food was great, service was great, drinks were great (esp the mojito) all around a great spot!

Stopped by on a Wednesday night around 5pm and man was it busy! The line was already out the door with a wait. We sat outside and got a beautiful view with the beach and the pier. For appetizers we got the crab dip and the calamari. I loved the calamari, the crab dip was good but we definitely needed just a few more chips. They bring out bread which is nice as well. For my main I got the salmon, it was delicious! I did the Tuscan garlic butter on top which I really liked. My sides of vegetables and a baked potato were good as well. Our server was so sweet, we loved her. Unfortunately we're giving a 4/5 because we asked the hostess if she could move us to an open table out of the direct sunlight and she states she would check and be right back. Well, we never saw her again. The table was open for a while before another party was sat so I assume she just didn't want to move us. Overall, we still had a great dinner and would come back again to try other food options as we enjoyed what we got. Definitely try this place out! read more

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Oh my gosh!!!! What a disappointment . My bad though for expecting this east coast establishment to actually have locally sourced seafood. We came here on a recommendation and for the raving reviews. I think my clue should have been when I saw more pictures of the awesome views from the deck vs the food. Don't get me wrong, if you want a cool hang out spot with awesome views and attentive waiters, this is your place. We ordered the crab dip and calamari to start. First, the dip was nothing more than glorified cream cheese with no specified flavors and no crab that we could discern. The calamari, flavorless with only the tart sauce to make it palatable. I chose not to order any of their specialty fish dishes after the waiter stated that none were local and all farmed fish . My husband ordered the lobster and shrimp pasta and I thought we would share. Again, another sad flavorless dish. The sauce was not spicy as indicated on the menu but rather a poor excuse for marinara. The shrimp, rubbery and I can't speak for the lobster because it was quite small and my husband ate it before I could try it. He did comment it was flavorless. We also ordered a couple of their virgin drinks which we found unbalanced in their flavor layering. Over all, this meal was not worth the 100 we spent to include the tip. To add insult to injury, it wasn't the unavoidable rain that fell on the deck that made this experience indigestible but the amount of times the wait staff kept coming over to our table and the one next to us asking if everything was perfect. We were polite, tipped, and said everything was good but on the inside, our stomachs were churching with this would be meal. Again, I put the onus on me for not checking beforehand and assuming that because many of these towns were fishing towns, there would be local catch dishes. My apologies beforehand to the owners of this establishment. Clearly for them something's being done right if they have their repeat clientele. Kudos. I will say that the place did have a wait line as stated and it was lively and full when we left. The menu; sadly needs revamping or better chefs. read more

Daddy Mac's Beach Grille - A picture of the views, and the incoming storm for your viewing pleasure. The food was not worth the iCloud space on my phone. - Seafood Near Me - Surf City, North Carolina

Whatever you do don't order the ribeye. They gave me a raw steak. Our waiter fell and it took them 45 mins to get the food out. Just stay away One star read more

Daddy Mac's Beach Grille - That what it looked like when it came out. ( this is not the real photo but that's what the inside looked like) - Seafood Near Me - Surf City, North Carolina

Daddy Mac's Beach Grille is a great spot for lunch with the family! It's located up two flights of stairs, but luckily there was an elevator, which was helpful for some members of our group. We visited with 8 adults and 2 kids. Since it was quite windy outside, we chose to sit indoors. When we checked with the hostess, we were asked to wait a few minutes until the tables were ready. The interior feels like a spacious, cozy dining room. There is patio seating, and the views are stunning, overlooking the beach area and pier. STAFF Kate/Kat? was our server and she was super attentive and friendly.She checked on us frequently and truly made our first dining experience memorable. FOOD I ordered the Crab Cake sandwich with a side of sweet potato fries. It was delicious! As mentioned on the menu, NO Filler, and they really meant that! The crab cake was seasoned and well-balanced. The tartar sauce was a great complement, tasting fresh and homemade. I only ate half my bun along with all the lettuce, tomatoes, and onions. The sweet potato fries were waffle-shaped and crispy. Everyone else in my party enjoyed their food and we had a few leftovers, which was taken in a to go box. All-around, good vibes, good service, good company and good views. read more

