Dining at Gary's Down East Restaurant and Oyster Bar was a pleasant, surprising experience! From the time we were seated each of us were impressed with the service, menu options, and food quality. There's something for everyone here! The soft-shell crab, hamburger steak, and lump crabmeat dishes were all prepared and served perfectly. Delish! This is our new favorite in Pamlico County. read more

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Way too expensive for type of food served Was not worth the money Service was great. Place needs updates if charging what they do read more

The Cajun corvina is sublime. Whenever they have the Cajun fish, it's a must have. Ordering it blackened elevates it farther. Serve over locally grown Carolina Gold rice. read more

Gary's Down East Seafood - Cajun Corvina over local Carolina Gold rice - Seafood Near Me - Arapahoe, North Carolina

Just an interesting experience here. I arrived at 11:20 am on a Wednesday while Tropical Storm Debby was approaching the area. I stood at the host counter for 5 minutes before a family came in behind me. I could hear voices from the kitchen but no one came into the dining room. So we went back and stuck our heads into the kitchen and shouted, "Hello?" Eventually someone came out and they didn't look pleased to see us. So that's what kicked off my Gary's experience. There was one server taking care of the growing number of patrons. She brought a menu on one trip. Then she brough out hot hushpuppies with butter first (very tasty). Then brought my drink. Then took my order. Lots of visits that I felt could be condensed. All while getting a cold feeling for sticking my head in the back. I started with the she crab soup. It was a beautiful creamy pink color and had lots of crab lumps in it. Unfortunately, it was flavorless and watery. Really disappointing. The hot dogs were better but not great. The toppings were good, the weiner itself was good. The buns were the problem. They had cole slaw..."juice?" dripping down the sides. I don't mind a messy hot dog but having to wipe my hands after each bite got to be annoying. Overall, just not a great visit to Gary's. read more

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Great meal. I had fried whitefish that was very lightly battered and delicious. Wife had crabcakes with so much crab I'm not sure how they stayed together :). Staff was very friendly and will definitely be back for more..... read more

Seriously good food and service. You can eat at the oyster bar or traditional restaurant. Fun, friendly vibe.

We have ate there several times over the the last 12 years. It used to be a special treat ! Not sure if the ownership has changed ,but it's not the same restaurant ,not even close! Food portions are half of what used to be served, yet the prices have increased quite a bit. No hushpuppies served, when we asked the waitress twice about the hushpuppies:, she said she would check on it, no reponse the entire time we were there. Service and the food portions that were served so disappointing, I truly hope they can regroup for 2026 and get this business back where it was. Here is too hope ! read more

I heard some nice things about this place so we decided to stop in and give it a try. We got the hush puppies before the meal and they were quite tasty. Next, Kathey got a salad followed by the fried shrimp and a twice baked potato. I chose the shrimp scampi along with some green beans and the sweet potato fries. The food was delivered to our table hot and very flavorful. It's nice to have a local seafood restaurant close to home so we'll be back again to try other menu items. I would certainly recommend this place to anyone. read more

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Racism from employees of this place The food is excellent it's just the way they treat people they act like they are giving the food for free. read more

Wow. I haven't been in a while because the last time (about a year ago) the food was freezer burned and terrible. My husband convinced me to go again tonight. I want it to be good, I want them to be successful - we used to enjoy going here almost every weekend. Unfortunately. Not good. We should have known as we waited for a table (not a problem, it was 7 pm on a sat night on all you can eat crab leg night) when every group that left walked by us leaving and said 'good luck'. We should have left right there, but we were there, and decided to tough it out. Ordered food (not all you can eat crab legs). Waited 50 minutes.... Another waitress saw us looking at her serving a table that arrived 30 minutes after us...she came over and asked if we had received our dinner - we said NO - she said.. oh, your waitress was wondering if you wanted your check???? Waitress came over and ASKED US IF WE HAD GOTTEN OUR FOOD? And then asked what we ordered = she said.. oh yeah, here it is, it will be right out. NO apology, NO admitting OOOPs. Flounder was terrible (didn't eat it) and then she came with the check (promptly) no apology for the proper thing - she said. Sorry it took so long.... Sorry Gary''s seafood - you have to be better. If she had just admitted.. wow we were slammed when you came in and I messed up.. we would have been fine, and gracious, and grateful. But no. she acted like we were stupid that we waited 50 minutes for terrible food that she FORGOT to put in and even was going to bring us the check because our table was empty... no no no. read more

First time at Gary's. Service was great. Husband had the fried local shrimp - delicious. I had the tuna steak - also delicious even though a tad overcooked for Med Rare. House salad was generously portioned. Asparagus and cucumber salad were delicious. Had a half carafe of house wine (that was only $3 more than a glass), also very good. Atmosphere was cute and clean. Would be 5 stars of tuna was more rare. Overall great food and great atmosphere and great service. Will definitely be back! read more

The food is mediocre. Service was below expectations. I ordered a decaf coffee which took a half hour to receive. The waitress said she was making a fresh pot, but it doesn't take that long to brew. The ambiance was ok. read more

