Inconsistent service. The food is ok, you get a lot of value for the money which is nice in comparison with some of the other local restaurants. However, service is inconsistent. The first time we went there, we had a good meal and great service. My husband and I went there this past Friday night. It was not that busy and we were sat on the back porch which we wanted. We were not approached at all. Two other tables were approached before we were. After the first one, after being sat for more than ten minutes, we said we would wait. When the next one got approached, it was enough. 20 minutes without being approached. We walked. I did let the hostesses know why. One seemed to not care at all but the other seemed to care. Maybe we shall try again. read more

Came here with a party of 13 and called ahead for seating. We arrived right around 5:45pm and the place was packed out. We waited approximately 15-20 minutes and we were seated and a short time later our drink orders were taken and they brought out some awesome hush puppies. I think I could have had a order of the hush puppies as my meal they were so good. They took our order and it took a little bit but we did have a party of 13, so it was to be expected. I ordered the Calabash Sampler platter and I very much enjoyed it. My son ordered the sea trout and he said it was very good. Several of the adults ordered fried shrimp, crab legs, and even some chicken fingers. They all said it was very good. It was a little pricey but I didn't expect it to be cheap. We will definitely come back again on our next beach vacation. read more

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Only thing decent served to my table was the hush puppies . Way Overpriced especially for children's menu , worst seafood we have ever had even the fries were cold and pale ! The stuffed flounder was stuffed with a cold artificial tasting stuffing of crab and peppers . Left feeling completely underwhelmed and ripped off Never again! read more

In the kindest way possible. This is probably the worst seafood restaurant I've ever been to. The shrimp tasted frozen and the flounder was mushy. Neither were fresh which was a complete surprise since the ocean is minutes away and the restaurant in right in the waterway/little river. The restaurant itself was questionable. Smelt like a skate center and feet we had one from out party vomit up his shrimp up in the parking lot and another to the same when we got back to the condo. I would avoid this place. read more

Our waitress Kim was very snappy and short with us. She never let us finish what we wanted to say. The food was alright. She was very rude and had no manners. I would say thanks 5 times and her response would be "okay". read more

We ate at Captain Nance's today. Years ago, my family used to come here and loved it. Today...not so much. The food was mediocre at best. My oysters were small and hard. The scallops were cut in half. I've never posted a review, but I feel like I needed to say this. The prices are ridiculous! My plate was so tiny and I paid $34 for about 10 small hard oysters and 10 half scallops I got ripped off. I should have gone to a ayce buffet for just a bit more and had better food. The baked potato was even cold. I will never go back. Save your money and eat somewhere else. read more

Do not go to this restaurant! I am trying to save you from a horrible waste of money and time spent on the shitter after. Let me say something positive. The people are nice and the hush puppies are good. Not to mention the beer was cold. After being roped in by cold beer and hushpuppies, we were met by disappointment in the oysters, devil crab, grouper, and flounder. All of these items were so fried to a crisp that they were shrunken and hard. The quality of the food was not up to the price. If you are expecting a hot and fresh meal...stay away! read more

This place is great! However, if you leave your food unattended outside.... Birds will swarm as with flies too. I almost forgot to mention that birds leave their turds on various tables. So be mindful of that when eating outside. Besides that, it's great! read more

Captain Nance's - Birds scouting the area before swarming food tables - Seafood Near Me - Calabash, North Carolina

Delicious lunch!! We'll definitely come back here! Our server Alissa was fantastic too! read more

Captain Nance's - Flounder and shrimp - Seafood Near Me - Calabash, North Carolina

Just left, had lunch, personal opinion, not fit to eat. Coleslaw was horrible and I never met a coleslaw. I didn't love the flounder tasted like it have been cooked twice to dry and hard to eat. The only shrimp option was popcorn shrimp do not recommend read more

It's good food with view of water. Not pricey. Great service. Has 3 seafood combo. Loved the shrimp, oysters and scallops. Hush puppies are yummy read more

We have been to this restaurant many times and really enjoyed it. We went yesterday for our anniversary and probably will be the last time. Our bill was $170.00 for 4 people. This food was not worth what we paid. We have never paid this much for food here. Really disappointed in the price change. read more

