Nags Head Restaurants

Dunes Restaurant is a Nags Head tradition that’s been serving breakfast and dinner for 33 seasons. They have an award-winning breakfast menu that includes a hearty breakfast and fresh fruit bar daily in season. At dinner, there is Angus burgers and steaks and, of course, fresh-cooked, local seafood. If you like Southern fried chicken, this is a Dunes' specialty. And on most nights diners can choose from a variety of delicious specials. While you wait for a table, or whenever you just want a quick meal, the “R” Bar is a comfortable spot to grab a mixed drink, wine or featured beers and lighter fare.

Celebrating 31 years of Outer Banks hospitality, Kelly’s is a local favorite serving beef, chicken, pasta, vegetarian dishes and, of course, seafood, including raw bar selection, with everything from grilled, broiled or fried fresh fish to steamed oysters, clams, shrimp and crab legs. You can also enjoy their extensive Wine Spectator award-winning wine collection and their mouth watering sweet potato biscuits, which are made from scratch and have been featured in Gourmet Magazine, Bon Appetit and numerous other magazines over the years. Kelly’s offers three different menus, including one for children and lighter fare in the tavern, and they happily accommodate gluten-free and other special dietary requests. They will seat you for dinner until 10 p.m., so you won’t have to sacrifice having a good meal just because it’s late. You’ll want to save room for their delicious homemade desserts voted Taste of the Beach awards for six consecutive years, including Best Desserts in 2016. The separate, full-service bar presents nightly entertainment. You can reserve space for a private party in any of their rooms, including the tavern, or you can hire Kelly's for top-notch catering with or without wait staff. Kelly’s is open for dinner and entertainment year round (except Christmas Day), and the tavern is one of the top hot spots of the Outer Banks, attracting some of best regional and national names in the music industry. If you want to see and be seen, put this one on your list.

This neighborhood tavern serves quality food at great prices. Lucky 12 has fresh local seafood, hand-patted burgers, great New York-style pizza, authentic Buffalo chicken wings and Boardwalk Fries. Everything is fresh and well-prepared, and the chef creates tasty daily specials. There's a menu for kids. The dining room is open for lunch and dinner. The bar is also a popular late-night hangout, and you can order pizza until 2 a.m. Their bartenders are quick on the draw pouring their 20 beers on tap and liquor. For entertainment there is a pool table, pinball machine and sports on TV, including the popular NFL Sunday ticket the MLB package. Lucky 12 also features an outdoor patio with TVs. 

For more than 20 years, Mulligan’s has served Southern Coastal cuisine with incredible views, thanks to its scenic location between Jockey’s Ridge and Historic Cottage Row. Long known for having the some of the best burgers on the beach, their masterful chefs have recently been placing a brighter spotlight on local seafood prepared in an authentic Outer Banks style, all with fresh, local ingredients. Start off with the crab pretzel or some Carolina Lump Crab Bisque. Dig into a tasty seafood platter, broiled or fried, some good old-fashioned shrimp and grits or the Tuscan Baked Rockfish. They also have a steamed and raw bar serving up some ocean bounty including shrimp, clams and Wanchese sea scallops. You can still order their award-winning burgers, along with other landlubber selections, and kids have their own menu to peruse. Mulligan’s two dining rooms can accommodate a range of groups, and the upstairs space has its own bar. In the warmer months, you may opt to eat outside on their covered tiki bar or in the designated doggy dining area if you bring along any four-legged friends. The bar downstairs is a popular local hangout with a big screen TV for catching up on sports. They have live music year-round. Mulligan’s also offers catering from Corolla to Hatteras, customized in three different styles: Buffet, Plated or Drop-off. The restaurant is open 365 days a year, opening at 11 a.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, when brunch is served until 2 p.m.

Pizzazz is a pizza favorite on the Outer Banks. They’ve been around since 1986 because they make consistently great pizza with generous toppings and the service is friendly. Choose from gourmet menu creations or stick with the traditional. Pizzazz also makes hot subs, salads and wings. You can eat in for lunch or dinner or have your pizza delivered. Call for off-season hours. And, if you're driving to the Outer Banks from the north, check out their new location in Grandy on the Currituck mainland.