Super cute and homey feeling place in the OBX. All of the staff were friendly and polite, which made the dinner even better! The crab bisque is a must have! I had one of the specials of the night, tilefish topped with crab served with potatoes and asparagus. It was one of the best meals I had during our weeklong vacation. Everything was cooked and seasoned to perfection. We finished up the night with a warm cookie topped with ice cream because we could not resist when the dessert tray was brought around. Perfect way to finish a great meal! read more

Colington Cafe - Tilefish topped with crab served with potatoes and asparagus. Delicious! - American Near Me - Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina

Made reservations here last night for our anniversary dinner. We have eaten many celebration meals here in OBX over the years and I can honestly say this was the best meal we have had. The charming cottage and decor were awesome, the service friendly and attentive, the presentation was stunning and the perfectly prepared food was amazing! What a delicious treat for our special evening! I can't believe this was our first time trying this delightful cafe, and hate to think for all these years what we have been missing! Reservations encouraged (very busy for an off-season week night), easy parking (several handicap spots at the front door), wine and beer only (great wine selections), casual dressy. read more

I brought my wife here for our anniversary dinner. What a great idea. This place is awesome. Very romantic ambiance and the food was delicious. It's a bit off the beaten path of the Croatan Hwy, but well worth finding. Thanks to Yelp we found this place. read more

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Very nice & comfortable. In a single-family-home-converted-into-restaurant, so the many dining rooms are smaller and scattered throughout. The staff seems to navigate it well, but it is a bit disorienting until the sea legs are had. The locals have made this a destination restaurant for special events. The waitstaff is casual -- sometimes overly so. The food is very retro -- like dining out before the farm-to-table concept hit. Basic. Yet pricey for what is served. Hmmmm - perhaps a new-blood chef could bring this place up a notch and really make it worthy of a 4-5 star rating? read more

We went here for a celebration dinner so we tried much more than we usually would. Started with the scallop appetizer which was delicious. I'd get that for a meal in a heartbeat. For dinners I had the shrimp and scallop Napoleon which was so yummy. He had the crab cakes which were full of meat. Sides left a bit to be desired, but I'm sure they make a big batch of them and keep them warm until they go out, leaving them a bit dry. We splurged and got dessert too. Creme brûlée and an amazing cake that invoked rum drizzle pineapple icing and macadamia nuts. Service was awesome. Definitely recommend this place. Make sure to make a reservation! read more

The only reason I will give the restaurant one star is because the food was good I will say that.... and I am not one to usually go somewhere and write a review.... stuff happens and it's whatever but....... I felt I needed to say something because I couldn't believe what happened..... so me and my family got a recommendation from our friend to come to this place to eat and the first day arriving at the beach no one wanted to cook.... soo, we make a reservation and we got there and the women told us to wait out by the garden which was beautiful because they were running a little behind.... within 15 mins give or take we went back in to see the wait and they told us we could be seated now.. so we go to the table and we order drinks and appetizers... the waitress warned us again like the front desk woman "hey were a little behind but your food will be out as soon as possible!" And so of course we're fine we understand. So we finish our appetizers, we had multiple drinks.... we had two baskets of bread but trying to hold off on more since were about to get our food..... WE SAT THERE FOR 1 HOUR AND 45 MINUTES......... ALMOST TWO HOURS....... before finally my dad had to politely go downstairs and ask the manager if our food was even almost done because if not we were just going to leave.... we drove a long way, were all starving.... we don't mind if your busy but be honest when people come that your expected to wait 2 hours before you can eat!!! So the manager tells us that our food is coming.. we sit back down and our food all came separately at different times because they were just trying to rush it to us at that point which is fine but we went out to all eat together and enjoy a meal and couldn't even eat at the same times.... the food was really good I will say that, was it worth my experience? Absolutely not.... but, towards the end the manager came to say sorry to us because she knew what we had been through..... says sorry and leaves.... don't offer a discount, doesn't offer to take off the appetizers that had to hold us over to wait for our food.... NOTHING... like sorry for your luck but thanks for coming.... we spend over $300 for the food and a tip for our very sweet waitress who's not at fault by any means! She was a doll.. but I was very disappointed in the management and I will never recommend this place to anyone I know in fact I'll tell them NOT to come..... if I owned a business and we had a problem getting food out I would comp atleast there appetizers to keep them full and happy until we could get there meals... very unprofessional... no remorse.... sorry but that was a waste of my day..... I would of rather went to McDonald's read more

