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Diners' Choice: Best Food restaurants in Coastal North Carolina

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OpenTable
Updated January 05, 2025

Looking for restaurants with the best overall cuisine in Coastal North Carolina? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!


A photo of Genki Sushi Bar and Japanese Restaurant restaurant
4.9
4.9 (626)
$31 to $50
Sushi
Wilmington
About the restaurant
We look forward to welcoming you into our warm environment, with food so good you will swear you just stepped off of the train in Tokyo.

If you are reading this description, please take note that:
* Starting October 1st 2024: We will no longer be able to seat you unless your entire party has arrived and ready to sit ON TIME.
We will hold your Table/Seats for ONLY 10 minutes past the reservation time.
*After 10 minutes, you will lose your reservation to someone who is on the waiting list.
*Please take this serious as, it will allow us to provide better customer service to our guests as we increase in volume, and allow the evening to flow better with timing for our reservations through out the evening.
Thank you for your cooperation and understanding! Our customers mean the world to us!

*Also, please remember to count small children and babies as a person for seating. Thank you for your participation and understanding in this.
Thank you for your business! See you soon!

Top review
MichaelVIP
Dined 5 days ago
Awesome as always. Chef Danny is one of the best as is Sophia and Lana for taking good care of the customers
A photo of Brent's Bistro restaurant
4.9
4.9 (653)
$31 to $50
Contemporary American
Wrightsville Beach
About the restaurant
Upscale yet casual restaurant located in Wilmington, NC. Located near Wrightsville Beach. Menu changes weekly to highlight the freshest seafood and land dishes. Enjoy flavorful dinners and extensive wine selection in our welcoming atmosphere. When weather permits, book a seat outdoors on our covered patio. For reservations, please utilize Opentable or call us directly. However, reservations for Fridays and Saturdays can ONLY be booked by calling us directly. 910-839-3131.
Top review
KathyVIP
Dined 4 days ago
The reason for the four, I had a vegetarian dish that was not very good. I’m a regular customer so I know the quality of food Brent’s serves. I highly recommend this restaurant. They were also kind enough to take it off the bill.
A photo of Ocean Blvd Bistro and Martini Bar restaurant
4.9
4.9 (2818)
$31 to $50
Contemporary American
Kitty Hawk
About the restaurant
Ocean Boulevard Bistro and Martini Bar is an upscale dining restaurant on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. We are open nightly for dinner and drinks through all seasons. We pride ourselves in using fresh local and regional ingredients, in season, to create interesting and flavorful meals. We have a comprehensive wine list and have been awarded "Best of the Beach - 2014-2017" for our Martini Bar. We also have an oceanside patio, across the street from the beach, for drinks and waiting. If your reservation can not be completed online, please call us at 252-261-2546 to inquire about special seating arrangements.
Top review
Donna
Dined 2 days ago
Great place for quiet evening with your loved one. Great service wonderful food couldn't ask for anything else. If you want to be pampered to go to Ocean boulevard.
A photo of Jerry's Food, Wine and Spirits restaurant
4.8
4.8 (429)
$30 and under
Contemporary Southern
Wilmington
About the restaurant
Serving the best from North Carolina's land and sea in a warm, casual setting since 1992. Contemporary American dishes lined with classic flavors of the South. Couple your meal with a glass/bottle from our hand picked wine list featuring many Napa, Sonoma, and Oregon options, or go with a delicious hand crafted cocktail like the Hellcat Holler. Jerry's has been featured on PBS' "NC Weekend" with Bob Garner, Wilmington Today, the Wilmington Star News, and has had the pleasure of serving a sitting Vice President, Hollywood actors, pro athletes, tourists and the wonderful Wilmington community for 30 years. We look forward to serving you soon!
Top review
Nancy
Dined on Dec 20, 2024
Food was incredible. Had the short ribs. Super large portion and were eaten up over the next few days Service was as always great. Elyse greeted us at the door with a warm smile and hug. Everything was perfect. Great for a gals night or intimate date.
A photo of Catch - Modern Seafood Cuisine restaurant
4.9
4.9 (2095)
$30 and under
Seafood
Wilmington
About the restaurant
Serving the Best Seafood in North Carolina. James Beard Semi-Finalist and Bravo Tv's "Top Chef"contestant, Chef Keith Rhodes and his team, explore the Cape Fear Coast,for the best it has to offer. We feature Wild Caught & sustainably raised Seafood. Organic and locally sourced Produce.Providing the perfect compliment to our fresh Catch. Consecutively Voted Wilmington's Best Chef Dubbed by NYT's,"Modern Seafood Cuisine” we offer an array Fresh Seafood and Vegetarian options. We offer our Signature NC Sweet Potato Salad. Appetizers include our “Fire Cracker” Shrimp, NC Oysters on the 1/2 Shell, Seafood Ceviche & Conch Fritters . Larger Plates include our "Angry" Maine Lobster, Prime Steaks, Blackend Mahi Mahi & our Award winning Charleston Crab Cakes, Seared OBX Scallops, Flounder Escovitch & Pan roasted Black Grouper. Full ABC Permits.Large selection of boutique Wines by the Glass, Hand crafted Cocktails And over a half a dozen rotating local beer offerings.
Top review
David
Dined 5 days ago
Excellent meal and service. octopus special and portion was one of the best we have ever had.
A photo of Prime Bistro & Wine Bar restaurant
4.9
4.9 (396)
$31 to $50
Steakhouse
Beaufort / Morehead City
About the restaurant
An elevated dining experience with wood-fired steaks, seafood, housemade pasta and world-class wines.
Top review
JayVIP
Dined 5 days ago
First time diner. Steaks were cooked as ordered. Appetizers were good. Sides are served family style. Expect $100 per person plus tip.
A photo of Circa 81 Tapas & Cocktaileria restaurant
4.9
4.9 (1202)
$30 and under
Tapas / Small Plates
Beaufort / Morehead City
About the restaurant
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.

