I wish I could give it zero stars. We had a terrible experience, we contacted management and never was contacted back after 2 calls when the manager said he would call back. We went there for my birthday (June 9th) with 17 people so we sat in the back room. Our server was great he was welcoming and knew the menu. After we ordered all of our food our appetizers came and then our drinks. It wasn't so bad up to this point and then they let a party of 50 people in a Jeep club enter the building and half of them sat down at tables around us and the others were waiting for our tables to eat. They were hovering over us, the server could barely get to our table to drop off our entrees and the exit was blocked with all of them standing there. Our food arrived but at this point we couldn't even hear ourselves think if we wanted to the entire room went from 10 to 100 real quick. We felt rushed to eat and it was honestly rude they let the party hover over us. Meanwhile still while the country is trying to be safe with covid there was probably close to 75 people in that back room. Our lobsters we all over cooked, and not edible. But at this point my brother got sick, we felt rushed, our server was overwhelmed and we just wanted to get out of there as soon as we could. We spent over 800 dollars and the first person my dad spoke with said we would get some kind of refund and then the general manager kept coming up with excuses and not once apologized. He said he would get in touch with the owners and get back to him. Never happened. I have worked in restaurants most of my life from 15 years old til about 30 I have never complained about a restaurant like this in my life. We will never go back and I hope this gets out to people so they can see how bad their customer service is. read more

They lied to us and told us that it would be a 20-25 minute wait. After 25 minutes, they told us it would be another 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, it was another 15 so we left. We'll never come back to these lying assholes. read more

Dirty Dicks has a lot to offer: from the breakfast buffet to the all you can eat lunch, this place has become a staple for my family and I for our annual trips to the OBX. We tried the breakfast buffet and it was delicious: plentiful bacon and sausage, eggs, fresh fruit, and even a station where the lovely Michelle makes you omelettes, pancakes, or waffles to order! Our waitress Cindy also knocked our socks off; make sure to sit in her section! We will definitely be returning to try that AYCE! read more

See all

I was prompted to give Dirty Dick's Crab House a 5 star review almost a year later because of a recent text received from the restaurant. We enjoyed our Thanksgiving holiday in the Outer Banks last year, and ordered several items of our Thanksgiving dinner from Dirty Dick's: Turkey, Crab Soup, and several sides. It was a delicious! Recently, received a text from the restaurant, giving all those that ordered last year a 1 week exclusive to get their orders in before the big rush. They are anticipating and even larger demand for take out Thanksgiving orders. Will definitely order from Dirty Dick's again on next visit to the area. We still talk about what a great Thanksgiving holiday we had last year, and the deep fried turkey was a highlight! read more

The food is way overhyped, a waiter literally chased my grandma down begging for a bigger tip, 50 minute wait. Do not recommend at all. The alfredo was flavorless. read more

So let me start be saying this is our first trip to Nags Head or the OBX as a whole. Being from Maryland I'm always looking for a different take on seafood. We rolled into town late and decided to swing in for dinner. Our server was new to this restaurant but still did a decent job for her second night on the job. As for the food... like I said I'm from MD and we know seafood. We also know canned crab when it's not drained off before you use it in crab dip. The hush puppies were the size of meatballs. They were crispy on the outside and grease soaked on the inside. You could tell they use the same oil to fry everything! I will say the grits were cheesy as advertised and the ribs had a good sauce. I don't recommend any thing fried or battered from here due to the lack of oil changes and seasoning. read more

Went to Dirty Dicks on our short vacation. It's a sports bar type place. The fried flounder was very good. And so was the Pina colada they serve them in a plastic souvenir cup which was a nice remembrance of our time there. The bathrooms could be a little more cleaner. read more