Visited twice during our 2-week stay in the Outer Banks. It took many years to find this upscale surf & turf dining. From the excellent crab app, to the entrees (snapper, seafood pasta) and sides (garlic potatoes, greens, even grits!) to the lemon cake dessert, our evening warranted a 2nd trip. 2nd visit. Excellent presentation on the brie. filet, shrimp, scallops great; the crab cake was just okay (especially after Steamers'), and our daughter went vegetarian (good but wanting after Salt Box veggie - their co-ower/chef is vegetarian). Very good selection of wines, from $18 & up. Our 9-year old grandson was a gentleman, but not appropriate for our younger relatives. The restaurant is 'in-demand' during peak times. We made reservations both times, and still had a short wait. Many others who didn't were turned away with a 1.5 hour wait time. Quaint old house, garden views in a nice setting. I checked 'dressy' but shorts/sandals and a nice shirt were certainly acceptable. We will return again next year. It is that good! read more

After a long look on Yelp, the wife and I chose the Colington Cafe for our first anniversary. We liked the look of the food and it looked like the atmosphere was going to be quiet and romantic... we were correct on the former, but unfortunately not the later. Let's start with the good... the REALLY good food. We decided to go with their strengths for dinner... really good red meat with really good crab on top. I can't say enough about this food. The filet mignon was tender, flavorful, and juicy and the crab tasted absolutely amazing. The location was beautiful, tucked back in the woods, well off the main drag. It was in an old converted house that made it feel like you were having a spectacular dinner at Grandma's. Everything was great... except for the atmosphere. When I made our reservation, I made sure to mention that it was for my anniversary dinner. Unfortunately, they decided to give us a table in a room with two large groups of boisterous adults, rather than a more intimate setting. For the majority of my anniversary dinner, I got to overhear conversations about how millennials are ruining the country, questions about social media, and anecdotes about adult kids... Our waitress was very apologetic, but the evening was still marred by the experience. I wouldn't dissuade anyone from trying it out, I just hope that your experience is more intimate and romantic than ours. It's the only reason it didn't get 5 stars. read more

One of the better meals in the OBX, even if it is a quirky atmosphere in an older home. It's become one of our go to's for consistenly good meals at "reasonable" (by OBX standards) prices. See you next year. read more

Very nice 50th Birthday dinner. I had the grilled shrimp & scallops. They were perfectly cooked. I also had a chocolate sundae dessert with a candle. The only criticism would be they can't broil their dishes. Also the paper on the tables covering the linens is cheesy. read more

We started with the Greek tomato salad, which was a nice twist of a caprese salad with feta and olives- very yummy. Our server brought us a bowl of she crab soup to try- my husband loved it. ( it did taste of some flour thickener but had lots of crab) our entrees were great especially the scallops with wahoo! They did save the best for last however... amazing desserts. We will be back. There were many regulars there - cozy atmosphere and great service! read more

As anyone who travels knows, finding an interesting and good place for a meal in a heavily touristy area is always a bit of a crap shoot. These areas are mostly populated with chains and destination style food emporiums which appear alluring but seldom serve much worth eating. Colington Cafe isn't one of those. From the outside it looks like a rambling house converted to a restaurant and it may well be, but it's charming and not too kitschy decor gives you a hint of what's to come. The menu is fairly deep with specials and unannounced specials which add to the fun. We chose from one of those and a line item on the regular menu. They also have an excellent gluten free menu with enough choices for those challenged by their diet. All fish is as local as possible and when not, clearly enumerated by the helpful and attentive wait staff. Gosh, they even have wine specials! Speaking of which: the list is short but adequate and many choices are excellent values. Meal preparation is excellent but the presentation is fairly basic and straight forward; the only slightly disappointing note on the night we were there was the mashed potatoes. They were the only starch on the plate and needed to be there, but didn't add to the otherwise great food. They also have quite the selection of deserts, should you have room left. All in all, Colington is worth the trip to the Outer Banks and even worth a detour to get here if you're somewhere in the area. read more

I don't know where to start on how OUTSTANDING this dining experience was. The staff was so friendly and attentive. The atmosphere was so Elegant and unique. The food was beyond good. We had the Brie to start- such a huge portion for an amazing price paired with fresh bread, apples, grapes, pineapple, and a little apricot on top. Their bread was outstanding and fresh. Then for main meal we had the special of wahoo fish and crab cake & salmon. Both dishes prepared and cooked perfect and pairs with mashed potato and asparagus (grits and asparagus with the waho). I can't express enough how amazing this place is. We finished with a Banana rum cake with walnuts and coconut. Words can't describe how delicious this cake was. We also drank a bottle of Riesling. So reasonably priced and delicious. I am a HUGE foodie. And I really recommend this place. A MUST go when in OBX or near here. #delicious read more

