We've been to Hello Sailor plenty of times over the last couple years and it's time for an update. The restaurant is still gorgeous and the view is very nice considering we are landlocked and unable to get that vacation feeling without heading to a coast. The food here is still pricy but it hits the spot just right when you are craving fried seafood. If the crab claws are on the menu, GET THEM! The hamachi crudo is also a fabulous mix of textures and flavors - the crisp black rice makes it pop and crackle in your mouth. I have started to order a different appetizer I would typically shy away from each time we come and I'm pleasantly surprised each time. I typically get the shrimp basket and my husband gets the flounder basket and then we share. The beef fat fries are everything you want from a fast food French fry and then some. The hushpuppies are hot and crisp with a yuzu (lemon-like) flavored butter - also a great starter. The salad with fried chicken is crisp and delicious with the best chicken tender you could ask for. A friend came into town recently and we went to Hello Sailor twice in one weekend. If that's any indication of how crave-able and delicious the seafood is then there's your answer for "why a five star review?" read more

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I stopped in tonight with a friend, really excited because of the location and was hoping to sit outside and enjoy the water but what is told there were no available tables outside even though they were not more than half of the tables occupied. We ordered the smoked wings which were hands-down probably the best wings we have ever had. I would order them again but only for pick up, dining in was a huge mistake tonight. Unfortunately we had also ordered the arugula salad and the charred cauliflower steak, which arrived all at the same time and not warm. The cauliflower steak was not cooked properly, the sauce was not warm and was a huge disappointment. They arugula salad was nothing special and the grilled shrimp on top equally not impressive. We were pretty much left to rot at our table, very little attention from the server and little or no follow up by the server once our food was served by other people. That's really what's a fail on all level, their server failed it by putting the order in so that all was delivered at the same time and the kitchen failed by sending all of the food out at once and not properly prepared. read more

Loud!!!! Wait what? I cant hear you, it too loud in here. Drunk on the noise. Food was great but when you cant enjoy a conversation with your meal, just eat at home. We did ask to sit outside, were told yes, we were never moved. Oh wait, it a restaurant so I should talk about food. Party of 5 aged 17-94 - everyone enjoyed the meal. I am gluten and dairy free and they kindly marked up a menu to help me make a decision. I got the citrus crab louie without dressing. I give this creation a 10!!! Great flavors. Catfish, shrimp, and burgers were devoured-beef fat fries sounds fancy, right! But potatoes fried in animal fat are fantastic, unless your vegan/vegetarian If you love a yachty atmosphere with noisy cafeteria acoustics this place is your spot. If you want a quiet meal with family, door dash it! Our service was great- i would guess the view is too, had they moved us. Will I go back- maybe next time I visit from Ohio. Will reserve a seat outside, the noise bath was unappetizing read more

Met some friends here for an early dinner on a Sunday night. Hello, Sailor was someone else's suggestion and I wasn't at all familiar...that is, until we pulled into the parking lot and I suddenly realized this place used to be a dive bar called the Rusty Rudder. Major props to the owners for revamping this place both in terms of decor and food. I ordered a Yacht Club cocktail to drink. The server made sure to confirm with me beforehand that I was familiar with mezcal, which gave the table a good laugh. There must have been a recent customer who couldn't handle the smokiness and complained. Anyway, the drink was pretty solid. We got a couple orders of hush puppies to share with the table. They were okay but really no better than average compared to others I've had recently. They were a little too big and didn't have enough crispiness. For some reason the inside had a very unique pinkish hue, which almost looked like meat. The server was eager to explain, but to be honest it was too complicated for me to really follow after drinking all day. The yuzu honey butter was the best part. For entrees, my wife and I shared the hamachi and the scallops. The hamachi was shockingly good given my preconceived notion that restaurants by the water typically get by on location but don't excel in the kitchen. On the other hand, although the scallops and grits were well cooked, the gravy didn't do it for me. I get that it was a southern style gravy, but it tasted like Thanksgiving dinner and I expected better sauce from a restaurant charging $24 for 3 scallops. Anyway, I don't want to end on a bad note because it was definitely a pleasant experience overall. 3.5 stars. read more

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The food is excellent!! Across the board wonderful but don't miss that bologna sandwich or the spicy chicken. 10/10

Amazing outdoor bar. Frank is fantastic and will take great care of you. Dog friendly!

The food is and service is very good. My favorite part of Hello, Sailor is view. It has phenomenal lake views!