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A bit pricey for lunch but I guess you're paying for the view and location on the beach. It might seem like these isn't any parking but they have good parking across the street. Our waiter was prompt and attentive. I had the burger and was disappointed. I expected a bit more for the price. My meat was over cooked and hard, not juicy. I also ordered the sweet potato fries which were a $4 dollar up charge. Most places it's less than two bucks. They were very good but maybe a quarter of a sweet potato. We had the Telmex egg rolls which were good and had a nice medium heat dipping sauce. My wife had the fish tacos which she said were ok. Maybe we ordered the wrong stuff, still we will go back. The views alone are worth it. read more

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Great location on the beach with great views inside and on the deck. Friendly and quick service that made our experience so memorable! Lots of great fish and American favorite dishes to choose from the menu. Reasonably priced with big portions. read more

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Food was good. The service was quick. We did takeout at the beach. Very convenient, clean and cool inside. read more

Food was so very good! Nate and the other staff were very attentive. The view of the ocean was stunning. An A++ experience read more

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Despite a large weekend crowd, we were seated within 20 minutes after checking in with the hostess outside and enjoyed an amazing view of the Surf City beachfront. Our server was super sweet and we started off with a pair of boozy cocktails, including a Moscow Mule and a very (very!) dirty martini. Despite the rapid turnover around us, we never felt rushed. For dinner, we opted for two of the nightly specials - flash fried lobster and a gorgeous piece of swordfish topped with perfectly grilled shrimp and a creamy crab sauce. Both were over the top and wonderfully flavorful. read more

Daddy Mac's Beach Grille - Gorgeous swordfish topped with grilled shrimp and creamy crab sauce. - Seafood Near Me - Surf City, North Carolina

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When you see a crowd waiting to eat at a restaurant you might assume it's a place to try. This place has a great location overlooking the water. It has a bar and was crowded w big tables of families. We were hungry for seafood. Why not? We're at the beach! I don't usually pan restaurant s , it's a tough business and totally subjective but these days things are too expensive to waste time or money. We were there for dinner. So the fish tacos that read about weren't available. We ordered full seafood platter/ lobster bisque: margarita The margarita was good but then it's hard to hurt tequilas. The bisque was good but not very hot. The seafood platter was meh. Nothing had flavor and none of it seemed close to fresh. The cocktail and the dinner rolls were my take away. . read more

A great restaurant with a great view. I have never been disappointed when I have eaten here. Always good food and good service.

It was a bit of a rough start, but eventually the service flipped to being great. The fish was tender. The kids liked their food. The inside was okay. Would have loved to be outside. read more

We are visiting and decided to check out lunch at Daddy Mac's and we are glad we did. There was no wait because it was off season. The place isn't upscale, but has a nice beach vibe. We were seated ocean front on the deck with 5-star views of the beach and pier. The menu is interesting with a lot of seafood options. We had the daily special Mahi Tacos with grilled mahi. The mahi was perfectly grilled, moist and tender. The toppings were mixed with beans, diced tomato, cabbage, onions, corn and a wonderful spicy sauce. The three tacos were delicious. The staff is super wonderful. The hostess was welcoming and accommodating. Sam, our server was attentive, friendly and kept glasses filled. Food came out quickly. Prices are reasonable. They offer cocktail and beer specials. There is a kid's menu. We found parking next door (free off season). We'll be back. Great beach dining experience. read more

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A Surf City classic! We dined here recently and were able to snag a seat on the back deck overlooking the ocean and pier. This was not our first visit and won't be our last. Ben, our server, was friendly, attentive, and efficient. They have something for everyone - even a vegetarian menu if you ask for it! read more

Great food! Every time I've been there it's been busy and we sit at the bar. I recommend getting the brisket that is not on the menu! Brisket is three dollars for 2 ounces and I usually get 4 ounces and a side dish. I've also had a salad in a jar. Really great! My friends have had mac & cheese. Definitely a great place. Very affordable. read more

Daddy Mac's was a great meal whether it was their loaded burgers or ahi tuna sliders. The service was very attentive and kind in a beach environment with wonderful views. You can even outside and feel the breeze. read more

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You do not stay in business long at the beach unless you're doing something right. It stays busy! Go early. I love the chowder!

