Situated between Holden Beach and Myrtle Beach, Ocean Isle Beach is one of the best beach communities in North Carolina. It’s where plenty of visitors to the state head to for an amazing vacation under the sun. In between ocean swims and boat rides, you’ll have to grab a meal. Thankfully there are some scrumptious Ocean Isle Beach restaurants to enjoy.
Ocean Isle Beach’s coastal location provides access to an abundance of fresh seafood, including fish, shrimp, oysters, and crab, satisfying seafood enthusiasts. The local cuisine celebrates the region’s flavors, combining Southern, Lowcountry, and North Carolina coastal influences.
From traditional comfort food to innovative seafood creations, the diverse range of flavors caters to different palates that all can be enjoyed in an oceanfront setting!
The Best Ocean Isle Beach Restaurants
1. Roberto’s Ristorante
- Cuisine: American restaurant
- Price: $$
- Address: 6737 Beach Dr SW, Ocean Isle Beach (GPS)
- Website: See menu
With a combination of authentic Italian cuisine and steakhouse favorites, Roberto’s Ristorante has been serving delicious food for almost 40 years. Sit down in a comfortable dining area and enjoy a wide variety of options including pork chops, seafood dishes and pasta dishes.
On-site, you’ll also find a full bar serving quality whiskeys and bourbons. There’s also an extensive selection of wines. Be sure to make reservations before dining here as food this good means they do tend to get fully booked!
2. Sugar Shack
- Cuisine: Jamaican restaurant
- Price: $$$
- Address: 1609 Hale Beach Rd SW, Ocean Isle Beach (GPS)
- Website: See menu
If you’ve never sat down to a meal of traditional Jamaican Cuisine, you can have your chance at Sugar Shack, which is easily one of the best Ocean Isle Beach restaurants to dine at.
Take your seat in a down-to-earth eatery and try some jerk chicken, riced-based dishes, curried goat and good ol’ fashioned, authentic jerk cooking. If you crave something more familiar, there’s also a selection of salads, wings and burgers.
3. Ocean Isle Fish Company
- Cuisine: Seafood restaurant
- Price: $$
- Address: 65 Causeway Dr, Ocean Isle Beach (GPS)
- Website: See menu
With a name like Ocean Isle Fish Company, you can bet that seafood is on the menu and it’s delicious, good-quality, local seafood too! That being said, for those who’re traveling with people who don’t like seafood, there’s a wide variety of other options on the menu to choose from including burgers, soups, salad, pasta dishes and chicken-based options.
You’ll enjoy your meal outdoors overlooking the water but the best part of any excursion to this establishment is the chance to watch the fishing boats arrive on the dock with their catch of the day and see it make its way from the dock to the very kitchen where your fresh meal is prepared. On-site, you’ll also find a lively Tiki Bar where you can sip on custom drinks and listen to live music.
4. Pelican’s Perch Bar & Grill
At Pelican’s Perch Bar & Grill, you’ll immediately feel at home with the friendly staff and comfortable environment. As anxious sports fans root for their teams vying for a big win on the television screens and live music plays in the background, you’ll enjoy a wide range of choices from the extensive menu.
Burgers, tacos, seafood dishes, sandwiches, pasta dishes, wings, salads, tacos and quesadillas are just some of the items you’ll find on the menu. Everything is fresh and you can dine indoors or outdoors on the pet-friendly patio and sometimes karaoke and other fun events take place.
5. The Dawg House Grill OIB
- Cuisine: American, Vegetarian
- Price: $
- Address: 6415 Beach Dr SW, Ocean Isle Beach (GPS)
- Website: See menu
It’s laid-back, it’s down-home and it offers delicious, hot meals served by amazing staff that go to great lengths to ensure guests feel welcome and appreciated. I’m talking about The Dawg House Grill, a local eatery popular with locals and a favorite with visitors from far and wide.
On the extensive menu, you’ll find a wide variety of options for breakfast and lunch including sandwiches, burgers, quesadillas, omelets, pancakes and French toast. Complement your meal with one of the specialty teas that are available.
6. Amelia’s Bar & Grille
- Cuisine: American
- Price: $$
- Address: 1564 Market Place Blvd, Suite 700, Ocean Isle Beach (GPS)
- Website: See menu
Familiar, homemade and delicious. How else does one describe Amelia’s Bar and Grille? After all, most of the items will be familiar to you so there are no surprises for those picky eaters in your dining party! Everything is homemade so you can bet it’ll be fresh and wholesome.
And with menu options such as burgers, sandwiches, wings, steak, soup and salad, you can bet you’ll find something tasty to suit your palate. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served so you can enjoy a great meal any time of day!
7. Beaches Burgers
- Cuisine: Hamburger restaurant
- Price: $
- Address: 6551 Beach Dr SW, Ocean Isle Beach (GPS)
- Website: See menu
At Beaches Burgers, there’s more than just burgers on offer but the homemade burgers sure are popular! And with so many varieties of burgers to choose from, you might just have to come back a few times to try a few flavors or to try one of their hot dogs or sandwiches.
There’s a selection of sides, such as fries and onion rings, to go with your hot dog or burger and the ice cream shakes and floats are to die for!
8. Captain Jack’s Seafood
- Cuisine: Seafood market
- Price: $$
- Address: 6416 Beach Dr SW, Ocean Isle Beach (GPS)
- Website: See menu
Captain Jack’s Seafood is part seafood market, part eatery. This long-standing, family-run establishment serves high-quality, local seafood to customers while supporting the local fishing industry.
The seafood you enjoy here comes right from the docks to your table and there are sides, such as a variety of salads, available to go with your delicious meal.
9. Sharky’s Restaurant
- Cuisine: American restaurant
- Price: $$
- Address: 61 Causeway Dr, Ocean Isle Beach (GPS)
- Website: See menu
If you’re seeking a family-friendly atmosphere with a wide variety of food options suitable for all tastes, Sharky’s Restaurant is an excellent choice in Ocean Isle Beach. Besides having delicious options such as pizzas, pasta dishes, tacos, salads, sandwiches, burgers, seafood and entrees such as shrimp & grits, you’ll also enjoy your meal on a deck with a view of the scenic waterfront.
This long-standing eatery has always been a favorite with locals and tourists who just want to enjoy a good meal with some lively company in a relaxing environment.
10. Jinks Creek Waterfront Grille
- Cuisine: Seafood restaurant
- Price: $$
- Address: 14 Causeway Dr, Ocean Isle Beach (GPS)
- Website: See menu
One of the best things to do in Ocean Isle Beach is catch sunset at this iconic spot! At Kinks Creek Waterfront Grille, the main staple is fresh seafood but you’ll also find many other delicious options on the menu such as tacos, chowder, salads, burgers, sandwiches and pasta dishes. Enjoy your meal indoors in the lovely dining room, outdoors on a large patio, or in the waterfront gazebo.
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