This restaurant follows COVID executive orders. Everyone must wear masks to enter the restaurant. All patrons are appropriately distanced. Ambience was really nice. There was a nice bar area. Also there is photo booth! Atmosphere is very eclectic. We ate in the outdoor seating area so that we could watch the boats on the lake. Food was absolutely delicious. The trout was unexpectedly great. I was set to get the ribeye steak but made a change to the fish. I also had the handpie a la mode. Today it was peach. I'm not a huge fan of peach but the crust and everything was good! I'm definitely returning to this restaurant! read more

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Lovely spot for a casual lunch or dinner. Yummy food. The best part of this place is definitely the outdoor patio overlooking the lake. On a nice day, try to make a reservation ahead of time or go at an off peak hour in order to avoid a wait for outdoor seating. I'd recommend the Citrus Crab Louie salad (pictured- my personal fav), seafood appetizers (the mussels are great!), and the Smoked Shrimp Roll Sandwich. read more

Hello, Sailor - Citrus Crab Louie Salad - Seafood Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

Awesome service and setup off the dock would def recommend to anyone visiting the area

Bushes are spikey. Yum yum fries. I'm tryna fill up the word count thing lol tasted really bad not fresh gross duh ‍‍‍‍‍

Hello, Sailor is super cute and trendy with its decor, kitchenware, and atmosphere. I wouldn't come here if you're looking for a particularly classy and elegant place, but I loved the vibe, especially for lunch. There is a variety of fresh seafood which is what we were looking for. The popcorn shrimp and the hush puppies were delicious. The restaurant has a nice view of Lake Norman. I enjoyed lunch here. read more

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Went with a big group, of which they were extemely accommodating to get us a nice big table outside on the deck. We did have a reservation, but for inside and on a beautiful night we were willing to wait a little longer to sit outside. Location is perfect, right on the lake with the most beautiful views and a ton of outdoor seating! Even while inside the back wall is all windows still giving you a great view no matter where you are. The decor is very retro chic with a ton of green accents with cactus wallpaper on the wall near the bathroom and greenery throughout making it very cozy. The food was very reasonably priced and everyone we were with was very pleased with what they had. The only disappointment was that they had run out of a few items on the menu by the time we had gotten there, which was nearly their closing time so whaddaya gonna do? We got a ton of oysters, the deviled crab dip (sooooo good!) and the king crab bites which were so tasty and refreshing. Anyway, the fan favorite was the Tile fish which was the substitution for the Wahoo on the menu for the night and it was absolutely delicious with roasted veggies and some pesto like sauce. I also had the Crab Louie Salad which was awesome. The only thing I was unhappy about was that I had to put in a little more effort to enjoy my meal while cutting away at full stalks of romaine lettuce with a bowl filled to the brim with deliciousness and trying so diligently to not make a huge mess. I survived and it was great, but would have appreciated it being pre-cut. Oh, I forgot to mention, the cool little tiki bar to enjoy a cocktail while you wait. The yacht club was bomb! It was a spicy, smokey grapefruit margarita basically and it was perfection. The majority of the group had martinis and based on the status of most at the end of the night, they were pretty strong and definitely tasty. read more

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Such a great spot with delicious drinks and food! The crab salad and aperol make the perfect brunch

I mean....I am SO glad we came right at 11:00 on a Sunday when they opened. This place had a line for entry at 5 minutes till opening?! Geez!! Lol! I didn't have a reservation but it was just me and hubs and we came right at 11 so we were sat immediately. We sat outside and it was awesome. Service was great and the food was REALLY GOOD!!! That chicken sandwich made me want to get up and dance a jig it was that good. I also had the arugula salad which was delish and the East coast oysters. Place was so chill and we loved sitting out there watching all the boats wishing we had one! read more

The ambiance is everything. Well decorated, plenty of seating, great parking, and an amazing view of the lake/harbor. Although the food menu is hit or miss, the crab Louis salad is really good and worth the splurge. Service is good and attentive. read more

Hello, Sailor - Louis crab salad. It may be on the pricey side but it's worth it! - Seafood Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

First, I should say that I really wanted to love this place. Alas, I did not. There's a nice view, pleasant service, but the food was just not that good. We had reservation on a Saturday evening and were seated within 15 minutes of the reservation. We could have been seated sooner if we wanted to sit inside, but we really wanted to sit outside. Everyone was kind and accommodating, we just needed to wait for other parties to decide to enjoy the nice weather elsewhere. We each got a beer and shared the Blue Crab Claws appetizer ($11.49). The bites were pretty good with the green coriander and crunchy chili oil being the most delicious part. My partner got the soft shell crab ($24.49) and enjoyed it. I thought the breading was good and the succotash was good too. My food, the no. 1 Platter Carolina Shrimp Calabash and Crispy Cod ($20.99) was were things went down hill. My fries were crispy and everything else on the place severely lacked flavor. It was surprising as the soft shell crab was flavorful. We saw a couple near us share the ice cream sandwich and knew we had to try it. It was HUGE and my favorite part of the meal we had. If you go, sit outside and definitely get dessert. read more