Omg. Stop and eat here. The crab was soooooo delicious. Casual atmosphere to make eating all you can eat crab less daunting as you don't have to feel uncomfortable about digging in. Yum. read more

ok so my family and I went to this restaurant celebrate a birthday. I was expecting decent food from a seafood restaurant at the beach, nope. First our drinks were wrong, then we got our food, the shrimp was cold!! Not even warm. None of the food was even that good. We told the waiter, he got the manager. The manager removed them from our bill which was nice. But that's the only nice thing I gave to say! Our waiter seemed to look down on us the whole time we were there. The wait staff was eating their food all in the dining room. Which I understand they have to eat too. Just seems weird, and not professional. I wouldn't recommend anyone eat there. Theres much better places to eat a GOOD seafood meal at the beach. read more

Who doesn't enjoy a fun gimmick of an ocean side place with good food, well priced drinks, sports on the TVs over the bar, and a little gift shop on the way out? The soup and salad bar was great, with plenty of options at both -- four soups, and tons of hot and cold salad options. The fish and chips and the fried clams were also very tasty, as were the fried pickles. Prices were okay, but fair when you see the humongous serving sizes. And they let us try different draft beers before settling on our pints. The hush puppies were the only disappointment - a mix of dry and greasy. But everything else was just fine, and the type of fun that makes a beach trip memorable. read more

See all

On spring break and the family stumbled in on Easter Sunday hungry and cranky. Richard-our server was great. We ordered a couple pounds of peel and eat shrimp fries and a side of grits. Family is gluten free except me. I ate the hush courtesy puppies. We added on mussels and a second order of fries plus my beers. We left full and happy. Richard was great and made the visit. Food's a bit pricey-but it's seafood and it was very good. We'll be back! read more

Stopped for a quick lunch and was so satisfied, it was memorable. The shrimp salad, HUSH PUPPIES, and Margerita made for the perfect beginning to our Outer Banks experience. Thaddeus was so personable and shared his experiences. Service and food were top notch. Will be back. read more

We eat at Dirty Dick's every time we visit the OBX. This time was a total disappointment. Upon entering the restaurant, there is a strange damp smell. We dismissed it as it is a seafood restaurant. We were seated at a table with food all over the chairs and the carpet beneath the table was sticky. STICKY! We ordered an appetizer, cocktails and the Trinity. The Trinity was not worth the price. Everything on the "boat" dish was old. The corn was dry, the potatoes were over cooked (obviously heated and reheated), the sausage was dry with a strange texture and seafood was just ok. I can get better seafood from my local grocery store. So for $88 dollars we only ate a few shirmp and crab legs (3 small snow crab leg bundles). We would have sent it back but they have a policy that you can not send streamers back. They get to serve old food and not have to refund the customer. We will definitely find a new seafood restaurant to frequent when we are down here next summer. Cleanness = F Service = B Food= F Price= F read more

2nd time visiting. Had forgotten after a few years how dismal the food is and overpriced. I will say the market price snow crabs were the cleanest looking snow crabs I've ever been served. For the price charged, shrimp should be served deveined. read more

Our food was delicious. Can't remember the name of my dish, but it was angel hair pasta (cooked perfectly), shrimp, crab and puppy fish -- SO good. Very kid friendly- our waitress was so patient and polite! Definitely will be back! read more

On the drive to Nags Head we passed a couple of bill boards advertising Dirty Dicks so decided to try it for dinner, since it seems to have good reviews. But unfortunately it didn't live up to expectations that it's more than just a tourist place. We got there around 6:30 pm and it was quite busy but we were seated right away at a booth. Dining room's mid sized with fairly comfortable seats, a store in one corner selling raunchy T-shirts etc. Service was good enough, menu was extensive, although when I asked about steamed crabs they said they were out already. Despite the name it's clearly not a steamed crab place as one might think. Had a seafood platter, and spiced shrimps. The former was extremely bland, so was the shrimp, which had no excuse since it's called spiced shrimps, except I couldn't taste any spice in or on them, plus they were also totally overcooked and very tough and chewy. I'm used to juicy and spicy Maryland style spiced shrimps so expected no less here but was very disappointed. The portions were fairly substantial but so was the price. The fact that it was not an inexpensive meal made the experience all the more unsatisfactory. For the same price you can definitely do better in Nags Head. read more

See all

The food was good and portion sizes were large. I would highly recommend ice cream sandwiches and bread pudding for dessert.