Location is beautiful! If only it wasn't raining, definitely would have sat outside. Their platters come with plenty of food for the price and the quality was very good! Our waitress seemed very busy but she still did a good job and came over periodically. Only giving 4 stars because of how the inside looks. Gave me the vibes of an old, run down buffet restaurant. read more

Very disappointing experience! I will start with the good parts: Oyster Stew was excellent as were the fried pickles. The beer was deliciously COLD! Now on to the yuck.....everything was overly breaded and over fried. Speaking of breaded....that is exactly what the deviled crab was NOTHING BUT BREAD AND CELERY! Both of us had flounder with our meals. Flounder was so over fried that it curled up and hard on the edges. He had the Calabash Platter ($37.99)....it was piled high but nothing on the platter was enjoyed except the steamed shrimp. When he brought his disappointment to the attention of the waitress she said that's how we make the deviled crab. Then asked to speak to the manager. Not much better. Same response that's how we've always made it and offered to take 10% off....not the total 10% off the platter. DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME AND MONEY! read more

Arrived on a Saturday at 6:00, table for 6 seated right away with a full restaurant -food arrived quickly, friendly staff overall very tasty! Nothing over the top spectacular...BUT tasty, correctly fried, quick and hot! Beautiful dock side- end of the day views! The birds...tiny annoying but nothing the restaurant can do about them! Rest rooms needed a DEEP clean ASAP!! Overall I would return! read more

Captain Nance's - Seafood Near Me - Calabash, North Carolina

The hush puppies and honey butter sauce are to die for. The waiter suggested the broiled grouper special with a lemon butter sauce and baked potato and salad and the meal was awesome. Not super fancy but great food. Always a good stop when we are in Calabash. read more

The service is very great and the waiters are nice. The view is overlooking Calabash Creek but the food here is not the best quality for a sea side restaurant. I wouldn't recommend it. read more

Captain Nance's - Oyster cocktail - Seafood Near Me - Calabash, North Carolina

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Not as nice as it once was, but still alright. Friendly staff and reasonable prices. Calabash Seafood, Clam Strips Nice location with adequate parking. read more

The crab cake was okay, just not much flavor and kind of crappy that you gotta pay extra if you want anything on it. It's just a crab cake on a hamburger bun. My husband got the fish and clam strips. He sent the food back twice. Zero flavor and fish was dried out. read more

Fried shrimp, baked potato, hush puppies with honey butter - what is not to like? I like to come here when I am near Calabash, NC

Not worth the hype. We were really disappointed with the service and the food. The seafood all tasted the same-we could tell what pieces were shrimp, what were scallops, etc. different interior texture, still tasted the same. read more

Good and service here are always amazing. My wife and I ate here on an impulse a couple years ago and have come back every year after that and brought our families. We love eating out on the patio area because the water scenery is awesome and we like watching the boats and wildlife. You won't be disappointed in eating here. read more

Captain Nance's is the kind of place your older family members take you. They know about it from years of going there, not because it's the hot new thing. But that doesn't mean it's bad. Captain Nance's is a classic! Fried calabash style seafood, nothin fancy. The coleslaw and fries were good. Popcorn shrimp was piled high, very generous portions for the price. Service could have been faster, but at a mom and pop place like this, we weren't expecting Michelin quality. The view is beautiful overlooking the inter coastal. You could go here or really any of the places nearby. Their seafood isn't special, but it hits the spot. read more

Captain Nance's - Deluxe fried platter - Seafood Near Me - Calabash, North Carolina

The food was excellent we ordered a seafood platter and the kitchen was able to accommodate both fried and broiled seafood. Our server was polite and very attentive. read more

One start is not low enough... Very limited options on the menu... and 75% of the menu is shrimp, flounder or french fries. Shrimp were tough and tiny. Menu is extremely over priced for such poor quality food. Bathrooms were filthy with no soap or paper towels. I would NOT recommend this "restaurant" to anyone. Didn't even take the left overs for my dog. read more

Always a favorite when we are visiting Calabash! Quick service and consistent food. Servers are friendly and a great spot for kids.