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I was invited by a friend to meet at Hello Sailor for a lunch date. When you pull into the parking lot the signs say marina. There is plenty of parking. The restaurant seems to be busy with high traffic. When my friend "finally" arrived we met at the entrance and walked in. Our greeting was "how can I help you". I was taken back by how can I help you versus "welcome to Hello Sailor, Do you ladies have reservations, or how many people are in your party"! We explained that we would like a table outside and the hostess explained that there is a wait for an outside table but, she said that the bar area was full service and we were welcome to sit there. She didn't offer to walk us over to the bar so we begin our search to find the bar area. We walked past a few tables before the other hostess Nikki, ran out and explained that they have an open outside table for us. Thank you Nikki, for saving my experience with Hello Sailor and this review! As we were seated other guests smiled & complimented me on my mask because it's definitely an eye catcher. As soon as we were seated our waiter Daniel, came over and helped us decide on which drinks to begin with. Daniel's customer service was impeccable and he had a groovy look. I could easily see him being a bartender! Because it was a late lunch- I didn't want to eat too heavy so I ordered an arugula salad with grilled shrimp as my protein. My friend ordered crispy flounder and chips seafood plate. The drinks hit the spot! Yes I said drinkS because we had 2 rounds of the blue cucumber and the bermuda hundred. All of the servers were nice and accommodating. The manager Robert, came around to ask about the experience and we agreed that all was well. I was waiting to save all the juicy details for this review. The ambiance at this restaurant is amazing it sits directly on the lake which has awesome views of boats coming in & leaving the marina. After we ended lunch we decided to walk down and have a mini photo shoot with all of the boats in the distance. I would highly recommend this restaurant for a quaint date or friends gathering for a late lunch. My suggestion is definitely to make reservations however. I understand that it was super busy and the hostess may have been recovering from the lunch rush but also, good customer service is expected at all times not just sometimes. read more

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Great place on lake Norman for casual dinner and drinks. Service was great, attentive and friendly. The entrees and apps were great, casual lake fare. Highly recommend for a margarita and taco while enjoying the view and atmosphere. read more

An early business lunch meeting today at "Hello, Sailor" in Cornelius, NC was an unexpected visual, culinary, & experiential treat that for me. Hardly a typical business lunch venue. It was spectacular. The hush puppies were the most flavorful & the most unique I've tasted. The Citrus Crab Louie Salad with Calabash Shrimp was one of the biggest & best salads I've had anywhere. The ambiance & attentive service were exceptional. read more

Hello, Sailor - Patio seating. - Seafood Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

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Great views of the water. Friendly staff. I got the chicken sandwich which was phenomenal. The grandfathers pickles were also delicious! My boyfriend got the burger which was two thin patties which he enjoyed! We also opted to get the orange and vanilla swirl icecream for dessert which was so yummy! (Just like Kohr Bros). Only reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is for the drinks. We each got one of the slushees which looked very cute but tasted just okay. Hush puppies were also great with the spicy/sweet butter. Overall, loved this place! read more

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I wish I could leave 1/3 of a star.... I've been sick since eating there weeks ago.... Their French fríes are fried in some type of beef oil.... They don't offer an opinion, only the awful Oil!!! Their entrees are only colorful in name., taste is " empty "! read more

Friendly, beautiful atmosphere. Great location by the lake. The food was delicious. The wait was not long at all. I had the ribs and my wife the cat fish. Webbing agreed it was delicious. Beautiful place to come with your special someone or with a group. read more

We really enjoyed our early dinner and drinks there yesterday. Loved the wedge salad with grilled shrimp. My husband's spicy chicken sandwich and beef fat fries were phenomenal. So excited to see a restaurant frying in something besides industrial seed oils! Gorgeous view of the water and cool retro vibe. Service was terrific. All I can think is that their 3.4 yelp rating is a joke. Don't let it deter you. This place is a gem. read more

Incredibly friendly staff and awesome piña coladas. Chicken sandwich is awesome. Popcorn shrimp is awesome. read more