Just want to say Noah you are awesome. She was a bright smiling face and knew all about the restaurant and the links to New Orleans. Even gave us info about the dinner menu for later. We went to DDs for breakfast and couldn't be happier. Feeding 7 people who all have different tastes is sometimes difficult. But not today. A buffet full of southern comfort food that beats all. Chicken and waffles, cream chipped beef, made to order omelets, waffles, pancakes. They had 8 different meats donut holes, French toast sticks, eggs, oh my. It was so good. I ate my fill and someone else's. Great sweet tea and fresh coffee to boot. Made this family very happy. read more

Not great! Food was cold and there was a service fee which covered an 18% tip for the server ans 3% for the house. The food was okish. Not impressed at all... read more

Excellent experience all the way around. One of the nicest waitresses I think I've ever had. We ordered crab cake sandwich, crab cake platter, and my kids got popcorn shrimp and spaghetti and meatballs. All the food was perfect and we just overall really enjoyed this meal. If you're in Nags Head I would highly recommend it. read more

Had a great experience here. Our waitress was Rachael and she was so nice and personable! The food was super good. I had the Surf and Turf . Drinks were strong (and I cannot complain about that lol). Had an amazing time...I would def come back when I'm back in town . read more

Visited on 07/10/2022 because my son wanted a T-Shirt (teenagers!!). Decided to stay and eat even after noting it was rated 3-Stars by fellow Yelpers. Which I think is unfair. Service was great with waitress, a food runner, and obvious manager all making visits at our table. Waitress was busy with 3-4 larger tables so the few minutes we had to wait for the check was forgivable. Food was pretty good with everyone enjoying their meal and the complimentary hush puppies were fantastic. Son got the creole and grits platter which he said was outstanding (thats pretty good from a 17 year old)...i dont know due to shellfish allergy. My fish sandwich was good and I'll be stuffed for awhile. Parking lot was a little tight if you drive a truck/van/larger SUV but manageable. All in all, I'd recommend and would come back. read more

We go here annually on vacation. We had a reservation for 6 and didn't get sat until 7. Manager had to serve us due to short staffed, she was awesome. Food on the other hand, was a huge disappointment. The quality of the food was a huge let down. Due to the food not being good for the money we paid, we will not be returning. read more

Jumpin' Jehoshaphat. What in fresh hell is this place? The clientele here is families, and lots of them. They actually have a store separate from the restaurant where you can buy paraphernalia. That's Cracker Barrel territory. The innuendos here are heavy, but that's expected with the name of the place. Beer selection is decent, not exceptional. A member of our group ordered a Bloody Mary that was unusual to say the least. The food, man, was something else. The portions were huge! Unless you have been on a hunger strike and this was your first meal you won't finish what you've ordered, unless you get something grilled. As far as that goes, they either cooked the fish too much, or couldn't cook a steak to order (too much). Grilling seems to be their weak suit. Didn't have dessert (I mean, really, did we have room?). All in all, not horrible, but it's a tourist spot. It is what it is. Not my cup of tea, but if you're down here with a bunch of people who like that sort of stuff, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do in order to maintain peace and harmony. read more

We did have a large group broke up into three tables of 8. We waited 45 min to be seated after calling ahead. Took another 15 to get order. Then another 45 min to get the drinks and then another 50 min to get the food. Food was cold!! Even cold it Tasted ok, prolly be ok if warm. Most In Our group complained of cold food. Never asked for another drink. We Threw a lot of food away. I don't recommend this place with a group larger than 8. read more

