We went on a Sunday evening and the restaurant had a good crowd in it, but we found seats right at the bar and enjoyed watching the games on giant TVs. The service was prompt and courteous.

My buddy is a big fan of their spicy garlic sauce and the sweet BBQ. I tried the Caribbean jerk and the Asian zing. Both of which were amazing. They also have an extensive selection of both bottled beers and draft.

I was shocked to learn we were even getting a Buffalo Wild Wings on the Crystal Coast. It sure is nice they picked our area for one of their newest restaurants. Its a great place to hit up and catch the game with some good food.

I will definitely be back for another visit to this Morehead City restaurant. Especially with the NFL playoffs coming up and March Madness not too far off, you’ll want to hang out here so you don’t miss any of the action.

Yana’s makes their own pancake batter fresh every morning. And as soon as you walk in, your nose tells you this is the spot for some good food. The aromas of bacon, pancakes, and sausage inundate your olfactory system and your stomach begins to growl with anticipation.

Yes, I was nearly salivating when I sat down at the bar. Immediately upon taking my seat a friendly waitress was there to see if I wanted coffee or anything else to drink. I took her up on the coffee and I knew what I wanted so she also took my order.

Within a few minutes my eggs, bacon, and blueberry pancakes were sitting in front of me. It was the best breakfast I’ve had in a long time. Being that it is the off-season, they’re not nearly as busy and you can just walk in and have a seat.

In the summer though, I won’t go to Yana’s unless I wake up early and beat the rush. Everybody knows it’s a great place for breakfast, as well as lunch. If you’ve never been to Yana’s be sure to stop in and give it a go next time your thinking of hitting one of Swansboro’s restaurants. You will not be disappointed.

Being that Ballyhoos is one of my favorite restaurants in Emerald Isle, I get in there often enough to know any night is a good night there, however, Surf Night is totally off the hook.

The festivities kick off at 9:30pm Saturday night. Selah Dubb will be throwing down some hot tunes. Of course don’t forget to get there early and get your raffle tickets. Each Surf Night there are plenty of sweet prizes given away.

Ballyhoos is the perfect venue for an event such as this. I’m sure they will have some kind of drink specials and of course good food. Ballyhoos is a great example of some quality Emerald Isle nightlife.

There’s not too much to do this time of year, and Surf Night really helps make for a fun evening on the town even in the off-season. So if you’re looking for something to do this weekend mark Saturday at 9:30 for Surf Night and come win some stuff or at least listen to good music.

Nicky’s has an excellent outdoor dining area on the back that overlooks the Intracoastal Waterway. It’s just perfect in the fall when the weather cools off a little. Nicky’s is located between the bridges outside of Swansboro heading to Cedar Point.

Whether you’re looking for a burger and fries, steak dinner, or some fine local seafood, this place has what you’re looking for. It’s a laid back kind of place that you can usually walk right into. I’m told that lately they have been having some live music on occasion.

They also have one of the best clam chowders to be had in the area. While you’re at this restaurant be sure to try a cup of this famous chowder. As far as Crystal Coast and Swansboro restaurants go, Nicky’s is definitely top-notch. If you try it you will not be disappointed.

My favorite item on the menu is the ribs. They’re out of this world, and reasonably priced. It also comes with bread and a salad, making it a complete meal.

But last time I was eating my ribs, the fellow next to me ordered the trout. I’m telling you what, this thing was huge. It looked amazing, and I will definitely try it out if they have it next time.

They also have a full bar and can make some good drinks. If you’re into draft beer they always seem to have a new cool brew on tap.

Overall I have to give Nicky’s a very positive restaurant review. So if you’re in the Swansboro area and are looking for a good restaurant, be sure to try Nicky’s.

We had reservations for 6:30 but had to push them back. Riverside was very accommodating and it seemed no be no big deal. We showed up right on time and only had a brief wait. We were seated in a nice booth and a drink order was promptly taken and brought to us.

Riverside Steak & Seafood is located right off Highway 24 in Swansboro. As I looked around the place I was really digging the historic photos and fish mounted on the wall.

Our first taste of Riverside was the blackened shrimp nachos. I know, it sounds weird but trust me on this one. They are absolutely scrumptious. And after eating them I wasn’t sure I would have room for my entree.

Then came our salads, which were excellent as well. They weren’t the iceburg lettuce ones that you find in so many restaurants. These were the real deal, composed of nice greens and a real treat.

At this point, I was contemplating telling them to put the rest of my dinner in a box to go, since I would have to eat it later. But I resisted and decided to go for it.

Out came my filet, and lobster tail. I was expecting the typical Red Lobster type of lobster tail. However, this thing was HUGE! My wonderful girlfriend had the softshell crabs which were delicious as well.

So in conclusion I would have to recommend Riverside in Swansboro for a fine dining experience in the Crystal Coast area. It is my new favorite restaurant in Swansboro.