Hello, Sailor - Crispy Chicken Sandwich - Seafood Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

I had a fantastic experience here! I met a friend for lunch and we arrived right before the lunch crowd. This place is so retro and cool on the inside! I love the attention to details everywhere! Not to mention the amazing views from outside. I can't wait to come back when it warmer to enjoy the view and the cool patio. Our server was kind and attentive. She offered suggestions and kept it really honest about some menu favorites. We started with the hush puppies. They were very good! I enjoyed the butter that came with them for dipping. For the meal we tried the lobster roll and side salad and the platter #1 which comes with shrimp, fish and fries. The side salad was delicious. The dill house dressing was really refreshing. The other toppings were cucumbers, cheese and bacon. The lobster roll was very good. I really liked the roll it made the sandwich perfect. The platter was really good! I'm not normally a fan of fried fish but this was seasoned well and very good and flaky. I really enjoyed the tarter sauce too! The shrimp and fries were both really tasty. And the best part of the meal was that everything arrived hot to the table! I'm glad we managed to save enough room for dessert! The soft serve is worth it! The winter citrus and vanilla combination was so refreshing. I'm a fan! I loved everything about this place. I'm looking forward to coming back. read more

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Extremely rude waitress, toilets were flooded, absolutely awful experience, just because you have a location you need to cater to people other than drunk boaters, we left before ordering and won't be back. read more

Love the mussels appetizer. Sad at the mixers for the drinks, and I do think it's slightly overpriced. But overall a great experience and I love being able to sit outside at the Tiki bar. read more

I firmly believe there is an epidemic of restaurants that are too trendy for their own good. I'm so disappointed to give Hello, Sailor a less than glowing review because I had such high hopes. The restaurant is clean and modern with a great color scheme, but the food and service were nothing special. We arrived around 8 pm and it is currently 9:20 as I write this - 20 minutes after closing. We finished eating nearly 30 minutes ago and still have not received our check. Our server has only checked in a few times, and seems to disappear for 20-30 minutes at a time. I ordered the kale Caesar salad and an Aperol spritz. The salad was smaller than I expected and any hope of dressing was soaked up by the mountain of everything bagel seasoning and breadcrumbs on top. I had more of my husband's meal than my own. The Aperol spritz was in a tiny glass that was half full and tasted like grapefruit, not Aperol. Not to mention, it cost $13. Overall, Hello, Sailor was an overpriced disappointment. Maybe if they focused on their (tiny) menu instead of overloading the trendy atmosphere, I'd be writing a different review. They have a shirt that says "3.4 stars on Yelp" and now I understand why. read more

Hello, Sailor - "Aperol Spritz" - Seafood Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

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The daily special fish (mahi mahi) was maybe the best meal of my life! I also loved the views and ambiance!

Absolutely obsessed. I recently relocated from Los Angeles, and this place could give any big city restaurant a run for its money. Cutest decor, yummy drinks, kind staff, fun music, wish it was socially acceptable to drink the sauce of the mussels dish with a straw. Fifteen out of ten favorite spot I've been to in NC, will definitely be back. read more

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Beautiful lakefront view with an eclectic 69s vibe. Fun drink menu. Arrived at 6:30p for drinks at the bar before our 7pm dinner reservation. Despite many empty tables, we were finally seated a little after 8pm and were offered "pickles on the house" due to our long wait. We saw the same pickles went to every other table around us. Dinner arrived after 9pm and out by 10p. Come with chill expectations. read more

Started our experience at the tiki bar, while waiting for our table. I had the Yacht Club drink, which I highly recommend if you like a little spice. Great cocktail that is almost a spicy margarita/Palermo mix. We had reservations with a large party, but wanted to sit outside. The wait for outside was not bad, about 30 minutes. For starters, we had oysters, hush puppies, crab dip and the crab bites. I highly recommend the crab bites- they were refreshing and delicious! The crab dip was very good as well, it was a hot dip and had a good spicy kick to it. For the entree, I had the tile fish which was amazing. It came with a delicious basil purée. My husband ordered the whole fish, which they ended up running out of. Then he ordered the #3 plate with brisket, which they also ran out of. Then he tried to order the cod/shrimp combo but wanted to substitute out the shrimp (which he is allergic to), but they were not allowing substitutes. At this point, if you do not have 2 of the entrees that he already wanted, exceptions really should be made. He ended up needing to order something he didn't even really want, which when you are paying for a meal is not ideal. I know it was late and the restaurant was close to closing, but I wish they would have handled it a little differently. Luckily our waiter, Jeremy, was great. He was very attentive and extremely nice. We had a large party and ended up having to move inside because of the rain, and he was great about it. In all, this restaurant was a nice spot to have dinner on the lake. The ambience and service was great (a 70s retro decor inside) and the cocktails were tasty. I highly recommend waiting for a table outside to enjoy the views. Great place to watch the sunset! read more