This was my first vacay to the outer Banks area, and there were only two restaurants I wanted to try on my visit....and this was one!! Our waitress was amazing!! The service was fantastic and the food...was... indescribable!!! I got the crab legs and was not disappointed!!!! I feel as though I got my money's worth... I must add, the waitress was great with my grand daughters as well...she included them in the ordering process and made them feel like they were special...so a big shout out to Allison!!! Thank you for making this food experience a great one!!! And the best part of my vacation!!! read more

Dirty Dick's Crab House - Nags Head - Seafood Near Me - Nags Head, North Carolina

There were six of us. We had such an array of food. It was way too much was good good good. The waiter was fabulous and attentive the place was fun and bright. read more

Dined at this establishment June 4, 2021! They did not have the first 3 dinners we tried to order nor all you could eat today. We were not told this before being seated. Clam chowder was just plain nasty. Scallops tasted like a frozen microwave dinner. Overpriced for such poor quality food. read more

Came here twice during our OBX trip and were very satisfied with the service and food! The fried gator and Blue crab Norfolk were our favorites! We'll definitely come back again next time we visit. read more

This will be our 5th year eating at dirty dicks for thanksgiving and has not disappointed us yet! This year we are a reservation and it's a good thing. They were completely packed! As usual, their food was amazing. They had the traditional fair along with dishes of shrimp and grits, fried fish, she-crab soup and many others. You could also order off of their menu. The wait staff was wonderful and patient. We are looking forward to our next visit! read more

"I got my crabs at Dirty Dicks" I seemed to have lost all of the money in my wallet while I was there! This is a touristy little place, with an overly friendly wait staff and a highly over-priced menu. There were 12 of us (7 adults, 5 kids). The bill averaged over $35 per person and there were 5 KIDS! They had like chicken or popcorn shrimp or whatever it is kids eat! Hell, we didn't even drink! I hate to think if we had been drinking! I can honestly say I've been to Dirty Dicks. I can honestly say I won't be going back! read more

Do not buy into this place. I had already been here years ago but my dining companion insisted on a visit. Manager walking around was nice. Our waitress didn't appear for a really long time. My water tasted like bleach. My salad tasted like bleach. The She-Crab soup was cloyingly sweet and full of crab shells. We got to listen to the bartender making fun of the 'stupid questions tourists ask' to her friends. The prices at this place are insulting. There are many, many wonderful places to eat on the Outer Banks that are of better quality and service for a much better value. Do yourself, your family and your wallet a big, fat favor and stop at the gift shop if you must, and then go somewhere else to eat, like Mama Kwan's or Austin's Seafood. Yes, seriously! read more

You got your crabs from dirty dicks? Sign me up! When you pull up to a restaraunt with a name like Dirty Dicks....don't expect high class dining. It was total cheesy east coast chain crab shack and I loved it. I paid a visit to Outer Banks for a week and managed to eat here twice. Can we say... "Stuffed Mushrooms" !!!?!?!? Deeee-lish. Thier Rock Fish cakes and Crab Lolipop things are awesome too. The prices are a smidget high for hooter-esque type munchies establishment..but hey, its CRAB. since when was crab cheap? Aside from the tasty snackages....its a great place to escape into some air conditioning.... read more

Awesome food and service. Our waiter was Jason, and he did very well. Was friendly and cool to talk to. I got all you can eat crab legs for around $40 it included snow crab, and dungeness legs, also peel and eat shrimp. Crab legs were absolutely delicious, and probably the best I've had, and I've had alot. My wife got scallops, and they were very fresh and delicious. I'll be back when we visit nags head again. read more

My husband and I were in the OBX for our anniversary and we were sitting at our booth for 15 mins without someone even stopping by, but I had to eventually get up and go to the front to get our drink orders. Our waitress never came to refill our drinks, came to check on our table until we were done eating. The food was ok, I got the monster fish sandwich and it still tasted raw, with the samdwich having no taste at all which let me with a sick feeling the rest of the night. For being there at 5:30 with only a few tables busy and $50 meal, it was an awful experience. Our waitress was lucky to get even a $3 tip read more