Overall: I honestly don't know why there aren't more positive reviews for this place. I love it and think it's a quaint, delicious representation of what it means to be in/from these parts. Location: The restaurant is segmented into a bar at one end with pool tables and restaurant at the other. Both are full service. The bar is where we wound up and it's where I think I'll return to. After some beers and seafood it's nice to play a round or two of pool. Service: Our server was super attentive and kind. She did a good job of being attentive and giving us space to enjoy our evening together. She also wore her mask the entire time though most guests weren't which I appreciated. Food: We really came for the oysters. They'll steam them by the peck, open them if maybe you need a little help or give you tools to do it yourself. I like mine dry and they did that just right. On Fridays they also make seafood stew (as do a bunch of places around here) and this one is my favorite. When it was all said and done we ordered two pecks of oysters, some seafood stew, two seafood baskets and some crab cakes... basically enough to feed like eight people (there were only four of us). read more

This Saturday, I went to Gary's for the first time after a waitress recommendation, the service was excellent and the waiters were funny and fast, the food was amazing and the flavor of every bite was to die for. Not to mention the layout and vibe of the restaurant, it was very cool looking to me, I will be back again and again I'm sure. thank you Gary's! read more

Pathetic. Service was terrible with a server that has no clue. She never served us cutlery after asking 3 times. We had to finally go pick some up ourselves. 5 groups of patrons came in and after 30 minutes, everyone was eating their meals and we still had nothing. We had had enough after a couple that came in 20 minutes after us had cutlery, their appetizers and then they were served their main meals. I asked for our bill and we said we were leaving, so our server said "F'n people like us make her want to quit". That would be a good idea. Never going back...,,,, read more

Not you're white table cloth experience but good food and service is about average. She Crab soup in good and flounder sandwich is my favorite. Good hush puppies and slaw.Check ahead if you're interested in the oyster bar (seasonal). read more

Stopped there Sunday Sept 5, 2023. Out of salad, twice baked potatoes, ranch dressing. I've eaten there many times in the past but this was our last. Service was great though. read more

This is one of my favorite seafood restaurants! I love the fried shrimp And the Fridays your sandwiches are great. I've often gotten the grilled shrimp also. They are some of my favorite hush puppies in the area. I always order she crab soup to go because I can't get anything like it in Atlanta. I make a special trip to come to Gary's. read more

On 5/4/24 I took a family member out to eat at Gary's who had not eaten there in years. Our waitress took our order then left the building. I took a while to get our food. The food was good, but I was embarrassed by the behavior of some of the staff. THIS WAS RIDICULOUS!!! I noticed one of the cooks running through the waitress area being chases by a teenage waitress with a water gun. Said waitress then walked around with a large water gun in her apron pocket. She pointed out that her water gun was leaking. I questioned why she had a water gun. She stated "to shoot the cooks". I heard her tell another customer that she had to stay "locked and loaded". My guest commented that she hoped they're not shooting water over the food. Yep, I see the young waitress shooting at the cooks through the pickup window. This type of childish behavior has no business in a busy restaurant. I'm very disappointed in Johnny (owner) as he condoned this behavior and appeared to even be participating! RIDICULOUS! read more

Good for one of the only restaurants in the Grantsboro area. Seafood was nothing spectacular and service could improve. Price was reasonable. Shrimp burger is not as described, it was individual fried shrimps placed on a bun. Hushpuppies were good and warm. The She Crab soup was an interesting tomato base instead of the typical cream sherry base. Tarter and Cocktail sauces were nothing special. read more

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I ordered the broiled scallops and they came out uncooked, cold/lukewarm and tasteless. I asked to have them heated which they did but they they still tasted terrible. Take it off the menu. read more

I love Gary's. Friendly people. Great food. I got the broiled Tuna as usual. Prices have gone up as of 2013, so that was a bummer. But considering I haven't passed this way in like four years, I give the prices a pass. My tuna was lightly seared (probably lighter than i wanted, but i ordered it that way, so thats what i got - i think i meant to say medium rare, but figured lightly seared would have been rare. It kind of was. Maybe i should take an English course :) ) and came with some wasabi and asparagus. It was really good. The service is laid back and sincerely friendly as opposed to the corporate friendly you get at larger places. This was the highlight. Our server was very attentive and social. It was a slow night for Gary's and the staff was very chill and upbeat. Gary's is an enjoyable place and I've always eaten well there over the years. read more

The food here is amazing! This is a true hidden gem! Try the shrimp scampi....yummmm!

