Anyone been to obx recently? Looking to see how the dining out is after the pandemic. Not particularly looking for recommendations but one how long waits have been...better...or worse than usual.
for good during the pandemic but overall it is back to normal. Staffing shortages have cleared up in the past month and restaurants have been at full capacity for awhile now.
Missed last year - for the first time in 20+ years - so we were looking forward to this year.
We went in late June and it was chaos trying to get into restaurants and grocery stores. Too much demand. And it made the trip much less enjoyable. We typically pack very light with food and drink and look to buy what we need when we get there. But that was the wrong formula this year.
Even the beaches were much more crowded than year's past.
Maybe things have settled since, but you may want to call some of the local real estate places to get a feel for what's going on...
Was more crowded than ever. We grilled or cooked most nights, but if you want to eat at any place decent make sure you have your reservations a few weeks in advanced. Blue Point was booked a solid month out…
Some places don’t take reservations so show up early for those - usually an hour + wait if you get there after 7. Doesn’t help that most places stop seating at 9pm and the servers make it clear that want to get out of there. Everyone was short staffed…everyone. Duck Deli was the only exception - they churn it out.
My recommendation — unless you have a reservation don’t even bother going out.
There is a relatively new spot in Corolla called Northern Lights bakery. Good coffee (Treehouse Coffee is also good). Northern Lights has some good fritters.
Otherwise, the best meals you’ll have are likely the ones you make. It’s not that the restaurant options in OBX are bad at all, but I don’t know of any one place that’s on the “gotta go there for sure” level.
Dining was open but a lot of places had closed. And several places were not open on random nights due to staff shortages.
Cleaning crews also tend to be sub par at rental houses. Our house was filthy when we arrived. And Stan White did nothing to make up for it. But that’s another story.
Was more crowded than ever. We grilled or cooked most nights, but if you want to eat at any place decent make sure you have your reservations a few weeks in advanced. Blue Point was booked a solid month out…
Some places don’t take reservations so show up early for those - usually an hour + wait if you get there after 7. Doesn’t help that most places stop seating at 9pm and the servers make it clear that want to get out of there. Everyone was short staffed…everyone. Duck Deli was the only exception - they churn it out.
My recommendation — unless you have a reservation don’t even bother going out.
Totally agree with the last line. Make reservations. Don’t even attempt to just show up. Waits were well over an hour.
Kill Devil Hills. I was there for two weeks in June/ July and going back this Friday. We don’t eat out often. My preferred restaurant is Colington Cafe. They are one of the few restaurants that take a reservation. Generally speaking, wait times are 30 minutes to an hour, and earlier is better. Blue Moon in Nags Head is ALWAYS a 90 minute wait. Mama Kwan in Nags Head was my go to for take out last year but business is booming and they discontinued their take out service. Some restaurants still do takeout, but with crowded dining rooms and short staff, there are fewer offering this service. I make plenty of stops at Billy’s Seafood on Colington Road and cook at home.
Enjoy your time on the OBX. My home away from home.
Kill Devil Hills. I was there for two weeks in June/ July and going back this Friday. We don’t eat out often. My preferred restaurant is Colington Cafe. They are one of the few restaurants that take a reservation. Generally speaking, wait times are 30 minutes to an hour, and earlier is better. Blue Moon in Nags Head is ALWAYS a 90 minute wait. Mama Kwan in Nags Head was my go to for take out last year but business is booming and they discontinued their take out service. Some restaurants still do takeout, but with crowded dining rooms and short staff, there are fewer offering this service. I make plenty of stops at Billy’s Seafood on Colington Road and cook at home.
Enjoy your time on the OBX. My home away from home.
Thanks...My wife and I have been to Colington. Best restaurant in OBX Ive been to.
we mostly buy groceries and eat in while we are there.
We do have one place that we love to order takeout from -- La Dolce Vita in Tim Buk II.
We tried to order takeout from there the night that we arrived, but were told that they were so short-staffed, that they had shut off takeout for the night to be able to focus on serving the in-person dining guests.