The breakfast buffet is outstanding highly recommend it! A huge variety of options to choose from. Great Bloody Marys too! This was my second plate read more

Dirty Dick's Crab House - Nags Head - Seafood Near Me - Nags Head, North Carolina

So here's the INSIDE from an INSIDER! I hate reading reviews about DD's being out of Blue Crabs. NEWS FLASH! The OBX has been experiencing a shortage of Blue Crabs for the past couple of years. If you can't get them at Dicks, you probably will have a hard time getting them ANYWHERE on the OBX. Call first before you go! I actually used to work at this place and am writing this review with no loyalty to them but I do know whats good and what's not! Let's start with service! Service is always good here! The servers and managers will go above and beyond to make you happy. Food. The Portions are HUGE here!! The best deal here is the all you can eat Crab Legs- Comes with the potatoes and hush puppies. You have to be seated by 5pm to get this deal so it may not work for most. The Shrimp & Grits are great (I actually like theirs better than Blue Moons). The fresh nightly fish special or steak listed on the nightly boards are always good. I love the soup/bisque in a bread bowl. The salads are delicious. All of the steamed boat platters are great but can be expensive. My favorite sandwich is the Grouper Sandwich. Fish Tacos Rock.The Dixie Chicken is great if you don't want seafood and I don't even like blue cheese but I enjoy this. The hush Puppies are the best I have ever had. Dishes I don't care for: The Mussels, the crab cakes and the burgers. Is it Expensive? YES. If you are on a budget: I wouldn't recommend DD's for you. They do have budget friendly lunch meals like a hamburger and chicken ceaser wrap, and red beans and rice wrap during the day but why would you want to come to Dirty Dicks for that unless you were just more interested in the alcoholic beverages. Wait times and food wait times: This place seats like over 250 people! The plus of this is usually the wait to get in may not be long but sometimes the kitchen gets super backed up b/c there are just too many people in there so you may be waiting on your food a lot longer. You won't find many places on the OBX who can acommadate your large party of 20 but this is one of the only few that can. Some of the other OBX favorite restaurants can only hold like 50 people tops so be grateful someone could even get that many people in there! It's great for large groups and if you can come at non-peak hours! Before 5pm or after 8pm. Anywhere I go in the OBX, I always go at non-peak times unless I can get a reservation. Is it Touristy? ABSOLUTELY! Just enjoy it! Your on Vacation! I now live in Raleigh but working in the OBX and seeing unhappy faces when someone just walks in is just ridiculous to me (Maybe it's b/c their stuck in a house with their entire extended family) but if your going out to eat:Be Happy! Order the frozen specialty drinks and relax! Tip your servers well always as they have to pay the house a fee and tip others just for you eating there. I hope this was helpful! read more

On Sat April 13 we came the the Nags Head location as many in our party of 5 had been here before so we came for the fun and food. Started out with key lime pie which had a good flavor yet wasn't too overpowering with lime. Then on to some beverages and we had a variety and more than one, very tasty. Asked for the fried pickles however they came out with our meal? They were still good. Took most of them home. On to the entrees... I had the stuffed flounder very yummy with its crab cake and shrimp flounder was tender and the crab cake was not dry!! Wife and sister and friend couldn't quite polish off the Broiled seafood platter. I helped and was totally stuffed after. It was loaded with flounder scallops and shrimp and a crab cake!!! All very tender and done just right. My brother in law got the fresh clam strip dinner and it was piled high with clam strips with fries hiding underneath. Very helpful staff and our waitress Natalie kept coming back to be sure we were doing good! Thank you. We shall return! read more

The billboards caught our attention. But aside from the humor I'm saying you ate there the food was sub par. Waitress was very friendly and the manager was odd and creepy. Stick with the restaurants with amazing reviews and just drive by this one and laugh at the billboard. Trust me your not missing anything and you'll regret spending the money. read more

Service was good. Food was not seasoned at all. I guess the truck haven't bought any in yet.