Service is awesome! Brooke did a great job. The shrimp and crab linguine was awesome. I should have checked to see if I could get it spicy. That would make it even better (for me). We'll be back! read more

Staff was good nothing outstanding but it was extremely busy so can't blame them! It was nice there was a bar window to get drinks while waiting and seating outside the building for waiting...if you can find an open spot. The view is great from outside and sitting near the back windows. The food was AMAZING!! Definitely worth the wait. Shrimp and crab scampi was 10/10 would have it again anytime. Crab cake stuffed flounder was 8.7/10 was good but not a big portion though. Crab dip was a great appetizer!! And loaded baked potatoes is highly recommended as a side. Will go back again. read more

If you don't want to wait, get there EARLY, like 4:30 early, to get your name on the list. (They don't take reservations.) We arrived at 4:50 with a party of 2 and still waited about 20 minutes, which was fine, but larger parties were being told almost 2 hours. Setting: BEAUTIFUL! The dining area overlooks the ocean, and there is outdoor seating as well. Service: Both the hostess and our server were attentive and kind. The service overall was excellent. Food: The food was good, but overpriced for what it was. The bill for 2 people with an appetizer and no alcohol was over $100. The steak was decent, but not amazing. The lobster bisque was tasty, but had maybe 2 tiny bites with lobster in it. The best thing I tasted was the crab cakes. The experience was pleasant overall, but for the price, I would try a different place next time. read more

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Normally, I would say this was more of a place for tourists but since it is off season, many of the locals were here. Excellent assortment of choices for food and great daily socials. The table server was very attentive, knew the entrees very well and helped us make our selection. Meal was well prepared. All patrons were happy with lively conversations which made the overall experience quite pleasant. read more

Good food for the type of restaurant it is - obx tourist area with moderate prices. Fried shrimp and flounder were good, crab dip good, kids chicken tenders were high quality, cocktails good. The lobster diavalo (or something like that) was mediocre, and the she crab soup was terrible, tasted more like melted velveeta in water. Overall though I'd go back. read more

To start off with, we had a party of 10 and a 40 minute wait. that was completely fine. we kindly waited an hour. finally we were told we could be seated but ended up having our party split completely in half between 2 booths. we were told for an additional 30 minutes that they were setting up our table. eventually, after a collective hour and 45 minute wait, we mentioned speaking to the manager and ended up finally getting sat after some side eyes from the staff that clearly didn't want to be there. we were completely fine with it and very flexible about our party being split. then, our booth ordered some crab dip because we were starving. 2 bites in ended up finding a massive piece of plastic in the dip. sent it back and the server acted like they genuinely could not have cared less. had to ask for another one. manager came by our table and did not ask about it or how our experience was or anything. then got the food and it was completely unseasoned garbage. probably the worst fried seafood i have ever had. which in my opinion is pretty hard to mess up. will NOT be returning to this sub-par establishment again. what a waste of a night out to eat. read more

Our family is here on vacation for a week. We haven't vacation in the past two years to stop at daddy Mac's .We were very disappointed this time. Our Family of five was all there ,just as the restaurant was opened. We had ordered the special swordfish, salmon pasta, salads . We asked to be seated outside first thing we had noticed the furniture was old very worn from the weather. Our server was very tentative. He did bring our food in a timely manner when I myself got my salmon I noticed that it had not been fully cooked. I'd show this to waiter he assured me he was taking it back to the kitchen to have it cooked properly. Our daughter and Son-in-law had mentioned that the swordfish really didn't have too much of a taste to it. . The lobster dip was delicious. The pita chips were very light after waiting for quite some time my family had finished eating. Our waiter had came up and said he could box my salmon. There was a lady that brought it out on a plate, I didn't get a chance to look at it. She said she would box it for me that they had just cooked me another piece after we got home. It was the same piece and it still was not done when you cut it with a fork. It was slimy on the inside. read more

