quality, & delicious food in a beautiful setting. Offering small plates that are perfect for passing around the table in true tapas style, our dishes are meant to inspire and engage our diners. So, start a conversation, relax, and enjoy a fresh take on cuisine. Clarke developed Circa 81 in hopes that guests will try something new and different and truly have a dining experience. Circa 81 offers great wine and cocktails too, with more than 30 specialty drinks on our cocktaileria menu. Our menu also includes medium and large plate selections - delicious sandwiches, homemade soups, local seafood and fresh-made desserts.

Circa 81 also offers take-out and catering - just contact us for more details.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Tapas / Small Plates, Seafood, Southern
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Sun 10:30 am–2:00 pm Lunch Wed–Sat 11:30 am–2:00 pm Dinner Wed–Sat 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Sun 5:00 pm–8:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Clarke Merrell
  • Catering
    Circa 81 offers full service catering. Let us cater your next event. Think of us when you are planning your next, wedding, rehearsal dinner, bridal luncheon, office party, dinner party, baby shower. Also popular is our drop off menu. Email Clarke@81hospitality.com or call 252.648.8300 for your catering needs.
  • Private party facilities
    Circa 81 can be used for semi-private events or rented out and closed to the public for events. Contact us for details on special event bookings.
  • Neighborhood
    Beaufort / Morehead City
  • Cross street
    Across from EJW Outdoors
  • Parking details
    Big private lot. Will accommodate large vehicles
  • Public transit
    Taxi Cabs (sorry MHC does not offer public transportation)We are located 2.5 miles west of the Atlantic Beach bridge in Carteret Village Shopping Center.
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 1,231 people are saying

Circa 81 Tapas & Cocktaileria reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.9
4.9 based on recent ratings
  • 4.9Food
  • 4.9Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.5Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Coastal North Carolina

    Best Overall

  • Coastal North Carolina

    Best Food

  • Coastal North Carolina

    Lively

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Circa 81 Tapas & Cocktaileria in Morehead City is celebrated for its "delicious food, excellent service, and relaxing atmosphere." Known for creative tapas and brunch, the "staff sets the bar for service," making it a "favorite for locals." The cocktails and diverse menu keep diners returning for "consistently exceptional experiences."
1,231 Reviews
  1. Scott VIP

    Wilmington69 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great service and food .

    Is this helpful?

  2. David

    Western NC4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food and service as always! Circa 81 is consistent every time we go for lunch.

    Is this helpful?

  3. Catherine VIP

    South Dakota29 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 18, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Super good food, super fun, super service! Love this place!

    Is this helpful?

  4. Russell

    E. Tennessee1 review

    5.0

    Dined on April 16, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food was absolutely delicious! We’ll definitely be going back!

    Is this helpful?

  5. Dr. John VIP

    New York City99 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 12, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always delicious!! The food is incredible!! Chris always greats with a smile and Jamie makes specialty drinks that are always amazing! We love Circa.....

    Is this helpful?

  6. Niki

    Wilmington11 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 11, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This time we tried the new seafood mac and cheese on the menu. It was amazing! Really can't get enough of this place. If you want to eat delicious food, eat at Circa!

    Is this helpful?

  7. Rose

    Raleigh1 review

    5.0

    Dined on April 9, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food, excellent service. We had she crab soup, pork belly, crab cake, potstickers and wings .

    Is this helpful?

  8. Niki

    Wilmington11 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 6, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Brunch at Circa is absolutely wonderful. The Circa 81 Benedict is a masterpiece! The only thing better than the food is their staff. We love them all, but Jamie is an artist behind the bar.

    Is this helpful?

  9. Dr. John VIP

    New York City99 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 5, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We always enjoy the food, drinks and service at Circa- Chris always greets us and takes us to our high top where Jamie takes great care of us ! And Pete is always walking around with a smile! We had 6 different dishes - all of them were fabulous!! Circa is one of our favorite restaurants!!!

    Is this helpful?

  10. OpenTable Diner

    Raleigh2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 5, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Flavorful and so much fun. A great dining experience.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Circa 81 Tapas & Cocktaileria offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (252) 648-8300.

Circa 81 Tapas & Cocktaileria is rated 4.9 stars by 1231 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Coastal North Carolina
  4. Beaufort / Morehead City
  5. Beaufort / Morehead City

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 6 times today
Google Map for Circa 81 Tapas & Cocktaileria

4650 C Arendell Street, Morehead City, NC 28557

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Across from EJW Outdoors
  • Neighborhood
    Beaufort / Morehead City
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Sun 10:30 am–2:00 pm Lunch Wed–Sat 11:30 am–2:00 pm Dinner Wed–Sat 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Sun 5:00 pm–8:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Tapas / Small Plates, Seafood, Southern
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Big private lot. Will accommodate large vehicles
  • Public transit
    Taxi Cabs (sorry MHC does not offer public transportation)We are located 2.5 miles west of the Atlantic Beach bridge in Carteret Village Shopping Center.
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Clarke Merrell
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
  • Catering
    Circa 81 offers full service catering. Let us cater your next event. Think of us when you are planning your next, wedding, rehearsal dinner, bridal luncheon, office party, dinner party, baby shower. Also popular is our drop off menu. Email Clarke@81hospitality.com or call 252.648.8300 for your catering needs.
  • Private party facilities
    Circa 81 can be used for semi-private events or rented out and closed to the public for events. Contact us for details on special event bookings.
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