Emerald Isle Vacations

Best Restaurants in Emerald Isle, NC

emeraldisle — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 16:47:53 +0000

These are some of our favorites:

EMERALD ISLE (right in our own backyard)

1. The Fairway Restaurant ($)- looks like a shack, tastes gourmet
Menu

2. Rucker John’s ($)- tasty salads, good breadsticks; a better version of Applebees
Menu

3. Kathryn’s Bistro ($$)
Menu

4. Bushwacker’s ($)
Tripadvisor Review

BEAUFORT (very pretty seaside town)

5. Aqua Restaurant ($$)…known for their tapas (small plates)
Menu

6. Blue Moon Bistro ($$)
Menu

7. Clawson’s ($)
Menu (takes awhile to load)

8. Bistro by the Sea ($$)
Menu #1, Menu #2

9. Beaufort Grocery Co. ($$) featured in Southern Living Magazine
Menu

MOREHEAD CITY

9. Cafe Zito ($$)
Menu

10. Cox’s Family Restaurant ($)?
Tripadvisor Review

ATLANTIC BEACH

11. Amos Mosquito’s Restaurant & Bar ($)?…Fun atmosphere
Chowhound Review

12. Gourmet Cafe ($$)
Tripadvisor Review

13. Ice House ($)…chill atmosphere
Tripadvisor Review

14. White Oak River Bistro ($$)
Tripadvisor Review

15. Riverside Steak & Seafood ($$)…awesome muffins that come with your meal
Review

Fairway Restaurant

emeraldisle — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 19:47:13 +0000

The Fairway Restaurant was our favorite restaurant in Emerald Isle. It’s looks are deceiving (it’s not the most beautiful building from the outside), but don’t let that deter you from eating here. The presentation and taste of the food is top-notch, and the menu is extensive, so everyone in your family or vacation group should be able to find a dish they like. The price is right too!

Website

Dinner Menu
Early Bird Special
Lunch Menu
Kid’s Menu

Contact Info:
252-393-6444
Hwy 58, 1 mile north of Emerald Isle Bridge • Cape Carteret

Hours: 11am – 9pm
Meals Served: L/D
Price Range: $10.99-22.99
Credit Cards: All
Open All Year: Yes
Children’s Menu: Yes
Outside Seating: No
Take-out Service: Yes
Beer/Wine/Spirits: B/W/S
Entertainment: No
*info taken from Emerald Isle Visitors Guide

Our group’s favorite dishes at the Fairway:
1. Filet Mignon
2. Mahi Mahi

Our group’s reviews:
1. Doug: “The food was phenomenal.”
2. Dave: “It was a hidden gem; a diamond in the rough.”

Reviews from Virtualtourist.com:

“Busy but seemed to be a local favorite. Was recommended to me by a local. Off the Island, but very close and easy to get to. Busy, but worth it. Tons of food and extremely reasonable. Dinner for 4 including 1 child, was about $45. We even had food to take home. Recommended and will go back again.Fried Oysters and Shrimp”

“Recently re-opened in 2003, probably THE BEST place to eat near Emerald Isle. Located about one mile north over the bridge of Emerald Isle (58), (in Cape Carteret) one of the locals favorite places to eat. They have everything from burgers and salads to great steaks and fresh local seafood. Culinary trained chefs prepare different specials every night, (owner from Ny area). Usually always crowded, but well worth it. Everything is prepared to order (nothing pre-packaged). One of the only area restaurants not to close for a few months over the winter, and extremely reasonably priced. Not pretentious at all. I live here and I am at the Fairway at least twice per week. Try it out. Guarantee you won’t be disappointed .Sizzler-filet mignon in a sizzling fajita plate with a salty au jus style gravy…..also a veg and potato (recommend the stuffed potato), with a salad. About $18 and you will have left overs for the next day.”

“The new owners of The Fairway Restaurant (as afore mentioned who have recently moved here from the tri-state area) have caused a splash in this family-oriented beach town. Their surprisingly long menu features dishes that range from salads to pastas, all of which are prepapared to standards that would be hard to come by in far more expensive food establishments. Pair all of these with a refreshing golf theme and extraordinary service, for a great price, you get an incredible dining experience. P.S.: Often, the head chef will come out and talk with tables. He happens to be very nice and quite talkative!My favorite dish from this restaurant is probably the Chicken Parmesan. It features two pieces of chicken, lightly breaded and fried to a golden brown. Top it off with their homemade marinara sauce and mozzerella cheese and serve it all over delicious linguini pasta. In addition, the portions are so generous that you will certainly have left-overs for the next day!”

Review from www.chefmoz.org:

Love it!
We live in Emerald Isle year round, (I know lucky, right?!), this is OUR FAVORITE place to eat. They have an very diverse menu. You can get a burger or some locally caught Grouper and oysters. Owners are really nice and down to earth. You won’t be disappointed. Just over the EI bridge about 1 mile. Its worth getting off the island.    [28 Jul 2007 20:52:49]
Food:    Service:    Ambiance:    Overall:
Recommended Dishes: crabcakes, crab dip and sizzler
     Laura, Emerald Isle

Emerald Isle Map!

emeraldisle — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 18:36:52 +0000

I just added a map of Emerald Isle to this blog (look on the right sidebar)…it’s pretty cool- you’ll be able to check out where all of the places I blog about are on a map. You can see the full map by clicking on the “See Big Map” link. I’ll be adding to this map each time I write about a new restaurant, attraction, rental, etc. Hope you find it helpful!

C-Life

emeraldisle — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 23:36:01 +0000

C-Life is the house our group stayed in during our September 2006 vacation. It was a beautiful house (the carpet on the floor had a little bit of wear & tear, but hey, it’s the beach, who cares!), and we all had a blast playing ping pong and foosball (tables in the garage), and driving the golf cart to the beach.

The house is in a development called “Spinnaker’s Reach”, which is an exclusive gated community in Emerald Isle (it’s located very close to the Emerald Isle bridge). The homes are georgous- I really enjoyed just walking around the development. The beach itself is very wide & expansive at this end of the island, so we were able to take advantage & play beach football with room to spare. Like Sea Notes, this house is also affordable, but it books quickly, so it’s best to make your reservations early.

Here’s a link to this house for more info & photos: http://www.bluewatergmac.com/clife_d

Sea Notes

emeraldisle — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 23:27:01 +0000

This is the beautiful beach house we stayed in during our May 2007 vacation. The owner is wonderful (she stops by to meet the guests who stay in Sea Notes at the beginning of their vacations), and the house is in amazing condition. It’s very close to the beach (we just had to cross a street that wasn’t at all busy…see below), and was also very affordable. Going to Emerald Isle in May or September is a great way to take advantage of cheaper rates, wonderful weather, and an uncrowded beach.

Here’s a link for more info & photos: http://www.bluewatergmac.com/seanotes_d

Renting from Bluewater GMAC

emeraldisle — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 00:57:47 +0000

I highly recommend renting from Bluewater GMAC. I’ve personally rented from them twice, and had great experiences. I’m the type of person who really does their research (I probably overdo it), and I’ve found that their properties are well-maintained and affordable to rent. What I love about their website is that there are tons of photos of every room in each property. Check it out when you plan your next vacation to Emerald Isle: www.bluewatergmac.com

Welcome to my Emerald Isle Blog!

emeraldisle — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 00:25:30 +0000

Thanks for checking out my blog devoted to my favorite vacation spot- Emerald Isle, NC. I’m creating this blog to share my experiences and I would LOVE to hear about yours!