Later in the week, we decided to go in person to La Dolce Vita. To be safe, and since we were a big party with a lot of kids, we had dinner at like 4:45pm. It was good. By the time we were done, they were already turning guests away at the door. They had 2 hours plus of people waiting and weren't even taking down names anymore. They were telling folks that they might be able to seat some more tables around 8/8:30 but couldn't guarantee it.
Kill Devil Hills. I was there for two weeks in June/ July and going back this Friday. We don’t eat out often. My preferred restaurant is Colington Cafe. They are one of the few restaurants that take a reservation. Generally speaking, wait times are 30 minutes to an hour, and earlier is better. Blue Moon in Nags Head is ALWAYS a 90 minute wait. Mama Kwan in Nags Head was my go to for take out last year but business is booming and they discontinued their take out service. Some restaurants still do takeout, but with crowded dining rooms and short staff, there are fewer offering this service. I make plenty of stops at Billy’s Seafood on Colington Road and cook at home.
Enjoy your time on the OBX. My home away from home.
Thanks...My wife and I have been to Colington. Best restaurant in OBX Ive been to.
I agree. We have been going there for twenty five years or more. Ownership is transitioning and remains to be seen if they can maintain their high standards. Time will tell.
Beaches have felt a bit more crowded than past years though.
We went in late June and it was chaos trying to get into restaurants and grocery stores. Too much demand. And it made the trip much less enjoyable. We typically pack very light with food and drink and look to buy what we need when we get there. But that was the wrong formula this year.
Even the beaches were much more crowded than year's past.
Maybe things have settled since, but you may want to call some of the local real estate places to get a feel for what's going on...
Some places don’t take reservations so show up early for those - usually an hour + wait if you get there after 7. Doesn’t help that most places stop seating at 9pm and the servers make it clear that want to get out of there. Everyone was short staffed…everyone. Duck Deli was the only exception - they churn it out.
My recommendation — unless you have a reservation don’t even bother going out.
Otherwise, the best meals you’ll have are likely the ones you make. It’s not that the restaurant options in OBX are bad at all, but I don’t know of any one place that’s on the “gotta go there for sure” level.
Cleaning crews also tend to be sub par at rental houses. Our house was filthy when we arrived. And Stan White did nothing to make up for it. But that’s another story.
Some places don’t take reservations so show up early for those - usually an hour + wait if you get there after 7. Doesn’t help that most places stop seating at 9pm and the servers make it clear that want to get out of there. Everyone was short staffed…everyone. Duck Deli was the only exception - they churn it out.
My recommendation — unless you have a reservation don’t even bother going out.
Totally agree with the last line. Make reservations. Don’t even attempt to just show up. Waits were well over an hour.
Enjoy your time on the OBX. My home away from home.
Enjoy your time on the OBX. My home away from home.
Thanks...My wife and I have been to Colington. Best restaurant in OBX Ive been to.
We do have one place that we love to order takeout from -- La Dolce Vita in Tim Buk II.
We tried to order takeout from there the night that we arrived, but were told that they were so short-staffed, that they had shut off takeout for the night to be able to focus on serving the in-person dining guests.
Later in the week, we decided to go in person to La Dolce Vita. To be safe, and since we were a big party with a lot of kids, we had dinner at like 4:45pm. It was good. By the time we were done, they were already turning guests away at the door. They had 2 hours plus of people waiting and weren't even taking down names anymore. They were telling folks that they might be able to seat some more tables around 8/8:30 but couldn't guarantee it.
Quote:
Kill Devil Hills. I was there for two weeks in June/ July and going back this Friday. We don’t eat out often. My preferred restaurant is Colington Cafe. They are one of the few restaurants that take a reservation. Generally speaking, wait times are 30 minutes to an hour, and earlier is better. Blue Moon in Nags Head is ALWAYS a 90 minute wait. Mama Kwan in Nags Head was my go to for take out last year but business is booming and they discontinued their take out service. Some restaurants still do takeout, but with crowded dining rooms and short staff, there are fewer offering this service. I make plenty of stops at Billy’s Seafood on Colington Road and cook at home.
Enjoy your time on the OBX. My home away from home.
Thanks...My wife and I have been to Colington. Best restaurant in OBX Ive been to.
I agree. We have been going there for twenty five years or more. Ownership is transitioning and remains to be seen if they can maintain their high standards. Time will tell.