Colington Cafe is my favorite restaurant on the Outer Banks, by far. I always look forward to going, whenever I'm on the island. For the unadventurous, their steak creations are always tasty. I am partial to their seafood specials, typically composed of expertly prepared fish. These dishes are always innovative, and sometimes they introduce me to a fish that I never knew I could like. The service is typically excellent, although I have had it vary from simply good to "knock your socks off." One thing: skip the dessert. I've never been wowed by their dessert selection. It lacks the panache that abounds in the rest of the meal. I don't hold it against them though: my dinner is always top-notch. read more

This place is a hidden gem! First thing is to make reservations. They only take reservations 1 week in advance. My wife and I arrived for a 7pm dinner reservation and was seated immediately. The restaurant was an old home with rooms nicely redecorated for fine dining. The owner showed us to our table and was very pleasant. Our waiter was very friendly and knowledgeable and greeted a few of the regular patrons as they arrived. My wife started with the grilled shrimp with a sweet chutney that was fabulous. There were only 4 shrimp and she didn't want to share them so I had the she crab bisque that was out of this world. The cream sauce was like a New England clam chowder without the potato and corn filler, just pieces of crab. One of the best I've ever had! Her entrée was filet Mignon with a crab cake. The filet was cooked perfectly and the crab cake was excellent! And she knows her crab cakes. I had the tuna and Filet Mignon kebob that was also cooked excellent with mashed garlic potatoes and mixed vegetables that were pan blackened in a wok. The deserts were okay. My wife had the blueberry bread pudding which was very sweet and very good. I went with the coconut custard pie which I was told was the most popular dessert. I hated it. My favorite pie in this world is coconut custard and this was not even good enough to finish. There was a very very thin layer of coconut custard and an overwhelming layer of cream with chocolate drizzled on top. The cream was much too sweet and tasted like a store bought Boston cream pie with only the slightest taste of coconut. The prices are extremely reasonable and only half the price that I would normally pay in NY. All in all, we were extremely happy and will certainly return for the best meal in the Outer Banks! It's must go when in the Outer Banks!! read more

There aren't enough great things to be said about Colington Cafe. We go almost every time we come down to OBX, sometimes twice a year, and the dining experience has never disappointed. The owners are the nicest people; we've gotten to know them over more than a decade of returning and they always acknowledge how grateful they are for all of their customers. The food is excellent and fresh, there is great variety in the daily menu, and the service is top notch. You won't be disappointed making the short trip to this off-the-beaten-path treasure. read more

Colington Cafe - Fabulous filet and fresh rockfish, oh my stars... cooked to perfection! - American Near Me - Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina

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We had a wonderful experience. The food was delicious and the service was spot on. We started with the crab dip which was delicious. My only critique is that I would prefer if the crab dip came with bread instead of toasts, but the dip itself was excellent. I had the crab cakes and shrimp which were very good as well. We finished with the toll house pie and coconut cream pie which were amazing. We will be back next time we're in the Outer Banks! read more

Colington Cafe - Coconut cream pie - American Near Me - Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina

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Please do not leave OBX without having dinner here! This is a quaint atmosphere with absolutely amazing food. We had the special, which consistent of filet mignon and yellowfin tuna and a dish with wahoo fish...nothing short of fabulous!! The grits were out of control and the crab cakes are the best I have come across. Dessert...I have no words! Coconut custard pie and a brownie sundae...AMAZING!!! The staff was friendly, knowledgable and VERY welcoming! I wish I could take this restaurant home, my cooking days would be over! Be sure to make a reservation, we had to call for about an hour but it was worth it! read more

It was our last night in town and a regular (Ron) sent us here to try some steaks. Not being a meat eater myself, I was pleased to find a few pasta options on the menu. My friends reported the filet mignon steaks were prepared perfectly and the mashed potatoes were to die for. As usual, my pasta dish was a bit large, but had a great variety of seasonal vegetables and some alfredo sauce on it. T he desserts looked fabulous! But alas, we were headed for frozen custard after dinner. I would highly recommend reservations (even if made the same night). Fantastic service and great food, definitely a great last night in town! read more