Shrimp burger. Do it. Super fresh seafood. Hush puppies are solid. Tartar sauce is above average. All the sides are good, but the "Apple Crescents" are the side you should get. The service is great because the "friendliness level" is at 200% without being saccharine sweet. read more

If you are looking for a great meal at a reasonable price, Gary's is your place. It doesn't look fancy but they have some fancy meals. The fish is always cooked perfectly and every meal is served hot. The specials are amazing (Chicken Cordon Blue is my favorite). My glass isn't even empty and they are refilling our sodas. Tyler and Johnathon make you feel like you've known them forever. They are working on expanding the bar and hours too if you just want to stop in for a drink. You can't miss giving Gary's your business. read more

I recently visited Gary's Down East Seafood located in Arapahoe, NC where the restaurant staff was great at accommodating our large group. On the menu which is heavy on the seafood side, but they do have a small kids menu of burgers & chicken tenders. On this visit I ordered the combo of 2 items, clam strips & local fried shrimp with 2 sides for $20.00. The clam strips was nothing special, but decent. For me the local shrimp were great. I plan on coming back here again. Food C Staff A Decor C Location B Health Inspection Grade N/A read more

Shrimp sandwich and shrimp skewers were just average. Not worth the price at all. Best deal was the chocolate cake.

Food was just as awesome as I remember. Still a wonderful place to take the family for a nice meal I just moved back to the area after being gone for almost 10 years and as always Gary's did not disappoint. The service and staff were fantastic and the kitchen prepared our meals exactly as ordered and even with it being busy we still received our meals in great timing. read more

Looks old inside, but a nice feel. I got the half Hamburger plate and it was poled high with gravy. I was visiting near by YMCA Sea Gull. Ill back. read more

First of all GROSS! Walked in for dinner to a pretty much empty establishment..no greeter, no wait staff, no nobody! Stood there for about 8 minutes or so in a musty smelling sweatbox watching a family gag down some kind of slop. Got tired of the stink and wait so we took a mint (luckily wrapped in plastic) off the counter and left...you know what a hot unclean freshwater fish tank smells like? Well that's the smell...no not a seafood restaurant smell as you'd expect read more

Delish! Got she crab soup, clam chowder, fried scallops, fried oysters and shrimp. All was fresh and delicious. And a 99% rating! Quaint little place. We'll be back! read more

Went for the first time. Won't be going back. Service was excellent. Don't order popcorn shrimp. They were from frozen and overcooked. Offered to replace with more. No thanks! No credit on the bill. Flounder was good tho. read more

Stopped in on 6/29/14 after dropping the kids off at camp. Service was prompt and excellent. However the food was not. Started with the She Crab Soup. The soup was loaded with crab which was a plus. The taste was not. Over the years I have eaten a boat load of seafood including she crab soup. I look forward to getting to the coast just to eat fresh seafood. I would have to say the taste all the way around was blah. Followed up the soup with a shrimp burger, blah. I've had a shrimp burgers, a lot of shrimp burgers. Fried flounder sandwich, pass, Fried shrimp basket? Pass. My daughter who ordered the fried shrimp kids meal, who can eat her weight in shrimp, ate two of the shrimp and some of her fries. "Daddy, this isn't good." So we boxed up the left overs and brought them home to the dog. He ate it just fine. Needless to say, I was disappointed. read more

Just ate there and honestly some of the worst coastal food I have had in awhile. For the prices I was expecting a delightful meal and we received the opposite. We had the clam chowder clearly canned soup and shrimp scampi that was flavorless, drenched in butter, and soaked in water. Not once were we asked how are meal was when you could clearly tell we were unhappy. I will never dine in this establishment again. read more

The Okra were delicious. I didn't care for the crab cakes, they had way to much stuffing and not enough crab. My hubby's fried scallops were the best I've ever had. The house shrimp were pretty good. My teenagers loved the burgers. Salmon was pretty good too. Would definitely come back... read more

Great local place and the oyster bar is fun. BYOB!

We are staying in Minnesott Beach and didn't want to drive to Oriental for dinner so decided to try this place. Very no frills but simple, delicious seafood. We had grilled mani mahi and a combo plate of scallops and whitefish.The whitefish was wonderful--very lightly fried and not greasy--the delicate flavors came through on the fish and scallops, and the mani mani came with a side of excellent hollandaise--lemony and not too heavy.The sides were more uneven that the mains--perfectly steamed asparagus, an interesting grilled sweet potato,and a pedestrian baked potato. We were too full to try the homemade 15 layer cake but it took all my willpower to resist. Not exactly inexpensive but prices are par for the course for the area. Their Facebook page lists daily specials like cioppino and fish stew. The service was excellent and the waitress was a delight. read more

Gary's Down East Seafood - a sign for the restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Arapahoe, North Carolina

Some of the best seafood on the east coast. The local shrimp (either grilled or fried) are the best I've ever had in my life. The crab cakes have huge chunks of meat in them. Ask for the "Gary's sauce" to put on nearly everything. The chicken club sandwich or shrimp burger are the most amazing lunch options. The homemade ranch is a must-try by the way. read more

Very good food. Waitress was extremely friendly and helpful with the area's beaches. We enjoyed the food. 4 stars because they were a bit skimpy on the fries. read more

Took a chance while staying in Minnesott Beach for CNC Coastal Ride. Knew all the restaurants in Oriental would be slammed. Parking lot was full but we got seats right away in the Oyster Bar. We all ordered the soft shell crabs. First of the season. Caught 2 hrs earlier. Cooked perfectly. Delicious. Remember to ask about a salad as a side but the grilled zucchini was really good! read more