Well upon entering I think both of us were kind of digging the interior of the diner. It’s like stepping back in time or something. I really felt like we were in the fifties once we got inside. And that’s pretty cool to me, it at least looked like the place had some real history. No doubt countless visitors to Atlantic Beach have stopped in the 4 Corners Diner.

Well we sat at the counter and explained we were just going to have coffee since we were killing time. After our first cup of coffee it dawned on my dad that he hadn’t eaten breakfast yet. I only ate a little sandwich earlier in the morning so we decided to give the $2.95 breakfast special a try. I mean how could you go wrong with one egg, choice of hash browns or grits, and toast for only $2.95.

I half expected it to be horrible due to the price. But thankfully it was actually very good. In fact I would have to say 4 Corners Diner has the best breakfast value of any Atlantic Beach restaurant choice. So I will be definitely be hitting this spot again the next time I’m in the area.

Thank you 4 Corners Diner for making a great breakfast at a great price. I know my dad and  enjoyed starting our morning in Atlantic Beach with a good breakfast under our belts.

As for the food, it’s outstanding. I’ve had about 4 or 5 of their different sandwiches and each of them are mouth watering masterpieces. Quiznos is by far the best restaurant in Cape Carteret in my opinion. I have it listed with some fast food places on my Cape Carteret Restaurants page, but its so much better than fast food. Not to mention they’re usually just as fast as any fast food place in town.

Cleanliness is king at Quiznos, even when they’re slam full of people they manage to keep the place nice and clean. I’ve used the restroom here a couple times and it was always clean enough to pass a military inspection. In the middle of summer when most restaurants are grossly over run with flies I don’t remember seeing any in Quiznos.

The price is comparable to subway, but you’ll see that the quality of a Quznos toasty sub makes Subway look like a joke. Personally I haven’t eaten at the Subway in Cape Carteret since Quiznos opened.

So if you’re in the neighborhood and need to grab a tasty, quick bite, head to Quiznos. I strongly doubt you’ll be disappointed. If you’re living here on the Crystal Coast I bet you make it there many more times after your first visit.

Of course the first time I tried to try them out was Labor Day weekend. Needless to say Chowdaheads was packed. Not even a parking spot available for me. A couple weeks ago I was down at the beach and it wasn’t lunch time or dinner time, it was in between those, so I figured I would be able to get in there.

All I can really say is WOW! I’m glad I made it to Chowdaheads. It’s one of my favorite Emerald Isle Restaurants now. My parents were right as usual. The fish tacos were off the chain. The service was outstanding. They make their own chips that are really good as well. Another bonus is the fact they even have Tobasco sauce!

I made it back about a week later for another round of tacos and took them to go so I could eat at the beach. They were just as good as the first time. This time I even sprung for desert a multi layer fudge/caramel cake. My only disappointment was the good looking gal my dad told me about wasn’t there either time I visited.

So if you find yourself in Emerald Isle and your stomach starts growling, be sure to check out Chowdaheads for lunch or dinner. Beware though, in the off-season many local restaurants operate on a limited schedule. I give this restaurant two thumbs up.

I’ll be truthful with you, the first time I ate at Jordan’s I was not too impressed. I had just moved to Emerald Isle several years ago, and went there for lunch on an early spring day. The waitress I had was not very friendly, or helpful. I wanted a shrimp burger, but I wanted them to buffalo the shrimp. It’s not a complicated process, and I’m sure they have hot sauce in the kitchen. I would have even paid extra for this. But too my surprise she acted like this was a big deal, and went to check if they could do it. Well to my dismay, they could not buffalo my shrimp. So I never went back for a few years.

Then two summers ago, my buddy was craving Jordan’s and I was like, “Dude I hate that place.” But he talked me into it, because he assured me if I ordered what he was going to get, I would love it. So I went. And he introduced me to the bay scallops. These little heavenly morsels are OUTSTANDING!

My mind was changed, and I now love Jordan’s. The bay scallops are a local favorite. All in all it is not a bad place to eat while visiting in Emerald Isle. So for completely changing my mind I figured I would give them the official two-thumbs up from Crystal Coast News. It’s still not my favorite Emerald Isle restaurant but it is definitely a great place to eat dinner and have a cocktail.

There will be burgers, dogs, wings, a nacho bar, and kegs of Miller Lite or Yuengling. To me this all sounds like the makings of an excellent super bowl party in Emerald Isle.

Ballyhoos will also be having a pig picking for you to enjoy outside. Plus there will be a 10ft. big screen to view the game on.

If you’ve never made it to Ballyhoos, you may want to check out the Super Bowl Party this year. And if you have other plans, cancel them. No just kidding, but do come out later since I’m sure the good times will keep on rolling even after the game.

The crew at this place will most definitely go out of their way to ensure you have a good time with them. The food here is always outstanding, and the service is second to none.  There is a reason it is my favorite restaurant in Emerald Isle.

I’m sure once you visit Ballyhoos once, you’ll be hooked and return again and again. Be sure to try a Crabby Patty if you get hungry. It’s one of the best crab cake sandwiches you’ll find anywhere.

Oh be sure to tell them Jason from Crystal Coast News sent you.