For a special night out, this is the place to go in OBX! We (my family of 5) were celebrating my birthday and came to Colington Cafe after reading several excellent reviews. We arrived and were seated promptly. Our waitress, Amelia, was prompt, friendly, and attentive to our needs from the moment we came in to the time we left. As for the food, AMAZING! For our appetizers, we selected the warm brie with fresh fruit and french bread and she crab bisque. Even my young children enjoyed both. For our entrees, my husband selected the evening special - a 13 oz strip steak with bleu cheese/butter sauce, bacon wrapped asparagus bundles, and garlic roasted mashed potatoes. I selected the 6 oz filet mignon with bernaise sauce. It came with the same mashed potatoes and a summer vegetable medley. My children had chicken tenders, a 4 oz filet mignon, and their parmesan noodles. For dessert, we had the coconut cream pie with chocolate bottom crust, and their Tollhouse Pie with ice cream. Both were great, but the tollhouse pie was sinful! Is this a cheap place to eat...NO! Is it worth the price...YES! Parking is tight, but we found a place with no problem. read more

This is the best restaurant in the area. Super staff that really appreciate your being there. The also do things that tell you they enjoy working there and demonstrate their passion to make your dining experience a lasting enjoyable memory We had the fried shrimp and crab cake with roasted vegetables and great garlic mashed potatoes. Mmmmmmmmm so good. You must go and experience their fine dining establishment. Be sure to plan ahead and make a reservation. read more

Excellent cuisine and super nice staff. We enjoyed every minute of our first restaurant in 1 year!

Came to Colington Cafe on our last night. Easy to make reservations. We were seated right away when we arrived. Service was very attentive . Food was was fresh, excellent presentation and taste was excellent. Save room for their dessert, great variety and freshly made. Nice wine selection. I would have liked to have cocktails when we were first seated, but wine or beer is only selection. No doubt, we will be returning next visit to the OBX. read more

The place is beautiful...huge curly trees outside. Inside feels like your grandmothers home, but is pretty and kitchy. We had the coconut shrimp which was good. I don't eat much shrimp so I'm no conisseur but they were good and came with a delicious marmalade sauce. I hade the filet mignon which was good but not the best I've ever had. My husband had shrimp and scallops which he said were really tasty. Our vegetables were cold...not just room temperature but cold. We couldn't figure out if they were supposed to be that way or not. They were, however, very tasty and well seasoned. The mashed potatoes were heavenly. Overall a decent meal. Three stars though because I wasn't overly impressed and left feeling like we paid more than it was worth. read more

Best dining out experience we have had in a long time. It was a Sunday night in August and we called ahead but didn't need to for just two of us. We love to cook at home so we usually only go out to local sandwich shops or for ethnic food. When traveling it's hard to cook so we have to eat out. This is our favorite place in Kill Devil Hills so far. We ordered Shecrab Bisque, a Caesar Salad, and the Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes. The bisque is very creamy, a tiny bit of spice, with noticeable pieces of crab. The crab cakes were breaded and fried, crunchy on the outside and soft inside, very yummy. Potatoes and veggy sides were good. The Caesar salad was lighter on dressing that is typical, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. They brought out the dessert tray and we chose the coconut cream pie. Total with two glasses of wine and dessert for two was under $60 before tip. Definitely good value for around here and we will go back. read more

We made reservations for the first night in OBX. We were all quite tired and decided an expensive meal would be "wasted". They were gracious about our cancellations. Two days later we tried again. We have 11 in our party and were seated in a back room overlooking the gardens. Our group can be quite noisy and even when we asked the waitress if we were being disrespectful to other diners she said we were fine. The ambience was terrific. Pretty much all of got a different menu item ranging from salad and soup, to the filet (which was PERFECTLY grilled), to fresh fish. Everything was flavorful and appealing. The desserts were too much to pass by: Mango/Peach Cobbler, Oreo cheesecake, crème Brule and more. Every single once was fabulous! We will definitely go there on return trips. I'm glad we didn't go that first night as our visit was much more relaxed and enjoyable. One word of warning, the parking lot is on a steep hill. Handicap is at the top of the hill at the front door. If the hill is too steep, it might be best to have someone in your group drop you off at the door. read more

We made reservations for dinner which I thought were for Wednesday evening however I made them for Thursday. When we arrived we were greeted by Pam who said your reservation is not for tonight but let me see what I can do. She was able to get us a table and accommodate us! The staff is excellent, the food is excellent and the location is charming! A must if visiting OBX! Will be going back again next trip to OBX! read more

Situated in an old Victorian home with a gazebo which can be reserved for dinner. Went with a family of 9 including toddlers and our experience was excellent from greeting to completion of our meal. Excellent food and service. Definitely deserves a try and our family will definitely recommend and return. read more

We ate two dinners here while on vacation. Great food, service, and ambiance. Wish it was local to us!