My food was cold the bake potato was HOT THE scallops were over cooked my salad had brown lettuce- the service was good The food to the table was long and there were only four other table at that time. read more

Firecracker shrimp with ranch dressing was delicious. Flounder sandwich left a lot to be desired. Skin on and super small. Nice location and staff was very nice. read more

Our family has been eating in Calabash since the 60's and this place has been one of our top three favorites along with Seafood Hut and Dockside over the years. Since my parents are in their 80's with preexisting health conditions they haven't been able to venture out to their favorites since the pandemic . We dropped in yesterday about 12:45 and were shocked to see just four people there, which we figured was a good thing since fried seafood is best served piping hot. So we didn't mind waiting about 20 minutes for our food figuring it would be nice and hot. Wrong! I guess we were waiting on hushpuppies because they were piping hot. The rest - not so much. I ordered their deluxe platter as usual and the parental units ordered their usual seniors platter. We also got an order of onion rings as an appetizer and three ice teas. Non of the fried items had any flavor whatsoever. The scallops were watery, the shrimp nor the oysters had ANY flavor and the tiny little deviled crab was a joke - and no flavor. The flounder fillet was okay. The first thing my dad noticed was the smaller platters used to make the plates look fuller with less food. It didn't work! "Every restaurant can have a bad day" I was saying quietly to myself while I sat there wondering what had happened to this great little eatery and wondering where all the people were at - until the check arrived. It became blatantly apparent at that point when I looked down and saw $96.75 on the check. No wonder the lady at the register sat quietly and didn't speak, or even make eye contact for that matter, probably too embarrassed! So it boils down to this; one deluxe seafood platter, two seniors platters, an order of onion rings, three teas, plus a $20 tip cost a grand total of $116.75. We won't be back and I don't foresee this place staying open very long. read more

Food was absolutely delicious and service was fantastic! I loved sitting outside seeing all of the birds around the water!

Captain Nance's is my favorite seafood restaurant when I go on vacation. Delicious Calabash style seafood and friendly service. The food is amazing all around. The hushpuppies are delicious with the perfect amount of breading; they melt right in your mouth. The flounder is battered perfectly, and the fried shrimp are light and flaky. I'm extremely picky about my sweet tea, and theirs is freshly brewed with just the right amount of sweet. The lunch special is really affordable at $7.25/person. You can choose two seafoods with fries or a baked potato. I recommend the fish (flounder) and shrimp. The service is fast and friendly. Meredith especially is an excellent server. She checks on you at just the right times throughout your experience. The waterfront setting is really pretty with a nice view of the inter-coastal waterway. Capt. Nance's has been a family favorite for a long time. It just isn't a vacation to the beach without eating here more than once. read more

Captain Nance's - Lunch special with flounder, shrimp, slaw and baked potato. - Seafood Near Me - Calabash, North Carolina

Our food was tasty. We had the flounder and deviled crab. The building could use some upgrades though.

Captain Nance's has a good reputation and over all we enjoyed it but my wife found the flounder not as tasty, the oysters we ordered tasted like they were undercooked. Overall it was a pleasant dinner with friends, but I'll save a higher rating for possibly the next time we go there. read more

Had lunch there on Monday and was disappointed for the first time in sever years. Small lunch portions for the price paid. Waitress was obviously overwhelmed with customers, perhaps not enough employees working to keep pace. Normally we eat out on the deck but decided to eat inside due to the outdoor heat. Never really noticed before likely because we normally eat outside, but the place has a dirty look and feel to it, over whelmed with the kitchen smells from food cooking I assume, and has that closed up smell of mildew or like a house never aired out. The place is old and could use a fresh updating in looks. Bottom line the food was average this trip and I've had better back home for less money and bigger portions. Yes, I know your paying for dining on the water but improvements could be made. read more