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This was my first time here and the view and atmosphere is awesome. The food was good. This is a nice spot to grab a bite to eat and then head to the lake!! read more

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This place was good, over priced, but good. We sat at the bar and received great service. The food was fresh and the portions were ok. The drinks were mixed to perfection. I ordered a wedge salad with chicken. With two mixed drinks and a salad, I didn't expect my bill to be $68. The salad alone was $21. I have no issue with paying for quality -- but I didn't think it was quite worth the sticker price. I'd love to go back and try this place again, hopefully it will be warmer so we can drink on the patio overlooking the lake. But I think I can live without the $21 head of lettuce. read more

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Both times I have visited have been great! Lots of hospitality and care is given to guests for sure. The first time I had one of the seafood combos which was to die for. Don't forget to try the hush puppies, they are amazing. The patio overlooking the water is perfect for summer evenings with a beautiful view. My favorite drink is the Aperol Spritz. their prices are also very reasonable for the area. Can't wait to go back! read more

Hello, Sailor - Gorgeous view of Lake Norman! - Seafood Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

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My hubby and I celebrated our 13th anniversary here, the first week of February. They're offering sit-down dining and the staff all wear masks. They also require customers to wear masks unless they're eating/drinking, however, I don't feel as though people were spaced apart well. Tables may have been 6ft apart, but many were occupied and the restaurant seemed pretty full. Everyone's got different comfortability levels on this, but it was a little more crowded than I preferred. If you can look past that, it's an especially charming restaurant on the lake, decorated in what I'd describe as a midcentury style. The employees are just as fashionablyy dressed in clothing that allows each to express themselves, with no real formal dress code. I really liked that. For brunch appetizers, we were hoping to get raw oysters, but it turns out they rotate the menu based on seasonality. There weren't any oysters, so we opted for pei muscles in tomato, white wine sauce, with crostini instead. It was very tasty in the sauce it was soaked in and the crostini commanded just as much attention from my hubby who swore it was the best garlic bread he's ever had. It only came with two pieces, but when our waitress noticed that we'd eaten all of ours, they came back with more for us to enjoy the rest of our sauce with. We also ordered blue crab claws, crunchy chili oil, and wasabi tobiko which was as deliciously unique as it looked! The crunchy chili oil reminds me of Lao-Thai chili oil that I'm accustomed to at home and it added a nice crunchy texture and heat to the meaty blue crab claws. Combined with the brightly green-colored wasabi tobiko, the combo of flavors was the most memorable part of my meal. Lastly, for entrees, we both ordered lobster rolls, duke mayonnaise, and tarragon with beef fat fries and homemade pickles for sides. The lobster rolls were generously packed, but the flavor was underwhelming compared to food trucks we've had like Cousins Maine, Lobster Dog, or Red Hook Lobster Pound, a seafood restaurant in Brooklyn, NY. The beef fat fries and pickles were alright. This seafood restaurant was a bit pricier than a lot of other seafood restaurants we've been to, but the ambiance was nice, and getting to try some unique appetizers made this an especially great experience for us. read more

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Fish and chips had 4 small fish nuggets. For $19 I think you should expect a meal not an appetizer portion. Lots of servers but bar / kitchen not always getting it right. They fixed quickly but should it have come out right. read more

Hello, Sailor - Fish and chips entree - Seafood Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

The food was good don't ask for substitutions I was told everything is pre ordered and measured so you can't sub out something. That tells me pre packaged food but still tasty pricey but good. Atmosphere is great view is fabulous. Overall will go back my kids loved the shrimp appetizers read more

Beautiful views if you sit outside. My friends and I had outstanding server, Ben. We even asked for a manager so we could compliment on how amazing Ben was. He was attentive, never left us waiting on drinks, food. Other servers were wonderful as well, it seemed like it was in everyone's interest to take care of guests. Unfortunately we all got food poisoning from raw oysters. 6 oysters were 20 dollars, we had 36 total for the 3 of us. 120 dollars later that was just spent on oysters, and 4 days into this, my friends and I are still sick. I called and notified the manager. Not sure I will be back. Very expensive and I can find other places with the view for better price. read more