Top review
Susan
Dined 7 days ago
Very relaxing, waitstaff was friendly and attentive. A good variety of well made food/tapas style to try. Looking forward to our next visit!
A photo of Southern, a gathering place restaurant
4.9
4.9 (494)
$50 and over
Farm-to-table
Southport
About the restaurant
Farm to fork creative southern cuisine. Handcrafted cocktails and fabulous wine list. We offer seating by reservation for all seats in the restaurant including seats at our bar, indoor dining room, and our outdoor porch which is a wonderful place to sit during all seasons (since porch sitting is a true Southport thing to do).
Top review
Jack
Dined 5 days ago
I had the crab cakes with Ashley’s special collard greens and they were amazing. Lila our server was awesome as usual.
A photo of The Melting Pot - Wilmington(NC) restaurant
5.0
5 (728)
$31 to $50
Fondue
Wilmington
About the restaurant
Welcome and thank you for choosing The Melting Pot of Wilmington. We offer a very unique and interactive dining experience, with a heavy focus on personal service. Our Wait staff has been hand picked and extensively trained to have the ability to provide you, our guest, with nothing less than a "Perfect Night Out." Every visit will be hand tailored to fit your wants and needs during your fondue experience. We are a four-course full service restaurant. We offer a stunning variety of creamy, perfectly balanced cheeses that our servers hand craft table side for your dining pleasure. We have a selection of cold, crisp and fresh salads, paired with house made dressings. Our entrées are as beautiful as they are delicious. We offer a wide range of premium meats and seafoods with a variety of sophisticated marinades and sauces for dipping.
Top review
Angelica
Dined 5 days ago
We had a great time and delicious dinner! Our server, Jacob, was exemplary and patiently walked us through the menu, the courses as they came and was so friendly. I highly recommend ordering the Big Night Out Dinner for 2. We had 3 people in our party and still had leftovers of the main course. Surprisingly, the salad course is not one to miss. My California salad was so good! My favorite course was our banana foster fondue with all the dippers. The whole experience was so fun!
A photo of Steamers restaurant
4.9
4.9 (112)
$31 to $50
Seafood
Kitty Hawk
About the restaurant
New and exiting things are coming soon!! Stay Tuned


Top review
Diane
Dined 7 days ago
Consistently excellent food and drinks! Have been coming for years, and it actually keeps getting better.
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