Food was so so. Took forever to get served, although it was very busy. We were very hungry and bread came out with our appetizers, even though we asked our server to bring it. When our appetizer was served, the kid that brought it spilled sauce all over my son in law. I had to tell one of the managers because the kid just quickly said " I'm sorry" then scooted back to the kitchen. The manager brought some club soda, but didn't even offer to comp us at all. My son in laws shirt is ruined now. Very disappointing! read more

SIT ON THE DECK! The view is stunning!!! That's really the best thing this place has going for it. The wait staff was ok but seemed a little abrupt but maybe she was weeded. While it did seem pretty busy, we got seated within 5 minutes. But we went about 5:30 on a Thursday evening in September. Do really remember much about the interior, I just really enjoyed sitting outside. The food was...not good. It was adequate. Proper temperature. Cooked just fine. But there was absolutely NO flavor. None. Not even on my rice! I know excess sodium can be harmful but there was no risk of that here. I got the fried oysters and shrimp plate with seasonal veggies and wild rice. The fried food was ok, I only had one muddy oyster. But the rice and the vegetables and the crab dip that we ordered as an appetizer had no seasoning. I'm glad we ate here so I could sit outside but if we ever come back, I think I'll just order drinks. read more

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It was good food. The mozzerela sticks were amazing, the cheese pull... out....of....this....WORLDDD. Just amazing. The chicken tenders were okay and that's why I gave it a 4. If you know me you know I love chicken tenders. The friend shrimp was pretty good. When we got there was literally nobody Just us. They were quike. It was really nice on the inside with cool decor. We sat at the outside and was beach front. We saw dolphinss. Overall very nice. read more

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Everything was great! From reception to receipt going to Daddy Mac's was fantastic! Our server Matt was prompt and just friendly enough to make the meal enjoyable. I've been trying fried oysters from all over the area and these were far and away the best!! The crab dip was flavorful and generously sized, more than any other place we've tried. Not only suggestion I might make is that my sister got the fried oyster and shrimp platter and the shrimps were really shrimply. Quite tiny. I think that Daddy Mac would might be better served by having bigger, plumper shrimp even if they give fewer. Other than that we were delighted with our meal, and we will be back!!! read more

Visited Daddy Mac's twice while in the area this week. Once for takeout and once to treat my Mom to a seafood dinner on the water. Beautiful views of the ocean and the moon. Eclectic cocktail menu. Place was crowded every night we were here, so come early. The blackened scallops were amazing and the crabcakes are a must try. We will be back! With love from Raleigh. read more

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The food and services were excellent. Highly recommend you stop in and see the restaurant.

Food is rough, dive bar quality dressed in beachfront views, which admittedly are pretty. Service is great, though.

Stopped by @ 1pm on a Sunday and we're pleasantly surprised to be seated immediately. There was a wait to sit on the patio but we had a nice view from our booth indoors. The parking situation was dicey, the lot to the right of the restaurant was a city pay lot. The 4 places in front of Daddy Mac's were full. We called them and we're told that they shared a lot with Shaka Taco across the street and we barely found a spot there. Cat was our server and she took great care of us. My husband ordered the Topsail breakfast and I had the shrimp and grits. They were the best I've ever had and I've eaten them often. read more

Daddy Mac's Beach Grille - Shrimp and Grits!!! - Seafood Near Me - Surf City, North Carolina

I have had lunch a few times at this location. The staff is great! The food is great! The atmosphere is great! If you want great food on the beach, this is the spot. read more

Daddy Mac's Beach Grille - Outside dining area - Seafood Near Me - Surf City, North Carolina