Nice Friday afternoon for a local seafood lunch, right along the inland canal. Plenty of parking, large seating area and large staff. Wife ordered fried grouper and shrimp, I had stuffed crab and fried shrimp. Both came with choices, we had backed potatoes and Cole slaw, also. Ale with a huge basket of hush puppies. Food was very fresh, well cooked and really good! Potatoes were hot, slaw excelled and loved their puppies. Solid 4 stars for lunch, 4 1/2 if I could, 5's a stretch but don't let it concern you!! Price was very fair for coastal dining, worth the lunch stop. read more

We always go to Captain Nance when we visit the beach. It is a fish camp on the inlet. Their lunch special is consistently good. Great seafood and slaw. The hush puppies are the best ever. read more

I was referred by a few people to try Captain Nance's and I wasn't disappointed. They first bring out hush puppies with honey butter, there were great. They took our order and within 5 minutes our food arrived. I ordered shrimp and founder with slaw. The Mrs ordered shrimp and the deviled crab and everyone else ordered what I had. Everyone really enjoyed their food and would definitely return to Captain Nance's. The only item that everyone didn't just love was the slaw. Slaw is tricky due to the different flavors people are looking for when they eat it. I would definitely recommend eating here. We want to try some more places in the area since there are literally 5 or 6 restaurants in a close proximity but we will go back to Captain Nance's! read more

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I'm kind of confused as to why this place only as 3 stars, I was skeptical to try it out due to the reviews but I'm so glad I decided to. It is so delicious, perfect amount of breading on the fried foods & the best flavor in the oysters. I didn't have anything I didn't enjoy and I'm usually on the pickier side. Can't wait to come back! read more

Captain Nance's - view from our table, so peaceful! - Seafood Near Me - Calabash, North Carolina

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We were in the area and craving good, BIG, fresh shrimp.....So the waiter recommended the blacked broiled shrimp as a local favorite. We figured what could go wrong. shrimp boat docked outside, pictures of big beautiful shrimp everywhere. The meal arrived and it was probably the most unappetizing plate I have seen in a long time: a pile of steamed tiny shrimp with a sprinkle of old bay seasoning. Mushy with no flavor. Most likely frozen and shipped in from somewhere else. read more

Like the other reviews, I'm incredibly disappointed. A trend I've noticed in the area, is that most restaurants have horrible reviews. As someone who tries to always leave a good review, I realize that it probably isn't just tourists being jerks, and that the restaurants in this area are honestly lacking. I'm giving my review 2 stars, on the sole reason that I didn't get food poisoning and that the view is pretty. Captain Nance's has huge potential. Unfortunately, owner/management is choosing to stay in 1983. The interior of the restaurant is gross. Smells terrible. Dirty carpet throughout, and it's 2021 yall. We need floors that can actually be cleaned, and not smell like the inside of a chuckie cheese. The decor is dated, which I will argue can be absolutely charming. This was not. The tables, walls, and host station are all seemingly older than I am. We hesitantly sit down outside, which is an incredible view of the creek. It was sunset and beautiful weather. Our waitress wasn't memorable which makes me feel horrible, but we barely saw her besides taking our order and asking for water. No drink menu. The food menu is pretty large and they have a large variety of seafood. Two in my party ordered soft shell crab, another the grab cakes, and myself (the vegan) managed to get fries and a salad...the vegan staple!! Both who got the soft shell crab were underwhelmed. It was soggy and fried. They both were disappointed. Neither of them finished their meal. They also split the shrimp cocktail, which was HILARIOUS because the shrimp were identical to the ones you thaw from the grocery store bag. The shrimp were spongy, mangled, and tasteless. They came sitting on a piece of romaine lettuce, something that was done 20 years ago. To compare, I purchased shrimp from dougs seafood in ocean isle for the same price, made shrimp cocktail, and they were fresh and huge. It's laziness here. My fries and salad were fine. Crab cakes were good according to my friend. Overall we were so underwhelmed. Meal was about $140 for the 4 of us, which is good, but we all left regretting staying to eat. "I can't believe I paid $74 for this meal," was said by our friends. That's just how it goes sometimes, I know. I'd avoid this place. Hopefully they can overhaul and improve. read more