First time dining here. No idea how we have missed this little gem. We arrived at 5:00 when they opened and were seated without a reservation. The restaurant is divided into small rooms which makes it more romantic and quiet. That is a nice departure from most. No liquor isn't a problem for us. We don't drink wine or beer, so that just meant an inexpensive fine dining experience. The staff are top notch. Hubs ordered the steak (medium) with crab and shrimp. Done to perfection! I don't usually order steak but was getting tired of seafood. LOL. I ordered the steak with a teriyaki sauce with fried shrimp. Again, done to perfection. The shrimp were large and very finely breaded. The garlic mashed potatoes could have used some salt. The chef steamed some vegetables, dressed them and chilled them. The desserts were brought out on a tray to entice us, and they did! We ordered the coconut cream pie and the peach and blueberry crumble. The crumble was hot and served with ice cream. Absolutely to die for. The coffee wasn't as hot has one would expect and the "cream" served with it was more likely milk. I still think it deserves 5 stars because it was a lovely experience. read more

Celebrated our 19th wedding anniversary at the Colington Cafe. Brought our three kids along and we sat in the outdoor Gazebo. Incredible food and service. I tasted all five meals, two appetizers and two desserts. Flavor was incredible across the board. Had a great experience. Highly recommend the Colington Cafe! read more

This is a wonderful restaurant - lovely ambience, kind and attentive service, and utterly delicious food. This was our second visit after eating here during our last OBX holiday a couple of years ago, and the quality was excellent each time. Highly recommended! read more

We have been coming to outer banks for over 25 years and never knew of this place. I looked on Yelp and saw Collington Cafe was mostly 5-stars. We made reservations. Parking was limited but found a spot. The waitress was friendly and very accommodating. The food was delicious and a nice variety between seafood, surf and turf and chicken. The decor was inviting and the food was well presented on the plate. The desserts were decadent!! We will be coming back here again. An off the path pleasurable experience! read more

Debbie is the best server! Her recommendations were spectacular. The desserts look like something out of a magazine and tasted incredible. My wife and I celebrated our anniversary here and it was absolutely incredible! This little place is one of our new favs!!! So warm and welcoming and the food is truly delightful! read more

First time and the food was fabulous. The staff was courteous and friendly and just wonderful. I hope to get to come again soon.

Found out about this place a couple of years ago from a friend. Since then it has been our favorite last night place to go. This was the 4th year in a row. No better way to finish off a vacation. Fine dining at a fair price. Food has always been very good, consistently well prepared and with a friendly staff. read more

Why a lovely place. The atmosphere, food and service were exceptional. The restaurant is in an old converted house and has wonderful cozy spaces. Staff was wonderful and we really enjoyed it. Can't wait to go back. read more

We had a fabulous experience at the Colington Cafe. The food was great, the service was excellent. What compels me to write is a different part of our experience. We arrived on night #1 and we're told there would be a wait to be seated. After a longer than expected wait, the host came out and profusely apologized. She offered us wine and A complimentary appetizer. She then asked us what would make us happy. We told her that a seating at a prime time the next evening would do the trick. On night 2 we arrived, were immediately seated at a table waiting for us, our server knew about our experience and we enjoyed our meal. A complimentary dessert was provided. The message from every staff member over and over was one of gratitude that we gave them "another chance". Wow, wow, wow!!! Thanks guys. read more

I'v heard only good things about this hidden jem, so finally we decided to try it for ourselves- I wish we could give it more than 5 stars! Definitely need a reservation, I would even recommend making your reservation a few days to a week in advance - we did get a reservation on the day we wanted though. We ordered the lobster crab cake, the hot crab dip and coconut shrimp for our appetizers they were all amazing our only regret was that we didn't order more! Our dinner orders were just as amazing- there was 5 of us dining and not one of us had anything left on our plates. We all ordered different dishes and each one was fresh and cooked expertly! We had desert and again delicious! Our server April was friendly and didn't make us feel rushed. Highly recommend and we will definitely be going back! read more

Absolutely wonderful dining experience, a little off the beaten path but totally worth it, good food, great atmosphere and our server, Jamie, could not have been more helpful and friendly. Could not pass up the dessert tray so took some to go. Cannot say enough nice things about this place and looking forward to visiting again! read more