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Recommended by a local for the food and the view. Both were fantastic. While we waited, we went through the restaurant right on to the beach to take pictures. Afterward, we had drinks and sat on the porch to wait 45 mins, which ended up being 15! For an appetizer, the fried oysters had amazingly seasoned breading and were fried just right. There were plenty to share. I got the scallops and the hubs got the lobster and shrimp Diablo. Both were delicious! Other dishes at the table were filet, fried shrimp and flounder which were also well prepared and good. We had a seat inside with a great view of the ocean. Our server was very helpful with answering questions, making suggestions and taking care of us. We had a great experience. read more

Daddy Mac's Beach Grille - Lobster and Shrimp Diablo - Seafood Near Me - Surf City, North Carolina

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This was my second time here, a few years apart and it seems to have gone far downhill. They do not take reservations so we went around 6 to put our names in, table for 6 and no special needs, all adults. We were told an hour to hour 15, and were finally seated after a full hour and a half, promptly after the place nearly cleared out. We were asked to stand and wait in a few spots once we were texted, because they were still not prepared. When they finally brought us outside, they had mixed up tables and given our table away.... Funniest thing was that there were several empty tables but it appeared no one was smart enough to combine two tables for 4. Thankfully our server was friendly and spot on, refilling drinks etc without being asked, although we had to ask for rolls that we could see other tables getting. The appetizer special was grouper bites, which were kind of tiny and no grand portion. The calamari was decent at best. The ribeye was decent as well, the fried oysters, salmon and pasta dish were all marginal, as was the mahi. I thought the portion sizes were lacking, considering the prices and the mahi was not only a tiny piece but was overcooked and grey. There was no apologies for the long wait or table mixup and quite honestly the food was nothing special. Its too bad because the location is great and the deck seating makes for some great views. I will not return, it was a huge disappointment and not being acknowledged when a restaurant has major issues is a real turn-off. Others around us had much of the same experience which was sad. And then having to tip plus pay their surcharge to use a credit card? The pizza down the street was not only excellent but service was great too. Don't bother with spending way too much money for an experience worse than fast food. read more

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Family of 6 on 5/15/26. Four of the 6 meals were good but nothing to write home about and the other 2 were not. The tuna dish was totally raw and not edible and the other dish with the filet mignon was also raw (asked for medium rare) to a point where it could not be cut with a knife! The filet mignon dish was sent back to have it cooked correctly and eventually came back out 20 minutes later with no apologie. The tuna dish was not eaten nor was it sent back to be cooked properly since the person that ordered it was too nice to say anything. The bathrooms were disgusting and no wonder why the restaurant received a 92 percent health dept rating. We will never go back again to this high priced restaurant. Hopefully others will have a better experience and this was just an off night for the crew. read more

Two stars for the view only. Food and drinks are terrible and expensive. Service was adequate.

So far, the best spot to eat on the island! Ocean views from every spot in the place (and outside)! We went for brunch and I couldn't have been happier to try their eggs Benedict. They have several to choose from, I just like crispy bacon in place of the Canadian bacon. Unfortunately, the kitchen got it wrong the first time, but immediately made the proper adjustments! It was a little heavy on the hollandaise but all in all, pretty good. Our waiter was excellent and attentive. The staff were all hustling and handling the busy crowd with ease! read more

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The food was good and the weather and view provided for a nice early dinner out. The restaurant is set right on the edge of the sand with a perfect view of the beach and ocean. We came for an early dinner, and grabbed a drink at the bar while waiting for our table. The atmosphere was pleasant and we had a good time enjoying the food and view while under the sun. The only problem came with we felt rushed by the server to be in and out of our table. She checked on us a little too much and kept asking when we're ready to order and we had barely been there a few minutes. We started with the calamari appetizer, and within a few minutes was asked about our entrees. We ordered our entrees with a starter salad and asked if she could give us on time with each of our meals. Instead our server mentioned she has to put everything in as she gets the order and we got the salad and entrees at the same time. We waited to eat our entrees as we finished our starter salads, so the meal got a bit cold. read more

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