If you love Salty Turtle, you'll love The Cove even more!…read more The Cove is a cocktail bar/event space that is owned by Salty Turtle. They carry a few of their beers to serve as well as wine and liquor. Ever wish you were having a cocktail at Salty Turtle while your partner was enjoying a beer? Well now you can! Hit up the cove and you can have the best of both worlds with no one compromising. The Cove is a "club" so you'll need to sign up for a membership at the bar before you can enjoy some drinks, but don't worry it's free to join! We enjoy coming here on Wednesday nights to play trivia with friends that is hosted by Meeser Eddie. My favorite drink to sip on when coming here is probably the spicy margarita. It's not on the printed menu, but you ask and your wish shall be granted!On Wednesdays they also offer $15 bottles of Prosecco. Yes you read that right $15 for a BOTTLE of Prosecco. Nothing beats coming to play trivia with friends and sharing a great bottle together. The staff here is always so friendly, it's clean, the service is fast & the cove itself provides excellent vibes. We love the cove & salty turtle so the hardest decision is usually choosing which one to go to... and sometimes we just hit up both!!

My friend and I went in here on a whim when we had a ladies night at Salty Turtle. Prior to this,…read moreI thought this was only an event space. Which it is but it is also open a few days a week, one of which being on Wednesday nights at 6:00pm for trivia. The place is smaller but very cozy. The decor inside is super cute and the drinks are great. We got a tequila drink that looked beautiful and tasted very good. They also have beer and wine. Super cool place to check out and really excited for an upcoming event I am going to at their location too!

If you're looking for one of the best hidden gems in the Surf City area, make sure you visit The…read moreSea Witch Lounge. The food, cocktails, atmosphere, and staff consistently make this one of our favorite local spots. The standout on the menu is the Roast Beef Sandwich. The combination of hand-carved roast beef, caramelized onions, brie cheese, arugula, and horseradish crema is absolutely incredible. Every ingredient works together perfectly, creating a sandwich that's both rich and flavorful without being overwhelming. What really takes it to the next level is pairing it with one of their homemade daily soups. The soups rotate regularly and are always fresh, creative, and delicious. If you're having trouble deciding, order a soup flight. It's one of the most unique offerings around and it never disappoints.

Love the drinks and live music! We have always had good bartenders who mix up some great drinks!read more

Yay they take reservations for our family of 17, not easy for small beach town…read more Place was packed thou on cozier side (not huge space). We're from the land of plenty aka Northern VA, the food is comparable to All American Restaurant chain. The steak was the star, the other entrees were fine but not spectacular. The short ribs tasted like pot roast and was oddly shredded- not a fan. Dessert was let down, crème brûlée was way too fudgy (no signature jiggle), carrot cake meh and truffle had no cake (just pudding). Seriously, Hire a new pastry chef. Service was efficient, friendly but more towards quick turnaround as they were busy.

We actually visited twice during our vacation. The first time was on a Sunday because I wanted to…read moretry the crab cake sandwich, only to find out it isn't served on Sundays. We made a point to come back later in the week just to try it. On our first visit we sat outside, but the flies were relentless, so we chose to sit inside at the bar the second time. I ordered the Velvet cocktail (the first drink on the menu) for $18, and it was, without question, the worst cocktail I've ever had. It came in a tiny glass, and after one sip I couldn't drink another. I'll drink just about anything, but this was completely undrinkable. My husband agreed there was clearly something wrong with it. When I mentioned it, I was told it couldn't be removed from the bill, so I ended up paying $18 for a drink I couldn't even finish. That was extremely disappointing. Sunday brunch was much better. The crab lump Benedict was delicious, while the smash burger was just okay. The crab cake sandwich, unfortunately, was another letdown. It was mostly bun with a small crab cake and simply wasn't worth the market price. One other thing I didn't care for was the bathroom doors--you could clearly see the silhouette of the person inside, which didn't offer much privacy. Overall, I left disappointed. If I came back, it would only be for Sunday brunch. I'd definitely skip the Velvet cocktail and the crab cake sandwich.

Stopped by on a Wednesday night around 5pm and man was it busy! The line was already out the door…read morewith 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!

Daddy Mac's Beach Grille is a great spot for lunch with the family! It's located up two flights of…read morestairs, 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.

Great place to stop in for lunch or dinner. They usually have some sort of food and/or drink…read morespecial. Beers on draft, wine, and a full bar. Food is really good, and most people will be able to find something they want!

We stopped in, and were immediately transported to a Christmas wonderland. Although seasonal, it…read morewas fun to eat under a ceiling dripping with decorations. Cowfin has a central bar with tables around, and has a casual, friendly, cozy vibe. My fried flounder was fresh, and hot. The crispy coating contrasted nicely with the tender and moist flounder inside. I thought the collards could've used more bacon flavor, but that's me. Our waitress was friendly and efficient, and gave us a rundown of the history of the place. We'll be back!

First time in town, we stopped into JM's on the Water for dinner. Compared to other beach town…read morespots, it was fairly average overall. The staff was semi-welcoming, though it seemed like they were a bit overwhelmed during our visit. I ordered the crab cakes, and they did have good flavor, but they were very shell-heavy and a bit bready, which took away from the overall texture. The food was okay for the price point, but nothing particularly stood out or felt memorable. The highlight of the experience was definitely the drinks, which were great and fairly priced. It's worth checking out if you're in the area, but not necessarily a place I'd go out of my way for. Solid 3/5.

Only one server seemed to like her job and of course we didn't get her. The food was average.read more

Always busy and happening! I love going here everyone is so friendly, especially with my dog…read more I go for small snacks, treats and their sourdough! This place is such a treat and is filled with so many hidden gems.

I love this place. As someone with celiac disease, it's a huge challenge to find gluten free…read morepastries and desserts. This coffee cake muffin is what's left of my haul. I've tried cheese cake, s'more cookies, and lemon blueberry muffins and I was not disappointed. Everything was moist and flavorful.

We've lived in the area for about 6 years. Eat out fairly often. This restaurant by far has been…read morethe most consistent in the quality of the food, which is the best of all the restaurants in the topsail area. It is not fine dining and has the sports bar vibe. It is a relatively small place and I recommend going on non peak hours in season. If you are into oysters, they have a great selection of both local and regional on the half shell. If you prefer cooked, chargrilled or steamed is a good choice. While the menu has a great selection of seafood, the chalkboard specials features extremely fresh local catches which change daily. While there are several restaurants in and around the topsail area this is the only one where I have never been disappointed. If you go at peak hours during the vacation season expect to wait but it is worth it. You can't miss with any of the steamed shellfish offerings and if you prefer fried there batter is light and not overpowering. As a sports bar, they have a large selection of tap and bottled beers and a good mixology of liquor options which is only outdone in my opinion by Rick's in Sneads Ferry

Whenever a restaurant puts "market price" next to an item, I'm worried. But Dear Wife and I were in…read morethe low country and we wanted a low country boil. So that's what we got. I could've asked the price upfront (and usually do) but what the heck... we're on vacation. The server suggested we get a "double" and share it. OK. Sounds good. It came out quick. There was a TON of food for two of us. Shrimp, sausage, potatoes, corn. It didn't have a lot of seasoning also on it, but - no problem - there was a rack with every hot sauce you'd ever need, plus salt, pepper and old bay. We both ate our fill and even left a few potatoes. The bill comes and it's less than $40. It might be the cheapest great meal I've had in a long time. Or maybe it's the "greatest cheap meal" I've had in a long time... I don't know. Bar ambiance, but pleasant enough for families. Mostly high tables. It all seemed very nice.