Restaurants in Nags Head, North Carolina

In Nags Head, North Carolina, you will find many things to do. Surfing, shopping, sand and water, and enough restaurants to keep vacationers from ever getting bored with what they eat.

While there are many choices, some are better than others regarding food quality, atmosphere, and pricing.

Finding the one that fits your needs at times can be challenging, especially when you are just looking for some good food to provide you with the strength to tackle your next adventure.

What Are The Best Restaurants In Nags Head, North Carolina?

In Nags Head, Dirty Dick’s Crab House has all the elements of a beachside bar and grille while The Dunes Restaurant has more of a local vibe. Since the Dunes is also open for breakfast and lunch, start your day in Nags Head there and finish it off at Dirty Dick’s for happy hour.

Vacationers visiting the Nags Head, North Carolina area, want fun food, just like their vacation adventure. 

They want great-tasting food at a reasonable price in an exciting atmosphere that puts a smile on their face because they didn’t prepare it.

Let’s face it, who wants to cook their food while on vacation, right? On top of that, vacationers want food that they will remember long after they have returned home to the daily grind.

Vacationers want food that has them attempting to replicate the dish and food that has them posting pictures all over social media because they can’t believe how good it tastes.

Finding that perfect place can be difficult if you don’t know what is good.

Of course, you could talk to a local and ask them what the best seafood shack or grille is, but honestly, unless you’re a social butterfly, that might seem a bit weird.

We have other things to consider when we want food, like our diet and what our vacation companions or we can and can’t eat. We also want food that will not blow the bank account. 

Even though we are on vacation, there is so much to do in Nags Head we will want to save some of our vacation budgets expressly for fun and activities.

No matter the budget, diversity is very often important, especially for those vacationers who are visiting the Nags Head, North Carolina area for an extended period.

As a traveler, tonight you might want a burger, tomorrow afternoon some soup and a salad, and tomorrow night perhaps Italian or Mexican. 

Many travelers will enjoy a casual dining experience for most of their vacation but have a night or two where they want to go all-out and have an expensive and elegantly prepared meal while enjoying the beautiful views that this area offers. 

Therefore, thinking about the restaurants’ dress code or required guest attire and the atmosphere is important too.

These restaurants are a small list of what is offered in the Nags Head, North Carolina area. 

Numerous other choices are available for travelers to choose from, and utilizing the internet to find them is a great way to plan for your Nags Head, North Carolina vacation adventure.

Restaurants in Nags Head, North Carolina

Dirty Dick’s Crab House

Vacationers who want to sample the fare at a local seafood chain that also serves barbecue and burgers, and other specialties in a casual atmosphere won’t be disappointed.

Appetizers like fried gator tail and Louisiana Crab Dip make great starters, followed by any number of sandwiches, items from the fryer and steamer, and assorted entrees.

Fried Crab lasagna and seafood bordelaise are great choices that delight the senses. After that, a diner can finish it off with tasty desserts, including Key Lime Pie or Beignet Fries.

This restaurant offers specials on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and offseason, as well as a kid’s menu for the little diners.

An assortment of frozen and other alcoholic drinks like bloody Mary’s, Dicks Addiction, and Devil Killer are offered, and cocktails, wine, and sangria.

As one of four locations in North Carolina, this chain restaurant boasts a gift shop and that laid-back beachside energy that welcomes everyone, young and old!

The Dunes Restaurant

This long-standing local restaurant offers that comfy coastal vibe with great food and a family-friendly atmosphere.

This restaurant is a great place to start your day with the Outer Banks Breakfast Specials that are served with that Southern Hospitality, warmth, and grandeur that will fill your belly and leave you smiling.

Homemade biscuits, Southern grits, and other add-on items like bacon can be added to any dish to make it even better than it already is if that’s even possible.

No one will be left out of the loop for breakfast, lunch, or dinner with a large and diverse menu and specialty kids’ menu. 

With a happy hour and a wide assortment of alcoholic beverages and desserts, diners and tourists of all kinds will want to return to this fine restaurant again and again.

The staff is exceptionally friendly, and they can handle larger groups of people for those traveling parties that need a quick meal before or after their daily beach adventure. 

The restaurants listed here can provide a starting place for vacationers visiting Nags Head, North Carolina. Different tastes and atmospheres can provide a unique dining experience every day and night during your stay in this area.

Do all restaurants in Nags Head, North Carolina, require a reservation for dinner?

No, not all restaurants require a reservation for dinner. 

Some will only require them during their busy days and times, others will require them all the time, and other restaurants will not take reservations and require dining guests to wait when it’s busy.

When reservations are made in advance, it is always a good idea since most vacationers aren’t familiar with the area and the restaurant itself.

They don’t know how busy the restaurant gets at any given time, and securing a reservation can give peace of mind so diners don’t have to wait and know they can sit down and eat when they are ready.

Making a reservation online or by phone is easy and offers diners a chance to secure a specific table of their choosing, such as those outdoors on a patio or deck.

When deciding to dine at any restaurant, it is good to investigate the restaurants’ menu and reservation policy online or by calling them directly.

Information is gained this way that makes dining out stress-free and easy.

Final Thoughts

Food is the staff of life, providing both sustenance and delight for our senses when prepared with creativity and love.

No matter where you go, Nags Head, North Carolina, or somewhere else along the coast of North Carolina, there are many dining choices to be had.

Each one will have a unique atmosphere and menu that will be memorable long after the vacation has passed!